Li She tried to persuade him with kind words, but the old man clearly didn't give him any face. He just kept yelling at Tang Ye, implying that he wanted him to come out so he could kill him on the spot.
However, Tang Ye did not respond, leaving the Li family and the old man in an awkward position.
Hua Wuduo noticed that Tang Ye showed no intention of responding, and she couldn't help but feel anxious. If the old man continued to make a scene at her sister's wedding, it would definitely delay her auspicious occasion. Hua Wuduo anxiously stared at Tang Ye for a while, and finding that he didn't seem to intend to leave, she couldn't help but feel a little resentful. It was all his fault. Remembering her current status, her eyes lit up, and an idea came to her. She leaped out and landed in front of the old man, saying to him in a tone that was three parts provocation and seven parts disdain, "Old man, I am Tang Ye's maid. My young master said that if you can defeat me, my young master will then take action to fight." As the girl spoke, her bright and beautiful eyes shone with dazzling light.
The old man looked at Hua Wuduo with disdain, and was even more furious that Tang Ye had sent a maid to fight him. He couldn't help but shout, "I'll use your worthless life to pay tribute to my three disciples!"
"Wait!" The old man's palm whistled past her cheek. Hua Wuduo stumbled back several steps before regaining her footing and shouted, "It's too cramped here with so many people. You're holding yourself back. Come with me." With that, she leaped over the high walls of the Li residence, her figure instantly disappearing several feet away. Her movements were agile, demonstrating superb lightness skill. Seeing that even one of Tang Ye's maids possessed such formidable martial arts, everyone couldn't help but look at Tang Ye, whose gaze remained cold and silent.
These events happened in an instant. When the noise in the hall subsided again, a soft sigh was heard: "Her injuries have not yet healed." The speaker was none other than Gongzi Qi.
Upon hearing this, the expressions of several people in the hall changed.
Gongzi Yi, whose body was slightly unsteady, twitched slightly, but then suppressed his movement and remained still.
Upon hearing this, Li Kan asked, "Is she injured?"
Gongzi Qi nodded and continued loudly, "Her injuries are severe; it's already a miracle that she survived. Her injuries haven't fully healed yet, and if she recklessly uses her internal energy, her meridians might be severed, her martial arts would be completely ruined, and her life would be in danger."
Before Gongzi Qi could finish speaking, someone left the hall, chasing after the direction in which the girl had disappeared. It was Gongzi Xiu.
Fang Zhengyang's gaze lingered in the direction Liu Xiu had gone.
Seeing this, Liu Shun hurriedly followed after them, ignoring everyone's stares.
Song Zixing glanced at Tang Ye, then quietly retreated behind the crowd and left in secret.
Li She gave Li Kan a wink, and Li Kan understood and quietly left.
Fang Zhengyang, seated at the head of the table, remained expressionless throughout, showing no sign of anything amiss. The bride, whose face was covered by a bridal veil, also stood in the center of the hall, only slightly tilting her head when Hua Wuduo finally spoke.
Li's mother said to Li She, "The auspicious time has arrived, don't miss it." Beneath her kind and plump face lay a hint of authority.
After exchanging a glance with his elder brother Li Kang, Li She nodded knowingly.
The master of ceremonies loudly announced, "The bride and groom bow to heaven and earth."
Just as the bride and groom knelt down, a short sword flashed before everyone's eyes and swiftly pierced towards the groom, Li Kang. No one had expected that Li Kang's own uncle, sitting next to his mother, would attempt to assassinate him at this moment!
That day, a light rain was falling. The old man's light-footed skills seemed unable to keep up with her. Hua Wuduo could run away and disappear from sight, but she couldn't, fearing that the old man would turn around and ruin her sister's wedding if he couldn't catch her. So she stopped in a grove of willow trees.
The old man gave Hua Wuduo no chance to catch her breath. Before she could even stop, he threw a punch at her with a whoosh. Although the old man's lightness skill was not as good as hers, his internal strength was far more profound and refined. In particular, since she could not yet fully circulate her true energy, she was already struggling and at a disadvantage after a few moves.
