Médecine traditionnelle chinoise

Chapitre 40

Xiao Xiao immediately explained, "No, no, he insisted on taking responsibility."

"Responsible?" Upon hearing this, Wen Su immediately stood up. "Responsible for what?"

Xiao Xiao had no idea what to do with her mouth. Now that things had come to this, she had no choice but to honestly recount the whole story.

Wen Su's brow remained furrowed, his eyes were icy, and his tone was slightly chilly. "Human hearts are unpredictable. My elder brother once offended the Lian family. Do you know if he was sincere or not?"

Xiao Xiao looked at him quietly, without answering.

"He is the young master of the Lian family, so why is he so persistent in pursuing you? Have you ever thought about that?" Wen Su approached Xiao Xiao and said.

Xiao Xiao avoided his gaze, looking down at her toes. Of course she had thought about it, but now, she didn't want to think about it anymore…

Wen Su sighed and said, "If you two are in love, I have no intention of interfering... I'm just worried that he has ulterior motives, and in the end, you'll only end up heartbroken."

Xiao Xiao looked up and smiled, "Uncle-Master is right, Xiao Xiao will be careful."

Wen Su was silent for a moment before replying, "Good to know. ... It's getting late, I won't disturb your rest." With that, he turned and left.

Xiao Xiao quietly turned around and looked at the door. Lian Zhao said that her martial uncle was not a good person. Her martial uncle, in turn, said that Lian Zhao had ulterior motives. It was impossible to tell who was true and who was false. But, from beginning to end, how many truthful words had she spoken? If she hadn't been sincere herself, she couldn't blame others for being hypocritical. She understood this principle.

She smiled helplessly. Instead of thinking about these complicated things, she should think about how to find Silver Owl. She walked to the window, looked at the street, and suddenly, it dawned on her.

Finding Silver Owl alone would be extremely difficult. Since she couldn't reach the mountain, she'd make the mountain come to her. Silver Owl was a notorious thief, known for his plundering. While Jiyu Manor wasn't the wealthiest, it was still a prestigious establishment. If Silver Owl threatened to steal from Jiyu Manor, it would surely cause a sensation throughout the town. Then, that prideful thief would definitely show himself!

Heh, exactly. Last time, I only lied and said he killed his whole family, and he was furious. This time, framing him, I'm sure he'll fall for it.

Xiao Xiao made up her mind and took out the silver feather from her bosom. "Hey, don't blame me. Who told you to only give me a feather? You should at least have given me a pigeon!"

...

After much deliberation

As soon as Wen Su left, Xiao Xiao began to continue planning her own scheme.

How can I get this feather into "Jiyu Manor"? The world is in chaos now; if I just throw it in randomly, someone will likely pick it up and sell it. It's pure silver, after all. But if I deliver it myself, I'll definitely be implicated and unable to escape...

After much deliberation, there was no better option than to visit "Jiyu Mountain Villa" to check out the terrain.

She opened the door and went downstairs. She had only gone a few steps when she ran into Lian Zhao, who was going upstairs.

"Xiaoxiao, where are you going?" Lian Zhao asked.

"Me?" Xiao Xiao immediately made up a story, "I'm going to go for a walk in the street."

"I……"

Lian Zhao was about to say something when Xiao Xiao interrupted him, "I'm going to buy some things for a girl's use. I'll go alone. I'll be right back." With that, she dashed off.

Lian Zhao stood on the stairs and watched her leave.

As soon as Lian Zhao turned around, he saw Wen Su standing upstairs. Wen Su's eyes remained cold and aloof. He slowly walked downstairs and silently passed by Lian Zhao.

Lian Zhao frowned, remaining silent.

The subtle hostility between the two was chilling.

...

It's 3:45 PM now, and the streets are still bustling.

Jiyu Manor wasn't hard to find. Just ask anyone on the street, and they'll tell you a long story about how the manor became successful. After a short stroll, I soon found myself standing in front of the manor's gate.

The vermilion gate and gilded plaque exuded the grandeur of a wealthy household. As the old lady celebrated her birthday, several servants busied themselves decorating the entrance with lanterns and streamers.

How should I send the feather in this situation? Xiao Xiao pondered deeply.

