The Laughing Death

Chapter 122: Poison

“What’s wrong?” Qian Jin asked with a puzzled look. But, as was his habit, he trusted Shen San’s judgment and instinctively came to a halt.

“The person who served the food just now wasn’t you. Where is the original server?” Shen San ignored the fat man’s confusion. Instead, he rested his hand on the knife pouch at his waist and slowly rose to his feet, his eyes fixed on the young serving boy who had brought the wine, his voice cold.

“There are so many guests tonight. Li Er was sent on an errand to another private room, so I’m here in his place. Is... is something wrong, Master?” Under Shen San’s piercing gaze, the boy’s face turned pale as a sheet, and he stammered out his reply, panic-stricken.

Seeing the boy’s reaction, Shen San’s expression relaxed slightly, but he still seemed unconvinced. He turned his head and addressed the young Jinzhi, who was nestled in Shen Zhongshan’s arms.

“Miss Jin, do you recognize this man? Is he truly from your Xiaoxiang Court?”

“This...?” The most renowned courtesan of the establishment showed a troubled expression, but finally answered with some embarrassment. “To be honest with you, Master Shen, his face is quite unfamiliar to me. However, our Xiaoxiang Court employs hundreds of people, both upstairs and down. It wouldn’t be strange for me not to have seen him before.”

“Haha! San, aren’t you putting this young lady in a difficult position? How could such a delicate and beautiful woman know every single servant? Surely you don’t believe he’s an assassin who sneaked in from outside?” Shen Zhongshan lowered his head, taking a deep sniff of the fragrant woman in his arms, speaking with careless indifference.

“Big Brother, we make our living on the blade’s edge. It pays to be cautious!” Shen San replied, his face expressionless, his eyes still fixed on the young servant who had brought the dishes.

“Heh heh! This man’s footsteps are light and unsteady, and his eyes are dull. Anyone can tell he doesn’t know martial arts. If you’re still not at ease, I have a way to verify his true identity immediately and put everyone’s minds at rest.” The Poison Scholar Fan Ju suddenly let out a few cold laughs, his tone sinister.

He was already dissatisfied that Shen San had joined the Siping Gang after him, yet was more trusted by Shen Zhongshan. Always considering himself the gang’s strategist, he decided it was time to make Shen San look foolish.

“Oh? And what method is that, Brother Fan? Please, do give it a try.” Though Shen Zhongshan’s words sounded bold and generous, he, in fact, valued his own life dearly. He immediately changed his tune and agreed to let Fan Ju have a try.

“Since this man can’t fight, if he truly intended to harm us, he could only have tampered with the food and wine. So, let’s just have him taste a bit of everything he’s brought. That should clear things up, shouldn’t it?” The Poison Scholar spoke with the confidence of one who held all the cards.

“An excellent idea, Brother Fan! You there, boy! First take a sip of that wine for your masters, then try a bite of the food as well. If you show even a moment’s hesitation, I’ll twist your head right off your shoulders!” The fat black man, Qian Jin, clapped his hands in delight, then immediately bellowed at the young servant who had just entered the room.

When Shen San heard Fan Ju’s suggestion, he felt it was actually quite sound, so he didn’t speak up to argue, choosing instead to stand by and observe coldly.

As for Shen Zhongshan and the Xiao Jinzhi in his arms, they had even fewer objections.

Thus, under the watchful eyes of the group, the young wine-serving servant, with a face full of misery, drank a cup of wine and took a few bites of the dishes.

Seeing that the man was perfectly fine after eating and drinking, a triumphant smile appeared on Fan Ju’s face. He cast a knowing glance at Shen San and said, “It seems Brother Shen was being a bit too cautious. This man is just a simple servant after all. Don’t ruin our drinking mood with such antics next time!” With that, he picked up a few bites of the new dishes and tossed them into his mouth, chewing with leisurely satisfaction.

“Hmph!” Shen San snorted, ignoring Fan Ju’s veiled sarcasm, but he let his body relax and sat back down in his original seat.

“Haha! No harm done! It was just a misunderstanding!” Naturally, Shen Zhongshan was aware of the discord between his two subordinates, but it was something he was happy to see. So, he let out a boisterous laugh.

“Since it was just a misunderstanding, you can take your leave, boy. This silver is a tip for you!” Shen Zhongshan pulled out a two-tael ingot of silver and tossed it to the young servant.

“Thank you, Master! This one will take his leave!” The young man disguised as a servant beamed with joy at the sight of the silver, retreating cheerfully and closing the door behind him.

“Oh my! Master Shen is so generous! You can’t be stingy with me either from now on, Jinzhi!” Xiao Jinzhi’s coquettish voice could be heard from inside the room, playfully demanding.

“Of course, my beauty! You’re my heart and soul! Just serve your master well, and you won’t regret it! Come, brothers! Let’s all have a drink! Tonight, we drink until we’re dead drunk!” Shen Zhongshan’s voice, like a cracked gong, rang out in response, clear enough for the young man to hear through the closed door.

