Chapter 7: A Young Lady Trying Her Sword
Chapter 7: A Young Lady Trying Her Sword
Li Xiaoyao brought Zhao Ling 'er and left the Immortal Spirit Island. Seeing that they had returned safely, Zhang Si Ge was finally relieved. However, when he saw Zhao Ling' er's pale face and red and swollen eyes, he could not guess what had happened. He could only silently sail the boat back. Along the way, there was only the sound of the calm waves breaking at the bow of the ship. There was not a single word.
It was already late at night. Li Xiaoyao led the despondent Zhao Ling 'er back to the inn. Zhao Ling' er was still in a daze. Aunt Li washed her face, changed her clothes, and took care of her to sleep.
Li Xiao Yao stood guard outside the door, his head lowered in deep thought. His mind was in a mess and he couldn't think clearly. He could only sigh and think,"If there's anything, we'll think about it tomorrow!"”
This was the first time in his life that he had witnessed the horrors of a massacre. It would be too unreasonable to say that he was not touched and shocked.
In front of Zhao Ling 'er, he could still pose as a protector and pretend to be calm. Once he was alone, he realized that it was hard to calm down. Once he closed his eyes, the dozens of corpses lined up in a row appeared in front of him, making him feel uneasy.
Aunt Li walked out of Zhao Ling 'er's room and placed her index finger in front of her lips, indicating for Li Xiaoyao to speak softly.
"Is she asleep?" Li Xiao Yao asked.
"Yes, she didn't say anything. She just quietly shed tears and washed her face. After wiping her tears, they fell again as if they would never end.”Aunt Li sighed.
"It's good that I can sleep…" Li Xiaoyao said.
"Tell me what happened.”Aunt Li said.
"Auntie, I'm also very tired. I'll take a nap first. We'll talk about it tomorrow, okay?" Li Xiaoyao groaned.
"No, because I can't sleep if I don't know!”
Li Xiaoyao sighed. I don't think you love me as much as you love Miss Zhao! Alright, let's talk downstairs."
Aunt Li and Li Xiaoyao sat in the guest hall downstairs, talking about the events on Immortal Spirit Island in detail. The soul-stirring scenes shocked Aunt Li. However, her reaction was much calmer than Li Xiaoyao had expected. Perhaps she had been in the martial world before and was used to seeing life and death.
At this moment, Zhao Ling 'er's exclamation suddenly came from upstairs."Grandma! Grandma!"
Li Xiao Yao hurriedly jumped up and ran upstairs while shouting,""Miss Ling 'er! What's wrong?"
Li Xiaoyao rushed into the room and saw that Zhao Ling 'er had already sat up and was curled up on the bed with a panicked expression.
Seeing that Li Xiaoyao had arrived, Zhao Ling 'er threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly, trembling non-stop. Li Xiaoyao's aura and broad shoulders slightly calmed her down. She was not as empty as she was when she woke up from the nightmare, as if she had been thrown into the endless Wang Yang.
"What's wrong?" Li Xiaoyao patted her gently. Did you have a nightmare?"
" It's not a dream…" Zhao Ling 'er muttered,"" It wasn't a dream…I…I saw Grandma…Grandma…"
Zhao Ling 'er's tears flowed out from her widened eyes and her voice trembled. Li Xiaoyao could not help but hug her tighter and said gently,"Don't be afraid. You're very safe here. Auntie and I will protect you.”
Zhao Ling 'er looked up at Li Xiaoyao and said,"" Don't leave tonight. I want to sleep with you…"
Li Xiao Yao was shocked and stammered,"One, sleep together…? This…this isn't appropriate!"
Zhao Ling 'er still looked at him and asked,""Why not?"
"This…This is a man and a woman shouldn't be close…" Li Xiaoyao said.
"But we…Do you despise me?" Zhao Ling 'er asked. Don't you want me anymore?"
She held Li Xiao Yao's hand tightly as if she was holding onto her only hope and sustenance. Her voice was so fearful that no one would have the heart to shake off her small hands. However…if she was really just a little girl, then it would be fine. But she was a young girl, and a stunning beauty at that. The meaning was completely different. Although Li Xiaoyao was not a beast in human clothing or a disciple, he was not a person who could be compared to others. However, Li Xiaoyao knew very well how far he was from the Sage Realm. He really didn't have the confidence to spend a night alone with her if he really didn't do anything. Li Xiao Yao was in a dilemma, he really didn't know how to answer her.
Fortunately, Aunt Li walked in at this time. Seeing Zhao Ling 'er holding Li Xiaoyao tightly, she said,""Carefree! Are you bullying me?"
"I wouldn't dare!" Li Xiaoyao hurriedly said.？”
Aunt Li said,"Ling Er, ignore that brat!" If you have any grievances, just say it to me. I'll make decisions for you!”
"I…I want Brother Xiaoyao to accompany me…" Zhao Ling 'er said.
Aunt Li was stunned for a moment, but Li Xiaoyao's face was as if he had been relieved of a heavy burden. I didn't bully her. She cried because I didn't bully her!”meaning.
Unexpectedly, Aunt Li looked at Zhao Ling 'er and then at Li Xiaoyao before saying,""Then stay here with her! During the day, Ling 'er was also frightened."
Hearing this, Li Xiao Yao was scared out of his wits and said,""Auntie, what are you talking about…"
"Didn't I say it? Stay here with her! In the future, if you take Ling 'er to Miaojiang to find her mother, won't you have to accompany her day and night? It doesn't matter if it's one night."