This is the main gate of Jiyu Manor. Xiao Xiao stood motionless at the entrance, deep in thought, which naturally aroused suspicion. Seeing this, a servant stepped forward and asked, "Who are you, and what are you doing standing here?"

Xiao Xiao suddenly snapped out of her daze, "I..."

Before she could explain, another servant stepped forward and said, "Miss, are you here to work?"

"Huh?" Xiao Xiao was taken aback.

The servant said to his companion, "You're so silly. Didn't the steward say he was looking for a maid?" He then turned to Xiaoxiao and said, "This is the front door. You can't go through here. I'll take you in through the back door. The steward is waiting there."

Xiao Xiao froze for a moment. Okay, she was dressed shabbily, looking like a poor person, but she didn't look like a maid at first glance, did she? Sigh… She was about to explain, but then she thought, this is also a good way to sneak into Jiyu Manor. Why not play along? So, she obediently followed the servant.

Inside the manor, they were indeed looking for temporary workers. It was the old lady's birthday, and many merchants, celebrities, and officials from the imperial court came to offer their congratulations, so they were naturally short-handed and had to find maids and servants on the spot.

To Xiaoxiao's surprise, there were very few people working there. Logically, Jiyu Manor was a prominent family in town; hiring just a few short-term laborers shouldn't have resulted in such a deserted scene. Xiaoxiao looked around and, sure enough, there were few people, and even fewer girls. Including herself, there were only three of them.

Suddenly, Xiao Xiao froze for a moment. The girl standing not far away was none other than the maid who had worked at Ling You's house earlier.

The girl saw Xiaoxiao and immediately smiled. She walked over and said, "It's you! You're here to work?"

Xiao Xiao was filled with suspicion. Last night, this girl had left without saying goodbye after Ling You ran away. How could it be such a coincidence that she was now in this town, and even working at Jiyu Manor? She asked softly, "Yes, what a coincidence. Miss, why are you working here?"

The girl frowned and gave a wry smile. "There's nothing I can do. I was chasing after Grandpa to collect my wages. But I lost him when I got to this town. I haven't received my wages, so I have to take another job. Otherwise, the city lord will definitely scold me when he collects the debts at the end of the month... Luckily, I can find someone here!"

Xiao Xiao was speechless. That reason was really... But, according to her, Ling You might be in this town? Ah... no, she didn't want to see bugs anymore...

Just as Xiao Xiao was getting goosebumps, she saw the steward walk over.

The steward of the manor was a lean man around fifty years old. Xiao Xiao and the young girl were both outsiders, whom he initially didn't want. However, it was only a short-term job for a few days, and maids of that age were hard to find, so the steward reluctantly agreed. He instructed the two to pack their belongings and start work the next day.

As they were leaving, the girl smiled and said to Xiaoxiao, "Girl, let's work hard together. My surname is Yue, and my name is Huaixi. You can just call me Xiaoxi."

Xiao Xiao immediately smiled; she really was Yue Huaijiang's sister. "My name is Zuo Xiao Xiao, just call me Xiao Xiao."

"Okay." Yue Huaixi ran down the steps and waved to Xiaoxiao. "See you tomorrow."

"Mm." Xiao Xiao nodded and watched her leave.

Alright, she's successfully infiltrated Jiyu Manor. Releasing Lingyu and waiting for Yinxiao to appear will take time; staying inside the manor is the best option. The problem now is, how is she going to tell Wen Su when she gets back?

...

As expected, when Wen Su learned of this, his expression was several times colder than usual.

Xiao Xiao swallowed hard, wondering if she should tell him the truth. Would her proud and arrogant uncle think she looked down on him—no, to be precise, she looked down on Donghai? Besides, her relationship with Yin Xiao was really complicated, and she really didn't want to talk about it.

Some things are the same whether you say them or not. Since that's the case, then let's not say anything to avoid future trouble. Having thought this through, Xiao Xiao blurted out, "Uncle-Master, I did all this for the sake of Donghai. Guess who I met in the manor?"

"Who?" Wen Su asked.

“That girl who works at Lingyou’s house,” Xiaoxiao said, “said she came here in search of Lingyou.”

