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墨書 Inktalez
After Liu Shenwei exited the Hall of Wind, he was led out of the palace by a young eunuch and silently returned to the Imperial Medical Institute. He instructed a Maid to burn a piece of Calming Incense and closed his eyes to meditate.
However, he could not calm his restless heart. He still remembered his master’s teachings: "Whenever a Great Doctor treats a patient, they must first calm their spirit and focus their mind, free from desires and attachments. They should cultivate a Great Compassionate Heart, vowing to alleviate the suffering of all sentient beings. If someone comes seeking help for their Malady, one must not inquire about their wealth or poverty, age or appearance, familial ties or friendships, cultural background or intelligence; all should be treated equally as if they were close kin."
"One must also not look back or forth, worrying about one's own fortune or misfortune, nor should they be overly protective of their own life. When witnessing others in distress, one should feel deep sorrow and never shy away from danger. Regardless of day or night, heat or cold, hunger or fatigue, one must wholeheartedly rush to provide aid without any ulterior motives. Only then can one be considered a Great Physician of the Common People; otherwise, they are merely a great thief of sentient beings’ lives."
Yet now, even with the aid of Calming Incense, he could not settle his thoughts.
After Sovereign Li Shimin fell ill, he immediately sent someone to the Imperial Medical Institute. Besides summoning the Imperial Physician, he was more concerned about inquiring Liu Shenwei about his master Sun Simiao's whereabouts.
The renowned master Sun Simiao had once secluded himself on Emei Mountain and Zhongnan Mountain, traveling the world to visit sacred places and seek Elixirs. Recently, it was said that he had retreated to Taibai Mountain again; in short, his whereabouts were unpredictable and no one knew his exact location.
Liu Shenwei was also unable to locate his master. In desperation, he could only contact various Imperial Physicians to collectively treat Sovereign Li Shimin.
In fact, Sovereign Li Shimin's condition was quite evident. During his first campaign eastward, he developed Boils that made it impossible for him to ride his horse. The Crown Prince Li Zhi personally sucked out the poison from the sores to alleviate some of the suffering.
These Boils were not due to any inherent physical ailment but rather resulted from Sovereign Li Shimin taking longevity pills that expelled toxins outward. This meant that Sovereign Li Shimin's body had been compromised by these so-called elixirs!
As Sun Simiao's disciple, Liu Shenwei understood The Way of the Dan Ding well. Sun Simiao himself practiced internal cultivation and took external elixirs; however, every elixir has its principles. If one does not understand them and takes them forcefully without a compatible Inner Strength Cultivation Method to guide and unblock them, toxins will accumulate within the body over time, ultimately harming its fundamental essence.
Liu Shenwei had repeatedly risked his life to advise Sovereign Li Shimin to stop taking longevity pills; however, Sovereign Li Shimin had become dependent on them and could not quit.
Liu Shenwei studied the Antidote Recipe left by his master and planned to present it to Sovereign Li Shimin as a means to alleviate the toxicity from the elixirs. However, upon entering the Hall of Wind today, he found Sovereign Li Shimin consuming Hu Zeng Yao!
Although these colorful pills could temporarily restore Sovereign Li Shimin's vigor, they were akin to draining a pond dry; excessive use would deplete what little vitality remained in him—truly harmful with no benefits whatsoever!
He sternly warned Li Shimin that if he continued taking these so-called miraculous elixirs, his health would only deteriorate further. Yet this time, the usually good-natured Li Shimin expelled Liu Shenwei from the Hall of Wind.
Once Liu Shenwei left, the Sovereign entered the Inner Palace, where on the dragon throne lay the beautiful Naroni Soppa, who had opened the Heavenly Eye!
The Sovereign had always maintained a clean reputation and was not one to indulge in women. However, after the passing of Queen Shengwende, the Sovereign became increasingly lonely and unable to resist, which led to him favoring young and beautiful concubines like Martial Talent.
As time went on, his health deteriorated, and he found himself powerless. Yet, the Heavenly Goddess presented by Li Zhi was different; her offering of the Heavenly Pill had immediate effects.
