Jade Firmament Startling Swan, Xiangrong's Entrustment, Sincere Feelings, Lei Chong Solves the Case!

Li Xian, having practiced the "Demonic Sound Soul-Shaking Melody" and possessing a rudimentary understanding of music, recognized the "Longing for My Lover’s Startling Swan Sword-Dance Song" as a truly remarkable piece. The path of music differs from the paths of literature and martial arts; while it also requires accumulated knowledge, it seeks more of a fleeting moment of inspiration, emphasizing State of Mind, circumstances, and timing...

Many timeless masterpieces, when traced back to their origins, were created by ordinary people. Hence the saying, "Wonderful melodies are born of nature, but are conveyed through the hands of ordinary people." Since wonderful melodies are rare, they are gifts from heaven, but are conveyed through the mouths of ordinary people.

This piece, "Longing for My Lover’s Startling Swan Sword-Dance Song Beauty," contains Tao Xiangrong's longing and yearning, her sorrowful thoughts, and also her youthful Intent-Qi. Tao Xiangrong's spiritual essence, dormant for several years, bursts forth here, not seeking to be pretentious or elitist, but rather to be appreciated by all, regardless of their taste.

Also known as "The Jade Firmament Startling Swan Melody".

How could Li Xian bear to let it be tarnished? Tao Xiangrong said, "This spring night, I will play this piece on my zither, and I invite my younger brother to come and listen." Li Xian said, "I will definitely come to support you."

Tao Xiangrong moved as she gazed at Li Xian's face. She felt a perfect harmony of talent and emotion, and she had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of that young man. At this moment, no words were needed, and she was filled with boundless joy. Li Xian, who had just performed the sword dance, was also deeply moved by the various emotions conveyed in the sword dance and the music.

The two spent the day playing in the snow, strolling through the streets and visiting temples, playing the zither and dancing with swords. They truly enjoyed all the beauty of life. When they finally met face to face, under the shimmering moonlight, they were like a divine couple. How could they not be moved? The lingering music had not yet faded, and their feelings had already deepened. They could only say that this scene was enchanting and dreamlike.

Tao Xiangrong Tao Xiangrong romance, was suddenly overcome with shyness and unease, filled with both anticipation and fear. She longed for something but was too ashamed to speak of it; she feared something but was also too ashamed to speak of it. Her heart pounded in her chest, love and desire separated by only a thin hurdle. She said, "Good brother, sister... sister is already a little tired..." This was originally a pretext to "send him away," but Tao Xiangrong, suggesting a desire for peace and quiet, or a playful refusal.

It all depends on Li Xian's courage.

Li Xian thought to himself, "That song, ' Longing for My Lover’s Startling Swan Sword-Dance Song Beautiful It', seemed to be composed for me. Sister Tao's feelings for me... are truly sincere. What virtue or ability do I, Li Xian, possess to win such a beauty's heart? And yet, I'm the one who has received this affection. If I were to betray her, wouldn't I appear utterly pathetic? Alas... my nature is hard to change. Oh well, oh well... if I were to die because of this in the future, I wouldn't blame anyone else." He said, "I'm tired too. Could I borrow Sister Tao's..."

Tao Xiangrong face flushed red. She glared at him and scolded with a charming smile, "You brat!" Then she turned and walked into the house. Li Xian followed closely behind, but his lightness skill was far inferior, and in an instant, Tao Xiangrong's figure disappeared.

Li Xian chased after Tao Xiangrong to the front of the "Body-Nourishing Tower." Finding the door ajar, he gently pushed it open and entered. Tao Xiangrong had already vanished, but her lingering fragrance remained, subtly stirring desire and arousing the heart. Li Xian thought, "Since my sister left the door open, she probably doesn't refuse me. If she lets this Flower Thief in, it'll be too late for her to back out now."

