Chapter 239 - 229: Breaking with Each Other, Maddening the Lady

"Why go to the guesthouse?"

Li Quan and Zhang Hu asked.

Su Qiuyu sneered, "Have you lost your minds dealing with beasts for so long? Who knows, Wen Caishang might be hiding in the guesthouse? If not, how else could she escape silently? There must be some clues in the guesthouse. Following the trails will be much better than you two rampaging on the streets, disgracing yourselves."

Li Quan shouted, "Su Qiuyu, what’s your attitude?"

Su Qiuyu thought, "Defeated soldiers, not fit for great use. Why should I be polite to you two?" He flicked his sleeve, proudly saying, "If you don’t want Wen Caishang to come back for revenge, to keep your miserable lives, lead the way quickly!"

Li Quan and Zhang Hu felt contemptuous and indignant, but when they reconsidered, they thought if Wen Caishang escaped and returned for revenge, she would definitely strike fiercely, leaving them doomed. After arguing a few words, they obediently led the way back to the guesthouse.

The guesthouse door was tightly shut, all the guests had left. Li Quan kicked, "Crack," the door shattered into pieces.

The shopkeeper and waiter were startled, seeing the two fierce men Li Quan and Zhang Hu return, they couldn’t help feeling anxious and fearful. The shopkeeper braced himself and cautiously greeted, "Honorable guests, you are..."

Zhang Hu cursed, "Dare you hide someone!" and slapped him. The shopkeeper cried out, covering his cheek, wailing, "Sir, who... who am I hiding?"

Li Quan said, "Without your help, how could that guy escape yesterday?" He kicked. The shopkeeper, fat and heavy, flew several yards, crashed onto several tables, his eyes rolled, he was more exhaling than inhaling. Hardly able to survive.

Su Qiuyu ignored the scene, examined the guesthouse arrangement. He walked through the kitchen, guest rooms, stables... nothing special.

Called the waiter, detailed inquiry about yesterday’s situation.

The waiter glanced at the shopkeeper, fearful of repeating his fate, tremblingly said, "Honorable guests, about those two people, I do remember. Strange, while staying in the kitchen, suddenly disappeared."

"But... but I really didn’t see them disappear, please spare me... spare me." He kneeled and kowtowed.

Li Quan said, "You don’t know? I think you don’t want to say!" He grabbed the waiter’s hair and pulled, "Rip," the skin came off with the hair.

Su Qiuyu carefully explored, reaching the back door. He frowned slightly, seeing the kitchen filled with vegetables, and a back door leading directly to the street.

"If they escaped, they must have passed through the door. I’ll step outside to check for clues."

Outside the back door.

Scattered vegetable leaves, traces of a cartwheel passed over. Suddenly understood, he asked, "Did any Vegetable King deliver last night?"

The waiter quickly said, "Yes. Old Zhang from the north of the city delivered vegetables last night. Sir, is there a problem?"

Su Qiuyu sneered, "There’s a big problem." Knowing Li Xian’s whereabouts. And thought, "Wen Caishang’s Inner Qi is depleted, hard to recover quickly. This kid, I doubt he has much skill. With me, Su Qiuyu, personally on the case, it’ll be a cinch."

...

...

Now about last night.

Old Zhang, the Vegetable King, drove the cart neither fast nor slow, humming a tune, feeling leisurely. Muttered, "Oh my, today is rare. Such a beauty, bound like this, must be uncomfortable."

"When I was young, why didn’t I learn some Martial Arts? Become a flower thief, hehe, wouldn’t be a waste to die under a peony, even as a ghost I’d be suave."

"But, as an old man, I have the heart of a thief but not the courage. If the wife hears this, she’d twist my neck."

"Also, being old now, even if that beauty laid in my bed, I couldn’t do anything to her."

The city lights dimmed, the bustling street scenes faded. The cart moved through the lively city district, turned three corners, heading north, fewer pedestrians.

In the carriage.

