https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-136-The-Belongings-of-the-Twelve-Guards/12582604/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-138-April-16th-An-Auspicious-Day/12582606/
Chapter 137: The Night Before the Wedding
Chapter 137: The Night Before the Wedding
"A weapon for killing." Meng Qianqian stated.
"Killing?" Tan'er looked at the flute in her hand, puzzled. "How can a flute kill? It has no sharp edges, no poison... Ah! Could it be a hidden weapon?"
As she spoke, she began inspecting each tiny hole in the flute.
"There are no hidden weapons. It's just a broken flute for the Hundred-Mile Killing Order!" Meng Qianqian smiled, about to explain further when a man dressed in a black cloak walked by.
In the bustling market, one could encounter all sorts of strange individuals. Meng Qianqian rarely paid attention to others, but for some reason, she found herself glancing at this man.
In that brief moment, she noticed the tattoo of a pigeon-blood red on the back of his hand.
Her eyes narrowed.
"Oh, that killing order..." Tan'er hugged the flute and wailed dramatically, without shedding a single tear.
"Tan'er," Meng Qianqian said calmly.
"Yeah?" Tan'er instantly stopped her theatrics.
Meng Qianqian gazed at the retreating figure of the black-cloaked man. "Did you see that man? Split up and follow him."
Tan'er twirled the flute in her palm before gripping it tightly. "Yes, ma'am!"
Tan'er darted into an alley across from the iron shop, while Meng Qianqian pulled the brim of her hat lower, stealthily tailing the man.
The cloaked figure entered a gambling house.
Without hesitation, Meng Qianqian followed suit.
In the market, it wasn't uncommon for women to enter such establishments, and the patrons were too focused on their games to care whether newcomers were male or female.
However, Meng Qianqian felt a twinge of unease.
There were too many people in the gambling house, and she couldn't spot her target.
She recalled Lin Xiaoru mentioning that the gambling houses in the market only had one entrance, so she was certain he was still inside.
She had two options: wait by the door to intercept him or search for him individually.
If she chose to wait, with her wedding fast approaching, she might not be able to hold out longer than him.
So, she decided to search.
In a dimly lit study.
The black-cloaked man placed a box on the table across from him. "Here's what you wanted."
A man sitting in a wheelchair spoke coldly, "Just bring the goods. You can leave the trouble behind."
The cloaked man glanced back. "I'll take care of it."
"Best to do so," the man in the wheelchair said, handing him a bag of gold.
He took the gold and turned to leave the study.
The man in the wheelchair opened the box, revealing a bloody, severed head.
Meng Qianqian observed from outside for a long time, confirming that the man hadn't disguised himself and blended in with the gamblers in the main hall.
Meng Qianqian attempted to go upstairs but was blocked by two attendants in the hallway.
"I'm looking for my father," she said nonchalantly.
The men didn't budge.
Apparently, not just anyone could go upstairs. After a brief hesitation, Meng Qianqian returned to a gambling table.
The two attendants didn't seem concerned about her, probably thinking that as long as she didn't cause trouble, whether she was looking for her father or gambling was none of their business.
Soon, the black-cloaked man descended from the upper floor.
Meng Qianqian kept her eyes on the gambling table but watched him from the corner of her eye. As he exited the gambling house, she quickly followed.
When they turned into a quiet alley, a terrifying sword aura slashed through the air toward her.
Meng Qianqian sidestepped, and the sword energy carved a long gash in the ground.
Without giving her a chance to catch her breath, the black-cloaked man unleashed a second sword strike, even more fierce and overpowering than the first.
Fortunately, the arduous training of the past days hadn't been in vain. She pushed off the wall with one foot, leaping into the air to dodge the sword while simultaneously shooting three silver needles from her hand.
Two needles were deflected by his sword, and the third was pinched between his fingers.
He frowned. "Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles? Who are you?"
Meng Qianqian brandished the three silver needles again. "The one who will take your life."
"Arrogant!"
The black-cloaked man swung his sword, executing a deadly move.
But what Meng Qianqian didn't anticipate was that his technique would suddenly reverse course just as it was about to strike her, instead stabbing toward Tan'er, who had appeared behind the man.
Meng Qianqian's expression changed. "Tan'er—"
Just as Tan'er was about to be impaled, a large axe viciously severed the man's longsword!
