Chapter 517: Chapter 171: Finding the Cause of Illness, Xiao Jinxing’s Concern_2
This is actually two kinds of herbal medicine, although they have a bitter taste, enough sugar in the lotus seed soup can mask the bitterness, and the eater wouldn’t notice it; this kind of medicine is originally used for clearing heat and detoxifying, and long-term consumption can cause male sexual dysfunction, leading to a lack of interest or even fatigue towards sexual activities.
Ye Qichi had thought it over, Zhao Mengyu wouldn’t be foolish enough to use drugging directly, as drugging is too easily discovered. It’s only possible to use certain medicines as substitutes. In medical terms, many medicines are not just for treating illnesses; overuse of some medicines can harm the body, and Zhao Mengyu must have planned for many years, otherwise, she wouldn’t have executed it so flawlessly.
She had an answer in her mind.
That moment also gave Xiao Jinxing a look.
Xiao Jinxing’s eyes flickered slightly.
That was his response.
"How does it taste?" Xiao Zhanping watched Ye Qichi take a bite and asked.
"It’s the most delicious lotus seed soup I have ever had," Ye Qichi praised generously.
Now naturally she had to flatter him.
"Over the years, because of my fondness for lotus seed soup, I have indeed gained quite a bit of weight," said Xiao Zhanping, appearing very gentle.
Just like a common father, having a meal with his children.
Xiao Jinxing and Ye Qichi also echoed accordingly.
The luncheon with the emperor ended.
Xiao Zhanping had the habit of taking a nap, so he let his attendants prepare for his nap.
Ye Qichi and Xiao Jinxing took the excuse to leave as well.
Having accompanied Xiao Zhanping for a morning was quite sufficient.
After all, Xiao Zhanping was not an emperor who was genuinely idle; he still had many memorials to deal with, and was quite diligent.
The two returned to the carriage.
Ye Qichi stated outright, "The lotus seed soup indeed has a problem."
Xiao Jinxing nodded.
He had guessed as much.
Ye Qichi said, "It contains opium poppy; despite the beauty of this flower, overuse is indeed a drug."
"A drug?" Xiao Jinxing frowned, "Why can’t silver needle detect it."
"This of course isn’t a poison like arsenic or such in your current understanding, now it might just be seen as a flower for appreciation, and consuming it won’t lead to death, so it can’t really be called a poison. However, after consumption, it can be addictive," Ye Qichi explained to Xiao Jinxing, "If consumed to a certain extent, the body will develop a dependency on opium."
Xiao Jinxing listened intently.
He was somewhat surprised that Ye Qichi knew so much.
"Fortunately, Imperial Concubine was prudent and didn’t let your father consume too much, just added some to enhance the flavor, ensuring your father would just look forward to eating it daily without becoming completely dependent."
"So the medicine causing my father’s health issues isn’t opium?"
"Naturally not," Ye Qichi said, "It’s another two kinds of herbal medicine. Actually, all medicines inherently contain some toxicity; overconsumption can harm the body. Imperial Concubine grasped this principle to control your father’s health in such a way that nobody would notice."
"Can it be resolved?" Xiao Jinxing asked bluntly.
"Of course. Medicines antagonize and complement each other; every medicine has its nemesis. Bitter ginseng and Centella are cold in nature, I can use some gentle medicine to neutralize it, which will easily solve the problem. The only issue is how you will manage to get the medicine we want into your father’s lotus seed soup," Ye Qichi said sadly.
Finding the root cause was easy, effortless for her.
But to act under Imperial Concubine’s watchful eyes was practically impossible.
Since Imperial Concubine could use the lotus seed soup to manipulate the emperor’s desires, she would definitely guard the recipe closely; any rash action on their part would be detected by Imperial Concubine, which would be counterproductive.
"Can we not put it in the lotus seed soup?" Xiao Jinxing asked.
Ye Qichi suddenly... paused.
It was like a sudden enlightenment from Xiao Jinxing’s comment.
She had boxed herself into a corner.
Her thoughts had been completely closed off.
She had only been thinking about how to achieve their goal under Zhao Mengyu’s tight security, never considering any alternate, indirect methods.
Why must it be put in the lotus seed soup?
With Zhao Mengyu guarding the lotus seed soup so closely, that path was utterly impassable.
She could certainly use another method to let the emperor consume the medication she wanted him to.
"Yes," Ye Qichi quickly replied.