The pills emitted a faint fragrance. They were of the highest quality. This... was the very medicine she had been in desperate need of all along, her blood.
She picked up one of the pills and popped it into her mouth. After chewing and swallowing it, she felt a clear current surging continuously. The sensation was truly wonderful.
It was as if her entire body was constantly changing.
A moment later, she opened her eyes again and looked at herself in the mirror. Her skin seemed to have become better than before.
Rong Xun walked towards her and said with a smile, "Little You'er has become even more beautiful. So, is this the antidote you've made?"
"Yes, I've developed it."
Now, what she had to do was to make a fortune once again.
Rong Xun said with a mischievous smile, "This time, how many people does my wife plan to 'rip off'?"
Hearing this, Tang Youyou thought for a while and blurted out, "At least the entire population of Chang'an City."
As soon as these words were spoken, he laughed even louder. "In that case, I'll always support my wife. If my wife wants to do it, just go ahead."
It took Tang Youyou an entire night to finally finish dealing with the matters at hand. The entire courtyard was filled with all kinds of pills.
Looking at Tang Youyou's face, her eye sockets were sunken. She hadn't closed her eyes for a whole day.
Seeing this, Rong Xun picked up the drowsy woman sitting on the ground by the waist and said with a smile, "Since you're already tired, don't be so stubborn. I'll take care of the rest."
Hearing this, Tang Youyou could only nod. At this moment, all she could think about was a comfortable bed.
When she woke up again, it was already night.
Beside her, Rong Xun was sleeping soundly. Looking at his sleeping appearance, Tang Youyou couldn't help but take a few more glances. This man was inherently good - looking. With his demonic charm and a strong build, he was simply...
Thinking of this, Tang Youyou couldn't hold back any longer and was about to reach out and touch Rong Xun's chest. Just as her little hand grabbed onto his chest, she looked up at Rong Xun's face, only to find that this man was staring directly at her.
"Rong Xun? Weren't you... asleep just now?"
"Yes. If my wife likes it, just touch to your heart's content. I won't resist at all."
Seeing Rong Xun's annoying look, Tang Youyou, who was originally shy, blushed instantly. She covered her face with both hands, afraid that this man would see her.
"Wife, those pills have been taken care of. They can be sold tomorrow. How much silver per pill does my wife plan to sell them for?"
Rong Xun, with his annoying and mischievous smile, looked at her with interest.
"Five hundred taels for the rich and ten taels for the poor. I just like to see those high - ranking and powerful people look defeated."
...
Early the next morning, outside the Empress Dowager's Mansion, a crowd had gathered to watch.
Two days ago, Rong Xun had already spread the news that there was an antidote for the plague in the Empress Dowager's Mansion.
Tang Youyou looked out of the door. The crowd was bustling and extremely noisy.
She glanced at Rong Xun beside her. "Was this all your doing?"
Hearing this, Rong Xun shrugged his shoulders, looking as if he knew nothing.
Tang Youyou sat on the chair, unhurriedly crossing her legs, and began to say, "All of you are here to get the antidote from me. However, because I distributed grain and made medicine a few days ago, I'm already penniless. Today, I'll only sell the medicine, not give it away for free."
As soon as they heard this, everyone was slightly stunned. Among them, there were a few bold ones who immediately retorted.
"You're the Empress Dowager. Why can't you make sacrifices for the people? You used to distribute grain to us, but now you're squeezing the common people. Aren't you killing us without a trace?"
"That's right! Besides, it was you who voluntarily saved us back then, not that we forced you to. Why do you say it's our fault?"
"Today, we just want to survive. If you're willing to give us the medicine, that's fine. If not, don't blame us tens of thousands of people for burning down your Empress Dowager's Mansion today!"
These people's words clearly showed that they had forgotten who had saved their lives! These ungrateful white - eyed wolves really opened Tang Youyou's eyes again.
However, she had already expected such a result.
Qingyu beside her was so angry at these people's ingratitude that she didn't know what to say.
She shook her head and sighed softly, "Empress Dowager, it was right of you not to save these people before."
Hearing this, Tang Youyou said with a smile, "Qingyu, you're wrong. All these people care about is their own interests. You can't always be a good person. Otherwise, because of this one mistake, you'll become a bad person."
"If there's a mistake, it's that I shouldn't have helped them for free from the very beginning. Let me ask you, if I had sold the pills at a high price first and then distributed the grain later, how would they have reacted?"
Tang Youyou's words were like a sudden enlightenment to the servants behind her, and Rong Xun also looked at the person on the chair with an appreciative look in his eyes.
After the explanation, she looked at the common people again, casually holding the fan in her hand and leisurely saying, "Since this is your attitude, then leave. Anyway, I'll always be here. One pill costs fifty taels. Those who want it, come and buy it with the money."
As soon as they heard fifty taels, the faces of these common people turned even paler. "Isn't this asking for our common people's lives?"
"Empress Dowager, what on earth are you up to!"
An old woman cried and constantly accused Tang Youyou, which incited public outrage among the crowd.
But for Tang Youyou, all this was irrelevant. Her only purpose today was to make money, nothing else.
If it were for the sake of kindness, these people didn't seem to appreciate it. Unless they were made to bleed heavily first and then she played the kind - hearted role, these people would surely remember.
After waiting for the people in front of her to scold and cry enough, they finally finished venting. After venting, it was time to face reality.
An old man with a gloomy face, holding the child in his arms, came up to Tang Youyou and carefully asked, "Empress Dowager, I don't have much silver on me. I only have this pair of jade bracelets, which were passed down by my mother. I just want to buy one pill to save my poor child's life."
Hearing this, Tang Youyou casually took the bracelets, held them up in the sunlight, and after just a glance, she knew they were good things.
She said with a smile, "This thing is worth about thirty taels. With the money you have, I'll give you five pills. Take them and save your whole family."
After her words fell, Qingyu handed a medicine bottle to the old man. Immediately afterwards, they saw the old man kowtowing repeatedly. "Thank you, Empress Dowager. I'll always remember your life - saving grace, and I also remember the grain you distributed before!"
Seeing the old man like this, Tang Youyou endured her discomfort, slightly raised her hand, and said in a cool tone.