This time, it was my turn to laugh.
"Young Master Xiao's swordsmanship is profound, but you disdain to fight the Iron Cavalry?" I smiled faintly and said calmly, "Then, with my Gong family's Heavenly Fragrance Finger and Purple Cornelian Cherry Fragrance Slow, it should be worth your time to make a move, right?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Zuo's whole body trembled, as if he had been punched hard in the chest. He stared at me for a moment, then smiled bitterly and said, "You...you think I would point the Jinghong Sword at you?"
The Startling Swan Sword? My breath caught in my throat, and my heart clenched painfully… Startling! Swan! Sword!
I still remember the first time Xiao Zuo drew that sword, it was to protect me; the second time, it was because of a misunderstanding between us... Ever since I learned of the existence of this sword, every time it was drawn, it was for me.
So, could this third time be... to make an enemy of me?
Heavens! Heavens! Why do you play such a cruel trick on me? Why!
My heart ached unbearably, and my eyes gradually became blurry. I stared blankly at Xiao Zuo, feeling as if all I could see was his smiling face looking at me, which kept magnifying and magnifying. I was speechless for a long time.
Just as she was in a daze, Feng Qiansu suddenly said, "This man's swordsmanship is ruthless. It would be a waste to send the iron cavalry to fight him, only to lose their lives. I have a plan, I wonder if Miss would like to hear it?"
I glanced at her instinctively, nodded, and said, "Go ahead."
Feng Qiansu's eyes turned cold, and a vague smile slowly appeared on her lips, instantly giving her an aura of eeriness... My heart sank, and I suddenly realized—
Unless a miracle occurs, Xiao Zuo will certainly not escape death this time!
Volume 1, Chapter 7: A Startling Dream in Crane City (6)
Section Six: Parting
"My plan is actually very simple..." I smiled faintly at the pale-faced Gong Feicui, and then turned to Xiao Zuo and said leisurely, "Young Master Xiao, since you are the murderer, it is inevitable that the things we encountered along the way were also your doing. It is true that I have no evidence, but you should at least give me and Miss an explanation."
Upon hearing my words, Xiao Zuo's bitter smile vanished instantly. He turned to meet my gaze, his eyes regaining their calm and composed demeanor. He lowered his voice and asked, "I wonder what kind of explanation Butler Feng wants me to give you?"
He changed his address for me from "Miss" back to "Butler," and I heard it but felt nothing.
I don't care what he thinks of me, he has to die!
Who would care about the opinion of a dead man?
“Young Master Xiao is exceptionally courageous. I wonder if you dare to gamble your life with us?” I walked to a table, picked up three teacups, and lined them up. “These are three cups. We will poison one of them. Young Master Xiao, choose one to drink. If you choose the poisoned one, you can only blame your bad luck. If you choose the non-poisoned one, this matter will be dropped. From now on, you can do whatever you want, and you will have nothing to do with the Gong family anymore.”
What if I don't choose?
I laughed and said, word by word, "If you choose one of the three, you still have a two-thirds chance of survival. If you don't choose, I guarantee you won't have a single chance."
My words are not an exaggeration.
With the top swordsman of Baili City killed, even if Xiao Zuo is truly the adopted son of the city's lord, he will likely face repercussions from the city's elders. Furthermore, the Gong family, a prestigious jewelry clan with a century-long history, is his enemy; the severity of the consequences is self-evident.
Most importantly, Xiao Zuo was a smart man, and smart people know how to choose the path that is most beneficial to themselves.
I looked at him, raising my eyebrows in a slightly provocative manner, but his expression remained calm, revealing nothing. So I turned to Gong Feicui and said, "Miss, I'll have to trouble you with this matter."
Both of them were startled by these words. I couldn't help but curl my lips into a smile, which grew even more composed. When I opened my right hand, the small jade bottle was flawless. "This is happiness. Drinking it will make you feel joyful and ethereal, without experiencing any pain."
I handed the bottle to Gong Feicui. She stood there, her forced smile completely gone, her face deathly pale.
Yes, I want you to kill him. Only by killing him will he feel pain, and only by killing him can you truly get rid of him. Gong Feicui cannot be ruined by a man, right?
I think my eyes conveyed my thoughts very clearly, because she reached out and took the bottle. Although her fingers were trembling a little, at least she took it.
The moment she took the bottle, I saw Xiao Zuo's face turn ashen.
Does it hurt, Xiao Zuo? Do you know that your pain is not even a tenth of mine?
Happy, happy, that's why I named it Happy, but every time I use it, I'm sad.
"Pull the screen over here."
The iron cavalry pulled aside the screen, separating Gong Feicui and Xiao Zuo. Through the gauze on the screen, their figures could be vaguely seen, yet not clearly. This was exactly the effect I wanted.
I want him to watch with his own eyes as the woman he loves poisons him, poisoning him to death.
It hurts, doesn't it? It hurts a lot, doesn't it?
Death is nothing; the torment before death is the most unbearable.
Jade Palace, if you're ruthless enough, put happiness in all three cups.
Only in this way can you truly be worthy of being the head of a century-old family, and only then will you be worthy of being my master, Feng Xiansu.
Through the screen, I saw that Gong Feicui's shoulders were trembling, but her hands remained motionless on the table for a long time.
I didn't rush her. It wasn't out of kindness, but because the longer she hesitated, the longer Xiao Zuo would endure the torment. I glanced back at Xiao Zuo; he slowly shifted his gaze from behind the screen to my face. Our eyes met, neither willing to yield.
"How clever, Xiao Zuo. Instead of looking at her, you've come to see me." I smiled slightly at him, and ironically, he returned the smile. We were clearly gazing at each other, yet neither of us could fathom what the other was truly thinking.
The saying "a worthy opponent" should be true, right?
In our silent struggle, the screen was removed, and Gong Feicui finally made a decision—it wasn't easy.