Chapter 78: Mantuo Manor

The boat sailed straight toward the camellia tree, drew close to the shore, and upon looking out, green willows framed the view, with pink and white blossoms scattered everywhere.

Just as everyone was about to leap ashore, a faint singing voice suddenly came from the flower grove ahead, and a maid in green robes stepped out.

The young maid held a bunch of orchids in her hand; seeing the boat, her pretty face changed color, and she ran over quickly, saying, "Where are you from? Leave at once! This is Mantuo Manor, the property of the Wang family in this prefecture."

The commander of the Water Camp frowned and said, "Miss Youcao, do you not recognize this official?"

The maid glanced at him, stuck out her tongue, and said, "So it is the Army Commander. Why have you come to the manor today? Please do not go ashore; the Lady does not permit men to set foot on land."

Seeing this, Sun Tong shouted at the maid, "Bold! What status do you, a maid, have to speak so?"

Those martial artists immediately began shouting and leaped ashore one after another; the soldiers also advanced and surrounded the maid. Terrified, the maid dropped the flowers and grass from her hands, her eyes turning red as she said, "You... what do you intend to do..."

Zhao Ti frowned; the Water Camp commander immediately ordered the soldiers to move aside, then said, "Miss Youcao, I am here on official business and must go ashore to inspect."

The maid trembled and said, "Does the Army Commander not know the rules of Mantuo Manor? The Lady forbids men from coming up; if anyone is discovered, they will be punished."

Sun Tong stepped forward and said, "Your Lady is merely a common woman; what power does she have to punish others? How would she punish?"

The maid dared not speak; the people nearby began shouting again. The maid stammered, "If any man is discovered arriving without permission, both legs will be chopped off and buried in the soil to serve as flower fertilizer."

"How bold! There is actually such a bandit nest in Taihu!" Sun Tong returned to Zhao Ti's side and said, "Your Highness, I request permission to lead troops and level this place!"

The maid, terrified, hurriedly waved her hands and said, "It is just a saying; I have not seen it with my own eyes. It is likely just a threat to deter unauthorized intruders."

Zhao Ti walked over slowly and asked, "Is your Lady inside the manor?"

The maid replied, "She went out earlier, but she should return very soon."

Zhao Ti pondered for a moment and asked, "Are A Zhu and A Bi here?"

"A Zhu and A Bi?" Seeing that Zhao Ti wore no military uniform but was dressed in ordinary clothes, the maid's eyes rolled and she asked, "Does Young Master know those two sisters?"

Zhao Ti nodded and said, "I have come specifically to find them. By the way, did they bring anyone with them?"

The Water Camp commander said, "Answer whatever the Young Master asks truthfully, or you will suffer greatly."

The maid, carefully, said, "Indeed, they brought one person, a young man..."

Zhao Ti thought for a moment, estimating it must be Duan Yu, and said, "Lead the way; let us go find A Zhu, A Bi, and that young man."

The maid cried out in fear, "Young Master, I dare not! If the Lady finds out, I will surely be beaten to death."

Zhao Ti said calmly, "With the soldiers of Great Song right here, who would she dare to beat to death?"

"But, but..." the maid cowered in fear.

Sun Tong said, "Listen to my Young Master, or the soldiers will sweep through and level your manor!"

Seeing more and more people gathering on the shore, all carrying swords and spears with boxes hanging at their waists containing unknown objects, the maid stammered, "But if so many people go together, the Lady will certainly find out. At that time, at that time..."

Zhao Ti said, "It matters not. Since your Lady is not here, I will take fewer people to find A Zhu and A Bi."

Having said this, he told Sun Tong, "Sun Qianxia, stay here and observe the situation regarding the manor's master. If she returns, send someone to inform me."

Sun Tong said, "Your Highness, if they act unreasonably..."

Zhao Ti's gaze swept over the soldiers' waists and he said, "Treat them as bandits; shoot them all dead."

"Yes!" Sun Tong immediately clasped his fist.

