•••
Chapter 126:- Death Looms (3)
"Silly girl." Jun Xian walked over to Jun Wu Xie, anguish in his heart upon seeing her blood splattered dress but relieved she was safe, and raised his hand and ruffled her hair in affection.
"Your grandfather is fine."
Jun Wu Xie blinked her eyes, and feeling the tears well up threatening to fall, she lowered her head and pushed back her tears.
Jun Xian patted Jun Wu Xie on the shoulder and looked up the wall at the Emperor who still stood trembling. "Rest assured Your Majesty, the assassins have all been rid of, and the Imperial Palace is now safe."
Jun Xian's appearance had shocked Jun Wu Xie, and had the stunned the Emperor to stare speechlessly at him.
He's alive?
"Uh.....Erm.... My beloved vassal, you have suffered. The Lin Palace has gained extraordinary merit again, and I will not forget it! Men! Covey my orders! The Lin Palace is bestowed a hundred bolts of brocade, ten thousand taels of gold, and the Rui Lin Army is to be awarded commendation for protecting me." Irregardless, Jun Xian is alive!
Heaven knows, he might have been killed!
If not for the appearance of Jun Xian, his head would not be still attached.
The Emperor was so glad this day that Jun Xian was alive!
Before Jun Xian replied, Jun Wu Xie had regained her composure, and lifted her head to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, the credit for the events today was not due to the Lin Palace."
"..........." The Emperor's heart sank when Jun Wu Xie spoke, and he remained quiet.
"The successful execution of corrupt officials tonight, was due to the meticulous preparation by the Crown Prince. His highness had hidden his intelligence and wisdom all this time, to appear mediocre and unambitious, in order to catch them all unawares and secure evidence of their crimes! The apprehension of the corrupt tonight was made possible only through the unparalleled wisdom, and at the sacrifice of his image and reputation, to be misunderstood by all, in order to drive the Qi Kingdom to greater prosperity and might!"
Jun Wu Xie had lifted the image of Mo Qian Yuan up to the skies with her statement, and not just the Emperor, even Mo Qian Yuan was caught by surprise, as both of them stood just staring at Jun Wu Xie, clueless as to what she was up to.
The glory and credit due for the execution of corrupt officials, had been handed over to Mo Qian Yuan on a platter!
"I implore Your Majesty to bestow the gifts to the Crown Prince, as the Lin Palace is undeserving of them." Jun Wu Xie pushed on, ignoring the looks of puzzlement around her.
The Emperor did not know what to make out of it, but to escape from the scary girl who stood before the gates, he nodded hesitantly, trying his hardest to portray a look of benevolence when he turned to Mo Qian Yuan.
"Qian Yuan, it has been hard for you these years."
Mo Qian Yuan snapped back to his senses, trying the grasp the whole situation, and gravely replied: "It is my duty as the Crown Prince, and was just doing my part."
" You have done well, and you will be rewarded handsomely." The Emperor said, with a twitch at the corner of his mouth.
Seeing the revered exchange between the Emperor and Mo Qian Yuan, Mo Xuan Fei was overcome in disgust.
Jun Wu Xie was obviously rebuilding the reputation and standing of Mo Qian Yuan among the people. When news of tonight's events spread, his past idiosyncrasies and indulgences will be forgotten and instead remember him as the Crown Prince who sacrificed everything for the Kingdom! No one will fault him for his past arrogant and obnoxious behaviour.
That move Jun Wu Xie made was sure smooth, vicious and precise!
Things turned out beyond the expectations of everyone!
She reversed Mo Qian Yuan's years of poor and tattered reputation to the people in one quick move!
.
.
.
Chapter 127:- This is Just the Beginning (1)
"Father, the praise is exaggerated." Mo Qian Yuan replied politely.
"Both the Crown Prince and the Lin Palace deserve merit for today's events. I will decide on the appropriate rewards. It's been a long night, and Jun Xian you must be tired out. Please go rest as the Qi Kingdom cannot do without you, its pillar of strength." The Emperor smiled kindly, but on the inside, he raged with the humiliation he had to swallow further. He had never felt such indignity and disgrace as what Jun Wu Xie had put him through tonight.
He only wanted the devil away from here and pray there will be no other incidents.
Jun Xian was in no hurry to reply but looked at Jun Wu Xie, taciturnly turning the power bring things to a close over to her.
Jun Wu Xie had calmed the malice with the appearance of her grandfather, and only the cold distant demeanor remained as she replied: "Thank you Your Majesty, but there are culprits still remaining and I would like to extend an invitation to the Crown Prince to grace us with his wisdom in discussion, on any culprits that your humble servant have missed."
The Emperor startled again, culprits they missed!?
Jun Wu Xie had massacred many, and Jun Xian returned. She still did not back down!?
How many does she need to kill before she is satisfied!?
The Emperor was too tired to resist and could only squeeze out an amiable smile and nodded wearily.
Mo Qian Yuan walked out from the Palace and stood beside Jun Wu Xie. The events tonight had not only terrified the Emperor and Mo Yuan Fei, it had shocked him, an ally, with Jun Wu Xie's savagery.
"We shall take our leave. Your Majesty has been subject to much fright tonight, please rest well." Jun Wu Xie turned and left upon finishing, an air of indifference, like she had forgotten all that happened tonight.
Jun Wu Xie's simple statement was the signal for the Rui Lin Army to retreat as they gathered and left the Imperial Palace. The people who lined the streets were full of praise and respect.
On the wall, watching the retreating Rui Lin Army, the Emperor could no longer hold down the night's suppressed anger and fear, and a surge of blood from his mouth as attendants rushed to hold him.
Returning triumphant, Jun Wu Xie rode the black beast alongside Jun Xian's steed. Jun Wu Yao had once again disappeared into the crowd and Jun Wu Xie could not find him.
"Grandfather, you alright?" Jun Wu Xie asked calmly.
"I'm getting old, if it was not for your meals and conditioning, I'm afraid these old bones would not have lasted till now." The radiant Jun Xian who stood before the Palace, had his weariness showing now that they were out of sight of the people.
Jun Wu Xie's eyes narrowed.
"Long Qi!"
"Right here!" After tonight's events, Long Qi had nothing but respect for Jun Wu Xie. Most do not know the whole picture, but Long Qi who stood by her side throughout fully saw how everything unfolded under her control.
"Relay my order. Before the culprits are eradicated, the Rui Lin Army will garrison themselves in the Imperial City and no one is to leave, not even members of the Imperial Family! Kill anyone who defies the order." Jun Wu Xie had just sealed the Imperial City.
Jun Xian and Mo Qian Yuan were taken aback by Jun Wu Xie's words. They both could guess the intentions of Jun Wu Xie but kept their peace due to the enormity of their guesses.
The matter had not ended. Jun Wu Xie's vengeance was just beginning.
.
.
.
Chapter 128:- This is Just the Beginning (2)
Arriving back at the Lin Palace, Jun Xian who had been hiding his injuries collapsed. Long Qi rushed up to support him back to his room, and Jun Qing followed from the gates.
"Uncle Fu, retrieve my medical box." Jun Wu Xie ordered with her brows furrowed. Jun Xian had gotten stronger with her fortification medicine and careful administration. Upon seeing him collapse, she could only guess at the extend of his injuries.
"Wu Xie....." Mo Qian Yuan had many questions for Jun Wu Xie.
Jun Wu Xie looked coldly at him and said: "Follow me if you want to live. Shut up or I'll do it myself."
"........" Mo Qian Yuan meekly followed.
Jun Wu Xie hurried to Jun Xian's room and performed a check up. Her eyes flared upon finishing.
"Poison." Jun Wu Xie's voice was calm. But it made the hearts of everyone there sink.
"I'm fine, do not worry. I made it back in one piece, didn't I?" The wearied Jun Xian forced a smile, leaning on the bedpost, assured Jun Wu Xie.
Without a word, Jun Wu Xie retrieved the silver needle from her medical box that Uncle Fu brought in, and administered acupuncture on several pressure points. Blood darkened black flowed down the needles and dripped on the bed. Jun Xian grew more pale, his lips turning frighteningly purple.
"Will father....." Jun Qing asked, worried.
"It's fine" Jun Wu Xie, head lowered, continued busying herself.
As long as she is alive, not even the devil himself, can claim her grandfather from her.
The darkened blood was slowly expelled and Jun Xian lost the purple in his lips. He was still pale, but did not look as frighteningly sick.
Jun Wu Xie took out some of her fortification medicine, and fed them to Jun Xian.
Colour returned to Jun Xian and the furrowed brow relaxed, as he gained a bit of strength.
He was still weary, leaning on the bed frame.
Seeing the condition of Jun Xian improve, Jun Qing heaved a sigh of relief and asked: "Father, what happened tonight? With your skills and the guards that went with you, few within the Imperial City can be a match for you."
The relaxed Jun Xian furrowed his brows in rage, "Lin Yue Yang was poisoned! When I found him, he was delirious. He was mumbling things about why they had to kill his family and why was he persecuted. He did not recognise me at first, and fought with the guards. I did not want to hurt him, and only ordered him subdued. Lucky for the pills that Wu Xie made me keep handy all the time. I gave one to Lin Yue Yang and he regained a bit sanity."
Thinking back to the scene of seeing the benefactor to the Jun Family insane, Jun Xian's heart wrenched in pain.
"When Lin Yue Yang regained his sanity, he rushed up shouting at me, to leave with my men. There are people who were using him to harm me. His whole family, young and old, died under their scheming." Jun Xian clenched his fists, the saviour to his son, had died because of him, his entire family, not one spared, and it was all due to him.
"Just as he finished his words, he went into another bout of insanity, his body ballooned up rapidly, and blew apart. After the explosion, we suddenly felt weak, and fell off our horses one after another....."
.
.
.
Chapter 129:- This is Just the Beginning (3)
After Jun Xian and his guards fell off their horses, a group of assassins rushed at them. They were defenseless against the assassins in their weakened state. All the guards were killed and Jun Xian was captured and brought back to the Imperial City.
The guards from the Rui Lin Army had followed under Jun Xian for a long time and were his comrades, and were family to him. Jun Xian mourned deeply over their deaths.
He was brought to a dungeon, if not for Jun Wu Yao's timely arrival, he might not have survived to see his son and granddaughter.
Jun Xian narrated the tumultuous events in an even voice.....
