Chapter 359: Su Rao’s Forced Transformation into Darkness

Chapter 359: Su Rao's Forced Transformation into Darkness

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the weather grew increasingly colder.

People began to don thicker autumn clothes.

Some had even started wearing winter garments.

Yun Lang was already experiencing a frigid climate, with the chill coming from the north.

At this time in the Zhu Xian Kingdom, due to the terrain and desert landscape, the cold was accompanied by a dry, sandy breeze, creating an intensely cold and dry environment.

The biting wind lashed against their cheeks, not only freezing them but also causing their skin to sting.

In the Zhu Xian Kingdom.

At Gobi Pass, within the Pass Governor's residence.

The same room where Su Rao had stayed months ago was now reoccupied in September.

However, this time, those attending to Su Rao were no longer the maids arranged by Xianyi Chishaou in the Pass Governor's residence. Instead, it was Yi Su, Xiao Zhi, and Huan Niang who were caring for her.

Ever since Su Rao had vomited blood and fainted, Xianyi Chishaou had brought her back to the Zhu Xian Kingdom. Su Rao was unconscious, and it was ultimately unsafe to find a doctor for her in Yun Lang.

So, after a medic under Xianyi Chishaou's command examined her and confirmed she was out of immediate danger, Xianyi Chishaou brought Su Rao back to his Zhu Xian Kingdom for further treatment.

Back in Zhu Xian, even if Yun Lang Emperor knew of Su Rao's whereabouts, he could no longer easily make a move against her. If he wanted to act against Su Rao, he would have to negotiate with the Zhu Xian Kingdom. If he secretly sent people and they were caught by Zhu Xian, it would jeopardize the diplomatic relations between the two nations.

"Miss..." Yi Su watched Su Rao grow increasingly silent since waking up, much like a ragdoll after the fall of Great Qin. She gripped the dagger at her waist so tightly her knuckles turned white.

If it weren’t for her parents’ constant reminder that protecting Miss was their duty, Yi Su would have wanted to recklessly seek revenge for Miss and avenge her parents.

"Yi Su, I'm fine. If you can't hold it in, then cry. Cry for your parents. If you don't want to cry, then hit me. If you don't want to hit me, then go out and let me rest."

Su Rao took Yi Su’s hand and gently pried apart her clenched, pale fingers.

Su Rao spoke calmly.

Self-harm here was pointless. They needed to rest and prepare to eliminate those murderers.

Her heart had grown dark, but none of it showed on her face.

"Yi Su, go out and let Miss rest," Xiao Zhi and Huan Niang walked in.

Xiao Zhi led Yi Su out.

Huan Niang carried two jars of wine and walked to the side of the bed.

"This is top-shelf aged liquor from Zhu Xian. They say it’s incredibly smooth. Want a couple of jars to take the edge off?"

Su Rao's eyes fell on the wine jars that Huan Niang shook and offered. After a moment, she shook her head.

"I’ve given up drinking. I don’t touch alcohol anymore."

"When did you quit drinking?"

Huan Niang's expression flickered slightly, but only for a moment.

"Alright! Since you're done drinking, I might as well make the most of it today. I wonder how the Zhu Xian wine tastes—whether it can make me forget everything."

She walked to the table, sat down, and opened the wine stopper. Mimicking how Su Rao used to drink, she poured the wine down her throat in one gulp, only to be seized by a fit of violent coughing from the spiciness of the strong wine. Her face turned a deep shade of red, almost as if she'd applied too much blush.

"Since I can't handle strong wine, I shouldn't waste this good stuff."

Su Rao got off the bed, snatched the wine jar from Huan Niang's hand, and tilted her neck back. The wine flowed from the jar into her slightly pale lips, splashing a few drops.

Looks like she's breaking her sobriety again.

Huan Niang watched but didn't try to dissuade her as she might have back at Xiaoyao Residence. She just sat there quietly.

In no time, the fiery Zhu Xian wine was gone, as if it were plain water.

Su Rao only drank that small jar and left the other untouched.

