Chu Mingyun released Su Shiyu and immediately pulled out the arrow, tossing it aside. His complexion had turned slightly pale, and apart from furrowing his brows, he showed no other expression. Glancing at the spreading crimson stain on his shoulder, he commented, "It's fine, the arrow wasn't poisoned." He then applied pressure to stop the bleeding and sighed deeply, saying in a low voice, "It seems that some things really shouldn't be said carelessly. Just after claiming I could take it, now I indeed have to use my flesh and blood to shield you."
"However, since there's a mechanism, it at least proves we're on the right path." Chu Mingyun glanced at the arrows littering the ground. No one responded, and he suddenly realized that Su Shiyu hadn't paid any attention to his long speech, prompting him to look over with confusion.
Su Shiyu was shifting his gaze away from the mechanism and stepping back onto the stone slab that had sunk down, reaching out to touch the oil lamp. Chu Mingyun grabbed his hand and pushed him back, his tone laced with irritation, "Are you touching it again?"
Su Shiyu cast a complex glance at him, gently freeing himself from his grasp before pulling him in front. With careful movements to avoid the wound on Chu Mingyun's shoulder, Su Shiyu shielded him completely with his own body. His hand rested on Chu Mingyun's uninjured shoulder, offering warm reassurance, "Don't worry."
Chu Mingyun was momentarily uncertain whether Su Shiyu's assurance meant he would take another arrow for him or if he truly had a plan.
Then, with no further hindrance, Su Shiyu grasped the bronze lantern. With a slight effort, the lantern began to turn slowly, its mechanism producing a muffled sound. The stone walls on both sides activated, revealing a narrow path on one side of the corridor.
Stepping back, Su Shiyu inquired about Chu Mingyun's shoulder, "How is your wound?"
Chu Mingyun let out a cold laugh, "Won't kill me."
With that, Su Shiyu didn't press further but looked ahead, "In your opinion, Lord Chu, which way should we go?"
Chu Mingyun walked ahead, pulling out an arrow to examine its tip, "Don't know."
Su Shiyu sighed, a helpless smile on his face, "Lord Chu..."
Chu Mingyun suddenly turned and hurled the arrow. The fletching cut through the air, and the arrowhead, with force, buried deep into the stone wall around the corner. "Just ask, and we'll know," he said to Su Shiyu, then coldly called out to the corner, "Come out."
There was a rustling sound from around the corner, and suddenly a figure dashed out, moving so fast towards them that it almost appeared as a blur. Chu Mingyun stood unmoved until the figure was almost upon them, then swiftly raised his hand, fingers poised, breaking through the attacker's momentum and gripping his neck to pin him against the wall.
Su Shiyu had been watching calmly until he saw Chu Mingyun's swift action. His pupils dilated, he turned his head and closed his eyes as if enduring something, before reopening them and turning back, his face regaining its usual slight smile.
The attacker was clearly one of the earlier guards, his face still showing signs of the blue poison. Strangled by Chu Mingyun, his breathing was labored, his face turning even redder, a sight somewhat terrifying at first glance. The guard's martial arts were above average, likely trying to escape after not being deeply poisoned, taking advantage of the chaos of flying arrows to sneak behind them, thinking he wouldn't be noticed.
"Do you know the way?" Chu Mingyun asked.
The guard glared at him with bloodshot eyes.
"Tch." Chu Mingyun increased the pressure in his grip, his laugh cold, "Didn't expect you to be so reckless. Well, then I won't be polite."
"Lord Chu." Su Shiyu placed a hand on his arm.
"Hm?" Chu Mingyun glanced at Su Shiyu.
"If we can achieve our goal through conversation, there's no need for force."
Chu Mingyun laughed casually and let go, allowing the guard to collapse to the ground, "Then you try."
The guard, clutching his throat, coughed painfully while eyeing the man in white with a mixture of surprise and suspicion. He heard the man speak softly, "If you truly were indifferent to your own life, you wouldn't have struggled to escape here. Since we all want to make it out alive, why not strike a deal? You guide us out, and we'll spare your life. How about it?"
