sbdcsierra Chapter 174 Cooperation
Chapter 174 Cooperation
Deep in an ancient yet luxurious palace, light softly penetrates the carved window lattices, casting mottled light and shadows on the ground.
Rong Yingxin was wearing a carefully embroidered light green brocade dress, the hem of which swayed gently with her graceful posture. She leaned leisurely on a bench with intricate carvings and inlaid with fine jade.
Her face was relaxed and elegant. She glanced sideways at Yulan, who was covered in scars.
"Can Rong Su really die?"
Yulan knelt on the ground, enduring the pain in her body, her voice tired but firm: "Yes, she was poisoned by Yingmeng Powder, she will definitely not survive!"
Upon hearing this, Rong Yingxin suddenly burst into laughter, so creepy that tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. She stretched out her fingers to wipe them away, and the smile on her face twisted into an indescribable weirdness.
"Good! It would be best if she died! Hahaha!"
Seeing this, Yulan was silent for a moment, and finally she opened her mouth to plead, "Master, I have completed the last mission. Can I take Gu Yun and leave now?"
Rong Yingxin's smile gradually faded, leaving behind an imperceptible coldness gently swaying in her eyes.
She fiddled with her slender fingers leisurely, her movements revealing a casual elegance, her voice soft and gentle, "I didn't expect that a cold-hearted killer could also have feelings of righteousness."
Whispering and sighing softly, Rong Yingxin's gaze unexpectedly fell on Yulan's face, which was full of embarrassment and scars. There was a pleading look in her eyes, which brought her an indescribable, twisted and complicated sense of satisfaction. She leaned forward slightly, her voice was obviously gentle, but her words contained a heart-pounding chill.
"Gu Yun has a lame leg. I think you know why he's like that. If he ever finds out about this, he'll inevitably resent you. Why don't you return it to him? That way you can have an explanation in the future, right?"
Yulan looked at Rong Yingxin in slight astonishment, then realized what she meant. She immediately kowtowed to Rong Yingxin in panic and begged, "Master! Please, don't tell him about this, please!"
Fear was like a cold wind that inadvertently sneaked into Yulan's heart in spring, quietly spreading in her heart. She couldn't imagine how much resentment Gu Yun would have towards her if he knew that she was the one who instigated that incident.
Rong Yingxin smiled happily yet darkly, her voice as soft and terrifying as a ghost: "Don't worry, how could I bear to do this? You are a capable person who has helped me a lot. Besides, you know so much about me, so please leave your voice."
Yulan slowly opened her eyes and looked at someone bringing a bowl full of black stuff to her, and Rong Yingxin's cold, evil and weird eyes.
No matter how she struggled in her heart and wanted to resist, she finally chose to compromise, resolutely picked up the bowl, closed her eyes and drank it.
As the liquid entered the throat, within a moment, an indescribable sharp pain spread quietly in the depths of the throat like a fine knife blade.
Yulan curled up and rolled on the ground, covering her neck tightly with both hands, as if trying to stifle the severe pain raging in her throat. The pain she screamed out echoed in the empty temple, adding a bit of indescribable misery and sadness.
Rong Ying frowned in dissatisfaction, and as she waved her hand, someone came forward and took Yulan away. The painful cries gradually disappeared.
She continued to lean on the bench, leisurely watching the system report to her the unique time of Rong Su's death.
"As long as tomorrow comes, Rong Su will disappear completely. Hehe~"
-
In the largest teahouse in Dongdu.
In that quiet and elegant wing, the flickering candlelight illuminated two otherworldly faces. Their temperaments were like a mountain spring, clear and profound, and their every move revealed an unspoken dignity and elegance.
Shen Peiqing was dressed in a black brocade robe, cold yet filled with endless determination, with sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, every contour of his body perfectly outlined a heart-warming picture.
Another man in a moon-colored white robe had a handsome face that was bright but not coquettish, gentle as jade, and an indescribable scholarly air revealed between his brows.
"I didn't expect the Great Prince of Beizhou to come to me. Aren't you afraid that I will tell Shen Fengyu about your whereabouts?"
It was hard to tell whether what Xiao Yilin said was true or false, and the look in his eyes when he looked at Shen Peiqing was also difficult to tell whether it was true or false, and it was unfathomable.
In fact, Shen Peiqing and Xiao Yilin had met once a long time ago, but of course they didn't say anything.
Naturally, I don't know much about Xiao Yilin, but since they are all in high positions, they must have something to ask for. As long as there is desire, there will be something to trade.
Shen Pei went straight to the point, without beating around the bush: "I want to make a deal with Master Xiao. Master Xiao has been secretly investigating the details of Tian Fengnu. I guess he wants to take back his power, right?"
After these words were spoken, Xiao Yilin's eyes became a little deeper, and there was a hint of sharpness in his gaze as he looked at Shen Peiqing.
