The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 837 - 837 386 The truth comes to light (second update)_3

Chapter 837: 386 The truth comes to light (second update)_3 Chapter 837: 386 The truth comes to light (second update)_3 He paused, then asked Eunuch Wei, “Which one is the medicine from the white bottle, and which one is from the black bottle?”

“Ah… this, this…” Eunuch Wei, looking embarrassed, said, “This servant remembered it on the way here, but now suddenly, suddenly I’ve forgotten.”

These were a pair of jade bottles, each with a different pattern on its body.

Eunuch Wei thought he could rely on his memory, but it turned out he had overestimated his own mind.

The Emperor waved his hand dismissively, “Never mind, the young healer is a physician, he must be able to distinguish them.”

As it turned out, the Emperor had also overestimated someone.

Gu Jiao indeed could discern the subtle differences in scent between the two medicinal pills and knew they were different, not to be mixed in one bottle, but she couldn’t remember which one was the white medicine and which was the black.

So the only option was to bluff her way through, as if life were a play entirely dependent on one’s words.

Xiao Liulang had been sitting in the eastern room for a while before he took out the two bottles of medicine and spoke with conjecture, “Your Majesty, these two kinds of medicines are not ordinary drugs. The one on the left is the white medicine, and the one on the right is the black medicine. They are a kind of lost amnesic drug that originally came from the Tang Sect. It’s said that the recipe was stolen and gradually spread throughout the six nations. But because the ingredients are extremely rare and the process is very complex and cumbersome, only pharmacists from Yan Country can produce it.”

Indeed, it was Gu Chao who had learned about these two drugs from a pharmacist of Yan Country.

The Emperor’s expression grew solemn by a shade; he felt he was nearing the truth, “Then… what kind of amnesic drugs are they exactly?”

Xiao Liulang said, “Jiaojiao mentioned that they are medicines that confound the mind. The white drug induces fondness, while the black drug induces aversion.”

The Emperor: “Towards the person who administered the drugs?”

Xiao Liulang: “Not necessarily the administer, but the person seen by those under the influence when the effects take hold.”

The Emperor: “How soon after taking it do the effects manifest?”

Xiao Liulang: “Very quickly.”

This was not completely consistent with what Gu Chao had discovered, but it wasn’t contradictory either—the effects manifested quickly, meaning that there was a high probability that the person seen was indeed the one who drugged them.

As the truth unraveled further, the Emperor felt as if his breath was seized, and it took much effort for him to break through the blockage in his throat, “What are the symptoms when the effects manifest?”

“This… varies from person to person. Some individuals might not even show any reaction.” This was Xiao Liulang’s own conjecture. Madame Nan had not explained in such detail to Gu Jiao. However, Xiao Liulang thought that if the Emperor had had a strong reaction after taking the medicine, he would have noticed it himself.

At most, the drug would cause drowsiness and wouldn’t have any stronger effects.

The Emperor clenched his fingers, closed his eyes, and asked, “How long can the effects of this medicine last?” If it didn’t last long, then his fondness for Consort Jing and his aversion toward Empress Dowager Zhuang might have nothing to do with it.

Xiao Liulang’s words shattered his wishful thinking, “With a drug inducer, the effects can last for many years.”

The Emperor was taken aback, “A drug… inducer?”

Xiao Liulang then said, “It is a kind of medicinal powder with the scent of flowers that can be made into Calming Incense or dried flowers to be placed in a brocaded pouch.”

Calming Incense!

All these years he had been using the Calming Incense that Consort Jing gave him!

“Go… go and bring me the Calming Incense that Consort Jing sent…”

“Your Majesty, those Calming Incense are useless, this servant has disposed of them all,” Eunuch Wei said troubledly, but then his eyes lit up as he thought of something, “A while ago… Nurse Cai gave this servant a purse, the scent… it smelled a bit like the Calming Incense…”

In reality, it didn’t.

But people have the tendency to make associations, and by thinking about it, one might even convince oneself.

The purse had been damaged by Madame Nan, and afterwards Gu Jiao mended it for Eunuch Wei, but the dried flowers inside were left untouched.

He took the purse off.

Xiao Liulang had known the situation with this purse all along but still went through the motions by bringing it inside the eastern room. When he came out, he told the truth, “Your Majesty, what is contained here is the drug inducer. Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but why does Your Majesty have these items? Could it be that Your Majesty—”

The Emperor cut him off, “There are some things you don’t need to ask about.”

“Yes,” Xiao Liulang bowed and complied.

The pursuit of truth had led to this point, and even if the Emperor were slow to understand, it was clear to him now what had happened. His heart suffered an unprecedented shock, and he even felt as though his entire belief system had collapsed overnight.

He stood up, gripping the chair, but then his legs trembled and he fell back into his seat.

“Your Majesty!”

Eunuch Wei was alarmed!

“I’m fine…” the Emperor waved his hands in disarray, stopping Eunuch Wei from coming forward to help him.

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