Catching Monsters

Chapter 367 Mercury Poisoning

The luxurious carriage slowly made its way towards the palace. Sitting in the carriage, Feng Yu frowned slightly as she looked at the prescription written by Jiang Yun.

Smilax glabra, Lysimachia christinae, Glycyrrhiza uralensis...

Can these things really be used to refine so-called elixirs of immortality?

Inside the carriage, Feng Yu frowned as he looked at the prescription and slowly said, "Boy, can these things really be refined into pills?"

Jiang Yun smiled upon hearing this and said, "Don't worry, Father-in-law, I can learn it."

Upon hearing this, Feng Yu stopped asking questions.

Behind the imperial palace, there is a small palace that has now been granted to the Chu alchemist to refine elixirs.

It is said that this Chu alchemist came from a fairy mountain overseas and claimed to have cultivated for 999 years with the immortals on the fairy mountain.

It has now lived for a thousand years.

Of course, these are all self-designations used by the Chu alchemists.

Inside the vast palace, a large cauldron was placed in the center, and many eunuchs were burning expensive wood under it.

Chu Yuan was dressed in a blue Taoist robe, holding a whisk in his hand. He looked to be over sixty years old, with a ruddy complexion, and had a somewhat otherworldly air about him.

Xiao Yuzheng sat on a futon, watching the scene before him with some curiosity.

"Master Chu, how long will it take for me to consume this elixir to achieve immortality and attain a celestial body?"

A smile appeared on Chu Yuangeng's face as he slowly said, "Your Majesty, although it is said to be taking elixirs, achieving immortality is not so easy."

"You need to persevere. Once you have consumed a certain number of elixirs, Your Majesty will be able to achieve immortality, live forever, and be indestructible."

Just then, a young eunuch walked in from outside the alchemy room and whispered in Xiao Yuzheng's ear, "Your Majesty, Eunuch Feng and Commander Jiang of the Eastern Garrison have arrived and say they wish to see you."

When Xiao Yuzheng heard that Jiang Yun had arrived, he frowned slightly and guessed that Jiang Yun was probably here to plead for him because Zhang Yuhu had suspended him from his post.

Thinking of this, Xiao Yuzheng said, "Have the two of them wait for me in the room next door. We can't let it interfere with Master Chu's alchemy."

Jiang Yun and Feng Yu arrived at the left side of the main hall, which had been converted into an alchemy room. There was a slightly smaller room there used for receiving guests.

Not long after, Xiao Yuzheng arrived in a flurry.

"Sit down, Jiang Yun. What brings you to me?" Xiao Yuzheng asked after taking his seat of honor. "Is it about Zhang Yuhu?"

Jiang Yun did not mention Zhang Yuhu. Instead, he took a deep breath and slowly said, "Your Majesty, I have come to refine pills for you."

Alchemy?

Xiao Yuzheng paused for a moment, narrowed his eyes slightly, and glanced at Feng Yu with obvious displeasure.

Could it be that Feng Yu told Jiang Yun about this?

Feng Yu felt a little helpless when Xiao Yuzheng gave her that look. The reason His Majesty set up the alchemy room behind the palace was to prevent the outside world from knowing that he was obsessed with elixirs.

In fact, the matter had already spread among the upper echelons of the capital.

Feng Yu had no way to explain, so he could only smile and reply, "Your Majesty, this servant learned that Jiang Yun is quite accomplished in alchemy, which is why I invited him here to refine elixirs for Your Majesty..."

Xiao Yuzheng stared at Jiang Yun with suspicion and asked, "You know how to refine pills?"

"Return to Your Majesty, yes."

After a moment, Jiang Yun continued, "In addition, I have also heard of the alchemist Chu's alchemy... Forgive my bluntness, but the pills that alchemist Chu refines are highly poisonous. If Your Majesty takes them for a long time, I'm afraid your life will be in danger."

After Jiang Yun finished speaking, an eerie silence fell over the room.

"Jiang Yun, do you know what you're saying?" Xiao Yuzheng asked calmly, his gaze fixed on Jiang Yun.

“Of course.” Jiang Yun nodded.

"poison?"

Xiao Yuzheng slowly stood up. Jiang Yun was a young talent he greatly admired, and he had solved countless cases within the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

If it were anyone else, Xiao Yuzheng might not have believed them at all, but Jiang Yun's words made him take them more seriously.

"Do you have any evidence?" Xiao Yuzheng asked.

Jiang Yun smiled and said, "Of course."

"Come with me."

Xiao Yuzheng waved his hand, turned around and strode towards the alchemy room. Jiang Yun and Feng Yu exchanged a glance and quickly followed him.

