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Just then, Cao Cao entered, grinning as he carried a food box. "Boss! I brought you lots of delicious food! All your favorites! Today, after finishing my own work, I also helped the kitchen by fetching water and chopping wood. I got along really well with the head chefs, and they gave me a lot of dishes!"

Ye Xiao quickly ladled out the porridge and carried three steaming bowls to the table. Mo Yinxue rolled her eyes and, without hesitation, kicked out, aiming straight for Ye Xiao's knees. Just as Ye Xiao was about to fall into the scalding porridge, Mo Yinxue's legs went numb, and she collapsed to her knees, her forehead hitting the corner of the table, raising a large bump. Seeing that it was Xiao Xun who had done it, all the pent-up grievances she had felt from being teased by Ye Xiao earlier that day burst forth, and she burst into tears, nearly fainting.

"You...you're so...biased. Why are you only nice to her, bringing her delicious food, but to me...you've always been hostile and hostile, imprisoning me, bullying me, ignoring me..."

Xiao Xun scratched his head: "Aren't we all supposed to eat together? I even brought you a piece of pig's head. And rose dew and rouge, weren't they what you were begging for yesterday?"

Hearing this, Mo Yinxue felt a little better, stopped crying, and slowly sat down at the table: "Rose dew and rouge? Where did you get them? I don't need these cheap things."

"No, it's said to be for the madam's use, and the rest was given as a reward to the maid Minghui. I gave Sister Minghui a lot of charcoal today, as well as some white fungus soup made by Master Wu himself, and only then did she agree to give it to me."

Mo Yinxue's eyelids twitched: "Which lady?"

Ye Xiao took a sip of porridge and glanced indifferently at Mo Yingxue: "Oh? How many wives do you have?"

Xiao Xun smiled and said, "I've heard about two. One is the First Madam, the legal wife of Alliance Leader Huang, who is Huang Tingfeng's mother. Basically, the First Madam manages the Huang Mansion herself. The other one is very mysterious. I heard that she is Alliance Leader Huang's beloved woman. She is incredibly beautiful and lives in Ru Garden in the west. Alliance Leader Huang cherishes her like a treasure. However, she rarely leaves the house and only has two personal maids. Many servants in the Huang Mansion have been here for years but have never seen her face."

Night fell. The north wind howled and rattled the windows. Ye Xiao was about to go to bed when Xiao Xun brought in a brazier: "Boss, it's too cold. I added a brazier for you... I went to Minghui's room today and saw that she was using a nice little hand warmer. I've already paid for one and asked her to buy me one tomorrow... I can tell you're very sensitive to the cold."

"Have you found out where Shen Wan is?" Ye Xiao asked, looking at him.

"No. I tried asking around, but it seems nobody knows. By the way, has the second brother contacted you again?"

Ye Xiao shook his head with some worry. Upon arriving in the capital, Luo Qingcheng parted ways with the two, saying he would contact them soon. However, almost a month had passed since they arrived at the Huang residence, and they still hadn't heard from him.

Suddenly, Mo Yinxue shouted from outside, "You big dummy! I'm cold too! Why didn't you give me a hand warmer? Why didn't you bring me a brazier? You're just bullying me!"

Xiao Xun frowned as he went out, looking at Mo Yinxue standing with her hands on her hips, and sighed, "She's my boss, you're my enemy. I'm a stupid person, I only know some basic principles, so I'll definitely be good to her and not good to you. Do you think I'm really stupid? I just look stupid..." He suddenly stopped speaking, looking at Mo Yinxue with tears streaming down her face, and was startled. He didn't understand how he had offended the young lady, and hurriedly returned to Ye Xiao's room, intending to ask his boss for help, but found the whole room empty, without a single person, and was shocked!

Ye Xiao struggled desperately, wrapped in a black cloak, feeling like he was trapped in a nightmare, unable to move, and could only resign himself to his fate in despair, listening to the wind around him, not knowing where he was being taken. Just as Xiao Xun left, everything suddenly went black, something covered his head, and then he was picked up and carried away.

