The fight was raging in the center of the hall, and everyone else's attention was focused on the battle. No one noticed when Bai Qianqian quietly slipped away.
Unable to bear seeing Qin Xiaoyou's worried expression, Wenren Qi drew his soft sword from his waist, ready to help. Zui Linglong grabbed Wenren Qi, "What are you doing?"
Wenren Qi said, "Of course, we're going to rescue them."
Zui Linglong said, "It would be better for you to go. Let Xiao You go instead."
"Me? What can I do?" Qin Xiaoyou leaned closer in surprise.
Zui Linglong smiled mysteriously, whispered something in Qin Xiaoyou's ear, and Qin Xiaoyou snatched Wenren Qi's soft sword, took two steps forward, and loudly proclaimed, "Everyone, Kongkongzi's disciple is here!"
Everyone was taken aback, but after seeing that it was a young girl with blond hair who had spoken, they ignored her and continued doing what they were doing. Qin Xiaoyou was getting anxious. What was wrong with these people? They wouldn't believe her when she told the truth.
Seeing this, Wenren Qi stepped forward and said something to the Fire Phoenix Sect Master, occasionally pointing at Qin Xiaoyou. After the Fire Phoenix Sect Master nodded, he stopped everyone, "Everyone, this young lady is indeed Senior Kongkongzi's disciple. With Young Master Wenren's guarantee, I am certain that it is not false."
"Hmph, Wenren Qi knows Bai Yuxiao, who knows if they're in cahoots? Don't trust Wenren Qi's words!" said a thin, sallow-skinned man with small, beady eyes.
"Do you all think my words are believable?" asked the Fire Phoenix Sect Master.
After a moment of hesitation, the crowd sparsely said, "If the sect leader vouches for it, we will naturally believe him."
"Very good!" The Fire Phoenix Sect Master stroked his beard and beckoned to Qin Xiaoyou: "Miss Qin, please come to my side."
"No!" she blurted out instinctively, only realizing her mistake afterward. Qin Xiaoyou quickly added, "That hypocrite Bai Yuxiao used the excuse of helping me find the real culprit who killed my master, but he only wanted to trick me into giving him the 'Blood Evil Manual.' If it weren't for Doctor Fan examining my master's body and identifying the real killer, I would probably still be fooled by this villain. Today, I will personally kill Bai Yuxiao to avenge my master!" Without waiting for the Fire Phoenix Sect Master to say anything more, Qin Xiaoyou drew her sword and swung it at Bai Yuxiao.
But as soon as she made a move, Qin Xiaoyou realized she was in trouble. Although she had read many martial arts novels, this was her first time actually fighting. Holding the sword, she had no idea what moves to use. She could only swing it wildly. Bai Yuxiao had no intention of hurting her, so he used the sword moves to support Qin Xiaoyou. Before long, the two had exchanged more than ten moves. Not knowing Qin Xiaoyou's skill level, he only felt that their moves were strange, but he didn't realize that they were faking it.
Seeing that the act was almost over, Qin Xiaoyou whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear as she turned to the side, "Quickly grab me." Bai Yuxiao paused, but his hands continued moving. Qin Xiaoyou thought he hadn't understood her, and fearing that continuing the fight would expose her mistake, she gritted her teeth and pretended to accidentally knock her sword away. Her neck barely grazed the tip of Bai Yuxiao's sword, and she fell into his arms.
Seeing the thin line of blood on Qin Xiaoyou's neck, Bai Yuxiao's eyes darkened. Just as he was about to throw away his sword to help stop the bleeding, Qin Xiaoyou pinched his thigh hard and then blinked frantically. Bai Yuxiao understood Qin Xiaoyou's meaning and cooperated by grabbing her neck, coldly saying to the crowd of martial artists, "Let me leave, or she will die right in front of you!"