"Is that what you said?" Li Xiaoyao almost thought that Aunt Li had gone crazy. He changed his mind and said,"No, you must be the one who kidnapped me. You have to write down what you just said on the wall so that we can testify against each other in the future…"
Aunt Li was furious." You brat, don't play dumb with me! If I didn't know your personality, I really wanted to hang you upside down! You even forgot what bad things you did…"
Zhao Ling 'er didn't understand the violent way they were used to talking. She quickly protected Li Xiaoyao and said,"" Auntie, don't…don't hang him upside down. I…I don't want Brother Xiaoyao to sleep with me…"
"Sigh, you're too protective of him…Xiaoyao, don't go anywhere tonight!" Aunt Li said. I'm leaving. You guys go to sleep quickly!"
Aunt Li turned around and slowly walked out, closing the door, leaving Li Xiaoyao stunned.
Li Xiaoyao was stunned for a long time before he said,"Why…I feel that something is not right…".
"Brother Xiaoyao, do you…think I'm dragging you down?" Zhao Ling 'er smiled sadly.”
"No, absolutely not. Don't think like that." I just…just…"
"But what?"
"I just feel that something is not right…"
Zhao Ling 'er said gently,"It's okay. There's nothing wrong. Don't think about it."”
Li Xiaoyao felt embarrassed and thought,""Miss Ling 'er is so gentle. I should be the one comforting her, but she's the one comforting me. Why do I feel like she's my wife? It wasn't that his aunt was trying to help him, but…why did he feel that way?……If I can really have a wife like this, then it's really a blessing that I've cultivated for more than ten lifetimes…Tonight, it's just the two of us. This…Can we do this? No, no, I want to be a chivalrous person. I can't take advantage of her when she's helpless! I can't, I can't!"
The more Li Xiaoyao thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt,"But…but…she shouldn't hold me so tightly!" I'm a nineteen-year-old hot-blooded man. This…this is torture!”
Li Xiaoyao made up his mind and said,"I don't care!" I'm not strong nor do I lie. I'll definitely protect Miss Ling 'er forever and won't let her suffer!”
Thinking of this, Li Xiaoyao was about to turn around and hug Zhao Ling 'er when he realized that she had already fallen asleep in his arms.
Li Xiaoyao was stunned. Looking at her innocent sleeping face and her slightly furrowed eyebrows, he could not help but smile bitterly.
The next morning, Li Xiaoyao stretched his back and yawned as he lazily went downstairs.
Aunt Li, who had already woken up, glanced at him and said,""You look like you're dead early in the morning. How can you protect Ling 'er to Miaojiang?”
Li Xiao Yao laid on the table and said in a dying tone,""I didn't want to do this…I didn't sleep a wink the whole night…"
Aunt Li was stunned for a moment before she knocked him on the head with the feather whisk in her hand."You brat, give me almost a bit! I didn't expect you to be such a lecherous beast…"
"What happened to me?" Li Xiaoyao cried out, holding his head. You were the one who told me to be with her! Miss Ling 'er is asleep. How can I sleep if I sit by her bed and watch over her for the entire night?”
Aunt Li was stunned for a moment, and the feather whisk in her hand hit his head even harder."Are you carved out of wood? If you continue like this, which generation do I have to go to before I can have a grandson?”
Li Xiaoyao cried out in grievance,"Hit me no matter what!" This…this is too much…"
Aunt Li thought for a moment, then raised her feather duster and hit Li Xiaoyao a few more times. Li Xiaoyao covered his head and ran away like a rat, shouting,"Hey! Stop it, now it's that question again?”
"I'm just a reserve now," Aunt Li said. "After you and Miss Ling 'er leave, you'll have to leave me alone to guard this shop. I don't know how much trouble you'll cause along the way and how much grievance you'll make Ling' er suffer. I can't hit you then, but I'll hit you a few more times now to save myself.”
How could there be such logic? However, Li Xiaoyao understood the principle of "a wise man who understands the times", so he did not argue with her."Wait, Auntie, you mean…you're willing to let me and Miss Ling 'er go to Miaojiang?”
"Nonsense!" Aunt Li sighed." I wanted to go with you, but…I can't leave this shop alone. But…well, it's actually not a big deal even if it's closed for a few months…"
Seeing Aunt Li seriously considering the idea of traveling with them, Li Xiaoyao was so scared that he quickly smiled apologetically and said,""Auntie, don't worry about me. This shop is the foundation of our lives. Without your care, will there be a tomorrow? It's safer for you to stay here.”
Aunt Li rolled her eyes at him. You're just afraid that I'll follow you, right? Miaojiang is so far away. There must be many dangers along the way. How can you protect them?”
Li Xiaoyao smiled." I've already obtained the true teachings of an expert and learned peerless martial arts. No matter how many people there are, they won't be able to defeat me."”
"You're just like your father!" Aunt Li said. He only knew a few tricks and was already boasting about himself. One must know that there was always a higher mountain! He had only defeated a few Miao people, yet he looked down on the world.”
"Auntie, don't boost others 'morale and diminish your own!" Li Xiaoyao said unwillingly. I'm almost twenty, so don't worry. Just wait for me to come back.”
"How could I not know what you're thinking?" Aunt Li said. Sigh! Forget it. With your personality, this small place won't be able to lock you up. It's not a bad idea to go and see the world.”
"Auntie, you're agreeing?" Li Xiaoyao asked.”
Aunt Li said," Don't get carried away. You have to do something for me on this trip!"”
"Ha!" Li Xiaoyao said. Let alone one, even a hundred will do!"
"When you see Miss Ling 'er's mother, remember to propose marriage to her immediately. Tell her that you want to marry Ling' er…" Aunt Li said seriously.
"What?" Li Xiaoyao was stunned. Marry Miss Ling 'er…?"
"Marriage is a major event, it's the parents 'order!" Aunt Li said. Of course, your marriage will be decided by me. If Miss Ling 'er's mother was still alive, she should have reported it to him face to face.”
"What if…what if we can't find her mother?" Li Xiaoyao asked.”