Though it made his audience wince at the close call.
Mo Qian Yuan being from the Imperial Family, lowered his head in shame, he knew better than anyone, the people responsible for the atrocities.
Jun Qing's face darkened. In the Imperial Family's attempt to eradicate the Jun Family, they had used Lin Yue Yang as bait, knowing the Jun Family would not stand by and see their benefactor die an ignoble death. The Jun Family was responsible for the tragedy of the Lin Family.
"We have implicated the Lin Family." Jun Xian closed his eyes in pain. As a military man his whole life, he had given his life to the country, the Emperor he has devoted his unwavering loyalty to, has turned out to be so callous.
The pain from his body pales in comparison to the pain stemming from the heart.
"Grandfather will be fine after a few days of administration." Jun Wu Xie was packing up after hearing her grandfather speak.
Since leaving the Imperial Palace, she had been unusually calm.
This calmness, made Mo Qian Yuan who had seen her vicious cruelty, uneasy.
"Grandfather, Uncle, you must be tired, please rest early." reminded Jun Wu Xie as she stood up.
"Wu Xie, wait." Jun Xian sat up and looked at Mo Qian Yuan.
Mo Xian Yuan understood that his words were not meant for his ears and got up to leave. Jun Wu Xie stopped him, saying: "Sit down."
Mo Qian Yuan paused, and could only meekly comply.
"Grandfather, I know what you are about to say. I was not being rash or impetuous today. I decided that people who harbour ill intentions against the Jun Family shall not live. I know you will persuade me otherwise. But forgive me for being unfilial, I will not change my mind on this matter." Jun Wu Xie knelt by Jun Xian, her eyes determined.
She knew Jun Xian was of humble birth, but gained favour from the late Emperor to prove his mettle on the battlefield, where he gained outstanding honours. Jun Xian's tolerance of the current Emperor time and again was his form of repayment to the favours bestowed by the late Emperor.
But Jun Xian's tolerance does not equate that Jun Wu Xie follows suit!
Jun Xian looked in alarm at the Jun Wu Xie kneeling by his bed, and despite his weariness, He pulled Jun Wu Xie upright.
"What are you thinking!?"
"Grandfather, my mind is set." Jun Wu Xie allowed herself to be pulled up, but she will not change her mind.
"This child..... Where did she get that stubborn streak from?" Jun Xian sighed in exasperation.
"I am persuading you otherwise because I am worried you will be at the forefront of danger, with your actions violating the powers of the Imperial Family, and bring harm to yourself. If you are determined, Grandfather will protect you at the cost of my life. You committed massacre to protect the sanctity of the Jun Family. This set of old bones might not be much, but it will shoulder the burden and not allow you, my dear child, to carry it all yourself."
.
.
.
Chapter 130:- This is Just the Beginning (4)
Decades of unwavering loyalty and in return, your life under threat. Even the most blindly loyal will awake to that reality.
The Emperor had decided to do away with the mighty Jun Family, and if it was not for the decisive and resolved Jun Wu Xie, who repelled the onslaught, the Lin Palace might have vanquished.
Seeing that Jun Xian had accepted her decision, Jun Wu Xie was greatly relieved. She would rather face the scorn from all the people under the Heavens, and suffer abuse and humiliation throughout the lands. But she cannot live with her grandfather and uncle hating her.
"Rest assured, Grandfather. I have made the necessary preparation. The Jun Family will not come to harm."
"I heard from your Uncle you released the Soaring Cloud Signal. You are really fearless. I know everything that happened tonight, and I am happy you handled every aspect so well. But I want to know of any future plans you make, please do not hide anything from me." Jun Xian said in mock sternness, the twinkle in his eyes betraying him, where they were filled with love and affection.
"Yes, I shall." Jun Wu Xie nodded.
"I intend to have the Emperor abdicate, and let the Crown Prince ascend the throne."
Jun Wu Xie's short nonchalant statement made everyone's heart almost stop.
Abdication!?
She still wants the Emperor to relinquish his throne!
Jun Qing's heart almost jumped out of him.
"Everything I did tonight was to firstly force the Emperor to release Grandfather, secondly, it was to eradicate the Emperor's lackeys and lastly, I needed to shore up our support and create favourable conditions for us."
Rescuing Jun Xian was her prerogative, and the other two objectives were to sabotage the Imperial Family's prestige and standing.
The massacre of officials and generals tonight had gotten rid of powers who were against the Lin Palace, many of them strong supporters of the Emperor. With them eradicated, it was now harder for the Emperor to carry out any schemes in court.
With concrete evidence produced, the executions of the corrupt officials had pushed the reputation of the Lin Palace to new peaks!
"You planned for all these? You pushed all credit at the end to His Highness all in order to achieve your aims?" Jun Xian finally understood Jun Wu Xie's intentions. The Emperor's wings were now clipped, and Jun Wu Xie grabbed the chance to present Mo Qian Yuan to the people and made it memorable.
All of these, to lay the foundation for the change of powers!
"Yes." Jun Wu Xie replied, without hiding her intentions.
Since the Emperor cannot accommodate the Jun Family's existence, she will change the Emperor!
"In order to take over the throne legitimately, it is imperative Your Highness wins the support for the people." Jun Wu Xie reasoned.
The quiet Mo Qian Yuan sitting in the corner jumped. When Jun Wu Xie executed Wei Qun Hua, he had felt that Jun Wu Xie had activated their dormant alliance.
If not for the Emperor's vicious hand, Jun Wu Xie would have bided her time.
It was the Emperor's malice that brought about the massacre by Jun Wu Xie!
"You had the Rui Lin Army lock down the Imperial City, in preparation to force the Emperor's abdication?" As Jun Wu Xie's intentions dawned on Jun Xian, he saw the astonishing depth the plan entailed, and she was able to formulate it flawlessly when she was caught in blinding rage. That was a feat he was incapable of.
"Yes, I prepared it when I summoned the Rui Lin Army. If they do not release Grandfather, I will breach the Imperial Palace. If they release him, I will lock down the Imperial City, and force his abdication. As long as the Rui Lin Army controls the Imperial City, the Emperor will not be able to draw his troops back. And once, Mo Qian Yuan ascends the throne, our Jun Family will be free from these misgivings." Jun Wu Xie explained her plans, her eyes aglow.
Expose the crimes, execute the officials, lock down the Imperial City, these were all within Jun Wu Xie's expectations before she moved out with the army.
Release or not, the Emperor had to die!
.
.
.
Chapter 131:- This is Just the Beginning (5)
Jun Xian took a deep breath, getting the full picture, and was amazed at the intricately laid out plans of Jun Wu Xie.
How old was she?
It was terrifying, even though this was his own granddaughter.
The little girl who kept herself holed up at home, was much more decisive, and capable than many men he knew, how deep was this girl?
Jun Wu Xie did not kill with her own hands, but her orders had caused a sea of bloodshed in the Imperial City.
Not just Jun Xian, both Jun Qing and Mo Qian Yuan were also shocked by Jun Wu Xie's control of all that happened.
Mo Qian Yuan looked at Jun Wu Xie in awe, feeling a deep sense of relief.
Fortunately for him, he had been allied with Jun Wu Xie. Otherwise, he would have died under her hands sooner or later.
"You..... wanted me here, not just to hear all this, but to protect me. Am I right?" Mo Qian Yuan suddenly realised.
Jun Wu Xie just looked at him in silent consent.
"You knew, after all that happened tonight, he will be resentful. He will not dare to retaliate against the Lin Palace, but will try to get rid of me if I had remained at the Crown Prince Residence seeing that we have shown ourselves to be allied. I am now targeted and you invited me here on the pretext of discussion of future plans to protect me from him! Right?" Mo Qian Yuan persisted.
The Lin Palace had torn all bridges in their relations with the Imperial Family, and the Emperor had never shown Mo Qian Yuan any favours. Moreover, Mo Qian Yuan had been seeing Jun Wu Xie frequently, he would definitely act to rid himself of the thorn in his side.
"You are not that dumb after all." Jun Wu Xie replied dismissively.
Mo Qian Yuan slumped further in his seat, stunned by the fact that the Emperor would have him killed without consideration and by the astute mind of Jun Wu Xie who saw all this coming before anyone did.
"Cough..... Wu Xie." Jun Xian cleared his throat, glancing at Mo Qian Yuan awkwardly.
His granddaughter was being rather brash to the Crown Prince.
"It's alright, she is doing it for my safety. She has become my benefactor, for without her, I would have died an ignoble death." Mo Qian Yuan said in self mocking jest, when his biological father wanted him dead, and he was saved by an outsider, what a joke.
Jun Xian sighed. He had heard about things happening within the Imperial Family.
"It seems this was discussed before?" Jun Qing had observed Jun Wu Xie and Mo Qian Yuan quietly from the side. He had previously thought that romance was blooming between them since noticing Jun Wu Xie's frequent trips to the Crown Prince Residence. Looking at them now, it seems he might have been mistaken.
"Yes it was. But it is happening earlier than we thought." Jun Wu Xie replied calmly, oblivious to the funny look her uncle had in his eyes.
Instead, Mo Qian Yuan caught it. His face flushed red and he lowered his head, bashful.
Jun Qing saw the differing reactions of the two of them but brushed the matter aside for the moment in the face of the important tasks at hand.
"Wu Xie, when did you start to have these intentions?" Jun Qing did not understand how a little girl who stayed holed up at home, can even dream up such a grand scheme to change the Emperor!
"A few months ago." Since she returned to the Lin Palace, she had toyed with the idea. Initially, it was for herself, now, it was for the whole Jun Family.
.
.
.
Chapter 132:- Thank You Present (1)
Jun Qing and Jun Xian were silently thoughtful, never had it crossed their minds that things would come to this.
At that time, Jun Wu Xie did not even step out of Lin Palace, how could she even begin to harbour such intentions?
The father and son kept Jun Wu Xie back with more questions, and only after being overwhelmed by the intricacy of her plans, did they allow her to leave.
A room was arranged for Mo Qian Yuan in the annex, and he wondered if it was intentional that it was extremely far away from Jun Wu Xie's room!
After coming out from Jun Xian's room, Jun Wu Xie heaved a long breath. The stench from her blood covered clothes was overpowering. The black beast who laid by the door clamoured to its feet when it saw Jun Wu Xie and rubbed itself against her.
