Chapter 230 A complete break between the two sides infuriates the lady.
What are you going to the inn for?
Li Quan and Zhang Hu asked.
Su Qiuwu sneered, "Have you lost your minds dealing with these beasts for so long? Maybe Wen Caishang is still hiding in the inn. Even if that's the case, there must be some clues in the inn about how she managed to escape without a trace. It's better to follow the clues than for you two to smash things in the street to vent your anger and make a fool of yourselves."
Li Quan shouted, "Su Qiuwu, what kind of attitude is this?"
Su Qiuwu thought to himself, "These defeated soldiers are no good for anything. Why should I be polite to you two?" He flicked his sleeve and said arrogantly, "If you don't want Wen Caishang to come back for revenge and want to save your own lives, then hurry up and lead the way!"
Li Quan and Zhang Hu were greatly disdainful and naturally indignant, but then they thought that Wen Caishang had escaped and was now returning to seek revenge. She would undoubtedly be ruthless and meet a tragic end. After stubbornly arguing for a few moments, they obediently led the way back to the inn.
The inn's doors were tightly shut, and all the guests had left. Li Quan kicked one of the doors, and with a loud crack, the door shattered into pieces.
The shopkeeper and waiter were startled. Seeing the two menacing figures, Li Quan and Zhang Hu, return, they were filled with trepidation. The shopkeeper, forcing a smile, cautiously greeted them: "Gentlemen, who are you…?"
Zhang Hu cursed, "You dare to cover it up!" and slapped him across the face. The shopkeeper cried out, covering his cheek, and wailed, "Sir, I...who did I cover up?"
Li Quan said, "Without your protection, how could that brat have escaped yesterday?" He kicked him. The shopkeeper, who was fat, was kicked several feet away and crashed onto several tables. His eyes rolled back, and he was barely breathing. He was unlikely to survive.
Su Qiuwu ignored them, observing the inn's furnishings. He walked through the kitchen, guest rooms, stables... nothing particularly special about them.
He called over the waiter and inquired in detail about what had happened yesterday.
The waiter glanced at the shopkeeper, fearing a repeat of the previous incident, and said tremblingly, "Sir, I do remember those two people you mentioned. Strangely enough, they were in the kitchen for a while, and then suddenly disappeared."
"But...but how did it disappear? I really...I really didn't see it. Please, sir, have mercy...have mercy."
He knelt down and kowtowed. Li Quan said, "You don't know? I think you just don't want to tell me!" He grabbed Xiao Er's hair and pulled hard, and with a "rip," the hair and skin were all peeled off.
Su Qiuwu carefully explored the area and arrived at the back door. He frowned slightly, noticing that the kitchen was well-stocked and that a back door led directly to the street.
“He and his entourage will inevitably have to pass through the door to escape. I’ll go outside and take a look; perhaps I’ll find some clues.”
Outside the back door.
Vegetable leaves were scattered on the ground, and there were tracks left by horse-drawn carriage wheels. He immediately understood and asked, "Did a vegetable vendor deliver vegetables last night?"
The waiter hurriedly replied, "Yes, we do. Old Zhang from the north of the city delivered vegetables last night. Sir, is there a problem with that?"
Su Qiuwu sneered, "This is a big problem." He already knew where Li Xian was. At the same time, he thought, "Wen Caishang's internal energy is completely depleted, and it will be difficult for her to recover in a short time. This young brat, I suppose his abilities are limited. If I, Su Qiuwu, personally take action, it will be a piece of cake."
...
...
But let's talk about last night.
Old Zhang, the vegetable vendor, drove the carriage at a leisurely pace, humming a folk song. He muttered, "Oh my, what a rare sight today. Such a beautiful woman, bound like this, how uncomfortable she must be."
"You tell me, why didn't I learn some martial arts when I was young? I could have become a notorious womanizer, hehe, it wouldn't have been a waste to die under the peony flower, even as a ghost I would have been romantic."
"However, I'm an old man who has the desire but not the courage. If my wife hears me say this, she'll wring my neck off."
"Sigh, I'm getting old. Even if that great beauty were on my bed, I wouldn't be able to do anything with her."
The city lights were dim, and the streets were bustling. The carriage traveled through the busy city streets, making three turns before heading north, where the number of pedestrians gradually decreased.
In the carriage.
