Jiangnan Gaiden

Chapitre 44

The man searched carefully for a while, then sighed, "My old eyes are really failing me... I clearly just saw a figure and a light, how could they have disappeared so quickly? Could it be a rat? The news tower should get a cat." Somewhat disbelieving, he raised his candle and shone it on the beam.

Luo Qingcheng held Ye Xiao even tighter, afraid that she might be seen by someone. Suddenly, he felt something soft touch his lips. His heart skipped a beat, and he realized that Ye Xiao's entire face was pressed against his cheek, her mouth right next to his, gently exhaling sweet breath that blew onto his face. Luo Qingcheng suddenly felt dizzy, and he lost all sense of where he was. He could no longer hold onto the beam and tumbled down with Ye Xiao in his arms.

Luckily, he reacted quickly, hooking his toe and flipping over to hide on top of a bookshelf. The shopkeeper seemed to have heard the rustling of wind and a dark shadow, and rushed over to check, but still found nothing. Finally, he sighed, "Could it be a bat instead of a mouse? Bats are out in spring now?" He muttered as he walked away.

Xiao Xun was asleep in the middle of the night when he suddenly felt someone touching him. He was startled. Was there really something unclean dragging him away? He woke up with a start and opened his eyes to see Miss Long's eyes glowing with a faint green light.

Miss Long touched his face and sighed, "Where's that pretty one? Why isn't she here tonight? Did another woman beat her to it? Oh well, you're not bad either, you're taller and more imposing... I wonder if you're as fierce as you seem?"

Xiao Xun wasn't fully awake yet, just staring blankly at Miss Long. He heard the woman say again, "...So tonight I'm going to try...see if your magic wand can do what I want...If it tastes good, I'll pay your fines tomorrow..."

"A magic staff?" Xiao Xun suddenly felt something was terribly wrong; it seemed his chastity was in danger tonight... He immediately said urgently, "The one who owes money is Qingcheng, it has nothing to do with me. You should go find him... He has all sorts of staffs on him..."

Miss Long sneered, "He can't escape either. Now it's your turn. Take them one by one. I don't want to get too tired all at once..." As she spoke, she went up and tore at Xiao Xun's clothes...

An incense stick burned out, a cup of tea was brewed, an hour passed...

Miss Long, panting heavily and drenched in sweat, collapsed weakly onto the bed. After a long while, she finally snapped, "You brat! You stinky brat! What kind of rope did you use to tie her up? It's so tight, even a knife can't cut it. I've been busy for so long and I still can't get her clothes off... I can see it but I can't have it... It's infuriating!"

Xiao Xun finally breathed a sigh of relief. His boss was so thoughtful… But this Lonely Cloud Fortress was terrifying… He wondered when they could leave… He sighed contentedly and went back to sleep…

Ye Xiao's Identity (Part 1)

Ye Xiao carefully placed the case file in his hand into the bookshelf. "This contains some inside information about the feud between the Martial Alliance and the Netherworld City more than twenty years ago. I read some of it when I was a child, and I remember there was a name in it called Xiao Ruqing. It's indeed quite good..."

Luo Qingcheng closed his eyes slightly, sat on the floor, leaned against the heavy bookshelf, and remained silent. In the dim firelight, a large shadow was cast on his fair face, making him look somewhat lonely.

"According to the above, Xiao Ruqing and her sister Xiao Hanqing are both great beauties that are rare in the martial arts world, but Xiao Hanqing is much more famous than Xiao Ruqing."

Luo Qingcheng remained silent, his eyes suddenly filled with sorrow, but a hint of sarcasm appeared on his lips.

"Because... Xiao Hanqing is the wife of Lu Mingfei, the lord of Youming City. Moreover, it is said that the feud between Youming City and the Martial Alliance has a very subtle relationship with this beautiful Xiao. However, the case file does not describe it in detail, so probably not many people know about it."

Luo Qingcheng finally gave a low hum and reached out to pull Ye Xiao over: "Xiao Xiao is very familiar with the News Tower."

Ye Xiao raised an eyebrow: "You think my reputation for knowing everything is for nothing? When I was a kid, no one played with me, so I often sneaked into the building to look at these files. I know a lot about the stories in the martial arts world... In order not to disturb Uncle Lou, I secretly dug this passage. I didn't expect that it would not be discovered after so many years... and it is still usable."