Hua Wuduo skillfully dodged using her lightness skill, and the old man couldn't do anything to her for a while. After a few moves, the old man seemed to feel that being toyed with by a maid was beneath his dignity. His gaze changed, anger rose, and killing intent intensified. He roared to the sky and threw a punch like a tiger descending a mountain, making Hua Wuduo's eardrums hurt. In a daze, the old man's fist wind had already swept in front of her. This punch was exceptionally fierce, carrying the old man's profound and refined internal energy. Even without touching the skin, it was extremely lethal. Hua Wuduo used all his strength to dodge, but his breathing became unsteady. He dodged the punch in a very awkward manner, and the flower hairpin he had carefully put on that morning was knocked away. In an instant, his hair was scattered and flew wildly in the air. Before he could even catch his breath, the old man's next punch was already in front of him. Seeing that this punch was impossible to dodge, Hua Wuduo closed his eyes and was about to take the punch head-on when he was suddenly pulled backward by a force. In that moment of being pulled and pulled, he narrowly dodged the old man's most ferocious punch. However, because of the force of the punch, although he dodged the fatal blow, Hua Wuduo still felt a pain in his cheek. He couldn't help but reach out and touch it, only to find that the mask on his face had been cracked by the force of the punch. He gently touched the broken mask, and it fell into his palm. In her panic, she looked up and saw that it was Gongzi Xiu who had saved her. She felt relieved and, thinking about how she had escaped death, her nose tingled and her eyes reddened as if she had been wronged.
This was the second time Gongzi Xiu had seen her true face, yet he still trembled, noticing the tears glistening in her eyes. The thought that if he had arrived even a moment later, he might have lost her. At this thought, it felt as if a sharp object had pierced his heart; his breath caught in his throat, and his body trembled slightly.
He glanced warily at the old man a few steps away, and when he saw the old man's astonished look at Hua Wuduo, a wave of displeasure surged in his heart. He then pressed Hua Wuduo's face against his chest and used his sleeve to block the old man's gaze.
The old man was taken aback by this sudden turn of events.
At this moment, Song Zixing and Li Kan also arrived one after another, and the two of them blocked the old man's way.
Song Zixing glanced at Gongzi Xiu and Hua Wuduo, his gaze darkening. He turned to the old man and said coldly, "Your enemy is Tang Ye. If you don't go find him soon, he might disappear without a trace."
The old man then realized that this was a diversionary tactic, and he roared angrily as he turned and chased after the tiger away from the mountain.
Li Kan glanced at Song Zixing, then shifted his gaze to Tang Ye's maid, only to see the girl slightly raise her head and look at him. The moment he saw the girl's face clearly, Li Kan froze on the spot, as if a heavy hammer had struck his heart.
Hua Wuduo was looking at Song Zixing, but found that Song Zixing had already followed the old man back and disappeared into the forest. When she turned around, she unexpectedly noticed something amiss in Li Kan's gaze, and was secretly startled. She quickly buried her face back in Gongzi Xiu's chest to avoid Li Kan's strange gaze.
Just then, Gongzi Xiu's pageboy, Liu Shun, arrived. As soon as Liu Shun approached Gongzi Xiu, he heard Gongzi Xiu say in an extremely gentle voice to the woman in his arms, "Are you hurt? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?" He noticed the girl shaking her head in his arms, her hair brushing slightly against his chin, a subtle yet unsettling touch that made his heart flutter. He then said softly, "I'll take you back first."
Liu Shun paused, thinking he was hallucinating. That voice… could it really be the young master? How could it be him? This woman was Tang Ye's maid; why would the young master care so much about a maid? What about the girl he met on the streets of Luoyang a couple of days ago? What's wrong with the young master? Why does he seem like a completely different person after leaving the capital? He falls for every woman he meets, even those who are just maids! Liu Shun's thoughts were in turmoil. He scratched his head. Had the young master become a womanizer?
