Chapter 31: This Palace Can Do It!
Once inside the room with the door firmly shut, Huangfu Chang’an finally spoke with caution.
“Actually, This Palace has come to find the Daoist Master for an urgent matter, and I hope you can keep this a secret on my behalf”.
Originally, she had dressed in plain clothes to conceal her identity, but as luck would have it, she stumbled right into the Second Prince’s people. However, after meeting the old Daoist priest in person, Huangfu Chang’an felt reassured.
It had to be said that the old Daoist was a senior of great personal charisma. His every gesture revealed a transcendent, otherworldly temperament. Even when facing a member of the royal family, he remained breezy and calm, neither humble nor arrogant. Such a person was definitely not a two-faced hypocrite with honey on his lips and a sword in his belly. A promise from him was worth a thousand gold.
Seeing Huangfu Chang’an’s serious expression and prudent tone, the old Daoist put away his cheerful smile. He stroked his long white beard, paused for a moment to consider, and after three seconds, nodded in agreement.
“Please speak, Your Highness. This old man will naturally keep his mouth sealed”.
Retrieving a small box from her robes, Huangfu Chang’an placed it flat on the table. She gently opened the lid, carefully took out the piece of crab roe paste, and presented it to the old Daoist.
The old Daoist was sharp-witted and immediately guessed part of the reason: “Does the Crown Prince suspect there is a problem with this crab roe paste?”.
“Precisely,” Huangfu Chang’an nodded. “The Daoist Master must have heard that This Palace’s obesity is a long-standing issue, one that even the Imperial Medical Institute is helpless against. Yet, my other siblings are all normal; only This Palace cannot recover no matter what methods are used. This crab roe paste is something This Palace consumes daily, so I suspect there is something fishy hidden within it. Hearing that the Daoist Master is proficient in medicine and alchemy, This Palace came to ask for your guidance to see if we can unlock the mystery within”.
In ancient times, the subject closest to chemistry was alchemy. Although the current level was far less developed than modern science, as long as there was a glimmer of hope, Huangfu Chang’an had to give it a try.
Even if there really was a problem with this piece of crab roe paste, her word alone proved nothing. She had to figure out the secret mechanism within to catch the adulterers in the act and seize the thieves with the loot.
Hearing Huangfu Chang’an’s explanation, the old Daoist understood the general situation. He was inherently interested in these difficult and strange cases, so he happily agreed.
“Thank you for the Crown Prince’s high regard; this old man is willing to give it a try”.
Unexpectedly, seeing the old Daoist agree so readily, Huangfu Chang’an’s face lit up with joy. She couldn’t help but raise her hand and pat him on the shoulder: “Great! Daoist Master is a stand-up guy! This Palace likes straightforward people like you!”.
Having lived to this age, it was the first time the old Daoist had been patted on the shoulder and told he was “a stand-up guy.” He froze for a moment before laughing heartily: “The Crown Prince is also a straightforward person. However, there is one thing—I do not know if I should say it”.
“What is there that should or shouldn’t be said? Daoist Master, please speak frankly!”.
The old Daoist naturally didn’t care about fame or profit, but this matter involved royal disputes, so he had to consider it carefully.
“This old man understands the Crown Prince’s intent, but this matter has broad implications. If we truly find some clues, this old man advises the Crown Prince to remain calm and not act too hastily. This old bag of bones is nothing, but there are over a hundred disciples supported in this Daoist temple. I hope the Crown Prince can ensure the peace of Bai’an Mountain”.
“Daoist Master, rest assured. This Palace has my own plans regarding this matter and will absolutely not implicate this place. Furthermore, This Palace has an even more important matter to entrust to the Daoist Master in the future. At that time, I hope the Daoist Master will give his full support”.
Hearing this, the old Daoist raised his eyebrows slightly, his curiosity piqued: “May I ask what matter the Crown Prince refers to?”.
Huangfu Chang’an suddenly curled her lips into a mischievous grin. She looked around, leaned in to hook her arm around the old Daoist’s shoulder, and lowered her voice to whisper in his ear: “When the Daoist Master is refining pills, have there ever been accidents where the furnace exploded?”.
Furnace explosions, although not common, were not rare either. The old Daoist was almost crushed by her weight and nearly sprained his waist, but hearing this, he couldn’t fathom the meaning behind her words.
“Anyone who refines pills encounters such accidents to some extent. I do not know why the Crown Prince mentions this?”.
Huangfu Chang’an smiled faintly, her expression meaningful.
“Then the Daoist Master should know how great the destructive power is when a furnace explodes”.
Recalling the scenes from those times, the old Daoist still felt a lingering fear, and his expression darkened slightly: “Correct”.
Huangfu Chang’an guided him patiently: “But if this method were used to resist foreign invasion, does the Daoist Master think it could serve to deter enemy forces?”.
The old Daoist had seen the destructive power produced by a furnace explosion with his own eyes, but hearing Huangfu Chang’an link furnace explosions to resisting foreign enemies, he couldn’t help but feel she was being a bit whimsical.
“If one could master the causes and techniques of furnace explosions, this method could certainly be used to awe the three armies. But currently, even this old man cannot fathom the underlying reasons, so how can we speak of control and utilization?”.
Huangfu Chang’an put away her smile and lowered her eyes. Because she was standing against the light, her expression looked solemn and austere.
” This Palace understands that the Daoist Master is a man of few desires, but you are a citizen of Yelang after all. Now that foreign enemies are eyeing us covetously, if the Daoist Master could seek out this method, you could save millions of Yelang’s common people from fire and water. Surely the Daoist Master understands this reasoning?”.
Caught off guard by such a heavy moral responsibility being placed on his head, the old Daoist was startled and felt like crying without tears.
“It is not that this old man is unwilling, but this… this old man wants to do it, but cannot do it!”.
Yoshi! That was the sentence she was waiting for!
Huangfu Chang’an waved her sleeve and stood with her hands behind her back, looking askance with an air she believed to be incredibly cool, domineering, and dashing—.
“As long as the Daoist Master gives his full support, This Palace can do it!”.
And so, consequently, in the end… under baffling circumstances, the old Daoist solemnly agreed to her request, even giving her a thumbs up with a trembling hand.
The open strife and veiled struggles of the royal family were as cruel as could be. The rise of a power often required chopping off countless heads as stepping stones; sometimes it was even more brutal than the saying “a general’s success is built on ten thousand withered bones.” Huangfu Chang’an understood this clearly, so she had long guessed that the old Daoist would have reservations. To get the old Daoist to roll up his sleeves and work his life away for her, the best method was to tempt him and lock him in with something he was interested in—especially a phenomenon he had encountered but didn’t understand the principles behind.
After careful consideration—and particularly after being provoked by that impressive Wolf Fang Cavalry—Huangfu Chang’an had firmly set her sights on “gunpowder”.
This era didn’t have that stuff yet. If she could successfully develop it….
Oh ho ho, when it comes to military merit, who’s afraid of whom!.
Is knowing how to fight a war so amazing? Is knowing martial arts so impressive? Is knowing how to wield swords so arrogant?.
You have your peerless martial arts, I have my secret weapon. Once the Crown Prince emerges, who dares to contend! Ahahahahaha!.
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