Chapter 11: The Seven-Times-a-Night Pill

"Duang, Duang, Duang, clang... The weather is dry; beware of fire..."

As the sound of the night watchman drifted from afar, it became known that it was already the third watch of the night.

The Crown Prince's consort's procession, having just exited the inner city, was moving rapidly westward, ascending Mount Xishan to lodge at Lingtai Temple.

This spectacle, which appeared regularly twice a month, was so familiar to nearby residents and night patrol officers that it had become a well-known routine.

Upon the Crown Prince's consort entering Lingtai Temple, Abbot "Great Master Citong," who had been waiting for some time, immediately came forward to welcome her; after performing the customary prostrations before the temple's main deity, "Medicine Buddha,"

they immediately proceeded to the meditation cell nestled among the bamboo groves on the rear mountain, where, as usual, she would spend the night.

Outside the meditation cell, the atmosphere was solemn and dignified.

One hundred and twenty members of the Crown Prince's guard were stationed there; clad in uniform black armor and holding short blades, their eyes sharp as eagles and wolves, they vigilantly patrolled the surroundings.

Their steps were perfectly synchronized, without a single extraneous sound, forming an iron wall and copper rampart guarding the open ground around the meditation cell.

All around was silent; one could hear only one's own breathing.

The cheerful chirping of cicadas and birds originally present in Lingtai Temple was suppressed by the imposing aura of the warriors, daring not to emit a single sound.

In the mountains and forests outside the courtyard, even when a gentle breeze swept by, raising the rustling sound of falling leaves, it was halted by the warriors' vigilant gazes, daring not to approach a single step closer.

Within a radius of three hundred zhang lay a forbidden zone, cleared of all humans and livestock! Without orders or permission, not even the temple's monks were allowed to approach a single step.

Inside the meditation cell, besides the Crown Prince's consort, there were her personal maid "Xiao Zhen" and two female sword-bearing guards, totaling four people.

The Crown Prince's guard was organized into squads of four, with pairs forming groups; each group held one lantern. There were sixty lanterns in total surrounding the meditation cell, making this spot the brightest in the entire bamboo grove!

Tonight was the fifteenth, the night of the full moon; with not a cloud in the sky for ten thousand li, the night was especially bright, so that even without lanterns, one could clearly see the tree shadows in the distance.

"I see the moonlight tonight is as bright as day; perhaps... I could make a suggestion to the Hundred-Household my lord to extinguish the lanterns."

A young guard named "A Hu Qiang," recently transferred from the northern frontier defense, said timidly, holding a lantern in one hand and pressing the embroidered spring blade hanging at his waist with the other.

"Don't invite a scolding; if you're told to carry the lantern, then carry it!"

His partner from the same group, an old guard named "Er Gou," added, "This is not the frontier; there aren't so many taboos here."

Er Gou had also served at the frontier in the past and knew the habits of the frontier soldiers well. Guarding beyond the pass, wandering at night carrying lanterns was a rhythm courting death! Not only did it expose one's position, but if things went poorly, the entire squad of brothers behind oneself could lose their lives!

However, inside the pass within the city was different; when a large force carried lanterns, besides illuminating the way for oneself and increasing visibility, more importantly, it bolstered one's courage and served as an early warning system.

In the capital region, where public order was relatively good, ordinary bandits and thieves, upon seeing a sea of lanterns from afar, would mostly take the initiative to avoid them; if they further saw an "official office name" written on the lanterns, they would dare not approach even more, detouring around them whenever spotted.

A Hu Qiang and Er Gou were stationed at the outermost sentry point on the east side of the meditation cell, enduring gusts of cold wind and mosquito bites!

In their hearts, they thought of only one thing: hurry until dawn, withdraw the team, and end the shift.

Hundred-Household my lord "Brother Liu," holding a handful of incense sticks, walked from behind to inspect the sentries. He distributed one incense stick each to Er Gou and A Hu Qiang, instructing them, "Stick the incense into the ground; it can repel insects." Having spoken, he moved on to the next sentry point.

A Hu Qiang said, "Brother Liu is truly remarkable, even preparing incense sticks for us."

"Tsk... Coming here to stand guard twice a month, one eventually stands out some insights."

Er Gou said dismissively, "That incense was bought by the brothers pooling their own money; otherwise... with so many mosquitoes and insects in this bamboo grove, who could endure it!"

A Hu Qiang said, "So that's how it is!"

Er Gou said, "By the way, later you should also go find the Hundred-Household to contribute your share; everyone in our Crown Prince's guard has paid, and you are no exception!"

A Hu Qiang said, "Understood."

In less than half an hour, sharp-eyed A Hu Qiang spotted a group of people rapidly ascending the mountain from afar and immediately reported nervously to Er Gou.

Er Gou squinted, looking in the direction A Hu Qiang pointed, and said, "Ah, it's nothing, nothing; those are people from Prime Minister He."

A Hu Qiang said, "Prime Minister... Prime Minister He?"

