Chapter 1446: Lying Down and Winning (Part 2) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Lin Feng's confident question left his father speechless.

They looked at each other for a few moments.

Lin Feng met his gaze directly, witnessing the entire shift in his father's expression—from grief and confusion to doubt and finally, wavering. He didn't recognize him, and Lin Feng wasn't particularly saddened. Northern families didn't have as many rigid rules as those in the central regions; the women were relatively free and unrestrained. But Lin Feng was only a few years old then, not yet old enough for such freedom, and even contact with male relatives had to be kept discreet.

I don't remember seeing my father very often.

The father and daughter always met in public, with a group of maids and servants present. Lin Feng would never act coquettishly towards him, nor would he show the same affection and closeness to his daughter as his mother did. They were just an ordinary father and daughter.

Even these few contacts were over a decade ago.

Her rhetorical question was more playful and teasing than resentful.

However, Lin's father was unaware of this.

He observed Lin Feng's behavior and demeanor again and again with some uncertainty, and called out with some unease, "A-Su? If you are A-Su, why are you pretending to be your elder brother? And when did you get here?"

"...Is it possible that you have more than two sons?"

Lin's father never expected that Lin Feng would do this, and his old face turned ashen as he said, "You're slandering my innocence!"

The fact that Lin Chun, Lin Su, and Lin Feng are such good-looking children is not only due to the mother's contribution, but also largely thanks to the father. Although his temples are gray and there are fine lines around his eyes and eyebrows, he can still be described as still charming, perfectly fitting the image of a refined and cultured middle-aged widower who is married, has children, and is feeling frustrated with his career.

Lin Feng didn't want to really upset someone to the point of causing them any harm.

She raised her hand to remove the disguise, revealing a beautiful face.

Lin's father asked warily, "You are—"

Lin Feng said, "Father doesn't recognize Jiaojiao anymore."

Lin's father murmured the name he knew well but hadn't uttered in years, then suddenly his eyes widened. He lunged forward and grabbed Lin Feng's shoulders, his fingers almost digging into his flesh. Incredulously, he whispered, "You, you are—no, no, how could you be here? And why are you dressed as your brother?"

The unexpected amount of information almost caused Lin's father to have a mental breakdown.

He considered dozens of possible scenarios for his eldest son's misfortune, but he never imagined that the person in front of him would be Lin Feng, who was far away in the north.

Lin's father did not doubt Lin Feng's identity.

Few people in this world still know about Lin Feng's relationship with him.

How did they know the nickname of the young lady from the inner chambers?

He believed that Lin Feng was Lin Feng, but now was not a good time for father and daughter to reunite and catch up; he wanted to know what had happened.

Just as Lin's father was about to ask a question, he realized he had lost his composure.

"Did I hurt you?"

Lin Feng smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes on his shoulder: "No."

While Wenxin Wenshi's physical abilities were not as good as Wudan Wuzhe's, they were still far superior to ordinary people. The force Lin's father exerted in his outburst was not even enough to make her frown. She sat back down and put the thirst-quenching tea into her mouth—she herself held a high position of power and had a teacher who was always worried that she would be mistreated, so her tongue had long been spoiled and discerning.

You can tell from the first sip that this is not a good tea, and it's old tea.

Despite her discerning palate, Lin Feng had also developed a habit of not wasting food over the years. As long as the food in her mouth wouldn't kill her, she would swallow it without batting an eye. Under her father's anxious gaze, she slowly sipped her drink and said, "Brother is alright."

Lin's father suppressed his agitated emotions.

Unexpectedly, his daughter, whom he hadn't seen for many years, caused him even more trouble than Lin Su: "Now I'm asking you!"

Lin Feng smiled and said, "Father, are you aware that this city is under siege?"

Lin's father said, "Of course I know."

She pointed in the direction outside the city: "That's where I came from."

Lin's father: "..."

Are the thieves who besieged the daughter connected to her?

No, isn't my daughter a subject of the Northern Kang Kingdom?

Lin's father asked in a deep voice, "Foolish! Why are you giving up such a promising future to get entangled with a bunch of thieves? Without your care, how will your great-grandfather and the others spend their old age in peace? Or is it that these thieves are secretly being raised by the Kang Kingdom? Yes, that's probably it!"

He muttered a few words to himself.

Lin Feng: "..."

He himself turned out to be the biggest flaw in the master's disguise.

"You still haven't explained why you're impersonating your older brother?"

Lin Feng chuckled as he sipped his tea, “Father, you were quite clever just now, how come you’re so confused now? My elder brother was sent away to negotiate and ended up in my hands, and I’m here using his identity. Why do you think I’m impersonating my elder brother?”

Naturally, he was going to do bad things.

Is there really a need to ask such an obvious question?

Lin's father quietly touched his chest: "..."

His eldest son was kept tightly shut, bottling up all his thoughts; his second son was impulsive and also harbored many worries, both causing him considerable distress. His daughter, whom he had lost and then found again, had grown a mouth, but her attitude towards him was no longer as respectful as when she was a child, and she would even anger him.