Upon hearing this, Wen Su's expression became unusually serious.

“Ling You might be inside Jiyu Manor. Xiao Xiao thinks that Ling You carries the 108 Divine Needles of the East Sea, and besides, he is the target of the Shennong Family’s pursuit. If we can find him, perhaps we can get the Shennong Family to help us without even having to collect all the needles. That’s why Xiao Xiao took the liberty of making this decision…” Xiao Xiao said, while looking at Wen Su’s expression.

After listening, Wen Su looked up at her and asked, "Are you telling the truth?"

Xiao Xiao nodded vigorously, "Xiao Xiao wouldn't dare to deceive her master."

“You yourself are injured. You should at least have come back to discuss such a dangerous matter,” Wen Su said, softening his tone.

"Not at all, not at all, it's just a minor injury. Since I am a disciple of the East Sea Sect, it is only right that I go through fire and water for my sect, dedicate myself to the cause, and die for it..." Xiao Xiao said earnestly, clenching her fists.

"Alright, alright," Wen Su interrupted impatiently. "Since you've said that, your uncle won't stop you. But remember, be careful in everything you do. If anything happens to you, I won't be able to face my elder brother."

"Yes, Uncle-Master!" Xiao Xiao replied respectfully.

Wen Su took out several sections of bamboo tube from his pocket and handed them to Xiao Xiao. "These are specially made fire signals from our sect. Keep them with you at all times, just in case."

Xiao Xiao accepted it and thanked him repeatedly.

Xiao Xiao breathed a sigh of relief as she left Wen Su's room. All that was left was Lian Zhao. Hmm, why did she find it harder to talk about Lian Zhao now?

Xiao Xiao braced herself and found Lian Zhao. After telling him a bunch of nonsense, Lian Zhao was completely stunned.

"Lian Zhao?" Xiao Xiao asked cautiously.

Lian Zhao looked up. "He agreed to let you do such a dangerous thing?"

Xiao Xiao was taken aback for a moment, "Him? Martial Uncle?"

“He knew you were injured, how could he…” Lian Zhao said through gritted teeth.

"It has nothing to do with my martial uncle," Xiao Xiao explained. "I went there on my own."

Lian Zhao looked at her in silence.

Xiao Xiao felt a little awkward. "Uh...it's nothing. It's just my guess that Ling You is in the manor. He'll only be a maid for a few days. I'm very good at that."

Lian Zhao took a few steps closer and nodded. "I understand."

His reaction puzzled Xiaoxiao.

Lian Zhao smiled and said, "Whatever you're doing, I'll go with you."

"Huh?" Xiao Xiao's eyes widened, even more puzzled.

Lian Zhao simply smiled and offered no further explanation.

Then, the initial confusion turned into complete astonishment on the first day of work at Jiyu Mountain Villa.

Just as she had known before, Jiyu Manor was not only short of maids, but also of servants. She stared at a newly arrived servant, her mouth agape in surprise.

"Xiaoxiao, what's wrong?" Yue Huaixi, who was standing to the side, tugged at her sleeve in confusion.

“He…” Xiao Xiao was so surprised that she couldn’t speak.

"Him? Hey, isn't he the young master who was with you? Why is he working here too?" Yue Huaixi suddenly realized, "Oh, isn't this what they call 'the wife leads and the husband follows'?"

Xiao Xiao's whole body stiffened. The wife follows the husband's lead... Oh my god, she'll definitely be struck by lightning!!!

When the steward finally finished his speech and told everyone to get to work, Xiao Xiao ran like lightning into the group of servants and grabbed Lian Zhao.

"What are you doing here?!" Xiao Xiao asked anxiously.

"To be a servant," Lian Zhao replied matter-of-factly.

"You are..." Xiao Xiao looked around and lowered her voice, "You are the young master, how could you do such a thing!"

Lian Zhao laughed and lowered his voice, saying, "You're the young master's wife, aren't you doing the same thing?"

Xiao Xiao was speechless for a long time after hearing that sentence.

"Li Zhao, you're really something. You've only just arrived and you've already hooked up with a girl," several servants teased upon seeing this.

Her lips twitched slightly. "Li...Li Zhao?"