Suspicion, the Show Begins

"What did you say?!"

Long Xiaoyun had remained calm when he himself was suspected, but the moment Lin Shiyin was implicated, his face instantly flushed with rage.

"My wife is merely a frail woman. She has never practiced martial arts and has nothing whatsoever to do with this matter!"

Faced with Long Xiaoyun's furious glare, that martial artist immediately trembled.

But with everyone watching, if a single glare from Long Xiaoyun frightened him into retreating, he would never be able to show his face in the martial world again.

He forced himself to stand firm and said, "How do we know whether she has practiced martial arts or not?"

"She is my wife. How could I not know?"

"Who can say for certain? I heard this manor was given to your wife by Li Xunhuan, yet you renamed it Xingyun Manor, making it sound as though it belonged to you! Perhaps Li Xunhuan left his flying dagger techniques here. Not for you, but in your wife's hands. If so, it would be perfectly normal for your wife to secretly practice them without letting you know!"

"You're courting death!"

Long Xiaoyun glared furiously. If the earlier words had merely been thoughtless talk, these words were now outright slander against Lin Shiyin's reputation.

How could he not be enraged?

The man was so frightened that he staggered back several steps and crashed into the crowd.

At that moment, another man stepped forward. "Manor Lord Long, please calm yourself. This matter is easy enough to resolve. So long as Madam Long can prove that she knows no martial arts, her suspicions will naturally be cleared. However, if Madam Long truly possesses exceptional martial skills, then she cannot escape suspicion in today's affair."

Hearing this, everyone's thoughts began to stir.

Indeed, the current situation was rather delicate.

Heavy snow had sealed off the manor, and before they searched it, the snow outside showed no traces whatsoever. That meant the culprit had to be someone inside the manor.

After Li Zhen was killed, Wang Yuan had immediately shouted, drawing every martial artist in the manor over.

Even Lin Xian'er had come as well.

Aside from them, the only people absent were likely the manor's servants and guards.

And Lin Shiyin.

Before this, no one had paid any attention to her.

But after those remarks, Lin Shiyin had suddenly been thrust into the spotlight.

If she had never practiced martial arts, she naturally had no reason to be suspected.

But if she had trained in martial arts, and had even learned Li Xunhuan's flying dagger techniques, then the matter became serious.

After all, flying daggers were concealed weapons, and those five Plum Blossom Silver Needles were concealed weapons as well!

Could Lin Shiyin be the real Plum Blossom Thief?

Lu Xiaofeng stepped forward at this point. "Everyone, everyone! Please hear me out! Madam Long does indeed have some cause for suspicion, but the other servants and guards in the manor are likewise all suspects. Even every one of us here is no exception.

But the night is already deep. Whether we are proving that Madam Long knows martial arts or searching the other servants and guards, neither is convenient at the moment. In my opinion, why not wait until dawn and conduct a thorough search then?"

The man clasped his fists. "Young Hero Lu's words are very fair, but what if someone uses this time to send out a warning?"

Lu Xiaofeng said, "In that case, Manor Lord Long and I will stay awake through the night. Anyone else who has concerns may join us."

Li Xunhuan said, "I'll join as well, lest I become a suspect too."

Tie Chuanjia and A'Fei both stepped forward at that moment, choosing to join them.

Bai Xiaosheng said, "I'll join as well."

Two more men stepped out from the crowd. One was Zhao Zhengyi, the other Tian Qi. Both were well-known heroes in the martial world, and both chose to stay.

Zhou Ming chose to join as well.

But no matter what, it was impossible for everyone to remain here through the night.

Lu Xiaofeng said, "Everyone, don't forget that others are also suspects. How about this? We draw lots. Those who draw the same number will watch one another tonight. However, anyone familiar with each other must redraw!"

This was a good method.

Even Lin Xian'er was assigned a group. Female martial artists were few, but not nonexistent.

Furthermore, none of them had a particularly good relationship with Lin Xian'er, which suited Lu Xiaofeng's proposal.

In truth, what Lin Xian'er wanted most was to remain here with everyone else and keep watch over Long Xiaoyun.

But Lu Xiaofeng refused, citing women's frailty and the risk of catching a chill in the cold.

The others around them also pitied her and urged her to rest.

What Lin Xian'er needed least at this moment was such concern, but those who toyed with emotions were often the easiest to suffer their backlash.

Moreover, she understood that Lu Xiaofeng was now watching her closely. No matter what, he would not let her have her way.