Unexpectedly, Aunt Li rolled her eyes and said,""If you can't find it…you can just bring a grandson back!”
Li Xiaoyao was stunned for a long time before he said,"This…How can this be so fast…?"”
Aunt Li rolled her eyes at him and sighed,""You brat, I don't know if you're pretending to be stupid or if you're really stupid. How could I forget all the things I should remember…"
While muttering, Aunt Li stood up and turned to walk into her room, leaving Li Xiaoyao alone in the hall, unable to make heads or tails of what was going on.
Li Xiaoyao grabbed his hair and thought about it. The more he thought about it, the weirder he felt. Why did Ling 'er and his aunt seem to have made an agreement after Ling' er appeared? Why did they insist on Li Xiaoyao marrying her? He even felt that his aunt and Ling 'er had long regarded him as Ling' er's husband.
After a while, Aunt Li walked out with a small bundle in her hand. She walked to the table and piled the bundle on the table."I prepared this bag for you last night. Take it with you and get ready to go!”
"What is this?"
Li Xiaoyao took the bag and opened it curiously. Other than some silver clothes, there were two old handwritten scrolls and an ancient sword with slight iron embroidery.
"This is…?"
"This is an old sword that your father left…left at home.”
Seeing Li Sansi's belongings, Aunt Li also felt a lump in her throat. She almost blurted it out, but fortunately, she turned back in time. Back then, Li Sansi and his wife had died somewhere. Only this sword had been sent back by a friend in Jianghu.
Dying in a foreign land, life was like duckweed. This was the fate of almost all Jianghu people. Therefore, Aunt Li, who had disappeared from the martial arts world for many years, only hid her sword in a place where she could not see it, so as not to be sad. Not to mention taking it out and grinding it, causing the sword to rust and become dusty.
However, this made Li Xiao Yao very suspicious. He pulled out the sword that was slightly stuck and said suspiciously,""This is my father's old sword, but…why is it at home?”
Li Xiaoyao had always been smart. When he saw this familiar old thing, he felt a sense of foreboding. His parents were both in the martial arts world, so it was possible for them to forget everything. Swords and sabers were things that they would never forget. Looking at the rust on the sword, it was obvious that his parents had not forgotten about it a year or two ago. They had stopped using this sword many years ago. No matter what, this was too strange.
Aunt Li put her hands on her hips and said,"Your father's martial arts has improved. Of course, he has changed to a new sword." Anyway, it's useless for me to keep it. Since you've learned some three-legged cat sword techniques, why don't you use it for the time being? Don't waste money on another sword.”
After hearing Aunt Li's explanation, Li Xiaoyao's suspicion was dispelled. He curiously flipped through the two old scrolls and said,"This is…Flying Dragon Cloud Searching Hand and Ice Heart Art?”
Aunt Li said," This is the unique skill that your parents used to become famous in the Jianghu. If you have time on the road, practice it so that you won't use that lousy sword technique that you learned from somewhere!"”
"What lousy sword art?" Li Xiaoyao asked. Auntie, you don't know…"
Aunt Li waved her hand." Alright, alright. Don't brag to me about how good your swordsmanship is." Xiaoyao, you've only learned a little martial arts, so you'll think you're invincible. The more you learn and the stronger your martial arts become, the more timid you will become and the more you will feel that your martial arts are not that good.”
"How is that possible?" Li Xiaoyao said unwillingly. If my martial arts gets stronger and stronger, I should be bolder and bolder!”
"Sigh!" Aunt Li said. Looks like you really need to temper yourself. How can I be at ease when you're so sloppy? I think we should…"
Seeing that Aunt Li was about to change her mind and go with them, Li Xiaoyao was so scared that he quickly said,""Alright, I will practice these martial arts well! Don't worry, Auntie. I'll definitely be careful along the way, step by step, jittery, and wary…"
Aunt Li sighed." You seem to be right. Alright, I'll test you first." If you want to go to Miaojiang, how should you take the first step?”
"First…first step?" Li Xiaoyao was stunned.
"Look, you have no idea, right? I say, from here to Miaojiang, it's not just a stroll in the city. It's thousands of miles away. How are you going to get there? Walk? Take a car? Boat ride? Tell me."
"So it's this…I really didn't think about it.”Li Xiaoyao scratched his head and thought to himself. He had never left this small town in his entire life. The moment he went out, it was a long-distance journey. Indeed, he had no idea at all. However, he only thought about it for a moment before he had an idea."Right! Didn't Mr. Fang often go to Miaojiang to do business? We can ask him to give us a ride, right?”
Aunt Li relaxed a little and said,""That's still a sentence. Ask Mr. Fang about his departure date and decide when you will leave.”
Li Xiaoyao jumped up and said,"Alright, I'll go and ask immediately!"”
Li Xiaoyao ran and jumped all the way to the boat. Strangely, only a few people were packing things in the busy boat line, and after asking around, he found out that almost all the fishermen and crew members, including Mr. Fang himself, were at the port.
Li Xiaoyao hurried to the port. It was a cloudless day and calm. Sure enough, everyone was planning to take advantage of this day to go out to sea. The port was bustling with people. There were crew members shouting everywhere, lifting and landing goods. Everyone was very busy.
Li Xiao Yao asked a few people before he was led to the cabin of a large ship. Mr. Fang was counting the goods with a booklet in his hand. When he saw Li Xiao Yao, he smiled and said,""Little Li! Why did you want to come to the boat today?"
"I have something to ask Mr. Fang…" Li Xiaoyao said.
"What is it? Wait, I'll be done in a while."
Li Xiaoyao didn't want to disturb him, so he stepped aside and waited. After Mr. Fang ordered some of the goods, he beckoned Li Xiaoyao over and said,"I heard from Zhang Laosi that Immortal Spirit Island…is a little strange.”
