Chapter 88: Both Enemy and Friend
Jinse had changed into plain men's clothing, her long hair tied up high, giving her the appearance of a handsome young man. As she entered Qingyuefang, she was greeted by the sharp-eyed madam, who tugged at her and asked, "What do you like, young man?" Before she could finish her words, another "handsome young man" interrupted her. Yunyuan chuckled softly, her voice clear, "This young man has an appointment with someone. Why don't you go and greet someone else?"
She didn't conceal her voice, and it was clear it was a woman. The madam glanced between the two of them, then tactfully said no more and quietly withdrew.
Yun Yuan led the silent Jinse up to the second floor and into the private room. As soon as the door closed, she felt a chill on the back of her neck, and a short blade was already touching her skin.
Yun Yuan's body stiffened slightly, but she still smiled and said, "Qin Se Shuang Jiao is also known as a chivalrous man in the martial arts world. Why are they repaying kindness with hatred now?"
"I had no choice." Jinse's tone was cold, "No matter how important chivalry is, it is not as important as life. Since you saved me once, you might as well save others to the end."
"Yuan'er is stupid, what do you mean by saving her to the end?"
"Today I learned that what that person wants most is your head."
Yun Yuan's heart trembled, and then she chuckled softly, "I never thought I'd have such an honor." She turned slowly, her movements extremely gentle, "Why hasn't the chivalrous woman taken action yet?"
Jinse's face was as cold as ice, and she still held the short blade. "After all, I owe you my life. I can give your last words to the Third Young Master Feng."
"I see." Yun Yuan sighed softly, "But I want to die knowing full well. Considering that I made a feint to the east and attacked in the west to help you escape last night, can you tell me why such an ordinary head like mine could be so favored by him?"
"I don't know either." Jinse's tone remained cold. "I'm just a knife in his hand. How can I know the mind of the person holding the knife?"
"Then you should know how my head can save your life."
Jinse hesitated for a moment, then finally said, "I can change the antidote."
Yun Yuan smiled slightly: "I said, I have all the antidotes for the Feng family."
"You don't have this." Jinse's voice was low. "Even Feng Yanhao probably has very few left. Even if you are a Feng spy, how can you save me if you can't even protect yourself now?"
"Feng Yanhao isn't my master." Yun Yuan suddenly stepped forward. "That other Feng family member you mentioned yesterday—wasn't that Feng Xiaoming?" She caught a fleeting pause in Jinse's expression and raised the corners of her lips. "The Third Young Master already gave me the antidote to the Impermanence poison...about two years' worth."
"So what?" Jinse sneered. "Are you willing to sacrifice two years of your own life to save me? Third Master Feng, there's no more antidote available." Her tone suddenly turned cold. "It would be better to kill you to get the antidote. I'd save two years of my life and achieve a remarkable feat."
"The lady is so smart, why would she kill the chicken to get the eggs?"
"What does this mean?" Jinse frowned.
Yun Yuan chuckled and said, "I've said it before, I'm the pharmacist of the Feng family, how can I be willing to be restrained by that poisonous snake? I have already figured out the recipes for these antidotes and made some myself." Noticing that Jinse was moved, Yun Yuan tentatively said, "In the future, it doesn't matter how much I give you, month after month, year after year. Right now--" As she spoke, she raised her hand to reach for her waist.
"Don't move!" Jinse thrust the dagger forward, keeping close to the skin.
Yun Yuan's movements suddenly froze.
"I took your pulse yesterday. You only have one or two days left before you need to take the antidote. I'm sure you've been feeling the excruciating pain these past few days." Yun Yuan held her hands in mid-air, her tone calm, "It's a pity... you failed this mission. I'm afraid you won't be able to get the antidote for the time being." She caught the tremor in Jinse's eyes and continued, "I don't have much with me, but it can help you out. How about..." Her fingertips gently touched the short blade in front of her neck, "Give it a try?"
Jinse was silent for a moment, and finally asked in a low voice: "Are you really willing to give me the antidote?"
Yun Yuan's fingertips slowly moved to her waist, attempting to untie the sachet's string. She sighed softly, "This sachet is so cumbersome to tie." Her gaze dropped slightly, resting on the dagger once more. "Why don't you put away your blade, lady?"
Jinse's eyes were sharp, as if she could see through her tricks. The dagger remained firmly on her neck, without any retreat.
Yun Yuan smiled helplessly, "You, the chivalrous lady, should have already seen the depth of my martial arts skills. Even if you withdraw your sword now, can I really escape from your grasp?"
Jinse moved her wrist slightly, and the dagger finally slowly dropped.
Yun Yuan untied the sachet, rummaged through it for a moment, and pulled out a brown pill, handing it over. "You should be feeling a burning sensation inside right now. If you wait another day or two, you'll experience a truly bone-gnawing pain. We'll know if this is the antidote once we try it."
Jinse stared at the pill, then looked up at Yun Yuan and said coldly, "You are too cunning. How can I know this isn't poison?"
Yun Yuan laughed. "Since I asked you to come here, I must be treating you with sincerity. If I had bad intentions, why would I have saved you twice yesterday?" Seeing Jin Se still hesitated, she pretended to be helpless and slightly withdrew her hand. "Do you believe me, or do you believe that venomous snake—"
Before she finished speaking, Jinse had already snatched the pill and put it into her mouth, snorting coldly: "That living Yama... how can you trust him?"
Yun Yuan raised the corner of her lips slightly, "How do you feel?"
Jinse touched her dantian. For the past two days, her abdomen felt like a thousand ants were burrowing inside her, the sharp pain nearly tearing her mind apart. But now, just moments after taking the antidote, the relentless pain subsided as quickly as ice and snow melting. The turbulent qi and blood gradually calmed down, and the chaotic world seemed to suddenly become clear.
