Breaking the deadlock with "black heart"
Chapter 72, Breaking the Stalemate with a "Black Heart"
Lan Feiyu is gone.
My little rain has gone to the battlefield.
They said they would set off at night, but it wasn't until the fourth watch of the night, when the sky began to lighten, that she set off with the army.
The morning light was cool, and the world was still asleep, yet she had already changed into her military attire, sitting upright on her warhorse. Her armor gleamed faintly gold in the morning light, highlighting her heroic spirit. Behind her followed closely the flag bearers, the bright red flags fluttering in the wind, bearing three large black characters that were so striking they almost pierced the eyes: "Lord of Bozhou".
And I could only watch her from afar.
Watching her retreating figure, watching her gradually disappear into the distance with the army, until she was completely swallowed by the mist and morning light, it was as if she had been drawn from my life by the morning mist.
We've already said goodbye.
I've said everything I needed to say—but I should have gone with her, I should have been the one by her side, sharing life and death.
I didn't want to cry; my mother said it was bad luck. But I couldn't help it, and tears streamed down my face. If it weren't for my mother and Aunt Xian protecting me on either side, I might have been in an even worse situation, perhaps even wailing so loudly that it could be heard for miles around.
I ate breakfast in a sullen mood back in my room. Aunt Xian had things to do, so my mother stayed to keep me company.
I finally stopped crying, blinked my sore eyes, and let out a long breath: "Mom, my older brother didn't want me to go to the battlefield before. He said war wasn't fun and people would die. Now I understand, it really isn't fun. I wish we didn't have to fight."
My mother reached out and gently touched my forehead, her fingertips so tender they seemed to soothe all the thorns in my heart: "Yes... your uncle and your older brother are both soldiers, and they are the ones who least want to fight."
I remained silent for a long time before finally asking my mother, "Mother, is Uncle... really coming? Has His Majesty... agreed? Could it really be because of me? Wouldn't that displease His Majesty?"
My mother glanced at me and couldn't help but chuckle: "Why do you need to worry about what your uncle is doing? — But Xi'er, I understand what you're thinking right now."
She paused, her tone softening slightly, "I've thought it through. Wherever your Aunt Xian goes, I'll go... And you've grown up now. Xi'er, do you understand what I mean?"
I gazed into the deep affection and expectation in my mother's eyes, my heart ached, but I couldn't help but nod.
I understand.
Children who grow up will eventually leave home; but Mother and Aunt Xian are each other's final resting place—just like the promise I made to Lan Feiyu.
My mother chatted with me for a while longer, and the sunlight outside was so bright it could shine through the windowpanes. Just then, Mr. Tao unexpectedly came to visit.
I haven't seen him since I came down the mountain. His injuries are obviously more serious than mine, and his current condition is far worse than mine—he looks as thin as a sheet of paper, as if he could be blown away by the wind at any moment.
"Mr. Tao!" I exclaimed in surprise, immediately rising to help him up. He smiled at me, his face pale, and upon noticing my mother in the room, quickly composed himself and prepared to bow. My mother also hurriedly stepped forward to support him. My daughter and I, one on each side, supported him with more solemnity than if we were supporting a venerable old man. He seemed a little stunned, his face flushed with embarrassment and awkwardness: "No, no need to trouble Aunt Zhao, Miss Zhao, I am..."
Before he could finish speaking, my mother and I had already made him sit down at the round table.
The mother said gently to Mr. Tao, "You've come to see Xi'er, right? I'll go and prepare some snacks for you."
No sooner had Mr. Tao finished saying "No need to trouble yourself" than his mother had already left the room and disappeared.
He turned to me helplessly and sighed deeply: "Is your mother the person in charge of your household?"
I nodded: "Of course. Even my uncle can't really argue with her."
Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone through so much turmoil trying to avoid marriage.
Mr. Tao lowered his head, seemingly having pondered for a while, before finally asking me, "Miss Zhao, would you be willing to help me?"
"Huh?" I was taken aback, pointing to myself. "Me? What help am I supposed to give?"
“Make a poison that can counteract the ‘drug people’.” Mr. Tao’s voice deepened, and pain appeared in his eyes. “They are no longer human; ordinary weapons and poisons are ineffective against them. As for their only weakness, my master suffered a loss once and is naturally on guard. I’m afraid that if we encounter them again, he won’t be able to do anything to them. I hope to make a poison that can kill them, preferably one that can be coated with arrowheads, so that close combat can be avoided and many people can be saved.”
"Is that really your master?" I still found it hard to believe.
Mr. Tao lowered his head again, his voice barely audible: "Yes."
Afraid of upsetting him, I quickly said, "Okay, I have nothing else to do anyway, let's go!"
The words had barely left my mouth when it suddenly occurred to me: what would Mr. Tao want someone like me, who knows nothing, to do? Help me move things? Or...? In a flash, it dawned on me: was he worried that I might become ill from worrying about Lan Feiyu's departure?
I bit my lower lip, stood up, placed my hand on Mr. Tao's shoulder, and said solemnly, "Mr. Tao, Big Brother and Yu'er will be safe and sound! Let's not waste any more time, let's go!"
Mr. Tao took me to a makeshift pharmacy, which was filled with a suffocating sour and bitter smell.
