AEOGA CH54

Yun Yao fell silent.

In a daze, he recalled that the reigning Emperor and Empress were indeed named Xie and Lu. Neither of them had bothered to disguise their surnames—an act of utterly shameless brazenness.

Anyone could tell Young Master Xie and Young Master Lu were no ordinary men. Figures of such stature had never been seen in Jiangnan before, meaning they had to be distinguished visitors from afar. And who were the two most noble and extraordinary figures to arrive from afar recently? None other than His Majesty and the Empress.

It was actually not a difficult connection to make; people simply did not dare to venture such a guess.

There were thousands upon thousands of people named Xie and Lu in the world. Who would dare believe that the two they happened to meet were the highest and most noble figures in the land?

Furthermore, when those two interacted with him, they displayed not a single trace of imperial arrogance, practically humbling themselves to treat others with respect.

Yun Yao had been able to sense their extraordinary presence, suspecting they hailed from prestigious lineages—for ordinary households could never cultivate such character. Those who spent long periods in high positions would project a distinct aura even without trying to. Yet whether it was Xie Chongjin or Lu Xuechao, both treated scholars and talent with great humility, speaking without a hint of haughty superiority. It made it nearly impossible to associate them with the supreme sovereign ruler and empress.

The Emperor and Empress of one’s imagination ought to be iron-blooded, majestic, and completely unreachable—entirely different from what he had pictured…

At this thought, Yun Yao was suddenly struck with a realization: had the Emperor and Empress spent this entire period chatting and laughing with them in a gentle, refined manner while simultaneously sweeping through Jiangnan with swift and decisive force?

No wonder when he had asked why they did not present the medicine directly to His Majesty, Young Master Lu had replied with meaningful depth, “His Majesty knows.” It turned out he had asked the question right in front of the Emperor himself!

What was even more unbelievable was that the Mafeisan and those recipes had all originated from the Empress.

Yun Yao had long heard that the current Empress was immensely wise and a paragon among the world’s scholars. Yet he had never imagined that wisdom reached such an extraordinary degree—these domains had long surpassed what scholars were expected to master.

Yun Yao’s mind was in utter turmoil. Too many revelations left him stunned; by comparison, the shock brought by their physical appearances was actually the smallest.

Those were naturally divine, breathtaking looks, but for those two, appearance was the most negligible of their virtues. When a person’s status and achievements reached a certain magnitude, no one would be superficial enough to focus solely on outward looks.

Knowing that this news was too overwhelming for ordinary people, Lu Xuechao intentionally left a little time for the two of them to process it.

Yun Yao was young after all. No matter how intelligent and precocious, he was still just a seventeen-year-old youth. He felt as though his entire worldview had been shattered, unable to believe he had chatted so naturally with the reigning Emperor and Empress for so many days. Though he had prepared a mind full of drafts before coming, he could not utter a single word right now.

An old ginger is spicier than a young one. With his deep life experience, Jiang Yue calmed down after a moment of shock. “This humble citizen was blind and failed to recognize Your Majesty and the Empress. If there were any slights or breaches of etiquette previously, I beg Your Majesty for forgiveness.”

Xie Chongjin took a sip of tea. “Master Jiang has never seen Us or the Empress, nor did the two of Us reveal our identities. Is it not entirely normal that you did not recognize us? Furthermore, even without knowing our identities, Master Jiang treated us with utmost courtesy. What crime could there be to forgive?”

Jiang Yue said, “It is this humble citizen’s greatest honor that Your Majesty is willing to cooperate with the Jiang family. However, this citizen has one doubt: why did Your Majesty not promote Mafeisan independently, rather than relying on the hand of the Jiang Yan Pharmacy?”

Having passed the age of fifty, he had long become an old fox. His Majesty and the Empress had been down south in Jiangnan for so long without exposing their identities, yet just as they were about to return to the capital, they suddenly revealed themselves and summoned them. It was clearly not just for idle chatter.

There had to be serious business to delegate.

And this serious business surely pertained to his doubt.

