Gu worm

"Song Zhimin, what happened to this red rash on your body?" Song Zhimin looked in the mirror in a bit of a panic, wondering why she had a leaf-shaped red rash on her back.

“It might be a rash…” Song Zhimin turned around and Jiang Jin attacked with a dagger, “Have you seen Ziyuan!”

"Ah Jin, why do you ask that?" Song Zhimin breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that there was no intense killing intent in Jiang Jin's eyes.

"Ziyuan recently took a liking to the Buddha's Hand flower. That flower grows in the far north, and Zhai Wan went through great lengths to pick it, grind it into powder, and make it into a flower dew for Ziyuan. Ziyuan bathed in it every day, and the scent lingered on her body for a long time. That flower is wonderful in every way, but there are also people who are allergic to it. Once they touch it, they will develop a rash that looks like a leaf. The dew made from it amplifies this. Song Zhimin, how did you come into contact with the Buddha's Hand flower?"

Jiang Jin stared at Song Zhimin, then suddenly realized something, "So we've been searching for you as the traitor!"

Jiang Jin took a few steps back and glanced at Song Zhimin, who lit a sleeping pill. "Yi Yi, Yi Er, grab him!"

After Jiang Jin finished speaking, she pretended to be a little dizzy and leaned on the table. Yi Yi and Yi Er also felt a wave of dizziness as soon as they started to circulate their internal energy.

"Ah Jin, I won't let you ruin my plans." Song Zhimin reached out and hugged Jiang Jin, ignoring her struggles, and led her away from the Fulong Teahouse. A short while later, Yi Yi and Yi Er woke up and contacted the clothing store in Bianzhou to search for Jiang Jin's whereabouts.

In a comfortable car, Song Zhimin was reading a book. Beside him was Jiang Jin, who had woken up but whose hands and feet were bound.

"Song Zhimin, His Highness treated you so well, yet you betrayed us! I must tell His Highness, Song Zhimin, I will send you to the deepest hell!" Jiang Jin glared fiercely at Song Zhimin. "And Ziyuan? If you dare to harm a single hair on her head, I will tear you to pieces!"

"You're dead, so Ah Jin, you're my latest bargaining chip. Only with you can Zi Yuan's body be buried." Song Zhimin gently stroked Jiang Jin's face, his eyes filled with hatred and a murderous intent he had never seen before.

"Ah Jin, if you eat this, you'll only love me. You're just being bewitched by Wei Shu." Song Zhimin took out the Gu poison and forcibly stuffed it into Jiang Jin's mouth.

"What did you feed me?!" Jiang Jin tried to vomit but found the insect had already gone down her throat and disappeared. After a familiar wave of dizziness, Jiang Jin suppressed her murderous intent and acted as if Song Zhimin wasn't even there.

After a long while, Jiang Jin slowly opened her eyes. "Jin, do you love me?" Song Zhimin asked, looking at Jiang Jin whose eyes held only love and no hatred.

"I love you, I only love you." Jiang Jin smiled gently, resting her head on Song Zhimin's shoulder, and secretly clutched her leg tightly, afraid of giving herself away.

"Then, Ah Jin, do you love Wei Shu?" Song Zhimin asked, helping Jiang Jin sit up and looking into her eyes.

"I don't love Wei Shu, I only love you." Jiang Jin said, while inwardly repenting, "Heavens, please forgive my ramblings!"

Even though Song Zhimin knew that the Jiang Jin in front of him wasn't the complete, normal person she was, his greatest wish was simply to have Jiang Jin quietly stay by his side.

As the car entered town, Song Zhimin held Jiang Jin's hand and walked along the road. "We can't do this. Mother said women should cherish and respect themselves." Jiang Jin withdrew her hand and stepped behind Song Zhimin.

"Ah Jin, you used to walk with me, didn't you?" Song Zhimin asked, somewhat puzzled by Jiang Jin's actions.

“My lord is like heaven; I cannot walk alongside him.” Jiang Jin almost burst out laughing at Song Zhimin’s expression. “It’s improper for us to be pulling and tugging on the road; there are rules for women to follow…”

Song Zhimin waved his hand, interrupting Jiang Jin, "Then let's go to the inn." Although Jiang Jin was less resistant, Song Zhimin felt the pain of losing her.

"Give me a superior room." Jiang Jin pulled Song Zhimin back again. "We're not married yet, we can't be alone in a room. There's a saying for women..." Seeing that Jiang Jin was about to recite the maxim, Song Zhimin gave in once more.

"Okay, we'll each have a room." Song Zhimin breathed a sigh of relief after watching Jiang Jin enter the room and lock it with a small lock.

Hearing footsteps outside, Jiang Jin patted her chest. "I almost ruined my act the whole way. I should have just taken action and ended it all." Jiang Jin sat on the bed, legs crossed, analyzing whether there were any oversights.

Just then, a pebble hit the window. Jiang Jin opened the window suspiciously, and a familiar scent wafted into her nostrils.

"Wei Shu, what are you doing here?" Jiang Jin patted Wei Shu's shoulder somewhat angrily.

"I didn't leave the capital on a whim; His Majesty ordered me here, and I dared not disobey." Wei Shu sat on the couch, his arms around Jiang Jin.

"Ah Jin smells like him." Wei Shu hugged Jiang Jin tightly, trying to hide Song Zhimin's scent.

"I'm doing something important right now. If you get angry about this, then you're being unreliable!" Jiang Jin gave Wei Shu a gentle push, but it was just a gesture without any real force.

