Chapter 52 Xiao Yan naturally still remembered this…

Chapter 52 Xiao Yan naturally still remembered this…

Xiao Yan Hui naturally remembered this embroiderer. Although they had only met once, and it had been almost a year since their last meeting, the woman's self-deprecating makeup at Xiao's Silk Shop had left a deep impression on Xiao Yan Hui.

At that moment, Xiao Yan couldn't help but imagine what kind of story this woman had hidden behind her.

Upon closer inspection, Su Yueniang today is also wearing some self-deprecating makeup, but at this point, those ugly flowers have almost no trace of human intervention.

The dark yellow tan she applied back then has now faded into a natural tan and faint sunspots on her cheeks. A year ago, her eyebrows, which didn't quite suit her overall face shape and showed signs of recent shaving, have now disappeared completely, as if she always had those slightly droopy, downturned eyebrows.

Moreover, Su Yueniang's overall figure is a bit plumper than it was last year, and the delicate and frail temperament she had back then has diminished by at least six points.

Overall, Su Yueniang's appearance and temperament have weakened compared to last year, and the weakening is more natural now.

So, upon seeing Su Yueniang again today, Xiao Yan Hui's curiosity about her only intensified. However, the reason why Su Yueniang was acting this way was undoubtedly a big secret. Even if Xiao Yan Hui was curious, he would only observe her secretly and nothing more.

Seeing that Madam Li had specially pulled Su Yueniang out, as if she had something to say, Su Yueniang didn't show it on her face, but in her heart she was all set to listen to the story.

Could her curiosity be satisfied?

As it turned out, she was overthinking it. Unfortunately, the person hadn't come to tell her a story at all; they were just casually asking for help.

Lady Li pulled Su Yueniang aside and began to tell her story: "Yueniang came to Jiangzuo City from the capital to search for her relatives, but she never expected that she would not be able to find them here after a year of searching."

A few days ago, I ran into an acquaintance from the capital at the shop. She said she had met her brother there, but unfortunately, Yue Niang came to Jiangzuo to look for her brother, while he was on his way from Jiangzuo to the capital to find her. They missed each other, wasting an entire year in the process.

At this point, Madam Li looked quite regretful for Su Yueniang.

"However, it is only by the grace of heaven that the siblings' fate can be continued. Now that Yue Niang is planning to return to the capital, she is a woman alone on the road without anyone to take care of her. Although she has found the Qin family's caravan to travel with her, I am still worried. Today, I happened to come to see the Third Miss, and I was thinking if I could ask you to put in a good word for her with the Qin family's young master, so that the caravan manager can take care of Yue Niang along the way."

These days, it's common for travelers to pay money to join caravans or security escorts on the same route. Travelers can get some protection, while caravans or security escorts can earn more money, so it's a win-win situation.

The request that Madam Li made was not difficult for Xiao Yan Hui at this moment; it was just a matter of a word, so she naturally had no reason to refuse.

Not only did she agree to the matter, she also directly asked Mao'er to bring another fifty taels of silver.

"I...I don't want money. I don't lack travel expenses. It's already a great favor that the Third Miss could ask the Qin family steward to take extra care of me on the road." Su Yueniang's slightly dark skin flushed, her eyes were watery, and her face was full of shyness as she declined.

Her current appearance is far more charming than her previous silent and wooden demeanor.

"They say a poor family should travel with money. The journey from Jiangzuo to the capital is long and difficult, and it won't be easy for you to go alone. It's always good to carry more money with you."

Seeing that Su Yueniang seemed to want to refuse, Xiao Yan simply waved his hand and said, "If you feel uncomfortable accepting this money for nothing, then consider it a loan from me."

Li Niangzi had been with Su Yueniang for almost a year and knew that she was not the kind of person who would accept money from others for nothing. So she tried to persuade her by saying, "Our family's shop in the capital has just opened, and Yueniang just wants to go back to the capital. Once you find your brother and have enough money, you can just go to the shop and pay back the money."

