The Fire Moth Party’s stronghold waited for a while, but no more reinforcements arrived. They gradually realized that the impressive reinforcement was just an illusion, and only the batch of Imperial Guards who launched the surprise attack had truly come.
“Damn it, we’ve been tricked,” they cursed.
But it was too late.
Not only had they failed to capture Shen Du, but they had also lost a bottle of antidote in the process.
The Fire Moth Party members were furious, and even the original yamen officers and soldiers were displeased. If Mo Qianzhi hadn’t held back his orders, how could Shen Du have possibly escaped their joint forces?
With Shen Du dead, Yingzhou City would have been theirs for the taking. They couldn’t understand what Lord Mo was thinking, letting such a formidable enemy slip away.
Some clamored to attack Yingzhou City immediately, but before Mo Qianzhi could speak, Lai Luofu stepped in to stop them: “Don’t pursue a desperate enemy.”
“If we chase now, we might still catch up to him,” someone said, looking at her in confusion.
Ignoring the hint of anger in his voice, Lai Luofu smiled calmly.
Mo Qianzhi watched with growing disgust. He swiftly drew a knife and held it to Lai Luofu’s throat, giving her no chance to struggle.
The people around them stopped what they were doing and gathered closer upon seeing this scene.
Lai Luofu’s laughter grew louder.
“What are you laughing at?” He tightened his grip on the knife, pressing it closer to Lai Luofu’s neck, his revulsion intensifying.
This action didn’t cause Lai Luofu the slightest bit of tension. She looked straight into Mo Qianzhi’s eyes, smiled, and then suddenly became serious. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. Shen Du isn’t someone you can subdue.”
Mo Qianzhi’s eyes flickered. Seeing Lai Luofu’s confidence, a disturbing thought crossed his mind. “What have you done?”
Lai Luofu pushed the knife away and said smugly, “Nothing much. Just sent him a little gift. I believe Lord Mo will soon be able to collect the corpse of his old friend.”
Mo Qianzhi’s fingertips trembled, his expression inscrutable.
“Within three days, he’ll be dead for certain,” Lai Luofu adjusted her collar, no longer looking directly at Mo Qianzhi. “Taking Yingzhou is just around the corner. Reinforcements are of little importance now.”
The words “dead for certain” echoed in Mo Qianzhi’s mind. Too many people had died recently – the citizens of Yingzhou, his wife, and children, and now Shen Du was about to die too.
Mo Qianzhi fell into deep self-doubt.
If everyone died, what was the point of building a new world?
“Hehe, Lord Mo, try to look at the bigger picture. To build a new world, sacrifices must be made. Isn’t that what you said?” Lai Luofu added fuel to the fire.
“Short-sighted!” he suddenly berated her, his face grim as he paced back and forth, scolding harshly. “Petty ambitions! Shen Du is incredibly capable, and the people he commands are no ordinary individuals.”
Lai Luofu, stung by the rebuke, felt a flicker of anger. She said they should absorb these people, but in truth, it was just old friendship holding him back from being ruthless.
“Lord Mo should know that to succeed, one must not have womanly mercy. We’ve already crossed swords, why pretend otherwise?”
“Didn’t Shen Du just use you as a hostage in exchange for the antidote?”
Mo Qianzhi pressed his lips together. Yes, he had been taken hostage, but Shen Du hadn’t tried to kill him.
“Stop feeling regret for unnecessary people,” unlike Mo Qianzhi, Lai Luofu’s eyes held only self-interest. “If you truly want to overthrow the Great Zhou, you must first eliminate the Empress’s right and left hands.”
“This Shen Du is one of the Empress’s hands.”
As she finished speaking, her gaze grew increasingly cruel.
Mo Qianzhi’s eyes flickered, and he remained silent for a long time, merely fingering the dagger at his waist.
Seeing him still like this, Lai Luofu found herself at a loss for words. “If you don’t want him to die, we can always revive him after we take Yingzhou City.”
Resurrection? Hah.
Mo Qianzhi thought to himself. He had never believed in such things. If there truly was a resurrection technique, why were there so many wrongfully dead souls?
It was just Lai Luofu’s tactic to win people over.
His gaze shifted to Lai Luofu’s left chest, and he was stunned.
This Chen Huoe had survived a direct hit to the heart from Shen Du’s full-strength shot. Had she achieved immortality?
Feeling that this person held many secrets and her background was a mystery, Mo Qianzhi couldn’t help but become more vigilant.
It was just a partnership of convenience, after all. He had to be on guard.
“Now that Shen Du is poisoned, Yingzhou City is without a leader. It’s the perfect time to attack.”
Lai Luofu glanced at Mo Qianzhi, satisfied. “Good.”
—
In Yingzhou City, Jing Lin had searched for every doctor in the city, but none knew what poison Shen Du had been afflicted with.
Even Zhu Yan, who could use her blood to alleviate Pan Chi’s poison, was helpless against Shen Du’s condition, which was not the ‘Breaking Cocoon to Become a Butterfly’ poison.
Looking at the unconscious man on the bed, Zhu Yan’s heart ached as if cut by a knife. She even wished she could take the poison in his stead. Shen Du had gone to the Fire Moth Party to repay her debt, and now he was poisoned because of her. How could she be at peace?
After several sleepless days and nights, Zhu Yan had visibly thinned. Her once well-fitting robes now hung loosely on her frame.
Jing Lin led someone in, and upon seeing Zhu Yan, his heart sank. Noticing that although exhausted, she still maintained her composure, he knew she was putting on a brave face. Without further delay, he introduced the person he had brought.
Zhu Yan then realized that the dark-skinned man carrying a medicine box was a military doctor from the army camp.
No wonder he looked different from ordinary physicians.
After being invited to sit, he placed his hand on Shen Du’s wrist and then used silver needles to diagnose the meridians under Shen Du’s skin. He observed, listened, questioned, and examined, then fell silent.
After a long while, he looked at the two with an apologetic expression. “This humble one has never seen such a poison before, but after years of military service, I have some guesses.”
“Please, tell us,” Zhu Yan urged anxiously. Any information was good.
The doctor spoke frankly: “I fear this poison is not from the Central Plains, but rather from the Western Regions.”
The military doctor prescribed an antidote and went to brew the medicine himself. Zhu Yan sat woodenly beside Shen Du, her eyes swollen and red, wanting to cry but holding back.
Jing Lin punched the wall. “Tonight, I will lead a night raid on the Fire Moth Party. I swear to get the antidote.”
Zhu Yan was startled, and then shook her head. “They must have prepared for this. They’re waiting for us to come.”
“We still have to go. Are we supposed to just watch as the Section Leader…” Jing Lin couldn’t bring himself to say the last few words, his eyes reddening with frustration.
Zhu Yan looked at Jing Lin, her expression calm. “The Section Leader wouldn’t agree. You’re his best friend. You can’t die.”
Jing Lin could no longer hold back his emotions. Hot tears streamed down his face as he turned away to wipe them.
A hint of bewilderment flashed in Zhu Yan’s eyes, but she quickly regained her focus. “Be prepared for the next few days. I expect they’ll take this opportunity to attack the city. We can’t let them have their way. As for my husband,”
Zhu Yan looked at Shen Du’s sleeping face,
“He risked his life to protect Yingzhou City. We must protect it for him.”
If he dies, I’ll die with him.
These words, Zhu Yan didn’t say aloud.
Jing Lin clenched his fists tightly, gripping his sword as he left, not daring to look back.