Bad things happen often

Chapter 26

“Uh…” Xiao Xiao’s eyes darted around before she spoke, “Third Young Master, this is what happened. I was ordered by the Lord of Taiping City to come here to find evidence to help Young Master Mo Yun escape punishment. I wasn’t helping him escape before, but rather to confirm the matter of the Qi family’s weapons with him.”

Wei Ying smiled and sighed, "Shi Le'er... does she know about what happened ten years ago?"

"I don't know... but I guess Young Master Mo must have some reason for his predicament," Xiao Xiao said.

“My predicament…” Wei Ying repeated silently.

Xiao Xiao said this, but what she really thought was completely different. Her master once said, "There aren't that many excuses in this world. Xiao Xiao, remember this: what's done is done, and what's wrong is wrong. Excuses are just a hypocritical consolation."

That's right. People who do bad things never have any excuses!

However... for this young master Wei Ying, having something is better than not having it, right?

"..." Wei Ying was silent for a while, then suddenly asked Xiao Xiao, "Do you also think I am unfilial and disloyal, a spoiled brat?"

Xiao Xiao paused for a moment, then shook her head. "Not at all, Third Young Master, you are wise and brave, a young hero..."

“Hey…” Wei Ying interrupted her, annoyed.

Xiao Xiao looked at him, her fawning smile disappearing. "Uh... I'm telling the truth... That day, in the back garden, didn't I sing two songs for you? You even said my songs were melancholic."

Wei Ying nodded, not quite understanding why she was saying these things.

“How could an unfilial and disloyal playboy listen to the desolation in the music? At that time, I thought, Third Young Master, you are no ordinary person.” Xiao Xiao chuckled.

Wei Ying's smile carried a hint of melancholy.

"Third Young Master, it's impossible to determine who was right and who was wrong about what happened ten years ago. Actually, some of what Miss Zhao Yan said was quite right. Now that things have come to this, you might as well thoroughly investigate the murderer. Not only will you clear Young Master Mo Yun's name, but you will also solidify your position within Hero's Fortress. Wouldn't that be both filial piety and righteousness?" Xiao Xiao finished speaking in one breath.

After hearing this, Wei Ying sighed and shook her head, "Finding the real culprit is easier said than done."

Hearing this, Xiao Xiao immediately hatched a plan. She was, after all, a bad guy. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Last time she'd already stolen things from Master Qian to set fire to; now that she knew Master Fang was a suspect, how could she just sit back and let him get away with it?

She immediately became serious and said thoughtfully, "I was ordered by the city lord to investigate, but now I feel that the murderer is becoming more and more arrogant and his flaws are becoming more and more numerous."

You said 'Yisha'?

"Hmm. Although I can't be sure, the Third Young Master seems to have said that there is indeed 'Yisha' inside the fortress." Xiao Xiao asked knowingly.

Wei Ying pondered for a moment before speaking, “'Yisha' has always been kept by a designated person, so it’s impossible for it to be used for murder.”

“Third Young Master, I asked Young Master Mo Yun before. He saw the real culprit in the tunnel. It was the culprit who stole his ‘Min Yan’ and killed the disciples in the fortress. The most incredible thing is that the murderer knows the fortress’s unique footwork, ‘Swallow Step’,” Xiao Xiao said.

As she spoke, Wei Ying's brows furrowed deeper and deeper. He, as the Third Young Master, couldn't possibly be unaware of who was keeping the "Yisha" (翳杀). He probably already had a pretty good idea of the real culprit. She just needed to add fuel to the fire.

"Oh, right. I also heard that someone who came out of the secret passage was shot in the left shoulder by the young master of the Lian family, the Divine Arrow. Hero's Fortress searched for several days but found nothing. Logically speaking, a left shoulder injury cannot be hidden. I guess the real culprit must be someone from within Hero's Fortress, and someone of quite high status! That's why the disciples overlooked him." Xiao Xiao became more and more fluent as she spoke, and simply let someone else take the blame for her.

After listening, Wei Ying's brows relaxed. "That's right. As long as we know whether that person's left shoulder is injured, we can confirm my suspicions."

"Oh! It seems the Third Young Master has already made a breakthrough. I'll go tell the City Lord right away!" Xiao Xiao said excitedly.

"Wait. Don't alert them. I'll handle the rest myself." Wei Ying looked at Xiao Xiao. "Thank you for the clue."

"Not at all, not at all, it's only right," Xiao Xiao said, clasping her hands in a fist salute.