The immense value and importance of Mafeisan went without saying; keeping it in one’s own hands was far more reassuring than entrusting it to others. When Lu Xuechao had previously handed Mafeisan over to Jiang Yan Pharmacy to sell, his reasoning had been that he lacked the channels—the process of drug review, bulk production, hiring labor, and marketing were all extremely troublesome. Knowing how to develop a medicine did not mean one knew how to handle these tedious affairs, so it needed to be handed over to the mature manufacturing operations of Jiang Yan Pharmacy.

At the time, that reasoning sounded plausible enough. But looking at it now, Jiang Yue knew instantly that it was a complete lie.

This was the reigning Emperor and Empress! Whatever they wanted done, would their subordinates not handle it completely with a single imperial decree? Why would they need to worry about such tedious details? Originally, this transaction was built on the foundation of both parties getting what they needed. Yet looking at it now, His Majesty had no such need at all; he could have handled it entirely on his own, yet he gave the opportunity to the Jiang family.

His Majesty could have launched Mafeisan under the name of the Imperial Household. If nothing else, public support would have soared immensely. Who didn’t suffer from pain at some point? Using the medicine to relieve pain would make people grateful to its creator from the bottom of their hearts. Furthermore, all proceeds from Mafeisan would belong entirely to the Imperial Household, without needing to yield even a single share of profit to Jiang Yan Pharmacy. Why would His Majesty forgo such a magnificent opportunity and such massive profits? And why did the Jiang family deserve to receive such an overwhelming favor from the heavens?

Was it because they ran a charity?

Jiang Yue believed His Majesty was clear in reward and punishment. He might bestow gold, silver, fields, or mansions, but he would never bestow a share of the profits from Mafeisan—this was giving away far too much.

There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Jiang Yue firmly believed that having received all this, he would inevitably have to pay a price.

Yun Yao held the exact same thought. Skilled in the calculations of merchants, he felt that the actions of His Majesty and the Empress defied the principle of prioritizing profit above all else.

“A good question.” Xie Chongjin set down his teacup. “If We were to release Mafeisan under the name of the Changli Imperial Household, it would indeed benefit the people of Changli and harvest vast popular support. However, Mafeisan is of monumental significance. It is no longer just the people of Changli who need it—everyone in the world needs it.”

Painkillers were a thing where, before their existence, everyone suffered pain together. But once introduced, they became indispensable to everyone under the sun. A fertility medicine with a relatively narrow audience could already prompt people from the other three nations to seek it out eagerly, let alone a painkiller. Jiang Yue could see the prospects of this medicine; it was bound to spread throughout the whole world.

Yun Yao plucked up the courage to speak: “Is that not perfect? Since everyone under the sun needs it, Mafeisan will surely earn Your Majesty a fortune while simultaneously benefiting all living beings.”

Lu Xuechao spoke gently: “A physician possesses a benevolent heart. As a physician, I naturally hope everyone in the world can be spared from pain. However, as the Empress of Changli, I cannot allow this medicine to easily flow into foreign nations. For beyond ordinary illness and pain, the place in this world that suffers the most injuries and needs pain-relieving medicine the most is the military.”

Jiang Yue and Yun Yao froze.

Was there anything that caused more bloodshed, injuries, and a greater need for painkillers than waging war?

No.

Because there were no painkillers in the past, every war launched inevitably caused countless deaths and injuries—or rather, even with them, war itself would cause countless casualties, but without painkillers, even more people died.

Flesh and blood could not withstand blades and spears; men were not immune to pain, nor could they fight tirelessly like machines after being wounded. When soldiers were injured without medication to relieve their pain, their recovery was slow, and they would lose their combat capability. Many could not endure in the end, and the sheer pain was enough to break a soldier’s will and collapse morale, vastly reducing an army’s combat strength. Otherwise, when Qin Yulong stabbed that ‘female general’, he wouldn’t have kept pondering whether the opponent found the pain unbearable.

If they had Mafeisan, recovery speed would be vastly accelerated, elevating the combat strength of an entire army by more than a single level.

Imagine two armies clashing, originally evenly matched. If one side’s wounded could instantly relieve their pain and receive treatment, regaining full energy within a few days, while the other side consisted entirely of wounded soldiers enduring excruciating pain to keep fighting—which side would win?

