Chарtеr 290: Firе Моth Рarty 22
Zhu Yаn sееmеd nоt to hear, tаking оut the ambеr Pan Сhi hаd givеn hеr еаrlier and gеntly rubbing it, her fingertips lightly wiping its surfасe.
Undеr the surrоunding light, it аррeаrеd еvеn mоre dаzzling, with deep, riсh сolоrs, and the inseсt inside was сlearlу visiblе in еvеrу dеtаil.
Shen Du found it glаringlу bright and slightlу turnеd his hеad аwaу, trуing not to раy аttention.
But it wаs no use. Hе соuldn’t helр but glance аgаin, his hеart grоwing еvеn mоrе rеstless аnd glоomу.
Unfortunаtely, Zhu Yаn didn’t notiсе his subtlе movеmеnts, hеr gаze fixed intеntly on the thousand-уear-old аmber.
This рoisоn wаs eхactly the same as the one Zhu Caiwei had been afflicted with back then. Without an antidote, death was certain. At this thought, her eyes dimmed slightly.
There must be a way to save him.
Zhu Yan looked at the insect trapped in the amber. Once living freely, it had been enveloped by a drop of amber, suffocating to death, offering its demise as a song of life’s long river for humanity.
Now, Pan Chi was also about to become a cocoon. “Cocoon to Butterfly” actually had another hidden consequence: “spinning a cocoon around oneself.” Lai Luozhi named this poison “Cocoon to Butterfly,” meaning using others’ “spinning a cocoon around oneself” to achieve their own “Cocoon to Butterfly.”
If there was no antidote, Pan Chi would eventually be trapped in the cocoon and suffocate to death, using his sacrifice to secure her freedom.
Seeing Zhu Yan’s focused gaze, Shen Du’s heart skipped a beat, feeling suddenly stifled and uncomfortable.
Recalling all that Pan Chi had done for Zhu Yan, he couldn’t help but worry—would she truly fall for Pan Chi?
That fellow Pan Chi might seem somewhat frivolous, but he was no mediocrity. Skilled in both literary and martial arts, with an impeccable family background and appearance, he was always wholeheartedly dedicated to Zhu Yan’s affairs, standing by her side…
Remembering how Zhu Yan often spoke of separation in front of him, acting reserved, cautious, and careful, while she was unrestrained and cheerful in Pan Chi’s presence—the contrast, once replayed in his mind, was starkly different. His heart followed his thoughts, feeling particularly stifling and unbearable in this late summer weather.
Even the food on the table seemed to have lost its flavor.
If Zhu Yan truly developed feelings for Pan Chi, what should he do?
Hah, anyone with eyes could see—he was alone, with the Shen family long fallen, while Pan Chi came from a prominent and noble family, more considerate and caring than him. He hadn’t forgotten the bloody, terrifying head thrown into Zhu Yan’s bridal sedan on their wedding day.
So, perhaps he should step aside and let them be. Zhu Yan would surely be better off with Pan Chi than with him.
No, absolutely not. He must hold Zhu Yan in the palm of his hand and cherish her dearly. He could never give her up.
With his resolve firm, Shen Du realized how utterly foolish his earlier thought of entrusting her to Pan Chi had been.
Unaware of the countless thoughts swirling in Shen Du’s mind, even imagining life without her, Zhu Yan was solely focused on saving Pan Chi to repay his kindness. After a long while, she finally stopped examining the amber and looked up, intending to discuss the matter with Shen Du.
Unexpectedly, her gaze met Shen Du’s. Zhu Yan’s starry eyes flickered slightly, feeling a bit uneasy.
Had he been staring at her this whole time?
The two of them stared at each other, inevitably feeling somewhat awkward.
“This amber…”
Before Shen Du could finish, Zhu Yan quickly put the amber away, fearing he might do something to harm it.The White King of Hell was domineering and tyrannical; even what he didn’t want, he refused to share with others. She felt a pang of fear—how could she have dared to take out the amber stone Pan Chi had given her right in front of him?
Zhu Yan no longer dared to meet Shen Du’s gaze, feeling a vague discomfort, as if she had done something wrong.
What was there to fear?
Lowering her head, she noticed the food on the table remained mostly untouched. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, puzzled as to why Shen Du wasn’t eating. She then looked up and found herself caught in the other’s scrutinizing gaze.
Startled by her sudden movement, Shen Du narrowed his eyes, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face. Quickly shifting his thoughts, he changed the subject: “Sending Jing Lin to Guangchun Hall was partly a gamble. Now that we know there’s no hope there, we can only turn to Mo Qianzhi for the antidote.”