Just now, Li Xiao Yao had been standing at the side, thinking about the whole matter. He did not directly say his true intentions, but instead lowered his voice and said,"Mr. Fang, have you seen the Miao people in town these two days?”
"Miao people?" Mr. Fang thought for a moment and said," I've heard of it, but I haven't seen it. Why?"”
Those Miao people did not go out much and only moved at night. No wonder the people in the town rarely saw them. Li Xiaoyao told Mr. Fang what had happened, and Mr. Fang was speechless."What is it? You said…those Miao people killed and kidnapped people?”
" Yes, that girl is the victim. She's living in my house now. I want to take her to Miaojiang to find someone, so..."
"I know, but I'm afraid it's a bit…" Mr. Fang said.
"We won't take your boat for nothing…" Li Xiaoyao said.
"Aren't you treating me as an outsider? You brat, I'm not talking about that. A ship doesn't need the two of you.”Mr. Fang said,"I haven't been to Nanshao for the past year."”
"What?" "Didn't you always do business with the Miao people in Yun-Gui?" Li Xiaoyao was surprised and disappointed. Why is it now…?"
"A few years ago, I heard that there was a civil strife in the Miao territory, and the Black Miao warriors killed the Han merchants." Originally, there were still Bai Miao people who could trade with us. However, due to the recent drought, the Dali border governed by the Bai Miao people has also begun to be restless.”
"Kill Han people?" Li Xiaoyao was a little surprised. Could it be that the Miao people have a grudge against the Han people?"
Mr. Fang shook his head and said," That's not true. The Miao people only interact with a few Han people. Even if they have a grudge against them, they won't kill any Han people they see." If the commoners killed each other, it was often the leader's intention.”
"Leader…? How could a leader be so foolish as to make his own people enemies with other races?”
Mr. Fang smiled and said," I don't understand. If you see the king of the Black Sprout, ask him for me. What's wrong with doing business with them and giving them good things?" Why did they kill Han people whenever they saw them? Could they kill all the Han people? Even if he killed a few hundred of them, would he be able to destroy Han and become king? Haha! Ah, right, you're also a Han, it's very dangerous to go to Miao Jiang…"
"It's alright, I know some martial arts."”
Mr. Fang looked at him suspiciously and said,"Really? Why haven't I heard you mention this before?"
"Don't worry! My aunt has agreed to let me go."
"Alright!" Mr. Fang said. But…when my ship arrives at Suzhou, you have to think of a way yourself!”
"I understand." Li Xiaoyao nodded. Then…when should we depart?"
"We're about to set off. We'll wait for you for a while. Go and prepare quickly. Don't delay the departure time.”
"Alright, I understand." Li Xiaoyao quickly replied.”
Li Xiaoyao hurried back to the inn. When she heard that they were about to set off, Aunt Li was also shocked."Are you leaving immediately? What if you encounter the Black Sprout warriors? Can you handle them?”
"When we arrive at the Miao territory, we just need to change into the Miao attire. Wouldn't that be foolproof?" Li Xiaoyao laughed.”
Aunt Li shook her head and sighed. Forget it, go out and grind it. It's good to fall. You guys should hurry up and move.”
Aunt Li stood up and sent Zhao Ling 'er and Li Xiaoyao out. Zhao Ling' er kept silent and followed Li Xiaoyao to the port. Seeing Zhao Ling 'er, even Mr. Fang was shocked. Although Brother Zhang Si had told him about her, Mr. Fang didn't expect that such a beautiful girl could exist in the human world.
The ship set sail. Li Xiaoyao was full of excitement. He studied the Flying Dragon Cloud Probing Hand for a while and soon understood it. He thought to himself," What kind of unique skill is famous in Jianghu? It's so simple?" Auntie, you're fooling me!" He didn't know that it was because he was smarter than his parents and was a natural talent in martial arts that he felt that this superb skill was not a big deal.
Li Xiaoyao saw Zhao Ling 'er standing alone on the deck, looking in the direction of the Immortal Spirit Island with a lonely expression. He walked up and said,""Miss Ling 'er…"
Zhao Ling 'er replied softly. Li Xiaoyao said,""Don't worry. When we get to Miaojiang, you won't be alone when you see your mother.”
Zhao Ling 'er smiled and nodded.
"What are you worried about?"
"I don't know. I…I've never stepped out of the Immortal Spirit Island. I don't know what's going on outside or what will happen along the way…" Zhao Ling 'er said softly.
"Me too!" Li Xiaoyao laughed. I've never left town since I was young, so I don't know what it's like outside, but I'm not afraid at all. Instead, I'm very happy.”
"Why aren't you afraid?" Zhao Ling 'er looked at her.”
" I don't know either, but I just wish I could fly to a faraway place, the farther the better…"
"Why? You don't like your home?" Zhao Ling 'er asked.
"Not really…But, isn't it great to be able to fly very far and come back when you're tired?”
Zhao Ling 'er slowly lowered her head and said,"" I…I don't know where to go when I want to go back…"
Li Xiaoyao didn't expect Wuxin's words to touch Ling 'er's wound again. He couldn't help but feel guilty and quickly smiled."Then come back with me! From now on, my home will be your home. When you're tired of flying, we'll fly back together.”
Zhao Ling 'er finally smiled and said,""Is what you said true?"
She had been worried all day, and now, her smile came from the bottom of her heart. It was like a flower petal that had suddenly burst through the frost, delicate and tender with a touch of pity. Li Xiaoyao was stunned. After a while, he said,""Of course it's true."
Zhao Ling 'er held his hand happily and remained silent at ease.
Since the canal was opened, it was an important avenue for trade from Yuhang to Suzhou. Therefore, the waterway was very smooth and the checkpoints along the way were very convenient. This boat did not take long to reach Suzhou.
"I wish you a safe journey. I can only send you here.”
After Li Xiaoyao and Zhao Linger got off the boat, Mr. Fang followed them and pointed to the west."Suzhou City is not far ahead. You'd better go to the city and ask more. There are many big merchants in Suzhou, and they might also be heading to the Miaojiang. If it's on the way, it's best for the two of you to follow. Otherwise, it's too dangerous for the two of you to go alone. It's better for you to take care of a large group of people.”
Zhao Linger and Li Xiaoyao thanked Mr. Fang again and again before they walked into the city together and officially started their unfamiliar journey.
The long road from the port into the city was filled with weeping willows, swaying in the wind, turning the hot summer into a refreshing shade.
Li Xiao Yao happily stretched his arms and said,"The scenery in Suzhou is really good. No wonder people say that there is heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below…"
Before he could finish speaking, screams and sobs came from ahead.
Li Xiaoyao and Zhao Ling 'er both paused slightly. A woman cried out,""Let us go, I know I was wrong…"
A crisp female voice said angrily,"Hmph, shameless little hoof!" You even helped him beg for mercy?"
Then, a sharp whip whistle pierced through the air, followed by a man's miserable cry.
Zhao Ling 'er grabbed Li Xiaoyao's arm in fear and said,""What happened?"
"I don't know. Let's go and take a look."
Li Xiaoyao pulled Zhao Ling 'er and looked in the direction of the voice. Under a row of willow trees, there was a tall woman dressed in short combat clothes. She had one hand on her waist and the other holding a cow whip. She was whipping a man tied to a tree.
A young woman was tied to another willow tree. The woman also had some wounds on her body, and her clothes were drenched in blood. However, she did not care at all. She only looked anxiously at the man who was whipped and cried,"Miss, I know I was wrong. Please let him go.”
The woman holding the whip stopped and turned to look at the tied girl. She said coldly,""It's your business if you know you're wrong. Why should I not hit him?”
Only then did Li Xiaoyao see the lady clearly. She was about seventeen or eighteen years old, tall and slender. On her oval face, she had a pair of dark and bright phoenix eyes. Her sword-like eyebrows slanted into her temples, adding a bit of heroic spirit to her charm. There was a strong look in her eyes. Although she was beautiful, it was obvious that she was a woman with a very strong personality.
The girl tied to the tree said," I…I'm willing to accept my punishment. It's my fault alone. It has nothing to do with him…"
The woman with the whip snorted and raised her delicate hand. Just as she was about to hit him, her wrist was grabbed.
The woman with the whip was stunned. When she turned around and saw Li Xiaoyao grabbing her, she was so angry that her face turned pale."What are you doing? Let go!"
"Miss, why did you hit someone in broad daylight?" Li Xiaoyao asked.”
The woman's breath sank into her arms, and with a nimble twist of her wrist, she slipped out of Li Xiao Yao's grip. With this test, Li Xiaoyao felt that she had also practiced martial arts.
However, before Li Xiaoyao could react, she had already shouted and swung her whip at Li Xiaoyao. Zhao Ling 'er exclaimed. Li Xiaoyao hurriedly turned his head and dodged, taking a big step back.
"How did you…"
"You dare to control me? I'll let you learn to mind your own business!"
With a snap, the long whip cut through the air and Li Xiaoyao hurriedly turned around to barely dodge it. He said,""Why are you so fierce?"
"I'm just that fierce!"
The whip came again, like a poisonous snake. Li Xiao Yao could only dodge it in a hurry, forced to retreat continuously. He said anxiously,"You're so unreasonable, I…"
The woman's whip missed, and she was even more furious. Her attacks were also more ruthless and faster. The whip's shadow cracked and hit the tree trunk and the ground. With a heavy blow, small stones or flying leaves flew. It was obvious that her strength was heavy. If an ordinary person was whipped, they would definitely not be able to bear the consequences.
"You've gone too far. I'll teach you a lesson…" Li Xiaoyao said angrily.
With a snap, the whip drew across Li Xiaoyao's face, almost hitting his face. The residual force of the whip made his face hurt. Li Xiaoyao remembered the secret manual of Flying Dragon Cloud Probing Hand that he had flipped over on the ship. Most of the secret manuals were about nimble wrist movement techniques. Li Xiaoyao hurriedly changed his attack method according to his memory. He reached out and grabbed her whip. The woman raised her hand, and Hao Ran was stunned when he saw that her whip had been caught.
After being stunned for a moment, she tried to pull back the whip, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pull the whip out of Li Xiao Yao's hand. She shouted angrily,""Let go!"
Li Xiaoyao grabbed the end of the whip and said,""Tell me clearly first, why did you hit him like this?”
"You're dirtying my mouth by talking about them!" the woman said angrily.”
" Don't…Don't make things difficult for Miss," the woman who was tied up said." It's…It's Miss who doesn't want me to go with him, so…"
The woman glared at the tied up girl and said,""You have the cheek to tell everyone about this embarrassing thing? No manners at all! I'll beat you to death…"
"Hey, what right do you have to care who she's with?" Li Xiaoyao asked.”
"She is my servant, of course I should care! I'll be happy even if you kill me!"
Li Xiao Yao looked at the man who was beaten up. His body was covered in wounds. It was unknown whether it was pain or fear, but he did not dare to say a word. He only looked at Li Xiao Yao with a pleading gaze.
"They're in love with each other. Wouldn't it be a good thing if you did them a favor and set them up?" Li Xiaoyao said. Why do you have to force me?"
The woman spat and said,"What's so good about an adulterous couple?" This pretty boy came to my house to work for a long time and seduced this stupid girl. If he really had the heart, why didn't he just say it openly and get married honestly? Why did he have to elope? My Lin family doesn't have such a rule to marry a maid! Since I've caught them, I'll punish them properly!”
