Meister der Mehrdeutigkeit

Kapitel 8

"Seeing the Divine Martial Decree is like seeing the Martial Spirit Stele." The speaker was Shi Le'er. She slowly stood up, took out a jade pendant from her bosom, and said this.

"The Divine Martial Decree? Taiping City?!" The ghost matchmaker was slightly surprised.

The man was also stunned. After hesitating for a long time, he put down the knife in his hand.

"One must lay down one's sword before the Martial Spirit Stele," a principle known to everyone in the martial world. The Divine Martial Token is the symbol of Taiping City; anyone who sees it must refrain from further fighting. To insist on killing is to become an enemy of Taiping City.

The ghost matchmaker looked at the Divine Martial Token and sighed softly. He then put away the Yama Red Thread.

Shi Le'er smiled and put away the Divine Martial Token. "I've long heard that 'Ghost Matchmaker' Li Si is as beautiful as a flower and has superb martial arts skills. Seeing her today, I can confirm that her reputation is well-deserved."

The matchmaker then took out a sandalwood fan and gently fanned himself with it, saying, "I dare not accept such praise. I have long heard that the new city lord of Taiping City is a hero among young men, and seeing him today, I can see that seeing is believing."

Xiao Xiao was stunned when Yue Huaijiang reached out and pulled her aside. In the center of the hall, only Shi Le'er, the matchmaker, Master Fang, and the man remained.

"You flatter me." Shi Le'er smiled innocently. "I'm not very knowledgeable, but I've heard that although the Ghost Matchmaker is ruthless and kills people like flies, he never kills innocent people. There must be a reason for today's events."

The matchmaker raised an eyebrow, glanced at Shi Le'er, and before she could speak, the man shouted, "Nonsense! My brother and I were acting chivalrously; it was clearly this vixen who provoked us."

Fang Tangzhu also spoke up, "Lord Shi, these two brothers, Yu Feixiong and Yu Feipi, are known for their chivalry. What connection do you have with them?"

Shi Le'er raised her eyes and smiled, "Hero's Fortress has always been known for its clear judgment of right and wrong and its fair dealings. There is a saying in the martial arts world that 'one must unsheathe one's sword before the Martial Spirit Stele and refrain from speaking recklessly in the Hall of Clarity.' Why don't we take this opportunity to go to your fortress's 'Hall of Clarity' to seek justice and reason with each other?"

Everyone in the hall responded in unison.

Upon hearing this, Yu Feipi nodded repeatedly, "That's right! Go to the Mingtang Hall! A life for a life, let's see what you, you vixen, have to say."

The matchmaker smiled leisurely and said, "No need." She looked up and glanced around. "I thought that the Hero's Fort Wonders Fair was a grand event in the martial arts world, and those invited should all be heroes and valiant men, but I didn't expect..." She glanced at Yu Feipi with disdain in her eyes, "Hero's Fort is nothing special. As for the Hall of Identification, let's not go."

"Hmph! It's clearly you, you vixen, who's in the wrong!" Yu Feipi shouted.

The matchmaker wasn't angry. She gently closed her fan and said, "I'm not killing you today because of the old city lord of Taiping City. Master Yu, fate is predetermined; there's no escaping it."

After she finished speaking, she turned around with a smile and left gracefully.

Due to the Divine Martial Decree, the disciples of Hero's Fortress, though angry, dared not pursue her rashly and could only watch her leave.

She let out a small sigh of relief, thank goodness. Suddenly, something else occurred to her; the push from behind was clearly intentional. But who was it, and why? She racked her brains for a moment, then her eyes caught sight of half a piece of white sugar cake on the ground. Tears welled up in her eyes immediately; what a pity…

After the farce ended, Master Fang immediately instructed his disciples to dispose of the body, then clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, "I apologize for the spectacle to all my fellow martial arts practitioners."

"Master Fang, there's no need to take it to heart. That matchmaker is ruthless and definitely not a good person. Today's events must have been a deliberate provocation. If it weren't for the Divine Martial Decree, she wouldn't have escaped unscathed!" someone immediately spoke up, shouting loudly.

"Yes, that's right. We, the righteous sects of the martial world, will absolutely not stand idly by regarding the matter of Hero's Fortress. We must demand that the wicked matchmaker pay for the blood debt."

Immediately, the crowd was outraged, and everyone spoke with conviction and righteous indignation.

Xiao Xiao felt a chill run down her spine. If she had unfortunately died at the hands of the ghost matchmaker, she would probably have been just "an unnamed girl who bravely sacrificed herself to defend the righteous path of martial arts." Sigh, no wonder her master always said: "It's better to save yourself than wait for someone to save you." It doesn't matter if your kung fu isn't good, but you can't forget any self-defense techniques!

Inside the hall, everyone was still chatting animatedly, and Xiao Xiao was still marveling at the white sugar cake. Just then, Shi Le'er spoke up, innocently asking, "Uncle Fang, I've been here for so long, why haven't I seen Brother Wenxi?"

Master Fang frowned slightly.

"Okay, then I'll go find him myself~" Shi Le'er smiled, turned around, and walked away on her own.

Yue Huaijiang and Xia Yun followed immediately.

