Xiao Zuo had been watching coldly until this moment when he suddenly spoke up: "How did you get injured?"
“Naturally, he was injured by someone.” Xiao Jian said, looking at Xiao Nuo with a smile, and said, “Third brother, you’re wrong this time. Four out of the ten people from Fortune Valley are experts, at least ranking in the top fifty of the martial arts world today.”
Xiao Nuo's eyes widened. "Are those really people from Fortune Valley? Second Brother, are you sure you're not mistaken?"
Xiao Jian said calmly, "I don't know if they are from Fortune Valley, but their clothing and appearance are exactly the same as what Jin Yidou said."
"But it's Fortune Valley..."
Xiao Nuo was about to speak again when Xiao Zuo raised his hand to silence him and asked Xiao Jian, "And then?"
“That’s all,” Xiao Jian said.
"You didn't fight them?"
"Just one move," Xiao Jian sneered. "I just activated my internal energy and then passed out."
After saying that, he walked towards Xiao Nuo, stretched out his hand and said, "Give it to me."
"What?" Xiao Nuo looked at him with a completely bewildered expression.
"Your magical powders," Xiao Jian said expressionlessly, "can knock me out once, but not a second time."
Xiao Nuo was stunned, Feng Chenxi was dumbfounded, Xiao Mo opened his mouth wide, and even Xiao Zuo was stunned for a moment.
Did Xiao Jian not know that he was experiencing a drug withdrawal? Did he still think that his sudden fainting was because he had been drugged by a petty thief from the Lower Five Gates?
The hall was silent for a moment, until Xiao Mo finally couldn't help but call out, "Second brother! Actually, you are..."
"Mo'er!" Xiao Zuo shouted sharply to stop him, then slowly turned to look at Xiao Jian, his gaze calm and composed.
Xiao Jian met his gaze quietly, his pale face remaining expressionless.
After a while, Xiao Zuo suddenly said, "Your face is as white as a ghost. Go back to your room and rest. It's best not to come out unless I tell you."
Xiao Jian's pupils suddenly contracted, as if he also realized that something was wrong, but in the end he didn't ask anything, bowed slightly, and turned to leave.
As he approached Feng Chenxi, he paused slightly, said casually, "I've never been to Dongling," and then left the main hall.
_________________________________________________________________________
It's 0:30 on June 18th. The Jinjiang system is having problems, and all posts can't be replied to. So I'll just write my thoughts here.
Thank you so much for your support, dear readers, especially those who left very detailed replies. I am deeply grateful. I read every single post carefully, with a smile on my face.
Seeing everyone's opinions and suggestions on this article, and the discussions that have unfolded, I really... words can hardly describe that feeling. I can only say: how fortunate Iroha is to have readers like you! How fortunate!
Finally, let's assume that the inability to reply isn't a problem with the Jinjiang system, then it's probably because this article is unjustly loved by some friends... Hehe.
I don't want to say anything like "leaving a few words is better than giving points," because it's meaningless and just for fun. Why make a big deal out of it? Whether you're reading the novel, giving points without comment, or graciously interacting with me, it's all support for Iroha. Thank you again.
Outsiders
I lowered my eyes slightly. Dongling, an interesting sentence.
Lei Jun mushrooms are not only produced only in Changbai Mountain, but also only in the eastern ridge of Changbai Mountain—this was originally a top secret in the martial arts world, yet Xiao Jian actually knew it.
He said this simply to defend himself, unaware that the issue had escalated beyond just the presence of bacteria. Or perhaps he knew the truth but was deliberately feigning ignorance?
Judging from how he looked when he woke up, he genuinely didn't know he had fainted due to drug withdrawal. However, if I were him, in that situation, to exonerate myself, I probably would have had to pretend I knew nothing. How many murderers in this world wouldn't pretend?
Taking cold medicine and ingesting the poison made him unable to use his internal energy when withdrawal symptoms kicked in. To make matters worse, this was a crucial competition where only victory was acceptable; the only solution was to eliminate his opponent. Eliminating Lu Shuang meant he couldn't use his signature swordsmanship, so he abandoned the sword and used poison. However, someone unexpectedly recognized the poison's origin, making him a suspect. Meanwhile, another group on the suspect list also came from Changbai Mountain. To avoid conviction, he couldn't capture or kill them, so he feigned failing to catch them and released them. Everything seemed to be covered up, but then the deadly withdrawal symptoms flared up, causing everything to fall apart.
Based on the current clues and evidence, this is the whole story of the incident.
However, usually, when a murder occurs, the person initially identified as the most suspicious is often not the real murderer. Perhaps Xiao Jian is truly innocent? But it is also possible that Xiao Jian believed in this mentality of people, so he took a risky move, putting himself in a life-or-death situation first.
If that's the case, then this matter is far from over; he will definitely have another move in store.
If the real culprit is someone else, with him as a scapegoat, they can rest easy and the matter can be left at that point.
Therefore, another way to determine whether he is the real culprit is to see if there are any further developments afterward.