Not only that, but she also introduced the dual cultivation methods from Indian esoteric teachings, using her youthful and voluptuous body as a medicinal cauldron. Through their union, she managed to rejuvenate Li Shimin, making him increasingly infatuated with her, sometimes engaging in intimate encounters three or four times a day.
With the elixir proving effective, the Sovereign was overjoyed and kept Naroni Soppa in the palace, showering her with affection day and night. Under Li Zhi's covert guidance, Naroni Soppa whispered sweet nothings into the Sovereign's ear, leading him to trust Li Zhi and Murong Hanzhu even more.
The Sovereign also ordered Minister of War Cui Dunli to send envoys across the land to gather rare herbs and stones for alchemical purposes.
Cui Dunli hailed from the Boling Cui Clan and was of noble descent. He was a distant relative of Murong Hanzhu, whose original name was Cui Hanzhu. As a grandson of Cui Zhongfang, Minister of Rites during Sui, he had been appointed as an Interpreter by Gaozu during the Wude Era. Later promoted to Colonel of the Left Guard during Zhenguan, he eventually became Chancellor and then Minister of War. He frequently sent missions to Turkic lands and was later appointed Governor of Lingzhou. In recent years, Murong Hanzhu gained increasing prominence and discussed succession plans with Li Zhi, including Cui Dunli in their considerations. The Sovereign intended to pave the way for Li Zhi and thus summoned Cui Dunli as Minister of War.
Liu Shenwei was merely a court physician and could not see through the political struggles and schemes surrounding Naroni Soppa. He only knew that keeping this enchantress by the Sovereign's side would hasten his demise!
After meditating for a moment longer, he finally gritted his teeth and stood up, instructing his subordinates to prepare carriages before hastily making his way to Xu Zhen's Xu Manor.
At this time, Xu Zhen had already become a State Minister and Duke of Qi. As a founding Duke of Wuan, she was just one step away from being a Duke herself and had achieved great honor.
It is worth noting that many founding heroes were granted titles of Duke but remained lesser Dukes or County Dukes despite their contributions. In contrast, someone like Xu Zhen had ascended to Duke of Wuan within just a few years—an almost unbelievable feat.
However, since the Sovereign favored unconventional choices in military matters, using Xu Zhen was yet another deviation from tradition. Who would dare oppose the Sovereign's will?
In any case, once the Sovereign ascended, it was likely that Xu Zhen would not be able to maintain her arrogance for long; perhaps this was what many officials in court secretly thought.
After the Xu Zhen was promoted to Left Tunwei Grand General, she had to go to Beitun Camp every day to handle official duties, just like a typical nine-to-five office worker. Although she could choose not to go, she didn't want to give anyone a reason to gossip, so she made sure to arrive and leave on time every day.
Upon returning to Xu Manor, she discovered that Liu Shenwei had been waiting for a long time. After changing into a light robe, he went to the hall to meet her. Liu Shenwei had known the Xu Zhen for a long time, and after some pleasantries, he got straight to the point.
"Xu Gong, I come today out of necessity. Looking at the entire court, perhaps only you can save me from this predicament..."
Liu Shenwei was not exaggerating. Although many colleagues from the Imperial Medical Institute were treating the Sovereign together, they all looked up to Liu Shenwei, a disciple of the Medicine King. If the Sovereign were to die suddenly due to Hu Zeng Yao from Naroni Soppo, Liu Shenwei would not only lose his head but also see his future come to an end.
Seeing his serious expression, the Xu Zhen felt curious and quickly asked, "Shenwei, you keep calling me Xu Gong. Are you no longer considering me as your sister? We don't need such formalities between us; let's clarify the matter. If it's within my ability, how could I not do my utmost?"
Touched by her candid words, Liu Shenwei smiled shyly and recounted the entire situation. After finishing, he took out the five-colored Hu Zeng Yao he had secretly gathered and handed it over for the Xu Zhen to examine.
Upon seeing the five-colored Hu Zeng Yao, the Xu Zhen observed its color and scent and inquired about it. Although Liu Shenwei was a disciple of Medicine King Sun Simiao, he was not familiar with Western Region secret medicines and had not yet studied this particular drug in detail; thus, he was unsure of its components.
