Chương 51: A Sudden Twist 2
Brother Mo that stood by the side was astonished as well.
"The poison is a deadly one that kills slowly. But don't worry, as long as the antidote is taken, everything would be back to normal."
Zhao Xing had her head bowed, and no one could clearly see her expression, especially because of the dimness in the room.
Old Man Su went on. "At the time I still trusted Xiao Qi, so I wasn't going to poison her, neither would I an irrelevant person like her partner, it was you that I didn't know, so it was you that had to be tested first."
"Heh." Zhao Xing chuckled catching all their attention. She was really out of luck this time.
'No I have been out of luck since I came to this world!'
She was now poisoned. She didn't know when the poison will act up and kill her! She felt so miserable. But she trusted that if she didn't do anything to his daughter, he would give her the antidote, he was a man with a good heart. That was what she had observed these past few days. He just wanted to live well with his granddaughter, nothing more, nothing less.
She sighed inwardly.
"So then we're even." She finally said.
Old Man Su: "…?"
Seeing confusion on his face she went on. "You heard that I work for the Crown Prince, no? I'm out on a suicidal mission. That means if I die, I die. It's all for the benefit of his highness the Crown Prince. If you want me dead then you could have just killed me directly. Doing it like this is of no use, right?"
"Zhao Xing!"
Just then someone barged in.
It was Xiao Qi.
"What do you mean by what you're doing? The Master clearly told me to protect you! If you die in my hands what should I tell him?"
All eyes turned to her.
"Xiao Qi?" Zhao Xing said breathlessly, she started finding it harder to breath, probably due to the poisoning.
Xiao Qi walked up to Old Man Su, "Old Su, you give her the antidote, this plan, it was my idea."
The old man looked up at her surprised, he had never seen such expression on her face before.
She bowed and pleaded, "Old Su, consider the years we've known each other and let her go."
Old Man Su was even more surprised. His eyes turned to Zhao Xing, he wondered just how important was this little girl, to make Xiao Qi beg like this.
But his gaze became hostile. "If she doesn't let my Xi Xi go, how can I let her go? Xiao Qi, I trust you so much, why did you do this to me?"
Xiao Qi's face changed. She had never been sent on a mission she had to decide between her master's will and the safety of those she cared about.
This made her hate Zhao Xing even more. But right now wasn't the time. He had said it this way, she really didn't know how to refute his words.
Zhao Xing chuckled as she got off her seat. "Old Man Su, don't worry, Xi Xi is fine. I didn't want to go through all this, but because our men have tried all they could to convince you, and you were still stubborn I could only resort to this method. If Old Man Su wants to have me poisoned then fine. There's no problem, you have held me hostage and I'll hold Xi Xi. When you're done with your task then we'll release her to you."
"Zhao Xing…!"
Zhao Xing didn't mind her and faced Old Man Su.
The old man was indeed very stubborn, but in the end he said.
"If I'm able to help you will you let go of Xi Xi?"
"Of course, do I look like someone who would harm children?" She said pointing to herself. She got tired of standing and sat back down. "Besides, I intended for this discussion to go smoothly and calmly, see, though this room is dimly lit, everything's in place, there's tea and snacks." She gave brother Mo a sign, he clapped his hand and two girls walked in with a trey, that they placed on the table in front of the old man, surprising him to the point of speechlessness.
Xiao Qi was also surprised. She thought something must be really wrong with Zhao Xing's brain. Did she think it was some kind of joke?
'Was this girl stupid? Who treats their hostage this way?' Old Man Su thought.
Brother Mo on the other hand had a smile on his face, one couldn't understand.
Zhao Xing smiled and got up to pour him tea. "Old Su, calm down, I know you think we're crazy, but there's really no other way for us, we know that you have your reasons why you don't want to continue in the mastery of poison, but it's fine, just help us this time. And we won't bother you in the future."
He sighed and took the cup from her hands, "Then, what do you want me to do?"
"…"
'Wasn't this old man listening when I was talking?'
It wasn't that he didn't hear, but so many things were going through his mind to care about what exactly she had been saying at the moment.
Zhao Xing didn't have time to care about that, she went ahead and told him. "Old Su, do you know anything about the poison called 'Icy Heart'?"
"Icy heart…" He repeated, with a pensive look.
Zhao Xing watched him closely.
"You mean Icy heart? You want to cure it?"
Zhao Xing shook her head. "Not cure, I want you to delay the effect."
The poison master though confused still went on to explain. "That should be very simple, why look for me for such a matter? A physician should be capable of doing so."
Zhao Xing still shook her head. "Master, of course we wouldn't come to you for such a silly thing." She heard this and poured herself tea, then took a sip, "I heard that there's a method more effective than the first."
"Oh?" The poison master also sipped from his tea, and took a bite of pastries.
Zhao Xing nodded, "That's why I came looking for you. That time I read about this ancient method, and it's said to have been long lost. Curing Icy Heart with another poison. It can extend one's life for a few years, even decades, even though one would have to live their days suffering. But after the cure was discovered, it was abandoned, right? Because no one needs it if the cure could just heal you and make you normal again."
The Old Man nodded. "There is indeed such method."
Zhao Xing's eyes glimmered.
Finding a poison master was only the first step. It would be useless to find one only to discover that they don't even know about the method.
As the two talked the rest in the room watched them, and couldn't help but wonder.
This man was clearly uneasy just now, how come the discussion suddenly turned into a leisurely talk with a friend. At least that was what it looked like.
"My master did tell me about it in my younger days." He said, "He taught me a bit about it, and also gave me a manual. Only that this manual is incomplete, unless I do some research on it, I wouldn't be able to produce this poison."
Zhao Xing nodded. "Indeed." She was calm on the outside, but she felt immense pain on the inside, but she held it in, and continued with the discussion.
"How about if Old Su come with us back to meet the Crown Prince, whatever you need for the research can be given to you after you explain things to him." She said.
Old Man Su also nodded, though his expression became grim. He then looked up at her,
"Who needs such an 'antidote'?"
Zhao Xing wasn't intending on hiding it from him, she smiled and leaned her head on her hand,
"The Emperor."
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