Chapter 153
As the sun set, a lazy twilight enveloped the room. The only sounds were the rustling of pages turning and the soft scratching of a brush against rice paper.
Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps approached from outside the corridor, carrying a familiar air of recklessness. Su Zhelan paused, exchanging a knowing glance with Xiao Qiyun—it was probably Sheng Xuan returning, always so energetic.
With a loud bang, the door was pushed open rather roughly, slamming against the wall with a dull thud.
A figure staggered in, reeking of alcohol. Su Yan's face was flushed, his eyes unfocused, and his steps unsteady. He almost stumbled to the rosewood desk, slamming his hands on the surface, shaking the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
"Su Zhelan...!" Su Yan's voice was muffled, heavy with drunkenness and grievance, as he stared intently at the person behind the desk. "I've been back... I've been back for the past few days... hiccup... and I haven't seen you come to the pharmacy to look for me... In your heart... do you no longer have me as your master? Hmm?"
As he spoke, he swayed and nearly fell over.
Following closely behind, Gu Linzhao quickly entered. Seeing the situation, he immediately reached out to support Su Yan's arm, his face showing a mix of helplessness and apology. He looked at Su Zhelan and Xiao Qiyun inside the room and said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry... He drank some wine today and is a little drunk..." As he explained, he carefully steadied Su Yan's swaying body to prevent him from bumping into or knocking over anything.
Xiao Qiyun put down his pen the moment Su Yan burst in, his brows furrowed, his gaze sweeping over Su Yan's drunken face and the hand that Gu Linzhao was supporting.
Su Zhelan looked up from the file and stared blankly at the drunken Su Yan, who was demanding an explanation, and Gu Linzhao, who was busy explaining and protecting him.
He immediately realized what was happening, put down the file in his hand, and stood up. The soreness in his waist and legs made him pause almost imperceptibly as he stood up, but he still quickly stepped forward and reached out to support Su Yan's swaying arm on the other side.
"Master?" Su Zhelan's voice was filled with obvious worry and confusion. He carefully examined Su Yan's flushed cheeks and unfocused eyes. "How did you drink so much? You almost never touch a drop of alcohol, and I've never seen you this drunk before..."
As he spoke, he and Gu Linzhao helped Su Yan to a low couch nearby. Su Zhelan knelt down, looking up at Su Yan's dazed face, her brows furrowed slightly: "Did something happen? How could you..."
Before she could finish speaking, Su Yan suddenly leaned forward, his warm hand grabbing Su Zhelan's arm roughly, the force so strong that Su Zhelan gasped slightly. "You...you little brat, you actually know how to ask me?"
Su Yan mumbled incoherently, his breath reeking of alcohol brushing against Su Zhelan's cheek, "Back... how many days have you been back? Aside from getting medicine, you haven't seen a soul... You've even forgotten which way the pharmacy's door faces, haven't you?"
As he spoke, he pouted like a child, his eyes seemingly a little moist: "I've spoiled you for nothing... you little ingrate..."
Su Zhelan's eyes softened, and she said in a low voice with a hint of guilt, "It was my negligence. I haven't been feeling well these past few days, so I haven't been able to visit my master. Please don't be angry, it's my fault."
He gently patted Su Yan's hand, soothing him in a gentle tone, then turned to Gu Linzhao beside him: "I'll go make a bowl of hangover soup."
As Su Zhelan spoke, he was about to get up. Perhaps because he had been squatting for too long, or perhaps because he got up too quickly, the soreness in his waist and legs made him sway slightly. He subconsciously grabbed the edge of the couch for support.
He took a breath before walking steadily toward the door. As he passed Xiao Qiyun, he whispered, "I'll be right back."
As soon as he stepped out of the room, Xiao Qiyun immediately followed and whispered beside him, "I'll go with you." As he spoke, his arm naturally wrapped around Su Zhelan's waist, steadily supporting his somewhat weak body.
Su Zhelan stiffened slightly but did not push him away. The two walked silently down the corridor towards the small kitchen. Dusk was deepening, and the lanterns under the corridor were not yet lit. Xiao Qiyun's palms were warm, and a steady support could be felt through the thin fabric of his clothes. Su Zhelan's steps were slightly unsteady due to the soreness in his waist and legs, so Xiao Qiyun deliberately slowed his pace, tightening the support in his arms slightly, silently bearing his weight.
