Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

The next day.

West Garden, Alchemy Room.

"Master, I just learned from the eunuch beside Lord Bao that the Prince of Ying took the 'Red Lead' elixir bestowed by His Majesty last night."

Wang Ziyan walked up to Duan Chaoyong and whispered,

After King Ying consumed the "elixir of immortality," he summoned three palace maids to his bedchamber.

This morning, Lord Bao personally went to the Southern Palace to verify this matter. His Majesty was overjoyed and just now ordered someone to send several more "elixirs" to Chonghua Palace.

"I'm really afraid that His Highness the Prince of Ying is a man who doesn't get close to women."

Duan Chaoyong's lips curled into a slight smile.

"Just take my 'Red Lead' elixir and you'll be fine!"

He's just a young man in his early twenties, full of youthful vigor. Once he's tasted the benefits, I don't believe he won't want to take it again.

"Master, according to the sect leader's original plan, this 'Red Lead' elixir was only to be supplied to the emperor and Guo Xun."

The emperor's summons of the Prince of Ying to the capital to assist the young crown prince in overseeing the country was unexpected. Fortunately, the Prince of Ying has now begun taking this elixir.

As long as he wants to continue obtaining the "Red Lead" elixir, he won't harm his master or jeopardize the sect leader's important affairs.

Wang Ziyan nodded.

"However, since the Prince of Ying has also started taking this pill, the Emperor will surely continue to bestow it upon him. With one more person taking the medicine, the consumption rate of our 'secret medicine' will be much faster than originally expected."

The "secret medicine" we brought to the capital might not last until the leader sends someone to deliver more.

"The 'red lead' elixir for the Emperor, the Prince of Ying, and Guo Xun must never be interrupted!"

Duan Chaoyong pondered for a moment,

"This matter is top secret. Only you and I, master and disciple, know about it in the capital. I have to refine elixirs for the emperor in the Western Garden every day. Only you can make a trip back to Taiyuan to report the truth to the sect leader and bring back more 'secret medicines'."

With the Emperor's favor, countless eyes in the capital are watching me, and there must be others secretly keeping an eye on you and your fellow disciples.

Be very careful on your journey, and make sure you don't bring anything with you.

. . .

Goulan Hutong (Goushan Alley).

"Third Young Master, I really can't do anything about this."

Huang Kun, his face flushed from drinking, shook his head vigorously.

"Let alone secretly taking one out, when refining this 'Red Lead' elixir, our master wouldn't even let us get close."

"Don't laugh at me, Third Young Master, but even I, your disciple, have never witnessed the process of refining this elixir."

"My father said that Master Duan's process of refining this 'Red Lead' elixir was extremely complex, requiring very precise control of the heat. Did he really complete it all by himself?"

Guo Shoulu wore an expression of disbelief.

"Of course not. Refining elixirs requires keeping watch at night; someone must take turns guarding the furnace."

Huang Kun shook his head and said,

"The task of keeping watch at night is usually taken by us disciples in turns, but each time we add raw materials to the alchemy furnace and open the furnace to take out the pills, it is our master who does it personally."

The only one who could assist was Senior Brother Wang.

"Could it be Master Duan's eldest disciple, Master Wang Ziyan?"

Guo Shoulu thought back carefully and realized that among Duan Chaoyong's disciples, there was indeed one who seemed more composed than the others.

"It is indeed Senior Brother Wang."

Although Huang Kun tried his best to appear neither humble nor arrogant, he was genuinely flattered to befriend the Third Young Master Guo.

What's more, the son of a noble family actually invited a lowly Taoist priest like myself to a banquet at the Jiaofangsi (a type of entertainment venue).

After a few rounds of drinks, Huang Kun, feeling dizzy and lightheaded, finally lowered his guard.

"To be honest, Third Young Master, when Master first arrived in the capital a year ago, he only had Senior Brother Wang by his side. All of us fellow disciples were taken in by Master in the capital."

"I see. It's been a long time since I've seen Master Wang."

Guo Shoulu had also met this Prince Yan; he had stayed at the Marquis of Wuding's residence with Duan Chaoyong for some time.

"I wonder how Master Wang is doing these days?"

"It's been several days since I last saw him."

Huang Kunqiang mustered his energy and thought for a moment.

"I heard from the other fellow disciples that Master sent him out to buy medicine."

. . .

Fenzi Hutong, Yihonglou.

"Your Highness, I learned from several of Duan Chaoyong's apprentices that Duan Chaoyong did not possess any of the transparent glassware you mentioned."

Inside the private room, Guo Shoulu reported to Lu Chen.

The alchemy furnace for refining the "red lead" elixir was kept on watch by several of Duan Chaoyong's apprentices in shifts, and the furnace fire was never extinguished.

However, each time raw materials were added to the alchemy furnace, and when the furnace was opened to retrieve the elixir, only Duan Chaoyong himself and his eldest disciple, Wang Ziyan, were present.

No one knows what was added to the elixir.

"I'm afraid this whole alchemy process is just a deceptive charade!"

Lu Chen shook his head.

"I have already disassembled one of the 'Red Lead' elixirs."

Apart from a thin layer of metallic luster on the surface, it doesn't look like it's been made with an open flame at all. If you throw it into a fire, it can even be ignited, producing a yellow, smoky flame.

After burning, only a charred mess remained.

How could something like this possibly be made in an alchemy furnace?

"Your Highness is saying that the so-called alchemy and alchemy are just a cover-up."

This "red lead" elixir was never refined in an alchemy furnace.

Guo Shoulu didn't seem surprised by Lu Chen's words.

"So, the only ones who really know how this 'Red Lead' elixir is made are probably Duan Chaoyong and Wang Ziyan."

Wang Ziyan has already been sent out by Duan Chaoyong, supposedly to purchase medicine.

Using my father's name, I inquired at all the major city gates of the capital and learned that after leaving the city through Xuanwu Gate, Prince Yan stayed at a post station dozens of miles to the south.

But after leaving the post station the next day, there was no trace of them.

I sent men to inquire at all the checkpoints leading to various places, but none of them had seen Prince Yan. It was as if he had vanished into thin air.

Your Highness, I believe that Prince Yan has already disguised himself and left using a travel permit from another identity.

Among Duan Chaoyong's disciples, only Wang Ziyan knew the secret of the "Red Lead" elixir.

His Highness once said that an evil substance was added to the "elixir" Duan Chaoyong used, and that Duan Chaoyong sent him out under a different identity probably for this substance.

It seems my guess was right!

Duan Chaoyong didn't even have glassware for storing and mixing chemical reagents, so it's impossible that he synthesized the "fatigue-relieving and waking agent" himself in the capital.

If that's the case, then the finished product was added when the "elixir" was being prepared.

Wang Ziyan went to the capital with Duan Chaoyong, so it can be said that he was involved in the entire scam.

For Duan Chaoyong, sending such an insider away from the capital and letting him slip out of his control was too risky.

Duan Chaoyong started by targeting Guo Xun, the Duke of Yi, and coerced Guo Xun and Tao Zhongwen to endorse his deception of the emperor. Such a person must have been very cautious and would not have dared to take such a risk.

He must have had a compelling reason for sending Prince Yan away from the capital.

What is it that requires sending someone in the know to do it?

There's only one answer: Wang Ziyan went to get the "ice" for him!