"Meow"
[My master was so heroic today!]
"Knock it off, I'm filthy." Jun Wu Xie wrinkled her nose as she looked down her dress and walked hurriedly towards her room.
The black beast shimmered, and transformed itself back into a tiny black cat, and hopped onto Jun Wu Xie's shoulder.
They arrived back at her courtyard, though the bodies of the assassins had been disposed at the Imperial Palace's gates, the blood still covered the ground. The suffocating stench hung heavily over the courtyard and several servants were brushing and washing down the blood with water. But there was too much blood and they will not get it cleaned for awhile.
The servants bowed in greeting when they saw Jun Wu Xie, "The steward has prepared hot water for your bath. It is ready for use."
Jun Wu Xie nodded. Uncle Fu was so thoughtful, the stench from her clothes was driving her crazy.
The smell swirled around her body, bringing to mind the scene when she was reborn. Those repressed memories, came back to her as the scent of blood permeated her nostrils.
She went straight to her room, and flung the cat in the hall while she proceeded to the bath. Warm water filled the wooden bath tub, the air steamy from the heat of the water.
Jun Wu Xie undressed, her snowy white skin exposed to the chill air. Trembling slightly, she hopped quickly into the bathtub, the warm water relaxing her tense body, her pores in jubilation of comfort.
The warm water wrapped her in comfort and she relaxed as she soaked, her eyes drooping to close in sleep.
Having fallen into a deep sleep, she awoke only when the water started to lose its warmth.
The moment she opened her eyes, she froze!
A beautiful handsome face rested on the edge of the tub, the corners of his mouth just ever so slightly curled, smiling. His violet eyes staring at her.
"........" Jun Wu Xie stared at Jun Wu Yao, not knowing when he arrived.
"I was thinking, this would be the moment, you should be screaming." Jun Wu Yao rested his chin in his palm and playfully ran his fingers along the rim of the tub before gently rippling the water. The playful twinkle in his eyes pierced through the fog fell upon the face of Jun Wu Xie, seemingly staring at her eyebrows.
"Why are you here?" Jun Wu Xie asked, furrowing her brows, the flower petals on the water covering her.
"If not here, where should I be?" Jun Wu Yao questioned in return, laughing.
"You left earlier." Jun Wu Xie did not see Jun Wu Yao on the way back, and has gotten used to his long periods of absence.
Jun Wu Yao smiled, his slender fingers dancing upon the warm water, "The stench of blood was too strong and I had to clean myself up. How could I allow you to see me in that state?"
.
.
.
Chapter 133:- Thank You Present (2)
After which, Jun Wu Yao abruptly stood up as his tall stature bent over and leaned in towards her, his handsome face only a breath away from her.
"Come, tell me if you can smell it."
His actions were so sudden yet so natural when he closed in on their distance. Jun Wu Xie was completely caught off guard, as his masculine scent descended upon her, there was no stench of blood and sweat, only a refreshing masculine scent greeted her.
"You... go out first." Jun Wu Xie subconsciously tilted her face away as she felt her cheeks flush, she faintly felt there was something about this scene that was not right.
"Why? I have already washed myself thoroughly, right?" Jun Wu Yao smiled at her, without the slightest intention to leave as he asked her in his enigmatic voice.
Jun Wu Xie frowned.
"Stop worrying, isn't Grandfather back safe and sound? This expression doesn't suit you." Jun Wu Yao raised his hands and reached out as he trailed his wet finger gently between her eyebrows, smoothing out her frown.
Being gloomy all day doesn't suit his girl.
Jun Wu Xie looked at him, as her gaze rested on his rosy lips that were slightly apart, she froze for a moment before squeezing out a "thank you".
Jun Wu Yao's hand did not leave her face as he brushed her delicate cheeks softly, his eyes were warm as he looked at her giving her a devilish smile.
"Thank me?"
"For saving Grandfather." Jun Wu Xie replied awkwardly, if it wasn't for Jun Wu Yao's timely arrival, she might have lost someone precious to her.
Although Jun Wu Xie was cold and aloof, she still knew basic courtesy, after all, he had saved her important family member.
Jun Wu Yao gently wiped the droplets of water over her red luscious lips with his thumb.
"There is no need to thank me, I've said it before, I'm staying on because I want to repay my gratitude, didn't I?" Jun Wu Yao looked at her with a twinkle in his eyes, revealing another sly smile. Saving Jun Xian was a piece of cake for him, whether Jun Xian lived or died made no difference to him however he knew that it did matter to her and all he wanted was for her to be happy.
As long as she was happy, he'd do anything.
Jun Wu Xie looked at him with a hint of disbelief. Using repaying his gratitude as an excuse? She had long threw that excuse out the window.
"Wu Xie."
"Hmm?" Jun Wu Xie felt that something was amiss, however he had saved Jun Xian earlier and she decided that she should be more tolerant towards him.
"If you really want to thank me, can I change it for something else?" Jun Wu Yao's deep purple eyes seemed to be ablaze as he looked longingly at her lips.
"As long as it's something I have." Jun Wu Xie replied calmly, if its about making medicine, as long as he asks for it, and it's within her means, she would definitely refine it for him.
Jun Wu Yao could not help but let out a chuckle when he saw her answer so seriously as she had on a grim expression. Who would believe that this was the very same girl who had started a huge massacre just hours ago? Looking at her now, she was really like a white piece of paper.
"Of course you have it."
"What is it?" Jun Wu Xie's expression turned grave as she looked at him in earnest.
"Well, you said that as long as it's something you have, you promise to give it to me, right?" Jun Wu Yao was in no hurry to respond to her question.
"Yes."
"Well then, this is a choice you've made yourself." He chortled as a devilish grin spread across his face.
Suddenly, a feeling rose up in Jun Wu Xie's heart that something seemed off but before she could think further, Jun Wu Yao had already closed in on her!
Jun Wu Xie flung her eyes open wide when she felt something warm and tender pressing against her lips!
.
.
.
Chapter 134:- Thank You Present (3)
"!!!!!!"
Warmth spread in her mouth, and a rush overcame her as her lips tingled.
Jun Wu Xie wanted to retreat in protest, but within the confines of the wooden tub, she had no room to back into.
Before she could resist further, Jun Wu Yao held the back of her neck in a strong hand, and pulled her face closer tenderly.
"You promised, you can't back out. And..... remember to breathe through your nose." Having lightly tasted it, Jun Wu Yao was unable to pull himself away. He was drowning deep within those eyes. He panted lightly as he whispered the reminder, and without waiting for a reply, dived headlong into another kiss.
Jun Wu Xie's mind went blank, Jun Wu Yao's breath tickled her cheek, all her strength seemed to seep out of her, and she was unable to struggle.
Jun Wu Yao went deeper, slowly savouring. In his yearning in the sweetness of the moment, Jun Wu Yao lifted her up from the warm water, and pulled her into an embrace within his strong arms.
The little black cat who sat outside the bath, saw Jun Wu Xie lifted and embraced by the unashamed Jun Wu Yao, and it nearly dropped its jaw in shock.
It knew its mistress was clueless about relationships between a man and a woman, and this scoundrel was taking advantage of that and stealing the pure innocence of its mistress!!
[My Master! You have to resist!]
[Push him away!]
[What kind of gift in thanks is this scoundrel asking for!? ]
[That is an outrage to your modesty!]
[Kill him quick!]
[Stick him with your needles!]
[Make him a hedgehog!]
[Die you lecher!!!!!]
It was no use. Jun Wu Xie brain's was not functioning and did not receive the little black cat's thoughts.
The little black cat could only weep the futility and at the loss of its mistress's first kiss of her two lives stolen, by this shameless and despicable lecher!
The little black cat was about to lose its mind!
And what made it more sad was.....
It was not the lecher's match in battle!
It could only stare quietly, swallowing back its tears, and mourn for its Mistress's lost innocence!
After a long while, Jun Wu Yao reluctantly parted his lips from Jun Wu Xie's.
Jun Wu Xie had not recovered and her eyes were glazed.
Jun Wu Yao smiled and draped a robe around Jun Wu Xie, and carried her out of the bath.
"You are so tempting to eat, a pity....." Jun Wu Yao carried Jun Wu Xie over to her soft bed, looking at her cheeks, pink from her bath, her lightly closed eyes, and ran his fingers longingly across her face.
Too early. Though delicious, but was not time to pick and savour.
To a connoisseur, he waits till the flowers blossoms, before he picks it in its most beautiful form.
And Jun Wu Xie was still a bud waiting to blossom, it was not time to pick it.
Wait. Will still have to wait.
"Grow up fast." Jun Wu Yao said in a low voice.
"You!" Jun Wu Xie snapped awake, she lifted her hand and the robe draped upon her slipped off her shoulder.
In that moment, the room was silent.
Jun Wu Yao glanced haltingly, eyebrows raised, and his amusement deepened.
"Get out!" Jun Wu Xie pulled the robe around her, staring murderously at him.
Bring me my needles!
"Sure, I have received my gift of thanks, and sincerely..... It was the best gift I have ever received." Jun Wu Yao laughed impetuously, his eyes showing joy. We still have a long road ahead, we have time. Isn't that right?
His first taste of the flower left a lingering fragrance in his mouth.
.
.
.
Chapter 135:- Spirit Growth
The mischievous Jun Wu Yao left laughing, and the little black cat hiding in the corner jumped onto the bed. With a serious expression, for a cat, it sat upon the soft bed, looking at Jun Wu Xie, with her cheeks flushed red.
"Mistress, we need to talk about life."
"Huh?" Jun Wu Xie, with her robe pulled tightly around her, turned to face the little black cat, replied quizzically, eyebrows raised. Her lips were still slightly swollen, and traces of the rush of sensations that overwhelmed her earlier remained leaving a tingling feeling.
[You grew up in an environment closed from the world. You had never encountered anything outside of medicine. You had never experienced, and hence have no common knowledge of human to human interaction. Although you joined the organization thereafter, you holed yourself up in the lab, and all your assistants were female and you had no interaction with members of the opposite sex. That has lead you to lack common sense in your interactions with the males in general.] The little black cat looked sternly at Jun Wu Xie.
In the long years she lived in her previous life, she had not interacted with a man alone, and she was defenceless against advances such as this.
If the lecherous Jun Wu Yao was allowed to have his way, it's mistress will be swallowed up whole one fine day.
