Chapter 92: Vendetta
Why is Zhao Xuanxu not afraid of poison?
Back then, when Wen Yao was looking for Longchi grass and fighting with the people in the southwest poison cave, the prerequisite for being rescued by Yan Cang was that Yan Cang was also there when she was fighting with the old poison creature.
She risked her life to fight, while the leader of the three divisions and his men crouched quietly in a tree nearby. They watched the fight from a mountaintop, the fisherman profited, and then showed mercy and dragged Wen Yao away to save her.
This was no surprise to Yan Cang. Zhao Xuanxu had been a frail child, his meridians and bones injured. He was frail and often sick, suffering minor illnesses every two or three days, and becoming bedridden whenever the weather changed.
Yan Cang painstakingly mined nearly all the precious medicinal herbs in the Nanzhao mountains. Wang Fu personally prepared a medicinal bath for Zhao Xuanxu, soaking in countless baths before finally clearing his body of all its ailments and opening up his muscles for martial arts practice. This was a blessing in disguise; from then on, the miasma and poisonous insects that plagued the southwest armies never affected Zhao Xuanxu.
He hadn't expected the medicinal bath to be so potent, and even the poison concocted by Xin Man couldn't harm Zhao Xuanxu. He could only sigh that Wang Fu's medical skills were truly exceptional, and his reputation as a rejuvenating sage truly lived up to its reputation.
Wen Yao took a deep breath and took advantage of this opportunity to quickly turn around and shout to the Lingyu Guards who had not yet entered the room, "Return to the mansion immediately and tell Wang Fu to come over!"
When Xin Man heard the name "Wang Fu", his expression changed immediately.
She didn't know that Wang Fu had returned to Bianliang.
Wang Fu's medical skills were unrivaled, and she knew better than anyone that she absolutely could not ask him to come here. Immediately, Xin Man clapped her hands without hesitation, smashing the table under the seven-stringed guqin, sending the guqin flying. She reached out with her intact arm, firmly catching the guqin, holding it to her side, and plucked the strings with her fingers. The centipede pile that had gradually quieted down beneath everyone's feet was stimulated, twisting madly, its mouthparts stretched wide as it rushed straight towards the outer circle of feathered guards, biting through the gaps in their armor and clothes.
The centipedes that have been carefully raised by humans are extremely poisonous. After they burrow into clothes and bite people, they will make them groan, their faces turn purple in an instant, and they will stagger and fall to the ground.
"Zheng!"
The piano music stopped abruptly.
Zhao Xuanxu closed in on Xin Man, brushing her neck with his hand, interrupting her movements. His internal energy was scorching, powerful, and filled with murderous intent. Xin Man, enduring the sharp pain in her shoulder, barely dodged the blow, only for Zhao Xuanxu's kick to send the zither she held caressing caress caressingly flying. Without time to glance back, Xin Man instinctively raised her arms to block, but the blow took her breath and sent her flying backwards, leaving a trail of white underfoot and her zither shattered to the ground.
Zhao Xuanxu's eyes were as sharp as knives. He rushed forward and instantly stood in front of Xin Man. He stretched out his hand and grabbed Xin Man's neck without hesitation. His fingers tightened fiercely, and he was about to break her neck.
Wen Yao hurriedly stopped: "Don't kill her!"
As soon as she spoke, the strength in Zhao Xuanxu's grip suddenly loosened. Then, he tensed his forearm muscles, grabbed Xin Man's neck, lifted him high, and threw him sideways.
There was a crisp sound, and Xin Man fell to the ground, then quickly climbed up with one hand. He must have broken a rib. His shattered shoulder also collided with the ground, the pain was so severe that it could make people faint.
Xin Man's face was pale and she was sweating all over, as if she had been pulled out of the water. Her good arm was trembling slightly, and she struggled to hold on to the jade knife for support, kneeling on one knee.
By this time, a large number of people had fainted in the yard, all of them unconscious from being bitten by centipedes. Adding to the poison in the water, the double poisoning had caused many people's breathing to become increasingly weak.
The sound of the piano faded, and the centipede, having lost control, quieted down, twisting its body and spreading out in layers. The servants outside finally dared to enter, rushing to their respective masters and calling out earnestly.
"Commander Wen! Commander Wen!"
Wen Yao looked over and saw someone holding onto the King of Qin, refusing to let go. He turned around and shouted at the top of his voice, "Hurry up and make this woman hand over the antidote!"
Princes Yong and Xiang were in good condition, but the King of Qin, on the other hand, had two large, purple-tinged holes on his neck and the back of his hand. His face was pale, his lips tightly pursed, and he collapsed unconscious.
By the way, the King of Qin was quite skilled in martial arts, his internal strength far surpassing that of the two Kings of Yong and Xiang. He also lacked Wen Yao's quick reaction to seal the poison with acupuncture points. Consequently, he was the most severely poisoned of the three, suffering the most severe reaction. His limbs were covered in blood, and he looked terrifying.
The blood seeping from Wen Yao's wrist had already soaked her cuffs, but she still held the Xingyi Sword steady. Zhao Xuanxu walked over and wordlessly extended his palm to support her forearm, but Wen Yao gave him a gentle push and stood aside empty-handed.
