Chapter Ninety-Eight: Gentle Persuasion

Zhan Yan looked at him with innocent eyes, and all anger melted away; her entire heart softened under his gentle voice. Indeed, she was no stranger to the feeling of longing. If the roles were reversed, she would surely be anxious to return and see him. Sometimes, loving someone so deeply made one foolish and lost, with thoughts consumed entirely by that person, yearning to see them day and night.

Wishing success to all candidates in their exams!

With a helpless sigh, Zhan Yan reproached softly, "You fool."

Zhongli Yu chuckled foolishly, just as Zhan Yan said—like a simpleton—because he did not regret a single moment. If he did not hurry, who knew when he could see his beloved wife again? For him, even a single day was a long wait.

"Yan’er, if you keep calling me a fool, maybe one day I really will become one," Zhongli Yu said with a light laugh. In this world, only this woman dared to call him foolish, and strangely, he found her reproach endearing, as if enchanted.

Zhan Yan smiled playfully. "You are truly foolish already; no need to wait for any 'one day.'"

Zhongli Yu rubbed his forehead in resignation. This little woman was addicted to calling him foolish and showed no mercy. "Yan’er, you really don’t hold back when you want to discourage me."

"I'm always honest; I can’t hide my words. If you can't accept it, I'll pretend not to know you’re foolish from now on."

Zhongli Yu was left speechless. Pretending not to know he was foolish meant admitting he really was. He was defeated.

After Zhongli Yu woke, he wished to see Zhou Lan, who had been captured, but Zhan Yan firmly forbade him from getting out of bed, recalling Grandfather Meng’s advice to rest properly or his body would not endure.

Zhongli Yu felt it was safe but could not overcome Zhan Yan’s stubbornness, so he rested two more days. Those days passed quickly, accompanied by his wife. They spent nearly all their time together, occasionally talking to the little one in Zhan Yan’s belly, who stirred happily, prompting the couple to laugh like children.

---

Within the headquarters of the Thousand Poisons Sect, a figure clad in black swiftly entered and hurried toward the room where Liang Wei stayed.

Liang Wei was reading when she heard the movement, knowing it was an ally, she waited quietly for the visitor.

The black-clad man knelt immediately upon seeing her, respectfully addressing, "Elder Chen pays respects to the Holy Maiden." He was an elder of the Thousand Poisons Sect, around forty years old, and a trusted aide to Zhou Lan.

"Elder Chen, what brings you here so late?" Liang Wei asked in surprise. As the sect’s Holy Maiden, and having married Yang Yuxiong, she seldom returned unless there was a grave matter. The elders would not disturb her lightly; thus, this visit signified something serious.

Elder Chen’s face showed sorrow. "My lady, the sect leader has been captured."

"What did you say?" Liang Wei gasped, dropping her teacup in disbelief. Her senior brother was so powerful, how could anyone capture him? She hardly dared to believe it.

"Yes, my lady. The leader was taken five days ago. Over a thousand disciples tried to stop Zhongli Yu and others but failed to rescue him; none survived. Upon learning this, I hurried to report to you."

Aside from the sect leader, the Holy Maiden was the highest authority. Now that the leader was captured, Elder Chen sought her out.

Liang Wei took a moment to regain composure from shock. "Do you know who captured him?"

"It is said to be Prince Chun of Dongling, Zhongli Yu."

"Zhongli Yu? Why would he capture the sect leader?" Liang Wei frowned. Her senior brother had no enmity with Zhongli Yu.

"Apparently, it was for some antidote." The sect members still did not know their leader had created countless poisonous drugs for the Holy Maiden.

Liang Wei raised a brow in surprise. "An antidote?"

"Yes."

She fell silent, wondering how Zhongli Yu knew the poison was her senior brother’s doing. It was a secret between them, one she had instructed him never to share. How did Zhongli Yu find out?

More importantly, with the leader captured, where would the monthly antidote come from? Their stock was dwindling and wouldn’t last long. Without new antidote, those controlled by the poison would perish. If her senior brother couldn’t produce more, who would help her then?

"Keep gathering information. Find where Zhongli Yu took the leader, then find a way to rescue him," Liang Wei commanded sternly.

