Chapter 21: Whose Beautiful Sister?

  "You really shouldn't have shown me your tricks in front of me."

  Boss Du Hongxian casually threw out Mu San's corpse, and the corpse flew horizontally and hit a tree by the side of the road. His lower back hit the trunk, and his body immediately bent backwards. With a cracking sound, his head actually hit his own buttocks. Such a high-difficulty move could only be done by someone who specialized in practicing soft skills, or else it would only be possible for a dead person to do it.

  Du Hongxian seemed to glance at Li Xiaozong with indifference and patted the snowflakes off her clothes.

  "I don't believe I can hide it from you for three years in Fanggu."

  Li Xiaozong shrugged his shoulders, turned around and took a look at Wu Peisheng's corpse, then said with some helplessness: "Do you know how much trouble you've gotten me into? This guy is the imperial eunuch of the Imperial Study Room, one of the emperor's most trusted eunuchs. Whether in the palace or outside, he has great weight. He died in Fan Gu, and if I can't come up with a good excuse, it's hard to guarantee that I won't be taken back to Chang'an City for questioning."

  "If the emperor is willing to kill you, then he's an idiot."

  Du Hongxian glared at him: "Wu Peisheng is already dead and can't be saved, so because of a dead man, the Emperor of Great Sui will sacrifice another seven-grade symbol Wu Shuangxiu's genius? If he really could do such a thing, how could he stand out from among the seven princes and get the throne?"

  "You seem to know a lot about the imperial court."

  Li Xiaozong furrowed his brow and asked.

  "I don't know much, but I also know some things that others don't. The time I've spent living in the Imperial Capital is probably even longer than yours."

  Du Hongxian looked at Wu Peisheng's corpse and asked: "Can you now only control one ice cone?"

  Yes

  Li Xiaozong nodded.

  "You should be killed before you become a big shot."

  Du Hongxian said seriously.

  "But you don't seem to plan on killing me."

  Li Xiaozong spread out his hands with a somewhat rascal-like gesture.

  "Talented individuals like you who can cultivate the Dao are truly rare in Great Sui. It's a pity that you're dead. I'll just have to do some good deeds for His Majesty, the Emperor of Great Sui, and also for our citizens. Being able to see another 9th-grade expert in the future is definitely something worth being excited about. So, you should be grateful, grateful that Heaven has given you such a wonderful gift."

  Du Hongxian thought for a moment and said: "However... I want to ask some questions, if you don't answer me truthfully, I'll hit you again, this time I won't show any mercy."

  "You ask."

  Li Xiangzong made a beckoning gesture, then took out some medicine from his body and sprinkled the powder on the most severely injured shoulder. He then tore off a strip of cloth to bandage it.

  "Would Fang Jie have died if I hadn't appeared today? And then he would have been pressed with some messy crime name, and even in death, he wouldn't be at peace. His corpse would either be buried randomly or discarded outside the city to feed the wild dogs on Wolf Milk Mountain, right?"

  "Absolutely right!"

  Li Xiang said seriously: "If you didn't appear, how could I be stupid enough to kill a red person in front of the emperor for no reason? And add the Temple of Great Justice and the Ministry of War together, there are more than 30 officials. Do you think I am covering the sky with one hand in Fanfu, killing people at will without any worries? If I have this status, why would I come to Fanfu to suffer for three years?"

  "Didn't many people die in the Da Ying camp because of Fang Jie's framing?"

  Du Hongxian asked again.

  "Twenty-five."

  Li Xiaozong answered truthfully.

  "What do you plan to do?"

  She asked again.

  "In the fifth year of Da Sui Tianyou, Wu Peisheng, the commander of the Imperial Study and the 36 people from the Ministry of War and the Supreme Court, arrived at Fan Gu to conduct an inspection. Outside the city of Fan Gu, they were ambushed by Mongol Empire cavalry who had infiltrated the borders of Da Sui. I received news and brought 800 elite soldiers to provide reinforcements. By the time we arrived, Wu Peisheng had already been killed in battle. The one who killed him was a strong warrior with a rank of 8th grade. Although I knew I was no match for him, I still led my troops in pursuit. I suffered 32 injuries and lost dozens of soldiers, but I was unable to avenge Wu Peisheng's death."