Suddenly, he noticed a pale red handkerchief hanging from a doorknob. Li Xian picked it up; it still carried the fragrance of Tao Xiangrong. It was the scent of "One Sleeve of Light Crimson," a precious incense from Jade City. This incense was extremely expensive, renowned for its fragrance that filled the room with its aroma. He pushed open the door and saw a long, straight path. The path branched into three forks. On one fork leading east, a white mink cloak lay scattered. Li Xian picked up the cloak and walked a few more steps along the eastern fork, where he saw a silver jade belt at the waist. A unique fragrance wafted from it. Thus, every few steps Li Xian took, he could find items left behind by Tao Xiangrong —small ornaments, sachets, or jade pendants. The paths within the Body-Nourishing Tower wound and twisted, until he came to a flight of stairs. The stairs were spotless, and the railings were carved with auspicious jade beasts, with a colorful shawl draped over them. This was Li Xian's second visit to the Body-Nourishing Tower; he knew that climbing the stairs led to a room called "Radiant Bath Hall." He picked up the shawl and ascended the stairs.

Upon arriving at the hot spring, the steam created a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere. The space was constructed entirely of jade and was quite magnificent. Li Xian walked around the hot spring and saw an exquisite garment hanging on a screen. Li Xian couldn't help but laugh, "This sister is truly... truly..." His heart fluttered with desire, knowing that the beauty's allure was now completely undisguised. He picked up the garment and followed the signs.

Around a corner, three gold hairpins appeared, each with a gold chain hanging from its end. Li Xian picked up the hairpins, and as if he could already see Tao Xiangrong cascading down like a waterfall. Li Xian continued forward and saw a bonsai "Golden Magnolia Tree" covered with a "Green Vine Gauze Dress".

Li Xian's face flushed slightly; being young, her blood was rushing, and a graceful figure appeared in her mind. She quickened her pace. Reaching the third floor, she pushed open a door and suddenly saw something fall from above, covering Li Xian face. Startled, she heard a silvery laugh from not far away. The two chased each other, drawing closer. Li Xian Li Xian the object from her face, blushing deeply. It was a women's garment from the "Silk and Jade Garments Workshop, adorned with openwork lace and bold design, yet using very little material. Jade City was extremely prosperous, and its women's clothing and accessories were among the finest in the world.

Li Xian held the lingering fragrance in her hand and kept calling out, "Sister, sister, where are you?" Tao Xiangrong's voice came from afar, "You brat, who let you in? How dare you sneak into your sister's room!" Li Xian followed the sound and realized that the two were getting closer and closer. Suddenly, she saw a golden lock left on the ground.

Li Xian was startled, picked up the lock, and it was Tao Xiangrong's longevity Golden Lock. Li Xian was always intelligent; how could he not understand the meaning behind this? His heart stirred. "This Golden Lock is my sister's treasure for prolonging her life. She left it here to guide me forward. She knows I am wary, so she wants to use this to tell me that she is willing to risk her life for me and has no intention of harming me. Li Xian, oh Li Xian, what have you done to deserve this?" He picked up the Golden Lock and pushed open the last door. Inside, colorful gauze curtains hung, their material so light that they felt nothing to the touch, like nothing at all. Like mist, yet not mist; like a dream, yet not a door.

In the dim candlelight, Li Xian caught a glimpse of a figure behind the curtain and pounced in an instant. Tao Xiangrong, but could not escape and was already captured in his arms. She pleaded sweetly, "Good hero, good hero, spare my life! I know I was wrong." Li Xian smiled and asked, "Where were you wrong?" Tao Xiangrong nestled in his arms, her eyes filled with tenderness and warmth, her brows like water and her eyes sparkling with spring waves. She confessed, "My mistake was not meeting you sooner, wasting so much time."

But tonight, in the Body-Nourishing Tower, all are fed; the wind is graceful, and the moon is enchanting.

Lei Chong was a dignified Lang General of the Truth-Appraising Guard, with Copper Body, Mud Face, holding a very high position. Since being valued by Xu Shaoqian, he has risen rapidly through the ranks, from Cavalier to a commander, then to the commander of the main formation, and finally to the commander of the Gold Steward... step by step, he has fought his way to his current glory.

