Upon seeing the shadow at the door, the three people inside the room turned deathly pale.
Han Zhongwu slowly stood up, glanced at Fan Zhe was also stiff with rage, and said in a low voice:
"This... this is the expert you hired?"
"I don't know, who... who is this?"
Step, step...
Footsteps sounded from outside the door.
A young man dressed in a gray-white robe walked into the room, carrying a single sword in a black sheath.
The man had regular features, a high nose bridge, and star-like eyes, and he also had a natural air of kindness and friendliness.
But coupled with that astonishing string of battle achievements behind him, his eyes, no matter how you look at them, seem more like a death sentence decree.
Snap~
The teacup overturned and shattered on the floor, the sound silencing the cheerful piano music.
Ye Xingge entered the room, glanced at the two young masters who were almost scared out of their wits, and the old man behind them who looked like he was facing a formidable enemy. He didn't say anything harsh, but simply took out a gold medal from his sleeve and waved it:
"Young Master Han has quite the refined taste."
"Lord Ye... Lord Ye..."
Han Zhongwu looked at him as if he were a clerk who had come to his door in the middle of the night, and hurriedly explained:
" Yang Chun's matter has nothing to do with me. I only cheated a little in the gambling game..."
Ye Xingge carried the knife to the tea table and sat down. He placed the Fate-Robbing Saber on the small table, then took out a few sheets of paper from his sleeve and placed them beside him:
"I work for the government, and I handle matters based on evidence. I don't decide someone's life or death based on hearsay."
"At the end of last month, Young Master Han conspired with the owner of the Three Harmonies Gambling House to force Yang Chun, the owner of the West Market Pharmacy, to gamble. He then slipped Five Blessings Powder into Yang Chun's tea, causing Yang Chun to become excessively excited and unable to control himself. He also cheated Yang Chun and tricked him into signing a written agreement..."
Han Zhongwu glanced at the confession written at the gambling den and gritted his teeth, saying:
"Han admitted to this, but Yang Chun subsequently disappeared..."
"On the third day of the fifth month, Yang Chun came to your door demanding an explanation and threatened to use his connections to complain to Chancellor Li. Fearing that things would escalate, you sent your retainer Meng Wanshan, under the pretext of going to get some money, to take Yang Chun away through a back alley..."
Ye Xingge, having said this, looked up at Meng Wanshan, whose face was ashen in the distance:
"Old Meng, you're also a senior member of the list. Although your ranking isn't high, you're still someone of importance. Quickly give your due, don't lose face at the end."
When Meng Wanshan was young, he reached the middle of the Third Rank in martial arts, but as he got older, his skills declined, and now he has fallen to the bottom of the top three. In order to live a better life for a few days, he was recruited by the Han Clan to be a retainer.
Having lived a life of luxury in the capital for several years, Meng Wanshan had long lost his edge in the martial world. When he encountered Ye Xingge, a rising star in the martial world who was showing off his talent, he dared not confront him head-on.
But the authorities couldn't find the body, and without a body, they couldn't prove the person was dead. Meng Wanshan responded with a bow:
" Yang Chun persisted relentlessly, but the young master, being kind-hearted, instructed me to give him some money to send him away. That day, I took Yang Chun to the Han Clan to withdraw one hundred taels of silver. After taking the money, Yang Chun left, and I have no idea where he went."
Ye Xingge frowned and said:
"These are not found in the case files closed by the government."
Meng Wanshan responded respectfully:
"If I had told him that he had paid the money privately, it would have confirmed that he had set up the scheme, which is why I concealed it. But Yang Chun has already taken the money and left on his own. The steward of the manor can testify that his disappearance is indeed unrelated to the Han Clan."
Seeing that these people insisted on disappearing, Ye Xingge realized he couldn't kill them without evidence, so he decided to question them directly.
"How does Elder Meng explain the corpse found in the well of the abandoned house in Second Bridge Lane?"
"...?"
The room fell silent after he said that.
Meng Wanshan, who had been calm, trembled slightly upon hearing the voice and looked at Ye Xingge in disbelief:
"You... you..."
This question was clearly meant to inquire how Ye Xingge managed to locate the corpse by searching for the enemy in the void.
Ye Xingge didn't go looking for him; the information came from someone else.
Judging from Meng Wanshan's reaction, the intelligence was obviously correct, so he didn't waste any more words and picked up the sword on the table.
Seeing Ye Xingge's expression, Meng Wanshan knew he was doomed and immediately rushed towards the window.
call--
Almost at the same moment, the sound of wind breaking came from inside the tea room.
