Yu Jiao chatted with the old lady for a while and rubbed her shoulders before leaving Baoshou Hall and going to the courtyard where Wei Lichu lived.
The servant led Yu Jiao to the side room, where Wei Lichu was tinkering with the alchemy furnace. There were many bottles and jars in the room, and materials commonly used in alchemy, such as alum stone, bluestone, talc, mica, and lead mother were placed on the ground. The place was arranged like an alchemy room in a Taoist temple.
Seeing Yu Jiao coming over, Wei Lichu stood up with a smile and wiped the saltpeter lime off his hands, "Third cousin, thanks to meeting you today, I was able to escape this disaster and save my life."
"Cousin Li Chu, how did you get into trouble with the people from the Eastern Depot?" Yu Jiao asked straight to the point.
Wei Lichu looked through the recipe on the table and said, "Your adoptive father is really cruel. I just sold some pills to people in private. When the people from the East Factory found out, they were furious and wanted to arrest me."
Yu Jiao frowned, somewhat puzzled, "Is it just because you secretly sold elixirs?" Emperor Mingzheng took elixirs, so Taoism flourished among the people. The status of Taoists was more respected than that of Buddhists, and some people also followed suit and took elixirs.
Why did Cheng Ying take action personally for no reason and capture Wei Lichu, a fake Taoist priest who sold elixirs?
Wei Lichu spread his hands and said helplessly, "I have always followed the rules in the capital. I just quietly went to the market to sell a few bottles of elixirs. I thought I would return to Pingliang Prefecture soon, so I could exchange some silver to buy some Beijing skirts, hairpins and jewelry for my mother and sister."
"I've never heard of the East Factory arresting Taoist priests for selling elixirs." Yu Jiao didn't plan to tell him, because she had committed a crime in front of Cheng Ying and almost lost her life. She only reminded him, "Since you have been targeted by the East Factory, you'd better not sell elixirs anymore. You know that Cheng Dugong has connections in the capital. You got away with it this time, but next time, you can't be sure."
Wei Lichu smiled at her and said, "I've taken note of what my third cousin said. I'll use the money I earned from buying the elixir to buy you a hairpin tomorrow."
"Cousin, you should keep it to honor your aunt. I won't let you spend money." Yu Jiao glanced at his shoulder. "Have you used medicine on your injury? Do you need me to help you apply the medicine?"
Wei Lichu was wearing a loose Taoist robe. He said, "I've already applied medicine. The knife wound is not serious. I won't bother you, third cousin."
Yu Jiao nodded. It was late at night and she didn't want to stay in Wei Lichu Courtyard for too long. Just as she was about to say goodbye, she saw a copper plate on the low table next to the alchemy furnace. On the plate was a small pile of mixed five-colored powders.
She stepped closer to take a closer look. Just as she was about to dip her finger in it, Wei Lichu stopped her. "Third cousin, aren't you not interested in refining the elixir? You said there's elixir poison in it, so how dare you touch it with your hand?"
Yu Jiao's expression turned serious, staring at Wei Lichu, and asked, "You refined the Five Stones Powder?"
When Wei Lichu heard what she said, he regretted that he was careless for a moment and forgot to put it away. He should not have seen Yu Jiao in the alchemy room.
She had learned a lot, and alchemy and medicine were inseparable. Moreover, this Wu Shi San was originally a modification of Han Shi San from Qian Jin Yi Fang. It was not a big deal that she could recognize it at a glance.
"Third cousin is really amazing. She figured it out at a glance?" Wei Lichu covered up with a smile, "I had nothing to do and stayed at home all day, so I made some according to the recipe."
Yu Jiao's mind flashed with a white light, and she stared at Wei Lichu suspiciously, "The people from the East Factory arrested you, could it be because you were selling Wu Shi San?"
When Wei Lichu saw that she had misunderstood, he felt relieved and quickly denied it, "No, people in Shengjing don't like to take powder. I refine these to bring back to Liangzhou. The north of Liangzhou is bitterly cold, and some people like to take this."
Seeing Yu Jiao still looking at him, Wei Lichu felt guilty and said to her, "It's almost midnight, it's time to rest."
Yu Jiao had no choice but to leave. Before she left, Wei Lichu suddenly called her again, "Third cousin, if you go out these days, please be careful."
Yu Jiao turned around to look at him, somewhat confused as to why Wei Lichu suddenly said that.
Wei Lichu stood under the eaves of the corridor. The night was dark. He smiled and said, "I'm afraid that Cheng Ying will embarrass you because of what happened today."
I'm already in a difficult situation, Yu Jiao said to herself.
Today's events should be considered over. Thinking about it now, she still felt a lingering fear. How could she have dared to attack Cheng Ying at that time and do such an irrational thing? It was simply too outrageous.
Yu Jiao waved to Wei Lichu and returned to Yingyue Pavilion in the night.
"It's getting late and the dew is heavy. I, the editor, must be careful on the way." The young eunuch held a lantern and led Yu Qizhe down the white marble steps and sent him towards the palace gate.
Yu Qizhe nodded and said politely, "Thank you, eunuch Wang, for lighting the lamp for me late at night."
The young eunuch smiled and said, "Editor Yu is too polite. This is my duty. Your Majesty has not been as happy as today for a long time. You are the first minister who has studied Taoism like Editor Yu! In the past, Your Majesty could only listen to Master Taixu's teachings alone, but from now on, Editor Yu will accompany you."
Yu Qizhe said humbly, "Eunuch Wang, you are too kind."
The palace was exceptionally quiet late at night, with only the occasional patrolling guard passing by. Eunuch Wang slowed down his pace and lowered his voice, "Today, His Majesty mentioned the construction of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the previous court session, but was disappointed by several ministers, which made him unhappy. Later, Prime Minister Shen mentioned you in the upper study, so His Majesty specially asked me to find you."
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