Chapter 53: Collecting Medicinal Herbs and Using Poison as an Antidote to Poison

Proofreader: Prof. Zhu Yuan

“Eliminate the toxin.”

Beiming Xuan’s secret words reached Ruan Jiujiu’s ears. Ruan Jiujiu glared silently at Beiming Xuan who was standing calm and composed. She wished really hard she was able to use secret words, so that she could swear at Beiming Xuan, entirely free from inhibitions.

Having tried hard to repress her anger, Ruan Jiujiu followed Beiming Xuan’s order and walked towards Imperial Concubine Dan.

All eyes were fastened upon Ruan Jiujiu. She decided to concentrate all her efforts on eliminating the toxin. She thought she had better be careful to properly handle the current situation.

The poison in Imperial Concubine Dan’s body was not Wusi Poison.

If she was attacked by Wusi Poison, she would have died a painful death.

It did look like Wusi Poison. And that was why nobody raised an objection after Ruan Jiujiu claimed that Imperial Concubine Dan was attacked by Wusi Poison. Murong could tell Ruan Jiujiu was wrong, but he didn’t bring that into the open.

Imperial Concubine Dan was breathing easily although she looked ghastly haggard. However, her breath was too weak to be detected as if she was giving her last gasp.

That meant the drug was highly poisonous.

This highly poisonous drug had impaired the functions of the patient’s body. Without timely treatment, the patient would die of physiological dysfunction. Injecting the antidote into the patient’s blood vessel would be of no help when the patient was in terminal decline.

It seemed that this drug was more terrifying than Wusi Poison in terms of that.

There were only two options open to Ruan Jiujiu right now. One is trying hard to prevent the poison from taking effect, and the other is finding the antidote as soon as possible.

The crux of the problem was that nobody had found the antidote.

Ruan Jiujiu had to find the solution on her own.

All eyes were fastened on her right now. She had to be careful not to let them get any evidence against her. Right now, even a minor mistake would put her in great danger.

Those who were standing behind her harbored ulterior motives!

Ruan Jiujiu mobilized her mental energy and swiftly pricked Imperial Concubine Dan’s skin on a silver needle.

Those who had their gaze fixed upon Ruan Jiujiu failed to see Ruan Jiujiu’s hand movements clearly.

Ruan Qingqing was frustrated. She couldn’t even make out where Ruan Jiujiu stored her silver needles.

It seemed that Ruan Jiujiu took out the silver needles from nowhere!

That was impossible!

Ruan Qingqing felt a sharp pain in her eyes as she saw Ruan Jiujiu manipulating those silver needles in a well-versed way. She could barely resist the urge to cast her doubt openly. Empress Xiao stopped her by pulling her arm when she was about to speak. She turned round and met Empress Xiao’s frosty stare.

The time was not ripe.

Ruan Qingqing bit her lip and kept her mouth shut.

After a while, a good number of needles were applied on Imperial Concubine Dan’s body.

“That’s it?” Empress Xiao asked first. It was easy to discern a sense of disappointment in her tone.

Extremely excited, Beiming Yue asked in uncertain terms, “The toxin has been eliminated?”

Ruan Qingqing clenched her fists, trying to control her feelings.

The Emperor knitted his eyebrows slightly: “Ruan Jiujiu, The toxin got eliminated?”

“Your Majesty, judging by common sense, we have to apply antidote in order to eliminate the toxin,” Ruan Jiujiu turned round and spoke to the Emperor in a flat tone. A contemptuous look crept onto her face.

“How dare you! Whom do you think you are talking to?” The Emperor got irritated.

Ruan Jiujiu answered with her palms up, “Your Majesty, Imperial Concubine Dan was attacked by Wusi Poison, and it was a highly poisonous one. Eliminating the toxin simply through giving an acupuncture treatment is a downright impossibility. You could consult the imperial physician if you don’t trust me.”

She was talking about the man she once held under duress. He was an imperial physician. And he was also present at the welcoming ceremony in the city tower.

“Your Majesty, Wusi Poison is highly poisonous,” the imperial physician answered with trepidation. He recoiled in horror at the sight of the Emperor’s frosty look.

Ruan Jiujiu just ignored that. Then she spoke to the Emperor, “Your Majesty, to concoct the antidote, I need to collect some medicinal herbs first.”

Medicinal herbs? The Emperor knitted his eyebrows. Ruan Jiujiu was by no means making excessive demands. The Emperor, however, hoped that things could be settled on the spot. He had run out of patience.

