Chapter 73: Strange Resentment and Lingering Fragrance (1)

"Young Master!" A slender figure appeared quietly outside the wind curtain, her exquisite gauze clothes like peach red, leaving a charming trace in the silent night light, "I have led people to search carefully, but I haven't seen the trace of the intruders, but I can be sure that they are not from the Free and Easy Hall."

On one side of the gold case, Huang Fei was painting, his white clothes were idle, obviously not affected by tonight's incident, and he was not surprised by such a report. He focused on completing the last stroke, and the portrait of a woman jumped on the paper, her eyebrows were beautiful and lifelike. Only then did he put down his pen, "Pass my order, no need to search again."

The woman seemed a bit surprised, "Young Master, are you just letting them go? I can mobilize people to search with all my might, and there will be results within three days."

"This matter no longer needs your intervention," Huang Fei turned around, "What you should fully investigate is the whereabouts of Bai Shu'er. As long as she is there for one day, you will not be able to become the true master of the Free and Easy Hall."

The woman raised her head. She was one of the beautiful women carefully selected by Bai Shu'er to enter the palace, Zhao Yu, who once entered the Helian Marquis Mansion at night to send a secret letter. Now in front of Huang Fei, she was like a tamed cat. Swept by his gaze, she lowered her head obediently, "Young Master's teaching is correct."

Huang Fei waved his hand to signal her to get up. Although it was a light reprimand, the charming and faint smile in his tone was fascinating, "It is worthy of having the royal blood of the Hou Feng State. When I saw you in the Free and Easy Workshop that day, I knew you were a piece of beautiful jade. Sure enough, you didn't disappoint people." He moved his fingers, brushed her snow-white cheeks, and gently pierced into her ink-like black hair, "Tell me what you want?"

Zhao Yu's breathing became slightly rapid, she raised her head and closed her eyes slightly, "Zhao Yu... dare not ask for credit in front of Young Master."

Huang Fei was still smiling, "If it weren't for this, how could we determine which people in the Free and Easy Hall are truly submissive to you, and which are her die-hard party? Do I want only the life of a woman?"

Zhao Yu said: "I understand Young Master's meaning. Young Master, rest assured, whether to live by following me or to die with that bitch, I will let those people consider it carefully."

Huang Fei walked out of the curtain and stopped in front of her. He raised his hand to hook her small chin, and the smile in his long, handsome eyes flowed like stars, "It is worthy of having the royal blood of the Hou Feng State. When I saw you in the Free and Easy Workshop that day, I knew you were a piece of beautiful jade. Sure enough, you didn't disappoint people. However, you must remember that sometimes, it is best not to let people notice your intentions. The look you looked at Helian Yiren at the palace banquet yesterday really gave me a headache."

Zhao Yu raised her charming eyes, "Helian Yiren, that old thief, broke my Hou Feng State capital that year and killed my relatives..."

"Hmm?" Huang Fei's fingers tightened slightly, and the faint smile in his eyes was like starlight. Zhao Yu's body trembled violently, and she knelt down along his hand, "Zhao Yu knows she is wrong..."

The three words "Hou Feng State" had long ago turned into the blood waves of the thousand-mile blue waves of the East Sea. The old country was gone, and heaven and earth did not exist.

From now on, Zhao Yu no longer remembers her identity as the princess of the Hou Feng State, no longer remembers the blood feud of the country, and the pain of losing her relatives.

In this life, Zhao Yu is willing to be a slave to repay the Young Master's kindness of saving her life, and will never do anything unfavorable to the Chu State. If there is any violation of this oath, heaven will destroy and earth will destroy!

Three years ago, she followed this god-like man out of the Free and Easy Workshop, accepted strict training in secret, and then entered the Free and Easy Hall by virtue of her special status, ordered to buy people's hearts and investigate secrets. Not long ago, she was selected to enter the palace to serve the Chu King, discovered that Bai Shu'er was the hall master of the Free and Easy Hall, secretly reported to help him defeat his opponent, and she also got a great opportunity to control the Free and Easy Hall.

