Now the crowd understood why Xie Zhong was the first to rush back. Besides being the closest, he was also motivated by past affections.
The first task upon returning would be to challenge the Su family and curb their arrogance, without necessarily resorting to killing. This would make things easier for Xie Zhong. It was fortunate that Xie Zhong was the one delivering the challenge; if it had been any of the other four Emperor Lords, they would likely not have been so polite and would have killed one or two people as a display of power.
As they were speaking, the butler arrived with wine.
Xie Zhong took the wine, brought over three large bowls, and filled them all.
He pointed to the three bowls and said, "Old Madam, Su Wanran, Su Ru, one bowl for each of you. No one is to snatch. Drink up."
Huh?
The three of them froze. They didn't understand. Wasn't the wine meant for Xie Zhong to drink? Was he afraid the Su family would poison him?
Xie Zhong saw their confusion and explained, "I said, I'm here to deliver a challenge, to quell your Su family's arrogance. So, I need your cooperation. If you cooperate well, I can report back, and you can save your lives. Understand?"
Uh...
So that's how it is.
Su Ru was the first to understand. She walked to the table, picked up a bowl, and downed it in one gulp!
Su Ru was already in poor health and had a low tolerance for alcohol. Drinking so much so quickly, after one bowl, she was immediately overwhelmed.
She felt dizzy.
But it wasn't enough.
Xie Zhong refilled another bowl and said to Su Ru, "Continue drinking."
Su Ru looked at the wine in the bowl and asked, "How many bowls until it's over?"
Xie Zhong smiled and uttered two words softly: "See red."
Red, blood.
"See red" meant drinking until they vomited blood! This punishment was exceptionally harsh for the three women, especially considering one was an elderly woman in her seventies or eighties, and another was a frail woman in very poor health. Drinking until they vomited blood could easily lead to death!
However, Su Ru knew that this was Xie Zhong being lenient and deliberately showing mercy. If any of the other four Emperor Lords had come, there would have been no such good fortune; they would have likely drawn their swords and attacked immediately.
"Alright."
Su Ru wasted no more words, knowing there was no escape today. She picked up the wine bowl and began to drink.
One bowl, two bowls, three bowls...
Before finishing the third bowl, Su Ru could no longer endure it. With her terrible health, even a slight breeze could knock her over, let alone drinking three bowls of wine so quickly.
Instantly, Su Ru's face turned red, and she coughed up the wine, followed immediately by blood.
A scene of crimson.
"Pass." Xie Zhong looked at the other two. "It's your turn."
There was no escaping.
Shen Dianlan and Su Wanran also walked over, picked up their bowls, and drank one by one. The Old Madam began to vomit blood after less than two bowls, while Su Wanran, with a better tolerance, managed to drink 12 bowls before she started to vomit blood.
The three women had vomited all over the floor.
The ground was stained red with blood.
Xie Zhong nodded with satisfaction and said, "Old Madam, please don't blame me. I have done all that is humanly possible."
Saying this, Xie Zhong looked at the butler beside him. "You can make the call to 120."
The butler quickly took out his phone and dialed the emergency number, urging the hospital to arrange an ambulance immediately, fearing that even a moment's delay could lead to the deaths of the three women on the spot.
Mission accomplished.
Xie Zhong led his men away from the Su family. The mission this time had been completed very smoothly. From now on, the life and death of the Su family would be none of his concern.
...
Two hours later.
When Su Wanran opened her eyes, she found herself lying on a hospital bed. On the beds beside her lay Su Ru and Shen Dianlan.
All three were receiving IV fluids.
Su Wanran and Shen Dianlan appeared to be doing better. Both of them had excellent physical constitutions. Although they had drunk until they vomited blood, it hadn't had a significant impact. With proper rest and recuperation, it was not fatal.
However, it was different for Su Ru.
Su Ru's health was extremely poor. Even with good food, drink, and rest, she often fell ill. To drink until she vomited blood was far worse. To this day, Su Ru remained in a semi-conscious state, her mind clouded.
Sitting beside the beds were Jiang Mengxin and Lu Ming.
Seeing Su Wanran wake up, Jiang Mengxin was on the verge of tears. She said excitedly, "That's great, I'm so glad you're alright. I almost thought you wouldn't make it."
Su Wanran gave a wry smile and said, "It's fine. When I had more social engagements before, I'd drink with clients and vomit blood. It's not the first time, I won't die."
Though she said so, Su Wanran's complexion was still very pale, and she felt unwell.
Jiang Mengxin continued, "The Fan family has gone too far! Who forces people to drink until they vomit blood? And that Southern Emperor Lord Xie Zhong, I'm not done with him!"
Heh heh.
Su Wanran waved her hand. "No, he was actually looking out for us. If Xie Zhong hadn't done this, we might all have lost our lives."
Suddenly.
Her tone shifted. "Mengxin, aren't you busy in Jinling? You don't need to help with the Su family's affairs anymore. You should return to Jinling."
Ah?
Jiang Mengxin froze for a few seconds, not understanding.
Lu Ming chuckled and said, "Mengxin, Wanran is protecting us. Fan Wentao is back, and he's mobilized the Five Emperor Lords to return together. They intend to use their full strength to destroy the Su family. With the Su family's current strength, they might not last a week. So, Wanran wants us to leave and avoid the situation. She's thinking of us."
Er...
Jiang Mengxin felt a pang of emotion.
But the problem was... could they really escape?
Jiang Mengxin said, "If Fan Wentao is really that powerful, even if I hide in Jinling, he can still pursue us and destroy our Jiang family! Instead of that, it's better for us sisters to join forces and fight him!"
Su Wanran felt like crying and laughing.
Lu Ming, however, nodded repeatedly. "This is the first time I've agreed with Mengxin's words. You can avoid the initial confrontation, but not the subsequent one. Instead of the Fan family destroying us one by one, it's better for us to unite and resist to the end! Is the insignificant Fan Wentao truly able to cover the sky with one hand?"
As they were speaking, they saw a nurse rushing anxiously towards Su Ru's bed.
"Oh no!" the nurse cried, "Quick, call the doctor! Su Ru's condition is critical, she's about to stop breathing!"
Another nurse hurried off to find the doctor.
In the ward, everyone looked at Su Ru with concern, especially Shen Dianlan, who wished she could trade her own life for her daughter's.
Shen Dianlan cried out, "Xiao Ru, Xiao Ru, hold on!"
Soon, the doctor arrived in the ward. After examining Su Ru, he shook his head sadly, "We can't save her."
That one sentence almost killed Shen Dianlan!
"Xiao Ru, Xiao Ru!"
Everyone's faces turned grim.
At this moment, Su Wanran suddenly looked at Lu Ming. She remembered that Lu Ming's medical skills were also quite superb; he had saved Su Wanran from the clutches of death several times.
Perhaps...
She tugged at Lu Ming's sleeve, pleading, "Lu Ming, please save my aunt?"