Li Laosi didn't intend to hide it, so he said, "Second Brother, Mr. Wen, something has indeed happened."
"This morning, while I was leading the soldiers in training, a soldier named Chen He suddenly died. But the training was the same as usual, with no difference whatsoever."
"The Marquis took charge of the investigation, but didn't find many clues. However, this Chen He was carrying a strange pipe and a jade box. He usually cherishes these two items and no one else is allowed to touch them. Only he secretly tinkers with them."
"But recently, his temperament suddenly changed drastically. He started making a scene about leaving the camp, occasionally banging his head against the wall, rolling around on the ground, acting like a madman. Then today, while training with the main group, he suddenly died."
"People from their family also came, insisting that I had trained Chen He too roughly and that's what killed him. The Marquis intervened and promised to investigate thoroughly."
"The Chen family took Chen He's body away, but I felt something was wrong, so I came home to ask if I had overlooked something."
"Second Brother, Mr. Wen, please help me think of something!"
Mr. Wen was alright, he just frowned, but Li Lao Er's eyes were frighteningly bright.
Everyone looked at him curiously, and he calmly took out a jade box from his pocket and asked, "Fourth brother, do you think this jade box looks familiar?"
Upon closer inspection, Li Laosi jumped up.
"Oh my, second brother, how come you have this jade box too?!"
Li Lao Er glanced at the doorway, and Jia Yin immediately told Shui Ling to guard it.
Li Lao Er then said, "Didn't the Eldest Princess instigate the Third Princess to seize Fu Niu'er's pastry shop before?"
"I always felt that the dignified Princess's mansion would not go so far as to repeatedly scheme for a shop, knowing that the Marquis and the Emperor were backing Fu Niu'er up.
"Unless the Princess's residence is so short of money that it's just a wealthy shell, I had someone inquire more about it."
"Everyone around the Princess's residence is normal, but the Princess's son frequently visits a certain place and spends money like water. That place is called Yaochi, which is heavily guarded and very mysterious."
"Today I sent Zheng Sanjiang to investigate. He said that the people inside spend money like water, smoke a long pipe, and act like madmen. The items they use are taken from this jade box."
"He went through a lot of trouble to get one and brought it out for me. I was planning to take it to Doctor Zhang tomorrow, but I didn't expect the fourth brother to come back. What a coincidence."
Mr. Wen squinted.
He had spent the longest time in the imperial court and came from a prominent family, making him more sensitive to intrigue and power struggles than the Li family.
He waved his hand, signaling the Li brothers to calm down, then asked them a few questions carefully, and his expression darkened even more when he heard the answers.
He sighed and said, "It seems that Fourth Brother guessed correctly; there is indeed someone plotting behind this."
Li Lao Er and Li Lao Si didn't react for a moment, but Jia Yin said, "Second Uncle said that this thing comes from the Xiaojin Cave, and it is mainly bought by young masters of noble families and young officials."
"And the soldiers under my father's command are all sons of noble families!"
Li Lao Er and Li Lao Si seemed to have been slapped in the face; their previously confused minds suddenly became clear, but the shock also left them buzzing.
No wonder people died in the military camp!
It turns out it was the Li family, a marquis, who cut off their source of income by recruiting soldiers!
People were hoping to extract money from the pockets of these scions of noble families and rich young masters, but instead, a conscription order locked up all their walking "silver ingots" in the military camp!
If I'm not mistaken, the next step for the person behind this is to incite various groups to cause trouble.
If we can get all the young masters out of the military camp, Yaochi will naturally become very wealthy!
I just don't know who's behind Yaochi, and how their schemes could be so grand!
Even more shockingly, they'd disrupt the military camp for money!
Li Laosi was somewhat anxious. "In a moment, I will send someone to report to the Marquis that this matter is of utmost importance. If the person behind this scheme succeeds, the new recruits will be disbanded, the Marquis's prestige will be ruined, and I will also bear the guilt of being a murderer!"
Li Lao Er also said, "I have also ordered people to intensify their investigation into Yaochi's secrets. Only by knowing ourselves and our enemy can we better deal with them."
Li Laosi got up and was about to find paper and pen to write a few words to the Marquis.
As it turned out, Jiayin somehow got her hands on the jade box and even scooped out a little bit of the paste to examine it closely.
Li Lao Er was startled and quickly snatched the box, afraid that it might hurt his little niece.
He scolded her anxiously, "You silly girl, you haven't even figured out what this thing is yet, how could you act so recklessly? What if it's poison!"
Jiayin looked very upset, her eyes filled with anger!
Because what's in this box is opium!
Or to put it more vividly, it's poppy paste!
In her past life, this thing almost caused the destruction of a five-thousand-year-old civilization!
It is a force even more powerful than warships and cannons, capable of silently eroding the backbone of a nation!
Even before she came into this world, countless people risked their lives, fighting on the borders of their motherland, enduring wind and rain, just to keep this vicious creature outside the border.
In fact, her ability to clearly recognize this thing is thanks to the school's annual publicity and education efforts.
Back then, if you memorized the relevant knowledge, the person who ranked first in each exam would receive a nice notebook.
She always strives to be number one for this beautiful notebook!
Unexpectedly, in this new world, she actually saw the real thing!
“Second Uncle is right, this is poison!” Jiayin looked at Li Lao Er, who was wiping her hands, and said, “This is a slow-acting poison.”
G poison, also known as the most potent poison in the world!
"Do you recognize this?" Mr. Wen and Mr. Li asked in unison.
Old Li wiped the handkerchief in his hand even more vigorously.
Jiayin hesitated for a moment, finding it difficult to explain the source of the information.
All I could say was, "I've heard of this stuff. It should be called Hibiscus Paste. It's made from the fruit of a beautiful flower that withers and grows into a round gourd the size of a walnut. If you cut a small opening in it, a white sap will flow out, and after it dries slightly, it will turn into this paste."
"This ointment can also be considered a medicine. A tiny bit can treat dysentery, relieve pain, and even treat burns after being boiled."
"But if you roll this paste into strips or small balls, heat it over a fire until it softens, stuff it into a pipe bowl, and continue to heat it, it will produce a kind of smoke."
"Some people who inhale this smoke will feel euphoric and invincible."
"For example, if a person wants to marry a princess, after taking the drug, he will have hallucinations of marrying the princess, having a wedding night, and being very happy, until the hallucinations disappear."
"This stuff is extremely addictive. If you don't take it for a long time, you will feel weak all over, have pain in your limbs, and feel like your heart is being eaten away by ants."
"At that time, in order to get a little bit of hibiscus ointment, this person might kill his parents and sell his wife and children. He has no morals whatsoever."
"But with long-term use, in just three to five years, a strong man will become as thin as a stick, emaciated, with a pale face, looking like a demon. Forget about fighting on the battlefield, he won't even be able to walk!"
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