Chapter 40 Zhao Ligo, Interesting
The night was as dark as ink, enveloping the Chen residence.
The Qin Academy was completely silent, except for the flickering lanterns under the eaves that swayed in the cold wind, casting dappled and swaying shadows.
Li Yi, sword in hand, stood like a statue in the shadows inside the courtyard gate, listening intently. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he heard several extremely faint sounds of clothes fluttering in the wind coming from different directions outside the courtyard wall.
There was more than one person! And they were all experts!
He immediately let out a short bird call as a warning. Almost simultaneously, several dark figures leaped over the courtyard wall like ghosts, landing silently. The weapons in their hands reflected a cold gleam in the dim light, heading straight for the main house where Chen Qing was!
"Assassins! Protect the young lady!" Li Yi shouted, and his Qingfeng sword was instantly drawn, transforming into a streak of blue lightning as he faced two of the dark figures.
Pei Xuan also rushed out of the side room. Although his martial arts skills were far inferior to Li Yi's, he was agile and brave. He picked up a thick door bolt and roared as he blocked another assassin.
In an instant, the sound of metal clanging against metal filled the courtyard, shattering the tranquility of the night.
Chen Qing, already awakened inside, didn't panic. Instead, she quickly got up, blew out the candles, and hid in the darkness, gripping the kagune tightly in her hand. She knew the Zhang mother and daughter were desperate!
The window paper was silently pierced, and a slender bamboo tube was inserted, releasing a faint, exotic fragrance.
Aphrodisiac? Chen Qing held her breath, a cold smile playing on her lips. She had taken the antidote and was already immune to all poisons.
Just then, the door to the main house was suddenly kicked open! A dark figure pounced in like a cheetah, his short blade aimed straight for the bed! He clearly thought Chen Qing was still in bed.
However, what awaited him was a slight click of a mechanism in the darkness—"Whoosh!"
*Thud!* The bullet pierced his brow with pinpoint accuracy, and the assassin collapsed to the ground without uttering a sound.
But the crisis was not over! The other assassin seemed to have noticed his companion's death and became more cautious. Instead of rushing in, he swung his knife and slashed at the window, trying to create chaos and a breakthrough.
The battle in the courtyard was also exceptionally fierce. Li Yi's swordsmanship was superb; he held his own against two opponents, even gaining a slight advantage. Every strike of his sword left a trail of blood. However, his opponents were clearly desperate and fearless. Pei Xuan, on the other hand, was in grave danger; his arm had been slashed, and he was only holding on with sheer grit.
Chen Qing hid in the shadows, calmly assessing the situation. She knew she couldn't rely entirely on Li Yi and Pei Xuan.
She quickly exchanged for a [High-Intensity Shock Bomb], estimated the timing, and threw it fiercely towards the most intense battle location in the courtyard!
"Close your eyes!" she shouted with all her might.
Although Li Yi and Pei Xuan didn't understand what was going on, they had absolute trust in Chen Qing's orders and subconsciously closed their eyes and retreated.
"boom--!!!"
A loud, albeit not violent, explosion, accompanied by a burst of blinding light, rang out in the courtyard!
Those assassins had never seen such a method before. The bright light stung their eyes, their eardrums rang, and they were momentarily blinded and disoriented!
"Now!" Although Li Yi was also affected, his skill was profound and he recovered the fastest. Seizing this lightning-fast opportunity, his Qingfeng sword flashed like a venomous snake, instantly slicing through the throats of the two assassins!
Pei Xuan also took the opportunity to swing the door bolt and smash it hard on the back of the head of the nearest assassin who was covering his eyes.
In the blink of an eye, most of the assassins in the courtyard had fallen. The remaining assassin who had broken into the house was also startled by this sudden turn of events and froze in his tracks.
How could Chen Qing let this opportunity slip by? In the darkness, relying on her memory and intuition, she pulled the trigger again!
"call out!"
Another body fell to the ground.
The battle came to an abrupt end in just a few dozen breaths.
Li Yi and Pei Xuan quickly inspected the battlefield, confirming that there were no survivors. Looking at the corpses scattered on the ground and Chen Qing's calm figure emerging from the darkness, both were filled with shock.
"Clean it up." Chen Qing's voice was completely calm, as if what had just happened was just a trivial disturbance.
She walked up to a corpse, squatted down, pulled off the person's mask, and carefully examined their clothes and weapons.
“They are professional assassins, not guards from the manor,” Li Yi said in a deep voice. He had discovered some hidden markings on the assassins.
Chen Qing stood up, her eyes coldly fixed on the main courtyard. She didn't need to guess to know who was behind it.
"Dispose of the body and clean up the bloodstains. What happened tonight must not be told to anyone else," Chen Qing ordered, then a cold smile appeared on his lips. "Also, Li Yi, pick the most intact corpse, dress it in the clothes of an ordinary servant, and throw it at the door of Aunt Zhang's bedroom in the main courtyard before dawn."