The five Hou Feng states are of the same clan and clan but are enemies of each other. Those who gather the remaining forces of the old country to establish the Freedom Hall belong to the faction of the second prince Zhao Qi who first launched a rebellion to seize the throne, and are the mortal enemies of the Hou Feng State's heir, Zhao Yuan, Zhao Yu's father. However, the hall master Bai Shu'er is not a person of the Hou Feng State, but a noble woman sent by the Mu State to marry the eldest son of Zhao Qi. The ruthless iron cavalry of the Xuan and Chu states ended this marriage, but this woman relied on her beauty, martial arts, and extraordinary means to control a group of dead soldiers, and then gathered the Hou Feng tribe, gradually forming a killer organization that made people fear in the martial arts world, relying on Crown Prince Yu of the Mu State, and frequently assassinated Chu State political figures, finally causing the Shao Yuan Jun's ruthless suppression.

Zhao Yu was forced to look up at Huang Fei. This pair of hands helped her break free from the nightmare of the Carefree Workshop, taught her how to use the most beautiful weapon of a woman, told her how to grasp the weaknesses of her opponents, and gave her the opportunity to seize practical power. This power in her hands made her obsessed and also made her feel desperate fear.

Under Huang Fei's palm, Zhao Yu couldn't help but tremble, and a strong sorrow gradually appeared in her eyes. Huang Fei stared at her for a while, and suddenly smiled lightly, "Forget it, you have made a great contribution this time, and I haven't thought about how to reward you." His fingers moved lightly, brushed her snow-white cheeks, and gently pierced into her ink-like black hair, "Tell me what you want?"

Zhao Yu's breathing became slightly rapid, she raised her head and closed her eyes slightly, "Zhao Yu... dare not ask for credit in front of Young Master."

Huang Fei was still smiling, but his gaze suddenly sank and he shouted coldly to the side: "Get out!" At his fingertips, a pearl flower in Zhao Yu's hair suddenly jumped up and scattered into several sharp white lights, shooting toward the flower window.

Two blue lights flashed by the window, and someone laughed strangely: "The old man had good intentions and didn't want to disturb the interest, why did the Monarch get angry?" Before the laughter fell, a figure gradually appeared in front of the wall, like a ink painting wet by water, slowly showing a human shape.

Zhao Yu was shocked to see this strange scene and suddenly got up and pressed the sword hilt. Huang Fei stood with his hands behind his back coldly, and said in a deep voice: "Qi Shi, have you lived enough, dare to play this trick in front of me?"

Qi Shi laughed dryly: "A little trick, how can it hide from the Monarch's eyes? It's just that I'm a bit itchy about this newly researched witchcraft, hehehehe..." While saying this, he stared at Zhao Yu's seductive body, obviously very greedy for her beauty.

Zhao Yu felt that the gaze could penetrate her clothes, and her whole body felt like being touched by an obscene hand, and couldn't help but be angry: "Bold!"

"Zhao Yu," Huang Fei suddenly said faintly, "You retreat first."

Zhao Yu didn't dare to disobey, glared at Qi Shi fiercely, and then turned and retreated. Huang Fei stared at Qi Shi coldly, "I have forgotten your prohibition. You don't stay honestly in your ghost residence, and you dare to enter the Chu Du privately."

Swept by a glance, the gaze was almost as heavy as Mount Tai, pressing down from the top. Qi Shi's face changed, and he flew back toward the wall. Huang Fei always stood gracefully, but invisibly, a powerful momentum firmly captured his figure, as if the angry sea and waves were forcing from all sides. Qi Shi changed his position several times in mid-air, but still couldn't get rid of this terrible threat. A row of bright lamps in the room made a puffing sound as he retreated, and they went out one after another. Qi Shi was finally forced to the wall and shouted: "Wait!"

Huang Fei raised his eyebrows and locked his gaze on Qi Shi. This mad witch clan villain seemed to be quite afraid of him. Although there was murderous intent in his eyes, he explained: "I came to the Chu Du by the order of the Monarch, and there is something I must ask."

Huang Fei said: "I only remember that I once said that if you dare to step into the Chu Du, I will take your life, but I don't remember when I ordered you to come here."

Qi Shi sat cross-legged in the darkness, his face dark and indistinguishable, "Three days ago, I had already checked the pulse for that person. May I ask the Monarch's intention, is it to cure to death, or to cure to life?"

Huang Fei's eyebrows moved, and Qi Shi said gloomily: "If you cure to life, you need the Monarch to help me find some living people to test the medicine. Even if you cure to death, you have to say hello to the Monarch." He naturally wouldn't say that the Eastern Emperor almost dismantled the Witch Mansion Ghost Residence, forcing him to enter the Chu Du to seek medical treatment, but just thinking about it, he hated it in his heart, and his tone brought out a bit of ferocity.

