schlanke Taille

Kapitel 4

Suddenly, a woman in front of him, tears streaming down her face, threw herself onto Changsheng's shoulder, her voice hoarse with grief. Ye Changsheng staggered, barely managing to regain his balance. He paused, then sighed, "Ah, my condolences..."

Ye Changsheng smiled and helped the woman up, straightening his clothes. He looked away when a black hem of clothing suddenly drifted in from outside the door, followed by a handsome figure with long, narrow eyes and an indifferent expression. The cries and wails that had filled the room gradually subsided as he approached. He glanced lightly at everyone, then calmly sat down on the table—a golden belt cinched his waist, his wide sleeves fluttering. Though he sat quietly to the side, he possessed an indescribable radiance.

While everyone's attention was drawn to Zhu Luan, the proud son of the Zhu family who spent most of his time traveling and wandering the world, Ye Changsheng noticed Liu Shi standing tall to the side. Her long hair cascaded down her shoulders as she stared intently at Zhu Luan, her eyes filled with weariness, resentment, repression, and other emotions that Ye Changsheng couldn't understand.

"Ahem..." In an instant, Madam Liu reverted to her former dignified and beautiful self, the same Madam Liu of the Zhu family whose proud demeanor remained unchanged even after the passage of time. The scene just now seemed like an illusion, impossible to recall. She coughed lightly and said in a calm but extremely cautious tone, "You are all members of the Zhu family, your honor and disgrace are tied to the Zhu family, your lives and deaths are linked to the Zhu family. The master has suddenly passed away, and now only I, a woman, am left to take charge. You can imagine how many people in this dangerous place will be eyeing our bank, shops, and properties once the news spreads. How can a house full of women survive? The master has few children, and I know that you all see my son and me as a thorn in your side. Although Rui'er is not the master's biological son, he is kind and has always treated Rui'er as his own, allowing him to manage the business for many years. The second young master is often away from home and is not familiar with family affairs. He is indeed not the best candidate for the head of the family at present."

Now that things had come to this, everyone understood what Madam Liu meant—whether they stood with Madam Liu and her son, who held real power in the Zhu family, or with the master's own flesh and blood. Or perhaps, the master's death was inextricably linked to them. However, even if they had doubts, it was absolutely crucial that they not be the first to voice them at this time.

Just as everyone fell silent, a seductive and languid voice rang out softly: "As far as I know, there are still doubts surrounding the master's death. Why doesn't the madam report it to the authorities or investigate? Why is she being so secretive? May I ask what the madam is trying to hide?"

These words shocked everyone present. Madam Liu slammed her hand on the table and stood up: "My lord has treated my son and me so well, how could I be an ungrateful person?"

"Hmph, you talk a good game, but for such a large fortune, what wouldn't you do..." The woman in brocade who had previously collapsed on Ye Changsheng's shoulder while crying was now all smiles, her fighting spirit undiminished, and her voice full of vigor.

“I think so too. These two outsiders, mother and son, think they can take over the Zhu family? And what about the second young master?” another woman chimed in.

"that is……"

Liu raised her voice and said, "I have no interest in the family property, and it is true that Luan'er is unfamiliar with family affairs. I originally planned to have Rui'er assist me for a few years before handing over all the responsibilities to Luan'er."

Upon hearing Liu's plan, everyone was momentarily stunned. After a brief silence, the woman in brocade once again took the lead, her brows furrowed: "Who knew you weren't just making up a lie to deceive us—even so, how will you explain the master's death!"

The hall fell silent once more, dozens of eyes fixed on Madam Liu. Zhu Luan, standing to the side, simply stared out the door, silent and vacant, her gaze unfocused.

Jia Ling shook her head and sighed, "...Fortunately, my old man only has me as his son."

The current situation is tense and seems ready to erupt at any moment.

"Ah... this..." Ye Changsheng peeked out and spoke.

All eyes were fixed on her. Ye Changsheng smiled apologetically and said gently, "I know who killed Master Zhu."

“Miss Ye!” Madam Liu closed her eyes, then slowly opened them again, and said, word by word, “I would like to hear the details, but Miss Ye must be able to handle the situation.”

"Of course, of course." Changsheng smiled and nodded, then walked slowly to the center of the hall, looked around, and then smiled again as he walked up to one person: "The murderer is—Yulan!"

"Ah, you...I...I'm not...Madam...it's not me..." Yulan's face suddenly turned pale. She trembled and shook her head repeatedly, her eyes filled with fear.

