Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 488 The Sound of the Flute
Tian Shu paused slightly in the hand holding the cup.

“Yuheng is right. The Love Silk Gu is a secret technique of the Gu sect from the previous dynasty, extremely insidious. Once planted, the two Gu coexist and also fight each other; the deeper the affection, the more severe the backlash…”

At this point, he looked up at Xue Sui, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

"It seems you and Li Zhao are deeply in love, which has attracted the backlash of the love potion?"

Xue Sui suddenly chuckled very softly.

"Thank you for your concern, senior brother. I am indeed closer to him than to others."

"So, you chose him and gave up on yourself?"

Tian Shu emphasized the last few words, expressing a deep and indescribable sorrow.

Xue Sui pursed his lips, tacitly agreeing.

"Foolish." A cold glint flashed in Tian Shu's eyes, it was unclear whether he was cursing her or himself.

"Kill him, and you'll live, isn't that better?"

Xue Sui narrowed his eyes slightly and stared sharply at him.

"Living like a walking corpse? With only hatred in your heart and blood in your eyes, nothing else?"

She shook her head. "I don't want that kind of life."

“Peace, I want you to live,” Tian Shu said, his voice lowering. “Li Zhao is the emperor. He will have harems, countless children, and a vast empire. What about you? Is it worth risking your life?”

"Whether it's worth it or not, only God knows." Xue Sui looked at him without backing down. "Senior Brother, let it go. Take your senior brothers and sisters, leave the capital, return to the Old Mausoleum, or find a peaceful place to live a good life. Don't get involved in court intrigues anymore... The blood of the Old Mausoleum has been shed enough."

Tian Shu remained silent.

Sunlight fell on his handsome face, revealing no emotion, only his dark eyes were terrifyingly deep.

The two looked at each other for a long time.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something—

A cold light suddenly shot up from under the eaves behind him, pointing straight at Xue Sui's chest.

"Death to the traitor!"

Xue Sui quickly retreated two steps.

Yuheng appeared suddenly, wielding a long sword, his figure flashing like a ghost.

Swift and ruthless, making no attempt to conceal his murderous intent.

Xue Sui flicked his sleeve, dodging the blade thrusting towards him. He did not retaliate, but simply dodged repeatedly.

The two figures crossed paths.

Tian Shu suddenly stood up, and Ling Qiongxiao swept out, accurately parrying the long sword in Yu Heng's hand.

With a thud, the long sword fell to the ground, the impact making her hands go numb.

"Elder brother——"

Yuheng staggered back two steps, looking at Tian Shu in disbelief.

"Step back!" Tian Shu shouted sharply, stepping in front of Xue Sui. "This is none of your business."

"Senior Brother! How long are you going to protect her?"

Yuheng, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, his chest heaving violently, glared at Xue Sui with hatred that seemed to burn her through...

“From childhood to adulthood, you’ve always protected her, giving her all the best food and toys. But what did she do? She’s heartless! She even caused Master’s death. And now we’re in this mess… But she’s living a life of luxury, enjoying the finery of life, acting like a glamorous empress, with only that dog emperor in her heart…”

“Yuheng.” Tian Shu’s voice deepened.

"Senior Brother, she's just using you, using us... paving the way for her to become the Crown Prince, and securing her own future. She's long forgotten the blood feud of the Old Mausoleum Swamp, forgotten who raised us..."

"Senior Sister Yuheng..." Yaoguang caught up from behind, panting, her face full of trouble.

"Say less and listen to your senior brother."

"I won't listen." Yuheng bent down, picked up the long sword, and pointed it at Xue Sui again.

"Today I will cleanse my master's house and kill this traitor." Tian Shu's face turned cold. "Put down the knife."

"Unless I die!" Yuheng stood firm, her eyes bloodshot as she stared coldly at him. "Go ahead and do it. Let's see how far you're willing to go for her..."

Yao Guang stamped her foot in frustration, "Senior Sister, are you crazy? Do you have to make things get out of control?"

"Senior Brother is confused! You're confused too..."

