Looking down at the small piece of powder wrapped in plain silk in his hand, Cao Rui's brows furrowed deeper and deeper.
Is this the Wu Shi San?
Cao Rui asked: "He Yan, why do you want to take Wu Shi San? Do you know what it is?"
He Yan smiled, and stretched out two slender white hands from his green robe. He gently cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty may not know that this Five Stone Powder is not an ordinary thing, but an elixir. Taking it can make people clear-minded and often feel like ascending to heaven."
As He Yan spoke, his shoulders twisted slightly unconsciously, as if a bug had crawled into his robe.
Sima Yi stood aside and scolded, "He Yan! How could you be so disrespectful in front of the emperor?"
He Yan remained unannoyed, and without even glancing at Sima Yi, he said directly to the emperor: "The Wushi Powder I took is a stone medicine with extremely hot properties. After taking it, my whole body will feel dry, and it is inevitable that I will feel a little itchy. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."
"I don't feel cold in winter, and I don't feel hot in a single layer of clothes. After taking this medicine, I should walk for a whole hour to slowly dissipate the effect of the medicine. Only after sweating can I feel comfortable. I call this action 'walking and dispersing'."
"Stop talking nonsense!" He Yan ignored Sima Yi, and Sima Yi took advantage of the emperor's power to reprimand He Yan: "No matter what, you missed the time and didn't go to the office, you should be punished!"
Cao Rui looked curiously at Sima Yi who was standing in front of him and reprimanding him, wondering why his words were so sharp.
He Yan and Sima Yi really had a grudge against each other.
After Cao Cao took He Yan's mother Yin as his concubine, Cao Cao doted on He Yan like a prince. He Yan also took advantage of his doting and became arrogant. His clothes and accessories were often as gorgeous as Cao Pi's, and he often showed off everywhere.
Cao Pi, a man of insight, hated He Yan's flamboyant behavior and often called him a "fake son" to his face. Sima Yi was one of Cao Pi's four friends, so Sima Yi also looked down on He Yan.
What's more, He Yan is extremely lustful!
After He Yan married Cao Cao's daughter, Princess Jinxiang, he also kept dozens of concubines at home. During the Huangchu period, He Yan did not serve as an official, but lived in leisure at home.
When people are free, they will naturally do many inexplicable things. This Wushisan was also discovered by He Yan when he was researching aphrodisiacs and strength-enhancing drugs, and he improved it.
Of course, who would say that they take medicine every day for the purpose of strengthening their sexual function? Calling it a Taoist medicine is more elegant.
Although Sima Yi was asking about He Yan's absence from the government office, Cao Rui interrupted Sima Yi.
Cao Rui looked at He Yan and said, "He Yan, I want to ask you, how can this Five Stone Powder be regarded as an elixir of life? Is there anyone in this world who can become an immortal?"
He Yan smiled and replied, "Your Majesty, although mortals cannot often see immortals with their naked eyes, how can what is recorded in books and passed down in history be all false?"
"Didn't Emperor Wu also write a poem praising it? 'I wish I could have a god riding in a cloud chariot, riding a white deer, going up to the gate of heaven, and granting me the divine medicine.'"
"I combined Zhang Zhongjing's Cold Food Powder and Black Powder into one, and added Taoist elixir recipes to gradually arrive at this recipe."
"Five stones, five colors, five directions, five elements, five internal organs... There are so many mysteries that it's hard to describe them in detail." He Yan bowed and said, "I would like to present this Five Stone Powder to Your Majesty. Your Majesty will know if it is the medicine of the immortals after you try it!"
He Yan was Cao Cao's adopted son, so normally Sima Yi, the Minister of Works, had no reason to do anything to He Yan. But today, in front of the emperor, Sima Yi got his chance.
Sima Yi said angrily: "How dare He Yan! How could you give such an unknown substance to Your Majesty and even attribute it to Emperor Wu? He should be executed!"
He Yan put his hand down, his face turned cold and he looked at Sima Yi: "Sir Kong, what you said is unreasonable! I have never offended you in any way, and I have always been polite to you. Why do you always make things difficult for me?"
"You..." Sima Yi raised his finger and pointed at He Yan, and was about to speak.
Cao Rui looked at Sima Yi, then turned to look at He Yan: "This thing is harmful to the body, don't you know? The stone poison accumulates in the stomach over time, making people addicted, or even deadly!"
He Yan looked puzzled. How could the emperor know that Wushisan was addictive and also had stone poison? He had never told anyone else about this!
Besides, what about addiction? What's the harm in having some hidden dangers for such a wonderful thing?
It can only be said that He Yan had only been taking Wu Shi San for about a year, and the dose had not yet accumulated to the point where the poison would occur.
He Yan bowed and smiled, "Your Majesty, Emperor Wu said, 'It is like the morning dew, the past days are full of suffering', and the previous emperor also said, 'Human beings live in the world, just like a flying bird perching on a dry branch, and they are always late in finding happiness!'"
"Your Majesty, this thing is wonderful. I have been taking it for a year. Why can't I use it?"
He Yan used the poems of Cao Cao and Cao Pi to shield himself from the attack, and everyone present frowned. Even Cao Zhi, who was sitting on the emperor's right hand, had a hint of resentment on his face.
Cao Rui looked at He Yan coldly: "You have been taking Wu Shi San for a year, and you still haven't felt the harm of this thing? Do you want me to repeat it to you again?"
"If the poison takes effect one day, it will be too late to regret!"
He Yan still insisted: "Your Majesty, I just changed a little bit of Zhang Zhongjing's prescription, how can it be harmful?"
