I swept the Phoenix with the Onmyoji Shikigami

Chapter 206 The Blackened Silver Needle

After hearing this, City Lord Gu nodded with satisfaction and signaled Xiao Zhang that he could start making tea.

Xiao Zhang took a deep breath, as if he was performing a sacred ritual. He took the tea set and skillfully began to make tea.

The room was quiet again, with only the sound of gurgling water and the fragrance of tea.

Prime Minister Hua had a keen insight. He gently put down the teacup in his hand, looked at Xinghan deeply, and spoke slowly:

"Divine Doctor Xinghan, I dare to ask you if you are hiding something from City Lord Gu and me? What happened just now does not seem to be accidental, but rather has a hidden meaning."

When Xinghan heard this, his expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.

He was well aware of Prime Minister Hua's wisdom and acumen, so he did not intend to hide it for too long, but now was not the best time to reveal everything.

So, he smiled and shook his head, his tone gentle but with a hint of mystery:

"You are too kind, Prime Minister. Xinghan has no intention of hiding anything. It's just that there are some things that the time is not right, and speaking them out may cause misunderstandings. However, please rest assured, Prime Minister and City Lord, everything Xinghan does is for the peace and well-being of the Gu family."

When City Lord Gu heard this, he was confused, but seeing Xinghan said so, he did not ask any further questions.

He then thought of the dramatic changes in his physical condition in recent days, as well as Lao Zhang's sudden resignation today, and he couldn't help but feel uneasy. He looked up at Prime Minister Hua, as if he was seeking a resonance, or as if he was talking to himself:

"Prime Minister, this all happened too fast. I always feel like something is wrong. Is it... related to my illness?"

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Hua frowned. He knew that City Lord Gu's worries were not groundless. He pondered for a moment and said slowly:

"Lord City Lord, your worries are not without reason. But for now, we should remain calm and sort out these clues carefully. Although it is regrettable that Old Zhang has retired, the appearance of Master Xiao Zhang may be the turning point. We might as well take a look at his tea art first, and then make plans."

As he spoke, Prime Minister Hua's gaze fell on Xiao Zhang, a look that was both scrutinizing and expectant.

Xiao Zhang felt the pressure, but he worked harder on the tea set. After a while, another pot of new tea was ready.

As Xiao Zhang turned around gracefully, the tray in her hand was steady, and a few cups of steaming tea seemed to carry the morning dew, gently falling in front of each guest.

The aroma of tea rises up and interweaves with the agarwood in the room, creating an indescribable elegant atmosphere.

Xinghan gently picked up the teacup, closed his eyes and sniffed it carefully. The fragrance of the tea seemed to penetrate his soul and awaken a certain resonance deep in his heart. He opened his eyes, his eyes flashing with curiosity and inquiry, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. He said to Xiao Zhang:

"Master Zhang, this tea is truly extraordinary. I wonder what secrets make the tea so unique and fascinating?"

When Xiao Zhang heard this, a proud light appeared on his face. He stroked the bronze teapot gently as if it was his child, his eyes full of tenderness and pride.

"Mr. Xinghan has a good eye. The reason why this tea is unique is because of this specially made bronze teapot. You know, this teapot took me three full years, carefully selecting the materials, and repeatedly hammering and polishing it to achieve what it is today." As he spoke, he slowly paced around the teapot, his fingers gently sliding over the body of the pot, and every pattern seemed to tell its story.

"Oh? In that case, this tea set must be extraordinary."

Xinghan put down the teacup, folded his hands in front of his chest, and followed Xiao Zhang's movements with his eyes, as if he wanted to engrave every detail into his heart.

"But in my opinion, the greatest benefit of tea sets is that they can keep the tea clean and non-toxic, so people can drink it with confidence."

Xiao Zhang nodded to show his agreement, but he also felt a little dissatisfied.

He was about to open his mouth to refute, but he saw Xinghan had already taken out a silver needle as thin as a hair and flashing with cold light from his sleeve, and said slowly:

"To prove what I said is true, let's try it with this silver needle."

As he spoke, Xinghan walked to the bronze teapot and gently inserted the silver needle into the tea. Everyone held their breath and waited.

After a while, the silver needle was still as smooth as new, without any changes, which caused a slight cheer. Seeing this, Xiao Zhang secretly breathed a sigh of relief and a relieved smile appeared on his face.

However, just when the atmosphere was about to return to calm, Xinghan suddenly changed the subject and his eyes fell on the bronze container on the tea table.

He walked slowly forward and tapped the edge of the container with his fingers, making a crisp and long sound.

"I was just joking, please forgive me. The real test may not come yet."

As he spoke, he looked at City Lord Gu, bowed slightly, and asked, "City Lord Gu, can you allow me to borrow the spring water in this container to try it out?"

City Master Gu nodded slightly, his eyes sparkling with curiosity and anticipation. After Xinghan got permission, he quickly opened the lid of the container, scooped out a little clear spring water, and poured it into an empty cup.

Then he took out the silver needle again and carefully inserted it into the water.

At this moment, time seemed to freeze. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the silver needle, which quickly turned black, as if swallowed by darkness, emitting a frightening light.

"This……"

Xiao Zhang's face turned pale as paper in an instant. He took a step back in disbelief, and pointed at the blackened silver needle with trembling hands.

"How is this possible? I...I clearly..."

Xiao Zhang's face turned pale in an instant. He looked at the blackened silver needle in disbelief, his hands trembling slightly, as if he could not accept the fact before him.

There was an uproar among the crowd, and they all looked at him with surprise and confusion.

City Lord Gu frowned, looked at Xiao Zhang, and said sternly:

"Xiao Zhang, what's going on? You have always been a trusted tea master here, why is the tea set non-toxic, but the spring water is..."

Xiao Zhang knelt down quickly, his voice choking with sobs: "Lord City Lord, this is unjust! I personally fetch this spring water from the spring in the back mountain every day, and there has never been anything unusual. I... I really don't know why this happened."

Xinghan took a step forward, his eyes deep, and he said slowly:

"Master Zhang, perhaps the problem is not your daily water collection process, but the fact that the spring water may have been contaminated in some way during its storage or transportation. For example, this bronze container may look simple, but it may contain ingredients that react with the spring water and cause the production of toxins."

As he spoke, Xinghan picked up the bronze container, examined it carefully, and continued:

"Ancient bronze vessels are very old, and some of their materials may contain heavy metals or minerals that are harmful to the human body. If they are used to hold drinking water for a long time, especially in a humid environment, chemical reactions are likely to occur, producing harmful substances."