Chapter 370: Chapter 141: Returning to the Institute
The entrance to the dical Officer Institute was unusually lively.
Envoy Qiu He, accompanied by a group from the Imperial Apothecary, blocked the front of the Hanlin dical Institute, attracting onlookers from the surrounding palace attendants who craned their necks to watch from a distance.
Decades earlier, when the previous emperor was still alive, the Hanlin dical Institute and the Imperial Apothecary were harmonious and got along well. It all changed ten years ago when Cui Min of the Hanlin dical Institute beca famous throughout Shengjing with his "Cui’s Pharmacology" and subsequently took over as the head of the dical Officer Institute.
In truth, Cui Min’s expertise in pharmacology was impressive, and his thick to of dical prescriptions was enough to astonish anyone, earning him the admiration of those from the Imperial Apothecary. The trouble began after he beca the head of the institute, as the whole Hanlin dical Institute started to put on airs, belittling the Imperial Apothecary for being a re research center for dical formulas, incapable of coming up with even a single prescription. To think that Envoy Cui He, despite his old age, could be bested by a younger inferior.
The one who carelessly spread such words behind his back did not anticipate that they would reach Cui He’s ears, angering the old man so much that he almost choked on his own phlegm.
This was how their feud began.
The Imperial Apothecary and the dical Officer Institute maintained a facade of peace with a subtle and delicate relationship. Who could have expected Envoy Qiu He today to bring a group of people to their doorstep? To the onlookers, it inevitably seed like he was coming to start trouble.
Upon hearing the news, dical officers started to co out to join the spectators. Lin Danqing, too, mingled among the crowd, imdiately spotting Lu Tong following behind Qiu He. He joyfully waved his hand and called out, "Younger Sister Lu!"
Lu Tong nodded in response, but this caused Cao Huai on the other side to look rather displeased.
After waiting a while longer, soone ca out from inside the dical Officer Institute.
It was a middle-aged man dressed in a brown dical officer’s robe and official cap, looking polished yet sowhat frail and thin. The man quickly stepped forward, bowing his head in respect to Qiu He, "I had no idea Envoy Qiu was coming. My apologies for not welcoming you from afar. Please forgive ."
His tone was fully respectful.
Lu Tong only glanced at the man before lowering her eyes.
It seed this man was the one who had taken Miao Liangfang’s dical formula, forcing Miao Liangfang out of the dical Officer Institute—that very Cui Min.
He was also currently the head of the dical Officer Institute and the one who had sent her to the Southern Pharmacy.
Qiu He, with his hands clasped behind his back, nodded indistinctly as if accepting Cui Min’s courtesy unintentionally, and then began speaking amiably, "There is no need for such formality, Envoy Cui. I’m here today, in fact, to seek one person."
Although Cui Min had already learned about Qiu He’s intentions from others, upon hearing this directly, he still felt a sinking feeling in his heart. He smiled, quickly glancing at the woman by Qiu He’s side before responding, "I’m afraid I don’t quite understand what Envoy Qiu ans."
Shi Changpu, standing to the side, inwardly rolled her eyes at his response.
How could he not understand? The dical Officer Institute was filled with Cui Min’s people, who had been buzzing about for a good while; here Cui Min was, still playing innocent. Truly hypocritical.
Qiu He said with a smile, "What Envoy Cui may not know is that every year, the Imperial Apothecary delivers the One Dream Pill to Consort Rou’s palace. This year, the One Dream Pill has particularly pleased Consort Rou, who personally called for soone to receive her reward. Afterwards, when the dical officers were taking stock, they discovered the red silk cotton material sent by the Southern Pharmacy differed from that of previous years."
Cui Min’s expression flickered.
This was news to him.
Cui Min’s face beca serious, "Red silk cotton inherently contains poison, which weakens upon harvesting, but what Envoy Qiu implies is..."
Qiu He gave a slight smile, took a few steps aside, and allowed Lu Tong to be fully exposed to view, "Physician Lu, perhaps you should explain it yourself."
Lu Tong bowed her head, "Yes."
After a pause, Lu Tong spoke up, "To the Envoy, I used black bean juice, perilla juice, azurite juice, blue juice, and ground centipede juice boiled in water to soak and clean the red silk cotton. The flower of the red silk cotton is most toxic, and although its roots and stems lack fragrance, they contain a strong dicinal property. As long as it is soaked in this way, it retains the dicinal property of the roots and stems.
"By doing this, we retain its dicinal potency while eliminating the fragrance, ensuring not only the health of the pill makers but also maximizing the effectiveness of the One Dream Pill."
She explained the thod for preparing the dicinal material without holding back, leaving the older dical officers from the dical Officer Institute stunned. The more astute and studious ones quickly went inside to grab paper and pen to jot down the information.
The cleaning and harvesting of red silk cotton in the dicinal garden had always posed a challenge, but this novel thod was the first anyone had heard of.
Cui Min also heard of it for the first ti, his gaze lingering on Lu Tong’s face.
Qiu He then said with a smile, "Envoy Cui, with such an expert in pharmacology under your wing, yet you choose to assign her to the drudgery of the Southern Pharmacy— isn’t this a waste of talent? What’s the matter? Are you, in the pri of your life, becoming as blind as this old man?"
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