"Hehe, Young Master Bai is too kind. I believe that Young Master Bai would never do such a dishonorable thing. How could a dignified man, upright and honorable, exchange a young woman's life for his own?" The divine physician Fan Jian, who had been standing quietly to the side for a long time, suddenly spoke up.
As soon as Fan Jian finished speaking, the chivalrous heroes who had initially been somewhat hesitant tightened their grip on their weapons, ready to strike at any moment.
Bai Yuxiao loosened his grip, probably unwilling to escape this way. Qin Xiaoyou panicked and quickly thrust her neck forward, causing Bai Yuxiao's hand to get stuck on the wound on her neck. She winced in pain.
Seeing this, Zui Linglong felt a surge of anger. These so-called martial arts figures were truly cold-hearted. Even though Qin Xiaoyou was on the verge of death, they refused to back down an inch. Her words carried a hint of rage as she said, "What? Do you heroes only believe it when you see Bai Yuxiao take Miss Qin's life? Or do you heroes think that sacrificing Senior Kongkongzi's only disciple is no big deal in order to obtain the 'Blood Evil Manual'?"
Seeing their scheme exposed by a young woman, the group exchanged somewhat embarrassed glances, but still showed no sign of giving up. At this moment, the Fire Phoenix Sect Master pondered for a moment, then exchanged a look with the Divine Physician Fan Jian. They understood that with Wenren Qi present, capturing Bai Yuxiao would be difficult; perhaps they should simply do him a favor. With this in mind, the Fire Phoenix Sect Master spoke up: "Everyone, please step back quickly. Miss Qin is Senior Kongkongzi's only disciple. If anything were to happen to her, how could we face Senior Kongkongzi's spirit in heaven?"
Qin Xiaoyou rolled her eyes upon hearing this. It's as if you're very familiar with my master and can't explain yourself. Humph, who cares if you explain yourself?
Everyone followed the lead of the Fire Phoenix Sect Master, and today's events were originally initiated by him. Since the Master had spoken, insisting further would seem disrespectful. Therefore, the heroes all put down their weapons and made way for him.
Bai Yuxiao held Qin Xiaoyou in his arms, keeping a watchful eye on the hidden weapons the others were launching, as he walked outside. Once they reached the open space outside, he pulled a book from his robes and tossed it aside, saying, "Here's the 'Blood Evil Manual' for you!" Taking advantage of the others' distraction, he lightly touched the ground with Qin Xiaoyou in his arms and quickly ran down the mountain.
Seeing Bai Yuxiao throw out the "Blood Evil Manual," no one cared whether he had escaped or not. They all started fighting to seize the peerless manual. However, after fighting for a long time, the heroes of the martial arts world were either injured or killed. In the end, the Fire Phoenix Sect leader, who finally got his hands on the "Blood Evil Manual," was so angry when he saw its contents that he vomited blood and died.
The book Bai Yuxiao threw out wasn't the "Blood Evil Manual" at all; he didn't even own that. He'd found it one day after Qin Xiaoyou accidentally dropped it. He'd originally intended to return it to her, but after reading its contents, his face turned ashen, and he decided to dispose of it. However, various things had gotten in the way, and he hadn't had the chance. He never expected it would come in so handy today.
As for what book it was that elicited such a strong reaction from everyone, even Doctor Fan and Wenren Qi looked like they had eaten shit. Zui Linglong wanted to see it, but Wenren Qi tore the book to shreds before she could.
Well, actually, that book could be considered a secret manual, but it was just about bedroom arts. Qin Xiaoyou somehow found a book of erotic illustrations, and her yaoi-loving heart immediately started pounding. She secretly bought it, but before she could even open it, it disappeared. Qin Xiaoyou was heartbroken and regretful for a long time afterward.
☆, Chapter Sixty-Eight, What exactly happened?