"Xin Man, I don't want to kill you at all." Wen Yao pointed at the fallen man and said bluntly, "You don't want to die either. Give me the antidote, and I'll spare your life. You can come back and kill me later."
Xin Man's forehead was covered with sweat as she looked up at Wen Yao. Then, everyone present was dumbfounded as she immediately responded to Wen Yao's words without hesitation. She then pulled out a porcelain bottle from her waist and rolled it to Wen Yao's feet with a quick and decisive movement.
In such a situation, Xin Man actually believed Wen Yao so easily, not at all like a mortal enemy. She even pointed to the water tank next to her and said, "Pour it in and give them some water to drink."
Wen Yao wasn't the least bit surprised by Xin Man's seemingly incomprehensible joy. She bent down to pick up the porcelain bottle and waved for someone outside to come in and fetch some water. Xin Man stood there, touching her shoulder, lowering her head to let the scorpion crawl into her hair. She pulled a pill from her sleeve and swallowed it. The sharp pain in her shoulder instantly numbed, and her complexion improved considerably.
Servants hurriedly brought bowls and chopsticks, distributing the antidote in portions. Many people were unconscious in the hall, but their reactions varied. Some immediately drank the medicine, while others hesitated, holding their bowls.
The attendant beside the King of Qin was the latter. He looked at Xin Man, then at his master's miserable condition, and was extremely vigilant. He said terrifiedly, "This... Commander Wen, how can we be sure this antidote is real?"
The woman who appeared out of nowhere had just poisoned and released scorpions, but now she gave the antidote so readily, which really made people think too much.
Wen Yao comforted her, "Drink, drink. She can't run away. If she dares to lie, I'll chop off her hands and feet."
Seeing that these people hadn't made any move, Wen Yao simply walked over, took the bowl from one of them, and drank the water in it in one gulp. She turned the bowl upside down, shook it, set it aside, wiped her mouth, and said, "The medicine in the water wasn't fatal, but if the scorpion venom is not removed now, your master's bitten hands and feet will be gone."
She had only mentioned Wang Fu to scare Xin Man. Wen Yao knew full well that Tangshan was quite a distance from Dongxing Street in Bianliang City. If they really had to wait for Wang Fu to arrive and concoct the antidote, they would have collapsed long ago.
A girl in a pink dress heard this and suddenly found the courage to push aside the maid beside her. She held her breath and tiptoed to find a gap in the pile of insects. She walked a few steps to the side of the King of Qin and knelt down. She took the potion from the hand of the attendant next to her, cupped the King's face, and fed him the medicine bit by bit with a spoon.
Wen Yao raised his eyebrows slightly, recognizing that this was the girl who had first discovered the centipede crawling on her dress.
Perhaps still recovering from their shock, the people around them didn't react much to this clearly unseemly scene. The King's attendants also stepped aside to allow the girl to administer the medicine. For a moment, the only sounds in the hall, besides heavy, turbid breathing, were whispers of discussion and sobbing.
Xin Man watched coldly. When he had rested enough, he suddenly raised his sword, slowly stood up, walked past Wen Yao and headed towards the door.
Wen Yao turned his head and raised the Xingyi Sword to stop her.
Xin Man covered her shoulders with her hands, and the big, shiny scorpion crawled along her hair to her shoulders again, holding up its tail sting and confronting Wen Yao.
"What?" Xin Man glanced sideways. "You said I was giving you medicine, and you let me go."
"I'm letting you go." Wen Yao said, "Why rush? I'll let you go once the poison is removed. Now tell me, who asked you to come here?"
Xin Man: "I told you, I'm here to kill you."
Wen Yao took a few steps closer, pressing herself against Xin Man's side. The fabric of her clothing barely touched the scorpion's shimmering stinger. She shielded herself from the gazes of the others and, lowering her voice, said, "Did the King of Qin send you here?"
"Which one is the King of Qin?" Xin Man pressed his shoulder and said, "I don't know."
The King of Qin was being forced to take medicine while his jaw was twisted, his breath barely surfacing. Xin Man's expression was calm and sincere, not a false one. Wen Yao's grip on the Xingyi Sword loosened as he continued, "You said you wanted to kill me. How did you know I'd be here today? And why did you kill the musicians beforehand?"
At this point, Xin Man refused to speak. She frowned angrily and said, "You only said you'd let me go if I gave you the medicine, but you didn't tell me you had so many questions for me."
Wen Yao put down the Xingyi Sword: "Then wait, and leave when they wake up."
Xin Man's antidote worked quickly. Within a cup of tea, those who had fainted began to wake up one after another.
"They're awake." Xin Man's hand holding the green knife moved: "Let me go."
Wen Yao moved his feet slightly and turned sideways to make way.
Xin Man walked out, the centipedes scattering wherever she went. The people around her hid on either side, watching her with utter fear. Until Xin Man reached the door, the guards gathered around her, swords drawn. Xin Man pursed her lips, her eyelashes fluttering as she looked at Wen Yao.
