Before her words could fully land, Wen Lisheng’s hand was slapped—not with great force, but the sound was sharp and crisp. She quickly withdrew her hand, rubbing the back of it, and dared not speak again.
Xie Xiaonan had already reached a stage where his anger could no longer escalate. He was simply dizzy with rage from Wen Lisheng’s antics and had been thoroughly exhausted by her.
Shen Jiaqing looked around, finally grasping Wen Lisheng’s predicament, and asked in confusion, “What are you doing here in the middle of the night instead of staying in your room?”
“It’s a long story…” Wen Lisheng replied.
“Are you here to chat?!” the woman snapped angrily, kicking a nearby chair to pieces in a fit of rage. She pointed at Wen Lisheng and snarled, “Hand over the item now, or don’t blame me for being ruthless!”
Wen Lisheng trembled in fear. “I already told you I didn’t take it.”
Seeing his good friend being threatened so directly, Shen Jiaqing was the first to take offense. He planted his hands on his hips and stepped forward. “How dare you speak like that! Do you even know who she is?”
Wen Lisheng shot him a look, urging him not to act rashly.
But Shen Jiaqing mistook her glance for encouragement and became even more determined to stand up for her. Rolling up his sleeves, he declared, “I never hit women, but if you dare disrespect her again, my fists won’t hold back!”
The woman glared at him fiercely.
Half an incense stick later, a new chair was brought into the room, and a servant presented a cup of cool tea. The woman took a few sips to calm her temper.
Shen Jiaqing crouched beside Wen Lisheng, his clothes bearing a few muddy footprints. The blood from his nose had been smeared across half his face, and he sat hunched over, subdued and quiet.
Wen Lisheng sighed softly, pulling a silk handkerchief from her sleeve and handing it to him. “Wipe it off,” she whispered.
Xie Xiaonan glanced over and recognized it as his handkerchief. The anger he had just suppressed threatened to flare up again, but he reminded himself that it had already been stuffed into Wen Lisheng’s mouth earlier and was no longer worth keeping. With that thought, he managed to calm down slightly.
The woman observed the three of them.
The young man leaning against the corner had his collar crumpled and disheveled, though it was at least fastened. He leaned against the wall with his eyes lowered, his expression unreadable but with a hint of impatience flickering between his brows.
The other two were huddled together, whispering. One was busy wiping the blood from his nose, while the other kept muttering nonstop.
The woman sneered. “The night is long. I have plenty of time to waste with you.”
Shen Jiaqing wiped his nose with the silk handkerchief until it was stained with blood, finally managing to stop the bleeding. “What exactly happened?” he asked.
Wen Lisheng was equally aggrieved. “How should I know? I was just out for a stroll when I ran into that thief from earlier today. He made me get chased by dogs, and I wanted Yu Gui to teach him a lesson. But then I found Xie Xiaonan’s jade pendant on him.”
True to form as her good friend, Shen Jiaqing followed the same train of thought and exclaimed in shock, “He stole Xie Xiaonan’s jade pendant too?”
Wen Lisheng nodded. Shen Jiaqing cast a seemingly sympathetic glance at the young man leaning against the wall. “Then he’s done for. Xie Xiaonan will have him drained of blood…”
Though Xie Xiaonan kept his eyes lowered, he could hear every word of their whispered conversation. At this, he lifted his gaze and gave Shen Jiaqing a puzzled look.
Noting the blood smeared all around Shen Jiaqing’s nose, he thought to himself that the people of Yiguan County truly had their own unique ways of being foolish.
“And then what?” Shen Jiaqing asked again.Wen Lisheng continued, “Then I snatched the jade pendant and ran with it. The pickpocket looked like he had long legs and arms, but for a moment he really couldn’t catch up with me. When he got close, I swept my leg out and knocked him right over. He got up and still wanted to chase me…”
“Since when do you know how to sweep someone’s legs?” Shen Jiaqing interrupted.
“It was an emergency. My martial instincts suddenly awakened, and I just did it,” Wen Lisheng said with a serious expression. “I’ve always felt I had a talent for martial arts. I might even be a hidden prodigy.”
Xie Xiaonan could tolerate the earlier part, but the more she spoke, the more outrageous it became. This boastful tale was practically soaring to the heavens, and he couldn’t stand it any longer. He sneered, “Utter nonsense.”
