Chapter 61
In a secluded side hall within the general's mansion, with doors and windows tightly shut, the atmosphere was as heavy as the deathly stillness before a storm.
General Sheng Chi sat upright in the main seat, his face solemn. Su Yan and Gu Linzhao sat below him. Su Yan's brows were furrowed, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, while Gu Linzhao's expression was calm, his gaze deep.
“Mr. Su, Alliance Leader Gu,” Sheng Chi’s deep voice broke the silence, “I invited you two here today because of Su Zhelan’s background… There are some things I need to verify with you, and I also need to tell you the truth.”
Su Yan's brows furrowed even more: "Su Zhelan's background? He's an orphan I bought from human traffickers, what's there to say about that?"
Sheng Chi's gaze swept across the two faces, and he slowly said, "As Su Zhelan's teachers, are you aware that... he is not an ordinary orphan? Rather... a 'holy son' created by a cult through extremely cruel methods of Gu poison?"
"What?!" Su Yan jumped up from his chair, his eyes widening instantly like a tiger whose tail had been stepped on. "Holy Son?! What bullshit Holy Son?! Sheng Chi! Stop spouting nonsense! Zhe Lan is my disciple! He's clean! He has absolutely no connection with any cult!"
His voice was loud and clear, filled with undeniable protectiveness and boundless rage.
Gu Linzhao frowned slightly, his sharp eyes fixed on Sheng Chi: "General, do you have any evidence to support your claim?"
Sheng Chi did not avoid their gazes. He took a deep breath and concisely but clearly recounted the results of his joint investigation with Xiao Qiyun, as well as the bloody confessions obtained from the interrogation of prisoners regarding the process of creating the "Holy Son".
“…Hundreds of children were thrown into the Thousand Insect Pit, tearing and gnawing at each other, with poisonous insects running rampant…In the end, only one survived…He was taken back to the secret cave of the heretical cult, where the most potent Gu poison was repeatedly implanted, detoxified, and then implanted again…He endured years of torment on the edge of life and death…In the end, he was forged into a ‘Holy Son’ who possessed ‘Holy Blood’ and could attract and suppress all Gu…” Sheng Chi’s voice was heavy, and every word was like a heavy hammer hitting the silent hall.
As Sheng Chi recounted the story, the color drained from Su Yan's face, replaced by an incredulous horror, followed by a suppressed rage like the calm before a volcanic eruption! His hands, resting on his knees, were clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged like coiled dragons!
When he heard about "repeatedly implanting Gu poison" and "enduring years of torment on the edge of life and death," Su Yan's body trembled violently! He seemed to see young Su Zhelan struggling and crying as he was thrown into a pit of poisonous insects, to see his face contorted in pain as Gu poison was forcibly injected into him, to see him teetering on the brink of death time and time again... These images instantly overlapped with the image of the boy covered in terrifying scars and on the verge of death when he saved Su Zhelan back then!
"You...you bastard!!!" Su Yan suddenly roared with a deafening roar! His eyes were bloodshot, like a raging lion, and he took a step in front of Sheng Chi, his chest heaving violently, almost spitting fire!
“My Zhelan! My disciple whom I personally trained!” Su Yan’s voice was hoarse and trembling with extreme anger. He pointed at Sheng Chi’s nose, spittle almost splashing onto the other’s face. “He was captured by those damned beasts when he was a child! He suffered inhuman torture! It was so hard… so hard that I rescued him! He had a few years of peaceful life! He was so well-behaved! So sensible! And his medical skills were so good!”
Su Yan's voice suddenly rose, filled with a tearful accusation: "And what about you?! You heartless bastards! To save your precious little brother! What did you treat him for?! A medicinal ingredient! You locked him in that cold, damp, dilapidated courtyard! You cut his wrists every day! You bled him! You treated him like an animal, draining his blood! You squeezed him dry!"
Overwhelming grief and heartache overwhelmed Su Yan's reason like lava!
He could no longer control himself. Before Gu Linzhao and Sheng Chi could react, he suddenly raised his large, fan-like hand and, with the force of thunder and the pent-up rage, slapped Sheng Chi hard across the face!
"Smack—!!!"
A crisp, loud slap echoed through the silent hall!
Caught off guard, Sheng Chi's head snapped to one side as he was slapped with all his might by Su Yan's furious rage. A clear red mark of five fingers instantly appeared on his cheek, and a trace of blood even seeped from the corner of his mouth! He swayed but did not fall down. He silently endured the blow, looking at the enraged Su Yan with a complicated expression.
"Beasts! You are all beasts!" After slapping him, Su Yan's anger not only did not subside, but intensified! His eyes burned with a flame that could destroy everything, and he suddenly turned around and grabbed the heavy copper pestle used for pounding medicine from the medicine table next to him!
The bronze pestle in his hand was like a murder weapon, whistling through the air, about to smash down hard on Sheng Chi's head!
"Su Yan!" Gu Linzhao's figure flashed to Su Yan's side! He was quick-witted and nimble-fingered, grabbing Su Yan's wrist holding the pestle with one hand and steadily supporting the bottom of the pestle with the other, using a skillful force to deflect and pull it!