She didn't know how much time had passed; she had imagined almost every worst possible outcome. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. The cloak covering her head was pulled off, and she found herself in a warm little house. Standing before her was a masked man in black, his bright eyes staring directly at her.

"You... the second brother?" The familiar aura and feeling rushed towards him, and Ye Xiao smiled happily, "You've finally come! You also sold yourself into slavery and came to the Huang family?"

The man in black removed the cloth covering his face, revealing Luo Qingcheng's stunningly beautiful face, and smiled gently.

"We were all very worried about you." Ye Xiao was even more delighted.

Luo Qingcheng raised an eyebrow slightly: "With Mo Yinxue here, I'm not worried at all..."

Ye Xiao couldn't help but scratch his head. Mo Yinxue? That's no pushover. What does this mean? This second brother's words are becoming increasingly incomprehensible. "Didn't you say you'd contact us soon? Why are you so late?"

“The Martial Alliance has been tightening its defenses recently. This day of the month is when monthly wages are distributed, and it's also the Lunar New Year, so many people have used their money to buy New Year's goods. The defenses are a bit weaker, which is why I can find an opening to come over…”

Ye smiled and said, "You seem to know this place very well."

Luo Qingcheng smiled faintly and brushed a stray hair from her forehead: "Yes. We're quite familiar. I even found out where Xiao Wan is. She's not at the Huang residence; Huang Tingfeng is hiding her at the Martial Alliance headquarters. I was just about to discuss a plan with you to see how to rescue Xiao Wan first, and then ask her about what happened that day."

Upon hearing Shen Wan's name, Ye Xiao lowered her head somewhat sadly, then suddenly raised it again, flashing a dazzling smile: "By the way! I've found this Mo Yinxue to be very suspicious." She chattered on and on about her discoveries to Luo Qingcheng, who listened to her with a smile throughout. Finally, Luo Qingcheng said, "It's not difficult to find out the truth. We just need to use a little trick... Xiao Xiao, you're so smart, you should have already thought of a way."

Ye Xiao nodded with a hint of smugness: "Of course! By the way, where is this place?"

Luo Qingcheng smiled and said, "We're still inside the Huang residence, so it's a safe place. I can't stay here any longer; I'll take you home later."

As Luo Qingcheng spoke, he wrapped her cloak tighter, blew out the candle, and led her out the door. A peculiar, delicate fragrance wafted by, refreshing and invigorating. Ye Xiao felt her spirits lift instantly and asked with a smile, "What is that fragrance? It's so elegant!"

Luo Qingcheng, with his keen sense of smell and eyesight, glanced around and smiled, "Those are some precious orchids in the greenhouse... I heard they're quite rare. Xiaoxiao, do you like the fragrance?" He suddenly vanished, quickly plucked a jade-colored orchid, and gently tucked it into Ye Xiao's hair. He leaned closer and sniffed her hair, "So fragrant." He then wrapped her up in his arms and rushed out the door, speeding all the way back to her residence. He gently said goodbye, and in a flash, he was gone.

Ye Xiao paced around the room a few times, silently pondering Luo Qingcheng's words. Suddenly, the curtain was lifted, and Xiao Xun's voice was right in front of him: "Hey! Boss, you're finally back! I thought you were missing! I've been secretly looking for you for ages!"

Mo Yinxue, who was following behind him, sneered: "I knew it! How could such a big person just disappear for no reason? He must have gone off with some random guy. You didn't believe me... Huh? What's that smell?"

Xiao Xun looked over and laughed, "Boss, you have a flower on your head now."

Mo Yinxue gave a slightly surprised "Oh," her expression changing slightly: "Jade Guanyin?"

"What?" Ye Xiao's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Mo Yinxue sneered: "I told you you're a bumpkin! This is a very rare orchid, and you don't even know it! What kind of boss are you? You might as well give this position to me!"

