Bai Kaiji choked up, staring at Shen Weimu in shock.
“So you knew all along, and I was the only one in the dark…”
At this moment, he had no mood to eat candy, but he couldn’t refuse Little Brother Shen’s generosity, so he reluctantly popped one in his mouth.
Bai Kaiji grimaced as he swallowed the candy, and the rich orange flavor instantly burst between his lips and teeth—
It was actually a fruit-flavored candy ball!
He had never tasted anything like it before!
In that instant, Bai Kaiji forgot all his worries, happily savoring the candy on his tongue.
The sweetness seemed to spread all the way to his heart, filling him with endless good feelings.
Making one wrong deduction was nothing; after all, he still had a friend who gave him candy and comforted him.
That was what truly mattered.
Shen Weimu glanced sideways at Bai Kaiji.
Good, he gave up on the reasoning.
One candy was enough to shut the chatterbox up; not a total waste.
Shen Weimu lifted his tea cup and quietly took a sip.
County Captain Qi Yu was being supported to sit beside Song Qiyun.
He shook his head in disappointment and looked at Wei Fu with a face full of confusion.
“You’ve been an old constable in the yamen for years, and I’ve treated you well. Why did you do these things? Why did you poison me?”
Wei Fu gave Qi Yu a cold glance but said nothing.
“Of course, it was to make you the scapegoat. He’s been committing crimes under your name. Now that things have gotten out of control, if you ‘fear punishment and take your own life,’ he can escape investigation.”
Qi Yu was so furious he could barely speak.
He clasped his hands respectfully and urged Song Qiyun to thoroughly investigate the case.
With a sharp knock of the Jingtangmu, Song Qiyun surprised everyone by asking Wei Fu an unexpected question:
“Are you afraid of ghosts?”
Wei Fu, who had been bracing for harsh criticism and curses with his head held high, froze for a moment, then shook his head in denial, his confidence immediately halving.
Song Qiyun sneered,
“If you weren’t afraid of ghosts, why would you believe what the Daoist said and send Dong Xing to stab the corpse’s feet? Trying to trap the souls of those who died by suicide?”
Wei Fu stubbornly defended himself:
“I did that to better let the corpse’s breath dissipate into the earth, so more mushrooms could grow!”
At these words, everyone in the hall looked at him mockingly.
Only then did Wei Fu realize he had originally planned to admit only to poisoning Qi Yu; everything else he intended to deny.
But now, one sentence was tantamount to confessing it all!
His ten years as a constable meant nothing against this Song Shaoqing; he was utterly vulnerable.
Since the crime was confessed, there was no need to keep denying.
Next, Wei Fu admitted everything he had done without reservation.
He confessed that he had forged County Captain Qi’s name and imitated Qi Yu’s handwriting to persuade the head of Xihe Village to cultivate Poisonous Mushrooms.
Last spring, Wei Fu accidentally overheard from Li Hongxiu that there was a rare poison called “Neck Severing” that was worth a fortune in the Jianghu.
Those who wanted to buy it at the Apothecary Pavilion had to wait three years for their turn.
Learning that this rare poison came from a hard-to-find Poisonous Mushroom, Wei Fu conceived the idea of cultivating these mushrooms.
“One mushroom is worth a thousand gold. If we grow a whole mushroom nest, won’t we be rich? And Tang County’s territory is the best place for growing mushrooms.”
Wei Fu and Li Hongxiu, tempted by profit, quickly agreed and schemed to cultivate Poisonous Mushrooms.
“The Hongxiu Pavilion is full of shady characters and lots of news. Li Hongxiu and I gathered soil that had grown Self-hanging Mushrooms before, and tricked the mountain folks from Hexi Village into helping plant the mushrooms.”
For the first few months, nothing happened, and they both thought it was hopeless.
Then, by chance, they met a guest at Hongxiu Pavilion whose family ancient book just happened to record this Self-hanging Mushroom.
The book said this mushroom was born from the underworld, loved the breath of corpses, and without fresh corpses, it wouldn’t sprout.
What followed basically matched Miao Zhuo’s description.
When the first hanging corpse appeared in the Suicide Forest, Wei Fu immediately received news from Miao Zhuo.
At the time, he was praying for wealth and mushroom growth at a Daoist temple.
Upon hearing the news, he felt it was a heaven-sent opportunity to realize his wish of “growing a mushroom nest.”
The guilt was heavy, so he feared karmic retribution.
After discreetly consulting the Old Daoist for a solution, he arranged for Dong Xing to stab the corpse’s feet at the Yizhuang.
“What about the deaths of Su Nan and Qian Zhiyong? What connection do they have to this? They, Wu Qi, you, and Li Hongxiu all carry brocade pouches filled with Baisi Soil. What’s the meaning of that? Can that soil also grow Poisonous Mushrooms?”
