Chapter 294 Admiration
Xue Quan wanted to cry, but couldn't. He returned to his private residence outside the palace in a daze and leaned against the bed.
He held the bottle of elixir given to him by Master Miaoqing in his bosom. The doctor's words echoed in his ears.
A potent and dangerous medicine, what a potent and dangerous medicine!
Xue Quan pulled the bottle of medicine from his pocket and raised it high, intending to throw it to the ground. But after holding it up for a long time, his hand finally fell limply to the ground.
What's the point of smashing it?
The Emperor has already taken this medicine, and Master Miaoqing has become a favorite of the Emperor. Should he run up to the Emperor now and say that there is a problem with the medicine?
Putting aside his understanding of the current emperor, which suggests the emperor would not believe it at all, or rather, would not want to believe it, what if he did believe it?
A chill rose from my heart and flowed to every part of my body.
If he believed it, he, the one who donated the medicine, would be the first to die!
But if we do nothing and let the Emperor eat as much as he wants, his body probably won't be able to hold out for long. In that case, he will still be unable to escape death.
Annoyance, pain, resentment, regret... a mix of emotions caused Xue Quan extreme pain.
"Father."
Xue Quan blinked and glanced towards the door, but did not respond.
Xue Han walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.
Is Father unwell?
Devastated and powerless, Xue Quan suddenly felt a surge of anger and slapped Xue Han across the face.
Xue Han neither dodged nor touched the cheek where he had been slapped. He calmly asked, "Did Father have a doctor examine him?"
"Xue Han!" Xue Quan pointed at Xue Han, his fingers trembling. "Why did you cause me trouble!"
"Why do you say that, Father?"
Xue Quan glared fiercely at Xue Han: "You debt collector, can't you just pretend you don't know? If you hadn't told me, how would I have ended up in this dilemma!"
He would rather know nothing and wait until the day comes for the emperor to give him a quick and painless end, rather than suffer like he does now.
Pretending not to know would be disrespectful to the Emperor, but speaking out would mean losing one's life immediately.
Even if he was going to die anyway, he didn't want to die now; he wanted to prolong the time as long as possible.
He's a coward who's afraid of death.
Xue Quan became increasingly angry with Xue Han.
“Father, I’m telling you this because I’m afraid that if you continue to take those potent drugs, it will damage your health.”
Xue Quan's anger vanished like a punctured balloon, leaving him staring blankly at his adopted son who was so close to him.
This was a child he felt an instant affinity with and carefully raised, but in the end, they were not related by blood, and he was also a eunuch.
He liked him, valued him, but was also wary of him and suspicious of him.
Now, Xue Quan suddenly felt a little happy.
Even if what he said was false, he still felt a little happy to hear it.
The emotions that had been overwhelming due to the dead end gradually subsided.
"Is that really what you think?" Xue Quan stared intently into Xue Han's eyes.
"You raised me... I naturally hope that you are in good health."
Xue Quan's lips trembled, and his eyes moistened.
He made one wrong step, and it was destined to end badly. It would be good enough if he could save Han'er.
"Han'er, I will go to the Emperor to request that you be transferred to the border city. You should leave the capital as soon as possible, as this place is full of trouble, lest you be implicated by me if something happens."
Xue Han shook his head: "I don't want to leave the capital at this time."
Xue Quan's face darkened: "Don't act rashly."
“I am not acting rashly. You have forgotten that I saved the Crown Prince’s life. The Crown Prince is kind and generous. If it really comes to the present day… Father may not be without a way out.”
A glimmer of light appeared in Xue Quan's lifeless eyes, before returning to their gloomy state: "It's not that easy."
"As long as there is even the slightest hope, I will not abandon my father and run away."
"Han'er—" Xue Quan gripped Xue Han's hand tightly, his throat feeling as if it were blocked by a stone, sore and difficult to speak.
"Father, there's no need to persuade me any further."
Xue Han knew that he wasn't as filial as he appeared, but he genuinely hoped that his adoptive father could have a peaceful end.
“Father, I suspect that the reason why the Immortal Miaoqing offered medicine to the Emperor was not simply to get ahead.”
"What do you mean?"
"His Majesty cannot sustain the use of such potent medicine for long. When that day comes... Master Miaoqing will not only lose his position as Imperial Preceptor, but his life will also be in danger. He should have other preparations. I would like to ask Father to pay attention to his behavior when he is with His Majesty, so as to make plans accordingly."
Xue Quan nodded slowly.
The news that the Lingwei Guan Miaoqing Zhenren was about to be appointed as the National Preceptor spread quickly.
The Lingwei Temple was immediately filled with nobles. Their purpose in going there to offer incense was not so much to offer as to have more contact with the True Person Miaoqing.
Among them were many high-ranking officials who approached Miaoqing Zhenren not to seek favors with the emperor, but simply because of Miaoqing Zhenren's abilities.
Not only is the Taoist Master Miaoqing highly skilled, but the elixirs she concocts can also make people healthy and prolong their lives!
Don't believe me?
How could the emperor, who had been ill for several months, suddenly recover?
Oh, and there's also the Prince Kang, who was frail and sickly since childhood. It's said that he also received a miraculous medicine from Master Miaoqing and recovered. He even knelt down and begged Master Miaoqing to accept him as a lay disciple.
For a time, Master Miaoqing was all the rage, and the rumors surrounding her attracted even more attention. As a result, the news that a royal physician surnamed Wang had accidentally slipped into Qinglian Lake on his way back from a medical consultation and whose body had never been recovered was like a small pebble thrown into water, causing little to no ripple.
Of course, the folk tales about the water ghost of Qinglian Lake seeking a substitute have become increasingly popular.
When Qiu Heng heard that Ling Yun had been taken in as a lay disciple by Master Miao Qing, she found it hard to believe.
Brother Ling has become a disciple of Master Miaoqing?
Yes, in terms of Taoist magic, Master Miaoqing was not unworthy of his name. He could refine elixirs of tiger and wolf and present them to Emperor Jingping. Whether it was for fame or because someone else was behind it, it shows that this person was ambitious and had desires.
Brother Ling is a man of simple tastes and tranquility; why would he get involved in this kind of fun?
Qiu Heng couldn't figure it out, so she went to ask.
As the adopted daughter of the Princess Consort of Kang, Qiu Heng had easy access to the Kang Prince's residence, and she could directly visit him under the pretext of wanting to play with the Princess of Jiayi.
"Aheng, it's been a long time since we last met. What have you been busy with?" Princess Jiayi affectionately linked arms with Qiuheng, her voice tinged with reproach.
She sent Ah Heng two messages, but Ah Heng always said she was busy.
"Actually, it was a recurrence of an old ailment, and it took some time to recover."
The county magistrate of Chiayi looked worried: "Was that illness not completely cured?"
"It's just that being sick for so long has inevitably left some ailments; they'll get better with time and proper care. How are you doing lately, Brother Ling? Is your headache still acting up?"
When Qiu Heng asked about Ling Yun, Princess Jiayi smiled and said, "My elder brother's headaches haven't flared up again recently."
"That's wonderful! Have we found a renowned doctor?"
"My elder brother's headaches stopped because he took the elixir given to him by Master Miaoqing."
Qiu Heng's heart sank, but her face remained unchanged: "The elixir is so effective? Is Brother Ling home? I'll go see him, maybe I can ask him for a elixir."
"My elder brother went to Lingwei Temple."
Seeing Qiu Heng's disappointed expression, Princess Jiayi suggested, "I'll accompany you to Lingwei Temple to find your elder brother."
"good."
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