Chapter 299 Today I Draw My Sword for You (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Wushan Border Market.

The rainy night was noisy.

The torrential rain pounded in the dense forest, knocking down withered leaves one by one, which then fell onto the rocks and trees with the mountain wind.

The sound of pattering echoed incessantly.

The emerging trade market is much clearer in shape than before.

It looks just like a town.

The city walls, each two zhang high, rise abruptly from the ground on all four sides, with dozens of watchtowers standing on the narrow walls.

The firelight inside the fortress was bright, vaguely illuminating several guards in armor.

Some were from the Xiao family, and some were from mountain tribes.

Inside the city walls.

Most of the roads were still dirt mixed with gravel, except for a north-south road paved with mountain stones.

It was about five zhang wide and very smooth. Under the rain, the firelight could be faintly seen reflected in the water.

There are two hundred shops of all sizes on both sides, arranged in a neat and orderly manner.

Behind the shops were rows of well-built but spacious warehouses, some of which had red paper pasted on their doors.

A few lines of text were written on the red paper.

Such as "Youzhou Hongyan Trading Company" and "Wumeng Mountain Laoli Clan".

This clearly indicates that these warehouses have been identified by some merchants or mountain tribes.

In addition to the shops and warehouses, there are several open spaces with hundreds of pits of varying depths filled with rainwater.

Many other workers were bending over to clear the rubble from the pit, rain pouring down on their oily backs.

Sparkling specks.

Xiao Jinghong stood on a small hill outside the market, her face bare, gazing at the bustling scene inside, a hint of satisfaction in her eyes.

Several months have passed in the blink of an eye since the old man's birthday celebration. With the Wushan Trade Market about to be completed, she couldn't help but feel relieved.

Despite the difficulties along the way, she and the mountain tribes have managed to get to where they are today relatively smoothly.

It would be a lie to say I'm unhappy.

Once the trade market is established, Xiao Jinghong will be able to leave.

After years of honing their skills, the new army of the three towns has reached the point where it must test its results.

If there are no major discrepancies, this Dingyuan Army can be considered to have recovered to the level it was at five years ago before the invasion of the barbarian Left King.

Her years of hard work have not been in vain.

Of course, what made Xiao Jinghong even happier was that after finishing all this, she could rest in the city for a while.

She had to go back and see her grandfather, her elder sister, her uncles and other elders, and... her husband.

Besides, with the end of the year approaching, she couldn't afford to travel around like she did during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Thinking about these things, Xiao Jinghong slipped back into the wooden house.

Su Zhenyue stood up and bowed, saying with a smile, "Miss, you check the market every day, rain or shine!"

"Yes, I won't feel at ease if I don't check."

"With you here, what is there to worry about?"

In Su Zhenyue's opinion, as long as Xiao Jinghong was in the market, not only would those who didn't know their place cause trouble, but even some unruly people from the mountain tribes would behave themselves.

Otherwise, the Wushan Border Trade Market would not have been completed so quickly.

Xiao Jinghong nodded noncommittally, and after sitting down, her eyes naturally fell on the painting hanging opposite her.

In the warm, soft glow of the fluorescent light, Xiao Fengchun, Fu Wanqing, Xiao Wan'er, Xiao Wuge, and Chen Yi were all smiling at her.

On the contrary, her own portrait phantom stood in the corner with her arms crossed, looking like she was someone to be avoided.

Ever since the painting was sent from home, Xiao Jinghong has been glancing at it from time to time.

At first, she mostly looked at Xiao Fengchun and Fu Wanqing, recalling her few memories of living in the Marquis's mansion when she was a child.

However, seeing these objects reminds me of the person I once knew.

Even a general like her couldn't help but feel a little melancholy.

After that, Xiao Jinghong focused his attention on Xiao Wan'er and Xiao Wuge, and only then on Chen Yi.

Although Chen Yi in the painting seemed to be more handsome than she remembered.

But she could still see a few familiar features.

Just like when Xiao Jinghong first met Chen Yi—the sun was shining brightly, and he was showing off the earthworms he had just dug up, his smile as gentle as jade.

As she looked at it, a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips.

Su Zhenyue noticed her expression and a mischievous look appeared on her face: "Miss, are you looking at the young master again?"

Xiao Jinghong immediately stopped smiling and turned to look at her, asking, "Has the Commander sent any news?"