  He paused for a moment and said, "Of course, I will submit a sincere memorial to apologize. I request that Your Majesty send another capable general to garrison Fan Fortress, and I am willing to offer my life in exchange for the death of the imperial envoy. However, even on the verge of death, I cannot forget to recommend talented individuals for the empire. Fang Jie, deputy commander of the vanguard of the Fan Fortress border army, is brave in battle and has achieved twenty-one military merits, especially when pursuing the Mongol Empire's cavalry, he fought bravely and killed six enemy cavalrymen, suffering multiple injuries. According to the rules established by His Majesty Emperor Yang of Sui, I recommend that Fang Jie be admitted to the Imperial Military Academy for examination."

  He then asked Du Honglian: "Is it enough?"

  "Will the Emperor believe?"

  Du Hongxian asked.

  Li Xiangzong smiled and said, "As you said, Your Majesty will choose to believe even if he doesn't want to. To sacrifice a promising young general in the army for a dead eunuch is not a good deal, and Your Majesty of Great Sui would not do such a thing. Punishment is inevitable, but it won't be severe. After all, I am from the Li family of Longyou, and if General Li Yuanshan submits another memorial to confirm that what I said is true, what else can happen to me?"

  "Aren't you afraid of provoking war with Mongolia and the Great Sui?"

  Li Xiangzong smiled and asked back, "Can't help it, Your Majesty is just waiting for an excuse to go to war with Mongolia. But if we're going to drag this out, we'll have to drag it out for at least a year. At that time, the old ministers in the court will inevitably obstruct, and at most, they will send someone to kill a few small tribes. As for the Mongols... if they want to fight, do they need to wait until today?"

  "If you weren't a person of the Great Yu..."

  Du Hongxian turned and walked away, her voice gradually fading into the night: "I've already crushed you to a pulp... Give a grand burial to those soldiers who died in vain, and provide extra compensation to each of their families. If not, I'll come back to kill you."

  "That's not the problem."

  Li Xiangzong looked at Du Hongxian's back and said, his eyes catching a glimpse of that fleeting shadow.

  ……

  ……

  Red Sleeve Invitation

  Xiao Ding glanced at Fang Jie, who was lying limply on the bed, and said with some anger: "You knew you couldn't fight, but you still insisted on going out to fight. I heard that many people died at Ximen, and it's just your good luck that Lao Ye rescued you back. And now, Xi Da Niang can't find anyone else to help her, she has to ask me to come and apply medicine for you!"

  Fang Jie laughed as he struggled to take off his clothes: "Don't you know that I've had feelings for you for a long time? Xi Dainiang is helping us, how can you be so clueless?"

  "Get out!"

  Xiao Dingdian heavily punched Fang Jie's chest, and he let out a painful cry. His body went limp, and he fell backwards without moving. Xiao Dingdian glared at him and said: "Don't pretend to be dead, you can't fool me like this. Can't you take this seriously? I'm a serious girl... Fang Jie, get up!"

  She stretched out her hand to pull, but couldn't budge. On closer inspection, she saw that Fang Jie had indeed fainted. Xiao Ding was so frightened that his face turned pale, and he quickly got up and ran outside to call for help.

  The room of the eldest daughter-in-law was located on the second floor of the Red Sleeve Building, in the innermost part. It was a large room consisting of three interconnected rooms. The room was decorated with an antique flavor, and the fireplace was burning brightly, making it feel like a different world from the outside temperature. In order to make the smoke smell in the room not so heavy, agarwood was lit, which is something that ordinary people's homes can't afford.

  In the winter, the house is dry, so every half hour, three basins of hot water are changed. The steam rises, and it won't feel uncomfortable with a dry throat and nose. The most eye-catching thing in this house is the large bookshelf against the wall, on which all kinds of books are densely placed. There are historical classics, music scores, painting albums, and everything else. On the desk is the most valuable Huangzhou inkstone, and the paper is Dezhou seven-filtered Xuan paper.

  The furnishings in this house alone are worth enough to support all the people of Fanggu City for a period of time.

  Xi Dainiang, wearing a light purple elegant long dress, glanced at Xiao Yao sitting opposite her, then looked at the old cripple who was smiling foolishly.

  "Congratulations, Master Lu."

  She smiled and said.

  The old cripple nodded vigorously and said, "If it were in the past, when Old Lady Xi said congratulations, I wouldn't dare to accept. But today's matter is indeed worth congratulating, so I'll accept it. In my whole life, I've searched for decades, and finally found someone to pass on to, so I won't die with regrets."

