章 20: Chapter 20 : Create poison
[Lord Yu Chenyi - Minister of Revenue @ Yu Li Na's uncle]
"M- my lady, Lord Yu has sent a package for you." A male servant came with a wooden box in his hands.
Yu Li Na who is knitting a handkerchief abruptly raises from the couch and grabs the box from the servant.
She caressing the box like a precious gem. She slowly unboxing it and when she saw the items inside it, she smiles wickedly.
"Finally... It's here..." She laughs.
She takes out a small glass bottle from the box, observing it thoroughly. Sneers never ceased from her mouth as she imagined what will happen to the person that she'd give.
"Soon... So soon... His Majesty will be mine..."
Li Na puts everything back into the wooden box and keeps it away, safe from anyone else discover. She turns to her most loyal servant, who as wicked as her, "Momo, where is Li Xiu Ying right now?"
"He's at the pharmacy, my lady."
Li Na scoffs. "That slut. How dare he asked for the same rank as mine. Even Her Majesty started to side with him, giving him such title and letting him do as he wished at the pharmacy." She slams the table but Momo who already used to her temper didn't flinch.
"Then, what about Wen Qian? Where is she?"
"She's at her courtyard."
Li Na's fingers keep tapping the table, she mumbles, "Should I meet her alone....or both of them together?"
Momo clears her throat, "Pardon my lady. But, I think shouldn't my lady acts more discreetly? Especially facing Consort Li. Seems like he's been well-protected. There are two guards that always follow him wherever he goes. I'm afraid...one wrong step could lead to our death."
"Scared?" Li Na glares.
"N- no it's not like that. It's just... better if we do it slowly and carefully. For sure we don't want everything we did go in vain, right? Haste makes waste so let's think of the best plan that will guarantee our success."
Convinced by Momo's words, Li Na sighs. "Fine. Let's do so. I'll take my time. No matter what, at the end of the day, His Majesty will be mine and I'll be the mother of this country."
......
On the way back to his room, Xiu Ying feels like he's being watched. He secretly looked around to find any suspicious figure or movement. Out of nowhere, Xiu Ying halts his steps. Jing Yi, Guo Wei, and Chang Ming who walked behind him also stopped moving.
"Young master...what's wrong?" asked Jing Yi.
The air turns gloomy and it didn't miss from Guo Wei and Chang Ming's sense. Guo Wei quickly moves in front of Xiu Ying and Chang Ming stayed behind so they can protect Xiu Ying form both sides.
"My lady?" Guo Wei looked at Xiu Ying who is standing straight and only moves his eyeballs.
"Lately, I feel like I've been stalked." Xiu Ying continues to walk slowly. He speaks in a low voice so only three of them could hear it.
"Do you need more guards? I can ask from His Majesty in case you feel unsafe with just two of us." Chang Ming said.
Xiu Ying shakes his head. "No. It's alright. I'm fine. I trust you guys plus I'm not that weak. It's just I feel uncomfortable being watched every day." He sighs.
"Don't worry, My Lady. We'll try to figure out how to handle it. Rest assured." Xiu Ying hums.
Again, right after the light has been blown out, Guo Wei went to the imperial study room.
"Greetings, Your Majesty." Guo Wei knelt.
"Rise. So..?" Zhang Wei asked impatiently.
"Today, Consort Li on his own noticed that someone set their eyes on him. It was like the other party intentionally makes himself noticeable by Consort Li." Guo Wei reported.
"Is he alright?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Consort Li is fine. It surprised me that Consort Li calmly handle it. Not restless, not anxious. He said he just feels a little uncomfortable when someone keeps watching his every move."
Zhang Wei's lips curved. 'As expected of my love.'
"Did you see his/her face?"
"Forgive me, Your Majesty. We didn't see it. The other person hid him/herself in the dark. We can only notice his/her shadows."
"Hmn. It's okay. We'll wait some more. Just be more alert and never leave him alone even when he forces you to."
Guo Wei bows and then he leaves.
When he is alone in the study room, he calls, "Wei Min."
In a flash, a black figure appears in front of him. "Yes, Your Majesty."
"Find out who is the one that sends those people to stalk my consort. It can be guessed that it is one of the women but I need to know the EXACT identity. And look after Xiu Ying. Make sure no one notices you."
Wei Min bows then poof! Disappear.
.....
Xiu Ying cooped inside the pharmacy from morning until night. He won't leave the pharmacy, not until Jing Yi dragged him. Lately, Xiu Ying was busy with his research. Which is to create.....poison. Other physicians almost got a heart attack when Xiu Ying told them that he's trying to create poisons.
"M- my lady...wh- why are you making a poison?! I- if one day something bad occurred, they might accuse you!" Chief of physician said worriedly.
"Chief...don't you know, in order to have a body that can resist a poison, the emperor will consume small amounts of poison? In that way, His Majesty's body will recognize the poison if he accidentally consumes it in the future and his body won't recognize the poison as a foreign thing. Thus, he could be saved."
The chief frown, "Then, what it got to do with the poison you're trying to create? My- my lady! Don't tell me, you want to drink it?!"
Xiu Ying squinted and raised his eyebrows, "Calm down Chief. I'm not that crazy to try all these poisons."
"T- then?"