That must not be allowed to happen!
"So.....?" Jun Wu Xie did not know what the little black cat was driving at.
[So, just like today, it was pure.....]
With a whoosh, the soft pillow flew into the little black cat's face, before it could finish the sentence.
"Meow!!"
"Shut it!" Jun Wu Xie turned a bright shade of red, and she did not want to hear anything about what happened earlier.
[.............] The little black cat was speechless. [Mistress! That expression on your face..... It does not suit you! You need lessons urgently on interpersonal skills between men and women!]
Jun Wu Xie had refused to let it say anymore, and it can only sulk scratching its claws at the foot of the bed.
Jun Wu Xie dressed and regained her usual composure. She sat down at the table and cupped her face in her palms, staring at the lotus just beginning to bloom.
The lotus has begun to flower and its fragrance grew stronger. Jun Wu Xie could feel her spiritual strength growing and developing. The power that she gathered in her palm glowed red and it was getting stronger as well.
Enveloped within the lingering fragrance, Jun Wu Xie's calm returned.
The plan to have the Crown Prince take over the throne was happening earlier than expected and her spiritual power was not strong enough. In all the seven stages, evolving to the next stage was always extremely difficult. Evolving the red aura of the spirit was the least difficult one, and it took an average person three years to evolve them from red to orange while it took the gifted ones about two years.
To advance to yellow from orange, it required twice the amount of time. Six years.....
The stronger the spiritual powers grow, the longer the time it requires. And the gap between the average person and the gifted one amplifies the further they advance.
Those blessed with the gift can reduce the time needed to develop the powers and pursue greater heights impossible to most.
For the average human and those less inclined, if they stagnate and spend too much time on a particular level, the chances to achieve the higher stages are greatly reduced.
If a person evolving an orange aura of the spirit to yellow took more than twelve years, it would be impossible for him to evolve his yellow aura in this life.
.
.
.
Chapter 136:- Shaky Throne (1)
Jun Wu Xie was still unfamiliar with the spiritual powers of this world, She was unable to judge how far she had come with her spirit's red aura.
The situation at hand did not allow her to wait. Removing the threat to the Jun Family must take priority.
There wasn't much time left.
...
Within the Qi Imperial Palace, the Emperor sat within the study, his face threateningly dark.
Mo Xuan Fei sat meekly in a corner, keeping his head lowered.
All within one night, the men who ruled these lands tasted for the first time the bitterness of defeat, and had their pride and authority trampled into dust.
"You useless piece of trash! Look what you have done! How long had Jun Wu Xie been tagging behind you? You didn't even realise what she was capable of. And now, she has kicked mud onto our faces! I have been humiliated!" The Emperor stared angrily at Mo Xuan Fei. He would not have ever dreamed, the lass that was detested and shunned by the people, would turn into the heroine revered by all.
The series of events that unfolded before them tonight, could not have been the work of a wilful and unruly little lass.
Mo Xuan Fei kept his head lowered. Ever since they stepped into the Imperial Study, he had been chided, and he could find no answer in rebuttal.
"I..... I don't know how she turned out like this..... When she was with me, she was not dumb, nor I would call her intelligent. Or she would not have been deceived to go to the cliff." Mo Xuan Fei tried to say in defence. How did she become so intelligent?
"You have the cheek to bring that up! I reminded you that no matter how much you disliked Jun Wu Xie, bear with it for the sake of the Lin Palace. And you showed your hand prematurely instead! You are lucky Jun Xian does not suspect you or he will not spare even you! What's done is done, but Jun Wu Xie still survived! That was really dumb!" The Emperor raged on. He was not mad that Mo Xuan Fei struck them early, but angry at the fact he did not root out the crux of their problems! Jun Wu Xie still lives!
If Mo Xuan Fei had succeeded, tonight would not have happened.
"Father! If I had not made my move, how could I get close to Yun Xian? I disliked Jun Wu Xie, but you wanted me to play along, in view of not offending them. Then you wanted me to get close to Bai Yun Xian. As a disciple of the Qing Yun Clan, she would not even have looked at me if I was still caught in the engagement with Jun Wu Xie." Mo Xuan Fei was dismayed that Jun Wu Xie could survive a fall from such a high cliff.
The Emperor stared angrily at Mo Xuan Fei, but knew he spoke the truth.
In fact, the Emperor was not entirely oblivious to Mo Xuan Fei's actions, but had tacitly approved them.
Unfortunately, his scheme failed, and Jun Wu Xie survived, and underwent an earth moving change.
"With things having reached such a stage, it's no use crying over spilt milk. Our hostility towards the Lin Palace has been plainly exposed as Jun Xian survived and there is no way we can change that fact. What Jun Wu Xie did tonight was just a prequel to bigger things to come. She had been in close contact with the Crown Prince, and has invited him to the Lin Palace. It seems they have formed an alliance." The Emperor astutely concluded the gravity of the situation.
"Father, you mean..... Jun Wu Xie is planning a regime change with the Crown Prince?" and Mo Xuan Fei paled.
.
.
.
Chapter 137:- Shaky Throne (2)
The Emperor nodded heavily, just at that moment, an eunuch came to deliver a new message, after reading the scroll on hand, the Emperor's face turned pale.
"This Jun Wu Xie dares to act so brazenly!!!" He clenched his fist till his knuckles turned white.
"Imperial Father, what is the matter?" Mo Xuan Fei was startled at his father's outburst.
The Emperor flung the scroll angrily at Mo Xuan Fei, seething in rage. Mo Xuan Fei scrambled to catch it and his face also lost all colour after reading the contents.
"Sh..She actually had the entire Rui Lin Army blockade up the whole Imperial City? What is she up to now?!"
"What is she up to? Ah! This girl really wants to get rid of me! The whole Imperial City is now indirectly placed under the Rui Lin Army's control, I can't even get my forces in to protect me, she clearly wants me to abdicate! She wants me to abdicate! Using such tactics, she really is very heartless!" The Emperor felt as if there was a noose around his neck being held by Jun Wu Xie and she was slowly tightening it, as he found his breathing erratic and he started gasping for air.
"No wonder she invited the Crown Prince to return to Lin Palace with her, she was afraid that I might get rid of him if I had found out her intentions in advance. If there's no candidate to ascend the throne, she won't force this hand on me." Thinking how intricate her planning was, the Emperor really wanted to vomit blood!
Mo Xuan Fei's face turned as white as sheet, never in his wildest dreams would he have thought that Jun Wu Xie was so capable and to have exploited various reasons to put them in such a tight spot.
How did she pull it off? What was in that mind of hers? How could she think of so many plans?
"T..Then what should we do now? You can't be thinking of handing everything over to her on a silver platter, without even putting up a bit of a fight?" Mo Xuan Fei started to panic, the relationship he had with Jun Wu Xie was now rotten to the extreme, since he had broken off the engagement. If she had designs on the Emperor's throne, he would definitely get embroiled in it and he would have no means of escape.
"Stop panicking! Things won't be going the way she planned, quickly, send some of our people to go out of Imperial City under the cover of the night in disguise." The Emperor's eyes were full of malice as he narrowed them, seething silently in rage.
The moon hung in the sky as the cold night breeze blew into the Imperial Study. The Emperor stood by the window as he looked out staring at the moon in deep contemplation. There were some shuffling movements at the door as an eunuch scrambled to bring him some news: All the people he had sent out had lost their heads, not a single soul made it out of Imperial City.
"All of them had beast contractual spirits!" The Emperor felt his heart ache as he bellowed at the poor eunuch who brought the ill news.
He had not expect that they would be so easily wiped out, he had actually made sure they were under the guise of the commoners, he did not think that the Rui Lin Army would actually dare kill commoners.
Won't they afraid of arousing the wrath of the common people?
However, no matter what beasts they had, be it aerial or land beasts, Rui Lin Army had shot them down mercilessly.
The Emperor slumped onto his chair as his thoughts were thrown into disarray, cold sweat trickling down his forehead.
Nobody was allowed out of Imperial City, they had fully locked down the entire city and he had no means to get help from outside!
"Go! Quickly summon Bai Yun Xian!" The Emperor hollered, he suddenly remembered he still had a hidden card.
No matter what, Bai Yun Xian was still Qing Yun Clan Sovereign's disciple and even he did not dare provoke them. Relying on their great influence, Bai Yun Xian was his hidden trump card! Only she had the power to reverse the situation!
Mo Xuan Fei quickly brought Bai Yun Xian to the Imperial Study.
Her face was black to the extreme, being awoken in the middle of the night, she was in a very bad mood. She was on a cold war with Mo Xuan Fei and now he actually dragged her out in the middle of the night while she was having her beauty sleep! She gave a perfunctory curtsy to the Emperor.
"May I know what is so important that Your Majesty had to invite me over so urgently for?"
"Miss Bai, time is at stake, I really need you to extend your grace, we need to seek your assistance in some matters." The Emperor resumed his dignified poise as he gave her a warm smile.
Bai Yun Xian was slightly startled, she had went to bed earlier today and had no idea of the huge changes the winds had brought about to the Qi Kingdom.
.
.
.
Chapter 138:- Shaky Throne (3)
"What on earth happened?" Bai Yun Xian asked when she saw the pale faced duo and put aside her irritation for having her sleep interrupted.
The Emperor cast a glance from the corner of his eyes at Mo Xuan Fei and in tacit understanding, he put up a front of solemnity and related the night's events. In his narration, he twisted the facts to drag Bai Yun Xian into the picture by saying that Jun Wu Xie's incredulous actions were due to her jealousy and anger at being spurned by Mo Xuan Fei for Bai Yun Xian.
"Jun Wu Xie has locked down the Imperial City, to force me to hand you over to her. How can I bear to do that? Rest assured, even at the cost of my life, I will ensure you remain safe." Mo Xuan Fei held Bai Yun Xian's hands tightly in his, looking like nothing in the world mattered more to him than her lovely self.
Bai Yun Xian was stunned in silence and looked blankly at Mo Xuan Fei.
"You said, Jun Wu Xie wants you to hand me over to her?" Her eyes wide with shock.
Jun Wu Xie dares to mess with me!?
Does she not know the might of the Qing Yun Clan!?
"Yun Xian! I will not let her have her way! That lunatic will get to you only over my dead body!" Mo Xuan Fei hugged Bai Yun Xian tightly, unwilling to let go.