Seeing Xiao Yilin getting serious, Shen Peiqing thought he had guessed right.
The forces in Zhongdu are now divided into two factions, one is headed by Fengtian Fengnu, and the other is headed by Xiao Yilin.
Zhongzhou has great faith in the God of Heavenly Phoenix. Although the other two continents also have faith in it, they are not as strong as Zhongzhou.
In Central Continent, Tian Fengnu possesses absolute power, and even the Lord of Central Continent has to pay homage to her when he sees her.
However, Xiao Yilin was extremely dissatisfied with this, but he had to obey. So ever since the envoy from Central Continent found Tian Fengnu, Xiao Yilin had been secretly looking for Tian Fengnu's weaknesses, wanting to get rid of her as soon as possible.
"Heh. If Rong Yingxin's weakness was so easy to find, I would have gotten it long ago."
Xiao Yilin suddenly sneered, obviously not believing that Shen Peiqing could help him deal with Rong Yingxin.
Shen Peiqing took the teacup from the table slowly and poured a cup for his own cup. Then he said calmly: "If you can't find it, then give her one."
As soon as these words came out, Xiao Yilin frowned slightly, then slowly narrowed his deep eyes, and then a meaningful smile quietly outlined his lips.
Looking at Shen Peiqing, Xiao Yilin slowly picked up the exquisite cup and took a sip of warm tea. His smile was neither overly bright nor gloomy.
His eyes slowly moved over Shen Peiqing, silently weighing his every move with a certain scrutinizing calmness.
"what would you like?"
Shen Peiqing's eyes flickered slightly. It seemed that Xiao Yilin agreed. He raised his eyes and directly put forward the condition: "Antidote for Yingmeng Powder."
Hearing that this was what Shen Peiqing wanted, Xiao Yilin frowned slightly and did not agree immediately.
Seeing this, Shen Peiqing couldn't help but feel a little depressed. He looked at Xiao Yilin and further advised: "I think the antidote is useless for the National Master. It should be worthwhile to use it to pull Tian Fengnu down from the altar."
Xiao Yilin glanced at Shen Peiqing lightly and fell into deep thought. The antidote to Yingmeng Powder was made from Zhongdu's most precious treasure - the Forget-Me-Not Fruit. The Forget-Me-Not Fruit only bears fruit twice in a hundred years and is extremely rare.
The former queen of the Lord of Zhongdu used one, and now the remaining one is in the monarch's treasury.
"The antidote is in the monarch's treasury. I can help you get it. But first, tell me your plan."
Xiao Yilin's eyes flickered in the candlelight, like the most unpredictable stars in the night sky.
He gently put down the teacup, and his fingertips tapped unconsciously on the table, making a faint and rhythmic sound.
The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense, and every movement of air seemed to carry an invisible contest between the two people.
He slowly stood up, with his back to Shen Peiqing, gazing out the window at the bustling night scene of Dongdu, his voice low and magnetic:
"Grand Prince, although we have met once, the word trust cannot be used between us. I will only cooperate with you if I can ensure that your plan is foolproof."
When he turned around, Xiao Yilin's gaze became as sharp as a hawk, staring straight into Shen Peiqing's eyes: "Tell me, how can I create a 'weakness' that can defeat Tian Fengnu? After all, she is a deity in the hearts of the people of Zhongzhou. If we are not careful, the consequences will be disastrous."
Shen Peiqing was naturally aware of Xiao Yilin's concerns. The King of Zhongzhou used Xiao Yilin to check and balance the Tianfengnu, so the Tianfengnu faction was also keeping a close eye on Xiao Yilin.
If Xiao Yilin makes the slightest mistake in anything he does, the Tianfengnu faction will use it to strangle his lifeblood.
"Have you ever thought of bringing the Phoenix Girl under your wing?"
After he finished speaking, Shen Peiqing's eyes moved slightly and he looked at Xiao Yilin, testing the other party's ambition.
Hearing this, Xiao Yilin's eyes suddenly widened slightly, and his eyes flashed with a hint of sadness. The subtle change in expression revealed his current mood.
"What do you mean?" His voice sounded calm, but if you listened carefully, you could hear a slight tremor in it.
Shen Peiqing curled the corners of his lips slightly, looked around cautiously, put two fingers into the teacup, wet his fingertips, and gently wrote a line of words on the smooth sandalwood table.
After seeing the line of words, Xiao Yilin's expression became serious for a moment, and then Shen Peiqing gently flicked his hand, and the words on the table naturally blurred.
The two looked at each other in silence, with different expressions.
-
In the quiet and elegant little village, the morning light shines through the carved wooden windows, gently falling on Gu Yun's face, which is slightly thin but still full of elegance.
He slowly opened his eyes, and the simple furnishings and the faint lingering scent of pine scent all around him stunned him for a while.