"You—" Lin's father wanted to remind Lin Feng and his daughter of their status, but he changed his words at the last minute—Lin Feng beside him was confident and composed, his eyes exuding a superior's authority that Lin Chun and the others lacked. This authority wasn't completely concealed when facing his father, causing Lin's father to subconsciously slow his breathing. He changed the subject, his tone slightly lecturing, "Why do you say everything?"

Aren't you afraid of leaking secrets and ruining everything?

Lin Feng put down his teacup: "I brought people with me."

As soon as he finished speaking, Tu Rong's burly figure appeared at the doorway, blocking most of the light and making the room suddenly dark.

Mr. Lin was startled: "Who are you?"

Tu Rong clasped his hands in a fist salute, smiling to reveal a set of clean, even teeth.

"Junior Tu Rong is my junior sister's fellow disciple."

Lin Feng said in a low, chilling tone, "He can show respect to juniors, and he can also clear away trouble."

No one will be able to get the message out.

Lin's father clenched his fist: "Why must you do this?"

Lin Feng sipped his tea: "We each serve our own masters, Father, please forgive me."

Tu Rong strode in, his large size making the already cramped hall seem even more confined. Even Lin's father was intimidated by the faint scent of blood on him, but Tu Rong seemed oblivious, turning over a new teacup: "Just looking at you gulping it down, how good could it possibly be?"

Lin Feng poured him a full glass.

Just as Lin's father was about to raise his hand to stop him, Tu Rong gulped down the tea and chewed a couple of tea leaves: "It's a little sweet, it's really good."

Lin Feng knew this would be the answer.

Tu Rong lacked any discernment in tea appreciation, yet he enjoyed tainting his teacher's reputation with fine teas, some of which were even imperial tributes. Regardless of the variety, his evaluations were always the same few phrases. Lin's father, however, believed Tu Rong was simply being considerate and not telling the whole truth…

"The water used to brew the tea is the morning dew from the leaves."

Lin's father sounded slightly smug.

Tu Rong's eyebrows almost knotted together: "Isn't that all ash?"

As the morning dew rolls down, it first carries away the dust on the leaves.

Lin's father: "..."

Lin Feng wanted to facepalm: "According to you, all these years when Teacher bought morning dew from Shen Shaoqing, hasn't he just been drinking dust?"

On the surface, Shen Zhi is the Vice Minister of Agriculture, but in private, he is also one of the top flower merchants in Kangguo, owning the largest flower garden in the capital, Fengluo. His main business, besides various flower dews and rouges, also includes morning dew, which he sells only to acquaintances because the quantity is small and requires a lot of effort.

Lin Feng brought up the teacher, and Tu Rong immediately backed down.

Lin's father remained silent.

Despite the seemingly cheerful banter between the brother and sister, he hadn't forgotten Lin Feng's earlier implication—if the Lin family didn't know better, Lin Feng wouldn't mind having her senior brother help clean house. As long as everyone is dead, no one will know who did it.

Sigh, these are the words of his own daughter.

A bitter taste rose on his tongue, but he knew he couldn't fight city hall.

Yes, more than ten years have passed since we parted. The little girl who was once so innocent has now grown into a "strong and muscular man." Even the identity of "father" cannot restrain her in the slightest, nor can it make her fearful for even a moment.

Suddenly, an indescribable weariness welled up in my heart.

"Father, do you still have any ingredients at home?"

Lin Feng's voice drew his attention back.

Mr. Lin said, "We just went shopping yesterday."

Lin Feng sent someone to prepare in the east kitchen.

Tu Rong smiled and said, "Junior Sister is the most considerate."

You need to be well-fed to have the energy to work.

It was still early before dark, and Lin Feng and his companion had nothing to do, so they decided to have a meal first, while Lin's father ate without tasting anything.

After eating and drinking their fill, the senior brothers would jump onto the roof beams and lie down to sleep, while the junior sisters would sit under the eaves, roll up their sleeves, and sharpen their knives.

The rhythmic swishing sound is quite hypnotic.

Lin's father was confused by his daughter's fuss: "Why are you fussing over it?"

Lin Feng used his fingertips to feel whether the sword blade was sharp enough.

"It's a bit dull from killing people in the last battle, and I've been too busy to sharpen it." This sword was a gift from her teacher, and Lin Feng cherishes it dearly. Over the years, she has used it sparingly, carefully maintaining and sharpening it after each use to ensure it is in optimal condition.

Lin's father said awkwardly, "There's no rush."

Lin Feng responded, "I need it tonight."

She skillfully sharpened the sword's edge, then pulled out a strand of hair to test it.

Seeing that it could cut a hair in half with a single blow, he was finally satisfied and sheathed his sword.

The sun on the horizon was tilted at a huge angle.

Lin's father sat beside him and watched the whole process.

Occasionally, he would look up at the direction of the roof beams.

Suddenly a madman sharpens his sword at night, the imperial star sways and Mars hangs high... When his daughter was sharpening her sword, her murderous intent was so strong that even the birds he kept in the courtyard trembled and lost their feathers. How could this young man named Tu Rong still be able to sleep? His sleep quality is quite good.

Yeah, that's pretty bold.

