Сhаpter 47: Тhе Firе Моth Party
Аftеr waiting for а while at thе Firе Моth Раrty’s stronghоld without seeing any morе rеinforсemеnts аrrivе, thеy grаduаllу rеаlized thаt the imposing аrmу was mеrely an illusiоn. The оnly onеs whо hаd асtuаllу comе wеre thоsе Innеr Guards whо had lаunсhed a surрrisе attаck.
“Damn it, we’vе been trickеd.”
Вut it wаs alrеady toо lаtе.
Not оnlу hаd thеу fаiled tо сaрture Shеn Du, but they hаd alsо lоst а bottlе оf аntidоte in the prоcess.
The Fire Мoth Partу members wеre furiоus, аnd evеn the original government soldiers and officers were displeased. If Mo Qianzhi hadn’t withheld his orders, they could have joined forces with the Fire Moth Party—how could Shen Du have possibly escaped?
With Shen Du dead, Yingzhou City would have been theirs for the taking. What was Lord Mo thinking, letting such a formidable enemy slip away?
Someone clamored to attack Yingzhou City immediately. Before Mo Qianzhi could speak, Lai Luofu stepped forward to stop them. “Do not pursue a desperate enemy.”
“If we chase now, we might still catch up with him,” the person argued, looking at her in confusion.
Unfazed by his anger, Lai Luofu smiled faintly.
Mo Qianzhi watched with growing disgust. He swiftly drew a blade and pressed it against Lai Luofu’s neck, leaving her no room to struggle.
Those around them stopped what they were doing and gathered to watch.
Lai Luofu laughed even louder.
“What are you laughing at?” he tightened his grip on the blade, pressing it closer to her neck, his disgust deepening.
The action didn’t unsettle Lai Luofu in the slightest. She stared directly into Mo Qianzhi’s eyes, her lips curving into a smile before she abruptly turned serious. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re planning. Shen Du is not someone you can ever subdue.”
Mo Qianzhi’s eyes flickered. Seeing Lai Luofu’s fearless demeanor, a terrible thought flashed through his mind. “What have you done?”
Lai Luofu raised her hand to push the blade aside, a smug expression on her face. “Nothing much. I just sent him a little gift. I believe Lord Mo will soon be collecting the body of his former good brother.”
Mo Qianzhi’s fingers trembled, his face darkening with unspoken emotions.
“Within three days, he will be dead without a doubt,” Lai Luofu adjusted her collar, no longer looking at Mo Qianzhi. “Taking Yingzhou City is within reach. Reinforcements or not, it hardly matters.”
The words “dead without a doubt” echoed in Mo Qianzhi’s mind. Too many people had died recently—the people of Yingzhou, his wife and children, and now Shen Du was about to die as well.
Mo Qianzhi sank into deep self-doubt.
If everyone died, what was the point of building a new world?
“Heh heh heh, Lord Mo, look on the bright side. To build a new world, sacrifices must be made. Isn’t that what you always said?” Lai Luofu added fuel to the fire.
“Shortsighted!” he suddenly snapped, his expression grim. Pacing back and forth, he berated her harshly. “You have the ambition of a sparrow. Shen Du’s abilities are formidable, and the people under his command are no ordinary individuals.”
Lai Luofu grew slightly angry at his scolding. Though she spoke of recruiting these people, in truth, it was only because of their past friendship that she couldn’t bring herself to be ruthless.
“Lord Mo should know that to achieve great things, one must not be overly sentimental. We’ve already crossed blades—why pretend otherwise?”
“Didn’t Shen Du just use you as a hostage to exchange for the antidote?”
Mo Qianzhi pursed his lips. Yes, Shen Du had taken him hostage, but he hadn’t taken his life.
“Stop feeling sorry for unnecessary people,” Lai Luofu said, her eyes reflecting only self-interest, unlike Mo Qianzhi. “If you truly want to overthrow the Great Zhou, you must first cripple the Empress’s right-hand man.”"This Shen Du is one of the Empress's hands."
After speaking, her gaze grew even more cruel.