Li Xiaoyao felt that what this young lady said made sense. It was probably because she had a fiery temper and could not tolerate such sneaky things. However, her punishment was too harsh, which made Li Xiaoyao a little disgusted.
"May I ask if Young Lady has a sweetheart?" Li Xiaoyao asked.”
"What does it have to do with you?" The woman was startled.”
Li Xiaoyao smiled." Of course it's none of my business. Anyway, I think you definitely don't have one. That's why you can't bear to see other people living together!"”
The woman was so angry that her face turned ashen. She said angrily,"If you dare to talk nonsense, I'll kill you!”
"Hmph, do you think you're the one who sets the law?" Li Xiaoyao said. You can hit whoever you want? Kill whoever you want?"
Li Xiaoyao turned his head and said,"Ling 'er, please help me untie the two of them."”
Zhao Ling 'er responded and hurriedly went forward to untie the two people's bindings. The woman was so angry that she tried to pull the whip back. However, after being grabbed by Li Xiao Yao, the whip seemed to have grown roots. She couldn't pull it at all.
The woman rolled her eyes and took a deep breath.""Alright, since you've decided to meddle in this matter, they're lucky. I won't kill them.”
"Really?"
"I mean what I say!" The woman said angrily. Although her face was full of anger, her eyes were upright. She should be an upright person. Li Xiaoyao was about to let go of the whip, but he was still worried. He said,""I'll let go when they're far away.”
" You..." The woman was so angry that she panted a few times. She was a little helpless.
Seeing that Zhao Ling 'er had already untied the ropes of the two people, Li Xiaoyao felt her pull the whip hard again. It was obvious that she still wanted to rush up and hit them. Li Xiao Yao smiled, secretly happy that he didn't listen to her and let go of the whip.
After the two of them were released, Li Xiaoyao said,""Let's go quickly. Don't let this evil girl catch us again.”
The whipped woman was about to help her lover leave when the woman shouted,"Stop!"
Perhaps it was because she had been imposing for a long time, or perhaps it was because the girl who had been beaten was gentle by nature, but she really stopped and looked at her sadly."Miss…"
"Hmph!" the woman said. You're old now, I can't keep you even if you want to leave, but do you think I can't accept your three bows? Kowtow to me three times and I will not make things difficult for you anymore!”
Hearing her words, Li Xiao Yao felt that it made sense and did not say anything.
The maid supported her sweetheart and walked forward. The two of them knelt down together and kowtowed three times. She said timidly,"Miss, please…allow my marriage to Changgui.”
"Changgui, are you mute?" The woman sneered. What kind of man was he to let Yin Hua shoulder everything alone?”
The man called Chang Gui stammered,"Miss, I…"
The woman glared at Yin Hua and said,"If you want to entrust your life to such a person, you will suffer in the future!"”
Yin Hua sobbed," Miss, I fell in love with him. There's nothing I can do. I know that Miss dotes on me and hates that I don't understand. That's why she hit me like this. But…I owe this enemy from my previous life!"”
"Bah!" the woman said angrily. You wish. I don't care what your future is. I'm only angry that you ruined my family's reputation and made people say that my Lin family had a girl who ran away with a man! Hmph, I said I wouldn't kill you, but I can spare your lives! Cut off one hand each as a precaution!”
She suddenly let go of the whip, drew the sword at her waist, and swung it at the two men.
"Ah! Stop!" Zhao Ling 'er cried out in surprise. With a clear sound, Zhao Ling' er actually pulled out the iron sword beside the bag and blocked the woman's sword move.
The two swords clashed, and the woman was stunned. Zhao Ling 'er's zhenqi shot out of the sword and forced her back.
The woman sneered." I didn't expect you to know how to do it when you looked so weak. Very good!"”
The woman raised her sword and stabbed straight at Zhao Ling 'er's chest. Zhao Ling' er did not dodge, but instead attacked her throat. The woman hurriedly sealed her sword and lowered her body. Then, she quickly retracted her sword momentum. With a whoosh, the tip of the sword carried a strong wind as it stabbed toward Zhao Ling 'er's legs.
Zhao Ling 'er twisted her waist and legs to avoid the sword. She leaned back and the sword stabbed towards her head. The woman was shocked and hurriedly rolled to the ground to avoid it before jumping up.
"Catch!" Zhao Ling 'er took this opportunity to throw the sword to Li Xiaoyao. Xiaoyao, who was behind her, immediately turned the hilt of the sword and stabbed forward, piercing the woman's back.
"Ah!" She screamed.
In fact, Li Xiao Yao was using the hilt of his sword to press against her back. She did not see it and thought it was the tip of the sword. She stood still and did not dare to move.
Zhao Ling 'er smiled at Li Xiaoyao, and Li Xiaoyao also smiled at her. They didn't expect the two of them to be so cooperative. They both felt sweet and happy.
"Walk over!" Li Xiaoyao said.
The woman glared hatefully at Zhao Ling 'er before her. She had no choice but to take a few steps forward. Zhao Ling' er stepped forward and used the rope that had just tied Yin Hua and Chang Gui to tie the woman to the tree.
"What are you doing?" the woman said angrily.”
"I didn't want to do this to you. After all, you're a girl…" Li Xiaoyao retracted his sword.
"How about a girl? I think most men are pustules!"
" You're really too unreasonable. Don't interrupt me, listen to me properly…" Seeing her so irritable, Li Xiaoyao wanted to provoke her even more.
As expected, when she heard that, she shouted angrily,"Who do you think you are? Are you trying to reason with me?"
Li Xiaoyao smiled unhurriedly. Although they are your slaves, you are ugly and fierce. When you see such a young and cute girl, you are burning with jealousy and can't help but make things difficult for her. It's fine if she hits them randomly, but she even wants to break their limbs. This is not right…"
The woman's fierce expression suddenly disappeared as she stared at Li Xiaoyao in a daze.