It gets dark quite late at this time of year, and Tu Rong was so tired he felt like his bones were about to give way. He put his hands behind his head, spread his shoulders, and stretched.

Tu Rong: "Junior sister, that's about enough."

Lin Feng fastened his sword and said, "Hmm."

Lin's father stood up, instinctively wanting to follow: "Your son—"

Lin Feng didn't even turn his head: "Just wish me good luck in my writing."

Before leaving, she set up a spell in the courtyard.

"Before dawn, I order everyone not to leave. If even one person goes out, I cannot guarantee their life!"

In the blink of an eye, Lin Feng gracefully leaped over the courtyard wall and disappeared.

Tonight, blood will surely spill in the streets and alleys!

Lin's father finally put his hand down after a long while.

A barely perceptible sigh echoed in the air.

For Lin Feng, tricking his way into opening the city gates wasn't a difficult task. Lin Chun's identity also provided an advantage—her cowardice was so deeply ingrained that no one would suspect she was a "traitor." She only needed to remove the city defenses at the agreed time, and the gates would open.

With Tu Rong's help, he thrived even more.

Once everything was ready, Lin Feng pulled the sword out of the corpse's neck, shook off the blood, and waved his hand, saying, "Senior brother, go and greet the master and the others. I still have some personal grudges to settle here!"

Tu Rong disposed of the body in a dark place to delay its discovery.

"Can you handle this by yourself?"

He naturally knew who Lin Feng's personal grudge was—that fool who sexually harassed officials during the day. If he didn't know Lin Feng's penchant for taking revenge personally, he would have snapped the man's neck from the shadows.

Lin Feng made a gesture indicating that there was no problem.

"A little wind and a little wave, how could I possibly capsize in a ditch?"

Less than fifteen minutes—

Lin Feng almost covered his eyes: "I was careless."

It wasn't that she'd encountered a formidable opponent, but rather that her timing was terrible. Lin Feng squatted expressionlessly on the roof, the creaking noises below indicating that going down now would only disturb their good time.

That man was lusting after Lin Chun's beauty; he was clearly not very honest.

As it turns out, he was indeed not straight.

He was sweating profusely, with a boy dressed as a pageboy in his arms.

Lin Feng had no intention of wiping out the entire family; he only planned to kill the culprit to vent his anger. He intended to wait until the two servants finished and called for water before finding an opportunity to eliminate them. Unexpectedly, he overheard the page asking, "...Master, how do you think I compare to that Mr. Lin?"

"How can you compare to his color?"

The pageboy sobbed sadly, "If my master dislikes me so much, why did he give him my clothes? Isn't it because he wants to..."

The parents he was talking about became increasingly interested.

"Wasn't this your suggestion?"

"Parents~"

"..." Lin Feng almost vomited.

Okay, okay, the two male dogs are now a couple!

However, Lin Feng did not choose to take action immediately.

She whiled away the time with a cold laugh, and taking advantage of the two men's disordered rhythm as they tried to find their paradise, she suddenly struck and pierced their throats with her sword. The two men bent over like two boiled shrimp, impaled on the table.

The one above didn't die immediately; he was still able to raise his head with difficulty, looking incredulously at the ominous star that had suddenly descended from the sky.

For a moment, he was unsure whether to be shocked and angry that he had been attacked from behind, or shocked that the murderer was the cowardly "Lin Chun," or furious that "Lin Chun" would choose this moment to kill.

"you--"

Large gulps of blood spilled from his throat.

Lin Feng gave him a thumbs up: "What a brilliant way to die!"

The man, for some unknown reason, began to struggle violently.

How could he allow himself to die in this manner?

A lifetime of illustrious reputation ruined in an instant!

Lin Feng had the Corpse Vine tightly bind them together.

"Don't struggle. If you offend me, I'll make you suffer even in death!" Lin Feng smiled coldly. She wanted this person to never forget this humiliating memory, even after crossing the Bridge of Helplessness and drinking Meng Po's soup. She wanted him to regret offending her, Lin Lingde, for several lifetimes. "I promise I won't damage your body. I'll bury you in the same position you died."

Lin Chun may be a coward, but Lin Feng is no pushover.

Upon hearing this, the man couldn't catch his breath and died.

His head drooped limply, his eyes wide open.

The commotion inside the house alerted the guards outside.

When the door was pushed open, neither the head of the household nor the page were seen inside. If they were willing to go up to the city gate tower, they would probably see familiar figures. Lin Feng not only wanted them dead, but also wanted them to be wiped out! The Corpse Vine wrapped the two of them tightly, so Tu Rong couldn't tell, only complaining that her movements were a bit slow.

"Junior sister, if you don't come back soon, I'm going to come looking for you."

"It took some effort to wait for the right moment to strike."

Tu Rong, ever quick to offer his help, said, "Do you want me to hang it up for you? You look like a rather heavy fat guy, don't tire your hands out."

Bathed in the orange glow of the firelight, her eyes and brows seemed to smile more.

"Hang it up."

(*｀)

The weather these past few days has been so abnormal. Yesterday I was wearing short sleeves, today I'm wearing a down jacket, and I heard there's even snow on the mountain in the town...

(End of this chapter)