Su Zhenyue met her gaze, coughed to suppress her smile, and handed her a folded book:

"The Commandery replied that they had made contact with Mengshui Pass and found no trace of barbarian invasion."

"General Zhang also sent messages by carrier pigeon, and the same was true on the Tea Horse Road. Within a thousand miles, there was no sign of the Peacock King's flag."

Xiao Jinghong glanced at the memorial in his hand and nodded slightly: "Commander Li will continue to pay attention to Zhu Hao..."

She paused, then took out the letter from the back of the folded book, opened it, glanced at it, and frowned, saying:

"After His Majesty issued the decree to punish Grandfather, have the summer grain taxes from the three towns already reached Guangyuan?"

Su Zhenyue quickly opened the booklet she carried with her, found a page, and said, "It should have been delivered to Guangyuan County three days ago."

"Miss, did Commander Zhu send a letter mentioning a problem with the tax grain?"

Xiao Jinghong shook his head. "He's probably gone mad, actually suspecting that the tax officials of the Provincial Administration Commission have made a mistake in their calculations."

"Yes...why would he have such doubts?"

"Hmph, insatiable greed!"

A cold glint flashed in Xiao Jinghong's eyes. "He has plotted against the Dingyuan Army time and time again. We'll settle this score with him sooner or later!"

No wonder she was so angry.

In the past two years, most of the things that the Commander-in-Chief's Office interfered with were done by Zhu Hao.

If it weren't for Commander Li Fu's mediation, Xiao Jinghong would have already fallen out with Zhu Hao.

Just as she was about to ask Su Zhenyue about some recent news in Shu Prefecture, she heard the cry of an eagle coming from outside.

Xiao Jinghong paused, got up and went outside, looking up at the dim night sky.

Through the torrential rain, she spotted a bald eagle soaring in the sky with a small tuft of white feathers on its head.

"Grandpa has an urgent message..."

Xiao Jinghong frowned, put two fingers in his mouth, and whistled loudly.

Upon hearing the sound, the bald eagle, without circling, flapped its wings and swooped straight down on her.

When it reached the height of the wooden house, the bald eagle flapped its wings to slow down and landed steadily on Xiao Jinghong's shoulder, nuzzling her cheek with its head in a fawning manner.

Xiao Jinghong gently patted its head, then took the small bamboo tube from its paw and took out a slip of paper from it.

[Du Cang, the 'Jackal' general under King Lando, has captured the young lady; 'Dragon Spear' Liu Wu has rushed to her rescue!]

[There is another important matter I need to discuss!]

[The Marquis hopes the General will return quickly—Secret Guard Xiao Jing!]

Upon reaching the end, Xiao Jinghong's expression changed slightly. Without hesitation, he turned and went back into the house, taking down his longsword and hanging it at his waist.

As she quickly tidied up, she gave the instructions:

"Something big has happened in the prefectural city. You stay here and keep a close eye on the laborers. If any trouble arises, consult with the mountain tribes immediately!"

Seeing her expression, Su Zhenyue didn't bother to ask any more questions. She handed her the half-mask on the table and bowed, saying, "Your subordinate obeys!"

Xiao Jinghong put on the mask, hurriedly walked out of the wooden house, and soared into the sky.

She reached out and patted her waist, and the longsword in its sheath fell to her feet at her feet as she wished.

The next moment, a silver-white sword light shone in the darkness, and in the blink of an eye, it swept across dozens of miles.

A trail of fluorescent light, like the Milky Way, stretched across the cloudy night sky, extending northward.

Just a few breaths later.

Just as Xiao Jinghong unleashed his true essence and hurried on his way, he saw a figure transforming into a rainbow coming towards him.

—The person had a dignified appearance and a cold expression. He was dressed in white, as white as snow, and like her, he stood on a long sword.

The difference lies in the fact that Xiao Jinghong's lightning speed, which only comes with a full burst of power, is used with ease by the white-robed swordsman.

Upon recognizing the newcomer, Xiao Jinghong instinctively became wary.

But the person seemed not to see her at all, passing by her with an unchanged expression.

He left behind only one sentence.

"Li Wudang's disciple?"

"On the fifteenth of October, I will fight Gongye Bai on the upper reaches of the Chishui River. You are qualified to come and watch the battle."

Before Xiao Jinghong could respond, the white-robed swordsman's voice continued: "Could you please pass on a message to your master for me?"

"After my duel with Gongye Bai, I hope I can also test my sword against him."