"Do you have any evidence?" Liu asked, suddenly calming down.

"Ladies of noble birth must rarely interact with servants. On the morning of the incident, I noticed a bamboo grove in front of Master Zhu's bedroom window, with a small window to the side offering a view of a large flower field. So I went to find the gardener, Old Chang. Everyone thought Old Chang was foolish and didn't like to associate with him—but in fact, Old Chang saw something crucial to this case—that Master Zhu had once… flirted with Yulan. Normally, going from a maid to a concubine would be a meteoric rise to wealth and status, but Yulan resisted fiercely that day. Master Zhu left dejectedly—this is what Old Chang recounted."

Changsheng paused, then said gently, "So, firstly, you don't want to be forced by Master Zhu anymore. Secondly, you've been guarding him all along, which gives you ample time to commit the crime."

Ye Changsheng walked slowly closer and smiled, "You still won't admit it?"

"No, no, it wasn't me... I just didn't want to be a concubine, but, but I didn't kill anyone..." Yulan kept backing away.

"Guards! Seize her and take her to the authorities." Madam Liu waved her hand, summoning a group of servants who marched menacingly toward Yulan without a word.

Suddenly, Ye Changsheng shifted to the side, his movements blurring as he instantly seized Honglei's throat, who was standing three steps away from Yulan. Everyone was momentarily stunned, unsure of Ye Changsheng's actions. Even the servants were taken aback, unsure whether to continue.

Hong Lei didn't move. She chuckled softly, "I didn't realize Miss Ye possessed such extraordinary skills. But... Miss, are you mistaken? Yulan is over there." Her voice was charming and languid, but the fine beads of sweat on her forehead betrayed her nervousness.

Ye Changsheng's expression was not good, but he calmly looked into Hong Lei's eyes and smiled gently: "I am not mistaken, Madam Seventeen is not an ordinary courtesan - you love flowers, and you are even more skilled in using poison."

"Oh?" Hong Lei stared intently at Ye Changsheng.

"Jia Ling, open the bundle," Chang Sheng said softly.

Young Master Jia, who was standing to the side, had never seen Ye Changsheng so valiant, especially his smooth instantaneous movement and the close-range throat lock. He was so shocked that he remained in a daze.

"Ah... Oh, oh." Young Master Jia hurriedly rummaged through his bundle, frantically untied it, and spread the contents onto the table. At this moment, he had completely forgotten his disgust for Ah Huang.

"Please look, everyone. This is Ah Huang... uh, this is a dead toad and a pot of small yellow flowers. The toad is dead—it was poisoned after spending the night in the same enclosed space as the small yellow flowers."

"How could such an inconspicuous little flower be so poisonous?" Everyone exclaimed in surprise. Zhu Luan, who had been silent all along, also looked up.

"This pot of yellow flowers was originally called Xianglan. It is a non-toxic orchid. Xianglan has a characteristic that its fragrance is relatively light and difficult to distinguish. So someone poisoned this Xianglan, allowing the poison to gradually spread. When the doors and windows are closed at night, the poison will spread and cause poisoning. If I am not mistaken, this pot of Xianglan was given to you, Madam Seventeen."

Hong Lei chuckled twice: "Even if I gave it to you, couldn't it be that you were framed?"

Ye Changsheng nodded repeatedly: "Of course it's possible. So, your second loophole is that night when you said you saw Master Zhu and that apart from his pale face, he showed no abnormalities."

Yes, indeed.

“This is the biggest anomaly. That day, I opened up the Baihui, Jizhong, and Taichong acupoints for Zhu Yun to help him expel the toxins. In the following four hours, his blood circulation returned, and his whole body turned red and hot. How could he have been pale? You lied.”

Hong Lei gazed silently into those clear, glassy eyes, then burst into laughter: "Hahaha... Even so, are you confident you can catch me?"

Chang Sheng shook his head: "You can try to see if I can break your neck before you escape."

The two remained silent. In a flash, Hong Lei revealed a dagger hidden in her sleeve and thrust it towards her own heart. Chang Sheng swiftly pushed her elbow, deflecting the dagger. Taking advantage of the opening, Hong Lei slashed out, aiming straight for Chang Sheng's heart. Chang Sheng instantly shifted his position, sidestepping behind her and striking a row of Hong Lei's acupoints with a series of quick, sharp blows. Hong Lei collapsed to the ground, unable to move, glaring resentfully at Ye Chang Sheng: "Who exactly are you?"

