sbdcsierra Chapter 78 Don't be stubborn, you have to admit defeat when necessary.
Chapter 78 Don't be stubborn, you have to admit defeat when necessary.
This outing, organized by Yinzhuo, ended with Yinzhuo collapsing from exhaustion, the tenth and fourteenth princes getting diarrhea from tasting hundreds of herbs, and the ninth prince returning to the palace with a large bag of elm seeds. After that, Yinzhuo behaved himself for a while and never organized any more outings.
"Sixth Brother, look what good things I brought you."
Seeing Yinzhen rush in with something in his hands, Yinzuo didn't even lift his eyelids. It wasn't that he didn't believe Yinzhen could have something good, but rather that Yinzuo's taste was bizarre. Last time, he somehow got his hands on a jade toad, and the green glow made Yinzuo's heart race.
"Dexi, quickly bring a chair over for your tenth master, and pour him a cup of tea. Put the things here, don't rush to look at them. Tenth Master, catch your breath before you speak."
Yinxi placed the things he was holding on the table next to Yinzuo, took the teacup handed to him by Dexi, and drank it all in one gulp. Yinzuo frowned at his boldness.
"Tenth Prince, you're a prince, can't you be a little more respectful? If Father Khan saw you drinking tea like that, he'd punish you by making you relearn the proper etiquette."
Yin thought to himself, "I'm not like you, and I'm not stupid. Would I dare to do something so reckless in front of my father?" But no matter what he thought, he dared not act recklessly in front of his sixth brother.
"Sixth Brother is right, I will definitely pay attention next time. But there are no outsiders here right now, right? I came here to give you something nice, Sixth Brother. Open the box on the table and take a look."
Although Yinzhuo didn't have high expectations for Yinzhen's taste, his younger brother had eagerly presented everything to him, so it would be unreasonable not to take a look. Therefore, he slightly bowed, took the box from Yinzhen, and opened it in front of him.
At first glance, the items placed in the box were quite exquisitely crafted, made of ivory and decorated with silver, agate, and other gemstones. However, the items looked strangely familiar to Yinzhuo at first glance.
"You have a good eye this time. This thing is well-made and made with high-quality materials. But it looks familiar to me. Where did you find it?"
The mere mention of Yinzhen immediately roused him, and he stood up and moved closer to Yinzhen, speaking mysteriously.
"Sixth Brother, let me tell you, although this pipe looks exquisite, it's really just that. The real treasure is what's inside the little box. According to my cousin, this opium can make people feel like they're living in hell, and experience the pleasure of being in heaven."
Upon hearing the words "Ointment for Longevity," Yinzhu instantly realized why the contents of the box looked familiar. "Good heavens, isn't that a pipe?" he thought. The reason he hadn't recognized it at first glance was because its craftsmanship was far too exquisite compared to the ones he'd seen online before, making it impossible to associate it with a pipe. The thought that the Tenth Prince might have already touched the Ointment in the box sent a chill down Yinzhu's spine, and he abruptly stood up from his chair.
“Yin’er, tell me honestly, who gave you this stuff? Have you even touched this opium? You’d better tell me the truth, or if I find out you’re lying, I’ll send you to Khan’s mansion and have him give you a good beating.”
Yinzhuo's tone was unusually serious, which startled the smug Yinzhuo from before. But then he became a little angry. He had received a good thing and had eagerly sent it to his sixth brother. Not only did his brother not appreciate it, but he also wanted to send him to his father to be punished.
"Sixth Brother, how can you do this? The ginseng in this box is worth a fortune. I kindly brought you this, and you not only don't appreciate it, but you also try to scare me."
Yinzhuo was already worried that Yinzhi had already touched the contents of the box. Now, seeing him evade the question, he was even more convinced that Yinzhi had already ingested the drug. In his anxiety, he felt a wave of dizziness. After calming himself down, he pulled Yinzhi and walked out.
"It's alright, even if Yinzhen has used this drug, it doesn't matter. Sixth Brother will help you quit. Although the process will be a bit painful, as long as we persevere, we will definitely succeed. The person who gave you the drug is despicable. Come on, let's go to the Qianqing Palace with Sixth Brother to find Father and ask him to stand up for you."
Yinzhen was being dragged out by Yinzuo's arm. At first, he was full of anger, but after leaving the South Third Palace, he realized that his sixth brother seemed to be serious. Judging from the situation, it seemed that he was really going to send him to the Khan's father to be punished.
"Sixth...Sixth Brother, what are you doing? Can't we talk things out properly? Why do we have to make a scene in front of Father? If you let go of your brother, I promise I'll tell you everything you ask."
Yinzhen was also afraid at this moment. Although he had never been flogged, he had seen others do it. Those guys' buttocks would be covered in welts after a few strokes. Even if his sixth brother went to the Qianqing Palace, he might not be able to persuade his father to flog him, but that didn't guarantee he wouldn't get flogged either. So, people should know when to back down and not make things difficult for themselves.
Although Yinzhuo was older than Yinzhen, he was not as strong. Yinzhen was determined not to leave, and Yinzhuo really couldn't pull him away. However, after the interruption, Yinzhuo's mind was a little clearer than before. Seeing that Yinzhen was lying on the ground and wouldn't get up, he simply squatted down as well.
"It's fine if we don't go to Qianqing Palace, but you can answer whatever I ask you. If I find out you're lying, I'll drag you to Qianqing Palace even if it's just to keep you there."
Yinzhuo believed he understood Yinzhen quite well and thought it wouldn't be difficult to discern which of his words were true and which were false. So the two brothers sat down and asked questions, one squatting and the other sitting.
"Where did you get this opium? How long have you had it? How long have you been using it?"
“This was given to me by my cousin from my uncle’s side. I just got it today, and I’m bringing it to you right away. I haven’t even had a chance to look at what’s inside yet. But instead of being grateful, you, Sixth Brother, are dragging me to Father’s to get a beating. What kind of brother are you?”
Yinzhu carefully observed Yin's expression and found only anger and indignation, without any guilt or unease. He knew that what Yin said was mostly true. His younger brother was straightforward and never beat around the bush. Since he said he only received it today, it must be true.
Knowing that Yinzhen had never touched this thing, Yinzhen relaxed, and reached out to pull Yinzhen, who was sitting on the ground, up and helped him brush off the dust from his clothes.
"It's good that you haven't touched it. Tenth brother, let me tell you, you must never touch this opium. It's a deadly substance. Once you get involved, it's hard to quit."