“What do you need? Write them down and I will send someone to collect those medicinal herbs for you.”

“No way!” The Emperor’s request was met with Ruan Jiujiu’s blunt refusal. She pronounced every word in emphatic voice: “Your Majesty, did those imperial physicians know how to deal with Wusi Poison?”

You would never have an opportunity to raise captious objections like that if any one of them could figure out a solution. The Emperor wore a sullen look.

“The imperial physicians were not able to eliminate the toxin, and it seems that no one could guarantee Imperial Concubine Dan’s safety except me. So I need to collect those medicinal herbs personally,” Ruan Jiujiu kept acting in all apparent seriousness. “You should know that administering the medicine requires careful consideration. The medicine’s potency would be lost if the errand runner doesn’t bring me medicinal herbs with desirable qualities and growth years. I might also need a specific part of a medicinal plant. I’m afraid nobody could fulfill my requirements even if I write those requirements down.”

“So what are you going to do?” The Emperor tried hard to speak patiently as he pulled a long face.

Ruan Jiujiu answered with her palms up, “Where is the Imperial Dispensary? I’m going to collect the medicinal herbs personally.”

“No way!” The Emperor refused flatly. What Ruan Jiujiu said was closely reasoned and well argued. The Emperor thought she wouldn’t be able to play dirty. However, he would by no means agree to let her go to the Imperial Dispensary alone.

Ruan Jiujiu put on a resigned expression as she knitted her eyebrows: “Then I would apologize to Imperial Concubine Dan.”

She stepped forward and started to collect her silver needles which had been applied on Imperial Concubine Dan’s body. Nobody came to stop her except for Beiming Yue. He rushed towards Ruan Jiujiu and roared, “Ruan Jiujiu, what are you doing?”

“Since His Majesty refused to let me make antidote, I have no choice but to let her die a relatively painless death. You should know that people who were attacked by Wusi Poison have to go through an excruciating ache. What I did was to help her die a quicker yet less painful death.”

Beiming Yue froze upon hearing Ruan Jiujiu’s words. “Die a quicker yet less painful death?”

“Father, she just wanted to collect some medicinal herbs. She would cause no trouble. It is my mother’s life that truly matters!” Ruan Jiujiu had pointed out that it was the Emperor who stopped her from eliminating the toxin. Beiming Yue understood. So he turned round and started to plead with the Emperor.

The Emperor was irritated. Ruan Jiujiu finally put the blame on him.

How dare she!

The Emperor’s refusal of Ruan Jiujiu’s request would be no different from sentencing Imperial Concubine Dan to death.

“Your Majesty, I could stand aside when my sister is collecting medicinal herbs. I also possess medical skills. Maybe I could offer help.” Ruan Qingqing acted as if her real intention was to offer help.

Ruan Jiujiu felt sick upon seeing Ruan Qingqing’s bitchy face.

Offering help? No kidding!

“Actually imperial physicians could also go with me. Your Majesty, what do you think?”

The Emperor didn’t trust Ruan Qingqing who volunteered to go with Ruan Jiujiu. However, he placed absolute trust in imperial physicians who were his underlings.

“You may go and collect the medicinal herbs.”

Ruan Jiujiu left upon hearing the Emperor’s words. Unwilling to lag behind, Ruan Qingqing followed Ruan Jiujiu in quick steps.

Ruan Jiujiu got a breath of fresh air after she walked out of the main hall. Then she stopped and started glancing right and left.

“What are you going to do? Running away?” Ruan Qingqing’s annoying voice reached her ears.

Ruan Jiujiu just ignored her. She turned round and spoke to the imperial physician who was just walking outside, “Um…Respected Imperial Physician, I don’t know the way to the Imperial Dispensary. You lead on and I’ll follow.”

“My last name is Shen. Miss Ruan, this way, please.” Imperial Physician Shen said respectfully. Actually he was full of admiration for Ruan Jiujiu. He had always regarded Murong as a remarkable miracle-working physician. This time, Ruan Jiujiu was able to detect the Wusi Poison which Murong didn’t even discover.

Imperial Physician Shen had no choice but to show the greatest respect for Ruan Jiujiu.

Being allowed to collect medicinal herbs with Ruan Jiujiu was more than he could wish for.

Imperial Physician Shen’s respectfulness drove Ruan Qingqing mad. She ground her teeth hard.