The Great Changes of the Lantern Festival (Part 1)

Luo Qingcheng grabbed Ye Xiao's hand as she tried to pull away: "Xiaoxiao... Xiaowan and I grew up together." He tightened his grip wickedly, and Ye Xiao slipped, falling thud into Luo Qingcheng's arms. Taking advantage of the situation, Luo Qingcheng shamelessly pulled her close, leaning down to whisper in her ear: "Xiaoxiao... I..."

Growing up together, so…childhood sweethearts? The thought of childhood sweethearts brought a bittersweet feeling to Ye Xiao's heart, like she'd just eaten a green plum. She quickly covered it up with an "Oh," and looked up: "Qingcheng, there's something you definitely won't believe…" Her head jerked up so abruptly that her left cheek brushed against Luo Qingcheng's lowered lips. Luo Qingcheng, a master of military strategy, was now fully utilizing his skill in going with the flow, adding pressure to his lips, sending a tingling sensation down Ye Xiao's cheek.

Ye Xiao was slightly stunned, a jolt of fear shooting through her. Something surged within her like a tidal wave, a novel experience washing over her, and for a moment, she felt a sense of clarity. Just as she was feeling dizzy and her mind was racing, Luo Qingcheng suddenly posed a difficult test: "How does it feel? Do you like it? Xiao Xiao..."

What...feeling? Ye Xiao rubbed his numb cheek vigorously, suddenly at a loss, looking around helplessly to hide his panic: "Uh...soft, wet, and cold, like...a slug crawling across...my face."

Slug? Luo Qingcheng's tender heart instantly turned to ice. He tightened his grip on Ye Xiao's arm in annoyance and quickly bit Ye Xiao's lips: "Be serious, Xiao Xiao! Do you still look like a slug?"

Ye Xiao was even more shocked. His mind exploded with countless dazzling fireworks. Struggling to maintain a sliver of clarity, he forced himself to answer the question: "It doesn't look like it... Slugs don't have teeth..." A flash of inspiration struck his chaotic mind, and he answered brilliantly: "A venomous snake! Like a venomous snake that spits its tongue!"

Luo Qingcheng finally succumbed to the genius girl. His arms remained shamelessly wrapped around her, as he pondered how to reverse the situation.

"Second brother! You're here! I have some earth-shattering news to tell you!" A figure cheerfully burst into their private space, deftly pulling away Luo Qingcheng's arm that was wrapped around Ye Xiao, and whispering in his ear, "Mo Yinxue is Huang Tingfeng's sister, Huang Chongshan's daughter, and the eldest daughter of the Huang family!"

Luo Qingcheng was displeased. He shoved Xiao Xun aside and went to grab Ye Xiao. Xiao Xun dodged slightly, blocking Ye Xiao, and affectionately put his arm around Luo Qingcheng: "Second brother! Let's have New Year's Eve dinner together! Let's brothers have a big fight and drink until we drop!"

Luo Qingcheng sneered and said in a vicious tone, "What a brilliant idea! Huang becomes Mo! The character 'gan' is moved down... Heh heh! It means 'gan xia Huang'... Could it be that you're inviting a man to 'gan' her?"

Xiao Xun was somewhat displeased: "Second brother, you're being unfair. How could you slander that girl's innocence like that?"

Luo Qingcheng's eyes turned green, and he looked into Xiao Xun's eyes with a cold smile: "Third brother, you're so kind. Don't you know that a gentleman helps others achieve their goals? How can you ruin someone else's good deed?"

Xiao Xun smiled innocently: "Second brother, what good news do you have?"

Luo Qingcheng was so angry he almost vomited blood, but then he heard Ye Xiao's dreamlike voice say, "Second brother, when do you plan to save Miss Shen?" He had no choice but to suppress his displeasure and answer, "Well, soon. I need to make some preparations and then leave here! I need to take two people with me, the sooner the better! Alliance Leader Huang will be back soon, and it would be best to do so before he returns."

Ye Xiao replied with an "Oh," and asked, "Isn't Huang Chongshan here?"

