A smile can topple a city

Chapter 41

Huang Tingfeng gritted his teeth, then suddenly realized something and remembered Shen Wan, who had been locked up at the Martial Alliance headquarters. He exclaimed, "Oh no!"

Ye Xiao and Xiao Xun passed through the side gate and disappeared into the night. Following Luo Qingcheng's instructions, they arrived at the designated meeting point and soon saw a masked man holding Shen Wan, who was sleeping like a baby, waiting for them.

"Qingcheng? Are we leaving now?" Ye Xiao found the scene somewhat jarring, so he turned his eyes away, trying to deceive himself.

Luo Qingcheng shook his head: "Xiao Wan was tortured by that villain Huang Tingfeng and suffered extremely serious injuries. Ever since I rescued her, she has been unconscious... I'm afraid she can't withstand the hardships of the journey. Let's find a safe place first and let her recuperate before making any further plans. Besides, there's someone else I need to take with me. Come with me first."

Xiao Xun crept over and probed. Shen Wan was nestled softly in Luo Qingcheng's arms, her long eyelashes fluttering like cicada wings. "Uh, second brother, let me carry her. You've been carrying her for so long, you must be tired... Besides, aren't you supposed to lead the way? It'll be easier if you're empty-handed."

Luo Qingcheng didn't stand on ceremony, handing Shen Wan over to Xiao Xun and leading the group forward. About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea later, Ye Xiao exclaimed, "Why are we back at the Huang residence? Qingcheng, did you lose your mind seeing the beautiful Shen Wan?"

Luo Qingcheng, unusually good-natured, explained, "No, although this is the Huang residence, outsiders would never dare to enter. It's very safe, and everything is provided, which is perfect for Xiao Wan to recuperate..."

Ye Xiao was annoyed by his cheerful chatter about Xiao Wan and Xiao Wan, so she kept quiet. Suddenly, she heard a soft moan and a melodious female voice say, "Brother Luo... Brother Luo..."

Luo Qingcheng turned around quickly: "Xiao Wan...you're awake?"

Shen Wan grunted, broke free from Xiao Xun's embrace, and staggered a few steps before her legs gave way and she suddenly collapsed towards Luo Qingcheng. Luo Qingcheng rushed forward and caught her: "Be careful... you're injured, you can't move!"

“Brother Luo…” Shen Wan buried her head in Luo Qingcheng’s arms and finally cried out. Luo Qingcheng only gently comforted her.

Ye Xiao sighed inwardly and looked away again. There was no way around it; a beauty was a beauty. Even after being beaten, her ethereal, otherworldly beauty remained undiminished. Thinking back to those few unsteady steps Shen Da Meiren had taken, her delicate, willow-like figure could only be described with four words: peerless elegance. Thinking of this, she felt a little indignant. Couldn't she do that too?

Without hesitation, Ye Xiao imitated Shen Wan and took a few unsteady steps in the flower bed at the foot of the wall. Her foot slipped on the rubble and she fell face-first into the mud. Because she was dressed in thick clothes to keep warm, her chubby little body landed with a thud in the mud. She couldn't get up for a long time because she was dressed so warmly.

Luo Qingcheng let out a soft "ah," quickly handed Shen Wan to Xiao Xun, scooped up the stiff little figure on the ground, dusted it off, and forced a laugh, saying, "Truly worthy of the name 'Xiaoxiao,' every word and action is hilarious..."

Even in the darkness, Ye Xie could almost see the mocking smile on his face, which made her even more upset. She couldn't help but rub her sore nose, and a familiar fragrance wafted towards her.

"Jade Guanyin?" Ye Xiao was suddenly taken aback, a vague unease creeping into his heart.

Luo Qingcheng smiled faintly: "You know? You really are knowledgeable. The Jade Guanyin is an extremely rare and famous orchid. I'm afraid only Ru Garden in the entire capital has a few of these."

"This is Ru Garden?" Ye Xiao was stunned, her mind racing. "You're not just planning to let us stay here?"

