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The so-called Nine-Cycle Golden Elixir was genuine, not poison, so Wang Yun wasn't worried about Dong Zhuo testing it.
Moreover, after consuming the elixir, it indeed had the effects Wang Yun described—"a fire in the belly, unafraid of the cold"—and it also had the effect of stimulating human desires. All of these were true...
However, whether it was personally refined by Master Ge or not, and the claims about wind and thunder during the furnace opening, Wang Yun just smiled...
In any case, taking one or two pills wouldn't kill anyone. Wang Yun had personally tried them, and the effects were quite good.
During the Han Dynasty, consuming various elixirs and powders was a fashionable trend among the scholar-officials. The most widespread was the Five Minerals Powder, which originated in the Western Han Dynasty and was made from stalactite, white quartz, sulfur, red clay, and purple quartz. This substance remained popular from the Han Dynasty through the Wei and Jin periods, and even persisted into the Tang Dynasty.
Moreover, these things weren't accessible to ordinary people; only high-ranking nobles could afford them. In the Han Dynasty, these elixirs were somewhat like pufferfish in later times—only the wealthy could indulge. Ordinary folks wouldn't touch such things.
Thus, when Wang Yun presented Dong Zhuo with the so-called Nine-Cycle Golden Elixir refined by Master Ge, it was essentially an upgraded version of the Five Minerals Powder, made from a mixture of various compounds. During the high-temperature heating process, the furnace often exploded, which was the origin of the "wind and thunder" Wang Yun mentioned...
In the Han Dynasty, with its underdeveloped medical technology, and even in later periods, these elixirs were considered high-grade health supplements, claimed to prolong life and even grant immortality with long-term use...
Of course, their actual effects have been well-documented in later times. But for now, Wang Yun was genuinely pained to part with the elixir he presented to Dong Zhuo. Whether it was truly refined by Master Ge or not, the jade gourd and its fifty to sixty golden elixirs were worth at least ten thousand gold pieces on the market...
In the Han Dynasty, indulging in such substances wasn't something just anyone could afford.
After presenting the elixir, Wang Yun noticed that Dong Zhuo seemed somewhat distracted. Understanding the situation, he quickly took his leave, giving Dong Zhuo more time to test the elixir's effects...
Consuming Five Minerals Powder or the Nine-Cycle Golden Elixir required specific rules and procedures; it wasn't something to be taken casually.
Both Five Minerals Powder and the elixir were extremely heating substances. Once ingested, they caused intense internal heat in the body, requiring a meticulous and complex process to expel the toxicity and heat, known as "dispersing."
First, one must not lie down; walking was essential. Lazily lying down could be life-threatening, so brisk walking was best, referred to as "walking the dispersion." One had to walk vigorously until sweating profusely, ideally with an open chest and billowing sleeves, resembling the posture of an immortal...
In addition to walking, diet and clothing also required special attention. After consuming such elixirs, the skin became not only hot but also extremely sensitive. Thus, one had to wear thin, loose, un-starched, and soft old clothes. Thick or new, unwashed clothes were to be avoided to prevent discomfort from friction and poor heat dissipation.
Moreover, after taking the elixir, one had to use cold baths to expel the toxicity and heat—"cold clothes, cold drinks, cold food, cold sleep—the colder, the better." If one could catch pneumonia from the cold, the dispersion was surely successful...
However, there was one exception: hot wine had to be consumed, and it had to be of high quality. Cheap wine was absolutely unacceptable. Additionally, after taking the elixir, one had to consume large amounts of cold food—"the more, the better"—to aid in dispersing the elixir.
Another significant side effect was that it sent the nervous system into a state of high excitement, coupled with the skin's extreme sensitivity, so...
In any case, Wang Yun had tried it a few times, and the effects were indeed long-lasting, but the aftermath was...
As the saying goes, spending money to avoid disaster. Although Wang Yun was genuinely pained to part with the elixir, he had successfully achieved his goals: first, to placate Dong Zhuo's potential anger toward him, and second, to use the elixir's effects to drag Dong Zhuo deeper into the abyss of desire...
What man wouldn't want to be virile and unstoppable, especially when Dong Zhuo had just taken in so many courtesans and beauties, with so many "caves" waiting to be filled?
