“Rely on you?”
Ji Xue raised her head, snorted coldly, broke free from Hua Wenbo’s hand, and her fair face showed disbelief:
“Relying on you will only lead to a faster death. Don't you forget what Ji Meng said. The ministers in the court are all petitioning the Emperor to issue a decree ordering your execution. If Chen Tang Pass can be recaptured, you will be fine. If Chen Tang Pass is lost, that woman will definitely attack Hua Cheng. If Hua Cheng is lost again, you will truly be walking on a path of no return.”
As Ji Xue spoke, Hua Wenbo fell silent. His pupils narrowed, filled with a dangerous light. He leaned forward, gently pressed close to Ji Xue’s ear, and slowly said:
“If I die, you won’t live either. I’m someone who fears loneliness. Even if I have to die, I’ll drag you along. So, if you want to live, you must listen to me and do as I say.”
With blatant threats, Ji Xue was enraged. She quickly withdrew from the bed, glared at him coldly, “What nonsense are you talking about? You are you, and I am me. You wouldn’t have done anything to me, would you?”
Her eyes filled with suspicion, she truly thought she was losing her mind to have felt a moment of sympathy for him earlier. This man was nothing but a venomous snake.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you, I’ve given you the Tongxin Gu. If I die, you die too.”
Hua Wenbo said this nonchalantly, then lay back on the bed, resting his hands behind his head, appearing leisurely and at ease, as if what he had done was the most natural thing in the world.
Ji Xue’s eyes widened in disbelief, she stumbled back, her lips trembling uncontrollably, pointing at Hua Wenbo, “You’re lying to me, aren’t you? When did this happen? Why don’t I know anything about it?”
No matter what, she couldn’t believe it. He must be lying to her. If he had really given her the Gu, why didn’t she feel anything at all? Her entire body felt neither pain nor itch, neither discomfort nor suffering, completely showing no signs of being under the influence of the Gu.
“When we were making love, that was the best time to implant the Gu. This Tongxin Gu is undetectable normally. Only when the other person dies will the Gu worm revive, invade the heart, and cause death by pain.”
He smiled as elegantly as the wind, but Ji Xue felt it was the smile of a demon. When had she ever permitted him to do such a thing? What shared heart could she possibly have with him?
Ji Xue furiously lunged forward, grabbed Hua Wenbo’s arm, and bit down fiercely with all her might. The man remained motionless, allowing her to tear at him as if it weren’t his arm at all, until her mouth was filled with the taste of blood and the sickening scent, and she could no longer bear it, opening her mouth, jumping off the bed, and retching.
Hua Wenbo, unfazed, got up, picked up the white gauze from the bedside, and wrapped his wound.
“This is what I owe you. If there’s a next time, don’t blame me for turning my back.”
His voice was as cold as ice, devoid of any emotion. Perhaps a person like him had long since lost his heart, merely seeking solace when he was tired, and she had become the person he wished to lean on briefly.
What else could Ji Xue say? She believed the man’s words were true. She was infected with the Tongxin Gu; as long as he died, she would not be able to live.
“Remove the Gu for me. I will obey your command and kill the Empress.”
Ji Xue raised her head, her lips covered in blood, her teeth stained with blood, her expression ferocious, resembling a man-eating witch in the dead of night.
She thought this was her most subdued state, but the man on the bed seemed not to notice and slowly said, “Don’t always think about removing the Gu. This Tongxin Gu cannot be removed.”
Ji Xue was almost in despair. Now she had only one wish: to kill him first and then wait for death. Being tormented like this was too painful.
“Why are you so pessimistic? You can completely live a more carefree life. As long as you do as I say, I will make you the Empress, and I won’t interfere with your harem. You just need to keep the position of the primary husband. Isn’t this a win-win situation?”
Ji Xue abruptly stood up, gritting her teeth, and glared furiously at Hua Wenbo, wishing she could tear him apart. However, in the end, she did nothing and said feebly, “Fine, I will obey your orders now.”
With that, she turned and left, not even looking back at Hua Wenbo.
In the room, the man revealed a sinister and unreadable smile. Empress, since you are heartless, then do not blame me for being unrighteous.
Within Chen Tang Pass, the hundred thousand soldiers were mostly rested. The generals did not disturb the local populace. Although the city gates were not open for passage, the people within the city could move freely, making it more lively than when Ji Xue and her party were staying there.
The streets were not crowded, but people were walking around from time to time. Small vendors began their businesses. After all, war wasn’t a matter of a day or two, and these people still needed to eat. They couldn't starve to death before the war was over.
Qing Yao led Xiao Yu’er, accompanied by two soldiers dressed as servants, strolling through the streets.
There were quite a few local residents in Chen Tang Pass who were self-sufficient and able to survive. Therefore, not opening the city gates for a while did not have any impact. Moreover, Bing Xiao had sent back news that everything was proceeding as expected. Liu Yunfeng indeed showed some hesitation but did not deploy his troops, seemingly afraid of acting rashly. He was also unclear about the changes in the court, why the Emperor had issued a decree, and then a secret letter arrived.
However, in all fairness, he dared not casually dispatch troops to attack the soldiers of Xian Yue, as he had seen firsthand how formidable their commander was. If he angered her, he feared he would never return. If he didn’t attack, he couldn’t explain to the sender of the secret letter.
Caught in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat, he was in turmoil for a whole day. By evening, he mobilized his troops. Bing Xiao, hidden in the shadows, saw that he had finally succumbed to his sense of responsibility and seemed to be preparing to join forces with the Dan Feng Kingdom to attack Chen Tang Pass. But she wouldn’t give him such an opportunity.
That night, she infiltrated Liu’s mansion and killed Liu Yunfeng.
The next day, the General of Shi Cheng died, and the entire Shi Cheng fell into chaos. At this time, an imperial decree arrived, summoning the General of Shi Cheng back to the capital for an appointment. Unexpectedly, such a tragedy had occurred. Many officials in Shi Cheng sighed, lamenting that the person who should have been enjoying his retirement had met such an untimely end. Who could have been so cold-blooded and merciless to kill him?
Along with the imperial decree came another newly appointed official, General Dai. He was only in his twenties, with a blank expression, and the entire person seemed like a block of frost. His silence alone exuded immense pressure. Upon General Dai’s arrival, the local officials of Shi Cheng felt a sense of unease.
With the death of General Liu, the Emperor’s imperial decree arrived, and coupled with it, General Dai’s emergence. Many were displeased with this suddenly parachuted figure, though they did not voice it, their demeanor and words showed no hint of respect.
Mo Chou, observing everything before her, couldn’t help but worry about this General Dai. However, the young, cold man showed a look of indifference. He was a trusted confidant of Mo You and had been for a very long time; now he was finally being properly utilized.
“Can you handle it?”
As Mo Chou was about to leave, she couldn’t help but ask. General Dai, with a rare twitch of his lips, nodded and departed.
Of everything that had happened in Shi Cheng, Hua Wenbo of Hua Cheng was completely unaware. He had sent people to secretly deliver letters to Shi Cheng, arranging for a coordinated attack on Chen Tang Pass at an agreed-upon time.