Meister der Mehrdeutigkeit

Kapitel 131

Lian Zhao was sitting at the table, with two family servants standing beside him, and the group was discussing something.

Xiao Xiao was carrying the medicine, unsure whether she should go in. Two servants noticed her, bowed, and said, "Young Madam."

I was slightly startled and gave an awkward laugh.

The servant exchanged a few pleasantries and then left.

Xiao Xiao then stepped into the house, put down the medicine in her hand, and said to Lian Zhao, "Did I disturb you?"

Lian Zhao laughed, "Since I address you as 'Young Madam,' what is there that you can't listen to?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xiao blinked and said, "Young Master, being glib and smooth-talking doesn't suit you..."

Lian Zhao was neither angry nor did he refute. He picked up the bowl of medicine and slowly drank it with a smile.

Xiao Xiao sat down at the table and watched him drink his medicine. Then, as if remembering something, she took out the packet of dried plums from her bosom, took one, and put it in her mouth.

Then, with tears in her eyes, she lowered her head and scratched the table with her fingers.

Sour! Extremely sour! Compared to the tartness I remember, these dried plums are a thousand times better. No wonder they're considered Shennong's medicine; they're definitely not fit to be eaten as snacks!

Her actions puzzled Lian Zhao. "What's wrong?"

With tears welling up in her eyes, she handed over the dried plums in her hand.

Lian Zhao thought for a moment, took one, and took a small bite. Then, he covered his mouth and frowned deeply.

Xiao Xiao laughed, a look of schadenfreude on her face.

Lian Zhao glanced at her, poured two glasses of water, and handed one to Xiao Xiao. He picked up the glass and drank the water.

Xiao Xiao looked completely innocent and said, "Don't blame me, it tastes bad, but it's not poison, right?"

Lian Zhao looked up and smiled, "It's not that bad. At least it's sweet when you drink the water."

Xiao Xiao was a little puzzled. She picked up the cup and took a small sip. The originally bland water, due to the sourness of the dried plum, actually had a hint of sweetness.

In that instant, she suddenly understood why her master liked dried plums. Only by tasting their sourness and bitterness can one appreciate their sweetness. "After bitterness comes sweetness"—these four words encapsulate the whole story.

Xiao Xiao smiled, held the cup with both hands, and slowly drank it.

Lian Zhao smiled as he sipped the water in his cup.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

Turning her head slightly, she saw Oniu and Kanoko standing at the door, looking slightly timid.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Lian Zhao asked.

Oniu and Kanoko entered, bowing and saying, "Lady Zuo, Young Master Lian."

Xiao Xiao felt uncomfortable all over when she heard the word "heroine".

Oniu and Kanoko exchanged a glance, then suddenly knelt down and said in unison, "Lady Zuo, we are hereby ordered by our sect leader to serve by your side from now on."

Xiao Xiao was stunned, utterly puzzled.

He looked up at her and said, “The heroine saved our lives. If it weren’t for her righteous words, Shennong would never have spared the lives of the sect leader and us. The sect leader has ordered that we two serve by the heroine’s side from now on to repay her kindness.”

Xiao Xiao was shocked and said, "Me? At that time..." Xiao Xiao hesitated for a long time but still couldn't say the sentence, "At that time, I only wanted to save Lian Zhao."

Gui Jiu said, “Lady Zuo, the sect leader is currently in seclusion at Baicaoling to reflect on his mistakes. The sect leader’s actions are intended to use your strength to protect us. We have never had the intention of serving two masters, nor are we afraid of death. However, we dare not fail the sect leader’s kindness. We hope that Lady Zuo will do us a favor and accept us.”

Xiao Xiao looked at the kneeling Hijiko and Oniji, who were still standing, and then turned to look at Lian Zhao.

Lian Zhao looked helpless, looked away, and drank his water.

Xiao Xiao was speechless. She spoke stiffly, "I agree, you can get up now."

“Thank you, Zuo…” He Zi stood up and said, but then realized something was amiss and said, “Thank you, Master.”

Master?! Xiao Xiao was stunned and couldn't react for a long time.

At this moment, a disciple of Shennong entered and said, "Young Master Lian, Lady Zuo, our sect elders invite you to the main hall to discuss something."

Xiao Xiao then came to her senses and followed Lian Zhao to the main hall.

...

