Chapter 44 :

Chapter 44. The Fog Cleared (1)

At my suggestion, Heo Cheong also drank the same tea as us.

Flowers and Birds Clear Harmony.

Cup of Bright Moon.

By the time he had drunk up to this point, Heo Cheong tilted his head.

And when he drank Green Beauty, Heo Cheong’s face soon turned serious.

Finally, the moment he saw the dates placed on our table, his face turned ashen.

There was no way the Elder Lord could have failed to notice that.

“Why is that, young man? Is something wrong? Why is your complexion so poor?”

“I, I apologize, Elder Lord. This is only my suspicion, but if my suspicion is correct, it would be far too tragic……”

“What on earth is it?”

“In truth, although I paint, I also do another kind of work.”

“That, I already know. You treat the ailments of villagers as a physician, do you not?”

“That is correct, but in fact, what I mainly deal with is detoxifying those who have been poisoned.”

“Detoxifying?”

“Since painting is my family’s trade, I too painted. But while doing so, I became curious as to why painters so easily ruined their health and died young. In pursuing that cause, I discovered that the pigments used in painting were poisonous.”

Heo Cheong continued speaking.

“Thus, upon realizing that my family was poisoned by those pigments and were harming their health and dying prematurely, I began to study in order to detoxify them.”

“I see. And how is that connected to your complexion changing?”

“When one studies detoxification, one naturally comes to know about poisons as well.”

“Well, of course. To detoxify, one must understand poison.”

“That is correct. Poison and medicine seem opposed, but in the end, they are interconnected.”

I looked at his white hair.

It was because he had researched poisons that he had turned white-haired.

For that white hair, later people called him the White-Haired Painter Physician.

In my previous life, the White-Haired Painter Physician was a divine physician, unparalleled when it came to detoxification.

It was also he, the man before me now, who uncovered that the Empress’s cause of death was poisoning.

And at this point in time, the only one who ‘officially’ knew about the Marsh of Unconsciousness was him.

“What you are saying is, that there is poison here in my residence.”

“That is correct.”

“Then let me ask. Where is that poison?”

At the Elder Lord’s question, Heo Cheong bowed and answered.

“Tragically speaking…… it was in the tea.”

“Tea?”

“Yes. To be exact, in the three kinds of tea I just drank, and in the dates. These comprise one of the Marsh of Unconsciousnesss, which only works if all four are consumed.”

“……”

At those words, the Elder Lord closed his eyes tightly.

“I see…… Yesterday and today, my guests drank that poison…… are they unharmed?”

At those words from the Elder Lord, I was moved.

Even though he had surely consumed more of the poison himself, he thought of his guests’ safety before his own.

Heo Cheong answered that question.

“They are fine. The poison I spoke of must be consumed steadily for at least one year. After one year passes, the body slowly weakens and in the end dies, though no clear cause of death appears.”

“I see.”

The Elder Lord nodded.

“Fortunately, it has not been long since you began consuming this poison.”

“How can you tell?”

“By your complexion. If your complexion were poor, I would have realized it at once upon seeing you.”

“But……”

The Elder Lord asked him the most crucial question.

“How did you come to know about this poison? Even if you study poisons for the sake of detoxification, this is a poison that even I did not know of.”

“There was someone who died from consuming the very same poison as you, Elder Lord.”

In his previous life, the White-Haired Painter Physician had said this.

“I came to know of this poison eighteen years ago. At that time, there was a man in the same village. He had fallen gravely ill, and every physician in Zhongyuan had been summoned, but there was no improvement.”

“Then, I was called. Likely they thought, there was nothing to lose by trying. And I realized that he was poisoned, and I investigated what it was that had poisoned him.”

“I discovered the cause, but for him it was already too late, a prescription written after death.”

For some reason, the White-Haired Painter Physician never revealed that dead man’s identity, but some people deduced it.

He was the Left Capital Censorate Imperial Inspector.

There must have been a reason, but in any case, already at that time this poison had been used, and the White-Haired Painter Physician had known of its existence.

Heo Cheong continued.

“I cannot say who that person was, but the poison is certain. And perhaps the reason you have not heard of this poison is because of its peculiar nature.”

“The peculiar nature of the poison?”

“That is correct. Its ingredients are rare, it is not easy to make, the method of consumption is complicated, and the period required is long.”

“Indeed, if one must drink three kinds of tea and consume it for a year…… it would be very difficult to employ.”

The Elder Lord stroked his beard and asked.

“Is there a way to detect this poison?”

“There is.”

“Can it be done here and now?”

“Of course. With just vinegar and blood.”

Soon, those were prepared, and using the already-brewed tea, he demonstrated by the same method as I had that the poison was present.

Seeing this, the Elder Lord rose from his seat and cupped his fists toward Chief Manager Yoo and me.

“My apologies. It is my failing as the host who invited you that you were nearly placed in danger.”

“No! How could I ever say such a thing is Elder Brother’s fault?”

“That is correct, Elder Lord. There is no need to apologize.”

“Hearing you say that, I am truly grateful.”

The Elder Lord looked at Heo Cheong.

“Come with me now to the Hall of Peaceful Brewing.”

***

At that moment, someone hurried somewhere.

That person delivered a message to someone.

“Lord Hyeonri has discovered the poison.”

“What? How could he possibly realize it? It was said to be a poison that could never be detected.”

“Today, one of the invited painters was a man well-versed in detoxification.”

“Hurry and switch the tea containers. Only then can we make it seem like another’s scheme.”

“That may be difficult.”

