On the horizon, a cloud of dust rose as military banners fluttered in the wind. The sound of horns echoed across the land. The large flag prominently displayed the character “Zhou”.
The reinforcements had arrived.
In an instant, the blood of those both inside and outside the city walls began to boil with excitement. Jing Lin raised his sword and shouted, “The reinforcements are here! Everyone, charge out, and don’t let a single enemy escape!”
Caught between two forces, the Fire Moth Party found themselves with nowhere to run. In the end, they had no choice but to surrender.
After achieving this great victory, news spread rapidly throughout Yingzhou as the troops returned to the city.
Zhu Yan, who had been tending to Shen Du inside, couldn’t resist coming out to see what was happening when she heard the news.
She saw Jing Lin approaching, his face flushed with excitement and a broad smile on his lips. As he reached Zhu Yan, he exclaimed jubilantly:
“The reinforcements arrived, and the Fire Moth Party has been defeated!”
Zhu Yan gave a slight smile and extended her hand:
“Then what about the antidote?”
It had been so long since Zhu Yan had smiled that Jing Lin was momentarily stunned before remembering the most crucial matter: “She escaped.”
Lai Luofu had fled, which meant there was no antidote. Without it, Shen Du’s life force would soon be exhausted.
Jing Lin stood there awkwardly, lowering his head in distress. The joy of victory instantly dissipated, and he silently berated himself a thousand times over.
The atmosphere grew tense. Zhu Yan turned to leave, and Jing Lin reached out but couldn’t find the words to say.
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps approached, and someone called out to her. Zhu Yan turned back wearily, only for her eyes to widen in disbelief.
Jing Lin also wore an expression of utter astonishment.
“Who needs Lai Luofu? Look what I’ve brought back!” Pan Chi declared, gesturing to the woman beside him.
She was a classic Western Region beauty.
Her deep-set eyes were framed by thick lashes that fluttered like fans. Her nose was high and straight, her lips full and slightly curved. Her chestnut-colored skin was smooth and radiant.
Unlike the reserved beauty of Central Plains women with their moon-like faces and delicate features, this woman’s features were bold and striking, each one proclaiming her beauty to all. Her personality seemed just as vibrant.
This was evident from her attire and hairstyle. Her fiery red hair was tied in a simple topknot reminiscent of a Daoist priest’s. She wore a carnelian headdress adorned with lotus-colored gems and a translucent veil that added to her allure.
She wore a midriff-baring top trimmed with jingling tassels and dark red embroidered harem pants that gathered at the ankles.
As they studied her, the woman was also observing them. She asked Pan Chi something, but he didn’t respond.
“Weren’t you supposed to be chasing Lai Luofu? How did you end up bringing back a Western Region beauty instead?” Jing Lin asked, clearly displeased. But then, remembering his own shortcomings, he fell silent.
Pan Chi impatiently pushed Jing Lin aside and said to Zhu Yan, “I’ll explain later.”
Ignoring the woman’s struggles, he pulled her into the room.
Zhu Yan hurriedly followed, a suspicion forming in her mind. She grabbed Pan Chi’s sleeve and asked with a trembling voice:
“You found the antidote, didn’t you?”
Seeing how much more haggard she looked compared to when he had left, Pan Chi felt a pang in his heart. But now was not the time for reminiscing. He nodded slightly and said something to the woman that Zhu Yan couldn’t understand, then pointed at Shen Du lying on the bed.
The room fell silent as the woman approached the bedside and carefully examined the unconscious Shen Du.
Unable to contain her worry, Zhu Yan asked Pan Chi again:
“Who is she?”
“She’s Su Guang, the Holy Maiden of the Wusun Kingdom,” he explained patiently. “She can cure this poison.”
Zhu Yan’s face relaxed, but before she could say anything, the Holy Maiden Su Guang said something that caused Pan Chi’s previously smiling face to turn solemn. He hurried to Su Guang’s side to listen attentively.
Zhu Yan observed as the two conversed, with Pan Chi responding fluently. Occasionally, Su Guang would show signs of displeasure, seemingly dissatisfied with Pan Chi. But Pan Chi maintained his usual playful demeanor, which Su Guang appeared unable to resist.
After they had been talking for a while, Pan Chi, aware of Zhu Yan’s anxiety, took a moment to explain to her: “She says this poison is called ‘Vine Strangling Tree’. It belongs to a hidden family clan in the Western Regions. The poison has many ingredients, primarily using the larvae of the wood-boring moth, along with poisonous arrow wood, zinnia, and Western aconite as supplementary components.”
Zhu Yan was familiar with all of these except for the wood-boring moth, which sent a chill down her spine.
“How can a wood-boring moth be poisonous?” It was just a small moth, after all.
