Chapter 41: Seeing the Buddha in a Flower

  As they walked towards the east, where the sky was turning white, they suddenly saw that the road ahead was covered with dead sparrows. Hua Xiao Shuang exclaimed in surprise: "Xiao Gege, what's going on here?" Liang Xiao hesitated for a moment before saying: "I think it's probably something done by He Duo Luo and Shi Dao Zhu." Hua Xiao Shuang gazed at the countless dead sparrows and sighed: "They fight and fight, but in the end, it's these birds that suffer." Liang Xiao said: "This is nothing. When they start fighting, many more people will die than these birds."

  Hua Xiao Shuang heard this and thought of what Gong Yangyu had said, thinking to herself: "He said that Brother Xiao led the Hu soldiers in attacking cities and slaughtering people, but I don't know if it's true or false. Looking at him with a crazed expression, he must be lying to me." She glanced at Liang Xiao, seeing his worried face, and thought: "He's been gloomy all along, how can I think of a way to make him happy?" She wasn't a witty person, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't come up with any jokes or interesting stories to cheer Liang Xiao up.

  Lost in thought, she suddenly heard someone shouting: "White-haired one, if you don't come out, you're a turtle's son and a cuckold." Before the words had even faded away, someone else chimed in: "Old madman, if you go in, you're a turtle's son and a cuckold too." Hua Xiaoxiao found this strange, and suddenly saw Liang Xiao dash into a thicket of trees. She quickly followed on her donkey. In just a moment, she saw Shi Tianfeng sitting in front of a cave, his hair disheveled and his face covered in dirt, starting a fire to roast a string of sparrows. He was shouting: "You won't come out? You're a turtle's son and a cuckold!" As soon as he finished speaking, someone inside the cave responded: "Old madman, if you go in, you're a turtle's son and a cuckold too."

  Liang Xiao frowned and said, "Old man, what are you doing?" Shi Tianfeng glanced at him, feeling a sense of familiarity, but couldn't quite place where he had seen him before. He replied, "The white-haired old man hid in the cave and said that if I went in, I'd be the son of a turtle, a cuckold. Of course, I wouldn't go in. He's hiding in the cave, but the cuckold is already set. Ha! In the end, it's still the old man who wins!" As he spoke, he stroked his beard, overjoyed.

  He was arguing with someone in this matter, and Liang Xiao felt like crying and laughing at the same time. Shi Tianfeng ate a piece of bird meat and cursed, and there was an echo from inside the cave. Liang Xiao listened to the sound and thought it was different from He Tuo's strange hissing sound, wondering if He Tuo had been seriously injured and even changed his voice. After listening for a while, he suddenly said, "No." Shi Tianfeng stared at him, and Liang Xiao quickly entered the cave, shouting after a moment, "Old man, come and see!" Shi Tianfeng cursed, "You think you can cheat me into being a turtle grandson, that's impossible." Only to hear Liang Xiao laughing and saying, "Good, you call out again 'If you don't come out, you're a turtle grandson.'"

  The wind called out, but no one responded for a long time. He couldn't help but pause, and then he called out again twice, still with no answer. He became impatient, threw the roasted sparrow aside, and entered the cave, only to see Liang Xiao standing beside a large rock, under which was pressed a thin rope, tied to an egret bird, which was being held in his hand.

  Shi Tianfeng didn't understand, so Liang Xiao let go of Ba Ge and said: "Old man, say it again: 'If you don't come out, you're a turtle's son, a cuckold.'" Shi Tianfeng repeated the words, and Ba Ge responded immediately: "Old madman, if you came in, you're a turtle's son, a cuckold." Shi Tianfeng was stunned, his eyes wide with shock, and after a moment of silence, he shouted: "Where is White Hair?"

  "Look there," said Liang Xiao, pointing to a hole in the rock wall. Shi Tianfeng leaned forward and looked inside. The hole was three feet wide and ten feet deep, connecting with the outside, and he could see daylight on the other side. Shi Tianfeng turned his head back to Liang Xiao, looking puzzled: "Escaped?" Liang Xiao sighed: "That's right, old man, you've been deceived!"

  It turned out that He Tuo was forced by Shi Tianfeng and escaped into a mountain cave, where he defended himself. Unexpectedly, there is no absolute way for heaven to help people, and he used a bird whistle to summon a talking magpie. He Tuo had an idea and taught the magpie to say "Old madman, you come in, it's just a turtle son, egg." Shi Tianfeng naturally refused to enter the cave and scolded the magpie back and forth. He Tuo took advantage of this opportunity to use the "Boruo Fang" to dig out a passage and escape. After this battle, he was exhausted, and as soon as he escaped, he fled far away and never dared to stay in Lao Mountain again.

  Shi Tianfeng was furious, stamping his feet and shouting loudly. He immediately chased after him through the passageway. Liang Xiao watched him go far away, then turned to Hua Xiaoxue and said: "This old man can't catch He Daluo, he'll definitely come back to bother me, it's better for us to leave." Hua Xiaoxue saw Shi Tianfeng being so fierce and prone to violence, and was afraid in her heart. Upon hearing Liang Xiao's words, she nodded repeatedly.

  Two people traveled day and night, and after two days they finally stopped to rest in a town. Hua Xiao Xue set up a stall in the market to practice medicine. The crowd saw that she was a delicate woman with a pale face, and they laughed and dispersed after a while. Hua Xiao Xue hung her sign for a day but didn't see anyone come to seek medical treatment. She was timid and shy, and didn't dare to solicit customers, so she had no choice but to cry.

  Liang Xiao was secretly annoyed, so he let Hua Xiaoxue pay attention to see which passerby had an illness. As soon as Hua Xiaoxue said it, Liang Xiao would grab the person like a hawk grabbing a chicken and force them to receive medical treatment. Those passersby did not expect that there would be such a thing as forced medical treatment in the world, and they didn't believe in the benefits of free medical treatment either. One by one, they were at a loss, but under Liang Xiao's intimidation, they were silent like cicadas in winter, obediently letting Hua Xiaoxue take their pulse and treat them. Although Hua Xiaoxue felt that this method was not appropriate, as long as there were illnesses to be treated, she would forget herself completely. As for Liang Xiao using force, she didn't pay much attention to it either.

  Hua Xiaoxiang's medical skills were exceptional, and she cured one patient after another. Her reputation spread far and wide, attracting a large number of patients from the local area. The street stall that was once deserted was now crowded with people.

  Liang Xiao set up a stall next to Hua Xiaoxiang and sold some bamboo products, toys, and other trinkets. He made clever devices such as wooden puppets that could walk, bamboo birds that could fly, small windmills that could rotate on their own, and water clocks that could make sounds.

  Liang Xiao's craftsmanship was unparalleled in the world, and his products were not only ingenious but also reasonably priced. Many wealthy families came to buy from him, and Liang Xiao earned a good income from this business.

  When business was slow, he would ask Jin Ling'er and Bai Chixia to perform some acrobatics to entertain the crowd and earn some extra money to make ends meet.

  Thus traveling through the countryside and towns, several months passed in a flash. Along the way, they also encountered many bandits and thieves, as well as unscrupulous doctors who secretly resented Xiao Xiang for ruining their business, hiring ruffians, colluding with officials, and plotting against them in every possible way. Unfortunately, they ran into Liang Xiao, a notorious villain, who tried to steal the chicken but ended up losing his rice, losing his wife and also losing his soldiers. Fortunately, there was Hua Xiao Xiang, a good doctor, by their side, so Liang Xiao did not dare to act recklessly, and although the villains suffered greatly, they were able to barely escape with their lives.

  On this day, the two of them arrived at a town and practiced medicine for half a day. As more and more patients came, they suddenly heard a commotion from outside the crowd. They looked up to see several servants hastily pushing through the crowd, urgently saying: "Doctor, my young master is ill, my master invites you to come and diagnose him."

  Hua Xiao Shuang knew that the illness was coming like a mountain collapse, and she didn't dare to delay. She quickly gathered her things and set off with Liang Xiao. The group of people walked hastily, arriving at a large mansion with a pink wall and red door. They passed through several gates, curved and winding, until they reached the east wing. Before entering, they suddenly heard the sound of wailing coming from inside. The two of them entered to see several women surrounding an embroidered bed, crying extremely sorrowfully. A middle-aged man with a beard looked worried and unhappy. When he saw people enter, he stood up and listened to the servant's explanation, showing great joy. He bowed his hands to Hua Xiao Shuang and said: "I only have this one son, and since birth, he has not been at peace. This time, he is seriously ill, please, Doctor, use your wonderful skills!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang was distracted and didn't notice the commotion among the women, but then she saw a less-than-a-month-old baby boy lying on the couch. His face was pale with a purplish tint, his lips were black, his limbs were convulsing, and he wasn't breathing. She took his pulse and felt that it was chaotic, especially weak in the heart meridian and pericardium meridian. Knowing this was a serious illness, she quickly grabbed her golden needle and stabbed the Shao Hai, Yin Shi, and Xin Shu points. These three points are specifically used to treat heart diseases. She also stabbed the Guan Yuan point to drain the energy of the San Jiao. After operating the needle for a moment, the purple color on the baby's face gradually faded away, and Hua Xiao Shuang let out a sigh of relief. Turning around to write a prescription, she didn't expect the baby's face to turn black again, his body convulsing violently. She was shocked, stretched out her hand to take his pulse, but felt that it was almost imperceptible, on the verge of disappearing. In an emergency, she pressed the Shao Fu, Ji Quan, and Nei Guan points. After a short while, the baby gradually became icy cold.

  Xiao Xue's heart was like a knife, her eyes dazed, and she almost fell over. Liang Xiao hurriedly stretched out his hand to support her, but heard her muttering: "How could this be? How could this be?" The master saw that something was wrong, reached out to feel the baby's mouth and nose, and found that he had stopped breathing. He glared at Xiao Xue, his eyes blazing with anger, and shouted: "You little wretch, you've done a great job!" His demeanor was completely different from his gentle and elegant manner just now.