The Emperor looked on in approval, and taciturnly nodded at Mo Xuan Fei.
Mo Xuan Fei smiled, his face hidden away from Bai Yun Xian.
"Jun Wu Xie has overestimated herself, she thinks she had rendered me helpless by locking down the city? It's just the Rui Lin Army!" Bai Yun Xian pushed Mo Xuan Fei away in anger. She was touched by the Mo Xuan Fei's deep feeling for her, but Jun Wu Xie's actions were an affront to her dignity.
A mere Miss from the Lin Palace to face her? What a joke!
Seeing that she had bought the story, the Emperor and Mo Xuan Fei felt like rubbing their hands in glee, but they kept their facades on, looking aggrieved for the affront to Bai Yun Xun.
"Yun Xian, you have a plan?" Mo Xuan Fei asked.
Bai Yun Xian nodded and raised her hand. Worn on her index finger, a shiny gold band started to shimmer in a white glow, and a white glowing butterfly coalesced with that light, flapping its translucent wings, a beautiful sight to behold.
"This is my contracted spirit. Butterfly of Compassion, The Min Butterfly. It is capable of transformation. In the night, it will not be seen. The Rui Lin Army has the Imperial City locked down? That remains to be seen!" Bai Yun Xian laughed. She had harboured a deep dislike for Jun Wu Xie all this while, and now she dares to go openly go against her?
That works out just fine for her. It is time the Young Miss of the Lin Palace learnt her place and realise how miniscule the Lin Palace is. She can crush them with a wag of her finger!
"That's fantastic! With the Min Butterfly, no matter how capable Jun Wu Xie is, she cannot stop us from sending for reinforcements! Yun Xian, it is all in your hands! A hundred and fifty miles southeast from here, there is a garrison. Once you send the news out, the army will deploy and the Rui Lin Army will not be a threat!" Mo Xuan Fei lit up with joy. He was right to choose Bai Yun Xian! No matter how brutal Jun Wu Xie was, she commands only an army of a hundred thousand here. With the rest of the Jun Family's army stationed at the borders, they will not make it back in time even if they rode their horses to death!
Bai Yun Xian glanced at Mo Xuan Fei and prodded her butterfly. It fluttered its wings and flew out the window, the translucent wings blending into the dark of night, invisible to the eye and seemed to have disappeared.
"Garrison? No, I informed my master." She will let Jun Wu Xie learn the hard way, the Qing Yun Clan is not to be trifled with!
.
.
.
Chapter 139:- Shaky Throne (4)
The Emperor and Mo Xuan Fei were devastated.
Inform the Qing Yun Clan?
The Qing Yun Clan was far distance from the Qi Kingdom. How long did they have to wait?
If they had sent for help from the nearby garrison, it would have only taken days at most for reinforcements to arrive. Now, help will only arrive from Qing Yun Clan eight hundred miles away.....
How long will their journey take!?
During that period, what atrocities would Jun Wu Xie put us under!?
"Yun Xian! It would be inappropriate to trouble Qing Yun Clan over such a trifling matter. As a guest of the Qi Kingdom, we should resolve these issues ourselves." Mo Xuan Fei panicked. By the time Qing Yun Clan gets here, they might all not be alive anymore.
Bai Yun Xian replied: "The Min Butterfly is incapable of speech and only my master can decipher the message which I sent through the butterfly. If I had sent it to the garrison, no one would have understood."
Mo Xuan Fei's shoulders slumped, he just remembered that spirits generally can only communicate with their owners, and not to any other.
Only just realising that, Mo Xuan Fei was deflated.
For a moment there, he had thought they were saved but the chances seemed really slim right now.
Seeing Mo Xuan Fei forlorn and downcast, Bai Yun Xian said with knitted brows: "The Min Butterfly is very fast, my master will send help in two weeks if all goes well."
Considering the distance they had to travel, that was fast.
"But with the Rui Lin Army under Jun Wu Xie, if she makes her move....." Mo Xuan Fei was terrified, having witnessed Jun Wu Xie's bloody massacre, he was afraid of her next move.
"She might think she possesses the capability to harm me! Get some men to prepare these, I know how to drag this out." Bai Yun Xian's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"What are you going to do?" Mo Xuan Fei had never seen Bai Yun Xian so cold, and felt a little jittery about it. He felt a cold wave of apprehension.
Bai Yun Xian's lips curled in malice, her eyes dripped with venom.
"You said Jun Wu Xie has garrisoned her Rui Lin Army within the Imperial City? If I can render the whole Rui Lin Army here immobile, wouldn't her army of a hundred thousand become useless? Do not forget, the poison you gave Lin Yue Yang, came from me."
Mo Xuan Fei jerked up. To capture Jun Xian, he had gone to Bai Yun Xian for the drug. It first messes up the mind, driving them to lunacy and introduces violent poison into the body, inducing the person to bloat and explode. Remnants from the poison dissipates into the air after the explosion makes anyone who smells it weak, losing their strength.
Poison like this, was unheard of and Mo Xuan Fei had it tested on people to verify the claimed effects before he gave it to Lin Yue Yang.
It was due to the poison that they were able to capture Jun Xian that easily.
Nevertheless, it was very potent malevolent poison and even Mo Xuan Fei was shuddered at its effects.
Mo Xuan Fei had a pretty good guess what Bai Yun Xian's was planning. "Yun Xian, you have a plan in mind to incapacitate the Rui Lin Army of a hundred thousand soldiers?" Mo Xuan Fei asked, his eyes bright with fervour.
Bai Yun Xian smiled coldly: "Piece of cake. The Qing Yun Clan uses poison as well as they can administer medicine."
.
.
.
Chapter 140:- Drunk Lotus (1)
With the Imperial City locked down, the people were filled with unease. They were not aware of the struggle between the Lin Palace and the Imperial Family. They were told the attackers who ambushed the Second Prince have not been completely eradicated and the sealing of the city was necessary to prevent their escape.
With the people restless, Mo Qian Yuan started to mingle among them frequently, caring for them, addressing the popular sentiment. Within a few short days, Mo Qian Yuan's standing and reputation improved by leaps and bounds and had totally overshadowed Mo Xuan Fei, becoming the prince of choice by the populace.
Jun Wu Xie laid low during this period, shutting herself up in cultivating her spiritual powers.
"Mistress, shouldn't you strike while the iron is hot?" The little black cat laid by the edge of the lotus pond, swishing its fluffy tail back and forth over the water.
Jun Wu Xie sat at the stone table, observing the gradually blossoming lotus, replied: "It is not time yet. To allow Mo Qian Yuan to take the throne legitimately, he needs to garner the support of the people."
If she had wanted to forcefully plant Mo Qian Yuan on the throne, she would have done it on that night.
The Emperor was a vicious man, but he enjoyed good support from the populace. She clipped his wings and sealed his escape, and allowed the Emperor to stay on the throne to allow Mo Qian Yuan time to ease himself into the throne.
If she was to be the hand behind the change of regime, she wanted it done legitimately and with the approval of the people.
It was not for Mo Qian Yuan, but for the good of Lin Palace.
It did not matter who sits upon the throne, as long as the Lin Palace was not threatened.
The little black cat nodded in understanding, its mistress was a genius. She sees things to the littlest detail in her plans to protect the Lin Palace, but a complete dolt in the other aspect.
The little black cat was deep in thought, whether to broach the topic on relationships between men and women when it suddenly screeched in surprise!
"MEOWWW!!"
The black feline leapt away from the pondside in a flash, and while still airborne, it noticed a chubby little doll clinging on its tail.
Jun Wu Xie stared in surprise, as Little Lotus bit determinedly on the cat's tail holding on while the little black cat dragged him all over the courtyard.....
[You imp! Let go!!] The pain on its tail made the little black cat cry, it raised its claws, turned and scratched wildly at the soft and plump Little Lotus.
Little Lotus's snow white skin was soon covered in countless bleeding scratches.
"WAAAHHHHH!!" In pain, Little Lotus finally released the tail from its mouth, curled up on the ground, whimpering in tears.
Jun Wu Xie got a headache, seeing what she was going to have to deal with. She walked over, and picked up both the angry little cat and Little White Lotus each in one hand.
[Idiot! You bit on my tail!] The little black cat pointed accusingly.
"Sniff.... Sniff..... I didn't know. I was in the water and I saw this black thing waving and thought it was food....." Little Lotus whimpered, pouting.
[What lies! You are a plant spirit, you do not need to eat!] The little rascal must be doing it in revenge for the times he was bullied by me!
"No..... No... It wasn't like that!" Little Lotus, frightened by little black cat's aggression, shrank back in fear.
Truthfully, he did not know why he bit little black cat's tail. It was rather fuzzy, unable to recall how he swam to the edge of the pond and bit on little black cat. By the time he was aware, he was scratched all over by the little black cat.
.
.
.
Chapter 141:- Drunk Lotus (2)
Jun Wu Xie watched calmly as the tiny duo continued squabbling. She lifted the little black cat onto the table, and turned to remove the lotus from the basin it was kept in and handed the basin to Little Lotus.
"Throw the wine in there away." It was recorded in the ancient book that when cultivating an Imperial Blue Snow Lotus, do not reuse the Jade Nectar leftover in the basin. When the wine falls to a level that does not cover the roots, it must be changed as soon as possible. Hence, she had always poured the excess Jade Nectar into the lotus pond.
Little Lotus nodded and toddled to the pond hugging the basin tightly.
As he moved as fast as his tiny legs can carry him towards the pond, the pungent aroma from the basin filled his nostrils and his cheeks grew rosy. He turned around to peek, he saw Jun Wu Xie staring intently at the lotus, he involuntarily gulped down his saliva and wiped off the excess that was about to dribble down the side of his lips.
This was all unwanted...right?
Hence, it was alright to drink a little...?
Little Lotus shifted the basin closer to his mouth.....
[What are you doing!?] The little black cat suddenly screamed.
Little Lotus panicked upon hearing the scream and got rid of the Jade Nectar by pouring it all down his throat. He choked and coughed till he turned red, and turned to look at the little black cat in fear.
"No..... nothing..... " Little Lotus stammered.
The little black cat jumped off the table in a flash and walked over to Little Lotus.
Little Lotus backed away from little black cat, his tiny feet bringing him to the edge of the pond.