******************
Meanwhile, Yuan Wei was furiously pounding his cane in the main hall of the Yuan residence. The servants scattered as far as they could, and those who couldn't escape curled up like quails, hoping to avoid Yuan Wei's wrath.
After the rumors about Dong Zhuo in Luoyang's streets were ruthlessly suppressed by Li Ru, a new rumor began to circulate. This time, however, the target wasn't Dong Zhuo—it was Yuan Wei.
"Did you know? The Yuan family's three dukes all bought their positions—"
"Oh? I thought they were recommended for their erudition and talent?"
"Think about it—what kind of person was Emperor Ling? Could anyone become an official without money?"
"Hmm, that makes sense..."
"Did you know? The Grand General was actually killed by the Yuan family—"
"Oh? I thought he was killed by Zhang Rang?"
"Think about it—what benefit would Zhang Rang have from killing He Jin? Besides, both of Yuan Wei's sons were present at the time, and it's said they deliberately delayed..."
"Hmm, that does seem suspicious..."
"Did you know? The deposed emperor was actually Yuan Wei's idea—"
"Oh? Didn't Dong Zhuo advocate for the emperor's deposition?"
"Think about it—Dong Zhuo was originally promoted by Yuan Wei. Wouldn't he listen to Yuan Wei? If Yuan Wei hadn't agreed, would Dong Zhuo have dared to depose the emperor?"
"Hmm, that does seem plausible..."
...
Compared to the earlier, poetic song about Dong Zhuo, the new rumors were simpler, more direct, and easier to understand. They were grounded in reason and evidence, and most importantly, they were the kind of high-level gossip that the common people loved. Almost overnight, they spread throughout Luoyang...
Yuan Wei had been noticing strange looks from people around him lately. At first, he didn't pay much attention, but when the steward of his household informed him that rumors about the Yuan family were circulating in the streets, he sent people to investigate. The results nearly made him ill.
The problem was that these rumors were half-truths, each containing some element of reality. For example, Emperor Ling was indeed greedy for money; He Jin had indeed entrusted the Yuan family's two sons with his protection; Yuan Wei had indeed promoted Dong Zhuo...
The Xiliang soldiers patrolling the streets would viciously arrest anyone spreading rumors about Dong Zhuo, but when they heard rumors about the Yuan family, they turned a blind eye and walked away without a second glance...
Yuan Wei knew full well that this was Dong Zhuo's doing—or, more precisely, the work of Dong Zhuo's subordinate, Li Ru. But he had no idea how to refute the rumors and could only vent his anger within the confines of his residence.
Moreover, in the court, Dong Zhuo had shown Yuan Wei great respect. He had even appointed the fleeing Yuan Shu as General of the Rear, delivering the official seal and credentials to the Yuan residence with great fanfare, making sure the entire city knew about it. Now, even if Yuan Wei tried to claim that Dong Zhuo was behind the rumors, few would believe him.
"Ha! Your two sons keep getting promoted—one as the Governor of Bohai and the other as General of the Rear. What are you saying? Dong Zhuo is targeting you? Then why doesn't he target my two useless sons?"
Yuan Wei was like a mute eating bitter herbs—unable to voice his suffering.
Fuming, Yuan Wei thought to himself, 'Do you think I, Li Ru, will just submit like this? If spreading rumors in Luoyang is no longer feasible, then we'll start outside the city. Since those people have fled to Yangcheng, let them spread the word from there. Let's see if you, Li Ru, can control an entire empire after managing just one city!'
******
A/N: Dong Zhuo's behavior changed drastically over time. In his later years, he became an extremely depraved figure, reportedly even cutting open people's stomachs to eat their flesh and drink their blood, wrapping people in cloth and using them as human torches... While some of this might have been exaggerated by later Wei historians, it likely wasn't entirely baseless... This was a far cry from the Dong Zhuo who had resisted and suppressed Qiang and Hu rebellions in Xiliang. It's hard to imagine the same person transforming from a somewhat ambitious and resourceful figure into a cruel, murderous tyrant obsessed with indulging his desires in just a year... The only explanation is that during his time in power, Dong Zhuo came into contact with something that fundamentally altered his personality. After much thought, it seems the only plausible culprit is this substance from the Han Dynasty... In any case, this is my original theory... Just a thought for fun.