In the main hall, everyone gathered. Since they were within the Shennong family compound, Shennong would temporarily take charge of all matters.

As soon as Lian Zhao and Xiao Xiao entered the hall, everyone's eyes were on them.

"Young Master Lian, Miss Zuo," Ba Jitian said with a smile as he sat in the hall, "Please sit down."

After the two sat down, Ba Jitian said, "We have already discussed and agreed on the suggestion made by Young Master Lian. Since Young Master Lian is willing to provide clues about the Nine Emperors, we naturally believe in Young Master Lian's sincerity. The alliance is hereby agreed."

Lian Zhao stood up, clasped his hands in thanks, and said, "Thank you."

Xiao Xiao looked at Lian Zhao with admiration. So what he and his retainers were discussing was joining forces with martial arts figures to deal with the Shenxiao Sect. At this point, it truly was the best solution.

Helan Qifeng, who was sitting to the side, spoke up, saying, "I have already instructed the disciples of Qufang to track down Master Xiyuan, and we should have news of him soon." He frowned slightly and said, "This morning, my disciple brought another message. Hero's Fortress has suffered a sudden change, and the three heroes have all died tragically. Now, the position of Fortress Master has been seized by the eldest son, Wei Qi. Now, Wei Qi holds great power and is expanding his influence on a large scale."

“Wei Qi is a member of the Shenxiao Sect. There must be more to the Heroes' Fortress incident than meets the eye,” Li Si said. “Heroes' Fortress and Taiping City have a long-standing marriage agreement. If these two families form an alliance, the martial arts world will likely be thrown into chaos.”

“That’s right. The city lord of Taiping City is a bit young and probably can’t handle it,” Helan Qifeng said. “The most urgent task is to get to Taiping City as soon as possible and stop the marriage between the two.”

Hearing this, Xiao Xiao thought of Shi Le'er, who was charming on the outside but deep on the inside. Just based on Shi Le'er's argument that "all the young masters of the Wei family are wicked," Wei Qi's chances of marrying her were practically nonexistent. Everyone present had underestimated Shi Le'er… Sigh…

As Helan Qifeng spoke, he stood up and said, "Actually, there's another matter I wanted to discuss with you all, which I asked Elder Bajitian to summon you all for. A group cannot be without a leader. We Jianghu people are used to being undisciplined, and now no one is willing to submit to anyone else. Moreover, this cooperation with the Divine Arrow Lian family has involved the imperial court. I don't need to elaborate on the many grudges and entanglements involved. Now, we must choose a leader..."

Xiao Xiao listened and nodded. Indeed, many of these people had once been mortal enemies. Their alliance was based on a common foe. As for genuine friendship, it simply didn't exist.

"...For the leader of the alliance, martial arts skills are secondary. What's important is that his words carry weight and that everyone can listen to him..." Helan Qifeng said.

"Helan, are you daydreaming?" Yin Xiao said, crossing his legs. "Even the old master of the 'Breaking Wind Style,' whose martial arts are unparalleled, doesn't always have something he says that's agreeable. Who here has that ability?"

Helan Qifeng glanced at the Morinda officinalis on the table, smiled slyly, and said, "I do have someone in mind, someone who has both a fair and impartial stance and the ability to command respect from everyone..."

"Is there such a person?" Yin Xiao stood up. "Tell me about it, and see if I'm convinced of his authority."

He Lan Qifeng smiled and said clearly, word by word, "She is Zuo Xiaoxiao, known in the martial arts world as the 'Three-String Heroine,' and a top disciple of the Ghost Master Han Qing."

These words stunned not only Yin Xiao, but everyone present.

Xiao Xiao was completely frozen, unable to react for a long time.

He Lan Qifeng smiled slyly, "If anyone here disagrees, they are welcome to challenge her."

Lian Zhao glanced at Xiao Xiao and smiled helplessly.

Wen Su touched his forehead, remaining noncommittal.

Luo Yuanqing was completely speechless.

Li Si smiled and watched Yin Xiao's reaction with great interest.

Yin Xiao was stunned. He wanted to refute, but the words stuck in his throat, and he couldn't say them for a long time.

Bajitian sat in the hall, looking at Xiaoxiao with approval and nodding slightly.

Feeling extremely embarrassed, Xiaoxiao stood up and said, "I..."

Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Cheng approached with a smile, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Miss Zuo truly deserves the title. Jiang Cheng congratulates you."

