She walked gently to the Dragon King's side, frowned and scolded, "Even if you're in a hurry to see a friend, you can't come out dressed like this! You never know how to take care of yourself."
Having said that, he draped a coat he was wearing over his arm over the Dragon King.
The Dragon King seized her hand and laughed loudly, "In my excitement, I didn't care about anything else!"
He looked at Xiao Zuo and said, "Come! Let me introduce you. This is my wife. Her maiden name is Li, and her given name is Qing... Qing'er, she's the one I've often mentioned to you..."
Before he could finish speaking, Li Qing curtsied and said, "Master Xiao, my husband often mentions you. I am very grateful."
"Xiao Zuo greets your wife, sister-in-law." Xiao Zuo forced a smile. "It's a pity I couldn't attend your wedding."
"My family is poor, and my parents have long since passed away, so I don't want to make a big fuss. Please don't take offense, Master Xiao," Li Qing replied.
“I see. I knew you wouldn’t be so stingy as to not even hold a wedding banquet.” Xiao Zuo’s eyes flashed, and he asked casually, “I wonder where your sister-in-law is from? Judging from your movements, they seem somewhat similar to those of the ‘Iron Fan Sect’ from Shandong.”
Before Li Qing could answer, the Dragon King interrupted, "She is frail and sickly and has never learned martial arts. You have misjudged her this time."
Then he turned to his wife and said softly, "You are not well. It's not as warm in here as it is inside. You shouldn't stay with me. Go inside and rest."
Li Qing obediently got up, bowed slightly to Xiao Zuo, and went back to her room.
After she left, both Xiao Zuo and the Sea Dragon King fell silent, and I naturally had no way to interject.
After a long silence, Xiao Zuo simply looked at the Dragon King with expectant eyes. The Dragon King couldn't help but smile bitterly and slowly said, "I know you have a lot of questions. You are a smart man. Do you really want to force me to say what I don't want to say?"
Xiao Zuo said calmly, "I don't want to force you, but I also don't want to watch my friend die without knowing why!"
The Dragon King said, "You are the one who doesn't understand."
His smile was bitter, but his eyes were full of tenderness. He said slowly, "I have no regrets about dying at the hands of the one I love. I only hope that after my death she can get rid of the hatred in her heart and live a good life... Don't try to persuade me. If you fall in love with someone, you will know how I feel right now."
Xiao Zuo suddenly glanced at me, sighed, and said, "Man proposes, God disposes... The Iron Fan Sect was clearly wiped out by you, but now a woman has appeared and become your wife... Is this really fate?"
The Dragon King laughed and said, "All things in the world are ordained by Heaven, and the gathering of people is no exception. It seems that you now understand this principle to some extent." As he spoke, he looked up at me, bowed to me, and said, "I have not seen Brother Xiao for many days. In my moment of longing, I neglected such a beauty. I hope Miss Gong will forgive me."
I truly admired his magnanimity in choosing death over hatred, and immediately laughed and said, "You are friends who share the same heart and soul. When you meet for the first time, you naturally have no time to think about anything else. It's only human nature. What's wrong with that?"
Upon hearing this, the Dragon King immediately raised his eyebrows, examined me carefully, then looked at Xiao Zuo, and said with a smile, "Not bad, not bad."
“It was already quite good.” Xiao Zuo suddenly smiled, his usually indifferent gaze becoming meaningful.
I felt a flush rise to my face, and quickly lowered my head, biting my lip as I stammered, "You two seem to have more to say. I'd like to go for a walk somewhere else, is that alright?"
Before the Dragon King could speak, Xiao Zuo interjected, "Alright, go ahead, but don't go too far. Say a few more words to him, then we should head back."
Knowing he wanted to spend more time with the Dragon King and his wife, I hummed in agreement, smiled at the Dragon King, and walked out.
