Chapter 99 Murder on a Rainy Night
Ever since Xu Yinxi resolved the issue with Huang Yazi, she had somehow become even more silent. She stopped arguing and often stayed alone. She rarely appeared in front of others and almost became a transparent person in the exile team.
I guess Xu Yinxi herself didn't know how to face Xu Deyuan.
It's really ironic that the father and daughter had such a quarrel and then pretended to be a loving father and a filial son.
Xu Yinxi didn't know how to face Xu Deyuan every time she met him. If she said she didn't hate him, she would be lying. But as a child, how could she hate her own parents?
But if she was asked not to hate, she really couldn't do it.
Seeing Xu Yinxi looking a little dazed, Xu Qingying waved at her and said, "It's okay, we'll wait together."
Xu Yinxi's expression improved slightly when she saw Xu Qingying.
Not long after, people came back one after another.
The people who were waiting for their families were naturally very happy. They pulled the people back and gave them ginger soup and wiped their hair. They also greeted Xu Qingying: "Miss Xu, we will go down first."
"Do you know the way?"
"I know, I know. Go northwest, follow the bushes, and turn left when you see a big tree."
"The roads are slippery in the rain, so be careful. If anything happens, just shout."
"I understand, Miss Xu!"
"Miss Xu, how about I stay and wait with you?"
"No need. Go back quickly, change into dry clothes, take a hot bath if possible, eat something and get some sleep. Don't be reluctant to part with the money, I'll help you earn more money on the road later."
"Ah!" The man happily brought his whole family to pay his respects to her, "Thank you very much, Miss Xu. Miss Xu is really kind-hearted."
Xu Yinxi looked at Xu Qingying in the crowd, and a hard spot in her heart seemed to be slowly melting.
Before they knew it, the entire exile group had come to respect the Sixth Sister.
These people were afraid of her but also liked her, depended on her but also respected her. When the Sixth Sister raised her arm and called out, these more than a hundred people would obey her orders and charge forward for her.
When they were being chased by refugees that day, the sixth sister stood on the carriage and gave a call, blocking the way like a god. Her aura was so awe-inspiring that no one dared to step forward.
At that moment, it seemed as if Xu Qingying was surrounded by a light that made it impossible to look directly at her!
It was at that moment that Xu Yinxi suddenly understood: Yes, that was what she longed to be! Unflinching and invincible, with a single call to arms, millions of people would risk their lives for her!
Xu Yinxi's eyes were slightly red.
At this moment, she finally confirmed that she wanted to be a woman like Xu Qingying!
One day the great roc rises with the wind and soars up to ninety thousand miles!
Xu Yinxi clenched her fists, her eyes growing brighter in the rainy night, but she secretly made up her mind.
Sixth sister, I want to escape from this quagmire, I want to tear off all the shackles on women in this world, and I want to be the number one woman in this world!
Wait for me...
The rain continued to fall, but the number of people in the awning became fewer and fewer. In the end, only Xu Huiming, Xu Qingying, Xu Yinxi and Lian were left.
The last two groups of people also came back, Zhao Bantou and Ming Xiaoshuang, Liu Dazhuang and Daniu.
The four men ran through the forest for a long time and almost got lost. The big bull was even worse off. The left side of his clothes was torn by branches, and he looked like he had fallen into a quagmire, with his face covered in mud.
Seeing everyone looking at him, Daniu cursed: "Stop talking, damn, this mountain road is too slippery. I fell and almost fell off the cliff. If it weren't for Brother Dazhuang's quick eyes and hands to pull me up, I'm afraid I would have died here tonight."
Xu Qingying also hurriedly exchanged information. "There are farmers about a kilometer to the northwest. Those ahead should go ahead. We'll wait here for you. By the way, have you seen my father and uncle?"
"I haven't seen them. Why haven't they come back yet?"
Xu Huiming was also a little anxious. "Now they are the only ones who haven't returned. Did they encounter some danger or get lost?"
"That's terrible! Getting lost in this jungle is terrible. And it's almost dark. When it gets dark, it's hard to tell east from west. You might end up deep in the mountains."
