Chapter 11 011

Lu Xiaofeng took a deep breath. "Would you mind letting me see the letter your Miss Shi sent?"

He sometimes wished he and his other good friend, Hua Manlou, were blind. Even better, Sikong Zhaixing was blind, too. That way...

Shikong Zhaixing wouldn't have to get into trouble because of a truly stunning beauty. He wouldn't have to watch Sikong Zhaixing, with a dazed smile on her face, hand him that urgent letter.

It was as if she were poisoned.

The seemingly carelessly written words, "Unintentional, yet affectionate," caught his eye.

Of course, Lu Xiaofeng's concern wasn't that phrase, but the rest of the "letter of employment."

He quickly scanned the contents and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

From his perspective as an outsider, Shi Qingruo was definitely planning to use Sikong Zhaixing.

Although she was married to one of the Seventh Saint Lords of the Misty Heaven Alliance, she didn't truly hold the second-in-command within the alliance, and her command and control over the forces was limited. These subordinates, each with their own agenda, might not be any more useful than Sikong Zhaixing.

Since they were both willing to fight and to be beaten, there was no harm in putting this support to good use.

Fortunately, she didn't truly intend to send Sikong Zhaixing to his death.

The letter was brief, yet it contained plenty of information.

Huang Rong had filled in the details of what she had told Yu Shiqingruo, clearly outlining the feud between the individuals who would break into the Marquis Shentong's mansion tonight and the guest officials involved. With

their backgrounds and martial arts prowess laid bare, it was easy to speculate on the potential commotion they could cause tonight.

As for Sikong Zhaixing's plan, he would take advantage of the mansion's lack of security and head for a location.

To steal there without alerting the guards, as others had done tonight, only someone with Sikong Zhaixing's exceptional lightness skills could do the job.

Furthermore, given the gravity of the matter, she couldn't trust the Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower's personnel to do it for her, simply out of partnership.

In Lu Xiaofeng's opinion, Shi Qingruo didn't need to write words like "this is of great importance" and "this is a rare opportunity."

Turning to look at him again, he saw Sikong Zhaixing's face filled with the caution of impending action.

Even through the disguise, it was clear.

"...She told you to go to Young Marquis Fang's Unbearable Hall and bring back something from the backyard's exotic animal garden, but she didn't say what it was. Aren't you afraid of making a mistake?"

Sikong Zhaixing replied confidently, "Miss Shi said that once I stood in front of it, I knew I had to bring it back. Why should I worry?"

Lu Xiaofeng couldn't complain, but suddenly his expression straightened. "Alright then! Regardless of how many people she mentioned, or whether they can arrive in time, I will risk my life to accompany you to the Shentong Marquis Mansion!"

Now that he was here, he and his friend had to escape Bianjing unscathed.

...

To say that the Shentong Marquis Mansion was a den of dragons and tigers might not be an exaggeration.

Fang Yingkan received the title of Marquis of Divine Power thanks to his adoptive father, Fang Geyin. Also thanks to Fang Geyin, he also secured the support and assistance of numerous renowned figures in the martial arts world.

Some heroes in this world simply seek to avenge their enemies alone, while others, through various opportunities, rise to become leaders of numerous factions within the martial arts world.

Fang Geyin was one of the latter.

Thus, while Fang Yingkan's Marquis of Divine Power Mansion might be considered low-key within the capital, far inferior to the nearby Six-and-a-half Hall and Golden Wind and Drizzle Tower, it was certainly not a place where one could freely wander.

From Sikong Zhaixing's perspective, as he cautiously passed the sentry post, the gloomy confines of the mansion seemed to harbor monstrous maws, ready to devour anyone.

Even with Lu Xiaofeng by his side, he couldn't help but exercise caution.

Fortunately, the moonlight tonight was dim, as if shrouded by dark clouds, making it much easier for him to conceal himself in the shadows than usual.

Strangely enough, within the vast Marquis Shentong Mansion, there were only two truly brightly lit areas.

One was the front courtyard, where a few people were now gathered.

When Sikong Zhaixing and the others had just passed by, they had seen many of the mansion's retainers engaged in a martial arts competition. It seemed some of them had just arrived and were accustomed to fraternizing with each other, as was customary among the people of the martial arts world.