The young man outside the door suddenly let out a cold, quiet laugh. He didn’t leave the area immediately. Instead, he silently moved to a spot under the nearby eaves and stood there, motionless as a ghost, as if waiting for something.

After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, a terrified scream suddenly erupted from within the room. “Poison! The wine and food are poisoned! I’ve been poisoned!” As the words left his mouth, the man let out two strange, loud laughs, followed by utter silence. The voice was unmistakably that of the fat black man, Qian Jin.

“Bitch! You dared to plot against this Chief! I’ll kill you all!” Shen Zhongshan roared in shock and rage. But it seemed too late. After letting out two involuntary, dry laughs, he, too, collapsed to the ground, dead.

The Poison Scholar Fan Ju and Shen San exchanged a look of terror, then spoke as one:

““That servant! He was the one who poisoned us.”

“That servant! He must have the antidote!”

The two of them, as if their backsides were on fire, shoved the women in their arms aside and charged toward the door.

But unfortunately, as soon as they reached the doorway, they let out two “Ha ha” sounds, and slowly slid to the ground.

“It seems the fat black man drank the most, so the poison hit him first. Shen Zhongshan drank quite a bit too, so he was the second. As for the man in black and the scholar, they didn’t drink much, but my ‘Laughing Soul Dissipating Powder’ is so potent that even a single drop entering the mouth is enough to ensure death,” the young man mused calmly. He waited for a while longer before pushing the door open and stepping inside.

The room was now completely devoid of life. Even Xiao Jinzhi and the other three accompanying courtesans had long since stopped breathing.

After Han Li conducted a careful inspection and confirmed there were no survivors, he simply drifted out of the room like a passing breeze.

“When news of Shen Zhongshan’s assassination by poison gets out, it will likely be dismissed as another Jianghu vendetta. It shouldn’t bring me any real trouble,” Han Li thought lightly as he walked.

“This Clear Spirit Powder really is useful. By taking just one pill beforehand, I can not only prevent most poisons but it also has a wonderful effect against drugs like incense and smoke. I used it to toy with that Yan woman and her group last time as well,” he mused with an odd little smile, reaching up to touch the bottle of Clear Spirit Powder hidden in his robe.

Han Li returned to the inn without attracting any attention. As soon as he entered his room, he lay down on the bed and fell into a deep, restful sleep.

This had become one of his unintentionally formed habits. Whenever he finished a major task, he felt an overwhelming need to sleep, allowing his body and mind to fully relax and recover from the exhaustion.

While Han Li was sleeping soundly, the death of Shen Zhongshan and his Three Great Protectors was finally discovered by the staff of Xiaoxiang Court. When the news was relayed back to the Siping Gang, it immediately stirred up a commotion among many interested parties.

No one attempted to investigate the cause of Shen Zhongshan’s death. In the city of Jiayuan, the law of the jungle—the strong preying on the weak—was taken for granted. After all, Shen Zhongshan himself had murdered the previous chief of the Siping Gang to seize his position. Now, all the remaining gang leaders and officers were solely concerned with one question: who would inherit the now-vacant position of chief.

With no strong, universally accepted candidate and no one willing to concede to another, a bloody struggle for the chieftain’s seat erupted within the Siping Gang that very night.

By the time the ordinary, low-ranking gang members who hadn’t participated in the infighting woke up the next morning, they were astonished to discover that the entire Siping Gang had fallen into the hands of a completely unremarkable minor leader named Sun Ergou.

In a single night, this Sun Ergou had slain all other opposing high-ranking officers. With no one left daring to oppose him, he smoothly ascended to the position of Siping Gang Chief. The very next day, he sent out formal announcements to all the other gangs in the West City, confirming his succession.

Han Li, the mastermind behind the entire affair, after sleeping a full and satisfying rest, showed up at the Mo residence. He was once again in that very distinctive little building, and standing before him were the same beautiful Madame Yan and her companions. However, behind them, three great beauties, renowned throughout Jiayuan for their allure—the Three Jades of the Mo family—had joined them.

He had already met Mo Yuzhu and Mo Caihuan, so his gaze lingered a little longer on the next woman—Master Mo’s adopted daughter, Mo Fengwu.

Mo Fengwu was a beauty dressed in yellow, with a face as smooth and perfect as an oval. She appeared to be about sixteen or seventeen years old, and she gave off an air of delicate grace that was both petite and refined. As Han Li’s eyes remained fixed on her, a rosy blush crept up her cheeks, and she shyly lowered her head, revealing the long, slender, fair expanse of her neck. Han Li couldn’t help but swallow a few times.

“Young Master Han, please don’t stare so lecherously at our Fengwu! Her skin is far too thin! Shouldn’t we continue our conversation from yesterday?” Third Madame [San Furen] said with a seductive smile, her voice playfully chiding.