Chapter 1685: Took a Liking
Chapter 1685: Chapter 1685: Took a Liking
Emperor Jingyuan nodded: "Hmm, quickly bring all the potent poisonous insects from the Imperial Medical Bureau, and test the medicine on the spot."
The cabinet ministers frowned upon hearing this and reminded: "Your Majesty, although the poisonous insects in the Imperial Medical Bureau are not as fierce as the Rong bandits’, they are still cunning and evil. Bringing them into the hall may endanger Your Majesty’s safety."
Bang!
Emperor Jingyuan slammed his palm on the table, his eyes full of anger and authority, glaring at the cabinet ministers: "I don’t want to hear nonsense!"
A bunch of useless people, bearing the title of senior ministers but only capable of speaking meaningless words. Now, with Great Chu unstable, once the Rong bandits are eliminated, he will definitely kill all these old thieves backed by noble families, to prevent them from dragging the nation down.
The cabinet ministers did not persuade him further.
The Director of the Imperial Medical Bureau immediately ordered various poisonous insects to be brought in. There were over ten kinds, each contained in a half-arm-high porcelain jar.
The Imperial Physicians followed the recipe to lure the insects with Insect Attractant.
More than half of the insects showed no reaction to the Insect Attractant, a few were restless, but the most intense reactions came from leeches, caterpillar worms, and fly worms.
These three types of insects seemed to be able to smell the Insect Attractant, and after agitating within the porcelain jars, they began to crawl out towards the dish of Insect Attractant.
Ugh~
The secretary could not help but dry-heave upon seeing these insects, and hurriedly knelt down to plead: "I have lost composure, Your Majesty, please pardon me!"
Emperor Jingyuan did not even glance at him, instead focusing on the insects, joyfully saying: "This Insect Attractant is indeed effective."
"I congratulate Your Majesty for acquiring a good medicine to save the nation." The Director of the Imperial Medical Bureau was perceptive, speaking auspicious words and giving a sideways glance at Doctor Lai.
Doctor Lai played the role of the reasonable advisor, saying to Emperor Jingyuan: "Your Majesty, this Insect Attractant does indeed have an alluring effect on leeches, caterpillar worms, and fly worms, but it doesn’t provoke much reaction in other insects. Moreover, we have never seen the Da Rong Poison Insect mentioned in the letter, nor have we witnessed the dire situation of the poisonous insect disease in Xing’an Prefecture, so it’s hard to say whether the Insect Attractant is truly effective against the Da Rong Poison Insect."
Emperor Jingyuan’s face darkened: "What do you mean? Are you also seeking to anger me?!"
Reports of victory and good medicine have arrived, can’t he be pleased?
Doctor Lai said: "Your Majesty, as a healer, I naturally must inform Your Majesty of both the positive and negative aspects, and cannot blindly praise this medicine."
That makes sense, Emperor Jingyuan could not openly scold Doctor Lai.
However, he uttered a chilling command: "Leeches can crawl into the human body and survive internally, which bears a resemblance to the Da Rong Poison Insect. Find a batch of death row prisoners, let leeches burrow into their bodies, and then administer the Insect Attractant to see if the leeches can be lured out."
This?
Not impossible, after all, they are death row prisoners.
"I obey," the Director of the Imperial Medical Bureau accepted the command, but before the death row prisoners were brought in, the grandsons of the first and second branch of Duke Xing’s family came crying to the palace gates for help.
Old Duke Xing died in battle last year, leaving his two nearly sixty-year-old sons severely injured, and that’s why Emperor Jingyuan did not raze Duke Xing Mansion, allowing Duke Xing’s family to continue enjoying noble status.
Because they were still a noble family, the grandsons from both branches came to cry for help, and the guards did not dare to ignore it, reporting layer by layer until Emperor Jingyuan was informed.
Ha, sick?
Why don’t these two old useless people just die of illness!
However...
Doctor Lai frowned and asked the eunuch who had come to report: "The two masters of Duke Xing Mansion say their father has a strange illness, fainting and convulsing, with his belly bloated like a pregnant woman’s?"
The eunuch replied: "Indeed."
Doctor Lai was startled, then asked: "I recall the two masters were injured while following the Old Duke against the Kangrong forces last year, when did they return?"
This eunuch was responsible for conveying messages, and thus knew some external affairs, replying: "They were just brought back to the Capital six days ago."