Luo Qingcheng sullenly hummed, "He's rarely around, and Guo Youshi usually handles most of the alliance's affairs. To be honest, I've been with the Martial Alliance for five years, and I've only ever seen his back once, from afar. He only rushed back recently because of a lot of things that happened..."

Ye Xiao sorted out his chaotic thoughts and said to Luo Qingcheng, "Let's plan this operation properly..."

The Lantern Festival was just around the corner. The mansion rarely gave its servants a day off, allowing them to go out and watch the lanterns. Along the ten-mile-long main street of the capital, the sound of phoenix flutes filled the air, lantern lights shimmered, and the entire street was ablaze with lights, making it as bright as day, like a fairyland on earth.

Mo Yinxue pestered Xiao Xun relentlessly until she finally got his consent to come with him to see the lanterns. Since leaving the Western Regions for the Central Plains last spring, Xiao Xun had never seen such a grand event as the Lantern Festival. He was overjoyed and remembered his duty, holding Mo Yinxue's sleeve tightly, afraid of losing her.

Mo Yinxue didn't seem unhappy at all; she just followed Xiao Xun happily, sometimes eagerly wanting to buy this, sometimes eagerly looking at that lantern. Just then, she saw a large crowd gathered in front of a small shop.

"Lantern Festival! Lantern Festival! Mengji Lantern Festival in the capital! I heard it's the best! Let's go eat there!" Mo Yingxue was so anxious she was jumping up and down.

Xiao Xun touched his empty stomach, smelled the tempting sweet aroma in the air, and couldn't help but nod: "Okay! Let's go try it!" He led her into the crowd.

He had only squeezed two steps when he heard the person next to him angrily say, "What are you doing! Don't you know you have to queue? You're stepping on my feet! These are brand new boots!" Xiao Xun quickly turned around, intending to apologize, but the man jumped up for some reason: "You rascal! You don't understand the rules of the capital. I was just telling you, why can't I say anything? How dare you kick me in the stomach! We're both men, this is too vicious!"

Xiao Xun was slightly taken aback and said with a forced smile, "Brother, when did I kick you? I..." Before he could finish speaking, the man threw a punch straight at his nose: "Bastard! You... you kicked me, and you even touched me... you filthy bastard!" Xiao Xun reached out and caught the man's fist. He was speechless and suddenly came to his senses. He turned around and looked, but Mo Yinxue was nowhere to be seen.

Xiao Xun was shocked and didn't bother to argue with the man. He leaped into the air and looked around. There were crowds of people everywhere, so he could no longer distinguish their faces and figures.

Mo Yinxue finally squeezed through the crowd and ran away. She deeply regretted the careless words she had spoken when she met her brother in Phoenix Town that day. Although she was born into a prestigious martial arts family and had exceptionally favorable conditions, she had never liked her family since childhood and had never been willing to seriously practice those so-called orthodox martial arts. Her greatest idol was the legendary thief "Thousand Hands Leaf Picker," and she only wanted to become a world-renowned thief.

So from a young age, she honed her lightness skills and became familiar with almost all the low-class sleeping potions in the martial arts world. She debuted at fifteen and within a few years became the infamous thief, "A Fragrance of Desire." She never got involved in the affairs of the martial arts alliance and rarely returned to the home she didn't particularly like, living a carefree and unrestrained life in the martial arts world.

It all stemmed from that chance encounter with her brother, Huang Tingfeng, in Phoenix Town. Her brother looked troubled, and she couldn't help but ask him why he was so worried. He told her that he had recently encountered several cunning and powerful opponents who had stolen important items from the Martial Alliance, and he had been unable to retrieve them.

Stealing? Someone could actually steal from the Martial Arts Alliance? Mo Yinxue's eyes lit up. Feeling she should meet these fellow experts, she curiously asked her brother to secretly introduce them. To her utter surprise, the so-called expert turned out to be one of her nemesis! Mo Yinxue vividly remembered this man, ostentatiously showing off his luxurious carriage and the bag of gold leaves. She understood his behavior then—he was clearly inviting her to steal!

