Untouchable Lovers-Chapter 211 - 191 The Wasteland of the Storm (5)
Chapter 211: Chapter 191: The Wasteland of the Storm (5)
Chapter 211: Chapter 191: The Wasteland of the Storm (5)
“`
Although she had made ample preparations and rehearsed many times in her mind, when the moment came to actually poison the man, Chu Yu still couldn’t help but feel nervous.
Gazing at Tian Rujing and Yue Jiefei who had already arrived at the doorstep, her heartbeat in her chest was so rapid that it seemed about to burst through her body, her fingers trembling slightly under her sleeves, yet her face remained utterly indifferent.
She pinched her palm hard to prevent her unusual behavior from being too conspicuous and giving away something was amiss, then gave the two men a faint glance, sweeping her cold gaze over them before withdrawing it.
Chu Yu was hosting guests today in a quiet, vacant courtyard. It was secluded and quiet, giving off a rather desolate feel, yet the interior decoration was quite different, showing off a sense of luxury.
The floor was covered with thick carpets, and as soon as Yue Jiefei stepped in, he felt the warm, soft fragrance and heat of the room hit him, dispelling the cold of early winter. However, seeing Chu Yu’s icy demeanor, he felt somewhat uncertain.
Yue Jiefei was not naive enough to believe that Chu Yu would still be cordial to him after his act of betrayal, but he had no idea what her intentions were in inviting them.
You Lan led the two men to the room where Chu Yu was entertaining guests. This room was smaller than the usual main hall for receiving guests, just a single chamber with no other exits apart from the main door.
Tian Rujing hesitated only a moment at the door before stepping in, and Yue Jiefei felt a slight relief when he saw that Chu Yu was the only person inside. If Hua Cuo or Rong Zhi were present, he would probably reconsider entering the room.
The room was arranged with black lacquered short tables, two feet wide and four feet long, with Chu Yu seated at the head. There was room on either side for the two men to sit facing each other.
Chu Yu greeted them with detached indifference, “Please take a seat,” then went on to pick up a scroll next to her, pretending to read it with deliberate neglect.
No good deed goes unpunished; one who is unduly attentive without cause is either a villain or a thief. If she showed extreme welcome and eagerness at their arrival, it would arouse more suspicion from Yue Jiefei and Tian Rujing. Being as cold as possible was the most normal demeanor she should display.
You Lan and a few maids bustled in and out, bringing in wine and dishes, neatly arranging them on the long tables in front of the three, with snow-white porcelain set against the black table surface. The dishes were exquisite, brightly colored and eye-catching.
After You Lan and others finally replaced the incense and bowed out, Chu Yu put down her book and looked at the two similarly silent men for a while. Her ice-cold expression softened slightly, and she sighed, “Why have we become so estranged?”
With that opening, Yue Jiefei also reminisced about his days with Chu Yu. Although he was always anxious each day about attracting the Princess’s attention, in fact, she never encroached on him and instead treated him quite generously. He didn’t understand why Tian Rujing would denounce the Princess and uncharacteristically get involved in political affairs, causing the Emperor to be alienated from her.
He didn’t know what issues lay between Tian Rujing and Chu Yu, but hadn’t their relationship been rather good before? Even when Tian Rujing disappeared, hadn’t Chu Yu gone out of the city to look for him personally?
As he thought this, Yue Jiefei involuntarily looked towards Tian Rujing, only to see his junior brother’s face as expressionless as ever, leaving Yue Jiefei clueless as to what he might be thinking.
The room was filled with a rich, warm fragrance, and the drowsy scent almost seeped into one’s breath and heartbeat, making it difficult not to feel relaxed and settled.
Chu Yu poured herself a drink, using the pouring motion to steady her hand. Even under the calming effect of the incense, she still struggled to suppress her frantic heartbeat.
It was close, so very close.
Her gaze casually swept over Tian Rujing’s purple-cuffed wrist and became fervently hopeful for a moment, but then she pretended to drink to cover up her eager expression.
Despite the dishes being crafted as delicately as flowers, Chu Yu ate only a few bites. She slowly drank by herself and talked about past events with the two men, her voice filled with nostalgia and regret, causing Yue Jiefei to also become lost in thought.
“Do you still remember when we drank together on East Mountain?” As Chu Yu spoke, she suddenly thought of Wang Yizhi, and her heart sank abruptly. The person she had drunk with was no longer by her side, and the mood from those drinking days could not be found again. She lowered her eyelids, “Those times were truly good.”
Fine wine, starlight, laughter shared loudly, singing unrestrainedly.
Those days could never return.
Some people had departed far away, some could no longer be trusted, some had broken ties completely.
And she would soon leave as well.
The once flourishing land had become a barren plain, and within the desolate fields, no one would be left, only the endless storms howling and sweeping through.