"Do..... do not come closer....."
"You drank the wine in secret." The little black cat narrowed its eyes and looked at Little Lotus in the eye.
"I..... I did not..... ARGHHH!!"
Following Little Lotus's scream, he fell into the lotus pond.
SPLASH!
Little Lotus fell in with a big splash.
The little black cat sat there stunned. It just wanted to scare the little guy, and he panicked and fell into the water?
"Stop the nonsense." Jun Wu Xie looked helplessly at the noisy duo holding the lotus in her hand.
The little black cat shrugged, waiting for Little Lotus to surface.
After a while, it still did not see the chubby figure anywhere.
Will water plants..... drown? The little black cat wondered as he walked to the water's edge, a hint of worry was felt.
Just as he reached the pond's edge, a dark shadow grew in the water, rising fast to the surface.
A drizzle of water droplets trailed from the white figure that flew out of the water and scattered across the ground.
It was a handsome silver haired youth, his clothes of silver and white were coated with a thin layer of mist. As he descended towards the ground, the scattered water caught the sunlight and scintillated like scattered diamonds.
"MEOW!!" The little black cat had transformed into its black beast form and loped to stand between Jun Wu Xie and this stranger.
The silver haired youth descended gently, his bare feet stepping lightly on the wet stones, his wet hair swept to the back, a handsome face glowed.
"It was you, who was always bullying me?" The silver haired youth asked, brows furrowed, his strikingly blue eyes staring at the black beast.
"How useless, bullied by a mangy cat..... Tsk!" The silver haired scowled, anger apparent in his eyes.
Jun Wu Xie narrowed her eyes at the youth who suddenly appeared in her courtyard.
"Who are you?"
The silver haired youth's face was flushed red as he looked at Jun Wu Xie and asked: "You can't even recognise your own contractual spirit?"
.
.
.
Chapter 142:- Drunk Lotus (3)
"............" Jun Wu Xie was stunned.
She had only one contractual spirit.....
The black beast stared in wide eyed wonder at the silver haired youth.
[Chub..... Chubby?] He was not certain.
The silver haired youth cringed .
"You are the chubby one! I look absolutely magnificent! Which part of me is even remotely chubby!?"
[................] The black beast was at a loss for words.
Who can tell him what is going on here!?
How? How did that soft and cuddly chubby transform into this suave youth!?
Did he mutate!?
"I am the Imperial Blue Snow Lotus, or you can call me Drunk Lotus. Do not associate me with that little lump of chubbiness." The silver haired youth said with his arms crossed, in indignation.
He grew quite a bit in arrogance as well! The black beast looked at him in a different light.
"All right, let's get down to business. You have often bullied me, did you enjoy it? Come! It's time to settle some scores!" Drunk Lotus narrowed his eyes.
Just as Drunk Lotus and the black beast were about to move, Jun Wu Xie stood up.
"You are my keeper and in turn, my Mistress. I will not attack you, but this fellow here has bullied me for the last time! I will show him!" Drunk Lotus did not dare to show Jun Wu Xie any disrespect.
"Where is the basin for the lotus?" Jun Wu Xie asked calmly of Drunk Lotus.
"....." Drunk Lotus hesitated.
"Give" Jun Wu Xie said simply.
"In the water....." Drunk Lotus gulped, irrationally afraid of the cold tone Jun Wu Xie was using on him.
"Bring it here." Jun Wu Xie glared. Drunk Lotus quivered, and in the next moment, he plunged into the pond, with a big splash.
Moments later, the handsome youth stood dripping wet, holding out the basin in front of Jun Wu Xie.
"You can transform?" Jun Wu Xie asked, looking at Drunk Lotus from head to toe.
Drunk Lotus replied: "I was one with the Imperial Blue Snow Lotus, but there was an accident during my cultivation, and I had been trapped within that little body ever since. If I am soaked in alcohol, I can revert temporarily."
"It was you who bit the Little Black ?" Jun Wu Xie was puzzled, as Little Lotus would never get aggressive with the little black cat.
"Yes." Getting scratched everyday, anyone would be mad!
"The amount you poured into the lotus pond everyday was too little for me to revert, but allowed me to take over the consciousness of Chub..... Tsk, I mean the little one." Drunk Lotus gritted his teeth, staring angrily at the beast sitting by Jun Wu Xie.
The beast tried to hold it in but burst out laughing uncontrollably.
Drunk Lotus lost it. A sleek blur streaked onto the massive beast.
And.....
POOF! A mist enveloped the body.
The beast felt something soft, squishy, and dripping wet clinging upon its face.....
When the mist dispersed, a whimpering and terrified Little Lotus clung on its snout, big teary eyes looking right into its own in fright.
The next moment.....
"WAHHHHHH!!!" Little Lotus wailed as he clambered off the face of the beast and scampered with his tiny legs to hide behind Jun Wu Xie, and staring at the frightful black beast.
How did he end up on that beast!? It was so scary!
.
.
.
Chapter 143:- Insidious Woman (1)
Within the Imperial Palace, Mo Xuan Fei looked on nervously at the fifty Yu Lin Army soldiers with Bai Yun Xian standing beside him. Behind them several palace maids held up trays of medicinal wine.
"Yun Xian, you asked to summon them here, what do we do next?" Mo Xuan Fei queried.
Bai Yun Xian looked at the fifty Yu Lin Army soldiers with a sinister gleam in her eyes.
"I have something good for them. This is medicinal wine from the Qing Yun Clan, it greatly speeds up the development of spiritual powers with your training. With the Rui Lin Army running rampant, we need to raise the power of the Yu Lin Army as well."
Mo Xuan Fei looked at Bai Yun Xian blankly, and hesitated a moment but kept his silence.
The fifty Yu Lin Army soldiers were joyous at the news. They were just ordinary soldiers and having been suddenly summoned by the Second Prince, they were rather antsy. Over the past few days, with the Rui Lin Army having the Imperial City locked down, the Yu Lin Army was powerless to retaliate, and they were forced to hole up within the Imperial Palace.
The Emperor had not made any moves either, that night's clash with the mighty Rui Lin Army had the Yu Lin Army turn into mice. They did not dare engage the Rui Lin Army in any form of conflict.
The men were thinking that they would be thrown into an arduous mission, but what a surprise! They were presented with such a heavenly gift!
All things from Qing Yun Clan were treasures beyond compare!
"You men are the selected elite of the Yu Lin Army, and protecting the Emperor is your duty. This medicinal wine will help you become strong within a short period of time." Bai Yun Xian waved her hand forward and the palace maids brought the wine to the soldiers.
The Yun Lin Army soldiers held the cups gingerly, looking at their cups longingly.
Sinister malice flashed just a moment in the eyes of Bai Yun Xian and quickly returned to normal.
"Drink up, brave soldiers, you shall gain the strength to protect the Emperor." she coaxed tenderly.
The fifty soldiers downed the wine in a single gulp. The bitter medicinal wine burned in their bellies, and the soldiers started to feel hot, the effect showing on their bodies as they turned a shade redder. They could feel the spiritual powers within them churning, as though they were growing, and the soldiers rejoiced at their perceived heightened powers.
"The Jun Family has been antagonizing the Imperial Family, and you men shall become the heroes that saved the Imperial City! Tonight, you will be secretly deployed to several allocated stations spread throughout the Imperial City. Once you are there, stand down and hide your identities. Stay within the rooms provided and concentrate on your training till the day we launch our counterattack, the day you see glory!" Bai Yun Xian swept her eyes over the soldiers, as she incited the men into fervour.
They were bestowed with the rare medicinal wine from Qing Yun Clan, and entrusted with such an important mission for the Imperial Family. It seemed their moment has come! To soar to new heights!
No one among them doubted Bai Yun Xian but were extremely grateful for the favour shown to them.
"For now, go back and rest up, and disguise yourselves as common citizens. You are the hope of the Kingdom. Do not allow your identities to be exposed as the safety of the Imperial City lies in your hands." Bai Yun Xian beamed at them, her pretty face seemingly to shine with pride for them. The Yu Lin Army soldiers were captivated and stared foolishly for a long while, till Mo Xuan Fei's irritated look drove them scrambling out.
.
.
.
Chapter 144:- Insidious Woman (2)
After the fifty 'chosen ones' left, Mo Xuan Fei dismissed all the palace maids, leaving just Bai Yun Xian and him alone in the courtyard.
With no other eyes on him, Mo Xuan Fei's tensed expression took on a sliver of worry. "Yun Xian, what are you up to? The medicinal wine, wasn't that to be used on the Rui Lin Army? Why.... why have you given them to the Yu Lin Army soldiers?"
Over the past few days, Bai Yun Xian had been refining something in utmost secrecy. Even Mo Xuan Fei was in the dark on what she was up to and only knew that it was to be used against the Rui Lin Army. She had not given him any details and she spent all day cooped up refining. She had finally stepped out and had prepared everything.
Why was it administered on the Yu Lin Army then!?
Bai Yun Xian gave a low laugh, her eyes had a glint of cold as her mouth curled up slightly. Like a venomous spider weaving its web, she looked at Mo Xuan Fei, "Rest assured, the wine will be used against the Rui Lin Army."
"But....."
"No buts! You think the Rui Lin Army soldiers are idiots? Give them poison and they will take it gratefully?" Bai Yun Xian sneered at Mo Xuan Fei, insinuating at his simplicity.
"You remember the effects of the pills I gave you? What I gave the Yu Lin Army today uses a different route but ends up with similar effects." Bai Yun Xian explained, licking her rosy lips.
Mo Xuan Fei was shocked! The effects of the pill given to Lin Yue Yang was only too clear to him. But, summoning the Yu Lin Army soldiers here just for this purpose?
"Yun Xian, you intend to use them as sacrifices? Why didn't you tell me? I could have provided you with ordinary palace maids and eunuchs. The Yu Lin Army is all we have now, isn't using them as a sacrifice a bit excessive?"
Bai Yun Xian looked at Mo Xuan Fei with exasperation. "What do you know! The effects from the medicinal wine will be amplified with the spiritual powers of the soldiers! How much spiritual powers can palace maids and eunuchs command? It will not be enough to bring out the desired effects! Place them at various locations, remember to spread them out throughout the city, to ensure that at the moment of explosion, the poison would spread in the shortest time possible. That, is efficiency."
