https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-33-You-Longsheng-Whose-Wit-is-Sharper-than-His-Sword/12535956/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-35-Heart-s-Mirror-Enters-the-Trap/12535963/
Chapter 34: Afeng, the Dead Dog, Enters Shaolin
Chapter 34: Afeng, the Dead Dog, Enters Shaolin
"How is that possible?"
Although Li Xinhuan was currently confined to Shaolin, he was not under siege, nor was he in any danger. Naturally, he was not cut off from information either.
So he, too, had heard the news of the reappearance of the Plum Blossom Thief.
But...
"Could Lin Xian'er not be the Plum Blossom Thief?" Li Xinhuan was perplexed. "Otherwise, why would he suddenly appear to help clear my name?"
"No!"
Li Xinhuan was, after all, Li Xinhuan. He was not your average straightforward person of the jianghu, and it didn't take him long to figure out the intricacies of the situation.
"An attempt to hide something only makes it more obvious, and to feign falsehood only exposes the truth. Whoever devised this scheme is not to be underestimated!"
Li Xinhuan turned to You Longsheng, "If not for the fact that I know you're not the kind of person to do this, I would suspect that you were behind all this."
You Longsheng nodded, "If the Plum Blossom Thief isn't really dead, he should be lying low right now, waiting to see if Bai Xiaosheng can prove that you are the Plum Blossom Thief. By appearing now, in the eyes of most people in the jianghu, he is helping to clear your name."
Li Xinhuan sighed, "But to a clever person, it would suggest something else. The real Plum Blossom Thief wouldn't be so foolish."
You Longsheng smiled faintly, "To impersonate the Plum Blossom Thief and deliberately frame you like this, it's as if they're trying to say..."
Li Xinhuan forced a bitter laugh, "If I were an observer, I would think that I am the Plum Blossom Thief as well."
Master Xinmei hadn't realized the implications at first, but hearing Li Xinhuan and You Longsheng's analysis, he couldn't help but take a sharp breath.
"Who could be so vicious?"
"Of course, it's the real Plum Blossom Thief." Li Xinhuan said calmly, "By going against the grain, when someone explains it to the masses, I will be left speechless."
"Bai Xiaosheng?"
"Of course, it has to be him!"
"But if they want to frame you, they must capture this Plum Blossom Thief who appeared," Master Xinmei said in a low voice.
"If my guess is correct, Bai Xiaosheng and Xinjian should have already left the mountain." Li Xinhuan said nonchalantly.
"But what if they really catch the so-called Plum Blossom Thief who framed you?" Master Xinmei asked.
Li Xinhuan's eyes flickered, "When they bring the Plum Blossom Thief back, that will be when their emotions are running high. People tend to think less and act more impulsively when they are agitated. That will be our moment to strike and expose their true intentions."
...
Li Xinhuan's guess was correct. Bai Xiaosheng and Xinjian had indeed left the mountain.
Before they departed, Bai Xiaosheng had shared his analysis with Master Xinmei, so after they left, Xin Hui, Xin Zhu, and Xin Deng gathered together and moved closer to Li Xinhuan.
If Li Xinhuan were truly proven to be the Plum Blossom Thief, the Shaolin monks would have no choice but to subdue the demon and take revenge for their secular disciple.
...
"Looks like Afeng has made his move."
"Aside from Afeng, there aren't many who would dare to impersonate the Plum Blossom Thief."
You Longsheng returned to the side room, "I wonder how Afeng and Lin Xian'er are doing."
Afeng and Lin Xian'er's entanglement didn't come as a surprise to You Longsheng. After all, he had witnessed their interaction in the main hall of Xingyun Manor.
However, after he took Master Xinmei away, he didn't know if Lin Xian'er had continued her heroic rescue attempt.
But then again, even if that hadn't happened, given Lin Xian'er's relentless pursuit, Afeng probably wouldn't have been able to resist her charms even if he didn't fall in love with her.
They would still be on their way to Shaolin.
Although they wouldn't encounter Yi Ku again, would they meet the Old Man of Heaven's Secret and Sun Xiaohong?
It was an obvious hint for Afeng to impersonate the Plum Blossom Thief! Wasn't this setting up Lin Xian'er for success?
Indeed, some tried to whitewash it, saying that Old Man Tianji was actually hinting for Afeng to uncover the true identity of the Plum Blossom Thief to exonerate Li Xinhuan.
But that still didn't make sense!
Old Man Tianji was a man, not a god. While his sources of information were accurate, whether he had many informants in the jianghu or eavesdropped himself, the end result was that he knew a lot of hidden information.
However, there were still things he didn't know.
For example, that Lin Xian'er was the Plum Blossom Thief, and that Bai Xiaosheng and Xin Jian were working with her.
Even if this was because the original author intended to hide the culprit and not reveal it early on, Old Man Tianji simply didn't know.
Or, taking a step back, even if Old Man Tianji knew that Lin Xian'er was the Plum Blossom Thief and that Bai Xiaosheng and Xin Jian were her accomplices.
But who was Afeng? How could he possibly uncover the true identity of the Plum Blossom Thief? Asking him to impersonate the thief was as good as sending him to his death!
Yu Longsheng racked his brains but couldn't understand Old Man Tianji's train of thought.
The only reasonable guess was that he had foreseen the future events, knowing that by letting Afeng impersonate the Plum Blossom Thief, Afeng would realize that it was Lin Xian'er who had betrayed him!
And with Afeng and Li Xinhuan joining forces, they could also unravel the conspiracy between Bai Xiaosheng and Xin Jian, bringing the real Plum Blossom Thief to justice!
In the end, the author had the final say, and the Old Man Tianji he created in this real wuxia world represented the author's confidence in Li Xinhuan and Afeng.
Yes, confidence!
As could be seen from the latter part of the original novel, Old Man Tianji had absolute confidence in Li Xinhuan and Afeng, perhaps even more than he had in himself.
Facing Li Xinhuan, who lacked confidence in defeating Official Jin Hong, Old Man Tianji was even willing to sacrifice himself to help Li Xinhuan find his confidence.
Damn! Admirable!
Giving away his granddaughter and then his life, the emotions of the characters in the world of Gu Long were truly incomprehensible!
Yu Longsheng lay on his bed and opened his newly transcribed copy of the "Seven Clever Manual."
"Since that's the case, the famous scene should be coming up soon."
"Tsk tsk, it's time to watch the show again. I promise I won't intervene this time."
"If I mock Afeng for getting beaten up like a dog this time, will he slice my throat open?"
"But what if I really want to criticize him?"
"Hmm... Should I take the initiative to save him?"
"I'd be his lifesaver, and then no matter how much I mock him in the future, he won't dare to lay a hand on me, right?"
Yu Longsheng stroked his chin, thinking that this idea was worth considering, but the timing of his intervention required careful consideration.
...
Yu Longsheng pondered for a full ten days, and ten days later, Bai Xiaosheng and Xin Jian returned.
Their return shocked the entire Shaolin Temple, as they had brought back the Plum Blossom Thief.
Naturally, Yu Longsheng went to check out the commotion.
And there, in the front yard of Shaolin Temple, he saw Afeng, beaten like a dead dog.
Yu Longsheng was not surprised, but Li Xinhuan was stunned. He never expected that the person impersonating the Plum Blossom Thief would be Afeng.
Yu Longsheng shook his head and sighed. Afeng was truly simple-minded and easily manipulated!
(End of Chapter)
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