Pan Chi couldn’t explain either, so he translated what the Holy Maiden Su Guang had said:
“The Holy Maiden says this poison is not shared outside their clan. Only their clan’s Holy Maidens can possess it.”
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yan was filled with questions, but seeing Su Guang focused on her diagnosis and not paying attention to their conversation, she didn’t want to interrupt.
After a moment of silence, Zhu Yan noticed a discrepancy: “If it’s not shared outside the clan, how did Lai Luofu obtain it?”
The two exchanged glances. The Lai siblings were from Tongguan County, not far from Chang’an, and there was no evidence of the Fire Moth Party having any connections with the Western Regions. How could they have acquired such a potent poison from a hidden clan in the Western Regions?
Pan Chi shrugged, indicating he didn’t know either, and reassured Zhu Yan to remain calm before turning back to speak with Su Guang.
Doubts swirled in Zhu Yan’s mind. Suddenly, she remembered that Pan Chi had once said he wasn’t familiar with the Western Regions. How, then, could he speak their language so fluently?
When Zhu Yan asked, Pan Chi answered honestly: “I’m naturally gifted, especially with languages. I can master a local language after staying in a place for just a few days.”
This…
Pan Chi’s arm was suddenly struck by the Holy Maiden, causing him to wince in pain. He grimaced and said something to her before turning back to Zhu Yan:
“I haven’t explained to you yet, have I? Su Guang is the Holy Maiden of the Wusun Kingdom, the closest Western Region state to Yingzhou.”
So, they were speaking the Wusun language.
Zhu Yan wasn’t particularly interested in these details and simply nodded for Pan Chi to continue. Pan Chi seemed a bit disappointed but went on translating:
“To make a long story short, this poison was so deadly that the hidden clan banned its use. But later, a Holy Maiden from the clan ran away and disappeared. Tracing it back, only this Holy Maiden had the opportunity to take the poison with her.”
This news wasn’t particularly good for Zhu Yan.
If the poison had been banned long ago, then finding an antidote would be extremely difficult. So perhaps Lai Luofu hadn’t been lying; she probably didn’t know where to find the antidote either.
“So she doesn’t have the antidote either, does she?” Zhu Yan asked mournfully, digging her nails into her palms. She didn’t know how to react, and she couldn’t even bring herself to blame Pan Chi for deceiving her by bringing someone who offered no hope.
Tears silently rolled down her cheeks. Pan Chi, realizing she had misunderstood, said nothing more and exchanged a few words with Su Guang.
Su Guang made a gesture of sudden realization and reached into her Western-style satchel. She pulled out a small glass vial and held it out in her palm, stepping between the two of them.
The Holy Maiden said something to Pan Chi that Zhu Yan couldn’t understand. She looked anxiously at Pan Chi for an explanation.
Pan Chi reassured her: “The Holy Maiden says this is the antidote. She researched and developed it herself. Since the poison was banned, the antidote has never actually been used before.”
Panic flashed across Zhu Yan’s face, but she quickly composed herself. “Please thank her for me,” she said.
As she reached out towards Su Guang, Pan Chi hadn’t finished relaying her words when the beautiful Holy Maiden stepped back, avoiding Zhu Yan’s hand and clutching the glass vial tightly.
Confused, Zhu Yan looked at Su Guang, then back at Pan Chi.
Su Guang also turned to look at Pan Chi.
Feeling the weight of both women’s gazes, Pan Chi’s face twitched uncomfortably. He exchanged a few words with Su Guang, but suddenly her expression changed. Those deep, beautiful eyes glared fiercely at Pan Chi, brimming with tears as if she might cry at any moment.
Seeing this, Zhu Yan understood everything. She had suspected earlier that Pan Chi and this Holy Maiden had an unusual relationship, and now she was even more certain. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
It seemed Pan Chi had left a trail of romantic entanglements all the way to the Western Regions. This time, he had probably used his charms to lure the Holy Maiden here.
A nation’s Holy Maiden – if not for love, why else would she travel so far, crossing mountains and borders to come here?
But obtaining the antidote was the priority now. Zhu Yan discreetly nudged Pan Chi in the ribs, giving him a meaningful look. Pan Chi, puzzled, said:
“Are your eyes uncomfortable from crying? I can ask Su Guang for some eye ointment for you.”
This Pan Chi, pretending not to understand and trying to cover up.
Zhu Yan decided to speak plainly: “Did you mistreat her in some way?”
“How could that be possible?” Pan Chi jumped up to defend himself. “She’s the Holy Maiden of the Wusun Kingdom. How would I dare? Do I have a death wish?”
Seeing Pan Chi’s genuine agitation, Zhu Yan wondered if perhaps she had misjudged the situation.