When Song Qiyun asked this last question, he already suspected the answer.
The soil in the pouches couldn’t possibly grow Poisonous Mushrooms; these people wouldn’t be foolish enough to carry a deadly poison with them.
“Qin Shaoqing is in charge of the Jianghu Division of the Dali Temple. Didn’t he know about such an important matter?” Wei Fu curled his lips. “I can answer that question, but first, you must promise me one thing.”
Suddenly, Song Qiyun relaxed and leaned back in his chair.
Lu Yang and Bai Kaiji, on the other hand, perked up like hungry wolves staring at Wei Fu.
“Interrogation by torture.”
The moment those words fell, Lu Yang and Bai Kaiji rolled up their sleeves and dragged Wei Fu into the next room.
“Ugh!”
Wei Fu was startled by the sudden commotion and was muffled before he could call out.
Shen Weimu, still chewing on his Ti Hu Bang, finally took an interest and glanced over at them.
The hall fell silent; not much noise came from the next room, only the faint rustling of movement.
About fifteen minutes later, Wei Fu was dragged back in.
His face and neck bore no visible injuries, but he was soaked with sweat.
His forehead glistened with perspiration, his eyes were vacant, his body trembling, radiating intense fear.
“I confess.”
Bai Kaiji pushed him to the floor and obediently sat down beside Shen Weimu.
Wei Fu’s body trembled even more violently at Bai Kaiji’s words.
“Too bad you only knew about the Jianghu Division of the Dali Temple but were unaware that Jianghu affairs must be handled extraordinarily. We used every legal means on you.”
Song Qiyun knocked the Jingtangmu again.
Wei Fu cried out, shivering on the ground, shouting that he confessed everything.
“Qian Butou, Recorder Su, and Wu Qi—I don’t know them well. But since they all carry soil pouches, like me, they must all be members of the Mushroom Cult.”
Song Qiyun frowned.
“The Mushroom Cult? You mean the Qingyue Sect?”
“Not that ‘mo’ (魔), but the ‘mo’ (蘑) for mushroom,”
Wei Fu gasped, explaining.
Hearing that name, Shen Weimu raised an eyebrow and popped the remaining half of his Ti Hu Bang into his mouth.
Yuchi Feng leaned close to Song Qiyun and whispered,
“So we misunderstood. The intelligence report about evil sect members near Tang County must have meant the Mushroom Cult.”
“The Mushroom Cult is a newly risen sect in the Jianghu, mainly focused on mushroom research. Li Hongxiu and I joined it specially to grow the Self-hanging Mushroom, and indeed received their guidance.”
Wei Fu admitted that his earlier story about a chance encounter with a Hongxiu Pavilion guest was a lie.
In reality, the Mushroom Cult found the method in an ancient book to cultivate Self-hanging Mushrooms using corpse breath.
Song Qiyun left the remaining minor details to Yuchi Feng to handle.
After escorting Bai Kaiji and Lu Yang out of the hall, Song Qiyun asked if they had ever heard of the Mushroom Cult before.
Both shook their heads.
Song Qiyun’s expression darkened further.
“Even you two haven’t heard a whisper, yet the Mushroom Cult has already infiltrated us—at the Dali Temple, at the Jingzhao Prefecture, and even beside him.”
By “him,” he naturally meant Shen Weimu, who was now quietly gnawing on his Ti Hu Bang behind them.
If memory served, Shen Weimu’s mouth never stopped moving—either coughing or eating.
Bai Kaiji and Lu Yang also realized the seriousness of the Mushroom Cult situation and immediately pledged to use their Jianghu connections to investigate further.
After they left, Song Qiyun paced over to Shen Weimu.
“Little Brother Shen runs the Gossip Tower. Did you already know about the Mushroom Cult? What are your thoughts on them?”
“They actually have some ambitions.”
Shen Weimu pinched his Ti Hu Bang, his delicate features serious.
“Mushrooms are delicious and worth studying.”
Song Qiyun:
He shouldn’t have asked.
“The case is closed. When will you invite me to a meal?”
Shen Weimu never liked to talk much, but if he did, it was always about food.
Patiently, Song Qiyun replied,
“There are still some trivial follow-ups. Once I finish the case documents, I will keep my promise. Don’t worry, I won’t owe you.”
“When exactly?”
Shen Weimu pressed.
Song Qiyun took a slow, deep breath.
“Three days from now.”
Chewing on his Ti Hu Bang, Shen Weimu turned and walked away.
Song Qiyun called after him,
“If the Gossip Tower hears any news of the Mushroom Cult, can you let me know immediately?”
Shen Weimu tilted his head.
“I don’t meddle in others’ business.”
What a familiar phrase!
Suddenly enlightened, Song Qiyun said,
“One piece of news for a good meal.”
Shen Weimu bargained,
“Especially important news—three meals.”
“Deal.”