Therefore, once Mafeisan was introduced, the imperial courts of the other three nations would be unable to sit still.

“If Mafeisan were released under the name of the Changli Imperial Household, we could certainly set high prices for trade with other nations. But for blood enemies like Yelang, could Changli possibly agree to trade, allowing Yelang to buy it to treat their soldiers, only for them to turn around and harm Changli’s officers and men once healed?” Xie Chongjin said unhurriedly. “If Changli refuses trade, would Yelang wage war to seize it by force? Changli has just endured natural and man-made disasters; it cannot sustain the drain of a war.”

Lu Xuechao added softly, “An ordinary man incurs calamity by possessing a treasure; the same applies to the imperial family. If such a drug is controlled by a nation’s sovereign power, it will always pose a threat to other regimes. It will not be adored by all, but will instead become a target for all.”

Unless Changli became strong enough to fear no foreign invasion.

But for now, it could not. Changli was not yet strong enough. Its political and economic efforts were just taking off, and its military strength remained fragile; it still needed to bide its time in obscurity.

“If Yelang Kingdom approaches Jiang Yan Pharmacy to purchase Mafeisan, how should Jiang Yan Pharmacy respond?” Yun Yao asked.

If they gave it to them, it would be no different from treason, earning the contempt of Changli. If they refused, he feared the entire Jiang family might be wiped out by Yelang.

He suddenly felt that this single share of profit… was indeed something the Jiang family deserved, because it was bloody danger money.

“If Yelang comes to purchase it during peacetime, sell it to them as usual. Why not earn money when it’s there to be made? Besides, when it comes to an enemy’s money, one ought to make a massive profit off it,” Lu Xuechao said nonchalantly. “If it truly comes down to war, all is fair in war. Lacing the medicine given to them with a little something would allow us to defeat them without spilling a drop of blood.”

Lu Xuechao was not only skilled in medicine; he was also a master of poison. With his methods, secretly administering poison without anyone noticing would be child’s play.

This was hardly the behavior of a gentleman, yet he felt not the slightest shame. Being a gentleman to one’s enemies was a sign of mental incompetence; if it meant using the lives of his own soldiers to maintain so-called honorable conduct, he would rather play the villain.

A century ago, Changli had fought honorably, only to be struck by Yelang’s Gu bugs, resulting in the total annihilation of fifty thousand troops.

Since Yelang could use Gu bugs, using medicine on them was merely returning blow for blow.

A war between Changli and Yelang was inevitable. Lu Xuechao was simply setting up the chessboard and placing his pieces today to lay an ambush for tomorrow.

A cold shudder ran through Yun Yao’s heart as he suddenly recalled Lu Xuechao’s words: “I am no physician.”

This was a strategist making calculated moves, an ambitious politician.

Their considerations always incorporated political factors—perspectives he could never even dream of.

“Then Huaman Pavilion…” Since a single Mafeisan concealed such a massive political chessboard, Yun Yao could not help but suspect that the restaurant was not just a restaurant either. In truth, did it double as an intelligence network or an assassin organization—perhaps designed to attract foreign nobles once its reputation grew, only to assassinate rival politicians?

“There is no need to be nervous; that truly is just a restaurant,” Lu Xuechao said with a light smile. “You two only need to manage it and be dutiful merchants.”

“His Majesty and I have stayed in Jiangnan for quite some time and plan to return to the capital in a few days. If there are further arrangements in the future, word will naturally be sent to you.”

Jiang Yue: “…Yes.”

He suddenly felt burdened with a monumental responsibility.

His Majesty and the Empress truly did not treat them as outsiders.

Xie Chongjin felt everything that needed to be delegated had been addressed, so he said, “You may take your leave.”

He still had to dine with Qingshu and was not fond of having onlookers around.

Jiang Yue hesitated and did not leave.

Xie Chongjin asked, “Is there anything else?”

After a moment’s thought, Jiang Yue spoke up: “This humble citizen has another medicine currently undergoing trials. It has already shown preliminary results. If Your Majesty has need of it…”

Xie Chongjin casually asked, “What medicine?”

The Jiang family’s primary business was a pharmacy. Even without Mafeisan, they had independently developed many drugs, and many of the remedies used to nourish Lu Xuechao’s constitution were produced by the Jiang family.