  Hua Xiao Shuang was so frightened that she didn't know what to say, and could only stammer: "I... I..." Liang Xiao's anger flared up, and he grabbed the master by the throat, shouting: "Who are you scolding?" His hands were strong enough to break through steel, and the master's face turned red as he struggled for breath, his eyes rolling back. Hua Xiao Shuang came back to her senses and hastily said: "Brother Liang, it was my fault..." Liang Xiao hesitated, then released the man. The women realized that their child had died, and they began cursing loudly, rushing forward like madwomen to scratch and hit him.

  Liang Xiao suddenly understood, pulled up the girl and sighed: "Let's go!" Hua Xiao Xue looked at the baby, feeling extremely guilty, hating that she couldn't die with him together. The master came to his senses, shouting loudly, the servants rushed in with sticks. That man roared: "You dare to bully me! Don't you know who I am? Beat these two to death for my son's revenge!" The servants followed his words, raising their sticks to strike.

  Liang Xiao saw the club coming and wanted to fight back, but felt that hitting a doctor would be unjust. As he hesitated, the club reached Xiaoxue's head. He gritted his teeth and rushed forward, using his back to block two clubs, saying in a low voice: "Xiaoxue, these people are unreasonable, let's go." Huaxiao Xue stood stupidly in the distance, shaking her head.

  Liang Xiao knew she was deeply remorseful, so he had to block her path, dodging left and right. The sticks and rods fell on his head and face like raindrops, but with his internal strength, he wasn't afraid of the beating. However, in his heart, he was seething with anger: "Damn it! If I swing my arm now, at least seven or eight of these weaklings will die. Alright, stinky bamboo pole, you hit well, I'll remember you; alright, dead fat pig, you're also taking advantage of me, if not for Xiaoxiao's face, I'd smash you into pulp." He cursed loudly in his heart but never once retaliated.

  Hua Xiao Shuang saw him protecting her with his body, and she was both moved and heartbroken. She could only say: "Xiao Gege, let's go!" Liang Xiao was overjoyed by these words, like a pardon from above. He swung his arm to brush aside the dozen or so clubs, and supported Hua Xiao Shuang as they rushed out of the gate. The master, who was used to getting his way, saw that he hadn't managed to kill anyone, and refused to give up. He ordered his servants to pursue them relentlessly.

  Liang Xiao burst out of the gate, glanced at the corner of his eye, and saw two stone lions in front of the door, each weighing over 400 kilograms. He put Hua Xiaoshuang aside, stretched out his foot, and with a burst of strength, the right stone lion jumped up to a height of six feet. He looked at the master who was leading the way, pushed him with a palm, and the stone lion jumped again, more than ten feet high, sweeping through the air, pressing down on the master's head. The momentum was swift and fierce, still two meters high, the strong wind blowing made everyone's skin ache, that person dodged and hid, scared stiff like a wooden chicken.

  Suddenly, a loud shout came from Liang Xiao, and with a flash of his body, he slapped both palms onto the stone lion. The stone lion flew out diagonally, colliding head-on with the stone lion on the left side, producing a deafening crash, sending stone chips flying everywhere. When the dust finally settled, the two stone lions were nowhere to be seen, reduced to a pile of rubble.

  Liang Xiao vented his anger and floated down, pulling Hua Xiao Shuang out with him. The owner stared blankly as the two disappeared, suddenly feeling a chill in his lower body, and when he looked down, he had already urinated in fear.

  After this incident, the two of them lost interest in practicing medicine and packed up their belongings to head west out of town. Liang Xiao was still fuming from being beaten with a stick and walked quickly ahead. After they had traveled for a while, Hua Xiao Shuang sighed and said, "Actually, now that I think about it carefully, that child's illness couldn't have been cured!" Liang Xiao stopped in his tracks, furious, and said, "Why didn't you say so earlier? Humph, since it wasn't your fault, those dog slaves came at me, I would have taken one with my left hand and one with my right hand, crack crack two sounds..." As he spoke, he made gestures with both hands. Hua Xiao Shuang asked in surprise, "What's that supposed to be?" Liang Xiao coldly snorted, "Twisting off their heads!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang was shocked and shook her head, saying: "That's not possible!" Liang Xiao thought that good intentions were not rewarded, and he didn't have the heart to hurry along. He threw his luggage under a large tree with sprawling branches and paced back and forth. Hua Xiao Shuang also got off the donkey's back and sat on a large rock, deep in thought. After walking around for a while, Liang Xiao's anger dissipated, and seeing her expression, he asked: "What are you thinking about?" Hua Xiao Shuang sighed: "I'm thinking, if Master encountered this kind of illness, what would he do?" Liang Xiao furrowed his brow, waved his hand, and said: "Xiao Shuang, I don't agree with this. Why always think about your master? He's him, you're you, how he does things is his business. What you should be thinking about is what you should do!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang bitterly smiled and said, "Master's medical skills are ten times better than mine, I'll never catch up with him in my lifetime." Liang Xiao slightly smiled and said, "That's not necessarily true, if you don't even have the ambition to surpass him, then it's true that you'll never catch up!" Hua Xiao Shuang was more and more shocked as she listened. She had always admired Wu Changqing, but never thought of surpassing him. After a moment of hesitation, she said hesitantly, "Confucius once said: 'To transmit without creating is to believe in and love antiquity.' Even he didn't think it possible to surpass the ancients, let alone me?"

  Liang Xiao smiled and said, "I haven't read Confucius' book, but he is known as the 'Teacher of a Hundred Kings', so he must be extraordinary. However, I don't agree with this sentence, it's often said: 'The past cannot be advised, but the future can still be pursued'..." Hua Xiao Xue covered her mouth and laughed: "Xiao Gege, this sentence is not just an ordinary saying, it's also from Confucius' book!"

  Liang Xiao was taken aback, furrowing his brow and saying, "That's strange, did Confucius hit himself in the face?" Hua Xiaoxue hesitated before responding, "However, this phrase wasn't said by Confucius, but rather by Jie Yu, a madman from Chu, mocking Confucius." Liang Xiao gave her a glance and continued, "I quite like these two phrases. The ancients aren't necessarily better than modern people, and modern people aren't necessarily unable to surpass the ancients. If I were to create an exam question, testing the mathematical prowess of ancient scholars, they would likely hand in blank papers. You're not inferior to Wu Changqing; as long as you study diligently and think carefully, you might be able to surpass him! Even if Wu Changqing can't cure your illness, can't you try to cure it yourself?"

  This remark was beyond Hua Xiao Shuang's imagination, she stared blankly at Liang Xiao, momentarily forgetting her words. After Liang Xiao finished speaking, he turned around and took out the dried fruit and meat, calling Bai Chi Er and Jin Ling Er to feed them. Jin Ling Er was naturally clever and good at imitating. Liang Xiao had a special plan, taking advantage of feeding time to teach it many martial arts moves, unexpectedly this little monkey learned quickly. After several months, it learned many methods of advancing and retreating, attacking and defending, and its relationship with Liang Xiao became extremely friendly and intimate.

  After eating two fruits, Jin Ling'er learned another trick, and Liang Xiao was delighted in his heart. He suddenly raised his arm and let it climb up the big tree. Jin Ling'er returned to nature, jumping east and west, full of enthusiasm. Liang Xiao saw Hua Xiao Feng still thinking, and couldn't help but smile: "Still haven't figured it out?" Hua Xiao Feng hesitated: "Your words... might as well try." Liang Xiao knew she was introverted, smiled slightly, and didn't say much.

  Hua Xiao Shuang easily collected her emotions, gazing out at the distant mountains as the sun set, making them shine like gold and fire. The mountain's shape twisted and turned, its beauty beyond compare, causing her to exclaim: "How beautiful!" Liang Xiao followed her gaze, smiling and saying: "I see that the green mountains are charming, I suppose they see me in the same way!" Hua Xiao Shuang's face flushed red as she playfully scolded him: "You've read a few poems and now you're using them to tease me!" These days, Liang Xiao had nothing better to do, so he would often look at the poetry that Hua Xiao Shuang brought with her. After more than a month, he had memorized quite a few of them, and now he was reciting them from memory, trying to make her happy.

  They were chatting and laughing when suddenly they heard a loud "ah" and someone fell from the tree, shouting repeatedly: "What's that? What's that?"

  The two were shocked, but saw that the man was a sixteen or seventeen year old young monk, not tall and slightly short, with broad shoulders and a wide back, a round face and big mouth, a garlic nose, and a pair of bright and piercing eyes staring up at the tree. Just then, Jin Ling'er poked her head out from behind the dense foliage. The little monk let out a low hum, brushed off the dirt on his body, and muttered: "You damned monkey, you're bullying me too!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang couldn't help but laugh and said, "Little Master, I'm sorry!" The little monk rubbed his bald head and said foolishly, "Are you calling me?" Hua Xiao Shuang said, "Yes, my monkey is bothering you!" The monk smiled and said, "Your monkey? I was sleeping, and he came into my arms!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang felt even more embarrassed and wanted to say a few more polite words. The monk's eyes rolled, staring fiercely at the idiot, swallowed a big mouthful of saliva, and said: "Is this dog yours too?" Hua Xiao Shuang nodded, the monk swallowed another mouthful of saliva, nodded and said: "Good dog!" Hua Xiao Shuang smiled: "Yes, Bai Chi is very good." The man said: "It's fat enough for me to eat a meal." Hua Xiao Shuang was stunned, the monk looked at Bai Chi again, swallowed another mouthful of saliva, and reluctantly left.