The other was Fang Yingkan's Bujiezhai.

...

Amidst the radiant candlelight of the numerous bright lamps, the young Marquis Fang seemed bathed in the sunlight, his handsome features illuminating every detail.

While he wasn't of noble birth, Eunuch Mi, who was also present, saw that even with Fang Yingkan's casual attire, his features were still delicate, giving him an air of elegance comparable to that of a child of the royal family.

Eunuch Mi admired him even more for something else.

This young Marquis Fang was unlike his adoptive father, who, despite possessing such powerful influence, sought only to stay away from the court.

Fang Yingkan was ambitious, an ambition unmatched by anyone else, a drive for power.

Of course, ambitious individuals were not uncommon in the martial arts world, but those with Fang Yingkan's background, ability, ambition, and intelligence were rare.

But today, he seemed to be troubled by something, and he pressed the tip of his pen between his brows, trying to smooth the slight frown.

"Still thinking about the Misty Heaven Alliance?" Eunuch Mi asked. "This shouldn't bother you for too long."

In truth, no one would place the blame for the assassination on the young Marquis Fang.

If we count the number of people mobilized, Fang Yingkan didn't account for the majority.

He could easily say that he was struggling to gain a foothold in the capital and still needed to rely on the Prime Minister, which was why, through his help, he partnered with Lei Sun of the Six and a Half Hall.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a successful collaboration.

Fang Yingkan put down his red brush and smiled. "This would have been a golden opportunity to eradicate the Misty Heaven Alliance. It's truly a pity. The north has been restless for years, so the emperor must maintain stability, and naturally, the number of people in charge should be reduced. Those high-ranking officials at court just want to see one gang left in Bianjing, and it's my duty to lend them a hand."

His words were filled with calculation, yet his good-looking face made him appear to be chatting and joking.

If Eunuch Mi hadn't known Fang Yingkan's character, he would have been startled by his lighthearted words.

Help them? Once the Misty Heaven Alliance was gone, the remaining Liufenbantang and Jinfengxiyulou would surely fight to the death.

But how could these people have anticipated that Young Marquis Fang had been gathering strength and waiting nearby, even recruiting many of the Misty Heaven Alliance's subordinates. As long as the two beasts over there could fight out a decisive battle, it would be his chance to reap the benefits.

But what was even more unexpected was that this major event, which should have started with the assassination at the wedding banquet, was interrupted in this way, forcing Fang Yingkan to postpone his actions and seek another opportunity.

"I even thought of a name for our new gang." He pursed his lips, his smile becoming even more impudent. "Let's call it Youqiao Group."

"Youqiao..." Eunuch Mi was taken aback by the words, then suddenly burst into laughter. "Great, call it Youqiao Group."

This wasn't a "Youqiao" with or without a bridge.

Before entering the palace to serve the imperial family, his name was Mi Cangqiong. Because he had earned the favor of the late emperor

, he was given the name Mi Youqiao. However, a master in the imperial court was forbidden from forming cliques and engaging in private activities in the capital. However, unwilling to remain silent, he joined forces with Fang Yingkan, who also harbored ulterior motives.

Seeing Fang Yingkan controlling the men sent by his adoptive father and recruiting numerous new retainers, including the Five and Six Saint Lords of the Mitian League, he felt like he had been rejuvenated, poised to become a powerful figure.

This future gang might not truly be named "Youqiao Group" for the sake of avoiding suspicion, but Fang Yingkan's intention to honor him was a welcome gesture.

Fang Yingkan met Mi Youqiao's approving gaze and said, "Our foundation is even shallower than Lei Sun's. If we can emerge victorious in the final battle between the two factions, we'll surely earn the Prime Minister's trust. Once we've ensnared the Mysterious Heaven Alliance's undercover agents and the legitimate forces on both sides, we won't have to rely on lending money to amass our wealth as we do now. With such enormous benefits before us, I can afford to wait."

He had the patience.

Anti-righteous Father was still wandering the land, completely unaware of his maneuvers in the capital.

Once he had scaled several high-ranking branches and grown in power, it would be too late for his adoptive father to intervene.

