Jun Hui glanced around and asked Zhang Dehui, "What happened here?"
Zhang Dehui recounted the events, subtly implying throughout his explanation that Jinzhao Zui was responsible for causing so many diners severe abdominal pain, and that he was about to take everyone in for a thorough investigation.
Jun Hui smiled. "Since the incident occurred in the shop, naturally the people involved should be taken back for proper investigation. I presume, Princess, that you are not one to abuse your authority and obstruct official duties, are you, Princess?"
Su Li thought to herself that Jun Hui's scheme was ringing loud and clear. The common people already knew that Jinzhao Zui belonged to her. If he truly had the shop sealed, her Su's Brand wouldn't even be established yet, and her reputation would already be tainted. She absolutely would not let him succeed.
"What Sixth Prince says is true. This Princess certainly won't obstruct official duties. However, since the aggrieved parties are all here, we might as well conclude the case on the spot."
Jun Hui asked with curiosity, "Does the Princess have the confidence to clear the case thoroughly in such a short time? In this Prince's opinion, it's better to take them back to the yamen for interrogation. With proper torture, everything will be confessed!"
The waiters and staff of Jinzhao Zui looked at Su Li in terror.
Su Li signaled with her eyes for them not to panic.
"Does the Sixth Prince intend to extract a confession through torture?"
Jun Hui smiled. "What makes you say that? Interrogations have always required some means."
Jun Mo let out a low chuckle, then glanced at Jun Hui and Zhang Dehui. "When did Imperial Father hand over Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice to Sixth Brother? If this Prince remembers correctly, Sixth Brother hasn't even cleared the Imperial Examination Cheating Scandal case in his hands yet, and Imperial Father is quite displeased about it!"
Jun Hui's face darkened. Recently, not a few people in the court had been mocking him. He had wanted to show his capabilities but ended up with a hot potato. Failing to even investigate a cheating scandal meant Imperial Father and the ministers were starting to doubt his competence.
Jun Hui gritted his teeth. "Even if Seventh Brother were to investigate that case, he might not fare better than I. But this case at Jinzhao Zui, this Prince can clear it within a day."
Su Li scoffed, "Give me half an hour, and I will reveal the true culprit."
Jun Hui became interested. Half an hour? She could find the culprit without even finishing questioning all the involved parties? Nonsense.
"Is the Princess serious?"
Su Li nodded. "Absolutely. If I cannot find the culprit, then I will have no objection to the shop being closed."
Jun Hui clapped his hands and laughed. "Good! Then I'll give the Princess half an hour. If after half an hour the Princess cannot find the culprit, then the shop will be closed and the people arrested!"
To poison so many diners, the mastermind must be hidden among the staff.
Su Li scanned the more than twenty staff members. She said coldly, "I know this person is hidden among you. If you don't want to implicate your companions and subject them to cruel torture in prison, then step forward and confess. This Princess will give you a lenient punishment."
A hint of amusement flashed in Jun Hui's eyes. She didn't seem so naive. Did she really think someone would just step forward and confess by merely asking?
As expected, no one stepped forward.
Jun Mo applied pressure with his gaze, and sweat beaded on the staff's foreheads, but still no one spoke a word.
Su Li sighed, then continued, "Alright, then I will find this person myself."
"I just investigated a bit. The medicine was put into the soup base. The poison the diners ingested is called 'Wandering Wind Dust' (Suifeng San). This poison dissipates when exposed to wind, leaves traces when touched, and cannot be cleansed by water. When hands contaminated with this medicine touch plant ash, the fingers will turn blue."
Su Li whispered something to Si Qin, who nodded and went to the back kitchen. She returned shortly, holding a pottery jar. Su Li added some more medicinal powder to the jar.
"One by one, extend your hands into this. When your fingers turn blue upon contact with the plant ash, that will be the poisoner!"
The staff members found this incredible, some tense and doubting its authenticity, others clear-conscienced. The staff lined up as instructed, each extending a hand into the pottery jar.
"My hand didn't turn blue!"
"Mine either!"
The staff members took turns, then stood in a row. Su Li, seeing that they had all tried, asked them to extend their hands.
Jun Hui looked around and chuckled. "Princess, your method isn't working. None of their hands turned blue. It seems Jinzhao Zui will have to close first!"
Su Li smiled. "Why is the Sixth Prince so impatient? I've already found the poisoner."
Everyone looked at her in surprise, only to see Su Li slowly extend her slender, jade-like hand. "It's him!"
The staff member pointed to immediately knelt down, crying out, "Princess, you wrong me! My hand didn't turn blue!"
"Exactly, is the Princess mistaken?"
"How could Luo Fang poison anyone? That child is very honest!"
No one wanted to believe that the poisoner was this usually honest and simple child.
Su Li sighed, looking at the staff member named Luo Fang. "Although your hand didn't turn blue, you can tell the difference by comparing your hand to those next to you."
Luo Fang looked at the hands of the others. Their fingers were all smudged with charcoal ash, but his fingers were perfectly clean.