Huang Fei said: "As far as I know, his situation is not optimistic. Is it life or death, are you so sure?"

Qi Shi raised his eyes from the darkness, "Humph, mere witch clan medicine poison, what's so strange? It's just to see if he lives for three days, three months, or three years."

Huang Fei paced and pondered. Hearing this, his gaze moved to the side and fell on the gold case beside him. At this time, the lamps in the room were dark, only the moonlight slanted on the long case beside him, like a pool of clear water flowing gently, illuminating the painting on the case. The woman in the painting seemed to be brushing her clothes and floating down, her charming and cold style, like a clear lotus in the deep waves, with breathtaking beauty. Such a vivid brushwork shows how clear the style of this woman is in the heart of the person who painted it. Qi Shi followed Huang Fei's eyes and caught a glimpse of it, and couldn't help but laugh gloomily: "Hehe, I didn't expect the Monarch to have some interest in this girl. Do you need me to use some special medicine so that it is convenient for the Monarch to act?"

Huang Fei's eyes swept away faintly, "Do you want to try it?"

Qi Shi felt a chill in his heart for no reason, barely supporting a smile and coughing dryly: "Cough... if the Monarch is not interested, forget it."

Huang Fei said: "I will order people to send twenty death row prisoners to you. You should know what to do, right? Remember, it is best not to play any tricks. I don't have much patience."

Qi Shi rolled his eyes, and his lowered eyes flashed with gloom, "Since the Monarch has spoken, I have nothing to say. If you change your mind one day, you might as well say it, I can make him worse than death at any time." After speaking, he retreated into the darkness behind him, disappearing from the wall strangely like when he came.

A river of water, flowing east, the ten thousand miles of sunset is boundless. Against the backdrop of the magnificent Chu River, it shows a kind of desolate beauty, slowly sinking into the depths of the magnificent capital city.

Every day at this time, merchant ships of the Yue Ma Gang will arrive in the Chu Du from all over. Dozens of large ships with deep draft are lined up, occupying almost half of the river surface, showing the strong strength of this dominant Jianghu gang that is different from other merchant firms. The Battle of Chu and Mu made the Yue Ma Gang more deeply control the water and land trade routes between the two countries. Now, if the Yue Ma Gang's merchant ships do not enter the pier one day, more than half of the shops in Shangying City will be short of goods. If the Yue Ma Gang's merchant ships block transportation for ten days, the grain price in the entire Chu Du will probably double.

A Mingyi Tower, a Yue Ma Gang. When the Jianghu countries meet the Mingyi Tower, they dare not provoke it, because no one knows how much power they have. The more mysterious, the more daunting. When they meet the Yue Ma Gang, they are unwilling to provoke it, because as long as they are not blind, they can see what kind of power they have, and no one wants to ask for trouble.

But not long ago, the Boundary Gate, which was rampant in South Chu, and Yin Xiqing, the young gang leader of the Horse Riding Gang, had a conflict. Yin Xiqing was seriously injured under the Heavenly Remnant Extinction Palm of Yuan Lu, the master of the Boundary Gate. Two branches of the gang were picked one after another, and both sides suffered a lot of casualties, which can be said to be a major event that shocked the martial arts world recently.

At this time, the flagship, which symbolizes the highest authority of the Yue Ma Gang, is docked by the Chu River. In the room in the center of the top floor, all the high-level officials of the Yue Ma Gang in the Chu Du are present. Beside the soft couch, a pale young man is unconscious, his breathing so weak that he can hardly feel any vitality.

The atmosphere in the room is heavy. Xie Haitian, the head of the branch leaders, has not yet healed from his internal injuries, and looks a bit listless, but he has not given up his opposition to the Gang Leader's trip. In fact, more than half of the people present do not support Yin Xiyu's appointment to the Mingyi Tower the day before yesterday.

"Gang Leader, I have sent people to search carefully. I haven't seen the trace of the intruders, but I can be sure that they are not from the Freedom Hall."

Yin Xiyu sat in the head seat, shook her head, obviously not changing her mind, "Branch Leader Xie, we have had consecutive accidents in the Chu State this time, and we have lost a lot of manpower. I know you are anxious, but some things must be discussed in the long run, and you must not be reckless."

Xie Haitian said: "Although discussing in the long run is stable, the young gang leader can't wait! The Gang Leader also heard the tone of the Mingyi Tower Master. The Zhu Jiuyin snake gall is a treasure among medicines, and they will never give it up."