The spiritual powers of palace maids and eunuchs are incomparable to soldiers of the Yu Lin Army. However incompetent, the soldiers should have at least achieved an orange level. The spiritual powers within them will upon implosion, spread the poison faster, stronger!
"What!? You want the poison to spread throughout the entire Imperial City?!" Mo Xuan Fei fell back a few steps, stunned in silence. He had not expected that Bai Yun Xian's scheme would implicate everyone in the Imperial City!
Has she lost her mind? How many people lived in the Imperial City?
"I have to! The Rui Lin Army number over a hundred thousand and they are all over the city. To poison all of them, naturally I have to spread the poison to encompass the whole city. The medicinal wine I brewed acts as a catalyst to amplify the spiritual powers of the person when ingested. When the spiritual power is pushed to its limit, the person's physical body will be unable to contain the exponentially surging spiritual powers and will explode. The poison will then disperse widely into the air. Anyone who smells it will immediately be poisoned, with the same effects, resulting in a series of explosions, spreading the poison further throughout the Imperial City. The Rui Lin Army, even with their numbers, cannot escape my poison." Bai Yun Xian was maniacal, that ruthlessness overtook her pretty countenance, twisting it, where she looked just like a malicious demon, horrifying to look at.
.
.
.
Chapter 145:- Insidious Woman (3)
Mo Xuan Fei deployed the fifty Yu Lin Army soldiers to various locations in the Imperial City, spreaded out with none in close proximity under instructions from Bai Yun Xian.
Mo Xuan Fei had been uncertain of Bai Yun Xian's intentions. But, with her explanation, he finally understood.
Bai Yun Xian wanted the poison to spread to the commoners. Once the people are infected with the poison, the chain of bodily explosions will spread quickly and thickly into the air, and will in turn infect the Rui Lin Army no matter where they are in the Imperial City!
Even the vicious Mo Xuan Fei was chilled at the insidious methods of Bai Yun Xian.
She had dragged the people of the entire Imperial City into their graves!
"Yun Xian, you....." Mo Xuan Fei stepped back in horror, and colour drained from his face.
He had always perceived Bai Yun Xian to be a haughty girl to be spoilt by his excesses, and although she appears cold, she was not a complicated girl.
Seeing her today, he realised he did not even know the girl!
Hundreds of thousand people in the Imperial City, and she intends to kill them all without batting an eyelid!
Bai Yun Xian looked at Mo Xuan Fei coldly and accused: "If it was not for your incompetence, would you have asked me to step in? Are you developing a conscience and worrying for those wretched commoners now?"
It dawned on Mo Xuan Fei.
She was right. I persuaded her to help, didn't I?
But he had never expected, Bai Yun Xian to be so terrifying.
If Jun Wu Xie was deemed vicious, at least all the people she killed had schemed against the Lin Palace and she did not point her blade at anyone innocent. As for Bai Yun Xian? In order to achieve her goals, she disregards everything at all costs, even when the lives of innocents numbering in the hundreds of thousand were at stake, and were to be sacrificed.
"Rest assured,I have the antidote on hand, just have the people in the Imperial Palace consume it beforehand. If you are concerned for the wretched commoners, I will hand you the antidote after the Rui Lin Army has been poisoned and you can become the Prince that saved the people from the poison. Wouldn't that be better?" Bai Yun Xian replied.
Mo Xuan Fei considered that prospect, and the fear melted away. He stepped up to stand beside Bai Yun Xian and held her hand.
"You think of everything, Yun Xian."
If they can rid themselves of the Rui Lin Army and the Jun Family, what's the harm in sacrificing a bunch of commoners? After the Rui Lin Army gets poisoned, he can show up as the people's saviour with the antidote, saving them from the poison, elevating greatly his standing as the preferred Prince for the people.
Bai Yun Xian laughed gently, leaning into the embrace of Mo Xuan Fei. "What you covet, I will bring to you. But remember, after the Rui Lin Army is poisoned, let nobody lay a finger on Jun Wu Xie."
"Leave her alone?" Mo Xuan Fei was confused.
Bai Yun Xian lifted her eyes, her eyes full of venom.
"Killing her off just like that is letting her off too easy. I will dismember her, cut off her tongue, gorge her eyes out, and stuff her in a barrel of poison in pure torment before it can appease the affront she has inflicted on me." Anyone who goes against her will taste death like never before.
Mo Xuan Fei laughed warily, his fear creeping back into him after hearing those words. He could not help but gulped his saliva as he felt chills running down his spine.
Comparing it to Jun Wu Xie's massacre, Bai Yun Xian's scheme was truly insidious. He could not help but wonder who was the true devil?
.
.
.
Chapter 146:- Poison (1)
Under the cover of night, fifty plainly dressed figures slipped out the back gates of the Imperial Palace. They quickly dispersed to various parts of the city. If one were to observe carefully, their varied destinations were evenly spread out over the grounds in the Imperial City.
In silence, fifty doors were tightly latched, hiding the very source of the nightmare, unknown to the people in the Imperial City, that will soon engulf them all.
Days passed.....
Jun Wu Xie's Rui Lin Army had been in the Imperial City for a week, in these seven days, Jun Wu Xie had been quietly hiding in the Lin Palace, training her spiritual powers. Jun Xian, under the meticulous care of Jun Wu Xie, had miraculously fully recovered.
Passing the Imperial Palace, he saw that it has been cleaned and had regained its regal grandeur. Under Jun Wu Xie's instructions, he had in these seven days undergone a crash course, being forced to see the realities the commoners faced daily.
It has become his routine to walk the streets daily doing good deeds and dispensing favours as the Crown Prince of Qi.
As he was walking pass a residence with Rui Lin Army guards, the tightly latched door burst open suddenly and a figure rushed out, wailing in anguish, running in the street, seemingly gone mad.
As it was morning, the streets were crowded with people and the lunatic had knocked down a few passerby, with the initial outburst.
"Go see what is the matter!" Mo Qian Yuan seeing the uproar on the street, ordered the Rui Lin Army guards to investigate.
In the middle of the crowd, the man's body was bloated and flushed in a shade of red. He was moaning in pain. His body continued to bloat freakishly and his clothes tore and his skin stretched. Blood gushed out where the skin and flesh stretched to its limits as the number of wounds multiplied.
His face had bloated to be beyond recognition and wounds started to open up and blood covered his face, it was a gruesome sight.
He rushed into the crowd, his hands clawing at his own body. The Rui Lin Army guards who went up to investigate wanted to suppress him but were thrown off with brute strength. That power he possessed, was abnormal for any man.
The lunatic's actions, had driven the people into a frenzy, many screaming in terror, and fleeing in all directions.
Mo Qian Yuan saw the mayhem in front decided to see for himself. He summoned his contractual spirit, and it took the form of a long spear with a black tassel. He kicked off the ground and flew towards the lunatic, his spear point whipped out like a dragon's strike through the man's arm, pinning him to the ground and stopping his raging rush.
Despite being pinned to the ground by the spear, he struggled fiercely paying no heed to the pain, oblivious to the spearhead lodged in his arm. He roared like a beast, struggling to get up.
Mo Qian Yuan stood beside the man, deep in thought about the beast-like man. His weird antics made him very suspicious and he was about to ask.....
The raging lunatic suddenly let out a ear splitting roar, and his body suddenly expanded exponentially.
With a loud explosion, his body scattered in all directions and rained down in pieces. The blast had Mo Qian Yuan covered from head to toe, in blood and other remnants from the explosion.
The violent explosion in the city, caused a red rain of flesh and blood, like a devilish red lotus, that bloomed in the street.
.
.
.
Chapter 147:- Poison (2)
Covered from head to toe in blood and various remnants of body parts, Mo Qian Yuan stood stunned, face twisted in a grimace. His mind went blank, and all was quiet, the people who witnessed the gruesome scene were all shocked beyond words.
Mo Qian Yuan forced down the bile threatening to rush up his throat, and tried his best to maintain his composure. He raised his sleeve to wipe off his face, and ordered the Rui Lin Army guards: "Clear up the area immediately, and check on the man's background."
The Rui Lin Army guards immediately went the task, fast and efficient, bringing order back to the street. With shouts of gratitude from the people, Mo Qian Yuan went back to the Lin Palace, covered in the gory mess.
The moment he stepped through the door, Mo Qian Yuan met Jun Wu Xie who was on her way out.
"Wu....."
"Scram."
"............" A single syllable uttered and he was rewarded with "Scram", before he could say more, Jun Wu Xie had turned, and headed back into the house.
"Hey, wait!" Mo Qian Yuan felt that today's encounter was rather strange, and had wanted to tell Jun Wu Xie about it, but was brushed away so coldly.
"Wash up before you come see me." Jun Wu Xie blurted indifferently and disappeared from his sight.
"........." Mo Qian Yuan felt so small.
He had stepped out happily this morning for his daily appearance to the people, and ended up with his face splattered with gore. He just stepped into the Lin Palace and without a single word of concern, he was slapped with "scram", and then avoided..... He must be the saddest Crown Prince ever..... !
He washed himself thoroughly, Mo Qian Yuan was disgusted. After a good scrubbing, he decided he was smelling better and proceeded to Jun Wu Xie's courtyard. She was sitting by the lotus pond, an old book in hand, reading intently.
Hearing Mo Qian Yuan's footsteps, Jun Wu Xie looked up.
"Wu....."
"Stay away from me." Jun Wu Xie threw a cold glance at Mo Qian Yuan, detecting a trace of the smell of blood on him.
"............." Mo Qian Yuan's heart shattered, as he saw the look of disdain in her eye. He sniffed himself, took a few steps back, judged it to be a suitable distance away, then he was finally allowed to finish his sentence. "I met with a strange encounter today."
"Speak." Jun Wu Xie lowered her head over her book, while listening to Mo Qian Fei. She somehow felt her red level spirit was growing a little too fast, within two months, she felt like she could touch the door to bringing her spirit to level orange. It was a little too fast and it pays to be careful.
"Today started normal. I was touring the streets till I got to Hua Yun Street, a lunatic suddenly lunged into the crowd. His body was unusually bloated and not long after, he exploded." Mo Qian Yuan related to her.
Jun Wu Xie jerked up and looked at Mo Qian Yuan. "Did you say he exploded?"
Spontaneous explosion, that was what happened to Lin Yue Yang!