  Hua Xiao Shuang was annoyed and frowned, saying: "Xiao Gege, this monk's words are really strange!" Liang Xiao laughed and said: "This monk is strangely interesting." Hua Xiao Shuang displeasedly said: "He wants to eat the white idiot!" Liang Xiao shouldered his luggage and laughed, saying: "There are many people in the world who eat dog meat, it won't be less without him." Hua Xiao Shuang was stunned for a moment, then mounted her horse, feeling puzzled in her heart: "The white idiot is so cute, yet there's actually someone who wants to eat it? This is unreasonable!"

  Two people walked a distance under the sunset, suddenly heard from afar came shouting and scolding. Hua Xiao Xue looked up to see, only to see more than ten merchants surrounded in a group, waving their walking sticks, as if beating something, while beating and scolding: "Let you steal, let you steal!" Hua Xiao Xue was shocked, quickly urging Kuai Xue to walk near, took a closer look, the crowd was curled up with one person, both hands holding his head, letting the chaotic sticks fall down. Hua Xiao Xue hastily said: "Don't hit anymore, don't hit anymore!" Turned around and loudly called out: "Xiao Gege! Quickly save him!"

  Liang Xiao looked at the situation and knew that everyone was beating up a thief. He didn't want to get involved, but since he had just been beaten with sticks himself, he felt some sympathy for the little thief. He stepped forward, waved his hands, and pushed away the sticks, bowing and smiling: "Let's spare him, let's not kill him, it's enough to vent our anger!" The merchants who traveled far and wide saw that Liang Xiao was a skilled fighter and knew they had met a superior person. The leader of the group, an old man, said with hatred: "Young brother, you don't know what happened. We were resting and eating some dry rations when this guy came over and stared at us. I felt sorry for him and gave him a meat bun. But he didn't even say thank you after eating it, and when we weren't paying attention, he grabbed all the remaining buns and ate them. Tell me, isn't that infuriating?"

  Liang Xiao took out seven or eight copper coins and handed them to the old man, saying: "Is this enough money for the buns?" The old man waved his hands wildly and laughed loudly: "What are you talking about? My Zhang Lu'er has been on the road for forty years, now I'm just here to ask for justice, how could I take your money?" With a wave of his hand, he beckoned his companions to leave.

  Hua Xiaoxue saw the crowd disperse and went forward to check on the man's injuries. As soon as she bent down, the man suddenly jumped up, startling Xiaoxue into retreating three steps. When she looked again, it was that young monk, and she couldn't help but exclaim: "It's you?" After sizing him up from head to toe, she asked again: "Are you not injured?"

  The little monk shook his head and said, "I'm not hurt!" Hua Xiao Xue was afraid he was being stubborn, so she pulled him to the front and took a closer look. She said, "It's strange, they beat you up like that, but you're not injured?" The little monk scratched his head and smiled foolishly: "I'm not afraid of getting hit, I'm just afraid of going hungry!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang thought he must be starving to steal food, so she took out dry rations from the donkey's back and handed them over to him. The monk took it without thanking her and started devouring it.

  Hua Xiao Shuang asked again, "Xiao Gege, do you still have money?" Liang Xiao took out over ten copper coins and placed them in the monk's palm, laughing: "Little Master, as a Buddhist monk, why are you stealing things? You should be begging for alms!" The little monk held the copper coins, his face suddenly flushing red, muttering: "I don't know how to speak, I eat too much, and when I beg for alms... they won't give me any. I'll just eat and not run away, let them beat me up, it's a good way to vent..."

  Hua Xiao Shuang was shocked and asked, "Did you intentionally let them hit you?" The little monk's face turned bright red as he nodded. Liang Xiao laughed and said, "This method is too stupid, too clumsy!" The little monk shook his head and said, "Master said we're not allowed to fight with others." Liang Xiao laughed and asked, "Just because you can't fight, doesn't mean you can't run, right?" The little monk's eyes lit up as he exclaimed, "That's right! Why didn't I think of that?" Liang Xiao chuckled and said, "Next time you steal something, run faster so you won't get caught." The little monk nodded repeatedly, understanding the lesson. Hua Xiao Shuang couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time, asking, "Liang Gege, is this how you teach people?" Liang Xiao shrugged and replied, "What else can I do?" Hua Xiao Shuang thought for a moment and seemed to agree that there was no other way.

  Liang Xiao glanced at the little monk, smiled and said: "Little master, farewell for now, take care!" He led the donkey with Hua Xiaoshuang along the official road. After walking for a while, he felt something in his heart, turned back to look, and saw a figure flashing into the side of the road.

  Hua Xiaoxiang turned her head to look, but saw nothing, and couldn't help but ask: "Xiao Gege, what are you looking at?" Liang Xiao shook his head with a smile, thinking that this little monk was quick and agile, hiding in the tree without making a sound, and had followed him for two or three miles before he even noticed.

  Although someone was following him, Liang Xiao didn't take it to heart due to his confidence in his martial arts skills. He entered a small inn at night, rested for a day, and set off the next day. The little monk followed him from afar, occasionally turning back, and he would hastily hide. Liang Xiao secretly laughed in his heart, knowing that he was not a seasoned stalker, so he suddenly turned around frequently, and the little monk was caught off guard, unable to react for a moment.

  The next day, they arrived at the banks of the Yellow River, only to find that the river had burst its banks, destroying several large dikes and turning thousands of hectares of good farmland into a sea. Hua Xiao Shuang was heartbroken, and together with Liang Xiao, she wrapped herself in the midst of the disaster victims and headed west along the river, doing her best to save as many people as possible. Although her medical skills were excellent, she was only one person and couldn't be everywhere at once. Moreover, an epidemic was raging, and as she looked out at the countless disaster victims dying by the side of the road, she felt powerless to rescue them. Her heart ached with sorrow, and she spent every day washing her face with tears. Liang Xiao sighed inwardly and from time to time comforted her with gentle words.

  After walking for several days, in front of the large dike, the government drove nearly ten thousand civilians to carry stones and transport soil to reinforce the dike. Liang Xiao looked up and saw that the dike was tens of feet high, with a yellow river seemingly suspended in the sky. He couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion: "The Great Yu controlled the waters by dredging them, but now controlling the waters is all about setting up defenses everywhere. The long river stretches for ten thousand miles, can it be blocked? Alas, why don't those in power understand this principle? I suppose with Kublai Khan's military campaigns north and south, the fighting is intense, and of course, water control is not a priority."

  In an instant, a loud shout erupted, and a massive boulder broke free from its restraints, thundering down the embankment. Two overseers were crushed to death before they could even cry out in terror. Dozens of women who had been delivering food below stared aghast as the rock hurtled towards them, frozen in shock, forgetting to flee.

  Liang Xiao didn't have time to react, like the wind and lightning, he rushed to the front of the giant stone, using his "standing on the ground and growing roots" extraordinary skill, his palms shot out quickly, holding up the giant stone. The giant stone weighed over a thousand kilograms, its momentum was fierce. Liang Xiao's feet sank into the ground two feet, his arms were in severe pain, his throat felt sweet, but the giant stone paused for a moment and then rolled down again, in the blink of an eye, it would crush Liang Xiao underneath. Hua Xiaoxue saw this and cried out in extreme fright.

  A figure rushed out, waved his hand and pushed, the giant stone's momentum stopped and even moved up a few inches. Liang Xiao felt relieved, looked sideways, and found that the person was actually that little monk. The two of them exchanged a glance, worked together in harmony, and pushed against the force to push the big rock back onto the embankment. Liang Xiao fell to the ground, spat out a mouthful of blood, his face as pale as paper.

  The little monk's eyes widened with concern, "You... you're hurt?" Liang Xiao shook his head, "Just a minor injury!" The little monk hummed in response and didn't ask any more questions. Hua Xiaoxue rushed over, took out some medicine and gave it to Liang Xiao to take, let out a sigh of relief, and turned to the little monk, "Little Master, what are you doing here? Oh dear, if it wasn't for you, things would have been disastrous today!" The little monk's face turned red as he lowered his head, sneaking a peek at Liang Xiao, who smiled and said, "Little monk, you helped me push the boulder, I'll treat you to dinner, okay?"

  The little monk was overjoyed and repeatedly exclaimed "good". Liang Xiao took a moment to catch his breath, then led the two down from the high embankment into the town, where they found an inn to sit down. Liang Xiao ordered food and wine, but after taking just one sip, he suddenly saw the little monk staring intently at the wine cup with both eyes wide open. He couldn't help but laugh and say "You want some too?" The little monk vigorously nodded his head, so Liang Xiao called for another jug. The little monk downed it in one gulp, smacked his lips, and then fixed his gaze on Liang Xiao's wine cup once again.

  Liang Xiao had been drinking to drown his sorrows since leaving Changzhou, and over time it had become a habit. He was used to drinking alone on the road, but it wasn't as enjoyable that way. Seeing the monk's good wine, he felt a sense of familiarity and ordered another pot of wine. Smiling, he asked, "Monk, do you have a Buddhist name?" The little monk hugged the wine pot and laughed heartily, saying, "My master calls me Huasheng!"

  Liang Xiao smiled and said, "You also have the surname Hua, this name is strange. Is your master's name Lao Jiu?" Hua Xiao Xue lost her smile and said, "Xiao Gege, you're making fun of people again. Monks don't bother with our mundane surnames." However, why would his master be called Lao Jiu? Liang Xiao said, "Drinking old wine, eating peanuts, isn't that delightful?" Hua Xiao Xue smiled after hearing this and touched her bald head, laughing and saying, "As you mentioned, my master's Buddhist name really does have the character 'jiu' (wine)."

