Luo Bing paced back and forth in the inn, her face filled with anxiety. "Seventh Brother, it's been hours since Flower Young Master and the Grand Leader went out, and there's still no news. What should we do?"
Xu Tian Hong was also uneasy. He was about to offer words of comfort when he saw the door open and a figure in a guard's uniform, none other than the dashing Flower Wu Que, rushed in, closing the door behind him. A burly man followed, and it was no one other than his fourth brother, Wen Tai Lai.
Both of them were overjoyed, and they were about to greet him, but Flower Wu Que's face was grave. He motioned for them to step back and walked into the inner room. He placed Wen Tai Lai on the bed and said in a low voice, "This mission went awry. Grand Leader Chen and the others were ambushed by the young Emperor, and our losses were heavy. I managed to sneak Wen Si Xia out in the chaos, but his condition is dire!"
Luo Bing, upon hearing the severity of the situation, slowly walked forward. Seeing the injuries on her husband's limbs, she exclaimed, "Fourth Brother's hands and feet, how did they become like this?!"
Xu Tian Hong also noticed the severity of Wen Tai Lai's injuries. His initial joy instantly turned to gloom. He examined him closely and his face darkened. "Fourth Sister-in-Law, Fourth Brother's limbs were crippled by those Qing dogs. Every joint has been crushed. The poison has spread throughout his body. It's really, it's really beyond help!" He was filled with inner resentment, as he knew he was alive because Wen Tai Lai saved him, and now seeing his fourth brother's condition, he felt overwhelming guilt.
Luo Bing, hearing his words, felt her limbs go numb. She slumped down, muttering, "No, no, Fourth Brother, a hero all his life, how could he become like this!"
"Fourth Sister-in-Law, don't be like this!" Xu Tian Hong saw Luo Bing unable to accept reality and felt guilty. He felt incompetent, blaming himself for his fourth brother's plight.
They were both consumed by grief and self-reproach when they heard Wen Tai Lai let out a muffled groan from the bed and slowly regain consciousness. A surge of hope filled their hearts, and they surrounded him.
Wen Tai Lai, regaining a bit of his senses, saw that he was in an unfamiliar place and looked around weakly. Suddenly, he saw his wife and seventh brother, and a hint of joy appeared on his face. "You, you, I thought I wouldn't be able to see you before I died!"
Luo Bing, seeing him regain consciousness, was overjoyed. She rushed over and said anxiously, "Fourth Brother, how are you feeling? What's wrong? I'll go find a doctor right now!" She couldn't accept the fact that her always-mighty, commanding husband had been reduced to this state.
Flower Wu Que knew that Wen Tai Lai was beyond saving. Seeing the three of them overwhelmed with emotion, he remained silent, slowly walking to the window and sighing. He felt that fate was playing a cruel hand.
"No, no need to worry about me anymore," Wen Tai Lai said, seeing the two of them about to get up. He quickly stopped them. His injuries were so severe that he spoke with a gasp, causing him pain and a fit of coughing. He said slowly, "I, I don't have long to live. There's something I must tell you. Otherwise, even if I die, I won't rest in peace."
Xu Tian Hong, seeing the seriousness of the situation, wiped away the tears from his eyes and said in a low voice, "Fourth Brother, speak. We brothers will remember!" Their bond was deep. Seeing their elder brother, who had always cared for them, about to die before their eyes, even Wu Zhu Ge, with his brilliant mind, couldn't help but feel distraught.
Wen Tai Lai took a deep breath and stared at Luo Bing. "You, after I'm gone, don't think about revenge for me. Forget, forget me. Find, find a good man and marry him." Without waiting for his wife's response, he turned his head and grabbed Xu Tian Hong's arm. His expression was grave. "Seventh Brother, I, I know you're, you're always clever. Hong Hua, in the Hong Hua Hui, in terms of strategy and planning, you're, you're the best. My, my current predicament is related to what Old, Old Long Tou instructed me to do. That Qing Emperor kept questioning me, but I never revealed a single word. Now, I'm telling you. Come closer."
Xu Tian Hong, seeing the seriousness of his words, didn't hesitate. He leaned closer to Wen Tai Lai and whispered, "Fourth Brother, speak, your younger brother is listening!"
"That, that Bao Prince, Bao Prince Hong Li, and our Long..." Wen Tai Lai, mid-sentence, suddenly turned blue in the face. He trembled uncontrollably, and blood gushed out of his mouth like a fountain.
"Fourth Brother!" Xu Tian Hong, hearing only half the sentence, sensed something wrong. Looking up at Wen Tai Lai's appearance, he was shocked and rushed to embrace him, calling out anxiously.
Flower Wu Que, seeing this, stepped forward and struck Wen Tai Lai's back with a palm, channeling his inner energy into his body. But Wen Tai Lai's injuries were too severe, and the effort was futile.
Luo Bing cried out in pain. "Fourth Brother! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !" She couldn't accept the fact that her heroic, towering figure had died silently before her eyes.