Chapter 1622 IF Scenario: What If There Was No Shen Tang (Part 2)

Cui Xiao initially didn't fully believe what Qin Li said.

Qin Li, being of royal lineage, was naturally well-versed in court affairs and laws. It's possible that his high fever triggered some kind of illness, causing him to conjure up such a "future." However, when Cui Xiao saw the detailed agricultural books he had never heard of before, he believed them almost entirely. Zhao Feng held the books and examined them closely. He himself came from a farming family and knew a bit about agriculture.

"Did Gong Su come up with all of this?"

Cui Xiao interrupted Qin Li's explanation: "Although Gong Su is not lazy and ignorant of farming, he is not someone who can work in the fields and try these spiritual words. How did he come up with them? Most likely, they are the masterpiece of Minister Lin, whom Gong Su mentioned. They are indeed gems."

Zhao Feng responded with an "Oh".

He then asked, "Why isn't the signature written?"

Cui Xiao chuckled, fanning himself with his sword fan: "You're so naive, you don't believe me. If Gong Su were to credit someone's future achievements, what would they do then? Let's just shamelessly use their name for now, and when we meet this Minister in the future, we'll repay the favor."

Zhao Feng laughed heartily, "Absolutely, absolutely."

Qin Li forced a slight smile.

"Righteousness and virtue are indeed closely related."

Despite being a military officer and spending many years overseeing large-scale construction projects, Zhao Feng never forgot his roots and even personally tended to one of his estates. He distributed a portion of the estate's annual produce to his colleagues, keeping the rest for his own household consumption. Whenever Lin Feng introduced a new crop, Zhao Feng would plant it immediately; he was always the first to collect and subscribe to Lin Feng's agricultural books and frequently exchanged ideas with her.

Zhao Feng listened intently.

He never imagined he would become like this, but after learning the details of his love for farming from Qin Li, he felt it was the right path for him. Isn't the initial life wish of every farmer's son to have land to cultivate, to have enough to eat, to live a prosperous life with his wife, and to have many children to enjoy family bliss?

Although they hadn't met, Zhao Feng's goodwill towards Lin Feng was already at its peak.

With the help of the Word of Power, the harvest this year was considered poor by Qin Li, but it was a bumper harvest by others. In addition, they did some "small business" in secret, and settled down in less than two years, which was much better than during their exile.

Qin Li has been carefully reviewing each step of the plan during this time.

During this time, he also made sure that Zhao Feng and the others laid a solid foundation for their daughters who had the aptitude for cultivation. Those who needed to learn literature should be given early education, and those who needed to learn martial arts should be trained. Sharpening the axe wouldn't delay the work of chopping wood. Everyone trusted Qin Li and had no objections to his arrangements, and everything proceeded smoothly.

Cui Xiao: "Why didn't you go to see Shen Jun beforehand?"

"I'd like to, but unfortunately..."

His timing was off. He had previously inquired and discovered that Tang Guo of Geng Kingdom already had an adopted son, Gongxi Chou, meaning the Gongxi clan had been massacred, and the coffin containing their slumbering lord was naturally missing. He had been searching secretly, but without any allied forces, he couldn't find anything on his own. Qin Li wasn't surprised by this result; Gongxi Chou had also been searching for the coffin for years without any leads. Qin Li couldn't afford to waste time on this, so he chose the simplest and safest method.

wait!

When everything falls into place!

Qin Li did not make any prior contact with his future colleagues.

Firstly, Cui Xiao and his group believed in him because of their long-standing friendship and trust; secondly, contacting them beforehand could lead to unforeseen unforeseen events. In addition, Qin Li specifically had someone inquire about Wu Xian's movements, using Wu Xian's actions to estimate the approximate timeframe—this was due to the different reign titles used by various countries back then, resulting in chaotic and disorganized time records, causing immense suffering for the officials in Kang Kingdom responsible for compiling the history of the previous dynasty, who at one point broke down and wept late into the night.

Qin Li could only use Wu Xian and some sensational events as anchors to avoid missing important things.

