Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Liu Bian was in a dilemma. If he refused, he would lose face, and besides, he had already said it. Thinking about the pills in the bottle, it seemed quite a lot. Although he felt a little unhappy, he had no choice but to open the bottle and carefully pour out two pills. He said generously, "Oh, we are brothers. How can I be stingy with such a miraculous medicine? I should share it with my brother." Then he handed the two pills to Liu Xie.

Both brothers wore smiles, but behind their smiles, they each hid different thoughts. Liu Xie was overjoyed, feeling that he was one step closer to his plan, while Liu Bian, though outwardly magnanimous, was secretly dissatisfied with Liu Xie's actions, but he couldn't express it at the moment.

The two brothers were born in the inner palace and raised within its walls. They both possessed considerable intelligence, even exceedingly clever, and knew a fair bit about the intrigues and struggles within the palace.

Yet, how could they have truly witnessed the myriad happenings of the marketplace? The so-called miraculous medicine passed down by the Yellow Emperor was, in reality, nothing more than a common aphrodisiac. And Shi A, to magnify his own achievements before the Emperor, touted the drug as miraculous, endowing it with numerous extraordinary benefits, claiming it could allow him to have sex with countless women at night and even linking it to miraculous phenomena like ascension.

Pity the two brothers, with so little exposure to the world, completely oblivious to these developments. They were each secretly delighted, one considering using the drug to achieve certain goals, the other basking in the glory of possessing this miraculous "treasure." Little did they know how much trouble this simple aphrodisiac would later cause. They were still immersed in their own thoughts and the false aura of wonder, oblivious to the impending trouble.

After the emperor instructed the kitchen to prepare the medicinal food, he was very thoughtful. In order to prevent Lu Wan from noticing anything unusual, he even arranged for the medicinal food to be delivered to both Lu Wan and Empress Gongsun. He wanted to do everything properly and not let Lu Wan have any doubts.

Of course, the medicinal food sent to Lu Wan had been secretly mixed with a potent aphrodisiac that Shi Axun had found specifically for women. After arranging for someone to deliver it, the emperor began to wait anxiously for further developments.

While waiting, the emperor, overwhelmed by the wonders of the so-called panacea, swallowed a pill right in front of Liu Xie. It was just an ordinary aphrodisiac, but once he took it, his body began to react, becoming hot and dry, and his face flushed.

But these two brothers had lived in the palace since they were young and knew nothing about pharmacology. When they saw this reaction, they secretly thought that this medicine was truly magical.

Liu Bian was very excited at this moment and said to Liu Xie, "Brother, look, this medicine is really amazing. As soon as I took it, I felt a surge of spiritual energy. Now my whole body is burning hot, as if every part of my body is on fire. I feel a burning sensation and full of strength."

Liu Xie looked at Liu Bian's expression and quickly echoed his words, saying, "Brother, you are indeed different from ordinary people. This medicine is exactly what you should take. If an ordinary person were to take this medicine, their body would definitely not be able to withstand the impact of such abundant spiritual energy."

After hearing this, Liu Bian couldn't help but burst into laughter, and the laughter echoed in the palace.

Liu Xie was secretly thinking, this medicine is so powerful, judging by the situation, if Liu Bian takes two pills at the same time, he might not be able to withstand the effects of the medicine. As a result, he valued the two pills hidden in his arms even more.

Lu Wan has spent quite some time in this palace. During these days, she noticed that the emperor did not seem to bother her too much. Her heart, which had been hanging in the air, was like a stone dropped into a calm lake. The ripples gradually dissipated, and her guard was slowly lowered.

Lu Wan, however, always held a special affection for Dian Wei. This honest and upright man had entered their family years earlier and had dedicated himself to their service. Day after day, year after year, his diligent and hardworking figure had become deeply etched in Lu Wan's heart, as if he had become an indispensable part of the family, like a family member. How could Lu Wan bear to impose too many restrictions on him? Every time she saw Dian Wei busy yet uncomplaining, her heart was filled with pity.

However, Lu Wan's heart was still etched with Ma Chao. That worry, like a thread, entwined tightly around her, made her absent-minded in everything she did. Even her usual appetite vanished under the weight of this intense worry. Furthermore, the weather had been growing increasingly cold over the past few days, a chill that seemed to penetrate the palace walls and pierce deep into her bones. Lu Wan felt a chill permeating her entire body, and she turned off the lights early, preparing for bed.

