"Mother, you haven't used this medicine before, have you?" Yi Hua was reading in the tent when Hong Hui rushed in anxiously.
"Why are you running so fast?" Yi Hua took out a handkerchief from her bosom and wiped the sweat from Hong Hui's head. She reached out and touched Hong Hui's collar; it was damp, indicating that he had sweated a lot.
Honghui stood obediently while Yihua wiped his sweat: "Mother, you haven't answered yet, about this medicine?"
“It wasn’t me who used it,” Yi Hua said.
Before Honghui could even breathe a sigh of relief, he heard Yihua continue, "It was used by your Ninth Uncle."
"It's all over, it's all over, it's all over." This was the first time Yi Hua had seen Hong Hui so out of control. She tried to take the black ointment from Hong Hui's hand, but he dodged her.
“Mother, this is opium ointment, a forbidden drug in the palace. The previous dynasty almost perished because of this. Once you touch it, you will become addicted and eventually become a tuberculosis patient. You must not touch it out of curiosity.” Honghui said with a frown.
"I'll go and report to Father Jiu to see if Father has any good ideas," Honghui said, and was about to leave.
Yi Hua never expected that this was the infamous opium ointment, a drug from the Qing Dynasty. The Ninth Prince was quite knowledgeable, so how could he have gotten involved with it without realizing it?
Drugs are highly addictive. She suddenly thought of how Ninth Prince was unusually protective of a concubine, even taking her on this trip. Could it be that Ninth Prince's involvement with this filth was related to this woman?
This woman seemed to be someone Ninth Master had rescued over a year ago. Thinking this, Yi Hua's heart sank. If that was the case, then Ninth Master had been in contact with this deadly thing for quite some time. Could he still quit?
Yi Hua didn't know what Hong Hui had said to Yin Zhen. Yin Zhen returned quickly, looked Yi Hua up and down, and had the physician he brought take her pulse.
The physician examined Yi Hua's healthy, rosy cheeks and carefully considered her pulse. Seeing Yin Zhen's somewhat serious gaze, he swallowed hard and said, "Your Highness has suddenly arrived in a cold and harsh place. You need to replenish your qi and blood to resist the cold. This servant will prescribe some medicine to strengthen your body."
Yi Hua was both amused and exasperated: "Alright, you can go now."
"Master, I'm fine," Yi Hua said quickly, impatient with the bitter medicine.
"Don't go to Ninth Prince's place recently. If you want someone to accompany you, invite Ninth Prince's wife over." Yinzhen left these words and turned to leave the tent.
Clutching the handkerchief containing the ointment he had confiscated from Honghui, he walked straight toward Yinzhen's tent.
Yinzhen saw Yin Tang lying comfortably on the couch, with a woman in white kneeling at his feet giving him a full-body massage. Yinzhen lifted the curtain and went in, and Yin Tang sat up in surprise: "Why is Fourth Brother here?"
Because of the Eighteenth Prince's affair, the Emperor was furious with the Crown Prince. Then, something shocking happened in the middle of the night. The brothers had already discussed it privately and decided to act like quails for the time being, at least until the Emperor returned to the capital.
Thus, Yinzhen lay in his tent during the day, enjoying the service of his beloved concubine.
Yinzhen didn't look directly at him. He took out a handkerchief and handed it to Yintang: "Do you know what this is?"
"This is... a secret medicine passed down through the Liu family. Its effects are miraculous. Just a small amount will make people energetic and full of inexhaustible strength. How come Fourth Brother has it too?" After Yin Tang finished speaking, he saw Fourth Brother roll his eyes at him.
"Don't tell me you haven't seen a doctor." Yinzhen dragged a chair down and looked down at Yintang with an expression that seemed to say, "My brother can't possibly be that stupid."
Yinzhen panicked a little at this point. He nodded and said, "Of course, my brother has seen a doctor, and more than once."
"Oh, I see." Yinzhen smiled.
"How about we find some renowned local doctors to take a look at you?"
Even though it was only a little late in the day, Yinzhen realized that something was wrong with the medicine and quickly asked, "Fourth Brother, stop keeping me in suspense. What's wrong with this medicine?"
"This is opium ointment."
"What?!" Yinzhen's eyes widened. Of course, he knew what opium ointment was. After realizing what it was, he kicked the white-clad woman kneeling on the ground forcefully. "Who are you?"
"Me? I'm a dead man, hahahaha." The woman, abandoning her usual gentleness, looked at Yinzhen and laughed before saying, "You've been taking this medicine for a year now. I'll be waiting for you in the underworld, hahahaha."
After saying this, the woman bit down on the poison hidden in her mouth. The poison took effect very quickly, and she died immediately.
Yinzhen looked at all this, somewhat bewildered. He looked up at Yinzhen and subconsciously asked, "Fourth Brother?"
"You can't touch this stuff anymore, but quitting completely won't be easy. Be prepared." Yinzhen threw the handkerchief into the stove. The ointment ignited immediately upon contact with the fire, and soon the room was filled with a captivating fragrance.
Yin Tang subconsciously took a drag, then angrily pounded the bed, his heart filled with dread. He had seen the final state of people addicted to these filthy substances, and he, Aisin Gioro Yin Tang, would never allow himself to become like that.
Ninth Prince's wife was summoned by Yin Tang. She coughed a few times as she entered, covering her mouth and nose, and was somewhat puzzled as to not see the woman who had accompanied her.
Yinzhen threw the rope on the ground: "Tie me up."
"What?" Ninth Princess thought she had misheard. She looked at the rope on the ground and felt a little disgusted. These two were playing quite a game.
“I said, tie him up, tighten it,” Yin Tang repeated.
Upon hearing this, Ninth Prince Consort did not ask any further questions and ordered her subordinates to do as she said, tying Yinzhen to the bed.
"A few hours later, the prince will become agitated, angry, and even want to go on a killing spree. Remember, the rope must not be untied no matter what." Yin Tang said seriously to the Ninth Prince Consort. "If the prince really can't bear it, see that knife? Cut his thigh with it until it bleeds, you know?"
Ninth Prince's wife wanted to say, "Your Highness, you're ill. Why don't you see the imperial physician? What are you doing?"
Yinzhen paused for a moment, then told her everything about his drug addiction: "My lady, I cannot become a puppet of opium ointment. This stuff is a forbidden drug in the palace. No one can know that I have taken it, not even if I have been tricked into it."
"If my voice is too loud, remember to gag me."
"My lady, whether I can get through this depends on you." After saying this, Yinzhen closed his eyes, as if he had fallen asleep.
Ninth Prince's wife sat in her chair, processing his words. She had indeed wondered if the woman might have some issues, but then she thought she was overthinking it. Could Yinzhen really be deceived by a woman who sold herself to bury her father? Who would have thought things would develop to this point?
As soon as the Ninth Prince revealed everything, the Ninth Princess Consort dismissed all the servants. Only the two of them remained in the tent. No one spoke, only their rapid breathing could be heard, indicating their unease.
Three hours passed, and Yinzhen showed no signs of having an attack. During this time, Ninth Prince Consort even personally fed him.
The Ninth Prince's wife, who had been hoping for a lucky break, suddenly heard Yin Tang's beast-like panting. Turning around, she found Yin Tang staring at her with red eyes, which sent a chill down her spine.
"It's finally here," Ninth Prince Consort thought.
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