Chapter 95: Night exploration of E's mansion to search for evidence, showing off his skills
The night was like spilled thick ink, dyeing the streets of the capital city pitch black. Only a single lamp was still lit in the west wing of the Fang Mansion, and the candlelight cast two cuddling silhouettes on the window paper.
Ziwei buried her face in her brocade cloak, her fingertips repeatedly rubbing the edge of the half-sheeted letter, the corners of which had become fuzzy. "Ci'er, I just can't stop feeling anxious," she cried, tears still hanging on her eyelashes. "The bright yellow dragon robe that the old postman mentioned, and the word 'Hong' on the letter... I dare not think about it, but I can't help thinking about it."
Xiaoyanzi was picking at the wick with a silver skewer. The flame crackled and brightened, illuminating her eyes. "If you can't figure it out, forget it!" She pushed a plate of preserved fruit in front of Ziwei, her goose-yellow sleeves sweeping across the table, stirring up a breeze. "When the enemy comes, we'll fight them with our troops. When the water comes, we'll block it with earth! My brother said we're going to the E Mansion tonight to investigate. We're going to find out why they're so obsessed with you."
"No!" Ziwei grabbed her hand fiercely, her palm icy cold. "Emin is an important official of the court. His mansion must be heavily guarded. It's too dangerous!"
Xiaoyanzi slapped her hand away and suddenly spun on the spot, spinning half a circle like a top. Her toes touched the corner of the stool and the windowsill, and finally landed lightly on the spot. The hem of her skirt rose and fell, not even the candlelight flickered. "Look!" She raised her chin proudly. "My brother taught me this Qinggong skill. He said I was born with light bones, so practicing this skill will get twice the result with half the effort! If I were in danger, I would run faster than a rabbit!"
Ziwei was stunned, and after a while she murmured, "Your skills... are just like a fairy in a painting."
"That's it!" Xiaoyanzi smiled so much that her eyes curved into crescents. She untied a palm-sized brocade bag from her waist and stuffed it into Ziwei's hand. "There's a love powder in it. Sprinkle it out when you see bad guys! And this—" She took out a copper whistle with intricate patterns engraved on it. "This is the secret signal between me and my brother. Blow it three times and I can hear you no matter how far away you are."
As he was speaking, three gentle tapping sounds of stones were heard outside the courtyard wall. Xiaoyanzi's eyes lit up: "Brother is leaving! I'll go see him off!"
Next to the moon gate in the back garden, Xiao Jian had already changed into a dark nightgown, the tassel of the soft sword at his waist swaying gently in the night breeze. He was stuffing darts into his boots when he saw Xiao Yanzi running towards him. He frowned slightly, "Why are you out? Isn't Ziwei afraid of being alone?"
"Jinsuo is with me!" Xiaoyanzi handed over an oilcloth bag containing freshly made rice balls and medicine. "Brother, the E Mansion is not like the Jianghu. Those guards are all serious martial artists. Don't confront them head-on." She suddenly stood on tiptoe and whispered quickly in Xiao Jian's ear, "My Qinggong is more agile than yours. Can I help you keep watch? I'll just follow from a distance and won't cause any trouble!"
Xiao Jian was about to refuse, but he saw his sister's eyes widen like a small animal begging for food. Finally, he sighed, "You can follow me, but you are not allowed to act on your own. Your lightness skills are suitable for exploring the way, but when it comes to real action, you have to rely on me." He fished out a white jade whistle from his arms, "This is the female whistle. You take the female whistle with you. Blow it when you are in danger. I can identify the sound and find the location."
Xiaoyanzi happily took the jade whistle and tucked it into her sleeve. She watched as Xiao Jian stretched out his body, lightly tapping the rockery with his toes. He soared over the ten-foot-high courtyard wall like an eagle spreading its wings, landing without even startling the night birds on the branches. She stuck out her tongue and imitated him, taking a deep breath and lightening her body. Her skirt fluttered like butterfly wings as she followed silently. When it came to silence, her foundation in lightness skills really gave her an advantage over her brother.
Outside the vermilion lacquer gate of the E Mansion, two lanterns swayed in the wind, illuminating the guards' swords with a cold gleam. Xiao Jian crouched in the shade of the locust tree opposite, his fingertips rapidly tapping on the trunk—there were patrols at the east wall, secret guards at the west corner gate, the main hall brightly lit, and the sounds of a faint argument could be heard.