"To get rid of a strong toxin, we need to have a stronger toxin as having the power of subduing each other, may also have a curative effect. For example, if we have poison from snakes, we should use poison from centipede to counteract the symptoms. When the fatal effect has calmed, we can use herbs to remove remaining toxins and waste inside the body."
All the physicians gaped. 'What a genius!'
Actually, Xiu Ying thought of the concept as a vaccine in the future. Vaccine was made using the viruses itself by weakening or killing it but it was impossible for Xiu Ying to create a vaccine with the lack of equipment and raw materials. That's why he can only think of this.
Besides, he also created a special antidote. Back in his old life, Xiu Ying read a book that talked about a universal antidote that could counter any poison that was created during ancient Rome time. The ingredients were really hard to found but as he's in royal pharmacy, there's nothing his hands couldn't lay on. If they didn't have it, just order.
Taking advantage of Xiu Ying been busy and away at the moment, Li Na went to visit Wen Qian.
Together with Lin Hui Yin, who was forcefully dragged along, Li Na made a sudden visit to Wen Qian's courtyard.
Wen Qian feels a little bit nervous with their presence but she remains calm.
"Please, have a seat, my lady," Wen Qian invited.
Wen Qian turns to her servant and asked her to bring teas and snacks for their guest. Then she stays silent, waiting for the other party to speak up.
"Concubine Wen, how are you doing lately?" asked Li Na.
"Good, My Lady."
"Before this, you're quite close with Concu- Consort Li, isn't it? But too bad, you've been left alone. He's too busy at the pharmacy and already forgot about you." Li Na faked a concerned face.
"Well, I don't really mind. It's not like we have to stick to each other all the time. We are still in good terms."
"Yeah, you're right. But, if Wen Qian-meimei feels like you need a companion, feel free to come to my courtyard. We can hang out with each other."
Wen Qian's mouth twitched. With a stiff smile, she said, "Thank you, Li Na-jiejie. Sure, I'll come to visit you sometimes."
"Hmm. Just come. I know, Wen Qian-meimei must feel a little bit lonely. His Majesty never missed coming to your room but lately, I noticed that His Majesty is too busy. Even if he's not busy, he'll go to...Consort Li's room. Wen Qian-meimei must feel so sad right? A man that cared for you suddenly had a change of heart."
Li Na gently taps on Wen Qian's back of the hand on the table. The way she touched is kinda weird and gives goosebumps but Wen Qian didn't try to yank her hand away. She doesn't want Li Na to know that she's being alerted of her.
"It's fine, Li Na-jiejie. Even though His Majesty's time here has lessened but still His Majesty cares for me. He gave me a lot of presence. Medication, jewelry, silk. But yeah... His Majesty did it secretly. His Majesty doesn't want me to brag it so much so I keep it low. Li Na-jiejie and Hui Yin-meimei are the first two-person know about this."
Wen Qian is not literally lying. Wu Zhang Wei did give her those presents but that's a gift for helping him out regarding Xiu Ying and also as a saving once she already leaves the palace in the future.
Both Li Na and Hui Yin's eyes widen. They can't believe what they just heard. They thought Wen Qian has been abandoned by the emperor. But who knows, even with no position promoted, she actually gets more!
Li Na stiffly laughs. "Ha...ha.. Glad to hear that. Wen Qian-meimei is lucky because His Majesty truly really loves meimei."
'If only you know the real emperor.....' Wen Qian inwardly sighs.
Without saying anything, Wen Qian smiles widely making their eyes twitched. Other than trying to dig up information about Wen Qian's relationship with the emperor, Li Na also tried to pry into Xiu Ying's business. She asked whether Xiu Ying really sleeps with Wu Zhang Wei, what Xiu Ying usually did at the pharmacy. She even asked what Xiu Ying likes or hate in the excuse of giving Xiu Ying a present.
Wen Qian only said, "I'm not sure" or "He doesn't have any particular taste in anything."
Feeling unsatisfied with the answer she received, Li Na leaves the courtyard in fume. She knows Wen Qian has no intention of telling her anything but still she tried to ask. Never thought, hearing the half-hearted answer only makes her feel more annoyed.
"Fine....you don't want to tell me. I have many other ways to get what I want," Li Na mumbles along the way to her room.
.........
Wen Qian is about to tug herself under the quilt but suddenly she felt extreme pain in her head. She pressed on her both sides of her head using her palm, hoping it will help to stand the pain.
"Xi- Xiao Lu..." She calls for the female servant. In a flash, a young girl in her 19s came into the room.
"Can you get me some painkiller and warm water?" She still pressing on her temple.
Xiao Lu bows and quickly did as she was told. In a minute or two, she returns with a round and brownish pills, warm water, and an incense burner. Wen Qian puts the pill into her mouth and emptied the cup. After a while, she noticed the incense burner beside her bed. She turns to Xiao Lu, "Wh- what is this for?"
Xiao Lu answers, "This is lavender oil comes from the plant's blue-violet flowers. It has a calming effect when its scent is inhaled and it can reduce headache."
Wen Qian feels unconvinced with Xiao Lu's words but when she keeps on inhaling the scent, the pain slowly subsides. She lays flat on the bed and keeps inhaling it until she dozed off.
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