"According to what you say, the Cheng Clan is using poisonous medicinal herbs to make all kinds of pills and potions, and the Cheng Clan's pills and herbs are being sold throughout the provinces. With something this obvious, has no one discovered it?" Zhang Tie asked with a frown.
"The toxicity of the Cheng Clan's poisonous herbs is extremely peculiar—nothing like any poison we have ever seen. Even if ordinary people use the Cheng Clan's pills, they would never detect the toxins hidden within..." A bitter smile appeared on Sun Jiagu's face.
"Did the Cheng Clan add something poisonous to the herbs?"
"No. The Cheng Clan does not add anything extra to its herbs. All pills made by the Cheng Clan strictly follow the manufacturing procedures and techniques; nothing superfluous is added!"
Zhang Tie was somewhat confused. "Then where did the Cheng Clan's poisonous herbs come from?"
"The Cheng Clan grew them itself!"
"You mean the herbs planted by the Cheng Clan were poisonous from the moment they grew?" Zhang Tie asked in surprise. Though he was not an alchemist, given his understanding of the profession, he still found Sun Jiagu's words hard to believe.
"Yes!"
"Did the Cheng Clan tamper with anything while planting those herbs? For instance, adding poisonous substances to the fertilizer or pesticides?"
"They did not tamper with anything. The herbs in all the Cheng Clan's medicinal fields were planted just like those grown by other clans. Moreover, the Cheng Clan employed many herb farmers. If the Cheng Clan wanted to play tricks with fertilizing or planting, it would be impossible to keep it hidden!"
"Then did the Cheng Clan pass off inferior goods as superior ones, deliberately use the wrong formulas, ingredients, or proportions, or tamper with things through mutually conflicting medicinal properties?"
"Neither. Whatever