Closed room situation
Five hours of recuperation was enough for Song Guansui, who possessed profound internal strength, to recover most of his vital energy.
When Song Guansui opened his eyes again, the paleness on his face had faded considerably. Although he was still weak, the sharp and obsessive light in his deep eyes had returned.
Its gleam, even more so due to its recent recovery from injury, gave it a sickly shine.
His speed of recovery made Qin Lingfeng, who was secretly observing from the side, feel a slight chill, and his assessment of Song Guansui's strength became even more wary.
Ignoring the dull pain in his chest, Song Guansui sat back down in front of Jiang Manyan's bed.
He raised his hand, his fingertips gently stroking Jiang Manyan's tightly closed eyelids, the movement carrying an almost obsessive tenderness, his voice low and husky, full of anticipation.
"Yan'er, wake up quickly and look at your brother... Your brother has been waiting for you."
...
The steam from the last medicinal bath rose slowly, and time passed second by second.
Less than half an hour later, under the tense gaze of everyone, her thick, long eyelashes finally trembled violently a few times and slowly opened.
A pair of misty, honey-brown eyes appeared, clearly reflecting Song Guansui's anxious and pale face.
However, his eyes quickly filled with tears, as if they were accumulating endless sorrow. Large teardrops silently slid down the corners of his eyes and disappeared into his hair and the medicine.
"Yan'er, why are you crying? Are you feeling unwell?"
Song Guansui's voice trembled. Could this medicinal bath be irritating to the body?
Jiang Manyan simply shook her head slightly.
Due to the characteristics of "Sinking Dream Silk," a person remains conscious and can clearly perceive everything in the outside world for the first five days of unconsciousness.
Over the course of five days, he pieced together the whole truth from the conversations between Song Guansui, Fu Cong, and the physician—Song Guansui had issued a widespread bounty for him, completely severed ties with the Liu family, and even…
A tragic and extreme act of self-destruction occurred between a mother and son; the blade was plunged deep into their hearts.
Song Guansui actually went to this lengths for him!
Fragments of his childhood in the Song family mansion kept replaying in his mind as he slept—Song Yu suddenly rushing into the courtyard, trying to strangle him while he was asleep; Song Guansui clinging to Song Yu's leg, pleading desperately...
Song Guansui hid him in his study and taught him to read and write...
Song Guansui personally taught him martial arts...
...
He had anticipated that Song Guansui would become estranged from Liu, perhaps even arguing or being imprisoned, but he never expected that Song Guansui would be so obsessive and insane.
This method punished both his mother and himself simultaneously.
This heavy, twisted, yet incredibly intense and resolute "protection".
This caused cracks and wavering in his heart, which was filled with hatred and a desire for revenge.
A complex mix of emotions—hatred, fear, a touch of indescribable bitterness, and even a hint of absurd pity—surged in the instant he regained consciousness, assaulting his reason and turning into uncontrollable tears.
That's enough... let his revenge end here!
He thought to himself. The mother and son, Liu, had grown estranged; she had "personally" wounded the son she was most proud of and to whom she had poured everything.
The rest of his life will be tormented by fear, regret, and the shadow of his son's madness; this punishment is enough.
He didn't want to get entangled any longer; he just wanted to find an opportunity to leave completely and let each other go.
...
Looking at the tears rolling down Man Yan's face and her eyes that seemed to be filled with endless sorrow.
Song Guansui felt as if his heart was being squeezed tightly, both sour and swollen.
Unable to contain his surging emotions any longer, he leaned down and, with utmost gentleness, like a dragonfly skimming the water, placed a kiss on the corner of Jiang Manyan's moist eye, tasting the salty bitterness of her tears.
"Yan'er".
His voice trembled slightly with the joy of something lost and found, and carried a heavy sense of commitment.
"I will protect you from now on and never let you suffer any harm again."
Jiang Manyan did not flinch, but looked at him through teary eyes, her eyes filled with endless sorrow and pain. After a moment, he responded softly.
"Um."
His voice was hoarse and weak from not speaking for a long time.
