Chapter 161
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“I took the antidote, the one I gave to your sister,” Lin Qingyang quickly explained, staring at Dai Heng to calm his racing heart. Then, he took out the antidote and showed it to Chu Lishu. “It’s the one from the little healer I mentioned before. He claimed it could cure a hundred poisons. I believe in his abilities.”
In reality, he didn’t take this antidote, but it worked well for the deception.
Chu Lishu took a look and initially didn’t pay much attention. After all, a medicine capable of curing a hundred poisons was extremely precious and not easily obtained. Even he had to rely on memory to barely refine it, and the quantity was extremely limited. Lin Qingyang’s fortunate detoxification this time was probably just a coincidence. Chu Lishu felt even angrier that Lin Qingyang, relying on someone else’s words, would risk his own life so easily.
Chu Lishu took the antidote and sniffed it with a displeased expression. His face suddenly changed, and he looked at Lin Qingyang, asking, “What’s the name of the young man who gave you this medicine?”
“Mu Huichun. He said he was looking for someone. Why, do you know him?” Looking at Chu Lishu’s expression, Lin Qingyang couldn’t shake off the feeling that he had stepped into a trap again. Could it be that they really knew each other? People with some ability always seemed to be connected to the male lead.
Mu Huichun, Chu Lishu’s junior brother. Considering Chu Lishu’s current drastic change in appearance, he wasn’t sure if Mu Huichun would recognize him. However, he was certain that Mu Huichun must have come at the orders of their master. Since he needed to treat the illness of County Princess Yawen, Chu Lishu had tried to leave some information for his master. But as his master was constantly on the move, there was no guarantee when he would receive it. Now that Mu Huichun appeared here, it was certain that their master had received the information and sent him to help.
“Let’s talk about Mu Huichun and the others when we meet them. This medicine can indeed cure a hundred poisons, a rare treasure in the world. He usually wouldn’t easily give it to others. If he gave you a whole bottle, it means you have a good rapport with him.”
Since it was such a potent medicine, Lin Qingyang must be fine.
Dai Heng’s eyes lit up at the mention of its efficacy. He decided to have his sister take it to remove any remaining poison.
“My sister said that if Master really poisoned the wine but you didn’t show any immediate problems, he would send someone to investigate later. You should escape as soon as possible. We need to escape too.”
Lin Qingyang was slightly stunned. Hold on, if these two escape, how would Chu Lishu save them or bring them under control? What about his mission?
But they couldn’t stay and wait to die if these two were in trouble because of him. It seemed like he had to give up on the mission.
“Sorry, it’s all because of me that you’re involved,” Lin Qingyang apologized.
Originally, Dai Heng felt a bit resentful about the situation, but Lin Qingyang seemed to get along well with them, and as a man, Dai Heng was naturally willing to take responsibility. “We didn’t want to stay any longer anyway. After the old leader’s death, the behavior of Wu Xin Fort became more and more outrageous, exceeding our bottom line. We were planning to leave. It’s just happening earlier than planned.”
“Just now, a major battle erupted, and both sides are in a standoff. After the death of the old leader, Wu Xin Fort and the court will strengthen their surveillance in the mountains. You might be fine in the mountains, but once you come down, you’ll definitely be targeted. Leaving now is not the best option,” Chu Lishu spoke directly.
Dai Heng added, “My sister said the same. But the situation with the Second Master will be discovered sooner or later. Even if we kill him to cover it up, it will alert the patriarch, and then we won’t be able to escape.”
Chu Lishu spoke directly, “You and your sister have done us a favor. If you are willing to trust me, I have a plan.”
Dai Heng looked at Lin Qingyang, and Lin Qingyang quickly said, “Listen to him, listen to him. He’s the smartest.”
Chu Lishu glanced at Lin Qingyang and said directly, “You don’t need to leave. Continue staying in the fort because… the Second Master was just poisoned to death, and I am slightly poisoned, so I am unconscious. The only thing we shared was that cup of wine. Therefore, the most likely suspect of poisoning the Second Master is the Master who touched the wine glass. You and your sister have nothing to do with this incident from start to finish, so there’s no need to leave.”
Dai Heng widened his eyes in astonishment, “You poisoned the Second Master and disguised it as… yes, yes!” It made perfect sense! Dai Heng was instantly convinced. Why didn’t they think of this?