She tossed the empty jar aside and suddenly strode to the door, flinging it open.

"Seen enough?"

Xianyi Chishaou had been standing outside the door for a while, arriving just as Su Rao began drinking.

Through the crack of the door, he had watched her, dressed in a red gown, one foot on a stool, drinking with her head tilted back, resembling the fierce men and women of Zhu Xian. But she was even more bold and dazzling.

For a split second, a hint of guilt flashed in his cold eyes before disappearing.

"Looks like I was overthinking. I thought you might..."

"Fall apart or scream for revenge."

Su Rao interrupted, finishing his sentence for him. She turned and walked back into the room.

She was extremely calm and composed, not at all reacting in the hundreds of ways Xianyi Chishaou had imagined.

Xianyi Chishaou followed her in.

Huan Niang glanced at them and, without saying a word, got up and left.

This was what her master wanted; what could she say?

"If I wanted revenge, if I wanted to destroy Yun Lang, to kill my way into Yun Palace, to hang the executioner's head on the city wall, to paint Langjing with the blood of the Yun family, Xianyi Chishaou, if I had such thoughts, would you like to get involved? Would you want to, so that it's no longer a three-kingdom standoff?"

As soon as she sat down, Su Rao abruptly spoke again, her calm face breaking into a smile, her enchanting beauty on full display. The scar on her forehead, the one that marred her beauty, was not hidden.

Even though her scarred beauty still captivated Xianyi Chishaou, it was only for a fleeting moment. His cold brows twitched at Su Rao's words, not out of romantic interest, but because of the dark heart behind them.

"Su Rao, you want to incite war between the three kingdoms."

Even without Su Rao saying more, Xianyi Chishaou understood.

"Heh... So that's your game."

This sudden laugh was followed by Su Rao abruptly moving close to Xianyi Chishaou, her face just an inch away from his.

Those peach blossom eyes stared directly into Xianyi Chishaou's cold ones.

She couldn't believe that such a man had no ambition, that he had never considered contending for the world. Everything he did was due to Empress Rong's coercion. "Don't you want it? The all-powerful Prince Yi, do you really only want to guard this barren land? Your Zhu Xian is militarily strong and can be considered vast and rich, but compared to Dan Liang, your seasonal produce is not abundant. Compared to Yun Lang, your climate and geography are inferior. Zhu Xian only excels in physical strength."

Her breath, mixed with a strong scent of alcohol, hit him. The alcohol was intoxicating, but the woman was more enchanting. Xianyi Chishaou's eyes became dazed for a moment, and his heartbeat quickened, becoming difficult to control.

This woman before him revealed her true self, the sharpness hidden beneath all her arrogant and unruly exterior. He had actually already remembered her from that single glance in Wanglu Temple.

"Su Rao, you want Zhu Xian to go to war for you and Yun Lang."

This time, Xianyi Chishaou's reaction was not as quick as before. Su Rao caught the momentary dazed look in his eyes, and a deep sense of coldness welled up in her heart.

What she wanted was more than just a war between Zhu Xian and Yun Lang. The Great Qin kingdom was already shattered, its people long gone. Why should these usurpers continue to occupy her Great Qin's territory?

Even if the lands of the Great Qin were completely destroyed, she wouldn’t let these usurpers keep occupying them.

If her two families were destroyed, then everyone should go down to atone for their sins, including herself.

"Yes, I need an army, a proper army."

Nodding, Su Rao made no secret of her desire to use the military power in Xianyi Chishaou's hands, in Zhu Xian.

Sitting back, Su Rao finally distanced herself from Xianyi Chishaou.

She continued, "Xianyi Chishaou..."

You care about your emperor brother, and I can help you cure his poison, freeing you from Empress Rong's threats. If you agree, that's fine. If not, you'll eventually agree.

Su Rao had not yet spoken the last sentence.

Because Xianyi Chishaou spoke first, rendering all the other words Su Rao had prepared unnecessary, filling her instead with a deep trembling.

"Very well, I can give you the army, and I can even bring the head of Emperor Yun Lang before you. All I require... is one condition from you..."