After gathering the herbs, Zhu Yanyi entered her private pharmacy room. She closed the door and instantly flashed into the Ruyi Space to begin making the antidote.
She planned a two-pronged approach: first, resolve the poison inside Ouyang Manqing’s body, then apply an external ointment to erase the marks of the bumps. Detoxification was simple; with the right medicine, it would take no more than three days. The external ointment would take longer, but the results would be flawless. There would be absolutely no side effects. It would not only fade the scars but also whiten and beautify the skin.
If the environment allowed, Zhu Yanyi could have made a fast-acting version. But in the current situation, that would be too extraordinary. Even as a child, she understood that human hearts are unpredictable. If she produced such miraculous medicine, it might bring disaster rather than blessing. Therefore, she reserved special medicines for herself or her closest loved ones. For outsiders, she was extremely cautious, often choosing not to use them at all. Even for the slower-acting ointments, she carefully selected who received them. Not everyone got it. Sometimes, medicine that worked too well was not a good thing.
She did not distrust Xie Yijun or Ouyang Manqing, but hearts are hidden behind bellies. It was better to be careful.
Zhu Yanyi made the medicine inside the Ruyi Space. The finished product contained herbs from the space, which gave it its unique properties. Even if someone obtained the medicine and tried to analyze it, they could not replicate the formula because they could not find these specific herbs. Of course, Zhu Yanyi was currently researching how to replace the space herbs with common modern ones, but that required a long time.
One hour later, Zhu Yanyi emerged. She held a bottle and six wrapped packets of traditional Chinese medicine. Seeing Luo Gang and the others, she smiled.
"Are you planning to stay here all night?"
Luo Gang pointed to the wall clock. It was past five o’clock. Although it was still light outside, the time was clear. "Wang Ye and Zhang Yan are on duty tonight, so they are waiting."
Zhu Yanyi smiled. "Alright, I’m going back now. You should rest early too."
She walked out and headed toward Xie Zhong’s house.
Upon entering, Xie Zhong said, "We were waiting for you to come back for dinner."
Zhu Yanyi smiled faintly and handed the medicine to Xie Yijun. "Take the medicine after dinner. For now, soak the herbs. After we eat, you can boil them. Remember to use three bowls of water for soaking."
"Okay." Xie Yijun took the medicine and nodded.
"Also, there is a small bamboo tube inside. That contains the medicine guide. Do not put it in yet. Take it out first. After the medicine is boiled and poured out, add it directly to the liquid." Zhu Yanyi reminded her. She could have boiled the medicine herself, but she needed to go home in the evening. So, she left the task to Xie Yijun. After all, it was her wife. If she didn’t work hard, who would?
"Let me take the medicine," Qi Qiao’er said with a smile, taking the packets. "You are a man and don’t know how to boil medicine. It is better if I do it."
She took the medicine and left.
Xie Yijun scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "Sorry to trouble you, Auntie."
Qi Qiao’er soaked the herbs and then served the meal. Zhu Yanyi looked at the food and was delighted.
"Stir-fried pine pollen—my favorite."
Ouyang Manqing saw the bowl of golden stir-fried pine pollen and laughed. "I heard from Yijun that Ani loves stir-fried pine pollen. We have pine pollen cakes in Shanghai, but unfortunately, I didn’t bring any this time."