Then, the voice of the next sentence came closer: "The time...the place...will be decided by him..."

Upon hearing the sound, Xiao Jinghong froze, stepping onto his longsword and turning around to look.

All she could see was the white-clad swordsman standing with his hands behind his back, speeding away into the distance, as if it were only natural that she would obediently follow his orders once he said those words.

He examined it carefully for a moment.

A flicker of realization crossed Xiao Jinghong's eyes. "It was him."

"He has actually reached the realm of a terrestrial immortal..."

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Jinghong silently noted down the date of the fifteenth of October, then turned and headed towards the city of Shu Prefecture once again.

While anxious about Xiao Wan'er's safety, she also recalled some old stories about the martial arts world that she had heard when she was with her master, Li Wudang.

This naturally includes several top swordsmen in the martial arts world today.

Such as Chen Zhitang, the "Willow-Breaking Sword", Jiang Mianliu, the "Sword Master of Absolute Clouds", and the white-clad swordsman just now—"Snow Sword Lord" Ye Guxian!

"Standing alone atop the snow-capped peak for nineteen springs, plum blossoms fall on my shoulder, untouched by dust."

"Today I draw my sword for you, only to realize that I too am a fool."

"Ye Guxian is a swordsman whose talent is rare even in a thousand years. Moreover, he is passionate about the sword, which allows him to make rapid progress in the way of the sword."

"Perhaps in a few years, he will come to challenge me..."

As Xiao Jinghong recalled these events, a hint of worry appeared on his face.

She was well aware of Li Wudang's situation. He had been in seclusion for several years, having sealed his sword, and was probably far inferior to Ye Guxian, who had just reached the realm of a terrestrial immortal.

In a duel between swordsmen of that level of skill and cultivation, a single misstep could result in the sword being damaged and the person dying.

Although she didn't want to tell Li Wudang about this for her own selfish reasons, she knew that once Ye Guxian and the others spoke up, Li Wudang would find out about it even if she didn't say anything.

A duel between the two seems inevitable.

Xiao Jinghong was somewhat troubled, and it wasn't until they were close to the prefectural city that she made a decision.

"October 15th... I'll ask my senior uncle then."

Fortunately, before leaving, Master Bai had told me that I could contact him if I needed anything.

Xiao Jinghong was then able to bring it up, but for the sake of her master, she had to be cautious.

After all, although Ye Guxian had the title of "Snow Sword Lord", he always did things his own way.

Especially matters involving Kendo.

Calling him a "sword fanatic" wouldn't be an exaggeration.

With this in mind, Xiao Jinghong composed himself, sheathed his longsword, and landed directly in the front courtyard of the Xiao family.

Before the surrounding soldiers could speak, she asked loudly, "What is the current situation? Has my elder sister returned safely?"

Wang Lixing, who was nearby, quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Reporting to the General, the young lady returned safely two hours ago!"

He said with a slightly agitated expression, "We subordinates failed in our duty of protection, and we hope the general will punish us!"

Xiao Jinghong's expression softened slightly, and his tone became more gentle: "It's good that you're back... In that case, let Grandfather decide on the reward or punishment for this matter."

After saying that, she ignored Wang Lixing and the others kneeling around her and went straight to the quiet house.

A moment later.

Within ten feet of the quiet house, there was no one else around.

Xiao Jinghong sat in the hall, while Old Master Xiao, dressed in casual clothes, straightened his back and smiled:

"The situation is urgent. I don't know if Liu Wu, the 'Dragon Spear,' can save Wan'er, so I had Xiao Jing urgently summon you back."

"Fortunately, Liu Wu is quite capable. He killed Du Cang and saved Wan'er. Otherwise, I'm afraid I would have no face to see your father and mother."

Xiao Jinghong breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, saying, "Grandpa, I also bear some responsibility for this."

“If his granddaughter stayed in the manor, Du Cang wouldn’t dare to venture deep into the city…”

Before she could finish speaking, the old man waved his hand and said, "It's not your fault. It's my fault that I failed to protect Wan'er while I was in the Xiao family."

A smile then appeared on his face: "However, after this incident, it can be considered a blessing in disguise."

"blessing?"

"I have found a suitable husband for your eldest sister."

Xiao Jinghong's expression shifted slightly, "That 'Dragon Spear' Liu Wu?"

"Grandpa, who exactly is he?"

