The Double-Chapter 748 - 223 In-laws_5

He could hardly stand up yet he was so absurdly optimistic, repeatedly declaring his desire to protect others. Such a person was indeed a rarity in this world. Xue Zhao, however, didn’t feel there was anything out of the ordinary. In his eyes, one couldn’t find a hint of darkness. He said, "I’m still not proficient with this whip. Once I get better at it, I’ll switch to another."

Situ Jiuyue looked at Xue Zhao and suddenly remembered the conversation about protection they had at the Duke Residence.

She said, "This whip is no good."

The crowd looked at her in confusion, and Xue Zhao also asked, "Doctor Situ, why would you say that?"

"Using a whip to kill someone is really exhausting. Compared to that, swords and daggers are much easier. You sitting in a wheelchair, with less strength than a standing person, makes killing even harder."

Wen Renyao scoffed, "Situ, you’re a lady after all. Why is it that all you talk about is killing people? Our Young Master Xue likes to rob the rich to help the poor and to punish the evil and promote the good. He doesn’t kill someone just because he dislikes them, unlike you."

Situ Jiuyue was startled. The words "unlike you" had been said to her countless times before. When she was a child on the run, people said she was different from other little girls, too cold-hearted. When she killed someone, they said she was unlike other doctors and resembled an executioner. But not once had she taken those words to heart. What if she was different? How did it matter? Yet today, the words "unlike you" sounded particularly harsh.

Her face gradually darkened.

Jiang Li saw this and had an idea, about to divert the conversation when Xue Zhao spoke up.

Xue Zhao said, "But sometimes, to protect someone, killing is unavoidable. It’s okay to kill for self-defense, right?"

As he spoke, he looked at Situ Jiuyue with a smile, his gaze so warm and forgiving it could melt snow.

Situ Jiuyue was stunned.

"Ever since I was little, my belief has been survival of the fittest. I don’t need anyone to save me. Whoever harms me, I kill them." Abruptly, the conversation she had with Xue Zhao that day resurfaced in Situ Jiuyue’s mind.

She was telling the truth, so she deliberately scared those people to make them detest her, which suited her just fine. But if she could start over, if she could still be the princess of Molan—without the turmoil— who would prefer to pick up a poison-laced Treasured Sword over fragrant flowers? Who would want to live in constant fear and turmoil for no good reason?

She felt she was not in the wrong, even if she was paranoid, hard-hearted, or indifferent. These traits were all a result of the struggle for survival. To stay alive, she transformed herself from a naive and cheerful princess into a demon feared by all; people hated, cursed, and saw her as a viper, yet nobody tried to understand why.

It was as if she enjoyed killing for fun.

But the boy before her, the one who was so different, who dreamed of traveling to famous mountains and rivers, of punishing evil and promoting good, had probably never done anything bad in his life. Clean as a blank slate, he could stand before her and speak words akin to understanding.

It was like light pulling someone out of the darkness, a single sentence that could bring salvation.

Xue Zhao smiled and said, "If my whip could kill people, then those around me wouldn’t need to kill. When I become strong enough to protect those close to me, they wouldn’t have to pick up a knife for self-defense, Doctor Situ." When he called Situ, he stubbornly used "Doctor," even though Situ Jiuyue kept emphasizing that she was not a doctor, but the Poison Beauty who harmed people.

Xue Zhao said, "What can be done to make the whip as lethal as daggers and swords?"

Situ Jiuyue fell silent.

She knew Xue Zhao was trying to save her face, treating her like just another ordinary girl who had been embarrassed, so she wouldn’t feel too awkward or lose composure.

"Yes," she heard her own voice, "poison can be applied to the whip."

To poison the whip... A strike to the body could injure, but it rarely killed. However, if tipped with swift and deadly poison, a flick of the whip could swiftly end a life.

Cruelly venomous, yet Xue Zhao just laughed, "Good idea, then I’ll trouble Doctor Situ to gift me some poison, if possible?"

Wen Renyao didn’t understand the meaning of the conversation between Xue Zhao and Situ Jiuyue, perceiving only that the atmosphere between them was somewhat strange. Jiang Li, on the other hand, watched the scene thoughtfully.

"Your brother is truly talented," Jih Heng said, smiling behind Jiang Li.

"You think so...?"

"Don’t ask me," Jih Heng said, "It’s none of my business."

Jiang Li gave him a glare. She had her suspicions but was unsure for the moment. However, watching Xue Zhao and Situ Jiuyue, she felt it was quite nice. Just then, Old General Jih came out of the house, his face flushed and cheerful after drinking his fill of tea, seemingly quite happy. When he reached Jih Heng’s side, he patted his shoulder and said, "You little rascal, Minister Xue is calling you in."

Jiang Li was surprised.

Wen Renyao was also puzzled, "Why does Mr. Xue want Ah Heng to go in?"

"How should I know?" Old General Jih replied gruffly, "I’m not a gossipmonger to pry into what he wants to discuss. Go on then," he said impatiently, "Why are you still standing there?"

And so Jih Heng went in.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel