Too high to reach

Chapter 382 The Emperor's Medicine
On this day, the Empress summoned Princess Yu'an to the palace.

What's wrong with you?

I noticed that my daughter's face looked a little swollen.

"I've been slightly ill for a while. What brings you here, Princess Yu'an?"

The Empress said helplessly, "You didn't even bother to ask about my brother's accident. I heard you didn't even go to see my sister-in-law when she gave birth to her son! How did things turn out like this? Who offended you?"

Princess Yu'an, feeling guilty, dared not argue further. "I can't be of much help anyway, and coming here while ill would only be a nuisance. My sister-in-law gave birth to a son, and I've already paid my respects. I just haven't been able to visit her because of my health. Isn't my brother alright now?"

"It's alright? You think it's alright just because you understand what happened? Humph, and that old woman too..."

"I heard about it! That old witch... what is she thinking? She's so old, if she knew what was good for her, her brother might not necessarily make things difficult for her. Qian Xiangqing is practically an orphan, can't she just find a decent family? Why does she have to cause trouble! What good are they to her?!"

The Empress was finally able to confide in someone: "The old woman's attitude shows that she's all alone, half-buried, and has nothing to fear!"

"Tch, what a load of bull! The older people get, the more they cherish their lives. Look at Father Emperor a few years ago, he seemed so indifferent to life and death. But look at him now? The best doctors in the world are all vying for his attention. The rarest medicinal herbs in the world are all reserved for him first. He's been on the verge of death many times, but he's always pulled through! Isn't it just because he's afraid of dying? Mother, do you still remember the Twenty-Four Flavor Pill?"

The Empress's eyes flickered, but she remained silent.

"Making even one pill is a lot of work, and he's been eating it like it's his main meal all year round! Now that things have come to this, let's stop being so timid and hesitant."

Everyone knows about Father's health. Now that he's dead, with you and my brother, who dares to question the cause of his death? Find a way to take action!

The princess spoke of the Twenty-Four Flavor Pill. It was made from twenty-four very rare and expensive medicinal herbs. The person who wrote the formula has passed away.

This medicine has remarkable effects such as replenishing qi, nourishing blood, protecting the liver and kidneys, improving eyesight, and clearing the mind. Indeed, the emperor takes it all year round, which amounts to 365 pills a year.

However, if he falls ill and needs to take herbal medicine, he will have to stop taking the medicine for a period of time. After finishing the medicine and recovering, he will stop for another 3 days before continuing to take the Twenty-Four Flavor Pills to prevent adverse drug reactions.

Some of the medicinal herbs here are extremely rare. They're not always available when you need them. Therefore, the quantity produced is quite large. After processing, they are stored in the royal western mountain warehouse, preserved at a low temperature and away from light.

I go to pick it up once a month. It's ten pills per box, and I bring back three boxes. The medicines all have serial numbers on them.

To be honest, the Emperor was in poor health, yet he has managed to live to this day; the efficacy of this medicine should not be underestimated.

"In my opinion, we should just get started... If Li Jing comes back alive, it will be too late!"

She looked at the Empress reproachfully, "In my opinion, we should have taken action long ago."

The Empress sneered, "You make it sound so easy! Who is it? Someone who can just take action so casually? Without thorough preparation, even the slightest mistake could send the three of us, mother and daughters, hand in hand, to the Yellow Springs!"

"So... are you ready?"

The Empress lowered her eyes and smiled faintly.

At dawn that day, the palace was completely silent.

This side room was specially used for brewing medicine for the emperor, and the room was filled with the smell of medicine.

A dim little lamp was lit, and the young eunuch on duty was asleep on his small bed, snoring softly.

A man dressed in black tiptoed to the door, listened carefully, and then opened it with a tool. After looking around, he found no reaction from the eunuch.

He approached the cabinet where the medicine was kept.

Holding something in his hand, he approached the keyhole, reached inside, and deftly turned it for a while.

The lock opened. He paused, looked back, and saw that the eunuch remained motionless, snoring as usual.

Only then did they open the door and carefully examine the contents. Inside were all the medicines the Emperor regularly took—medicines to help with sleep, medicines to aid digestion…

In the corner, there were two small brocade boxes.

The box on top has already been opened.

He took it; although it was opened, it was still locked. It wasn't a nice-looking door lock; it was too small…

Holding his breath and concentrating, he pulled a needle-like object from his hair and fiddled with it for a while before finally opening it. Inside were five gleaming white pills…

He took out one of the pills, and then pulled out a small bag from his pocket, which also contained pills, exactly the same as the one he had taken out.