After carrying Qin Xiaoyou down the mountain, Bai Yuxiao didn't head towards the market; instead, he went around to the back of Yucheng Manor. Qin Xiaoyou panicked. Wasn't this just sending her into a wolf's den again? Thinking that Bai Yuxiao had lost his mind after the fight, Qin Xiaoyou struggled to get up and remind him. However, seeing her restlessness and knowing that moving would aggravate her wounds and cause more bleeding, Bai Yuxiao immediately pressed her pressure points, rendering her unable to move or speak. She could only glare at Bai Yuxiao anxiously.
Seeing that she had already gone more than halfway and it was too late to turn back, Qin Xiaoyou simply steeled her heart, thinking that since things had already come to this, if he died, she would die with him. Eighteen years later, she might be a hero again, so it was no big deal.
After Bai Yuxiao arrived at the back mountain, he seemed very familiar with the area, turning left and right, and following a chaotic path, he somehow ended up in front of a row of sturdy houses. This wasn't what surprised Qin Xiaoyou the most. When she saw the mysterious owner of Yucheng Manor standing at the door, smiling and waving at them, she felt like she had seen a ghost.
Bai Yuxiao carefully carried Qin Xiaoyou to the bed. The master of Yucheng Manor followed her in, holding a small white porcelain bottle and handing it to Bai Yuxiao, saying, "This is an excellent wound medicine." Bai Yuxiao took it, thanked him, and carefully began to treat Qin Xiaoyou's wound.
The master of Yucheng Manor stood there for a while, then finally couldn't help but scratch his head and ask, "How did it come to this? How did the little girl from the Qin family end up with you, and why was she injured?"
Bai Yuxiao replied calmly, "This is a long story." After speaking, he pressed Qin Xiaoyou's pressure point to put her to sleep, carefully covered her with a blanket, and then turned to the master of Yucheng Manor, saying, "Let's go outside and talk."
Seeing Bai Yuxiao's solemn expression, the master of Yucheng Manor did not ask any further questions. The two of them walked into another room in the courtyard, lit the lamp, and began to talk in hushed tones.
When Qin Xiaoyou woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. Opening her eyes, she saw Bai Yuxiao sitting by the window reading a book. Qin Xiaoyou blushed slightly and asked softly, "Have you been here all this time?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Yuxiao put down the book in her hand, smiled and walked over: "Xiao You, you're awake? Are you hungry? I'll go to the kitchen and get you something to eat."
"Mmm." Qin Xiaoyou nodded. Seeing that Bai Yuxiao did not answer her previous question, she thought that his voice was too soft and he hadn't heard her clearly. But it was fine this way. She felt quite shy asking Bai Yuxiao if he had been watching over her all night.
After a quick wash, Bai Yuxiao helped Qin Xiaoyou lean against the headboard and began feeding her spoonful by spoonful. After half a bowl of porridge, Qin Xiaoyou's face was as red as a monkey's bottom. Seeing this, Bai Yuxiao reached out and touched her forehead with concern. "Xiaoyou, are you feeling unwell?" "No," Qin Xiaoyou replied in a barely audible voice. Bai Yuxiao looked at Qin Xiaoyou with a puzzled expression until she looked down and realized why her face was so red.
Overwhelmed with joy, Bai Yuxiao looked at Qin Xiaoyou with amusement: "You were so reckless and fearless yesterday, why are you shy today?"
Qin Xiaoyou originally wanted to reply loudly and confidently, "Because I'm shy," but when she looked up and met Bai Yuxiao's eyes, she lost her courage and looked around, not daring to look at Bai Yuxiao.
Bai Yuxiao sighed, pulled the person into his arms, and asked with a mix of emotion and lingering fear, "Xiao You, why did you suddenly rush out yesterday? Do you know how dangerous that was!"
"What's so dangerous about it? It's just for show anyway," Qin Xiaoyou replied sullenly, burying her head in Bai Yuxiao's chest.
Upon hearing Qin Xiaoyou's words, Bai Yuxiao's heart skipped a beat, and he asked somewhat reluctantly, "So, if it were really dangerous, you wouldn't have rushed out?"