Luo Qingcheng didn't get up. He glanced sideways at Ye Xiao, who was also looking at him. Ye Xiao tilted her head slightly, her bright eyes filled with undisguised smugness. The flickering light from the tinderbox made her features come alive. Ye Xiao was only plain-looking, and her appearance was usually rather ordinary. However, whenever she spoke or smiled, her expression would become exceptionally lively. Her eyes and nose seemed to come alive, as if they wanted to jump out of her face and say something but hesitated.

How interesting… Luo Qingcheng looked at her with a fascination, gently tugging at her slightly upturned nose, then following the sudden wrinkle on her nose to her eyes. Her long, double-row eyelashes trembled under his touch, like a butterfly suddenly fluttering its wings. Next were her cheeks, smooth and supple, plump and full of elasticity; he wanted to hold them in his hands and play with them forever. Finally, her lips, delicate and slightly upturned, like a budding flower, occasionally revealing a silvery stamen within when she smiled, stirring the imagination…

Luo Qingcheng's heart skipped a beat. He sighed, closed his eyes, and slowly moved closer and closer... Suddenly, he stopped at the crucial point. He opened his eyes in confusion and met Ye Xiao's very focused expression. His chin was stuck in her hand.

"What's wrong, Xiaoxiao..." he asked in a hoarse voice. What was she looking at? Could it be...? Suddenly, he felt a little worried. Could there be something stuck between his teeth? Was his neck dirty?

Ye Xiao didn't answer immediately, but slowly moved closer to him and gently brushed his ear: "Are you injured? Are you bleeding?"

Luo Qingcheng didn't speak. Her fingers were gentle and warm, and the traces of her touch and warmth lingered where she had touched. But where was the bleeding?

Ye Xiao let out a soft "Eh," gently rubbing his hairline behind his ear with her fingertips, and holding the tinderbox closer: "It's not blood... it's a red birthmark, no... it's a mark, a man-made mark, how did you put it there?"

Luo Qingcheng hummed in response, knowing what Ye Xiao was talking about, but he cherished the peace and warmth of the moment and was unwilling to speak up and disrupt this rare happiness. Ye Xiao carefully examined the mark; it was a bright red lotus flower with a deity sitting on it, hidden in the hair behind Luo Qingcheng's ear, barely visible as a bright red dot.

A very familiar pattern...where have I seen it before?

The two finally returned to the Long family compound. Luo Qingcheng entered the house and saw Xiao Xun, still fast asleep like a dead pig, wrapped in a rice dumpling. A wave of drowsiness washed over him, and he was about to go to sleep when Ye Xiao came in carrying several dishes of various sizes: "I made some dishes. Second brother, are you hungry? Would you like some?"

Luo Qingcheng's body stiffened abruptly as unpleasant memories flashed through his mind. He immediately declined politely, saying, "Uh, I'm not hungry..."

Suddenly, a cheerful shout rang out: "I'm hungry... Big brother and second brother, you really did get up in the middle of the night to sneak a meal!"

Ye Xiao gently flicked the rope binding Xiao Xun, and with a whoosh, the entire rope came undone. Xiao Xun jumped up from the bed, "Boss, what did you do? Miss Long just came over, and we couldn't untie this rope no matter what we tried, not even with a knife..."

"Hmph! I've been studying the Nine Linked Rings since I was very young... and from that, I created my own unique knotting method... Of course, she can't untie it. When I was little, I used this unique knotting method to tie up many of my good things... just to prevent others from stealing them from me... Besides, I use a black gold rope, which ordinary sharp weapons can't cut..."

Xiao Xun looked at Ye Xiao with admiration, then happily began to eat his late-night snack, uttering cheerful praises as he ate.

"Really...delicious?" Luo Qingcheng was somewhat skeptical. With Xiaoxiao's cooking skills, it should be far from delicious. However, seeing Xiao Xun eating with great relish, he couldn't resist and took a bite. To his astonishment, it was surprisingly delicious. He couldn't help but grunt in surprise and looked up at Xiaoxiao in astonishment: "Xiaoxiao...how did you do it? You can make something so delicious so quickly! It's truly amazing how much you've improved in just a few days!"

Ye smiled smugly and said, "I asked Aunt Sun in the kitchen to make several of her signature dishes and put them on the stove. I just heated them up and brought them over..."

Luo Qingcheng looked up in anguish: "Is this something you did?"

"Of course..." Ye Xiao smiled without changing his expression, shamelessly...

Miss Long failed to get her way that night, and the next morning she was in a terrible temper, making everyone in the Long family compound run around in circles. Luo Qingcheng observed coldly and finally noticed something strange. "I discovered that there are countless servants in the Long family compound, but apart from me and the third brother, there isn't a single man."