Luo Qingcheng affectionately rubbed her head: "Why not? Huang Chongshan is very protective of Madam Ru and has strictly forbidden anyone from approaching Ru Garden... This place is the safest place. Moreover, once Huang Tingfeng finds out that we have already taken Xiao Wan away, he will never expect that we will still be staying in Huang Mansion... Besides, I must take Aunt Ru away from here."

Ye Xiao exclaimed, "No... I'm afraid we can't stay here any longer..."

The Hand Hidden Behind the Scenes (Part 1)

"Why?" Luo Qingcheng refused to let go of this opportunity for close contact and continued to hold Ye Xiao.

“That night you… also took me to Ru Garden like this, and even picked a jade-colored Guanyin orchid. Mo Yingxue recognized this rare orchid, and was afraid she would suspect your Aunt Ru…”

Luo Qingcheng's expression changed slightly, and he suddenly released Ye Xiao: "Xiaoxiao, you stay here with Lao San and Xiao Wan, and be alert! I'll go into Ru Garden first and take a look. If it's not safe, we'll take Aunt Ru away first." Before he finished speaking, he vanished in a flash. A moment later, Luo Qingcheng returned to the spot, his tone clearly somewhat helpless: "Aunt Ru isn't here... She almost never leaves the house, at most she just stands there in the corridor by the door, lost in thought..."

Ye Xiao really wanted to ask who this Aunt Ru was, but there were priorities. It seemed that Ru Garden might not be very safe, so she should find a safer place first before making any further plans.

So the four of them left the Huang residence. Fortunately, Luo Qingcheng was familiar with the terrain of the capital and seemed to have a foothold there. They quickly found a place to stay, which was very quiet. After arranging for everyone to settle down, it was already getting light. Luo Qingcheng ordered someone to prepare some food for everyone and went out to inquire about the situation.

Mo Yinxue whispered to her mother, "Ye Xiao... is my brother's rival. He suddenly disappeared one night, and when he came back, he was wearing a jade Guanyin flower on his head..."

Madam Huang was slightly taken aback: "A jade-colored Guanyin? What does that prove?"

Mo Yingxue thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps it's just a coincidence. That night, she passed by Ru Garden and smelled the fragrance of the Jade Guanyin, so she picked a flower. Given Madam Ru's easygoing nature, she certainly wouldn't have stopped her. But it's still strange. She didn't stay away for long that night, and she just happened to go to Ru Garden. Could it be that she was looking for Madam Ru? Besides, given Madam Ru's original identity, could it be..."

After a moment of contemplation, Madam Huang finally hesitated and said, "Your father has repeatedly emphasized that no one is allowed to enter Ru Garden or disturb Madam Ru. Back then, because I said some things to Madam Ru, your father hasn't spoken a word to me for over ten years. Even after he returned, he refused to stay at home. He will be back soon this time, so let's wait until he comes back and ask him what he thinks. In case we offend Madam Ru, I'm afraid your father will hold a grudge."

Mo Yinxue glared angrily at her timid mother: "Fear, fear, fear! Mother, all you know is to be afraid of Father! Although I don't know the details of what happened back then, no matter what you did wrong, you were still my husband. How could Father be so heartless! This Madam Ru is a vixen reincarnated! Living here is clearly a thorn in our side, yet Father is still waiting for her to change her mind! If you don't care, I will! I'm going to find this bitch!" With that, she stormed out the door.

Madam Huang was terrified. She called out to her daughter several times from behind, but she couldn't stop her daughter who was moving like a whirlwind. She could only stop and stand there in a daze.

When Mo Yinxue arrived at Ru Garden in a fit of anger, she saw Madam Ru, dressed in a blue robe, standing blankly in the corridor. Many years had passed; the woman had aged, fine lines appearing at the corners of her eyes, but her face remained stunningly beautiful, and her figure, even clad in the thickest, roughest cotton robe, couldn't conceal her alluring charm. As the saying goes, "All women are jealous of a beautiful woman," and seeing Madam Ru's appearance, and thinking of the injustices her mother had suffered over the years, Mo Yinxue felt a surge of rage. She grabbed the frail Madam Ru and pulled her away. Madam Ru didn't resist, only sighing softly, a look of relief on her face, as she allowed Miss Mo to drag her to Madam Huang's room.