"Then slip this note into his hand." Chen Qing pulled out a pre-written note from somewhere, with only two words written on it—
"Pay back the debt!"
Li Yi's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately accepted the order: "Yes!"
Meanwhile, at the main courtyard.
"Master! Master! Something terrible has happened!"
"What is it now?!" Chen Zhenyan was now on edge.
"The Zhao family has sent someone! It's the second young master of the Zhao family who came in person. He said he heard about the assassination attempt on the Chen residence and is worried that tomorrow's wedding might be disrupted, so he's come to inquire whether the wedding should be postponed!"
Boom!
These words were like a bolt from the blue, leaving Chen Zhenyan, Zhang Shi, and Chen Jiao utterly terrified!
The Zhao family found out! They actually found out so quickly!
Needless to say, it must have been Chen Qing who had Wang Zhong do the trick that worked!
Postponed? That's a polite way of putting it. In reality, they've heard rumors, have doubts, and might even be considering breaking off the engagement!
"No! We can't postpone it!" Chen Jiao was the first to scream. She grabbed Chen Zhenyan's arm, her nails digging deep into his skin. "Father! I can't lose this marriage! Absolutely not! Promise Chen Qing! Give her the things back! Hurry!"
At this moment, nothing is more important than the wealth and glory she is about to obtain!
Zhang panicked. If the Zhao family broke off the engagement, all her hopes would be gone!
Just then, another servant came to report that all the assassins they had sent out had been defeated, and a corpse had been thrown outside the courtyard.
The note was handed to Chen Zhenyan, and after reading the words on it, Chen Zhenyan slumped down in disbelief.
He abruptly closed his eyes, his whole body trembling. He had lost, utterly defeated!
As the first hint of dawn appeared on the horizon, Chen Zhenyan seemed to age ten years in an instant. In a hoarse, desperate voice, he instructed the butler:
"Go open my private treasury, and Zhang's private savings. Bring out all movable gold, silver, jewelry, antiques, land deeds, shop deeds... anything that's not enough! If it's not enough, immediately go to the accounting office to withdraw cash, and go to the pawnshop to redeem the pawned items! Before dawn, all missing dowries must be replenished according to the list and sent to the music academy!"
He practically spat out those words through gritted teeth, each syllable dripping with blood.
"Master!" Madam Zhang was so heartbroken she almost fainted. It had nearly emptied their savings and hard-earned money from all those years of work!
"Shut up!" Chen Zhenyan suddenly opened his eyes, bloodshot and like a trapped beast. "Do you want our whole family to be buried with those dead things?!"
As dawn approached, the morning sun pierced through the clouds, casting its light upon the Chen residence, which had been turbulent all night.
The gates of the Qin Academy were wide open, and Chen Qing stood on the steps. The morning breeze fluttered her clothes, and her expression was as cold as frost. Dozens of heavy trunks were carried in one after another before her, almost filling the small courtyard. Wang Zhong, holding the dowry list, was working with Zhu Yan, Pei Xuan, and others to once again conduct a tense but orderly inventory and verification.
Chen Zhenyan practically emptied his own treasury and Zhang's personal savings, and then worked through the night to urgently gather money from various places and redeem the pawned items, barely managing to scrape together this staggering sum. The return of each item felt like a knife twisting in his heart.
"Young Miss, a set of South China Sea pearl jewelry, verified and correct!"
"The land deed for 100 acres of fertile land in the eastern suburbs has been transferred to the new owner!"
"The only surviving copy of the 'Records of Mountains and Rivers' from the previous dynasty has been confirmed!"
...
Every shout of agreement signified that Chen Qing had won.
When the last imperial jade ruyi was confirmed to be back in the box, Wang Zhong breathed a long sigh of relief and looked at Chen Qing excitedly: "Miss, all the missing dowry items have been replenished! All the imperial gifts have also been recovered!"
Chen Qing's gaze swept across the chests and boxes filling the courtyard, her eyes showing no joy, only a calm, cold indifference. She knew the real show was just beginning.
Just then, a slightly hurried sound of footsteps came from outside the courtyard. A gatekeeper came running up, panting, and was stopped by Li Yi at the gate.
“Young Miss…” the servant hurriedly reported through Li Yi, “The two young masters of the Zhao family have arrived! Master requests that you come to the front hall to see them.”
Chen Qing raised an eyebrow slightly. They arrived quickly.
It seems she achieved her goal of sending Wang Zhong to let the Zhao family know about the Chen family's domestic affairs. The Zhao family is now restless, even disregarding the need to avoid suspicion the day before the wedding.
"knew."
Chen Qing responded indifferently, instructing Wang Zhong to guard the dowry closely. Only then did Chen Qing straighten her sleeves and calmly walk towards the front hall with Zhu Yan and Li Yi. She wanted to see just who the Zhao family of Cangcheng really was.