Wei Ying turned around, about to take a step. But then she looked back with some suspicion, "Aren't you leaving?"

"Me?" Xiao Xiao said seriously, "I'll look for other clues!"

"..." Wei Ying said no more and left.

She wiped the sweat from her brow and laughed heartily. The feeling of framing someone was indeed wonderful. No, to be precise, it wasn't really framing her. But regardless, she was completely cleared of suspicion. Congratulations! Haha.

Uh... speaking of which, I'm so hungry... I haven't eaten yet...

Once you enter the tiger's den

Xiao Xiao grew hungrier the more she thought about it. She sighed and glanced around the room. The food on the table was still neatly arranged. If only it hadn't been poisoned... she thought helplessly.

She turned away, resigned, and sat on the doorstep, gazing up at the sky. The clouds drifted slowly by, and she squinted as she watched them. What would happen next? When would she be able to sever all ties with these people?

As she pondered these thoughts, she drifted off to sleep.

When she woke up, it was already dark. She stood up, lost in thought. Then, she suddenly snapped back to reality. Oh no! She'd forgotten, Yin Xiao was coming to see her tonight! If he went to her room, things might…

She was about to leave when, in that instant, a sharp pain shot through her left wrist. She clutched her wrist and crouched down. She looked at her left wrist, her forehead covered in cold sweat; the silver needle had become even more bruised and was slowly moving up her arm.

This doesn't make sense... She had clearly already sealed her meridians. Helpless, she sealed them again, which finally eased the pain. She looked up at the sky; it was still far from midnight, and even acupuncture wouldn't be performed at this hour. What was wrong? When she saw Yin Xiao later, she would definitely demand that he remove the needles.

She rubbed her wrist and left through the dog hole the way she came.

She hadn't walked far when she began to sense something was amiss. The silence within Hero's Fortress was unnerving. Where were the night patrol disciples? Where were the maids? Filled with doubt, she grew increasingly cautious. Then, she witnessed a scene that horrified her.

Under the moonlight, she could clearly see that inside Hero's Fortress, disciples, maids, and even guests were all lying haphazardly on the ground.

Poison. That was the word that came to her mind almost immediately.

The Hero's Fortress compound was spacious, so it couldn't have been poisoned by any kind of incense. How could so many people be poisoned so quickly? Could it have been put in their food?! At that moment, the feeling of hunger in her stomach gave her a sudden sense of "a blessing in disguise."

However, her relief was short-lived, as another thought crossed her mind. Someone capable of poisoning her like this must be from within Hero's Fortress. Could it be Hall Master Fang? Oh no, this is clearly a massive conspiracy! Since she wasn't poisoned, standing here is just asking for trouble!

Retreat is the best policy!

Wait, the luggage and the sanxian are still in the side room; we need to get them out first. Without hesitation, she used her light-footed skill to hurry back to her room.

Everyone she encountered along the way was unconscious. Xiao Xiao frowned, constantly reminding herself, "Never help someone in distress" is also the rule of bad people. When disaster strikes, saving her own life is more important.

She had just reached the door of the room when she saw a scene that horrified her.

Yin Xiao and Li Si stood in front of her door, neither of them appearing to be in any unusual situation. Their opponent was Lian Zhao…

Lian Zhao's face was pale, his breathing was slightly rapid, and his body was unsteady. However, his expression was extremely cold, and his eyes were filled with murderous intent.

"Young Master Lian, you've already been poisoned by the Bone-Softening Powder. You're no match for us. Forcing yourself to use your inner energy will only hurt you," Li Si said with a smile, leisurely fanning herself with her sandalwood fan.

"Where...did you take Xiaoxiao?" Lian Zhao asked.

Xiao Xiao froze upon hearing those words.

Yin Xiao snorted coldly, flicked his soft sword, and unleashed a killing move.

Lian Zhao barely managed to dodge. His footwork was also far less steady than before, and since the carved bow was not a longsword, close combat was completely disadvantageous for him.

"What exactly do you want to do?" Lian Zhao questioned, holding Yin Xiao's software.

At this moment, Li Si leaped up, and with a flick of her wrist, the Yama Red Thread wrapped around Lian Zhao's hands.

"Of course! We're bad people, so naturally we do bad things!" Li Si said with a charming smile, teasingly.

"..." Lian Zhao frowned, broke free of the red thread, and attacked Li Si with his backhand.