"Clang!" The heavy bronze pestle was forcibly taken away by Gu Linzhao and slammed onto the floor with a dull thud, making the ground seem to tremble.
"Calm down!" Gu Linzhao's voice was deep and powerful, carrying an undeniable authority. He pressed down firmly on Su Yan's shoulders, which were trembling violently with rage, his gaze sharp as lightning.
"What's the use of killing him now?! The most important thing is Zelan! We need to get Zelan out of that hellhole and settle him in! His body can't take any more abuse!"
Su Yan was held down firmly by Gu Linzhao. He struggled a few times but could not break free.
His bloodshot eyes stared intently at the expressionless Sheng Chi, his chest heaving violently like a bellows, and a wild, guttural growl escaped his throat. Finally, his overwhelming rage transformed into a profound sense of powerlessness and sorrow. He abruptly closed his eyes, and two streams of hot tears rolled down his cheeks uncontrollably.
“Ze Lan…” Su Yan’s voice choked with sobs, filled with heart-wrenching pain, “He suffered so much… so much…”
The hall was deathly silent, save for Su Yan's suppressed whimpers, like those of a wounded beast.
Sheng Chi slowly raised his hand and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. The clear handprint on his face and the bleeding corner of his mouth did not anger him. He straightened up and looked heavily at the grief-stricken Su Yan and the solemn Gu Linzhao.
He straightened his slightly disheveled clothes, and then bowed deeply and solemnly to Su Yan and Gu Linzhao, performing an extremely dignified bow that was almost ninety degrees.
“Mr. Su, Alliance Leader Gu.” Sheng Chi’s voice was low and hoarse, but it carried an unprecedented sincerity and heaviness. “I deserve this slap. It was I, Sheng Chi… who was blind, stubborn, and misled by rumors, and mistreated Su Zhelan.”
He slowly straightened up, his gaze meeting Su Yan's eyes, which were still burning with anger and tears, and Gu Linzhao's calm and scrutinizing gaze.
"Su Zhelan's background is heartbreaking. The inhuman torture he suffered was all due to the evil of the cult, not his fault. Yet my General's Mansion... pushed him into an even deeper prison when he needed protection the most, due to suspicion and selfishness, causing him to suffer both physically and mentally... This is the fault of Sheng Chi, and also the fault of the General's Mansion!"
He paused, then his voice became even more resolute: "I hereby solemnly apologize to both of you, and also to Su Zhelan...! I was wrong! Utterly wrong!"
"At the same time," Sheng Chi's gaze became extremely serious, "I must thank Su Zhelan even more! Thank you for being willing to repay evil with kindness when he himself was in dire straits and suffered injustice, and for using his own life essence as a catalyst to save my brother from the brink of death! I, Sheng Chi, will remember this kindness forever! The General's Mansion... will never forget it!"
He bowed deeply again: "Please rest assured, both of you! I will make arrangements for Su Zhelan's matter immediately! I will definitely give him an explanation! A safe place to stay! I will never let him suffer the slightest grievance again!"
Sheng Chi's apology was resounding and extremely sincere. His deep bow and solemn promise, like a heavy boulder, weighed down on the silent hall and on Su Yan's heart, which was torn apart by anger and grief.
Looking at the high-ranking general before him, who was now bowing his head and solemnly apologizing, and listening to his words of repentance and gratitude to Su Zhelan, Su Yan felt his anger deflate like a punctured balloon, leaving only a complex and indescribable emotion—heartache, bitterness, grief and indignation over his disciple's fate, and also a trace of... bewilderment after the dust had settled and... a faint hope.
He turned his face away, gave a heavy snort, and stopped looking at Sheng Chi, but his clenched fist slowly loosened.
Gu Linzhao looked at Sheng Chi, then at Su Yan beside him, whose emotions had calmed down but whose anger had not subsided, and said in a deep voice, "General, you are too kind. The most urgent matter is the resettlement and recuperation of Zhelan. His body is too weak and he needs to rest quietly. He must not be disturbed again."
“Of course!” Sheng Chi replied immediately, his eyes resolute. “I’ll make the arrangements right away! Han Shui Courtyard… withdraw its defenses immediately! Su Zhelan’s residence will be personally selected by Mr. Su Yan and Alliance Leader Gu Linzhao! All resources in the manor are at your disposal! Make sure… he recovers as soon as possible!”
The iron gate of Hanshui Courtyard was completely opened, and the cold, damp atmosphere was dispelled by the influx of sunlight.
Gu Linzhao personally led two trusted men to bring Su Zhelan out of that cold stone house.
Wrapped in a thick fox fur coat, Su Zhelan was half-supported and half-carried by Gu Linzhao as they walked through the winding corridors of the General's Mansion. He was completely dazed, his pale and thin face filled with confusion and disbelief.
The gauze on his wrist was still stained with fresh blood, and his body trembled slightly from weakness and cold. He had no idea what had happened—yesterday he was imprisoned in Hanshui Courtyard like livestock waiting to be slaughtered, and today… he was released? And by Mr. Gu himself?