Listening to Chu Yu’s words, Yue Jiefei felt a sense of despair. He couldn’t help but speak to comfort her, “Princess, you need not be so. The disagreement with the Emperor is just a temporary thing. After a while, when his anger subsides, he will naturally not blame you anymore.” He felt ominous hearing her words, her tone was as if she were about to die.
“`
Chu Yu gave a peculiar smile and glanced at Tian Rujing: he didn’t tell Yue Jiefei about her inevitable death.
Perhaps it was for the best.
Shaking her head with a smile, Chu Yu filled her cup to the brim before standing up, picked up the teapot in front of her, and walked to the two of them. She poured each a cup of wine and said softly, “For the last time, let me toast you three cups.” Casually setting down the teapot, Chu Yu returned to her seat, gracefully lifted her cup, and looked at each of them in turn, “The first cup, I toast Yue Jiefei, I thank you for always protecting me, sparing no effort.”
Yue Jiefei was a bit startled when Chu Yu poured his wine, seemingly unaccustomed to her doing such an act, yet he did not stop her. Hearing Chu Yu’s words, he seemed somewhat sad and raised his cup in response, “Why should the Princess thank me? It is my duty.”
Chu Yu raised her eyebrows, lifted her cup, and swiftly drained it, “That’s your affair, but I, the Princess, still wish to thank you.” Even if it was his duty, it doesn’t negate the many times Yue Jiefei risked his life for her amidst the blades and swords.
Yue Jiefei sipped his drink tentatively, then followed Chu Yu’s example and tilted his head back to empty the cup, only to see Chu Yu’s gaze moving towards Tian Rujing on the opposite side. Tian Rujing was staring at his cup as if lost in a daze, and upon hearing Yue Jiefei’s cough, he came to his senses and slowly raised his cup to drink the liquid.
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Could he have noticed something?
Chu Yu thought somewhat nervously.
But her first round of wine was completely unadulterated, so even if Tian Rujing was suspicious, he couldn’t detect anything.
Having come this far, backing out now was not an option.
Chu Yu bit her lip, but then became entirely calm, as if the frantic heartbeat and trembling limbs were all an illusion. She revealed a sorrowful smile, stood up once again, and picked up her own teapot, as was her custom, first pouring herself a full cup, then moving to Yue Jiefei’s desk.
As she bent down, for a split second, her wide sleeve covered the teapot, and it was within that instant that her hand, resting on the lid, pressed gently and turned a small angle. Then, as if nothing had happened, she continued to pour wine for Yue Jiefei.
This particular teapot was made under her specific request, by Rong Zhi himself, modeled after the mandarin duck teapot she had seen in TV shows and novels. The teapot was divided into two completely separate halves, one side carried normal wine, while the other was laced with sedatives.
A twist of the mechanism allowed control of which half of the wine would pour out of the spout.
Chu Yu had made every effort to make it seem like this invitation was merely for a reunion, and Rong Zhi’s provided sedatives had a light taste, undetectable when mixed with the wine. Nevertheless, Chu Yu still feared their caution, so she deliberately used her own teapot to serve them wine and drank first to show it was poison-free, to lower their guard.
Moreover, her first round of poured wine was indeed without any additives, further to ease their vigilance.
Calmly filling their cups once more, Chu Yu returned to her seat and raised her glass, “This second cup of wine,” she turned towards Tian Rujing, smiling genuinely, “Although you harmed me, I still thank you for telling me some things.”
Then she too drained the full cup.
Chu Yu couldn’t taste the flavor of the wine at all; her mind was completely focused on Tian Rujing’s wrist. No matter what she ate or drank, the food tasted like wax, and the wine felt like plain boiled water.
For the third cup, Chu Yu mimicked the previous ones, although Rong Zhi had assured her that the dosage in a single cup of wine would be enough to incapacitate a person, she decided to double it just to be sure.
“This third cup, I toast both of you.” Chu Yu held up her cup calmly, her expression blank, “From now on, all ties are severed, with no further relation.”
Yue Jiefei was taken aback, showing an undisguised sadness on his face, but he said nothing, just slowly lifting his cup.
Tian Rujing, on the other hand, was more decisive, raising his cup and emptying it, then slumped to the floor.
When Tian Rujing collapsed, Yue Jiefei finally felt something was amiss. His head was heavy, his limbs weak. Seeing Tian Rujing unconscious, he had a moment of clarity.
He knocked away his cup, struggling to stay awake, and tried to draw his sword, but as his hand touched the hilt, a sudden pain erupted at the back of his head, a violent dizziness flooded his mind, and he could no longer hold on, his consciousness plunging into darkness.
Chu Yu stood beside Yue Jiefei, expressionless, dropping the teapot from her hands without care for the liquid spilling onto the carpet. She bent down to check that Yue Jiefei was still breathing and then slowly exhaled in relief.
Worried that Yue Jiefei, with his martial training and robust physique, might awaken prematurely, Chu Yu pulled out the ropes she had prepared and tied him up like a rice dumpling. Once the task was completed, she took deliberate steps toward Tian Rujing, who had been lying motionless on the opposite side.