"If you still need to find work, I know your skills, and you're perfectly suited to work in our silk shop in the capital. Consider this money as the wages that the Third Miss has given you in advance, how about it?"

“What Lady Li says is absolutely right, so please don’t refuse anymore, Yue Niang,” Xiao Yan replied.

"Thank you very much, Third Miss." Hearing the two say such things, Su Yueniang knew that they meant well, so she did not want to disappoint them. With her eyes slightly red, she bowed and thanked them.

After thanking him, he added, "They say it's better to stick with what you know than what you don't. I was worried that it wouldn't be easy to find a good employer after leaving the capital, but now I've been relieved of that problem."

"It's not easy for us to find good embroiderers. If Yue Niang is still willing to work at the Xiao family's silk shop after she goes to the capital, that would be the best thing."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Madam Li and Su Yueniang took their leave.

"Girl, I think most of what Yue Niang said was made up." Watching the two figures leave, Mao'er suddenly blurted out this. A year ago, she said that Yue Niang was dishonest, and she still felt the same way now.

"It was Li Niangzi's idea to ask me to pass on a message to the Qin family today, and to take care of Yue Niang on the way. It was my own idea to give Yue Niang some money for travel expenses. Neither of these things were requested by Yue Niang. How can you say she is dishonest? Besides, even if she did ask for it, it is not gentlemanly to ask someone to reveal their past secrets to us over such a small matter."

Cat nodded in agreement, but then said, "Why are you talking about the way of the gentleman, Miss? You sound a bit like Qin Langjun."

But as soon as the cat finished speaking, Xiao Yan gave it a light tap on the forehead: "You little raccoon, do you need a lesson? You've teased your master more than once today."

"Let's go, let's go back to the courtyard. Since we promised, we should help them get things done." Xiao Yan turned around first.

Behind them, Cat and Bamboo Moon were exchanging glances.

"Tell me, why is our young lady rushing back to the courtyard so quickly? Is it to thank Mr. Qin for that box of gifts today, or to ask someone for a favor?" Mao'er glanced at the rather heavy box in Zhu Yue's hand and winked mischievously.

Zhu Yue glared at her: "You've really gotten addicted to teasing your master, haven't you?"

She put the box down in the cat's hands and quickly followed the Third Sister. The cat was left dragging the heavy box in her hands, regretting her actions.

Before leaving the First Madam's courtyard, Xiao Yan couldn't help but look back at the direction Su Yueniang had left in.

Actually, she wasn't the kind of fool who would throw money at anyone she met just because they seemed pitiful. So why did she give Su Yueniang such special treatment?

Ultimately, it was because of the unique feeling that Yue Niang gave her, the feeling that she could tell at a glance that there was a deep story hidden inside.

Moreover, for some reason, Xiao Yanhui always had a vague premonition that she and Su Yueniang would meet again in the future.

......

After trying on her wedding dress that day, Xiao Yan had originally planned to meet Qin Ji again, but unexpectedly, the First Madam wouldn't let her go out.

It wasn't that the first wife was intentionally making things difficult, but the wedding date was getting closer and closer. According to local customs, it was best for the bride-to-be not to see anyone, especially not men outside the family, and most importantly, not to see her fiancé.

Left with no other choice, Xiao Yan Hui had to enter a state of home seclusion.

For Xiao Fuyan, this period was far from leisurely; he was busy, and his busyness was a mix of joy and worry.

To his delight, perhaps out of respect for the Qin family, the Prince Cheng's residence actually sent a letter, explicitly stating that they would send their chief secretary to attend the weddings of both families. This letter alone kept Xiao Fuyan up all night with joy.

But the next day he received a letter that made him very worried. Tang Shisan had been accidentally killed by an arrow shot by a hunter on his way to Jiangzuo.

They came specifically to attend the wedding, so how is he supposed to explain this to the Tang family?