“Little sister, come on over~ Let me introduce you to Brother Wenxi…” Seeing that Xiaoxiao was still standing there in a daze, Shi Le’er reached out and pulled her up.

Xiao Xiao was puzzled, but she obediently let herself be led away. She couldn't help but turn back and glance at Lian Zhao. This Shi Le'er really changes her mind quickly. Just a moment ago she was clinging to Lian Zhao, and now she's all about Brother Wenxi… Sigh, I just don't understand…

A good show

Xiao Xiao followed Shi Le'er into the courtyard, through the corridor, and around to the back garden, where they stopped in a pavilion. Along the way, Xiao Xiao looked around, thoroughly enjoying the sights. After all, this was a major martial arts sect; the courtyard was three times larger than her previous house. Moreover, the exotic flowers and rare plants, the rock formations, and the landscaping all amazed Xiao Xiao.

However, as rare as it may seem, it's just a place for someone to live; making such a grand display could easily lead to getting lost. What Xiao Xiao was more curious about was this "Brother Wenxi." The man Shi Le'er called "brother" was probably around twenty years old, and judging from Shi Le'er's tone, he was likely from this Hero's Fortress. Wow, a promising young man! Xiao Xiao's wicked scheme had only recently begun to take shape, so naturally, she eagerly awaited the appearance of "Brother Wenxi."

However, she looked around and saw no one except for a few disciples and maids in the fortress. Could it be that "Brother Wenxi" was just disciple A?

Shi Le'er sat down in the pavilion, her expression somewhat displeased. She spoke first, asking, "Did you see who did it?"

Yue Huaijiang shook his head helplessly.

Xia Yun spoke up, saying, "The situation was chaotic at the time, so I'm afraid no one noticed."

Shi Le'er was even more displeased. She lowered her eyes and said, "How dare someone have such audacity inside Hero's Fortress..."

Xiao Xiao didn't quite understand. She blinked and whispered to Yue Huaijiang, "Didn't City Lord Shi come to see 'Brother Wenxi'?"

Yue Huaijiang sighed softly, "'Brother Wenxi' is the man we met at the door just now, the one who said he 'wouldn't be back before 1 AM'..."

Xiao Xiao immediately recalled the elegant young man in his sapphire blue silk robe who gave candy to children. She looked at Shi Le'er in surprise. Knowing he was no longer in the fortress, why did he tell Hall Master Fang that he wanted to look for him inside?

Shi Le'er, of course, heard their conversation. She frowned and said, "Hmph. Looking for him? What is he? He's just a spoiled and dissolute playboy. If it weren't for getting out of trouble, I wouldn't bother mentioning him."

Xiao Xiao broke out in a cold sweat. It seemed like she was in deep trouble…

Yue Huaijiang whispered, "Let me tell you, 'Wenxi' is the courtesy name of the third young master of Hero's Fortress. His given name is Wei Ying, and he was betrothed to Le'er since birth..."

Xiao Xiao's eyes widened.

Shi Le'er naturally heard it again, and she looked disdainful. "Hmph. It's all in the past, let's not talk about it." She looked at Xiao Xiao and said, "I'm more concerned about who pushed you."

"Me?" Xiao Xiao asked, puzzled.

"Pushing you into the fight to force me to intervene. Anyone who does that has extraordinary courage," Shi Le'er said.

"Uh..." Xiaoxiao could only force a smile. However, at the same time, she thought of something else. Even if pushing her into the fight was to force Taiping City to intervene, given Shi Le'er's relationship with her, it was highly likely that Shi Le'er wouldn't save her. Could it be that because she could recognize all the Qi family's weapons, they had truly become treasures now?

Shi Le'er sat quietly, head bowed in thought. "In short, this must have been done by someone from Hero's Fortress, and I can guess their purpose pretty well. From now on, everyone must act with caution and be careful."

"Yes, Lord City Lord," Yue Huaijiang and Xia Yun replied, bowing.

She swallowed hard and nodded vigorously.

At this moment, a maid came over, bowed, and said, "Lord Shi, the Hall Master invites you to a banquet at Yuexiang Pavilion."

Shi Le'er put on an innocent and cheerful smile. "Hmm, I'm hungry too." She took a few steps, then frowned and looked up to ask, "Sister, where did Brother Wenxi go? I've been looking for him for so long and I can't find him."

The maid smiled and said, "The Third Young Master went to the bank to check the accounts and will be back by dinner time. I will definitely come to inform Lord Shi then."

"Thank you, sister!" Shi Le'er smiled happily and skipped away.

She hadn't gone far when she lowered her head, frowned, and snorted coldly, "Do you think I'm stupid..."

Xiao Xiao couldn't help but feel a chill. Uh, what exactly is going on with Hero's Fortress and Taiping City...?

However, not long after, Xiao Xiao saw another play.

Yuexiang Pavilion is a waterside platform within Hero's Fortress, surrounded by lotus flowers. The plaque inside the pavilion bears the inscription "Carp Leaping Amidst Lotus Fragrance," hence the name "Yuexiang Pavilion." Whenever Hero's Fortress holds a grand trade fair, a lavish banquet is held at Yuexiang Pavilion to entertain guests from all walks of life.