Li Xian and Wen Caishang lay quietly. Li Xian peeked outside, seeing the crisscrossing streets, figured Li Quan and Zhang Hu, though formidable, would have difficulty finding them here.

Feeling slightly relieved.

"Those two fools, though not lacking in martial prowess, are crippled in will, vain in desires, not a real threat. If all the pursuers were like them, I’d thank the heavens." Li Xian thought.

He heard old Zhang mumbling about wanting to be a flower thief in his youth, having the heart but not the courage, now old and weak, always criticized by his wife, found it quite amusing.

Mood lightened.

About half an hour. Old Zhang "Whoa," pulled the reins, stopped the cart. He patted off the dust, jumped off the front, shouted, "Wife, I’m back!" Tied up the horse, went into the house.

Old Zhang’s wife came out to meet him, said, "You old man, why so late today?"

"Oh, don’t mention it." Old Zhang said, "The guesthouse waiter, young and slow, weak-legged, not efficient."

Old Zhang was quite well-off, had a house and yard, children under his knees. ’Vegetable King’ had many nicknames, also called ’Vegetable Guest’... Among ordinary folks, considered a small wealthy household.

Buying farmers’ fruits and vegetables cheap, then delivering by cart to guesthouses, mansions, and other large households.

Make a profit from this, and there’s no shortage of vegetable or meat.

Old Zhang entered the house, the carriage parked in the courtyard. Li Xian let out a light breath, fearing that his movements would implicate innocent people. Therefore, he remained silent throughout.

Li Xian said, "Madam, you may speak now."

Wen Caishang angrily said, "Aren’t you going to untie me yet?" Li Xian skillfully untied her, unraveling seven knots, folding the silk rope into a bundle, and placing it into his chest pocket. Wen Caishang still found it difficult to move, the lingering "Bone Marrow Stabilizing Finger" force was left in her body. Her predicament was quite awkward.

Wen Caishang’s beautiful eyes flickered uncertainly. She scrutinized Li Xian’s face, her thoughts racing: "Li Xian saved me, showing his loyalty. But how long can a young man’s passion last? He saved me either out of admiration or pity for my beauty."

"Now my Inner Qi is completely depleted, my body severely injured, making it difficult to recuperate. Facing pursuers, survival is extremely difficult. Does he understand this and persist in rescuing me? How can fleeting passion endure?"

Her heart was in turmoil. She was extremely skilled at calculating profit, but amidst countless benefits, life was paramount. She was already at her wit’s end, misfortune entangled her, with no cards left to play. Wherever she calculated profit, she felt there was nothing Li Xian could gain.

She was naturally confident in her unparalleled beauty, thinking Li Xian might admire her. But judging him by herself, her feelings for Li Xian were mostly possessive, desirous, appreciative. Carefully analyzed, though different from "Strange Horse White Cloud," "Sleeve’s White Snake," "Manor’s Treasure," they were also similar. To sacrifice her life for Li Xian was something she greatly resisted. Human emotions were mostly like this.

Amidst chaotic thoughts, Wen Caishang thought: "I need to test him. In my current state, how much can he actually do for me?" She cursed, "How dare you disrespect me."

Li Xian was taken aback: "I greatly respect Madam."

Wen Caishang said, "Oh really? Then why did you disguise as a Sword Rain Tower disciple earlier, claiming to enjoy and humiliate me? What was your intention?"

Li Xian curiously said, "It was a temporary measure to fool the enemy; how could Madam take it seriously?"

Wen Caishang said, "I did take it seriously. According to the manor’s rules, such disrespect demands consequences."

"According to the manor’s rules, disrespecting Madam warrants severe punishment." Li Xian stated truthfully. Wen Caishang said, "Fine, fine. You take advantage of my inability to move, even speaking lightly of severe punishment."

Li Xian thought: "Madam has changed greatly from before, but..." He felt that Wen Caishang, stripped of the Jianghu master persona, resembled more a sensitive, chaotic-minded ordinary woman.