Thinking of this, I turned to look at Xiao Zuo, and saw him beside Gong Feicui, gently comforting his beloved wife. My heart felt like it had been pricked by a needle, and a strange, indescribable feeling welled up inside me. The candlelight danced in my eyes, its halo gradually expanding and magnified countless times.
"Lord, Madam, something terrible has happened!" Urgent footsteps sounded from outside, and a disciple rushed into the main hall, saying, "Mrs. Lu are outside requesting an audience, saying they want an explanation for their son's death!"
Gong Feicui looked up in surprise and said, "Didn't you order the news of Lu Shuang's death to be kept secret? How do they still know?"
"Obviously, someone accidentally leaked the news," Xiao Zuo said without changing his expression. "Or, it was leaked on purpose."
Xiao Mo said, "Father, Mother, I think this matter will have to be told to everyone sooner or later. Keeping it a secret is not a solution. Besides, our only son has died. Should we keep it from our parents and not let them see him one last time? That would be too inhumane..." He paused and said seriously, "As for Mr. and Mrs. Lu, I will go and tell them."
Xiao Zuo hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement. Gong Feicui, still uneasy, added, "Just say the real culprit is still under investigation, and we will definitely bring them justice. But, don't mention your brother..."
Xiao Mo said, "I know what I'm doing." After saying that, he accepted the order and left.
Gong Feicui covered her forehead with a pained expression: "A perfectly good competition has turned into this mess... Jian'er, how could my Jian'er have become like this?"
Xiao Nuo stepped forward to comfort her, "Mother, don't be like this. Perhaps Second Brother has been wronged!"
"Could it be that he was wrongly accused of taking the cold medicine?"
"The cold-weather powder is harmful and useless. Second Brother couldn't possibly not know that. Even I wouldn't touch that stuff, let alone Second Brother, who is the smartest of the three brothers."
“Didn’t your older brother say that he’s under too much pressure…” Gong Feicui said, looking at Xiao Zuo with teary eyes, “Jian’er has always been the best at everything since he was little. Not only me, but all of us subconsciously treated him as you, measuring him by your standards in everything we did. You can imagine the pressure that put on him. No wonder he has a strange and gloomy personality. I thought it was just his nature, but I never thought that it was all our fault…”
Xiao Zuo reached out and gently patted her shoulder, but said nothing.
“It’s my fault. When he was little, the stories I told him most were about Wang Xizhi and his son, telling him to emulate Wang Xianzhi so that he could be known as one of the two Xiao brothers alongside you in the future. When he grew up, to satisfy my vanity as his mother, I made him go around challenging people to sword fights. I only saw that he was famous in the martial arts world at such a young age, but I never thought about whether he really liked it... It’s my fault, I’ve ruined Jian’er…” Gong Feicui cried and cried, then suddenly gasped for breath and fell silent.
Xiao Zuo exclaimed in surprise, "Jade? Jade!"
"Mother, what's wrong?" Xiao Nuo rushed forward. Xiao Zuo picked up Gong Feicui and walked towards the inner hall, saying as he went, "Someone, go and fetch Doctor Yu again."
In an instant, the hall was in complete chaos.
When Xiao Nuo and I tried to follow them in, the woman named Yu Cui turned around and stopped us, saying, "Third Young Master, Miss Feng, it's too much trouble with so many people. You should wait outside for news." Then she closed the door.
Xiao Nuo and I exchanged a glance, then turned and walked back to the lobby. It was already getting dark outside, and a hundred candles flickered, casting dappled light and shadow on his face. This carefree boy, who had always been so carefree, now had a furrowed brow and looked worried.
"The day after tomorrow is Dad's fiftieth birthday, and the day after that is the Mid-Autumn Festival," he murmured softly, gazing at the rising moon on the horizon.
I walked to the window and stood beside him, saying, "Don't worry. Madam Xiao only fainted because she was too heartbroken; she'll be fine."
He seemed not to hear what I said and continued, "Birthdays should be celebrated happily, and the Mid-Autumn Festival should be a time for family reunion under the full moon."
I didn't know how to respond, so I simply kept quiet. After what seemed like an eternity, Xiao Nuo suddenly turned around and asked me very seriously, "Sister, do you believe my second brother is innocent?"
I looked at him quietly for a while, then looked away and said, "I don't know." I never jump to conclusions before knowing the truth, nor will I let emotions cloud my judgment. Whether Xiao Jianwu is innocent or not, the facts will speak for themselves, not whether I believe it or not.
“I believe him!” Xiao Nuo said, enunciating each word clearly. “I believe he is innocent!”
I smiled. Xiao Nuo's gaze, however, became even more determined. He stared at me without blinking and said, "I want my family to have a happy reunion dinner together this Mid-Autumn Festival, so before the fifteenth of August, oh no, before Father's fiftieth birthday, I want to find the real culprit and clear Second Brother's name!"
Hearing his declaration, I was a little surprised, and after the surprise came deep thought: Today is the tenth of August, and there are only two days left until Xiao Zuo's birthday. In two days, can we find other clues?