  "It's all destined by heaven, everything has been arranged long ago. We didn't meet earlier because our fates hadn't intersected yet."

  Xiao Da Niangzi turned her gaze to Mu Xiaoyao, smiling and asked: "Are you willing to stay at Hongxiu Zhao? Since you are Master Luo's disciple, I naturally can't treat you as an ordinary girl. So, I'll take you in as a sworn sister, and when there's nothing going on, you can also get close to Zhu Xinyin. Master Luo is of high seniority, but I'm taking you as my younger sister, which is actually beneficial for you."

  "Whether I stay or leave, it's up to you to decide."

  Mei Xiao Yao felt a bit tense, she didn't know why. Sitting opposite to Xi Da Niang was more unbearable than facing that overbearing old woman or the crippled old man. She also didn't know if it was because Xi Da Niang seemed easy-going but had an air of standing on a mountain peak looking down at people, or because this room was too warm.

  "Oh?"

  The woman seemed somewhat interested and couldn't help but ask: "What's your relationship with Fang Jie?"

  "Can't say."

  "Where did you come from?"

  "Can't say."

  "Why you and your companions hide in the dark?"

  "Can't say."

  The big aunt asked three questions, and Mu Xiaoyao said three things that couldn't be said.

  Afraid of upsetting Madame, Old Man Zhang hastily changed the subject: "This is her first time meeting you, she can't help but be nervous."

  The old lady smiled and shook her head: "Not bad, can't say is can't say. If you want to make up some messy excuses to deceive me, it's better to be straightforward like this. Master Lu... do you like this apprentice?"

  "Got it!"

  The old cripple nodded vigorously and said.

  "Could it be that Fang Jie is going to Chang'an City's Martial Arts Institute for the entrance exam, and if Fang Jie goes, she will definitely follow."

  The old cripple's face changed, and he smiled awkwardly: "I'll advise you again... I'll advise you again. Since she is a disciple, the disciple should naturally listen to her master's words. How can it be if she doesn't respect her master's orders?"

  "Cannot be persuaded."

  The old lady got up and personally poured a cup of tea for Xiao Yao: "I can tell from her eyes that she can't be persuaded, so let's not persuade her anymore."

  "Thank you!"

  "If it's because of becoming an apprentice that I must stay at Hongxiu Zhao, then I won't become an apprentice. Fang Jie and I are inseparable, the three of us cannot be separated."

  "Why is it that wherever Fang Xiang is, you are there too, but it's not the case that wherever you are, Fang Xiang is also there?"

  "Because he is Fang Jie, and I am Mu Xiaoyao."

  Answering with a straight face and an air of confidence, unreasonable yet somehow making sense.

  ……

  ……

  Xiao Ding saw Fang Jie really faint and was so scared that she rushed out to find someone for help. She ran out too quickly, bumped into someone, and almost fell over. Just as she was about to fall, a slender hand caught her.

  "You're always so careless, aren't you afraid of falling?"

  The woman who was holding Xiao Ding's hand seemed to be blaming him, but her tone was full of tenderness. She wore a snow-white long dress that fit perfectly at the waist, and surprisingly, she didn't lose out to Mu Xiaoyu in terms of figure. Her body proportions were even more perfect than Mu Xiaoyu's - legs, waist, upper body, neck, all flawless. No matter where you looked on her body, adding a bit would make it fat, subtracting a bit would make it thin, and not a single flaw could be found.

  She walked barefoot, and coincidentally, her feet were so beautiful that they were mesmerizing.

  Just looking at that jade-like hand is enough to make one unable to move their gaze away. This hand, like her figure, is comfortable to look at from any angle, and somehow feels like it can't be made more beautiful, nor can there be even a hint of change.

  She had a red thread tied around her wrist, with a small bronze fish attached to it. Not only on her wrist, but also on her ankle. Her fair skin, slender hands and feet, paired with that one red thread, this simple decoration outlined a picture of elegance.

  "Miss... Fang Jie... Fang Jie is going to die."

  "Who is it?"

  "It's the owner of this building, he's been injured..."

  "I'll go take a look, don't worry."

  Just as she walked into the room, Fang Jie, who was unconscious, suddenly sat up. He sniffed and murmured: "So fragrant... this smell, which beautiful sister's is it?"

  After saying this sentence, he fell back again.