Jiangnan Gaiden

Chapitre 10

Xiao Xun was taken aback, then patted Luo Qingcheng on the shoulder and laughed: "Haha! Master, you are indeed more talented than Zijian! Your words are profound and sharp! Isn't that right? Just like our little brother... Haha, it turns out that after living for twenty years, he is not as good as his own brother."

Just then, Ye Xiao walked in and overheard their last sentence.

"Third brother, you have a younger brother?"

Xiao Xun stopped laughing and remained serious and silent.

Luo Qingcheng turned around in pain, his face trembling beneath the mask, his chest heaving rapidly.

"What does your younger brother look like?" Ye Xiao's personality clearly indicated that he liked to get to the bottom of things.

Xiao Xun became even more serious and looked up at the sky.

Luo Qingcheng gripped the corner of the table tightly with his hands, his ten knuckles turning white, barely managing to hold on.

"If it's convenient, could I meet your brother?" Ye Xiao decided to press for an answer.

"No!" Xiao Xun said decisively, his expression grim.

With a snap, Luo Qingcheng finally broke down, rolling on the ground and bursting into laughter.

"What's wrong?" Ye Xiao finally sensed the strange atmosphere and turned to look at Luo Qingcheng, who was rolling on the ground.

The person was laughing so hard they were almost out of breath, but strangely, there was no smile on their face.

This human skin mask has a major drawback; no wonder he's always so serious, otherwise it would be easy for people to see through him… Ye Xiao somewhat understood the predicament of Luo Qingcheng always wearing a wooden face; it's not easy to wear a mask all day…

“Whenever it is convenient… I can… see him… my brother… I’ve seen him before…” Luo Qingcheng laughed, his words incoherent.

After Hou Yexiao left, Xiao Xun flew into a rage.

How could you kick someone when they're down like that?

"It's just... just... taking advantage of someone's misfortune..." Luo Qingcheng gasped pitifully.

"That's so unfair! I even considered you my friend!"

"Friend?" Luo Qingcheng stopped laughing and slowly got up from the ground. "You are not my friend..."

"What!" Xiao Xun roared, grabbing Luo Qingcheng by the collar. "Do you really think I'm a slave? Let me tell you the truth, if our boss hadn't suspected you were connected to the murderer of Shen Rujun, why would we be selling ourselves into slavery?"

No one spoke for a long while.

The room, which had been noisy just moments before, suddenly fell silent.

A hint of mockery finally appeared in Luo Qingcheng's eyes: "So, we're not friends."

Xiao Xun was immediately frustrated, firstly regretting that he had so easily revealed Ye Xiao's intentions, and secondly annoyed that he had ruined the good atmosphere that had been so hard to establish.

The two of them stood facing each other, lost in thought, neither knowing what to say to break the awkward silence.

Fortunately, the all-powerful Ye Xiao jumped in again.

"I just bought some groceries. Today I'm planning to make braised pork hock..." Ye Xiao said enthusiastically, completely oblivious to the subtle situation.

With a whoosh, Ye Xiao felt a blur before his eyes as two figures darted out the door like lightning!

"What are you doing! Where are you going during mealtime?"

"...We agreed to have a contest of lightness skills. Whoever gets to the fish restaurant in town first wins, and the loser treats...Want to come and eat together?" Luo Qingcheng's voice drifted over from afar. At this crucial moment, he was quick-witted and managed to grab onto a lifeline.

Ye Xiao looked at the three plump, white hooves in the basket and painfully made the right choice.

Day after day, time flies by.

We will arrive at Langjing Village soon.

Just as Ye Xiao had predicted, the roads were packed with cars and people were as numerous as carp crossing a river.

BMWs and carved carriages, young men in brocade robes, chivalrous men in blue robes, scions of noble families.

They encountered more martial arts celebrities along the way than the three of them had ever seen in their entire lives.

"Looking across the martial arts world, only Yuan Peixin has such influence! As for Shen Wan, although her appearance is no worse than Miss Yuan's, her family background is ultimately inferior..." Ye Xiao murmured.

"Looks similar? Just an average beauty?" Xiao Xun was immediately disappointed and lost all interest in Langjing Manor.

In particular, the closer they got to Langjing Village, the more tragic their situation became.

First, prices have skyrocketed.

Although the surrounding area was rich in resources, it could not withstand the repeated raids by so many distinguished guests with their servants, who came like locusts.

Soon everything started to go up in price.

Secondly, the three of them were no longer able to make money.

Along the way, people from all walks of life thronged together, walking in close proximity.

Ye Xiao and his group's tricks were no longer likely to attract these seasoned veterans.

Outside the martial arts world, ordinary people are busy seizing this once-in-a-century opportunity to make a fortune!

No one was willing to take the time and spend money to watch the three performers.

Only spending without earning will lead to the depletion of resources.

Watching their hard-earned wealth vanish into thin air, the three had no choice but to live a miserable life of frugality.

The amount of food I eat has shrunk rapidly, from being 100% full to 80% full to half full, and now it's down to 20% full.