  Hua Xiao Shuang frowned and said, "What a coincidence. But in my opinion, this flower is not that flower, it's not something to drink with wine, it must be the Buddhist way!" Liang Xiao laughed and said, "Is there such a principle? Tell me about it!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang smiled and said, "The Patriarch Bodhidharma came from the Western Regions to transmit the Dharma and dispel confusion, opening up the Chan school. When he passed away, he said: 'I originally came to this land, transmitted the Dharma to save sentient beings, one flower opens with five petals, naturally bearing fruit.' This predicted that the Chan gate would flourish and later split into five major schools. After Patriarch Bodhidharma left, the transmission of the mind-lamp reached the Second Ancestor Huike. Master Huike left a verse saying: 'Originally there was no reason for it to exist, because of the land flowers bloom, originally there was no existence, and flowers were never born.' It was then transmitted to the Third Ancestor Sengcan, who said: 'Although flower seeds rely on the land, from the land flowers are born, if no one plants them, the land will be barren and flowers will not grow.' The Fourth Ancestor Daoxin inherited his robe and bowl, also leaving a verse saying: 'Flower seeds have the nature of birth, because of the land flowers bloom, great causes and faith combine, when they give rise to non-birth.' Hua Xiao Shuang gazed at Huasheng and smiled slightly, "From this we can see that what is meant by 'flower birth' here is the meaning of flowers blooming to reveal the Buddha, and the flourishing of the Chan gate. Ah, Huasheng, your master is indeed a man with a heart!"

  Peanuts heard as if unheard, humming with sound, only drinking and eating meat. Liang Xiao listened to this Zen door story, seeing his eating appearance, a flash of inspiration in his mind, slapping the case and laughing: "Good name with wine! Ha! This old wine is not that old wine, it's not fermented wine, but digital nine. Peanuts, your master's name is Jiuru, right?"

  The peanut was shocked and stared, saying: "You... how did you know?" Liang Xiao carefully examined the peanut, thinking that this little monk should be an old acquaintance. They had met once in Qikou, where he had tricked him into eating a mouthful of thorns.

  Hua Xiao Shuang thought of Liang Xiao's injuries and saw him drinking heavily, so she advised: "Brother Xiao, too much wine is bad for your body." Liang Xiao smiled slightly, put down his cup and stopped drinking, asking Hua Sheng: "Where is your master?" When he asked this, Hua Sheng's eyes reddened, and he put down his wine cup saying: "Master... Master doesn't want me anymore..."

  The other two were shocked. Hua Xiao Shuang asked strangely, "Why don't you want him?" Hua Sheng said dejectedly: "I was drinking and eating with my master, originally carefree and happy. But that day, my master called me over and suddenly asked, 'Hua Sheng, how old are you this year?' I didn't know how old I was, so I said, 'Master says how old, I'm that old.' My master sighed and said, 'Roughly calculated, you're also 16 years old, it's time for you to go down the mountain and see the world!' I heard my heart racing, thinking from a young age following my master, going down the mountain alone, isn't it scary? So I held onto my master, refusing a hundred times. My master said, 'Alright, today I'll ask you a few questions, if you answer correctly, you can stay, if not, you go down the mountain.' I saw that he had just warmed up the wine and didn't realize my head was itchy, so I said, 'Master, you can ask slowly, but the wine needs to be drunk while it's hot.' Unexpectedly, my master got angry, gave me a slap, and scolded, 'Gluttonous monkey, only knows how to drink! Hmph, I'll ask you, if you don't answer correctly, you're not allowed to drink wine!' He stretched out his hand and said, 'What is this?' I had just been slapped once, so I didn't recognize it, and answered, 'A slap.' Before I finished speaking, my master gave me another slap and shouted, 'I'll tell you, this is called a Buddha's hand!'"

  He looked at his own palm, bewildered: "I don't understand, Master's palm is the same as mine, why does he call it a Buddha's hand and I call it a hand?" Hua Xiao Xue thought for a moment and said: "The essence of Chan Buddhism lies in surpassing the Buddha and transcending the ancestors, with only oneself being revered. Legend has it that when the Buddha Sakyamuni was born, he took seven steps in each direction, pointing to the sky and drawing on the ground, saying: 'In heaven and earth, I alone am revered.' Therefore, Chan masters do not believe in past or present people, as long as they recognize their own nature, they can become Buddhas or ancestors. This is called 'attaining Buddhahood through seeing one's nature'. Since becoming a Buddha, the hand becomes a Buddha's hand."

  Huasheng shook his head and said in a drawling tone, "I don't believe it. Can a newborn baby walk? That stone plus mud is a big scam!" Huaxiao Shuang was shocked and said, "How dare you! Huasheng, as a monk, how can you blaspheme the Buddha?"

  Huasheng saw her serious expression and knew he had misspoken, feeling anxious and rubbing his bald head. Liang Xiao secretly laughed to himself: "This monk doesn't even believe in Sakyamuni, according to Xiaoshuang's words, isn't that making him half a Buddha?" He poured him a cup of wine and smiled: "Don't think about this for now, tell me what happened later."

  The peanuts and wine went down the hatch, and his spirits lifted. He continued: "Master drank a mouthful of wine, stretched out his foot, and asked me: 'You say again, what is this?' I took a closer look this time and said: 'This is Master's foot.' Unexpectedly, Master kicked me and scolded: 'Fool, this is a donkey's hoof!' Isn't it strange? I've never seen Buddha's hands before, so Master deceived me and I acknowledged it; but I have seen donkeys' hooves before, which are vastly different from Master's foot."

  Hua Xiao Shuang devoted herself to helping him, furrowing her brow as she said: "The Buddhist scriptures say: 'All living beings are equal.' Whether it's the Buddha or humans or animals, they're all equal living spirits that should respect each other. Your master's hands are Buddha-like, but his feet are like a donkey's - in short, all living beings are equal and shouldn't be distinguished as high or low." Hua Sheng listened with an open mouth, his mind a complete muddle. This speech was too profound, beyond his intellectual abilities, and he feared that even after thinking about it for ten years, he still wouldn't understand. Liang Xiao saw Hua Xiao Shuang exhausting herself to explain Jiu Ru's nonsense, and for a moment, she didn't know whether to laugh or not.

  Huasheng was stunned for a moment, hesitated and said: "But... but why don't people have tails?" Huaxiao Shuang was taken aback and couldn't answer. Liang Xiao clapped his hands and laughed: "Good question!" Huasheng heard him praising himself, dryly chuckled twice, and then looked bitter, saying: "Master scolded me a couple of times, and said: 'I'll ask you one last thing, what's the most important thing you want to do in your life?' I've thought about it many times, even dreamed about it. Without thinking, I honestly answered: 'I want to soak in fine wine, sleep, and when I open my eyes, see a room full of dog meat.'"

  This statement is too shocking, Hua Xiao Shuang was stunned, Liang Xiao also thought: "Good monk, actually wants to live a life of wine and meat!" Can't help but ask: "Is this true?"

  The peanut hung his head in shame and sighed, "I thought I was right, but Master scowled and was silent for half a day, stroking my head and saying: 'Peanut, you stubborn fool, when will you ever understand? Alas, it seems you're not cut out for meditation. Don't be my disciple anymore!' But how could I not be his disciple? Who would give me food and drink if I left Master? So as soon as I heard this, I was shocked and afraid, a thousand times, ten thousand times unwilling, wiping away tears and snot to cling to him. Master was at a loss for words and didn't speak again. I thought the matter had passed, but...”

  He spoke up to here, his eyes red and puffy, tears streaming down, choking back sobs, "The next day, I woke up and didn't see Master's shadow anywhere. The temple's rice, flour, wine, and meat were all gone too. I was starving for two days and still didn't see Master return. There was no way out, so I had to leave the mountain..."

  The little monk burst into tears, burying his face in the table and wailing loudly, "Master, where are you? Peanut misses you! Waaah... Master... Waaah..."

  Hua Xiao Shuang heard him crying bitterly, and it reminded her of her parents. Her expression turned gloomy for a moment. Liang Xiao laughed and said: "Hua Sheng, don't cry, come on, let's drink!" Hua Sheng heard the word "wine" and stopped crying, lifted his head, hugged the wine jug, and drank two more cups of wine. His eyebrows gradually relaxed.

  Liang Xiao asked, "What are you planning to do now?" Hua Sheng looked bewildered and shook his head. Liang Xiao asked again, "Then why did you follow us all the way?" Hua Xiao Xian stared at Hua Sheng in surprise. Hua Sheng's bald head turned red like a persimmon, and he muttered softly, "H...how did you know?"

  Liang Xiao smiled but didn't speak, and Hua Sheng was stared at by him until his heart felt empty. He stammered: "You... you people are good, I came down the mountain, never... never had anyone treat me so well before, following you guys, my heart feels at ease!"

  Hua Xiao Shuang saw that the little monk was stupid and foolish, drifting in the rivers and lakes, being cheated everywhere, and couldn't help but feel sympathetic. She looked at Liang Xiao, wanting to speak but stopping herself. Liang Xiao understood her thoughts, nodded, and said: "Hua Sheng, you have great strength, can you help me carry my luggage?" Hua Sheng was overjoyed: "Great!" He had no qualms, saying it as he did it, drinking a whole pot of wine, carrying the luggage on his back, rubbing his bald head, and smiling all over his face.

  Liang Xiao had a soft spot for those who were simple and kind, seeing him like this, he beckoned with a smile: "Don't rush, eat first then carry!" Huasheng didn't put down his luggage either, responding to the call, sat down, grabbed a meat bun, and started eating with a big smile.

  Just as Liang Xiao was about to pay the bill, he heard a woman's soft laughter. The sound was familiar, and when he turned his head to look, he saw a man in green clothes sitting by the door, who had just stood up and smiled at him. Liang Xiao saw that the man had a face as white as jade, extremely handsome, and after a moment's thought, he coldly said: "Han Ningzi, what are you trying to deceive with this disguise?"

  Han Ningzi smiled and said: "Are you kidding me?" Liang Xiao replied calmly: "I'm in a good mood today, so get lost!"

