The next day, Zhuang Su packed her things, took a deep breath, and prepared to resign from Qing Chen's position. She didn't sleep that night, but instead stayed up all night writing many prescriptions, instructing Qing Chen to take them secretly in the future. She knew she was probably just being redundant, but she wanted to leave a sliver of hope.
When Zhuang Su arrived at the hall, she discovered that someone was already there, and that person was an old acquaintance of hers—Liu Su, the current Prime Minister of Chu. She hesitated outside for a moment, unsure whether she should go in.
Inside the room, Liu Su was presenting the gifts she had brought, speaking gently: "Alliance Leader, this is a token of the Emperor's goodwill towards you, agarwood from the Southwest. Please accept it."
As the box was opened, a faint, pleasant fragrance wafted out. But as this scent brushed past Zhuang Su's nose, her pupils widened in surprise. The aroma was a bit too strong. Zhuang Su should have rushed in and exposed them immediately, but for now, she could only suppress her unease and stand outside.
It should be noted that the "emperor" who sent these things was none other than Shen Jian.
Zhuang Su's heart was filled with unease. Could it be that Shen Jian was about to make a move against Qing Chen? This was probably the last thing she wanted to see. Zhuang Su lowered her eyes, and the farewell letter she had been holding in her hand was silently put away again. At this point, perhaps it was no longer possible for her to leave.
Since it was Shen Jian who delivered the poison, then she should be the one to administer the antidote. Zhuang Su turned around and headed towards the kitchen.
Before long, a maid brought a pot of fine tea to the hall.
Qingchen poured some tea, took a small sip, and casually teased, "This tea has a unique flavor. Who brewed it?"
The maid replied, "It is Miss Liyin."
Upon hearing this, Qingchen paused slightly, but without changing her expression, she took another small sip.
Liu Su also found the tea to have a unique flavor, and couldn't help but wonder, "Has the Alliance Leader hired a new cook in the Valley?"
“She’s not a cook,” Qingchen shook her head. “She’s my physician.”
"A physician..." Liu Su's lips curled slightly as she chewed, her smile carrying a deeper meaning. "I'm just here to deliver something to His Majesty. Now that I've delivered it, I'll take my leave."
"No need to see me out." Qingchen's tone was indifferent, his gaze fixed on Liusu's retreating figure. As the last wisp of her clothing brushed past the corner of his eye, the smile on his lips gradually faded. He gazed deeply at the cup in his hand, then with a slight tilt, the tea inside spilled onto the ground.
"From now on, all meals will need to be handled by Butler Li."
"Yes." The maid acknowledged and withdrew. Qingchen took out a silver needle from her clothes and inserted it into the teapot, gazing thoughtfully at the still-clean needle surface. She hadn't actually drunk a single drop of the medicine Zhuang Su had given her over the past few days.
Zhuang Su was aware of the suspicion that existed between the two of them, but she could not express it. When no one was around, she secretly slipped into Qing Chen's room, gently sprinkled some incense powder into the incense burner, and then quietly withdrew.
She returned to her room and resumed her usual routine, making sure no one saw her already packed luggage.
Night gradually fell. The stars outside were quite numerous.
Zhuang Su recalled what she had seen during the day and felt a tightness in her chest, unable to fall asleep for a long time. The night was quiet, with a gentle breeze. It was very still outside, utterly silent, when suddenly, she seemed to hear faint, rustling sounds.
It sounded like a door latch being slowly pried open. Zhuang Su groggily awoke, fumbling to get up. In her haste, she knocked off her mask, but before she could even look for it, the door was already open. The person who entered moved swiftly, silently closing the door behind them. In a flash, they covered her mouth, and a gleaming knife was pressed against her neck.
Zhuang Su felt a chill on her neck, and then she saw clearly that the person was dressed in black and masked. As they drew closer, the person naturally saw her face as well. The previously tense atmosphere suddenly paused, and a hint of disbelief mixed with surprise appeared in the eyes beneath the mask.
Zhuang Su sensed this emotion and, recalling the person who had appeared in Shengxiao Valley earlier that day, suddenly had a guess about the identity of the person before her. At that moment, the person also removed his veil, revealing a handsome face—it was Nayan.
Zhuang Su was overwhelmed with emotions. She suddenly realized how many people had changed. If Na Yan hadn't recognized her tonight, perhaps another soul would have perished in Shengxiao Valley. How long ago was it that the gentle person had learned to sacrifice others for her goals?
"Miss Su Su? Is it really Miss Su Su?" Na Yan lowered his sword under Zhuang Su's gaze.