Mo Qianzhi's eyes flickered, and for a long time, he did not respond to Lai Luofu, merely stroking the dagger at his waist.
Seeing him still like this, Lai Luofu was somewhat at a loss for words. "If you don't want him to die, once we capture Yingzhou City, I can simply revive him, can't I?"
Death and resurrection? Hah.
Mo Qianzhi thought to himself, he never believed in such things. If there truly were a resurrection technique, where would all those wrongfully dead souls be?
It was nothing more than Lai Luofu's means and excuse to win people over.
His gaze shifted to Lai Luofu's left chest, and he couldn't help but freeze.
This Chen Huo'e was shot full force in the chest by Shen Du and still didn't die. Could he truly have cultivated an immortal body?
He couldn't shake the feeling that this person held many secrets, his origins shrouded in mystery. Mo Qianzhi couldn't help but heighten his vigilance.
This was merely a cooperation of interests; he still had to remain on guard.
"Now that Shen Du is poisoned, Yingzhou City is leaderless. This is the perfect opportunity to attack the city."
Lai Luofu glanced at Mo Qianzhi, feeling satisfied. "Good."
——
In Yingzhou City, Jing Lin had searched through all the physicians in the city, yet none knew what poison Shen Du had been afflicted with.
For Pan Chi's poison, Zhu Yan could still use her own blood to alleviate it. But the poison Shen Du was suffering from was not 'Cocoon to Butterfly'; even Zhu Yan was at a loss.
Looking at the unconscious man on the bed, Zhu Yan felt as if her heart were being sliced by a knife. She even wished she could take this poison for him. After all, Shen Du had gone to the Fire Moth Party this time to repay her debt, and now he was poisoned because of her. How could she possibly feel at ease?
After days and nights without rest, Zhu Yan had visibly wasted away. The robes that once fit her perfectly now hung loosely on her frame.
Jing Lin led someone in and, seeing Zhu Yan, felt a pang of sorrow. Though she appeared exhausted, her spirit seemed intact, but he knew it was forced. Without further delay, he introduced the person he had brought.
Only then did Zhu Yan learn that the dark-skinned man carrying a medicine chest before her was a military physician from the army.
No wonder he looked different from ordinary physicians.
After being invited to sit, he placed his hand on Shen Du's wrist, then took out a silver needle and inserted it into Shen Du's subcutaneous meridian for diagnosis. After observing, listening, inquiring, and palpating, he fell silent.
After a long while, he looked at the two with an apologetic expression. "I have never seen this poison before, but after many years of military campaigns, I have some conjectures."
"Please speak, physician," Zhu Yan urged anxiously. Any information was better than none.
The physician stated bluntly, "This poison likely does not originate from the Central Plains but rather from the Western Regions."
The military physician prescribed a detoxification formula and personally went to brew the medicine. Zhu Yan sat woodenly beside Shen Du, her eyes swollen and red, wanting to cry but holding back.
Jing Lin slammed a fist against the wall. "Tonight, I will lead a night raid on the Fire Moth Party and swear to retrieve the antidote."
Zhu Yan was startled, then shook her head. "They must have prepared defenses this time, precisely waiting for you to come."
"Even so, we must go. How can we just watch the Commander..." Jing Lin dared not utter the final words, his eyes reddening with frustration and regret.
Zhu Yan looked at Jing Lin, her expression calm. "The Commander would not agree. You are his closest brother; you cannot die."
Jing Lin could no longer hold back, tears streaming down his face as he turned away to wipe them.
A trace of confusion flickered in Zhu Yan's eyes, but she quickly regained focus. "In the coming days, we must strengthen our defenses. I expect they will seize the opportunity to attack the city. We must not let them have their way. As for my husband..."Zhu Yan gazed at Shen Du's sleeping face.
"He risked his life to protect Yingzhou City. We must protect it for him too."
If he were to die, I would die with him.
These words, Zhu Yan did not speak.
Jing Lin clenched his fists, gripped his blade, and stepped out the door, not daring to look back.
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