Chapter 781: 363 Major Discovery (First Update) Chapter 781: 363 Major Discovery (First Update) Gu Jiao heard from Elder Qin that the relationship between His Majesty and her aunt had once been quite close, but for some reason, it gradually drifted apart.
Elder Qin couldn’t point out when exactly this happened, only that the growing estrangement was undeniable, and Princess Ning An found herself caught in the middle. After His Majesty ascended to the throne and the Empress Dowager started ruling behind the curtain, they banished the quiet and calm Imperial Concubine Jing to the nunnery and their ties were completely severed.
Seeing Gu Jiao deep in thought, Nanxiang knew she must be pondering something significant.
Yet, Nanxiang didn’t pry.
She was fond of Gu Xiaoshun and hoped to become family with him, hence, she naturally treated Gu Jiao differently but she wouldn’t overstep her role as an elder and meddle with Gu Jiao’s private affairs.
She simply listened to what Gu Jiao was willing to share; if it was inconvenient for Gu Jiao to divulge, she would not ask.
Gu Jiao then asked, “Madam Nan, you mentioned earlier that this herb serves as a drug conduit, so it must be used in conjunction with other medications, right?”
“Yes, this kind of drug is extremely rare throughout the six kingdoms. It was originally…” Nanxiang paused, smiled knowingly, and revealed, “It is a kind of hallucinogenic drug from the Tang Sect. There are both a white and a black variety; initially, they were used to control disobedient individuals, but later the Tang Sect elders banned them due to their underhanded methods. However, many people in the six kingdoms coveted the formula and stole it from the Tang Sect.”
Gu Jiao had just learned of this new name.
Nanxiang continued, “However, even with the formula, it is not easy to refine the drug. To my knowledge, no doctors or pharmacists in the lower kingdom are currently able to do it.”
Gu Jiao asked, “Madam Nan, have you seen this formula before?”
Nanxiang sighed and shook her head: “Regretfully, I have not.”
Gu Jiao nodded and asked, “So… the white drug breeds affection, while the black drug instills aversion?”
Nanxiang replied, “Correct.”
Having lived two lifetimes without knowing such a drug existed, she felt quite ignorant.
Gu Jiao became more intrigued and asked, “How do these drugs work? How to ensure that they don’t target the wrong people?”
Nanxiang replied with a gentle smile, “It generally works as intended when personally administered.”
Having heard Nanxiang’s explanation, Gu Jiao understood. If her conjecture was correct, then years ago, Imperial Concubine Jing must have personally fed the Emperor the white drug, and her aunt must have personally fed the Emperor the black drug.
Of course, her aunt wouldn’t set such a trap for herself. At that time, her aunt was not on guard against Imperial Concubine Jing, so she must have been tricked by her.
Gu Jiao added, “What about drug conduits? Are the drug conduits for the black and white drugs the same?”
Nanxiang laughed and nodded, “The conduits are the same for every drug. Some people are firm-willed and less susceptible to the effects of the drugs. In that case, the drug conduit is required to enhance the drug’s efficacy. Of course, there is also another scenario – when the drug’s effect becomes unstable over time, a drug conduit is needed to intensify the effect. The person doesn’t need to consume the drug conduit, merely smelling it from time to time suffices.”
By this point in their conversation, it was clear who had gifted the pouch to Elder Wei.
Not to mention, when Gu Jiao sniffed the purse, she was greeted by the rich scent of sandalwood– there was no doubt it was a gift from the nunnery.
Gu Jiao weighed the pouch in her hands and complimented, “Madam Nan, your sense of smell is quite keen. Despite the strong scent of sandalwood, you were able to detect the aroma of the drug conduit.”
Nanxiang smiled and said, “It’s the same principle as how you doctors discern medicinal herbs.”
People are typically more sensitive to things they are familiar with. If the pouch contained Wutou or some other herb, she was sure that the girl would recognize it despite the overpowering scent of the sandalwood.
Gu Jiao looked at Nanxiang and remarked, “Being able to recognize this drug, Madam Nan, you’re a woman of no ordinary caliber.”
Nanxiang laughed and replied, “The same can be said about you.”
This young girl was no pushover, she had numerous skills hidden up her sleeve and kept them secret.
Both of them were smart and sensible, knowing to draw the line when it came to discussing personal matters – it was a mutual sign of respect and trust. They respected each other’s status and secrets, and trusted that those secrets would not harm each other’s family or themselves.
Thanks to Nanxiang, Gu Jiao’s understanding of this world had increased. It wasn’t just the Turks that existed beyond the six kingdoms; there was also the Tang Sect.
The Tang Sect lived in seclusion, without any contact with the six kingdoms. People of the Tang Sect were forbidden from leaving or entering the six kingdoms.
Of course, most of the knowledge Gu Jiao gained from Nanxiang was about these drugs. There was no specific antidote for either the black or the white drug. The effects could only either gradually fade over time or persist indefinitely.