Li Xiaoyao didn't know why she had restrained her fierce aura. He felt it was strange and continued to lecture her,""I, Li Xiao Yao, hate bullying the weak the most in my life. Since I have encountered you, not only will I not allow you to bully others, I will also teach you a good lesson!”
The woman gritted her teeth and said,"Okay!" You little thief, your name is Li Xiao Yao, I'll remember it!”After he finished speaking, he turned to look at Yin Hua and Chang Gui and shouted,"Silver Flower! You b * tch, you're working with outsiders to mess with me. Hurry up and put me down!”
Yin Hua was somewhat at a loss. Zhao Ling 'er said gently,"Why aren't you leaving?"
"Yes, thank you for saving me. Yin Hua, let's go!"
Chang Gui hurriedly pulled Yin Hua and wanted to leave. Yin Hua said worriedly,"My two benefactors, please let the young miss go! I'm sorry, Miss. She…she won't really break my hand. She's just angry…"
Zhao Ling 'er said," Don't worry. We know what we're doing. You guys leave quickly. We'll only let her go when you're far away."”
Seeing Zhao Ling 'er's gentle tone and her kind and beautiful face, Yin Hua guessed that she shouldn't be a bad person, so she could only bow a few more times to that woman before leaving in a hurry with Chang Gui.
Looking at their departing figures, the woman shouted angrily,"Let's see how far you can run! When I go back, I'll definitely ask my father to send someone to capture you and beat you to death!”
Li Xiaoyao and Zhao Ling 'er watched as the two servants disappeared into the distance. The young lady had also quieted down. She glared at Li Xiaoyao and Zhao Ling 'er and cursed in a low voice,""The adulterous couple is helping the adulterous couple! Humph!"
"Hey, why are you still scolding people?"
"You are!"
Although Zhao Ling 'er felt that her words were not pleasant to hear, when she heard that she and Li Xiaoyao were the " you " in the eyes of others, she did not feel angry. She just stood beside Li Xiaoyao with a smile.
Li Xiaoyao smiled." You unruly girl. Look at my sister Ling 'er. She's both beautiful and gentle. Why is there such a huge difference between us?" If you don't learn from my sister Ling 'er, no one will dare to want you for the rest of your life!”
"What does it have to do with you? Little thief! Shameless!"
Li Xiaoyao turned to face Zhao Ling 'er and said,""Ling 'er, let's go into the city! Suzhou is very lively. I'll bring you to see what's new!”
Zhao Ling 'er was about to say something when she saw Li Xiaoyao winking at her with his back to the young lady. She didn't say anything else and nodded."Okay, let's go."
He held Li Xiaoyao's arm and walked towards the west.
The woman shouted from behind,"Hey! Come back and let me go first!"
Li Xiaoyao deliberately shouted," Sister Ling 'er, let's go. There's a shrew here who's shouting and cursing. How annoying."”
After the two of them had walked a few dozen feet, Zhao Ling 'er asked quietly,""It's not good to leave her there alone, right?”
"If we let her go now, wouldn't all our previous efforts be wasted?" Li Xiao Yao whispered. When the two of them have escaped far enough, we'll come back and let this unruly daughter go!”
"Hmm, you're right." Zhao Ling 'er had too little contact with people and did not understand the ways of the world at all. It was only after Li Xiaoyao's reminder that she understood.
Seeing Li Xiaoyao and Zhao Ling 'er walking further and further away, the woman was anxious and angry. She shouted,"Little thief, let me go!"
Li Xiaoyao and Zhao Ling 'er were already far away from her sight. She could not see the two of them and did not know how far they had gone. Her heart became more and more anxious. This place was outside the city and had always been deserted. It was also the main road leading to the place of customs. There had always been many incidents, and it was a road often used by local ruffians. Although she had martial arts and had never taken those hooligans seriously and had even taught a few of them a lesson, she was now tied up. If those hooligans who had been beaten up by her saw her in trouble, she would be in trouble.
At the thought of this, her courage and arrogance disappeared without a trace. She screamed in fear,"Let me go! Help!"
When Li Xiaoyao and Zhao Ling 'er heard this scream from afar, their ferocity disappeared, replaced by fear. Both of them were stunned.
Zhao Ling 'er turned around and said," Brother Xiaoyao, it's that girl who was shouting for help.”
"Ignore her!" Li Xiaoyao said. She's probably pretending to trick us into going back. I'm not falling for it!”
"But…she sounds so scared. Let's go back and take a look!”
Li Xiao Yao thought for a moment and said,""Alright then!"
Li Xiaoyao and Zhao Ling 'er hurriedly turned around and hurried back to the place where the young lady was kidnapped. She was still tied to the willow tree.
She had only called out once, but Li Xiaoyao and Zhao Ling 'er actually turned around. She was also a little surprised.
"What's wrong?" Li Xiaoyao asked. Shouting for help, was it because he was afraid and wanted to beg for mercy?”
The woman immediately thought that Li Xiaoyao must not have gone far. She immediately thought it through. They must be guarding not far away, preparing to let her go after Yin Hua Changgui had gone far away. Thinking of this, she felt as if she had taken a calming pill and was certain that Li Xiaoyao would win. She tilted her head and said proudly,"Who's afraid? I'm just shouting. What does it have to do with you?”
Li Xiaoyao said," You said it yourself. If you shout again later, I really won't care about you!"”
"Go!" the woman said. If you want to die, then go far away. Otherwise, if I meet you again, this lady will definitely teach you a lesson!”
Li Xiaoyao saw her overbearing attitude and became angry. He said,""I'll accompany you! Who's afraid of who!"
"Hmph!" the young miss said. He said that he would accompany me, but he tied me up and pretended to be a hero.”