Time flies, and several years have passed in a flash.

"Gongsu, Gongsu, wake up!"

Zhao Feng gently nudged Qin Li's shoulder, and the latter suddenly woke up. But after seeing Zhao Feng's appearance, he sighed softly. Zhao Feng naturally knew what Qin Li was sighing about—it was nothing more than Qin Li thinking that his experiences over the years were all an illusion, and that one day when he woke up, everything around him would be as it was before.

Qin Li only needed to wash up to get rid of the hangover, straighten his official robes, and go to court: "What did Gong Su dream about just now?"

Qin Li asked, puzzled, "Hmm?"

Zhao Fengdao: "You're talking in your sleep."

“Oh, it was a dream about going on a spring outing to admire the flowers and cruise the lake, with the lord sitting on the gunwale…” Qin Li carefully recalled the increasingly blurry dream. Strangely, he couldn’t remember the person’s appearance in the dream, but he remembered the words of incantation she recited, “Passing on the message that the scenery and the world will flow together…”

Let us appreciate each other for now and not go our separate ways.

Qin Li's expression darkened, but he didn't want to be too downcast in front of Zhao Feng, so he changed the subject and said with a light laugh, "That was many years ago... I wonder how the lotus flowers are blooming in the Five Seas now, and whether the Lord has been able to eat the lotus root box that she has been longing for."

But why did I end up going back to the past?

Could it be that he really drank himself to death that day?

What must His Majesty have felt upon hearing this terrible news?

Qin Li was unaware that he had been restraining himself from thinking about such things all these years, but today, a sudden dream of the past overwhelmed him with a torrent of emotions, causing him to lose control. Seeing Qin Li like this, Zhao Feng felt even worse, but he had brought him good news.

"Gongsu, I have good news." Zhao Feng said slowly under Qin Li's expectant gaze, "The State of Xin has been destroyed by Zheng Qiao."

Qin Li lost his composure and stood up, nearly knocking the table over.

Overjoyed, he exclaimed, "Really?"

We are getting very close to achieving our goal naturally.

Qin Li left most of the able-bodied men to take care of the elderly and weak, ordering them to guard the main camp and not to act rashly before receiving any news.

He then set off with Zhao Feng and Cui Xiao.

On the way, news arrived that Zheng Qiao had killed the Shen family and exiled the Gong family. The Gong family members had been divided into several groups for the journey, each exiled to a different place. Qin Li led his men to stake out the branch exiled to Xiaocheng, waiting for a full ten days.

Cui Xiao: "What if we missed it?"

Qin Li pursed his pale lips: "Wait a little longer."

Cui Xiaoneng could clearly sense that Qin Li's aura had become agitated, even manic, and he had a bad feeling. Fortunately, he received the best news in recent days the next day: "We found him!"

At this moment, Qin Li's eyes shone with an astonishing light.

He turned to the crowd and smiled, "Come with me to see the Lord."

How could the guards escorting the exiled prisoners be a match for Zhao Feng and his group? They directly intercepted the prisoners and, ignoring the panic of the men and women, Qin Li walked briskly towards the group of women gathered together.

"host……"

Qin Li's gaze swept over the disheveled faces. He didn't need to discern their true features beneath the mud and ashes; he could pinpoint the person he was looking for simply by looking into their eyes. But as he scanned the room again and again, he still couldn't find the woman he remembered.

In that instant, intense fear and helplessness were like a ferocious beast with its gaping maw, lurking in the shadows, waiting to devour him.

Qin Li's throat felt dry, and he swallowed hard.

Where is Madam Shen?

The women looked at each other, not daring to make a sound.

Qin Li's voice suddenly rose three points in pitch.

"Where is the substitute for Madam Shen that you found from that coffin? Has she already escaped?"

Seeing the situation, Cui Xiao secretly thought to himself that things were not going well.

He quickly gave Zhao Feng, who was busy working, a wink.

