BXBX NOVEL Chapter 49 - The Pill Is Poisonous
Chapter 49: The Pill Is Poisonous
A hint of disgust suddenly flashed across Ruxue’s face as she spat out a word coldly, “Vulgar!”
Even Xiao Qingwang could not help feeling sick. “Today’s most valuable gift is this melody. If I can listen to it again, I’m willing to pay no matter how high the price is.”
Li Yi gnashed his teeth with jealousy. “Commander Xiao, if you want to listen to it again, you can just ask him to play a few more times.”
Yunxiao chuckled and said, “A divine melody must be played under the most favorable circumstances. On that day, there was the world’s most beautiful woman in that purple bamboo forest, and today there is Princess Ruxue right here in the palace. Only then can this piece of music move the Flower God. Haha! Of course, you don’t understand these things. Old Eight, you didn’t have time to learn before, but you must learn more in the future.”
Li Yi flew into a rage. Fortunately, Yunxiao had offended him many times today, so he quickly regained his composure. He gave a cold snort, and his eyes were full of unconcealed killing intent.
On the other side, Ruxue couldn’t help but blush. Yunxiao equating her with Qu Hongyan, the world’s most beautiful woman, filled her heart with joy and her eyes with tenderness.
After calming down, Li Yi stood up from his seat and said in a loud voice, “Today, I have not only prepared gifts for Commander Luo and Princess Ruxue, but also a small gift for Commander Xiao.”
Xiao Qingwang did not like him now, so he said in a faint tone, “I did nothing to deserve a gift. Young Master Li, you don’t have to give me anything.”
There was a flicker of anger in Li Yi’s eyes. Nothing seemed to go right with him today, and it was all caused by that damn Li Yunxiao.
He forced a smile on his face and said, “I heard that Commander Xiao had suffered an internal injury when fighting Yi Xiaoshan of the state of Baizhan many years ago, and the injury has not been healed even by now. This time, I found a Blue Water Dragon Eye Pill by chance, and I wish to offer it to Commander Xiao.”
Xiao Qingwang’s eyes burst into light, and he was visibly moved as he said, “A sixth-grade pill, the Blue Water Dragon Eye Pill!”
All the others also showed shocked expressions. Qin Zheng, too, had his eyes flashed, and he seemed more eager than Xiao Qingwang. “Li Yi, is what you said true?”
Looking at all the shocked eyes, Li Yi felt that he had finally breathed a sigh of relief and suddenly became very energetic. He laughed and said, “Of course! Fang Zhen, why don’t you bring the pill to Commander Xiao?”
Fang Zhen was Li Yi’s confidant, a first-tier alchemist he had recruited. With a smile on his face, he stepped forward and took out a jade box before gently opening the lid. A glittering and translucent green pill lay quietly in it.
“Commander Xiao, your internal injury will be healed completely after taking this pill, and you can definitely improve further in your cultivation of the martial arts!” Fang Zhen laughed and said.
Xiao Qingwang picked up the pill, his burly body shaking with excitement. Although he had narrowly won the battle that year, it had left him a serious injury. Because of that, he had not only failed to advance in martial arts in the recent years, he was going backward, which greatly distressed him.
Low-level pills had been unable to suppress his injuries, which had now begun to erode his life. If he allowed this situation to continue, he probably could only live for a few more years. This was exactly what Qin Zheng and he were most worried about. If he died, then Tianshui would only have one Martial King left—Zhong Lishan—and the state’s strength would definitely greatly reduced!
Over the years, they had never stopped sending people everywhere to look for medicinal pills, but found nothing. Unexpectedly, just when they were losing all hopes, Li Yi had found the Blue Water Dragon Eye Pill that could completely cure Xiao Qingwang. How could they not be excited?
Qin Zheng was extremely happy. “Li Yi, you’ve done a great job this time! Whatever reward you want, I will give it to you!” he said loudly.
In his wild joy, Li Yi quickly bowed and said, “Your Majesty, this subject wishes to marry Princess Ruxue!”
“What!”
Everyone was shocked, and Ruxue turned pale instantly as she bellowed, “Li Yi! How dare a mere servant like you crave for what you are not worthy of! Father, you must not agree with him!”
Li Yi’s eyes sparkled. Because of his humble background, although he now apparently controlled the Li Family, not many people obeyed him from the bottom of their hearts. He was surrounded by dangers. If he wanted to turn the tables completely, he must have a good status, and becoming the princess’s husband was undoubtedly his best choice. Besides, Qin Ruxue was a beautiful girl, and he had long coveted her.
Qin Zheng paused and suddenly became silent. In his heart, he secretly blamed himself for being too impulsive and promising too much. What should he do now?
It was because he had seen this opportunity that Li Yi had made his request. “Your Majesty, this subject’s feelings for Princess Ruxue are sincere, and this subject hopes Your Majesty can make us husband and wife.”
When she found that Qin Zheng did not speak, Ruxue became anxious. “Father, father, you can’t really…”
There was a look of reluctance in Qin Zheng’s eyes, but he made up his mind at last and said in a deep voice, “Ruxue, you can’t be willful in this matter! Li Yi’s contribution to the state is enormous, and besides, I never go back on my words. I’m relieved to marry you to him, because I believe he is sincere to you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t find such a precious demon beast egg for you!”
He had figured out everything, and he also needed Li Yi to keep the Li Family in check. Although a daughter was precious, she meant nothing when compared with his reign!
