Chapter 598 Xiao Yan's Reverse Scale

It’s better not to mention some things. Once mentioned, there is no guarantee that someone will not doubt his identity.

Xiao Yan couldn't believe that Fang Fulai happened to hear about the old story of the He family, and happened to remember what happened in the Empress Dowager's palace, and happened to dance in front of the Empress Dowager, saying those heartbreaking words and ended up losing his life.

Who was suspicious of him and wanted to use the Empress Dowager to test him?

Or, did he want to use the Empress Dowager to control him?

Xiao Yan's eyes were cold and gloomy. "Go find out who Fang Fulai had contact with last time he died, and see who brought up the He family's past in front of him!"

Jinyun's expression was stern: "Yes."

Xiao Yan raised his eyes and looked towards the direction of the palace: "Has the Queen Mother told anyone else about Fang Fulai's situation?"

Jinyun hesitated, "Probably not yet. My master also knows the taboos in the palace. No one dared to mention it when the Grand Empress Dowager was in the palace. Now it concerns the late Crown Prince and the eldest grandson of the Emperor. I'm afraid she won't dare to tell others without the Empress Dowager's confirmation."

"I asked the people at Shou'an Palace, and they said the Empress Dowager originally wanted to send someone to invite Emperor An to discuss things, but Emperor An postponed it on the pretext of being busy. The Empress Dowager had no choice but to send someone out of the palace to inquire about the Empress Dowager's recent situation. However, they were stopped by our people as soon as they left the city gate."

"Deal with the person and do it cleanly."

Xiao Yan's eyes were filled with frost. "Also, tell the Queen Mother, tell Doctor Jiang that since she's ill, she should stay in Shou'an Palace to recuperate. There's no need to get better."

Since you haven't been in charge of anything for so many years, don't be in charge of anything in the future.

Just like her great-grandmother, she stayed in Shou'an Palace in a daze and played her role as the empress dowager.

Jinyun looked at his master's cold and stern face and realized that the Queen Mother had stepped on his master's weak spot. He lowered his head and said, "I understand."

Xiao Yan instructed, "Also keep an eye on Emperor An and don't let him set his sights on the Grand Empress Dowager."

Jinyun said, "Don't worry, Master. Emperor An probably doesn't have the energy to deal with this matter."

Xiao Yan glanced sideways.

Jinyun said, "Eunuch Feng sent word out this afternoon that Emperor An has started taking the golden elixir again."

"Last night, the military token was lost, and the master turned the tables on him. Emperor An must have been furious, so he started using it after returning to the Imperial Dragon Terrace. Eunuch Feng saw Emperor An ask for the golden elixir, and behind his back, he only scraped off a small piece. He probably thought using less would not endanger his life."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but sneer. He really overestimated Emperor An.

The golden elixir was indeed addictive, but Emperor An had been in a coma for more than half a month due to some strange circumstances, which almost helped him get through the period when his addiction was the worst after he stopped taking the medicine. When he woke up, his body no longer had a particularly strong reaction to the drug.

Xiao Yan had Feng Lai place some incense to subtly tempt Emperor An's addiction, but that thing could be overcome with enough willpower, and besides, Imperial Physician Jiang had also told him that thing must never be used again.

Xiao Yan thought that Emperor An could endure it for a while longer, but he didn't expect that he would have to use it again so soon.

"Let him use it, and tell Feng Lai to just pretend he doesn't know."

"What if the golden elixir is gone..."

"If he's gone, let him suffer on his own."

The golden elixir is not a good thing in the first place. It would be fine if you could quit and never touch it again, but once you use it again, the addiction will only get worse and worse until it is out of control.

Emperor An only has so many golden elixirs.

Wait till he finishes using it...

Xiao Yan raised his lips with a hint of coldness, and then things would become interesting.

Speaking of the golden elixir, Xiao Yan tilted his head and asked, "How's the thing that Taoist Lin made earlier?"

Jinyun smiled bitterly: "Several houses were blown up and many people were injured. Fortunately, we moved them to the mountains outside the city before, otherwise the outsiders would have been alerted long ago."

"Master, I got that stuff by accident. Even though I made it according to Master Lin's recipe, the dosage was never properly adjusted. It would explode if I wasn't careful. Even though I can make some now, there's no way to transport it long distances."

"They've already had people try it out. Those things can't be shaken or touched. They can't be placed with metal or stone. They're easily affected by moisture and can't stand sparks. The ones under the Jinshui Bridge were made by Lin Daoren by accident, so they're relatively stable. We had people move them over bit by bit, but if we want to send them out of the city, or even to the northwest battlefield..."

Jinyun said with a bitter face: "I am afraid that before the goods are delivered to the northwest, our own people will be hurt."

Although Xiao Yan was somewhat disappointed upon hearing this, he had no intention of pinning his victory on these external factors. He said in a deep voice, "Don't worry. Let them try slowly. If they were able to do it before, they will surely be able to do it later."

"Tell Master Lin that if he can make something as stable as the previous one and be used on the battlefield, I will give him 50,000 gold coins to ensure he lives a life of wealth and safety, and that he will not be liquidated by the royal family."

Jinyun smiled: "Then he must have tried his best."

After all, refining an elixir to poison the emperor...

A half-baked fake Taoist priest, with one, two, three, four, and five beautiful wives, and more than a dozen sons and daughters. How can there be a better reward for such a large family than saving his life?

…

Jiyun Lane was as peaceful as ever, but the court was extremely lively because of the sudden suppression of the rebellion.

The Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War were extremely busy, and Marquis Wenxin and General Yin almost all stayed in the military camp outside the city. As boxes of food, supplies, armor and weapons were transported out of the city, the entire capital, from the dignitaries to the common people, knew about Prince Pingshan's rebellion.

There were countless people who attacked and scolded him, and there were also many who supported the purge in the court.

Emperor An's reputation suddenly improved after he ordered the troops to the south. However, after just two days, when the Ministry of War went to the Ministry of Revenue to ask for money, the Ministry of Revenue could not provide the money.

When the Minister of Revenue Qian Baokun and his two left and right assistant ministers entered the palace to meet Emperor An, Emperor An's face, which had just shown joy at his improved reputation, turned pale.

"You are telling me that you have no money in this huge Ministry of Revenue?!"

Emperor An angrily slammed the dragon table and said, "Where did all the money in the national treasury go?!"

Qian Baokun was silent for a moment and almost rolled his eyes.

Emperor An's tone sounded as if he had embezzled the silver.

Qian Baokun came forward, holding the account book in his hand. "The Ministry of Revenue was already in deficit last year. I worked hard to restore it and finally managed to make the treasury a little better."

"But Your Majesty has been constantly repairing the Imperial Palace and renovating the Imperial Mausoleum, issuing decrees granting bounties and rewards, and raising the salaries of the officials in the court and the Empresses in the Harem. Furthermore, the minor tribes of Western Xinjiang have been offering generous gifts in return for their beauties, and last year's corruption in the grain tax has caused the southern region's grain tax to drop to less than 30% of its previous level. The treasury has long been in deficit."

"At the court meeting after the New Year, I submitted three letters to Your Majesty, advising you to cut government expenses and urge you to ignore those small tribes in Western Xinjiang who have been taking advantage of the Wei Dynasty year after year. However, Your Majesty angrily rejected my rebuttal, saying that the Wei Dynasty's grace should not be wasted."

Qian Baokun's voice was calm but aggressive, and he was almost about to spit at Emperor An.

He has no idea whether there is silver in the treasury?!