He already had a family with two sons. The elder son had been attending school for several years, while the younger son had just learned to walk. He had a beautiful wife, whom the neighbors all called "Madam Lei." Lei Chong was powerful and influential, and his wife and children were all proud of him.

On that day, the condemned prisoner went missing, and Lei Chong was nearly framed. However, thanks to Xu Shaoqian's momentary trust, Lei Chong escaped danger and returned home after his shift. His wife, eldest son Lei Tie, and youngest son Lei Meng immediately came to greet him.

Seeing Lei Chong's cold expression, Madam Lei immediately dismissed her eldest son Lei Tie, and youngest son, Lei Meng, and questioned Lei Chong about his official duties. Lei Chong immediately launched into a tirade, angrily denouncing Li Xian as a despicable brat, declaring that today's matter was far from over. Madam Lei, unaware of the details of the official duties, dared not say more, only offering words of comfort. That night Lei Chong back and forth, deep in thought. Although he was Lang General, his humble origins made him tremble with arrogance when encountering prominent families and noblemen of Jade City, while displaying a haughty air towards ordinary people. He was by no means foolish; today's perilous situation had solidified his resolve to kill Li Xian. He had originally intended to plan carefully, waiting for thorough preparation before launching a swift and decisive attack, aiming for a swift victory. But now it seemed the opposite had happened. Li Xian Xian's power had grown, he had established himself firmly within the Gold-Seeking Guard, and his own strength was considerable, having mastered various martial arts styles.

He thought to himself, "This kid is quite formidable and should not be underestimated. Today, I've truly broken ties with him. But there might be some good in it. Xu Central Lang General treated me quite well, helping me suppress my suspicions. It's clear that my previous attempts to sow discord were indeed very effective. Although he is capable, Xu Shaoqian may not be willing to replace me with him."

He thought again, "Dealing with him can't wait any longer, but we can't be impatient either. We must strike decisively. As for the missing death row inmate, who is responsible? Although I can't investigate as well as Li Xian, I still need to follow up. Otherwise, this scoundrel will fabricate evidence and slander me again. I'll just have to continue suffering losses." He went to bed that night and immediately began investigating the next day. He had one method: follow Li Xian. Whatever Li Xian investigated, he investigated too. That day, Lei Chong sent someone to keep a close eye on Li Xian and follow him around. They saw Li Xian sometimes frowning, sometimes clapping, and sometimes running around.

Lei Chong also found the same item, but he didn't know what the connection was. Seeing Li Xian's sudden realization, as if he had everything figured out, Lei Chong was extremely anxious. Following him all day only added to Lei Chong's troubles, and he was of no use at all.

That night, Lei Chong was filled with unspeakable sorrow. Madam Lei, always virtuous and kind, saw Lei Chong's distress and cooked him a pot of hot soup. Lei Chong took it and drank it lightly, seemingly lost in thought. Madam Lei quietly inquired, wanting to help her husband dispel his worries.

Unable to contain his frustration, Lei Chong smashed the hot soup in his hand and cursed, "What does a woman know? She's just making things worse!" He then chased his wife away. Though a surge of anger rose within him, he thought, "I've followed Li Xian all day without a single clue or step forward. This method is unacceptable; I need to change it. Otherwise, the initiative is entirely in Li Xian's hands. If Li Xian truly finds the culprit, and if it doesn't point to me, then so be it. But if it does, I'll point to him. In the end, it'll just be a matter of each sticking to their own version of events, turning into a shouting match. I don't need to pay attention to Li Xian; I just need to find a way to steer this case closer to Li Xian. I just need to figure out a seemingly feasible method of committing the crime."

"I'll kill this brat after this is over."

Having sorted out his thoughts, Lei Chong was overjoyed. His mood lifted, and he felt completely relaxed. Suddenly, he noticed a fish and shrimp smell in the soup on the ground. Lei Chong sensed something strange, but couldn't quite put his finger on it; he only felt a clue to the case flowing past him.

