Chapter 47 Milk

Even in the midst of rage when their lives and property were at stake, True Lord Feixuan and Emperor Qingmiao still remained calm. He did not even explode on the spot by pushing over the alchemy furnace, tearing up the elixir book, and throwing all the elixirs into the pit. Instead, he first ordered people to spy on the daily lives of Xu Shaohu and Yan Fenyi. Although both of them were under house arrest, the palace had a full supply of food and clothing, and even the elixir that was given every five days was kept intact. As a special "gift" from the emperor, they had to take it obediently and write down their experiences, acting as the emperor's intentional or unintentional guinea pigs.

Although he had been repeatedly complained about by the Heavenly Book before, after all, the sunk costs spent on the Golden Elixir Avenue were too high, the expectations were too heavy, and the so-called "heavy metal biochemical monsters" were really incomprehensible. Although Master Feixuan was shocked and doubtful, he always had a 50% chance of luck in his heart and was not willing to completely give up the elixir. But now, after ordering people to check in detail, they immediately came to an unmistakable conclusion - after taking the golden elixir for many days, similar red spots appeared on the legs and feet of the two elders; especially Elder Xu, who had a weaker physique, because his drug resistance could not be compared with the two innate golden elixir saints, the red spots seemed to have progressed to the next stage!

The three experimental samples independently came to the same conclusion, and Master Feixuan no longer had room for quibbling. He flew into a rage that afternoon after receiving the tip-off. He beat all the eunuchs who had served the elixir with a stick, and then began to follow the method prescribed in the heavenly book, using "protein-rich" milk, beans and eggs to eliminate the toxicity. At the same time, he quickly issued an order to urgently summon the former imperial physician Li Shizhen, who was wandering in Hubei at the time.

Of course, even if the Eucharist is urgent, it must be done with dignity. The emperor specifically asked the eunuchs in the palace to find someone in order to maintain absolute confidentiality. A few years ago, Li Shizhen was ordered to work in the Imperial Hospital. After looking at Master Feixuan's prescriptions for just a few times, he was so frightened that his face turned pale. He immediately wrote a letter to the emperor, repeatedly requesting him to abolish all unorthodox practices such as elixirs, fasting, and sacrifices, otherwise there would be unspeakable consequences in the long run. The memorial touched the emperor's reverse scale and immediately angered Master Fei Xuan, who was eager to seek the truth at that time. If it weren't for the fact that Doctor Li was an excellent doctor and had solved many problems for the emperor, his ending would probably have been more than just dismissal and returning home.

Now, several years have passed, and Li Shizhen's disrespectful prophecy seems to have already shown signs of happening. Besides being horrified and frightened, the emperor was also inevitably embarrassed by being slapped in the face by time. It would be fine if it was embarrassing in private, but if he publicly sent someone to recall Li Shizhen, wouldn't that be admitting the emperor's mistake to the court and the public?

What's this? This is simply deceiving God!

There is no king or father in the world who is not wrong; now that you dare to ask the emperor to admit his mistakes, I dare not even imagine what you will do in the future!

Therefore, the instructions conveyed by Li Zaifang were very clear. After the eunuchs found Li Shizhen, they could not announce the decree immediately. They had to persuade Doctor Li to write a memorial of apology first, deeply reflecting on his arrogance and ignorance in criticizing the emperor and his treasonous behavior. Only after the memorial was submitted would the emperor open the door of mercy and issue an edict to pardon his sins, restore his official position, summon him back to Beijing and reward him with the honor of treating the emperor.

He can stand firm and not get hurt by a single leaf. This is the charming moment of the number one giant infant of the dynasty, Bai Lianhua Fei Xuan Zhenjun Qing Miao Emperor. This is also to help Li Shizhen, the imperial physician, broaden his horizons and stop being complacent in the halo of a miracle doctor. He should first experience the crematorium of doctor-patient relationship.

Of course, face is important, but you can't sacrifice your health. During the long time of waiting for Li Shizhen to come to the capital to plead guilty, Zhenjun carefully studied the Heavenly Book, took the medicine according to the prescription, and consumed large amounts of milk, egg white, and soy products. He did not dare to miss a single drop, and he would never question it - perhaps because the Heavenly Book would not care about his questions at all, so Zhenjun would never act like a troublemaker in front of the Heavenly Book.

However, the words in the heavenly book are indeed more difficult to understand than the talismans and incantations in the Taoist scriptures. The emperor studied it for a long time, but still couldn't figure out what was recorded on it, such as "500g eggs" and "200ml milk". There were all kinds of strange but vaguely regular symbols and characters - he knew that 500 and 200 seemed to be counting symbols used by Westerners and Persians, but what did "g" and "ml" mean?

Master Fei Xuan was puzzled, yet didn't want to leak the news of the Heavenly Book casually, so he made a standard in his mind and decided to eat two kilograms of milk and five kilograms of beans a day; as the saying goes, it is better to be prepared, more is not less, and only with such a dosage can the heavy metal toxins be completely removed!

