After Xue Rong instructed the palace maids to go to the private storehouse to get the Ziji grass, she said to Yu Jiao, "The food I use has all been tested for poison by the palace maids using silver utensils."
Testing poison with silver should be a method commonly used by the ancients. It is effective for poisons such as arsenic.
Because arsenic contains a large amount of sulfide, sulfide reacts with silver to form black silver sulfide, which is visible to the naked eye, and it can be determined that the food is poisonous.
However, silver poison testing actually detects sulfur impurities. If the poison is not arsenic but plant or mushroom poisons, silver detection will be ineffective.
Most poisonous plants have strange shapes, bright or unique colors, or colored spots and patterns. The color of the grass is dark purple and it has a segmented shape. In terms of appearance alone, it looks very much like a poisonous plant.
The palace maid quickly brought a box of muscle grass. Yu Jiao opened the lid of the box. The densely packed muscle grass looked like the claws of a giant purple spider. She leaned in and sniffed it. The muscle grass gave off a faint fishy smell, very much like the smell of rotting fish and shrimp. This smell was not detectable in the bowl of blood bird's nest, perhaps it was suppressed by the smell of bird's nest and ginseng beard.
Generally, poisonous plants have a peculiar and pungent smell, which can make people feel spicy or stuffy when they smell it. After smelling it, people often feel dizzy, nauseous or choked.
In summary, if plants contain toxic and harmful substances that destroy the functions of human organs and metabolism, they often have the following characteristics: irritation, both to the skin and the sense of smell, strange taste, and conspicuous color. The herb already meets two of these characteristics.
Yu Jiao picked up a piece of Zijicao, put it in her mouth, and licked it carefully with her tongue. The Zijicao tasted slightly bitter and had a faint fishy smell. She spit out the Zijicao.
"Is there anything unusual?" Xue Rong asked seriously.
Yu Jiao replied, "We need to discuss this further."
If the plant is just picked, you can make a small opening, sprinkle a pinch of salt on it, and observe whether the wound of the plant changes color. Usually, plants that change color cannot be eaten, but this herb is dried.
Yu Jiao thought for a moment and said, "Have someone prepare two stoves. Divide this box of muscle grass into two and boil them in water. Use only water in one pot without adding anything else. After the other pot boils, add some strong tea into it."
Xue Rong raised her hand, signaling the palace maid to do as Yu Jiao said.
"Maybe this Ziji grass is not poisonous." Xue Qingshang saw Yu Jiao staring at the Ziji grass and going to such great lengths, and said, "Rongpin and my elder sister are very close. Even the Fourth Prince has always respected my elder sister very much, even more than his mother."
Yu Jiao did not comment on Xue Qingshang's words, she only believed the facts.
"If the herb really has no toxicity, Your Majesty can take it with peace of mind in the future." Yu Jiao said.
Xue Rong nodded.
"Your Majesty, would you allow me to look around the palace?" Yu Jiao asked again.
Xue Rong looked around her bedroom and said, "Yes."
Yu Jiao looked around the hall. She was not strolling around. In addition to poisoning through the mouth, poison could also be caused by long-term contact with the poison. So Yu Jiao first looked at the incense used by Xue Rong and the bed she slept on. She checked almost everything that Xue Rong would normally touch.
Yu Jiao spent the longest time in front of the dressing table. A woman who loved beauty so much as Xue Rong naturally used a lot of rouge and powder. She took out a silver needle and tried it on bottles and jars. The color changed almost as the needle penetrated.
These rouge gouaches have a high lead content.
Xue Rong stretched out her arms and picked up a delicate little box from the dressing table. She smiled and said, "This is my favorite jade face peach blossom powder. It makes your face look gorgeous when you apply it on it. If you like it, I will give you a box later."
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