At this moment, Gongzi Xiu lifted his robe and tore off a piece of white cloth from his inner garment, tying it in front of the woman's face to cover her features.
Young Master Xiu's actions left Liu Shun speechless with astonishment. He had served the young master for over ten years and had never seen him act like this, let alone for a woman. From his position, he couldn't see the woman's face clearly and mistook her for the maid from before. Just as he hesitated to follow, the young master waved his hand and said, "No need to follow." This only deepened Liu Shun's confusion.
Without this mask, she felt as if she were no longer herself. There was no time to make an identical one, and fearing suspicion, she couldn't return to the wedding. She still hadn't been able to witness her sister's entire wedding. Her sister and brother-in-law must have already completed their vows, but she missed the most exciting part – the mutual bowing between husband and wife. Hua Wuduo felt a pang of sadness. Then she thought that although the old man's martial arts were impressive, he was reckless and lacked strategy. If she hadn't been injured beforehand, even if she couldn't defeat him physically, she could outsmart him. After her sister and brother-in-law finished their vows, only the banquet remained. Besides, with her father, Fang Zhengyang, there, the old man wouldn't be able to cause any trouble even if he returned. So she dismissed the thought.
Hua Wuduo returned to Qinglin Inn under the escort of Gongzi Xiu. Avoiding the innkeeper in the front yard, the two quietly jumped from the roof into the West Garden. There was no one in the courtyard, obviously Tang Ye had not returned yet.
Knowing that Tang Ye would only return after attending the wedding banquet, Hua Wuduo didn't greet Gongzi Xiu and sat down on a stone bench in the courtyard. The thought of not seeing her sister's wedding ceremony made her feel rather bad. Gongzi Xiu also seemed to be in a bad mood, lost in thought, and remained silent as he sat down.
After a long while, amidst Hua Wuduo's sighs and lamentations, Gongzi Xiu finally called out, "Wuduo?"
Hua Wuduo did not remove the veil from his face, but lazily lay on the stone table and responded.
Gongzi Xiu shifted his gaze to her, a hint of hesitation in his eyes, and asked, "Wu Duo, if I were to take you away, would you come with me?"
"Where are you taking me?" Hua Wuduo asked, puzzled.
"Stay by my side," the young master said, his tone carrying a hint of expectation.
Unexpectedly, Hua Wuduo waved his hand and simply said, "I'm not going."
"Why?" Young Master Xiu's heart sank.
"I'm used to being free and unrestrained. I can't get used to so many rules in your household," Hua Wuduo said frankly.
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Xiu's gaze darkened, and he stood up with his hands behind his back.
The sun had already set, leaving only a sliver of its afterglow in the courtyard. A breeze blew, and fallen leaves, which had not been swept, swirled at his feet, making his figure appear desolate and lonely. Hua Wuduo suddenly had this illusion.
Hua Wuduo instinctively felt that Luo Yang was very different from before the moment she saw Gongzi Xiu. She had never asked about Gongzi Xiu's affairs and knew very little about them. Yet she trusted him completely, intuitively feeling that he wouldn't harm her, and even if she were to suffer, he wouldn't allow it. Thinking of this, Hua Wuduo smiled.
She was lost in thought when, unexpectedly, Young Master Xiu flew away without saying a word.
Hua Wuduo got up and chased after her for a few steps, but then stopped.
*************************************
With Song Zixing's light-footed skills, overtaking the old man was not difficult. Seeing Song Zixing surpass him, the old man was both anxious and furious. He was anxious because he feared Tang Ye would escape, and furious because he had just been tricked by a girl and now a brat had overtaken him. His anger reached its peak, and he chased after Song Zixing like a madman. Song Zixing noticed this, merely frowned slightly, and quickened his pace, leaping several times to leave the old man behind.