Shi Le'er, as the city lord of Taiping City, should naturally sit at the main table. However, Shi Le'er deliberately refused to sit there and instead squeezed in with Lian Zhao. Due to Taiping City's status, in the end, only Shi Le'er, Yue Huaijiang, Xia Yun, Lian Zhao, and Xiao Xiao remained at the table.

Faced with the delicious food, Xiaoxiao's eyes widened, her heart filled with joy. She picked up her chopsticks, looked at the table full of delicacies, and was moved to tears.

Shi Le'er was busy serving food to Lian Zhao, thoroughly enjoying herself. Seeing this, Xiao Xiao knew there was no need to ask when she could start eating. She looked at a chicken leg and resolutely picked up her chopsticks.

But the next moment, another pair of chopsticks picked up the chicken leg.

She raised her eyes slightly and met Yue Huaijiang's eyes.

With a pitiful look on her face, she said, "I'll go first..."

Yue Huaijiang also looked pitiful and said, "I just saved you again."

She was speechless for a moment. Ah, another favor. Tears welled in her eyes as she put down her chopsticks.

At this moment, Shi Le'er inserted her chopsticks, firmly clamped the chicken leg, and then put it into Lian Zhao's bowl.

Yue Huaijiang reluctantly withdrew his hand and went to look at the other dishes.

Being in debt...it's truly painful. A small sigh escaped her lips. But then, the chicken leg...she looked wistfully at the chicken leg in Lian Zhao's bowl and sighed softly.

Lian Zhao glanced at her, handed her the bowl along with the bowl, and smiled faintly.

Xiao Xiao was immediately moved.

"Brother Lian, don't you like chicken legs?" Shi Le'er asked.

Lian Zhao smiled and shook his head. "No."

“Then…” Shi Le’er frowned, looking at Xiao Xiao with a threatening look in her eyes.

Xiao Xiao gasped, tears welling in her eyes, and said, "Master Lian, actually, I don't like chicken legs..."

Lian Zhao was somewhat puzzled and turned to look at Shi Le'er.

Shi Le'er immediately put on a smile and picked up a chicken wing. "Oh, sister must like chicken wings! Here you go~"

Xiao Xiao was flattered and immediately took the chicken wing, biting into it and nodding vigorously. She understood perfectly what Shi Le'er meant: don't fight her for this, the rest is up to you.

The problem is, isn't Shi Le'er already engaged to that "Brother Wenxi"? Why is she still getting involved with the young master of the Divine Arrow Lian family? Master said: It's wrong to have your cake and eat it too. This Shi Le'er is so young, isn't she a bit... But, that's not her business. Eating chicken wings is more important.

Xiao Xiao lowered her head, munching on a chicken wing while watching Shi Le'er fawn over her. As she ate, she suddenly smelled a strong musky scent. Looking up, she saw a woman approach their table. The woman was stunningly beautiful, appearing to be no more than twenty-five or twenty-six. She wore a dark green dress embroidered with hibiscus and butterflies, which accentuated her elegance. A maidservant attended the woman, clearly from Hero's Fortress. Coincidentally, the maidservant was the same one she had seen in the pavilion earlier.

"Le'er, why don't you come and sit at the main table?" the woman asked with a smile as she sat down next to Shi Le'er.

"Madam!" Shi Le'er smiled sweetly and clung to her.

The woman smiled gently, "Le'er, how is it? Does the food suit your taste?"

Shi Le'er nodded, "Mmm!" she replied with a smile, then frowned slightly, "It's just that Brother Wenxi isn't here, Le'er is a little lonely..." She suddenly smiled again, "But, Le'er met Brother Lian on the way, and Brother Lian even saved Le'er's life! So, Le'er is sitting with Brother Lian~"

The woman's expression changed slightly upon hearing this. "Le'er, you're almost of marriageable age. Saying things like that will only lead to misunderstandings..." she said, glancing at Lian Zhao.

"Why would you misunderstand?" Shi Le'er asked innocently. "I really like Brother Lian!"

Xiao Xiao broke out in a cold sweat, glancing at Yue Huaijiang and Xia Yun beside her. One was eating with his head down, and the other was drinking silently, completely ignoring what was happening in front of them. Xiao Xiao immediately understood and continued to concentrate on gnawing on the chicken wing in her hand.

Lian Zhao was somewhat puzzled, "Le'er?"

Shi Le'er grabbed Lian Zhao's arm, "Le'er didn't say anything wrong. Brother Lian is so gentle. Unlike Brother Wenxi, who doesn't even acknowledge people..."

"Le'er, I'll talk to him about Wenxi's matter. You should release Young Master Lian first," the woman said nervously.

Shi Le'er reluctantly let go of her hand. "Then, Madam, when will Brother Wenxi come back?"

The woman turned to look at the maid beside her.

The maid immediately replied, "The Third Young Master said he will be back at dinner time."

Shi Le'er frowned, "It's been so long... Brother Lian, let's go for a walk in the street after we finish eating, okay?"

Lian Zhao was even more puzzled. He glanced at the woman, who looked somewhat innocent.