"After the summer grain was burned in the three towns, this person appeared outside Iron Wall Town, killed Liu Wen, and then gave our Xiao family a big gift. And this time..."

"Could it be that he was arranged by you, Grandpa?"

Old Master Xiao shook his head and said with a smile, "If only he were one of my men."

He paused for a moment, then asked, "Do you still remember Baicaotang?"

Xiao Jinghong thought for a moment, "But what about Baicaotang, the place that serves tea and collaborates with our pharmacy?"

The matter of Baicaotang was too minor, and it only involved money within the Marquis's residence, so she didn't pay much attention to it.

Grandpa Xiao nodded and said, "Liu Wu is the owner of Baicaotang. His surname is Chen and his given name is Yu. He is a master of medicine."

"Chen Yu? A master of medicine?"

Xiao Jinghong asked with slight surprise, "Besides the art of marksmanship, he is also proficient in medicine?"

"more than."

"Xiao Jing reported earlier that he was able to kill Du Cang this time, which not only showed his skill in spear fighting but also in fist fighting."

Grandpa Xiao said with a smile, "His martial arts have also reached a high level of mastery."

Xiao Jinghong slightly widened her beautiful eyes, "Fist...mastery...then if you add the art of spear and medicine, wouldn't he be...wouldn't he be..."

Seeing this, Old Master Xiao said with a touch of pride, "Now you know why I like him so much, right?"

“His talent is more than enough to be a match for Wan’er.”

"Given his medical skills, there's no guarantee he won't be able to cure Wan'er in the future, not to mention..."

Old Master Xiao paused, stood up, and unleashed the true energy that had just recovered most of its strength.

A faint, bloody, and menacing aura enveloped the hall.

Xiao Jinghong was startled. She stood up and looked him up and down, asking with a slightly excited expression, "Grandpa, are you... all better?"

Old Master Xiao calmed his breathing, put his hands behind his back, and nodded with a smile, saying, "Thanks to Chen Yu, my old injuries have mostly healed."

"Although we can't reach our peak, it shouldn't be a problem to persist for another ten or twenty years."

His tone couldn't hide his joy.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe it as a withered tree coming back to life.

Xiao Jinghong stared at him blankly for a moment before calming down. "In that case, Chen Yu is indeed a good match for my elder sister."

"Grandpa, has his wedding date with my eldest sister been set?"

Old Master Xiao chuckled, sat down, and shook his head, saying, "This is just my idea for now."

"The third brother asked Wan'er earlier, and she seems unwilling to get married. You can try to persuade her later."

Xiao Jinghong smiled and agreed, "I will."

In her opinion, Chen Yu, who was skilled in medicine, was indeed a good match for Xiao Wan'er.

Even if Xiao Wan'er cannot fully recover in the future, it is better than dying alone.

"Does Chen Yu know about Grandpa's plans?"

"Him? He should...know, right?"

Although Old Master Xiao was somewhat uncertain, he still spoke firmly:

"My eldest granddaughter is so outstanding, let him try refusing one!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinghong couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time: "Grandpa, in my opinion, we should find out the truth about this matter first, so as not to do something bad with good intentions."

Even though she had served in the military for many years and was unfamiliar with social customs, she knew that marriage was an important matter that needed to be properly prepared.

Just like her and Chen Yi, didn't they also make a fool of themselves as a "runaway groom" back then?

Thinking of Chen Yu's cold and indifferent demeanor, Old Master Xiao ultimately decided against pressing the issue further.

"In a few days, find some time to see him and take the opportunity to ask him what he thinks."

Xiao Jinghong agreed again.

"But that kid needs to be taught a lesson, you don't know him..."

The old man then recounted how Chen Yu had arranged for people to impersonate bandits and barbarians from the Peacock King's Banner.

I laughed in exasperation.

Xiao Jinghong frowned slightly, "Even if he wants to target the Jizhou Merchant Guild, the methods he uses are..."

She paused, then nodded and said, "I understand. When I see him, I will make a careful judgment."

"good……"

We chatted for a while.

Thinking of the "important matter" mentioned in the letter, Xiao Jinghong asked, "I wonder what Grandpa wants to discuss with his granddaughter?"

Upon hearing this, the old man paused, and the smile on his face vanished.

"Liu Hong has ties with the barbarians and the Vajrasattva Kingdom!"

"who?"

"Liu Hong?"

(End of this chapter)