When Song Zixing rushed back to the wedding venue, he was too late. The scene was chaotic, and the guests who had attended the wedding seemed to be still in shock. He asked Xu Qing, who was still at the scene, and learned that Li Kang's uncle, Li Dao, had actually tried to assassinate Li Kang in public. Although Li Kang was stabbed, he was not injured because he was wearing protective soft armor underneath. Several experts hidden among the guests attacked Li Dao. Later, Li Dao was no match for them and committed suicide by poison on the spot. Fang Zhengyang examined Li Dao's body on the spot and found that this Li Dao was not the real Li Dao, but a person wearing a mask. The real Li Dao's whereabouts were unknown, and it was likely that he was in grave danger.
Li Kang was currently in the back room changing into his wedding attire, as he would be coming out later to continue the wedding ceremony.
Song Zixing's expression changed. He saw Fang Zhengyang sitting calmly in the seat of honor, his face ashen, while Li She beside him remained composed. The music and ceremony continued as usual. If it weren't for the unusual expressions of the guests, no one would have known that such a dangerous event had just occurred.
Some of the guests present were still shaken and intended to leave, but reluctantly stayed because of Li She's repeated pleas and apologies. Others stayed, secretly speculating and hoping to see the spectacle unfold. But regardless, it was clear that the wedding between the Li and Fang families would proceed no matter what. Li Kang's presence on the auspicious day, wearing soft armor and having prepared two sets of wedding attire, suggested he had been well-prepared.
Why would Li Dao suddenly assassinate Li Kang? Song Zixing looked at Li She and saw that Li She was looking at Tang Ye. Noticing his gaze, Li She looked at him with a questioning look in his eyes. Song Zixing understood the meaning in Li She's eyes, so he shook his head at him first, and then gestured for him to look outside the hall.
Just then, the old man who had been shouting at Tang Ye on the wall came running back. His face was flushed from running so hard, but he was still full of energy. Just as he started shouting at Tang Ye, a person walked out of the hall.
The man was dressed in black with a purple belt around his waist, his black hair adorned with a golden crown, and a silver ribbon cascading down his back, creating an eerie yet striking effect that stood out starkly against the backdrop of the other ornately dressed figures in the hall. His gaze was cold and indifferent as he slowly stepped outside. With each step he took, the men around him grew increasingly fearful. A moment later, all was silent as they watched the black-clad youth emerge. Many unconsciously took a few steps back, instinctively wanting to stay as far away from him as possible.
Even the old man on the wall stopped cursing and stared at the boy. At first glance, the boy looked somewhat thin, but his aura was constantly changing. The sinister aura emanating from within was terrifying.
This somewhat thin-looking young man was none other than Tang Ye.
Everyone assumed that Tang Ye went out to deal with the old man, but they were all wrong. Tang Ye ignored the old man completely and left on his own.
The old man had never seen Tang Ye before and did not recognize him, but he had heard people in the martial arts world describe his appearance and recognized him immediately. Seeing that he was being treated so lightly, he was furious and slashed down at him with his palm. However, Tang Ye used the force to fly forward and, with a few leaps, led the old man away from everyone's sight and left the Li family.
No one dared to ask or try to stop Tang Ye; instinctively, they didn't want to provoke such a person in the slightest.
Li She watched Tang Ye's departing figure, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes.
Song Zixing noticed the fleeting murderous intent in Li She's eyes and couldn't help but slightly raise the corners of his mouth.
Gongzi Yi and Gongzi Qi exchanged a glance and remained silent.
Liu Jin, Chen Dongyao, and the others watched all this quietly, remaining detached.
Fang Zhengyang whispered a few words to Li's mother beside him, and Li's mother nodded to Li She. Li She understood and ordered the wedding to continue.
Everyone, with their own thoughts, continued to watch the ceremony.
Just then, Li Kang, having changed into his wedding attire, led his bride out of the back hall. The guests immediately offered their congratulations, dispelling the strange atmosphere from before.
The officiant loudly announced, "The bride and groom bow to heaven and earth..."
"Bowing to the parents..."
"Husband and wife bow to each other..."
"The ceremony is complete! Escort them to the bridal chamber."
