Impératrice douairière Xiaoxuan

Chapitre 189

Before she could finish speaking, Mo Yan had already moved a round stool for Su Zui, helped him sit down, and then busied herself pouring him tea.

"Thank you, Princess."

Su Zui took the teacup, not thanking Mo Yan, but instead addressing Zhao Yu. This was the first time he had looked at Zhao Yu since entering the tent. Seeing her haggard face, so different from yesterday, he felt a sudden pang of pain in his heart, but remained outwardly calm.

“So it was you who saved Xiao Qi,” Zhao Yu said gently. “I always thought it was someone from the Iron Cavalry Camp.”

"It's true that they were from the Iron Cavalry Battalion. I was with her at the time, and we couldn't walk very fast. Luckily, we ran into some brothers from the Iron Cavalry Battalion, who quickly brought her back on horseback. She couldn't afford to be delayed at all."

"Where did you find me?" Mo Yan asked.

Su Zui frowned slightly: "What place? Well... it's hard to say. It's just a shallow swamp near the mountain wall."

"Is there a hole nearby?"

Her question made Su Zui's brows furrow even more: "I don't remember any holes."

Mo Yan scratched her ear: "You didn't even see such a big hole?"

Su Zui rolled her eyes at her: "You saw it? After I passed out?"

"Of course, it was before I fainted. I saw the turtle crawl into the hole with my own eyes," Mo Yan said urgently. "Take me there, and I'm sure I can find that hole and show it to you."

Su Zui ignored her and looked at Zhao Yu.

"Xiao Qi, what's the rush? If there really is a cave, we can't escape. I can't move today, so you should rest more. Besides, we haven't prepared the incense and offerings for the gods. We can go tomorrow." Zhao Yu persuaded Mo Yan.

"What...what exactly are you trying to do with that turtle?" Su Zui asked, puzzled. He had previously thought that their fishing was just a way to pass the time, but he hadn't expected them to be so attached to the turtle, almost risking their lives in the process.

While Zhao Yu was still hesitating whether to tell him, Mo Yan had already casually replied, "The princess is going to give Yelü Hongji a five-colored divine tortoise."

"……I see."

Su Zui nodded slowly. He hadn't expected that her dedication was for Yelü Hongji.

"So, as long as you lead us to that turtle cave, we can catch the Five-Colored Divine Turtle, which will be a great achievement for you," Mo Yan added with a grin.

Su Zui glanced at her sideways and saw that although she still looked unwell, she was beaming and radiant. Being so clever, he immediately guessed what was going on and couldn't help but tease her, "Miss, it seems you have some good news to celebrate these past few days?"

Mo Yan smiled and bowed, saying, "I must thank you, young master, for this matter!"

“What does it have to do with me?” Su Zui dismissed the matter with his sleeves, then added, “You must never mention it in front of him, or he will definitely blame me.”

"I understand, I understand," Mo Yan said with a smile.

Zhao Yu was completely confused and pulled Mo Yan aside to ask, "What are you talking about?"

"It's nothing..." Mo Yan tried to dodge the question and change the subject, "When should we go tomorrow? Morning or afternoon?"

Zhao Yu was annoyed by Mo Yan's repeated evasions and cover-ups. Even Su Zui knew about this, but Mo Yan refused to tell her. Zhao Yu's face hardened and she said, "Since you can't let me know, then I won't trouble you with my affairs anymore. Please leave."

"Princess……"

Mo Yan hadn't expected her to be genuinely angry, so she stepped forward and said with a smile, "It's not that I don't want to tell you, but... the fewer people who know about this, the better."

"So, in your eyes, I'm an unreliable person?" Zhao Yu said angrily. "Please leave now, and don't say anything you shouldn't in front of me."

“That’s not what I meant at all,” Mo Yan muttered. “Didn’t you keep the matter of the gyrfalcon from me for a long time?…Alright, alright, I’ll tell you.” She leaned close to Zhao Yu’s ear and whispered, “Brother Zhan didn’t die. Yelü Pusa Nu was him in disguise.”

These words struck Zhao Yu like a thunderbolt, leaving her stunned and unable to process what they had just said...

"Princess, Princess." Seeing Zhao Yu standing there dumbfounded, Mo Yan hesitated whether to pinch her philtrum.

Su Zui kept his eyes down, drinking tea with a melancholy expression, as if he was also thinking about something.

After a long silence, Zhao Yu turned to Mo Yan and asked in a low voice, "Then, what about the original Yelü Pusa Nu? Where did he go?"

"This..." Mo Yan scratched her ear and said apologetically, "I haven't had a chance to ask about this yet."

"He's dead."

At this moment, Su Zui still held his teacup and spoke quietly.

Zhao Yu swayed precariously, bracing herself against the couch with her hands. Her lips trembled slightly as she tried to ask something, but she couldn't utter a single word.

"Dead!" Mo Yan exclaimed in shock, "How could he be dead?"

Su Zui said calmly, "In order to detoxify Zhan Zhao, he drew the poison onto himself and died from it. Otherwise, he wouldn't have needed Zhan Zhao to impersonate Yelü Pusa Nu for him."

It is perfectly reasonable and flawless, leaving no room for doubt.

Zhao Yu closed her eyes, unable to contain her emotions any longer, and tears streamed down her face.

"Princess……"

Mo Yan frantically searched for a handkerchief to wipe away her tears, but couldn't find one. Su Zui, however, found a silk handkerchief draped over a low cabinet and handed it to her.

Zhao Yu took the handkerchief and asked, choking back tears, "...When did he die?"

Su Zui paused for a moment, then blurted out, "He died three years ago on the day of Frost's Descent."

"Where should I be buried?" she asked again.

"To avoid being seen, he was buried in the wilderness without a tombstone or a grave, and it is feared that he will never be found."

Mo Yan said sadly, "I didn't expect it to be so hasty. I can't even find a place to express my gratitude."

Zhao Yu had no more questions to ask, sitting there blankly, momentarily disoriented. Mo Yan wanted to help her to rest, so she gestured to Su Zui, indicating that he should leave first.