"It was slightly different from Official Lin's incident. I was standing right beside him. When he exploded, I was covered all over in.....cough, but I didn't feel anything else, and I did not lose my strength." Mo Qian Yuan knew Jun Wu Xie's suspicion, he found it fishy as well. But in the case of Lin Yue Yang's explosion, its effects on the surrounding people as Jun Xian mentioned, was different with the one he encountered today.
Jun Wu Xie knitted her brows, "Come."
.
.
.
Chapter 148:- Poison (3)
Mo Qian Yuan obeyed, and cautiously approached the stone table. Seeing the frown deepen on Jun Wu Xie, he gulped, quietly.
"Sit." Jun Wu Xie commanded.
Mo Qian Yuan obediently sat.
"Hand."
Every single worded command Jun Wu Xie gave, was carried out without protest. Just as Jun Wu Xie was to take his pulse, Long Qi shot into the courtyard, his expression anxious.
"Young Miss!" Long Qi slid to a stop on one knee.
"What happened?" Jun Wu Xie's sensitive nose picked up another trace of blood coming from Long Qi. It was very slight, unlike the acrid stench from Mo Qian Yuan, this seemed to have caught on Long Qi 's clothes from the air and not from direct contact.
"Trouble." Long Qi replied simply.
Within a day, there had been fifty instances of strange bodily explosions. The locations of the explosions had been myriad, but the way they looked before they died were a match to Mo Qian Yuan's description.
If only one body exploded, its an accident. With so many cases, at the same time, accident was ruled out.
Explosions in many places had brought about an uproar among the people, and much unease.
"The Rui Lin Army has deployed to appease and placate the people. Your subordinate feels these explosions are the result of someone's deliberate actions." After that night's attack on the Imperial Palace, Long Qi had subconsciously reported any incidents to Jun Wu Xie.
Jun Wu Xie contemplated on the findings, bodily explosion happened first on Lin Yue Yang, but the effects were slightly different. Nevertheless, she felt that the incidents had a closer link than it appeared.
Mo Qian Yuan listened to the report in shock. He had thought his encounter was unique. But it seemed now there had been tens of cases!
Suddenly, Mo Qian Yuan felt a soft warm tiny hand pulling his wrist. He turned to look and found Jun Wu Xie holding his hand, her dainty fingertips gently pressed upon his pulse. In that moment, Mo Qian Yuan felt the blood rush to his face and he felt strangely hot. He turned his eyes away shyly, but the soft touch on his skin made his heart beat furiously.
Only after his hand was freed, did his heart slow and he managed to calm down.
"Is anything wrong?" Mo Qian Yuan asked.
Jun Wu Xie shook her head, Mo Qian Yuan's pulse was stable, there were no abnormalities.
"Were we being overly suspicious?" Mo Qian Yuan queried again.
"There is no smoke without fire." Jun Wu Xie would not let down her guard. Mo Qian Yuan's body's constitution was different from others. He had taken Little Lotus prescription and his body has undergone great shifts. On top of that, she had been providing him with fortification pills daily, many of them antitoxins, to prevent any more untoward incidents in the Crown Prince Residence.
It seems, Mo Qian Yuan was not a good subject for the diagnosis.
"Bring me the Rui Lin Army guards who were with you today." Jun Wu Xie asked cagily.
Mo Qian Yuan could only comply. The ten guards who accompanied him were promptly summoned.
The Rui Lin Army guards were rather young, in the age range of twenty five and twenty six. But the newest recruit among them had a service history of more than ten years!
They stood in a neat row before Jun Wu Xie, immaculately dressed, eyes lit with passion, bodies ramrod straight, with the stalwart air of military men.
"You, come." Jun Wu Xie raised a finger, and pointed at masculine featured soldier.
He immediately strode with strong steps to the stone table, and with Jun Wu Xie's instructions, rolled up his sleeve and presented his burly arm to her.
.
.
.
Chapter 149:- Poison (4)
He immediately strode with strong steps to the stone table, and with Jun Wu Xie's instructions, rolled up his sleeve and presented his burly arm to her.
She was done in a moment and the next soldier stepped up.
The diagnosis for ten Rui Lin Army soldiers were done within a short time, and a chilly expression hung on Jun Wu Xie's face.
"Long Qi, fetch Uncle Fu. You men wait for me in the dispensary." Jun Wu Xie dispatched her orders as she stood up.
"How is it?" Jun Wu Xie's expression had Mo Qian Yuan feeling uneasy.
Jun Wu Xie replied: "Child's play. Can't they come up with anything else besides exploding bodies?" Her voice still chilled.
Mo Qian Yuan was further puzzled, the explosions that rocked the Imperial City today were child's play? What's happening?
In a moment, Uncle Fu came into the courtyard, "What are your orders, Young Miss?"
"In Grandfather's name, mobilise all herb stores and medical halls. Have them send all their stock of herbs including those in their warehouses to the Lin Palace. Immediately." Jun Wu Xie tone allowed no room for negotiations. Uncle Fu was taken aback by the request, but maintained his silence and left with his orders.
Mo Qian Yuan and Long Qi who were listening by the side were getting confused by Jun Wu Xie's series of orders, but they got an idea of the gravity of the situation.
"Wu Xie, what is actually happening? Why do you need so much herbs?" Mo Qian Yuan had to ask.
Jun Wu Xie glanced at the two men and said: "Someone wants to exterminate the whole Imperial City."
"WHAT!?" Mo Qian Yuan paled!
"Those explosions were not accidental. Someone deliberately planned it. It is similar to what happened to Lin Yue Yang, with differences. In Lin Yue Yang after he exploded, within a short time span, the poison rendered people temporarily immobile. And with what you witnessed today, it is not that simple. A very potent poison incubates within their bodies, and when they explode, the poison spreads into the air. With a single whiff, one will be poisoned as well, and within a few days, the secondary poisoned person will explode and die as well." Jun Wu Xie was expressionless as she explained. The horrifying news she was telling them was made more terrifying by her cold calm tone.
With that news, not only Mo Qian Yuan, but Long Qi turned pale as well.
The Rui Lin Army soldiers were one of the first few to arrive at the various locations of the fifty body explosions. If the poison is transmitted through the air, that means all the Rui Lin Army soldiers deployed today have been infected!
"Who could be so vicious!? Do they want to kill all the hundreds of thousand of innocents that live in the Imperial City?" Mo Qian Yuan's face was white as sheet. According to Jun Wu Xie, the poison was colourless and odorless, and transmitted so easily. Once infected, he becomes a carrier. There were fifty explosions today, if left alone, the explosions in a few days will be in tens of thousand at least!
Tens of thousand people exploding on the same day, to employ such a method to murder..... It was too gruesome to think of.....
Jun Wu Xie lowered her eyes in contemplation, staring with cold eyes at the pond.
"They are not targeting the people, it's the Rui Lin Army. When you corner a dog with no other way out, it retaliates viciously. It is difficult to use such methods on the Rui Lin Army directly, but if they drag the whole Imperial City into the mud, the Rui Lin Army might not escape unscathed."
The method was not too shabby, a pity though, their opponent was her!
.
.
.
Chapter 150:- Know Your Place (1)
Jun Wu Xie was calm, despite the insidious method employed.
Mo Qian Yuan on the other hand, was trembling in rage, his fists tightly clenched. "Have they gone mad!? A whole city's people! What an outrage!! That person had always cherished his good standing in the eyes of the people, how is he capable of something so despicable and deplorable!?"
Jun Wu Xie glanced at the raging and worked up Mo Qian Yuan and with eyes calm as still waters, she said: "The Emperor and Mo Xuan Fei aren't capable of this, it was by the hand of Bai Yun Xian."
Good, she can now ascertain, the poison that afflicted Lin Yue Yang was the work of Bai Yun Xian. She dared lay her hands on my grandfather. She will show Bai Yun Xian, her amateurish tricks, are nothing to in her eyes!
"Why would Qing Yun Clan have something so ruthless?" Mo Qian Yuan asked astounded.
Jun Wu Xie, unsurprised, replied: "Medicine and poison are of one and the same family."
People well versed in medicine, are naturally well versed in poison!
"Young Miss, our brothers in arms?" Long Qi could not care less about palace intrigue, he cared only for his brothers in the Rui Lin Army.
"They have been poisoned, if the poison is not neutralised, they will not survive three days." Jun Wu Xie told him plainly.
Long Qi winced, and dropped on one knee pleading: "I beg Young Miss to save them!"
"Why do you think I made them stay?" Jun Wu Xie looked upon Long Qi coldly, she had thought her actions would have made that clear.
Long Qi knelt and bowed with his head on the floor in gratitude.
Having witnessed Jun Wu Xie's skills in medicine, Long Qi believed, with Jun Wu Xie's assurance, his men will live.
"Wu Xie, how confident are you with that poison?" Mo Qian Yuan asked cautiously. Poison that made one's body explode was unheard of before, but if the poison came from the Qing Yun Clan, it must be potent.
Jun Wu Xie looked at Mo Qian Yuan, exasperated at his question.
"It's child's play. What do you think?"
".........." Mo Qian Yuan felt he asked a senseless question as well. Jun Wu Xie had never cared about anything from the Qing Yun Clan. The Jade Dew Pills incident previously had Bai Yun Xian slapped silly by Jun Wu Xie. He couldn't help but scratch his nose in embarrassment.
"But based on what you said, the poison transmits so easily, I'm afraid the number of people afflicted will become more than we can handle, by then what are we to do?" Mo Qian Yuan did not dare to imagine how many people have been poisoned. Even if Jun Wu Xie manages to concoct the antidote, as long as one person is still afflicted, the explosions will continue.
"It is not as scary as you think. The poison might spread easily, but the time span it stays in the air is very short, about one fifth of an incense and the poison loses its potency." If it remains in the air, they would not have had to send fifty men to their deaths.
"I will do my best concoct the antidote fast, as long as the herbs do not run out, this does not come close to be able to stump me." Know your place, Bai Yun Xian, you are asking to be humiliated.
"I will make sure all the herbs arrive safely." Long Qi interrupted, this poison was targeted at the Rui Lin Army, and he will not allow to succeed!
"Leave the matter of the herbs to Uncle Fu, I have another task for you." Jun Wu Xie looked at Long Qi, her eyes lit with the murder that had laid dormant too long.
Since they are tired of living, she would send them along, with pleasure!
•••