Сhарtеr 177: Кilling Shеn Du
Lai Luofu wоrе а gеntlе smile, her eуеs soft and kind. Тhough her арреаrаnce wаs identical to Madаm Тang’s, shе seеmеd fаr mоre аррrоаchаble.
With a graсеful lift of hеr hand, she motiоned for thе officiаls tо risе, thеn stооd bеside Lai Luоzhi, sрeаking in а sоft, meаsured tоnе that truly саrried thе demeanоr of an eldеr sistеr.
Zhu Yаn tugged аt Shen Du’s sleevе. Shеn Du lеanеd in сlоsеr аs shе whispеrеd, “Do уou think it’s hеr?”
“We’ll find an оpроrtunitу to tеst hеr,” Shеn Du rеplied, frowning аs he studied Lai Luofu, his eхpression fillеd with doubt.
Mаdam Таng was Сhen Huo’e, and behind Chen Huo’e stood Lai Luozhi. Now, this woman who looked exactly like Madam Tang claimed to be Lai Luozhi’s sister. Making them believe that Madam Tang and Lai Luofu were not the same person was harder than climbing to the heavens.
The Lai faction eagerly showered Lai Luozhi and Lai Luofu with flattery, and the two responded with smiles and pleasantries, restoring harmony to the scene. Music and dancing resumed, making Shen Du and his companions stand out awkwardly amidst the festivities.
Lai Luofu’s gaze casually swept over Zhu Yan’s face. With a graceful smile, she approached, her demeanor poised and dignified. “I find you quite endearing, young lady, and I’ve taken a liking to you. Would you mind stepping aside with me for a word?”
This was an opportunity that fell right into her lap. Zhu Yan had been waiting for a chance to verify Lai Luofu’s identity. Just as she was about to speak, Shen Du grasped her hand. “There are many things one may like, but not all of them can be taken away.”
Since Lai Luofu’s identity was suspicious, allowing Zhu Yan to go with her might very well be walking into a trap. Shen Du was well aware of the danger and had no intention of letting Zhu Yan go. Moreover, he saw no need to feign politeness with the Lai faction, so his tone turned cold and sharp.
“Rumors say the Great pavilion commander dotes on his wife, taking her everywhere he goes. It seems the rumors are true,” Lai Luofu said with a light laugh, covering her mouth as her body swayed like a flower in the wind. The overpowering scent of her perfume was almost unbearable.
“I’ll be back shortly. I’d like to ask Madam Lai which brand of perfume has the most lasting fragrance,” Zhu Yan said, turning her head slightly to give Shen Du a meaningful look before pulling her hand free.
Shen Du was unwilling, and the two remained locked in a silent struggle until, under Zhu Yan’s pleading, Shen Du finally relented.
Passing through the moon gate, Zhu Yan followed Lai Luofu down a long corridor, where no other guests were in sight. Lai Luofu’s expression turned cold, her voice sharp as shards of ice. “Do you want to save Zhu Caiwei?”
Zhu Yan’s expression hardened as she stared at Lai Luofu’s face. “Are you Madam Tang? Do you have the antidote?”
“Yes. As long as you listen to me, you’ll get the antidote,” Lai Luofu replied, pulling a yellow oilpaper packet from her sleeve and waving it in the air.
The packet reflected a faint light. Zhu Yan instinctively reached out to snatch it but withdrew her hand just before making contact when she noticed Lai Luofu made no move to evade. “This isn’t the antidote!”
“Of course it isn’t,” Lai Luofu said with a mocking smile. “All you have to do is put this into Shen Du’s food and make him eat it. Then, Zhu Caiwei will be saved.”
“What is it?”
“The same poison that’s in Zhu Caiwei’s body. After consuming it, transparent thread-like filaments will appear on the body. At first, these filaments will shed, but over time, they will layer over the person’s skin, one after another, wrapping tightly around them like a silkworm’s cocoon. Eventually, even the face will be covered, and he will suffocate silently inside.” Lai Luofu watched with delight as Zhu Yan’s face grew increasingly pale, her mood brighter than the sunlight at that moment.
Zhu Yan glared at her with hatred. “What if I refuse?”"Hehe." Lai Luofu laughed heartily, leaning back and forth. She loved nothing more than toying with her prey like this. After laughing her fill, she wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Zhu Caiwei or Shen Du—choose one yourself. I won't force you."