"Your Majesty may not know that when Wang Can and Wang Zhongxuan were in Xiangyang, he was only 20 years old. Zhang Zhongjing once saw Wang Zhongxuan's disease and said that his eyebrows would fall out at the age of 40 and he would die half a year after his eyebrows fell out. Only taking Wu Shi San could cure it."
"Wang Zhongxuan refused to take the medicine, and he died at the age of forty!"
Cao Zhi, who was sitting nearby, could no longer bear it. He stood up, pointed at He Yan's nose and cursed, "Wang Zhongxuan was a man of great talent but God envied him. He died young due to plague. How could you make up such a miraculous story to praise your Five-Stone Powder!" He Yan had just quoted the words of Cao Cao and Cao Pi. Although Cao Zhi was unhappy, he could endure it. After all, sitting next to him was the emperor who better represented the Cao family.
But when He Yan mentioned Wang Can, the most learned and crowned literati in Yexia among the "Seven Sages of the Jian'an Period", Cao Zhi could no longer bear it.
Sima Yi and Wei Zhen were crude and vulgar and did not like literature, and the emperor had never met Wang Can. If he did not stand up and speak for Wang Can, I am afraid that this Five Stone Powder would really be endorsed by Wang Can.
Cao Rui glanced at Cao Zhi sideways, raised his right hand and pressed down a few times, and Cao Zhi had no choice but to sit back at the seat.
After coughing lightly, Cao Rui looked at He Yan and said, "I have already advised you kindly just now. You should have heard what Sikong and the emperor's uncle said."
"Taking Wushisan is not a capital crime, and the court has no such law. Since I can't persuade you, I won't stop you from taking it. Life and death, disaster and happiness, you decide for yourself."
"Although I don't care about you, this matter is not over yet." Cao Rui looked in the direction of Sima Yi and Wei Zhen: "As an official, taking this kind of medicine that breaks people's minds and destroys their bodies, does the Shangshutai have any explanation?"
Sima Yi and Wei Zhen looked at each other. Sima Yi bent down and whispered a few words to Wei Zhen, then stood up and looked at the emperor.
"Your Majesty," Sima Yi said, cupping his hands. "I ask that this Five Stone Powder be banned among officials in the imperial court. Anyone who takes it will be imprisoned for life and cannot serve as an official!"
"Did you hear that?" Cao Rui stared at He Yan with a look of pity in his eyes: "If you can turn back from your mistakes, I am willing to give you a chance."
He Yan bowed his hands and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, I really don't know your Majesty's intention. I took this medicine after I improved it. Why do your Majesty and the Minister of Works think it is harmful?"
Cao Rui looked with disgust at He Yan's shaking body and his weak face after indulging in lust, and slowly shook his head.
"You brought this upon yourself!" Cao Rui looked at Sikong and said, "I have approved the request of the Shangshutai. Anyone who takes the Five Stone Powder will never be allowed to be an official for the rest of his life."
"Hahahaha." He Yan clapped his hands lightly, still shaking his head. His face flushed red and tears actually came out for a moment.
Cao Rui didn't know for a moment whether He Yan had gone mad after taking Wu Shi San, or if something was wrong with him. Everyone in the hall also looked at He Yan's strange behavior.
He Yan slowly walked to Sima Yi, squinted his eyes and said, "Sima Zhongda, you are determined to harm me, but you don't know that you will suffer the consequences."
Sima Yi's eyes flashed, and he also frowned and stared at He Yan. For a moment, there was a sense of tit-for-tat.
After a few moments, He Yanxian turned around, bowed and said to the emperor: "I have something to report to Your Majesty, I hope Your Majesty will listen to me."
Cao Rui uttered two words expressionlessly: "Tell me!"
He Yan pointed at Sima Yi with a sneer on his face and said, "I want to explain to Your Majesty that Sima Yi's eldest son, Sima Shi, also took this powder with us and took some home to cheer himself up!"
"If Your Majesty doesn't believe it, just send someone to investigate!"
"The thief is harming my son!"
Sima Yi opened his eyes wide after hearing this, but in the next moment he took a step forward, grabbed He Yan's collar, was about to throw him to the ground, and swung his fist to hit He Yan.
Although He Yan had a fair face and a slim figure, in other words, he was very weak and was pushed to the ground by Sima Yi in an instant.
He Yan shouted, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty! We can tell who is being disrespectful in front of the emperor at a glance!"
Cao Rui suddenly stood up from his seat and shouted, "Enough! Stop it! Silence!"
Sima Yi helplessly pushed He Yan again, stood up and straightened his robe, but there was still a lingering anger in his eyes.
"Dian Man! Send He Yan and the other five people to the Imperial Court! Connect them to the Shangshutai and the consumption of the Five-Stone Powder. Have Gao Rou investigate these people for me!"
Cao Rui turned his head and looked at Sima Yi again: "Sikong, please go back to your Sikong Mansion today and take care of your family affairs. Tomorrow morning, come to the palace and give me an explanation."
After saying that, Cao Rui walked straight out the door without looking back.
Seeing the emperor walking out, Wei Zhen, Xin Pi and Chen Jiao also hurriedly stood up and followed. Dian Man and his guards also stepped forward to arrest He Yan.
Just as the two warriors grabbed He Yan's arms, one on the left and one on the right, Sima Yi, who had already taken two steps, suddenly turned back and punched He Yan hard in the face, causing his nose to bleed instantly.
The only one left in the hall was Cao Zhi, who looked confused and had no idea how things had come to this.
Are things progressing so fast? (End of this chapter)