The following day, Lei Chong feigned intimacy with Bai Qinghao and Iron Fu, but in reality, he tried to elicit information about the three-day banquet at "Drunken Night Tower." After a thorough interrogation, he found no clues whatsoever. Bai Qinghao and Iron Fu then patted their chests and assured him that the three of them had been drinking heavily for three days straight.

Lei Chong was deeply troubled. He wanted to frame someone again, but if he couldn't explain this part clearly, it would all be in vain. He had considered framing Bai Qinghao and Iron Fu as well, but Bai Qinghao was a descendant of the Bai Clan, and although Iron Fu was not from a prominent family, his family was quite wealthy and his business was substantial. Just when he felt helpless, he suddenly remembered that Li Kuo, Yao Fan, and others had boasted that Li Xian had an incredible capacity for alcohol and was very difficult to get drunk.

Lei Chong, recalling Bai Qinghao and Iron Fu's claim that the three of them had been drinking and sleeping together for three whole days, saw an opportunity. He thought, "How can we easily believe the words of a drunkard? I can set up a banquet and deliberately invite the Cavalier to drink, to test their drinking capacity. If Bai Qinghao and Iron Fu's drinking capacity is not much different from Li Kuo's, then they will certainly not be able to drink and sleep with Li Xian. At that time, I will use this to attack Li Xian, hahaha."

He wasn't actually solving a case, but rather looking for trouble with Li Xian. With a different mindset, he actually realized something crucial. At noon that day, he found a pretext to host a banquet at his residence, inviting Bai Qinghao, Li Kuo, and others to the mansion for a feast.

At the banquet, the guests clinked glasses and drank until they were tipsy. Bai Qinghao and Iron Fu were indeed better at drinking than Li Kuo, but they were no match for Li Xian. Lei Chong was only interested in finding fault and still did not realize that Li Xian was the real culprit in the case.

To justify his actions, he personally went to the Drunken Star Pavilion to investigate. He was not good at investigations, and the clues in this matter were hard to find. Lei Chong did not come to investigate the case in a real way, but only to find a plausible explanation to use to attack Li Xian.

He first went to the private room to take a look, and then called over the manager of the Drunken Star Pavilion. Lei Chong was very polite and dared not speak to him lightly. The manager was also very courteous. Lei Chong asked if anything strange or unusual had happened during the three days of drinking together, and asked him to tell him anything, big or small.

Lei Chong thought to himself, "As the saying goes, 'If you want to condemn someone, you can always find a pretext.' I can piece together any strange little thing and pin it on Li Xian." The steward thought carefully and indeed found many strange things, which he immediately recounted. Each time Lei Chong heard one, he immediately connected it to Li Xian. When he heard about the "waiter sneaking into the wine cellar to steal wine and getting drunk," Lei Chong thought, "Li Xian wears a mask. If this waiter is wearing his mask and drinking with Bai Qinghao and Iron Fu in his place, then it means Li Xian really did commit the crime!"

Overjoyed, he immediately inquired about the waiter's whereabouts. The manager told Lei Chong that the waiter had been dismissed and that he lived in Benevolence Ward, Upright Tiger Street, and that he could go and look for him.

Lei Chong was overjoyed. Seeing that it was already dark, he immediately rode his horse to Benevolence Ward and Upright Tiger Street. He grabbed a neighbor and asked them where the innkeeper lived. Lei Chong knocked on the door, but there was no response. So he kicked the door open. A mother and child were huddled in the corner, looking at him in fear.

Lei Chong ignored it and searched the house... but it was empty, with no trace of the waiter. Enraged, he grabbed the mother and daughter and demanded to know the waiter's whereabouts. Terrified, the mother and daughter told him that the waiter had gone to the gambling den.

