Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

The next day.

West Garden, Renshou Palace.

"Academician Xu, has His Majesty's health improved?"

When Lu Chen got up and went to the back hall, Xu Kun was taking the pulse of Emperor Jiajing.

"Reporting to Your Highness, Prince Ying."

When Lu Chen asked, Xu Kun quickly replied,

"From the beginning of the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), His Majesty began to show signs of illness. His hands would tremble frequently, his muscles would twitch from time to time, and he would break out in a cold sweat."

His pulse was not as steady as yesterday, fluctuating slightly, but it was not weak. His breathing was also smooth, so there was no danger to his life.

"Could this be a sign that he's about to wake up?"

Empress Fang, who arrived earlier than Lu Chen, asked.

"Your Majesty the Empress."

Xu Kun hesitated for a moment.

"I have never seen these symptoms in patients who have been in a prolonged coma due to 'qi exhaustion' for too long."

Your Majesty, I believe this may be related to Your Majesty's long-term consumption of hot and dry mineral products, which have led to the accumulation of heat and toxins within the body.

Amazing!

After hearing Xu Kun's diagnosis, Lu Chen nodded inwardly.

This is clearly a withdrawal reaction to "ice"!

More than 30 hours have passed since the palace coup occurred. If a person were conscious, withdrawal symptoms should have appeared long ago.

At this point, the withdrawal symptoms should have reached their peak.

Even when a person is in a coma, withdrawal symptoms can cause abnormalities in the body.

Of course, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners in the Ming Dynasty had never seen "ice" before, nor would they have known that such a thing existed.

However, Xu Kun was still able to diagnose that the symptoms were likely related to the elixirs taken by the Jiajing Emperor.

"Your Majesty has been taking various precious elixirs and minerals for a long time, how come you have never experienced these symptoms?"

Empress Fang pressed for an answer.

"The toxin is accumulating in the internal organs and meridians, but has not yet manifested."

Xu Kun thought for a moment,

"Now that His Majesty is seriously injured and unconscious, the accumulated poison is festering externally and the internal wind is stirring, which is why he is showing these signs of agitation."

In my opinion, this may not necessarily be a bad thing for Your Majesty.

"His Majesty has been unconscious for so long; these symptoms might stimulate his body and perhaps help him wake up sooner."

"Over the past two years, what my elder brother has consumed most is that 'red lead' elixir refined by Duan Chaoyong!"

Lu Chen nodded in agreement.

"This man harbors ill intentions. The assassin who attempted to kill me at the Marquis of Wuding's residence was brought into the residence by him and his apprentice!"

If that's the case, then the "red lead" elixir he presented to his elder brother must also be problematic.

Someone come here!

Search the residence of Duan Chaoyong and his disciples. If any "Red Lead" elixirs are still in stock, destroy them all!

"Your Majesty the Empress."

At this moment, Chen Furong, who was standing behind Empress Fang, suddenly spoke up.

"This servant was often ordered to go to Leitan to retrieve the elixir from Duan Chaoyong and his apprentice. I have seen where they stored the elixir and medicinal stones."

"It would be better if I went with you, so that nothing is overlooked."

"Okay, you can come along too."

Empress Fang glanced at Chen Furong, and although she didn't know what Chen Furong was planning, she didn't object.

Last night, after hearing from Granny Wei that Chen Furong had secretly moved the families of Consort Wang and sixteen palace maids, Empress Fang completely abandoned the idea of ​​killing them to cover it up.

With so many survivors, there's no way to silence them; the only option is to win over Chen Furong.

Chen Furong made a baseless claim that she had been favored by the emperor on the eve of the palace coup, but all the witnesses were dead, and Empress Fang reluctantly admitted it.

Early this morning, Empress Fang instructed Granny Wei to personally inform the eunuchs in the Imperial Archives and the female officials in the Imperial History to record this imperial visit in the "Imperial Visit Record" and the "Imperial History."

Fortunately, the incriminating evidence in Chen Furong's hands could ruin Empress Fang, but it would also cost her her own life.

Unless they're driven to a dead end, they probably wouldn't want to die together with someone else.

Although she couldn't kill him to silence him and prevent future troubles, Empress Fang wasn't too worried.

. . .

West Garden, Thunder Altar, Alchemy Room.

A large table was already filled with all kinds of medicinal herbs, as well as some things that looked like raw materials for making medicine.

Placed in the most conspicuous spot was a plate of bright red pills, containing nearly thirty pills.

"Aunt Chen, these were all found in the alchemy room and the residence of Duan Chaoyong and his apprentice."

The imperial horse stables eunuch leading the group pointed to the red pills on the plate.

All the remaining stock of "red lead" elixirs is here.

His Highness Prince Ying's decree is to destroy all "Red Lead" elixirs, and we must naturally comply.

As for the other things, what does Aunt Chen think is the best way to handle them?

The officials and staff of the Imperial Horse Stables had a very good impression of the head maid who came to deliver the message with Empress Fang's token.

"There are quite a few precious medicinal herbs here."

Chen Furong walked to the table and pretended to examine the medicinal herbs carefully.

The King of Ying ordered the destruction of the "Red Lead" elixir, so these finished pills were definitely doomed.

But he had anticipated this. The "Red Lead" elixir was so famous that it had an incredible effect on the emperor.

Even if it wasn't ordered to be destroyed, it wasn't something I could touch.

On his way to Leitan, he had already obtained information about Duan Chaoyong and Wang Ziyan's whereabouts from the people at the Imperial Horse Administration.

The master and disciple had indeed died in the Marquis of Wuding's mansion!

The assassins who attempted to assassinate the Prince of Ying were brought into the Marquis's residence by them. After the plot was exposed, they were personally killed on the spot by Duke Guo Xun of Yiguo, leading the personal guards of the Marquis of Wuding's residence.

Being killed on the spot meant that there was no chance to betray oneself.

Now, apart from the cult leader and his son, the Left Protector, no one knows his true identity.

found it!

Chen Furong picked up a fist-sized mulberry paper bag from the table, opened it, and found it filled with crystal-clear substances that looked just like rock candy or alum.

Wang Ziyan once told himself that every time he secretly left the capital for Taiyuan, it was to retrieve this thing.

Besides several potent aphrodisiacs, the most crucial ingredient in that "red lead" elixir is this!

Even the most potent aphrodisiac could not enable the emperor to have sex with seven women in one night.

It wasn't that the aphrodisiac effect was insufficient, but rather that the emperor lacked the energy to sustain himself for that long.

But adding this stuff can keep you energized all night long.

According to Wang Ziyan, when Duan Chao first used it to prepare the "Red Lead" elixir, he also thought it was just a magical drug that could make people energetic.

However, as Guo Xun and the emperor took it more and more frequently, their dependence on it became increasingly heavy.

"It's just a packet of alum, nothing special. You can do whatever you want with it."

Seeing Chen Furong open the bag to check, the eunuch from the Imperial Stables waved his hand.

"The deer antlers, ginseng, seal kidneys, and rhinoceros horns here are the truly valuable medicinal materials."

"Since these are valuable medicinal herbs, let's send them to the Imperial Pharmacy for storage."

Chen Furong resealed the mulberry bark paper bag in her hand and placed it together with the other medicinal herbs.

"I caught a chill last night, so I'm going to the Imperial Pharmacy to get some medicine."

. . .

Pingding Prefecture is located more than 20 li west of Heimu Cliff.

"Protector Zhao?"

As Feng Jing limped into the room, he saw Zhao Xixian sitting alone.

"You haven't been to Taiyuan City yet?"

"Where's Gao Jian? Why isn't he with you?"