"I am a doctor, and doctors naturally know acupoints by heart—so, fighting with a doctor is a big disadvantage," Ye Changsheng said seriously.

Jia Ling patted his chest, he was really frightened. He originally thought Ye Changsheng was a weak and helpless quack doctor, but he did not expect her to have superb skills. Every move she made was extraordinary. Even so, he could see that Ye Changsheng was a little abnormal. Although her complexion had always been bad before, now her face was flushed with a sickly redness after the paleness.

"Guards, take this wretch to the authorities!" Madam Liu regained her composure, shouted, and a strange smile appeared on her lips.

"Wait, cough cough..." Ye Changsheng suppressed his cough and walked over, "She... just poisoned... cough cough, the person might not have been killed by him."

“Miss Ye!” Madam Liu said, enunciating each word clearly, “I hope this matter ends here. Isn’t this a satisfactory conclusion? Miss Ye, you’ve worked hard, and the Zhu family will reward you handsomely… I see Miss Ye is unwell; you should take good care of yourself first…”

"You old hag, why didn't you dare utter a single word just now? Now that I'm lying on the ground, if you kick me again, you..." Jia Ling pointed at Liu Shi and cursed loudly—seeing Liu Shi's face growing increasingly ugly, Ye Changsheng stepped forward and covered Jia Ling's mouth: "Madam, then we'll take our leave. Everyone, farewell."

Zhu Luan stared intently at Ye Changsheng until she pulled Jia Ling and quickly walked out the door. He wasn't sure if he'd seen it wrong, but Ye Changsheng's illusory movement, though only a little bit, felt strangely familiar, as if he'd seen it somewhere before.

Ye Changsheng, pulling Jia Ling who was still cursing, quickly walked around the corridor, leaned against a pillar, and spat out a mouthful of bright red blood.

Only then did Jia Ling realize the gravity of the situation. She carried Changsheng on her back and rushed towards her room. Only now did she truly understand how dreadful the endless rows of pavilions and waterside terraces before her were. Ye Changsheng was already thin and light, but Jia Ling was still sweating profusely with anxiety. She kept saying, "Hey, hey, we're almost there. Let's go get the medicine. Don't fall asleep..."

Qian Dasun is the only son in three generations of the Qian family, and his name was given to him by his maternal grandfather. He's currently the Zhu family's bodyguard. These days, the world is good; not only are there no robbers, but even thieves who come and go at night dare not climb over the Zhu family's walls. He earns two taels of silver a month, and occasionally drinks a little wine and eats a few pounds of meat—although he's unmarried, he and his brothers frequent brothels; their life is truly comfortable.

He was currently pushing the woman in front of him, who could barely walk, towards the yamen. This woman was the seventeenth concubine of the Zhu family, and also the murderer who murdered Master Zhu—it was said that she was also a master martial artist. If it weren't for the fact that many of her major acupoints had been sealed, the brothers might not have been able to subdue her. Qian Dasun stroked his beard and clicked his tongue in admiration at how beautiful the woman was—unfortunately, she had committed a crime and was now at the yamen, so there was no way to control her.

He figured he'd get there after going around two more alleys, and Da Sun was thinking to himself that after finishing his work he'd go up to Chun Yue Lou for a drink, and maybe call up a few of his brothers from the courtyard. He hadn't been to Tao Hong's place in ages...

Then, looking up at the corner, Qian Dasun suddenly froze—

A man—no, a tall, ethereal man in a flowing red robe—stood on the eaves ahead. In that instant, he forgot the women thronging the building, forgot the beautiful woman before him, forgot where he was. The simple alleyway was suddenly transformed into a splendid spectacle, the roses and pomegranate blossoms along the roadside fading into the distance. It was a beauty that could bewitch the soul.

The man, holding a rabbit, smiled and glanced at her, saying, "Jiang Qi, how did you get into such a mess?"

Upon hearing that enchanting voice, the woman in front suddenly lost all her guard, her expression filled with extreme fear. She knelt down and said, "Jiang Qi is incompetent. Please punish me, Master."

Time flies like an arrow

A gentle breeze rises, the willows cast straight shadows, and dappled sunlight dances across the slanting foli

The man, his red robe billowing to the ground and his dark hair partially obscuring his face, possessed a chillingly alluring and seductive charm, a bewitching allure that could drive one to madness. His dazzling figure, bathed in the crimson sunlight, instantly outshone the brilliance of the setting sun. Yet, the person high above no longer looked at the woman.