Xiao Fuyan wasn't the only one unable to explain himself; Wei Xun was too. He had just uncovered some details about Tang Shisan's death and found a trace of the assassin, but the last person the assassin met was killed by him beforehand, and the clues were lost again.

......

The night was thick and dark, the sky starless and moonless, with only heavy, dark clouds pressing down on Jiangzuo City, threatening a summer thunderstorm. The wind whistled through the eaves, bringing a rare coolness to the summer day, but the mournful sound coming from some hole was rather eerie.

The dark figure hidden behind the stone lions at the entrance of the Xiao residence glanced at the two characters "Xiao Residence" on the plaque, which were clearly illuminated by the lanterns, and then deftly pulled up a black cloth to cover his face, which was already half-covered by his beard.

Immediately afterward, the man in black flashed, lightly touched the wall, and leaped inside. Beneath the towering rooftops of the Xiao family compound, the dark figure glided silently along the cold courtyard wall, like a ghost.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he had found his target for the night and a temporary hiding place.

The dark figure lay prone on the artificial hill hidden by the bushes, silent and still. Only his excessively sharp gaze, like a blade tempered with ice, pierced through the layers of courtyards, locking onto the direction of Nuanqing Residence.

Gazing at the warm candlelight in the courtyard not far away, the dark figure merely rubbed the quiver at his waist again and again. A thick, unyielding resentment churned and boiled within his chest.

He didn't have many more chances. First, he failed to seize the salt-making secret a year ago. That failure cost him one of his most important family members.

Although he had obtained the gem containing the secret formula, he was slashed into the river by the guard. The fall into the water did not kill him, but it was almost the same as being dead, because the gem was lost.

Even today, he can still recall the icy, bone-chilling river water, the suffocating feeling of the water rushing into his lungs, the sharp pain left by the razor-sharp blade that almost cleaved him in two, the immense frustration of losing his most precious possession, and the immense pain of losing his loved ones afterward.

Every bit of pain was clearly etched into his flesh and bones, and then burned through his soul for a year.

"Qin Ji! He's just a merchant. It doesn't matter which high branch he climbs, you just have to be so ungrateful." The name was silently ground between his teeth, carrying a bloody, sweet taste.

"I crawled through the gates of hell, and tonight I'll collect some interest on my year of suffering. If you still don't know what's good for you, then the only way I can live is by using you as a stepping stone." A chilling killing intent spread silently.

He was being chased like a stray dog ​​by Qin Ji's men in Meng County. No, they were more like the men of Prince Cheng. He couldn't do anything about Prince Cheng's men, but since he had escaped, he could certainly deal with Qin Ji, a mere merchant.

Killing only Qin Ji, a lackey of Prince Cheng, would probably not be enough for him to gain a chance of survival in front of his master. After all, what his master wanted was the secret recipe, so he decided to let Qin Ji see what he was capable of first.

Since the Xiao family is so eager to get involved in this dispute, they should also learn a lesson.

The shadowy figure turned its gaze back to the courtyard ahead, where the candlelight began to go out.

As long as he killed her, Qin Ji's soon-to-be wife, the favored daughter of the Xiao family, would likely satisfy both sides. Thinking this, the shadowy figure's mouth, covered by a black cloth, twisted into a grotesque smile, its icy eyes like those of a hungry wolf about to hunt.

Time passed slowly, and the clouds in the night sky grew thicker and thicker, but the rain still did not fall.

The sound of a clapper echoed from afar at midnight. The shadowy figure glanced at the sky; a downpour was imminent.

Although it wasn't the best time, she was just a defenseless young lady from a wealthy family, easily dealt with by an arrow or a knife. There was no need to wait for the perfect moment. The Xiao family's guards were nothing but empty shells; the shadowy figure felt he didn't need to worry about those useless people. He should act quickly and finish them off before the rain fell.

