Chapter 684 The Master's Wife's Secret (First Update)
As night fell, Master Lu and Gu Xiaoshun returned to the house with a cartload of firewood.
"Why did it take you so long?" Nan Shi Niang walked to the door and helped the two of them carry firewood.
Master Lu quickly stopped her, saying, "You leave it there, I can do it!"
"It's just a few bundles of firewood," said Madam Nan, unconcerned.
“But I can’t let you move it, right, Xiao Shun?” Master Lu knew he couldn’t go against Master Nan’s wishes, so he pulled Gu Xiao Shun in as a savior.
“That’s right, Master’s wife.” Gu Xiaoshun jumped off the carriage and took the firewood from Master’s wife’s hands.
Nan Shi Niang glared at Master Lu.
Gu Xiaoshun was carrying firewood when he caught sight of the red-tasseled spear and small basket in the main room. His eyes lit up: "Hey? Is my sister back?"
Mrs. Nan smiled and said, "You're back. You're playing chess with Master Meng in the backyard."
Everyone in the family knew Meng Lao's surname, but no one associated him with the Six Kingdoms Chess Saint. After all, a figure like the Six Kingdoms Chess Saint was treated as an honored guest even by the Imperial Preceptor Hall. How could he possibly end up living under someone else's roof?
Gu Xiaoshun was so excited he wanted to stick two chicken feathers on his head right away. He grabbed a bundle of firewood and ran to the backyard in a flurry: "Sister!"
Gu Jiao had already washed up and changed into dry clothes, her hair hanging down in a half-dry, half-wet cascade.
Hearing Gu Xiaoshun's voice, she raised her hand to brush her unruly hair behind her ear and turned to look at Gu Xiaoshun: "Xiaoshun."
Gu Xiaoshun put down the firewood and came up to her, looking her up and down: "Sister, why were you gone for so long? We were so worried about you!"
Gu Jiao smiled and said, "Something came up and I was held up. I took so many days off from the academy. I hope nothing happened to you."
Gu Xiaoshun shook his head: "Oh, it's nothing. I told them you were sick and they wanted to come see you, but I stopped them."
"Them?" Gu Jiao was completely confused.
“Master Wu, Mu Qingchen, Mu Chuan…” Gu Xiaoshun rattled off more than twenty names in one breath, because he only recognized these people and there were many others whose names he couldn’t recall.
Gu Jiao: "Hmm."
Is she really that popular?
"Alright, alright, little one, wait a minute, your sister and I will finish this game." Old Mr. Meng couldn't wait any longer. He had an account book in his hand. He had already played more than twenty games with Gu Yan, and the little one had to play all of them with him.
There was still some firewood left to move, so Gu Xiaoshun scratched his head and said, "Sister, I'll come find you later."
Gu Jiao: "Okay."
...
Gu Jiao is back safe and sound, and the whole family is relieved. Mrs. Nan decides to cook something nice for breakfast tomorrow.
But since they had run out of star anise and fennel, Mrs. Nan decided to go to the shop to buy some more.
There's a spice shop in the alley, just a few steps away.
However, their shop was closed today, so Mrs. Nan had to go to the street to buy it.
Master Lu was repairing a carriage at home. Halfway through, he frowned and said, "Why hasn't Nanxiang come back yet? Xiao Shun, you fix it. I'll go take a look."
"Alright!" Gu Xiaoshun took the tools from Master Lu's hands, and Master Lu quickly walked out.
At this moment, Nan Shi Niang did encounter some trouble. She was ambushed in another alley and injured, her veil covered in blood.
She clutched her aching chest, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, and then shot out three crabapple needles.
The man smiled coldly and caught her hidden weapon with a flick of his wrist.
Nan Shi Niang's expression changed.
The man glanced at the crabapple blossom needle in his hand, sneered, and said, "It's actually poisoned. You've become quite ruthless compared to before. It's just a pity that you're no match for me now!"
In the end, his smile turned stern, and with a flick of his finger, he shot three crabapple needles back at Madam Nan.
Nan Shi Niang's pupils dilated in shock!
That's incredibly fast!
There's no way to avoid it!
Suddenly, a small figure rushed up from behind Nan Shi Niang, grabbed her, and pulled her aside.
Three crabapple blossom needles clattered and shattered into the ground!
Almost at the same moment, Gu Jiao touched the ground with her spear, used the momentum to leap up, and thrust the spear towards the opponent's heart!
The opponent reached out to grab the red-tasseled spear, but little did he know that this was just a feint. The spear suddenly changed direction and swept across his lower body!
The other person's eyes flickered, and with a light tap of their toes, they rose into the air and flew to the rooftop.
After regaining his balance, he looked at the boy with black hair dancing in the alley.