Qian Dasun came to his senses and, for some reason, found himself unable to move his feet. Looking at the woman kneeling respectfully in front of him, but trembling slightly, a sense of desperate fear rose in his heart.

Suddenly, everyone's vision blurred, and they saw a red shadow flash and a scarlet shadow move swiftly. In an instant, it seemed as if a rainbow was piercing through the clouds, and a thin mist spread and the red clouds obscured the sun, making it impossible to distinguish the figures anymore.

Qian Dasun opened his mouth, feeling a warm sensation on his neck. He touched it and found it sticky and bleeding profusely. His vision gradually dimmed, and only a somber red remained in his blurry eyes.

The man stroked the rabbit's head, standing barefoot in the alleyway strewn with severed limbs and filled with the stench of blood. His clothes fluttered in the wind. He slowly raised his eyes, but his deep, dark eyes saw nothing...

Watching Ye Changsheng gradually fall asleep peacefully, Jia Ling pressed down the blanket and finally breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at Ye Changsheng's delicate but pale face with a complicated expression. This man had first been poisoned and then fought with someone—in fact, what surprised him the most was that he had always thought Ye Changsheng was just a weak and helpless quack doctor who prescribed fake remedies to scam people out of food and drink.

He sighed, sensing something was amiss, but couldn't quite put his finger on it. The Zhu family's place was eerie; staying here wasn't a long-term solution. His gaze fell upon the bloodstains on the quilt and Changsheng's frail health. Jia Ling seemed to be talking to herself, or perhaps murmuring to Changsheng, "Sigh... let's go home..."

As night falls, the sun sets gently, and vast expanses of fiery clouds burn across the western horizon, struggling until their final moments.

After hearing Zhou Fu's report, Liu rushed to the front yard. Even though she was prepared, she was still shocked by the horrific scene before her eyes—people who were alive just a few hours ago were now lifeless like dead fish, their clothes stained with dark red blood.

"Mother." Zhu Rui carefully stepped forward to support Liu Shi. "It's better not to look anymore. Let me handle this matter." After saying that, he shouted to the maid beside him, "Hurry up and take Madam back to her room."

Just then, Zhu Luan walked over from the west path with her arms crossed. Seeing this scene, she frowned slightly. Without greeting Zhu Rui and her son, she slowly approached and squatted down to carefully examine the wounds of the deceased—these people had all died from massive blood loss due to a slit in their necks. The wounds were extremely fine yet extremely deep, and although they had been dead for some time, the flesh at the wound site still revealed an eerie bright red color.

Glancing around at the corpses, Zhu Luan's unease deepened. These dead showed no sign of pain; in fact, they died peacefully. While the Zhu family's guards weren't top-tier martial arts masters, they were certainly no ordinary individuals. To kill six people with a single move, leaving them unaware of their own death, was incredibly terrifying. When had the martial world produced such a master in its time? And why had he kidnapped Hong Lei?

Zhu Luan slowly raised her head to look at the last glimmer of light on the horizon, and clenched her fists tightly.

The next morning, Jia Ling dragged Ye Changsheng, who was already showing signs of improvement, to say goodbye to the Zhu family. He refused to stay at the Zhu family for even a moment longer.

When Jia Ling met the Liu family, she frankly said that she felt uneasy about disturbing them for many days. Moreover, with the Zhu family undergoing a rebirth and change, it was really inconvenient to continue to bother them. Just then, her father wrote a letter yesterday, and she urgently needed to return to Qiantang.

Upon hearing this, Madam Liu nodded and instructed the accountant to bring out fifty taels of silver and a silver note for one thousand taels of gold. She told Ye Changsheng to accept them. Ye Changsheng, who had been silent the whole way, raised his eyes and looked at her quietly. His hazy eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of mist. He blinked and smiled slightly at Madam Liu, who was sitting on the high hall: "Thank you, Madam. Since that's the case, I will accept it without being impolite. Although I am reluctant to part, I only hope that Madam will take good care of herself in the future."

She cupped her hands in a respectful bow, then turned and left. Jia Ling's eyes widened, and she loudly grabbed the bag of silver and banknotes, following after her. As Liu Shi watched Changsheng's retreating figure grow smaller and smaller, a deep weariness and sorrow appeared between her brows.

A cool morning breeze caressed my face, and early-rising vendors were already calling out their wares. Strolling along the cobblestone streets, I saw fresh fruits and vegetables, steaming hot morning tea, and fragrant breakfast dishes. Tumen Street in Jiangning Prefecture was always bustling with activity.

