Chapter 125 Chapter 125 I don't believe it Chapter 125...
Chapter 125 I Don't Believe
When Lu Xiaofeng entered, he saw that Gongzi Mingyue had a dark face. He looked at Linghao with some helplessness and asked, "Did I come at the wrong time?"
"No, you've come at the perfect time. Let's have lunch together." After saying this, Linghao felt something was off. Was there something wrong with this conversation? Where had she heard it before?
“Alright.” Lu Xiaofeng glanced at Gongzi Mingyue, knowing he was indeed in his way, but he had no choice this time. He looked at the other man and said with a smile, “Gongzi Mingyue, we meet again.”
"Ahem." Ling Hao coughed lightly twice. "Um, Lu Xiaofeng, this is... he is Mingyue's older brother, Ayu."
Lu Xiaofeng: "???"
He carefully examined the person before him and noticed that he did indeed appear to be slightly taller than Gongzi Mingyue. Moreover, they seemed somewhat different. But what was even stranger was that his intuition seemed to be failing him; why did he feel that the two people were no different?
But since Ling Hao has already said that, it can't be a lie. "Then I should become this young master's..."
"You can just call him Young Master Yu," Ling Hao said with a smile.
"Young Master Yu." Lu Xiaofeng felt a little strange. Whether it was Young Master Mingyue or Young Master Yu, it was just a title. Were these their names? No. Then what were their names? Could there be a secret hidden behind their names?
Or perhaps the two of them had no secrets at all. Lu Xiaofeng's innate curiosity made him think a great deal at this moment, but in the end, he suppressed all his curiosity and doubts. He knew perfectly well that he couldn't use this curiosity here.
Lu Xiaofeng began, "Greetings, the reason I've come here is..."
“If it’s not extremely urgent, let’s talk about it after dinner.” Ling Hao raised her hand to stop Lu Xiaofeng. “Otherwise, I’m worried that I won’t have an appetite after you finish talking.”
This was her intuition, and also her experience. These main characters were all embroiled in trouble; if they were allowed to speak first, then more trouble and problems would piling up, even making them lose their appetite. Therefore, unless it involved life or death or was an extremely urgent matter, it was better to eat first.
People need food to survive; you'll get hungry if you skip a meal. Besides, as a martial artist, she's a big eater; she'll get hungry even if she eats too little, let alone if she doesn't eat at all. So, let's eat first!
"Um..." Lu Xiaofeng recalled Sikong Zhaixing's current condition. It seemed to be alright. With Wuqing helping to control her condition, there was no danger to her life. "Okay, let's eat first. Speaking of which, the chef here is really good. I've never eaten such good food before. It's a blessing to be able to eat here again."
Logically speaking, he had certainly tasted quite a few good things. He was a man who loved to enjoy life, and he didn't want to miss out on fine wine, delicious food, beautiful women, or stunning scenery. He even ventured to places considered forbidden by the martial arts world for the sake of good food.
But he'd never actually tasted the cooking here before. Well, how to put it? There was a certain dignified and composed quality to the food. Lu Xiaofeng wasn't quite sure how to describe it, but that was the general feeling.
Ling Hao said with a smile, "My family's chef came from the palace, so it's normal that you haven't tasted anything similar before." She had read the book and knew that Lu Xiaofeng was someone who was very willing to spend time and energy on food, but he probably hadn't really tasted the cooking skills of the imperial chefs.
After all, not everyone dares to sneak around in the imperial kitchen like Hong Qigong. Hmm, was she subtly implying something about Hong Qigong? Ling Hao chuckled. Oh well, it's not important.
"In the palace?" Lu Xiaofeng suddenly looked at Gongzi Yu, a look of sudden realization in his eyes. Ah, so that's it. These two young masters aren't without surnames, but their surnames can't be mentioned. Got it, got it.
Gongzi Yu glanced at Lu Xiaofeng and said, "You are very perceptive."
Lu Xiaofeng smiled. "It's alright." No wonder this young master's residence is here. He knew that only nobles could live in this area; no matter how rich you were, it was useless. Such a large place was probably too expensive for ordinary people to live in; only someone as wealthy as him could afford it.
Generally speaking, although Gongzi Yu came from an extraordinary background, he might not have lived as well as ordinary wealthy families. After all, the one in the palace had slaughtered the entire imperial clan, and the remaining members were all obedient and well-behaved, not daring to be arrogant and living cautiously.
But Lu Xiaofeng knew that the person before him was different. This house and the imperial chefs from the palace—it was clear the emperor treated him differently. He had originally only intended to seek help from friends everywhere, but now it seemed he had truly turned to the right person.
Seeing Lu Xiaofeng's subtle joy, Ling Hao felt a little strange. Something wasn't right. But, as she said before, she'd talk about it after dinner.
Having finished his meal and enjoyed a couple of drinks, Lu Xiaofeng looked completely satisfied. "Oh dear, I can come over for meals more often! It would be such a shame to miss out on such fine food and wine," Lu Xiaofeng thought to himself with delight.
"Lu Xiaofeng, what brings you here?" Ling Hao cleared her throat with a cup of cardamom-infused water.
"Good news, something terrible has happened! Sikong Zhaixing has been poisoned." Lu Xiaofeng's expression turned serious as he said this.