Inside the room, Su Yan was still making a ruckus on the low couch. He waved his hands wildly, muttering incoherently, "heartless" and "wasted my love," while his body twisted restlessly, almost rolling off the couch.
Gu Linzhao hurriedly stepped forward and half-carried, half-pressed Su Yan back onto the bed. While wiping the sweat from Su Yan's forehead with his sleeve, he coaxed him in a low voice, "Good boy, Zhelan is going to make you some hangover soup. You'll feel better soon..." His voice was full of helplessness, yet also carried a indulgent tenderness.
The door was pushed open again, and Sheng Xuan strode in, looking travel-worn, with a hearty smile on his face as if he had just returned from the training ground, carrying a bag of osmanthus cakes he had bought on the way. He was about to shout something when he suddenly stopped, his smile freezing on his face.
The atmosphere inside the room was completely different from when he left.
He saw that Master Su Yan was slumped drunk on the low couch, his face flushed, his eyes unfocused, and he was mumbling incoherently. Gu Linzhao was watching over him with a helpless yet careful expression.
The smile on Sheng Xuan's face vanished instantly, replaced by astonishment and confusion. He put down the osmanthus cake, strode closer, and asked Xiao Qiyun, who was closest to him, in a low voice, "What... what happened? How did Mr. Su get so drunk?"
Before Gu Linzhao could answer, Su Yan on the couch seemed to hear the noise and struggled to lift his eyelids. His blurry vision focused on Sheng Xuan. Perhaps it was the alcohol, or perhaps his pent-up emotions had found an outlet, but he suddenly remembered the past, and his anger flared up instantly.
"...It's you!" Su Yan's voice suddenly rose, filled with heavy drunkenness and sudden resentment. "It's all your fault! It's all your good brother's doing!...How dare he!" As he spoke, he staggered and grabbed a soft pillow from the side, throwing it hard at Sheng Xuan!
Sheng Xuan was completely caught off guard by this sudden attack. He dodged to the side in a flustered manner, his face filled with shock and innocence: "Mr. Su, Master?! What are you doing..." He subconsciously wanted to explain, but when he saw Su Yan reaching for the brush washer on the table again, he was so frightened that he quickly took two steps back, not daring to fight back, and could only dodge.
Seeing this, Su Zhelan quickly shoved the hangover soup into Xiao Qiyun's hand, stepped forward to block Sheng Xuan, and said in a soft but firm voice, "Master, you are drunk."
He reached out and supported Su Yan's swaying arm, then gently led him back to the bed. "Have a bowl of hangover soup first, we can talk about it tomorrow, okay?"
Su Yan was forced to sit down, but he still glared angrily at Sheng Xuan, his chest heaving violently.
Su Zhelan turned to look at Sheng Xuan, her brows furrowed slightly, her tone carrying a barely perceptible weariness and command: "Sheng Xuan, you go out first."
Sheng Xuan was stunned for a moment, her face instantly filled with grievance. Her lips moved as if she wanted to defend herself, but seeing Su Zhelan's uncompromising gaze and Su Yan's angry look, she finally swallowed her words.
He hung his head, slowly moved out, and gently closed the door behind him.
Outside the door, Sheng Xuan squatted down on the porch with his knees drawn up to his chest, listening to Su Zhelan coaxing Su Yan to drink soup in a gentle voice inside the house, occasionally hearing Su Yan's drunken mutterings and Su Zhelan's patient responses.
He felt increasingly aggrieved, and couldn't help but draw circles on the ground with his finger, muttering to himself, "Why am I the only one being chased away..."
The commotion inside the house gradually subsided as night deepened. Gu Linzhao helped the now-calm Su Yan out, followed closely by Su Zhelan and Xiao Qiyun. The group then escorted the sleeping Living Buddha back to the medicine ward.
When Su Zhelan and Xiao Qiyun returned, they saw Sheng Xuan still squatting at the door, nodding off sleepily, stubbornly refusing to go back to his room to sleep. Hearing footsteps, Sheng Xuan suddenly looked up, saw it was Su Zhelan, and immediately jumped up. "Hmph!" Sheng Xuan snorted heavily, turned his head away, exuding an aura of "I'm very angry, hurry up and coax me."
Su Zhelan looked at Sheng Xuan's puffed-up head, a faint smile appearing amidst the weariness in his eyes. He reached out and gently ruffled Sheng Xuan's soft hair, his voice tinged with obvious fatigue: "Alright... don't be angry anymore. I'm tired, let's go back to our room and rest."