"Women's precepts and rules? You're Jiang Jin, a ruthless killer. No wonder Song Zhimin lost with those clichés." Wei Shu carefully kissed Jiang Jin.

"Yi Yi and Yi Er are being held up by Song Zhimin's men, but San Yu is still with you. If you have any problems, just call him." Wei Shu knew she couldn't stay any longer, so she reluctantly left the room.

"Ah Jin, remember, your life is the most important." Jiang Jin nodded, tears welling in her eyes. Just after dawn, Song Zhimin sensed someone entering the room. He picked up the dagger from under his pillow, lifted the bed curtains, and saw Jiang Jin soaking a cotton handkerchief.

"My lord, you're awake! Come and wash your face. I should have prepared some breakfast for you, but the kitchen won't let me in, so I'm afraid I'll have to make do with this." Song Zhimin stared at Jiang Jin, not even bothering to put on her clothes, and grabbed Jiang Jin's shoulders to start examining her face.

"Who are you? Where is A-Jin? Give her back!" Song Zhimin still couldn't accept that Jiang Jin had become a different person after consuming the Gu poison.

"I am A-Jin, what are you saying, my lord?" Jiang Jin blinked at Song Zhimin, a hint of mockery rising in her heart.

"No, Ah Jin wouldn't say that I would be so obsequious. Give her back!" Song Zhimin released his grip and fell to the ground. Jiang Jin tried to reach out to help him up, but he dodged her.

"You can leave now. Don't come into my room without permission again." Song Zhimin seemed somewhat dejected.

"Yes, I understand." Jiang Jin obediently replied and left the room without hesitation. Returning to her bedroom, she saw Wei Shu drinking tea.

"You really are quite carefree!" Jiang Jin snatched the teacup and drank the tea in one gulp.

"Song Zhimin must be furious! Who came up with such a strange idea?" Wei Shu wanted to say "insidious," but then thought it might not be appropriate, so she changed it to "strange."

“Of course it’s me. If you want to rely on external forces, then you have to bear the price.” Jiang Jin lay back down on the couch. “Since you’re here, you can keep watch for me. I’m going to sleep for a while.”

"Okay." Wei Shu sat on the edge of the couch, holding Jiang Jin's hand and tucking her in. Time passed quietly, and the sound of the door opening came from outside. Before Wei Shu could speak, Jiang Jin opened her eyes.

"You're not asleep?" Wei Shu walked quickly to the window and felt a strange thrill at the sound of footsteps outside the door.

"He's just not sleeping soundly. Who's so carefree as to sleep soundly?" Jiang Jin glared at Wei Shu, signaling him to leave immediately.

"Ah Jin, are you there?" Song Zhimin's voice returned to its usual gentleness.

"My lord, I'm here." Jiang Jin opened the door with a gentle expression, her eyes overflowing with adoration.

"Let's go." Song Zhimin stopped looking at Jiang Jin and didn't hold her hand like she had at the beginning.

"My lord, where are we going?" Jiang Jin followed Song Zhimin with small, quick steps.

"To Sangzhou." Hearing the footsteps behind him, Song Zhimin felt endless regret. If he had known that the Zi Gu would turn Jiang Jin into a different person, he would have preferred her to hate him.

"Yes, my lord." Jiang Jin took Song Zhimin's hand and got into the carriage, heading forward. Along the way, she meticulously prepared tea and water for him, much to Song Zhimin's annoyance.

"Alright, stop doing these things. Ah Jin wouldn't do these things!" Jiang Jin pretended to look at Song Zhimin with suspicion.

"Then what does my lord wish me to do?" Song Zhimin breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at Jiang Jin's seemingly genuine gaze.

"Just sit quietly and don't talk." Jiang Jin sat obediently to the side, propping her head up with her hand and looking out the window.

The supply wagons traveled rather slowly, arriving in Sangzhou six days later. Jiang Jin took a deep breath where Song Zhimin couldn't see her, feeling a surge of nervousness at the thought of soon meeting the person behind the scenes.

"Ah Jin, stay by my side for a while, don't leave, and don't say anything." Song Zhimin clearly knew about the masked man's methods and instructed Jiang Jin.

"Yes, my lord, I understand." Jiang Jin followed Song Zhimin to an exquisite mansion. The gatekeeper checked Song Zhimin's token and opened the gate.

Jiang Jin followed Song Zhimin closely, while the servants inside all kept their heads down, fearing they might lose their lives at any moment.

"Ah Jin, rest here and don't wander off." Song Zhimin locked Jiang Jin in a closed room and had two servants stand guard outside before hurriedly leaving.

Jiang Jin looked around the room, examining the windows that had been nailed shut with wood. Then, using a charcoal pencil, she wrote on the inside of her arm: "Song Huai Ai Shu, kill the mastermind, the antidote is in the hair bun, in case the mastermind has any other tricks up their sleeve." After doing all this, she tore a hole in the fabric she had sewn around her waist.

He pulled a brown pill out and stuffed it into his hair. Now, he wondered if Yi Yi and Wei Shu would be able to get into the courtyard smoothly.

"You brought Jiang Jin back?" The masked man paused, wiping his knife. "She didn't kill you, and she obediently came back with you?"

"I fed her the 'child-rearing worm,' and now she only loves me. But that 'child-rearing worm' is a bit strange." Seeing Song Zhimin's hesitant expression, the masked man burst into laughter.

"Jiang Jin isn't Zi Yuan. Are you sure she's really bewitched by you and it's not just a trick she's using?" The masked man waved his hand, and a man hidden in the shadows left the room.