Li Xian and Wen Caishang lay quietly. Li Xian looked out of the carriage and saw the crisscrossing streets and alleys. He guessed that although Li Quan and Zhang Hu were powerful, it would not be easy for them to find him.
I feel a little relieved.
"Those two idiots, though they are quite strong, are physically disabled and lack ambition, and are lustful and vain, so they are not much of a threat. If all the pursuers are like this, I will thank my God."
Li Xian thought to himself, "This is a bad omen."
Then I heard Old Zhang talking to himself, saying that when he was young he wanted to be a womanizer, but he had the desire but not the courage. Now he is old and frail and his wife always complains about him. I find it all quite funny.
My mood improved immediately.
About half an hour later, Old Zhang let out a "whoosh," pulled on the reins, and stopped the carriage. He dusted himself off, jumped off the front of the carriage, and shouted, "Wife, I'm back!" He then tied up the horse and went into the house.
Old Zhang's wife came out to greet him, saying, "You old man, why are you so late today?"
"Sigh, don't even mention it," Old Zhang said. "That innkeeper's assistant, so young, has weak hands and legs, and is very clumsy at work."
Old Zhang was well-off; he owned a house and a yard, and had sons and daughters. He had many nicknames, including "Vegetable King" and "Vegetable Guest." Among ordinary people, he was considered moderately wealthy.
They would buy fruits and vegetables from farmers cheaply and then transport them by horse-drawn carriage to inns, mansions, and other wealthy households.
They can make a profit from it, and they won't lack vegetables or meat.
Old Zhang went inside, and the carriage was parked in the courtyard. Li Xian breathed a sigh of relief, fearing that revealing their whereabouts would implicate innocent people. Therefore, she remained silent throughout.
Li Xian said, "Madam, you can speak now."
Wen Caishang said angrily, "Untie me now!" Li Xian skillfully untied the rope, untying the seven knots, and rolled the silk cord into a ball, putting it into his chest pouch. Wen Caishang, however, could not move, as the "Marrow-Stabilizing Finger" technique remained in her body. Her situation was extremely precarious.
Wen Caishang's beautiful eyes flickered uncertainly. She scrutinized Li Xian's face, her thoughts racing: "Li Xian saved me, which shows his sincerity. But how long can a young man's impulsiveness last? He saved me this time either out of admiration or out of pity for my beauty."
"My internal energy is now completely depleted, and my body is severely injured, making recovery difficult. Facing pursuit, my chances of survival are extremely slim. If he realizes this, will he still be determined to save me? How can a momentary burst of passion last?"
Her mind was in turmoil. She was extremely adept at calculating gains, but of all the benefits, life was of utmost importance. She had exhausted her skills, was beset by misfortune, and had no bargaining chips left. She weighed the pros and cons from all angles and concluded that Li Xian offered her no advantage.
She was naturally confident in her stunning beauty, and Li Xian might have admired her. However, she projected her own feelings onto him; while she did have feelings for Li Xian, they were mostly possessive, lustful, and admiring. In a way, while different from, yet similar to, the stories of "the strange horse and white clouds," "the white snake in the sleeve," and "the treasure hidden in the manor." She was extremely unwilling to give her life for Li Xian. One can imagine that human emotions are often like this.
Amidst her chaotic thoughts, Wen Caishang thought, "I need to test him. Given my current situation, how much can he actually do for me!" She cursed, "How dare you disrespect me?"
Li Xian was taken aback: "I have great respect for you, Madam."
Wen Caishang said, "Is that so? Then what did you mean when you pretended to be a disciple of Jianyu Tower and said you wanted to enjoy me and humiliate me?"
Li Xianqi said, "It's just a temporary measure to fool the enemy. How could you possibly take it seriously, Madam?"
Wen Caishang said, "I took it seriously. According to the rules of the manor, such disrespect is unacceptable. What are you going to do about it?"
“According to the rules of the manor, I should be severely punished for disrespecting the lady,” Li Xian said truthfully. Wen Caishang said, “Fine, fine, you take advantage of my immobility and speak of severe punishment so lightly.”
Li Xian thought to himself, "Madam is so different from usual, but..." He felt that Wen Caishang had shed her image as a martial arts expert and was more like a sensitive, mischievous, and confused ordinary woman.
Li Xian thought to himself, "Madam has saved my life several times. Although she has her own motives and uses me as a pawn, I have always benefited from it. Moreover, my martial arts skills and solid foundation are all thanks to Madam. Now that she is sensitive, I will follow her more." He said softly, "If Madam wants to punish me, just say so, and I will go and accept the punishment myself."