Wen Lisheng glanced at him and lowered her voice even further. “This person isn’t very educated. He only knows how to use the phrase ‘utter nonsense.'”
Shen Jiaqing heard this and gave Xie Xiaonan another pitying look. “That’s even worse than me. At least I know how to say ‘talk nonsense.'”
Xie Xiaonan felt a tightness in his chest. Only now did he truly understand the meaning of the phrase “to die of anger.”
The woman had reached the limit of her patience. She slammed her teacup down, shattering it into pieces. “Enough! Little girl, I’ve already advised you kindly. Since you refuse to listen, don’t blame me. Search her and get the item!”
The attendants on both sides moved, ready to step forward.
“Wait!” she shouted, pointing at Shen Jiaqing. “Do you know who this is?”
The woman gave a cold glance. “What trick are you trying to pull now?”
“This is none other than Shen Jiaqing, the son of the master of Wind Spirit Manor,” Wen Lisheng declared. “With him here, why bother with your sister-in-law’s things? Just bring pen and ink, and he’ll draw you a map of Wind Spirit Manor right now. He’ll mark every trap and maze clearly, guaranteeing you’ll find the Frostblade Sword as soon as you arrive.”
The woman had never met Shen Jiaqing before and hesitated uncertainly. “Is that true?”
Wen Lisheng immediately replied, “Of course! I, Wen Lisheng, never lie. I guarantee it with the reputation of the Wen family!”
Xie Xiaonan thought to himself that with a disgrace like Wen Lisheng in the family, it was no wonder the Wen family’s reputation was in ruins.
Wind Spirit Manor was notorious in the jianghu for being a place where people entered but never left. Countless thieves coveted the countless treasures hidden in its vaults, but once inside, they never emerged again. No matter how many treasures were rumored to be hidden there, jianghu people dared not venture into Wind Spirit Manor lightly.
As the young master of the manor, Shen Jiaqing naturally understood the seriousness of leaking the manor’s layout and traps. How could he possibly agree to draw a map so easily?
Just as he was thinking this, Shen Jiaqing’s exceptionally clever voice chimed in, “It’s true. I grew up in the manor and know it like the back of my hand. I can draw you seven or eight copies. If you lose one, there’ll be backups.”
Xie Xiaonan closed his eyes again. It was only a matter of time before Wind Spirit Manor went bankrupt.
The woman hurriedly ordered someone to prepare ink, brush, paper, and inkstone. She glared fiercely at Wen Lisheng and said, “If you dare trick me, I’ll personally scar that pretty face of yours.”
Wen Lisheng was frightened and touched her own delicate, flower-like face, urging Shen Jiaqing to draw carefully.
It took about a quarter of an hour for the writing materials to arrive. A low table and a candle lamp were also brought in, allowing Shen Jiaqing to lean over and draw.
Wen Lisheng helped grind the ink, while the woman stood nearby, watching Shen Jiaqing as he worked.Shen Jiaqing’s handwriting had always been sloppy, and his drawings were full of wobbly lines. At first, he wasted several sheets of paper, but after the woman’s cold, mocking warning, he finally settled down to draw properly. Occasionally, he would add a few characters that the woman couldn’t understand at all, forcing her to ask for clarification.
But Shen Jiaqing had always been talkative, and when answering questions, he couldn’t help but elaborate.
“What does this character say?”
“Turtle Lake,” Shen Jiaqing said enthusiastically. “When I was six, I raised six turtles there, but my dad ended up eating them all…”
“Shut up. No one asked for an explanation,” the woman snapped coldly.
A moment later, she shrieked again, “What is this? Do you even know how to write?”
Shen Jiaqing replied, “Frog Bay. In the summer, this place is crawling with frogs, croaking all night long.”
“Did I ask for all that?!”
Wen Lisheng clicked her tongue from the side and said, “Just keep it short. ‘Summer frogs croak at night.'”
Shen Jiaqing looked enlightened and didn’t forget to flatter her. “You’re so clever.”
Xie Xiaonan glanced over and saw the three of them hunched over a low table, their backsides in the air. He couldn’t help but feel like he was witnessing something truly extraordinary.
Three fools gathered in one room.