Therefore, he changed the diet without hesitation, and on the second day after issuing the edict, he ordered people to boil a pot of milk, which he drank up without missing a single drop. Then he prepared milk and soy milk, and used it to soak and wash every day, and also to wipe the whole body from time to time. This was certainly not the treatment taught in the Heavenly Book, but a method that the True Lord came up with privately based on his own intelligence. If taking milk and soy milk orally can detoxify, wouldn't it be a better way to detoxify if you soak in them all the time?

Distinguished patients are troublesome, and distinguished patients who are self-righteous and self-willed are even more troublesome. The endless suffering that Li Shizhen would face in the future could now be seen.

·

After the candidates entered the examination hall, the Imperial Examination Hall was locked for three days and isolated from the outside world until it was reopened on February 28th. Mu Qi personally went to the Imperial Examination Hall to pick up Hai Gangfeng and Zhang Taiyue, and arranged to send them back to the mansion. They exchanged a few pleasantries in the car, and after returning home, he immediately took a shower, changed his clothes, drank the evil-removing medicine soup that had been prepared long ago, and fell asleep - the imperial examination lasted for three days and two nights, which was a great torture both mentally and physically. If he didn't rest in time, he might even get a serious illness and delay the subsequent palace examination.

However, while the candidates are resting, the ministers and nobles in Beijing will be busy. The chief examiners were still locked in the courtyard marking the test papers, but preparations had to be made first for the palace examination and the ceremony of announcing the results of the imperial examination and bestowing the title of Jinshi. The emperor had lived in the West Courtyard, enjoying a leisurely life for more than ten years. He pushed back all tedious affairs whenever possible, but was extremely attentive to the palace examinations and banquets. He always gave strict instructions and personally took care of everything, probably because he wanted to make a name for himself in the final grand event of the imperial examination and leave a strong first impression on the future pillars of the court.

Today is no exception. As soon as the examination was over, Mu Qi and other nobles were summoned by special decree to the Western Garden to rehearse the various etiquettes for serving at the Qionglin Banquet. They practiced the procedures of riding horses, advancing and retreating, and paying respects in front of the emperor. They wanted to use bright and colorful clothes and uniform movements to intimidate the newly-minted Jinshi and foreign envoys who were attending the ceremony. It also meant that the power must be displayed in splendor.

This has been my job that I have become proficient at over the years, and it is not difficult to do it according to the rules. But when Mu Qi and a group of noble ministers entered the West Garden and lined up, they caught a glimpse of two very familiar figures at the cabinet's roster. When they looked closely, their pupils trembled: Lord Yan and Lord Xu, who had been missing for dozens of days, had appeared in the West Garden without a sound!

This piece of news was probably ten times more important than the imperial examination. In an instant, everyone was silent. The important officials who came from all over had strange expressions on their faces. They couldn't help but look at each other in panic. Seeing that there was nothing unusual around them, they stared at each other for a moment, and then cast inquiring glances at the two elders who had not been seen for many days. The eyes of the crowd were as sharp as torches, and the official uniforms of the two ministers were probably set on fire; unfortunately, the two important ministers still looked at each other with their eyes and noses, and showed no signs of expressing anything. It was as if the dozens of days of house arrest had never happened. The two of them just took a stroll in the imperial garden and came back to do their business as usual.

After all, the exercise was being conducted under the emperor's nose, and no one dared to inquire about the news openly. After a moment of stagnant silence, everyone could only adjust their positions according to the instructions of the Jinyiwei. Duke Mu was the chief of the nobles, and the Crown Prince was particularly favored, so he stood quite near the front, alongside a group of important ministers and elders, almost right in front of the Emperor.

This is a very honorable position, but it is not very friendly to the prince; not to mention that slacking off or daydreaming is wishful thinking, even breathing heavily may be considered a crime of disrespect. In order to prevent any strange smell from emanating from his mouth and nose, he even skipped breakfast and lunch. He could only take a mouthful of ginseng slices smoked with rosin to relieve his fatigue, standing under the scorching sun with a bitter taste in his mouth.

But maybe I was hallucinating because I was so hungry. After standing for a while, Mu Qi gradually felt that the smell around him was a little strange. The spring breeze was blowing in the West Garden, but it was no longer the usual strange scent of sandalwood, agarwood and sulfur. But if you smelled it carefully, there seemed to be a faint smell of... milk in the wind?

It’s good, slightly sour and soft, with a hint of grass and a rich, fishy milk flavor.

Mu Qi has to drink milk every now and then to prevent heavy metal poisoning, so he will definitely not mistake this taste. He sniffed it carefully, then shifted his gaze in confusion, wondering who was so bold as to drink such a diuretic liquid before an important rehearsal. But the faces on both sides were wrinkled and expressionless, and it was really hard to tell what was going on.