Ye chuckled and said, "Actually... all along, there have been no other men in the Long family compound besides the lord. If a male creature were to appear, he would be quickly wiped out!"

Destroy them? Luo Qingcheng looked at Ye Xiao in surprise, while Xiao Xun shuddered: "How...how do we destroy them? Are there monsters here that eat men?"

Ye Xiao shook his head: "There are no monsters. But Lord Long and Miss Long are even more powerful than monsters... Any men who show up at the Long family compound will either be killed by Lord Long or Miss Long..."

Men will all be wiped out… Xiao Xun and Luo Qingcheng exchanged a miserable glance, feeling a pang of sympathy. Ye Xiao patted their shoulders, “Don’t worry, I’m here. You’re my brothers, I’ll protect you.”

“But those two dragons…” Xiao Xun began, trembling.

Ye Xiao leaped onto a boulder with a whoosh, her long braid billowing in the wind: "You don't know, my nickname is, Dragon Killer..."

Suddenly, a charming yet sinister voice came from behind: "Luo Lang... come here quickly! Pick out these mung beans and red beans separately and take them to the kitchen. We'll make red bean cake and mung bean cake tonight!"

Upon hearing the title "Luo Lang," the three leaders all broke out in goosebumps. Luo Qingcheng raised an eyebrow in annoyance, then turned around and saw Miss Long. Remembering that she was a young lady who specialized in destroying men, he immediately lost his temper and obediently walked over. Seeing a huge basket in front of him, piled high with red and green beans, his legs went weak and he almost fell. Xiao Xun behind him sighed and obediently came over to share Luo Qingcheng's predicament, bending down to start picking the beans.

Miss Long's fiery gaze was fixed on Luo Qingcheng as she said with a seductive smile, "Luo Lang... you'd better hurry up, I'm warning you in advance... if I don't get to eat bean cake tonight, I'll come and eat you..."

Luo Qingcheng got goosebumps again, and trembling, he bent down to pick up the beans. Miss Long smiled contentedly, gave Ye Xiao a defiant glare, and walked away smugly.

Ye Xiao snorted coldly, walked over nonchalantly, scooped up a basket of beans, and without a word, took them directly to the kitchen. In the afternoon, sure enough, a plate of green bean cakes and a plate of red bean cakes were delivered to Miss Long's room. Miss Long seemed somewhat surprised by the speed, but still reached out and picked up a piece, took a bite, and immediately frowned, waving for someone to bring Luo Qingcheng in.

"What is this?" Miss Long asked, pointing to the greenish-blue bean cake.

"Mung bean cake." Luo Qingcheng didn't even lift his eyelids.

Why does it taste like mugwort?

Luo Qingcheng looked at her with some surprise: "Red beans and mung beans are mixed together to make bean cakes, with green mugwort juice and red madder juice added respectively. You ate a mung bean cake, so of course it will smell like mugwort..."

"Then why did you tell me it was mung bean cake! Haha, I get it... So you wanted to offer yourself as a bedmate? You wanted me to eat you instead of the bean cake?"

"Young Miss, red bean cake can certainly refer to a cake made from red beans, but it can also be a red bean cake... Similarly, mung bean cake can refer to a green bean cake... Did I make a mistake?"

Miss Long was speechless for a long time before listlessly waving her hand to let Luo Qingcheng leave. After he left, she cursed angrily, "You brat!"

Two days passed, and Miss Long still hadn't eaten what she was supposed to, making her even more upset. Early one morning, she had Luo Qingcheng dragged out of bed to sweep the courtyard. The Long family compound was magnificent, with spacious courtyards. Luo Qingcheng swept room by room, and before he knew it, dawn had broken. With a creak, a door opened gently, and a middle-aged woman stepped out. Judging from her attire, she was likely a servant of the Long family, but her demeanor was quite elegant.

The woman saw Luo Qingcheng and politely invited him to come in and rest. After Luo Qingcheng politely declined, she smiled and said, "I am Aunt Zhang, the wet nurse of the young lady. I live in this room. Young man, you are welcome to come and sit down whenever you have time."

Miss Long's wet nurse? Could she be even more fierce than her? Luo Qingcheng couldn't help but shudder, quickly made an excuse that he hadn't finished his work, and hurriedly said goodbye and left.

Even after walking quite a distance, I could still hear the wet nurse rambling on: "...You can also call me Aunt Zhang, that's what the young lady calls me too. This child is so pitiful. Her mother died early, and her father is heartless, forcing her to wander the world at such a young age...You must treat her well..."