The temperature inside the alchemy room was quite high, and the eunuchs in charge of tending the fire were all drenched in sweat.

Chu Yuangeng stood with his hands behind his back, instructing the eunuchs on controlling the heat. Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door. Chu Yuangeng looked over and then narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Your Majesty, Eunuch Feng, who is this young man?" Chu Yuangen asked with a faint smile.

“Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Jiang Yun,” Xiao Yuzheng then said. “Master Chu, according to Commander Jiang, your elixir contains a deadly poison.”

Upon hearing His Majesty's words, Chu Yuangeng's expression did not change at all. Instead, he chuckled and said, "Your Majesty, the path of seeking immortality and medicine has always been subject to much slander, and I am already used to it."

Soon, Chu Yuan turned around, took out two elixirs that had already been refined, and in front of Xiao Yuzheng, Jiang Yun and Feng Yu, he took out one: "Your Majesty, since this Commander Jiang claims that it is poisonous, I will personally eat one to prove my innocence."

After saying that, he took out a magic pill, put it in his mouth, and swallowed it in one gulp.

After finishing his meal, he opened his arms and said to Jiang Yun with a smile, "Lord Commander, are you satisfied?"

"Of course, it's not surprising that Lord Chiju would have this question."

"It's just that there are too many swindlers in the world, who have disgraced the name of us alchemists."

"You should know that the elixir I refine was taught to me by an immortal from Mount Penglai."

“You may not know this, but it is said that the Penglai Immortal Mountain is located overseas. I once sailed out to sea in search of immortals.”

"One stormy night, I..."

Jiang Yun interrupted his rambling: "Alright, Master Chu, talking about toxicity without discussing dosage is all nonsense."

"If you only take this one, of course nothing will happen. Try increasing the dosage."

"Try taking twenty or thirty at once."

Chu Yuangeng's expression changed slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "Nonsense! I think you're here to cause trouble, aren't you? Commander, I've already explained things very clearly."

"Then why haven't you become an immortal yet?" Jiang Yun suddenly asked.

Chu Yuangeng frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "This elixir is so precious that it cannot be found by ordinary people."

Jiang Yun retorted: "The main ingredient is cinnabar. How is it precious? It's easy to buy in pharmacies or even cinnabar mines."

"I heard that Master Chu has lived for nearly nine hundred years, and yet he still hasn't been able to gather enough cinnabar to refine elixirs?"

Chu Yuan straightened his chest and said, "I have lived for nine hundred years. Isn't that enough to prove the efficacy of this elixir?"

Jiang Yun turned her head and asked, "Eunuch Feng, are there any animals in the palace?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Yu asked in confusion, "What are you thinking?"

"Let's test the toxicity of this stuff on animals, and Your Majesty and the Eunuch will understand."

Xiao Yuzheng said in a deep voice, "Go to the Imperial Garden and catch a rabbit."

"Yes."

Xiao Yuzheng's face was gloomy and his expression was quite unpleasant. Not long after, Feng Yu hurriedly caught the rabbit.

Chu Yuan snorted coldly, showing no fear, and handed over the so-called elixir.

Jiang Yun pried open the rabbit's mouth and fed it the elixir.

Then he put the little white rabbit on the ground.

Chu Yuangen showed no fear on his face. He firmly believed that this was a miraculous elixir, how could it be poison?
Sure enough, the rabbit soon began to move. With its red eyes, it hopped and jumped around in the alchemy room, looking full of energy.

"Hahaha, Your Majesty, look! This little rabbit ate the elixir I refined, and it's full of energy and moves with agility. There's not a trace of poisoning on it!"

"It's probably going to become an immortal."

The rabbit kept hopping around in extreme pain, and finally crashed headfirst into the wall with a loud thud, splattering blood everywhere, and died.

The alchemy room fell silent, save for the crackling sound of burning wood beneath the cauldron.

"Your Majesty, this rabbit has definitely become an immortal. Its soul has probably ascended to the celestial realm." Chu Yuan swallowed hard, his face looking rather grim.

Xiao Yuzheng's face was also extremely ugly. This rabbit had run into him and killed him. If this was what becoming an immortal meant.

What's the use of becoming an immortal?

Xiao Yuzheng looked at Jiang Yun and said, "Tell me, what kind of poison is this?"

Jiang Yun respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, it would be quite complicated to explain. Simply put, this is mercury poisoning. People will experience this if they consume large amounts of mercury over a long period of time."

Chu Yuan instinctively took a step back: "Your Majesty!"

"Men, seize this Chu Yuangeng." Xiao Yuzheng's eyes were gloomy.

(End of this chapter)