Meister der Mehrdeutigkeit

Kapitel 41

Lian Zhao nodded, then turned to the jeering servants and said, "I already have a marriage agreement with her, so how can it be considered an affair?"

The servants all laughed.

Lian Zhao frowned slightly, but he wasn't angry. He turned to Xiao Xiao and said, "I'm going to work. If you need anything, come find me."

After saying that, he took the little hand and left with the servants.

Xiao Xiao stood frozen in place, her hand still suspended in mid-air.

Yue Huaixi walked up, poked her, and said, "Xiaoxiao, are you done stiffening up? We need to get to work."

Xiao Xiao slowly lowered her hand, and gradually, a smile appeared in her eyes. She turned around with a smile, "Let's get to work." She said as she ran off lightly.

Seeing this, Yue Huaixi laughed and followed.

...

After a day's work, Xiao Xiao became increasingly puzzled. Inside Jiyu Manor, the maids' work was quite easy; it was nothing more than serving tea, dishes, and wine. Short-term labor included room and board, with wages settled daily at thirty coins a day.

When Xiao Xiao received those thirty coins, she even considered working as a farmhand there. Where could she find such a good job? She really didn't understand why so few people came to the manor to hire maids.

Yue Huaixi was just as moved as she was.

The two returned to their room and sat together on the bed, counting the thirty copper coins.

“Thirty coins a day, that’s ten taels a year! Such a good job, if only I had discovered it sooner!” Yue Huaixi said excitedly as he put the coins into his money bag one by one.

Xiao Xiao chuckled and blurted out, "But it will take you three hundred years to pay off Shi Le'er's debt."

Yue Huaixi was taken aback. "How did you know my family owes the city lord three thousand taels?"

Although Xiaoxiao had let it slip, she didn't feel there was anything to hide. So she recounted how she met Yue Huaijiang.

Yue Huaixi's expression changed after hearing this.

“You know Xiao Jiang…” Yue Huaixi took Xiao Xiao’s hand. “When I saw you carrying the Divine Martial Token, I thought you had some connection with Taiping City. I never expected you to be Xiao Jiang’s friend.”

Xiao Xiao nodded, "Yes. Speaking of which, I also owe Shi Le'er money..."

Yue Huaixi lowered her eyes, pondered for a moment, and said, "Xiaoxiao, since you are familiar with Xiaojiang, I can't hide it from you anymore." She lowered her voice and said, "Do you know why we can't find any maids here?"

Xiao Xiao shook her head blankly.

Yue Huaixi's eyes were incredibly serious, carrying an unfamiliar solemnity. "Starting last year, one after another, the maids here have disappeared without a trace. At first, the manor claimed that the maids had eloped with their husbands. But as the number of maids increased, this excuse became untenable. Jiyu Manor is a wealthy household and has good relations with the imperial court. Although the matter was suppressed, word spread among the neighbors, and no one sent their daughters here to be maids anymore..."

As Xiao Xiao listened, she began to feel a chill down her back.

“As I told you before, I came here in search of Grandpa. He disappeared as soon as I arrived in this town. Later, I heard this rumor and found this manor suspicious, so I came in…” Yue Huaixi frowned. “I treated you like an outsider, so I didn’t mention it to you, but I didn’t expect…”

Before Xiaoxiao could even finish listening, she was already on the verge of tears. She never imagined it would be so dangerous here! If she had known, she would never have come in, even if it meant death!

Yue Huaixi said with a hint of guilt, "Xiaoxiao, it's all my fault..."

“Little Creek…” Xiao Xiao looked at her pitifully with tears in her eyes.

Yue Huaixi gripped her hand tightly, "Xiaoxiao, don't worry, I'll make sure you leave safely!"

"Mmm!" Xiao Xiao nodded.

"How could I possibly feel at ease?" Xiao Xiao sighed inwardly.

All night, Xiao Xiao couldn't sleep, her mind preoccupied with the matter. The Longevity Gu, the Three Corpse Divine Needles, the Shennong Family, the missing maid… it seemed these things were connected to something far greater. Ling You had once said that the Shennong Sect Master, Shi Mi, was doing something just as defying the heavens as he was. That meant bringing the dead back to life. These 720 Three Corpse Divine Needles clearly weren't needed to save the East Sea disciples; they must have another purpose… If the rumors Yue Huaixi spoke of were true, then something major was definitely about to happen within Jiyu Manor. And it was inextricably linked to the Shennong Family…

That's dangerous! Sigh, she only wanted to lure out Silver Owl, how did she end up in trouble again?

Speaking of luring out the Silver Owl, she hadn't even sent out the feather yet. Thinking of this, Xiao Xiao sat up in bed. All that nonsense was probably just her overthinking. The most important thing right now was to lure out the Silver Owl and find the needle for her. It was almost 1-3 AM now; if she wanted to act, now was the perfect time!