As for his defeat against the Mysterious Heaven Alliance, it wasn't a fatal blow to him.

As Mi Youqiao had said, these people didn't consider him a true opponent, so how could they have known he was a venomous snake lurking nearby? Learning a lesson now and suffering a setback would be a valuable experience, better than suffering setbacks later.

As for the newly emerged Holy Lord's Wife of the Mysterious Heaven Alliance, it wouldn't be too late to wait for news from his insider.

"I'm worried about a few other things." Fang Yingkan stood up and paced back and forth in the room twice.

"Tell me about it."

"One is the Prime Minister's side." Fang Yingkan's tone was slightly displeased. "Because he is an important minister entrusted with the care of the young emperor, no one in the court can surpass his status for the time being. We can only be on good terms with him, and even send him more gifts in the future. But Eunuch Mi should be able to see that Prime Minister Fu has done a lot of stupid things recently."

"The previous case against Lianyun Village and Huinuo City was handled very poorly. Not only did he kill Gu Xichao, who was undercover in Lianyun Village, but he also lost a master like Jiuyou Shenjun, and he also cut off one of his own arms and killed Wen Zhang."

"If his wife is as you said, Eunuch Mi, she was snatched away from someone else and an injustice was caused back then. But he didn't know what it meant to cut the grass and get rid of the roots. He actually registered the woman's child under his own name, with Fu as the surname, and treated the child as his own. ... I think it's only a matter of time before something bad will happen." "

We should keep a good distance from him. If something really happens, it can be resolved as soon as possible."

Mi Youqiao nodded: "You are right. It is better to rely on yourself than on others. What about the other thing?"

Fang Yingkan said in a deep voice: "My adoptive father has always refused to teach me his unique skills. I only have the Blood River Sword... plus the Wu Ri Divine Spear secretly sent by the north. If I meet masters like Lei Sun and Guan Qi, it will still be useless."

Mi Youqiao did not comment on this, but asked in a flat tone: "Then what you mean is-"

Fang Yingkan said: "When cooperating with the assassination that day, didn't you meet a new guest under the Prime Minister? I saw his teacher and fell in love with a new martial art. If the recent events in the capital still need to wait, it might as well see if I can find an opportunity to meet that person..."

"What's the noise outside!"

Fang Yingkan suddenly interrupted and asked sternly towards the door.

His martial arts were practiced under the personal supervision of Fang Geyin, and he was extremely talented, so it was not difficult for him to hear some special movements in the wind outside the window.

If he heard correctly, the sound came from the front yard.

He had recently gained several new talents, the most prominent of whom was Ouyang Ke, the young master of White Camel Mountain. He decided to have them compete with his other retainers in martial arts, so that those who had entered the mansion earlier would have a sense of crisis and could hone their martial arts.

Ouyang Ke had an uncle known as the Western Poison, who was also skilled in raising poisonous insects. He might be able to use him in some shady places, which made Fang Yingkan even more excited.

However, the noise coming from the front yard clearly didn't seem like a limited exchange in the Marquis of Shentong's mansion, but more like some kind of disturbance!

Fang Yingkan walked out with a hint of anger on his face, and saw a servant hurriedly coming to report.

"Reporting to the Marquis, when Master Cai of the Lingding Blade and Master Ouyang were competing, a strange boy suddenly broke in, and there was a girl dressed in white with a gold ring with him. The old monster Shenxian said that the strange boy drank his snake blood and wanted him to pay with his life. The girl tried to stop him, and the two started quarreling." "

Why not just kill him and be done with it?"

The servant replied hesitantly: "That was what we were going to do, but who knew that the girl was beautiful, and Master Ouyang was sympathetic to women, so he wanted to have a literary duel with her. During the competition, the female devil brought by Master Fu suddenly stood on the side of the girl for some reason, saying that this was her master's daughter. This completely messed up!"

"..." Fang Yingkan cursed in his heart, what a mess.

But he still replied: "I'll go to the front yard to take a look!"

He is now lying low and trying to build up his reputation, but it doesn't mean that

any Tom, Dick, or Harry can come to his territory to cause trouble!

...