Brother, brother... what am I going to do with you? I do love you, the love a younger brother has for his older brother, but in this oppressive Song residence, this love is too small and fragile!
Jiang Manyan's fingertips were still damp with the steam from the medicinal bath. As she lifted her arms from the warm water, water droplets slid down her forearms, leaving winding water trails on her porcelain-white skin.
Without the slightest hesitation, his soft, damp arms wrapped directly around Song Guansui's neck, his palms touching the cool fabric of his clothes.
At this moment, all he wanted was to hug Song Guansui.
Song Guansui had been looking down, his long eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath his eyes, his eyes filled with tender affection as he gazed at the person in the pond.
But when the warm, medicinal scent suddenly enveloped his neck, his dark eyelashes trembled violently, and his previously gentle gaze suddenly became clear—his eyes snapped open, and tiny fragments of light instantly flooded his pupils, like crushed stars falling into a cold pool, even the tenderness in his eyes was wrapped in a layer of unexpected surprise.
He offered no resistance, letting the warm, moist force encircle him.
When their bodies were pressed together, and the scent of medicine mixed with his body wafted into their nostrils, Song Guansui slowly raised his arm, placed his palm on his sweaty back, and pulled him steadily into his embrace.
Two figures, enveloped in the misty steam, formed an intimate silhouette.
Mr. Xue, standing to the side, felt a sudden alarm bell ring in his mind. He immediately and subtly shifted half a step to the side, cleverly blocking the disguised Qin Lingfeng behind him from his and Song Guansui's line of sight.
Mr. Xue could feel the person behind him tense up instantly, his body becoming as stiff as stone, and his icy aura almost impossible to suppress.
Qin Lingfeng stood frozen in place, his face beneath the mask drained of all color.
The scene before him was like a poisoned dagger, piercing his heart.
He firmly believed that Jiang Manyan was forcibly imprisoned, tortured, and oppressed by Song Guansui, and that Manyan only felt hatred and fear towards Song Guansui.
But at this moment, those tears, seemingly brimming with complex emotions, and Jiang Manyan's spontaneous embrace...
All of this silently told him that their relationship was far more complicated and difficult to resolve than he had imagined.
It seems that Man Yan is not entirely heartless towards her mad brother.
An indescribable bitterness and jealousy instantly overwhelmed him.
His originally firm resolve to rescue them was now shrouded in a dark and uncertain shadow.
— — — —
Jiang Manyan was still recovering from the deadly poison and was extremely weak. After a brief embrace with Song Guansui, she fell into a deep sleep again.
This time, however, his breathing was stable during sleep.
Mr. Xue explained that it was due to the body's need for self-repair.
However, the atmosphere in the secret room did not ease even after Jiang Manyan fell asleep.
Song Guansui's gaze fell once again on the "servant" who stood respectfully to the side with his head bowed, and the killing intent that had been forcibly suppressed before re-condensed.
He could never be wrong about the emotions in those eyes.
Mr. Xue keenly sensed the dangerous aura emanating from Song Guansui and knew something was wrong.
He immediately stepped forward, subtly using the act of tucking the blanket around Jiang Manyan, and flattered her in an incredibly natural tone.
“Young Master Song, this young master must be a kind-hearted and blessed person. There is no solution to this ‘Peacock Spell’, but he has had many wonderful encounters during the treatment just now.”
"In my many years of medical practice, I have rarely seen someone with such extraordinary physical characteristics and an auspicious aura, like a piece of 'blessed jade' that can turn misfortune into good fortune and disaster into auspiciousness."
"It must be his own good fortune that allowed him to recover so quickly despite the incurable poison."
These words touched Song Guansui.
He recalled the reports from his scouts, in which the people of the three towns praised Jiang Manyan as "the benevolent Jiang."
Seeing Mr. Xue speak with such certainty, it was as if he, who had never believed in the concept of "blessings," was now willing to believe in it—as if only in this way could he explain why his slow cigarettes had returned to his side.
This talk of "blessing" implicitly attributes Jiang Manyan's survival to herself, downplaying the merits of Mr. Xue or the "servant."