Li Xian thought further: "Madam has saved my life multiple times, though with her own calculations, treating me as a pawn. But afterward, I always benefited, and this solid Martial Arts Cultivation, all thanks to Madam. Now that she’s sensitive, I shall comply more with her wishes." He tenderly said, "If Madam wishes to punish me, just say it. I will accept the punishment willingly."

Wen Caishang’s eyebrows slightly raised, she coldly said, "I can’t move to punish you. You should stab yourself with a sword!"

Li Xian frowned and said, "Madam, pursuers are behind us. In this world, it’s just you and me assisting each other. If I injure myself now, escaping could be difficult. Could I punish myself later?"

Wen Caishang’s temper flared, she angrily said, "Hmph! If you don’t stab, then just leave. I don’t need your rescue."

Li Xian said solemnly, "Madam, now is not the time to be impulsive." Wen Caishang coldly said, "You dare say I’m being impulsive? Without my favor, could you have achieved this Martial Arts?"

Li Xian quickly said, "Alright, Madam, I said the wrong thing. Please don’t be angry."

Wen Caishang turned her head away, slightly snorting, unwilling to pay attention. Li Xian hesitated for a moment, then said, "Fine, Madam asked me to stab, so I will stab." He drew the Sinking River Sword across his palm, the wound was quite deep.

Wen Caishang’s eyebrows slightly relaxed, quite gratified. She suddenly felt that Li Xian was still her own, she smiled and said, "Good, Little Immortal... I understand your intention, you are very obedient."

At this moment, Old Zhang came out to feed the horses, humming a tune. He was elderly, far from the carriage, completely unaware of the pair. Wen Caishang whispered, "That old thief’s eyes are unclean, seeing me in such a state. His mind is also unclean; who knows what he’s thinking of me. You should kill him too, bury him on the spot to not leak our whereabouts!"

"This..." Li Xian said.

"Little Immortal, follow my command. If you escape in the future, I will reward you generously." Wen Caishang softly said.

Li Xian shook his head and said, "Sorry, Madam, I can’t kill him."

Wen Caishang showed anger, saying, "You dare disobey my order!?" Li Xian took a deep breath and said, "A man has things he will and will not do; forgive me for not obeying."

"Audacious!" Wen Caishang coldly shouted, "So, a man does what he ought to and not what he ought not to. If I say you refusing is betrayal?"

Li Xian remained silent.

Wen Caishang’s chest heaved, very angry: "You dare betray me? I knew you were a traitorous dog. Seeing me in trouble, you have a change of heart. If you don’t listen today, you’ll abandon me tomorrow."

"I ask you, if I had no injuries and ordered you to kill, would you dare disobey?"

"Hmph." Li Xian got angry too, his thoughts flashed: "This woman is hard to serve! Old grudges, urgent situation. I’ve risked my life saving you, not knowing if we’ll escape alive. Today you’re being unreasonable; I might as well be straightforward." He calmly said, "Wen Caishang, enough."

"You... you dare call me by name?!" Wen Caishang was taken aback, her beautiful eyes full of disbelief.

Li Xian solemnly said, "It’s true you’ve done me favors, I, Li Xian, will repay them. To treat me like a puppet, blindly obeying, indiscriminately killing, is delusional!"

"How dare you speak to me that way?" Wen Caishang’s eyes widened, very surprised, her momentum faltered. After a moment, resentment and panic surged in her heart.

"You... so audacious, truly planning to betray me? If I die, so be it. If I survive by chance, I’ll ensure your miserable end!" Wen Caishang coldly threatened.

"At this point, Yihetang Manor can’t stay. So be it, a man repays favors, but being cowed like an ox or dog is too meaningless. Favors heavy as mountains, rather repay with life, neither owing favors nor tarnishing character." Li Xian thought.

He said, "Wen Caishang, you might not treat me as human, but I consider myself one. I never intended to betray you, I will repay your favors."

"Even if I, Wen Caishang, fall to the lowest, it’s not your wicked servant’s charity." Wen Caishang coldly said, "While I can’t move, you best leave quickly, or I’ll first take your life. You traitorous dog."