Zhuang Su did not answer. Instead, she turned and lit the lamp in the room, walked to the table, took out a pen and ink, and silently wrote a letter. After folding the letter, she handed it to Na Yan. Zhuang Su noticed Na Yan's surprised expression, smiled gently, pointed to her throat, and then waved her hand.
Nayan was shocked: "Miss Susu, your voice...?"
Zhuang Su nodded, then turned around, wrote a few more words, and handed them over: "Give this letter to my second senior brother; he understands what I mean."
Nayan looked at his own image, now shrouded in darkness, and his expression darkened slightly. Although he knew it was impossible, he still tentatively asked, "Miss Susu, can't you come back with me?"
Su Su was taken aback by his words, but quickly shook her head. Only she knew that now she only wanted to stay with that person and wouldn't go anywhere else. Unless, of course, her departure would be for his own good...
Na Yan remained silent, clasped his hands in a gesture of respect from afar, and pushed open the door to leave.
Zhuang Su stared blankly at the empty room, momentarily lost in thought. She wasn't sure if the bowl of herbal tea she had made earlier that day was meant to attract Liu Su's attention. However, she genuinely didn't want the two of them to fight. One was the ruler of a nation, and the other was the leader of the righteous alliance. Most importantly—they were both people she valued.
Just as Zhuang Su had predicted, the next day, Liu Su once again set up Shengxiao Valley. However, this time several maids came to invite her to go as well. When Zhuang Su arrived, she learned that Liu Su had actually obtained many rare medicinal herbs, which was why Qing Chen had invited her, an expert, to take a look.
As soon as Zhuang Su stepped into the courtyard, she noticed Liu Su's gaze fixed on her, like a persistent lock that she couldn't look away from. Zhuang Su's heart skipped a beat, but she pretended not to notice and walked closer before giving everyone present a slight smile.
Her smile seemed somewhat forced and dry.
At that glance, she realized how haggard Liu Su looked. His complexion was poor, clearly worn out from long hours of hard work, and he appeared somewhat sickly, somewhat similar to the original Qing Chen. However, Qing Chen was a martial artist; no matter how tired or broken his body was, as long as he smiled calmly, he could still give the impression of being as light as a swallow. But Liu Su was different.
Liusu was just an ordinary person, and her slight weariness was naturally exposed, impossible to erase.
Just as Zhuang Su approached, Liu Su said to Qing Chen, "I've heard that Miss Li Yin is skilled in medicine. Coincidentally, there are still quite a few medicinal herbs piled up at the inn where I'm staying. If you're interested, Miss Li Yin might as well come back with us to take a look."
Qingchen lay casually on the stone bench, lazily raising his eyes upon hearing this, and waved his hand, saying, "That's Liyin's freedom; let her go if she wants." His tone was indifferent as he spoke, then his gaze lightly fell on Zhuang Su: "Liyin, do you want to go?"
Zhuang Su knew that Liu Su wanted to talk to her alone, so she slowly nodded.
Liu Su smiled gently and politely took her leave, saying, "In that case, I'll take Miss Li Yin to chat with you."
Zhuang Su dared not look at Qing Chen's expression any longer, and hurriedly followed Liu Su away. After leaving the house and getting into the carriage, the driver flicked the reins, and the carriage began to rumble forward. Before Zhuang Su could even settle in, she was suddenly pulled away by someone.
The embrace she fell into was somewhat frail, yet warm. He suddenly held her tightly, and Zhuang Su felt inexplicably sad, almost as if she were suffocating. In truth, she had considered that Liu Su's thinness might be related to her "death," but his actions now made her feel even more reluctant to let him go.
I remember someone once said that he only sang his songs for her. That moment of emotion still lingers somewhere in my heart.
Zhuang Su let him hold her for a long, long time, until the carriage arrived at the inn's door. The coachman outside gave a long "whoosh," but she still didn't let go.
A moment of silence fell over the surroundings. Zhuang Su, unable to bear the strange atmosphere, reached out and nudged her. Liu Su slowly released her, but her gaze remained fixed on Zhuang Su. It was a look of deep longing, a lingering gaze, as if she feared that in the blink of an eye, Zhuang Su would vanish again.
"I knew it, you definitely weren't dead..." Liu Su's deep voice rose, and Zhuang Su realized in a daze that this man, who had a hint of femininity, had somehow developed such a captivating composure.
Liu Su slowly reached out her hand, inching closer, wanting to remove her mask.