Deputy Branch Leader Qi Yuan on the side also said: "Why is the Gang Leader so wary of the Mingyi Tower? With the strength of our Yue Ma Gang, can't we do anything about them?"

Yin Xiyu frowned slightly and raised her hand to stop them, "It is precisely because the strength is equal that I don't want to tear my face with them. Our Horse Riding Gang takes business as the foundation of the sect, and has always followed the principle of harmony and wealth in the martial arts world, rarely forming grudges with others." She looked at her younger brother who was dying, her heart was extremely painful, but also extremely hateful, "This time Xiqing was young and energetic, formed a grudge with the Boundary Gate, caused trouble for himself, and caused our two branches to suffer heavy losses. The local business veins were almost destroyed, and the losses were extremely heavy. Things have reached this point, we have formed a grudge with the Boundary Gate, but the Mingyi Tower is different. Our two gangs have conflicts, but there is no grudge that cannot be solved. If we rashly become enemies with them, not to mention whether it is beneficial to the whole thing, if the Boundary Gate takes advantage of the void and joins forces with the Mingyi Tower to deal with us, have you thought about the consequences?"

A remark made the cabin quiet, and several subordinates who were originally going to persuade also thought silently. Yin Xiyu said again: "Also, during this time we have been busy dealing with the Boundary Gate, and we have been too careless about other things. The Mingyi Tower helped Ye Xuanshang at Feng Shui Du, followed by Helian Qi dying under the Ghostly Sword, the Shao Yuan Jun suddenly protected the enemy country's hostage, Crown Prince Yu was assassinated, and the Helian Marquis Mansion suffered consecutive setbacks. Don't you think these are too coincidental?" She looked at the long river and the wind and waves outside the cabin, "The situation is surging, and the prosperity and death are only in one breath. Every move of our Horse Riding Gang has a non-trivial impact on the Chu and Mu states. Everyone knows that some things must be prevented before they happen."

The branch leaders present all felt a chill in their hearts, "Does the Gang Leader mean that the Mingyi Tower and the Shao Yuan Jun Mansion have joined forces?"

Yin Xiyu said: "The Mingyi Tower has always acted mysteriously. They were able to intervene in the chaos of the five kings of the Xuan State back then. Why can't they intervene in the internal politics of Chu and Mu now?"

Another branch leader, Song Shuang, said: "If this is the case, the Gang Leader should not go to the appointment."

Xie Haitian also said: "Branch Leader Song's words are reasonable. If the Shao Yuan Jun wants to truly hold power alone, he must completely break the balance between the water army and the Liefeng Cavalry controlled by the Helian Marquis Mansion. The warships in our hands are his biggest concern. Huang Fei is a ruthless person. Once he makes a move, it is impossible to stop there. Now the Mingyi Tower is deliberately provoking, it is hard to guarantee that it is not with ulterior motives!"

Yin Xiyu stood up, "As you said, the matter at hand is not just the life of Xiqing, but may be directly related to the survival of our gang, so I must go to today's appointment."

"Gang Leader!"

"Gang Leader, please think twice!"

A group of subordinates persuaded one after another. At this time, a crisp voice suddenly came from outside: "Gang Leader Yin, since so many people don't agree, you don't necessarily have to go to the appointment!" Immediately, the Yue Ma Gang disciples responsible for guarding shouted angrily: "Who is it!"

Yin Xiyu frowned, ordered two people to stay to protect the wounded, took people out of the cabin, and looked up to see a woman in green clothes standing on the high mast in the center, her clothes fluttering in the river breeze. She stood on the tip of the mast, swaying with the river breeze, as if she would fall down at any time, but she didn't care at all with a smile.

There were at least a hundred Yue Ma Gang disciples guarding the deck, but none of them saw anyone sneaking onto the boat, and even less knew when she climbed the mast, which made them very angry, "Bold! Who are you, why don't you come down quickly?"

The woman in green clothes ignored them, just earnestly persuaded: "Gang Leader Yin, you really don't have to go. In fact, the words of those gentlemen just now are very reasonable. You should consider it again."

Seeing that she was young and had such light work attainments, Yin Xiyu was more vigilant and asked: "May I ask how the girl is called, and is she from the Mingyi Tower Master?"

The woman in green clothes laughed: "Gang Leader, don't be so polite. My name is Li Si. My master asked me to bring you the way and see the injury of your young gang leader by the way. Is it okay?"

Song Shuang whispered: "Gang Leader, be careful of fraud."

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 74 =====