Chapter 148

The two returned to the room together, Hu Xiaotian took out a map of the Wan residence, which Wan Changchun had just provided him. Hu Xiaotian pulled a brush from the brush holder and pointed on the map, saying: "My incense burners are placed at these nine locations; tonight we'll divide the work—you take these eight spots, I'll take this one." He tapped the brush on the courtyard where the young widow Le Yao lived.

Murong Feiyan said: "You sure know how to pick the easy work, avoiding the hard and taking the light." Knowing that Le Yao's courtyard and the bamboo grove where they are staying tonight are only separated by a wall, this guy, while being lazy, maybe also has some other bad ideas?

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said: "The capable bear more work; if nothing happens, we can just sleep till dawn."

Murong Feiyan said: "You're you, I'm I; I'm a government constable, not a manor guard. You do as you like, I'm going to rest." After saying that, she left. Although they lived in the same courtyard, they had separate rooms.

Hu Xiaotian sighed and said: "Hey! Didn't we agree to catch ghosts?" Seeing the door behind Murong Feiyan close, he shook his head and muttered: "Just sleep if you want to sleep; do you think I've never slept before?"

At midnight, Hu Xiaotian suddenly heard a knocking sound. He rubbed his sleepy eyes, instinctively reaching for the bedside lamp switch, but found nothing, realizing that this era had no such thing. He felt his way out of bed in the dark, slipped on his cloth shoes, came to the door, peered through the crack, and saw Murong Feiyan in black standing outside, looking lively.

He then opened the door and said with a grin: "Can't sleep alone?"

Murong Feiyan gave him an annoyed look and said: "Put on your clothes and follow me!"

Hu Xiaotian knew Murong Feiyan must have discovered something. He merely picked up his shoes, put on his collared shirt and big shorts, followed her to the north courtyard wall. Murong Feiyan pointed at the camphor tree ahead and whispered: "Climb up!"

Hu Xiaotian looked around, saw nothing to step on, was about to go back for a stool, but saw Murong Feiyan already leapt up, extending a hand to beckon him. He couldn't help sighing inwardly; in today's society, not knowing martial arts really makes it hard to get by. So he reached out, grabbed her small hand, and with her help climbed up. They sat in the tree's branches, relying on the foliage for cover as they looked down. From their position they could clearly see the small courtyard where Le Yao lived.

The courtyard was empty of anyone. Hu Xiaotian gave Murong Feiyan a puzzled glance. He didn't understand why she had summoned him at midnight, Three More, to come here and look at something.

Murong Feiyan whispered in his ear: "This woman is really strange; she hasn't slept at all so far."

Hu Xiaotian saw that Le Yao's room indeed had the lights on, and said indifferently: "Maybe she just has insomnia."

Murong Feiyan said: "I don't know why, but I always feel she's strange." As soon as she finished speaking, the light in Le Yao's room went out.

Hu Xiaotian said: "I didn't expect you to be interested in beautiful women; we really are kindred spirits."

Murong Feiyan glared at him. The two hid in the tree and watched for a while; after the rain the leaves were damp, and many mosquitoes were biting. Soon Hu Xiaotian couldn't stay still, was about to suggest leaving, when he saw a black shadow climb onto the opposite wall. Murong Feiyan noticed the anomaly first and made a silencing gesture to Hu Xiaotian. The black shadow raced along the top of the wall, which was only about a foot wide, and with its undulating surface the black-clad person ran across it as if on flat ground, showing that his lightness skill was superb. Hu Xiaotian quickly pulled out the monocular he had gotten from Jia Six; through it the image was magnified considerably, but lacking infrared night vision, it remained blurry.

The black-clad person covered his mouth and nose with black cloth, revealing only a pair of sharp, gleaming eyes. In the dark night he moved like a civet cat, crept to the corner of the wall, paused, cautiously scanned the surroundings, confirmed no one was around, then descended like a wisp of green smoke. From his movements Murong Feiyan judged his martial arts not weak; Hu Xiaotian grew a little tense. The person's purpose was obvious—clearly he was after Le Yao.

He tiptoed to Le Yao's door, glanced at it, and saw that someone had drawn a symbol in white lime beside the door.

Murong Feiyan whispered in Hu Xiaotian's ear: "Someone has prepared a marker to guide him." Earlier, while patrolling, she had noticed something abnormal, which is why she chose to stay here. Having been a constable for many years, she is very familiar with all kinds of criminal methods.

Hu Xiaotian's heart sank; the person who made the marker most likely came from within the Wan mansion—an inside thief is hard to guard against. It seems someone from the Wan family is colluding with outside bandits, though I wonder why they have singled out this poor widow. Hu Xiaotian whispered in Murong Feiyan's ear: "Aren't you going to save her?"

Murong Feiyan, however, remained calm, whispering: "Wait a bit longer."

