Meister der Mehrdeutigkeit

Kapitel 24

Xiao Xiao patted his chest, "I just sneaked in! If you two don't mind, there's actually a dog hole..."

Before she could finish speaking, she was startled by two cold gazes.

"I...I didn't say anything..." Xiao Xiao said with a stiff smile.

Mo Yun lowered his head and pondered for a moment before asking, "What should we do then?"

Xiao Xiao was startled and stared blankly at Mo Yun.

"Second Brother?" Wei Ying's surprise was no less than Xiao Xiao's.

Mo Yun's lips curved slightly upward, a gentle smile carrying a profound tenderness. He turned to look at Wei Ying and said, "The hole we dug... it's still there..."

Wei Ying's expression changed instantly, a deep smile making his eyes exceptionally bright. "Hmm..."

Xiao Xiao, standing to the side, couldn't help but smile. She wondered, how could there be a dog hole in the wall of the North Garden? Such a coincidence must be fate. No matter how cold human relationships may be, blood is still thicker than water.

...

At 1:15 PM, the kitchen of Hero's Castle was unusually quiet. Lunch was over, and all the cooks had gone to rest.

Beside the stove was a small red clay stove, on which ginseng and lotus seed porridge was simmering. Zhao Yan stood by the stove, holding a fan and gently fanning the fire.

Just then, someone walked in.

Zhao Yan turned around, looked at him, then smiled and curtsied, saying softly, "Third Young Master."

Wei Ying disdainfully looked away. "I have something to ask you."

Zhao Yan smiled as she asked, "What are your orders, young master?"

Wei Ying's eyes were icy. "Why did you harm my second brother?"

"Second brother?" Zhao Yan frowned in thought. "Ah, you mean Young Master Mo Yun? Hehe, young master, he has been expelled from Hero's Fortress and is no longer your second brother."

"Enough with the nonsense, I'm asking you why you wanted to harm him?!" Wei Ying's voice was filled with anger.

Zhao Yan showed no fear. She turned around and continued tending to the porridge on the stove. She said calmly, "Young master, what are you saying? How could this humble servant dare to harm anyone?"

"Stop acting in front of me! I'm not buying it!" Wei Ying grabbed her wrist. "Tell me, did you lead my second brother to the secret passage in the back garden that night?"

Zhao Yan winced in pain and struggled to break free from Wei Ying's grasp. "Young Master, I have already said that I have never met Young Hero Mo Yun without permission."

Wei Ying gritted her teeth and said, "Do you think I don't know what you and my mother did?... Second brother has already been expelled from the family, why are you so determined to kill him?"

Zhao Yan's smile held a hint of disdain. "Young Master, what are you saying?"

"Fine, I'll pretend you never saw Second Brother alone. Then tell me, who poisoned today's lunch?!" Wei Ying said angrily.

Zhao Yan raised an eyebrow but didn't answer.

"This packet of arsenic was found in your room. What else do you have to say?!" Wei Ying took a small paper packet from her bosom and threw it in front of her.

Zhao Yan sighed softly, looked up and smiled, "It seems he didn't eat any. What a pity..."

“You…” Upon hearing this answer, Wei Ying’s eyes flashed with murderous intent.

"Young Master, you're not going to publicize this, are you?" Zhao Yan said with a smile. "What I do, Madam can't escape responsibility for." Zhao Yan put down his fan, his expression completely relaxed. "Yes. I lured him to the back garden, and I was the one who poisoned him. What do you say?"

Wei Ying was speechless.

"I did this entirely for you," Zhao Yan said with a charming smile.

"Nonsense!" Wei Ying shouted.

"Hehe, how can that be nonsense?" Zhao Yan smiled and said, "This humble servant has always been loyal to you. Anyone who stands in your way of becoming the fortress lord will be eliminated for you. How can you bear to punish me for doing all this for you?"

"Anyone who gets in my way..." Wei Ying raised her eyes, "That day, when the 'ghost matchmaker' caused trouble, was it you who pushed Miss Zuo, forcing Taiping City to take action?"

Zhao Yan nodded, “If Hero’s Fortress can’t even handle the ‘ghost matchmaker,’ how will it be able to establish itself in the martial arts world? Taiping City is related to Hero’s Fortress by marriage, so helping out with such a small matter is nothing. Young Master, this is your fault. If you had been there that day, I wouldn’t have had to resort to such a desperate measure.”

"You're the one who orchestrated the deaths of Lian Zhao and Miss Zuo?"