The guard stared hard at Su Shiyu's gentle eyes, not forgetting that this was the man who had poisoned him. With a hoarse voice, he challenged, "Why should I trust you?"
Su Shiyu pondered for a moment, then drew a porcelain medicine bottle from his sleeve and offered it, smiling, "You'll be leading the way. Since you can't trust us, let's start by trusting you." He placed the medicine bottle in the guard's hand, his fingertips warm, "Take good care of this."
The guard gripped the medicine bottle tightly, pondered for a long while, then gritted his teeth and agreed, "Alright."
Chu Mingyun, arms crossed, watched emotionlessly. Su Shiyu turned and approached, "Let's go," reaching out to support him.
Chu Mingyun raised an eyebrow with a smile, "Are you going to support me all the way out?" He looked at Su Shiyu, "Then you might as well just carry me."
Su Shiyu glanced at him, then, with one arm, swept him into a half-embrace, ready to lift him up. Chu Mingyun quickly pressed down his hand, the slight irritation in his heart dissipating completely, chuckling, "Alright, I was just teasing. Who would be that delicate?"
"Are you really okay?" Su Shiyu examined his face closely but couldn't discern anything.
Chu Mingyun waved his hand nonchalantly and followed, leaving the guard, who looked perplexed at the interaction between the two men, to catch up. Su Shiyu lagged a step behind, watching as Chu Mingyun moved effortlessly for a while before he finally eased his worry.
The guard led them back towards the original path. Chu Mingyun inquired about the purpose of the narrow passage that had appeared randomly, but the guard, focusing solely on leading the way, remained silent.
After several turns and a long walk, the guard brought them to a stone chamber with no apparent exits. Chu Mingyun frowned, "Another mechanism?"
The guard glanced at him, quickly averted his eyes, and murmured, "Yes." He moved behind Chu Mingyun and Su Shiyu, fumbling on the stone wall for a while before pulling out a copper ring. As the guard raised his eyes to meet Su Shiyu's smiling gaze, a wave of panic surged through him. He lowered his head, exerted all his strength to twist the copper ring, and then turned and ran back the way they had come.
Even if that man could be trusted, given the martial prowess and menacing aura of the man in blue beside him, he was no more than an ant, unable to ensure his own survival. Behind him, the copper ring clattered loudly as he fled without daring to look back.
The door of the stone chamber slammed shut with a thunderous sound.
The moment the door closed, Chu Mingyun unleashed a palm strike, the force of the blow causing the thick stone door to tremble violently, shedding countless particles of dust.
"Damn." Chu Mingyun, annoyed, lowered his hand and turned to look at Su Shiyu beside him. Then, remembering that this man's face seldom showed anything but a smile, he leaned against the wall and sat down, his laughter tinged with mockery, "I didn't expect even Lord Su could be mistaken, letting that man escape with his life."
Su Shiyu, standing in the center and looking up at the ceiling, replied without turning, "Trapped here, we would starve after at least three days; he, on the other hand, will die from poison within the time it takes to drink three cups of tea."
"It wasn't an antidote you gave him?" Chu Mingyun asked.
"Why would I carry an antidote with me?" Su Shiyu glanced at him, the smile at the corner of his lips deepening, "I merely gave him the remaining poison I had on me, ensuring he wouldn't attack us again. Unfortunately, he chose to be 'smart,' cutting off his own escape."
"Is that what you call trust?" Chu Mingyun raised an eyebrow.
"I never said it was an antidote," Su Shiyu chuckled lightly, calmly adding, "But indeed, I am not good at trusting anything. Besides, what I see and hear is always much more reliable in comparison."
Chu Mingyun, sitting in the shadows cast by the candlelight, narrowed his eyes and coldly gazed at the figure not far away, "Worthy of the gentle, modest Su Shiyu praised by all."
"You flatter me." His response was indifferent, his gaze shifting to the smooth stone wall.
