Chapter Text
“You seem happy.” Maomao drawled, but what else could she expect from a man who saw people as nothing but pawns. Still, she took a seat down the table from him- Lakan got grabby when he was excited.
Lakan at least looked a little shamefaced, “Well, it’s awful someone died, but it’s a great opportunity to flex our deduction skills. Lahan, write this down: Our victim was a middle aged man, not particularly of interest except he was the general foreman for the palace construction crew. Worked with us for 30 years. Found dead not far outside the palace gates this morning. No visible wounds.”
“What makes you so sure it was murder then?” Lahan asked as he wrote, “He was old and worked a hard job. Could have been a heart attack.”
“45 is hardly old!” Said the 44 year old, Maomao hid a snicker. So did Lahan the way he pointedly turned back to the board, “One day you’re going to wake up and pull your back getting out of bed, and when that happens I’m going to remember this conversation!”
Lahan’s shoulders shook, and he sounded a little strained as he spoke, “Sure, Dad. The murder?”
“Kids these days, if I spoke that way to my Dad he would have beat me.” But he was smiling as he continued, “Cause of death was choking on his own vomit. Nothing particularly interesting was found with the body, but his clothes were filthy with sweat and grime.”
Lahan stepped back to look at what he wrote down. Maomao tucked her chin in her hand as she thought. Choking on vomit is usually caused by a seizure. From the condition of his clothes, he was probably leaving the palace the night before when he was struck.
“The day before.” Maomao asked, “What was he doing?”
Lakan grinned, “He was working on a new storehouse with his crew.” So, physical labor. That lines up with his clothes being in a bad state.
“Did his crew have any symptoms of poisoning?” Lahan asked.
“Curiously, while they had plenty of water to drink all day they still felt dehydrated and tired. However, when they investigated the water they used it was completely unremarkable.” Lakan had that fox-like look in his eye again. Maomao sighed.
Well, that made the idea he simply got drunk before going home less likely. Completely unremarkable. They could have been poisoned in their lunches instead. She focused on the information Lahan added to the board. Any neurotoxin strong enough to do that would be very difficult to hide, and why did only the foreman get a lethal amount?
Wait.
“The rest of the crew, how old were they?”
“All young men, about you and Lahan’s age.”
Lahan smirked, “I got it. Sister?”
Crap. Maomao didn’t know why she was suddenly so invested in showing off, “Without actually being able to investigate myself, it would all be conjecture.”
“You sound like Uncle.” Lakan laughed, “It’s just a thought experiment, take your best shot!”
While she didn’t appreciate his laissez-faire attitude, she continued, “The foreman died on his way home after a long day of work. While it wasn’t especially hot yesterday, it was sunny, so it would have been a taxing day. Especially given his advanced age,” Lakan pouted, “so he was sure to drink plenty of water. More than the rest of his crew. Except, the water was poison.”
Lahan trapped his chin in obnoxious feigned thought, “But there was nothing wrong with the water?”
“Exactly.” Maomao smirked, “It was pure, completely pure. In order to absorb water properly into our bodies, certain minerals need to be dissolved in it. This allows us to urinate out any excess water. Without that, the water simply stays in our bodies, causing our tissues to swell. Eventually, the brain tissue will swell as well, resulting in seizures and death. Someone switched out the well water provided with distilled water.”
Lakan clapped, “That’s my girl! Excellent job!”
Lahan huffed, “I got it too…”
“Well, I knew you’d get it right away.”
Maomao couldn’t help but be a little offended, “And why’s that?” she prompted. Lahan flinched and Lakan started to laugh.
“Lahan gave himself hyponatremia on his first day of physical training! It’s mandatory for everyone, even though he was entering as an officer. He threw up all his breakfast after the warm up and tried to chug several jugs of water. I got a message from his overseer that they had to send him home early because of the cramps and vomiting.”