It wasn't until she stepped into the threshold of Shuyu Courtyard that a warm, humid breeze carrying the scent of sulfur rushed towards her, giving Su Zhelan a fleeting sense of reality.
Su Yan was already waiting in the main house, pacing anxiously with his hands behind his back. As soon as he saw Gu Linzhao helping Su Zhelan in, he rushed forward, his movements as swift as the wind!
"Zhelan!" Su Yan's voice was filled with urgency and undisguised heartache. He grabbed Su Zhelan's cold wrist with such force that Su Zhelan frowned slightly, yet dared not break free. Su Yan's gaze swept back and forth like a searchlight over Su Zhelan's pale face, sunken eye sockets, and the glaring gauze on her wrist, his expression growing increasingly grim.
"Look! Look! He's completely unrecognizable! Look at the wounds! Look at his face!" Su Yan's voice suddenly rose, filled with rage. He abruptly turned his head and cursed at the air, "That idiot Sheng Chi! Is his brain filled with mush?! With a brain like that, he's a general?! Commanding the three armies?! Bah! He can't even see a child clearly! Suspicious and paranoid! He's caused so much harm! He almost wore my apprentice out to death in that godforsaken place!"
He cursed with spittle flying everywhere, his voice booming, his body tense with anger, like an enraged lion.
Gu Linzhao carefully helped Su Zhelan to a recliner covered with thick cushions. Hearing this, he sighed helplessly, but a faint smile appeared on his lips: "Su Yan, be careful what you say. General Sheng Chi has already realized his mistake, apologized sincerely, and given the best compensation."
"Compensation?!" Su Yan, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, immediately turned his gun on Gu Linzhao. "What good is compensation?! Can it make up for the blood my disciple shed?! Can it erase the suffering he endured?! Gu Linzhao! You're always like this! You're always siding with outsiders! Do you really think he did the right thing?!"
Gu Linzhao was both amused and exasperated by this indiscriminate attack. He raised a hand to rub his temples and said, "When did I say he was right? It's just that things have come to this point, so instead of cursing here, it's better to..."
He turned his gaze to Su Zhelan, who was curled up on the recliner, too terrified to breathe by his master's anger, and softened his tone, "...Should we check Zhelan's injury first? If this is left untreated, he'll really develop a chronic condition."
These words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing some of Su Yan's anger. He glared fiercely at Gu Linzhao, then snorted before turning his attention back to Su Zhelan.
Seeing his apprentice's cautious, pale, and fragile appearance, Su Yan's anger turned into bitterness and heartache.
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the urge to curse, and sat down next to Su Zhelan.
"Hold out your hand!" Su Yan's voice was still harsh and commanding, but his movements were much gentler.
Su Zhelan timidly stretched out his arm. Su Yan carefully unwrapped the blood-soaked gauze from his wrist, his movements ten times gentler than usual.
When Su Yan saw the wound underneath, which was slow to heal due to repeated blood draws and was even somewhat inflamed, his brows furrowed, and his eyes were filled with a complex mix of heartache and anger.
"These...bastards!" he muttered under his breath, but ultimately didn't name names again.
He turned and took out the finest wound medicine and tissue-regenerating powder from his medicine box. He carefully cleaned the edges of the wound with strong liquor, his movements as gentle as if handling fragile porcelain. While applying the medicine, he gently blew on it, muttering, "Bear with it… this medicine stings a little… but it works well…"
Looking at her master's expression—clearly heartbroken yet still grumbling and cursing—and feeling the cool, herbal-scented touch on her wrist and the gentle caress of her master's fingertips, Su Zhelan felt a lump in her throat and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.
The grievances, fears, and despair of the past few days, combined with the sudden warmth at this moment, surged forth like a flood bursting its banks.
He bit his lower lip hard, not wanting to cry in front of his master, but tears rolled down uncontrollably, splashing onto the thick carpet and leaving dark water stains.
Su Yan was focused on applying the medicine when he suddenly felt a drop of scalding liquid fall onto the back of his hand.
He paused, looked up and saw Su Zhelan biting her lip, tears streaming down her face, trying her best not to make a sound. His heart clenched!
"Stop crying!" Su Yan's voice suddenly rose, carrying a hint of panic and heartache. He instinctively wanted to scold him, but seeing his disciple's pitiful appearance, he swallowed back the harsh words that were on the tip of his tongue. In the end, he only let out an awkward rebuke with a heavy nasal tone, "This little injury... will heal with some rest! With your master here, let's see who dares to lay a finger on you again!"
He spoke harshly, but his actions were even gentler. He even used his fingertips to lightly and clumsily wipe away the tear stains on Su Zhelan's face, the rough touch carrying a kind of awkward tenderness.
Gu Linzhao stood aside, watching the awkward master and apprentice—one who was clearly heartbroken but insisted on scolding with a stern face, and the other who was so aggrieved that tears streamed down his face but forced himself not to cry out—the helpless smile on his lips deepened.
He shook his head silently and turned to check the charcoal fire and the warm medicinal food inside the room.
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