Chapter 262
Chapter 262
Seeing Lvzhi's shameful look, Lin Zaozao merely heaved a long sigh.
What could she say now?
Lvzhi was right, he had been with Princess Qianyue for over a decade, so how could he not have developed any feelings besides using her?
It's just that Lvzhi had nearly caused others to lose their lives.
As Lin Zaozao fell silent, the remaining agents knelt directly before her.
"Young master, this incident cannot be blamed on Lvzhi. He had only been in Purgatory Valley for a month, and surviving was already difficult.
Moreover, if it weren't for Princess Qianyue pleading for us at the time, we would have been thrown into the Pit of Ten Thousand Snakes by those venom masters, reduced to piles of white bones."
"Enough, no need to kneel. Since those who were implicated have forgiven Lvzhi, how can I not forgive him?
Get up from the cold ground!"
Seeing Lin Zaozao helping those kneeling to their feet, Lvzhi gritted his teeth but still asked.
"Young master, may I ask about Princess Qianyue? Where is she now? Is she still—alive?"
"Dashan, where is Princess Qianyue being held?"
Facing Lin Zaozao's inquiry, Dashan opened his mouth, but his cheeks unusually reddened.
He turned his head slightly, pointing to the small path behind him.
"Young master, I locked Princess Qianyue and those venom masters in the dungeon below."
"What? You locked her together with those venom masters?"
Lvzhi stood up straight, asking in shock.
"That's right. Given the situation back then, I couldn't separate them. Besides, even if we wanted to, we couldn't pull them apart! So..."
Hearing Dashan's stammering voice, Lvzhi's face suddenly turned deathly pale.
He nodded briefly at Lin Zaozao, then hurried off toward the dungeon.
Seeing Lvzhi's rushed manner, Lin Zaozao glanced doubtfully at Dashan, then pulled Gu Shan to quickly run after him.
Little Xibei and Uncle Zhang exchanged a look with Dashan before following too.
After all, this was Purgatory Valley, and although the poisonous insects and snakes had disappeared, the traps set here had not.
When Lin Zaozao pulled Gu Shan along the small path to the dungeon entrance, she had just stepped inside when the dungeon's lewd scent assaulted her, making her head hurt.
Looking up, the scene inside the dungeon was one of utter debauchery.
Seeing this, before Lin Zaozao could speak, Gu Shan directly closed his eyes and used his hand to cover Lin Zaozao's eyes.
Since she could no longer see, Lin Zaozao felt her ears were particularly sensitive.
Hearing Princess Qianyue's shrill cries and the men's heavy panting, Lin Zaozao's expression inadvertently became awkward.
This kind of thing...
She probably shouldn't interrupt, right?
But before Lin Zaozao could ponder further, she heard the sounds of blades piercing flesh.
Pulling Gu Shan's hand from her eyes, Lin Zaozao turned to see Lvzhi wielding a short dagger, frantically stabbing the venom masters.
With each stab, fresh blood spurted out.
The blood spattering Lvzhi's face made him look like a terrifying demon crawling out of hell.
As Lin Zaozao watched the shocking scene, a venom master standing behind Lvzhi drew a jewel-studded dagger from his waist, thrusting it toward Lvzhi's back.
"Lvzhi, watch out..."
Before Lvzhi could react, Gu Shan, who had been holding Lin Zaozao's hand, flashed like a blur in front of the venom master, catching the dagger with his bare hands.
In the next instant, Gu Shan's hand slipped, and he decapitated the venom master.
Not only that, Gu Shan held up the severed head, looking pitifully at Lin Zaozao and saying.
"Zaozao, I'm scared!"
"Ah!"
Meeting Gu Shan's pitiful gaze, her vision dropping to the head he held, its eyes wide open.
Lin Zaozao wanted to tell Gu Shan, "Gu Shan darling, I'm scared too!"
But seeing Gu Shan's tearful expression, she could only suppress her own fear, beckoning him over.
"Gu Shan, throw away the head first. There's blood on it, what if it stains your new clothes?"
"Oh! I understand."
Gu Shan tossed the head aside like throwing away trash, then turned and wiped the blood from his hands onto Lvzhi's body before cheerfully walking over to Lin Zaozao.
"Zaozao, I cleaned it off!"
Seeing Gu Shan presenting his hands like offerings, Lin Zaozao praised him sincerely.
"Gu Shan, good boy!"
"Heh heh heh..."
After decapitating the man, Lvzhi was stunned by Gu Shan's antics for a moment before dropping his dagger, removing his outer robe, and walking toward the fallen Princess Qianyue.
He covered her body with his robe, carefully lifting her up.
Meeting Lvzhi's anxious gaze, Princess Qianyue let out a low mocking laugh.