Mo Yinxue shoved Madam Ru to the ground at her mother's feet: "You wretch! Tell me! What is your relationship with that bastard Ye Xiao! What exactly are you plotting in my Huang family!"

Madam Ru quietly got up, tidied her slightly disheveled hair, and remained silent. Madam Huang glanced at her daughter pitifully and whispered, "Yinxue, don't do anything rash. Let's wait until your father returns..."

Mo Yinxue was about to speak when the door was kicked open with a bang, and a person stormed in angrily: "Yinxue, you idiot! You actually helped an outsider deceive your brother!"

On the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, at the headquarters of the Martial Alliance, Huang Tingfeng entered around noon. The Heroes' Pavilion was bustling with activity. The lanterns for the Lantern Festival were originally scheduled to be displayed for several days, and the Martial Alliance was also supposed to have a holiday. However, they had heard that a thief had broken into the headquarters last night, not only taking down the brothers on duty without anyone noticing but also stealing the important hostage, Shen Wan. Therefore, all the brothers were immediately recalled from their homes.

Huang Tingfeng entered the Heroes' Pavilion with some trepidation. The Heroes' Pavilion was where the high-ranking leaders of the Martial Alliance discussed important matters, and ordinary people were not allowed to enter. At this moment, the two envoys of the Martial Alliance were present, as was Xiao Ding, who had already cleaned everything in the pavilion until it was spotless.

Upon seeing Huang Tingfeng, Fang Qin immediately greeted him and very considerately invited him to sit down. However, Guo Qiwu remained cold and distant, not even glancing at Huang Tingfeng, and continued writing furiously.

Huang Tingfeng immediately felt embarrassed and sneered, "Right Envoy Guo! What's keeping you so diligent? Coming to report for duty so early on New Year's Day?"

Guo Qiwu said indifferently, "Draft the document and order all the brothers to track down Miss Shen Wan's whereabouts... It's my fault that the brothers didn't keep a good watch on the hostage, so I can only work harder to make up for my mistake..."

Huang Tingfeng blushed slightly, knowing that Guo Qiwu was blaming him for diverting manpower last night, and remained silent for a long time. Then Guo Qiwu asked again, "Young Master Huang, I heard you discovered the whereabouts of the remnants of Youming City last night. I wonder if you managed to capture them?"

Huang Tingfeng felt even more embarrassed, his face immediately turning a deep purplish-red. He sneered, "Although we didn't catch them, we've at least cleared up a huge hidden danger in the house. Besides, we even followed the clues and caught Madam Ru, an accomplice..."

Guo Qiwu was taken aback, his face suddenly turning pale: "Madam Ru... why are you making things difficult for her? Even if she is truly an accomplice, her identity is obvious... why do you need to follow the trail? The Alliance Leader said long ago that he would never let her get involved in this struggle again... why are you still unwilling to let her go?"

Huang Tingfeng sneered: "It's not that I don't want to let her go! I think Father was willing to tolerate her on the premise that she would not do anything to wrong him again. However, now I have concrete evidence that she colluded with Ye Xiao and the others, working together to harm my Huang family... Now that Shen Wan is gone, the only one who can lure out the remnants of Youming City is her!"

Guo Qiwu's face darkened, but he ultimately remained silent. He sighed, quietly gestured to Xiao Ding, and went out the door. Xiao Ding, limping, slowly followed him out.

"Xiao Ding," Guo Qiwu gestured, "The situation has changed. I'm worried about Madam Ru's safety. She's a woman of strong character... Do something for me."

Xiao Ding nodded, making a gesture of absolute obedience. Guo Qiwu continued, "Alliance Leader Huang has returned to the capital. Because of recent events within the Martial Alliance, he has some special arrangements and doesn't want to make a big fuss. He's currently staying alone at the Tongyue Inn on the outskirts of the city. Go and deliver a message to him, saying that Madam Ru has something to attend to and that he must return home first. This matter is of great importance, and the Alliance Leader doesn't want anyone to know his whereabouts. Do this discreetly, without making a fuss." Xiao Ding nodded again and slowly left. Guo Qiwu watched his retreating figure and sighed worriedly. Outside the Martial Alliance headquarters, Xiao Ding stopped, slowly raising his head to look at the sky, his eyes burning with hatred like a raging inferno…

Ye Xiao looked up at the sky. It was getting late. Why hadn't Luo Qingcheng returned yet? Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt extremely uneasy. Glancing over, she saw Shen Wan's frail and pitiful figure slowly walking out of the room.