If there was something that could make Lu Xuechao healthier, Xie Chongjin would naturally require it.

Jiang Yue said, “The Life-Giving Pill, which can resolve the issue of weak semen during intimate encounters.”

Xie Chongjin paused, genuine confusion filling his eyes.

“Why do you think We would need such a thing?”

He knew Jiang Yan Pharmacy was famous for treating infertility, but what did that have to do with him? How had they ended up pitching this to his face?

Jiang Yue spoke with earnest sincerity: “Your Majesty need not hide your ailment or avoid seeking medical help.”

Lu Xuechao suddenly remembered something, leaning in to whisper in his ear: “Have you forgotten that back then, you loudly proclaimed everywhere that you had a weakness and couldn’t make your consort pregnant?”

He remembered how he had been upset over the pregnancy pill sent by subordinates back then. The very next day, a servant had rushed into the inner palace, reporting that the Crown Prince was telling everyone he suffered from a weakness, sighing over his own incompetence and inability to sire offspring. Others had quickly offered comfort, and from then on, no one dared bring up the topic of heirs in front of the Crown Prince again, lest it hurt His Highness’s self-esteem.

Lu Xuechao had laughed upon hearing it at the time, thinking Xie Chongjin was truly unreliable to come up with such a method. But after laughing, his eyes had turned slightly red.

To act contrary to worldly norms was destined to invite endless gossip. Since public criticism was unavoidable in the end, Xie Chongjin had chosen to shoulder the bad reputation himself.

His status was exalted—the future ruler of a nation—so people did not dare discuss it openly. Xie Chongjin had never taken it to heart either, and by now, he had completely forgotten about the incident.

Xie Chongjin extended his arm. “Master Jiang, take my pulse.”

Jiang Yue took his pulse, inwardly filled with slight astonishment. Where was there any sign of weak semen? The pulse was as energetic as a dragon and fierce as a tiger, overflowing with vigor and blood…

Could it be that the Empress had already cured him?

The Empress had even managed to invent Mafeisan, so curing His Majesty’s weakness a step ahead of time was hardly surprising.

“Your Majesty’s dragon body is robust and healthy,” Jiang Yue said as he withdrew his hand. “Was it cured by the Empress?”

“His Majesty has never suffered from any weakness,” Lu Xuechao said.

Yun Yao gasped, hardly daring to imagine the sheer weight of information hidden behind those words.

…

Stepping out of Huaman Pavilion, Yun Yao finally spoke up: “Did the Empress mean to say…”

Jiang Yue smiled bitterly: “Back then, Ah Yan wanted a child. Perhaps he truly loved children, but I do not know how much of it was driven by the disturbance of rumors and the pressure of worldly conventions, forcing him to crave a child so desperately. And whether my day-and-night research into pregnancy pills was also influenced by the rumors outside.”

He had not had a child until he was thirty-five, enduring endless gossip over the years. In a world where ‘of the three unfilial acts, having no descendants is the greatest’, failing to carry on the family line meant being drowned in public condemnation.

“I loved him, yet because of it, I harmed him.” Deep pain welled up in Jiang Yue’s eyes.

Yun Yao remained silent.

Yet His Majesty would not let the Empress take pregnancy pills, spared him the suffering of childbirth, and was even unwilling to let him endure the pressure of public gossip—going so far as to label himself ‘ill.’

Jiang Yan Pharmacy had served many wealthy and noble clients, including couples from influential families and imperial concubines from foreign palaces who relied on children to secure favor, fight for power, and seize thrones. Children were not the fruit of love there, but merely tools used to climb the ladder of imperial power. If ordinary official power was sickening enough in its ability to cover the sky with one hand, how much more so was imperial power, steeped in filth and stained with blood?

How could pure love exist in such a place?

Yun Yao suddenly recalled that rainy night, when a black-clothed swordsman had run wildly through the downpour holding hands with a white-robed gentleman—an act utterly unbefitting their solemn identities.

That was indeed not something a normal Emperor and Empress would do.

Yet it filled one with envy.

The direction running counter to the mundane world was precisely the freedom that the entire world secretly longed for.