Chapter 658 Develop The New Longevity Pill (Part One)


    After giving it much thought, Jason had to agree with Francis that Lucas seemed most likely to be


    chosen by the emperor. However, Lucas was rather notorious, having a bad reputation as a yboy.


    While he very much enjoyed seeking pleasure, gambling and going whoring, he had shown little


    interest in serious matters. If the throne ended up in his hands, there would be a good chance that he


    would give it to someone else in the blink of an eye.


    "If the throne is handed over to Lucas..." Jason whispered under his breath, lost in thought. After a


    while, with his eyebrows raised and a faint smile on his lips, he continued, "Will he choose beauties


    from all over the country to enter his harem every year? Or will he exchange ten cities for a beauty from


    a foreign country?"


    These wild thoughts of his made the corners of Francis'' mouth twitch slightly. Although he didn''t humor


    Jason with a response, the expression on his face shifted.


    "Will he end up losing the national treasurypletely by gambling?"


    The corners of Francis'' eyes began to twitch when he heard that, and the smile on his face


    disappearedpletely.


    "Will he waste manpower and money just so he could taste some delicacies, neglecting themon


    people and letting them live in poverty and misery? For example, he may want to have watermelons or


    the newly picked fresh litchis during winter?"


    At this point, Francis cast Jason a suspicious nce, wondering if Lucas would really go this far.


    Jason couldn''t helpughing at the thought of the terrible things that could happen if Lucas were to


    be the new emperor. "If Lucas bes the emperor, there''s no doubt that the imperial harem of


    the Bright Dynasty will be filled with numerous beauties. Because of that, he will end up indulging


    himself in the pleasure and neglect his duties as the emperor. He probably won''t have time to attend


    imperial court sessions or discuss the national affairs. Instead, he will drown himself in wine and


    surround himself with women. Maybe he''ll even force the courtiers to go gambling with him. The mere


    thought of it is enough to make meugh."


    "Go away," Francis eximed as he could not bear listening to Jason''s ramblings any longer. As far as


    Francis was concerned, if Lucas really was such a yboy, he never would have survived the fight for


    power. Moreover, Francis had investigated him countless times already, and every single time, he got


    the same result just as Jason had imagined. If it was true that Lucas was only keeping a facade all the


    time, that would make him an extremely devious and cunning man.


    "Okay, okay, I get it. I''ll take my leave now," Jason said, walking out of the room. In fact, he thought that


    he was only telling the truth, and nobody would me him imagining Lucas in this way. After all, it was


    Lucas himself who brought all of it onto himself and established his own bad reputation. That being


    said, how could such a good-for-nothing yboy take care of the different forces with such ease


    without getting himself implicated? Was he really a good-for-nothing yboy?


    When Fred finally came to senses and found himself at the back gate of Matthew''s mansion, he broke


    out in a cold sweat out of fear. It wasn''t until he entered the mansion and found out that Harper was


    safe and sound that he was able to breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Your Highness."


    "Where have you been?" Matthew asked, looking at Fred, who seemed quite distraught and


    disheveled. Fred had been working for him for many years, but this was the first time he had ever seen


    him acting like this.


    Resentment shed across Fred''s face. "Forgive me, Your Highness. When I was at Prince Francis''


    mansion, I fell into someone''s trap and lost consciousness because of knockout smoke."


    "Go and get flogged thirty times."


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    While reviewing official documents, Matthew thought about what had happened the night before. He


    wondered what would have happened if he hadn''te backst night. With these thoughts running


    through his head, he concluded that what had happened to Fredst night must be Francis'' doing.


    "What are you thinking about? You look so deep in thought," Harper asked in confusion. As soon as


    she walked into the study, she stumbled upon Matthew staring nkly into space.


    "It''s nothing," Matthew said in a rather serious tone. "I''m just working."


    Grabbing the official document from Matthew''s hand, Harper went ahead and turned it upside down.


    After that, she immediately said, "Darling, you were holding the document upside down. Even though


    you can read ten lines at one nce, I think it would still be very hard to read it upside down. Please


    just read it like a normal person would."


    Despite being red in the earlobes, Matthew tried not to show any sign of embarrassment. Putting down


    the official document as if nothing happened, he asked, "How did you fall asleep at Francis'' mansion


    last night?"


    "It was a bit weird. I just felt drowsy all of a sudden and then fell asleep. Then, you got there as soon as


    I woke up," Harper answered, rubbing her temples. "I was nning to go back home by myself as soon


    as Francis'' condition became stable, but somehow, I dozed off."


    Hearing that, Matthew could more or less guess what had happened. "I don''t want you to go to Francis''


    mansion ever again, even when he is dead," he said in a domineering tone.


    "Okay, okay, it''s up to you," Harper obediently replied. Snugging in his arms, she then continued,


    "There''s something I have to tell you."


    "What is it?"


    Taking out a pill, Harper said, "This is the Longevity Pill His Majesty has been taking. Guess what''s in


    it."


    "Poison?"


    Harper shook her head at first, but then nodded right after. "It''s not really a poison, but it could be


    considered poisonous. It''s poppy. Someone has refined the poppies in the pill."


    "What are the side effects of taking it?"


    "Poppies can be used to treat cough and diarrhea and to relieve pain. But prolonged use should be


    avoided, because it would act as a poison which slowly takes effect and is highly addictive as well.


    Once you be dependent on it, the pain will be like being bitten by tens of thousands of ants when


    you stop taking it," Harper exined, ying with the pill in her hand. "You can tell just how much


    Francis hates his father. He''s dealing with his father in the same way his father has been dealing with


    him."


    "If it is poisonous, shouldn''t the imperial physicians have found out the truth already?"


    "When poppies are mixed in the pills, the tiny amount on a single pill is not lethal. However, they will be


    lethal after long-term use. Given that, how could imperial physicians notice it? Besides, when someone


    starts taking the poppy, they will feel sober and refreshed. I guess by the time the emperor has taken


    all the Longevity Pills in his hand, he would be totally addicted to it." Upon saying that, Harper put


    away the pill. "I''m afraid that Francis is about to take action," she remarked.


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    "He is a very patient man," Matthew simply said. In spite of everything, he couldn''t help but admit that


    Francis was indeed patient. Even though the current situation was already quite favorable to him, he


    was still acting humbly. He did his duties and treated everyone sincerely. Right now, he still looked as


    gentle as ever. The gentle and courteous attitude he always showed had won the hearts of many


    courtiers.