This was exactly what Zhu Yan had been thinking, but: “He likely doesn’t have the antidote.”
She had come here to tell Shen Du this, but Wang Buzui had said before his death that Mo Qianzhi was not easy to control. Would Lai Luofu really have given him both the poison and the antidote?
“Anything is possible. Mo Qianzhi is no longer the straightforward senior brother he once was.”
Shen Du’s expression darkened, as if lost in memories, but he quickly snapped out of it, his eyes filled with pain.
Mo Qianzhi was the only surviving student of his father and had once saved his life. Now, they stood on opposite sides, crossing blades and scheming against each other.
Zhu Yan sighed, picking up some food and placing it in Shen Du’s bowl without a word.
Shen Du came back to himself, a faint smile curling his lips as he regained his usual aloof demeanor. “Right now, only Mo Qianzhi has ties to Lai Luofu. Even if he doesn’t have the antidote, we can use him to trace our way to Lai Luofu.”
“That’s true. It seems we can only start with him.” Zhu Yan lowered her crescent-shaped brows and added another piece of rabbit meat to Shen Du’s bowl. “Hurry up and eat.”
Shen Du nodded, picking up a few dishes and placing them in Zhu Yan’s bowl. She smiled and ate them, unable to help but reflect inwardly: Once upon a time, she had never imagined she could sit across from Shen Du, sharing a meal and admiring the moon together. Although, in Yingzhou City now, there was no moon to admire—only the dark clouds of war.
Lost in thought, she didn’t notice Shen Du watching her again.
After pondering for a while, Zhu Yan finally looked up and saw Shen Du staring at her once more. She checked herself from head to toe but found nothing unusual about her appearance today.
She was wearing her usual eighth-rank official robe, unsoiled by dust. Could there be something on her face?
Zhu Yan randomly wiped her face but found nothing strange. Steeling herself, she met his gaze. “Are you full?”
Shen Du was momentarily taken aback, glancing down at the food in surprise before realizing what he had been doing. He lowered his head and focused on eating.
This…
Could staring at her instead of eating properly fill his stomach? Zhu Yan muttered under her breath, every word reaching Shen Du’s ears.
“Ahem…” Shen Du took a sip of water, shooting her a reproachful glare before burying his head in his meal and ignoring her.
This…
A man’s thoughts were truly hard to guess.
After the meal, Shen Du stopped Zhu Yan and cleared the dishes himself. About half an hour later, he returned with a pot of tea, pouring a cup for Zhu Yan. “Have some to cut the greasiness.”
Zhu Yan took it and sipped. “Earlier, you mentioned using Mo Qianzhi to find Lai Luofu. Is that feasible?”
So she was still thinking about Pan Chi.
Shen Du’s deep eyes held a hint of mockery, tinged with disappointment. Seeing this, Zhu Yan quickly spoke up: “Now that Mo Qianzhi has surrounded the city, and who knows how many Fire Moth Party members and Half-Faced Ghosts are hidden in Gannan Circuit, you are the commander of the army. We cannot risk you going. Let me go instead.”
So that’s what she was thinking.Shen Du picked up the teacup before him and took a light sip, analyzing, "I have already sent letters to cities like Mengzhou. Reinforcements from the capital should arrive in seven days. The area outside Yingzhou City is filled with strange rocks and mountainous forests. While this makes it easier for them to hide, it also makes it difficult for them to attack. As long as we hold out until the reinforcements arrive, we’ll be fine."
"As for Lai Luofu," Shen Du glanced at Zhu Yan, "I’m afraid we’ll have to use some tricks."
"Truly worthy of the Great Pavilion Commander of the Inner Guard Bureau—indeed wise and resourceful." Zhu Yan’s face lit up with joy as she clapped her hands in delight. She stood up and proactively refilled Shen Du’s tea, her peach-blossom cheeks flushed pink with a radiant smile. It was unclear whether she was overjoyed that Pan Chi could finally be rescued or genuinely delighted by his wisdom.
In Shen Du’s eyes, there was no trace of the latter in her joy, leaving him with a sour feeling in his heart.
Suddenly, a question flashed through his mind, and as if struck by inspiration, he blurted out:
"What if... on the day the Half-Faced Ghost slaughtered the city, it had been me on the city walls dealing with Ji Dafu, and it had been me who was poisoned by 'Cocoon to Butterfly'? What would you have done then?"
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