She raised her eyes to look at Yun Yuan with a complicated expression: "Can you really make this antidote?"
Yun Yuan chuckled, "My martial arts skills are mediocre and I'm unknown. Why do you think Feng Xiaoming is so determined to take my life?"
Jinse was stunned for a moment.
"However," Yun Yuan studied her closely, "since you were willing to put away your sword just now, it means you haven't completely surrendered to his control. I'm guessing... you've been poisoned by Impermanence for less than two months?"
"Why do you think so?" Jinse took a few steps back and slumped down on the couch.
"Although this poison can corrode the mind, it will take at least two months for a person to lose their sense of self and become completely obedient to Feng Xiaoming." Yun Yuan sat across the table, her eyes clear. "If taking my head is truly your mission, then you should have done it the moment I showed up. Why would you allow me to say more, or even... deliver any last words for me?"
The woman paused for a moment, then suddenly chuckled.
"Hmph, I see. No wonder only those who get the fifth antidote can get close to the living Yama." Jinse looked back at Yun Yuan, "I can't even get the task of killing you. That's a top-secret mission reserved for those Yama King's personal assassins. I was wondering why a girl like you could do that." She glanced at the sachet on Yun Yuan's waist, "Now I understand. I guess Yama King knows you can make the antidote. He's afraid that a half-finished product like me will be bewitched by you."
"Since it's a top-secret mission, how did you know about it?"
"I have a keen ear," Jinse raised her lips. "I overheard it this morning when I was packing my bags back in the city. You should thank Feng Yanhao—" She said with deep meaning, "Those assassins discovered that the Third Young Master Feng left the city without you, and they've been searching for you everywhere. If he hadn't captured you and taken you back to his house for shelter yesterday, you would have been killed by his sword long ago." She carefully examined Yun Yuan's low-key outfit. "But you are indeed alert. You managed to evade their eyes all day."
"Maybe they didn't expect Feng Yanhao to let me out."
"Indeed," Jinse sighed softly, "The mind of this 'Black Judge' is truly incomprehensible."
"Yesterday you mentioned that the mission was to steal Feng Yanhao's 'vital gate'?" Yun Yuan asked, "What exactly is that?"
Jinse hesitated for a moment and replied, "Half a jade pendant."
"Jade pendant?" Yun Yuan was slightly surprised. "Why would this thing become his lifeblood?"
"I'm not entirely sure of the specific reasons." Jinse paused, then lowered her voice again, "But I once heard that the jade pendant seemed to be a crucial token..." She raised her eyes with a sharp gaze, "enough to make several princes in the current court want to get rid of Feng Yanhao as soon as possible."
Yun Yuan was stunned when he heard this. After a moment's hesitation, he asked, "Is it only targeting Feng Yanhao? And not Feng Xiaoming or the entire Feng family?"
Jinse shook her head. "I don't know the details. But Feng Yanhao now enjoys the trust of King Zhao. Feng Xiaoming wants to seize the jade pendant, probably to contain him." She sneered, "They're truly a nest of snakes and rats, each with their own agenda." Suddenly reaching for the teapot and shaking it, she frowned. "Your room is quiet, but you don't even have a cup of tea?"
Yun Yuan smiled faintly and clapped her hands three times. The door swung open, and several maids filed in, carrying tea and snacks. Their steps were light and soundless.
Jinse lowered her eyes, watching their movements until they had left and the door was closed. Then she whispered, "These maids must have been waiting outside for a long time. Their steps were so light and steady that even my ears didn't detect any abnormality." She looked up at Yun Yuan, who was pouring tea, and raised her lips slightly. "With such experts by your side, you've made every move with great caution, ensuring that nothing goes wrong."
"It's the chaotic noise outside that disturbed your hearing," Yun Yuan explained with a smile, her tone calm. "Although they are worried about me being alone, fortunately they know the rules and need to wait for my signal before daring to enter. Otherwise, wouldn't it ruin our important alliance?"
"Alliance?" Jinse's eyes narrowed. "You mean... to seize Feng Yanhao's jade pendant?"
"What use would I have for the broken jade?" Yun Yuan picked up the teacup, took a sip, and slowly set it down. The cup touched the wooden table with a soft sound. She leaned forward slightly. "It's said that the afterlife is unpredictable. Feng Yanhao might be able to help you and me now—" She lowered her voice, but each word was clear: "Hunting that venomous snake."
"Hunting Feng Xiaoming?" Jinse raised her eyebrows slightly. "He can also give me the antidote. You and him are no different to me. Why should I ally with you to kill him?"
"Because in a month at most, you will be completely reduced to Feng Xiaoming's puppet—not mine." Yun Yuan looked her straight in the eye, his tone darkening. "The antidote is just a cover to numb your mind. Once your sanity is completely corroded, the only thing that can control you will be the root poison of 'Impermanence' that was planted in the first place. And only Feng Xiaoming knows the source of that poison, and he alone can control those poisoned."
"So if we kill him..."
"If you kill him, at worst, I won't give you the antidote anymore," Yun Yuan said in a cold voice. "But if you let him live, he'll eventually control you and make you do things that would make your life worse than death."
Jinse was silent for a long time before she finally spoke, "Although Feng Xiaoming is not skilled in martial arts, he is deeply trusted by King Zhao. He is surrounded by many experts, and few can get close to him." She turned her gaze to Yun Yuan, "What are your plans?"
"That depends on you," Yun Yuan met her gaze, "and see what clues you can provide."
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