Tang Dynasty Prison Administration

Chapter 124: The Azure Dragon Case

A foreign merchant bowed to Su Wen and said, "Reporting to your superior, I know that this Azure Dragon Powder is nothing more than Yiduosan, but it must contain other ingredients. The seller we bought it from said that this Azure Dragon Powder contains something very important: dragon scales. It can whiten a woman's skin and make her look much younger. After taking it, a woman will feel physically and mentally happy!"

Another merchant from the Hu region said, "Yes, Shangguan!"

Upon hearing this, Su Wen looked at another person standing to the side. The person was dressed in plain clothes, not very tall, just over six feet, with a slender build, and was about twenty years old.

Su Wen looked at him and asked, "Who are you?"

This man had a nonchalant attitude, as if he didn't take Su Wen seriously at all. Cheng Nianci said, "Reporting to Minister Su, this man's name is Wang Hui. He is from the Wang family of Taiyuan and is the nephew of Wang Yun, the Vice Minister of Works!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Hui looked at Su Wen and said, "Who are you? And I just saw 'Prison Warden' written on the gate. What kind of new department is this? I've never heard of it before."

Su Wen smiled slightly and said, "Then listen carefully. I am Su Wen, the Imperial Envoy appointed by the Emperor, the Acting Prefect of Shazhou, the Acting Prefect of Qingzhou, and the Chief Prisoner. The Emperor has granted me the authority to act expediently. I have summoned you here entirely because Qinglongfen is related to the death of Li Xinyue, the daughter of Li Zheng, the Military Governor of Jiangnan. I think you should understand the weight of this matter. If you conceal anything or talk back when I question you, I can use my authority to punish you. I don't think your uncle will say anything!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Hui was not angry but pleased, staring at Su Wen and saying, "You're the Su Wen who solved the mysterious case in Youzhou, the lotus case in Qingzhou, and the Taoist case in Luoyang?"

Seeing Wang Hui's appearance, Su Wen was somewhat puzzled and asked with a puzzled look, "Yes, what, do you know me?"

"The news has spread throughout Chang'an that you are an expert in solving cases. Some people are even saying that you solved a case of impersonation in Youzhou because you dreamed of a deceased person reporting a crime. Many storytellers are telling this story!"

Hearing Wang Hui's words, Su Wen was genuinely pleased, but at that moment Cui Lingyu stepped forward and said, "Wang Hui, this is a courtroom, let's not discuss these things. Answer your superior's questions first!"

Cui Lingyu then looked at Su Wen. Although she didn't say anything, Su Wen immediately understood and quickly looked at Wang Hui, saying, "Wang Hui, let me ask you, where did you get your Azure Dragon Powder?"

Wang Hui said, "I bought it from a doctor in Zhaoxingfang!"

Upon hearing this, Cui Lingyu looked at Wang Hui and said, "Wang Hui, as a scion of a prominent family, how could you engage in such despicable business dealings? If word gets out, wouldn't it damage the reputation of your family?"

When Cui Lingyu asked Wang Hui this question, he was taken aback for a moment, and then looked at the people beside him.

Cui Lingyu said: "Cui family of Boling, Cui Lingyu!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Hui clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Hey, so you're Su Wenshangguan's fiancée! Everyone says you two are a perfect match, a match made in heaven, and that it was ordained by immortals and saints. Seeing you today, it's true! You truly are a perfect couple!"

After being reprimanded by Wang Hui, Cui Lingyu didn't dare to say anything more for a moment. Su Wen then coughed lightly and said, "Wang Hui, let me ask you, do you know that doctor?"

Wang Hui shook his head and said, "I don't know it, but I heard those young ladies talking about this Azure Dragon Powder in private, so I wanted to get some to try. But when I inquired, well, men can only take the low-grade version of Azure Dragon Powder, which is the Yiduo Powder that you can buy at any ordinary pharmacy. After that, it took me a long time to find out that there was a doctor in Zhaoxingfang who sold Azure Dragon Powder, so I went and bought a lot!"

Then Wang Hui said, "However, Minister Su, I don't sell myself on the market. I sell myself to the daughters of noble and wealthy families, so it doesn't actually affect my reputation, because no one else knows. But I don't know why you found out, Minister Su!"

Upon hearing this, Su Wen looked at the two foreign merchants and asked, "Did you two also get it from that doctor?"

The two merchants from the Central Plains exchanged glances, then shook their heads and said, "We actually never met that seller!"

What does "never seen it before" mean?

The merchant from Hu said, "Every night we leave our money under the stone steps at the entrance, and the next day we can retrieve it from under the steps. So we don't know who the seller is!"

Su Wen frowned, thought for a moment, and then looked at Wang Hui, saying, "Wang Hui, please take me to Zhaoxingfang first and find that doctor!"

Wang Hui responded, but Cui Lingyu quickly said, "Su Lang, let's not go yet. We don't know if it's the same person. If it isn't, we'll alert them!"

Cui Lingyu said, "Nianci, have Wang Hui go with you to Zhaoxingfang first. Locate that doctor. If he makes any unusual moves, arrest him immediately. Cui Changfeng, tonight you and Li Xingguo will lie in ambush in front of the two Hu shops. See who takes the money and puts something in, then arrest them immediately!"

Su Wen nodded upon hearing Cui Lingyu's arrangement. Indeed, Cui Lingyu's arrangement was more perfect than Su Wen's.

Su Wen thought to investigate first and then deal with it, while Cui Lingyu was more meticulous and rigorous!

Cui Lingyu then turned to a foreign merchant and asked, "You just said that dragon scales were added to this Azure Dragon Powder?"

Hu Shang nodded in agreement: "Yes, during the first transaction, a beggar told us that in March of this year, at the foot of Zhongnan Mountain, someone saw a green dragon fall from the sky. After the dragon died, he went up and collected a lot of dragon scales to take home. He then added these dragon scales and other ingredients to Yiduo Powder, which is how this Green Dragon Powder came about!"

Su Wen, Cui Lingyu, and the others were quite shocked, with Wang Hui exclaiming in astonishment, "Azure Dragon! There really is a dragon?"

Hu Shang shook his head: "I don't know, but that's what the beggar said!"

Su Wen asked, "A beggar?"

Hu Shangdao said, "It was the seller behind the scenes who brought this beggar to negotiate with us. He was just a messenger. It's said that not long after I started this business, this beggar froze to death on the street because of the cold weather!"

Upon hearing this, Su Wen looked at Cui Lingyu, and Cui Lingyu also looked at Su Wen. Although neither of them spoke, they both understood that this was a typical case of keeping a murder secret.

Cui Lingyu looked at Wang Hui and asked, "Wang Hui, is there any news about this circulating in the streets?"

Wang Hui shook his head and said, "I've never heard of anything about a Azure Dragon falling to earth, otherwise I wouldn't be so surprised. However, Zhongnan Mountain isn't too far from Chang'an. Logically, such astonishing news should have spread throughout Chang'an, but for some reason, there's been no news at all!"

Cui Lingyu looked at Su Wen and said, "Young Master Su, you can go to Zhongnan Mountain and ask the local people if this is true!"

Su Wen nodded and replied, "Okay, I'll get ready to leave now. I'll leave things here to you for now!"

Cui Lingyu responded!