Zhao Yan shook her head. "Oh? I think I've helped make this marriage a happy one. My good young master, a marriage in Taiping City can't be ruined."

"Fine. I'll ignore your despicable and dirty tricks for now." Wei Ying was furious, but forced herself to remain calm as she spoke, "What grudge does my second brother have against you that would lead him to this?"

"To this extent?" Zhao Yan sneered. "He secretly used a secret passage to kill his disciples. This is not a frame-up. I only led him to the secret passage in the back garden. He did what happened afterward himself. ... Now, I am only acting on behalf of Heaven because I see that the Three Heroes are intentionally protecting the murderer and I am afraid that the souls of those disciples in heaven will not rest in peace."

“Absurd!” Wei Ying retorted.

Zhao Yan smiled, turned around, took the bowl of porridge from the stove, placed it on a tray, and picked it up. "Third Young Master, this servant has said all I need to say. If you don't care about the bond between mother and son, you are free to report this to San Ying." She bowed slightly and walked out with a smile.

"Wait..." Wei Ying called out, stopping her, "Aren't you afraid he'll kill you if you treat your second brother like this?"

Zhao Yan paused, then turned around, smiling charmingly, "Third Young Master, you're overthinking it."

Wei Ying said calmly, "You're so confident?... Could it be that you're the person he's looking for?"

Zhao Yan pursed her lips slightly, her disdain deepening. "Yes, so what?"

Wei Ying was astonished, "Why did you..."

Zhao Yan snorted lightly, "There's no why... Young Master, just remember this: you, Madam, and I are all in the same boat. Once Mo Yun is eliminated, no one will be able to compete with you for the position of Lord of the Fortress. Rest assured, I will do my best. You don't need to dirty your hands."

After saying what she wanted to say, Zhao Yan picked up the porridge and walked out. As soon as she pushed the door open, she saw Xiao Xiao and Mo Yun.

Xiao Xiao kept covering her ears, trying desperately to avoid getting involved in these matters, but she still heard every word clearly. She looked up and cautiously glanced at Mo Yun. From the beginning, they had been standing outside the kitchen door, waiting for this kind of conversation. But the final answer was chillingly cruel.

Mo Yun's expression was calm. Xiao Xiao had initially thought he would rush forward and kill Zhao Yan with a single blow. At least, at the beginning, there was that murderous intent in his eyes. However, after she finished speaking, his murderous intent completely vanished. In its place was an unfathomable calmness.

When Zhao Yan saw them, she was startled at first, then turned around and looked at Wei Ying.

"Third Young Master, what do you mean by this?" Zhao Yan asked.

Wei Ying lowered her head and whispered, "Second Brother...you heard everything, didn't you..."

Mo Yun nodded and walked up to Zhao Yan.

Zhao Yan took a few steps back, looking at him warily.

"If you want to kill me, you don't need to go to such lengths," Mo Yun said calmly.

Zhao Yan's knuckles were slightly white as she held the tray, clearly showing her extreme nervousness.

Mo Yun was silent for a moment before speaking, "Although Master only instructed me to give you the wooden box, I still hope you can go back and see him one last time. He has been searching for you all these years..."

Zhao Yan turned her head to the side, looking displeased.

Mo Yun said nothing more, took out the wooden box, and handed it to her.

Zhao Yan didn't even glance at it, and with a wave of her hand, she swept the wooden box to the ground. "Go back and tell him that I don't want something like this."

Mo Yun watched the wooden box fall to the ground and calmly asked, "Master said this is your dowry."

"Dowry?" Zhao Yan said dismissively. "Please rest assured, I will still be able to get married."

Their conversation was marked by Mo Yun's gentle and humble tone, while Zhao Yan's became increasingly aggressive. Xiao Xiao watched them, sighing inwardly. What was this all about? Mo Yun, usually cold, arrogant, and domineering, had become so subservient now that he knew Zhao Yan's identity. Before this, Zhao Yan had tried to harm him several times, and just now she had even poisoned his food. Xiao Xiao scratched her head, thinking that Qi Han must be incredibly cruel to his disciples.

As she was thinking about these random things, someone walked into the kitchen.

“Yan’er…” Madam tide stood at the door, her face filled with terror.

Everyone in the kitchen was taken aback.

Lady tide's face turned pale, and she said in a trembling voice, "You... how did you get here?!"

Xiao Xiao knew that the question wasn't directed at her, but at Mo Yun, but she still immediately spoke up to clarify, "Madam, I don't know anything. I came here looking for food because I was hungry."

