Chapter 165: Summer Seems to Be Ending
One day the green trees cast deep shadows, another day the long day seems endless. A gentle breeze stirs the curtains, but there is no coolness. Perhaps this is what summer looks like halfway through.
Everyone knows that the cool autumn follows summer, but the fact that the sweltering heat can transform into a bleak autumn wind and the lush greenery turning to fallen leaves in just a month evokes a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex feeling of mixed emotions, including nostalgia and reflection). The blazing sun, unrestrained and relentless, rushes into ordinary homes, leaving its mark on the cobblestone alleyways and the weathered city walls, year after year. One wonders what autumn will truly bring.
After all, time flies like an arrow; it's always true that time is something that passes by too quickly, and the affairs of the world change even faster than the expressions of lovers.
And that coming autumn, the autumn we've been waiting for, has actually begun to peek out.
The news that peeked out was news: the death of Fu Zongshu, whose case had been closed due to lack of results; the unsuccessful duel between Jin Feng Xi Yu Lou and Liu Fen Ban Tang; the handover between Lei Sun and Di Fei Jing—a piece of news that spread throughout the streets and alleys of the martial arts world. Once it spread and was confirmed, it was like a light drizzle, carrying away the restless heat. After a series of ripples, Bianjing finally quieted down and fell silent.
But this is only temporary.
The news was that Su Mengzhen was seriously ill.
The master of Jinfeng Xiyu Tower, a giant in the righteous path of the martial arts world, a brilliant and outstanding figure who stands above all others, has dragged himself through illness to this day, bringing Jinfeng Xiyu Tower almost to the throne of the number one in the martial arts world. His talent and his will are beyond question.
Now, this miracle seems to be coming to an end. Everyone outside the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion doesn't know whether his condition has worsened or the wounds left by Guan Qi have completely deteriorated. All they know is that the day after the news broke, Su Mengzhen announced that he was going into seclusion and would not see anyone except Xie Huailing. Five days later, all affairs in the pavilion were handed over to Xie Huailing.
So some people speculated that perhaps the highest power in the martial arts world would be handed over to a woman.
"I just don't understand. If 'Simple Hands Cut the Sky' is really going to take over after Master Su dies, why doesn't she become the deputy master? Wouldn't Deputy Master Bai have any objections to this arrangement?"
"You don't understand, do you? What's the surname of the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion? It's the Su family. No matter what, it will definitely be handed over to the Su family. Deputy Pavilion Master Bai is still surnamed Bai, but 'Simple Hands Cut the Sky' is Pavilion Master Su's half-sister. It must have been agreed upon from the beginning. There's probably some reason that can't be told to outsiders."
"What you're saying is ridiculous. Even if she's half a sister, she's not a real sister. No matter what, she still has the surname Xie. According to your logic, if you want the same surname, you might as well just marry Master Su."
"I was just saying, so don't be too harsh on me!"
As they chatted, the group at the table nearly came to blows. They had started by talking about江湖 (jianghu, the world of martial arts and chivalry) matters for fun, but it quickly escalated into an argument, which inevitably turned into a physical fight. Before it escalated into a full-blown brawl, the thinner one was pushed backward and stumbled into a passerby. The impact was like hitting a tree; his back ached terribly, and he cried out in pain even before he had knocked anyone down.
Shouting was useless, and I even had to apologize. When I turned around again, I couldn't see anyone. I could only look around in confusion.
The unlucky fellow who had just been bumped into had already leaped up to the second floor, patted his shoulder where he'd been hit, and sneered. He was unremarkable in appearance; one could only describe him as having a sallow complexion, a yellowish face of about thirty years old, slightly thick lips, and a pair of triangular eyes that slanted upwards. It was clear to everyone that he was just an ordinary passerby, and even his calloused hands were not worth anyone's attention.
But once you pass a wall, the ordinary middle-aged man's face disappears, replaced by a very strange face.
What's strange is that this face has a total of four eyebrows. The first two are real human eyebrows, while the third and fourth are two dashing little mustaches. This unique mustache, paired with a handsome and charming face, exudes more than just a hint of humor and cuteness. So, the name, or at least the name of this face, is quite obvious.
Lu Xiaofeng, no, "Lu Xiaofeng," swaggered up another floor and walked to a wooden door. The guest room was silent. He stood in front of the door for a while and listened before pushing the door open and entering.