"You were afraid your hand would turn blue if it touched the plant ash, so you curled your fingers, not touching the ash at all. But it was precisely your guilt that exposed you. Tell me, who instructed you to poison them?"
As Su Li's words fell, everyone around looked at Luo Fang in shock. Luo Fang still cried out his innocence, saying, "Princess, I didn't! I didn't!"
Su Li said coldly, "You didn't? Then put your hand in!"
Luo Fang slumped to the ground, head bowed, silent. With irrefutable evidence, further sophistry was meaningless. Seeing him in this state, there was nothing left for anyone to misunderstand.
"Luo Fang! You fool! The owner has treated us well, how could you be so heartless!"
"Why did you do it?"
"Speak up! If something happens to you, what will your seriously ill elderly mother do!"
Su Li's eyes lit up. She asked, "Seriously ill elderly mother?"
A staff member sighed, "Yes, Luo Fang has a blind elderly mother at home and a simple-minded younger sister. His whole family relies on him alone."
Su Li glanced at Jun Hui. This man's tactics truly hadn't changed for a thousand years.
Su Li looked at Luo Fang and said, "I will treat your mother's illness. If you confess honestly, I will ask the yamen for a lenient sentence. If you don't confess, you will only be dealt with according to the law. Think of your mother and your younger sister."
Luo Fang's eyes were filled with struggle.
"Luo Fang, what are you still hesitating for! Miss has already said she'll let bygones be bygones, why don't you hurry and explain clearly?"
"Speak up!"
Luo Fang gritted his teeth and finally spoke. "Princess, I'm sorry. Actually, I don't know who that person was. My mother is seriously ill and needs money. The person had their face covered with a cloth. They gave me silver and a medicine bottle and told me to put it in the soup base."
Su Li frowned. "Didn't you know that if too much of this medicine was added, it could be fatal!"
Luo Fang kowtowed and said, "They told me it was just a laxative-like medicine, but I was careful and only put in less than half a bottle, not all of it."
Su Li sighed. Thankfully, he had that last shred of kindness, otherwise, this truly would have been difficult to resolve. She had thought Jun Hui had a moment of good conscience this time, not wanting to cause fatalities. But she hadn't expected his heart to remain so dark, treating the lives of the common people as mere weeds!
Jun Mo looked at Zhang Dehui and said, "The truth has come to light. Someone engaged in malicious competition and bribed this person. You should investigate the mastermind quickly. Since Sixth Brother loves investigating cases so much, this case is also handed over to you."
Jun Hui's face stiffened. He already had an unsolved case on his hands. If he took this case, he would have to find a scapegoat.
Su Li smiled and thanked him. "Then many thanks to the Sixth Prince. Also, this Princess promised Luo Fang that if he confessed honestly, he would receive a lenient sentence. Minister Zhang, what do you say?"
Zhang Dehui glanced at Jun Hui, who nodded. Zhang Dehui smiled and said, "The state has its laws, and the family has its rules. Luo Fang has made a mistake and will naturally be punished. Since the Princess has interceded, and considering his elderly mother and young sister at home, how about he be confined for half a year, what do you think, Princess?"
Su Li nodded.
When the officers led Luo Fang away, applause broke out around them. Su Li looked at the surrounding common people and again expressed her apologies.
She looked at the staff and said, "Since you work at my Jinzhao Zui, if you have any difficulties at home, you can always approach the manager. As long as the situation is true, this Princess will never stand by idly! Do not be used by malicious people to harm yourselves and others. Do you all understand?"
"Understood!"
Su Li nodded and dismissed them to their duties. She then instructed the accountant to compensate each poisoned diner with fifty taels of silver and waive all their food expenses, finally bringing the matter to a close.
After handling everything, Jun Mo accompanied Su Li as they walked out. Seeing Jun Hui about to board his carriage at the entrance, she called out to him.
"Sixth Prince!"
Jun Hui turned and looked at her.
Su Li smiled sweetly. "On the day of Marquis Wuyang's birthday, when did Your Highness leave?"
Jun Hui's face stiffened, then he chuckled. "This Prince suddenly felt unwell at the time, so I left first. Why does the Princess suddenly ask?"
A hint of mischief flashed in Su Li's eyes. "Nothing, just wanted to say, it's a good thing Your Highness left. You didn't see that scene."
Jun Hui asked, "What?"
Su Li's red lips parted slightly: "To repay in kind, its taste is acrid." (It was an eyesore.)
Jun Hui's face darkened, and he got directly into his carriage. "To the estate!"
Mo Yu burst out laughing. He was truly growing to like the Princess Consort more and more!
Jun Mo smiled, took Su Li's hand, and also got into the carriage. "Li'er truly..."
Su Li expressed her dissatisfaction. "I didn't want to rub salt in his wound, but he's despicable for joking with the lives of the common people!"
Jun Mo thought of Jun Hui's expression just now and chuckled.
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