"Lvzhi, your mission is over, right? You don't have to keep acting in front of me.
You've been with a wanton woman like me all this time, couldn't you bear it?"
"Qianyue, it's not like that, it's not."
Lvzhi choked out.
"Not what? Not that you deceived me for over a decade? Lvzhi, I have no power now, I'm not worth deceiving anymore. So you can leave."
"Qianyue, I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize. Lvzhi, go! I'm already mud-stained and rotting, no reason to live on."
"No, Qianyue. You still have me, it's been over a decade, I really fell in love with you."
"No need, Lvzhi. I'm defiled like this, not worth your love anymore. Go, return to the Han Country, start your new life.
I was poisoned by the Seductive Venom, having to lie with men every day. Rather than let my body rot bit by bit, it's better to just die."
Seeing Qianyue's dejection, Lvzhi gently caressed her face but couldn't utter a word.
"Lvzhi, when you return to the Han Country, don't be an agent anymore. Actually, your acting skills aren't great at all.
I discovered your agent identity very early on, but I couldn't bear it, couldn't bear to let you get hurt.
So I deceived myself day by day, telling myself my lord truly loved me.
Whenever I convinced myself you weren't an agent, just my lord, you would betray my trust by leaking information about me.
Seeing your resolute look as you betrayed me, my heart was hurt bit by bit and grew cold.
So I started seeking out other men, doing the worst things. I wanted to see how evil I had to become before you would turn back, abandon your duty, and wholeheartedly stay by my side to stop me.
But Lvzhi, what I didn't expect was that you would only put down your duty to protect me after I reached this hellish place.
But it's too late, Lvzhi.
I'm poisoned by the Seductive Venom, I can't live... hahaha...
I can't live, it's all too late..."
Hearing Princess Qianyue's sobs, Lvzhi tightly embraced her.
"Qianyue, I know I wronged you. But I had to do it this way. You know, before I came to you, I had a very happy family.
I wasn't an orphan, I had parents. Not only did I have a father and mother, but also five brothers and an adorable little sister.
But one day, my blissful family was destroyed by your mother, the Female Emperor.
"Your mother, the empress, not only killed my father and mother, but also sacrificed my five brothers," Lvzhi said.
"And my only younger sister, I don't know where she was taken by your mother. If it wasn't for Lord Han Ye who rescued me at that time, I would have died long ago.
How could I not hate your mother, who took the lives of my entire family of eight?
By extension, I also came to hate you as Princess Qianyue.
When I came to be by your side, I thought to myself, why should those who harmed innocent people live happily?
While I, someone whose entire family was destroyed, could only survive as a slave by your side.
So, while I hated the Female Emperor of Fengshuo Country, I also came to hate you by extension.
But we've been together for over a decade now.
After all these years, I long knew that what happened to my family had nothing to do with you, who were just a child then.
But I couldn't get past the resentment in my heart. I wanted to find an outlet for the hatred inside me.
So, even though I knew I had fallen in love with you, I could still hurt you without flinching.
Qianyue, I'm sorry, I'm truly sorry."
"Lvzhi, from the moment I learned of your undercover identity, I knew your backstory," Princess Qianyue replied.
"But she is my mother, the empress. No matter how much I dislike her, I cannot bring myself to harm her. But I never imagined that after all these years of my anguish over you two, she would unhesitatingly throw us into Purgatory Valley upon learning of our affair.
No matter what, I am her own daughter! How could she bear to do that? Lvzhi, my mother is truly too cruel."
"Qianyue, I'm sorry!"
"Don't be sorry anymore, don't say it. Lvzhi, I won't make it, I can't protect you anymore."
Watching the two embrace and weep, Lin Zaozao couldn't help but sigh.
Forget it! Let her, Lin Zaozao, play the selfless saint for once!
She was about to walk over to Princess Qianyue's side when Gu Shan held her hand.
"Zaozao, she's dirty!"
"Gu Shan, she was affected by the Seductive Venom, it wasn't her own will. So she's not dirty. As for the evil she has done, someone will naturally punish her for it eventually.
So Princess Qianyue cannot die. If she dies, Lvzhi won't be able to live either."
Hearing Lin Zaozao's words, Gu Shan could only let go of her hand.
Watching Lin Zaozao walk towards Princess Qianyue, Little Xibei, who had been standing by the wall, couldn't help but sigh.
Whenever Zaozao said she needed to be tough and ruthless to avoid trouble, she was always the first to soften.
Little Xibei gazed at Princess Qianyue lying in Lvzhi's embrace, and his eyes darkened slightly.
Even if Zaozao was willing to save her, the princess would never be free again in this lifetime.