"Yes, Holy Maiden," Elder Chen replied, disappearing from the room.

Liang Wei’s face darkened with fury. Zhongli Yu again, ruining her plans repeatedly. If that was the case, she would show no mercy.

"Someone."

"What does the matriarch command?"

"Bring the sect leader to me. Tell him I wish to see him."

"Yes, matriarch."

Everyone in the sect knew Yang Qi was their true leader, while Mo Qing merely held the title in public.

Soon, Yang Qi arrived at Liang Wei’s room.

"Mother, you called for me?"

"Qi’er, there is trouble."

Yang Qi’s heart skipped a beat. "Mother, what happened?"

Liang Wei glanced at him. "Zhongli Yu captured your senior uncle."

"What?" Yang Qi looked incredulous. "Isn’t senior uncle highly skilled? How could Zhongli Yu catch him?"

Liang Wei sighed. "Let’s just say Zhongli Yu’s martial skill is unfathomable; otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken you so easily either."

"What do we do now?"

"We must send people to track Zhongli Yu’s movements. I blame those sent before for not tailing him closely; otherwise, we’d know his whereabouts by now."

"Understood, mother. I’ll dispatch capable men at once."

"Good. Remember, if we don’t rescue your senior uncle, all those under our control will be lost."

"I understand."

"Go quickly."

---

At the Gu family mansion, Zhou Lan was locked in a secluded room. His injuries were severe, rendering escape impossible. Zhongli Yu had guards stationed to watch him constantly, so escape was out of the question.

Meng Tao heard of Zhou Lan’s capture and wanted to see if he could extract any information. Recently, Meng Tao had been diligently working on an antidote but lacked test subjects to verify its efficacy.

The hidden guards allowed Meng Tao in, knowing he had business with the prisoner. Meng Tao immediately saw Zhou Lan dressed in dark blue.

Zhou Lan looked up and snorted coldly. He did not recognize Meng Tao—though famous as a divine physician, not everyone had seen him in person.

"Are you the sect leader of the Thousand Poisons Sect?" Meng Tao asked first.

"And if I am? Who are you?" Zhou Lan said irritably. He had lived decades but never been so humiliated—how could the proud leader of the Thousand Poisons Sect be defeated by a blond youth? The thought filled him with bitterness.

Meng Tao replied calmly, "I am Meng Tao. I heard the Thousand Poisons Sect does not meddle in martial affairs. It seems that has changed under your leadership."

"I’m the renowned Divine Doctor Meng? Since when have I engaged in martial conflicts?"

Meng Tao’s tone turned cold. "You’ve made countless poisons and harmed many. Both the court and martial world are controlled by your drugs. Do you deny having ulterior motives?"

Zhou Lan was momentarily stunned. He had never cared; his junior sister obtained the drugs from him, and he never questioned why. He loved her deeply. In a low voice, he said, "I only make the poisons. I know nothing else."

Meng Tao sighed. "Sect leader, why be so cruel? Those people are innocent. You know how deadly your poisons are—I recently saw two victims suffer with such horror it was unbearable. If you have any conscience, hand over the antidote."

Zhou Lan remained unmoved. His heart softened only for one person—his junior sister. Calmly, he said, "Truthfully, there is no antidote for this poison. The monthly remedy is all I have. I never intended to find a cure, and she does not need one."

Meng Tao grew angry. Taking lives was the opposite of a healer’s path. He dedicated himself to saving lives, but here stood a man harming so many—they were enemies.

"Sect leader Zhou, are you not afraid to die here?" Meng Tao demanded.

Zhou Lan smiled bitterly. "If I die, many will follow. Without the monthly antidote, those poisoned will soon perish alongside me."

Meng Tao glared in frustration, knowing the truth but powerless. His greatest skill was healing, not negotiation. He left slamming the door behind him.

Zhou Lan frowned at the crashing door. For years, he had made drugs for his junior sister, never questioning why. Now he seemed to understand her ambitions. She was a woman with great ambition; even as imperial consort, she was not satisfied. She wanted to be empress, but Yang Yuxiong never granted her the title. So, she supported her son to become emperor, intending to become empress dowager. Though she professed love for him, he doubted its sincerity. Because he loved her so much, he chose to believe. He waited for the day she would return to a simple life with him. Yet she drifted farther away, and he, having done so much for her, only caused harm to many. There was no turning back now.