There was only one person inside, a person in a wheelchair, dignified and solemn, with the air of a spring mountain, as pure as ice and snow, not from a painting of the mortal world.
This was easy to recognize. When "Lu Xiaofeng" saw him, he put his hands behind his back, closed the door, and called out, "Heartless Constable, I've brought the message."
Wuqing nodded, telling him to sit down before speaking.
Lu Xiaofeng is not the kind of person who would speak like that, so the person under this skin is not Lu Xiaofeng, but just a nemesis "thief" who loves to wear his face. However, this "thief" is so skilled that he has earned the reputation of "King of Thieves" in the martial arts world. His full name is Sikong Zhaixing, and that is him.
Speaking of Sikong Zhaixing, he is ultimately a thief. Just like Chu Liuxiang, even if he wanted to seek justice for Xiaoyan, he would bypass the Divine Marquis's Mansion and go to the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Pavilion first. This group of people is different from ordinary Jianghu people. It is normal for them to be arrested and imprisoned for decades for the things they have done. Especially since he and Chu Liuxiang are the most famous among them, it is not necessary for the government to investigate what they have done. Don't say that they can be arrested and imprisoned for life. They can be beheaded without any problem.
He dared to come see Wuqing today because this was the person Wuqing had promised to meet.
A few years ago, before Sikong Zhaixing became so famous, he was framed and tricked into stealing something he shouldn't have. This was a crime that would have resulted in either death or life imprisonment. Fortunately, the person who took over the case was ruthless and caught the real culprit. Seeing how pitiful he was at the time, the culprit didn't punish him severely. After teaching him a lesson, the culprit was spared.
Although Sikong Zhaixing didn't remember what Wuqing said at all and still became the "King of Thieves," the favor was still there, which made him hesitant to come to Bianjing. Until half a month ago, he passed through Bianjing on business and couldn't help but go to see the exciting showdown between Jinfeng Xiyu Tower and Liufenban Hall. Then, by sheer coincidence, he was caught red-handed by Wuqing.
Sikong Zhaixing never wanted to experience that despair again in his life.
Fortunately, Wuqing didn't do anything to him, but asked him to do something for him. Thinking of the past kindness, even though this matter meant that he would be involved in Fu Zongshu's death, Sikong Zhaixing readily agreed.
Today is the day he returns after completing his investigation.
On the other side, Wuqing had been waiting for Sikong Zhaixing to return for several days.
Amidst the tug-of-war between Cai Jing, the Divine Marquis's Mansion, Grand Tutor Li, and the Six Doors, the truth about Fu Zongshu's death remained elusive. Like a boulder sinking into a deep pool, after the initial towering waves, the water calmed down once more due to the inability to retrieve it, returning to stagnant stillness. In the end, Grand Tutor Li relentlessly suppressed Cai Jing, and with Cai Jing's fall from power, the Divine Marquis's Mansion and the Six Doors only obtained completely useless information.
The emperor didn't want to investigate further, but Zhuge Zhengwo thought differently. The deeper the truth was suppressed, the more he wanted to find it, especially since Tie Shou discovered that the place where Fu Zongshu's dismembered body was found might not be the place where Fu Zongshu was murdered.
He intended to submit a memorial to the emperor requesting a reinvestigation, but Cai Jing, for reasons unknown, persuaded the emperor to let the matter rest. Many officials also expressed concern that further investigation would destabilize the court and harm the state. Seeing the situation, Zhuge Zhengwo did not report the new leads but suppressed them, instead conducting a private investigation.
At this juncture, it was not convenient for the Four Great Constables to leave the capital. At this time, Sikong Zhaixing, who had run into the hands of the Divine Constable's Mansion, became the chosen one.
Having received Wuqing's orders, Sikong Zhaixing went to the place suspected to be where Fu Zongshu had actually been murdered. It wasn't just because he owed Wuqing a favor; on the other hand, Sikong Zhaixing had recently accomplished something significant, and he guessed Wuqing knew about it. He was genuinely worried about being arrested. With the four great constables of Bianjing all gathered, he could see his life hanging in the balance, either imprisoned until death or executed in the autumn. There was no hope, so he worked even harder.
He hoped and hoped, he truly hoped that the ruthless authorities would let him off the hook a second time.