Hunger was especially unbearable for the tall and strong Xiao Xun, and he had begun to complain about why his parents had given birth to him and made him grow up like this.

"The competition is so fierce, Master, you definitely have no hope! You might as well turn back before it's too late..." Hunger turned Xiao Xun into a noisy crow, giving Luo Qingcheng a headache.

Ye Xiao, on the other hand, displayed the composure and indifference of a great general, unperturbed by honor or disgrace, and indifferent to staying or leaving.

"That's not necessarily true. The key is to figure out who's behind this scheme! If the master listens to me, I guarantee he'll win the beauty's heart!"

"How is this possible?" Xiao Xun thought of the endless torment, and grief overwhelmed him, making him feel like he was dying.

"Man proposes, God disposes; life is unpredictable; what is impossible? The key is... whether you have the determination to succeed and the courage to burn your bridges..." Ye Xiao said, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally drifting towards Luo Qingcheng.

"Courage? For example?" Luo Qingcheng glanced at him sideways.

"I don't want my good fortune to go to outsiders. I don't help others easily unless... unless you're one of our own brothers..." Ye Xiao said slowly, with a wicked air of feigned indifference.

Xiao Xun's mood immediately improved, and he instantly forgot about his hunger.

"What do you mean..." Luo Qingcheng's clever mind was clearly not keeping up.

"It is..." Ye Xiao revealed the answer in an extremely slow voice.

“You have to be our brother too! How about this, I’ll take the loss and be the third one, and you can be the second one!” Xiao Xun’s heart was already singing happily, soaring to the highest heavens, and his words were light and fluent.

"Second brother..." Luo Qingcheng's eyes flashed with a rapidly changing expression, and he remained silent for a long time.

After a long pause, he finally said, "Two lackeys trying to turn the world upside down? No way." He got up and left the two men, somewhat angrily.

"Boss, he won't fall for it!" Xiao Xun stared at Luo Qingcheng's retreating figure, deep in thought.

"No rush... haste makes waste..." Ye Xiao smiled sinisterly.

...

Finally, there's the look of discrimination.

Along the way, they encountered countless dashing young noblemen, raising the public's expectations to an extremely high level.

Seeing three nameless young men dressed in a sleazy manner, with shabby appearances and pacing around, everyone felt that they were particularly glaring and eye-catching.

It was as if I had spotted three dark, smelly rat droppings in a jar of bright white rice!

Everyone wants to get rid of him as soon as possible!

So the three of them lived a pitiful, lowly life, with their tails between their legs, under the scornful gazes of everyone.

Severe physical and mental trauma!

"This can't go on! This situation must change! Otherwise, I'll go crazy soon!" After another night of sleeping on the streets and being chased away like a rat time and time again, Ye Xiao finally roared to the sky!

An unconventional auction

Ye Xiao went to Yipin Tea House.

He spent a lot of money to buy the only can of top-quality Biluochun tea in the store.

They spent almost all of their wealth.

Xiao Xun was so anxious that he jumped up and down, thinking that he wouldn't be able to eat his fill for a long time to come. In fact, he might not even be able to afford to eat.

As always, Luo Qingcheng remained calm and composed, casually replying with an "Oh": "What mischievous idea has the little fox come up with this time?"

Ye Xiao raised an eyebrow mysteriously and remained silent.

At noon, Ye Xiao led the two straight to the biggest and best restaurant.

The building was indeed packed with people.

Countless wealthy young men, dressed in fine clothes, came to propose marriage, engaging in lively discussions and vying with each other in their elegance and charm.

Ye Xiao walked to the table where the young masters, who seemed to have the most servants and were dressed in the most luxurious clothes, stood with their heads held high.

"Are all of you gentlemen heading to Langjing Manor to propose marriage?" Ye Xiao cleared his throat and asked loudly.

The voices at those tables lowered slightly, but soon rose again.

Despite being ignored, Ye Xiao was not discouraged.

"With so many equally matched martial arts families competing so fiercely, how can you all stand out without some extraordinary strategy?"

Perhaps their secret had been exposed, the noisy chatter subsided, and finally someone sarcastically remarked, "Who doesn't know that? Does the young lady have some brilliant plan? Even if she does, it's not good to have so many people overhearing it..."

Ye Xiao was not discouraged at all: "There's no brilliant plan, but if we can find out what the Yuan family father and daughter like, and give them gifts that suit their tastes, leaving a deep impression, the chances of being chosen will be a little higher..."

Some people sneered, while others remained silent.

Finally, someone else seemed to show some interest: "Everyone knows this... but the Yuan family father and daughter have always been low-key, and we've never heard of them having any special hobbies..."

"Everyone has likes and dislikes, and weaknesses... They are no exception. I am Ye Xiao, known in the martial arts world as 'Know-It-All'. I am very clear about the likes and dislikes of this father and daughter."

"Knows everything? Never heard of such a person in the martial arts world?"

"You say you know? Who would believe that!"