Chapter 260
Chapter 260
Lin Zaozao held Lvzhi half in her arms, carefully inspecting his hair. But even after Lin Zaozao examined it thoroughly, she still couldn't find the three silver needles stuck in his head.
"Zaozao, what are you looking for?"
"Gu Shan, someone stuck three silver needles in Lvzhi's head, and I'm trying to find them."
Lin Zaozao ruffled through Lvzhi's hair, searching meticulously.
But in the end, she couldn't find them at all.
"Zaozao, you, you shouldn't hold him like that. I don't like it when you hold him."
Gu Shan sniffled and said pitifully.
"My dear little Gu Shan! We can't be jealous right now. Let me revive Lvzhi first, then I'll put him down."
After smiling at the aggrieved Gu Shan, Lin Zaozao continued searching through Lvzhi's hair for the silver needles.
"Zaozao~"
Gu Shan's sudden whining caused Lin Zaozao to pause. She turned around, saw his pitiful look, but had to ignore his resentful gaze for now.
It's not that she was heartless, it's just that a life was at stake!
Moreover, Lvzhi had been a spy in Fengshuo Country since he was very young. She couldn't let him die just as his mission was about to end.
"Zaozao, move aside."
Disregarding Lin Zaozao's objections, Gu Shan forcibly pulled Lvzhi out of her embrace.
With one hand gripping Lvzhi's collar and the other on his forehead, within moments, Lvzhi's forehead began to sweat profusely.
As a bead of sweat slid down his forehead, three fine silver needles, as thin as cow hair, shot out from the back of Lvzhi's head.
"There, the needles are out."
Gu Shan tossed Lvzhi aside and turned to hold Lin Zaozao in his arms.
"Zaozao, kiss me~"
Looking at Gu Shan's pursed lips, Lin Zaozao kissed him without hesitation.
"Good boy, Gu Shan! But I still need to save the others. You wait here for me, I'll be right back!"
Petting Gu Shan's head like a puppy, Lin Zaozao turned and went to the other spies.
In no time, she had transferred their ailments to herself and made them drink the Grade Four Detoxifying Liquid.
All that was left was to force the needles out of their heads.
This time, without Lin Zaozao's prompting, the masked assassins following Gu Shan automatically approached the spies and, emulating Gu Shan, forced the needles out of their heads.
Lin Zaozao picked up one of the expelled needles and examined it closely.
They were truly finer than hair strands.
She couldn't fathom how such delicate needles could pierce through someone's skull.
"Young Mistress, those are Silver Hairneedles. They're coated with a corrosive poison. With a little inner force, they can easily pierce into the skull.
The needles and poison together, I thought I was doomed. I never expected you to be able to save me."
Lvzhi slowly sat up, leaning against the wall with a wry smile.
"Hey! Little Master Lvzhi, you're awake."
Facing Lin Zaozao's concerned gaze, Lvzhi couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"Mistress, didn't you used to call me a little green pea pod?
It hasn't been that long, why are you calling me 'Little Master' now?"
"Did I really call you a little green pea pod? I don't recall saying that!"
"Young Mistress, I'm certain you called me a little green pea pod. It was at the flower viewing banquet's entrance in Border City."
Lvzhi insisted, leaning against the wall.
"Really? Even if I did, you must have remembered wrong.
Little Master Lvzhi, if I'm not mistaken, I should have called you a highly accomplished, erudite, graceful, handsome, charming, dashing young man, as beautiful as Pan An, known as the green branch that eclipses the bright peony.
Besides, even if I did call you a little green pea pod back then, we're both long-lived, virtuous, elegant little green pea pods, aren't we? Little Master Lvzhi."
Meeting Lin Zaozao's appeasing gaze, Lvzhi couldn't help but laugh out loud.
This was his Young Mistress, capable of both scolding and praising.
When she didn't know his true identity, she really berated him harshly. Recalling how she insulted him back then still made him both angry and amused.
After learning his real identity, she could set aside her status as the Pearl Empress of Han Country and shower him with compliments.
With her praise, he felt that all the suffering he endured over the years was worth it.
A gentle smile still on his face, tears began to fall uncontrollably from Lvzhi's eyes.
Following Lvzhi's tears, the other dozen or so Han Country spies who had just woken up also silently wept.
Seeing these people cry silently, Lin Zaozao's throat constricted with the melancholy in her heart.