Clearing his throat, Sikong Zhaixing, wearing Lu Xiaofeng's face, exchanged a few simple pleasantries with Wuqing before beginning his temporary job report: "Chief Constable, as you instructed, I went to that city and investigated for several days, but I couldn't find any information about Fu Zongshu. There are even people in that city who don't know who he is. However, I kept an eye out and found a few other pieces of information."
He said, "Around the time when Fu Zongshu died, a large house on the outskirts of the city suddenly caught fire. It seemed that several people died, but when I asked around, no one knew who lived in the house. What's even stranger is that in the month before Fu Zongshu died, several young women in the city went missing one after another. Their families reported it to the authorities, but they couldn't find them. It wasn't until the fire broke out and the young women escaped from the house that they learned they had been kidnapped and taken to be the master of the house as concubines."
Wuqing frowned and asked, "No clue about the owner of the house?"
“Not at all.” Sikong Zhaixing also had a headache when she mentioned this. She said, “I searched for two or three days in a row and found nothing. Everyone related to that house is dead, and the house is in ruins. It can only be seen that it has been cleaned up. There is not even a piece of good land that can be seen clearly. But I did find some things. I found a jade pendant in a corner. I don’t know whose it is.”
"Besides the fire at the mansion, there were other strange things happening in the city. A month or two before Fu Zongshu died, in the suburbs, a tomb was unearthed. It was said that anyone who went in would die, which caused quite a stir and attracted a group of martial arts practitioners. It turned out to be a trap, orchestrated by Jin Buhuan, the 'righteous and courageous' elder of the Beggars' Clan. He was in the tomb at the time and tried to frame his sworn brother and a few innocent people, including the seventh young lady of the 'Living God of Wealth' family. However, the seventh young lady was exposed by Ren Ci, the leader of the Beggars' Clan, and was executed."
Upon hearing this, Wuqing would no longer be Wuqing if he could not detect any clues; his furrowed brows remained furrowed for a long time.
Sikong Zhaixing was almost finished speaking, but what he really wanted to say was yet to come. He got excited when he mentioned this and said, "On my way back to the capital, I specifically inquired about Miss Zhu Qi. I heard that she was recently with a friend near Bianjing, so I went to see her. I thought she should know more about the mansion and the ancient tomb, so I went to ask her."
"However, she only let her young lover speak. The young lover's surname is Chen. He said that they were also harmed by Jin Buhuan. They originally wanted to go on an adventure, but who would have thought they would encounter such a thing. I asked him a few more questions, and I couldn't see anything wrong with what he said. It should be true."
"The trail went cold here. I couldn't find anything else. I was thinking of spending the night at that inn and then coming back, but..."
Sikong Zhaixing gritted her teeth, her hatred reaching her very bones. Even Lu Xiaofeng's face looked frightening: "These tombs and mansions are definitely haunted. That night, someone broke into the inn and attacked me and Miss Zhu Qi. That person transformed into the waiter's face and attacked me when I wasn't paying attention. He was also incredibly skilled in martial arts. If I hadn't run away quickly and hidden myself, and if I hadn't received help from a friend of Miss Zhu Qi's surnamed Wang, I would have died at his hands."
"But after escaping death, the jade pendant that I had clearly carried in my bosom during the escape disappeared. I guess that the scoundrel got close to me at some point and stole it. Miss Zhu Qi was also almost killed and barely survived. She didn't want to stay any longer and said she needed someone to back her up before she ran away. I also rushed back immediately, fearing that there might be other accidents."
After Sikong Zhaixing finished speaking, he remained calm and composed, but the hand on the armrest of his wheelchair gradually clenched.
He let out a long breath, suppressing the turmoil in front of Sikong Zhaixing, appearing calm as if nothing had happened, and asked him, "Do you still remember the design of that jade pendant?"
Sikong Zhaixing thought for a moment, and seeing that Wuqing had already taken out his brush, ink, paper and inkstone, he was not very confident: "I remember it was a woman's jade pendant. The style looks quite valuable, but I may not be able to draw it accurately."
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When he saw Sikong Zhaixing posing as a passerby trying to extract information from him:
Zhu Qiqi, Shen Lang: ...
Wang Lianhua: (Laughing heartily) What kind of "Don't Laugh Challenge" is this?
After it's done:
Wang Lianhua: (laughs) He should thank me.
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