He put it inside, closed the lid, and locked it. He put the brocade box back in its place and closed the door. He locked the door… watching his step, he quietly retreated, then used the knife to fasten the latch…

He glanced around, then leaped into the air and disappeared into the night before the patrolmen returned.

He thought he had done a perfect job, but little did he know that while he was nervously fiddling with the small brocade box, a man in black was watching him through a small hole in the window!

And he left as he was changing the dressing and putting it back.

After a long while, as dawn broke, the person on the small bed opened their eyes and shook their head helplessly: "I don't even dare to turn over. Do you know how hard it is for me?!"
I got up, not even bothering to get dressed, and first opened the door to peek into the yard. No one was there.

He closed the door, turned around, opened the medicine cabinet, gently took the small brocade box from the top, placed it carefully, and opened it. He examined it closely…

Based on the location of the pills, I selected one of them, picked it up and looked at it again... sure enough!
He would mark every medicine box he opened... The pills seemed to be arranged randomly, but in fact, he had a specific way of arranging them...

Hey, damn it!

You've really done this to me!
If the Emperor gets sick from eating this, I'll be the first to lose my head!

Granny Zhao...my savior!

Without thinking, he pinched open the wax coating of the pill, put the medicine inside into a small bag, and tucked it into his pocket.

Although the quantities of these medicines are all recorded, the accounts must match the actual amount...

But who can say for sure about the Emperor's health? Sometimes, after the medicine has been ordered, before it even reaches the patient, the Emperor might change to another medicine due to illness, and the medicine wouldn't be used. In such cases, the order should be reversed.

But year after year, mistakes are bound to happen. There are several more pills than the books show! Destroying one wouldn't be a problem at all.

He carefully checked the rest... He had to be careful in everything.

After tidying everything up, I started washing up, then locked the door and went out to get breakfast.

……

Today is the day the results are announced. Mo Da has passed the imperial examination and is now waiting for the palace examination.

Mo Rushan and Mo Ruhai both had tears in their eyes. They looked at Mo Da as if he were a precious treasure.

Wang cried for a long time, then became smug again. She was about to have a son who would become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and become an official. If she lived long enough, receiving an imperial decree would be within her grasp!
"Hurry, hurry up and go to the Wang family, the Zhou family, my eldest sister's place, and the Xu family to deliver messages... Oh dear, what's next? I can't remember anything."

Mo Ruhai's face fell, and he snorted coldly, "I'll go to Yi Yi myself. If you're so capable, then don't ever have to ask her for help in the future!" With that, he flicked his sleeves and left.

"What's wrong with him now?" Wang was still puzzled, completely unaware that she hadn't mentioned Mo Yi. "The older he gets, the more problems he has!" she thought to herself, secretly vowing, "I won't get angry with him! If I'm angry to death, how will I ever get an imperial decree?!"

Zhou smiled happily, finding her husband incredibly pleasing to the eye. If he passed the imperial examination, her and her son's lives would be secure.

Her mother-in-law said, "Tomorrow morning, my daughter-in-law and I will first go to Guangji Temple to burn incense, and then go to Baiyun Temple to donate money for porridge. We'll do both at the same time to bless our Da-ge'er to become a third-ranked scholar."

Upon hearing this, Moda turned and left...

He passed the imperial examination on his first try and became a tribute student. Besides his recent experiences calming him down, he was also incredibly lucky. He's probably already better than countless other outstanding students among his peers… and he still wants to be on the list of successful candidates?
What is my mother thinking?

Mo Rushan spotted him immediately: "Mo Da, come here!" He needed to impart some more experience on the imperial examination. His own promotion meant the Mo family had only one foot on the ladder. Only when Mo Da passed the imperial examination and was selected as an official would they truly be on top!
Mo Ruhai hurriedly went to the Qi Prince's Mansion.

Mo Yi was talking to Granny Zhao, and in the small bowl in front of them was a dark, murky thing.

"This isn't poison, but it's very cleverly prepared. It must have been deliberately made based on the Emperor's medical records. Ingesting it won't kill you immediately, but it will cause significant damage..."

The Emperor's health has always been poor, and he was particularly ill a few days ago. If he takes this, it's hard to say what the outcome will be... Most importantly, the effect is subtle and undetectable; no one will suspect anything.

Mo Yi sighed, "I really admire Empress Jiang; she's so composed. The timing...tsk tsk. The Emperor has just recovered from his serious illness, the Crown Prince has been released, and father and son are on good terms. And there's still no news of the Prince..."

Granny Zhao nodded slightly, "Compared to poisoning, this is indeed much more ingenious!"

Where is Chapter Two?

Hen... don't wait, I drank a bit too much yesterday.

My new, snow-white French-style shirt, the first time I put it on, was met with raindrops—the muddy rain of Beijing…