Ich denke an dich, wenn der Wind weht

Kapitel 99

Knowing he was in the wrong, he was speechless for a moment and could only awkwardly retreat under the boy's piercing gaze, feeling extremely frustrated.

Once the intruder had completely disappeared from sight, the young man relaxed, turned back to look at the sleeping face, and picked up the silk handkerchief that had slipped to the ground to cover the delicate body. The beauty slightly shrank her jade-like neck, remaining soundly asleep, completely unaware. The young man watched for a long time, leaning against a pavilion pillar to wait. Soon, Shuangjing brought over a medicine cup, and was surprised to see this.

"Something happened just now?" Otherwise, why would the secret guard turn into a visible guard?

"It's nothing." The boy blinked. "Someone got lost."

No wonder the guards let him pass through; it turns out...

His exquisitely beautiful face was etched into his heart, haunting him as he relived it. He was no naive young man; he had spent years searching for beauties and had encountered countless charming and talented women. Yet, this was the first time he had ever been captivated by a serene sleeping face.

"Qinglan." Grabbing her younger brother who was swaying in front of her, Xie Feilan broke her reverie. "Do you know which family of women happens to be staying here?"

"Why did you suddenly ask this, Fourth Brother?" Qinglan blinked in surprise. "There are indeed several wives. Which one are you asking about?" The Xie family has a wide circle of friends and often has martial arts friends visiting. There is a constant stream of guests staying at their homes, and Qinglan usually handles the arrangements, so he knows everything about them.

"Not a lady, but a young and beautiful young lady."

"Uh?" Qinglan thought for a moment. "Then there are only two of you."

Which two?

"One of them was Miss Shen Mingzhu from the Shen family of Luoyang. She was seventeen years old and had traveled to Yangzhou to pay her respects."

Seventeen is definitely not it; he's confident he won't guess a woman's age wrong.

"another?"

"The other one is Bai Fengge, the second young lady of the Bai family in Hangzhou, whom my second sister-in-law invited. Both of them are beauties. Fourth brother, haven't you seen them before?"

Seeing his strange expression, Qinglan suddenly realized what was going on and slyly smiled. "Who did Fourth Brother see?"

"I………………"

The Bai family… wouldn’t that be…? He was speechless for the first time.

Qinglan glanced at him for a while and guessed pretty much what was going on. She then leaned closer with a grin. "Fourth Brother is smitten? Sister Fengge is known as the most beautiful woman in Suzhou and Hangzhou." Indeed, she was the most beautiful young lady in Jiangnan; he wasn't exaggerating.

That stunningly beautiful woman, was it him...?

His handsome face suddenly flushed.

"What kind of person is Third Sister-in-law?" I just can't understand it.

Qinglan was stunned for a moment, then pondered for a long time. "Not easy to get close to, but a good person, and very capable."

"Impressive?" It didn't sound appealing at all. She must be a fierce and arrogant young lady from a powerful family. Why did Third Brother always smile when he mentioned her?

"Fourth Brother doesn't know, and it's a long story." Qinglan scratched her head and stammered. "Anyway, she used to be... a bit scary, but she's much better now. Anyway, as long as Third Brother likes her, that's all that matters."

"You don't like it?" he deliberately tried to start a conversation.

Qinglan nearly jumped up, her face flushed red. "Fourth Brother, what nonsense are you talking about? That's Third Sister-in-law, how could I possibly..."

Xie Feilan burst into laughter, and Qinglan realized she had been tricked.

"What exactly does Third Brother like about her? He almost had a falling out with Eldest Brother over this?"

"That's true. My eldest brother has always been against it, even more stubborn than our father. If it weren't for my third brother's insistence, the marriage definitely wouldn't have happened."

Even if they were to form an alliance with the Prince's Mansion, there was no need to be so aggrieved. Besides, given Third Brother's character, what kind of beauty wouldn't he be attracted to? Xie Feilan didn't think so.

“She’s not that bad.” Qinglan didn’t know how to say it. “You’ll see when you meet them. The two of them have a very good relationship. Third Brother’s eyes are practically melting when he looks at her. He can’t wait to hold her in his palm and he gives in to her in everything.”

"Why have I never met her before?" I've met my eldest and second sisters-in-law several times, but I've never met my third sister-in-law. It's really intriguing.

"Third sister-in-law is not well, and Mother specifically instructed her not to visit her morning and evening, and she mostly stays at home. It just so happens that you have the opportunity today." Qinglan was happy to have someone accompany her. "Eldest sister-in-law invited second and third sister-in-law and Miss Bai Shen to enjoy the scenery at Slender West Lake, and they will need someone to escort them. Mother instructed Fourth Brother to go with them."