"Huh?" Ling Hao was taken aback for a moment, then subconsciously asked, "Is he dead?"
Lu Xiaofeng's lips twitched. "Not yet."
"What exactly happened?" Ling Hao asked.
Lu Xiaofeng recounted the whole story, "I suspect that Sikong Zhaixing was poisoned by Shi Guanyin, but I don't know what kind of poison it is. The people who came to take his pulse couldn't tell me what kind of poison it is. He's currently unconscious after the effects of the medicine have worn off, but I think he's practically dead."
The thought of Sikong Zhaixing's agonizing poison attack, his utterly humiliating pleas for medicine, sent chills down Lu Xiaofeng's spine. He knew his friend; though a somewhat cunning thief, he wasn't spineless.
But when the poison took effect, he seemed to have lost all his backbone, begging, shouting, and cursing, which terrified him. If Sikong Zhaixing hadn't been too weak to sleep later, Lu Xiaofeng really wouldn't have known what to do. "I always feel that it's somewhat like Five Stone Powder, but Wuqing says it isn't."
Ruthless told him that if he took Wushi Powder, the symptoms wouldn't be as severe. Furthermore, taking it only once or twice wouldn't cause such severe symptoms. Taking it once or twice would only cause cravings and some discomfort. He was told to just bear with it and stop taking it, and everything would be fine.
But Sikong Zhaixing was different. His desire was so intense that he almost completely lost his personality and dignity. After the episode ended, he was utterly listless, as if he had been drained of everything—it was truly terrifying.
Lu Xiaofeng was very worried that he would lose his friend. If Sikong Zhaixing continued like this, he would truly lose Sikong Zhaixing as a person. A surviving walking corpse is not himself, and Sikong Zhaixing himself must think so too.
Ling Hao's expression immediately changed. "Are you sure that person is Shi Guanyin?"
“Confirmed.” Lu Xiaofeng nodded. “Sikong Zhaixing is skilled in disguise, and his ability to read people is unparalleled. If he says it’s Shi Guanyin, then it must be Shi Guanyin.” He suddenly realized something. “Linghao, you know what kind of poison Sikong Zhaixing has been poisoned with, right?”
Ling Hao nodded. "You're right. Sikong Zhaixing has been poisoned. It wasn't Five-Stone Powder, it was opium poppy."
“Poppy?” Lu Xiaofeng was very surprised. “That’s impossible. Isn’t poppy a medicine? If I remember correctly, it can relieve pain, stop coughing and diarrhea, it’s very useful.” He was very knowledgeable about those complicated matters, so he also knew the effects of poppy.
Now that Linghao tells him that poppies are poisonous, his first reaction is to be suspicious.
"Normally, it is indeed used to make medicine, but if it is purified, it becomes a poison." Thinking of the photos of addicts he had seen when he was a child, even his good body couldn't help but shudder.
"Ah Hao." Gongzi Yu reached out and placed his hand on Ling Hao's hand.
Ling Hao grasped Gongzi Yu's hand in return, intertwining their fingers, and smiled at him. "I'm fine, I just remembered some unpleasant things." She looked at Lu Xiaofeng, "Purified poppies are extremely addictive, far more so than Wushi San. Moreover, I know that Shi Guanyin has planted an entire field of poppies in her lair, and uses them to control her disciples and those she has abducted. In that case, she could easily use them to control others as well."
"Including Sikong Zhaixing." Lu Xiaofeng frowned. "Linghao, what will happen if Sikong Zhaixing becomes completely addicted?"
“Sikong Zhaixing’s body is still alive, but his personality and his dignity will be completely destroyed.” Ling Hao’s expression was serious. “That thing must never be touched, and if you do touch it, you must quit, otherwise he will no longer be himself.”
The purification technology of that era was still somewhat lacking, and Sikong Zhaixing and Shi Guanyin didn't have much contact. As long as they could successfully quit drugs, they shouldn't have any more desires.
"How do we detoxify?" Lu Xiaofeng asked hurriedly.
Linghao said, "Quit drugs." She told him everything she knew.
"That's it?" Lu Xiaofeng asked, somewhat puzzled. "No need for the antidote?"
“There is no antidote.” Ling Hao shook his head. “If you can endure it, you will succeed for the rest of your life. Otherwise, this poison will stay with you for the rest of your life.”
Lu Xiaofeng shuddered violently as he recalled Sikong Zhaixing's attack. Could it possibly haunt him for life? That was too cruel. "This thing absolutely cannot be allowed to spread, otherwise..." He thought of the possible consequences and felt a chill run down his spine.
“Yes, we can’t let it get out of hand.” Ling Hao looked at Gongzi Yu.
Gongzi Yu nodded and said, "Don't worry, I will persuade my sister." If everyone in Great Xia were to eat that kind of thing, the backbone of the entire country would be bent, and the whole country could be destroyed. This kind of thing must be eradicated; it absolutely cannot be allowed to spread on the soil of Great Xia.
A ship from the south docked, and a man and a woman disembarked.
The woman sighed with emotion, "I'm back again."
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Author's Note: To Gongzi Yu's subordinates, who were unaware of the inside story, their boss simply enjoyed playing the double game.
P.S.: Next chapter, an old friend returns.
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