“The court will definitely send reinforcements, at the latest by tomorrow morning. So, the best time for you to leave is during the chaos of the battle, using the cover of the mountains and forests to escape.”
Dai Heng was even more shocked, “My… my sister said the same. She said the best time to escape is during the chaos of the battle. You’re amazing! I’ve never seen someone smarter than my sister.”
Dai Heng looked at Chu Lishu’s eyes, which were now covered by a filter.
“Don’t worry, after you leave, I’ll find a way to erase any traces of your existence. You won’t be pursued. How about that?” Chu Lishu said.
Dai Heng was already looking at Chu Lishu with admiration.
“I… I need to go back and ask my sister.”
“Of course, it’s your choice. I’m just offering a suggestion. Do you know where the Second Master is right now?”
Dai Heng hurriedly said, “I’ve hidden the person on our side. I’ll bring him over later.”
Chu Lishu nodded, advising him to do it as soon as possible. Dai Heng immediately left.
Once Dai Heng was gone, Lin Qingyang woke up from his thoughts and questioned, “What was that plan just now? Pretending to be poisoned and unconscious, isn’t that putting yourself at the mercy of others? Are you planning to stay in this situation? Shouldn’t we hide together in a safe place first and figure out how to save the others?”
Lin Qingyang’s mind wasn’t fully in focus just now, and it wasn’t until now that he realized something was wrong.
“Did you forget the plan I just mentioned?” Chu Lishu said, “Dividing them is advantageous to the situation, and the conditions are all there. This plan can proceed.”
“That’s true, but if the Second Master is dead, won’t they kill you in a fit of rage?”
“At least I’m someone they brought from the camp, and now I’m poisoned and unconscious. They have no reason to kill me; they’ll just lock me up. Only when I’m treated as a hostage and locked up will be the time when I can move freely. Moreover, if the Dai siblings agree with my plan, they will definitely help guide everything in the direction I anticipate. I’ll be safe. But if I disappear now, both us and Huo Luo, who can still act independently, will face severe pursuit.”
Lin Qingyang’s expression changed as he listened, still feeling uneasy. “They… aren’t fools. Just because you say you’re poisoned, they’ll believe it? What if the symptoms of poisoning are different? How can you ensure that everything will go as you envision?”
Chu Lishu suddenly gave a faint smile, and in that smile, there seemed to be a devilish charm.
Lin Qingyang was instantly stunned. Chu Lishu then spoke with a serious tone, “Otherwise, what do you think I was doing just now?”
His intense gaze fixed on Lin Qingyang’s face.
At first, Lin Qingyang didn’t quite catch on, until Chu Lishu lightly touched his own lips. Suddenly, Lin Qingyang’s face turned visibly red. Instinctively, he covered his mouth. “You… you…”
“After you drank the wine and didn’t eat anything else in such a short time, there would still be residual toxicity in your mouth. Since you took the antidote, it won’t affect you anymore. But I…” Chu Lishu finished, then looked at Lin Qingyang with gentle eyes. “I will still be affected by the residual poison. I feel my body has already reacted a bit, but the toxicity has been diluted too much, and it doesn’t have a significant impact. Using the appearance of being unconscious is just right, and naturally, the toxicity won’t be suspected.”
Lin Qingyang looked at Chu Lishu in disbelief. “Did you plan this from the beginning? That’s why you…”
Chu Lishu suppressed the impulse to deny in his heart and nodded, saying, “Of course. When you told me about the poison in the wine, I thought of this method. It just happened that Dai Heng was about to come in at the time, and I thought it was an enemy. I didn’t have time to explain to you, so I had to act first. Did I startle you?”
He couldn’t admit that this was a strategy he had just thought of. This explanation could account for the impulsive kiss, as he couldn’t let Lin Qingyang know that he liked him. It was too dangerous at the moment. Considering how the plan that should have gone smoothly had changed, he needed to be even more cautious.
“Of course, you startled me… and it’s quite unreasonable, isn’t it? You… don’t you have any psychological barriers? Just like that…” Lin Qingyang didn’t know what else to say; his ability to articulate had collapsed. He couldn’t bring himself to think about that kiss. Every time he did, his face and body would heat up.
“Now it’s a matter of life and death. A real man doesn’t fuss about trivial matters. Cousin is not a delicate maiden, and under the circumstances, we’ve had some intimate gestures. There’s no need to be so concerned,” Chu Lishu said, pretending to be candid. “I won’t let Cousin misunderstand and think I have any improper intentions towards you. In such a dangerous situation, thinking about such things would be taking advantage of you.”