"I'm going to try to use the most potent poison to break through the bloodline of those monsters." Mr. Tao's face was pale, but his eyes burned with a desperate fire.
Although I don't understand medicine, all I could do was help by handing over the medicine pot and grinding powder. Even though my wound ached slightly from the movements, I didn't stop, thinking that even the smallest bit of help would be appreciated.
After much effort, Mr. Tao finally prepared a bowl of dark green, thick liquid, clearly a deadly poison that would kill upon contact with blood. He took a deep breath and carefully dripped the poison into a small bowl of dark, viscous liquid—the foul blood left from the dead "medicine victim."
However, the result was like falling into an ice cave.
When the filthy blood came into contact with the deadly poison, it was not corroded or neutralized. Instead, it was like a hungry beast seeing flesh and blood, instantly devouring and fusing with it. Its color became even more vivid and eerie, and it was even more active than before.
With a clatter, the medicine spoon in Mr. Tao's hand fell to the ground.
“It’s useless…it’s completely useless…” He slumped into the chair, staring intently at the bowl of poisonous blood that seemed to have become even more potent, his voice hoarse and desperate. “This monster’s constitution is built on being fed with deadly poison. Ordinary poisons can’t kill them; on the contrary…they are a great tonic.”
I froze on the spot, feeling a chill run through my hands and feet. If they can't be killed, if the poison can't penetrate them, they'll only become stronger? Wouldn't that put Yu'er and her older brother on the front lines in even greater danger?
I stared at the bowl of blood that was still swaggering around, my mind a complete mess.
Poison can't kill... can't be killed...
Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind like lightning cleaving through the fog.
If you can't die, then why do you have to die?
perhaps……
Looking at Mr. Tao's ashen face, I wondered whether I should voice my thoughts. What if it failed, wouldn't that only make Mr. Tao more desperate?
But what if it works?
It's all about trying anything, even if it seems hopeless, isn't it?
I took a long breath, then slowly exhaled, walked up to the dejected Mr. Tao, coughed softly, and said cautiously, "Mr. Tao, perhaps... perhaps we could consider a different approach..."
Mr. Tao looked up at me, a spark flickering in the dead silence of his eyes.
My heart was pounding in my chest: "Can't die...can't move...is that okay? I've been poisoned by 'Black Heart' before, and Lan Feiyu also used 'Black Heart' against the guards of Tuluo. Do you think...the 'medicine man' would be afraid of 'Black Heart'?"
If human eyes could ignite fire, then what's burning in Mr. Tao's eyes right now is a real, solid ball of fire.
He practically jumped up, grabbed my hand, and his voice trembled: "Zhao Xi! You! You've woken me from my dream!"
Before I could react, Mr. Tao had already let go of me and practically pounced on the medicine cabinet, pulling out a jar of powder.
"Since we can't kill it, let's seal it in!" he muttered to himself as he deftly mixed the powder with several other herbs.
In a short while, a bowl of pale purple liquid exuding a chilling aura was ready.
Mr. Tao took a deep breath. This time, without hesitation, he poured the half bowl of medicine into the still boiling, bubbling bowl of bright red blood.
I gripped the corner of the table tightly, holding my breath.
The purple liquid, upon entering the bloodstream, did not dissipate like the previous potent poison, but instead spread rapidly. The bright red blood, which had been churning like boiling water and even threatening to overflow the rim, seemed to be suddenly choked by an invisible, icy hand.
The hissing sound stopped abruptly.
The eerie bright red quickly faded, turning into a lifeless dark purple. Even more miraculously, the blood, which had been extremely fluid, now became incredibly viscous. Mr. Tao tried to stir it with a silver needle, but it was difficult to move.
"It's done...it really is done!" Mr. Tao suddenly turned around. The usually aloof and composed man was now so excited that he lost his composure. He looked at me with eyes full of ecstasy. "Miss Zhao, you are a genius! What we need is not to kill it, but to 'block' it! As long as we cut off its control over the body, that copper skin and iron bones will be nothing more than a dead body that cannot move!"
Just as I was about to cheer, Mr. Tao, having recovered from his elation, looked at me and said, "We need a large quantity of 'black hearts'—Western Shu should have some too. These things thrive in damp, shady places, mostly growing near water and in wild areas. Xi'er, do you know anyone who can mobilize troops from Eastern Chu? We need to hurry—"
"I'm going to find Aunt Xian!" Before he could finish speaking, I had already jumped out of the pharmacy in three steps.
Ultimately, the message went through my mother first and then to Aunt Xian. Without saying a word, Aunt Xian immediately assigned a squad of soldiers to me and Mr. Tao to command.
But my mother was worried about me and insisted on going with me.
So, a quarter of an hour later, our flower-picking team left the palace in a grand procession.
Leading the way was a group of Eastern Chu soldiers, who were fully armed and each carried a large basket on their backs.
Then there was a carriage, with me, my mother, Mr. Tao, Monkey Chirp, and Liu Che, whom I had specially brought along.
When I saw in the distance that on the riverbank, amidst the weeds, large swathes of vibrant, pinkish-purple flowers swayed in the wind, a weight was finally lifted from my heart.
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