Zhuang Su was momentarily dazed, and only when his fingertips touched her did she hurriedly turn her face away, avoiding his touch. At this moment, she was only "Li Yin," perhaps the only thing she needed to remember now.
Liu Su's hand fell to empty air, and his expression, now slightly calmer, held a strange emotion. He parted his lips slightly, uttering a few words: "Su Su, you're coming back with me." This time it wasn't a discussion, but a calm statement, as if it brooked no argument.
Zhuang Su looked up in surprise, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity with him for a moment. The Liu Su of the past would never have spoken to her like this. She suddenly remembered that he was now the Prime Minister of Chu, and couldn't help but smile.
Chapter 35 Never Part Again (Part 2)
Zhuang Su reached out and opened Liu Su's palm, writing the character "no" clearly and distinctly on it. Liu Su's hand trembled slightly. She looked up at the calm and peaceful warmth on Zhuang Su's lips, about to say something, when Zhuang Su had already turned and gotten out of the car.
Liu Su stared at her retreating figure, lost in thought, and followed her down.
The inn wasn't large, but it was clean. Zhuang Su was surprised that Liu Su, as the Prime Minister, still lived in such a humble place. Liu Su said, "Please, Miss Li Yin," and went inside. Zhuang Su was slightly taken aback, but remembering that she had to maintain a proper appearance in public, she followed him with a composed expression.
After entering the room, Nagō discreetly withdrew and closed the door, leaving only the two of them. Jōsu noticed the writing brush and ink already prepared on the table, and her brow furrowed slightly. From the beginning until now, Ōsu hadn't asked about her throat, so it seemed Nagō had already told her.
Seeing that Liu Su remained silent, Zhuang Su took up his pen and wrote: "Go back and persuade Shen Jian not to let him harm Qing Chen."
“Impossible.” Almost the instant her pen touched the paper, Liu Su answered softly. He shook his head at Zhuang Su’s suddenly raised eyes and said, “Two tigers cannot share one mountain. Don’t you understand this principle?”
Zhuang Suxin's heart sank, and she wrote with lightning speed: "Have you forgotten that it was Qingchen who helped Shen Jian seize the throne? If he really wanted to, he wouldn't have needed to put Shen Jian in this position in the first place; he could have simply taken his place immediately."
Liu Su sighed softly: "Su Su, the reason he didn't do that back then was because he lacked a proper title. Now, as long as the One Leaf Alliance exists, the Emperor will always have to be more cautious in his actions. You know, as the Son of Heaven, he cannot tolerate any form of coercion. Can you really guarantee that if the One Leaf Alliance's interests are ever threatened, he won't interfere in court affairs?"
“Qingchen wouldn’t…” Zhuang Su paused abruptly as she wrote this.
Liu Su said helplessly, "Su Su, you know you can't guarantee anything about the future. He's 'Ye Chen,' who can be sure he won't do something to disrupt the world? I know you don't want him to clash with the Emperor and the Empress, but as long as the One Leaf Alliance still exists, this is something that can't be avoided..."
Zhuang Su bit her lip tightly: "What if I insist on not letting you do it?"
Liu Su's expression faltered slightly beneath her eyelashes: "Su Su, don't interfere."
“You can try.” Zhuang Su smiled, a meaningful, cold curve at the corner of his lips. “Second Senior Brother, whether you take further action or not, I will stay by his side. If he lives, I live; if he dies—I die!”
Liu Su felt a sudden chill run through her body, but seeing the calm on Zhuang Su's face, she couldn't even utter a word of comfort. She knew that sometimes Zhuang Su's stubbornness could leave even the most persistent person in the world helpless.
"Susu, don't force me." The words were spoken softly, as light as a whisper, so faint and ethereal.
Zhuang Su's hand, holding the pen, trembled slightly. Beneath the mask, her eyes, though dark, were clear. Hearing those words, she felt a strange sadness, a slight, mocking smile playing on her lips. Was she pressuring him? Perhaps…
Zhuang Su didn't write anything more, feeling there was no need to say anything more. She simply put her pen down on the desk and turned to look at the boxes of medicinal herbs. A gaze fell on her from behind, deep and meaningful, lingering and tender, but it was no longer relevant to her. Having made her stance clear, she would accept whatever Liu Su did to her in the future without complaint. This was simply the path she had chosen: to be an enemy of Liu Su, an enemy of Shen Jian…
Zhuang Su felt a dryness and pain in the corners of her eyes. She was truly just an ordinary person, and if she could, she would have preferred to live a simple and peaceful life, never falling into such hardships and setbacks. However, she was also just an ordinary person, unable to let go, which was why she remained entangled in this situation.
