Lan Guangling stroked the general's seal and asked again, "Did Her Highness the Empress send the other antidote with the imperial supervisor?"
Shi Yong's eyes flashed. He slowly took out a bottle of medicine from his bosom and handed it to Lan Guangling. "Yes."
Lan Guangling took the medicine bottle and fixed his sharp eyes on Shi Yong's face, without a blink.
He stared so intently that Shi Yong felt a chill down his back.
He remembered what Lü Baiwei had told him: "There was only one real antidote for the Heart-Eating Gu. The monthly antidote was just to delay the onset of the poison."
"Take this antidote and hold off Sheng Jiangli and the Lan family first. The royalist party supporting the emperor is regrouping."
"The King of Ning and the King of Liao have written letters, willing to pledge allegiance to the emperor. The King of Ning has assembled 300,000 troops in the southeast, and the King of Liao has gathered 200,000 troops in the northeast. The emperor has also secretly sent peace - negotiation letters to Japan and Korea. Reinforcements will arrive by sea soon. In less than a month, the three forces will converge."
"If the Lan family is willing to pledge allegiance to me and the young emperor, I will welcome them. But if they rebel against me because of the death of their children, I am not afraid."
Shi Yong asked, "Then why did His Majesty hand over the general's seal to the Lan family? It represents 200,000 troops! What if they really rebel because of their children's death..."
Lü Baiwei sighed, "Before the reinforcements arrive, what can I do? Those 200,000 troops are the young emperor's personal guards. The left and right deputy generals both follow my and the young emperor's orders. Once the Lan family shows signs of rebellion, the deputy generals will act."
Shi Yong came back to his senses and smiled. "Does the general have any other questions?"
Lan Guangling put away the medicine bottle and said, "No more questions. Please leave, imperial supervisor."
After Shi Yong left, Lan Guangling tightened his grip on the medicine bottle and said to the people inside the room:
"Lord Xu, General Han, come out!"
Two figures emerged from the inner room.
One was Han Fen.
The other was tall, exuding the imposing aura of a superior. It was Xu Ziteng, the eldest son of the Xu family and the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi.
Lan Guangling motioned for them to sit down and then gave the medicine to Han Fen. "Please take this to Qin."
Han Fen took the medicine and said, "Third Miss has given the real antidote to Sheng Jiangli... Eldest Young Master, I didn't expect Third Miss to be willing to sacrifice her own life and give the chance to someone else."
His heart was complicated.
It was a pity that Lan Jinshu had sacrificed herself to save not the prince, but the prince's love - rival. How could the prince bear it?
But he couldn't criticize Caiyu's choice.
He knew how much Sheng Jiangli protected Caiyu.
With such a brother who was both a friend and a protector, it was worth such treatment.
It was just a pity for the prince. If Caiyu really had no cure in the end, wouldn't the prince have to face another heart - wrenching pain?
Lan Guangling said, "I know what you're thinking. My father and I are also in pain. We don't want anything to happen to them, nor do we want the two armies to fight and make the people on both sides homeless."
"But if it really comes to the worst, as my father said, the Lan family has three daughters and two sons, while the Sheng family has only one single heir. He has to reluctantly give up Shu'er."
"That's why my father silently allowed Qingqing to go find Shu'er and let Shu'er make her own decision." Lan Guangling's expression was a bit vacant. "Fortunately, Shu'er made the same decision as my father. They both hope that A Li will be okay."
"As for the prince..." Lan Guangling glanced at Xu Ziteng and Han Fen. "A real man has more things to do than just thinking about women. If Shu'er can't escape death in the end, I believe the prince will get through it."
Han Fen's head ached even more.
He wasn't as optimistic as Lan Guangling. Remembering the last time Caiyu had an accident, when the prince had a poison attack and fell into a coma, and then walked around like a zombie for two years, he was terrified.
Lan Guangling had already changed the topic. "Lord Xu, now the Yangtze River and the capital are under my father's and my control. As long as the prince brings Shu'er and A Li back, we will immediately cooperate with him to turn against the enemy and attack the city!"
