Chapter 151 Return to the Medicine Hall
The Crown Prince, Li Zan and others personally escorted Meng Xi to the second gate. Meng Xi stopped outside the gate, turned around, bowed to the Crown Prince and others and said:
"Brother, Mr. Li, please stay. We have to say goodbye after a thousand miles. Brother is weak, please go back and rest early."
"Okay, let's say goodbye now. Be careful on your way, brother. See you later."
"Sir, I will say goodbye now. When the Crown Prince recovers in the future, Li Zan will definitely drink with you until we are drunk."
Li Zan bowed to Mengxi and said goodbye, then stood aside.
At this time, a servant came forward to open the door. Mengxi was about to get in the car when he suddenly remembered something. He turned around and motioned Zhiqiu to take the medicine box, take out a few medicine bottles, and come to the prince:
"Brother, as the crown prince, there are often dangerous things around you. I am incompetent and cannot help you. Today I will give you some medicines for self-defense."
As Mengxi spoke, he explained to the prince the uses of various medicines, and finally picked up a small bottle and said:
"This is a spice I carefully prepared using red bananas from the south. Big brother, take a small amount and put it in a sachet and wear it on your body to prevent being poisoned. It also has a calming effect. But big brother, please remember that this cannot be used together with ambergris from the west. Long-term use of the two together can kill people without them knowing. Big brother, please remember this."
The prince took the vial, opened the lid, and smelled it carefully. After a long while, he looked up and asked:
"Did you use this spice to cure the poison for me today, brother?"
"Exactly"
"My second brother just said that long-term use of this substance and ambergris can kill people without them even noticing. How long will it take? What are the symptoms? Is there an antidote?"
After hearing the prince's words and catching a glimpse of the viciousness that flashed across his eyes, Mengxi trembled violently.
Damn, is the prince planning to use this thing to murder his political enemies?
Mengxi shuddered as she thought of this. No way, could she have inadvertently become an accomplice in the fight for the crown prince? Just as she was about to refuse, she suddenly remembered the story of the nine princes fighting for the throne that she had seen in her previous life. The fight for the crown prince was a life-and-death struggle. There was no middle ground, and there could be no mercy. Once the crown prince lost power, there was only one way to go, and that was death. What was the difference between this fight for the crown prince and Xiao Jun's fight for his wife in the backyard? It was just the difference between the country and the family, and neither allowed any mercy!
When the prince saw his second brother's hesitation, he knew what he was thinking. He thought to himself: My second brother is a kind-hearted person. How can we force him to go and tarnish him with these political schemes? Well, the matter of the King of Yan is not a matter of the moment. We can work on it slowly in the future. Thinking of this, he was about to take back what he had just said, but he heard Mengxi's voice:
"Brother, after inhaling this poison, there is no way to find the cause of the disease. At first, you will feel tired and your limbs will be weak. Gradually, you will become more and more sleepy until you become drowsy and numb. In about half a year, you will die. Depending on your physical condition, the time required may be longer or shorter. There is no antidote for this poison, so use with caution, brother."
Although Mengxi was willing to help the prince, she didn't want to cause trouble for herself, so she simply said that there was no antidote. After that, without waiting for the prince to speak, she clasped her fists, turned around, got in the car, and drove away.
The prince stood there, playing with the medicine bottle in his hand, silently looking at the carriage that was gradually moving away, without saying a word for a long time.
"Your Highness, Master Li has already gone far away. It's cold outside. Your Highness should go back to the room early to avoid catching a cold."
The prince looked at Xiao Zongzi and Li Zan who had retreated to the side, nodded, and slowly walked into the second gate with the help of Xiao Zongzi.
Mengxi and Zhiqiu took a carriage and left the prince's villa. They hurried all the way to the Yipin Tea House. The master and servant got off the carriage, sent the carriage back, turned into the tea house, went up to the second floor and went straight to the private room. Li Du had been waiting there for a long time. The few of them did not speak and led Mengxi directly to the pharmacy through the secret door. As it was late, Li Du only briefly explained the situation of the pharmacy. Mengxi handed the medicine box held by Zhiqiu to Li Du and asked him to keep it. He also briefly explained that Master Shangguan was the prince and asked him to be more careful in the future. When Li Du and his son heard this, they both opened their eyes wide and were shocked like wooden carvings and clay sculptures.
Mengxi ignored their surprise. She herself hadn't yet digested the news. She went on to explain some other things and finally said that she might leave the Xiao Mansion soon and asked Li Du to prepare. Li Du had already learned all this from Zhiqiu and didn't ask any more questions. He just nodded in agreement.
Finally, Mengxi asked Li Du to send someone to tell the prince that he had left Pingyang overnight because of an urgent matter. After everything was said and done, Mengxi stood up to leave, but Li Du hurriedly stopped him and said:
"Master, wait a minute. You can't leave like this. I have ordered people to prepare a carriage in the backyard of the teahouse. Master and sister should change back into women's clothes and leave secretly through the back door of the teahouse to avoid being discovered by someone with ulterior motives and causing trouble. There have been people monitoring this medicine hall for half a month. It seems that there are several factions. Master, you'd better be careful."
After hearing what Li Du said, Mengxi had an idea and guessed that among the several factions outside the door there must be the prince's political enemy - the King of Yan mentioned by Li Zan.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but smile bitterly. Perhaps now the whole Pingyang knew that Yichuntang was backed by the prince, and only she, the big boss, was the last to know.
It is for this reason that so many people have been keeping an eye on Yichuntang during the half month that the prince has been ill. One reason is that they are afraid that he will come back and cure the prince's illness, and the other is that they want to wait until the prince loses power so that they can get a piece of the pie. Thinking of this, Mengxi broke out in a cold sweat and thought to himself: That was a close call.
Why didn't I think of asking Li Du to find out Shangguan's background? Looking at Li Du and his son, they were just honest businessmen. If I asked them to do these conspiracies, I'm afraid they wouldn't be able to do it. I sighed secretly. Yichuntang had unintentionally waded into the prince's muddy water. I'm afraid it will have to establish an information network in the future.
Thinking of the prince, she suddenly remembered the red banana spice she gave to the prince. If the prince really used it, would he believe what she said today that there was no antidote for this poison? Would he worry that she would be lured over by his political enemies and ruin his plans, and would he kill her?
Emperors of all dynasties were suspicious by nature. When Emperor Kangxi destroyed Oboi, he used his closest friend Wei Dongting, but he still suspected that he would betray him. Thinking of this, Mengxi's forehead was covered with a layer of fine sweat. He took back the steps he had taken and turned to Li Du and said:
"Li Du, prepare some writing materials. I have a letter for the Crown Prince. Please send someone to deliver it tomorrow."
Li Du hurriedly agreed. After a while, a waiter had prepared pen and ink and spread paper on the desk. Zhiqiu picked up the pen consciously.
Li Du and his son looked at their sister in surprise, thinking, it's not like the master can't write , especially since it's written to his sworn brother, there will inevitably be some personal words in the letter, how can an outsider write for him? So they winked at Zhiqiu like killing a chicken, but Zhiqiu just pretended not to see it, dipped the ink lightly, and said to the second grandmother:
"Second Madam, please think carefully. Just tell me and I will write it for you."