Amidst cheers and congratulations, Li Kang led Fang Ruowei into the bridal chamber in the back hall, where the Li and Fang families officially became husband and wife in the presence of all the guests.
Li She hurriedly invited the guests to a side courtyard for a celebratory banquet, the atmosphere filled with joy, as if the events of earlier had never occurred. No one mentioned Tang Ye and the assassin again; although the guests exchanged strange glances, they all pretended nothing had happened.
Once it left the Li family, the matter became the talk of the town.
According to some insiders, the old man didn't die, but he could no longer speak or move, becoming a paralyzed person unable to care for himself. What happened after the old man caught up with Tang Ye that day is shrouded in mystery, with various rumors circulating in the martial arts world. The old man was quite renowned in the martial arts world, yet he met Tang Ye and inexplicably met such an end. Tang Ye's terrifying nature was further exaggerated and feared.
The old man was the master of the Three Tigers of Luoyang. He had lived in the north for a long time and had recently heard that all three of his disciples had died, with his eldest disciple being poisoned by Tang Ye. In his grief, he blamed Tang Ye for everything without thinking. The old man rushed from the north to Luoyang to avenge his beloved disciple. He arrived just in time for the wedding of the Fang and Li families. Having lived in the north for so long, the old man had never seen Tang Ye before. He had only heard from his friends in the martial arts world that Tang Ye would appear at the Li family's wedding. So, regardless of whether it was a joyous occasion or not, he started shouting and cursing, trying to provoke Tang Ye into a fight. But he never expected to meet such a miserable end. He felt it would have been better to die quickly. When people in the martial arts world talked about this, they all thought Tang Ye was too ruthless. Mentioning his poison made them think he was terrifying, and they were even more reluctant to provoke him.
(PS: Because this update is short, there will be a follow-up update next Wednesday, September 1st, as compensation.)
The longing in my heart
It was past midnight, and the red lanterns of the Li residence swayed in the wind. Li Kan, who had drunk quite a bit of wine, leaned against the veranda absentmindedly, sipping his wine intermittently, gazing at the starry sky, his thoughts drifting into the distance.
Li She approached slowly and called out softly, "Kan, why aren't you resting yet?"
Li Kan seemed not to hear, and asked calmly, "Third Brother, have you also seen her true face?"
Li She clearly sensed something was wrong with Li Kan. After a moment's thought, he guessed who Li Kan was referring to, but still asked, "Who are you talking about?"
Li Kan said, "Tang Ye's maid."
Li She calmly replied, "I haven't seen her before, but I know she knows how to disguise herself."
Li Kan said, "I saw it." His gaze was filled with an unprecedented sense of bewilderment.
Li She watched this unfold, his heart filled with shock. He snatched the wine pot from Li Kan's hand and said indifferently, "When did Fourth Brother become so fond of beautiful women? He's so captivated by the appearance of just one woman."
Upon hearing this, Li Kan was taken aback and remained silent for a while. After a long while, he suddenly smiled and said, "Third Brother is right. I was indeed shallow. I almost fell into a trap for the sake of face." Then he bowed to Li She and said, "Thank you for enlightening me, Third Brother."
Li She smiled gently and said, "Fourth Brother has always been a carefree person, able to take things in stride. Even if Third Brother didn't say it, Fourth Brother would have figured it out himself. It's getting late, Fourth Brother, don't drink anymore, go and get some rest."
Li Kan bowed again, and said jokingly with a nonchalant attitude, "Yes, I will obey Third Brother's orders."
Li She shook his head and smiled.
"Third Brother, what do you intend to do about Second Uncle's matter?" Li Kan asked. Second Uncle Li Dao had been confirmed dead, and an assassin impersonating Li Dao had attempted to assassinate Eldest Brother. Although the assassin failed, the Li family would not let the matter rest easily.
Li She curled one corner of his mouth slightly and sneered, "How can the lives of the Li family members be taken so easily? They must pay for their debts in blood."