“Has Lord Hyeonri already arrived at the Hall of Peaceful Brewing?”

“No, it’s not that……”

“What is it?”

“Right now, Lady Yua is making a scene at the Hall of Peaceful Brewing.”

***

When the Elder Lord and Heo Cheong were going to the Hall of Peaceful Brewing, I too asked to accompany them.

After a moment’s thought, the Elder Lord nodded.

“You too are a victim who drank the poison, so it is a just request. Very well.”

“Thank you.”

A short while later, we arrived at the Hall of Peaceful Brewing.

Those who saw the Elder Lord quickly bowed their heads.

“We greet the Elder Lord.”

The Elder Lord selected three of the tea containers from where his tea was being brewed and handed them to Heo Cheong.

“Examine these.”

“Understood.”

He immediately spread paper and overturned the tea containers onto it.

Then, carefully examining the containers, he set them down again.

Heo Cheong, who did the same with all three containers in succession, scraped something from inside and performed the detection method.

However, the tea mixed with vinegar still remained clear.

Seeing this, Heo Cheong spoke.

“Nothing has been detected.”

“Is that so?”

The Elder Lord furrowed his brow.

Now it was my turn to step forward.

“Elder Lord, I have something to say.”

“What is it?”

“Yesterday, with your permission, I had the chance to look around this place.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

“But the tea containers I saw yesterday seem a little different from these ones.”

“The tea containers are different?”

“Yes. The ones I saw yesterday were clearly older, but these do not appear so old.”

The shapes were the same, but they looked much newer.

Normally, tea containers are rarely replaced, since the scent of the tea is deliberately allowed to soak into them.

“I see.”

At that moment, someone stepped forward.

“I, I have something to say about that.”

The one who stepped forward was a woman, and upon seeing her, the Elder Lord spoke.

“What is it?”

“In fact, all of the tea containers on the shelf were just taken away by Young Lady Yua.”

“Yua?”

“Yes. So, I just prepared these new containers and filled them with tea.”

“Which means, the leaves of the tea you brewed for me were not from these containers at all.”

“Yes, that is correct.”

From her words, I realized that she was the one in charge of brewing the Elder Lord’s tea.

I must learn the tea-brewing method from her someday.

Except for the fact that the tea had poison in it, the tea I drank ranked among the top three best teas I had ever tasted in both this life and my past one.

Of course, that would only be possible after this matter was resolved.

“When did Yua leave this place?”

“About thirty minutes ago.”

At those words, the Elder Lord quickly turned his body.

***

A man was walking, looking around in all directions.

His name was Wang Gyeong.

Now he was moving to carry out his master’s orders.

Of all people, one of the Elder Lord’s guests turned out to be well-versed in detoxification.

In the end, the Elder Lord had learned of the poison’s existence.

‘I went through so much trouble to place those containers there…… damn it.’

So, in order not to be exposed, the tea containers had to be switched.

But a problem had arisen.

The Merchant Lord’s daughter, Zhuge Yua, had swept away the tea containers. Among them, unfortunately, were the three that contained poison.

She had always been a reckless nuisance, and now at this crucial moment, she had become an irritating obstacle.

‘When my master takes control of the family, I’ll be sure to suggest that we get rid of that girl first.’

Wang Gyeong glanced at the tea containers inside his bundle.

He was now heading to Zhuge Yua’s quarters.

Of the containers she had taken, the three that contained poison needed to be switched with the ones he had.

If the Elder Lord learned of what Zhuge Yua had done, he would surely have her containers investigated.

It would be disastrous if poison was discovered in the containers Zhuge Yua held.

If he failed this time, his master would discard him without hesitation for the sake of the greater plan.

Thus, this task absolutely could not fail.

Soon, he arrived at Zhuge Yua’s quarters.

Because she was so unruly, she lived separately in an annex.

There were far fewer people moving about than usual, but pressed for time, he failed to notice.

After only a quick glance around, he slipped into her annex and found the tea containers she had taken.

They were placed on the table in the hall.

He crept toward the table and opened his bundle. He was just about to switch his containers with hers when it happened.

Ssshhk,

Something cold pressed against the back of his neck.

“……!”

And a heavy voice spoke.

“That’s far enough.”

It was a familiar voice. Slowly turning his head, he saw the face of the man pressing a sword to his neck.

It was the Merchant Lord, Zhuge Yul.

‘Damn it.’

He realized.

He was finished.

***

When we arrived at Zhuge Yua’s quarters, the Merchant Lord of the Zhuge Family was already there.

At his feet lay a man, bound and gagged.

“What happened?”

At the Elder Lord’s question, the Merchant Lord answered.

“This man secretly intruded into Yua’s quarters. I captured him and was interrogating him.”

At those words, the Elder Lord sighed in relief.

So that’s how it was……

He had spoken so coldly before, but in truth, he had been worried about Zhuge Yua.

I glanced at Zhuge Yua, who stood beside the Merchant Lord.

She had carried out my request perfectly.

Then…… was the trustworthy ally she mentioned yesterday actually the Merchant Lord, young lady?

I recalled the conversation I had with her the previous night.

“First, inspect the Hall of Peaceful Brewing. Then, once you confirm that the tea is being served as I said, when the last tea, Green Beauty, is brought out, that is the right moment.”

“So that’s when I make a scene.”

“That is correct. By ‘make a scene,’ I do not mean actually causing havoc, but drawing everyone’s attention to yourself. That way, no one can touch the tea containers.”

“Fine. And then?”

“Take not only the tea containers I mentioned, but also the others, and bring them back here to your quarters.”