Hu Xiaotian said anxiously: "What if we're too late?" He was worried Le Yao might get hurt.

Murong Feiyan whispered: "Nothing serious will happen."

Hu Xiaotian didn't know why she was so certain; although he always trusted Murong Feiyan, worry makes one unsettled, and because he cared for Le Yao's safety, his heart was uneasy.

The black-clad person took something like a bamboo tube and slowly sprayed smoke into the room. Hu Xiaotian had previously seen Wan Ting Sheng do this, but Wan Ting Sheng is still lying in bed recuperating and does not have such superb lightness skill.

Murong Feiyan whispered: "This is a flower-picking thief; they scout the area beforehand, confirm the target, and this time they've come to abduct someone."

Hu Xiaotian said: "How do you know?"

Murong Feiyan said: "Don't forget what I do for a living."

After doing all that, the flower-picking thief drew a dagger from his waist, inserted it into the door crack, gently pried, lifted the latch, and entered the room.

Hu Xiaotian grabbed Murong Feiyan's wrist and urged: "It's time to act, or it'll be too late."

Murong Feiyan glanced at him displeased: "This guy really cares about the young widow; why isn't he this nervous about himself?" The moment that thought arose, it startled Murong Feiyan: "Good heavens, why am I thinking like that? Why should I care what he thinks?"

At this moment Hu Xiaotian's inner turmoil was intense; seeing the flower-picking thief enter the room, he recalled the young widow Le Yao, dazed by the incense smoke, her tender fresh flesh—don't let this country dog drag her away.

Murong Feiyan saw his unease; if she didn't act soon, this brat might take action himself.

The flower-picking thief had just entered the room when he came out again, but now a sack was on his shoulder; from the sack's shape it looked like it contained a person—undoubtedly Le Yao. Externally the sack showed no movement; apparently Le Yao had already fainted.

Hu Xiaotian silently cursed the lecher, whose lust was brazen enough to dare run into the Wan mansion and abduct Le Yao.

Murong Feiyan whispered: "Wait here for me!" She then leapt from the tree, soaring into the night sky, flipping repeatedly in high, floating somersaults, scaling the wall, and swooping down from above like a hawk seizing a rabbit. Mid‑air, her three‑foot sword rang free from its sheath, like a stream of autumn water shooting straight at the thief's throat.

The flower‑picking thief reacted in time; in his haste he held the sack in front of himself as a shield. Murong Feiyan, wary of hurting the hostage, had to check her sword's momentum.

The thief snorted coldly: "Here!" He flung the sack at Murong Feiyan, and at the same moment drew the saber hanging at his waist and lunged at her with his whole body.

Murong Feiyan lifted her leg and kicked the sack; it flew sideways, landing about five zhang away on the grass. Hu Xiaotian felt his scalp tighten: "Goodness, that's a human life inside! Feiyan, Feiyan, you really can bring yourself to kick it—if it were me I could never bear to do so." Thus it shows that only a woman can truly be ruthless enough to crush flowers.

Hu Xiaotian climbed along the branches, carefully reached the top of the wall, then slipped down from it.

Here Murong Feiyan and the flower‑picking thief were locked in fierce combat, their blades clinking and clashing; Hu Xiaotian saw only sparks flashing and the gleam of swords, unable to discern their moves.

Rain began to fall again, though lightly; the gusty night wind and the sound of rain did a good job of masking the fighting here.

The thief's eyes stared coldly at Murong Feiyan; as he fought he retreated, trying to find an escape route, but Murong Feiyan had already seen through his intent and moved first to cut off his retreat. She shook her long sword, turning it into a spray of icy points that rained down on him; the thief hastily withdrew, yet Murong Feiyan's blade had already hooked the black cloth covering his face and ripped it off in one motion.

A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the thief's face; his features were quite handsome, yet they bore a lascivious air. The thief's face‑covering having been knocked off, he instantly lost his will to fight; several times he tried to flee but Murong Feiyan blocked him each time. Left with no choice, he had to defeat her fully to escape the Wan mansion; he flourished his saber with a flourish, waved his left hand at her, and—pfft! —a puff of pink smoke burst from his palm and spread out.

Murong Feiyan smelled a sweet fragrance and secretly thought it was bad; she hurriedly held her breath, and with the long sword in her hand she unleashed three killing moves in succession. If just now Murong Feiyan still wanted to leave a survivor, she has now completely abandoned that idea. Not knowing the potency of the enemy's poisonous smoke, if she were to fall for the enemy's trick, not only would she herself be in danger, but Hu Xiaotian and Le Yao's lives would also be threatened.

The flower-picking thief also did not expect Murong Feiyan to suddenly unleash three killing moves; he dodged left and right, but could never successfully escape Murong Feiyan's killing moves, taking a heavy blow to his abdomen, letting out a muffled groan, he covered his abdomen and turned to flee. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets; your support is my greatest motivation.)