These soldiers had all brought short crossbows; the killing power of short crossbows was extremely terrifying. Whether in speed or close-range force, they differed from feathered arrows. With hundreds of people releasing them simultaneously, the power was beyond words.

Zhao Ti called Tong Guan, Bai Zhan, and Su Da to follow him. He divided the martial artists into two groups: he took several dozen himself, while the rest were ordered to be led by Zhou Tong to cooperate with the soldiers in guarding the shore.

The maid now had no choice but to walk forward. She saw that the flower groves on both sides were planted entirely with camellias, with nothing else visible. Zhao Ti could not help but curl the corners of his lips slightly.

Just then, the path turned, changing direction. The fragrance grew even more intense, clearly indicating the presence of a flower garden nearby.

"Y-Young Master, A Zhu and Sister A Bi are in that house over there. The Lady forbade them from coming out, saying, saying..."

"Saying what?"

"Saying that someone from her manor should come to take them away. If no one comes for a long time, they will be cut up and used as flower fertilizer..."

Zhao Ti nodded and asked, "Where is the man they brought?"

The maid said, "That person, I do not know what happened. Originally, the Lady intended to punish him, but later, seeing that he knew about camellias and understood them better than many flower masters, she invited him to a meal. However, he offended the Lady again during the banquet, so she punished him by making him a gardener. He should be busy in the flower garden now."

Hearing her speak clearly, Zhao Ti asked, "Do you know what that man's name is?"

The maid said, "This I know. He is from Dali, and his name is Duan Yu."

Zhao Ti smiled. By now, they had approached the flower garden. A vast area lay before them, filled entirely with various camellias being cultivated.

Arriving at the gate, Zhu Zhu Chuyi and Wang Chengzong of the Golden Blade Sect hurriedly pulled open the wooden fence. Inside, the path wound through, with various small round platforms where camellia trees were planted.

Zhu Zhu Chuyi and Wang Chengzong led the way forward, searching downward. Within a few breaths, they saw a young man bent over, tending to the fertilizer beneath a flower tree.

This man had originally worn a brocade shirt, but it was now extremely dirty and disheveled. He kept sighing aloud, and finally sat down heavily on the ground, muttering to himself, saying things no one could understand.

As everyone approached, the young man turned his face to look. Zhao Ti saw it was indeed Duan Yu and could not help but smile, saying, "Brother Duan."

Duan Yu froze, then his face showed a look of astonishment: "Zhao... Zhao Brother? Am I perhaps in a dream?"

Zhao Ti shook his head and said, "It is not a dream."

Duan Yu reached out and slapped his own cheeks, then cried out in joy, "It is truly not a dream! Zhao Brother, Zhao Brother, you have tricked me so bitterly!"

Zhao Ti: "..."

Duan Yu climbed to his feet and said, "Zhao Brother, I was captured by the Tibetan monk Ji Mo Zhi and brought to Jiang Nan. I intended to escape at the opportunity, but by a twist of fate, I ended up here. Seeing the appearance of the master's daughter, I thought it was Zhao Brother's secondary residence in Jiang Nan, but, but..."

Zhao Ti blinked his eyes and let out a dry chuckle twice.

Duan Yu whispered, "By the way, Zhao Brother, why do the women here resemble that jade statue as if they were the same person? I remember Zhao Brother tricked me in the Wuliang Cave, saying your family was in Suzhou. This place is indeed within the Suzhou region..."

"You little brat named Duan, what are you doing? Who are you talking to?" A dry, old woman's voice suddenly came from deep within the flower garden.

Hearing this, Duan Yu turned his head, placed his hands on his hips, and said, "Rui Pozi Yan, I am naturally talking with a friend. What business is it of yours!"

From another direction in the flower garden, an old woman with chicken-skin and crane-like white hair, and a face full of coarse flesh, turned the corner. In one hand, she held a gleaming long blade; in the other, she carried something that looked like meat and bone, emitting a foul stench.

"Talking with a friend?" The old woman glanced at Zhao Ti and the others, froze for a moment, then screamed, "You... who are you people?"