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墨書 Inktalez
The murderer had secretly introduced the poison known as "Drunken Immortal Dew" into the Mo Ding through a concealed small hole.
When Wen Boyuan was alone in his study, he eagerly took out this beloved inkstone. As usual, he carefully dripped Qing Shui from a Bamboo Watering Pot onto the Mo Ding to prepare for grinding. The Qing Shui dissolved the sealed ink powder, seeping into the interior of the Mo Ding. The highly toxic "Drunken Immortal Dew" reacted with water, dissolving into the Qing Shui and subsequently into the ink.
The sweet fragrance released by the "Drunken Immortal Dew" as it dissolved was likely masked by the rich Mo Xiang of the Mo Ding itself, or perhaps Wen Boyuan was too absorbed in his excitement over admiring the ink to notice. As he began to grind, the poisonous ink was produced, and the toxins evaporated into the air along with the Mo Xiang and moisture, unknowingly inhaled by him. At the same time, when he dipped his brush into this toxic ink and focused on writing what he called "Jue Bi," the toxic ink at the tip of his brush could have accelerated toxin absorption when he unconsciously licked it to adjust the brush tip or when his fingers accidentally touched his mouth or nose after getting stained with ink. Ultimately, he succumbed to the poison.
That seemingly final note, which resembled a farewell yet also an accusation, was likely written by Wen Boyuan in a moment of agony and despair as he realized he had been poisoned, using his last ounce of strength! The "Mo Long Teng Yue" naturally referred to this deadly ink. Was "Xin Lian Qi Lu," as Zhong Shu suggested, truly directed at Lady Lian Liu Xinlian? "Lonely Shadow Hard to Retain" might be his lament over his life slipping away. The unfinished character for "loyalty," however, raises questions: was it meant to point to the devoted old steward Zhong Shu, or did it have another meaning? Or perhaps he never intended to write that character at all but simply ran out of strength?
Now, the most critical question is: who had the opportunity to access this ink and possessed such skill and cunning to carry out this poisoning and disguise it? Who could obtain that rare Western poison "Drunken Immortal Dew"?
Lady Lian? As his wife, she naturally had access to her husband's collection, but did she have sufficient motive? Was it for rumored infidelity? Or to inherit a vast fortune prematurely? She appeared weak; could she truly harbor such a vicious heart and meticulous plan?
Wen Shaoqing? He hated his father and desperately needed money to repay gambling debts—his motive was strong. However, he had a clear alibi for last night, and given his impulsive nature, it seemed unlikely that he could meticulously plan and execute such a complex poisoning.
Gu Mingyuan? He was the last person seen with the deceased last night and had admired this "Mo Long Teng Yue" alongside him—he had access to the ink. What was his motive? Was it jealousy among scholars? Or perhaps over some collectible that Wen Boyuan refused to part with? Or did some undisclosed financial dispute or personal grudge exist between him and Wen Boyuan?
Zhong Shu? He was most familiar with the environment of Mo Garden and Wen Boyuan's habits, theoretically having the best opportunity to act. The character for "loyalty" in Jue Bi seemed to hint at him as well. Yet having served the Wen family for over thirty years with unwavering loyalty, what would be his motive for poisoning? Was it to cover up some unspeakable secret?
Shen Mo rapidly filtered through each suspect in his mind. Suddenly, he recalled a detail Zhong Shu mentioned—the unusual actions of Lady Lian's personal maid Xiao Cui appearing near the study corridor late at night. Additionally, there was that tiny hole in the window frame and a suspicious puddle of water mixed with ink powder on the ground.
These seemingly scattered clues quickly began to connect and form a more complete—and sinister—picture of how the poisoning occurred!
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