Lei Chong grabbed the mother and daughter by the wrists and dragged them to the gambling den to identify the culprits. He successfully apprehended the waiter, arbitrarily charged him with a crime, detained him, and took him back to his own mansion. The Lang General had already managed to build his own private prison. Lei Chong locked the waiter in the private prison and questioned him about the three days of drinking together. The waiter was completely confused and had no idea what had happened. He certainly wouldn't dare impersonate the Gold-Seeking Guard) and drink with Bai Qinghao and the others for three days without giving himself away.

Lei Chong's demands were not the truth. He immediately subjected the waiter to torture, forcing him to completely submit and confess that he had impersonated Li Xian and had drunk with Bai Qinghao and others for three days. Only then did Lei Chong feel relieved, believing he could handle Li Xian's difficult behavior.

He thought to himself, "Xu Central Lang General already protecting me, and I'll just produce witnesses. At that point Li Xian and I will just be biting each other. Neither of us will gain the upper hand."

That night, she could sleep soundly, teach her eldest son martial arts, and play with her second son. Madam Lei was overjoyed to see her husband's inner turmoil resolved, and the night was exceptionally sweet. The next morning, Lei Chong, as usual, went to jail and had the innkeeper's assistant recite his testimony. The innkeeper, covered in wounds, shakily recited it as he left. Lei Chong was quite satisfied and went to work as usual. He spent most of the day leisurely, thinking, "Although I have the power to retaliate and am not afraid of Li Xian's slander, I am very curious about who exactly rescued the Five Heroes of the Ancient Tomb. Marquis Wu Station is heavily guarded; it won't be easy to break through."

"In my Marquis Wu Station... if we want to send away five criminals quietly, we either need to be extremely powerful or we must be an inside man. Even if we are an inside man, it will be very, very difficult."

Lei Chong suddenly paused, a flash of inspiration striking him. He felt as if the clouds had parted, and thought, "Before Li Xian arrived, our Gold-Seeking Guard was already renowned far and wide. After Li Xian arrived, he hogged the limelight, making it seem as if he were the only capable person. Whenever we encountered a difficult case, we eagerly awaited his solution. Even I and Xu Shaoqian thought so."

"My investigation over the past few days wasn't to solve the case, but to guard against Li Xian and prepare bargaining chips for mutual mudslinging. Although I discovered many clues, deep down, I never truly considered Li Xian the culprit. However, looking back now, Li Xian's three days of drunken revelry had room for manipulation. And... if there really is a mole, besides me, I'm afraid... only Li Xian can do things so flawlessly, leaving no trace whatsoever. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't have failed to uncover it!" Thinking of this, he suddenly stood up, his heart pounding, a chill creeping up his spine, a mixture of belated horror and the elation of finding a golden opportunity. Solving a case is extremely difficult; one must find one or two genuine clues from thousands of leads, then follow the trail, constantly trying and failing.

However, the world is vast and full of ingenious schemes. Lei Chong's original intention was not to solve the case, but only to smear Li Xian, and it just so happened that Li Xian was the one who did it. With this in mind, he conducted an investigation and found that he had actually shot the arrow first and then marked the target.

But precisely because of this, his investigations came very close to the truth. He conveniently avoided the most difficult and complicated parts of investigating the case. He was "willing to find fault, he could always find a pretext," and ironically, the "pretext" he used was exactly right.

Lei Chong immediately considered the matter carefully, thinking, "Assuming Li Xian is indeed the real culprit, the waiter's claim that he didn't impersonate him to drink is too far-fetched, but he did suddenly fall into a coma before the Five Heroes of the Ancient Tomb disappeared. Furthermore, Li Xian and Bai Qinghao have vastly different alcohol tolerances;..."

Lei Chong back and forth, muttering "Li Xian"Li Xian repeatedly... Sensing he had almost solved the case, he suddenly clapped his hands and said, "Absolutely right! If I were Li Xian, and had planned to rescue the Five Heroes of the Ancient Tomb earlier, I would have first gotten Bai Qinghao and Iron Fu drunk, and then woken them up after a while, taking turns getting them drunk and waking them up."