Wen Caishang raised an eyebrow and said coldly, "I can't move, so I can't punish you. Go ahead and stab yourself!"
Li Xian frowned and said, "Madam, we are being pursued. In this world, only the two of us can help each other. If I am injured now, I fear we will not be able to escape. Could we punish ourselves with a sword strike later?"
Wen Caishang, her temper flaring, retorted angrily, "Hmph! If you're not going to stab me, then just leave. I don't need your help."
Li Xian said in a deep voice, "Madam, this is not the time to act rashly." Wen Caishang said coldly, "You've grown wings and now you say I'm acting rashly. If it weren't for my kindness, how could you have acquired this martial skill? The thing I acted rashly the most was spending time and effort cultivating you. Now that you've grown wings, you're trying to bully me."
Li Xian quickly said, "Alright, Madam, I misspoke. Please forgive me."
Wen Caishang turned her head away, gave a slight snort, and ignored him. Li Xian hesitated for a moment, then said, "Alright, Madam told me to stab, so I will." He slashed the palm of his Shenjiang Sword, leaving a deep wound.
Wen Caishang's brows furrowed slightly, feeling quite gratified. She suddenly realized that Li Xian was still hers, and she smiled and said, "Okay, little fairy... I know your feelings, you are very obedient."
Just then, Old Zhang came out to feed the horses and beasts. He hummed a song softly. Being old, he was still some distance from the carriage and didn't notice the two of them. Wen Caishang whispered, "That old scoundrel has dirty eyes, seeing my embarrassing state. His mind is also dirty; I wonder what he's thinking about me. You should kill him too. To avoid revealing your whereabouts, kill the old and young in his family as well, and bury them on the spot!"
“This…” Li Xian said.
“Little Fairy, obey my command. When you are freed from this predicament, I will reward you handsomely,” Wen Caishang said softly.
Li Xian shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, Madam, I can't kill him."
Wen Caishang's anger was evident as she said, "How dare you disobey my orders!?" Li Xian took a deep breath and said, "A man has things he should do and things he shouldn't do. I'm afraid I can't comply."
"Insolence!" Wen Caishang coldly retorted, "What a fine man you are, knowing what to do and what not to do. If I said you wouldn't do it, would that be betraying me?"
Li Xian remained silent.
Wen Caishang's chest heaved with anger: "How dare you betray me? I knew you were an ingrate. You saw me suffer a setback and started to have ulterior motives. If you disobey my orders today, you will abandon me tomorrow."
"Let me ask you, if I were unharmed and I asked you to kill someone, would you dare disobey?"
"Hmph." Li Xianshi was also annoyed, and a thought flashed through his mind: "You woman, you're so hard to please! You have old grudges and the situation is critical. I risked my life to save you. I don't even know if I can escape alive. You're being unreasonable today, so I might as well have some fun." He said calmly, "Wen Caishang, that's enough."
"You...you dare to call me by my name?!" Wen Caishang was stunned, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief.
Li Xian solemnly replied, "It is true that you have been kind to me, and I, Li Xian, will repay that kindness. But to expect me to be a puppet, obeying your every word, unable to distinguish right from wrong, and indiscriminately killing the innocent, is wishful thinking!"
"You...you...how dare you speak to me like that?" Wen Caishang's eyes widened in surprise, and her imposing manner weakened. After a moment, resentment and panic welled up in her heart.
"You... how dare you betray me? If I die, so be it. But if I survive, I'll make sure you suffer a terrible fate!" Wen Caishang threatened coldly.
“Speaking of which, I can’t stay at Yihe Manor any longer. So be it. A man should repay kindness, but to cower and grovel like a dog because of this is truly meaningless. I’ve received countless favors; at worst, I can repay them with my life. That way, I won’t owe any debts of gratitude, nor will it diminish my character,” Li Xian thought to himself.
He said, “Wen Caishang, although you don’t treat me like a human being, I still treat myself like one. I have no intention of betraying you, and I will repay your kindness.”
"No matter how destitute I, Wen Caishang, am, it's not up to you, a wicked servant, to give me charity." Wen Caishang said coldly, "While I'm still unable to move, you'd better leave quickly, or I'll take your life right away. You ungrateful wretch."
(End of this chapter)
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