“Miss Shen… I heard you grew up with the second brother. Do you know who that Aunt Ru is to him?” Ye Xiao turned to look at Shen Wan.

Shen Wan gently shook her head: "I don't know. Actually, there are many things I don't know. He and my father never told me anything. Brother Luo came to my house when he was a little over five years old. I only remember that my father took him into the study alone. I don't know what he said to my father, but my father hugged him and cried. After that, he stayed at my house. He was very quiet and melancholy from a young age, and he only discussed things with my father. More than five years ago, he suddenly left my house and disappeared. He didn't return until my father passed away last year... He said that my father left him something important and asked if I knew where he put it. How would I know? I didn't even see my father one last time... When I asked him what important thing it was, he wouldn't say. The last time I saw him was at Langjing Manor, where he actually went to propose marriage... From beginning to end, he refused to tell me anything... We grew up together, but he never trusted me." As she spoke, Shen Wan's expression gradually became sorrowful.

Ye smiled and comforted her, "That's just how the second brother is. Even though we're as familiar with him as the third brother and I are, we don't know anything about him. I do have a way to deal with him! I won't tell him about my background... I'll make him furious! You can try it too!... But he does know about your background. You can hide another secret from him and make him anxious to death!"

Shen Wan was slightly taken aback, and gave an unnatural smile.

The Hand Hidden Behind the Scenes (Part 2)

Ye Xiao glanced at the sky again and said to the owner of the house, "Uncle, I'm going out to buy some things and take a walk around. Where is this place? The alleys here are so complicated, I'm afraid I'll get lost and not be able to find my way back."

The man smiled and said, "Miss is a friend of the young master, so there's no need to be so polite. Please make yourself at home. This is a shop near the entrance of Sanqing Street. Just ask for Sanqing Street and you'll find your way."

Ye Xiao skipped and hopped out the door. The sun was setting, and the weak winter rays cast their light on the mottled walls of the alley, giving it a somewhat desolate feel. There were noticeably fewer pedestrians on the street, only a few vendors squatting on the ground, shivering in the cold wind, waiting for customers. Ye Xiao skipped along until he reached a young man selling a basket of roasted soybeans.

"How much are these fried soybeans?" Ye Xiao stared intently at the young man.

The man blushed under the girl's gaze and stammered, "Uh... five taels of silver... one jin... ouch!" Ye Xiao slapped him on the head.

"This is robbery! You're obsessed with money! Five coins a pound! I'll take them all!" Ye Xiao pouted angrily.

The man seemed to have never seen such a fierce girl before. He nodded blankly, took the string of coins Ye Xiao handed him, and had the whole basket of soybeans taken away along with the basket. He stared blankly as Ye Xiao left triumphantly, unable to come back to his senses for a long time.

Ye Xiao rushed home carrying soybeans, panting as she called to Xiao Xun, "Third brother, there are some suspicious people at the street corner. It's probably not safe here, we need to leave quickly. Go out first and find a way to get a carriage, park it at the door and wait for my signal. Miss Shen is injured and has difficulty moving around." Xiao Xun opened his mouth in surprise, but he was already used to being ordered around by his boss, so he obediently went out without saying a word.

At the Tongyue Post Station on the outskirts of the capital, a vast expanse of plum blossoms bloomed like snow. Several men's figures appeared and disappeared among the plum blossoms, and their low voices occasionally drifted by. A servant-like man led a limping Xiao Ding into the plum blossoms: "A young man named Xiao Ding says he has been entrusted by Guo You Shi of the Martial Alliance to have important business to discuss with Alliance Leader Huang."

"What is it?" a man's voice came.