"Blurring time and senses, after several rounds of this, it felt as if they had been drinking for days. Then, he put the two into a deep sleep, and when they awoke, they didn't know how long they had slept, as if they had been drinking for three days straight. Afterwards, Li Xian grabbed a waiter, put a mask on him, and had him lie face down on the table. He then slipped away to rescue the Five Heroes of the Ancient Tomb!"

Lei Chong said, "His actions were meticulously planned! He knew that once he cleared himself of suspicion, he could begin investigating the case. At that time, he would have countless ways to exonerate himself. But how could he quietly rescue five people? With his abilities, rescuing five people wouldn't be difficult. But taking them away would be far from easy."

Lei Chong back and forth, realizing that a crucial link had been overlooked. If he could thoroughly investigate the case and report it to Xu Shaoqian, he would surely defeat Li Xian in one fell swoop. At that time, the question of who would live and who would die would be clear.

Never in his life had he devoted so much effort to solving a bizarre case. Unable to sit still any longer, he went back to the prison to interrogate the details of that night. He pondered repeatedly, exhausting all his thoughts, but to no avail.

Before I knew it, it was already midnight, when suddenly I heard the sound of a horse-drawn carriage.

Lei Chong looked in the direction of the sound and saw a man in Turbid Garment push open the side door and carry away a bucket of swill. Lei Chong was stunned. He knew that every night at midnight, a man in Turbid Garment would carry away the swill, but he did not know that it was so close to the prison.

He noticed that the slop bucket was quite large, large enough to fit a person comfortably. He thought that if he put the person in the slop bucket and then left Marquis Wu Station by carriage, he would most likely be able to travel without any obstacles. Since the slop bucket was very dirty, no one wanted to check it.

Lei Chong over and asked, "Wait! You come here every day to haul away the swill?" The man in Turbid Garment stopped what he was doing, bowed respectfully, and smiled, "Greetings, General. Yes, that's right."

Lei Chong asked, "About four days ago, you also came to collect the swill?" The man in Turbid Garment replied, "It's my duty, I dare not neglect it, so I did." Lei Chong asked, "Was there anything strange about the swill that day?"

The man in Turbid Garment said, "Strange? If you're looking for something strange, there is. The weather was warm that day, and the adults ate what sounded like fish and shrimp porridge, which was quite fishy and smelly." Lei Chong thought to himself, "Ah... that jailer said he's incompatible with fish and shrimp. He must have been knocked unconscious and hidden in the swill bucket!"

Lei Chong asked again, "Anything else unusual?" The man in Turbid Garment replied, "Yes, yes. The slop bucket that day seemed unusually heavy. If I weren't naturally strong, I really wouldn't have been able to carry it."

Lei Chong asked, "Oh? Every bucket is very heavy?" The man in Turbid Garment replied, "Not every bucket, but about four or five buckets are extremely heavy, as if half a pig's carcass has been thrown away; they're very heavy."

The man in Turbid Garment said again, "Ah! Yes, there's another difference. I wonder if you can tell me?" Lei Chong said, "Tell me!"

The man in Turbid Garment said, "That day, I rode my horse out of Marquis Wu Station and went about four or five miles when suddenly the horse got frightened and started jumping around wildly, spilling the swill bucket all over the ground. The Common Citizen rushed to scramble for the food, causing quite a commotion, and I almost lost my job. Now that I think about it, my horse is usually very docile, so it's quite puzzling that it suddenly went mad that day."

Lei Chong in high spirits, barely suppressing the urge to burst into laughter. He thought to himself, "Li Xian Li Xian, you were always a step behind me in our battles. I never imagined you were actually the traitor, and that I had discovered you."

He sorted out his thoughts, connecting all the clues in the case: how Li Xian avoided suspicion, how he infiltrated Marquis Wu Station, how he transported the Five Heroes of the Ancient Tomb... He was certain that this matter was enough to put Li Xian to death.

He immediately sought an audience with Xu Shaoqian, intending to report what he had learned.