Yan'er has just woken up; it's not advisable for her to bleed.
Thinking of Jiang Manyan's proactive and dependent embrace just now, her heart felt as if it were being caressed by a spring breeze.
The murderous intent in Song Guansui's eyes subsided slightly. After a moment of silence, he finally gave Mr. Xue a generous reward as promised and politely "sent" the group out of the mansion without pursuing the matter further.
— — — —
at the same time
The area where the eastern and southeastern districts of Cangzhou meet.
It was a melting pot of people from all walks of life, a place where merchants came and went in an endless stream, and a natural breeding ground for information and secret transactions.
Late at night, in the secluded room of an inconspicuous private residence, candlelight is the only source of light, casting two shadows onto the mottled wall.
Yu Mobai had removed his city lord's fine robes and disguised himself as an ordinary herbal medicine merchant, his brows furrowed with barely concealed weariness.
But those eyes, illuminated by the flickering firelight, were as sharp as an eagle's.
Sitting opposite him was Jiang Zhong, a travel-worn man with a resolute face, disguised as a grain merchant.
The news of Jiang Manyan's "death" hung over Yu Mobai's heart like a dark cloud. After the immense grief and anger came a cold resolve—he absolutely could not let Jiang Manyan's hard work go to waste.
Through extremely secretive and circuitous channels, Yu Mobai risked contacting Jiang Zhong, a key figure in Jincheng.
He had devised countless ways to gain the other party's trust, but he never expected that after the initial verification, the other party would so readily agree to this risky meeting.
Yu Mobai broke the silence first. He gently pushed open an inconspicuous wooden box on the table, inside which was a local specialty of Yancheng—precious hemostatic medicinal materials, and a seemingly ordinary gift list.
"Commander Jiang, I apologize for the intrusion in inviting you so late at night. I hope you will forgive any rudeness."
His voice was deep, with just the right amount of heaviness.
"The matter of Lord Jiang...the entire city of Yancheng is deeply saddened upon hearing it. This humble gift is of little value and is merely a token of our gratitude for Lord Jiang's deeds over the years, which have been like a beacon in the darkness for us who are confined to the frontier."
Jiang Zhong's gaze swept over the wooden box, but he did not touch it. His calm and composed face, as steady as an ancient well, showed no ripples.
"Lord Yu is very kind."
Jiang Zhong's voice was deep and resonant, carrying an undeniable sense of vigilance.
"I wonder why the city lord summoned me here today?"
Although Man Yan had expressed his admiration for the late old city lord Yu Zhenming during his lifetime, Jiang Zhong knew that he was not a cunning person.
In these turbulent times, he must be extra cautious; this might be a trap.
Yu Mobai took in Jiang Zhong's wariness, and the shrewdness and sharpness of a businessman instantly disappeared from his face.
It transformed into a frank and slightly bittersweet sincerity.
He laughed heartily, yet it carried a heavy weight as he laid his cards on the table.
“Commander Jiang, you are wise. Although I, Yu Mobai, hold the empty title of city lord, I am actually walking on thin ice. I am sure you have heard about my situation.”
"The Liu family and the nobles of the central district treat our border towns like money bags and the common people like weeds. What Lord Jiang did in Jincheng—reclaiming wasteland and protecting the people—is a truly heroic act of advocating for the people!"
"I admire him to the extreme, but I regret that I am too weak to turn the tide like Lord Jiang. However... I really do not want to see the hero's efforts go to waste."
After speaking, Yu Mobai no longer hesitated, took out a letter sealed with sealing wax from his inner pocket, and solemnly placed it on the table.
"This is what I've observed recently: the central district seems to be planning to blockade supplies to the southeast, and... a map of several secret trade routes that they are not currently closely monitoring. Perhaps it will be of some benefit to Jincheng right now."
Jiang Zhong's gaze fell squarely on Yu Mobai's face, scrutinizing every subtle expression.
The room was completely silent, save for the occasional soft crackling of the candlelight.
After a long silence, Jiang Zhongcai spoke slowly, his voice solemn: "Lord Yu, if the Liu family finds out about this, you should know the consequences."
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