Just then, a servant led the physician Yu in hurriedly, followed by Xiao Mo. He was also stopped at the door and had to turn to us to ask, "What happened? I just persuaded Mr. and Mrs. Lu to go back, and on the way I heard from Uncle Cai that Mother had fainted?"
Seeing that Xiao Nuo didn't intend to answer, I had no choice but to answer myself: "Yes, she was heartbroken because of what happened to Young Master Xiao."
Xiao Mo looked on with emotion and frowned, saying, "Mother was always most proud of my second brother. Now that he has become like this, she is truly the most heartbroken."
I whispered, "I'm afraid Lord Xiao feels the same way..." Although my master told me that Xiao Zuo treated all three sons equally, based on my observations today, I suspect that in his heart, his second son is the one he likes the most. Given that his second son is in trouble, especially since it's just before his birthday, one can only imagine how he feels.
At this moment, the door to the inner hall opened a crack, and Yu Cui came out and said, "Young Master, the son-in-law invites you in for a moment."
Xiao Mo quickly agreed and left. I stared at the two carved vermilion doors, wondering about Gong Feicui's condition inside, and why only Xiao Mo was allowed to go in. Was there something that even Xiao Nuo couldn't hear?
As the sky gradually darkened, night finally fell. The candles, lit since the afternoon, were almost burned out, and several servants filed in, blowing them out one by one and replacing them. The light in the hall suddenly dimmed considerably, as if dusk had sneaked in unnoticed.
Xiao Nuo suddenly ordered in a deep voice, "Light all one hundred."
I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Could it be that he, like Xiao Zuo, needed to use external light to dispel the shadows in his heart?
As more than a hundred candles were lit one by one, the lobby gradually became bright again, and I subconsciously turned my head to look at Xiao Nuo.
He was facing away from me, and in the flickering lamplight, for a moment I had a strange feeling that it was Xiao Zuo standing there—Xiao Nuo's back really resembled his father's. He wasn't as tall and strong as Xiao Mo, nor as arrogant and aloof as Xiao Jian. He had a natural sense of approachability that made people feel at ease just by looking at him... He suddenly turned around, and I quickly turned my gaze away, only to see that Xiao Mo had already come out of the inner hall.
Xiao Nuo stepped forward and asked, "How is Mother?"
"There's nothing seriously wrong for now, but she needs to rest. So Father decided to take Mother to the Water and Sky Pavilion, mainly because he didn't want her to stay here and continue to worry about these things."
Xiao Nuo nodded, then thought for a moment and asked, "What about my second brother?"
Xiao Mo sighed, "Father said that without his permission, Second Brother is not allowed to leave the room."
Xiao Nuo frowned and said, "I'm afraid Second Brother won't listen."
“I’ll go talk to him.” Xiao Mo looked at him and said, “Don’t think about the second son’s matter for now. Father asked me to temporarily take over the affairs of Baili City. Think about how to help me.”
"What do I know? How could I possibly help you, brother?" Xiao Nuo smiled. "Oh, by the way, what about Father's birthday and Mid-Autumn Festival? Aren't you going to celebrate them?"
Xiao Mo hesitated and said, "I'm afraid... it's not possible."
My heart skipped a beat, and my gaze swept back to the tightly closed door, a profound sense of loss washing over me: Was it only my own birthday? To leave this place at this moment, abandoning the wrongful death of my disciple, the suspicion against my son, everything, all because my wife was ill…
In his heart, the most important person is still Gong Feicui. This was true thirty years ago, and it remains true thirty years later.
Just then, a maid came to announce that dinner was ready and invited them to move to the dining hall. Xiao Mo patted Xiao Nuo on the shoulder and said, "You've had a long day, let's go eat first."
"I have no appetite," Xiao Nuo sighed and walked away.
Xiao Mo then looked at me: "Miss Feng, you..."
"I'm not eating either." I smiled apologetically and turned to leave. Behind me, I heard him mutter, "Not even eating? What's wrong with her?"
What's wrong with me? Nobody knows what's wrong with me, nobody knows...
After crossing the green plank bridge, several elegant and quiet houses came into view. A girl in red carrying a food box came from the other side and said softly when she reached the door, "Second Young Master, dinner is ready."
The room was quiet, with no response. I looked around and realized that this was Xiao Jian's residence; I had unknowingly wandered here.
The young girl was good-natured and said gently, "Second Young Master, please eat a little bit, so that the City Lord won't be unhappy, okay?"
Another silence fell.
The girl put down the food box, her face showing worry. She stood at the door for a long time, then lowered her head and said, "Second Young Master, please don't be like this. Actually, You Li knows you are innocent. The truth will come out soon, and you will be alright soon. Seeing you like this makes You Li feel very bad, very, very bad..." As she finished speaking, her voice began to tremble with sobs.
Xiao Jian's hoarse voice finally came from inside the room: "You should leave."
"Second Young Master..." the maid named You Li called out urgently, knocking on the door and saying, "Let me in."
There was no further sound from inside the room. You Li stood there for a while, then finally turned around and left, wiping away her tears.