...As far as he knew, cow's milk was still quite popular nowadays. Ministers who valued health would eat some hot dishes such as steamed lamb with cow's milk and braised pigeon with cow's milk in the spring to replenish their bodies and resist the weakness in the summer. But no matter how much you eat and drink in private, if an indecent smell remains on important occasions, it is definitely a serious disrespect and will inevitably lead to demotion and salary reduction. It would be fine if he was a good-natured person like the fat emperor Renzong or Emperor Xiaozong in the early years, but the current emperor is definitely not so lenient. If he takes advantage of the situation, everyone present might suffer the consequences.

He opened his inner voice diary depressedly:

[Who is so lacking in public morality that he doesn’t even wipe his mouth after drinking milk? The smell of milk is everywhere with the wind! 】

The figure sitting in the bright yellow gauze tent suddenly stood up straight, and two sharp gazes penetrated the hazy gauze in front of the throne and came straight out!

Unfortunately, everyone in front of the emperor had lowered their brows, looked submissive and serious, and no matter how carefully Master Feixuan looked, he could not find any clues... Oh, that's not right. Elder Yan and Elder Xu, who were standing in the front, had sweat on their foreheads and their faces were pale, clearly showing their fear.

The corner of Zhenjun's mouth twitched for a moment, and he raised his hand and gestured backwards. Li Zaifang, who happened to be standing beside him, immediately understood and hurriedly took a step forward to slightly block the wind direction in front of the throne.

The emperor coughed and said:

"Ministers, please listen!"

The tone of voice was strange and rhythmic, and all the ministers below were startled. This was the "standard pronunciation" established by Emperor Gaozu in the past. Emperors of all dynasties had to use this Fengyang accent when attending court, giving banquets, and even performing formal sacrifices. However, the accent had changed greatly over the past few hundred years. Not only did the emperor have to practice specially to master it, but the ministers also had to carefully distinguish it before they could barely understand it.

Master Feixuan had been practicing for many years and had some skills. When he opened his mouth, he spoke with full energy and his clear voice echoed in the empty West Garden. But with such a strong smell, it is inevitable that more smell will be emitted. The hungry prince had a very sensitive sense of smell and immediately noticed something unusual - the smell of milk was too strong!

Judging from his experience, this is definitely not the smell of drinking a little milk. This must be the smell of drinking milk as water and eating cheese as food. After repeated fermentation and breathing in the digestive tract, there is such a pickled smell... To be honest, this smell is so rich and pure that it is almost the same as that of a baby under one year old. In the true sense of the word, the smell of milk is still fresh. Maybe even a burp smells like milk...

Thinking of this, Mu Qi couldn't help but feel a chill all over his body and shivered quietly.

[…This is too weird!] What's the point of drinking so much milk? Are you playing burp literature at home? Can we have fun on the bed in private, my dear old men, middle men and young men? 】

——It’s really not his fault that his head is full of pornographic garbage. You should know that according to current medical theory, most of the medicinal foods prepared with cow's milk are for nourishing the kidneys and strengthening yang. What do you think you are going to do by taking this medicinal food in large quantities?

In Da'an, the practice of taking tonics to strengthen yang became popular, and there were endless folk remedies and secret techniques. The consumption of ginseng and deer antlers was countless. The next day, there was even an emperor who died from a red pill only one month after taking it. But it’s okay to take it occasionally, but what is the purpose of taking such a large dose? Has extravagance reached this extreme?

The doubts in the Heavenly Book could not be explained yet, but as soon as the words came out, Master Fei Xuan's nostrils suddenly widened!

Unfortunately, no matter how hard he looked, the ministers and nobles below did not reveal any flaws. Master Fei Xuan endured for a moment and could only decisively use his trump card:

"Xuan Wenyuan Pavilion Grand Secretary Yan Fenyi, come forward!"

The eunuchs who were accompanying the emperor shouted in unison, their voices shaking the whole area; Lord Yan, who was already frightened by the voice from the heavenly book, looked up in confusion, not understanding why the emperor was calling out at this time. But Lord Yan was Lord Yan after all. After just a moment's thought, he quickly remembered the key point - during breakfast today, the emperor specially gave him and Xu Shaohu a big bowl of milk!

——The milk was difficult to digest, and he and Xu Shaohu still had a smell of it on their bodies.

Why did His Majesty ask Li Zaifang to bring the milk personally? Why do we specifically remind them to drink up the milk after rewarding them? I originally thought it was just the emperor's deep love, but now it is finally clear; the foreshadowing is so profound, and the emperor is really far-sighted and well prepared.

This bowl of milk was indeed not drunk for free. All the gifts given by Lao Deng were secretly marked with a price.

...But what can Lord Yan say? Not only did he not dare to criticize in his heart, he even had to sincerely say that Your Majesty was wise.

Speechless, Elder Yan strode forward and saluted respectfully:

"Your Highness Yan Fenyi will obey your orders."

Sure enough, the Book of Heaven made a sound:

[Oh my god, Yan Fenyi is already in his seventies, and he still has so many tricks? "X Ping Mei" is really not groundless! 】

The words lingered in his ears, and Lord Yan's body shook involuntarily. As for Master Feixuan... Master Feixuan finally revealed a satisfied smile.