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Chapter 18 - Tai Shan was in power in the temple
Chapter 18 - Tai Shan was in power in the temple
Chapter 18 Tai Shan was in power in the temple
Liao Zhiyuan raised his wrist and a dazzling silver light flied from his sleeves. Then the brocade box overhead appeared in his hand suddenly. He opened the box. 7 to 8 fist-sized medicine bottles appeared in front of them. He Danggui sniffed these bottles one by one. Seeing that, Duan Xiaolou couldn’t help enjoining, “They are inedible.” All the people here were speechless for him.
He Danggui nodded and said, “Yes, medicines in these 3 bottles are Wushi Powder. It can be divided into the upper level, middle level and low level according to the content of red halloysite. In addition, Hehuan Pill and Yiqing Potion are also the same kind of banned drugs except those 3 kinds of powders that Tai Chen said.”
Duan Xiaolou stared at her delicate face curiously as if he wanted to know whom He Danggui really was. He asked, “How do you know these medicines? Even if members of Luo’s Family teach you to recognize medical materials, they shouldn’t let you know this kind of medicine… Oh! How do you know that there are medicines on the roof beam of the house? We look for them for a long time but find nothing.” Liao Zhiyuan also nodded. He was also curious. At the same time, he grabbed a bottle of the Jinfeng Yulu Powder and studied carefully. He never studied aphrodisiac before, so he couldn’t recognize it. But why should a girl know that?
He Danggui replied slowly, “It’s too dark, so you may not see that there are two wells outside the Medicine Room. And they are the rare sweet springs. The daily water consumption of the Taoist Temple is from there. Only when the water isn’t enough do we go to the mountain steam to carry water. So, the environment around the Medicine Room is so wet that it isn’t suitable to store medicines. The quartz and gedanite are the most delicate ingredients of Wushi Powder and Xingyang Powder. They must keep from moisture and must be stored in a dry and ventilated place.”
Gao Jue refuted, “Now that the Medicine Room is damp, those medicines can be hidden in other places. Why are you so sure that they are hidden here?”
He Danggui smiled and replied, “Leaves should be hidden in the forest and dewdrop should be hidden in the lake. The Medicine Room is the safest place to hide medicines. Even if those medicines are found by people who know little about medicines, they won’t be exposed. In addition, the Medicine Room is managed by Tai Chen. Others can’t even approach it. This is the safest place to hide those medicines for her.”
Gao Jue berated coldly, “Others can’t approach it? Are you interceding for them? You are daydreaming!”
“Interceding for them?” He Danggui showed an innocent expression and said, “Firstly, I am too ordinary a girl for the general of imperial guards to do me a favor. Besides… You don’t know the fact. Taoist nuns here are really tart and mean. They treat me bad since I come to myself. They not only don’t provide me enough food and clothes but curse me behind. Now they are in trouble. I couldn’t help laughing and cheering. Why do I intercede for them?”
Hearing that, Lu Jiangbei and Duan Xiaolou were stunned. They thought that He Danggui was really straightforward. Other girls would intercede for the enemies with tears even if they hate their enemies deep in heart. Although they can’t change the result, but their enemies would thank them. They could also get a good fame…
He Danggui switched the conversation and said, “If I were the official, I would arrest those nuns without any reason! But I’m not— Each of you is fair and intelligent in the aspect of dealing with cases. You won’t arrest people without evidences. Master Lu, do you agree with me?”
Lu Jiangbei was “specially stared” by He Danggui. He felt as if an invisible hand was scratching his chest. He nodded involuntarily and replied, “Of course.”
He Danggui stood up, took off the cloak and give it back to Gao Jue. She said, “Recognizing medicines is all I know. As for the case, there is only one thing I know that might be helpful. Tai Chen is mean and unkind. She likes keeping accounts. She records everything in detail. If you can find her account, maybe you can find her partners. In that way, you won’t kill innocent people and also won’t let those evil people go—Achoo! It is cold and late. I will go first.”
Duan Xiaolou grabbed the cloak from Gao Jue’s hands quickly and put it around He Danggui’s shoulders once again. He complained, “Be careful! You get a cold right after you take it off. Since you know you are weak, you should be careful! Don’t stand on ceremony. How about I send you back?”
Liao Zhiyuan couldn’t help laughing. The air flow blew some powders from the bottle in his hand. The powders were blown into Gao Jue’s mouth. Gao Jue didn’t notice that and swallowed while he was yawning.
Everything happened within a blink. There was no time for Lu Jiangbei to stop him. He looked at Gao Jue helplessly and reminded, “Oh, Gao, Gao Jue, you swallow the powder...” Gao Jue also felt there was something wrong. His face turned red and purple. Liao Zhiyuan, the culprit, laughed again. Lu Jiangbei was so frightened that he closed his mouth quickly and held his breath.
Duan Xiaolou eventually turned his eyes to those men. Seeing that their expressions were quite strange, he asked innocently, “Hey, what’s wrong with you? Are you sleepy? Why don’t we go back to sleep first?”
Gao Jue elbowed others aside suddenly and held He Danggui’s wrist. He asked impolitely, “What medicine is in that bottle?”
He Danggui blinked her eyes and answered in whisper, “Perhaps it is…Jinfeng Yulu Powder.” Then she added kindly, “No antidote can detoxify the property of the medicine. There are only solutions.”
Lu Jiangbei also ran over them and approached He Danggui. He asked in a flattering expression, “I was so surprised just now that I opened my mouth. At that moment, Liao Zhiyuan blew suddenly… I felt that I also swallowed some! Miss He, I only swallowed a little. Can you detoxify the property of it?”