Just as he lifted the beaded curtain in the living room, he heard Xiao Zuo say to the Dragon King behind him, "Actually, the reason I chose to disembark in Hancheng was to find you."
"You've come to me again, probably to ask me to help you identify something..."
"Indeed. When it comes to discerning the quality of objects, who in the world can compare to you?"
I paused, hesitated for a moment, and finally turned around. I saw Xiao Zuo take out an object wrapped in black cloth from his pocket and hand it to the Dragon King sitting opposite him.
Since he was facing me directly, he saw me turn around, first looked up at me with a smile, and then waved to me with a completely open and honest expression.
My heart immediately relaxed, and I secretly found it amusing. Even if he had some secrets, they would never be of any use to me! Otherwise, he would have had countless opportunities to harm me along the way, so why would he wait until now?
I really don't know what I'm doubting here!
At this thought, I couldn't help but feel guilty towards Xiao Zuo.
At this moment, the Dragon King lowered his head. Since he had his back to me, I could only see him unfolding the package with both hands, but I couldn't see what was inside. Under these circumstances, I felt embarrassed to keep looking, so I quickly walked away, as if this would show that I trusted Xiao Zuo.
Beyond the hall stretched a brightly lit corridor, with jade pedestals on both walls displaying various treasures. I immediately became interested and began to admire them one by one. As I walked further and further away, I faintly heard the Dragon King's voice behind me: "The water ghosts of the Yellow River basin... have never used this kind of water amulet... Anyone who uses this kind of water amulet, even if they appear in the Yellow River, must be an outsider... As for this bracelet..."
A bracelet? Great! Xiao Zuo has such a woman's item hidden on him?
I pursed my lips, and suddenly saw a beautiful and gorgeous phoenix crown on the jade platform in front of me. I immediately lost interest in listening and rushed forward like a gust of wind... I walked and looked around, but before I could finish a cup of tea, I got bored. Fortunately, Xiao Zuo caught up with me from behind and said only, "Let's go back," before walking silently out of the palace.
Seeing his face contorted with grief and his breathing ragged and heavy, I knew he must have just bid farewell to the Dragon King. I couldn't help but feel a little depressed, and silently walked out of the Dragon Palace with him.
"Master Xiao..."
A soft call came from behind me. I turned around and saw Li Qing, the Dragon King's wife.
Upon seeing this, Xiao Zuo's already unpleasant expression darkened further, and he coldly said, "Sister-in-law, what a pleasant mood you're in, enjoying the mountain breeze here?"
Li Qing's beautiful face was filled with undisguised sorrow as she softly said, "I waited here to thank Master Xiao for coming to see him in time..."
Xiao Zuo interrupted her with a cold laugh, saying, "Sister-in-law, you're too kind. If anyone should be thanking someone, it's me who should be thanking you! You've only been married to him for a month or so, yet you've taken such good care of him. As his brother, I'm truly grateful to you!"
Although I knew he had a deep friendship with the Dragon King and understood his frustration at being unable to do anything despite knowing the poisoner was right in front of him, I was still shocked by his sharp words.
Once this man gets angry, he's like a drawn sword, radiating a suffocating pressure.
Faced with Xiao Zuo's imposing aura, Li Qing remained calm and composed, as if everything was within her expectations. She said indifferently, "Master Xiao has exceptional insight. I only met you once and you immediately recognized me as a descendant of the Iron Fan Sect. May I ask, even if I carefully conceal it, can I deceive my husband with whom I live every day?"
"The Dragon King's eyesight is exceptional, no less than mine, so of course he saw through your identity long ago!"
"Then, may I ask, Master Xiao, since he already knows my identity, why would he still rather be harmed by me?"
“That’s because…” I interjected thoughtfully, “He loves you, doesn’t he?”
Li Qing's gaze suddenly became unfocused, and she slowly lowered her head without saying a word, but tears fell to the ground drop by drop.
Just when I thought she would never answer me, she suddenly spoke.