Xu Qingying estimated the time. Even if they walked slowly, an hour would be more than enough to cover two kilometers. But now they hadn't returned yet, so something must have happened.
Xu Qingying no longer hesitated, "Zhao Bantou, did you see which direction my father and the others went?"
Zhao Bantou recalled carefully, "It should be in the southwest direction. There is a big rock where they left. It can be seen at a glance."
"Okay, I'll go find them." Xu Qingying was not polite to her subordinates, "Brother Ming, please come with me."
Xu Huiming immediately said, "I'll go too."
Xu Qingying saw Lian and Xu Yinxi standing there without saying anything, and their faces showed no sign of anxiety. She understood what was going on and immediately gave instructions: "Second Aunt, Fourth Sister, follow Zhao Bantou and the others back, and drive the carriage back as well. We'll be back soon. By the way, if my mother asks about it after we get back, don't tell her yet. It means that our eldest brother hasn't returned yet, and we've gone to help look for him. If we don't come back for a while, don't send anyone to look for us—"
Xu Yinxi refused to do so, but Xu Qingying held her back. "It's raining so hard. If one more person looks for you, it's more dangerous. I'm very capable, nothing will happen. I'll come looking for you when daybreak comes. If you send someone to look for you, they'll probably just lose you and have to look for you again, so don't bother."
Xu Yinxi bit her lower lip, not knowing what to do, but she knew Xu Qingying was right, so she had to agree. "Okay, I'll appease Third Aunt. I know you're capable, but you have to be very careful..."
Lian was also extremely worried. "Good boy, if you can't find it, just come back first and don't go too far. When the weather clears up, we can all go look for it together. Oh, right..."
Lian suddenly remembered something and got into the carriage. She took out something wrapped in coarse cloth. She glanced at Zhao Bantou's face and saw that he didn't look unusual. Then she handed the thing to Xu Qingying: "Girl, this was given to us by a shopkeeper when we went to Xingyuan Mansion last time. I thought it would be of no use on the road, so I put it in the bottom of the box. You can take it."
Xu Qingying opened the cloth wrapped around it and saw a dagger with a clear silver glow inside.
Xu Qingying was slightly surprised. There was such a good thing in her carriage? Why didn't she see it when she was counting it just now?
This Lian family is really good at hiding things.
Xu Qingying glanced at Lian, but saw that her expression was a little unnatural. Then an idea flashed in her mind: it is a serious crime for an exiled prisoner to possess weapons!
Zhao Bantou treated them well, but they were exiled prisoners and were forbidden from possessing weapons. Lian Shi must have known this, yet she feigned ignorance and hid the dagger in the carriage. I'm afraid she had other motives.
Fortunately, Zhao Bantou seemed to have no change in his expression.
But Zhao Bantou was thinking: Along the way, he's done what he should have done, and he's also done what he shouldn't have done. His business is booming, the prisoners' shackles have been removed, and he's even studying with them. Who would believe this if he told anyone else?
Which squad leader gets along well with the prisoners?
He has done all sorts of unruly things, including secretly storing weapons.
Zhao Bantou knew exactly what Lian was thinking, but he could only turn a blind eye.
Zhao Bantou even took off the long knife from his waist and threw it to Xu Huiming, "Boy, I'm lending you the knife for my sister's sake. I'm telling you, don't break it or lose it, or I won't be able to complete my mission and you'll be in big trouble!"
Xu Huiming took the knife with both hands, but found that it was much heavier than he had imagined. He almost fell to the ground when he took the knife.
This was his first time touching a sword. He took it out, looked it over, and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Zhao Bantou. You don't have to worry about losing it. I'll ask my sister to buy you a famous sword from ancient times. She has money."
Xu Huiming deliberately emphasized the three words "my sister".
That's right. Zhao Bantou always calls Xu Qingying "my sister", even in front of him, his legitimate brother. Xu Huiming can't help but feel jealous.
Zhao Bantou didn't mind and patted his shoulder loudly: "Huh, you kid, you are so thin, I don't know if you can lift my knife. With your little arm strength, you still want to protect the girl?"