Xu Ziteng bowed and smiled. "The world is unfair, and the crown prince is unjust. Why should everyone be required to be loyal? The Lan family is acting according to the situation. I admire you! I will contact the officials in the capital and try my best to calm the public opinion so that the prince can enter the capital justifiably!"
The winter snow fell continuously for seven days.
Sheng Jiangli carried the food in and put it on the table. He said softly, "Shu'er, eat something."
"Take it away." Caiyu refused dejectedly. "Brother A Li, it's no use for you and Qingqing to lock me up and watch me all the time... I might as well go on a hunger strike. If you don't want to, just let me fend for myself!"
Sheng Jiangli's fingertips moved. He said, "The King of Yan heard that Zhu Xiao is dead and ordered the Yan army to march for three days in a hurry. Now they are at the city gate. Don't you want to see how he avenges his brother and your friend?"
Caiyu suddenly turned her face, her pupils shocked. "Brother A Li, are you crazy? Are you really going to fight the prince?"
Sheng Jiangli pushed the food in front of her and said, "It's true. If you're worried, then eat. Only by eating will you have the strength to stop us from fighting... Or you can just ignore us and continue your hunger strike.
"I've heard from Qingqing about your ability to go on a hunger strike. Even Song Yinghuai couldn't do anything about you. I'm sure I can't either. It all depends on your choice."
Caiyu was so angry that she wanted to knock over the bowls and dishes in front of her. "Are you guys really going to force me like this? Don't I even have the freedom to die?"
Sheng Jiangli chuckled. "Then what about me? I chose to die first, but why did you force me?"
"I!" Caiyu suddenly fell silent and couldn't say a word.
After a while, a tear rolled down her face. She lay on the table, her shoulders shaking as she cried, "But seeing you die is more painful for me than my own death..."
Hearing this, Sheng Jiangli's expression softened like never before.
To be protected like this by the woman he loved, his life was complete.
He reached out and put his big hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. He said,
"Actually, during those two years when I was with you, I always thought that it was enough for me to accompany you for such a long time."
Caiyu stopped crying, sat up straight, and stared blankly at him, looking a bit dazed.
Sheng Jiangli wiped the tears from her face and smiled. "You've always been rejecting me. Don't tell me you don't know."
Caiyu paused and fell silent.
She had tried to persuade herself.
She also knew that Sheng Jiangli was a good man.
But human feelings were so strange. The man she liked was Song Yinghuai.
Sheng Jiangli said, "I've long known that you can't accept me, but you still agreed to marry me... For me, the woman I love most in my life is willing to marry me. That's already a blessing."
"I don't want to see you acting politely just because you've married me. Instead, I want to see you happy."
"Originally, I didn't want to give you back to that bastard Song Yinghuai so soon. I selfishly wanted to keep you for a lifetime and make him regret for a lifetime. But unexpectedly, Lü Baiwei came to me and disrupted my selfish plan."
"So you just took advantage of the situation and used the wedding to push me to him?"
Sheng Jiangli laughed. "I'm not that generous. I just let everything take its natural course and let you make your own choice."
"If you choose him, as long as you're happy, that's fine. If you still turn back to me, I'll fight him for you at all costs and try my best to make you happy."
"Brother A Li." Caiyu's eyes turned red. She didn't know what to say.
He had killed Zhu Xiao, but she couldn't hate him.
If it weren't for protecting her, he could have been living a carefree life as a cavalry commander outside the pass.
He didn't need to lead troops into battle or be forced to kill.
"Don't cry. Your tears make me heartache." Sheng Jiangli said half - jokingly. "In the end, it's still me who suffers!"
Moreover, he hadn't received any news about what the Great Master Guangzhi had done to Zhu Xiao.
Maybe everything would turn out well!
Sheng Jiangli urged her again. "Eat. After you finish, come with me to the city wall."
His eyes were cold. "Watch me have a good fight with Song Yinghuai!"