Why am I, a cook, always involved in cases?

Wang agreed with Wu Muqi's opinion and said softly:

"Indeed, if we don't take precautions, it could lead to damage or even melting."

Everyone's eyes were focused on Lin Zhiruo's slightly mysterious face, as if she was about to reveal an ancient and hidden truth.

Lin Zhiruo spoke slowly, mentioning the unique skills passed down from generation to generation by the craftsmen:

“A single metal needs to be heated to extremely high temperatures to melt; however, when different metals are cleverly combined, a wonderful phenomenon occurs—the melting temperature is miraculously lowered.”

This technique has been used since ancient times, but it still requires heating to extremely high temperatures.

The reason why the secret skills of that craftsman family are extremely valuable is that they have mastered the magical ratio that allows metal to melt at a relatively low temperature.

This ratio, the result of the wisdom of the late craftsman, allows the metal to be easily melted simply by placing it near a heated cauldron.

After hearing Lin Zhiruo's detailed explanation, everyone fell into deep thought, except Henghua who was leisurely preparing tea, as if all the troubles in the outside world had nothing to do with her.

From a structural point of view, the ceiling pillars are designed to be indestructible and will never collapse easily.

After all, there was a person of noble status presiding over the sacrificial ceremony below.

If Lin Zhiruo had not discovered it in time, Quan Wushuang would probably have died here.

However, she never expected Quan Wushuang to appear there, and she couldn't help but think to herself:

"Who on earth is this person?"

Lin Zhiruo knew that her position was not enough to pursue the matter, so she chose to remain silent.

Even if you know the truth, it will only get you into endless trouble.

Although the events are bizarre and tortuous, it seems that everything is implicitly connected.

Whether it is direct or indirect, there must be someone behind the scenes secretly controlling it.

Lin Zhiruo sighed softly:

"That's all I can see."

Thinking of this, Lin Zhiruo guessed that Quan Wushuang and others would quickly investigate the matter, and perhaps Liu Wu had already taken action.

Unconsciously, the figure of the tall female official emerged in Lin Zhiruo's mind.

"not my business."

Lin Zhiruo shook her head slightly, lowered her eyes, and tried to divert her thoughts away from the female official.

However, for some reason, she could never forget the exhausted look of the female official, as if she no longer cared about anything, and even revealed a hint of self-abandonment.

The three words "Thirteen Spices" mentioned by the female official in the fields inexplicably attracted Lin Zhiruo's attention.

She wondered in her heart, what secrets were hidden in these three words?

Not long after, news about Liu Wu arrived as expected. Just as Lin Zhiruo expected, it was about the female official named Food and Medicine Officer.

The food and medicine official chose to commit suicide by taking poison. This hasty death made Lin Zhiruo feel puzzled.

When the officials from the Ministry of Justice collected evidence and came to arrest him, the food and medicine official was already lying in bed, dead.

It was said that the cup she overturned contained a deadly poison, and the medical officer confirmed her death after an autopsy.

As a sinner, the body of the Food and Medicine Official will be cremated after being placed in the coffin.

Her body is currently placed with other criminals who died in prison.

The reason why the Ministry of Justice acted so quickly may be because Liu Wu and others collected evidence very thoroughly, or perhaps they had already taken action.

However, the only criminal found was the food and medicine officer.

Lin Zhiruo was filled with doubts:

"Could such a complicated matter really be done by one person?"

Such a hasty ending is really hard to accept.

Lin Zhiruo couldn't help but have a more basic question in her mind:

"Will that woman really take the blame willingly?"

Lin Zhiruo had not been in contact with the dietary medicine officer for a long time. She was not good at understanding people's hearts and could not figure out the other person's thoughts in a short time.

However, the listless atmosphere of the dietary medicine officer made her feel inexplicably sad and helpless.

But there was one thing that always bothered Lin Zhiruo.

Some of the words the dietary medicine officer had said seemed to carry some deep meaning, as if he was testing Lin Zhiruo.

Lin Zhiruo secretly reminded herself:

"I can't judge her true intentions based on intuition alone."

However, Lin Zhiruo knew that she could not say anything more and could only complete her daily tasks silently.

This is the duty of a maid, and it should be so.

However, she succumbed to her curiosity.

"Manager Quan, I have a favor to ask of you."

Lin Zhiruo mustered up her courage and spoke to Quan Wushuang.

"I would like to speak to the medical examiner who performed the autopsy."

There was a determined light in Lin Zhiruo's eyes.

In the dim morgue, Lin Zhiruo made her request.

The place was filled with a disgusting stench of corpses, because in this country, people who died in prison were not allowed to be buried and could only be cremated.

Coffins waiting for sinners were neatly stacked in the corner of the room, while the body of the food and medicine official was placed a little further away from the coffins, with a black and white seal on it.

Quan Wushuang and Gao Zhongcheng were also present. Gao Zhongcheng seemed unwilling to let Quan Wushuang come to this gloomy and terrifying place, but he could not stop Quan Wushuang's decision.

The medical officer who was called in had a gloomy face, as if he had just experienced an unspeakable nightmare.

This is understandable. After all, the female official he loved had died and was treated as a criminal.

However, Lin Zhiruo couldn't help but have a question in her mind:

"Is it just because of this reason?"

The medical officer who performed the autopsy may know some unknown secrets.

So, Lin Zhiruo asked tentatively:

"Did the poison the lady-in-waiting took contain poisonous mushrooms?"

Lin Zhiruo's questions were direct and sharp. Because of her foot injury, she sat on the chair prepared for her by Gao Zhongcheng, her eyes fixed on the medical officer.

Next to her was a hoe, which Gao Zhongcheng had specially prepared for her.

Quan Wushuang glanced at the hoe curiously, but Lin Zhiruo did not explain and just ignored it.

The medical officer's face instantly turned even darker, but he did not directly answer Lin Zhiruo's question. Instead, he shook his head and said:

"The poison is a mixture of various ingredients, making it difficult to accurately determine its type. Judging from the symptoms, it is indeed possible as you describe, but I cannot give a definite conclusion."

Although the medical officer's face was livid, his answer was quite pertinent.

Lin Zhiruo had also seen that kind of poison before, and she was indeed unable to accurately determine the types of ingredients contained in it.

So, she continued to ask:

"There's a field on the small hill above the stable. Are there any poisonous mushrooms growing there? Even though it's not the season for growing them, I don't think the Shangshi Bureau should be short of this kind of ingredient."

Although poisonous mushrooms are highly toxic, they can have an anesthetic effect if used in moderation.

If the Food and Medicine Officer holds the poisonous mushrooms from the Imperial Food Bureau...

Lin Zhiruo's thoughts raced in her mind, while the medical officer fell into silence.