Chapter Twenty-One: Gathering Treasures from All Directions
Outside the gate of the Yi residence, Murong Hanchan and the others were preparing to depart, while Yi Qingxue and Yi Mingjian saw them off.
Yi Qingxue said to Yi Mingzhao, "Second brother, please take care on your journey and prioritize your own safety. Qingxue will wait for you to return home."
Yi Mingzhao: "Don't worry, little sister! I will return safely!"
Yi Mingjian: "Second brother, take care on your journey!"
Yi Mingzhao: "Okay, big brother! Then I'll set off!" After saying that, he bid farewell to Yi Qingxue and Yi Mingjian.
Yi Qingxue walked to Murong Hanchan's side and said, "Sister Murong, we don't know when we will meet again after this parting. Please take good care of yourself. If you find Brother Xiaoyao, Qingxue wishes you a long and happy life together."
Murong Hanchan: "Don't worry, Qingxue, I will definitely find that fool. You should also take good care of yourself. I will come to Longyang City to see you again when I have time."
Yi Qingxue: "Qingxue is waiting for Sister Murong. I wish you a safe journey."
Murong Hanchan said, "Then I'll take my leave first!" She glanced at Yin Xiaosheng and rode away.
Yin Xiaosheng: "Qingxue, to be honest, I really want to stay with you forever and not go anywhere, but you need time right now, so I'll give you that time. Once I've finished my business and returned to the Murong Manor in Dongyue, I'll beg my master to allow me to come to Longyang City to propose marriage to you!"
Yi Qingxue said, "Brother Yin, it's been a long time since we last met, but we must part eventually. You don't need to be sad. If you come to propose marriage, I will wait for you. Here is a piece of red jade to express my sincerity." After saying that, she handed a piece of red jade to Yin Xiaosheng.
Yin Xiaosheng took Hongyu, held Yi Qingxue's hands, and said with a sorrowful expression, "Qingxue~ take care!" After saying that, he mounted his horse.
Yi Qingxue: "Brother Yin! You must stay safe and sound. Qingxue is waiting for you!" Her eyes were glistening with tears as she finished speaking.
Yin Xiaosheng glanced back at Yi Qingxue, then spurred his horse and galloped away.
"Giddy up! Giddy up!"
Yi Qingxue watched Yin Xiaosheng walk away, a smile on her face, gazing into the distance for a long time.
Ping'er: "Miss, let's go back inside!"
Yi Qingxue: "Let me watch for a little longer."
Ping'er: "The person is gone, what's the point of looking at them now!"
...
At the Sihe Inn on Xiangcheng Street, Yu Linglong was meditating on the bed while the owner was cursing the waiter, who kept his head down and remained silent.
The boss angrily said, "My tables and chairs are all in this state after just one night! What use are you to me?!" He pointed at the shop assistant and cursed.
Qiu Xia smiled and said, "Shop owner, don't blame this waiter. Even if you were here last night, you wouldn't have been able to change anything. They are all ruthless killers. If you had the attitude you have now, you would already be dead!"
The shop owner looked up at Chunxiang upstairs and yelled at his employee, "You knew they weren't good people, so why did you open the door and let them stay?"
The waiter said with a wronged look, "Didn't you tell me that I should open the door to let guests in as soon as they came to stay? As soon as I opened the door, they barged in and forced me to cook. I was scared, so I lit a fire to call for help. Master Xiong came with his men, and after a fierce battle, this is what happened."
The shop owner sat down to catch his breath and said leisurely, "Oh well, it's just a few tables. If they're gone, they're gone."
At this moment, the cook asked, "Boss, are you making meals again today?"
The shop owner roared, "Make it! Why wouldn't you? Are you going to close down?" The cook, hearing this, rushed to the kitchen. He then pointed at the four shop assistants and two handymen, yelling, "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and go to the carpenter's shop in the south of the city and buy a few sets of dining tables! Are you expecting the customers to eat standing up?"
Upon hearing this, the men hurriedly went to the backyard to prepare the carriage and fetch ropes. After they left, the shop owner cursed, "Just a bunch of good-for-nothings! Good-for-nothings!"
Just then, he saw Qiuxia on the balcony, eating an apple and laughing at him. He angrily shouted, "What are you laughing at! You brat!"
Upon hearing this, Qiu Xia made a face at him. At this moment, Yu Linglong came out wearing a veil.
Qiu Xia turned her head and said, "Palace Master, are you ready? I'll go get my bundle and my sword!"
Yu Linglong nodded, went downstairs to the backyard to fetch the horse, and then the two headed southwest towards Xiyu Manor.
In the stables of the Ma family, Xiaoyao Lang was feeding carrots to Blackie and Little White Horse.
While brushing the horse, Ma Pingchuan said, "Xiaoyao, feed it less carrots. You need to gradually wean it off them. Although it likes to eat them, carrots aren't cheap!"
Xiaoyao Lang: "You're right. Sometimes I can't even eat this carrot. If it becomes picky about its food in the future, I'll have to give it back to you!"
Ma Pingchuan: "Haha...!"
Ma Pingchuan asked his brothers, "Are you all ready?"
"Ready!"
Ma Pingchuan: "Then let's go!"
With "Brother Black" by his side, Xiaoyao Lang decided to send Little White Horse back to the Yi residence. So he rode Little White Horse, while "Brother Black" followed closely behind.