The boy gripped the red-tasseled spear, looked up and stared coldly at himself, his eyes filled with icy arrogance.
"That marksmanship just now..." He frowned, muttered to himself, then smiled faintly, "Nan Xiang, is this the expert you invited? I must say, this kid has exceeded my expectations, but even so, he's no match for me! Take this!"
"Senior brother!"
Nan Shi's wife quickly stepped forward, extending her arm to shield Gu Jiao behind her, saying, "Don't hurt her!"
Senior brother?
Gu Jiao looked at the man on the roof again. It was too dark, and his figure was shrouded in the night. Gu Jiao could not see his skin color, but the outline of his facial features was still vaguely discernible.
This person has a pair of very sinister eyes.
Her appearance was originally quite good, but with those eyes, she inexplicably had a somewhat sinister feel to her.
“Mrs. Nan, step back.” Gu Jiao pressed down on Mrs. Nan’s arm, stepped forward fearlessly, and pointed her spear at him. “Come down and fight me.”
The other person was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting the young man to be so fearless, but soon he laughed heartily again.
"Junior Sister, it's been a long time since I've met such an interesting person. Since he calls you Master's Wife, then you can barely be considered half a junior nephew of mine. Oh well, I just heard you came to Shengdu, so I came to say hello. I didn't mean to do anything to you. You were just too nervous and attacked me first."
Nan Shi's wife gritted her teeth: "Shameless!"
"Alright, I've said my goodbyes, it's time for me to go. Goodbye, junior sister!"
After saying that, he gave a sinister smile and used his lightness skill to disappear into the night.
Gu Jiao turned around and reached out to support her forearm: "Master Nan, you're injured."
Mrs. Nan waved her hand: "It's just a minor injury, it'll be fine in a few days. What brings you here?"
Gu Jiao said, "Since you haven't come back, we came out to look for you. Master Lu also went to look for you, probably in another direction."
Nan Shi Niang said, slightly out of breath, "Let's go back."
Gu Jiao held the red-tasseled spear in one hand and helped Nan Shi Niang walk back with the other.
The two walked out of the alley, and Madam Nan gave a bitter smile: "I never told you about my situation in detail before, are you angry with me?"
Gu Jiao shook her head: "I didn't tell Nan Shi Niang about my affairs either."
Nan Shi Niang smiled, deciding not to compete with her for more secrets: "That person just now was Qi Xuan, the direct disciple of the Tang Clan's Grand Master. The Tang Clan is a martial arts force outside the Six Kingdoms. I was originally a member of the Tang Clan, but later, dissatisfied with the marriage arranged for me by the Tang Clan, I crippled my martial arts and left the Tang Clan. If I still had my martial arts, Qi Xuan wouldn't have been able to hurt me at all today."
Gu Jiao suddenly realized: "So that's how it is. No wonder Master's poisons and hidden weapons are so powerful."
Nan Shi Niang shook her head slightly again: "These two things are actually my least proficient skills. Otherwise, I wouldn't just cripple my martial arts, but I would cripple my own hands. In terms of hidden weapons and poisons, Qi Xuan is far superior to me."
Gu Jiao asked in confusion, "Then what about Master's wife..."
Nan Shi Niang said, "I am quite skilled in martial arts. Back then, the Tang Clan had a forbidden technique that was originally not allowed for its disciples to practice. But later, for some reason, the sect leader decided to let us direct disciples try it out, and I was the only one who learned it. Perhaps that's why I was forced to marry the sect leader's son..."
At this point, she paused, then smiled and said, "These are all things of the past. I've lost my martial arts skills, but it's not bad to be able to live a carefree life."
"Then why did he want to kill you just now?" Gu Jiao didn't believe his nonsense about just coming over to say hello. The murderous aura was so strong that she could feel it.
Nan Shi Niang said, "He wanted to force me to tell me how I learned forbidden techniques. Alas, how would I know any methods? I just learned them as I went along. Who knew they were so stupid?"
Gu Jiao: "..."
Thinking of something, Gu Jiao said, "He just said that he heard that Madam Nan came to Shengdu."
Nan Shi Niang sighed: "Do you still remember that steward surnamed Liao from the Imperial Preceptor's Hall? He's the one we asked to use the back door to get you into the Imperial Preceptor's Hall?"
Gu Jiao had a vague recollection: "The one who got kicked out by Horse King?"
Nan Shi Niang said, "It's him. He used to be an outer disciple of the Tang Clan and knew some of us. I think he must be the one who leaked my whereabouts to Qi Xuan. But I really didn't expect Qi Xuan to come to Shengdu. This is against the rules of the Tang Clan. Since the last sect leader, the Tang Clan has stopped easily engaging in worldly affairs."
Suddenly, Nan Shi Niang thought of a possibility.
(End of this chapter)
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