  Han Ningzi's eyes flashed with a hint of killing intent, and she glanced at Hua Xiaoxue, smiling faintly. "Liang Xiao, you're quite the expert on changing your mind, first it was Yingying, then Ahxue, and now this little girl, what should we call her?" Just as Hua Xiaoxue was about to explain, Liang Xiao said: "Han Ningzi, this is where you went wrong!" Han Ningzi smiled: "I just asked casually, how could that be my fault?" Liang Xiao smiled: "You even have to ask the young lady's name? Forgetting one's ancestors, of course it's your fault." He was angry with Han Ningzi for slapping Ling Shuangjun and implicating Xiaoxue, so he deliberately made a few sarcastic remarks.

  Han Ningzi smiled slightly, seemingly unbothered, turned around, and with a light flick of her wrist, a Qinghua porcelain bowl rose into the air and flew towards Liang Xiao. Liang Xiao casually raised his right hand, and the wine cup in front of him flew out. The two bowls collided in mid-air, making a loud crashing sound. The Qinghua bowl shattered into eight pieces, while the wine cup was unscathed and flew straight at Han Ningzi.

  Han Ningzi was caught off guard and hurriedly raised her palm to block it. But Liang Xiao's move was even faster, and another palm shot out, which, under the impetus of his palm wind, increased the momentum of the wine bowl.

  The wine bowl was brought with Liang Xiao's double palm strength, Han Ningzi didn't dare to hard-receive it, and dodged to the side. The wine bowl brushed past her body, drew an arc in mid-air, and thudded into the mud wall. However, not a single drop of wine spilled out from the bowl.

  Liang Xiao thought that he would either do nothing or see it through to the end, so he decided to get rid of this female demon and eliminate future troubles for Hua Xiaoxue. He stood up straight, his eyes gleaming with a fierce aura. Han Ningzi's gaze flashed, and she suddenly burst out laughing: "It's been two years since we last met, your martial arts skills have improved greatly, it seems that even the swallow has a chance to be saved!"

  Liang Xiao's heart had already moved to kill, and upon hearing this sentence, his heart sank, and he frowned: "Han Ningzi, what nonsense are you talking about?" Han Ningzi looked at him with a glance, shook her head and sighed: "Only seeing the new person smile, who has heard the old person cry? Liu Yan'er was blind, how could she be imprisoned and humiliated for this ungrateful man?"

  Liang Xiao's body shook, and he said in a rough voice: "Say that again?" Han Ningzi took half a step back, guarding against his attack, and smiled slightly: "You don't believe me? Fine. Hmph, want to kill me? Alright, I'd rather die than let you know where Liu Yingying is."

  Liang Xiao was momentarily speechless, and after a moment of silence, he said: "What does her whereabouts have to do with me? You can save those words for Yun Shu." Han Ningzi smiled and said: "You're really petty, but unfortunately Liu Yingying's devoted heart has been devoured by a dog." She turned and left. Liang Xiao slammed his hand on the table and shouted loudly: "Han Ningzi, if you can walk out of this door, that'll be impressive!"

  Han Ningzi turned back and smiled: "Do you really want to know what happened to Liu Yingying?" Liang Xiao remained silent. Han Ningzi looked at him for a while, then smiled slightly: "Alright, I'll tell you. A year ago, Yingying was captured by Chu Xianliu and imprisoned in the Tianxiang Mountain Villa on Jiuhua Mountain. As for what happened afterwards, I don't know. However, such a beautiful girl falling into the hands of an old lecher...I'm afraid..." She saw Liang Xiao's face turn pale, his eyes red with rage, and suddenly stopped speaking, bursting out laughing, and walked out the door.

  Liang Xiao's whole body trembled, and cold sweat seeped out from his forehead. Hua Xiao saw that he was dazed and worried secretly, asking: "Xiao Gege, are you okay?" Liang Xiao grunted, took out a handful of copper coins and threw them on the table, not waiting for change, hastily went out the door. Hua Xiao quickly pulled Kuai Xue, calling out to Hua Sheng to chase after him.

  Liang Xiao took a big step, walking west for a while, then suddenly stopped and stared blankly at the river water. Hua Xiao Shuang saw him overwhelmed with worry, didn't know what happened, but also didn't dare to disturb him, so she stood far away with Hua Sheng to observe.

  Liang Xiao stood by the river for a long time, looking back at Hua Xiao Shuang and hesitated: "I want to go on a trip to the south, will you follow me?" Hua Xiao Shuang said: "This is an unnecessary question, wherever you go, I'll follow. The world's creatures are all the same, doctors treat illnesses, north and south are no different."

  Liang Xiao's expression turned gloomy, and he muttered to himself: "Wherever you go, I'll follow..." He repeated this several times, revealing a hint of a bitter smile. Hua Xiao Xue couldn't help but ask: "Xiao Gege, what's wrong?" Liang Xiao sighed: "Someone once said the same thing to me before, and I promised her too... unfortunately, she kept her promise, but I didn't." Seeing the pain in his eyes, Hua Xiao Xue felt a pang in her heart and asked impulsively: "Who is she?" Liang Xiao looked at her steadily for a moment before saying: "Xiao Xue, I'm a man who has escaped death countless times, a great villain... being with me would be a shame to you." Hua Xiao Xue was taken aback, her voice trembling as she said: "Xiao Gege, why do you always say such unrelated things? I... I don't want to hear it." As she spoke, two tears rolled out of the corners of her eyes.

  Liang Xiao saw her tears and couldn't bring himself to tell her to go home again. He let out a soft sigh, extended his sleeve to wipe away her tears, and said: "Alright, I won't say it." Turning around, he saw Hua Sheng with half a meat bun in his mouth, staring at him with wide eyes and a look of surprise.

  Liang Xiao smiled wryly, letting Hua Xiaoxue ride on the white donkey, with one hand leading it, and walking silently in front. Hua Sheng carried luggage on his back, following closely behind. The three of them headed south, Liang Xiao remaining silent and taciturn along the way, only practicing his fist and sword techniques when he had free time. Hua Xiaoxue couldn't guess what was on his mind, and asking him yielded no response, so she could only study medical books to alleviate her boredom. Since the two of them spoke little, Hua Sheng also had no choice but to be a silent gourd, fortunately, he was simple-minded, as long as there was wine and meat, he was content.

  They soon crossed the Yangtze River and entered Anhui Province. At noon that day, the three of them arrived at an inn to have a meal. As soon as they sat down, they heard the sound of horse hooves outside. Before the rider had even dismounted, a loud voice boomed in: "Waiter, two catties of rice wine and ten catties of beef!" The voice was like thunder, shaking the eardrums. Liang Xiao's ears perked up at the familiar sound, and then he heard another person say: "Don't worry, Brother Lei Zheng, that female thief is like a turtle in a jar, she can't escape no matter what."

  Two men walked into the inn, one was "Tian Chui" Lei Zhen and the other was "Jiu Tou Bao" Bai San Yuan. Lei Zhen sat down with a huff and said angrily: "This time everyone must work together to force Chu Lao Er to hand over Xiao Nu Pi! Dammit, Chu Lao Er is old but his heart is not, he's stubbornly holding onto that little... Humph, what kind of thing is this?" Bai San Yuan slapped his thigh and gritted his teeth: "That cheap woman killed your beloved son and committed so many serious crimes, we can't let her off easily, heaven won't allow it. Humph, this time Chu Xian Liu must hand over that old...!"

  The two of you, one word and one phrase, the more you talk, the more unbearable it becomes, with filthy language pouring out endlessly, and all kinds of slander against Liu Yanyan. After scolding for a while, the wine and meat were exhausted, and the remaining beef was wrapped in oil paper, then another gourd of burning wine was ordered, and they galloped out of the door on horseback.

  After a while, the flowers and trees gradually became more lush, with red flowers and green trees revealing several flying eaves. Turning over a forest, in front of hundreds of flowers blooming wildly, dazzling people's eyes, hidden among the flowers was a large estate with blue tiles and white walls, covering an area of dozens of miles.

  "Brother Bai, that's the Tianxiang Manor!" Leizhen cracked his whip and pointed. "Old man knows how to enjoy himself," said Baisanyuan coldly. As they approached the manor, two groups of people stood facing each other on the square in front of the gate, ready to clash at any moment. When the group from the south saw the two men, someone shouted: "Lei Dalang has arrived just in time!" Leizhen dismounted his horse and bowed to Lei Xiangkong: "Father, I was delayed on the road with Brother Bai."

  Lei Xingkong nodded slightly and grasped Bai Sanyuan's hand with a smile, saying: "Brother Bai, you've come to bestow your presence upon us, it couldn't be better. Chu Lao Da said that our cause is unjust, what do you think? Do we have justice or not?" Bai Sanyuan raised an eyebrow and exclaimed: "Whether there's justice or not, each person has their own sense of righteousness in their heart. Think back to the past, I was ordered by Jing Daxia to intercept the Tartar General Bayan on the Yangtze River, but unexpectedly that female bandit hooked up with that Tartar General and even killed my son Bai Fu. Regardless of whether it's for public or private reasons, I will not coexist with that female bandit under the same sky!"

  "Chu Gong sneered: 'Bai San Yuan, that day you publicly scolded Jing Fei, and today you're praising him. Hmph, in my life, I've never seen anyone as shameless as you!'" He deliberately belittled Bai San Yuan, making his words unconvincing to others.

  Bai San Yuan's face turned gloomy, and he said dejectedly: "Indeed, that day I was blinded by my own selfish desires and did something shameful. Jiang Da Xia is a man of great integrity, a hero among men, and I am not worthy to be compared to him. After that day, I have been filled with remorse day and night, but I didn't have the face to see Jiang Da Xia again, to fight alongside him against our enemies. A few months ago, when I heard the news of his martyrdom, I was so grief-stricken that I wished I could die and follow him to the afterlife..." He suddenly turned his arm and punched himself in the mouth, knocking out three teeth, and blood flowed profusely from his lips.