Xu Huiming patted his chest and said, "I've been training with Qingying recently, and my arm strength has improved. If you don't believe me, let's have a competition next time."
"Okay."
Xu Qingying interrupted their chat, put away the dagger, and urged: "Alright, this is urgent, let's go find someone first."
Liu Dazhuang, who had been silent on the side, suddenly said, "I'll go too."
Zhao Bantou was still hesitating whether to accompany Xu Qingying to find someone, but Liu Dazhuang happened to volunteer, and he felt relieved. "Okay, you are a loyal boy. I feel much more at ease with you going with me."
"Without further delay, we'll set off. Don't worry, if we can't find anyone, we'll find a place to rest under the rain. We'll naturally come back tomorrow morning."
And so, a group of four set off.
Xu Qingying had never walked on a mountain road on a rainy day, not to mention that it was already dark, there was no moonlight, and it was raining, so visibility in the forest was extremely low.
She was wearing a slightly loose straw raincoat, and her vision was completely obscured by the rain. The sound of rushing water was all around her, making it almost impossible to hear or see anything. The group walked slowly forward, the trees blown here and there by the rain, and they had no idea where they were going. Before they knew it, they had walked deep into the jungle.
Xu Qingying's nervousness reached its peak.
She had to hold the dagger in her hand to make herself feel at ease.
As she walked, she thought about the close combat techniques that Old Man Xu had taught her: stabbing with a dagger, then hitting with a knee, then lifting the neck and cutting the vital parts.
I haven't practiced for a long time and my hands are numb.
After finally finding the big rock that Zhao Bantou had mentioned, Xu Qingying felt a little relieved. Xu Huiming wiped the rain from his face and said, "We're going in the right direction. Let's look further ahead. My father and the others haven't come back in such a long time. Something must have happened to them!"
Xu Qingying thought so too.
But it is also possible that he has lost his way.
No matter what, we have to find someone quickly.
The strong wind blew down bean-sized raindrops, splashing on the trees. The whole place was foggy, and the mountains and forests were filled with swirling water vapor.
Xu Qingying hunched over, grabbed the corner of Liu Dazhuang's clothes, and walked very slowly.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, Xu Qingying seemed to hear a slight noise in the gloomy mist. The sound was very shallow, mixed with the sound of rain and wind, and it was not clear.
Liu Dazhuang was walking in front and suddenly stopped.
He pricked up his ears, his expression becoming alert. "Listen... is there any sound?"
Everyone couldn't hear it, so Ming Xiaoshuang said directly: "The rain is too loud, I can't hear anything."
Hope suddenly flashed in Xu Huiming's eyes: "Could it be my father and them?"
"Look further ahead."
The four of them continued walking forward, and sure enough, they saw a slope not far away. Xu Qingying looked at the flattened grass and said, "There are marks on the grass here. Someone must have rolled down here."
Xu Qingying felt even more uneasy.
It’s raining so hard and the slope is so high. If he rolls down, he’ll definitely get injured.
Liu Dazhuang's eyes were sharp. He suddenly stopped, half-crouched, wiped the grass with his hand, and tasted it with his mouth. Then his face became serious. "There's blood. Although it's very light, it must be blood."
Oh no, someone must be injured.
Liu Dazhuang continued, "Don't panic. Wild animals won't come out on rainy days. They probably slipped and fell. They should be nearby. Let's split up and look for them. Don't go too far!"
Xu Qingying immediately said, "Then I'll go with Brother Ming, and Brother Dazhuang and my brother will go together."
It's just right that two weak ones are paired with two strong ones, so the combat power is balanced and they can deal with any situation.
Ming Xiaoshuang was secretly surprised. She had thought that Miss Xu Liu had sharp observation skills, but she didn't expect that Liu Dazhuang was not simple either.
Look at how he led them all the way just now, listening to the sounds to determine the location, and moving through the jungle as if it were his own backyard. I wonder if he has been a scout in the army?
As expected, the person the girl likes is no ordinary person.
But why was Da Zhuang exiled despite his abilities?
Based on the principle of knowing yourself and knowing your enemy, Ming Xiaoshuang decided to go back and look through the documents. Since the girl wanted to poach this person, he had to help Xu Qingying find out more.
