Chapter 386

Hu Xiaotian had everyone stay in their rooms, not allowed to go out casually, and he pretended to be mysterious while searching back and forth; when he arrived at Wan Ting Chang's residence, he deliberately caused trouble for an hour, making Wan Ting Chang suffer greatly.

Hu Xiaotian finally arrived at the courtyard where Le Yao lived; normally, a stranger entering a widow's gate in the dead of night would surely raise suspicion, but now no one would doubt Hu Xiaotian's true motive—what a cunning fellow, after laying all that groundwork, the real showdown is here.

Knocking on a widow's door, digging up graves—these are deeds that outrage both gods and men, but Hu Xiaotian doesn't see it that way; he knocks on the widow's door to save the young widow from the fire, and the entire Wan family is utterly wicked, so what he does is carrying out heaven's will, a great good deed.

When Hu Xiaotian was about to go in, he saw two people coming out of the courtyard; one he recognized was Madam Wan, accompanied by her personal maid. After Madam Wan went out, I don't know what she said to the maid, but when she looked up and saw Hu Xiaotian and Hu Changchun walking this way, she appeared somewhat flustered, her gaze darting, unable to meet Hu Xiaotian's eyes.

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "Madam Wan, where are you going so late at night?"

Wan Changchun stood aside, secretly amused; Hu Xiaotian truly is a rare breed these days—he's seen guests turn into hosts, but never seen someone seize the host's role to this extent; this is the Wan household, and you dare to meddle in the mistress's affairs.

So far, the only one in the Wan family who truly trusts Hu Xiaotian is Wan Yuanwai himself; upon hearing that her second son's head had been struck with a hole, Madam Wan fainted twice. She and her eldest son, Wan Ting Chang, share the same view, considering Hu Xiaotian a jianghu swindler, but Wan Bo Ping is the head of the household; he chose to trust Hu Xiaotian, so everyone else can only obey.

Madam Wan coldly replied, "This is the Wan household; I can go wherever I want—do I still need to report to you, an outsider?"

Hu Xiaotian grinned and said, "Madam Wan, didn't Wan Yuanwai tell you what I'm staying here to do tonight?"

Madam Wan pondered for a moment and said nothing.

Hu Xiaotian said, "Master Wan asked me to summon the soul of the second young master. Entrusted with a task, Madam Wan surely knows that the soul is a spiritual object; ordinary people must not disturb it. I have repeatedly warned that after dark everyone must stay in their rooms and not wander about. Why don't you listen, Madam? If you disturb the second young master's soul, causing him to fall into eternal sleep, can you bear the responsibility?" This move of Hu Xiaotian's was extremely clever; he placed such a big hat on Madam Wan. Only by striking first could he shock her into not doubting his motives.

Although Madam Wan felt unwilling, Hu Xiaotian's words left her with no rebuttal; she snorted coldly and walked away.

Watching Madam Wan and her servant depart, Hu Xiaotian shook his head and said, "If we really disturb the second young master's soul, that would be disastrous." He then pointed toward the southeast and whispered, "Which way?"

Wan Changchun looked in the direction he indicated, but saw nothing; he blinked hard, yet still saw nothing.

Hu Xiaotian quickened his pace toward the courtyard where Le Yao resided, and Wan Changchun hurried after him, reminding him, "Mr. Hu, this is the residence of the widowed third young mistress."

Hu Xiaotian replied, "So what? Is the second young master's life more important, or idle gossip?"

"This..."

Hu Xiaotian said, "You stand guard outside; no one is allowed to enter, lest we disturb the second young master's soul, or else I'll have you answer for it!"

"Uh… this…" Wan Changchun, though feeling this was highly improper, dared not object.

Hu Xiaotian secretly gloated, thinking how yesterday he had sneaked around the Wan family pond like a thief for half a day, fearing discovery of his whereabouts, yet he never imagined that today coming and going from the Wan mansion would be as easy as a stroll in his own garden, under the banner of soul-summoning; even entering the young widow's courtyard at Three More is open and aboveboard, and he began to admire himself.

Before leaving, Hu Xiaotian again instructed Wan Changchun to watch for any red, yellow, or green light flying out of the courtyard, and if it appeared, to call him immediately.

Hu Xiaotian has now completely shed the burden of his rigorous scholarly doctor persona; he acts like a godman. Arriving at Le Yao's courtyard, he saw her room lit, the window paper he had torn the previous night still unmended; he peered through the small hole and saw Le Yao sitting at the table, staring blankly at the flickering candle flame. Before her lay a tray holding a bowl of medicine and a length of white silk seven chi long.

Now Hu Xiaotian has completely shed the burden of a rigorous scholar-doctor; this guy acts like a charlatan. Arriving at Le Yao's courtyard, he discovered that Le Yao's room was lit, and the window paper that he had punctured last night remained unpasted. Hu Xiaotian leaned over the small hole and peered inside, only to see Le Yao sitting at the table, staring blankly at the flickering candle flame. Before her lay a tray holding a bowl of medicine, and besides it was seven chi of white silk.