  "White Third Brother, what's going on?" White Three Yuan was covered in blood and fell to one knee, crying out to the sky: "I've insulted General Jin, a crime punishable by death! Even cutting off my tongue or throat can't make up for it. But I have an unavenged grudge against my son, and I won't be able to rest easy until it's settled. If I can kill that slut Liu Yueyue today, I'll take off this head of mine and offer it as a sacrifice to General Jin's spirit in heaven!" The southern and northern warriors present saw him covered in blood and couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines. Thinking about the hatred between families and nations, they were moved by righteous indignation, shouting and cursing as they surged towards the manor gate. Chu Gong's clever plan had backfired, and his face changed color as he saw the crowd's emotions boiling over.

  Lei Xingkong saw this situation, glared and shouted loudly, his voice like thunder, momentarily drowning out the scene. All that could be heard was him saying in a deep voice: "A life for a life, a debt repaid with money, a female thief causing trouble and committing shameful acts. Hmph, Chu Xianliu's Iron Wood Sword may be strong, but it can't surpass the power of reason." Lei Zhen jumped out and shouted loudly: "That's right, the Chu family doesn't care about reason, so we don't need to reason with them!"

  Chu Gong sneered, "Lei Xingkong, are you saying this to gang up on me and destroy the Tianxiang Mountain Villa?" Lei Xingkong sneered back, "Chu Erlang, you're saying this as if you've made up your mind not to listen to reason?"

  The two sides clashed, and suddenly a figure emerged from the crowd, sighing: "Now that our country has fallen and our mountains and rivers are broken, why do you all insist on petty squabbles? Why not unite and join the righteous army, like General Jin and Yun Gongzi, to serve the country and slay the enemy?" The crowd looked up, and it was none other than the divine detective He Shuangyang, whose temples had turned gray, and he seemed to have aged a great deal.

  He Shuangyang's expression was stern, and he stared at Chu Gong, saying: "Brother Chu, that woman is a big thief from the rivers and seas. The Tianxiang Mountain Villa has been clean for generations, why must you make enemies with others for her sake? Why not hand her over, and we'll have six people confront her together, count out her crimes, and disembowel her to vent our grievances. Firstly, it will resolve the resentment of the masses; secondly, it will uphold the righteous spirit of the Jianghu; thirdly, this woman is in league with that demon head Liang Xiao, so it's not a bad idea to use her as a sacrifice to raise our banner, and we'll form a righteous army together, rush to Jiangxi, and have a great battle with the Tartars!"

  The crowd erupted in cheers, and someone shouted loudly: "I heard that Yun Shu, the great hero, is still among us. Is this true?" Yun Shu had defended Xiangyang to the death, repeatedly defeating powerful enemies, and everyone in the Jianghu world was convinced by his strength. Upon hearing these words, the crowd held their breath, staring at He Shuangyang with eyes full of expectation.

  He Shuangyang, seeing this situation, was stirred in his heart and said: "He Mou had assisted the government in the past, committing many crimes. Now that the mountains and rivers are broken, he has come to realize the mistakes of the past. This time, he came at the behest of Yun Dashou, summoning all the heroes to make a righteous move. In the battle of Changzhou, Yun Dashou was rescued by a mysterious person and escaped from death. Now, he is leading the naval forces, fighting against the Tartars. Wen Tianxiang, the Prime Minister, also escaped from the clutches of the Tartars and gathered tens of thousands of troops in Jiangxi to decide the fate with the Tartars once and for all. The situation is now very favorable, and I believe that within two years, we can recover the lost territory of the Song Dynasty."

  The heroes all heard that Yun Shu was still in the world, and they were all stirred up. When they also heard that Xing Fu was expected to return, they were even more overjoyed and excitedly shouted: "With Cloud Great Hero for one day, the Tartars will not get away with it!" "That's right, Cloud Great Hero's martial arts are unparalleled in the world, his strategies surpass others. With him as the leader, the Tartar soldiers are just made of paper and can't withstand a single blow!" The more they talked, the more spirited they became, everyone clenched their fists and rubbed their palms together, wishing they could rush to the battlefield immediately.

  Lei Xingkong, a pure Yang Iron Box, came with no interest in family or national affairs. He was cunning and smiled: "What the catcher said is reasonable. Let's catch the female thief first, then kill the Tartar, and show off the great Song Dynasty's prestige!" Everyone's head was hot, listening to him, they all shouted in agreement.

  Chu Yu sighed and said, "Big brother, the old man is right. That wicked woman has committed countless evils. It's extremely difficult to protect her. How can Third Uncle be so muddled at his age? Is it true that he's lost his soul for that female thief?" Although she respected Chu Xianliu, after hearing people slander him day in and day out, combined with the hatred of killing her son, over time, she thought that Chu Xianliu was just infatuated with Liu Yuying's beauty due to his old age.

  Chu Gong hesitated for a moment, shook his head and said: "Third Uncle's words are like the Nine Tripod Cauldron, he says no one can defeat him, unless someone can win against his Iron Wood Sword!" The crowd looked at each other, and the scene fell silent. Suddenly, someone shouted: "If one person can't beat him, why not two?" Lei Xingkong also said: "Yes, many people working together can break through metal! Does Chu Xianliu have the ability to block so many good men?" The crowd echoed in agreement, and all the Chu family members changed color.

  Chu Gong saw that things had come to this, and sighed: "Good, everyone's courage is commendable, please." He took two steps back to the left, opening up the large gate. If he insisted on blocking their way, the crowd might have really forced their way in, but instead he acted out of character, causing everyone to be surprised and suspicious.

  Lei Xingkong's mind was thinking of Chu Xianliu, who had not yet appeared. He suspected that there might be a vicious ambush set up at the entrance, and if they rushed in rashly, it would be difficult to avoid falling into a trap. Just as he was hesitating, Lei Zhen turned around and shouted: "Tianxiang Mountain Villa is not some kind of lair of dragons and tigers! Let's go in now, don't let people look down on us!" Upon hearing his words, everyone's courage grew, and they surged forward with a loud noise.

  Chu Gong gazed at Lei Zhen's back, his eyes lit up, and he suddenly laughed: "Brother Lei is awesome, haha, I admire you!" Lei Zhen turned around with a cold smile: "Don't dare, Lei has nothing else, but some guts!" Chu Gong smiled: "Not that, I admire Brother Lei's calligraphy on his back." Lei Zhen's face sank, and he said coldly: "Old Master Chu, what nonsense are you talking about?"

  As soon as Chu Gong spoke, everyone's eyes turned to Lei Zhen's back. His clothes were stained with oil, and upon closer inspection, there were four large characters: "I am a stupid pig". The writing was rough and careless, as if someone had scribbled it on after eating, using leftover grease. At first, the stain hadn't penetrated deeply and wasn't very clear, but now, blown by the wind, the oil glistened brightly, standing out prominently.

  Everyone saw clearly, and after being shocked, they also found it funny. For a moment, there were all sorts of discussions, and the faces of the people from Leigong Fortress looked incredibly ugly.

  Lei Zhen heard the crowd discussing, but didn't understand what was going on. He looked around, and his previous momentum was gone. Chu Gong laughed and said: "Lei, you think you're a fool, I'm also human, can't be compared to you! Haha, please!" He stretched out his hand and pointed to a dog hole in the corner of the wall.

  Lei Zhen angrily said: "You're the stupid pig!" He raised his fist, about to fight him, when suddenly he heard Chu Yu call out: "Big Brother, don't blame him, you... your clothes..." Lei Zhen glared and said: "Clothes? Can clothes scold people?" Chu Yu was both angry and anxious, but didn't know how to answer him. Bai San Yuan had a deep friendship with Lei Zhen, so he stepped forward and said: "Brother Lei, take off your outer garment and take a look..." Lei Zhen hesitated for a moment, then quickly took off his outer garment, looked carefully, and suddenly became stupid on the spot.

  Bai San Yuan was facing away from the crowd, and everyone's eyes fell on his back. Someone said word by word: "I farted!" As soon as the words came out, others burst into laughter. The person who spoke regained their composure and awkwardly said: "It wasn't me who farted, it was Bai San Yuan who farted!"

  Bai San Yuan's anger surged, and he turned to recognize the person. He said sternly, "Lu Daizhao, I have no grudge against you, why do you insult me?" He took a step forward, his eyes gleaming with ferocity. Lu Daizhao's face turned pale, and he shouted back, "Can't anyone read what's written on your back just because it's there?" Bai San Yuan's expression changed, and he hastily removed his jacket, revealing the words "I'm full of crap" scribbled in oil stains. The handwriting matched the writing on Lei Zhen's back, clearly written by the same person.

  Lei Xingkong stepped forward, his face stern, and slapped the table: "Lei Zhen, what's going on?" Lei Zhen wiped away the cold sweat from his forehead and stammered: "I... I had no idea..." Everyone was shocked, thinking to themselves: "White San Yuan is one thing, but Lei Zhen, a man of such stature, was actually written about behind his back and he didn't even know?"

  Bai Sanyuan's eyes blazed with fury as he thundered, "Who is it? You have the guts to wield three knives and six eyes, come out and fight me to the death! Hiding your head and showing your tail, what kind of hero are you?" The crowd exchanged nervous glances, momentarily silent. Seeing no one emerge, Bai Sanyuan's momentum grew stronger, he stomped his foot, ready to continue berating, when suddenly a voice rang out clear and loud, "You dare to scold women from behind, what kind of hero are you?"

  The crowd turned their heads to look, and a man and a woman were walking towards them with a donkey. The two men, one a monk and the other a layman, the latter about twenty years old, wore white clothes that were spotless, his black hair hanging down to his shoulders, a long green bamboo sword slanted at his waist, dozens of thin bamboo threads seemed to have a life of their own, jumping lively in his fingers, forming a strange bamboo ring. He spoke with his mouth and formed the ring with his hands, walking along the way without lifting his head.

