Une aura glaçante

Chapitre 41

Seeing Cai Bian leave with his men, Wei Xinjie sneered, his eyes filled with disdain. He then smiled gently at Xiao Dao and Xiao Yue, who were looking at him curiously, and cupped his hands in a generous and elegant manner, saying, "You two ladies have been frightened."

Xiao Dao glanced at Xue Beifan subconsciously, his eyes smiling with a hint of mockery—Xue Er, see? How respectable he is!

Xue Beifan, both amused and exasperated, rubbed his forehead and ordered food from the trembling waiter who rushed up to him.

Wei Xinjie quickly got up and left with his entourage.

Chonghua nodded secretly, "The Wei family has produced famous generals for generations. They are indeed extraordinary. It is rare to find someone so righteous."

After speaking, Lou Xiaoyue turned her face away, looking preoccupied and lowering her head as if she had something on her mind.

Xiao Dao was arguing with Xue Beifan about whether to have sweet and sour pork or pork with green peppers when she looked up and asked, "Xiao Yue, what's wrong?"

"Oh, no." Xiaoyue shook her head and casually replied, "I feel like I've seen this person somewhere before; their behavior seems familiar."

"Is he someone you click with?" Xiao Dao reminded Xiao Yue with a mischievous grin, "He's quite a nice guy."

Chonghua immediately looked at Xiaodao with a helpless expression, as if to say—it's already messy enough, don't make things worse, Miss.

While we were eating, I could see groups of people passing by downstairs.

Xiao Dao didn't pay attention at first, busy bickering with Xue Beifan over food. But when he finally figured it out, he pointed with his chopsticks at a group of people passing by downstairs, "Although they are dressed normally, they are clearly government soldiers! Look at their posture and the way they hold their knives."

Xue Beifan frowned as well, "A rough count suggests there are over two hundred people."

"Cai Lian arrived early?" Chonghua frowned.

"It's not Cai Lian's men."

Someone behind them spoke up, and everyone turned around to see Hao Jinfeng had arrived for some unknown reason. "They're all Wei Xinjie's men. This guy suddenly entered Jinling early this morning, bringing two official boats with him, carrying five or six hundred men."

Xiao Dao shifted his position slightly to the side, making room for Hao Jinfeng on half a stool, and asked, "Big brother, have you eaten yet?"

"Not yet, I'm starving after running around all morning." Hao Jinfeng sat down, took the bowl and chopsticks Xiao Dao gave him, ate a few bites, and told everyone, "Wei Xinjie suddenly arrived, things may have changed, we need to find the things quickly this time to avoid trouble."

Xue Beifan seemed to have guessed the reason, "Could it be that Wei Xinjie wants to investigate Cai Lian from here? It seems... the Cai family has lost power."

"Isn't that great!" Xiao Dao kept putting food on Hao Jinfeng's plate as he ate in silence. "The Cai family has been swaggering around and doing all sorts of evil deeds. Investigating them would be doing a service to the people."

"Heh." Xue Beifan couldn't help but laugh. "Only girls like you in this world believe in things like eliminating evil for the people."

Chonghua nodded, "It's probably a conflict of interest. Let's find what we need as soon as possible and leave to avoid getting involved."

"Xiao Dao and I are going to Xianyun Mountain in a little while. Try not to show your face," Xue Beifan instructed Chonghua. "Don't cause your aunt any trouble."

Chonghua smiled and nodded.

Xiao Dao thought to himself that Xue Beifan and Chonghua were fair-weather friends, but they still had some loyalty. He looked up at him and asked, "So you're not going to get involved in Wen Si and the old nun's matter?"

"Why are you meddling?" Xue Beifan retorted. "You want to meddle in everything in the world? Be careful you don't get wrinkles and never get married... Ouch!" Before she could finish her sentence, Xiao Dao angrily stomped on his toes and ground them hard.

After finishing three bowls of rice, Hao Jinfeng began to listen attentively to the four people talking. As soon as he heard the name of the Fourth Young Master Wen, he asked, "Is that Fourth Young Master Wen the sick son-in-law of the Zhai family?"

"You know him too?" Xiao Dao leaned closer. "Brother, didn't you go to the yamen? Is he in trouble with the law?"

"There are quite a few cases piling up in the yamen, and one of them is giving this muddle-headed prefect a real headache: the case of the Zhai family. It is said that Madam Zhai is accusing Cai Bian of raising a sorceress on Xianyun Mountain and using witchcraft to harm her husband."

Xiao Dao's eyes lit up. "So how did the government handle it?"

"That prefect is a good-for-nothing," Hao Jinfeng said with considerable dissatisfaction. "The Zhai family is wealthy and powerful, and Cai Bian is a local tyrant. He dares not offend either side, so he's in a dilemma."

Xiao Dao wanted to ask more, but a hand appeared in front of her. She looked up and Xue Beifan blocked her view, pulling her wrist. "Are you done eating? Let's go."

Xiao Dao struggled but was pulled away by Xue Beifan. Hao Jinfeng smiled and waved to her, "I'll tell you slowly when we get back."

...

Xue Beifan forcibly dragged Xiao Dao out of Juxianju, and Xiao Dao followed him toward Xianyun Mountain. But the further they walked, the more uneasy they felt... Suddenly, a large number of soldiers appeared near Xianyun Mountain, dressed in civilian clothes and carrying weapons; they were the same people who had just passed by downstairs.

Xue Beifan stopped and whispered to Xiao Dao, "These are Wei Xinjie's men."

"How did you know?" Xiao Dao asked, puzzled.

Xue Beifan didn't explain much, and pulled her into the woods, saying, "Let's go through the woods and get to Xianyun Mountain as soon as possible, things might change."

Xiao Dao didn't want to enter that eerie forest, but he was dragged in anyway, so he followed Xue Beifan forward, dragging his feet.

Xue Beifan took a few steps and, seeing that she didn't seem happy, leaned closer and asked, "What's wrong now?"

"No, aren't you going to Xianyun Mountain to find treasures? I'll just go with you." Xiao Dao said, his hands behind his back, looking at the mountain path.

Xue Beifan couldn't figure out what Xiao Dao was thinking. She was happy one moment and suddenly unhappy the next. He couldn't get through if he said nice things, and she would get angry if he said bad things. He had seen many women, but he had never seen one as difficult as her before.

"You just want to investigate that old nun, don't you?" Xue Beifan finally decided to let Xiao Dao have his way. "Let's go to Xianyun Mountain to take a look first, and I'll take you to the Zhai residence tonight to spy on things, okay?"

Xiao Dao glanced at him diagonally upwards, "Really? Didn't you say you didn't want to cause trouble?"

"I've already caused you so much trouble, what are you afraid of?" Xue Beifan said something that looked like he was about to get punched, but Xiao Dao's face suddenly brightened. Strangely enough, Xue Beifan had been inexplicably annoyed by Xiao Dao's stern face, but now that she was smiling, he felt much better.

The two hurried towards Xianyun Mountain, but after only a few steps, Xiao Dao suddenly tugged at Xue Beifan, "Climb a tree! Climb a tree!"

Xue Beifan's words startled her. "What?"

"There's a vicious dog blocking the way!" Xiao Dao pointed to his nose. "I can smell the dog!"

Xue Beifan found everything fascinating, but Xiao Dao was so eager to climb the tree that he had no choice but to take her to hide in a nearby tall tree.

Before long, they actually heard heavy panting, like a pack of dogs walking and sniffing as they approached.