Blood River

"I'll kill you!" Bai Hehuai stood up, waving her hand as a cluster of silver needles appeared in her grip.

Su Changhe quickly ducked behind Su Muyu: "Then you choose. Any of us will do."

Furious, Bai Hehuai slammed her palm on the table, releasing a puff of purple smoke.

"Easy now, easy. Let's talk this through." Xin Baicao was startled and hurriedly pulled out an incense stick from his robe, lighting it and placing it on the table. "You're unleashing 'Purple Mist from the East'? Just a whiff of this can kill a man in moments."

Bai Hehuai snorted coldly: "If you can't cure her, forget it."

Su Muyu lowered his head in thought before replying: "I have an idea. I can blindfold myself with a black cloth and follow your instructions when the time comes."

Xin Baicao nodded: "That could work."

"What a clever little devil. Then it's settled." Seeing the purple smoke still lingering around Bai Hehuai's palm, Su Changhe immediately pushed the door open and stepped outside.

Outside, Su Zhe was lounging in a chair, smoking under the setting sun.

Su Changhe grinned: "Uncle Zhe, you seem quite at ease about your daughter's injury."

"With the Medicine King Xin Baicao here, naturally there's nothing to worry about." Su Zhe exhaled leisurely. "What's for dinner? Since the Medicine King has graced us with his presence, shouldn't we go out for something nice?"

"Go on, say it louder—speak your mind." Su Changhe encouraged.

"I want to eat at Fushou Tower! The thirteen-course banquet, paired with a pot of Luobai wine!" Su Zhe declared loudly.

Su Changhe patted Su Zhe on the shoulder: "More sincerity!"

Su Zhe took a deep breath and said earnestly: "I don't want to eat Su Muyu's cooking again."

"That's more like it." Su Changhe turned to Xiao Chaoyan. "Zhaoyan, head to Fushou Tower and book the best private room. Tonight, we'll treat our esteemed guest, the Medicine King's junior disciple, to the thirteen-course banquet!"

"Understood." The moment she heard she wouldn't have to endure Su Muyu's cooking tonight, Xiao Chaoyan nearly jumped for joy. She dashed out the door and sprinted toward Fushou Tower.

Su Changhe turned back with a smile, looking at Su Zhe as he puffed on his pipe, then suddenly remarked meaningfully: "Uncle Zhe, don't you think settling down here in Nan'an City wouldn't be so bad?"

Su Zhe was taken aback: "What about the people back in Dark River? You'd just abandon them?"

"If there's one Nan'an City in this world, there are ten, a hundred. Since we've found our Nan'an City, they can find theirs too. With one command, everyone scatters to the winds and lives like this—wouldn't that be nice?" Su Changhe replied.

Su Zhe slowly blew out a smoke ring: "But not everyone would enjoy such a life. We were born into the martial world—who wouldn't want to be someone who shakes the heavens and stirs the winds? We've stood at the summit, but many in Dark River haven't. They still have ambition. If you drop them into Nan'an City, then Nan'an City becomes a battlefield."

Su Changhe chuckled softly: "I forgot about that."

Su Zhe set down his pipe: "I can choose this. Su Muyu can choose this. But you? You don't have a choice—because you're The Head."

Su Changhe didn't pursue the topic further and instead changed the subject: "By the way, Uncle Zhe, have you ever attended a wedding banquet in your life?""In our line of work, we're always the ones sending people off to their graves. We've attended plenty of funeral banquets, but wedding wine? I've only drunk at my own." Su Zhe tilted his head back to gaze at the setting sun, lost in memory. "Back then, Bai Hehuai's mother and I were on the run. We took refuge in a broken-down temple, became husband and wife there, bowed to heaven and earth, and drank the last jug of wine we had—that counted as our wedding wine."

Su Changhe laughed, "How did that wine taste?"

Su Zhe shook his head, "It was sweet."

"Uncle Zhe, I thought you only drank strong liquor like Shaodaozi. I heard only southern fruit wines are sweet," Su Changhe said, puzzled.

"It was still Shaodaozi, but that day it tasted sweet. I can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, but that day I did, and then..." Su Zhe chuckled foolishly.

Su Zhe raised an eyebrow, "And then...?"

"And then we had Hehuai," Su Zhe said slowly.

"So that's how it was," Su Zhe turned around and murmured, "I've never had wedding wine. If I get the chance, I hope to have a cup before returning to Dark River."

Su Zhe sat up, "Chang He, that sounds quite meaningful."

"You know what I mean," Su Changhe shouted toward the house, "We're going to Fushou Tower for a feast!"

Bai Hehuai immediately pushed the door open and rushed out, "What what what what? We're going to Fushou Tower today?"

"Yes, my treat," Su Changhe pointed at himself with his thumb, "The most luxurious thirteen-course banquet, the finest Luobai wine, as much as you want."

"Great! Even you, this rotten thing, have a kind heart. Those ugly little whiskers of yours look almost benevolent now. Let's go, let's go! I promise not to oppose you today," Bai Hehuai beamed with joy, looking utterly delighted.

Xin Baicao, however, was deeply confused. He glanced at Su Muyu and asked, "My junior sister here is as greedy for money as if her life depends on it. She charges the highest consultation fees among us, so she's quite wealthy. Whenever she took me out before, we'd stay at the best inns, eat the finest food, and drink the most expensive wine. Has she suddenly grown a conscience, or have you been mistreating her?"

Su Muyu looked awkward and hesitated before saying, "The daily meals at Crane Rain Medicine Manor are all prepared by me."

Xin Baicao suddenly understood, "It must be because your cooking is terrible, right?"

Su Muyu, rarely showing irritation, frowned slightly and said indignantly, "How can you say it's terrible without having tasted it?"

Realizing his rudeness, Xin Baicao clasped his hands in apology, "My apologies, my apologies. That was impolite of me."

"Then have a taste," Su Zhe extended his pipe and flicked a piece of some unknown-flavored pastry from the table, tossing it into Xin Baicao's hand. "This is Osmanthus Cake made by our dear Muyu. Medicine King, please try it."

"Osmanthus Cake? Shouldn't it be white?" Xin Baicao stared at the slightly greenish pastry in his hand. If he weren't so well-versed in medicine and immediately recognized it as non-toxic, he might have thrown it away in fright.

Su Muyu explained, "I added a bit of tea powder to the cake. This way, it not only has the fragrance of osmanthus but also a hint of tea aroma."

"Thoughtful," Xin Baicao nodded approvingly and took a bite.

The atmosphere instantly froze.

Su Zhe's expression was full of pity, Su Changhe's face was brimming with schadenfreude, and Bai Hehuai couldn't bear to watch, turning her back.Xin Baicao's expression quickly changed, and without hesitation, he spat out the Osmanthus Cake in one go. He then flung the cake in his hand away and cursed loudly, "What the hell is this crap!"