Spies, ah!
It was never a simple task.
Operating in enemy territory, they not only had to ingratiate themselves with those around them but also had to be exceptionally cautious and adaptable just to survive.
Of the Han Country spies planted in Fengshuo and Canglan, those who lived to retire and earn praise were few.
For those who didn't survive, being lost without a trace was their ultimate fate.
To be a spy, without an extraordinarily strong will, how could one persevere year after year?
"Young Mistress..."
"What is it? Little Master Lvzhi."
"Now that the matter in Purgatory Valley is settled, may I follow you?"
Meeting Lvzhi's expectant gaze, Lin Zaozao nodded affirmatively.
Of course, why not?
At this moment, Lvzhi was like a wanderer who had finally returned home after a long journey.
For over a decade, he had been a spy for Han Country.
Now, as the Pearl Empress of Han Country, what right did she have to refuse him?
Sighing lightly, Lin Zaozao took Lvzhi's hand and said with certainty, "Lvzhi, welcome home!"
Turning to the other dozen or so spies, she said warmly, "Everyone, welcome home. From today on, you are no longer spies. You can use your real names again and do what you wish."
"Thank you, Pearl Empress."
"We, we can finally go home."
"After over a decade, our mission is finally complete."
"Father, I've finally accomplished the mission."
"..."
Listening to their sobbing, Lin Zaozao could only remain silent.
But this emotional moment lasted barely a few seconds before Gu Shan slapped their intertwined hands apart.
"Zaozao, don't hold that little green pea pod's hand! Hold my hand, his is dirty."
Looking down at the hand Gu Shan was gripping tightly, following his arm to meet his pitiful gaze, Lin Zaozao couldn't help but want to laugh.
This Gu Shan was so adorable!
But poor Lvzhi was so innocent!
"Gu Shan, do you want me to carry you while we walk?"
"No need, your chest melons would poke me uncomfortably."
"Hmm..."
Lin Zaozao glanced down at her "honeydew melons" and couldn't help but think Gu Shan was unappreciative of such a rare gift.
This curvy, alluring figure wasn't something a beansprout like her could experience every day.
Tomorrow, her "honeydew melons" would turn back into small buns.
"Zaozao, kiss me!"
Looking at Gu Shan's face approaching, Lin Zaozao nonchalantly kissed him. Then, she held his hand and turned to look at Lvzhi.
"Lvzhi, you have been hiding in Purgatory Valley for so long without being discovered.
What happened today? How was your identity exposed?"
"Young Master, it was because of me, all because of me. If it weren't for me, the other brothers wouldn't have been exposed.
If Young Master wants to punish someone, then punish me!"
Meeting Lvzhi's self-accusing eyes, Lin Zaozao pulled Gu Shan to sit on the edge of Lvzhi's stone bed and asked in a deep voice.
"Lvzhi, can you tell me the reason?"
"Young Master, it was because of Princess Qianyue. A month ago, Princess Qianyue and I were thrown into Purgatory Valley by the Empress of Fengshuo Country.
As you can see, the environment of Purgatory Valley is extremely harsh. Inside, there are corpses scattered everywhere..."
When Lvzhi turned his head and his gaze swept over the rows of white flowering trees outside the window, his voice suddenly stopped.
He opened his mouth, exchanged glances with his companions, and saw the same shock in their eyes.
They didn't even bother to put on their shoes, and quickly walked to the window. Gazing at the flowering trees emanating a heart-warming fragrance outside the window, their mouths were wide open in shock.
What happened?
They clearly were in Purgatory Valley, but when they woke up, the hellish scene outside the window had turned into a beautiful paradise.
Lvzhi and his companions simultaneously turned their heads, fixing their incredulous gazes on Lin Zaozao.
"Young Master, these white flowering trees are..."
"Hmm!"
Looking at the sea of flowers outside, to tell the truth, Lin Zaozao was also in a state of bewilderment now.
When she woke up and saw the white sea of flowers outside, she was extremely shocked too!
But now, there were only two informed people, one was the crying Gu Shan, and the other was the depressed Little Xibei.
It's no use asking Gu Shan, he'll just cry again if she asks.
But asking Little Xibei...
Seeing his gloomy face, Lin Zaozao unconsciously swallowed the words she was about to say.
Little Xibei's aura was so low!
She'd better not provoke his bad mood.