Xiao Ding handed over a piece of paper, which the servant glanced at and said, "Uh, it's about Madam Ru..."

Before the words were finished, a man's figure moved gracefully through the plum trees like a butterfly, his expression calm and composed: "Who are you?"

Xiao Ding's gaze swept across the flowers and landed on the man's slightly chubby face. Was this him? Xiao Ding wasn't in a hurry; he simply made a few hand gestures.

"A mute? Heh, Old Guo is indeed meticulous in his work!" The man chuckled in a hoarse voice, his sharp gaze suddenly softening. "I wonder what brings Madam Ru here?"

Xiao Ding glanced at him again, handed him another piece of paper, and the servant read it aloud as usual: "Madam Ru is in trouble..." A person in the distance exclaimed and snatched the paper: "Ru Qing, how is she?"

Xiao Ding looked at the person behind him, a lean middle-aged man with a sharp look in his eyes and the corners of his mouth, but his face showed no pretense of anxiety.

Xiao Ding stared at him for a long time, seeing the deep anxiety in his eyes, and confirmed that he was indeed Huang Chongshan. He slowly lowered his head and bowed, then slowly handed over a package. Huang Chongshan quickly stepped forward and snatched the package from Xiao Ding's hand. The moment his fingers touched the package, Xiao Ding flipped his hand and suddenly pulled out a dagger from the package, stabbing it towards Huang Chongshan's chest with lightning speed.

Hearing that Madam Ru was in trouble, Huang Chongshan was momentarily distracted. Suddenly, he saw a flash of light before him and instinctively took a step back, but it was too late. The dagger, sharp as mud, had already sliced through his thick fur coat and pierced his heart. Huang Chongshan circulated his internal energy and slashed out with his right palm. Xiao Ding sneered, dodging the attack with his side. With a light twist of his dagger, Huang Chongshan groaned and retreated again. A spurt of blood shot from his chest, quickly soaking his fur coat. He staggered and leaned against a plum tree. Fallen plum blossoms covered the ground like snow, stained with spots of blood.

A gust of wind whipped up petals that lashed at Huang Chongshan's face again, bringing a chill that seeped directly into his throbbing wound. Amidst the swirling petals, Xiao Ding's agile figure moved with surprising speed, no longer the sluggish clumsiness of before. Huang Chongshan barely managed to raise a hand to block her, his pupils suddenly contracting: "It's you! Luo Qingcheng!"

Luo Qingcheng was also slightly taken aback, then suddenly realized, the Eighteen Forms of the Netherworld! He had seen this person's martial arts style before, on the day he retrieved the package from the cedar tree at Tianbao Inn, the person who had grabbed Shan'er and threatened him while hiding in the trap.

"How do you know the Eighteen Forms of the Netherworld?" Luo Qingcheng paused for a moment, then flew towards Huang Chongshan again. The men beside him finally reacted and rushed over desperately to block Luo Qingcheng.

Huang Chongshan sneered: "I should be asking you that! How do you know the Eighteen Netherworld Techniques? Ruqing... what exactly happened to her?"

Luo Qingcheng let out a cold snort, his figure flashing forward as his dagger slashed the throats of the two men in front of him, before he pressed forward again towards the wounded Huang Chongshan. Low growls rose and fell as several more people, undeterred by death, stepped forward to block his path. Luo Qingcheng pricked up his ears, hearing that about a dozen skilled martial artists were rushing towards the scene, and a sense of unease crept into his heart. His identity had been exposed; if he couldn't kill Huang Chongshan in one strike today, it would be far more difficult to avenge himself later.

Upon realizing this, Luo Qingcheng's men immediately changed their tactics, each move ruthless and bloody. Just as they were getting into the swing of things, a man rushed in from outside the courtyard gate, saying, "Alliance Leader! The security along Sanqing Street is complete. That brat surnamed Xiao has found a carriage and parked it at the gate. Chief Lin is worried something might happen and is asking when to make his move!"

The sound of "Sanqing Street" echoed in Luo Qingcheng's ears like a thunderclap. He felt as if something had ripped out of his heart, the pain making his vision blur, and he lost all will to fight. His palm struck, sending plum blossoms flying everywhere with a deafening crash. Amidst this dazzling display of blossoms, Luo Qingcheng swiftly retreated, quickly leaping out of the Tongyue Post Station and disappearing into the distance.