The two men approached Qin Li stealthily, but Qin Li's attention was completely off them. He didn't even notice someone approaching from behind; he was just staring intently at the women: "Where are they?!"

Zhao Feng also urged, "Hurry up and say it, don't dawdle."

Finally, just as Qin Li's patience was about to run out, a slightly bolder woman spoke up: "We don't know who our benefactors are talking about, what kind of substitute is this for Madam Shen?"

"The one who almost married Gong Cheng!"

Upon hearing this, the group exchanged bewildered glances.

"No, no."

It's true the bride ran away, but there was no substitute bride for the wedding ceremony. Madam Shen did want to find someone to cover for the runaway Madam Shen, but time didn't allow it. Therefore, the bride Qin Li was looking for couldn't possibly be among them.

Qin Li seemed to have been put on pause.

He froze on the spot, barely breathing.

"You said...nothing?" He could barely hear anything outside, but his mouth still opened and closed instinctively. "Even the coffin that Master Shen recently acquired isn't there?"

The crowd, of course, had no idea what a coffin was.

He simply suppressed his fear and revealed what he knew.

Qin Li staggered back in disbelief: "Impossible..."

Qin Li lost his footing and only managed to stay upright thanks to Zhao Feng's quick reflexes. Zhao Feng was also secretly astonished by Qin Li's current state, which resembled the corpse of a comrade he had once collected for burial—limp and lifeless, with a pale and ashen face. The only difference between Qin Li and the corpse was that Qin Li would unconsciously murmur and repeat the word "impossible," while the corpse would not speak.

Zhao Feng anxiously gave Cui Xiao a meaningful look.

Cui Xiao, quick-witted, said, "Gongsu, don't be anxious. Let's look again. Think about it. You've been able to go back to the past, but you haven't been involved in Tianhai's affairs as much as you were last time. In the middle of this, in the middle of this... perhaps something was affected and changed. Maybe Master Shen didn't find that coffin? Of course, the Lady wouldn't be here either. She's probably somewhere else right now, right?"

These sounds reached Qin Li's ears with difficulty.

He barely managed to digest the information, then forced himself to control his weak and powerless body: "Yes, Shanxiao is right."

Even the slightest influence can lead to endless changes.

If I go back to the past, how can everything remain the same?

Once his muddled mind cleared a little, Qin Li gritted his teeth and said, "Since our master's whereabouts are unknown, let's go find Qi Shan first!"

Cui Xiaolue was in a dilemma.

“We’ve been looking for him all these years, but to no avail.”

If you can't find Shen Tang, turning to Qi Shan won't help either.

Qin Li waved his hand, slightly out of breath, and said, "It's different, it's different. Qi Yuanliang's Scholar's Way can only be activated seven times. In his current state, his lifespan is not long. Given his personality, he will definitely take revenge before he dies, and return to his ancestral home before he breathes his last..."

"so?"

"This guy still has a score to settle with Yan Cheng of Xiaocheng."

In this era of inconvenient communication, finding someone is no different from finding a needle in a haystack, even if the two parties live in the same county.

Cui Xiao gently comforted Qin Li, saying, "Since Yan Cheng is his enemy, keeping an eye on Yan Cheng's movements will definitely lead to Qi Yuanliang being caught."

Zhao Feng agreed: "Yes, Gongsu, don't be too impatient."

"No, that's too slow."

So Qin Li came up with a plan.

He couldn't find Qi Shan, but he could make Qi Shan come to him.

However, he didn't want to reveal Qi Shan's identity at this moment and alert Yan Cheng, thus ruining Qi Shan's plans. So, he wrote down several of Qi Shan's aliases that he knew, specifically naming these people. As long as Qi Shan saw this, he would definitely come to see him.

However, before they could receive any prayers, they were met with devastating news.

The person who went out to buy dry rations has returned.

They were shaking their heads and clicking their tongues in amazement from a great distance.

Zhao Feng asked, "What news have you found out?"

The deputy said, "I didn't get any information, but I stumbled upon a horrific incident. Alas, the deaths were so tragic, the bodies were dumped..."