"If you want to trick me into letting you go, you might as well say a few words of apology."”
"In your dreams!"
"Alright, then you should reflect on yourself here."”
Li Xiaoyao once again pulled Zhao Ling 'er away. This time, they walked further than before. Zhao Ling' er stopped and said,"If we walk any further, we won't be able to hear her call. If something happens…"
"Don't worry about her, we have to make her suffer!" Li Xiaoyao said.”
"What is it? That's…that's not good, right?"
At this moment, the woman's scream came from afar again. This time, she was even more afraid than before."Ah…! No! Help, help…"
"You've changed the words." Li Xiaoyao laughed.”
Zhao Ling 'er turned around and saw nothing. She pulled Li Xiaoyao back worriedly and said,""I don't think it's right. Something really happened to her.”
Li Xiaoyao said," You're too soft-hearted. That unruly young lady was certain that we would save her, so she wasn't afraid at all. You still want to appease her?"”
"Anyway, that pair of newlyweds has already gone far away. What does that young lady's rudeness have to do with us?" Zhao Ling 'er said. Stop messing with her, go back and let her go!”
Li Xiaoyao thought for a moment and said,"She's such a fierce person. What if she makes things difficult for others?"”
"Although she's very fierce, I don't think she's a bad person. Instead, I think…she's very kind."”
"What is it? She's so kind to that shrew?"
" I think she's very similar to Grandmother," Zhao Ling 'er said softly." She looks fierce on the surface, but she's actually a good person on the inside."
Li Xiao Yao was stunned. He thought of the ugly and fat granny, and then thought of the beautiful and slender young miss. When he thought of their tone and expression, he couldn't help but laugh out loud."Ha…they really look alike!"
"What's so funny?" Zhao Ling 'er asked.”
Li Xiaoyao smiled." Alright, alright. I'll listen to you, Ling 'er. We'll go back and let her go!"”
"Yes, hurry!"
Zhao Ling 'er immediately left, Li Xiaoyao following closely behind. Not long after they turned back, they saw two young men standing in front of them. Both of them reeked of alcohol. One of them had a long robe draped casually over his shoulders, looking like a hooligan. He was surrounding the willow tree and laughing.
"Miss Lin, how did you become like this?" One of them laughed.”
"I was wondering if Miss knew I was going to pass by and personally ordered someone to tie herself up so that I could come and meet you?"”
Miss Lin spat on the hooligan's face.
Unexpectedly, he was not angry. Instead, he smiled and said,"It smells so good! You don't have to be so excited even if you want me to kiss you!”
After saying that, she moved her face closer. Miss Lin was so embarrassed that she almost died. She shouted,"Get lost! Don't touch me with your dirty hands!"
" I want to touch it. Not only do I want to touch it, but I also want to touch it and rub it…"
Seeing that the two hooligans were about to touch her, they suddenly retracted their hands as if they had been electrocuted and shouted,"Wow!" It hurts!"
Li Xiao Yao promptly threw out two pebbles, hitting the hands of the two hooligans.
"How dare you harass an innocent woman in broad daylight!"”
"Brat, what does it have to do with you?”One of them said angrily.
Another person picked up the whip on the ground and said,"I'll teach you a lesson!"
"Ling 'er, step back!" Li Xiaoyao said.”
After saying that, Li Xiao Yao casually folded a willow branch and said,""I heard that Beggar's Sect has a method to beat dogs with a stick. I've never beaten dogs, but I won't be lenient when it comes to this kind of scum.”
Seeing that Li Xiaoyao only had one willow branch and they had two long whips, the two hooligans became bolder. They shouted at the same time and attacked Li Xiaoyao.
Li Xiaoyao casually dodged their weak whips and whistles. He swung the willow branch in his hand and slapped the two hooligans on their faces.
"Wow!"
"This kid…"
Before they could figure out how the willow branch had hit their cheeks, they angrily swung their whips again. Li Xiaoyao's body flashed and he had already dashed between the two of them. He casually swung his whip, and only the sound of cracking and screaming could be heard.
"Ah!" Wow!" It hurts!" Hey, you whipped me…"
Li Xiaoyao was able to lift Liu Luo up with ease. The faces and hands of the two hooligans were covered with countless traces of willow branches. Many of them were whipped by themselves.
After Li Xiaoyao had beaten them enough, he raised his leg and kicked them hard twice, sending them flying and falling to the ground.
"Get lost!"
The two hooligans hurriedly got up and fled.
Zhao Ling 'er hurriedly untied Miss Lin. Her legs went weak and she fell to the ground. She could not help but cry.
"It's fine now. Fortunately, we returned in time…Otherwise, it would have been bad." Zhao Ling 'er said gently.”
Miss Lin sobbed." I…I've never suffered such humiliation in my life. How am I supposed to face others in the future?"”
Li Xiaoyao walked forward and said," I'm really sorry. I almost caused you to be bullied by evil people. This is my fault. Fortunately…"
Unexpectedly, a silver light flashed in front of her eyes. Miss Lin jumped up and shouted,"Don't be so hypocritical. Watch my sword!"
Li Xiaoyao was caught off guard when she suddenly brandished her sword. Shocked, he felt a chill in his heart. He lowered his head and saw the tip of the sword stabbed into his chest.
The sword had pierced deep into his heart. Li Xiaoyao was stunned. The woman was also shocked. She didn't expect to succeed in one strike. She quickly pulled out her sword. As soon as the sword left her body, Li Xiaoyao felt extreme pain. His vision went black and he fell to the ground.
In his daze, he felt Zhao Ling 'er pounce on him, hugging him and crying,"Brother Xiaoyao! Brother Xiaoyao!"
The girl shouted," I…I didn't do it on purpose. It's all your fault. It's…It's you who went too far!" I…I…"
After that, Li Xiaoyao didn't know anything else.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]