Meng Qianqian looked at the timely arrival of Lei Mujiang, the carpenter, her eyes flickering with surprise. "Uncle Lei?"
Tan'er: "A big axe?"
Lei the Carpenter stood in front of Tan'er, his eyes narrowed and fixed on the man in the black cloak.
The man in the black cloak narrowed his eyes and, with a display of light and agile movements, disappeared from the scene.
Meng Qianqian breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward. "Uncle Lei, thank you for your timely help."
Tan'er, with her fists under her chin and eyes sparkling with admiration, exclaimed, "Big Axe, you're so cool!"
Lei the Carpenter paid no heed to their thanks and praise. Instead, he asked, "How did you two get on his bad side?"
Meng Qianqian was surprised. "Uncle Lei, you know that man?"
Lei the Carpenter replied, "He's an assassin in the market town. I'm not sure about his background, but one day, he just appeared here."
"I see," Meng Qianqian nodded. "He looks like someone I'm trying to find, an enemy of mine. I was tailing him, but he noticed me."
"You're no match for him. It's best not to come back to the market town. Not everyone will be there to save you next time." With that, Lei the Carpenter walked away.
Tan'er asked, "Sister, is that extraordinary man the enemy you're looking for?"
Meng Qianqian thought for a moment. "Most likely."
At first, it was just a suspicion, but when he recognized the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles and made such a shocked expression, she was sure of it.
"Still not leaving? Are you waiting for him to come back and kill you?" Lei the Carpenter's deep voice carried from up ahead.
Tan'er giggled and skipped over to him. "Big Axe, we're waiting for you and Sister!"
Meng Qianqian gazed at the large and small figures in the sunset, one still, the other lively, one holding an axe, and the other playing the flute.
The scene before her was unexpectedly heartwarming.
Uncle Lei safely escorted the two of them out of the market town and then turned back.
It seemed that Uncle Lei had some unfinished business in the market town.
This trip to the market town had been very fruitful. Not only had they purchased the Twelve Guards item, but they had also serendipitously encountered their enemy and learned that he was an assassin in the market town.
It would be much easier to find him in the future.
The two of them returned home late at night, worrying Lee Mama.
Lee Mama quickly pulled Meng Qianqian into the house. "Where have you been? I was about to send someone to the Lin family to look for you!"
Meng Qianqian blinked her eyes guiltily and said calmly, "Miss Lin insisted that I stay for dinner. I couldn't refuse her hospitality. Mama, haven't you always wanted me to make more friends and get along with them?"
Lee Mama was left speechless by her own words.
Meng Qianqian knew when to stop. "Mama, you must be tired. Go and get some rest."
Lee Mama suddenly remembered the important matter at hand. She handed the dowry list to Meng Qianqian. "Miss, I've prepared the dowry according to the customs of the capital. There are 160 loads in total, 40 more loads than when we first came to the capital. Everything is listed there. Third Master and Meng Guan Shi have also reviewed it. Miss, please take a look and let me know if there's anything that needs to be added, removed, or replaced."
Meng Qianqian smiled. "Since you and they have all reviewed it, I don't need to look at it."
It was just taking back all her belongings.
When Miss had separated from the Lu family, she had personally gone over the accounts, calculating every transaction clearly. But now, after arriving at the Governor's Mansion, she had become a hands-off manager?
She wondered what kind of love potion Lu Yuan had given his daughter. Lee Mama, as her maid, could hardly bear to watch this situation.
Damn Lu Yuan!
Lee Mama cursed Lu Yuan a few hundred times in her heart!
The 160 loads of dowry were too much for one house to hold. Even Grandma Feng and Ji Li's courtyards were filled. To add to the festive atmosphere, Half-Summer and Tan'er hung red lanterns in their homes as well.
Naturally, Ji Li was completely unaware of all this.
On the night before the wedding, Du Niangzi gave Meng Qianqian a book wrapped in black cloth.
"What is this?" Meng Qianqian asked.
Du Niangzi held back her embarrassment and said awkwardly, "Miss will know when she sees it. It's for the wedding night..."
Meng Qianqian nodded. She opened the bundle and flipped through the book.
Du Niangzi covered her eyes and stretched out a hand. "No, no, no! There's no need to be in such a hurry!"
Meng Qianqian seriously flipped through the pages. "Spring Breeze Diagram? There aren't many postures."
Du Niangzi: "......!!!"
What did you say? Say that again?
(End of Chapter)
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