With a crack, the ceramic bowl fell to the ground.

Zhao Feng and the others looked in the direction of the sound and saw Qin Li's pale face. The deputy shrank back, looking at Zhao Feng with his eyes, asking if he had said something wrong. Just as Zhao Feng was about to say no, Qin Li lost his composure and rushed forward, grabbing the deputy's arm and demanding to know about the tragedy.

The deputy was quite frightened and whispered, "We found it on the road. Judging from the corpse's clothes, it must have belonged to a wealthy family..."

They knew that Young Master Qin was anxiously awaiting news, so they didn't dare to delay on the way; otherwise, they would have stayed behind to collect the body.

Alas, leaving a corpse exposed in the wilderness only feeds wolves and tigers.

As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Li pushed him away and staggered towards the direction his deputy had come from. Zhao Feng and the others hurriedly chased after him.

Blood and corpses littered the ground, mostly women. They had been thrown off the cliff by the murderer; some were smashed to pieces, others hung from trees on the cliff face, and some were lucky enough to fall into the water and drift away with the current.

When Zhao Feng and the others arrived, Qin Li was kneeling in front of a shattered wooden crate. Looking over Qin Li's head, Zhao Feng saw that the blood flowing from the crack in the crate had already dried. He wanted to go forward, but Cui Xiao stopped him with a raised hand; he was about to speak, but was stopped by a look in Cui Xiao's eyes.

Qin Li stiffly pushed aside the fragments of the wooden box.

A small girl was curled up inside the box.

Judging from the location of the fatal wounds on her body, the girl must have been discovered by the assailants while hiding here. The assailants hacked her to pieces, killing her instantly. Qin Li wasn't very familiar with Lin Feng's childhood appearance, but he could vaguely see traces of the future Lin Feng in the features of the corpse. He tried to wipe the blood from the cold skin with his fingers, but the blood had already dried. He murmured hoarsely, tears streaming down his face, "It shouldn't be like this, it shouldn't be like this..."

How much does the Lord favor Lin Feng?

Even a hundred years ago, she was able to save Lin Feng's past life, turning him into Gong Xifeng, and then into the sole heir, Ji Mofeng. How could she let Lin Feng lose his life here? This shouldn't be happening... Qin Li nearly collapsed, cradling the young Lin Feng's head, a few tears dripping into her unseeing eyes...

This shouldn't be happening!

Zhao Feng and the others dared not step forward.

Zhao Feng's deputy was also terrified upon seeing this, and was filled with self-reproach: "If we had known that Young Master Qin's offspring were here, we would have made sure to catch up no matter what."

Judging from the bodies, the tragedy must have occurred not long ago.

Zhao Feng stepped on his deputy's foot.

"Don't talk nonsense."

"No?"

His heartbroken appearance is almost like that of a parent outliving their child.

Zhao Feng had no choice but to tell him to shut up.

"If you can't speak properly, then don't speak."

It wasn't until a quarter of an hour later that Qin Li finally regained his senses.

He instructed his men to properly collect and bury the body.

Only then did Cui Xiao and Zhao Feng inquire about the deceased's identity.

Qin Li's voice was barely audible: "Lin Feng."

"who?"

"Lin Feng, Lin Lingde, Minister Lin..."

Zhao Feng's eyes widened in disbelief as he pointed at the corpse, his finger trembling: "You're saying she is... Lin Lingde?"

The Minister Lin whom he had long admired?

Qin Li stared blankly at the sky.

"Yes, it's her."

She was the one who shouldn't have done it!

The chaos that followed was even more unexpected.

Unable to receive any news from Qi Shan, and with Xiaocheng under siege by a large army, it was difficult for Qin Li and his group to enter the city. When they finally managed to sneak in amidst the chaos, they found only burnt-out ruins everywhere, with countless corpses lying in the rubble. Qin Li squatted down in front of one of the ruins.

Brushing fingers through the ashes, revealing the remaining characters on the plaque.

Cui Xiaozheng wanted to identify it based on the remaining radicals.

