Chapter 69 Aphrodisiac + Five-Stone Powder
It took Li San Niang almost half an hour to tell everyone in detail what she had experienced at the Liangguo Duke's Mansion that day. After she finished speaking, Li San Niang had already drunk a cup of tea. None of the dozen or so people present, from Li's parents to the four children, made any statement.
Even Li Silang, one of the four little ones, had a furrowed brow, as if he were pondering something important.
This little expression made Li San Niang find it very cute, so she smiled at Li Si Lang and asked, "Si Lang, have you thought of something? Your brows are all furrowed like earthworms."
“Aunt, I think it was too dangerous for you today. How about this, whenever you go out in the future, whether you call your elder brother, father, or uncle, one of them should go with you to protect you.”
Li San Niang was truly surprised that Li Si Lang was worried about her safety. She paused for a moment, then smiled broadly and said, "I haven't spoiled you for nothing. You know how to care for me now."
However, following up on Li Silang's words, Li Sanniang asked her elder brother with great interest, "Elder brother, can you tell me the truth, does qinggong (lightness skill) really exist in this world? Xu Sanlang from the Duke of Ying's mansion actually took me up a rockery as tall as a person!"
Brother Li was still pondering what Li Sanniang had said earlier, wondering if the Jinwu Guard had changed their passwords and patrol personnel again today because of Wu Silang's murder case, when he heard Li Sanniang's curious question.
"Brother, do you know how to fly around like that?"
Brother Li shook his head helplessly and replied, "Lightness skill does exist, but not many people know it. This skill is mostly known among martial artists, and it requires talent. I learned martial arts from the generals who fought on the battlefield, so naturally I don't know how to fly around. But with the help of tools, I can still climb walls that are as tall as a person."
After hearing what Brother Li said, Li San Niang felt a little more at ease. If most people could learn this lightness skill, wouldn't those who didn't suffer a great loss?
Fortunately, only a small number of people can learn it, thank goodness.
“Brother, do you think Lu Zhu’er has any talent? I always feel that in this world, it’s a good thing for a woman to know a little martial arts. It’s too late for me to start learning now, but Lu Zhu’er is still young. She can learn when her bones have grown up.”
Before Li Da Xiong could speak, Li's mother laughed and scolded Li San Niang: "I think you're frightened by what happened today! Lu Zhu'er is only a few years old, and you already want her to learn that! My Lu Zhu'er has four older brothers, which one of them can't protect her! Why should she suffer to learn that!"
"Mother, you don't understand! No one can do it as well as you do it yourself!"
Seeing that the mother and daughter were about to start arguing, Li's father raised his hand and interjected, "We'll talk about whether or not Luzhu learns martial arts later. Right now, it's about Third Sister encountering this Wu Silang murder case. You both share your thoughts."
Brother Li spoke first: "Father, since Third Sister has told the truth, cleared herself of suspicion, helped Di Shaoqing find the medicine, and has now been released to go home, then everything is fine. If something happens in the future, there's no use in us worrying about it now. It's better to be prepared and deal with whatever comes our way."
Both Li Erxiong and Li Sanniang agreed with what Li Dage said.
Li San Niang then described in detail to Li's father the appearance and smell of the grayish-white powder hidden inside Wu Si Lang's waistband, wanting to ask Li's father if he could determine what kind of medicine it was.
"After listening to what you said, and considering the way Wu Silang died, I do have some guesses in my mind." Father Li looked at the four children present, hesitating whether or not to speak.
"Father, what is it?"
"This medicine must be Wushi San laced with aphrodisiacs. Although Physician Sun Simiao had already warned that this prescription was bad, any physician who encountered it should burn the prescription and not leave a single word behind, lest someone else take the powder according to this prescription in the future, causing harm to their entire life, not only losing their own life but also implicating their family."
However, not all village doctors or itinerant quacks who are not members of the medical alliance are willing to follow the rules. In particular, some wealthy and religious people are easily deceived.
“Now that you mention it, I understand. There’s a document in this alliance that says the medicine cabinet won’t dispense the medicine. If those key ingredients are on the prescription, you need to leave your name and address, and you also need a physician from the alliance to sign it before they will dispense the medicine.”
"Since the control is so strict, just as Father and Second Brother said, no wonder Di Shaoqing was so confident after his deputy came back from questioning him. It seems this path is easy to investigate."
After a lively discussion, everyone except Li San Niang and Li Da Sao and Li Er Sao reached a consensus!
That is, from now on, when Li San Niang goes out, she must have someone accompany her. Anyone will do, but she must never be allowed to go out alone.
After hearing what Li San Niang had said tonight, Li's mother felt really uneasy. Late at night, she asked her eldest brother to light a lamp and led the whole family, who were still sober, to burn incense in front of the statue of the deity they had previously brought back from Xuandu Temple, praying for peace and protection.
Even Li's father now believes what Li's second brother said before. Perhaps it is because Li's third sister was taught by the Taoist nun that she is destined to constantly encounter problems and heal the sick and save people in order to spread the Tao to the world.
"If you ever have the chance to meet Mr. Xu from the Duke of England's mansion, you should thank him properly. If he hadn't intervened and stopped you, you might not have been able to return safely today."
"Alright, alright, I'll do whatever Mother says." Li San Niang had no choice but to cooperate with her mother's actions. However, thinking about the help she received from the handsome young man today, she truly felt she should thank him.
The next day, Li San Niang was so frightened that she didn't go out again and stayed home to help organize the medicinal herbs.
At lunchtime, Li Erxiong slapped his forehead and apologized to Li Sanniang, saying, "I was so confused yesterday that I forgot to tell you. Doctor Gao sent a letter saying that the alliance thinks your last presentation was good, and you've definitely secured your qualification for the assessment. But you need to give another presentation to everyone, covering the parts you didn't finish last time due to time constraints. Since Medical Supervisor Sun also wants to come, we'll have to wait until he's on leave to organize everyone together. So, we'll let you know the specific time later."
Li San Niang nodded, thinking to herself, "Finally, I've made a start on mission five. The mission progress has been stagnant, and I'm feeling uneasy about it."
After waking up from my afternoon nap, I played a game of throwing cuju balls with Luzhu and Xiaohuang when another yamen runner came to the Li family's door.
It was an official from the Ministry of Justice who came to invite Li Sanniang to the Ministry of Justice for questioning. Didn't Li Sanniang sign and affix her fingerprint to her confession yesterday?
The yamen runner explained that Di Shaoqing had reported the case that morning, and Emperor Wu, upon hearing it, realized that this was the truth. So he sent the Bad People, who were nominally responsible for the entire city of Chang'an but only accountable to Emperor Wu, to re-examine the case.
Therefore, Li San Niang needs to go again. It's nothing serious, just to inquire.
When the government summons someone, how dare the common people disobey?
After entrusting the dewdrop to Sister-in-law Li and giving instructions to Li's father and second brother, Li San Niang prepared to follow the constables.
Li Erxiong wanted to follow, but the yamen runners wouldn't allow it, saying it wasn't a big deal, and that Di Shaoqing had already given instructions that they would be properly returned later.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com