Chapter 681 — The Poisoning Exposed
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"Uh… Brother Liang, this is bad — I've got bad news for you. The poison we planted, some outfit called Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals has traced it. They've already reported it to the police. Do you think the police will find us?" Gao Xiaofu had no heart left for congratulations; deep dread had taken over his whole mind.
"What? They cracked it that fast? That can't be right!" Zhong Yongliang was startled too — he hadn't expected the other side to move so quickly.
Hadn't they said the Seven-Herb Life-Severing Powder was an ancient poison beyond all cure, one no one could unravel? It seemed that so-called Medicine King at Young Master Bing's side wasn't all that reliable after all.
"That's right, Brother Liang — what do we do? I don't want to go to prison! Wahh, I'm still young…" Hearing the strain in Zhong Yongliang's voice only made Gao Xiaofu more frightened still.
"It's fine, Xiaofu. I'll call my dad right now. Young Master Bing has already found us a scapegoat — even if something happens, it won't come back to you. I'll take it all on myself," Zhong Yongliang reassured him.
"That's good, that's good!" Only then did Gao Xiaofu breathe easy. "So there's nothing I need to do? If the police question me, I just say I don't know?"
"Right. Don't say a word. If anyone's to be questioned, let them come to me. Just act as though it has nothing to do with you," Zhong Yongliang said.
"Got it, I understand!" Gao Xiaofu said gratefully. Brother Liang really was a true friend — he didn't shirk when trouble came.
Zhong Yongliang hung up and sent for his father. Zhong Fabai was in the outer room of the hospital suite; he had just turned on the television and caught the news report about the mass fainting of First High students. He was still watching when Zhong Yongliang called him in.
"Dad, the poisoning has been exposed. Call Young Master Bing right away — don't let it touch me!" It would have been a lie to say Zhong Yongliang wasn't anxious; he feared prison as much as anyone. He had only just gotten a good kidney, and he hadn't even had time to enjoy life — he couldn't let it all be ruined in a jail cell. "Xiaofu just called. Some Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals has figured out the cause of the students' collapse and told the police…"
"I'm watching that very news report," Zhong Fabai said with a nod, his expression grave. "I'll call Young Master Bing now. He's made arrangements already, but we still need to confirm."
"All right, Dad. Whatever you do, don't let anything go wrong — I don't want to go to prison!" Zhong Yongliang warned.
"I won't. How could I ever let you go to prison?" Zhong Fabai waved a hand and dialed Li Cihua's number.
"Old Zhong, is that you?" Li Cihua picked up, and having a fair idea why he was calling, spoke before Zhong Fabai could get a word out. "I'm sending someone to turn himself in at the police station right now. If anyone from the police comes looking for Pinliang, just have Pinliang say exactly this, and Young Master Bing will handle the rest for you."
Li Cihua ran through the lines Zhong Yongliang would need to say, and only then did Zhong Fabai set his mind at ease…
Armed with the Seven-Herb Life-Severing Powder formula provided by Guan Daifu Pharmaceuticals, the police soon identified the amounts of all seven herbs in the food. The poisoner had been clever: each dish had contained only a single herb, and a lone herb is harmless — some of them, combined, are even good for virility and the kidneys. But all seven together produce a deadly toxin, which was exactly why only a small number of students had been poisoned.
After all, very few students had ordered all seven dishes and eaten every one of them; the rest, who had eaten only some of the herbs, were untouched.