This made Lin Qingyang embarrassed, as if only he was being too particular. He always felt that the atmosphere at that time was not right, the actions were off, everything was off. However, the whole situation, according to Chu Lishu’s explanation, was the only reasonable one. After all, he was the male lead, right? How could he possibly kiss… Moreover, considering the cleverness of the male lead, he could indeed have quickly devised a plan based on the existing conditions, resulting in this sudden kiss.
It turns out it really wasn’t… kissing him. It was just extracting poison to complete the plan.
Lin Qingyang suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. Almost, just almost, he would have thought that the male lead had taken a turn, fortunately, everything was fine. Otherwise, who knows how the plot would have unraveled.
However, there seemed to be a lump in his chest, a complicated emotion that he couldn’t quite put into words. Lin Qingyang quickly suppressed his feelings and joked, “You’re too reckless. Aren’t you afraid of accidentally poisoning yourself?”
“You said there’s an antidote, didn’t you?” Chu Lishu countered, shutting down any further discussion.
Actually, for Chu Lishu at that time, he didn’t really care about life or death.
“Are you sure there won’t be any significant impact now? Don’t forget you still have that old problem, what if it adds up…”
Chu Lishu’s expression softened as he leaned against the bedpost, no longer trying to keep up appearances. His eyes simply gazed at the person opposite.
“That bit of poison just consumed my energy, I’m a bit tired now. I know my body well, I’m sure I’m fine.”
Lin Qingyang frowned slightly, mimicking Chu Lishu’s actions to check his pulse. “Your pulse is a bit fast.”
Chu Lishu smirked, allowing him to proceed. “Yeah, just a slight influence from the mild poison.”
Lin Qingyang didn’t understand Chinese medicine, so he couldn’t make a judgment. However, looking at Chu Lishu’s spirit, which seemed quite good, and with the system not reporting anything unusual, he could only tentatively believe it. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something not quite right about Chu Lishu’s plan.
“But Second Master didn’t get poisoned by this substance. Even if I find a similar poison on your body, it doesn’t seem right, does it? Do I have to kiss him too?” Lin Qingyang said.
Chu Lishu’s face changed instantly, glaring sternly at Lin Qingyang. “What nonsense are you thinking!”
Lin Qingyang: …Isn’t it just following your train of thought, male lead?
“The bit in your mouth was long gone after I drank it all up. Is there anything left?” Chu Lishu said with a dark expression, as if daring Lin Qingyang to claim there was, so he could take it again.
Lin Qingyang’s breath caught for a moment, instinctively shaking his head. Why would the male lead say such things? It seemed utterly thoughtless. If he said this to a girl, it would be blatant harassment. Wasn’t he feeling embarrassed?
Chu Lishu withdrew his intense gaze. “My body shows signs of poisoning. This is perfect evidence that we indeed drank from the same cup. It’s enough to deceive the Master. As for how Second Master died, as long as it’s due to poisoning, even if it’s a different poison, the Master will get confused. Moreover, in the midst of the grief of the patriarch, it’s challenging to examine thoroughly. They don’t have someone here who is calm and intelligent enough to slowly unravel the doubts. Or, even if they realize it later, it will be too late.”
Lin Qingyang, seeing him circling around so much, couldn’t help but say, “If I had known it was you who poisoned Second Master to deal with him, I wouldn’t have acted recklessly. Now it seems I’ve caused you more trouble.”
“It won’t be a problem. This situation is actually more advantageous than me killing someone on the spot. After all, the Master did take action, and I’m curious to know why people from Tianheng Country want to kill an unknown small pawn like me.”
“Are you sure they are…”
“Formations, mechanisms—all have the shadow of Tianheng Country. Didn’t Yue Chen also mention this to you? So, it could only come from the hands of this Master. He has no reason to conflict with the Master at the moment, so why would he want to kill me? It’s very strange.” Chu Lishu frowned. Given his special identity, the actions of the people from Tianheng Country made him uneasy.
Lin Qingyang was about to speak when he heard another notification in his mind.