  Bai Sanyuan and Lei Zhen exchanged a glance, remembering that they had seen these three men and women when they were eating earlier. Their faces changed color in unison, and Bai Sanyuan shouted: "You bamboo...!" The newcomer was Liang Xiao, who smiled and said: "I don't weave bamboo, I only weave people." Bai Sanyuan was taken aback, furious, and asked: "What does it matter what you weave? Are the words on this clothing written by you?" Liang Xiao smiled and asked: "What words did I write?" Bai Sanyuan blurted out: "I'm letting...!" Lei Xingkong hastily stopped him: "Bai younger brother!" Bai Sanyuan was shocked, swallowed back the word "dog", stared at that person, thinking: "Damn it, almost fell into his trap again!" He lost face completely, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He picked up an iron pole, exchanged a glance with Lei Zhen, and suddenly they both sprang out, one to the left and one to the right, fiercely pouncing on their opponent.

  Liang Xiao still didn't raise his head, and with a whooshing sound, two bamboo threads shot out from his hands. The two men opposite him only felt a stinging pain in their wrists as the bamboo threads pierced through the "Lieque" acupoint and emerged from the "Shenmen" acupoint. Their upper bodies went numb, and they were shocked and enraged, just about to struggle when Liang Xiao's internal energy attached itself to the bamboo threads, entering the two men's bodies and immediately circulating along their meridians. The "Lieque" acupoint belongs to the "Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian", while the "Shenmen" acupoint belongs to the "Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian". With the heart and lung meridians connected, even a slight movement would affect the entire body. The two men suddenly felt their hearts racing and their breath tightening, with numbness and soreness spreading throughout their bodies. Bai Sanyuan's iron oar fell to the ground as he almost collapsed to the ground.

  The crowd was shocked, and just as they were about to rescue them, Liang Xiao's ten fingers trembled, tying the two men's wrists with bamboo threads into fine rings, hanging them on the large bamboo ring in his hand. The group of heroes swung their weapons and rushed from all sides. Liang Xiao was nonchalant, spinning left and right, using the "Bimei Arrow" technique to shoot the long bamboo threads out in all directions, like a spiritual snake flying through the air, making it almost impossible to dodge. Cries of pain filled the air as many people's Lieque and Shenmen acupoints were pierced. Liang Xiao's fingers changed quickly, releasing the bamboo threads while tying them into fine rings, hooking them into the large bamboo ring. In no time, more than a dozen strong men were hanging from the bamboo ring, their faces twisted in pain, following his footsteps. The remaining people were terrified, scattering in all directions, not daring to get close.

  Liang Xiao kept his head down, and no one recognized him. Lei Xingkong shouted, "Bamboo weaver, what are you doing here?" Liang Xiao raised his head, smiled slightly, and said, "I told you earlier, I don't weave bamboo, I specialize in weaving people." Chu Yu recognized him at a glance, suddenly exclaimed, "You...you're also here to save that despicable person?" Liang Xiao smiled and said, "Your insult is good, I'll remember it. The two words 'despicable person' will be carved on your face later!" Chu Yu saw the smile on his face, but his tone was icy cold, and her heart skipped a beat.

  Others also recognized Liang Xiao. He Xiangyang shouted, "Liang Xiao, you treacherous son! It's really you!" Everyone who heard this changed color.

  Chu Yu's husband and wife were connected at heart, seeing her husband fall into someone else's hands, she was both in pain and angry, swinging her sword towards Liang Xiao. Liang Xiao didn't wait for her to rush forward, hanging the bamboo ring on his left arm, his right hand drew out a bamboo sword, slapping the back of her sword. Chu Yu's tiger mouth felt sour and painful, her long sword deviated, instantly her body followed the sword as it flew out, the long sword slanted and flew out. Liang Xiao's bamboo sword also followed suit, striking later but arriving first, hitting Chu Yu's "Qu Chi" acupoint.

  Chu Yu's arm went limp, her long sword slipped from her grasp, and suddenly a flower bloomed before her eyes. The bamboo sword was like a ghost or a demon, falling onto her face. Chu Yu's blood ran cold as ice, and in her heart there was only one thought: "What kind of devilish sword technique is this?"

  Lei Zhen saw his wife and child being restrained, but he was powerless to help them. All he could do was curse loudly. Liang Xiao smiled and said: "Chu Erniang, do you remember what I told you?" Chu Yu gritted her teeth and remained silent. Liang Xiao continued: "I keep my promises. First, I'll carve the word 'jian' (mean) on your left cheek, then carve the word 'ren' (person) on your right cheek. This way, they will be symmetrical, and you won't be able to erase them for the rest of your life!"

  Everyone felt a chill, thinking that Chu Yu's Xu Niang was already half old, but still had charm, and with these two words on her face, it would truly be a great blow to her beauty. The Lei family members scolded loudly, although Chu Gong was annoyed that Chu Yu was born outside the family, after all they were siblings, seeing this he felt a pang of sympathy, and tightly furrowed his brow.

  Liang Xiao was about to take action, but Hua Xiao Shuang suddenly said: "Brother Xiao, no!" Liang Xiao frowned and said: "You want to stop me again?" Hua Xiao Shuang's face turned pale, shaking her head and saying: "Fine, I won't stop you. But if someone carved such humiliating words on my face, I'd rather die!" Liang Xiao was taken aback, his bamboo sword flashing as he struck Chu Yu's cheeks, causing them to swell up. He snorted and said: "Get out of here!"

  Chu Yu narrowly escaped, then retreated. Liang Xiao handed the long sword to Chu Yu and shouted: "Take it, the Splitting Fragrance Sword Technique is yours! But you're not worthy of it!" Chu Yu took the sword, his face as white as paper.

  The crowd of experts at Tianxiang Manor heard this and couldn't help but look sorrowful and indignant. Hua Xiaoxue saw Liang Xiao spare Chu Yu, let out a sigh of relief, and looked at the large bamboo ring in his hand, saying softly: "Xiao Gege, their acupoints have been sealed for too long, they must be suffering from internal injuries, you...you should let them go too..." Her small hands grasped Liang Xiao's left arm, her eyes full of pleading. Liang Xiao avoided her gaze, but Hua Xiaoxue just shook his arm, saying softly: "Xiao Gege!" Liang Xiao's hand was clenched around the large bamboo ring, which was connected to a smaller bamboo ring, and that in turn was threaded through the acupoints of the crowd. So every time Hua Xiaoxue shook his arm, the crowd would cry out in pain. Hua Xiaoxue shook his arm three times, and the crowd cried out three times. Hua Xiaoxue suddenly realized what she had done, felt a pang of regret, and apologized: "Oh dear, I'm so sorry!" Liang Xiao looked at her expression, and finally couldn't help but sigh: "Forget it." He released his grip on the bamboo ring, and the crowd's energy was restored. They broke free from the bamboo threads, but after this ordeal, their vigor was completely gone, and they were left feeling weak and disheveled.

  Liang Xiao's life was marked by quick temper and a strong sense of justice. Today, he had been repeatedly provoked by the frosty dawn, his heart felt stifled, and his eyes gleamed with anger as he stared at He Shuangyang: "You are a member of Yun Shu's faction, why do you still want to make things difficult for Liu Yanyan? Don't you know their relationship?" He Shuangyang snorted in contempt, coldly saying: "The dog is talking nonsense! How can the great hero Yun Da compare to the sun and moon? How could he have a relationship with this kind of woman?" Liang Xiao's eyes did not leave his face, staring at him for a long time, frowning: "Is this true?" He Shuangyang loudly declared: "If there is even half a word of falsehood, I will not die well!" Liang Xiao's face sank, sternly saying: "Nonsense! Yun Shu has a life-saving grace towards Liu Yanyan, Liu Yanyan repays his kindness with her body, this matter you and the Lei Chu two families have all personally witnessed, is there still any falsehood?"

  He Shengyang saw Lei Xingkong and Chu Gong's father and son, as well as Chu Jingyuan and his sister, all looked puzzled. He was anxious in his heart and angrily shouted: "Shut up, you dog! Yun Daxia has been upright all his life, now he already has a marriage contract, and has nothing to do with this female thief!"

  Liang Xiao looked at him with a stern expression, and his heart was filled with doubts. He hesitated for a moment before asking, "You said Yun Shu has a marriage agreement?" He Xunyang replied loudly, "That's right!" Liang Xiao asked again, "Then does he know that Yan Yan is trapped in the manor?" He Xunyang raised an eyebrow and thought to himself, "Yun Daxia indeed doesn't know about this matter. That scoundrel is trying to tarnish his reputation. Humph, I won't let him succeed!" He then said, "Of course Yun Daxia knows, he even told me that whether the female thief is dead or alive has nothing to do with him."

  Liang Xiao's eyebrows rose in anger and he asked, "Did he really say that?" He Shuangyang loudly replied, "Absolutely true!" As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone cheered in unison.

  Liang Xiao stood there, his expression changing from bright to dark several times. Suddenly he nodded and said, "Alright, Yun Shu won't save him, I, Liang Xiao will." His voice suddenly rose, "Chu Xianliu, junior Liang Xiao requests an audience." The sound was drawn out, like a clap of thunder, rumbling towards the manor, and only after a moment did the echo come back.

  Everyone who heard this turned pale, thinking that the dog thief was so fierce that no one in this village could defeat him. Liang Xiao shouted once, but no one responded. He furrowed his brow and walked towards the entrance of the village.

  Chu Gong took a step forward, his voice stern: "Liang Xiao, you just spoke out of turn, looking down on the Fen Xiang sword technique. Is that right?" Liang Xiao sneered: "That's right, the Fen Xiang sword technique is nothing but mediocre!"

  Chu Gong let out a cold hum, his hand grasping the sword hilt, and launched a mid-level thrust. Liang Xiao's bamboo sword swept out, lightly and elegantly suppressing Chu Gong's sword body. This sword move originated from the "Dui Sword Path" method, where "dùi" means swampy terrain, aiming to generate sticky energy from internal force to bind the opponent's blade. Chu Gong's fine steel longsword seemed to sink into muddy waters, unable to exert any strength and also couldn't be pulled out. He sheathed his sword and hastily retreated, Liang Xiao also stepped forward in pursuit, his bamboo sword sticking close to the steel sword, following him wherever he went. In a flash, the two men advanced and retreated like the wind, drifting several zhang away. Chu Gong was unable to shake off the bamboo sword, suddenly recalling that Cloud Xi had also used this method to suppress his longsword in the past, and his heart began to feel flustered.

