Chapter 196 Poisoned Wine: Will She Become Another Lu Xiaojun?
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, a large crowd had already gathered at the gates of Rongdu City. Feng Shisan, wearing a thick bamboo hat, hunched his shoulders to make his tall figure less conspicuous. The crowd pointed at the notice posted on the city wall, their chatter making Feng Shisan's ears ring. Feng Shisan, who could barely read, was at the very back and couldn't hear very well. Finally, he couldn't help but lean closer and asked in a low voice what the notice said.
"Ji Fang, are you going to be executed by slow slicing tomorrow?"
"What?" Feng Shisan picked at his ear, wondering if he had gone deaf.
The man speaking sounded impatient. "It's a man named Ji Fang from Xingguo Ward. He's going to be executed by slow slicing at Caishikou tomorrow at noon."
Ji Fang? Lingchi (death by a thousand cuts)... Feng Shisan's vision blurred. He was already badly injured, and the sudden bad news made his sturdy body sway uncontrollably. Lingchi... Feng Shisan stiffly turned to look in the direction of the execution ground. Ji Fang was timid and fainted at the sight of blood. He thought his death would be a simple headshot, but who knew he would be slowly sliced to death... He himself was thick-skinned and could endure it. If he could, he would willingly suffer the pain of lingchi. Ji Fang... How could it be Ji Fang?
Ji Fang... it shouldn't be Ji Fang.
Feng Shisan disappeared like a walking corpse. Not far away, under the Vermilion Bird Gate, a man in black had been staring at the notice on the city wall for a long time. His face was hidden by the lowered brim of his hat. After reading the last word on the notice, the man in black turned around heavily, watching Feng Shisan's limping steps, and let out a suppressed growl.
At midnight, the vast Rongdu was silent, like a dead city. Under the Zhuque Gate, by the dim firelight on the city tower, Guan Ye finished reading every word of the notice. Seeing someone still standing at the city gate in the middle of the night, the soldiers guarding the city exchanged glances, yawned, and went to see what was going on.
"What are you doing here?" Wan Qixi appeared out of nowhere, put a hand on Guan Ye's shoulder, and glanced at the approaching soldier with narrow eyes. "Have you drunk too much and lost your way? Aren't you coming back with me?"
Guan Ye wanted to turn her head to take another look at the notice, but Wan Qixi pressed her head back down hard. "Look, look, can you even read? Be careful the soldiers will think you're a spy and tie you up and throw you in jail." Seeing the two of them walk away, the soldiers yawned and shrank back down to the city walls.
"Are you stupid?" Wan Qixi gritted her teeth and scolded angrily, "Are you afraid that others won't recognize you? Or are you hoping that someone will fall from the sky and protect you?"
Guan Ye's sleeve twitched slightly, revealing a short sword that had slipped out. Wan Qixi shook his head helplessly. "What, a broken sword that hasn't been sharpened? Do you expect it to protect you, or to save that little swordsman named Ji Fang tomorrow?"
Guan Ye silently drew her sword. The gleam of the blade flashed past Wan Qixi's eyes. Wan Qixi pinched the sharpened blade between two fingers, and with a swift movement, pulled it from Guan Ye's hand. The moonlight suddenly brightened, illuminating the blurry silhouette of a bird perched on bamboo. His rough fingertips pressed against the blade, and Wan Qixi looked up at Guan Ye—
She is Guan Xiaotian's daughter. Guan Xiaotian, no matter who the mastermind behind the Blood Crossbow Case is, Guan Xiaotian is inextricably linked to the success of the case. Everyone else is dead, so why was he able to escape the city with his family?
In Tangshui City, Wan Qixi recognized Master Guan, whom he hadn't seen for over ten years, at a glance. Time had passed, and Guan Xiaotian must have had a difficult time these years, his once black hair now gray. But his temperament remained unchanged. He had his daughter by his side, and he never missed a jar of wine. Their eyes met, and Guan Xiaotian clearly no longer recognized his grown-up apprentice. He strode past Wan Qixi, took out copper coins from his empty purse, and held the wine jar with a satisfied expression.
Wan Qixi saw Guan Xiaotian sipping steamed buns and drinking wine, swaying his head and looking quite pleased with himself. There was also a little girl beside him, about ten years old, with big, bright eyes. She was staring blankly at the wine jar while biting into her bun. She said, "Dad, can I have a taste?"
Wan Qixi almost laughed out loud, if he dared to covet Guan Xiaotian's wine, he would be beaten. Sure enough, Guan Xiaotian raised his hand and shot a chestnut, picked up the wine jar, raised his head and drank a few more gulps, shouting that he was happy.