At this moment, Qin Li vaguely said, "It's the Moonlit Pavilion."

There was a body in the ruins, covered in mud and rubble, half of it charred, with only half a face vaguely recognizable. Judging from the manner of death, it seemed the body had its leg broken while fleeing, followed by a fatal stab wound to the back. Zhao Feng initially thought it was just an ordinary person, but was stunned by Qin Li's reaction: "Also...an acquaintance?"

Provoked by Lin Feng, Qin Li found himself eerily calm, merely nodding numbly at Zhao Feng's questions.

"It's Chu Yao."

"Chu—"

A message from Cui Xiao interrupted him.

"We can't stay here any longer, let's get out!"

In the distance, Qin Li looked back and saw a cluster of banners on the horizon, with a young man standing on horseback at the head of the group. He murmured "Gong Xichou" and then followed the others away without looking back. Zhao Feng, full of doubts, asked after the group found a place to stay: "Was that really the Chu Ling that Gong Su mentioned?"

Qin Li said, "Yes, it's him."

"But why would he..."

Zhao Feng wanted to ask Chu Yao why he was here.

Qin Li suddenly lowered his head, covering most of his face with his hand, his shoulders trembling slightly. His voice was a mix of sobbing and laughter: "Lin Lingde is already dead, so what difference does it make if Chu Wuhui dies too..."

They are all people whom the Lord cares about most.

If she were there, she wouldn't have allowed the two of them to live like this.

Cui Xiao: "So what are your plans next?"

Zhao Feng subtly tugged at his sleeve, signaling Cui Xiao not to push him so hard. Qin Li's mental state was very unstable; any further provocation would cause him to break down. Cui Xiao ignored him, brushed aside Zhao Feng's subtle gesture, and said sternly, "Gong Su, you should live in the present!"

Qin Li raised his face, his eyes frighteningly red.

"Live in the present moment?"

“Otherwise what? I believe that the lord you speak of did exist in your past, but here—” Cui Xiao pointed to his feet and said sternly, “Gong Su, there is no such person here!”

Zhao Feng was so frightened that he tried to cover Cui Xiao's mouth, but the other party used a knife fan to push it open: "Don't cover his mouth, what can't you say? Look at Gong Su now, he has tortured himself into a state that is neither human nor ghost! Gong Su, you should wake up!"

Qin Li had never felt the air so thin and suffocating. He strained with all his might but couldn't get any air into his lungs. Cui Xiao's words were like a knife stabbing into his most vulnerable spot. He said, "I've never been confused! I've always been perfectly clear-headed—"

"You call this being clear-headed?"

Enraged, Cui Xiao grabbed Qin Li by the collar and dragged him to the water's edge.

Zhao Feng hurriedly followed.

"Shanxiao, be gentle—"

Just as the three were shoving each other, and others wanted to stop them but dared not, a voice cut through the crowd and landed precisely in Qin Li's ears.

"Excuse me, who is Qin Li?"

The group turned around in unison; the newcomers were unfamiliar faces.

But this wasn't the case for Qin Li.

He called out the man's real name in a hoarse voice: "Gu Wangchao".

Gu Chi stepped forward and asked, "You recognize me?"

Qin Li scoffed: "Don't pretend in front of me. You can hear what I'm thinking right now and what I was thinking just now."

Gu Chi: "..."

He never expected to have such an unexpected gain from this trip.

But I didn't expect Qin Li's next words to be even more impolite.

"Gu Wangchao, why don't you die?"

Gu Chi almost laughed out of anger at these words: "Let's not even talk about the fact that we have no grudges against each other. Even if we did, you shouldn't come up here and ask me why I'm not dead. Is this the kind of upbringing that Qi Yuanliang praised for Young Master Qin?"

"Did Qi Yuanliang send you?"

“It was him. I felt sorry for him and helped him fulfill his last wish.”

