TGCFNM -Chapter 209 Could It Be?

On one side, Wan Sanjin and Qinglong led troops to surround the Xuanyuan family, forcing them to release all the doctors unharmed. On the other side, Nangong Yuankang returned, filing the report once again.

Chu Ling looked at Nangong Yuankang and asked, “You went to report it—didn’t the Sun family stop you?”

“They tried to, but I’m from the Nangong family—they didn’t dare to harm me,” Nangong Yuankang said, his eyes bloodshot as he looked at Chu Ling. “Sir, they lied to me earlier, saying that my grandmother died because the Xuanyuan family took away all the doctors, so no one could treat her.”

“But I went myself, based on what you told me, and saw that my grandmother was clearly frozen to death. And the time of her death wasn’t early morning as they said—it was midnight. Her personal maid, who they were about to sell, told me this herself.”

Chu Ling glanced back at Su He, then continued, “If you file the report, we can officially open the case. Coroner Su, can go conduct an autopsy immediately. But I want to ask you something first.”

“Please, sir,” Nangong Yuankang replied immediately.

Chu Ling looked at him, lowering her voice: “Besides the Qing Cavalry storing ice, did the other four noble families store ice as well?”

Nangong Yuankang nodded. “Ice is stored for summer use. Larger families should all have small ice cellars.”

Chu Ling nodded thoughtfully, then asked, “How about the Sun family’s ice cellar? Is it big?”

Nangong Yuankang shook his head. “There are no ice blocks left in the Sun family’s cellar.”

Hearing this, Chu Ling frowned in surprise. If there’s no ice in the Sun family’s cellar, how did Nangong Yuankang’s grandmother freeze to death? Did they take her to someone else’s ice cellar?

At this moment, Ghost Scholar reminded him, “Sir, the Qing Cavalry needs a huge amount of ice to cool down, useful for making weapons. But ordinary families only store enough for summer—they can’t possibly have that much ice.”

Chu Ling thought to herself: That’s right. Ordinary families just can’t have enough ice to freeze someone to death.

“Nangong Yuankang, the Sun family has a secret,” Chu Ling said decisively. “And this secret could very well ruin the entire Sun family. Are you sure you want to keep investigating?”

Nangong Yuankang hesitated, his eyes showing some fear.

Chu Ling decided to be straightforward: “An ice cellar big enough to freeze someone must be a large one. If the cellar is that big, the ice inside isn’t just for the family’s own use—it’s either for sale or secretly supplied to someone.”

Nangong Yuankang instinctively avoided Chu Ling’s gaze.

Chu Ling sighed and continued, “Your grandmother probably controlled the family finances, so the culprit must be the younger generation of the Sun family, likely seeking to seize power. And the fact that she died at midnight means that someone from the Sun family went somewhere at that time—a place hiding the Sun family’s secret.”

Nangong Yuankang couldn’t understand it at all. He looked at Chu Ling with a troubled expression: “But sir, my grandmother didn’t wield absolute power. Each of my uncles had their own share. I still can’t understand why they would kill her.”

Chu Ling thought carefully, then said, “What I’m about to say is just speculation—it might not be accurate. Just listen.”

Nangong Yuankang immediately nodded: “Alright.”

Chu Ling spoke slowly: “Suppose the Sun family is in the ice business. They have a very large ice cellar that generates profit for the family. But in the context of the entire family business, is this portion significant?”

Nangong Yuankang thought carefully, then replied, “Not really.”

Chu Ling gave a nod. “As long as it’s not more than half, then this ice business isn’t that significant. So your uncles wouldn’t go so far as to harm anyone over it, right?”

Nangong Yuankang nodded.

“But in the middle of the night, your grandmother went to that big ice cellar with your uncles. That clearly wasn’t for the ice business itself—but it must have something to do with the ice.” Chu Ling explained.

Nangong Yuankang looked a bit dazed. “Something to do with the ice… what could it be?”

“Something to freeze.” Chu Ling replied.

“Something to freeze…” Nangong Yuankang muttered under his breath, “something to freeze…”

Chu Ling looked at him and said, “Ice is usually for cooling off, lowering temperature, or making food or freezing things. If it were just about the ice business, your grandmother wouldn’t have opposed it. So this isn’t an ordinary business.”

“By simply eliminating the obvious, the answer becomes clear: they want to use the ice to freeze something. And whatever it is, it must be highly profitable, which is why your grandmother refused to let the Sun family take the risk—otherwise, the entire Sun family could be dragged into it. But the profit was simply too high. So your uncles, after thinking it over, decided to kill your grandmother in order to carry out this business.”

Nangong Yuankang’s face turned pale instantly, and he stared at Chu Ling in a panic. “Could it… could it… really be…”

Chu Ling suddenly slapped his shoulder and demanded, “Could it what? What exactly could it be?”

Nangong Yuankang swallowed hard and said, “Could it… be… Yuling Powder?”

“What is Yuling Powder?” Chu Ling frowned.

Ghost Scholar lightly tapped Chu Ling’s shoulder and briefly explained, “It’s an addictive powdered drug. After taking it, one experiences hallucinations and a euphoric feeling, as if floating. Yuling Powder is extremely expensive—one small pack costs a hundred taels of silver and is enough for at most ten doses.”

Chu Ling looked at Nangong Yuankang and asked, “Does Yuling Powder need to be frozen with ice?”

Nangong Yuankang shook his head and said, “My master once introduced it to us. He said that a merchant had used ice to transport it, bypassing inspections. After all, ice melts easily, and no one would carefully check the ice.”

Chu Ling couldn’t help but remark, “Your master really has seen a lot.”

Nangong Yuankang nodded. “My master said his classmate had tried it. He witnessed the classmate acting drunk every day, always thinking he was brimming with inspiration and writing as if guided by divine help. But within three months, the classmate’s family fortune was ruined, and he jumped into a river to commit suicide.”

Chu Ling said, “Your master was probably warning you. This stuff may give temporary pleasure, but it will quickly ruin your body.”

Nangong Yuankang immediately nodded. “My master said, in pursuing scholarship, one must not take the wrong path—or there will be a painful price to pay.”

Chu Ling gave a nod, her expression tightening slightly as she looked at Nangong Yuankang. “If our guess is correct, then we can’t ignore this matter. The Sūn family could really get dragged in.”

Nangong Yuankang gritted his teeth and deeply bowed to Chu Ling. “Sir, I will first try to persuade them to give it up. If not, I will report it to the authorities again.”

Chu Ling sighed. “You’re giving them one last chance—that’s fine, since it’s your grandmother’s family. But remember one thing: protect yourself. After all, they dared to kill your grandmother—how could they not harm you?”

“I will inform the elders at home before going to the Sun family, Sir. Don’t worry.” Nangong Yuankang said, then took his leave.