Just as Gu Yun was immersed in sorting out his thoughts, the door opened slightly and a gentle figure as gentle as water gradually entered.
Magnolia, dressed in light blue cloth, with a fresh yet elegant jade hairpin simply inserted in her bun, holds a simple wooden basin in her hand steadily, with steam rising from the basin.
When she saw Gu Yun wake up, a gentle smile instantly appeared on her sad face, like the warm sunshine in spring.
When Gu Yun saw her, he couldn't help but wonder: "You, why are you here? No, why am I here, where is this place?"
The faint smile on Yulan's face gradually faded. She quietly put down the wooden basin in her hand, and her eyes swept across Gu Yun gently and slightly sadly. Then, she turned around leisurely and walked towards the table with light steps.
He gently picked up the pen, wrote for a while, blew dry the ink, and handed the paper to Gu Yun under his puzzled gaze.
Gu Yun took it and looked at it, and was stunned for a moment.
"I was assassinated by an assassin sent by Asu's enemies, and you saved me. Then, after many twists and turns, you rescued me, but your throat was poisoned, and now you can't speak?"
Yulan lowered her eyes, smiled bitterly, and nodded.
Seeing this, Gu Yun frowned slightly and wanted to recall his previous memories, but as soon as he tried, his head felt like it was hit by a hammer and it hurt.
He only vaguely remembered that he was worshipping Buddha when he suddenly felt someone behind him. But just as he reacted, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head and then he fainted.
Gu Yun couldn't recall any of the memories that followed. He frowned and pressed his temples unconsciously with his hands. But the more he tried to capture those vague fragments of memory, the more uncomfortable and confused he became.
Seeing him so confused and in pain, Yulan walked over, reached out and gently held his arm, looking at him with pleading eyes, but she could not say anything when she opened her mouth, and could only persuade him silently.
Seeing Yulan suddenly lose her voice, and wondering if it was because of him, Gu Yun felt an indescribable complexity in his heart. He withdrew his gaze and whispered, "Why bother saving me? I'm just a useless person now."
Hearing Gu Yun say such depressing words, Yulan's heart suddenly tightened. She involuntarily bent her knees and squatted down, gently and firmly wrapping her hands around Gu Yun's slightly cold palms.
Yulan shook her head with red eyes, obviously denying what he said, then she stood up hurriedly, her face full of anxiety and uneasiness, fearing that Gu Yun failed to understand the thousands of words in her eyes.
Seeing that she stood up in a hurry and staggered involuntarily, Gu Yun raised his hand slightly, but retracted it in mid-air.
Yulan handed him the written paper, which was filled with words of encouragement for him to cheer up. She also said that she didn't want to see him depressed and hoped that he would get better. She said she would find a way to help him stand up again.
Looking at these words, Gu Yun was silent for a moment. Looking at Yulan's eyes filled with worry, in which his pale face was reflected, he lowered his eyes slightly and changed the subject.
"Why don't you send me back to the princess's mansion?"
Upon hearing this, Yulan's fingertips trembled slightly, and the pen tightly held in her hand seemed to be tainted by the fluctuations of emotion and swayed slowly.
Her face gradually turned pale, as if blown by the cold winter wind, and a complex emotion flashed quietly in the depths of her eyes.
She looked up at Gu Yun, her heart churning with mixed emotions.
The air around seemed to be frozen, and only the occasional clear bird calls outside the window broke the tranquility.
Yulan's fingertips gently stroked the paper. Finally, she took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling slightly, avoiding Gu Yun's inquiring gaze.
She clenched her fingers into fists, then gradually loosened them, and finally picked up the pen again and wrote a few words on the paper.
After writing it, he handed it to Gu Yun to read.
After seeing this, Gu Yun's brows were thick with a layer of gloom. He couldn't help but smile bitterly and murmured, "So that's how it is. Did Ah Su finally choose to abandon me?"
Seeing the unspeakable deep pain on Gu Yun's face, Yulan's heart couldn't help but tremble slightly, as if being quietly pulled by an invisible thread, painful and subtle.
Hidden beneath her lowered eyelids was endless guilt and self-blame towards Gu Yun, surging like a tide, but could only turn into a silent sigh, echoing in her heart for a long time.
-
A mountain villa on the outskirts of Dongdu.
When Rong Yingxin learned that Shen Fengyu had arrived, she dressed up beautifully and walked with light steps, happily running through the corridors like a deer in the woods to look for him.
But just as he stepped into the palace, he heard a deep and angry roar from the other party, and a cup was smashed hard on a servant.
Hearing this roar, Rong Yingxin's heart beat faster and her steps slowed down. She looked up and saw that the servant had blood on his face and was covering his head. When Shen Fengyu yelled "Get out", he really rolled out of the palace.
When he was still in shock, he heard Shen Fengyu's familiar yet unfamiliar voice from inside. It was hard to believe that the thundering rage just now came from his mouth.