Zhan Yan heard Meng Tao’s fruitless visit to Zhou Lan but showed no surprise, as if she expected it. That day, Zhongli Yu could finally get out of bed. He took Zhan Yan’s hand and went to see Zhou Lan.

Upon entering, they found Zhou Lan deep in thought, unaware of their presence.

Zhongli Yu’s voice was stern. "Sect leader Zhou, have you come to your senses? You’d rather die here than hand over the antidote?"

Zhou Lan glanced at him with a wry smile. "Prince Chun, I’ve told you, there is no antidote—only a monthly remedy. I have no way to fully cure the poison."

"Do you think I’ll believe you?" Zhongli Yu scoffed.

"Believe or not, even if you kill me, I can’t produce the antidote," Zhou Lan shook his head.

Zhan Yan, seeing his indifference, grew anxious. "Sect leader Zhou, do you truly not know how many people your poisons have harmed?"

Only then did Zhou Lan notice the woman beside Zhongli Yu. Her beauty was striking; he had only ever thought his junior sister was the most beautiful woman in the world. Now he realized his sister paled in comparison.

He looked at Zhan Yan twice before speaking. "I don’t know. I never cared. If she wanted it, and I had it, I was willing to give."

Zhan Yan did not miss the mention of "her." She asked, "Is she the one you love?"

Zhou Lan was surprised. He had spoken of her before to Zhongli Yu and Meng Tao, but they paid no heed. Yet this woman immediately recognized her as his beloved.

"How do you know she’s the one I love?" he asked curiously.

Zhan Yan smiled gently. "Since ancient times, love blinds people. Unless she is the one you love, you wouldn’t risk everything for her without question."

Zhou Lan regarded her appreciatively. "Indeed, she is the one I love."

Zhan Yan pressed on. "But I think she does not love you."

Zhou Lan bristled. "You lie! She says she loves me."

Zhan Yan looked at him with sympathy. "If you love someone, how could you let them do such heinous things? True love means caring for the other, wishing only their well-being. Yet she commits monstrous acts and makes you a criminal. Crime brings punishment, sooner or later—and your crimes would condemn you to the deepest hell."

Her voice rose with professional fervor, listing his sins.

Zhou Lan, hearing this analysis of his love for the first time, struggled to accept it. Yet her words struck true. Perhaps his junior sister did not love him; otherwise, she would not have married the Crown Prince of Xiyuan as a concubine. Though the prince first noticed her, if she hadn’t deliberately appeared before him, how could he be so enamored?

"Sect leader Zhou, will you continue to be so blindly devoted? The people who took your poisons have loved ones—parents, children. Yet your so-called beloved forces them to take poison. Without your antidote, their loved ones will lose them, families broken. While you blindly pursue your love, countless lives are lost, families shattered. They are innocent. How can you bear it? Does your love justify such recklessness?"

Zhan Yan’s gentle reasoning continued. She saw Zhou Lan was not inherently evil, merely blinded by love. She marveled that even in ancient times, men could be so madly devoted. He appeared close to forty, yet still so obsessed—truly astonishing.

Zhou Lan’s mind churned in turmoil. He had deceived himself for decades. Now, someone plainly told him the truth: he was too blind, reckless to the point of harming innocents. He did not know how to respond. He looked at Zhan Yan and murmured, "Stop scaring me. You think I’ll listen if you say that."

Yet his voice lacked conviction.

Zhan Yan smiled delicately—an exquisite smile—and said slowly, "Whether I am scaring you, you know in your heart."

Zhou Lan fell silent, sinking into thought, lowering his head, ignoring them. His heart roiled with countless emotions, tortured as if his long-held beliefs collapsed in an instant.

Zhan Yan no longer looked at him. Taking Zhongli Yu’s hand, she left the room. He needed time to think, and she believed he would come to understand.

---

This novel is first published by Xiaoxiang Academy. Please do not reprint.