After asking, he didn't hear a response from Qin Xiaoyou for a long time. Remembering that the girl was always afraid of pain and death, it wasn't surprising she wouldn't rush out. Besides, he didn't want her to rush out, not even for the slightest possible harm.
Just as Bai Yuxiao thought Qin Xiaoyou had fallen asleep and was about to put her down, Qin Xiaoyou pinched Bai Yuxiao's waist without warning, "Idiot! I'll stand by your side as long as you're in danger."
Although Bai Yuxiao vaguely understood Qin Xiaoyou's feelings for him, this was the first time he had heard her express them so clearly. Overjoyed, he cupped the face of the person in his arms and looked at her closely. No matter how he looked at her, he felt it wasn't enough, and he wanted to cherish her to the core.
Infected by Bai Yuxiao's burning gaze, Qin Xiaoyou felt her heart pound wildly. Looking at the handsome face before her, Qin Xiaoyou couldn't help but reach out and touch it, tracing the contours of the person before her inch by inch from his brow bone to the corner of his lips. Then, as if bewitched, Qin Xiaoyou leaned forward and gently placed a kiss on Bai Yuxiao's lips.
Caught off guard by Qin Xiaoyou's sudden outburst, Bai Yuxiao froze. Seeing Bai Yuxiao's dazed expression, Qin Xiaoyou covered her mouth, her eyes crinkling with laughter. Bai Yuxiao, realizing what was happening, was about to grab her mischievous lips to make her understand that his advances weren't so easily taken advantage of. Just then, the cough of the Jade Mountain Manor's master came from outside the door.
Qin Xiaoyou peeked out and saw the manor lord standing at the door with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky. Although he tried his best to pretend that he hadn't seen anything, his next words proved that he had seen everything. The manor lord said, "Young man, I can understand your hot temper, but we have important matters to attend to today. If you want to be intimate, wait until the matter is resolved."
Qin Xiaoyou immediately burrowed into the covers after hearing those words; what was that old man thinking? Bai Yuxiao, seeing the hard-won warm atmosphere broken, was very unhappy and asked somewhat displeasedly, "What is it?"
"Qin Zhongli and the others are here." The manor lord said this and then disappeared. As he quickly left Qin Xiaoyou's room, he muttered to himself: "These kids nowadays really don't understand the feelings of us old folks. So affectionate and lovey-dovey in broad daylight, they're just trying to annoy this old man. Humph, after this is all over, I'm going to go have a chat with Bai's grandma. And that girl Long, that dead old man has been dead for almost fifty years, why won't she accept me?"
Upon hearing that the owner of the Zangjiu Manor had arrived, Bai Yuxiao's expression turned solemn. He pulled someone out of the quilt and asked, "Xiao You, would you like to come out with me?"
Seeing Bai Yuxiao's serious expression, Qin Xiaoyou assumed something serious had happened, quickly nodded, and hurriedly dressed. As she walked out, Qin Xiaoyou asked, "Who is this Qin Zhongli?"
Bai Yuxiao kept walking and said, "Qin Zhongli is the current owner of Cangjiu Manor." He paused, thinking that Qin Xiaoyou had lost her memory, and then continued to explain, "He is also Qin Wu's father and your uncle."
Upon hearing the words "uncle," Qin Xiaoyou nearly tripped and fell. What to do, what to do? She was about to meet Qin Qin's relative! She was so nervous. This was her uncle, and since he was the head of the manor, he was probably a cunning old fox. What if he noticed something amiss and discovered she wasn't the real Qin Qin?
Bai Yuxiao caught Qin Xiaoyou, who almost fell, and remembering that she had an injury on her neck, he picked her up and carried her to the door before putting her down.
Chapter 69: You Owe Me an Explanation
Qin Xiaoyou blushed and followed Bai Yuxiao into the hall, looking exactly like a timid young wife.
