Сhаpter 327: Тhе Firе Моth Party 59
Тhе current situаtion was trеасhеrоus, аppеaring calm on the surfaсе but aсtuallу turbulеnt аnd unstаble. То hаvе sоmeоne to relу оn in this chаotic world, tо find comfоrt in eaсh оthеr, brоught а grеаt sense оf рeасе. Evеn if uneхрectеd еvents wеre to oсcur the neхt mоmеnt, at this vеry moment, thеу wеre nоt аlоnе.
"Тhеn we wоn’t lеavе."
Zhu Yan аlso understоod Shеn Du’s innеr turmоil. Thе Shеn fаmilу had been wiрed out, and with the truth drawing сloser, how сould she sеlfishly аsk Shеn Du to givе up?
If it were her, she would likely refuse to turn back until she hit a wall—and even then, she would break through it and keep going.
Zhu Yan released her tight grip on Shen Du’s sleeve, clenching her fists. "We’ll dig out this rotten wood, uncover everything that happened back then, and preferably make Lai Luozhi experience the torture devices he invented himself."
She suddenly stopped speaking, and Shen Du looked at her with slight confusion.
"Oh, ‘Inviting the Lord into the Jar’—let him truly feel the bitterness of those vengeful ghosts and wronged souls."
For a moment, the two exchanged a smile, and Shen Du nodded firmly, expressing his complete agreement.
The atmosphere was just right, and with both of them in agreement, Zhu Yan remembered that Shen Du was still hungry and stood up to prepare some porridge.
A teacup flew past between them, startling Zhu Yan back into her seat.
They both looked in the direction the teacup had come from and saw Su Guang grabbing Pan Chi by the collar, trying to drag him out the door. Pan Chi was desperately clinging to a crack in the wall, his toes braced against the threshold, refusing to move an inch.
Unexpectedly, Su Guang responded with a swift kick to his thigh. The strength of the barbarian woman was astonishing, and Pan Chi couldn’t withstand it, falling to his knees with a thud.
Even on his knees, Pan Chi resisted stubbornly, refusing to budge.
Out of options, Su Guang held his collar with one hand while rummaging through her satchel with the other. As if performing a magic trick, she produced a plain little box, grinning sinisterly as she dangled it in front of Pan Chi.
Pan Chi recognized it at once as a box for raising gu. People from the Western Regions often enjoyed raising gu, and it was likely that several gu worms were inside, just waiting for Pan Chi’s blood to be added.
"You crazy woman!" Pan Chi suddenly shouted. Zhu Yan didn’t understand his words, but judging by his reaction, the box contained something terrifying and intimidating. Her heart tightened, and Shen Du whispered beside her:
"That’s a gu box for raising gu worms. There are gu worms inside."
Gu worms?
Pan Chi had already exploded, jumping up and eyeing Su Guang with extreme caution.
"Then come back to the Wusun Kingdom with me."
"What do you mean, come back with you? I was born and raised in the Central Plains! If I’m going back anywhere, it’s from your place back here."
"I don’t care. You’re coming with me."
Zhu Yan felt a hidden worry. She had been the one to insist that Pan Chi go to the Western Regions, but she hadn’t expected him to offend the Holy Maiden who raised gu in his quest for an antidote, putting his life at risk.
"Zhu Yan?!"
Seeing that Zhu Yan wasn’t responding, Shen Du followed her gaze and noticed her distracted stare fixed on Pan Chi. She didn’t even hear him calling her, which set off alarm bells in his mind. He tugged on her sleeve, forcing her to look at him.
Zhu Yan turned her head to look at him, seemingly puzzled by his behavior.
Seeing her bewildered expression, Shen Du swallowed the words he was about to say, leaving Zhu Yan to look at him curiously.
The two stared at each other, but neither spoke.
Suddenly, Zhu Yan laughed. "What’s going on? You look so serious, yet you’re not saying anything."Though she asked with a smile, Shen Du’s expression remained tense, his eyes dark and brooding. Zhu Yan couldn’t help but freeze, wondering what she had done wrong to upset him.