She glanced at Yue Huaixi, who was fast asleep beside her, then gently got up, opened the door, and went out.

A cool night breeze made her shiver slightly, despite wearing only a thin shirt. She tiptoed, moving stealthily. She had already learned the way during her daytime work. She arrived at the main hall and looked at the plaque above it.

This gilded plaque has quite a history; it's said to be a gift from the emperor himself. The emperor inscribed four large characters on it: "Exquisite Craftsmanship." If you were to stick a feather on this plaque, wouldn't it cause a sensation throughout the city?

She chuckled softly and leaped onto the roof beam. Hanging upside down, she took out a feather, ready to finish the job with a single thrust. Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed in.

Startled, she immediately clung to the roof beam, barely daring to breathe.

The dark figure carried a large sack on his back; judging from his build, he was likely a man. He walked to a pillar in the lobby, squatted down, and pressed down on the pillar a few times. With a soft "click," a hidden door opened in the north wall of the lobby.

The dark figure carried the sack through the hidden door. With another soft "click," the hidden door closed.

Xiao Xiao was dumbfounded. What was going on? A hidden mechanism? She hadn't expected there to be a secret passage within the main hall of this manor. ...Speaking of which, her master had once said that the craftsmen of Jiyu Manor were not best at building palaces, but at creating mechanisms. Their craftsmanship was extraordinary, comparable to Gongshu Ban and Zhuge Liang. Now it seemed that was indeed true. This man in black knew there were mechanisms in the main hall, so he must be from Jiyu Manor. Tsk, this place is definitely not simple...

Xiao Xiao hugged the roof beam, sighing helplessly. She absolutely couldn't get involved in this mess! After attaching the feathers, she'd better hurry back to her room to sleep!

She took a deep breath and forcefully embedded the feather in her hand into the wooden plaque. Then, she nimbly flipped and leaped down. As she left, she glanced back at the north wall, pondered for a moment, and then quickly departed.

...

Thirty-three articles

The next morning, Xiao Xiao was as pleased to find the Jiyu Manor in complete chaos.

When the maidservant went to clean the main hall in the morning, she saw the feather on the plaque and informed the steward. The steward, not being a member of the martial arts world, naturally didn't recognize the secret within the feather. However, among the guests of the manor were officials who immediately recognized it as Yin Xiao's token. Clearly, Yin Xiao had his eye on some treasure within the Jiyu Manor, and this feather was his arrogant pre-arranged notification.

This caused chaos within the manor. The steward immediately sent someone to report to the authorities, and the manor's guards and servants were summoned to strengthen security.

Xiao Xiao stood in front of the door, holding a bowl of porridge in her left hand and chopsticks in her right, looking innocently at the commotion she had orchestrated.

Hmm, knowing Silver Owl's personality, he'll definitely come over soon after hearing the news. That'll make things much easier. Find the divine needle, retrieve the Snow-Refined Silver Light from my wrist, and then…

And then... what is she going to do?

Should I go to the Lian family? Go to the East Sea? Or should I venture into the world alone?

She squinted, deep in thought. Just then, Lian Zhao ran over, his face filled with urgency when he saw her.

"Xiaoxiao." He stopped in front of her and said, "You've heard about Silver Owl, haven't you?"

She nodded slightly.

"Why would he suddenly want to come here?" Lian Zhao frowned, his tone slightly impatient.

"Perhaps he has his eye on one of the treasures here," Xiao Xiao replied.

“He’s only been gone from Hero’s Fortress for a few days, and he’s already changed his target. That doesn’t make sense at all.” Lian Zhao looked at Xiao Xiao. “I’m worried that he’s here for you.”

Xiao Xiao's hand, which was holding the porridge, trembled slightly. "Huh?"

Lian Zhao's eyes were filled with a chilling murderous intent. "He poisoned you and then relentlessly pursued you here. This time, I will bring him to justice."

Xiaoxiao looked at him timidly, thinking, "This is bad. What if I don't achieve my goal when Yin Xiao arrives, and Lian Zhao confronts me first? What am I going to do then?"

“Lian Zhao…you are no match for him.” Xiao Xiao thought for a moment and then said.

Lian Zhao immediately fell silent.

Seeing his silence, Xiao Xiao knew she had spoken rashly. What a man fears most is being told by a woman that he is inferior to another man… but she wasn't wrong. Yin Xiao's martial arts were superb, his lightness skill unparalleled, and with the hidden weapon "Quenched Snow Silver Light" at his side, no one in the martial world had ever truly defeated him. Lian Zhao's experience was limited, and his martial arts were orthodox, official-style; he had no chance of winning.