Ma Pingchuan and his group, including Xiaoyao Lang, totaled nine people. They rode thirty-six fine horses in a grand procession heading southwest towards Xiyu Manor.
Xiaoyao Lang: "Pingchuan, I'll take Xiaobaiju back first. I estimate we'll meet in Xiangcheng Street."
Ma Pingchuan: "Alright! Let's not linger too long, we need to get to Xiyu Manor before dark!"
Xiaoyao Lang: "Don't worry, I'll be right back after I deliver it!" After saying that, he rode off quickly on his little white horse, with "Brother Hei" following closely behind.
Meanwhile, in a room in Mianzhu Town at Xiyu Mountain Villa, a mysterious person dressed in black and wearing a black straw hat, whose voice sounded like a woman, was discussing something with two middle-aged men.
The mysterious woman said, "You are Zhu Xiaoyuan, and you are Fang Changjin?"
Zhu Xiaoyuan: "Exactly!"
Fang Changjin: "Exactly!"
The mysterious man continued, “Although I have never seen you, I know that you are very ambitious and determined to seize the territory of neighboring countries. It is only because Ling Beixiao is blocking your way from above that you are preventing the people below from fighting for it.”
Zhu Xiaoyuan said, "Yes, Ling Beixiao lives a carefree life because he is the head of the manor. But the brothers below can't enjoy themselves at all. A few days ago, my elder brother was executed for forcibly taking a woman from the countryside." He finished speaking with gritted teeth.
Fang Changjin: "That's right. If the brothers want to eat beef, they'll be beaten eighty times even if they kill a cow."
The mysterious man said, "Don't be impatient. As long as you listen to my instructions and do as I say, Ling Beixiao's good days won't last long."
Upon hearing this, the two men immediately knelt down. Zhu Xiaoyuan said, "As long as we can get rid of Ling Beixiao, we are willing to do whatever you ask!"
The mysterious man said, "Very good. A batch of horses will be sent over from Longyang City in the next two days. In addition, an appraisal conference will be held soon. There are countless treasures from all walks of life in the martial arts world, and they are all very valuable. You can take advantage of this opportunity to make your move. But I must get the horses. They are the key to bringing down Ling Beixiao."
Zhu Xiaoyuan: "Yes!"
Fang Changjin: "Understood!"
Mysterious man: "Do you know where the right place to make your move is?"
Zhu Xiaoyuan: "Zhangjiaba! It's far from the mountain village, and the residents live in concentrated areas, which makes it easy to hide and escape."
The mysterious man laughed and said, "I look forward to your good news!" Then he went out and disappeared.
About an hour later, Xiaoyao Lang arrived at Xiangcheng Street. He turned at the crossroads and rode towards the city gate of Longyang City. At this time, Murong Hanchan and her group had just left Hengcheng Road and were heading southwest. When Xiaoyao Lang reached the city gate, a guard said, "Young Master Xiaoyao, you're here to find your friends, aren't you? They left the city with the Second Young Master about half an hour ago. If you chase after them now, you might still catch up!"
Xiaoyao Lang: "What are the Second Young Master and the others doing outside the city? Shouldn't the city lord be inside?"
Guard: "The city lord hasn't left the city during this time; he should be in the administration hall. As for the second young master and the others, it seems they went to attend the treasure appraisal event at Drizzle Manor!"
Xiaoyao Lang thought to himself, "The Second Young Master dotes on Qingxue the most. Now that he's gone, only Yi Yunke truly cares about her. If Yi Yunke isn't in the city either, then I must go back and be with her no matter what."
Xiaoyao Lang: "That's good!" He then dismounted and said to the little white horse, "I don't know if we'll ever meet again, but if fate allows, we will. Go back and stay with Qingxue!" After saying this, he pressed his face against the little white horse's head, feeling sentimental for a long time. "Let's go!" The little white horse obediently went into the city. Once inside, no one dared to mess with the little white horse, because they all knew it was Yi Qingxue's mount.
Guard: "Young Master Xiaoyao! Aren't you going into the city?"
Xiaoyao Lang mounted "Brother Black" and said, "We won't go into the city today. We'll go another time!" He then turned his horse around and galloped towards the city streets. When he reached the crossroads, Ma Pingchuan and his group were approaching from the right. Xiaoyao Lang waited to meet them.
Ma Pingchuan laughed and said, "Xiaoyao, you arrived here so quickly, you didn't enter the city, did you?"
Xiaoyao Lang: "Yes, I don't know what to say to Qingxue when I go into the city, so I didn't plan to go in."
Ma Pingchuan: "You don't want to see Miss Murong, do you?"
Xiaoyao Lang laughed and said, "I really don't want to see her, but she's not in the city right now. I heard from the guards that they also went to Xiyu Manor to attend the treasure appraisal event held every three years."
Ma Pingchuan: "An antique appraisal event! We've never had a chance to attend before, and we never expected to run into it this time!"
Xiaoyao Lang: "It's fate. Although I don't really like crowded places, I'm curious to see what kind of treasures they might have!"
Ma Pingchuan: "Haha, you'll know as soon as you go. Who knows, you might even meet a stunningly beautiful woman!"
Xiaoyao Lang: "..."
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