The true colors of an evildoer would be revealed in time. Ruan Jiujiu, you little fox could never keep your tail hidden all the time.

Ruan Jiujiu burst with joy when she entered the Imperial Dispensary. Her excitement was not derived from her occupational enthusiasm as a medical practitioner. Instead, the very thought of the great value of those premium medicinal herbs made her elated.

All those premium medicinal herbs were of great worth.

It had been a long time since she came here through time-traveling. Never had she seen such treasures before. Standing in front of those premium medicinal herbs, she felt as if she had earned a huge amount of money.

She rushed into the premium medicinal herbs area.

“You need this?” Ruan Qingqing asked immediately when she saw Ruan Jiujiu grab a ginseng which was a thousand years old.

Ruan Jiujiu snapped the box shut. She didn’t even feel like casting a disdainful eye at Ruan Qingqing.

Ruan Qingqing froze with anger. When she recovered herself, Ruan Jiujiu had gone. So she quickened her pace and followed Ruan Jiujiu around like a shadow.

Burning with rage, Ruan Qingqing failed to discover that the ginseng which was placed on the shelf had already disappeared.

Then Ruan Jiujiu picked up some premium medicinal herbs like esculent swift’s nest and glossy ganoderma. However, what she did was merely picking them up and putting them back.

Ruan Qingqing felt rather confused. No matter what she said, Ruan Jiujiu just ignored her and kept chatting with Imperial Physician Shen. The topic they discussed was mainly about those medicinal herbs, ranging from their growth years to their places of origin. Quite boring!

Ruan Qingqing was irritated. She couldn’t figure out what Ruan Jiujiu kept up her sleeves.

“Ruan Jiujiu, what on earth are you up to? When will you start to collect the medicinal herbs?” Ruan Qingqing roared.

Again, Ruan Jiujiu just ignored Ruan Qingqing’s words. She just put a root of red-rooted salvia back to the box. It was far more precious than a thousand-year-old ginseng. She just had a discussion with Imperial Physician Shen about the great value of that root of red-rooted salvia.

Ruan Jiujiu feasted her eyes on that root of red-rooted salvia.

So the precious root of red-rooted salvia also disappeared after Ruan Jiujiu put the lid on the box.

After enjoying those precious medicinal herbs to her great satisfaction, Ruan Jiujiu sighed with pleasure. Then she turned round and headed for the common medicinal herbs area.

Imperial Physician Shen followed her respectfully, while Ruan Qingqing quickened her steps angrily.

This time, Ruan Jiujiu collected about a dozen kinds of medicinal herbs without saying anything, rather quick in her movements.

Ruan Jiujiu’s quick movements made Ruan Qingqing feel dizzy. Yet she had clearly observed what Ruan Jiujiu had collected.

She knew the names of those medicinal herbs. They could be used as antidote. There was nothing special about those herbs.

She could by no means pick holes in Ruan Jiujiu’s choice. However…

Ruan Jiujiu merely chose some common medicinal herbs to deal with the highly poisonous Wusi Poison! Quite strange!

Ruan Jiujiu also knew that those medicinal herbs were too common to be used as the antidote to Wusi Poison. So she turned round and collected three kinds of poison.

“What will you do with the poison?” Ruan Qingqing got excited upon seeing what Ruan Jiujiu did. She thought she had got some evidence against Ruan Jiujiu eventually!

This time, Ruan Jiujiu made a response by throwing a disdainful eye at Ruan Qingqing. Ruan Jiujiu answered coldly, “Making antidote!”

“What you should do is making antidote instead of attacking Imperial Concubine Dan with poison!” Ruan Qingqing roared.

“Using poison as an antidote to poison. You never heard about that?” Ruan Jiujiu threw a glance of contempt at Ruan Qingqing.

“You!” Ruan Qingqing’s eyes were blazing with fury.

Again, Ruan Jiujiu chose to ignore Ruan Qingqing who was burning with rage. Then she turned to Imperial Physician Shen and resumed their pleasant talk.

Ruan Jiujiu couldn’t identify what kind of poison attacked Imperial Concubine Dan, so it would be impossible for her to make antidote. As a well-trained medical practitioner, she did excel in doing poison research. An ancient physician like Imperial Physician Shen could actually learn a lot from Ruan Jiujiu.

Ruan Jiujiu had drawn much more admiration from Imperial Physician Shen before they returned to the main hall.