https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-580-Searching-for-Xiao-Shi-Yi-Lang/12536895/
Chapter 579: Framed by the Heavenly Master, Xiao Eleven?
Chapter 579: Framed by the Heavenly Master, Xiao Eleven?
The Gobi Desert night remained cool, with a high moon overhead, but the wind carried fine sand, and the scent of the air alone was enough to distinguish the northwest from the southern regions of Jiangnan.
In the inn, Shen Bijun lay on Lian Chengbi's chest, softly asking, "Am I a little stupid?"
"That's not stupidity, it's..." Lian Chengbi gently caressed the softness in his arms, swallowing the words 'dumb and adorable'.
"But compared to Sister Feng, I feel so foolish." Shen Bijun said.
Lian Chengbi couldn't help but smile. "How much experience do you have in the jianghu, and how much does she have? And how old are you compared to her?"
Shen Bijun laughed out loud. "You're teasing her about her age again. She's actually only... thirty... two."
Lian Chengbi nodded. "Perfectly matched with Yang Kaitai. I recall he's thirty-two as well."
Although the Six Gentlemen of the Martial Forest shared a title, their ages varied greatly. The oldest, Li Gang, was nearly forty, while the youngest, Zhu Baishui, was even two years younger than Lian Chengbi and not yet twenty this year.
Shen Bijun laughed at this and then asked curiously, "I think Sister Feng has some feelings for Yang Kaitai too."
Lian Chengbi's hand slid across her back. "Oh?"
"Yes!" Shen Bijun nodded vigorously. "We chatted about Yang Kaitai while strolling in the courtyard earlier."
Lian Chengbi was not surprised. In the original story, Feng Siniang had married Yang Kaitai, and not only once, but twice. She had even run away from their bridal chamber on the second occasion, which was no ordinary feat.
Yet, Yang Kaitai fell just short, by a hair's breadth.
Lian Chengbi's hands roamed and caressed, thinking to himself that he wasn't sure if Yang Kaitai could make up for that tiny shortfall this time, especially since he had revealed so much in advance!
Shen Bijun's face turned red from his touch, and she quickly changed the subject as her heart raced. "Do you think Yang Kaitai has a chance?"
"Whether he has a chance depends not only on himself but also on his opponent."
"Xiao Eleven?"
"Now that we're returning to the Central Plains, we might just have the opportunity to witness this highly skilled, principled, yet unconventional lone robber, who, I've heard, is burdened with a reputation that doesn't match his true nature."
Shen Bijun couldn't help but giggle at Lian Chengbi's words, her laughter growing more tremulous under his teasing.
"I think there's still room for improvement in your martial arts."
"Wuu~~~"
...
They stayed in Suzhou for three more days.
During this time, Si Tu Zhongping took on a few more business ventures, and the joint venture escort agency split into several teams, each escorting goods back to the Central Plains.
The Buddhist monks had left the pass several days earlier, intending to visit Dunhuang, Hami, Turpan, and Yili, retracing the journey of the Buddhist monk Xuanzang.
Yang Kaitai took the opportunity to deal with some business matters for Hengyuan Money House in the northwest, after which he accompanied Feng Siniang, along with Lian Chengbi and his wife, to explore some ancient ruins and battlefields in the area.
As expected, they encountered several local martial arts masters from the northwest but did not meet any other well-known figures from other regions.
"A missed opportunity," Lian Chengbi sighed. "I shouldn't have exposed Tu Xiaotian so quickly. If we had waited a few more days, we might have been able to capture a few more people."
Lian Chengbi nodded. "In that case, we'll have to leave the rest for when we return to the Central Plains."
Mentioning their return made Feng Siniang eager to depart.
"Then let's go back to the Central Plains!" Feng Siniang said.
"I've already sent word to the various branches of the money house to gather information on Xiao Eleven. By the time we return to Chang'an, we should have some news."
"You're welcome, you're welcome... we're..."
"What are we?"
"Fr...fr...friends..."
And so, on their way back to the Central Plains, Yang Kaitai and Feng Siniang became friends.
The return journey was much quicker without the escort agency to slow them down. They rode on horseback, and it only took them three days to reach Lanzhou and seven days to arrive back in Chang'an.
...
"Ah, refreshing..."
In the bathtub, Feng Siniang ran her hands over her smooth skin and admired her delicate, beautiful feet. She felt relaxed and content.
Next to Feng Siniang was another bathtub where Shen Bijun was cleaning herself.
The strong winds and sand in the northwest had made their journey over the past few days a hurried one, and she had only been able to manage a quick wash. Now that they were back in Chang'an, she could finally take her time and enjoy a proper bath before heading off to find Lian Chengbi, smelling sweet and fragrant.
It was already evening when they returned to Chang'an, so they didn't go straight to the Hengyuan Money House. Instead, they found an inn for the night and planned to visit the money house the next day.
"You'll be returning to the Jiangnan region tomorrow, won't you?" Feng Siniang asked.
"There's no rush," Shen Bijun replied. "Let's go to the Hengyuan Money House together tomorrow and see if we can find out where Xiao Eleven is."
Feng Siniang pouted. "Why is Lian Chengbi so interested in Xiao Eleven? Does he suspect that Xiao Eleven is also a member of the Heavenly Master's sect?"
Feng Siniang could tell that Shen Bijun's curiosity wasn't particularly strong, and with her heart now belonging to Lian Chengbi, if she was asking about Xiao Eleven, it was likely because Lian Chengbi was interested in him as well.
"That's not it," Shen Bijun smiled. "My husband said that if Xiao Eleven were a member of the sect, he wouldn't have allowed so many accusations to be pinned on him."
"What?" Feng Siniang exclaimed, surprised. "Why does he suspect that?"
"Because Lord Li of Daming Mansion and the Chivalrous Sword Hero Wan are not easy people to kill. As for the escort for the 500,000 taels of disaster relief silver, it was the Mount Lao Three Swordsmen. Even a top-notch martial artist from the martial world would have found it difficult to succeed in that mission."
Shen Bijun, supporting herself on the edge of the bathtub, pondered as she spoke, "So when the blame falls on Xiao Eleven, people believe it because Xiao Eleven is indeed capable of doing those things."
"But if Xiao Eleven didn't do those things, then it means that the person or force behind those cases is extremely powerful." Feng Siniang's eyes sparkled with interest. "And there aren't many people or forces in the martial world with that kind of capability!"
Lian Chengbi's suspicion of the Heavenly Master's sect was indeed well-founded.
There was one more point that Lian Chengbi knew but hadn't mentioned—in the original story, the young master had killed Sikong Shu and framed Xiao Eleven for the murder and theft of the sword. It seemed like a familiar and effortless tactic.
At that time, they had never even crossed paths with Xiao Eleven.
After the battle in Suzhou, Feng Siniang would never again doubt Lian Chengbi's wisdom and judgment. If he suspected something, it meant that he already had a strong conviction about it.
"Has Lian Chengbi ever mentioned any other possible members of the Heavenly Master's sect to you?" Feng Siniang asked.
She had never felt such urgency before. She was eager to expose the Heavenly Master's sect and clear Xiao Eleven's name.
"No," Shen Bijun shook her head.
(End of Chapter)
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