The shadowy figure once again blended into the building's shadow, like a wisp of mist merging into the night. He bypassed the artificial hill, avoiding the drowsy, swaying lantern light of the night watchmen, without making a sound.

In the blink of an eye, he was outside the courtyard of Qingnuan Residence. Through the latticed windows on the wall, he could even see the carved wooden window on the side of his target's room.

With only a dozen or so steps between them, the shadowy figure pressed his hand against the wall, and with a single effort, he floated over, his movements incredibly swift.

But as soon as he entered the courtyard and took a step forward, the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end. An extreme sense of danger entered his mind. The last time he had this feeling was when he was slashed into the water by a knife.

The shadowy figure quickly ducked forward, rolling away to narrowly avoid a cold, sharp blade. A thin, short blade slid past again in the darkness, but unfortunately, the second strike also missed.

The shadowy figure reacted extremely quickly. After rolling on the ground, it immediately drew a short knife from its waist, then, based on the sound, slashed backward, its arm muscles instantly tensing to the limit.

With a clang, the power of both of them erupted instantly! The two short blades transformed into two streaks of dark light, colliding with a sharp sound as they cut through the air. The sparks from the metal clashing were fleeting.

After a brief contact, the two quickly separated.

A blinding, sulfurous red light suddenly shone from one of the hands.

This man was the secret guard that Qin Ji had always placed in the Xiao family. This was originally an easy job, so he was very good at light footwork and his reconnaissance skills were also quite good, but his martial arts were only average.

Who would have thought that while he was sleeping peacefully under the beam tonight, someone would dare to sneak into the future mistress's courtyard. The guard thought the intruder was just a petty thief with some light footwork skills, whom he could easily deal with. He didn't want to disturb the Third Miss's sleep in the middle of the night. But when they fought, the intruder's skills were actually superior to his own. What else could he say but quickly call for help?

This Jiangzuo City is their territory. His duty at this time is to protect, not to fight outside. In this situation, if we don't call for help, are we just going to leave the Third Miss in danger?

The flames broke free of their restraints and soared into the sky with a sharp, piercing whistle.

A deafening roar, mixed with rolling thunder, exploded across the sky.

"Damn, can I really be this unlucky?" The guard blocked another slash from the shadowy figure, glanced at the sky, and wondered if anyone had heard the warning cries from the thunder that had been so loud.

Upon seeing that there were guards in the courtyard, and that the guards had even set off warning fireworks, the dark figure had already planned to retreat. However, the thunderstorm that had not yet started was too opportune, and he felt that he still had a chance. He hesitated whether to advance or retreat.

"Bang!" A burst of crimson fireworks suddenly bloomed in the night sky, but at the same time, lightning flashed and thunder roared once more! Moreover, the thunder roared loudly, as if the entire world was filled with thunder.

Bang bang bang... The two exchanged blows, and blood began to glisten from the guard's hand.

The commotion they caused was considerable, but because of the thunder in the sky, no one noticed anything amiss. Even the Xiao family's night patrol guards all sought shelter from the rain; the thunderstorm became the perfect hiding place for the shadowy figure.

This was a golden opportunity, and the shadowy figure hesitated once again between retreating and killing.

"Hmm..."

Qin Ji was jolted awake from his sleep. The enormous explosion seemed not to have come from the outside, but rather had exploded directly inside his skull. His heart felt as if it had been gripped tightly by an icy hand and then suddenly clenched.

Awakening with a start, he felt his heart pounding wildly, each beat a dull, rapid thud against his chest. A suffocating unease sent chills down his spine.

"Boom!" A thunderous roar echoed outside the window, shaking the heavens and the earth.

"No, no, the thunder that woke him up wasn't like that. There was something else in that sound!" Qin Ji sat up almost instantly, the brocade quilt slipping to the ground.

He suddenly pushed open the window and saw a bright white flash of lightning, within which was hidden a touch of red.

What he just heard was the sound of warning fireworks, and the direction was... the Xiao residence!