Guan Xiaotian asked his daughter: Have you eaten enough?
The little girl rubbed her stomach, saying nothing, but her eyes kept wandering towards the steamed bun stall on the street. Guan Xiaotian ruffled his daughter's messy hair and said, "Wait, Daddy will go buy you another one."
Wan Qixi saw that Guan Xiaotian had only taken a few steps when the girl reached for the wine jar. The girl was incredibly strong; she lifted the jar, leaned in, and secretly took a sip. The wine was spicy, making her grimace and twitch, but she dared not cry out. Her appearance was quite amusing.
Recalling the events of several years ago, Wan Qixi still couldn't help but chuckle.
"What are you laughing at?" Guan Ye's voice interrupted Wan Qixi's recollection. "Ji Fang being executed by slow slicing, is that funny?"
"I..." Wan Qixi's expression froze. "I laugh at your overestimation of yourself, actually thinking you can change anything. Guan girl, are you really not afraid of death?"
"I'm scared," Guan Ye said without hesitation. "But who doesn't die? Everyone dies."
Wan Qixi wanted to tell her that everyone dies, but since God has given you the chance to live, you should live well and die of old age on a soft, warm bed.
In Tangshui City, Guan Xiaotian had been scouting at the ferry for the past few days. Wan Qixi waited quietly, as if guarding prey he had long since set his sights on. The prey was about to be caught in the net. Wan Qixi didn't care if he negotiated with him for a few more days, or... Wan Qixi was still somewhat hesitant. Guan Xiaotian was his master, the master who forged his sword and let him ride on his neck. A master for a day is a father for life. Killing him... it was impossible for him not to have any hesitation.
But Guan Xiaotian must die, and not only Guan Xiaotian, but also that girl, his daughter—Guan Ye. Wan Qixi certainly understood the principle of eliminating the root of the problem. If Guan Ye didn't die, she would one day become like him, and the cycle of revenge would continue until death.
On that day, Wan Qixi would never forget it. He was tired after working for most of the day and was taking a nap under the mast with his face covered by a straw hat when he suddenly heard someone climb onto the ship's edge and stride in, making the deck creak. With such powerful and strong steps, Wan Qixi could guess who it was without even looking up.
—"I heard..."
As expected, Wanqi Xi lifted the bamboo hat with his fingertips, and through the gap, he could already see who had come.
"I heard..." Guan Xiaotian said cautiously, "Your ship can go anywhere, I wonder if it can go to the Immortal Island?"
Wanqi Xi pulled his straw hat up, revealing his dry lips and teeth in a wide grin. "The sky is high and the sea is wide, there's no place my ship can't go. Immortal island? What kind of immortal magic does it have?"
Guan Xiaotian squinted at the unfathomable sea behind Wan Qixi, “shaped like a tortoise shell, shrouded in mist that never dissipates, like an immortal ascending to heaven, it can be called a fairy island.”
Wan Qixi smiled and yawned, saying, "I think I've seen you before."
Guan Xiaotian's voice rose several decibels, "You've been there?"
"Are you deaf?" Wan Qixi rolled over angrily. "Is seeing something the same as going there? Just because you look at the stars and the moon doesn't mean you can pluck them from the sky."
Guan Xiaotian quickly clasped his hands in apology, "I misspoke. I wonder if the boat captain could take me... and my daughter to the fairy island?"
Wan Qixi paused, then said lazily, "It's fine if you go to such a treacherous place, but why bring your daughter along? If anything happens to her, they'll all be wiped out. Don't you want to think about it?"
Guan Xiaotian replied without hesitation, "Wherever I go, my daughter will follow. Whether it's a mountain of knives, a sea of fire, a dragon's den, or a tiger's lair, my daughter is made of steel and has never been afraid."
"Yes, they dare to steal your wine, they've got some nerve." Wan Qixi stretched out his dirty hand and coughed a few times at Guan Xiaotian. Guan Xiaotian immediately understood, pulled out a shrunken money pouch from his pocket, felt around inside with two fingers, and pulled out two tiny, negligible pieces of silver. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "This... I don't know if it's enough for my daughter and me to pay for the boat trip? If not, I'll do odd jobs in the city for a few more days until I've scraped together enough..."
Wan Qixi raised his palm, and Guan Xiaotian quickly placed the loose silver in his hand. Wan Qixi weighed it in his hand and then suddenly grasped it. "Logically speaking, it's not enough, but since we're idle anyway, it won't hurt to give you a ride. Come find me at the dock in three days."
Guan Xiaotian seemed surprised that he would agree so readily, his voice trembling with delight, "Thank you, thank you. I'll be relying on you, Captain, in three days."