Han Zhongwu didn't even see clearly; he only felt a gust of wind flash before his eyes, and the Living Taisui he was sitting on had vanished without a trace.
Looking further, one could see two figures standing in the courtyard where several plum trees were planted.
Meng Wanshan held the knife forward in his right hand, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, staring intently at the five steps in front of him.
Ye Xingge stood in the center of the courtyard, his left hand holding a knife that was not drawn, his right arm hanging naturally at his sides.
"When you get old, you should retire and enjoy your old age. You can't even hold a knife properly, yet you're out here causing trouble. Do you think the Han Clan can protect you once you step out of this Daoist School?"
When Meng Wanshan was confronted, he knew he couldn't escape.
But when all hope seems lost, one cannot simply surrender. After a moment's hesitation, Meng Wanshan suddenly stepped forward, his blade flashing like thunder as he slashed at Ye Xingge.
Sa--
But Ye Xingge didn't even raise his sword; he simply leaned back and took a step back, and the three-foot-long sword swept past him just an inch away.
Meng Wanshan, a seasoned swordsman with a lifetime of experience, immediately stepped forward and thrust his blade forward, attempting to pierce Ye Xingge's chest. The result:
Clang--
A crisp clang of a knife echoed from within the elegant courtyard.
Ye Xingge leaned back and sideways to dodge the straight thrust, then smoothly gripped the hilt of the knife with his right hand, drawing and slashing forward in quick succession!
puff--
A crimson blade flashed past Meng Wanshan's side, splattering a line of blood droplets on the ground!
Driven by inertia, Meng Wanshan's upper body lurched forward, crashing into the courtyard, while his lower body rolled to the ground. He was not quite dead yet, letting out a piercing scream:
"Ah--!!"
Han Zhongwu and Fan Zhe, who were inside the room, were terrified at the sight. They collapsed to the ground and scrambled backward.
Ye Xingge did not turn around, but simply straightened up, flicked his wrist to wipe the blood off the blade, and looked at the two people inside the door:
"Young Master Han, would you like to deny it again, or would you like to save face?"
Han Zhongwu collapsed to the ground, trembling all over, and said in a shuddering voice:
"I confess everything. It was Meng Wanshan who instigated me, saying that things would get out of hand and wouldn't be able to handle it, he misled me..."
Before he could finish speaking, he noticed the Living Taisui outside the door frown and look up.
whoosh--
The next instant, the sound of wind breaking came from the roof.
Four masked figures dressed in black descended almost from the sky, landing in the courtyard where the screams were still echoing. One of them gave the order:
"Escort Young Master Han and Young Master Fan away!"
"Yes!"
As soon as he finished speaking, two figures jumped through the window, grabbed the two people, and left.
Fan Zhe was terrified by the scene. Seeing someone coming to his rescue, he didn't care who the person was. Grabbing at a straw, he pulled the person and ran outside.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry..."
The men who came were quite efficient; they picked up Fan Zhe and Han Zhongwu and rushed towards the outside of the wall.
Ye Xingge, who was in the courtyard, saw four experts jump out and try to rob Han Zhongwu. He immediately drew his knife and stepped forward.
But these four were clearly not ordinary guards.
As the leader landed, he had already drawn his broadsword, his body pressing down like a bull, instantly closing in and wielding the sword with both hands in a fierce, downward strike:
"Drink--!"
Ye Xingge raised his sword to parry, but the force of his attack, as powerful as a thunderclap, sent him flying backward with a single blow.
The other accomplice, though slightly less skilled, was still a formidable figure. Wielding a three-foot sword, he charged in close, delivering short, precise thrusts that almost perfectly followed the movement of the blade, displaying remarkable ferocity.
rustling sound--
Ding ding ding~
Ye Xingge could tell that the leader was a top -Third Rank, and that his skill was significantly higher than his own. He immediately drew his single sword and faced two opponents alone, while simultaneously analyzing the situation in his mind:
Western Mountain White Ape Saber, Pure Yang Nine Palaces Sword...
People from the Northern Jianghu...
However, the leader of the swordsmen was completely covered up and was using only unorthodox martial arts techniques. He had no famous weapon with him, so apart from his high skill level, nothing else could be seen.
The accompanying swordsman's background was equally difficult to ascertain, but when he made his move, a snake-patterned tattoo could be seen under his left sleeve...