Xiao Xiao froze even more, "I..."

At this moment, Oniusu and Kanoko, who had been standing behind her, walked up to her, knelt down on one knee, and said in unison, "Congratulations, Alliance Leader."

"I..." Xiaoxiao didn't know what to say.

Helan Qifeng cleared his throat and said, "It seems everyone has no objections. Alliance Leader Zuo, please take a seat."

Xiao Xiao, completely unaware of what was happening, was pushed onto a long bench in the hall. The bench was cast in bronze, without any decoration, exuding a unique sense of solemnity and majesty.

When Xiaoxiao sat down in that chair, she felt as if she were sitting on pins and needles, filled with unease. Below, there was complete silence.

She looked and looked, thought and thought, and finally understood a principle. It turns out that becoming the leader of the martial arts alliance is not about martial arts skills or wisdom, but the key is... connections.

...

...This is a separator line indicating 'Welcome Shi Le'er~' = =+...

Thousands of miles away from the Shennong family, Taiping City remained peaceful.

Such tranquility perfectly reflects the saying in the martial arts world: no matter what crimes you have committed or who you have offended, as long as you can enter Taiping City, you can save your life.

Taiping City boasts thousands of acres of fertile land, fruit trees, fishponds, and a multitude of livestock, making it entirely self-sufficient. Outside the city, high walls and deep ravines, with mountains forming a natural barrier, make it a fortress that is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Years ago, Taiping City offended a princess by using her name and was besieged by an army. After a stalemate lasting half a month, the army, unable to breach the city, had to withdraw. This event, once spread, drew even more praise from the world, and Taiping City's reputation soared. But now, with the passing of the old city lord, Shi, his thirteen-year-old granddaughter, Shi Le'er, succeeding him as sect leader—how could a mere, inexperienced girl truly govern Taiping City? People in the martial arts world had long harbored doubts, but given Taiping City's enduring reputation, they couldn't afford to ignore it.

However, no one in the world knew what Shi Le'er was thinking.

Wei Ying, of course, knew even less.

He had been rescued by Shi Le'er and had been in Taiping City for half a month. Everything was peaceful, so peaceful that he sometimes thought he was having a nightmare. But unlike a dream, he could clearly feel that the wound in his heart was still bleeding and would not heal for a long time.

He leaned against the window, letting the sunlight dazzle his eyes.

Suddenly, the door was kicked open violently.

He was not surprised, and remained in the same position without even turning around.

The one who entered was Shi Le'er, followed by Yue Huaijiang and Yue Huaixi, the two siblings.

Adorned with jewels, Shi Le'er strode to the window with her hands on her hips and said, "Brother Wenxi..."

Wei Ying ignored her and continued to stare blankly at the sky.

"Wei Wenxi!" Shi Le'er shouted, "Our Taiping City never supports freeloaders. If you continue to act like a spoiled young master by the window, don't blame me for kicking you out!"

Wei Ying then turned around and glanced at her. She then stood up and asked, "What do you want me to do?"

Shi Le'er frowned. "Wei Wenxi, get this straight, it's not like I'm asking you to do anything. Hmph... a stray dog is a stray dog, utterly useless. Saving you is less useful than saving a dog; at least a dog knows to wag its tail."

Hearing these words, the Yue siblings behind her wiped away a cold sweat and looked at Wei Ying with great sympathy.

But Wei Ying remained calm, as if she hadn't heard anything.

“Alas… Lady Xi is truly pitiful, having given birth to such an unfilial son as you. Forget about enjoying a life of comfort, she is a pitiful woman who has to embroider to support you.” Shi Le’er said, playing with the jade pendant at her waist.

Wei Ying suddenly looked up and said, "What did you say?"

Shi Le'er replied leisurely, "I've already told you, Taiping City doesn't support idlers. The only reason you've been kept here until today is because Lady Xi paid off her debt with embroidery..."

"Pay off debts? What do I owe you?"

Shi Le'er pulled out her golden abacus and said, "I rescued you from Hero's Fortress, took you in in Taiping City, found someone to help you unblock your sealed meridians, and heal your injuries... Roughly speaking, it's worth at least a thousand taels of silver, right?"

Upon hearing this, the Yue siblings behind Shi Le'er wiped away another cold sweat and looked at Wei Ying with even more sympathy.