Yuheng growled, his voice choked with emotion, "If you won't let me kill her, then kill me—"

The air suddenly stagnated.

Xue Sui slowly pulled open the Heavenly Pivot, walked towards the blade of the Jade Balance, and slightly tightened his fingers.

"Senior sister, the goal of revenge is not to send the remaining people of the Old Mausoleum to their deaths one by one, nor is it to drag everyone down with them. Rather, it is to ensure that the remaining people of the Old Mausoleum live peacefully, with dignity, and with hope..."

"Hypocrite!" Yuheng spat, tears welling up in her eyes. "You're just greedy for wealth and status, blinded by that dog emperor's sweet words..."

"Yes." Xue Sui's voice was not loud, but it was as heavy as iron.

"I did it for him, and for you all, for those still alive in the Old Marsh, so that there will be no more orphans..."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over Tian Shu before finally returning to Yu Heng's face.

"Senior sister, revenge is easy, but changing dynasties is incredibly difficult. You've searched through history books, how many have successfully restored their dynasties? If this continues, more people will die in the Old Mausoleum Swamp... More innocent lives will be dragged into this endless hatred... The Old Mausoleum Swamp cannot defeat Li Zhao, much less the relentless march of the world..."

"Shut up!" Yuheng said sternly.

"Master is right, you are just a smooth talker..."

Yuheng was breathless and choked with sobs, unable to continue. He said hatefully, "Since you have already betrayed the sect and severed all ties with the Old Mausoleum... today it's either you or me who dies..."

As she spoke, she brandished her long sword and prepared to pounce again.

Yao Guang reacted quickly, grabbing her wrist and pleading in his voice.

"Senior sister, please don't do this! Put the knife down first... Let's talk this out..."

"Yaoguang, let me go!" Yuheng struggled violently, tears streaming down her face as she glared at him and growled, "Today I will kill this ungrateful wretch! To avenge my master..."

Helpless, Yao Guang held her back tightly. "What good will it do if you kill her? Will Master come back to life? Senior Sister Yuheng, we'll listen to Senior Brother..."

"Yaoguang!" Tian Shu's voice was icy cold. "Take her away and lock her in the room."

Yao Guang's forehead was covered in cold sweat. Looking at Tian Shu's cold profile and then at the distraught Yu Heng in his arms, he was torn between two options. He gritted his teeth, suddenly picked Yu Heng up by the waist, and ignoring her kicks, cries and curses, he forcibly carried her away from the courtyard.

"Let me go, you bastard Yaoguang! Let me go..."

Yuheng's cries and curses gradually faded into the distance.

Only Xue Sui and Tian Shu remained in the courtyard.

The wind rustled through the willow branches.

Tian Shu turned his back to Xue Sui, his shoulders taut.

After a long while, he let out a soft sigh.

“You don’t need to feel guilty.” His voice was low and hoarse. “When the palace was in turmoil that day, Master was already prepared to die. You don’t need to take all the blame upon yourself…”

"Senior Brother..." Xue Sui's throat tightened.

"You go."

After Tian Shu finished speaking, as if he had made up his mind, he suddenly turned around.

"I've been researching the love potion for years, and I'm not entirely clueless about it. It's just that this method... is so mysterious, almost like a legend."

Xue Sui's eyes narrowed. "Senior brother, you said..."

"Ancient records state that deep within the sacred Ulan Mountain, there grows a strange herb whose flowers resemble ice silk, opening at night and closing during the day. If one takes a twin plant with the same stem and combines it with the heart's blood of the one who feeds the Gu poison, it can cure the most potent poison in the world and remove the love Gu poison."

“What kind of grass…” Xue Sui stepped forward.

“Forget-Me-Not.” Tian Shu looked at her, his gaze icy. “That herb grows alongside venomous snakes and strange beasts, extremely difficult to find, and harvesting it is even more perilous. Moreover, it has always… existed only in legends. No one has ever truly seen it, and no one has ever proven its medicinal effects…”

(End of this chapter)