Discuss with you

Chapter 358 Powerless
"What are the effects of this thing? Why is it called Chang'e's Intoxication?" Zhu Yu became even more curious. "If this thing dies when exposed to light and turns to ash instantly, how can it be used?"

“That hits the nail on the head.” Yan Daoxin nodded. “The reason this thing is called Chang’e’s Drunkenness is because Chang’e lives in the Moon Palace, where the sun rises and the moon sets, and she never sees the sun, just like this flower.”

As for the word 'drunk', we must mention its uses and effects.

Although Chang'e's Drunkenness is said to turn to ash in the light, if cultivated properly, it can flower and bear fruit. Its fruit should also be kept away from light, as it will produce a faint fragrance in the dark. It can be dried in the dark, ground into powder, mixed with other ingredients to make a spice, and then sealed with wax balls. When it needs to be burned, it can be placed directly into an incense burner. The fire will melt the outer wax skin, and the fragrance inside will be released.

People who use this incense for a long time have a rosy complexion and radiant appearance, looking very healthy, as if they've drunk a tonic wine, hence the word "intoxicated."

Zhu Yu listened with some doubt. If that was all there was to it, then this Chang'e Wine seemed to be some rare and precious item.

But she clearly remembered the pungent smell of blood emanating from the soil after the wooden box was opened. She had been faintly smelling it in the underground tunnel, and it only became stronger the moment the black wooden box was opened.

Those who were drained of their blood and died like mummies must have had their blood used to irrigate these flowers called "Chang'e's Intoxication".

But what kind of good family would need to use such an evil method as human blood to nourish their rare and precious medicines?
"Why does this thing need to be watered with blood?" she asked Yan Daoxin. "Is this recorded in any ancient books you've read before?"

“I remember,” Yan Daoxin nodded. “Chang’e’s Drunkenness doesn’t actually need to be watered often. However, if you just use ordinary water like rainwater or river water to water it, even if it grows, Chang’e’s Drunkenness will never be able to produce flower buds or pods. At most, it will only grow leaves, which is of no use.”

To make it bloom and bear fruit, it must be watered with blood, with human blood being the best. In the past, some people have tried using pig's blood, sheep's blood, or even chicken and dog's blood, but none of them worked; at most, a small flower bud would appear.

Some people even thought of apes, which are most similar to humans. They captured apes, bled them, and used the blood to irrigate the plants. This was only slightly better than chicken or pig blood. The plants produced pods, but they were just shriveled pods without any fruit inside.

Therefore, those who desperately want the fruit of Chang'e's Intoxication must be willing to sacrifice themselves by nourishing it with human blood.

"What are the effects of the incense made with Chang'e's intoxication?" Lu Qing asked, but judging from his expression, he seemed to have already guessed a thing or two.

"It's hard to say." Yan Daoxin shook his head. "Anyway, Chang'e Wine itself doesn't have any effect. It just makes people look rosy-cheeked and full of vitality. And it's not just on the surface. Even a normal pulse diagnosis will make people feel that the pulse is neither too fast nor too slow, neither too strong nor too weak, and the pulse strength is abundant. They are simply strong and healthy, without any problems at all."

Upon hearing this, Lu Qing understood: "In other words, if someone mixes a slow-acting poison with Chang'e's Intoxication and uses Chang'e's Intoxication to cover it up, then even if the poisoned person has been slowly invaded by the poison into their limbs, bones, and internal organs, they will still appear to be perfectly healthy on the surface."

This Chang'e Wine seems to be a good thing for 'whitewashing' things.

“Yes, that’s exactly right.” Yan Daoxin was very satisfied with his understanding. “This thing doesn’t sound like something that any reputable sect would use.” Zhu Yu frowned, looking at the clump of black ash with some disdain. He felt that this thing, whether in its growth process or its later effects, exuded an evil aura and was despicable.

"What are you saying!" Yan Daoxin laughed. "If we follow your logic, Lu Qing wouldn't have been carried to Shanqing Temple, barely breathing, begging my master to save him!"

In this world, no matter how virtuous or respectable people may appear on the surface, or whether they are of noble or lowly status, as long as they harbor selfish desires, as long as they have greed in their hearts, and as long as the temptations outside are great enough, there is no such thing as being upright or prestigious.

Those country bumpkins fight each other without any scruples. They might beat someone up right in front of you, leaving them bruised and swollen. The more despicable ones might at most put some croton seeds in someone's food, or the most vicious ones might use arsenic or rat poison to take someone's life.

On the contrary, those from high-ranking families, who consider themselves unapproachable, are the ones who most appreciate Chang'e's Drunkenness, as it can subtly conceal their sordid behavior.

These words were truly something Zhu Yu couldn't refute.

Take the people around her as an example. Putting aside how Pang Yuzhen used such despicable and vicious methods to make Miao lose her ability to have children, the fact that she can now walk with Lu Qing outside under the guise of "Chief Secretary Yu" is also because someone plotted a poisoning conspiracy at their wedding banquet on their wedding day.

“You’re right. The good and evil in people’s hearts are innate. So-called prestigious families and upright sects are nothing but self-promotion tricks.” Zhu Yu nodded. “Moreover, the more insecure a person is, the more fiercely they pretend to be.”

However, if someone uses Chang'e's Wine to mask some kind of poison, and the poisoning reaches a point where it's no longer concealed by the wine, is there any hope of recovery then?

While listening to Yan Daoxin describe the medicinal properties of this product, she had been pondering it. She was quite certain that she had smelled the fragrance of Chang'e's Intoxication, but it wasn't exactly the same.

It is obvious that someone added other spices to it, mixing them together to create a poisonous fragrance that was meant to deceive and had ulterior motives.

For example, that fragrant dress the old shopkeeper brought out the other day...

"Well... when it can no longer be concealed, it will probably be too late to turn the tide." Yan Daoxin knew what Zhu Yu meant by asking, so when he said this, he also glanced at Lu Qing beside him, with a meaningful look in his eyes.

Lu Qing sensed the meaning in his gaze and nodded: "I know what I'm doing."

“That’s good. Now that I’ve explained it to you, I need to go back to my room and catch up on some sleep,” Yan Daoxin yawned and stretched. “I was thinking about this all night, and I couldn’t sleep well. I’m really tired now.”

"Wait a moment." Zhu Yu called out to him, pointing to the handkerchief he was about to take away. "We left in a hurry last night because we heard voices. Since this thing is so rare, if those people went down to take care of the Chang'e Zui flower seedlings, they might find that one of them is missing from the box."