The offensive outside Xiaocheng was too fierce; after the city fell, they killed indiscriminately. Gu Chi and Tu Dege's group got separated. Just as he was about to curse his bad luck, he unexpectedly encountered an old friend. Entrusted by his old friend, he came to find Qin Li: "If you set off now, you can still make it in time."

Qin Li met Qi Shan.

Qi Yuanliang was half-dead.

Qi Shan was seriously injured, and Qin Li could smell the strong stench of blood even without getting close: "I heard you've been looking for revenge against me..."

He was also curious about how Qin Li knew about those disguises.

Qi Shan initially thought it was some old man from the Gods' Guild, but after ordering an investigation, he discovered it was Qin Li. He found this rather amusing, but didn't approach him. He had more important matters to attend to.

Only after finishing this matter did he come to find Qin Li.

Well, while the injury is still fresh, a kind-hearted person like Young Master Qin would naturally not add fuel to the fire for a seriously injured patient.

Perhaps the two can put their past grievances to rest.

Qin Li's reaction was beyond Qi Shan's expectations.

He simply stared at Qi Shan with his dark eyes until the other woman couldn't stand it anymore, and then Qin Li asked, "Where is Chen Youli?"

Qi Shan looked at him, puzzled: "Who is this?"

Those three words seemed to shatter something.

Qi Shan saw Qin Li bend his back, which had been straight all his life, cover his face with his hands, and slowly curl up like a boiled shrimp; his whole state was extremely abnormal. He looked at Gu Chi questioningly, and Gu Chi's reaction was also subtle. He looked at Qin Li, then at Qi Shan.

Helpless, Qi Shan threw back the thin blanket and, enduring the excruciating pain of her reopened wound, got out of bed: "Qin Gongsu, you really didn't have to do this..."

He's not dead yet.

Although I'm very close to death now, at least I have half a breath left.

Qi Shan: "Is it because I don't know Shen Youli?"

Qin Li didn't speak, but simply stared at him silently.

Even though there were no ripples on the water, Qi Shan felt that Qin Li was already sobbing uncontrollably, as if his soul was crying out: "Gong Su."

"I couldn't find her..."

"Her? Shen Youli?"

"Hahaha—I understand! I understand everything!" Suddenly, tears streamed down Qin Li's face as he staggered backward, seemingly realizing something. "You're not Qi Yuanliang, she's not Lin Lingde, and the one who died wasn't Chu Wuhui, but I am Qin Gongsu!"

Because the people who died weren't what she truly cared about.

So that God did not appear.

But Qin Gongsu is truly, genuinely trapped here!

The soul finds no rest, the body has nowhere to belong—

Seeing Qin Li, in his delirious state, push away the crowd that wanted to comfort him, laughing and crying as he drifted away, Qi Shan, disregarding that she herself was only half alive, clutched her wound and gritted her teeth, saying, "Chase him! What are you standing there for? Heavens above, I've never seen him like this even when the country was destroyed!"

"What on earth is going on?!"

Qi Shan didn't even care about the embarrassment of running into Cui Xiaoshi, and hurriedly asked for the reason—it definitely wasn't brought by him! If Qin Gongsu was so fragile, it wouldn't have been worth Qi Shan expending so much energy back then.

Cui Xiao and Zhao Feng didn't want to reveal too much.

Gu Chi, however, had absolutely no restraint when it came to his mouth.

His expression was strange: "Qin Gongsu seems to have gone hysterical."

"Hysteria?"

He knew that the probability of the literati of Wenxin being delirious or having a nervous breakdown was very high, but he never thought that these words could be associated with Qin Gongsu.

Zhao Feng refuted this with dissatisfaction.

"What is hysteria? Gong Su clearly stated it is—"

"What is it clearly?"

This question was answered by Gu Chi—in Qin Li's understanding, Qi Shan should have rescued a female prisoner who had been exiled a few months ago, and brought the female prisoner to Xiaocheng. This female prisoner would then lead a group of people to fight in the south and north, and complete the unification.

But now, Qi Shan doesn't recognize the female prisoner.

Qi Shan found it absurd after hearing it.