But as he left, he failed to notice two nimble figures, previously crouching motionless in a courtyard, preventing Mi Youqiao, the Imperial Guardian, from noticing their intrusion. But as he headed for the front courtyard, Mi Youqiao took his leave. As they stared at each other, they saw surprise in each other's eyes.

Their chance had arrived.

Just as the bright light enveloped Young Marquis Fang as he departed, the two figures, like wisps of black smoke, slithered into the backyard of Bujiezhai.

This was where Fang Yingkan's treasures were hidden, and even the garden within was named the Garden of Rare and Exotic Animals.

Although Fang Yingkan had gone to the front courtyard, the gates were still guarded by two masters.

If it weren't for Sikong Zhaixing and Lu Xiaofeng, they would have easily been noticed.

Sikong Zhaixing landed in the garden, breathlessly surveying his surroundings.

The name "Garden of Rare and Exotic Animals" was truly fitting. Auspicious beasts, rarely seen by ordinary people, were caged here like domesticated poultry. One wondered how many connections this young Marquis Fang had.

Fortunately, their landing and movement were so quiet that they didn't awaken the sleeping beasts, and naturally, didn't attract the attention of the two gatekeepers.

But they still had to leave as soon as possible, lest they trigger some trap, causing a noise that would draw Fang Yingkan and his retainers from the front yard.

Lu Xiaofeng paused, then asked Sikong Zhaixing in a low voice, "Have you seen what Master-Miss asked you to find?"

He glanced to his left.

While the white fox was rare, it was even considered insignificant in the courtyard.

He then glanced to his right.

If the four-legged beast was paired with the fog in the mountains, it might be considered a good omen reported by the local authorities, but Lu Xiaofeng had a hunch that this was not what Shi Qingruo wanted to find.

He didn't know what Shi Qingruo was thinking. He had to create confusion in the letter instead of making it clear directly. Was he really afraid that they had found the wrong thing?

Then there was...

Lu Xiaofeng suddenly retracted his foot, thus avoiding kicking the iron cage in front of him.

He was thinking and searching at the same time, and

he was distracted. Fortunately, the dark mass in the iron cage was quiet and silent, and it didn't look like the size of a beast. It was probably not a bit sharp, otherwise he would really get into trouble.

He quickly calmed his heartbeat, which had suddenly increased, and carefully looked at the iron cage in front of him, beware of missing something.

Fortunately, the moon, which was originally covered by dark clouds, also broke free for a moment and shone into this garden. He didn't need to light a candle to vaguely see the things in the cage.

In order to prevent seeing wrongly, he moved closer.

But he didn't know if it was his illusion, the smell that rushed into his nose at the moment of approaching didn't look like the smell of a beast, but a faint smell of blood.

This dark and messy mass didn't look like the fur of a beast, but...

"Ah!"

Lu Xiaofeng was so shocked that his eyes widened, and he almost blurted out a cry of surprise, but he had time to cover his mouth by instinct to prevent the sound from coming out.

He saw it.

Sporadic moonlight passed through the "weeds" and illuminated a pair of lifeless eyes.

Under the eyes was a mouth that was opened with great effort, but only the tongue was open, and no sound could be heard.

The dim light and shadow could only vaguely confirm that the person imprisoned here actually had a beautiful face, but it had been distorted into a weird appearance due to all kinds of torture.

Lu Xiaofeng took a step back in shock, and then saw something else.

The two dark masses in front of the weeds are not the moving front paws of some animals, but two moving hands of a person.

But...how can these two hands be called hands? There is clearly no finger on them.

In this rare and exotic animal park that does not abstain from fasting, there is a woman who is blind, mute, and has ten fingers cut off! ②

Author's words:

① Who is the hero in Talking about Heroes - Gentle Knife

② Who is the hero in Talking about Heroes - Invincible in the World

Perhaps someone has noticed that when The Legend

of the Condor Heroes was combined with this background, one person's surname was changed, and I also rebalanced the force value. The Prime Minister is Fu Zongshu from Talking about Heroes/Against the Cold.

Fang Yingkan's setting is based on the original work, not modified according to the game.

At present, the important forces in Bianjing City should have been explained, including Liufenbantang, Jinfengxiyulou, Mitianmeng, and Youqiao Group that Fang Yingkan is planning.