These guards came from outside, most of them were guards of the three princes.
Wen Yao sighed and said to the guards, "We just agreed to give you medicine and let you go. Please make way for us."
No one moved, and everyone was looking at the expressions of Prince Yong and others.
Zhao Xuanxu slowly walked up to Wen Yao, pulling out the long knife he had stuck in the ground. He then threw it across the face of the leading guard. The Feather Guards, upon hearing this, immediately surrounded them, glaring at them with eager eyes.
Prince Yong supported the purple-lipped Princess Yong and shouted, "Everyone, step back! Let her go!"
Only then did the guards around him step back and make way for Xin Man to leave.
Soon after Xin Man left, the centipedes around him gradually disappeared. The surroundings were left in a mess, with dishes and chopsticks scattered all over the floor. Having come to this point, it was impossible to stay in this courtyard any longer. The frightened noble master was so weak in the knees and feet that Yin Yiru was also supported by the servants. Without the energy to think about anything else, he left the house and boarded the carriage to return to the city.
The King of Qin hadn't woken up yet, and the girl in the pink dress was still kneeling on the ground, tightly holding his hand, looking extremely worried. Noticing Wen Yao's gaze, the girl looked up and forced a smile, saying, "Thank you for your help just now... Now that His Highness the King of Qin has drunk the antidote, when will he wake up?"
She has a plump face and very lively eyes. She is a girl with a very pleasing appearance.
"Drink the antidote, and His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin will be safe." Wen Yao said, "It's just that the poison is too severe. We should return to the palace as soon as possible to see the imperial physician and get some antidote."
Prince Xiang was also fine. He stood aside and looked at Princess Yong, who was supported by Prince Yong. He couldn't help but ask with concern, "How is the emperor's sister-in-law?"
"Your sister-in-law has just been ill and wasn't feeling well to begin with. She was frightened just now and seems to have a fever." Prince Yong held his wife in his arms, his expression somewhat grim as he said, "Luckily, she wasn't bitten by a poisonous insect. Second brother, third brother, Commander Wen, I won't stay any longer. I'm leaving first."
After Prince Yong left, Prince Xiang, Prince Qin, and the pink-dressed girl also left. Wen Yao nudged Zhao Xuanxu and asked, "Who is that girl next to Prince Qin?"
Zhao Xuanxu's eyes were glued to Wen Yao's forearm and trouser legs. After hearing the question, he tried to recall everything and said in detail, "It seems to be the Fan family."
"Fan family?"
"The Minister of War's surname was Fan. Feng's sister married him, and they had a daughter."
Miss Fan was the cousin of the Prince of Qin, and they had grown up together. This time, the Emperor was looking for a concubine for the Prince of Qin, and Concubine Feng had her in mind.
It would have been fine if this had not been mentioned, but as soon as it was mentioned, Wen Yao immediately remembered what Jiang Qiaosheng said in Pingjiang Prefecture.
"So, does the King of Qin like this Miss Fan?" Wen Yao asked with a hint of doubt. "Then what about his relationship with Miss Qiu from Suzhou? And I haven't heard anything about them in a while. Could it be that they've given up?"
As they spoke, the two had already returned to the mountaintop farm. Zhao Xuanxu sat beside them, a white cloth draped across his knees. He dipped his hand into the water to test the temperature, then rolled up his sleeves for Wen Yao.
"The position of principal wife should be given to the Fan family." He wiped the dried blood from Wen Yao's wrist bit by bit: "Zhao Xuanxu, as well as the positions of concubines and other wives can be given to the Qiu family."
"Then why on earth is he involved with the Qiu family?" Wen Yao was puzzled. "The Qin Palace is short of money right now? No way?"
Zhao Xuanxu didn't really want to control how many women Zhao Xuanshuo married. He raised his hand and threw the white cloth into the copper basin, splashing a small circle of water.
Wen Yao came back to his senses and looked at him.
"Who was that woman just now?" Zhao Xuanxu frowned, his thumb lightly touching Wen Yao's scarred wrist, terrified and afraid to use even a little strength. He closed his eyes, suppressing the burning sensation from the bright red sting of Wen Yao's hand, and whispered, "She seemed to recognize me, and Yan Cang as well."
"She came from Nanzhao and is the apprentice of the Poison Cave Priest. As for recognizing you and Yan Cang, it must be because she followed her master and saw you from afar a few times. Well, I'm not hiding it from you, I just didn't expect to meet her." Wen Yao said, "I killed her master, so I'm her enemy. Her master had more than one apprentice, but she was the only one who followed me all the way from Nanzhao, poisoning and hunting me down. She's so brave despite her young age."
Xin Man was a stubborn donkey back then. He followed Wen Yao for a whole year. When he couldn't kill Wen Yao, he suddenly disappeared one day and never appeared in front of Wen Yao again.
"It's just a vendetta. Her master wanted to kill me, I killed her master, and now she wants to kill me. It's all normal." Wen Yao picked up a white cloth and pressed it on her wrist. The cloth immediately turned a layer of crimson. "But today she said she wanted to kill me. For some reason, I don't think so."
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