"Peony Race"

Author: Feng Si Niang

"Peony Race"

Zhou Pan was pacing crazily in the gorgeous inner palace. He wanted to smash something, but the things were either too heavy or too valuable. If he dropped anything, he would feel bad!

With a glance from the corner of his eye, he saw Xiao Fudi's confidants. He wanted to hit them, but then he thought about the fact that Lao Shi and others were placed in his team, so he had to attack the only remaining ones who were sure to be his own.

Everyone should be attentive to please!

So, no matter how angry he was, he finally just kicked over an embroidery stool, and then sat on the Taishi chair, his chest rising and falling violently, thus venting the anger that had no way to vent.

When the confidants below saw their master like this, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and said: "Sir, those suspects are all in jail. I think there will be results soon..."

"Let me check! Especially the one who proposed to torture the prisoner on the road, tried every possible means to pry open his mouth! I want to see what benefits Lao Shi and the others promised him, so that he dared to betray Wu Zeng

What a disgrace to his master!"

Zhou Pan was so angry that his teeth itched, and he wished he could skin that man and cramp him!

The confidants also felt guilty. Torture to extract confessions was a common method used by the Third Master’s subordinates. Perhaps that person was just being clever and wanted to take credit, and he ruined the master’s important matter without even thinking...

"And!" Zhou Pan pointed his stubby fingers at his confidants: "Follow the clues given in the original confession and quickly investigate! Not to mention Yunnan, even from the ends of the earth, I have to pull out their fox tail!"

The confidants complained in their hearts that the sky was high and the emperor was far away. I was afraid that after I went there, not even a hair would be left!

"By the way, Master, the owner of Lanzhi Hall who escaped..."

"Look for me too! If you can't find anyone, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Zhou Pan's appearance in the Taishi's chair is very similar to that of a bloated and stupid wolverine lying in a snow nest; but if it makes him angry, he will mercilessly tear open the chest of his prey and kill him in the snow.

Sprinkling blood is like splashing ink, tearing an intact person into pieces.

"Yes! I understand!" His confidant agreed quickly and left in a hurry without looking back to go about finding a needle in a haystack.

***

Half a month later...

"Any clues?" Concubine Long spread out her well-maintained tender hands, looked at the bright red dove egg on her finger ring and reflected the sunlight like a blood line, and smiled with satisfaction.

Sure enough, people still have to be a little fatter to look younger...

Zhou Pan stood aside with his hands down, like a dejected grizzly bear: "Not yet..."

Concubine Long rolled her eyes: "Fortunately, the emperor has not been thinking about this recently, and he still allows us, mother and son, a chance to breathe -"

"I'll try harder. This time I specially invited someone from the prison..."

"What a reckless man! You know how to use these methods of beating and killing all the time. Your subordinates are afraid of you instead of respecting you. No wonder there is a mole!"

Concubine Long couldn't hold back her anger. She straightened up from the concubine's couch with a "Teng-" sound. She wanted to poke Zhou Pan's face with her finger wearing a pigeon-blood ruby: "You mean you have been... for the past half month?"

No progress at all?"

Zhou Pan picked his fingers: "It doesn't matter... I went to arrest the owner of Lanzhi Hall and caught him!"

"How? Does Ke Ke have anything to do with Zhou Si, Zhou Yan and the others?"

"Based on preliminary interrogation, there is no such thing..."

"Then what kind of good news is this?" Concubine Long's face was as dark as water and she stared at Zhou Pan.

Zhou Pan continued to bite the bullet and said: "But I got an unexpected reward. It turns out that the owner of Lanzhi Hall is not a serious medicinal merchant at all;

Under the guise of opening a drug store, he was actually engaged in some hugely profitable business such as 'Five Stone Powder'.

Now that the Dongchuang incident happened here in the capital, he simply hid back in his hometown; when the boy's people found him, he was hiding in the village and planting something... Oh! There are peonies!"

"Isn't she just a poppy?!" Concubine Long was surprised, "How can a desperado still have such a leisurely mood?"

"Your Majesty, is it possible that you grew aphrodisiac?" A young eunuch on the side said with a low eyebrow.

Zhou Pan took a look at him and realized that wasn't it the little eunuch who brought him cold food and was kicked last time?

Seeing that he has a low eyebrow and a calm demeanor, he does have some insight!

"Aphrodisiac..." The imperial concubine raised her eyebrows with one hand and quickly waved to the maid to bring a box.

The box that the maid carried was a black lacquer and gold-inlaid tooth makeup gift box. This makeup gift box was not like the luxurious style that the concubine always liked. The jade hibiscus on the ebony wood was not wiped frequently, but the hibiscus flowers on it looked like they had withered and bloomed in autumn.

The look of defeat.

The box was opened, and what lay inside were some bottle-shaped oval dry fruit shells. The shells showed a light purple color, and the cut marks had a light luster, exuding a light aroma.

"What is this?"

The imperial concubine replied: "This is a furong." Zhou Pan picked up one and shook it gently, and a "rustling" sound came from inside.

"That's it? What can I do!"

"This is the raw material of black incense produced in Siam, Java, Banggrai and other places in the country. It is the same thing as what we call aphrodisiac. It is said that it has miraculous effects on treating fatigue and cough, and discharging dampness and heat. It is the same price as gold;

At that time, foreign countries donated dozens of kilograms, and some prepared brown paste. When the emperor gave it to me, I thought the paste smelled bad, so I didn't take it.

You just said that the owners of Lanzhi Hall are all engaged in profiteering businesses?" Concubine Long frowned, confused.

"Yes, yes..." Zhou Pan continued blankly.

"There is a problem, San'er, keep checking!"

"Yes, concubine!"

"And..." Concubine Long shook her finger: "I remember that day I heard the emperor say that a tax would be imposed on aphrodisiac. It would be about one cent and seven and three cents for every ten kilograms..."

Zhou Pan's head was empty, "Just this little money? What's the point? Besides, isn't this just an ordinary tax on medicinal materials?"

Concubine Long hit him on the big head:

"Stupid! If there weren't a lot of imports, how could there be taxes? Besides, if it's just effective against coughs, why would it be priced the same as gold? Can you use your brain before you speak or act?"

Concubine Long was in a bad mood. Since Wan Zong died, she didn't even have anyone to discuss with, and her only son was useless. How could she not be anxious?

"Also, change your habit of beating, killing, and torture to extract confessions!..."

Zhou Pan opened his mouth several times, but swallowed it back——

Seeing his behavior, Concubine Long became even more angry: "If you have anything to say, just say it! Don't hesitate and chirp!"

"Mother, mother, concubine, father, what's his attitude towards this matter? I'm so anxious all the time..."

If you hadn't looked at his appearance and just listened to the tone and appearance of his words, you would have thought he was a young girl in her prime!
Chapter completed!