Zhuang Su casually asked for some medicinal herbs and then prepared to return.
Liu Su ordered a carriage to be prepared and escorted her downstairs to the inn's entrance. Zhuang Su paused there briefly, and Liu Su watched her retreating figure without uttering a word. He simply didn't know what else to say, but then he saw Zhuang Su turn around, smile, and give him a polite bow in farewell before getting into the carriage.
Liu Su's hand trembled slightly at this moment, and she subconsciously wanted to stop her, but she restrained herself and remained standing there motionless.
The wheels rolled on, and the carriage rumbled away, leaving only the two people standing at the inn's entrance, still gazing at each other from afar.
"Prime Minister, is this alright?" Nayan asked with a slight frown as he watched the carriage disappear into the distance.
Liu Su's expression was sorrowful: "Perhaps, it is indeed cruel to let Su Su kill Qing Chen with her own hands." He sensed that Na Yan was hesitant to speak, and couldn't help but lower his eyes: "Na Yan, do you think Su Su will hate me?"
Nayan wanted to say "no," but the words caught in his throat and he couldn't utter a sound. The sandalwood was indeed poisonous, but the antidote was... Nayan fell silent, unsure what else to say. He knew that if Zhuangsu hated Liusu, that would truly be a fate worse than death.
However, the imperial court was a wall standing between the two sides, which was destined to be insurmountable.
Zhuang Su leaned against the car wall, feeling utterly empty and devoid of sensation. She seemed to float in a void, lost and disoriented. She desperately wanted to scream, but her throat was too sore to utter a sound. Zhuang Su felt utterly desolate, her heart filled with emptiness. Everything from long ago had changed; now she faced a world where everything was different. She was caught between two powerful forces, so insignificant, yet still recklessly trying to salvage everything.
The carriage stopped at the entrance of Shengxiao Valley. When Zhuang Su got out of the carriage, he saw that Li Jiu had already led his men to stand at the entrance, seemingly waiting for him.
"Miss Liyin, the things are too heavy, let us help you carry them." Li Jiu gestured behind him, and someone came forward to help Zhuang Su carry the heavy medicinal herbs.
Zhuang Su knew that these things would definitely be thoroughly inspected, but she pretended not to know, smiled slightly and nodded to Li Jiu, then turned and walked into the house by herself.
"Miss Liyin," Li Jiu suddenly called out to her.
Zhuang Su turned around, puzzled, with a questioning look on his face.
Li Jiu said, "There have been many things going on in the alliance lately. If you hear any noise, please don't be alarmed."
Zhuang Su was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, not knowing why Li Jiu had given her such instructions, and simply nodded.
Li Jiu watched her leave, and when he turned around, his expression had become more serious. He ordered, "Search all these things thoroughly."
"Yes." Everyone responded, and Li Jiu turned and walked towards Qingchen's residence. When he arrived, Qingchen was already lying lazily on a recliner, glancing at him with a gentle look. Li Jiu's expression turned serious, and he said respectfully, "This Miss Liyin seems to have a close relationship with Liusu."
"Oh?" Qingchen's tone was leisurely, her eyes smiling. "It seems I've brought back someone who's not simple. He's a member of the underworld, yet he also has connections with the current prime minister?"
"Leader, it's better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free." A ruthless glint flashed in Li Jiu's eyes. "Moreover, we're about to take action against the underworld in the next few days."
Qingchen shifted lazily, changed her posture, and said, "Hand me the medicine on the table."
Only then did Li Jiu notice the bowl on the table. He should have been happy that Qingchen was finally willing to use the medicine, but his brow furrowed: "Alliance Leader, this medicine..."
“It was made by Li Yin,” Qingchen replied casually.
Li Jiu's expression darkened: "How can you drink the medicine brewed by this woman?"
"Why not?" Qingchen raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in her peach-blossom eyes. "If she really wanted me dead, she wouldn't have needed to go to so much trouble. She could have just dumped me in Black Wind Stronghold back then. Since she has ulterior motives, don't you trust the medical skills of Snow Doctor Manor?"
Li Jiu thought this made sense, but he was still hesitant. At this moment, Qingchen's gaze seemed to lightly sweep across his face, and Li Jiu felt his heart skip a beat. He hurriedly brought the medicine over and handed it to her.
Qingchen raised his eyes with slight satisfaction, took the bowl, and drank it all in a few gulps. He handed the empty bowl to Li Jiu and told him to leave. After the door closed, he gradually relaxed and coughed a few times.