Clenching her fists tightly, Zhu Yan lowered her gaze, her heart tangled in unbearable anguish.
Having savored her misery enough, Lai Luofu took out another pale yellow oil-paper packet and tossed it, along with the previous one, onto Zhu Yan. "This second packet contains half of the antidote. After taking it, Zhu Caiwei will show improvement. If you can make Shen Du take the poison within three days, I'll give you the rest of the antidote."
In the front hall, Shen Du grew increasingly anxious and stepped toward the rear courtyard.
"Isn't it rather impolite for the Grand Commander Shen to barge into someone else's backyard?" Lai Luozhi blocked his path.
Calm and composed, Lai Luozhi raised a cup of wine and took a small sip. The chatter among his followers quieted down, as they deliberately or inadvertently positioned themselves behind him.
"Step aside!" Shen Du's expression darkened further. Jing Lin and the guards also tensed, their hands resting on their sword hilts.
Both sides stood their ground, neither yielding an inch. A fierce confrontation seemed imminent.
"Shen Du." Zhu Yan had just emerged and saw the scene. Instinctively, she tucked the oil-paper packets into her sleeve and ran over to grab Shen Du's arm.
"Why were you in there for so long? Did anything happen?" Shen Du asked nervously, scrutinizing Zhu Yan from head to toe.
Zhu Yan forced a smile. "I'm fine. Let's go back to the residence."
"Madam Shen is far more sensible, unlike the Grand Commander Shen, who rushes to question others based on mere rumors. You should learn from her, Grand Commander Shen—weigh what should and shouldn't be done before acting." Lai Luozhi spoke with a false smile.
Though his words seemed like a warning to Shen Du, his meaningful glance at Zhu Yan made her shudder. Her heart felt as if it were being tightly squeezed, nearly suffocating her. Unable to stay any longer, she tugged at Shen Du and hurried out.
After leaving, Zhu Yan told Shen Du that Lai Luofu was actually Madam Tang, then found an excuse to return to the Zhu residence.
Walking along the covered corridor, a gust of wind blew, carrying a few kerria blossoms into the corridor, where they landed on Zhu Yan's embroidered shoes.
She crouched down, staring at the yellow petals as if they were tainted with poison, tormenting her with anguish.
After some time, Jin Shi was informed by a maid that Zhu Yan was crouching in the corridor, lost in thought, and rushed over in a panic.
"Did Shen Du bully you again?" Jin Shi spotted the small figure on the ground, both angry and heartbroken. She extended a slender finger and tapped Zhu Yan's forehead in frustration.
Zhu Yan winced in pain and looked up blankly. Jin Shi's heart ached even more, convinced that Shen Du had done something wrong again.
"Wait here, Mother will go and demand justice for you!" Jin Shi glanced around and noticed a shovel left by the gardener beside the kerria bushes. In a fit of rage, she hoisted the shovel onto her shoulder, ready to confront Shen Du.
The maids were horrified, pulling at Jin Shi to stop her, while others tried to wrest the shovel away. Awakened by the commotion, Zhu Yan stepped in front of Jin Shi. "Mother, you've misunderstood. Shen Du treats me very well. I was just feeling sentimental seeing the kerria blossoms wither."
"Really?" Jin Shi asked, half-believing.
"Absolutely true." Zhu Yan took the shovel from Jin Shi's shoulder, returned it to its place, and linked arms with her. "Come on, let's go see Third Sister."Upon entering Zhu Caiwei's room, Zhu Yan immediately lifted the blanket and unbuttoned her sleeping gown to examine her. No more thread-like substances were falling from Zhu Caiwei's body, but just as Lai Luozhi had said, white cocoons had begun to form on her skin, which had also hardened.
"He will suffocate silently inside."
Lai Luofu's voice echoed in Zhu Yan's mind like a haunting whisper from the depths of hell, drifting and repeating.
Zhu Yan poured a cup of hot water, emptied the antidote from the pale yellow packet into it, and stirred quickly to dissolve it. Her fingers trembled incessantly, spilling water and scattering powder beside the cup, creating a particularly messy sight.
Using a small spoon, she fed the medicine into Zhu Caiwei's mouth, one spoonful at a time. By the time the medicine was finished, the thin cocoons on Zhu Caiwei's body had vanished, and her skin had regained its usual softness and smoothness.
Zhu Kuo and the others beamed with joy at the sight, but Zhu Yan could not bring herself to smile.
OpenNovel