【Unlock Special Mission: Assist the male lead in eliminating the spies from Tianheng Country.】
Lin Qingyang suddenly widened his eyes. My goodness, there can trigger special missions here. This…these special missions seem to be events that didn’t occur in the original plot. It means that in the original plot, the male lead only destroyed Wu Xin Fort. Regardless of whether he discovered people from Tianheng Country in Wu Xin Fort, he probably didn’t catch them, meaning the Master…escaped?
“What’s wrong?” Chu Lishu asked as he noticed the change in Lin Qingyang’s expression.
“Before, Yue Chen mentioned some things about the possibility of them being spies. If that’s true, we must not let them slip away. They harmed so many innocent people…” Lin Qingyang frowned.
“Of course, we won’t let the spies from Tianheng Country leave alive,” Chu Lishu said in a deep voice. It was inexplicable that they wanted to kill him and even harmed Lin Qingyang. How could he let them go?
Just as they were talking, there was movement outside the window. It was Dai Heng bringing back the Second Master.
The Second Master was completely wrapped up by him, and it was fortunate that he managed to come all the way without being noticed by anyone else.
Chu Lishu was aware of this, when Dai Heng left just now, surely Lu Yi and the others would have sent someone to help with the cover.
“My sister said everything will be done according to your plan. If there’s anything you need us to do, we are willing to cooperate. We are willing to travel with you now. We only have one request: please make sure to follow through with what you said about erasing our existence. Our identities are somewhat special, and we really can’t let the court find out about us.”
Chu Lishu’s eyes flashed, “Alright, it’s a deal.”
Dai Heng immediately burst into a smile. Despite usually appearing stern and imposing, he was fundamentally a straightforward young man.
Chu Lishu wouldn’t be kind to others without reason. His proactive offer to help them, coupled with the promise of the most attractive benefits for the Dai siblings, was clearly intended to ensure their stay in the fort to assist from the sidelines in implementing his plan. Fortunately, Dai Xueyang was a smart person and tacitly accepted this mutually beneficial situation.
Lin Qingyang glanced at Chu Lishu and felt that Chu Lishu probably didn’t know the identities of these two so quickly. After all, the Dai family had only received favors from Yuan Ran, there wasn’t much interaction.
With the Second Master still in a coma, Chu Lishu asked Lin Qingyang to restore the Second Master’s wedding attire to its original state. Lin Qingyang quickly exchanged clothes and returned the mask.
After Lin Qingyang and Dai Heng finished their tasks, they placed the Second Master on the edge of the bed. When Lin Qingyang raised his head, he noticed that Chu Lishu had already removed the outermost layer of his wedding attire, leaving only the white shirt underneath.
Lin Qingyang was taken aback, “Why are you undressing?”
“Well, if we really go to the hostage place later, I don’t want them to know about my fake marriage with the Second Master. Besides, I don’t like red, and women’s clothing is uncomfortable for me. Wearing it with the soon-to-be-dead person feels awkward. I’d rather not wear this festive dress.” Chu Lishu replied casually.
He hadn’t thought about it that much before, but watching Lin Qingyang return the red clothes to the scoundrel who dared to impersonate him just now, Chu Lishu felt that the clothes on him were extremely unbearable.
Lin Qingyang thought for a moment but still smiled and comforted, “Actually, I think you look good in it.”
In fact, Chu Lishu’s appearance would attract attention regardless of the color of the clothes he wore. However, red seemed more flamboyant, enhancing his already exquisite features. Originally, Lin Qingyang thought it might be awkward for a man to wear red wedding attire, but seeing it on Chu Lishu, it didn’t appear awkward at all. It didn’t feminize him; it just made him look splendid.
In the original plot, the male lead had never worn wedding attire, but there were descriptions of the emperor and crown prince wearing them during the grand wedding ceremony in the Great Zhou Dynasty. The attire was mainly in golden-red color, representing the folk tradition. It was unlikely for the male lead to be seen wearing red wedding attire in his lifetime. Lin Qingyang considered himself fortunate to witness it.
Chu Lishu observed Lin Qingyang looking at him, then at the discarded red wedding attire, expressing a regretful sigh. This behavior struck Chu Lishu as peculiar. What kind of hobby was this? Wouldn’t he find it strange to see him cross-dress? Apparently, in Lin Qingyang’s thoughts, he still held the upper hand, wishing to dominate him as the female counterpart. Although reversing roles was impossible, if Lin Qingyang enjoyed it so much, Chu Lishu was willing to occasionally wear red women’s clothing to accommodate his fantasies.
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