The conclusion was reached: "He is indeed suffering from hysteria."

And that's not even the most absurd part.

The most absurd thing was that Qin Li actually grieved intensely because of the disappearance of a non-existent person, and then suffered a heart attack. Qi Shan initially thought that Qin Li, who had stopped in front of her, was trying to calm down, but in the next moment she saw him raise his hand to his chest and bend over.

Zhao Feng and the others were terrified.

They caught Qin Li before he fell to the ground.

Cui Xiao knew the situation was extremely dire just by taking one of his pulses.

Without being told, Zhao Feng immediately channeled martial energy into Qin Li's meridians—similar signs of impending heart failure had occurred before, though mostly in Qin Li's dreams. This time, however, Qin Li was awake, and Zhao Feng was helpless against Qin Li's chaotic and out-of-control spiritual energy.

Zhao Feng dared not use his martial energy to force his way in, as his heart meridian was already fragile. If things went wrong, Qin Li would not die from heart failure but from Zhao Feng's hand.

Cui Xiao felt like he had used up all the anger he had in his life.

Helpless: "Qin Gongsu, do you really have to do this?!"

The body's natural energy can protect the heart meridian, and Qin Li's condition can only mean that he has no will to live! Just because there is no one in this world that he expects, does he so heartlessly abandon them?

Qin Li was speechless at this moment.

He simply stared at the gray sky with his increasingly unfocused eyes.

From the very first day he woke up in the past, the sky had never truly seen a sunny day; it had always been shrouded in thick clouds.

He seemed to hear his own soul lamenting.

It truly was an illusion.

Perhaps only death can break free from falsehood and return to reality.

As his consciousness faded, he mustered all his strength to raise his hand, but it was grasped by Cui Xiao just as he was about to fall. Cui Xiao felt the hand in his palm contract slightly, as if trying to convey something through this insignificant force. Cui Xiao closed his eyes heavily: "Okay."

If there's anything in this world that could stir Qin Li's reluctance to part, it would only be the old friends who followed him in his escape years ago.

Cui Xiao also knew that Qin Li was stubborn.

If he wants to leave, no one can stop him.

But--

How cruel this is for the living!

As if receiving Cui Xiao's promise, Qin Li smiled with relief, slowly closed his eyes, and let his consciousness sink into the boundless darkness.

"Gong Su?"

A voice came from the darkness.

"Gong Su, wake up?"

The other person's voice sounded noticeably more urgent.

Why isn't he awake yet?

Then a second voice seemed to murmur something, a female voice saying, "Gong Xichou, just how many poisonous germs did you use to poison him?"

Qin Li clearly didn't drink much alcohol.

Gong Xichou remained silent.

Ji Moqiu: "Your Highness, Anian has already realized his mistake."

Shen Tang retorted angrily, "He knows he's wrong my ass!"

Heaven knows how devastated she was upon receiving news of the mass food poisoning among the civil and military officials. The entire court assembly came to a standstill, the effect being akin to the collapse of the heavens and earth. Before she could even investigate what had happened, the culprit had already confessed—it was all caused by the wine poisoning poison thrown by Gongxi Chou.

Ji Moqiu: "I'm awake."

Shen Tang immediately forgot about dealing with Gong Xi Chou.

He turned his head and leaned closer to Qin Li, who was slowly waking up.

"Gongsu, are you still feeling unwell anywhere?"

Qin Li remained silent, only staring blankly at Shen Tang.

"Oh no, could the poisonous mushrooms have damaged his brain?" She didn't know what kind of poisonous mushrooms Ji Moqiu had collected, nor what formula the half-baked Gu-raising expert Gong Xichou had used, but she knew Qin Li's condition was extremely abnormal. "Medical doctor—"

The rest of the conversation ended abruptly.

Because someone had grabbed her arm.

The force was almost nonexistent, yet it was a devastating blow to Shen Tang.

She blinked: "..."

No, what happened?

(σ)σ:*☆

This chapter is finally finished. Time for bed.

(End of this chapter)