As he struck out earlier, the wound was pulled open, and the biting, intense pain swept over his shoulder again. Chu Mingyun exhaled a breath of stale air and raised his hand to seal the acupoints on his shoulder once more, barely stopping the bleeding. With a smile that was not quite a smile, he said, "If we were to truly die here, I guess it might take decades for anyone to find us. Having the company of Lord Su, with his fine features, wouldn't be too much of a loss. Who knows, when they find our skeletons, they might even bury us together."
"Let's avoid that," Su Shiyu approached a stone wall, pressing and tapping it carefully, "Given Lord Chu's reputation, there would be quite the commotion at your grave, and I'd rather not be involved. Even in death, I'd like some peace." His movements paused, then he smiled, "As expected, this chamber is a facade, and the wall is hollow. There's likely a passage behind it. Rest up a bit more, then we should get going."
"Wait a moment, I can't move right now," Chu Mingyun's voice was hoarse.
Su Shiyu paused, turned back, and walked over to squat beside him, only then noticing the pallor of Chu Mingyun's face, which made his striking features stand out even more starkly.
Chu Mingyun watched as Su Shiyu began to unfasten his own robe, unable to resist teasing, "Lord Su, it seems you're finally taking advantage of me."
Su Shiyu, without looking at him, skillfully tore off a sleeve from his undergarment to dress the wound, and explained, "The incense I usually use is calming and somewhat analgesic."
"Lord Su, going for the 'cut sleeve' approach?" Chu Mingyun chuckled leisurely. "Now that you're giving me your personal clothing, we're practically sharing an intimate connection. My innocence is ruined; are you going to take responsibility, Lord Su?"
Su Shiyu couldn't help but look up to see the expression with which Chu Mingyun spoke of his "innocence," then looked back down at the blood-stained front of his clothing, "Lord Chu, a few more idle remarks, and I fear you won't last long enough for me to take responsibility."
Only then did Su Shiyu get a clear view of the arrow wound, which was deeper than he had anticipated, nearly to the bone. He marveled at where Chu Mingyun found the strength to joke. After a moment of silence, Su Shiyu spoke softly, "You didn't need to take that arrow for me."
Leaning against the cold stone wall behind him as Su Shiyu began to dress his wound, Chu Mingyun caught a whiff of a faint scent as Su Shiyu leaned in, different from the usual calming incense, carrying a warm and soothing warmth that eased the pain significantly with each breath. Watching the delicate shadows cast by Su Shiyu's eyelashes on his face, Chu Mingyun curved his lips, his voice softening, "Didn't I confess my feelings to you some time ago? Now the whole capital knows I'm smitten with you. Have you forgotten so quickly?"
Su Shiyu maintained a faint smile on his face, "There's no need to keep up the act when it's just the two of us. We've been colleagues for many years, rarely speaking outside of court and often at odds within it. I'm well aware of the times I've obstructed your plans. If, despite this, you've developed deep feelings for me, it would be unless..." He attempted to open Chu Mingyun's clothing further, frowning slightly, "The dried blood has stuck the fabric to your flesh, this might hurt a bit."
"Unless what?" Chu Mingyun asked, clearly intrigued.
"Unless you are truly sick."
Chu Mingyun laughed softly, lowering his voice, "The sickness of the heart."
Su Shiyu looked up at him, a hint of amusement in his eyes, "Bite down on something."
"Hm?"
With a "rip" of fabric, Chu Mingyun's shoulder was exposed, revealing a spread of crimson.
Silence filled the room until Su Shiyu finished bandaging the wound and straightened Chu Mingyun's clothing. Only then did Chu Mingyun slowly cover his shoulder, his voice hoarse, "Couldn't you have been gentler? ...Is there really a need to hold such a grudge?"
Su Shiyu seemed in a much better mood, even raising his hand to wipe the cold sweat from Chu Mingyun's forehead, his voice warm and tinged with laughter, "What was that you said just now? I couldn't quite hear you."