"Quickly, fetch a doctor!"

"Quick, chase that kid!" Chaotic shouts rose and fell.

Huang Chongshan swayed slightly, pressed several acupoints on his chest, and whispered, "Prepare the carriage! Back to the Huang residence."

The sky was clear and bright, the pink clouds in the west like the blush on a young girl's cheeks, shy and lovely. Xiao Xun sat listlessly in the carriage seat, his eyes sweeping over the few vendors at the street corner. It was too obvious. The enemy probably didn't bother to hide it at all; that young man who had sold all his soybeans was still loitering there empty-handed. But why hadn't the boss given the signal yet?

Ye Xiao also turned his gaze to the street corner. Luo Qingcheng hadn't returned after going out to inquire about news. Should he act alone? He was worried about getting separated from him, causing him worry... or even ruining his plans. Finally, a new figure appeared at the street corner. Countless eyes at the street corner immediately focused on that person. Was it the brother who went to Tongyue Post Station to ask for instructions returning?

However, the man didn't stop; he simply wrapped his black cloak tighter around himself and hurried through the wind. Ye Xiao's eyelids twitched, and he suddenly jumped up, helped the frail Shen Wan to her feet, shouldered the bundle, and went out the door.

As soon as Ye Xiao moved, the vendors immediately abandoned all pretense of civility and gave chase. Ye Xiao clumsily half-carried, half-supported the swaying Shen Wan, struggling to run towards the carriage. Xiao Xunqing let out a whistle, lashing out with his long whip to block several enemies rushing towards them. However, Shen Wan, exhausted, collapsed to the ground.

"Miss Ye, you go first, don't... worry about me." Shen Wan looked at the many men wielding weapons who suddenly appeared around her, and felt a sense of fear and dejection.

"No! Qingcheng went to so much trouble to save you, how can we let it all go to waste?" Ye Xiao didn't wait for a reply, helped Shen Wan up, and shouted, "Third Brother!" With all his might, he picked up Shen Wan and threw her toward Xiao Xun. Xiao Xun flicked his whip and gently rolled Shen Wan onto the carriage.

The powerful recoil from being thrown still caused Ye Xiao to stagger back several steps, landing hard on her backside. Before she could even get up, countless weapons were already hurtling towards her. Xiao Xun, unable to reach her, was terrified.

Ye Xiao sighed, not reflecting on his own lack of martial arts skills, but only blaming Shen Wan for being fat. This Shen Wan, looking so slender, how could she weigh more than a fat pig? Truly, you can't judge a book by its cover!

In the nick of time, a black cloak descended, swirling gently to deflect the barrage of weapons and protect Ye Xiao's vitals. The man who had just reached the street corner suddenly appeared, grabbing Ye Xiao, lifting her up, and carrying her onto the carriage, shouting, "Third Brother! Let's go!" Xiao Xun's long whip lashed out, slapping the dog blocking the way in front of the carriage and striking the rump of the horse.

Ye Xiao cried out, "It hurts!" and began to struggle in Luo Qingcheng's arms.

Luo Qingcheng unfastened his cloak and discovered a dart stuck in her arm, its blue-green light gleaming coldly. Poisoned… Xiaoxiao… Luo Qingcheng felt a chill run down his spine, as if he had drunk a glass of ice water in the dead of winter. Shivering, he tried to pull up her sleeve to get a better look, but Ye Xiao was bundled up in thick clothes, like a dumpling, and he couldn't roll up her sleeve no matter what he tried.

In a moment of panic, Luo Qingcheng flipped his hand over, the dagger flashing coldly. With a hissing sound, Ye Xiao's sleeve burst open, revealing her bare arm. It was clean and spotless, without even a white mark.

Luo Qingcheng pulled out the dart with some surprise, a slight smirk creeping onto his lips. Ye Xiao was dressed so thickly that the poor dart couldn't even pierce through her thick cotton coat...

"It hurts!" Ye Xingxu cried out.