So she didn't hold back and stole everything of value from him. However, to save face for him, she left him his undergarments, since being naked would be an eyesore.

But now, he had become her brother's biggest enemy! She couldn't help but laugh out loud, boasting to her brother about her past exploits. Unexpectedly, a cunning glint flashed in her brother's eyes, and he said, "Little sister! Don't brag! If you can steal anything from him, I'll change my surname to Mo!"

Mo Yinxue instinctively felt it was a trap, but after all, he was her own brother, who knew her weaknesses. How could she, a renowned thief known as "Fragrance of Delight," allow someone to insult her professional skills? So she boasted and indeed successfully stole the girl and the golden dragon from the bundle. However, she never expected that the big, simple-minded man would be so stubborn and trap her in the trap.

Mo Yinxue secretly regretted her actions. She had wanted to escape countless times, but this big, simple-minded man had stopped her time and time again. Later, as time went on, she seemed to get used to this peaceful life and no longer wanted to escape. Staying with this big, simple-minded man and watching him worry about the lives of a large group of children all day long gave her a unique kind of fun and meaning.

However, Ye Xiao's arrival shattered all the tranquility. They took her to the capital, where she was quickly sold into slavery and taken to live in their home…

The Lantern Festival Undergoes Tremendous Changes (Part 2)

Mo Yinxue felt frightened, worried that her brothers' enemies might do something harmful to her family. She tried several times to warn her family, but Ye Xiao was too powerful, and she couldn't find any opportunity to send a message. Fortunately, there was still the Lantern Festival.

Thinking of Xiao Xun's anxious expression when he was misunderstood, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself. Humph! That big oaf, always so slow to react! Lost in thought, she ran back to the Huang residence and headed straight for her mother's room.

In stark contrast to the lively atmosphere outside, Madam Huang's room was unusually quiet. Although Madam Huang was dressed elegantly, her face was clouded with worry. What surprised Mo Yinxue even more was that her usually flamboyant and playful brother was not out in the city on Lantern Festival as he usually did; instead, he was in his mother's room.

"Brother! Your arm..." Mo Yinxue was stunned. Huang Tingfeng's pale and thin handsome face was gloomy, and his bright gold and red brocade robe had one sleeve hanging empty.

Huang Tingfeng's eyelids twitched, and a fierce glint shot out from his eyes, slicing across Mo Yinxue's face like a blade, making the latter shiver. She gave a cold laugh, lowered her head to look at the golden dragon in her hand, turning it over and over.

In the world of martial arts, one is bound to get hurt. Mo Yinxue somewhat understood what had happened. Suppressing her surprise, she tried to keep her voice calm: "Brother, this important golden dragon has returned to the Martial Alliance... does that mean the world will be at peace?"

Huang Tingfeng continued to sneer: "Far away... This thing has been in the Martial Alliance for more than ten years. If it weren't for the remnants of Youming City seizing it, who would know that this thing is related to the Youming City's treasure, the Youming Divine Ring? Unfortunately, I gathered countless so-called smart people, but no one could guess the secret hidden inside... It was all in vain! Fortunately, Father will soon be returning to the capital for this."

"A secret?" Mo Yinxue raised her long eyebrows in surprise, and continued, "By the way... Brother, your rival, Xiao Xun, the original owner of this golden dragon, has come to our house! He's hiding in the flower shed in the back garden and has become a servant in the Huang family. He also has a friend named Ye Xiao... who lives there too."

With a clang, the golden dragon in Huang Tingfeng's hand knocked over a teacup on the table, the lid spinning before falling to the ground. "What! Ye Xiao... is there another person? Someone named Luo Qingcheng!" Huang Tingfeng stood up abruptly, his face even paler under the lamplight.

Mo Yinxue shook her head in confusion: "I haven't seen them. There were only the two of them. Didn't you say they were your enemies? I'm afraid they're lurking here and might harm my family..."

Huang Tingfeng sneered menacingly, “It won’t be disadvantageous! It will be very advantageous! This group has a very clear target: the Golden Dragon and the Netherworld Divine Ring… They must know the secret about this thing!” With a swift movement, he was already outside the door.