A Hu Qiang stared at the group rapidly approaching from below the mountain; soon, they were close enough to clearly see the lanterns they carried; but what puzzled him was that although Er Gou said they were the Prime Minister's people, they were carrying lanterns marked with the Lu Family Escort Agency!

The Lu Family Escort Agency team was not large, numbering about thirty or so people.

Brother Liu quickly arrived to liaise with the lead escort; in less than a quarter of an hour, an official sedan chair had appeared not far from the front line of the Crown Prince's guard's defense.

"You haven't been here long, this being your first day on this assignment..."

Er Gou lowered his voice to remind A Hu Qiang.

"Tonight... anything you see, treat it as if it never happened, understand!"

A Hu Qiang said, "Wh... why..."

"Don't worry about it, and don't ask..." Er Gou pointed at the sky and continued, "In short... these are matters for those my lords above; we are merely men eating official grain, receiving pay to handle duties; other matters beyond our station need not be asked, nor should they be!"

The Crown Prince's consort and her entourage inside the meditation cell, hearing the sound of a large group moving outside, knew that the "person" had arrived; moments later, the meditation cell door was pushed open, and Prime Minister He walked in alone.

"Greetings, Elder Minister..."

The two female guards cupped their fists and bowed, paying their respects.

"This slave greets Elder Minister."

Xiao Zhen overlapped her hands, pressed them against her upper abdomen, bowed her head, and bent her knees in a formal salute.

Prime Minister He ignored their greetings, making no response whatsoever, and walked directly toward the meditation cell where the Crown Prince's consort was located.

"Is Elder Minister well?"

the Crown Prince's consort asked in greeting.

"This subject is well,"

Prime Minister He replied. With time limited, he did not beat around the bush, asking straight away: "Has the Crown Prince favored you recently?"

The Crown Prince's consort said, "No!"

Upon hearing the Crown Prince's consort's answer, Prime Minister He first sighed, lamenting, "Eight years, a full eight years; has the Crown Prince truly not touched you?"

Seeing the Crown Prince's consort's face filled with grievance, she pouted and said, "His Highness the Crown Prince has a preference for Longyang; he would rather sleep with young boys..."

"Crown Prince's consort, remember not to speak nonsense!"

Before the Crown Prince's consort could finish her sentence, Prime Minister He quickly interrupted!

He continued, "Regarding matters of Longyang... I understand; but regarding matters of young boys, do not mention them again! Unless... you wish to cause the Crown Prince to be deposed!"

Subsequently, Prime Minister He pulled a finely crafted bronze box from his sleeve.

he said, "Take this... dissolve it into wine, and have the Crown Prince drink it first, then share a room with him. Remember — within two hours, don't let any other woman be near the Crown Prince!"

The Crown Princess took the copper case, opened it, and inside were five pale-blue pills the size of peanuts.

"What is this?" the Crown Princess asked.

"One night of lewd sin — even gods can't dissuade. Among the jianghu, it's called: 'One-Night Seven-Times Pill'!"

Prime Minister Crane continued, "This is a wondrous medicine I obtained from 'Daoist Bliss.' No matter man or beast, after taking one pill, their beastly nature will erupt — gods blocking get slain, Buddhas blocking get slain!

Only when the drug's effect wears off will they wake from the great dream."

After Prime Minister Crane left behind the copper case and the One-Night Seven-Times Pills, he rose and departed; the Lu Family Escort Agency contingent that had come with him also went down the mountain.

In the bamboo grove, the stillness that should have been there returned, as if no other party had come that night.

The next day, after the Crown Princess finished her Buddhist rites and sutra chanting, the large party immediately descended the mountain, returning to the Eastern Palace before noon.

After Ah Hu Qiang's shift ended, Er Gou brought him to the armory.

There, Brother Liu held a heavy burlap sack, distributing silver to the brothers who had gone up the mountain on duty the night before — one tael per person, no more, no less!

Er Gou said that was hush money for last night's duty, buying that big mouth's silence — not a whisper must leak out!

Because they could earn this extra pay twice a month, faced with this off-the-books income, every member of the Crown Prince's guard understood without saying a word, welcomed it gladly, quietly took the money, behaved on duty, and after enough time, grew used to it, no longer found it strange......

Ah Hu Qiang took the silver and thought, if the Crown Princess really has some unspeakable "habits," our guard brothers are simply the best tool for covering things up. A bit of hush money handed out two or three times a month, everyone knows the score, no one says a word — even if the sky fell, they wouldn't speak.

Actually, we don't care what the Crown Princess is doing in the meditation room — cultivating Chan, cultivating immortality, or "dual cultivation" with Prime Minister Crane?

Anyway, we're just responsible for guarding outside the meditation room, making sure the people inside can "cultivate in peace." Once the monthly hush money is in hand, our wish is "granted."

Although this assignment isn't as grand as our usual posting at the palace gates, occasionally taking on a few of these "custom private" jobs.

Looking back, this bit of extra cash can also make the wives and children of brothers who need to support their families happy — that's pretty good too.

We ourselves can also drink a few bottles of good wine and while away the time — wouldn't that be wonderful!