“What!” Ruxue felt a chill run from her head to toes as if she had fallen into an icy cellar. Her father, who had always loved her most, actually…
In her grief and indignation, she took out the demon beast egg and threw it into the air. “I don’t want what he gave me!” A beam of cold light burst from the sword in her hand.
The egg was split in half in mid-air and then fell to the ground.
A pool of extremely smelly slime spilled all over the floor, and the entire main banquet hall was immediately filled with a foul stench. Everyone hurried to cover their noses and looked at the broken egg in surprise.
It was really a bad egg?
Everyone’s eyes grew strange.
Li Yi himself was stunned as well, and his face was covered in shame and anger. He hoped there was a hole where he could hide now…
“Father, this is really a bad egg!” said Ruxue, suddenly very happy. “He had deceived me, and yet he said his feelings for me are sincere? Father, I hope…”
While frowning, Qin Zheng said, “This thing is extremely rare and precious, so how can ordinary people tell whether it’s good or bad? Buying a bad egg proves that Li Yi was cheated by someone.”
“Yes, yes, Your Majesty is right! This subject is the victim of deception! That damn seller!” Li Yi gnashed his teeth and said.
Qin Zheng cleared his throat and said, “One flaw cannot obscure the splendor of the jade. Li Yi has made an enormous contribution to the state, so I hereby decree that Ruxue…”
“Wait!”
Suddenly, a very discordant voice interrupted Qin Zheng’s words. Yunxiao smiled lightly and said, “This Blue Water Dragon Eye Pill is fake.”
“What!”
Qin Zheng was angry that Yunxiao had dared to interrupt him, but as soon as he heard those words, he suppressed his anger. At the same time, all the people present were startled and their pupils constricted!
Offering a fake pill in front of all courtiers and the king was a great crime that would lead to beheading, let alone this pill was meant for Xiao Qingwang. No one would dare to resort to such deceit. For a moment, all eyes were on Li Yi.
Ruxue suddenly screamed, “A fake pill! This must be a fake pill! Father, behead him!” She seemed to have caught a lifeline and cast a grateful look at Yunxiao as two lines of tears trickled down her cheeks.
Li Yi froze for a moment, then said angrily, “Li Yunxiao, don’t you utter nonsense! This is a sixth-grade pill I bought at a great price! How dare you mislead people! Your Majesty, this man is uttering nonsense again, his heart is incredibly wicked!”
Yunxiao said contemptuously, “Again?”
Li Yi was stupefied and rendered speechless when he looked at the puddle of rotten egg on the floor. However, the anger in his eyes was enough to burn Yunxiao to ashes!
Qin Zheng’s face darkened. He turned to Liang Wenyu and asked, “Master Liang, please have a look at this pill.”
Liang Wenyu stepped forward and studied the pill carefully for a while, then said dejectedly, “Your Majesty, this pill does not look fake to me. But, its grade is too high for me to be sure.”
Holding back his emotions, Xiao Qingwang said, “Li Yunxiao, do you have proof that this pill is fake?” In the past, there were indeed people from enemy states who deliberately gave him fake medicines which had nearly killed him several times, so he was still frightened.
Yunxiao chuckled and said, “It is very easy to confirm. The pill itself is non-toxic, but when it comes in contact with blood, it will produce a deadly poison. If you take it, you will surely die on the spot!”
“What!”
Qin Zheng lurched to his feet and cast his furious eyes on Li Yi. If what Yunxiao said was true, then Li Yi must be…
Li Yi’s forehead broke out in a cold sweat as he quickly turned to look at Fang Zhen. Seeing the latter frowning and shaking his head, he summoned up his courage and said, “Your Majesty, don’t listen to this man’s nonsense. As long as Commander Xiao’s injuries are fully healed after taking this pill, it proves that the pill is real.”
Yunxiao sneered, “If Commander Xiao dies after taking this pill, can we bring him back to life by beheading you?”
Li Yi said furiously, “There’s no way anything bad will happen to him!”
Yunxiao pursued him relentlessly, “It will be fine for a period of time after taking this fake pill, but Commander Xiao has internal injuries in his body. If the pill comes in contact with his blood…hehe, then the matter will become serious. If you don’t believe me, you can give it a try!”
“Try? How?” Li Yi sneered. “A sixth-grade pill is so precious that if we consumed it with the test, you can’t compensate it even with your life!”
Yunxiao smiled calmly. “It’s very simple. Dip this pill in someone’s blood and feed it to a dog. If the dog dies, it proves that it is a fake pill and highly toxic. If the dog does not die within ten breaths, it proves that what I said is false. By that time, you can kill the dog and take out the pill.”
Qin Zheng said, “Well, that’s a good idea. Someone, go get a dog here! One of you must have deceived me today! I’d like to see who is so bold!”
Ruxue’s eyes showed strong worry and uneasiness. She feared that she would bring Yunxiao into trouble because of her affairs. The latter gave her a comforting look, then walked over and picked up the Blue Water Dragon Eye Pill. “Old Eight, bring your dog blood here!”
Li Yi said angrily, “Why not use your own blood? This is your idea!”
Yunxiao smiled coldly and shouted, “8527!”
Li Yi flew into a rage and said in a trembling voice, “B*stard! What did you just say?”
Yunxiao pointed his hand at Meng Bai and said, “I’m calling him, a new lowly servant I’ve recruited. His number is 8527.”
He shouted, “8527, come here quickly!”