Chapter 1626: Beware of Trouble from the Mouth

"Lord Qiu has been haggard and lost a lot of weight recently." He Lingchuan whispered, "Here are a few Soul-Nourishing Pills, which can truly nourish the soul and replenish essence; one pill will show effect. Lord Qiu works hard and worries a lot on weekdays, so using it is just right for the occasion." Accompanying the Yao King, what good things had Qiu Long not seen? He wouldn't put ordinary things in his eyes. However, there is a saying, accompanying the monarch is like accompanying a tiger; the older the Yao King gets, the stranger his temper becomes, turning his face if he disagrees, so Qiu Long really has to be twelve times more careful by his side.

He had cultivation, and was still very strong, but his energy was no longer comparable to that of a young man, and he was really afraid that the Yao King would start to dislike him for being old and dull. Hearing that what He Xiao sent was a Soul-Nourishing Pill, he smiled: "Good, good, Island Master He is thoughtful."

Spiritual medicines that can nourish and replenish the soul are rare, and this was indeed what he needed right now. With He Xiao's status and vision, what he could take out must not be ordinary.

He Lingchuan added: "These pills are delicate and must be kept in this red jade box; every time the lid is opened, it cannot exceed ten breaths, otherwise it will easily deteriorate and fail."

Qiu Long nodded and added: "Does Island Master He really want to leave our country?"

Actually, he didn't believe it, and the Yao King didn't believe it either. Over the past few months, He Xiao had been confronting Qing Yang with all his might, sometimes splashing mud on Qing Yang's face; how arrogant was that? Now, would he really be timid because of a Cao Wendao? "To tell the truth, I am reluctant." He Lingchuan said nonsense with a frank face, "In half a year in Heavenly Water City, the gains far exceeded the past ten years; anyone would not want to leave. It's just, sigh, now that there is some chaos inside and outside the city, and I always feel that the Regent is secretly planning to attack me—doesn't the Cao Wendao incident prove that my feeling is not false?"

He immediately added: "Seeing that the Imperial Flowing Nectar is about to erupt, I—"

There was no follow-up, but he shook his head.

"The King's golden words say you are safe, so you are safe in Heavenly Water City." Qiu Long comforted him, "Island Master He doesn't need to worry."

He sent He Lingchuan outside the Chunhua Gate, then turned back, and He Lingchuan was accompanied out of the palace by a small palace attendant.

Throughout the process, He Lingchuan made no other requests. Qiu Long accepted his gift and was also at ease.

Hugging Buddha's feet temporarily and sending gifts only when needed are all inferior strategies, and those who receive gifts don't like people to be straightforward, so one must cultivate feelings and build relationships on weekdays, and just say hello when needed, understanding each other.

Otherwise, why would He Lingchuan always be surrounded by so many officials? Now Qiu Long went around to the Dan-Diet Workshop, took out the red jade box He Lingchuan gave him, and examined it.

The box itself was carved from a whole piece of spiritual jade, and there were rune formations on it.

He opened the box, and the fragrance was refreshing; seven pills the size of peanuts lay on the brocade velvet, greenish and translucent, with excellent appearance.

Qiu Long picked one up and said to the palace guard behind him: "Take it in for testing, as soon as possible."

"Yes!"

Before long, the palace guard ran out to report: No poison, the main ingredient might be Jula tree fruit.

Qiu Long pinched half of this pill and gave it to the palace guard: "Reward for you."

The palace guard thanked him for the reward, took it, and swallowed it in one gulp.

As soon as the pill entered his stomach, he felt refreshed, and the fatigue of being on the night shift for three consecutive days was swept away, as comfortable as if he had slept for ten hours after soaking in a hot spring.

Even the puffiness and dark circles under his eyes miraculously disappeared, and the whole person looked radiant.

He Xiao did not exaggerate; this medicine indeed had miraculous effects.

Qiu Long took him to do errands, and an hour later, the palace guard was still in excellent condition, without any discomfort. Only then did Qiu Long eat the remaining half of the pill.

Hmm, refreshing!

Accompanying the King, even his mind became flexible.

So Qiu Long hid the red jade box close to his body.

Here, He Lingchuan was guided by the small palace attendant toward the palace gate, and when passing by the Pomegranate Pavilion, he heard voices coming from inside.

"What!" This person was probably very surprised, his voice raised by five degrees, "What did you say happened to Brother Zhao?"

"Zhao Xiao went out to drink the night before last and didn't return by dawn. His family went out to look for him and finally found him in the canal, but it was too late." Another sighed, "Probably drank too much and slipped down accidentally."

"Impossible, Brother Zhao has always been a light drinker; when have you ever seen him drink a fourth cup?"

"The government invited a coroner to examine the body yesterday; it was indeed drowning, water in the lungs, no injuries on the body, and half a bottle of wine floating in the canal."

"Then..."

The person who spoke first was interrupted just as he made a sound: "Don't ask, asking more won't do you any good. You and I know what Zhao Xiao wanted to participate in recently."

"Local government warehouses..."

"Shh!" Everyone wished they could cover this guy's mouth, "What kind of place is this? Beware of trouble from the mouth!"

"What we know, don't the princes and nobles know? Don't Lord You and the others know?" Another said, "They all pretend to be confused, so why should we stick our necks out?"

He Lingchuan stepped heavily and walked past with the small palace attendant; sure enough, there were no big officials in the pavilion.

The morning court was about to begin, and these officials didn't like the turbid air indoors, so they were temporarily breathing the clean and fresh cold air in the Pomegranate Pavilion, and chatting a few words by the way.

Who in the Royal Court didn't know him? The officials in the pavilion all came over and greeted He Lingchuan enthusiastically.

He Lingchuan exchanged a few pleasantries with them and then left.

No one noticed that a small, inconspicuous spider was clinging to the hem of the person who spoke up for Zhao Xiao earlier.

This person was called Huang Rulin, a colleague of Zhao Xiao, who entered the service almost at the same time as him and usually chatted well.

He didn't listen carefully to the arguments in the morning court today. He noticed the Yao King sitting on the throne, covering his sleeves and yawning, as indifferent as he was.

The morning court ended, and he declined the dinner invitations of other colleagues and went straight home.

His wife saw him return empty-handed and asked directly: "Where are the hairpins from Baoxiang Building?"

"Uh." Huang Rulin only then remembered that he had promised his wife to help pick up the custom-made jewelry at Baoxiang Building last night, "Forgot!"

"What's wrong with you? Soul-lost." His wife found his face was not good.

He told the truth: "Zhao Xiao is gone. Found dead in the river canal yesterday morning."

His wife was startled: "Oh my, such a living person, how could he be gone just like that?"

Huang Rulin married his mentor's daughter, who was not only prosperous for her husband but also good at giving him advice. He pulled his wife into the room, dismissed the servants, closed the doors and windows tightly, and then said: "The coroner said it was drunken accidental drowning."

"Nonsense, Zhao Xiao drinks less than you." His wife was suspicious, "His personality is too straight, speaking without restraint, did he offend someone?"

Huang Rulin's voice was even lower: "I just remembered one thing, Zhao Xiao mentioned to me a few days ago that the military warehouses in the four northern towns and several places in the northwest all have problems, and, and the problems are not small."

His wife frowned: "What problems?" ===== CHAPTER 1627 =====