Duan Xiaolou didn’t know what happened until now. He fell about laughing, “Ha-ha! It’s quite funny! You and he… Ha-ha…” Liao Zhiyuan, the troublemaker, was also tittering.
Gao Jue was too anxious to blame them. He exclaimed, “What are the solutions? Do tell me!”
He Danggui touched a plum blossom on her cuff and replied straightly, “In the Northern Song Dynasty, Qin Shaoyou had a poem, saying, ‘Clouds float like works of art. Stars shoot with grief at heart. Across the Milky Way, the Cowherd meets the Maid. When Autumn’s Golden wind embraces Dew of Jades. All the love scenes on earth, however many, fade.’ Master Gao is the Cowherd. You only need to find a Maid and the property of medicine in your body will be detoxified… Oh! Both you and Master Lu swallowed the powders. You can also do each other a favor.”
Duan Xiaolou and Liao Zhiyuan stopped laughing. They looked at each other in surprise. How did He Danggui, a 10 years old girl, know so much about that? How did she speak it out in sad earnest?!
The expression of Gao Jue could only be described as “complexed.” Originally, he investigated the case. But he should swallow the aphrodisiac mistakenly. And now, he relied on a child to tell him how to “detoxify” the powder. Gao Jue thought that all the bad things in his life happened within tonight. Things happened tonight were worse than the failure after fighting 300 rounds on the battlefield. Thinking of that Liao Zhiyuan was the culprit, Gao Jue turned around angrily and glared at him. But his eyes met Lu Jiangbei’s. He and Lu Jiangbei were inseparable at ordinary times. But at this moment, they felt extremely embarrassed for what He Danggui had said.
He Danggui tried her best to restrain her impulsion to laugh. She pretended to be calm and said, “Don’t be so sad. Maybe I can help you.”
“You?! You...” Hearing that, Duan Xiaolou and Liao Zhiyuan were more stunned.
He Danggui nodded and continued saying, “But I have never tried this method before. I don’t know whether it would work or not. If anything, you should restrain your grief– Do you still want me to detoxify it for you?”
Lu Jiangbei strained his eyes and asked, “You can treat illnesses and detoxify drugs!” Gao Jue also looked at He Danggui with hope.
He Danggui nodded again and replied, “But I have two provisos. First, my medical skills are superficial. Now I’m just fighting for a losing battle. I won’t ask for rewards if you are cured. But don’t blame me if I fail. Second, when I treat you, only the patients can be present. All of you can’t tell others that I know a little about medical skills.”
Seeing He Danggui’s serious expression, Duan Xiaolou was quite puzzled. He asked, “Can you really help them detoxify with ‘other’ ways?”
“I need to have a try and then you will find the answer by yourself. Master Duan and the Master who is the culprit, please go out to keep guard. Remember, don’t come in until you get my approval. If there is something wrong because of others’ disturbance, I won’t take the responsibility.”
Duan Xiaolou and Liao Zhiyuan walked out of the Medicine Room reluctantly. They weren’t relieved. Although they laughed just now, they were really concerned now. After all, Gao Jue and Lu Jiangbei were two men who swallowed that kind of powders. They might be controlled by the drastic medicine and… Was it dangerous for Miss He to stay with them alone?
They listened carefully for a while beside the door but heard nothing. Did Gao Jue poke her acupoints? Liao Zhiyuan was really regret. He blamed himself that he shouldn’t play with the medicine bottle. Now, Miss He should be in danger because of him. Time passed slowly as if it stopped. Duan Xiaolou couldn’t bear and wanted to rush into the room.
“Squeak—” The door opened suddenly. Gao Jue and Lu Jiangbei rushed out one after the other. They ran away without turning around. Duan Xiaolou rushed into the Medicine Room hurriedly and looked around. At last, he saw He Danggui near a pile of medicinal materials. Seeing that she was okay and well-groomed, he was relieved.
“How did it go? Did they offend you? Did you detoxify the property of the power?” Duan Xiaolou asked. He wanted to know if she was okay.
He Danggui clapped her hands and stood up. She laughed and answered, “I can only control the property of the medicine for a half day. I give them a prescription which I am not sure whether it will work or not. There aren’t enough medical materials in the Medical Room. Now, they go downhill to fill the prescription. Don’t worry. Even if my prescription doesn’t work, the property of the medicine will be relieved slightly after running a half day. If all the efforts are in vain, there are still 4 to 5 brothels in Tu’er Town… Anyway, they can find a way to save themselves. It’s so late. I have to go.”
Seeing He Danggui was about to take off the cloak again, Duan Xiaolou stopped her quickly and said, “Wait! Don’t take off the cloak! You even sneeze in the room. It is colder outside. Although the cloak is Gao Jue’s and isn’t suitable for you, it can keep the chill at bay. Just put it on. Let me send you back.” Seeing He Danggui’s delicate and pale face, Duan Xiaolou couldn’t help asking, “Hey, how do you know those medicines? Luo’s Family is really good at medical skills, but they wouldn’t let you learn that kind of medicine.”
He Danggui smiled. Her smile covered her tired expression as if the moon shined on the lake. Duan Xiaolou was attracted by her.
“Childe Duan, there is no distinction between superior and inferior ways when it came to saving people. As a doctor, I should know what disease and poison the patients get no matter how embarrassing they are. If I know nothing about that, I can’t save people. In addition, I didn’t learn medical skills from Luo’s Family. The person who taught me the skills didn’t want me to tell others about his identity. So, I hope you can keep the secret for me. I will be very grateful.”