Lahan cleared his throat loudly, “Yes, well, now I only have to pass a yearly physical exam so it was ridiculous to make me do it in the first place.” He shuddered, “I still have nightmares about the communal baths, what brutes.” Maomao snickered behind her sleeve.
“This reminds me of the bureaucrat who was murdered with too much salt. Two extremely clever murders disguised almost perfectly as natural causes.”
“Master Kounen.” Lakan agreed.
“The only common point between the victims would be their intimate knowledge of the palace. Maybe someone is silencing something, Master Kounen with knowledge of bureaucracy and the Foreman for the physical upkeep of the palace.” Lahan added.
“You must agree.” Maomao accused, “Considering you felt the need to mention the death of a laborer you don’t even know the name of.” Lakan just gave her a fox-like look, and she sighed, “Whatever, I guess it’s up to Master Jinshi to decide if they’re connected.”
“Why Master Jinshi?” Lakan asked, looking genuinely bewildered.
“Oh, I just assumed he dealt with this kind of thing since he was investigating the death of Master Kounen.”
“Ah. Actually, I’m not sure he knows about this, since it was technically outside the palace. I just tell my spies to tell me anything that sounds interesting, they know my tastes.”
Maomao really shouldn’t be surprised by his laziness by now, “ Lakan . Go write a report for Master Jinshi to let him know.”
He gasped, “D-did you just use my name?”
“Don’t make me regret it!” Maomao snapped, and Lakan laughed as he went back to his office, pressing a kiss on the top of her head as he did. She wrinkled her nose.
“Sure, sure. Anything for my kitten!”
With him gone, Lahan immediately started to erase the case notes, “Are we done as well?” He asked, at least he seemed in a better mood. So was she, strangely.
Maomao should go check on how her cultures were doing anyway.
~~~
It wasn’t until she was looking at the green tinted, murky solutions she remembered she visited Lahan for a reason. Well, hopefully he warmed up to her a little anyway.
Maomao had used a fecal sample to introduce the bacteria, and while there was definitely substantial growth in some of the mediums, she noticed they didn’t all look the same. An effect of the medium, or were there various kinds of bacteria in feces?
Maybe if she used a solid media she could isolate them easier. How did Meimei make that grass jelly dessert she liked? The almost black color could provide good contrast to the cloudy colonies as well. She’d need to ask the cook here.
There was a knock at the door and Maomao went to unlock it, still deep in thought, and was unsurprised to see Lakan there, “Did you write to Master Jinshi?”
“Yes, yes. It’ll go out with the mail tomorrow. How are our cultures looking?” Maomao wanted to correct him that they were her cultures, but he did help so let it be.
“Difficult to distinguish. I think I’ll try mixing the broth with something to solidify it more. We got growth though.” Without warning, she shoved the cup under Lakan’s nose. He recoiled and coughed at the foul smell. Smiling to herself, she put that cup down to analyze the next one. It looks like the ones with the ammonium salt and a paste of cooked meat had the best growth…
“Oh, you found these!” Lakan said suddenly, startling her. With dread she realized she forgot to put her Dad’s notes away before letting Lakan in. She’d gotten careless- “Good! There are some of his medical textbooks buried in the natural science library if you’re interested.” He held his chin in his hand as he thought, “Actually, Luomen never came back after I invited him because he wanted to keep you out of all the politics. Maybe now that you’re here I should try again, wouldn’t that be fun?”
Maomao gaped, “Er…I’m not sure. Dad’s very dedicated to his patients…”
If Lakan was offended at her calling him Dad, he didn’t show it, “Hm, figures. Well, maybe he’d finally be open to visiting now, at least. I’ll send over a note tomorrow as well, let him know he still has an open invitation. I’ll send over a carriage if he wants too.” Honestly she couldn’t see her Dad wanting to use something so opulent for a simple day visit, but once she has something more to show for her research she’d write to him.
Besides, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to see that knowing, sad look when she says she’s looking for a cure for syphilis just yet.