Mo Yinxue called out a few times from behind, but Huang Tingfeng seemed not to hear her and disappeared in the blink of an eye. Mo Yinxue sighed, a sudden worry creeping into her heart. Turning around, she saw her mother's pale and haggard face and suddenly remembered something: "Mother, there's something else, related to that Madam Ru..."

Huang Tingfeng led his men to the headquarters of the Martial Alliance, found the duty officer, Chief Su, and ordered him to bring his men home to catch the thief. Chief Su hesitated, "Young Master Huang... but most of the brothers in the alliance are on leave, and the defenses are weak. Right Envoy Guo has strictly ordered us not to leave our posts."

Huang Tingfeng rolled his eyes: "Chief Su! You dare to use Right Envoy Guo to pressure me? Does this martial arts alliance belong to Huang or Guo? My father will be back soon! Tonight I'm going to capture the remnants of Youming City, which is of great importance. If you hold me back and things go wrong, don't blame me for turning my back on you!"

Chief Su sighed. It's better to offend a gentleman than a petty person! He could easily explain things to Right Envoy Guo, but there was no way to smooth things over with Young Master Huang! He hesitated for a moment, then finally led most of his men to follow Huang Tingfeng.

Ye Xiao had already arranged everything. He half-closed the courtyard gate and led Xiao Xun toward the side gate of the Huang residence. Fireworks and firecrackers lit up the dark night sky time and again, and the tall red lanterns on the corridors of the mansion added a festive atmosphere to the residence.

Xiao Xun suddenly exclaimed "Eh!" and stopped in his tracks, only to be slapped on the head by Ye Xiao: "Third brother! When are you going to stop dawdling! That Ah Huang could show up at any moment! Don't try to steal a chicken and end up losing the rice instead, setting a trap for others and getting hurt yourself first!"

Xiao Xun didn't move, just stared blankly at the distance: "That person...that person really looks like my mother..."

Ye Xiao followed his gaze and saw a woman in her thirties standing under the corridor not far away. She wore a dark blue cotton robe and, even bathed in the festive light of red lanterns, appeared pale and forlorn, like a soulless shell. Yet, she was a very beautiful woman, with skin as white as snow and features exquisitely beautiful. Even standing there casually, she was a captivating sight. Although this sight evoked a profound sense of poignant beauty in people's hearts.

Ye Xiao paused for a moment, but still preoccupied with the important matter, and tugged at Xiao Xun's ear: "Is it your mother?" Xiao Xun shook his head sadly: "No... my mother is plumper and more beautiful..."

"Then what are you dawdling for!" Ye Xiao was clearly dissatisfied. Xiao Xun gave an "oh" and quickly followed his boss out of the Huang residence through the side gate.

Huang Tingfeng led his men swiftly to the back garden, waving one arm and making a gesture. The martial arts alliance subordinates, as expected, were well-trained, quickly dispersing and surrounding the small flower shed. A small group followed Huang Tingfeng cautiously inside. The people inside seemed not to be asleep; the light was still on in the window, and two shadowy figures could be vaguely seen.

Huang Tingfeng was secretly pleased. He decisively waved his hand, and several of his subordinates, skilled in their craft, quickly assessed the general location of the people inside. They kicked open the door and hurled a large net over the two figures by the table. The two men seemed quite weak, collapsing with a thud. Their hat-covered heads shattered on the ground, oozing liquid that hissed and emitted wisps of smoke.

Before the men who had gone inside could even understand what was happening, they felt dizzy and collapsed to the ground without even having a chance to cry out. Huang Tingfeng, who had heard something amiss outside, held his breath and went inside to investigate. Besides his own men, the other two lying on the ground weren't real people at all. They were clearly two straw figures, their heads made from broken jars, with liquid still continuously oozing out. The liquid hissed and turned into wisps of smoke upon contact with the soil, emitting a strong odor. Even with his nose covered and his breath held, he still felt dizzy…