Facing Sheng Jiangli's cold and stern gaze, Lü Baiwei flinched for a moment, then quickly regained her composure.
This woman had developed indomitable resilience from her experiences with Song Chengyuan.
She put on a smile again, her red lips as bright as fire. "In all fairness, I should fulfill my promise ahead of time. General Sheng truly lives up to his reputation as the only man in this era who can rival Xuan Yao..."
"I originally thought that giving you half a year, you might succeed. But I didn't expect that General Sheng only needed half a month to capture him."
Sheng Jiangli impatiently interrupted her flattery. "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager has said so much. Do you not intend to give the antidote?"
The bright yellow palace lanterns reflected in his bottomless black eyes, giving off a chilling light.
He took a silent step forward, and a faint killing intent escaped. He said menacingly,
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, even if there are imperial secret guards hidden in the imperial study, if I were to take action, your secret guards wouldn't be able to stop me in time!"
Lü Baiwei was startled and took a step back. Before she could say anything, a stern shout suddenly came from the door outside the study:
"Presumptuous!"
As soon as the voice sounded, Sheng Jiangli seemed to be greatly startled and froze in place.
Lü Baiwei's face showed a relieved expression. Looking outside with the others, she said with a smile,
"I thought the old gentleman and the general were going to wait until General Sheng took action!"
Three people walked in from outside the door.
The one in the lead was an old man in his fifties. He had a powerful aura and a serious expression, clearly a battle - hardened veteran general.
Behind him were two people. One was Suobude, and the other was a man in his early thirties. He was valiant and extraordinary, also with a serious expression, exuding a sense of righteousness.
The young emperor was too young to recognize them. He just looked at the three people in panic as they walked in and whispered for help fearfully, "M - Mother..."
Sheng Jiangli's expression was one of shock. He blurted out, "Adoptive father! Elder brother!"
He had always believed that they wouldn't die easily, but he never expected to meet them in the palace!
The people who came were none other than the long - missing Marquis of Yongchang, Lan Yuanyi, and the eldest son of the Lan family, Lan Guangling!
Suobude quickly walked up to Sheng Jiangli and whispered in his ear,
"General, it's a long story. I went to Hainan to gather information but found nothing. After many twists and turns, I went out to sea and finally met Lord Lan and the others who had been surviving on a desert island for a long time. Then we managed to return to Daye. But Lord Lan and the others insisted on coming to see the emperor to plead guilty, so I first contacted Qingqing to enter the palace..."
Sheng Jiangli's mind was still a bit dull.
Going out to sea...
A desert island in the sea?
Lan Yuanyi and Lan Guangling had already paid their respects to Lü Baiwei and the young emperor.
After getting up, Lan Yuanyi frowned and looked at Sheng Jiangli. "A Li, as a subject of Daye, how can you be disrespectful to the Empress Dowager and the emperor?
"The emperor and the Empress Dowager need you to maintain the stability of Daye and quell the rebellions of the Prince of Yan and the Xu family. How dare you bargain? What have I taught you on weekdays? Have you forgotten your adoptive father's teachings after leaving the Lan family for a few years?"
Sheng Jiangli was startled. He knelt down with a thud and kowtowed heavily to Lan Yuanyi. "Adoptive father, please accept this bow from A Li!"
"The Lan family has suffered a great disaster. I, A Li, was incompetent and failed to rescue in time. I am an unfilial son. I dare not forget my adoptive father's teachings!"
"But, Shu'er..."
Lan Guangling said from the side, "Compared with the thousands of common people in Daye, the life or death of Shu'er is insignificant. The righteousness that Father has taught you should be kept in your heart, not just on your lips."
"Elder brother!" Sheng Jiangli looked up at Lan Guangling in shock, pain flashing across his face. "Shu'er is your own sister! How can you bear to watch her die from the heart - devouring gu poison?"
Lan Guangling said in a deep voice, "Our Lan family has been loyal for generations. It is our bounden duty to die for the king and the people."
Sheng Jiangli was stunned for a moment.
He knew that Lan Guangling had always been serious and self - disciplined, but he also loved Caiyu very much.