As soon as she finished speaking, Mo Yun, Wei Ying, and Zhao Yan all glared at her at the same time.

Xiao Xiao immediately shut up, stepped aside, and pretended to be innocent.

Mo Yun looked at Madam tide without saying a word. At that moment, Zhao Yan rushed to Madam Xi's side, crying out in alarm, "Madam, Madam, save me! He...he tried to kill me..."

Lady Xi immediately turned around and called out, "Come..."

"Mother!" Wei Ying stepped forward and grabbed Madam tide. "Mother, don't listen to her nonsense."

Lady Xi looked up at Wei Ying, "Wenxi, what did you say?"

Wei Ying glanced at Zhao Yan. "Mother, she's lying to you. Haven't you seen through it all along?"

Lady Xi was silent for a while, then said, "So what if she lied to me? At least she was devoted to me, which is better than you colluding with outsiders."

Wei Ying frowned. "Mother, you are already the legal wife of the Wei family. Eldest brother has gone to Xiangyang, second brother has been expelled from the family, and the First Madam has also... Why won't you give up?! Does it mean that in your eyes, there is only power and position, and no family affection at all?!"

Madam Xi's expression hardened with anger. She pushed Wei Ying aside and glared fiercely at Mo Yun. "Mo Yun, what exactly do you want?"

Mo Yun squatted down and picked up the wooden box from the ground. "...I'm taking her with me."

“She…” Madam tide turned her head and looked at Zhao Yan. Zhao Yan frowned and shook her head. Madam Xi took her hand and said, “Don’t even think about it! With me here, no one can touch Yan’er!”

"Mother, wake up! You're not raising a cat, you're raising an ingrate!" Wei Ying said anxiously.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yan suddenly laughed. "Me? An ingrate? Third Young Master, do you have the right to say that to me?" Her face held a smile, but her eyes were filled with chilling coldness. "Do you think Madam and I don't know? All this time, you've indulged in sensual pleasures and neglected your duties, all so that Hero's Fortress would have a reason to recall your two brothers. What a joke! Madam has poured so much effort into consolidating your position over the years, and this is how you repay her. Between us, it's perfectly clear who the ingrate is!"

"It's none of your business to interfere in the affairs of my Wei family!" Wei Ying retorted angrily.

“Fine! Then I’ll tell you about your family affairs!” Zhao Yan retorted without backing down.

Madam Xi grabbed her arm, "Yan'er!"

"Madam, how long are you going to keep this a secret?" Zhao Yan pulled away Madam Xi's hand and said to Wei Ying, "Didn't you resent me for poisoning your second brother? Heh, speaking of which, I learned it from him." She smiled cruelly and said, "When the First Madam was alive, she loved azaleas very much. There were dozens of varieties planted in the North Garden. Most azaleas are poisonous. Especially the Rhododendron simsii and the Rhododendron simsii. Didn't the Second Young Master use these two herbs back then?"

As Zhao Yan spoke, she glanced at Mo Yun.

"What are you talking about?" Wei Ying asked, puzzled.

"I said, back then, Mo Yun poisoned your mother, killing your unborn siblings. Do you understand? Why do you think Madam used ginseng to replenish her energy every day? Do you know how long that poison caused her pain?" Zhao Yan pursed her lips. "All this time, you've thought your mother used underhanded methods to force the First Madam to her death and drive away your Second Brother. Too bad, he deserved it; he has no one else to blame!" Zhao Yan snorted coldly. "You dare talk to Madam about family ties? First, ask her how she's going to settle the score from ten years ago!"

Wei Ying turned to look at Mo Yun, her expression extremely complicated.

Mo Yun calmly said, "Yes, I was the one who poisoned him..."

Wei Ying stood frozen in place. He was too young to explain why Mo Yun had been expelled from the family. He only remembered that his mother had suddenly fallen seriously ill and miscarried. How could he not be shocked to hear such a tragic truth today?

Xiao Xiao, huddled to one side, was also extremely surprised. However, she thought about other things. She had been drugged and ambushed. Come to think of it, the sap from the yellow azalea flower, mixed with alcohol, was a sleeping potion. It seemed that what Zhao Yan said was true.

Zhao Yan smiled and walked up to Mo Yun.

"Second Young Master, it would be presumptuous of me to use this Rhododendron simsii and Azalea syrup on you. So, I've replaced it with arsenic. Please forgive me," she said with a smile.

Mo Yun's expression was unreadable.

"Yan'er... let's go..." Madam tide called out weakly.

Zhao Yan said no more and left with Madam tide.