Case of the Desire Brewer

During the Three Kingdoms era in Eastern Wu, brewmaster Yuan Yu was charged with poisoning General Zhang Cheng through a batch of specialty wine known as "Desire Brew." Zhang Cheng died shortly after drinking it at a banquet. Sun Quan ordered the Dali Temple to investigate. Yuan Yu maintained his innocence, claiming the poison was introduced by another party targeting the general. Forensic examination of the wine vessel and residues proved inconclusive. The court struggled to establish a clear motive or chain of custody. The case became a landmark investigation into product tampering and criminal intent in early Chinese jurisprudence.

Due to insufficient evidence to conclusively prove intentional homicide, Yuan Yu was spared the death penalty but was sentenced to permanent exile and confiscation of his brewery. The court cited residual doubt over the security of the wine during transport.

Whether the poison originated from the brewing process under Yuan Yu's control or from external contamination after the wine left his premises, and whether the brewer possessed any credible motive to assassinate a high-ranking military official.

The case prompted the Wu court to introduce stricter regulations on the production, storage, and serving of alcoholic beverages for official functions. It also heightened awareness of intermediary tampering, influencing later protocols for imperial food tasters and sealed container requirements in noble households.