Little Swallow fluttered down beside him like a leaf and lowered her voice, "I went around the back wall and looked. There's a bamboo forest in the northwest corner. It's big enough to hide someone, and you could even slide in along the bamboo poles." She pointed to the backyard of the E Mansion and said, "The dog over there is untied. I just threw a bone to lure it away."
Xiao Jian raised an eyebrow in approval. "That's more thoughtful than what I thought. You go to the bamboo forest and keep watch. I'll go to the main hall and listen for any movement. If anything goes wrong, blow the whistle."
Just as Xiaoyanzi was about to respond, she pricked up her ears and said, "No, the noise in the main hall has stopped!"
Before he finished speaking, two men in black slipped out of the side door of the E Mansion, carrying sacks on their shoulders and hurried towards the west of the city. A faint whimpering sound came from the sacks, as if someone's mouth was gagged.
"It's the old postman!" Xiaoyanzi glared and, without waiting for Xiao Jian's orders, she shot out like an arrow, tapping her toes on the roof tiles. Her figure was so fast that only a yellow shadow remained. "I'll go intercept them! Brother, go to the main hall and see if there's any evidence!"
Xiao Jian's heart tightened, but he knew his sister was fast, so it would be safer to catch up. He immediately turned and rushed to the main hall. As soon as he climbed through the window frame, he saw E Min stuffing a stack of account books into the brazier. The flames "jumped" and licked the edges of the pages.
"Stop!" Xiao Jian shouted softly, and the soft sword was unsheathed like lightning, accurately picking up the account book in the brazier.
E Min was so frightened that he retreated several steps and knocked over the tea table: "There's an assassin! Protect the emperor!"
Meanwhile, in a small alley west of the city, Xiaoyanzi had stopped the two men in black. She didn't attack them directly, but instead picked up a stone and, with a deft move, struck the man in front in the knee. The man in black cried out, "Ouch!" and fell to his knees, his sack thudding to the ground. The man behind him was about to draw his sword when a yellow figure flashed by. Xiaoyanzi had grabbed his wrist. She used the force to twist, and the sword clanged to the ground, sending him wincing in pain.
"Tell me! Who sent you here? Where are you taking them?" Xiaoyanzi put her elbow against his throat, her eyes sharp, completely devoid of her usual cuteness and innocence.
The old postman struggled and sobbed in the sack. Xiaoyanzi quickly untied the knot, revealing his gagged mouth. "Girl... they're going to throw me into a mass grave..." the old postman gasped, pointing at the man in black on the ground. "It was Emin's housekeeper who ordered it. They said I knew too much!"
Hurried footsteps echoed in the distance, and Xiaoyanzi knew the E Mansion's men were chasing them. She helped the old postman to his feet and then kicked the two men in black in the knees, making sure they couldn't stand up for a while. Then she whispered, "Follow me! This alley will take you back to the Fang family. My brother will meet you there!"
She half-supported, half-dragged the old postman as they ran toward the alley entrance. Moonlight shone on the bluestone pavement, stretching their shadows considerably. The old postman, watching her ethereal figure, couldn't help but mutter, "This girl's skills... are truly amazing..."
At this moment, in the main hall of the E Mansion, Xiao Jian had already hidden the account book in his arms, and with his sword at the neck of E Min, he spoke in a voice as cold as ice: "Why are you chasing after the girl from Jinan? Tell me!"
E Min was shaking like a sieve, speaking incoherently: "It's... it's a misunderstanding... I'm just... I'm just afraid that she will say something nonsense..."
Xiao Jian snorted coldly, his wrist slightly lowered, and the sword blade cut through the oily skin: "If you don't tell the truth, this account book will appear in front of the emperor tomorrow!"
Hearing the sound of dense footsteps in the distance, Xiao Jian knew he couldn't stay any longer. He glanced at the unburned scraps of paper in the brazier, then suddenly raised his hand and hurled a silver ingot at the beam. As everyone looked up, he darted out the window like a ghost, leaving behind only a cold warning: "Keep your men under control, or next time it won't be just a simple account book robbery!"
In the darkness of the night, Xiao Jian quickly caught up with Xiaoyanzi and the old postman, and the three of them hurried through the shadows of the alleys. Xiaoyanzi looked back at the brightly lit E Mansion and tightened her grip on the jade whistle in her sleeve. Although it had been a dangerous night, she had caught E Min's fox tail, and this trip was worth it.
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