"Treat Miss Long well?" Luo Qingcheng gasped and ran even faster.

Ye Xiao's Identity (Part 2)

Dinner, as usual, was a delicious meal "cooked" by Ye Xiao. That night, Luo Qingcheng patted his round belly, grinned foolishly, and climbed into bed contentedly. Everything at Guyun Fort was going very well; there was no heavy work, no one to bully him, except for that Miss Long. Shen Wan's injuries were also improving day by day under everyone's care… If it weren't for the heavy responsibilities he still carried, he truly wanted to stay in this place and live a peaceful, idyllic life…

Thinking this, he turned over and listened to the clapperboard outside; it was already past midnight. Another sleepless night? On the other bed, Xiao Xun was already sound asleep, his even breathing audible. Luo Qingcheng sighed with a touch of envy. This kid, always carefree and cheerful, seemed like a child who had never experienced setbacks and whose life had always been smooth sailing.

The door creaked open, and a figure slipped in like a ghost, stopping at the head of Luo Qingcheng's bed. She reached under the covers. Luo Qingcheng's eyesight was extraordinary; in the darkness, he recognized Miss Long and his heart skipped a beat, becoming extremely cautious. Miss Long touched Luo Qingcheng's body, then suddenly produced a handkerchief and waved it near his face. Luo Qingcheng, a seasoned traveler, instinctively held his breath.

A moment later, Miss Long chuckled wickedly, "Hehe... Luo Lang, today you're finally mine..." She leaped into Luo Qingcheng's bed. Luo Qingcheng was taken aback. Without thinking, he instinctively snapped his fingers, throwing Miss Long off the covers, and at the same time, he sprang up and jumped off the bed.

Caught off guard, Miss Long cried out and fell to the ground, groaning and unable to get up. Luo Qingcheng lit the lamp, held it up in front of her, then picked up the handkerchief from the ground, sniffed it from a distance, and said sarcastically, "Miss Long has indeed wandered the martial world since childhood, and is very familiar with the sleeping potions used by the villains of the martial world. I truly admire you!"

Miss Long rubbed her sore bottom, looking at Luo Qingcheng in astonishment: "Wandering the world since childhood? That sleeping potion was bought in Guyun Fort. I haven't even left the Long family compound in recent years... I can only find men who walk right into my trap... Not long ago, there was a handsome young man who had been sold here because he had huge gambling debts, someone I could have some fun with... But when I saw you, I released him... and even paid off all his gambling debts... Who would have thought that after so many days I still haven't been able to get my hands on him! I'm so regretful!"

Luo Qingcheng was stunned for a moment, then heard Miss Long say, "Luo Lang... just give in to me... I'll make sure you live a life of luxury and comfort, without having to worry about anything..."

Luo Qingcheng snorted, and with a flick of his finger, Miss Long leaped into the air, leaping out of the room. This time, she cried out in pain and landed in the courtyard. The door slammed shut behind her, and Luo Qingcheng's voice, cold as a gust of snow in winter, pierced her eardrums: "Don't have any improper thoughts about me, or... be careful... your hair... will be plucked out without a single strand!"

This threat was clearly very intimidating. Miss Long was taken aback, touched her beautiful hair, and scrambled to her feet, running away as fast as a rabbit...

Despite the commotion, Xiao Xun was still sound asleep. Luo Qingcheng shook his head in admiration, climbed back into bed, and continued agonizing over his own self-pity. The door creaked open again, and a figure quietly slipped in. The person first went to Xiao Xun's bedside, touched it, and breathed a sigh of relief before moving on to Luo Qingcheng's bedside.

Luo Qingcheng recognized the figure, twirled his hand, grabbed the person's hand, gently lifted her onto the bed, and softly held her close, whispering in her ear, "Xiaoxiao, what are you doing here so late?"

Ye Xiao was startled, but quickly calmed down: "I came to check on you. I was always worried that you two would stay here and disappear without a trace."

Luo Qingcheng grunted, then suddenly felt a pang of jealousy: "You looked at the third brother first, Xiaoxiao, you're biased, you only have the third brother in your heart..." He reached out and pressed her down, pondering what punishment he should give her.

A gentle spring breeze blew in through the half-open window, stirring the half-rolled curtains and bringing a damp, sweet scent. The fragrance, mixed with the faint scent of a young girl, lingered around his nose. Luo Qingcheng was somewhat confused, and without knowing why, he pressed his body against hers. The soft, exquisite body beneath him was clearly visible through the thin spring dress. Suddenly, his mind went blank, and he lost all reason. He leaned down and gently pecked her lips.