That was why Caiyu had such deep feelings for her father and brothers that she was willing to sacrifice everything to clear her father's name.
But he never expected that this great joy of his father and brother's sudden appearance would be shattered by Lan Guangling's words.
He couldn't agree with their blind loyalty, but he didn't dare to oppose his relatives who had treated him like a son and a younger brother.
Sheng Jiangli looked at Lan Yuanyi and Lan Guangling with complex emotions. Gritting his teeth, he said,
"Adoptive father, elder brother, I only ask for the antidote for Caiyu. If someone has to be poisoned, one person is enough, and that's me.
"As long as you give me the antidote for Caiyu, my life belongs to the emperor and the Empress Dowager. Whatever you two want me to do, I will do it. Whether it's defense or counter - attack, I will follow your arrangements!"
"Alright, since you can make such a promise, I believe Her Majesty the Empress Dowager won't go back on her word." Lan Yuanyi looked at Lü Baiwei. "Your Majesty, A Li is right. Although the king may order a subject to die and the subject has to obey, Shu'er is the daughter of our Lan family, and A Li is the son of our Lan family. I still want to plead for a way out for them."
Lü Baiwei pondered for a moment.
Originally, she wanted to use Caiyu to control Sheng Jiangli, but since Sheng Jiangli was determined to live and die with Caiyu, the heart - devouring gu was not a great threat to him.
The arrival of Lan Yuanyi and Lan Guangling was like a timely rain to her.
She had known that this old gentleman and the eldest son of the Lan family were also well - known generals!
With their relationship as Caiyu's father and elder brother, how could Xuan Yao fight?
In comparison, it didn't matter to her whether it was Caiyu or Sheng Jiangli who got the antidote.
It was enough to have one person as a hostage.
Thinking of this, Lü Baiwei readily agreed. "I'll give the antidote to one person first. After the country is pacified, I will surely keep my promise and give the antidote to the other. Marquis, who do you want to be cured first?"
Lan Yuanyi said, "Naturally, it's A Li first."
What?
Not only was Sheng Jiangli extremely shocked, but even Lü Baiwei was very surprised. "Lord Lan is actually giving up his own flesh and blood?"
A flash of pain passed through Lan Yuanyi's eyes. He said, "I, Lan Yuanyi, have three daughters and two sons in my life, and they are all still alive. But my brother Sheng only has this one single heir. No matter what, he can't have an accident!"
So he would rather ensure Sheng Jiangli's life first!
"Adoptive father! I don't want it!" Sheng Jiangli reacted strongly. "Give the antidote to Shu'er!"
"Nonsense!" Lan Yuanyi stared at him with wide - open eyes. "Not to mention that you are right in front of me now. Even if both of you were in front of me at the same time and there was only one dose of the antidote, I would still choose you!
"Don't be so polite just because you're not my biological son."
"Adoptive father, it's not because of my identity that I'm being polite. It's because of Shu'er's life." Sheng Jiangli was serious and stubborn. "I value her life more than my own."
Hearing this, Lan Guangling also frowned and said, "A Li, don't be so willful. We all love Shu'er, but she is just a woman, while you are the pillar of Daye. If you die, it will not only be a loss to the Lan family but also a loss to the country. Do you understand?"
"I don't understand!" Sheng Jiangli was emotional. "Adoptive father, elder brother, I only know that to govern the country and pacify the world, one must first have a family. If I can't even protect my family, what kind of country can I protect?
"Whoever wants to protect this country can do so. Anyway, I won't!"
"Rascal!" Lan Guangling sternly scolded. "How are you talking to Father?"
Sheng Jiangli suddenly took a deep breath. "Elder brother, I'll take the blame for being disrespectful to adoptive father, but I beg you to send the antidote to Shu'er first. As for me, I will find a way. I assure you that as long as Shu'er is alive, I will do my best to recover the lost territory of Daye!"
The imperial study suddenly fell silent.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Lan Yuanyi. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Lü Baiwei watched them arguing about who should die, finding it extremely interesting:
"Marquis of Yongchang, please make a decision."