The Northwest road is long, Old Duke Xing died in battle last winter, and those from Duke Xing Mansion set out to the Northwest to retrieve his coffin and the two injured masters, taking several months for the round trip.
Doctor Lai exchanged a glance with the Director of the Imperial Medical Bureau, both saying in unison: "Your Majesty, the two masters of Duke Xing Mansion are likely afflicted with the poisonous insect disease!"
Minister Dai was terrified upon hearing this: "What? They’ve brought the poisonous insect disease back to the Capital?!"
These two accursed fools, useless in battle, first to cause trouble, aiming to kill the entire populace of the Capital.
Mai Cong said: "Your Majesty, the poisonous insect disease is severe, please issue orders to immediately seal off Duke Xing Mansion and control the medicinal materials of all pharmacies and medical clinics in the city."
Then added: "Have Niu Hu Yue and Niu Huteng taken to the detention center outside the Imperial Palace to be checked for any red spots, and administer the Insect Attractant to drive insects, ensuring no harmful creatures within the Imperial City."
Emperor Jingyuan nodded, swiftly issuing orders: "Ming Qin, quickly take people to seal Duke Xing Mansion, no person or animal from the entire mansion is allowed to leave. Doctor Lai will lead other physicians to administer medicine to the two sons of the Old Duke to treat them."
"Minister of Imperial Medical Bureau, take people to administer medicine to Niu Hu Yue and Niu Huteng, to ascertain if they are infected with the poisonous insect disease?"
Then added: "Director of Imperial Medical Bureau, take the recipe to major pharmacies and medical clinics in the Capital, ordering them to produce Insect Attractant, in preparation for a potential outbreak of the poisonous insect disease."
With the Imperial Decree personally issued by Emperor Jingyuan, Mai Cong and others dared not delay, immediately accepting the command to proceed.
The cabinet ministers also left to arrange the prevention of a potential outbreak of the poisonous insect disease.
An hour later, the Minister of Imperial Medical Bureau reported: "Your Majesty, we have already administered the Insect Attractant and examined the bodies of the two sons from Duke Xing Mansion; they have not contracted the poisonous insect disease."
Not infected?
Emperor Jingyuan impatiently awaited the results and was somewhat disappointed upon hearing this.
However, Mai Cong personally brought back accurate news after more than an hour.
"Your Majesty, the two masters of the first and second branch of Duke Xing Mansion indeed have the poisonous insect disease. The Insect Attractant was highly effective; after applying it, the insects crawled out of their bodies. However, the father of Niu Hu Yue was already harmed internally by the insects, leading to massive hemorrhage within the abdomen, resulting in his death." Mai Cong reported the situation at Duke Xing Mansion to Emperor Jingyuan.
Due to the death of the first branch master, Duke Xing Mansion descended into chaos, with the second branch ready to move, eager to seize the position of Duke Xing.
But their efforts were in vain; the Emperor had delayed appointing a new Duke Xing after the death of the Old Duke, intending to strip the Niu Family of the title.
Indeed, when Emperor Jingyuan heard of the death of Niu Hu Yue’s father, he showed no sign of mourning, even thinking the worthless fool died too late. He then asked: "Is the insect issue at Duke Xing Mansion under control? Are there any cases of the poisonous insect disease in the city?"
Mai Cong shook his head: "Duke Xing Mansion is already sealed, and all insects there have been killed. As for the situation of the poisonous insect disease in the city, it is unknown at present. However, this Insect Attractant is indeed effective, making the poisonous insect disease nothing to fear with it around."
Mai Cong suddenly mentioned the effectiveness of the Insect Attractant in hopes of guiding Emperor Jingyuan to reward the person who developed the recipe.
He already learned that the person who came up with the recipe was the sister of Gu Jin’an.
Gu Jin’an was talented and scheming, a promising helper in his eyes. Initially thought this helper merely aided in literary matters, but unexpectedly provided a considerable surprise.
The sister personally made the Insect Attractant, and her husband even killed Leimuqin.
Gu Jin’an’s brother-in-law was indeed to his liking!
With Great Chu on the verge of collapse, he must have some capable military general confidants, and Gu Jin’an’s brother-in-law was a good choice. Mai Cong eyed Qin San Lang, thus wanting to support the Gu Family, later having the Qin and Gu families serve him.