Hu Xiaotian cursed inwardly, not wasting a moment, rushed to the door and shoved it open with his shoulder; the door wasn't latched from inside, so he stumbled forward, overexerted, and stumbled straight into the room, losing his balance and falling to the floor.

Le Yao was startled by him; the medicine bowl clattered to the floor, the liquid hissing upon contact with the ground, a cloud of vapor spreading out and actually corroding a patch of the blue bricks—one can imagine that if this medicine were swallowed, it would rip the intestines and rot the belly.

Le Yao's face drained of color; looking at the man sprawled on the floor, she was astonished to realize he was the one she had encountered in the pond the previous night, and whispered, "It's you…"

Hu Xiaotian, somewhat embarrassed, climbed to his feet; he had intended to stride in nonchalantly, but instead they met in this sorry state: "It's me!" he said while straightening his clothes.

Le Yao asked, "Why have you come back?" She, feeling a bit guilty, went to the door and pulled it open a crack to peek outside.

Hu Xiaotian chuckled inwardly, but upon seeing the white silk on the table and the poison on the floor, his smile faded; if he had arrived a moment later, this lovely young widow would surely have perished.

Hu Xiaotian sat down at the table in a relaxed manner, picked up the white silk, and asked, "What is this?"

Le Yao, flustered, came to him and urged, "You must leave quickly; if anyone discovers you in my room, even jumping into the Yellow River wouldn't wash away the suspicion."

Hu Xiaotian raised the white silk and said, "You're not afraid of death, yet you fear gossip?"

Le Yao, summoning courage from somewhere, snatched the white silk away: "This is none of your business!"

Hu Xiaotian gazed at Le Yao's beautiful face, feeling both affection and pity; he realized he had no resistance to beautiful women, and sighed, "I originally didn't want to meddle, but I am the sort who dislikes owing favors—you rescued me from peril last night, and I owe you a great debt; if I don't repay it, my Conscience will never be at ease." Hu Xiaotian at this moment touched his Conscience and asked himself: if the young widow Le Yao weren't this stunningly gorgeous, he probably wouldn't have such a Conscience.

Le Yao said indifferently, "You don't owe me anything; I never knew you before, and don't dwell on yesterday—just pretend we never met."

Hu Xiaotian said, "A debt is a debt; how can you pretend something that happened never did? That's self-deception."

Le Yao gazed at Hu Xiaotian's bright, spirited eyes, and suddenly her heart felt a tangle of confusion; her long black lashes trembled anxiously downward.

Hu Xiaotian said, "No one has the right to treat life lightly."

"My life is mine; I can choose to live or die…" Le Yao said, pausing, her watery eyes welling with tears; now that is the only right she has.

Hu Xiaotian shook his head: "Life isn't yours; your parents gave you birth and raised you, not to let you grow up and treat life lightly—even if they're gone, their spirits surely watch you from heaven; how could you bear to make them grieve?"

Le Yao burst into tears upon hearing this, shook her head, and said, "Nobody in this world cares for me; my existence is meaningless."

"I care!" Hu Xiaotian lowly growled.

Le Yao was shocked by his words, and Hu Xiaotian himself felt a bit embarrassed, as if they weren't that close yet; he hurriedly added, "You are my benefactor; to repay a drop of kindness with a spring, I will surely help you escape your suffering."

A blush rose on Le Yao's pale lovely face; she bit her cherry lips and slowly shook her head, saying, "It's too late—the second young master's life hangs by a thread; if he dies, the Wan family will surely not let it rest." Her gaze fell on the white silk in her hand: "Better if I die; then it's all over, and no one will ever know what really happened."

Only then did Hu Xiaotian understand why Le Yao was determined to die; Wan Ting Sheng was at death's door, and Le Yao surely believed his condition was connected to them, even thinking that his blow had reduced Wan Ting Sheng to this state; afterward, the two of them dragged Wan Ting Sheng from here to temporarily avoid suspicion, but Le Yao thought that as long as the Wan family investigated, the truth would eventually leak out.

Only then did Hu Xiaotian understand why Le Yao was determined to die; Wan Ting Sheng was breathing his last, Le Yao must have thought that Wan Ting Sheng's situation was related to them, even believed that his blow had struck Wan Ting Sheng down to this state. Later, the two of them dragged Wan Ting Sheng away from here, temporarily avoiding suspicion, but Le Yao thought that as long as the Wan Family investigates, this matter will eventually leak out; you can't keep fire wrapped in paper.

Le Yao said nothing; two lines of pearl tears rolled down. Hu Xiaotian inwardly sighed, the Wan family truly has no decent members—the men are lecherous, the women's hearts are so vicious. He whispered, "Rest assured, Wan Ting Sheng won't die so easily."

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New book launched, please subscribe, please vote for Monthly Ticket! (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to cast Recommendation votes and Monthly Ticket votes; your support is my greatest motivation.)

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