Xiao Xiao became even more nervous. Lian Zhao's martial arts skills were already inferior to Yin Xiao's, and now, poisoned by the "bone-softening powder," he was fighting two opponents alone. He had no chance of winning, right? If he couldn't win, why did he force it?! How could this young master of the Lian family be so stubborn?!

"I don't care about your affairs in the martial world... Let her go! You've already ruined her family, what more do you want?!" Lian Zhao roared at Yin Xiao with all his might.

Her small heart skipped a beat. Could it be that he had persisted all this time for her sake? ...That tragedy of family ruin and death was just something she had made up on the spot. However, when someone believed it, it seemed as if it were true. Such a misunderstanding was indeed too heavy a burden.

Just then, a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a clap of thunder. Xiao Xiao was startled. Indeed, if anything happened to Lian Zhao today, she would definitely be struck by lightning. Her master had also said that even bad people should know to pay their debts. She would settle her debt to him today!

Thinking this, she rushed out without hesitation, crashing into Silver Owl, shouting, "Traitor! Prepare to die!!!"

Yin Xiao had intended to attack with his sword, but upon recognizing the attacker, he abruptly withdrew his stance. He frowned slightly and raised his hand to seize her. In just a moment, Xiao Xiao's hands were twisted and her throat was gripped.

In that brief moment, Xiao Xiao quietly finished saying what she wanted to say.

Don't hurt him.

A hint of a smile flashed in Yin Xiao's eyes.

"I never expected you to escape..." Silver Owl chuckled evilly, "Fine, then you two will be a pair of lovebirds destined for the same fate!" With that, he shoved Xiao Xiao to the ground, "You've been struck by my 'Refined Snow Silver Light,' just wait to die, hahaha..."

Watching Yin Xiao and Li Si leave with a wicked laugh, Xiao Xiao couldn't help but sigh, but she held back.

"Xiaoxiao..." Lian Zhao walked over in a few steps and squatted down. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head slightly. "No, but are you alright?"

Lian Zhao didn't answer, his gaze falling on the small left wrist. "Indeed, it's the Snow-Refined Silver Light..."

The deep regret and remorse in those words made Xiaoxiao feel a little guilty. She raised her arm and said with a smile, "It's okay. I know acupressure, I've already sealed the meridians, this silver needle can't move."

Lian Zhao looked at her quietly, as if seeking the truth in her words. Suddenly, he collapsed.

Xiao Xiao was very nervous, so she reached out and helped him up.

"It's just cartilage powder...it's nothing..." Lian Zhao smiled weakly and said.

But? Good heavens, although the bone-softening powder will automatically heal him when the time comes, who knows if his reckless use of internal energy just now will leave him with any lasting health problems.

"Don't talk, I'll seal your meridians." Xiao Xiao raised her hand and said seriously.

However, after a moment, she froze. She looked at Lian Zhao somewhat awkwardly and whispered, "Um... um, Mr. Lian... I..."

Lian Zhao was puzzled.

Xiao Xiao swallowed hard, her face slightly flushed, and stammered, "You...you're wearing clothes...I...I can't find the acupoints..."

Lian Zhao's expression immediately changed. He looked away, a blush rising on his cheeks.

Xiao Xiao was helpless, but she shamelessly said, "Young Master Lian... well... this is a matter of life and death..."

Lian Zhao did not answer, but instead began to loosen his belt.

Although it's said that one shouldn't look at what's improper, how can one find the acupoints without looking? Xiao Xiao watched him take off his shirt with extreme embarrassment, thinking that it was fortunate that her master had taught her well since childhood; otherwise, other women would have committed suicide afterward. She steadied herself and prepared to apply the acupoint pressure.

"Xiaoxiao..." Lian Zhao began, his voice growing weaker and feeble, "Why... weren't you poisoned..."

Xiao Xiao chuckled and pressed the pressure point, "Because I haven't eaten yet."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lian Zhao lost consciousness and collapsed into her arms.

"I'm sorry..." Xiao Xiao said softly.

She breathed a small sigh of relief and then helped him seal the twelve meridians. Once everything was done, she carefully helped Lian Zhao into the room, placed him on the bed, and covered him with a blanket.

She picked up her luggage and sanxian from the bed, glanced at Lian Zhao, and turned to leave.

Just as I closed the door, another clap of thunder swept across the sky.

She looked up at the sky. A light drizzle fell, accompanied by thunder, carrying a chill. She perked up and smiled.

However, before she could finish laughing, she heard a charming voice.

"Hey, you went through all that trouble to save someone, why aren't you guarding them properly?"