After a moment's thought, the Xu Zhen called for her servants and summoned Old Man Mo Ya and Caesar. Moya was quite knowledgeable about Western Region medicine, while Caesar was well-versed in Western Region poisons.
The Xu Zhen discussed further with Liu Shenwei, analyzing the Sovereign's condition and mentioning Naroni Soppo. It suddenly dawned on her that this woman was indeed the Shiva Goddess brought back by Wang Xuance from India!
Wang Xuance had traveled westward and often mocked and suppressed the Xu Zhen. Since they were both part of the Imperial Guard's Chief of Staff team, it was clear that he was one of the Crown Prince's trusted aides. Now that the Sovereign's health was in jeopardy and Li Zhi had presented Naroni Soppo as an offering, such intentions were truly chilling.
Moreover, in his desperation for a cure, the Sovereign turned to Hu Zeng Yao, which had immediate miraculous effects. Having fought throughout his life and now achieving peace across the seas—even Goguryeo was barely surviving—he began to think about challenging fate in his old age.
Naroni Soppo was a Divine Maiden sent by heaven; wanting to fight against heaven itself would give the Sovereign endless satisfaction each night as he battled this Divine Maiden. It seemed as if conquering Naroni Soppo would allow him to triumph over destiny itself.
Historical Records contain little about such absurdities in Li Shimin's later years. Although the Xu Zhen was well-versed in history and classics, it was impossible for her to specifically collect records from Tang Dynasty history. Furthermore, even if Historical Records accurately documented events, they would not capture such subtle matters. Historians typically praised their subjects; how could they record the less admirable aspects of an emperor who would be remembered through ages?
Upon realizing this, Xu Zhen could only let out a faint sigh. The tea had not yet cooled when Moya and Caesar walked in.
Both of them were trusted aides of Xu Zhen, and there was nothing to hide. After understanding the situation, Moya took the five-colored pill from Liu Shenwei's hands.
After sniffing it for a moment, Moya frowned. Then, he fetched some clean water, crushed the pill, and dissolved it into a potion. He tasted it to analyze its components, then took out several porcelain vials from his pocket and poured the contents into the potion before drinking it down without hesitation.
After a moment, Moya's face turned red, his breathing became increasingly rapid, he felt a tightness in his chest, and beads of sweat formed all over him. He felt hot all over and rolled up his sleeves to reveal several red spots on his arms!
Seeing these red spots appear, Moya's frown immediately relaxed. He took out two pills from his pocket—one he swallowed and the other he dissolved in water to take. Only then did the redness in his face gradually fade.
"Master, do you have any insights?" Liu Shenwei observed Moya's method of testing the medicine and realized that Moya was a master of medicine. Seeing his reaction, Liu Shenwei deduced some details and vaguely understood part of the components of the drug. Since this matter involved his area of expertise, Liu Shenwei quickly asked Moya.
Moya drank until he emptied a jug of clean water before finally relaxing and slowly spoke.
"The ingredients used in this pill are quite complex; however, most belong to common alchemical materials—merely some cinnabar, gold, vermilion, and white substances. Yet its medicinal catalyst is particularly unusual; it uses Star Anise, Aconite, Scorpion Venom, and Azure Beetle as catalysts. While it can stimulate desires in a very short time, the Azure Beetle is extremely poisonous!"
"Azure Beetle? It’s actually the Azure Beetle!" Liu Shenwei exclaimed in surprise. Xu Zhen was puzzled, so Liu Shenwei explained: "The Azure Beetle is also known as Yanquing or Flower Beetle; its proper name is Mantis Beetle. The term 'spotted' refers to its color; 'sting' refers to its venom like barbs. It is commonly misnamed as spotted cat. This insect can produce toxins that are highly poisonous; prolonged use without expelling it can lead to dire consequences!"
Xu Zhen suddenly understood. She had heard of the Mantis Beetle before; it was said that in ancient times, both domestically and internationally, people often made spring medicines from the Mantis Beetle with remarkable effects that were hard to stop once started. However, the side effects were also significant— even Ximen Qing had been harmed by such medicine, let alone Li Shimin, whose body was already on the verge of collapse!
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