Chapter 50: It's not poison, it's a Gu (a type of poisonous insect).
Pei Yan asked, "Where are you going?"
Jiang Zhishui tugged at her sleeve and said, "Go back to the Ling Prince's Mansion. You can stay here without worry. I won't abandon you."
Pei Yan held onto her sleeve tightly.
Jiang Zhishui pinched his cheek with one hand, "Little Pei Yan, be a good boy and you'll get what's coming to you."
Pei Yan pouted and said in a babbling voice, "Wherever you go, I want to go too. Brother, let me follow you."
He was severely injured at this moment, relying on the remaining demonic energy in his body to sustain him. He appeared to be only weak, but in reality, he had no power to protect himself. Now, any minor demon could easily defeat him.
Jiang Zhishui let go of his hand and explained, "You can't follow me. If your identity is discovered, not only will your life be in danger, but I will also be implicated."
Pei Yan asked curiously, "The maids just said that you no longer live here and can only come back occasionally. Why is that?"
Jiang Zhishui paused, thinking that she couldn't hide it from him anymore, so she simply replied, "Because... I'm married, I have a husband, and I have to live with him."
Pei Yan was stunned, and he let go of her sleeve.
“You look no different from any other child right now. Be careful to hide your demonic energy and don’t let anyone notice anything.” Jiang Zhishui looked down at him and said gently, “I’ve already taken care of everything here. Someone will look after you, so just relax.”
Pei Yan looked up at her and suddenly asked, "Did you know that my brother put a curse on you?"
“…” Jiang Zhishui’s expression hardened. “It’s not Gu, it’s poison.”
Pei Yan stared at her blankly, then said decisively, "It's not poison, it's Gu."
Jiang Zhishui frowned: "Pei Jing told me that it was just a poison that sealed my spiritual power. Did he... did he say something to you?"
Pei Yan lowered his head and remained silent for a long time before standing up. His face was embarrassed. He glanced at Jiang Zhishui and stammered, "...My brother has a treasure box containing the most sinister thing in the demon realm. He doesn't let me touch it. I found the box was empty before. He said he gave it to someone he really liked. My brother...if he likes something, he won't give up until he gets it. If he can't get it, he will do everything he can to destroy it."
Jiang Zhishui's eyes froze. After Pei Yan finished speaking, she asked in astonishment, "What...is that thing in the treasure box?"
Pei Yan looked away, unable to bear it, and said, "Yinhuang Gu."
"You're married... what are we going to do?" Pei Yan asked anxiously. "Don't let my brother's good-natured appearance fool you, he's terrifying. Nobody in our area dares to mess with him."
Jiang Zhishui staggered back two steps, the sudden shock making her dizzy.
The outcome of the Demon Lord's death remains the same; only the plot has changed slightly—he didn't die at Jing Qianheng's hands. Similarly, the outcome of her being poisoned by Pei Jing with the Yin Emperor Gu remains the same; however, the events that should have occurred after her falling out with Jing Qianheng happened earlier, and the cause and effect of these events are different.
Jiang Zhishui asked in confusion, "But I... I don't have any problems. Apart from not being able to circulate my spiritual energy, I don't feel any discomfort."
"This Yin Emperor Gu belongs to my brother, and I don't know how to use it specifically." Pei Yan only heard Pei Jing tell him while holding the treasure box, "...This thing can cause people unbearable pain, making them wish they were dead. In short, it will make the person infected with the Gu suffer all kinds of torment, which is extremely cruel."
Jiang Zhishui clenched her fists. "Then how did you know I was under a spell?"
“My brother told me this himself,” Pei Yan said. “He said that as long as we get through this, he will come to pick us up. He also said that since the Gu poison is on you, you won’t abandon me, and you…can’t escape.”
Jiang Zhishui had seriously underestimated the cunning of this young demon lord. She thought he was just like her, merely a tool to advance the plot in the original story. She never expected that he had a backup plan for every step he took. Not only was he deeply cunning, but even the way he used the Gu poison was as ingenious as a smokescreen, making him truly impossible to guard against.
Pei Yan said, "Sister, do you hate me? My brother treated you like this, you must hate us. My brother said he can't tell you everything, he has to keep some things to himself, and he has to take advantage of the opportunity to control you."
“I think I understand why Pei Jing repeatedly asked you to do this…” Jiang Zhishui, who had been looking serious, couldn’t help but smile bitterly upon hearing this. “The more I tell you not to say it, the more you want to tell others. Can’t you keep things to yourself?”
Pei Yan nodded: "Yes, I rarely lie."
Jiang Zhishui sighed, "Then stop thinking about it and just stay here and recover."
Just then, a maid rushed over and said, "Miss, His Majesty has sent someone to summon you to the palace."
The summons came suddenly, and Jiang Zhishui went to the palace alone to meet the emperor.
After a long and arduous journey, it was already dark when Jiang Zhishui entered Qiming Pavilion under the guidance of palace servants. The gate was then closed.
Inside the pavilion, the candlelight was bright, and the red pillars were carved with lifelike golden dragons. Emperor Jingcheng had his back to Jiang Zhishui, and his hand was slightly raised. Jiang Zhishui glanced at it and saw that he seemed to be holding a scroll painting in his hand, which he slowly unfurled.
Jiang Zhishui caught a glimpse of a corner of the painting, which looked like a portrait of a beautiful woman. She curiously craned her neck.
"What do you think? How about I betroth her to Qian Heng?" As soon as he finished speaking, Emperor Jingcheng turned around and showed the portrait to Jiang Zhishui.
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