Yet, no matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t recall anything.
“Could it be that the poison in your body hasn’t been fully cleared? Are you feeling unwell?”
Zhu Yan reached out to check Shen Du’s pulse.
Shen Du remained silent, allowing her to proceed, his gaze drifting toward Pan Chi before he finally shook his head.
“It’s nothing.”
Since Zhu Yan had completely forgotten about the amber stone, Shen Du thought to himself, there was no need to bring it up now.
Just as he was about to change the subject, Pan Chi’s cry for help pierced the air.
Su Guang held a gu vessel in one hand and gripped Pan Chi’s wrist with the other. Whether she had pressed on a pressure point or not, Pan Chi seemed powerless to break free and obediently followed.
Seeing this, Shen Du naturally moved to intervene but was stopped by Zhu Yan.
“You’ve just recovered from the poison and are still weak. I don’t want you to get involved.”
“I’ll handle it.”
Shen Du nodded, warmth flickering in his heart. He then spoke a few words in the language of the Wusun Kingdom, leaving Zhu Yan utterly bewildered. She hadn’t expected Shen Du to know the Wusun tongue.
She really had much to learn.
Su Guang turned her head in surprise, likely not expecting a third person here to understand the Wusun language.
Zhu Yan also looked at Shen Du with curiosity, hoping for an explanation.
“When foreign envoys visited the court in the past, I was responsible for receiving guests from the Wusun Kingdom, so I picked up a few phrases,” he said, deliberately glancing at Pan Chi. “Of course, I’m not as fluent as he is.”
This didn’t seem like Shen Du—being so humble at a critical moment.
“Still better than me. I don’t know a single word,” Zhu Yan said, gently turning his face toward hers with a soft laugh. “I don’t even know how to say hello.”
With that, she lightly tapped his cheek, her smile growing even sweeter.
Their intimate exchange, as if no one else were present, infuriated Pan Chi. Before he could react, Su Guang suddenly erupted like a pot of boiling locusts, dragging him toward the door, unwilling to let him go.
Pan Chi had been caught off guard, his attention entirely on Zhu Yan, which allowed Su Guang to seize him. Now panicking, he had no intention of going to the Wusun Kingdom.
He hadn’t denied Su Guang’s words, but he hadn’t agreed to them either. These women from the Western Regions were truly strange—so stubborn and serious. Women from the Central Plains were much better—they didn’t cling or make unreasonable demands, simply shedding a few tears to bid farewell before leaving.
“Are you really going to stand by and watch me die?” Pan Chi shouted toward Shen Du as he was nearly dragged out.
At Shen Du’s command, Jing Lin and several hidden Inner Guards appeared out of nowhere, standing before him and awaiting orders.
Pan Chi felt like crying—these people had been here all along but only responded to Shen Du’s call.
Shen Du looked at Pan Chi. “Stop them.”
The men surrounded Su Guang from all sides, trapping both of them.
Su Guang’s face flushed red with anger as she tried to break through the encirclement.
Jing Lin was also surprised. This woman from the Western Regions had given the commander the antidote, yet she seemed to have such complicated ties with Pan Chi.
Then, looking at Pan Chi’s face, as handsome as Pan An’s—well, understanding was everything.
Not daring to poison these innocent people without cause, Su Guang struggled left and right to no avail. Before they could even attempt to pull Pan Chi from her grasp, she angrily shoved him away in frustration.
Losing his balance, Pan Chi nearly stumbled and fell.After several attempts at persuasion, Su Guang still refused to let Pan Chi go, even feeling that Shen Du and the others were meddling in matters that didn't concern them, insisting that Pan Chi should be taken back.
With no other choice, Shen Du had no option but to order the Holy Maiden placed under house arrest.
All of this was done out of consideration for Pan Chi, who had risked provoking this woman to detoxify him.
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