That soothing touch and slightly hoarse voice seemed to pierce through the pent-up grievances in Sheng Xuan's heart. He turned his head sharply, his eyes wide, as if he wanted to say something, but when he met Su Zhelan's tired yet still gentle eyes, his resentment instantly vanished.
"Oh..." Sheng Xuan's voice lowered, with a muffled nasal tone, but his body had already stood up honestly, and he even subconsciously grabbed Su Zhelan's sleeve. "Then, let's go back and rest."
He glanced at Su Zhelan's slightly pale face, and his little temper was immediately replaced by worry. He nodded hurriedly.
Xiao Qiyun, who had been standing quietly to the side, stepped forward, his gaze falling on Su Zhelan's tired brows. His voice was low and steady: "Let's go." His gaze swept over Sheng Xuan's hand, which was still clutching Su Zhelan's sleeve. He didn't say anything more, but simply walked naturally to Su Zhelan's other side and lightly supported his elbow.
The next morning, sunlight streamed into the room through the window. Su Zhelan's complexion had improved significantly, and he was sitting upright at his desk, carefully examining a map, while Sheng Xuan handed him warm tea.
Xiao Qiyun stood in the center of the desk, his fingertips steadily resting on the location of the cult's headquarters at the core of the map. His gaze swept over Su Zhelan and Sheng Xuan, his voice low and clear: "Last night, we discussed with the staff department that the annihilation campaign would be carried out by encircling the cult from four directions."
He pointed his finger toward the main gate of the main altar: "I have borrowed an elite force from the vassal king. They will launch a frontal assault from here, drawing the main force away and creating chaos." Then, he pointed to a gentle slope to the southeast: "General Sheng Chi will lead a troop to cut in from this flank, supporting the frontal attack and cutting off its external support."
Finally, his gaze turned to Su Zhelan and Sheng Xuan, his finger pointing emphatically at a hidden ravine behind the main altar: "You two take a team of skilled fighters and sneak in through here amidst the chaos. The terrain here is treacherous, and the defenses are relatively weak, but we need to act quickly." He then looked solemnly at Sheng Xuan: "You protect Su Zhelan on either side and clear any obstacles along the way."
After speaking, Xiao Qiyun paused for a moment, then took a short dagger from his waist, its sheath clad in ebony. The dagger had a simple, ancient design, with no elaborate patterns on the sheath, except for a dark, black jade inlaid at the end. He gently placed the dagger on the table in front of Su Zhelan.
"This blade has been with me for many years, and its sharpness is unparalleled." Xiao Qiyun's voice was steady, and his gaze calmly fell on Su Zhelan's face. "Bring it with you when you infiltrate dangerous situations."
He looked up at the two men and said, “I will be in charge of the central command and direct the overall situation. Once you have succeeded, use the whistle as a signal to surround them from all sides and ensure their complete annihilation, leaving no one to escape.”
Upon hearing this, Sheng Xuan clenched his fist, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit: "Understood!"
Su Zhelan stared at the hidden route, his gaze lingering for a moment on the ancient dagger, then nodded slightly: "Thank you." He reached out and tucked the dagger into his sleeve.
Xiao Qiyun placed the two flaming whistles in their palms respectively, his fingertips pausing briefly in Su Zhelan's hand. He raised his eyes, his gaze calmly sweeping over the two of them, his voice low yet carrying an undeniable coldness:
"Remember, the whistle is fired not just to signal an encirclement."
He tapped his fingertips on the rough texture of the whistle, his eyes sharp as knives: "It's also a command. When the ambush troops on the perimeter see the signal, they will immediately pour oil and throw torches."
"At that time—" Xiao Qiyun's voice was completely flat, as if stating a given fact, "the entire valley, including the main altar, the secret passage, and even the corners where they might be hiding, will be engulfed in flames. It will be burned to the ground, leaving not a single tile behind, and no filth or evil spirit will be able to escape."
His gaze finally settled on Su Zhelan's face, his tone carrying an almost cruel resolve: "Therefore, you must act quickly. Before the signal is given, you must withdraw from the front line. If things become unbearable... prioritize survival, and I will order the firing."
The air seemed to freeze. Sheng Xuan instinctively gripped the whistle tightly, his Adam's apple bobbing. Su Zhelan's fingers tightened slightly, the cold whistle pressing against his palm. He met Xiao Qiyun's gaze, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly nodded.
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