The two groups acted separately.
Xu Qingying had learned some jungle tracking skills, but on a rainy night like this, the possibility of finding someone was very slim.
She and Ming Xiaoshuang could only wander around in the forest like headless flies, but they didn't dare to go far.
Fortunately, after walking about a few hundred meters, I heard the sound of fighting!
Xu Qingying and Ming Xiaoshuang looked at each other and saw shock in each other's eyes.
Xu Qingying didn't care, quickened her pace, and quickly found the source of the sound!
Ming Xiaoshuang was about to run, but was grabbed by Xu Qingying. The two squatted in a jungle, pushed aside the leaves and looked out, only to see Xu Degui fighting with someone!
More than ten meters away, and with no light in the jungle, Xu Qingying couldn't see the man's face, but she recognized the other man by his official uniform.
Liu Jieshi!
Why is he here?
Xu Degui was a farmer after all, and he was very strong, but he could not stand up to Liu Jieshi who was also tall and strong. The two men fought with bare hands in the mud.
The knife on Liu Jieshi's waist had been kicked away, and Xu Deyuan fell to one side, not knowing where he was injured. He was half-kneeling on the ground, holding his stomach.
Xu Degui was almost out of strength and was unable to completely suppress an adult man. He could only shout: "Second brother, take the knife and chop him! Quick--"
Xu Deyuan staggered, dragging his knife with him. He walked very slowly, and his whole body seemed to be soaked in water. He had already been frightened by Liu Jieshi's sudden appearance. At this moment, he couldn't even lift the knife, let alone have the courage to approach the two men or cut Liu Jieshi a few times.
If an exiled prisoner attacks a bailiff, that is an even more serious crime!
He can't do this.
If you do it, it will be a capital crime!
"Second brother! What are you standing there for? I can't hold on any longer!" Xu Degui and Liu Jieshi were wrestling with each other. Liu Jieshi was already murderous and had been lying in wait for the opportunity when the two of them were alone. If he let the two of them escape, he would be the one to die when he returned.
No, these two people must die today!
As the two men grappled, Xu Deyuan was torn between his conscience and his desires. However, after only a few seconds of hesitation, he dropped his knife without hesitation and shouted to Xu Degui, "Third brother, hold on a little longer. I'll go back and call for help!"
"Want to run?" Liu Jieshi refused to let him go. "I've been lying in wait for you for so long, and you want to run away, you bastard, without caring about your own brothers' lives? It won't be that easy!"
"Brother, there's no point in running. It's too late! Only if we work together can we have a chance..."
"No, no, no... I'm weak... I'll only be a burden to you if I stay here!" Xu Deyuan shook his head frantically. The rain kept washing over his face. A look of determination appeared on his face, but his body kept backing away. "Third brother, don't blame me. You hold him back first, and I'll go get someone for you!"
As Xu Deyuan said this, he turned around and ran backwards. He staggered and fell into the mud several times.
"You bastard!" Xu Degui cursed fiercely, "Xu Deyuan, you left your brothers to live, and you still think you're a man—"
"No one of you can escape today!"
Ming Xiaoshuang, who was hiding in the shadows, was about to draw his sword, but was held back by Xu Qingying. The man's eyes were dim, his expression focused and calm. "Who is better, you or Liu Jieshi?"
Ming Xiaoshuang was silent for a while. "I'm not as good as him, but with the Third Master, we have a chance to compete."
Xu Qingying's hand touched the dagger, the night rain fell silently on her face, and a strand of her hair stuck tightly to her forehead.
The girl's voice was cold: "Then wait for the right moment and launch a surprise attack. Remember to strike with one fatal blow."
Liu Jieshi hit Xu Degui's jaw hard with a punch. There was a loud "bang". When Xu Degui was distracted, he was knocked away by Liu Jieshi's punch.
Xu Degui was just a farmer, so he was no match for Liu Jieshi. The punch made him spit out blood on the spot and he lay on the mud, unable to move.
Xu Deyuan missed the chance to take action just now, and now he saw that Xu Degui was defeated by Liu Jieshi so quickly, and he became even more panicked.