Lian Zhao couldn't possibly be unaware of this. His only reason for forcing himself was that he believed her, believed her fabricated lies…

"..." Lian Zhao remained silent for a moment, glanced at Xiao Xiao, and hesitated. After thinking for a while, he spoke with reluctance, "Xiao Xiao, you should inform your martial uncle about this. If it's him, perhaps..."

He couldn't continue, frowning, and remained silent.

Xiao Xiao was stunned.

Lian Zhao looked up at her, and said with a hint of stubbornness, "Lian Zhao is indeed not skilled, but my father taught me that men should practice martial arts to protect their homes and country, and to eliminate evil and bring peace. People in the martial arts world rely on their superior skills to fight and cause chaos. They do not think about the rise and fall of their country, nor do they think about the suffering of the people. They are false heroes and true brutes, and they are not worthy of praise."

Xiao Xiao was stunned again.

She remembered her childhood, when her master made her practice light-body skills and fist techniques, but she would always slack off after a while. Her master would scold her, both angry and amused. She would then look up and ask, "Master, what's the point of learning all this?"

The master replied, "Fist techniques are for self-defense, while light footwork is for escaping."

She pouted and said, "Why run for your life? Can't we just report it to the authorities?"

The master thought for a moment and said, "...There are some places that the government can't control."

Xiao Xiao didn't understand, "What place?"

"The martial arts world".

She still remembers clearly the expression on her master's face when he uttered those two words. There was a hint of numbness in that helplessness and desolation.

To save her life—that was her reason for learning martial arts. But what about the others? Yin Xiao, Li Si, Wen Su… what were their reasons for learning martial arts? Perhaps no one could say for sure. She had never met anyone who could so firmly articulate their reason.

Protecting the country and eliminating evil—these eight simple words filled her with admiration.

Indeed, he was just that innocent and kind when he first met him. Yin Xiao had even mocked him for being too naive and unsuitable for the martial world. But innocence and kindness aren't really flaws. If they're harmful, they only harm himself. And isn't it a kind of fortune for someone to retain that innocence from beginning to end?

Xiao Xiao knew that she was destined to be unlucky. But she felt that Lian Zhao could. No matter what happened, he could remain so clean. Just like in the beginning, he would continue down the most "righteous" path…

Seeing that she didn't speak, Lian Zhao became a little nervous, "Xiao Xiao..."

Xiao Xiao snapped out of her daze and laughed, "Actually, you don't need to care so much. Yin Xiao and my martial uncle are both older than you, so it's not surprising that they're a bit stronger. Given time, who can say for sure who will win? I'll bet you'll win then."

Upon hearing this, Lian Zhao's slight displeasure vanished into a gentle smile. He tilted his head, a smile playing on his lips, and asked, "So, how much are you betting?"

Xiao Xiao was stunned. She put down her chopsticks, took out her purse, looked at it, and said timidly, "I only have thirty-three coins... all my savings..."

Lian Zhao nodded. He reached out his hand and looked at her with a childlike, bright smile.

After a brief hesitation, she gritted her teeth. "Alright! I'm going all in! I'll bet it all on you!" She placed the entire money bag in Lian Zhao's palm. "...You absolutely mustn't lose..." she added cautiously.

Lian Zhao glanced at the money pouch in his hand, raised his eyes and smiled, "One day, I, Lian Zhao, will repay these thirty-three coins a thousandfold."

A thousand times? Xiao Xiao thought for a moment, then took out three qian of silver from her pocket. "Can I bet another three qian of silver?"

Lian Zhao froze, then frowned. "No." He glanced at Xiao Xiao, his eyes clearly showing displeasure. "I'll only take thirty-three coins. I'm going to work... Be careful." With that, he strode away heavily.

Xiao Xiao watched his retreating figure and smiled unconsciously. She looked down at the three qian of silver in her hand. From childhood to adulthood, she had only ever owned copper coins and never silver. But one day, a young official's son said to her, "...You are my wife, and everything I own is yours. What is this money?" Then he gave her three qian of silver to buy clothes.

She might never meet anyone again willing to give her three coins at once. She figured she should keep the money as a souvenir! She smiled and put the coins away.

Okay, hurry up and eat, we still have work to do after you finish eating!

She quickly finished her porridge, tidied herself up, and went to work in the main hall. The morning's commotion had left the hall quite crowded. Judging from the situation, they were discussing how to deal with Yin Xiao. And presiding over the situation in the hall was none other than the matriarch, Madam Luo, who was celebrating her birthday.

Just as Xiao Xiao was about to step through the door, a servant hurried past her and into the hall, saying, "Madam, people from the seventy-two islands of the East Sea have come to wish you a happy birthday."

The old lady was stunned upon hearing this. "The seventy-two islands of the East China Sea?... Please come in."

The little surprise was no less than that of the old lady. She stood dumbfounded at the door, watching several disciples from the East Sea walk over carrying congratulatory gifts.