Of course, this was also an opportunity for Xie Feilan and Bai Fengge to get closer. They lived under the same roof but never met. Furthermore, the fourth brother was constantly chasing after women, which the elders couldn't stand.

In the past, Fourth Brother would usually avoid accompanying female relatives, but this time he did not object and agreed unusually readily. Qinglan couldn't help but suspect that it was because of a certain beauty, and secretly smiled to herself.

The saying "a thousand-mile marriage is tied by a single thread" is perhaps a fitting description.

Water Moon

Ten miles of misty West Lake, cherry blossoms bursting red as a flute plays.

This time, instead of using a boat to enjoy the scenery, we found a beautiful spot and, under the dense shade of an ancient tree, hung up soft curtains and laid out silk carpets, creating a quiet place for leisurely conversation. When women travel, they inevitably bring a variety of small items, and only when the soft cushions and lacquered tables are properly arranged, with fruits and snacks laid out on the table, do they feel ready to chat and laugh.

Beautiful scenery and a lovely view, right in front of the lake and mountains, it is truly a pleasure.

The eldest and second sisters-in-law took their seats one after the other. The eldest sister-in-law chatted and laughed with a pretty and lively young girl, while the second sister-in-law whispered to the melancholy third sister-in-law. The last one to get off the bus was the beauty whose heart had been waiting for so long.

She took her seat with the help of her maid. Her delicate, frail appearance was captivating, even the young lady of the Shen family was mesmerized, her bright eyes unblinking. The Bai family of Hangzhou was a martial arts family, so such timidity was unusual. It must have been a deliberate act. On others, it would have been considered affected, but on her, it was pitiful and made one want to cherish her even more.

The more she looked at her, the more her heart fluttered, and she almost couldn't resist approaching her to strike up a conversation. But the boy behind her gave her a cold look, which immediately reminded her to be rational.

"Who is that?" Noticing a gaze lingering around her, the woman glanced at it indifferently.

"Xie Feilan, the fourth young master of the Xie family," the young man replied in a low voice. "I have been living in Quanzhou for a long time, but I am returning home temporarily recently."

His fourth brother… glanced at him again and smiled slightly. “They look a bit alike.”

The young man bent down to straighten the fruit plate for her, using it to shield her from his burning gaze. He had seen too many men like this before, but what was strange was that he was still so unconcerned about the proper distance between an uncle and sister-in-law, which truly surprised him.

Xie Feilan had no idea what others were thinking; he was completely captivated by the beauty's smile. He was pulled back to his senses only when he met Qinglan's strange gaze.

"Why are you always staring at me..."

"What?"

"No." Qinglan swallowed the question. All men who meet their third sister-in-law for the first time are like this, so it's no wonder that her fourth brother lost his composure.

Xie Feilan knew that staring at him like that was a bit impolite, so he reluctantly looked away and examined the people sitting there.

Third Sister-in-law… was quite beautiful. She subtly glanced at the woman sitting next to Second Sister-in-law. Her demeanor was elegant and refined, a typical lady of a respectable family. She couldn't see what it was about her that made Third Brother so infatuated, that he would abandon such a stunning beauty for her. Seeing the slight frown on her brow as if she had something on her mind, she didn't seem like someone spoiled and willful, perhaps worried about her husband's absence on his long journey.

Miss Shen Mingzhu of the Shen family is young, lively, bright and cheerful. Although she is new to the place, she is not reserved. Her eyes are bright and her laughter is like pearls. She is obviously very curious about the beautiful but silent lady. She pulls Xie's sister-in-law aside and asks her all sorts of questions. She steals glances from time to time. When they meet and look back, she immediately blushes.

"And who is that?" She spoke with a rare, innocent girlishness, and her face seemed vaguely familiar.

“Shen Mingzhu of the Shen family in Luoyang, Shen Huaiyang’s younger sister.” Shuangjing smiled.

Shen… She stared intently for a long time. The girl blushed at first, but when she saw Shen staring at her, she became bolder and leaned closer. “Mingzhu greets the Third Young Mistress.”

The elder sister-in-law introduced with a smile, "I haven't met Pianxian yet. She's the darling of Uncle Shen from Luoyang. At such a young age, she's traveling the world alone. She's truly a heroine."

"I don't deserve such praise." The girl stuck out her tongue shyly. "My second brother praised the scenery of Yangzhou as unparalleled in the world. I've always wanted to see it, but Father won't allow it. It was only with great difficulty that I managed to sneak out."

"So Mingzhu actually sneaked out?" The elder sister-in-law scolded with a playful laugh. "How dare you! You didn't even consider Uncle Shen's worries. You deserve a beating."

The girl hid behind the beautiful woman, dodging the hand that was about to pinch her, and begged for mercy repeatedly. Her apple-like cheeks were rosy and lovely, exuding a charming and innocent charm. The older sister-in-law couldn't help but laugh, and could no longer bring herself to pinch her.

