Tang Lici listened as Bai Suche slowly recounted the bloody battle of that night. The more she heard, the paler her face became. “This banknote—how did you obtain it?”

Bai Suche replied, “When Yu Konghou seized Zhao Zhen’s remains from his hands, he stole it back from Yu Konghou’s person.” She bit her lip. “At that time, he was powerless to stop Yu Konghou from doing anything to him, and could only retrieve this banknote. I sent him to prison and hired a physician to treat his wounds, but Yu Konghou won’t allow his mind to remain clear for long. He’ll surely administer drugs soon, and once his injuries heal, he can be used as a medicine man. He understands this very well himself, so he said…” She changed her tone. “He said to return this banknote to you.”

“He didn’t ask you to seek my aid?” Tang Lici asked.

Bai Suche was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, “I very much wish I could say yes, but he didn’t. He only said to return it to you.” She spoke slowly. “With his abilities, he could have escaped Piaoliang Mei Garden completely unharmed, but he… he was there for Zhao Zhen’s remains…” She bit her lip again. “Venturing alone into danger and falling into enemy hands—that was his mistake.”

Tang Lici supported her forehead with her fingers. “What about Ren Qingchou? Was Ren Qingchou also captured?”

Bai Suche said in a low voice, “He broke through the Iron Prison and took Wen Hui away. I also find it strange—he was clearly severely wounded, yet still possessed such capability.”

Tang Lici didn’t respond and paced several steps around the room. “The poisonous flowers used to create the Crimson Ghost Nine Heart Pills have been destroyed, but a large quantity of the pills must be hidden elsewhere, so Fengliu Shop is in no hurry. What comes next: first, we must obtain the antidote for the Crimson Ghost Nine Heart Pills as quickly as possible; second, find where Fengliu Shop has concealed those pills; third, break through Piaoliang Mei Garden and rescue Xue Xianzi.”

Bai Suche nodded and stood up. She turned around. “I should go.”

“Miss Bai…” Tang Lici’s voice sounded very ethereal, lacking vigor. “Having Xue Xianzi guard Liu Yan and implicating him to this extent—I’m very sorry.”

Both Bai Suche and A’Shui were slightly startled. They rarely heard Tang Lici speak so gently. Bai Suche said quietly, “It’s not your fault. You knew he could escape, and he indeed could have escaped. It’s just that he himself was too…” She stopped. “I can’t help him much.”

“I will save him,” Tang Lici said calmly.

Bai Suche let out a cold laugh. “I know. I only hope you… won’t save him the way you saved Chi Yun.”

A’Shui’s heart skipped a beat. She knew that the matter of Chi Yun had deeply wounded Tang Lici, and with Bai Suche’s mocking words, given Tang Lici’s extreme personality, she would surely be stimulated again. But on the surface, nothing showed. Tang Lici merely smiled. “I hope not as well.”

Bai Suche’s chest heaved. “I’m leaving.” She turned and walked away. After four or five steps, she suddenly asked, “Is something wrong with you?”

Tang Lici smiled slightly. “Wrong with me?”

Bai Suche said coldly, “Every word you’ve spoken today doesn’t sound like you.” Without waiting for Tang Lici’s response, she put on her white face veil and, swift as a flying bird, departed in a flash.

A’Shui and Zi Yun looked at Tang Lici. Tang Lici appeared very weary. She sat down in the chair beside A’Shui, supporting her forehead and closing her eyes.

“Young Master Tang?” A’Shui asked in a low voice. “Are you feeling unwell?” Zi Yun’s expression became increasingly concerned, her body trembling slightly.

Tang Lici’s gaze swept across A’Shui’s room and spotted the white jade beauty vase placed on the bookshelf. She raised her hand and pointed at the jade vase. Zi Yun quickly retrieved it for her. Tang Lici poured out a pill and, without drinking any water, swallowed it directly.

“What kind… of medicine is this?” Zi Yun couldn’t help asking. She had served Tang Lici for some time now. Tang Lici had suffered many injuries but almost never took medicine.

Tang Lici didn’t answer. A’Shui sat silently. After a while, she asked, “What do you plan to do?”

Tang Lici’s forehead broke out in a fine layer of cold sweat. “Plan? I’m going to deploy troops to Bodhi Valley and eliminate Piaoliang Mei Garden!”

A’Shui’s entire body shook, and she bit her lower lip. “But… Yu Konghou could return disguised as Miss Tao at any time, and we still haven’t obtained the antidote for the Crimson Ghost Nine Heart Pills. Is now really the right time to attack Piaoliang Mei Garden?”

Tang Lici smiled. “I was joking. Why take it so seriously…” She looked truly exhausted, extending her finger to gently rub her temples. “I don’t care when Yu Konghou returns to Haoyun Mountain. As soon as the antidote for the Crimson Ghost Nine Heart Pills appears, I will deploy troops to Bodhi Valley.”

“But—I fear Senior Xue Xianzi… cannot wait.” A’Shui’s voice trembled slightly. “By the time you deploy troops, he’ll probably already have been refined into a medicine man by Yu Konghou. Can you really bear to… bear to sit here and watch helplessly as he becomes Yu Konghou’s killing tool?”