  Chu Yu watched as her brother was humiliated in public, the hundred-year reputation of their maternal family ruined in an instant. She couldn't bear it and flew out, her sword fluttering, stabbing towards Liang Xiao's ribs. Liang Xiao spun his foot, his bamboo sword swinging horizontally, causing Chu Gong to stumble and crash into Chu Yu's sword tip. Chu Yu was shocked, and with great difficulty, she moved her long sword four inches to the side, just in time to meet Chu Gong's sword. This move had been anticipated by Liang Xiao, who suddenly pressed down on his bamboo sword. The sound of metal clashing filled the air as Chu Yu's long sword also became stuck.

  The Chu siblings' reputation has been renowned in the martial world for over thirty years, but today they were subdued by a younger generation with just a bamboo sword, and everyone was shocked, looking at Liang Xiao with fear. Just then, a woman's voice came from the Zhuangmen: "Dad 'Clouds Across Qin Mountains', Aunt 'Fragrant Orchid Smiling' and 'Spring Water Overflowing'!"

  In a state of desperation, the siblings Chu heard this and didn't care about the truth. Chu Gong made a move called "Clouds Across Qinling", his body slightly turning, his long sword floating horizontally, the tip trembling as if an orchid was blooming. Liang Xiao only felt two steel swords jumping up, just about to use force to suppress them, when suddenly he saw Chu Yu's waist twisting, using her waist to lead her shoulders, her shoulders to lead her arms, and her arms to lead her sword. The power on the sword changed three times in a row. Liang Xiao's tiger mouth felt hot, his bamboo sword slightly bending, knowing that if this continued, his bamboo sword would surely break, so he had no choice but to withdraw his force. The Chu siblings' swords became light, and the two steel swords finally returned.

  The sound of the scene shook the thunder. Liang Xiao's eyes turned, and a blue-shirted woman stood in front of the villa. Liang Xiao blurted out: "It's you!" This woman was exactly Chu Wan, Liang Xiao was about to ask her for news of the two kings, but Chu Wan didn't look at him, and said: "Third Uncle has just woken up from his noon sleep, and ordered me to invite everyone to enter the villa for a chat!"

  Liang Xiao had to swallow the words that were on his lips, bid farewell to the bamboo sword, and stepped into the door with big strides. The Chu brothers and sisters knew they couldn't stop him, so they reluctantly made way for him. A group of people each with their own intentions, entered the villa in a line, walking along the bluestone path. Inside the villa, hundreds of flowers were in full bloom; to the left was a cluster of roses, to the right was a clump of peonies; east had spring silks, west had a ground full of violets; ten kinds of brocade were in front, beautiful women followed behind; night-blooming osmanthus was like a leopard, tree peony was as gorgeous as a beauty, scattered and fallen, competing for beauty. Everyone's eyes were filled with colors, fragrance hit their noses, no one didn't feel carefree and joyful, the desire to fight greatly reduced.

  About two miles away, the road comes to an end. The sound of water is heard, and a clear spring gushes out from between the rocks, flowing through the flowers; a small wooden bridge spans over it; on the other side of the bridge, the trees and flowers are swaying, hiding a small eight-sided pavilion; the beams above still have scales of pine bark that have not been peeled off.

  Liang Xiao had not yet crossed the bridge when he heard someone sighing and reciting: "Life is like a great dream, why toil one's body? So I get drunk every day, lying carelessly in front of the pillar, waking up to glance at the courtyard in front, where a bird sings among the flowers..." Before the poem was finished, a soft and charming female voice interrupted in a flustered tone: "So sour and pretentious, it's unbearable!" Liang Xiao felt as if he had been struck by lightning, standing there dumbfounded.

  The poet burst out laughing, his laughter clear and strong, like a dragon in the sky. After finishing his laugh, he said: "No matter what Chu says, it's always sour, while Liang Xiao's fart is sweet." A cold female voice retorted: "You're the one who eats farts!" Liang Xiao's heart skipped a beat as he strolled over the bridge, his footsteps leisurely. From afar, he saw Chu Xianliu sitting on the stone steps in front of the pavilion, embracing his knees, looking relaxed and carefree, holding a cup and gazing into the distance. Not far from him, a green-clad woman stood with her back to him, covering her ears with both hands, her body slightly trembling, seemingly still seething with anger.

  Liang Xiao gazed at her back, as if separated from the world. He was about to take a step forward, but his feet felt stiff. He wanted to call out, but his throat seemed to be choked with emotion. The woman heard the footsteps and turned around, her face radiant like a burst of light, making all the flowers around her lose their color. Her gaze shifted and suddenly fell on Liang Xiao, she was stunned for a moment, her slender body shook, and she let out a soft cry, as if a swallow had returned to its nest, and rushed into his arms. Hua Xiao Shuang stood behind Liang Xiao, witnessing the scene with wide eyes full of surprise.

  Liang Xiao saw the woman enter his embrace, and only then did he wake up. He slightly shifted his body, stretched out his hand to support her elbow, and said: "Miss Liu, be careful!" Liu Xiangxiang didn't expect him to let go, and was stunned, saying: "You... what do you call me?" Liang Xiao smiled wryly and sighed: "Miss Liu, it's been a long time since we last met. You've lost weight." Liu Xiangxiang stared at him blankly for a while, then suddenly laughed miserably, saying: "You're calling me Miss Liu?"

  Liang Xiao lowered his head and didn't speak, when suddenly Hua Xiao Shuang softly said: "Xiao Gege, is this your friend?" Liang Xiao hummed a sound, just about to open his mouth, when Liu Xiangxiang's pair of beautiful eyes had already fixed onto Hua Xiao Shuang's face, as if she understood something, and coldly laughed: "Xiao Gege, you're calling her so intimately!" Turning around to stare at Liang Xiao, lightly saying: "Who is she? Introduce me." Liang Xiao saw that her gaze was icy, his heart skipped a beat, softly saying: "She's Xiao Shuang." Liu Xiangxiang's face lost its color, deeply took a breath, hoarsely said: "Good, you call her Xiao Shuang, but you call me Liu Niangzi! Good, humph, you're good..." Her voice choked, her eyes were already filled with tears.

  Liang Xiao saw her expression and was somewhat perplexed, but after a moment's thought, he had an epiphany: "She has suffered countless grievances at the hands of Yun Shu and Chu Xianliu, and wants to confide in me. Even if she wronged me, I too have been overly distant with her." He fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly: "Yingying..." Liu Yingying's face flushed red as she suddenly shouted: "Shut up! Who are you to call me Yingying?"

  Liang Xiao was taken aback, Hua Xiao Xue's words were spoken without thinking, and she couldn't help but say: "Sister, Shao Ge is kind-hearted, why are you being so fierce..." Before she could finish speaking, Liu Yingying coldly laughed and said: "Little slut, I'm talking to the little rascal, do you have a place to interrupt?" Hua Xiao Xue was scolded by her, her face turned pale, and she trembled with fear, saying: "You...you're scolding who?" Liu Yingying loudly said: "Are you deaf? Little slut, I'm scolding you!" Hua Xiao Xue's lips quivered, and after a long while, she said: "You...you're not being reasonable!"

  Liu Yingying sneered, "Alright, I'll reason with you. What do you think the relationship is between me and Liang Xiao?" Before Hua Xiaoxue could respond, Liu Yingying continued, "I am his future wife, he is my future husband! I don't know what method you used to entice him, but from now on, get lost!" These few words were bold and shocking, stunning everyone present. Liang Xiao hadn't yet regained his composure when he suddenly saw Hua Xiaoxue staring at him with a bewildered expression, then her body swayed and she fainted. Liang Xiao was shocked, rushed over to hold her in his arms, and fed her the Golden Wind Jade Dew pill.

  Liu Yingying's heart was trembling with anxiety, unsure whether to feel sad or angry. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and two streams of tears fell down. Liang Xiao gave Hua Xiaoshuang the medicine, then looked at Liu Yingying again, his mind as if turned upside down, unable to express the complex emotions. He glanced around, his heart skipping a beat, seeing that everyone was staring at him with mocking expressions, except for Chu Xianliu, who was smiling and gazing at him with interest.

  Liang Xiao fell silent for a moment, handed Hua Xiao Xue over to Hua Sheng, and said seriously: "Yingying, have the people from Tianxiang Mountain Villa ever bullied you? Just tell me, I'll risk my life to help you get revenge!"

  Liu Yingying was heartbroken and annoyed, but after hearing this, she felt a sweetness in her heart, and her resentment dissipated. She coldly said: "There's no other bullying, it's just that Chu Lao doesn't allow me to leave. He says that if I hurt one of the Tianxiang Mountain Villa disciples, he'll lock me up for a year. Just because I beat up five idiots from the Tianxiang Mountain Villa, so he wants to lock me up for five years." Liang Xiao heard that she hadn't been humiliated and let out a long sigh of relief. He bowed his hands to Chu Xianliu and said: "The five-year term is too long, I hope you can pardon her a bit, Senior Chu." Chu Xianliu smiled faintly and shook his head, saying: "It's not possible, she's only been here for a year, but she must stay for four more years. Not even one year less!"

  Liang Xiao was taken aback, and as he turned to look at her, Liu Xianxian's delicate face looked haggard, with a hint of sadness in her eyes. He thought that over the past year, she must have suffered greatly, and since he had come, how could he let her be trapped for another four years? In an instant, his heart was racing, and he said loudly: "Chu Qianbei, whether you agree or not, today I will take her away no matter what."