It was a light, casual kiss, yet it stunned them both. They both felt a heat rising within them, unsure what to do next. Luo Qingcheng hesitated, wondering if to take things further, when he heard Xiao Xun on the opposite bed smack his lips in his sleep: "You two are cheating again..." Suddenly snapping back to reality, he hurriedly pushed Ye Xiao off the bed, whispering, "...I...you...don't worry, we'll be fine..."

Ye Xiao panicked even more and fled. Having been through many trials and tribulations, he was still somewhat dazed, but as he left, he remembered to say, "Keep an eye on Lao San, don't let him get robbed..."

Luo Qingcheng responded reflexively, but a pang of sadness welled up inside him again; it was the third brother again…

Luo Qingcheng was dragged out to buy groceries early in the morning by the furious Miss Long. Having spent the night making pancakes, Luo Qingcheng was somewhat disoriented, wandering aimlessly through the wide streets of Guyun Fortress. A familiar face flashed before him. Luo Qingcheng quickly turned around, watching the figure disappear into a small alley. In that instant, his energy surged, and he rose from the ground, floating lightly in the air, instantly passing through the alley and arriving at the tall, fortified building at the top.

Luo Qingcheng paused slightly at the doorway before pushing it open and entering. It was a very spacious courtyard, bustling with armored guards coming and going. One of the armored guards spotted Luo Qingcheng and shouted, "Who are you! What are you doing barging into the Ironclad Guard headquarters? Who's on duty today? Why didn't anyone stop you at the gate?"

A short, armored guard rushed out from the corner, forcing a smile, "It's me... I just needed to use the restroom..."

The other man immediately scolded, "You're slacking off while on guard duty! Even though Lonely Cloud Fortress is usually peaceful, we absolutely cannot let our guard down! Go and get rid of that idler!"

Seeing the short, armored guard running towards him, Luo Qingcheng quickly said, "I'm here to see Brother Yang Dui... I just saw him go in here."

A few soft "ohs" echoed in the courtyard. The short man immediately became more polite to Luo Qingcheng, and said with a smile, "So you're looking for Brother Yang Dui... He just returned a few days ago... The brothers have been taking turns treating him to meals. You know, the Golden Armor Guards are usually away from home all year round, it's rare for them to come back..."

Golden-armored guards! Luo Qingcheng was taken aback and turned his head. So…

A voice interrupted his thoughts: "Brother Luo? As expected, the mountains and rivers remain unchanged. I didn't expect to meet you so soon! The brothers are treating me to lunch, Brother Luo, would you like to join us? How about it? Come, come... let me introduce you all, this is my brother Luo Qingcheng, whom I met outside. His martial arts skills are quite impressive..."

Luo Qingcheng turned around, and the person behind him was indeed Yang Dui, with a smile on his face, his features still handsome and imposing, and his eyes still as sharp as ever...

Having drunk quite a bit of strong liquor at noon, Luo Qingcheng's steps were a little unsteady on his way back. Fueled by the alcohol, he walked straight to the room where his wet nurse, Aunt Zhang, lived and knocked on the door.

Aunt Zhang opened the door and, upon seeing Luo Qingcheng, quickly gave him a kind and warm smile: "It's you. Hehe, you have time to come and sit for a while today?"

Luo Qingcheng raised the paper package in his hand higher: "Aunt Zhang... Xiaoxiao... asked me to bring you some things."

Aunt Zhang exclaimed, "This child... didn't you already give me so many things the day you came home? Why buy me anything else...? Next time, tell Miss that Aunt Zhang knows she signed some gentleman's agreement with the Lord of the Fortress and won't use a single penny of Lonely Cloud Fortress's money. It's already very difficult for a girl to be out in the world; it's good enough that she can take care of herself. Please don't think about buying me anything else. I'm doing very well here. The Lord of the Fortress is very generous to me, and I have no worries about food or clothing. It's much better than what she's going through all the hardships outside... She's all alone out there, and it's rare for her to have a friend. This time, she brought back two of them, and I'm really happy. You're both grown men, so you must take good care of my Miss out there. Don't bully her, or Aunt Zhang will be the first to punish you..."

Luo Qingcheng slowly lowered his eyelids. Young Miss…

Aunt Zhang made a cup of tea and smiled at Luo Qingcheng, "Are you free now? Can you tell me about Xiaoxiao's life outside? How... is she doing?"

Luo Qingcheng raised his eyes: "I want to hear about Xiaoxiao's childhood first..."