In the end, she could only give up reluctantly.

After the groups were decided by drawing lots, everyone split into groups of two or three and departed separately.

The people who remained found the small two-person room rather crowded, so they moved to another hall.

The night deepened, and the wind grew colder.

Even inside the tightly sealed hall, where not a trace of cold wind could enter, they could still feel the biting chill.

Long Xiaoyun was too restless to sit or stand.

Lu Xiaofeng stepped forward to comfort him. "Manor Lord Long, there is no need to worry. Your wife does not know martial arts. Those people were merely talking nonsense."

Long Xiaoyun clasped his fists in thanks, but his expression remained grim.

He was no fool.

He had not thought much about it earlier, but now that he had time to consider it carefully, he immediately realized how deeply wrong this matter was.

How many days had Li Zhen even been here?

Yet he had managed to explore more than half of Xingyun Manor?

Was that map truly his?

And why had the accusations of suspicion somehow been pushed onto Lin Shiyin?

It made no sense at all!

He caught the scent of something familiar.

Someone was likely stirring things up behind the scenes, guiding the direction of public opinion.

If that was the case, then the other party must have prepared another move for Lin Shiyin.

That was precisely why Long Xiaoyun could not sit still.

Whether the mastermind's true target was himself or Li Xunhuan, dragging Lin Shiyin into this was something he could never tolerate.

A chilling draft seeped through the crack beneath the door.

Long Xiaoyun's heart stirred, and an idea came to him. "Young Hero Lu is right. My concern clouded my judgment, and I panicked for a moment."

Lu Xiaofeng said, "A husband and wife are one body. It is only natural for your mind to be unsettled in such circumstances."

Long Xiaoyun thanked him. "In this freezing weather, it seems we will have to endure until dawn. Why not have my servants arrange some tea and snacks? Rest assured, everyone, I will not tamper with anything. Young Hero Lu may accompany me and keep watch."

"This..."

Everyone exchanged glances.

Zhao Zhengyi stepped forward. "Since Manor Lord Long is being so open, we have no objection."

Lu Xiaofeng said, "Very well. I'll go with Manor Lord Long."

Before long, Long Xiaoyun and Lu Xiaofeng returned. They brought not only wine, tea, and various pastries, but also four or five large braziers. The charcoal within glowed red, warming the entire hall.

Seeing this, everyone gathered together to drink wine and tea. Wrapped in the warmth of the charcoal fire, they felt thoroughly comfortable and gradually fell asleep in their chairs.

Seeing this, Long Xiaoyun immediately left the hall and hurried toward the pavilion where he lived.

It was already the Hour of the Ox. Lin Shiyin was sleeping deeply, yet Long Xiaoyun still woke her. He said nothing, merely told her to continue sleeping while he searched the room.

After more than a quarter of an hour, he finally found a wooden box containing jeweled hairpins on Lin Shiyin's dressing table. Hidden beneath its bottom was a row of silver needles, uniquely shaped and engraved with delicate plum blossoms.

"Damn it! Someone really has been tampering with things in secret... Who planted these...?"

This wooden box for jeweled hairpins was something Lin Shiyin used regularly. It was not somewhere an ordinary person would think of, much less tamper with.

But the situation did not allow Long Xiaoyun to think deeply. He immediately took the box and left, intending to find a place to destroy it.

Yet the moment he stepped outside, several figures appeared before him.

"You..."

Lu Xiaofeng moved as swiftly as lightning, rapidly striking Long Xiaoyun's vital acupoints and freezing him in place. Then he said, "Everyone, we'll need to remain hidden for a little while longer. There's still another good show to watch!"

Another good show?

The others did not understand, but they still followed his arrangements and hid with Long Xiaoyun to one side.

Before long, another figure arrived.

"That is..."

Bai Xiaosheng's heart leaped into his throat. Though the figure stood in darkness, he recognized them all too well.

This was bad. They had fallen into a trap!

He immediately wanted to make some noise and warn the person, but his body suddenly froze.

Only then did he belatedly realize that his current position was rather dire.

On his left, Tie Chuanjia watched him like a tiger.

On his right, A'Fei gripped his iron sword.

Before him stood Lu Xiaofeng, Zhou Ming, Zhao Zhengyi, Tian Qi, and the others.

Even more terrifyingly, seven steps behind him, Li Xunhuan was holding a flying dagger!

It was over!