Her beautiful face was slightly lost in thought, her dark eyes gazing intently, and Shen Mingzhu gradually suppressed her smile.

"Is the Third Young Mistress thinking of my eldest brother?"

She nodded very lightly. "When you're not smiling, you have a certain..."

Unconsciously, she touched her face, her bright eyes filled with longing. "The Third Young Madam traveled thousands of miles to escort my eldest brother home, and the entire Shen family is deeply grateful. I've always wanted to find an opportunity to express my thanks, but I was afraid of disturbing Madam's rest..."

Seeing the harmonious atmosphere, Qinglan muttered something in surprise.

"It's rare that Miss Shen can be so close to her..."

Xie Feilan was a little far away and couldn't hear their laughter clearly. He stole glances at the beauty, and every smile and frown captivated him, making him feel as if he had returned to the innocent days of his youth when he first experienced love.

Long eyelashes, like the shadows of a fan, concealed her wandering thoughts, and a faint smile arose from old memories. Looking up, she saw wildflowers with a faint fragrance carried by the wind, and swallows chirping in pairs among the leaves, and a sense of loneliness arose for no reason.

Huaiyi is gone, and her loved ones have not returned.

The person who frequently sent her letters was still at the other end of the world. Facing the beautiful scenery, her longing suddenly overflowed like a flood.

The calm lake surface rippled with shimmering blue waves, and a string of bubbles rose subtly.

A sudden explosion erupted, sending up a massive white wave, and several people dressed in fish-skin suits leaped out.

Blades flashed and a sudden attack occurred. The attendants scattered around reacted swiftly, quickly intercepting the attack. The newcomer was no ordinary fighter; the Xie family had sent their elite troops this time, and the battle was evenly matched, resulting in a stalemate.

"Where did this guy come from, daring to provoke us in Yangzhou territory?" Qinglan was extremely surprised.

"A remnant of the Qionghai Sect from Qiongzhou." Xie Feilan recognized their origins. "I didn't expect them to be so far away."

"The Qionghai Sect?" Qinglan understood a bit. "Wasn't it already defeated?"

"About 70 or 80, after all, the tree is big and the roots are deep, so I guess a few escaped." Xie Feilan watched the battle without much concern. He had expected that even a centipede with a hundred legs would not die easily, but it was still a bit unexpected that they had been chased all the way to Jiangnan.

A scream rang out, and the two men's expressions immediately changed.

look back.

A dark shadow fell from the ancient tree, rushing towards the women with a sharp killing intent. Shen Mingzhu barely managed to jump up and block the two women who were not familiar with martial arts. Before she could even unleash her palm strike, she was caught off guard and it was clear at a glance that she could not withstand the attack and was in grave danger.

His dark, bright eyes turned cold, and the young man beside him stepped forward to meet him.

Swift as a dragon, his killing intent was palpable. Like a fleeting meteor, he intercepted the attack, engaging in a perilous maneuver. Xie Feilan was about to step forward to help when he was stopped by a young man who suddenly appeared. Qinglan seemed to recognize him and suppressed her intention to intervene.

After a sword strike that sounded like a dragon's roar, the figures suddenly separated, and blood splattered from mid-air, instantly filling the green grass with a pungent stench.

The middle-aged man who had been ambushed staggered to his knees, blood gushing from his chest and abdomen; it was clear he was going to die.

The boy's face was deathly pale, and the horrific sword wound on his shoulder and neck was equally shocking. The young man who had been covering the battle rushed over, supported the boy, and quickly stopped the bleeding by applying medicine and bandaging the wound.

Xie Feilan observed from the side, feeling astonished.

This person moved randomly, and must have been lying in wait nearby from beginning to end, yet he remained completely unaware. Fortunately, this person was a friend, not an enemy, otherwise…

"Uncle Lan." Blood seeped from the corner of the boy's mouth, and he barely managed to stay upright.

"Well done," the man said in a low voice. "You weren't distracted by the feint, and your sword strikes were swift and clean. However, you took too much risk. It would have been better to avoid the initial attack and engage in close combat instead." Otherwise, you wouldn't have been injured so badly.

A soft hand wiped away the boundless cold sweat, and the pain suddenly seemed distant.

"Who taught you swordsmanship?" The girl frowned as the boy fell unconscious.

"Azure Falcon," Blue Swan began to mourn for its companion, "actually, it learned to conceal its edge quite well."

“He doesn’t need to learn to be so ruthless,” the woman said calmly. “It’s just revenge; he doesn’t need to make a living by assassination. Using such methods would be too risky and would easily make him an enemy on all sides.”

"yes."