Upon seeing Qin Zhongli and Su Mei seated at the head of the table, Bai Yuxiao bowed respectfully and said, "Uncle Qin, Aunt Su." Qin Zhongli nodded with a slight smile, while Su Mei, who had left her seat as soon as Bai Yuxiao entered, was now holding his hand and scrutinizing him closely.
The Bai and Qin families were old friends. When Bai Yuxiao was a child, he often went to visit the wine estate with his parents, so Su Mei had long regarded Bai Yuxiao as her other son. Bai Yuxiao was about to introduce Qin Xiaoyou to Su Mei when he turned around and unexpectedly saw Qin Xiaoyou staring wide-eyed at the right side in surprise.
Following Qin Xiaoyou's gaze, Bai Yuxiao was also surprised. He couldn't understand why Su Lin, Su Xiao, and Qin Zhongli had appeared together. To say it was a coincidence was a bit too much of a coincidence.
Seeing Bai Yuxiao's puzzlement, Su Mei quickly explained, "When we went to pick the Resurrection Grass at your father's request, the grass was already with them. Later, we heard that everyone had the same goal, so we set off together."
"Resurrection Grass? What is Resurrection Grass?" Qin Xiaoyou asked, turning her gaze away from Su Mei and looking at Bai Yuxiao.
"The resurrection herb is merely a medicinal ingredient," Bai Yuxiao replied.
"Medicinal catalyst? Who's injured and needs medicine?" Qin Xiaoyou asked, puzzled.
"This..." Seeing Bai Yuxiao's dilemma, the master of Yucheng Manor changed the subject: "You gentlemen have come from afar and probably haven't had a meal yet. Whatever it is, let's talk after we eat."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Senior!" Qin Zhongli stepped forward and bowed respectfully to the manor lord.
The owner of Yucheng Manor, however, was not buying it. He puffed out his beard and pointed at Bai Yuxiao and Qin Xiaoyou, saying, "If it weren't for the Bai family boy and Qin family girl, you wouldn't even have the right to enter this room, let alone stay for a meal."
"What the elder says is true." The manor lord's attitude was so impolite, but Qin Zhongli was not displeased at all. On the contrary, his attitude became even more respectful.
Seeing this scene, Qin Xiaoyou was curious. Who was this stingy old man? Why did everyone seem afraid of him, not daring to talk back even when scolded? However, Qin Xiaoyou soon forgot about this question, as her attention was completely drawn to the food on the table. Although it was a simple meal of congee and side dishes, for some reason, it looked incredibly appetizing. She had only eaten half a bowl of congee, but now, looking at the food on the table, she couldn't help but swallow her saliva.
Seeing Qin Xiaoyou's hungry look, Bai Yuxiao smiled, took her hand, and led her to sit down at the table. After everyone was seated, Qin Xiaoyou picked up her chopsticks and was about to eat a plate of green vegetables that she had been eyeing for a long time when Qin Zhongli suddenly spoke up: "Qin'er, don't be too sad about your master's death."
"I'm not sad at all!" Qin Xiaoyou thought to herself, rolling her eyes. However, considering that the other person was Qin Qin's elder, Qin Xiaoyou obediently put down her chopsticks and replied, "Mm."
Qin Xiaoyou's behavior amused Su Mei. "Did the sun rise in the west today? When did Qin'er become so well-mannered?"
Qin Xiaoyou's heart skipped a beat: Oh no, she'd made a mistake. But then Su Mei covered her mouth and chuckled, winking at Qin Zhongli: "It's true what they say, having a sweetheart makes all the difference. Even Qin'er, who was as mischievous as a monkey when she was little, has become quiet and well-mannered." After saying that, she winked at Bai Yuxiao.
Su Mei's words made Qin Xiaoyou's face turn red like a monkey's bottom again. Su Lin, not content with the chaos, stood up with his wine glass and said happily, "So it was Sister Qin and Young Master Bai! Oh dear, I'm so stupid, I should have noticed sooner. Sister Qin, I'd like to toast you both!"