“No problem.” Wan Qixi pulled off the bamboo hat that covered his face, watched Guan Xiaotian turn and leave, and a smile that no one could understand appeared on his lips.
That night, Guan Xiaotian's craving for alcohol returned. Perhaps because he had already booked a boat to the Immortal Island, Guan Xiaotian bought a jar of aged Daughter's Red wine. At the end of a deep alley was the simple dwelling of the Guan family father and daughter in Tangshui City. In the darkness, Wan Qixi's hawk-like eyes were fixed on the father and daughter. He wanted to see Guan Xiaotian drink the wine he had spiked, and also the Guan family girl. Knowing her personality and audacity, she would surely be unable to resist sneaking a taste of such a rich and tempting aroma…
Guan Xiaotian carefully opened the jar, brought it close to his nose and took a deep sniff, his face full of intoxication. He carefully picked it up and took a sip, his rough face relaxing with pleasure.
"Dad," the little girl watched his actions expectantly, "is it delicious?"
"Silly." Guan Xiaotian wiped his mouth with his clothes. "Ten-year-old Daughter's Red wine, of course it's incredibly beautiful."
The girl licked her lips and leaned closer, pointing at the jar and asking, "Can I have a taste?" She held up her finger, adding, "Just a sip is fine."
Guan Xiaotian slapped his daughter's hand away, protecting the wine jar like a mother hen protecting her chicks. "Don't even think about it. How old are you? This wine is too strong. If the child drinks it... he'll die."
The girl rolled her eyes at him, moved to the fire and started baking steamed buns. Guan Xiaotian had bought enough steamed buns today, so the girl seemed to have no other choice but to eat them dry.
Slightly tipsy, Guan Xiaotian said quietly, "Would you like to ride on a big ship?"
"By boat?" The girl's eyes lit up and then dimmed. "What if the boat sinks?"
Guan Xiaotian chuckled, "Big ships don't sink so easily."
The little girl tilted her head and asked, "Where do we go after we get on the boat?"
Guan Xiaotian squinted and took another sip of wine. "That place is peaceful. Once we get there, we won't have to run away anymore."
Once we get there, we won't have to... we won't have to run away anymore.
They chatted idly until the wine jar was empty. In a hazy, intoxicated state, Guan Xiaotian was so sleepy that he reached out to touch his daughter's face, but halfway there, his hand suddenly slammed onto the cold ground, and he went limp and fell asleep.
"Father." The little girl, chewing on her steamed bun, looked up. "Father?" She shook Guan Xiaotian with one hand, but when she saw that he didn't move, a little annoyed showed on her face. She put down the steamed bun, picked up an old garment and covered Guan Xiaotian with it. After finishing the steamed bun, the little girl observed for a while and, after confirming that Guan Xiaotian was really fast asleep, her eyes rolled and fixed on the wine jar.
In the darkness, Wan Qixi's heart leaped into his throat. Just one bite, just one bite, even a sip with his finger would do. He had already laced the Daughter's Red wine with a potent poison; even the most skilled martial artist would be killed in three bites. Looking at the girl's age and figure, one sip and she would be beyond saving, even by a god. Taste it! Quickly taste this thing that will take your father's life, just one bite…
Wan Qixi couldn't help but take a half step forward. He saw the girl holding the wine jar, turning it over and over, looking at it. Guan Xiaotian drank every last drop of the good wine. The jar was too deep for her to reach in. The girl wiped her fingers on the rim of the jar and stared blankly at her damp fingers in the flickering firelight.
Just as she was about to suckle, she suddenly stopped, glanced at her father who was fast asleep beside her, and rubbed her wet fingers on the ground.
Guan Xiaotian said, "This liquor is too strong; the child will die if he drinks it."
Wan Qixi took a deep breath, his palm stealthily reaching for his waist, but stopped abruptly as he touched the cold hilt of his sword. A young girl, taking her life would be as easy as turning his hand; why would he need his old sword? Wan Qixi thought, bending down to pull a dagger from his riding boot. A flash of cold light stung his eyes, startling Wan Qixi, who was trapped in a nightmare—a young girl…could he really…kill her?
As she hesitated, Wanqixi heard her childhood self whispering, "Sister, sister...where are we going..."
"Ah Jing, Ah Jing, save us, Ah Jing..."
The girl from the Guan family standing before him was just like himself back then. Back then, Lu Xiaojun couldn't wield a sword and could only flee for his life, living a life of living for today and dying tomorrow. But now, who could easily take his life? Wan Qixi moved through the world like a ghost, and no one could do anything about it.
Kill her, kill the Guan family girl. If she doesn't die today, she'll become another Lu Xiaojun.
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