When Chen Qing entered the front hall, the atmosphere inside was quite subtle.
Despite his illness, Chen Zhenyan sat in the main seat, his face still pale. His eyes were filled with mixed emotions as he looked at Chen Qing who had entered. There was resentment, fear, and a hint of barely perceptible pleading—pleading that she not completely break ties with the Zhao family.
Zhang and Chen Jiao were also present. Chen Jiao had changed out of her wedding dress from yesterday and was wearing a simple dress. Her eyes were slightly red, and she looked pitiful, as if she had suffered a great injustice. Zhang tried her best to remain calm, but her flickering eyes betrayed her inner fear.
Two young men were seated in the guest seats.
The man on the left was dressed in brocade robes and had a jade belt around his waist. He had a handsome face, but there was an air of frivolity about him.
He was Zhao Liyou, the eldest son of the Zhao family, who was originally engaged to Chen Qing. At this moment, he was idly playing with the teacup in his hand, his eyes occasionally drifting to the window. He seemed to be impatient with the oppressive atmosphere in the hall. He showed no concern about changing his fiancée from Chen Qing to Chen Jiao, as if he had only changed an insignificant item.
The man on the right, dressed in a relatively simple dark blue robe, stood tall and straight. His face was not as handsome as Zhao Liyou's, but his features were well-defined, and his eyes were deep and calm, as if they could see into people's hearts. He sat there quietly, his aura restrained, a stark contrast to Zhao Liyou's restlessness.
This is Zhao Liyou's half-brother, Zhao Lige.
As soon as Chen Qing entered, he immediately attracted everyone's attention.
Zhao Liyou's eyes lit up, and she looked Chen Qing up and down without any hesitation.
His gaze lingered on her slightly plump yet undeniably beautiful face and graceful figure, carrying a hint of the flippant judgment of a playboy appraising beauty. He had originally had no objection to replacing her with Chen Jiao, but upon seeing Chen Qing's cold demeanor and stark contrast to the timid image he had been portrayed with, a strange sense of regret arose in his heart.
The moment Chen Qing entered, Zhao Lige's gaze fell upon her. His eyes were calm and unwavering, yet they held a cautious scrutiny, as if he were assessing something extremely important. Unlike his brother, he did not reveal any emotion; he simply watched quietly, taking in Chen Qing's composure, calmness, and the barely perceptible sharpness deep within her eyes.
"Qing'er is here," Chen Zhenyan forced a smile, trying to ease the atmosphere. "Quickly greet the two young masters of the Zhao family."
Chen Qing nodded slightly as a greeting, her voice cool and clear: "Chen Qing greets Young Master Zhao and Second Young Master Zhao." Her gaze swept calmly over the two, lingering briefly on Zhao Ligge. This illegitimate son gave off a very unusual feeling.
"Greetings, Miss Chen." Zhao Liyou casually cupped his hands in greeting, his tone flippant. "I heard that things were quite lively at your residence yesterday? It seems my future in-laws are having some domestic troubles?" His words seemed concerned, but in reality, they carried a hint of schadenfreude.
Upon hearing this, Chen Jiao's face turned pale, and she looked at Zhao Liyou with tears welling up in her eyes, but dared not say anything more.
Chen Zhenyan and Zhang were extremely embarrassed.
Chen Qing smiled faintly and met Zhao Liyou's gaze: "Thank you for your concern, Young Master Zhao. It was just getting rid of some parasites and taking back what rightfully belonged to me."
Her things?
Chen Qing's words had a hidden meaning, but the eldest son of the Zhao family didn't catch it. He was only focused on making comparisons, his lewd eyes repeatedly scanning Chen Qing and Chen Jiao.
Although my sister was overly voluptuous, her skin was as white as mutton fat jade, and her expression was as cold as a goddess, giving her a unique charm.
My younger sister is delicate and lovely. Her eyes are red and swollen from crying. When she looks at him, her eyes are full of sorrow and pity, which makes her very endearing.
Zhao Liyou was so engrossed in comparing the two in his mind that he became completely absorbed in the moment.
Zhao Lige knew his elder brother's personality well, and frowned slightly, his attention focused on Chen Qing.
Last night, his men heard that there was trouble in the Chen family and were afraid that it would delay his brother's marriage. So they sent someone to inquire, only to find out that his sister-in-law, who had been replaced, was making a scene at home over her dowry.
No one understood better than Zhao Lige why his family was so eager to arrange a marriage with the Chen family, a merchant family. Apart from the fact that the Chen family was an imperial merchant, the biggest reason was that the Zhao family was also broke.
They were counting on this future daughter-in-law, who was not yet married into the family, to bring a generous dowry to the Zhao family of Cangcheng.
But now that the person has changed, will the Zhao family still receive the generous dowry they were hoping for?
Zhao Lige saw through it but didn't say anything, only observing the development of the situation with amusement.
That's really interesting.
Especially this woman who should have been his sister-in-law.
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