After Lu Wan lay down, Dian Wei started to move. It turned out that he had been warmly invited by Master Wang Yue and his apprentice to join them for a drink and fun.

At this moment, Lu Wan was lying quietly in bed, but her thoughts were like a wild horse running wild, galloping wantonly, and her mind was full of random thoughts. In this extremely quiet atmosphere, suddenly, there was a commotion outside, and then a voice clearly rang out at the door: "Empress."

Lu Wan had always disliked having palace maids around to serve her personally, and even within her palace as the queen, there weren't any maids or anything like that. Therefore, the sudden shouting made Lu Wan's heart tighten, and a sense of nervousness arose.

Normally, if there was any disturbance, Dian Wei's resonant voice would have been heard immediately, giving her a response and reassuring her. But today, Lu Wan pricked up her ears and listened carefully, but she didn't hear a single sound from Dian Wei. She thought Dian Wei must be away.

Lu Wan grew increasingly uneasy. She fumbled under her pillow and pulled out a delicate dagger. The dagger gleamed coldly in the dim candlelight. She clutched the dagger tightly, as if it would bring her some sense of security. Then, taking a deep breath, she summoned her courage and asked, "Who's outside?"

From outside came the slightly shrill voices of the eunuchs and palace maids: "Your Majesty, these are the servants serving His Majesty. His Majesty specifically ordered the Imperial Kitchen to prepare a carefully prepared medicinal meal today. His Majesty tasted it himself and felt that it was quite beneficial to the body, so he sent us to bring you a portion."

To completely dispel Lu Wan's doubts, the eunuch continued, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. It's not just for you. His Majesty has also sent the same medicinal food to Concubine Gongsun. Your Majesty, how about I bring this medicinal food in for you so you can try it while it's still hot?"

After hearing this, Lu Wan still had some doubts in her heart, but she still said, "Just leave it in the hall. I will drink it according to this."

These waiters and maids had been serving in the palace for a long time, and they all knew the Empress's temperament well. She was a strong-willed person who was not easy to mess with. So, after hearing Lu Wan's response, they didn't dare to say anything more. They carefully placed the medicinal food on the table in the hall, then quietly retreated outside and waited.

Lu Wan lay on the couch, listening to the faint footsteps outside gradually fade away. But after a while, she heard someone whispering outside again. It seemed that the waiters and maids had not left. She frowned and raised her voice, saying, "Why don't you leave?"

The waiter who had spoken earlier quickly responded, "Your Majesty, His Majesty has specifically instructed that this medicinal food should be consumed while hot for its health benefits. Therefore, we will wait until Your Majesty has finished drinking it before we leave. I hope Your Majesty will not blame us."

Lu Wan felt that something was amiss. The emperor's sudden and inexplicable concern filled her with unease. Furthermore, having to consume the medicinal food in front of the waiter only made her feel even more certain that it wasn't a good thing. She had been preoccupied with Ma Chao, and her appetite had been low to begin with. Now, faced with this medicinal food delivered to her doorstep, she felt even more resistant.

So, while the waiters waited outside the hall, Lu Wan quietly and calmly poured out the medicinal meal. She then tidied up a bit, but instead of asking the waiter to come in and get the bowls, she personally carried the dishes to the door. She said to the waiter outside, "I have taken it. Thank your Majesty for your kindness. You can go back now. I'm feeling a little unwell and need to rest early."

After hearing this, the waiters and palace maids did not dare to ask more questions. They responded respectfully, turned around and left, and hurried to report to the emperor.

When Emperor Liu Bian saw them return, he hurriedly asked, "Did you see the Empress take it with your own eyes?"

The waiters and maids' hearts skipped a beat. They hadn't actually entered the palace to witness Lu Wan swallow the draught, fearing the Empress's eccentric nature. If they told the truth, the Emperor would blame them. So, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Yes, Your Majesty, we watched the Empress drink it." As they spoke, they turned to look at the maid beside them. The maid, also terrified, quickly replied, "Yes, yes, the Empress specifically asked us to convey a message thanking Your Majesty for her kindness."

After hearing this, Liu Bian felt as if the heavy weight on his heart had finally fallen to the ground, and a look of relief appeared on his face. Then, he turned to Liu Xie and said, "It's getting late, brother. You should go back and rest. I have some important things to attend to later." After saying this, he gave Liu Xie a meaningful look, as if to say, "You know what I mean."

Liu Xie was a man of great intelligence. Seeing this situation, he naturally understood the situation very well. He quickly bowed respectfully and took his leave.