pdf-ebookys Chapter 953 Harm
Chapter 953 Harm
Pengpeng didn't expect Xiaoyuer to be so disrespectful to him, and his face turned red and then pale. "This...this...I was just anxious. The imperial examination is just around the corner, and there's never enough time in the day. I just wanted to eat some hibiscus paste to perk myself up. I really didn't have any other idea."
"How much did you eat?" Zhang Ping'an asked.
Pengpeng lowered his head and raised a finger, "Just today, I didn't control the amount properly, so my stomach and spleen are upset, and I'm vomiting and having diarrhea."
Zhang Ping'an scanned his nephew repeatedly, leaving him to his own devices for a while. Seeing the other man's head drooping lower and lower, and confirming that he wasn't lying, Zhang Ping'an softened his tone slightly.
Instead of mentioning the Hibiscus Cream again, they started talking about the Five-Stone Powder from the previous dynasty hundreds of years ago:
“Punishment must be based on evidence! Even if I were your uncle, I wouldn’t punish you or convict you without cause. But you are, after all, a scholar who passed the imperial examinations. You must have heard about the fact that powerful figures of the previous dynasty were fond of consuming Five-Stone Powder. Do you know why Five-Stone Powder gradually disappeared?”
The question was asked by Pengpeng. "When I was studying in Lin'an, the Master mentioned this matter. It was because Wushi Powder contained stalactites, amethyst, white quartz, sulfur, and arsenic, so it was eventually identified as a poison."
Zhang Ping'an nodded and continued, "Are you clear about this process?"
Pengpeng recalled: "It is said that the main reason why many nobles and celebrities took it for a long time was that they developed symptoms of poisoning such as carbuncles, sunken back, tongue retraction into the throat, ulceration of the spine, and mental disorders, and eventually died. Only then did it gradually attract attention. At first, we thought it was because their souls were not at home."
The subsequent deaths of Pei Xiu, Emperor Ai (Sima Pi), and Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei, among others, directly proved the lethality of Wushi Powder, which even emperors could not escape. Furthermore, the renowned physician Sun Simiao, in his *Qianjin Fang* (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold), urged that "if you encounter this prescription, you must burn it immediately and not keep it for long." With the efficacy of Wushi Powder diminished, it naturally gradually disappeared.
“That’s right, that’s roughly the process. From then on, the aristocratic families took this as a warning and never allowed their children to touch any addictive drugs. If they were found to be addicted, they would be expelled from the family. The Pei family, the Cui family, the Qian family, and all the famous families you know did the same,” Zhang Ping’an said calmly.
When Xiaoyuer heard the old doctor say that the effects of Furong Ointment were similar to those of Wushi Powder in the morning, he had already gone through the details of Wushi Powder in his mind, so he had no doubt about the power of Furong Ointment.
At this point, someone chimed in, "Moreover, although the Five-Stone Powder eventually disappeared, it went through a long process of understanding, and many people died to reach this consensus. Not a single scion of aristocratic families touched this stuff, which tells you how powerful it was."
"I think the young master of the Minister of Revenue is deliberately lying to you. He's also taking the imperial examination this year, and at this crucial moment, it's no wonder he's so kind as to tell you this method to refresh your mind!"
Pengpeng stammered without saying a word, then seemed to realize something. After a long while, he whispered a promise: "Uncle, I really know I was wrong. I will never touch this thing again. Please forgive me this time!"
"I hope you can keep your word," Zhang Ping'an said, staring intently at Pengpeng.
"Otherwise, don't blame your uncle for being heartless and disowning you as his nephew. Our Zhang family will absolutely not tolerate a relative who is addicted to drugs. Once you are truly addicted, you will no longer be yourself. You will live like a walking corpse. Do you know how serious this is?"
Pengpeng was stunned, his scalp tingling. He really didn't dare to have any thoughts of taking a shortcut. After taking a deep breath, he sincerely said, "Uncle, I understand!"
"Alright, then I'll punish you by making you copy the Diamond Sutra ten times, completely and without a single mistake. Only by calming your mind can you wash away the restlessness in your heart. Otherwise, you'll just be filling in the numbers for this exam. After the exam, you can go live in a villa in the suburbs!"
After Zhang Ping'an announced his decision, Pengpeng was stunned for a moment before saying, almost crying, "Uncle, please don't send me to the outskirts. I promise I'll never touch this thing again!"
Zhang Ping'an raised his hand to stop him from speaking: "I believe you mean what you're saying now. The manor is so big, it doesn't need you to eat. But I'm sending you to live in the suburban villa, it's definitely not to kick you out. It was my oversight. For so long, although I've been paying attention to your studies, I overlooked the fact that you've become restless and irritable since you came to the capital. If you continue like this, even if you pass the imperial examination, you'll stumble a lot in your future career. Becoming a good person comes before becoming talented. Once you've completely washed away your restlessness and can calm down and think things through, it's not too late to talk about your future. The manor's doors will always be open to you."
Zhang Ping'an spoke firmly, and Pengpeng dared not plead any further, secretly turning his pleading gaze to Zhang Lao Er and Xu Shi.
Xu hesitated for a moment, wanting to say something, but Zhang Lao Er raised his hand and pressed her down. So she sighed and ultimately did not help plead for her.
Seeing that even the last person who could have pleaded on his behalf remained silent, Pengpeng was filled with immense regret for ever touching that hibiscus ointment. With so many troubles in his life, he was determined never to touch that stuff again, absolutely never!
"Alright, that's enough about this matter. Neither of you are allowed to have anything to do with Furong Ointment again. As for the pharmacy you mentioned, I will have someone investigate it. Its appearance at the crucial moment of the imperial examination is not without reason. No matter who is behind it, I will not allow this stuff to leak out and harm people," Zhang Ping'an said with sharp and resolute eyes.
He knew all too well the dangers of this addiction; it was practically an invisible weapon that harmed not only the user but also others!
After hearing this, Little Fish patted his clothes and went back to his room to continue his studies.
Pengpeng looked a little dejected and slowly returned to his own yard.
That evening, Zhang Ping'an sent his son out to inquire after he had eaten his fill. He learned that the product was actually selling very well recently, and the price was not particularly expensive.
It is indeed sold in small and medium-sized clinics and pharmacies, mainly targeting relatively wealthy people. New customers can also try it for free once, which has attracted many people. It is claimed to be a miracle drug imported from overseas that can cure all diseases, whether it is headache, fever, or back and leg pain.
Ordinary people, unaware of the truth, used the product and felt that their pain was indeed relieved, so they thought it was a miracle drug and rushed to buy it.
Besides pharmacies, some brothels also secretly sell it.
"Have you found out who's behind this? Who transported it?" Zhang Ping'an asked.
After eating his fill, he shook his head and said, "On the surface, it was transported from overseas by a trading company in the capital. I checked, and this trading company is newly opened, very mysterious, and has very little connection with other trading companies. Nobody knows where it came from. It will probably take some time to find out who is behind it. While we were investigating, I discovered that other forces were also inquiring about it."
"Oh? Looks like this person didn't intend to stay hidden forever. Quite bold. I'd like to know who it is!" Zhang Ping'an sneered.