Tang Lici’s fingertips lingered at her temples. “Piaoliang Mei Garden is a stronghold of Fengliu Shop. Rashly entering Piaoliang Mei Garden is almost suicide. I won’t send people to rescue him. He won’t die now. If I want to save him, I can only hope someone can cure the medicine man poison. If someone can cure the medicine man poison, not only can we save Xue Xianzi, but we can also awaken Zhu Yan. Once Zhu Yan regains consciousness, Yu Konghou will have gained another formidable enemy to trouble him.”

A’Shui breathed a slight sigh of relief, as if seeing hope, but this hope was so ethereal and intangible. “Who… could cure the medicine man poison?”

“If Liu Yan participated in creating the drug used in the Guiding String Life-Seizing Technique, perhaps he could cure it. Additionally, ‘Bright Moon Gold Physician’ Shui Duopo, Imperial Physician Qi Yang, Qi Yang’s wife Shen Xi, or even Senior Wen Renhe from Biluo Palace—as long as there’s a thread of hope, I will do my utmost.” Tang Lici smiled faintly. “The jianghu is vast. There will always be someone who can accomplish what others cannot.”

She seemed particularly gentle today, without that venomous, serpentine demonic aura. Yet A’Shui felt very uneasy, staring intently at Tang Lici’s face. “Are you… very tired?”

Tang Lici closed her eyes. “I too have gone two days and nights without sleep. Many skilled fighters have newly arrived at Haoyun Mountain, and I must meet with each one. Some have too much jianghu temperament and constant disputes. Integrating these people into usable talent still requires time.”

Zi Yun fell to her knees with a thud. “Young Master, please let Zi Yun attend to you! Someone needs to serve tea, pour water, and tend to your comfort. This servant… this servant truly cannot rest easy…”

Tang Lici didn’t open her eyes and said flatly, “I’m very tired. Seeing you makes me even more irritated.”

Zi Yun was stunned. Tang Lici’s words struck her like a heavy blow. “I… I…”

A’Shui felt darkly sympathetic. “Miss Zi Yun…”

Zi Yun’s eyes filled with tears, yet she still kowtowed. “I don’t want to serve Miss A’Shui. Zi Yun… Zi Yun only wants to serve Young Master alone. I only ask that Young Master let Zi Yun attend to your three daily meals, let Zi Yun see Young Master’s face each day, so I can have peace of mind…”

Tang Lici gently rubbed her temples with her fingers. “A’Shui, I’m entrusting Zi Yun to you. If she’s still crying and pestering like this after three days, don’t blame me for turning ruthless.”

A’Shui frowned slightly. Tang Lici stood up and pushed open the door to leave.

Zi Yun crawled forward two steps. “Young Master…” A’Shui quickly grasped her hand. Zi Yun had no choice but to watch as Tang Lici departed with a sweep of her sleeves. “What… what did I do wrong? Why won’t you let me serve you? I harbor no improper thoughts, it’s just…”

“Miss Zi Yun.” A’Shui said gently, “Please get up.”

Zi Yun staggered to her feet, heartbroken, covering her face and weeping. A’Shui had her sit down. “Stop crying. If Young Master Tang won’t let you attend to him, no one can force it. If you keep pleading, it will only make him look down on you more.”

Zi Yun’s tears streamed down her face. “Is it a crime to like Young Master? Why should he look down on me for liking him and caring about him? I don’t presume to hope I could spend my life with Young Master. Zi Yun asks for nothing—I only want to see him once each day.”

“He doesn’t want you to see him even once.” A’Shui’s brow furrowed. “Miss Zi Yun, many people in this world want to see Young Master Tang. Most of them harbor fantasies, respect, worship, or even infatuation toward Young Master Tang. If everyone thinks they mean no harm and therefore cause no injury to others, how much trouble would that cause Young Master Tang?”

Zi Yun was stunned. “Trouble?”

A’Shui sighed. “Yes, trouble. Since you harbor no great expectations, then don’t trouble the person you like. He doesn’t want to see you, yet you insist on daily meetings. Given Young Master Tang’s personality, how could he tolerate such persistence?” She spoke warmly and patiently. “He’s not a gentle person and absolutely won’t wrong himself. Isn’t that so?”

Zi Yun stared blankly at A’Shui, looking very confused. A’Shui smiled slightly. “What is it?”

Zi Yun said in bewilderment, “I feel like you… understand Young Master Tang very well, while I don’t understand him at all.”

A’Shui shook her head. “I don’t understand.” She lowered her eyelashes and said gently, “The more I interact with Young Master Tang, the more I feel I don’t understand him. But Young Master Tang is a good person.” She looked up at Zi Yun with warm eyes. “Though his temper is bad, he likes to torment people, and his killing aura is heavy, I feel his heart is good toward people. It’s just that his way of being good to people is very strange.” She suddenly laughed. “Though he says he dislikes you and won’t let you stay by his side, and says he’ll turn ruthless toward you, if you encounter danger, he will definitely save you. Young Master Tang is just this way…” She shook her head. “Don’t hate him. If you encounter difficulties, the person you can most rely on is still Young Master Tang.”

“Miss A’Shui, won’t you go see him either?” Zi Yun’s tears slid down. “Aren’t you worried?”

A’Shui sighed softly. “I don’t know.” Zi Yun’s passionate devotion also made her feel somewhat troubled and confused.

Fengfeng stared unblinkingly at the two of them, her dark eyes round and bright. Suddenly she spoke: “I want to eat meat.”

Zi Yun smiled through her tears. “I’ll go to the kitchen right away to get some.”