Ding ding ding~
The four experts who suddenly appeared had a very clear objective and coordinated perfectly. Two of them swiftly suppressed their opponent, and once their companion leaped over the wall, they all retreated in unison, disappearing almost instantly.
?
Ye Xingge seeing this scene, Ye Xingge frowned.
After all, the four were no ordinary wandering martial artists. They did not communicate at all, yet they moved in unison with perfect coordination. This kind of teamwork must have come from brothers from the same school or from military battles.
Furthermore, the fact that they were all dressed in black and masked, concealing all information, suggests there's definitely something serious going on behind the scenes.
Great Beauty noticed the unusual activity on his side and had already started listening in. At this moment, she also reminded him:
"Don't chase them. These people are not simple; they might be retainers or servants of the Cao Clan."
Ye Xingge knew that with the Han Clan's resources, it would be difficult to raise so many well-trained professional thugs. As he was observing where the group had gone, he heard a voice from behind:
" Ye Xingge!"
Lady of Anyang's voice carried a hint of anxiety and urgency.
Ye Xingge frowned, thinking something had gone wrong, and immediately changed direction, speeding towards Hibiscus Pool.
Earlier, at Hibiscus Pool.
Inside the Elegant Garden tea room, the dancers, who had initially been full of anticipation, were getting bored as no one was there to appreciate their performances. They sat in a row on the couch, whispering among themselves.
Inside the side bathtub, Shen Yueyao brought out her makeup box, leaned against the edge of the tub, and was happily getting ready.
An Yurou absentmindedly poured water on the melons, waiting for Da Xiyue to report on the progress. After waiting for a long time, Xiyue hurriedly came to the door instead.
"Master, Master, Young Master Ye has disappeared!"
"Ah?"
Shen Yueyao, who was looking in the mirror, turned around at the sound, somewhat bewildered:
Where did Brother Ye go?
An Yurou was also quite puzzled. She wanted to ask why, but her ears twitched and she turned to look at the tightly closed window.
"Ah--!"
Meng Wanshan's screams echoed from afar.
Then a strange noise was heard in the distance, the sound of metal clashing against metal mingling with the heavy rain.
Ding ding ding~
An Yurou was skilled in martial arts, and just by listening to the noise, she knew that Ye Xingge had gone to Han Zhongwu's hiding place, and she immediately sensed that something was wrong.
After all, she hadn't even sent a message to Ye Xingge yet!
Secondly, she had done her research beforehand; Han Zhongwu only had one skilled fighter by his side Meng Wanshan, but the commotion sounded like several experts had surrounded him...
Where did this person come from...?
Lady of Anyang was filled with doubt. Seeing that the other party had left in an instant, and worried that Ye Xingge, unaware of the situation, might rashly pursue him and cause a mishap, he immediately called out:
" Ye Xingge?!"
Because she didn't want to say directly that something was wrong, and was worried about making a mistake, her voice carried a hint of anxiety.
As it turned out, Ye Xingge had clearly misunderstood, and the speed of the rescue was also unbelievable.
Almost the instant she reminded him, a commotion came from afar, and in the blink of an eye, they were outside the bathroom.
?!
An Yurou was taken aback. She glanced at the plump, fair figure, as white as a peeled egg, and at Yueyao's budding, moist body. Her expression changed slightly. Without hesitation, she picked up Yueyao and rushed towards the outer dressing room, urgently saying:
"Don't come in yet..."
An Yurou had plotted several times, only to lose both her health and her resources each time. She had almost learned from her mistakes, and her reaction was swift and decisive.
However, she still slightly underestimated Ye Xingge's growth rate.
Whoosh~
Ye Xingge leaped down from the roof with his knife, heading straight for the window. Hearing a sound halfway down, he stopped abruptly on the windowsill. His eyes caught a glimpse of the bathroom and he could see that there was no enemy inside. Instead, the sliding door to the changing room, which was about to close, still had a faint outline remaining.
His silhouette was as white as mutton fat, his full, moist figure rippling with every movement, and a beautiful young girl was protecting him in front of him...
Clatter~
As soon as the view caught the silhouette, the sliding door closed completely.
However, Ye Xingge's dynamic vision was excellent, and he still saw countless details.
Its form is graceful as a startled swan, and lithe as a swimming dragon.
Radiant autumn chrysanthemums, flourishing spring pines...
However, Ye Xingge had no interest in appreciating the flowers and the moon. He landed outside the window, scanned the surroundings, listened carefully to check for any enemy activity, and only after confirming that there was no danger did he ask:
" Lord An, is something wrong?"