Seeing Qin Xiaoyou so embarrassed she almost wanted to crawl under the table, Bai Yuxiao stood up to help her out: "Xiaoyou has an injury on her neck and shouldn't drink alcohol, so I'll drink this cup for her!" With that, he actually drank the cup of wine in front of Qin Xiaoyou.
With Su Lin leading the way, Qin Zhongli, Su Mei, and Su Xiao also stood up to offer toasts, and even the owner of Yucheng Manor joined in the fun. Looking at the people around her helping her fend off drinks one after another, and hearing the words of blessing, Qin Xiaoyou suddenly felt as if they were getting married. The only difference was that the bride wasn't waiting in the room, but sitting outside with everyone.
After drinking a round of drinks, no one made things difficult for Bai Yuxiao and let the two of them go. Everyone started eating.
While they were eating, Su Mei suddenly asked, "Yu Xiao, why did your father ask us to help you find that Resurrection Grass? If I remember correctly, the Resurrection Grass is used to make an antidote for a drug that cures feigned death, right?"
Bai Yuxiao glanced at Qin Xiaoyou, and seeing that she was only focused on eating and hadn't heard what they were saying, he nodded to Su Mei and said, "It was indeed to save someone who was pretending to be dead."
"Oh? Who is it?" Su Mei asked, intrigued. She completely ignored Qin Zhongli's earnest winks. Although Qin Zhongli didn't understand the specifics, he could tell that Bai Yuxiao wasn't planning to make this public yet, at least not at this time of mealtime.
"Who else could it be? Of course, it's Kong Kongzi." Su Xiao suddenly spoke up out of the blue.
Everyone was stunned for a moment. Fortunately, Su Xiao spoke very softly and quickly, and even Su Lin, who was sitting next to him, did not hear clearly and asked, "Brother, who did you say?" Qin Xiaoyou had no martial arts skills and her hearing was not as good as those of the martial arts practitioners present, so she naturally did not hear it either.
Seeing that Su Mei still wanted to ask, Qin Zhongli quickly put a large chopstick of food into her bowl. Su Mei noticed that Bai Yuxiao's expression wasn't good, guessing that Bai Yuxiao probably didn't want Qin Xiaoyou to know about Kongkongzi's faked death yet, so she wisely shut her mouth and stopped asking.
During the meal, Qin Zhongli and Su Lin occasionally chatted about some interesting things that happened on their journey, making the meal not too lonely. After sitting for a while after the meal, Qin Xiaoyou yawned, and Bai Yuxiao hurriedly and attentively escorted her back to her room. Only after watching Qin Xiaoyou lie down and fall asleep did he leave.
By the time Bai Yuxiao finished discussing matters with everyone, it was almost midnight. But the thought of the fox's tail being exposed and the truth about who was pulling the strings behind the scenes soon becoming clear filled him with excitement, making him wide awake. Unconsciously, he walked to Qin Xiaoyou's room, intending to go in and check if she was sleeping well and if she had kicked off her blankets. However, remembering something, he ultimately didn't push the door open and instead turned and went back to his own room.
As soon as Bai Yuxiao entered the room, she sensed something was wrong; there was clearly another person breathing inside. Bai Yuxiao braced herself and asked coldly, "Who is it?"
Qin Xiaoyou yawned lazily, lit the lamp beside her, and slowly replied, "It's me."
"Xiao You?" Bai Yuxiao asked in surprise, "Why aren't you sleeping in your room?"
"How can I find you to ask you questions if I'm sleeping in my room?" Qin Xiaoyou replied calmly.
Upon hearing Qin Xiaoyou's words, Bai Yuxiao realized something was wrong; as expected, Qin Xiaoyou had overheard Su Xiao's words.
Because she had been sitting for too long, her legs were a little numb. Qin Xiaoyou swayed as she got up and slowly walked to Bai Yuxiao. She stared at Bai Yuxiao and said, "Don't you think you still owe me an explanation?"
Chapter 70, Scheme