Xu Deyuan knew in his heart that Liu Jieshi came today to take his life.
He ran faster and faster, but the faster he ran, the more he slipped. He fled in a panic, completely ignoring Xu Degui behind him. The fatigue and tension of the whole night made him unable to hold back any longer, and he cried and begged as he ran.
"Liu Jiecha, I was wrong, I was truly wrong. I apologize. I was forced to do what I did back then. I had just become the magistrate of Yu County, so how could I possibly defeat those local tyrants? You are the one who offended them. If you don't hate them, why are you coming to me to kill me? I've been wronged... Please, spare my life... If all else fails, take my brother's life. He's from my Xu family. I brought him all the way from the countryside to Bianjing, and I've been incredibly kind to him. Taking his life is the same as taking mine—please calm down—please spare me, I don't want to die... I still want to live—"
Xu Deyuan staggered, his panic reaching its peak. Seeing the dark shadow getting closer and closer, a flash of lightning appeared, and Xu Deyuan saw the hideous and distorted face.
It's over.
This was the only thought in Xu Deyuan's mind.
He subconsciously raised his hand to block it, but the expected pain did not come. Then he opened his eyes -
I saw a thin figure falling from the sky. Xu Qingying came out from somewhere, as fast as lightning. She took a step forward and stabbed Liu Jieshi's face with a dagger in her reverse hand.
What a fast speed!
I didn't even have time to see her face clearly!
Liu Jieshi was shocked and had no time to think. He retreated half a step and the blade narrowly passed by.
Xu Qingying immediately slid to the right, dodged Liu Jieshi's long knife with her left body, and at the same time grabbed Liu Jieshi's wrist with her left hand, and hit Liu Jieshi's jaw with a swift right straight punch.
Liu Jieshi was unable to dodge and leaned back slightly. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Xu Qingying kicked the opponent in the head with her right leg. Liu Jieshi screamed in pain, dropped his long sword in an instant, and subconsciously bent over to cover it.
Bend down! Lower your head!
Xu Qingying unsheathed the dagger and slid it to Liu Jieshi's neck at lightning speed.
The dagger entered the flesh and cut the throat instantly!
On a rainy night, the blood line instantly opened!
Blood splashed on Xu Deyuan's face. He wiped it with his hand in a daze, and saw a red mass. He screamed in fear and rolled and crawled backwards!
Xu Qingying killed Liu Jieshi!
Everything happened in just a few seconds.
From the moment Xu Qingying appeared to the moment Liu Jieshi's throat was cut, the entire process took only a single breath!
Cold, cruel, ruthless, emotionless—
The woman was soaked by the rain, dripping with water from head to toe. Her face could not be seen clearly, but one could only see that the dagger in her hand was still dripping with blood.
The rain poured down heavily, and the blood was washed away in an instant.
Xu Deyuan was terrified and pointed at Xu Qingying tremblingly, "Witch... Witch... You killed someone... You killed someone..."
Ming Xiaoshuang had already run over. He was breathing heavily and half-hunched over. When he arrived, Liu Jieshi had already been dealt with cleanly and neatly by Xu Qingying.
Ming Xiaoshuang was horrified, his face showing shock. Looking at Liu Jieshi lying on the ground in a pool of blood after being fatally hit, he was speechless for a long time.
He held his breath and looked at Xu Qingying.
The woman's body was as thin as a bamboo. In the rain and fog, her body was full of blood and energy, like an evil ghost that had just crawled out of hell.
Ming Xiaoshuang felt a chill on his back and his heart seemed to be about to jump out of his throat.
Xu Qingying's skills...are so terrifying...
Why... was she even so powerful in combat? That series of movements was seamlessly executed, so expertly executed, so cleanly executed, without a single scrap of scrape. The entire attack took only a few seconds. Quick, calm, and decisive, yet imbued with a violent and bloody beauty.
Noticing the gaze of those cold eyes, Ming Xiaoshuang was startled and frightened. She quickly lowered her eyes and forced herself to calm down. "Miss, I'll go check on the Third Master."
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