We continued wandering along, the sun rising higher and higher, until it was noon in the blink of an eye.

Tumen Street was already bustling with people. Jia Ling looked around as she walked, carrying several large bags of Changsheng's snacks in her arms. She would stop and peek at any of the vendors hawking their wares. The restaurants and eateries along the street were already filled with the aroma of food and packed with customers. She swallowed hard, remembering that she hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch yet, and pulled Changsheng along to Chunfeng Manyue Restaurant on the street.

The Spring Breeze Full Moon Pavilion is located at the intersection of Tumen Street and Bitang Lane. Those who can enter are all well-dressed people with money in their pockets. There are pavilions and terraces in front and back, and those who can go up to the back are all high-ranking officials who can spend money like water. It is truly a place where dragons and tigers hide. The special night-brewed wine costs ten silver dollars a cup, which is not something ordinary people can afford.

The waiter, with his sharp eyes, spotted a handsome young man in front, dressed in fine clothes, with a gold-rimmed ebony fan at his waist. Behind him was a pretty young woman, though dressed only in grey and white. But her bright, expressive eyes were truly captivating, clearly indicating she was not from an ordinary family. The waiter smiled and went to greet her.

"Please come up to our private room, esteemed guests."

The two went upstairs. Jia Ling looked at the menu, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Longjing bamboo fungus, eight-treasure wild duck, Buddha's hand citron rolls, stir-fried cuttlefish strips, mountain delicacy dragon sprouts, lotus seedpod tofu, straw mushrooms and broccoli." He rattled off the names of the dishes quickly, then snapped his folding fan into place. "Plus a bowl of Huiren rice porridge, and for tea, Xinyang Maojian, please."

"Yes, yes, please wait a moment, sir, the dishes will be served shortly." The waiter rushed downstairs.

The private rooms are separated from each other, and outside the window is the lobby on the first floor. On the wall is a landscape painting in the rain and mist, and a calligraphy piece by Hanyi Baiqing.

"Finally, we can have a good meal." Jia Ling smacked her lips and blinked at Chang Sheng a few times. "But I thought you wouldn't accept it."

Changsheng was pondering that he was now a wealthy man and needed to plan his future carefully. After a while, he came to his senses, looked up, and slowly asked, "Ah... then why shouldn't I accept it?"

Jia Ling rolled her eyes and, sure enough, the person in front of her was the familiar, mild-mannered, slow-witted, timid Ye Changsheng. She could just assume that the scene in the hall yesterday was because he was possessed by a ghost.

"Didn't you say yesterday that the murderer might not be Hong Lei... then who is it?"

Changsheng rubbed his eyes and said softly, "Oh... I just think that Honglei's martial arts are extremely high. If she wanted to finish off the enemy, she wouldn't have needed to appear so openly that night and arouse suspicion."

"Hmm..." Changsheng adjusted his chopsticks and sighed softly. "Anyway, this has nothing to do with us, does it? The Zhu family is still around, and perhaps that's enough. Perhaps that's what Zhu Yun wanted. Even if Liu Shi killed her husband, and Zhu Rui and Zhu Luan murdered their fathers, what does it have to do with us? What does it matter?" He lowered his voice to the last sentence, making it almost inaudible.

With a loud "bang," both of them were startled. Jia Ling stood up in confusion and walked towards the source of the sound. From next door came a series of sounds, probably from slamming a table. Interspersed with a few angry curses, Jia Ling pulled Ye Changsheng over and pressed her ear against the wall.

A deep voice could be faintly heard saying angrily, "It must be Li Huangyin. That day, someone saw a man in red holding a white rabbit. He didn't make a move, but he killed them with one blow. None of the six guards of the Zhu family survived. After that, he left with that woman."

Another hoarse voice said, "I sent Yuan Zhong to investigate. He sent back a secret report this morning. The missing woman is Jiang Qi, the number one assassin on the right side of Luoyang Tower. She had been infiltrating the Zhu family for many days and was plotting to kill Zhu Yun. However, she was rescued on her way to the authorities. With such a plan, the worst-case scenario is that Li Huangyin already knows Bo Xian's whereabouts."

With a loud "bang," the deep voice rang out again: "...Li Huangyin, I will go and cut him into a thousand pieces right now. If it weren't for this treacherous and cunning villain, how could the sect leader have died so young?"

"Han Dang, how can you still be so reckless even today? Have you forgotten the solemn oath we made back then?" A slightly shrill voice interrupted.