Martial Arts Showdown: My Wife Asked Me to Be the Champion

Chapter 114 Hua Manlou: Lu Xiaofeng, don't look for me, I'm afraid Xu Qingya will misunder

Chapter 114 Hua Manlou: Lu Xiaofeng, don't look for me, I'm afraid Xu Qingya will misunderstand!

"I don't think you look like Yin Yewang!"

On the way to the third floor, Lu Xiaofeng glanced at Xu Qingya, opened his mouth but remained silent, transmitting his voice in secret.

The croupier led the way, with Xu Qingya, Lu Xiaofeng, and Hua Manlou following behind. Sikong Zhaixing was tricked by Lu Xiaofeng and hid in the shadows looking for clues.

Jinse and Ningxiang followed behind, carrying the chips, their faces full of jealousy. What's so great about her? So what if she looks a little more heroic? What's with the act of being a chaste and virtuous woman!

The courtesans at the Paradise Pavilion are all top-notch. Wu Yan is not the most beautiful, nor the most talented, nor the most skilled, but she is the top courtesan.

Because Wu Yan possessed a unique heroic spirit that tempered her worldly air, she seemed less like a courtesan and more like a respectable woman forced to sell her smiles. The more she resembled this, the more popular she became.

The dealer doesn't have eyes in the back of his head, Jinse and Ningxiang don't have X-ray vision, but Xu Qingya and the other two can secretly chat for a few minutes without anyone else being able to see them.

This needs to be emphasized.

The transmission of sound into secret is not as magical as you might imagine. Essentially, it involves using your inner energy to transmit sound. When transmitting sound, your mouth vibrates slightly, producing a soft sound.

Ordinary people can't hear it, but Hua Manlou can.

Lu Xiaofeng had only been casually testing the waters, but Xu Qingya readily admitted, "Lu Xiaofeng, why don't you continue guessing who I am! There's a prize for the correct guess!"

Lu Xiaofeng scoffed, "What is the identity of the man who impersonated Yin Yewang, yet kept him completely silent and even offered him benefits? Of course, he's his highly skilled, womanizing brother-in-law!"

Xu Qingya's face darkened: "I think you should take a look in the mirror when it comes to being a womanizer. The notorious troublemakers of the martial arts world are Chu Liuxiang, nicknamed 'The Thief King,' and Long Chengbi, nicknamed 'The Snow Blade Prodigal.' Your nickname is 'Lu the Three-Egg'!"

Hua Manlou asked curiously, "Xu Qingya, what is Lu Sandan? I've never heard of him."

"Bastard, idiot, penniless!"

Xu Qingya chuckled, "My wife has a lot of business dealings with the Xue family, and she and Xue Bing are practically best friends. She's told me a few things!"

Lu Xiaofeng couldn't hold back any longer. When it comes to being a womanizer, our eldest brother is second to none.

The pot calling the kettle black—a laughingstock!

The pot calling the kettle black—shameless!

Lu Xiaofeng retorted, "Your wife? You have so many wives, which one are you talking about? You're Yin Yewang now! I heard he married a woman from Miao territory; she might have been bewitched!"

Xu Qingya's eyes darted around, and he smiled, "I think you're the main force when it comes to marrying a Miao woman. How about we make a bet? I bet that one day, if Lu Xiaofeng is to get married, he will definitely marry a Miao woman!"

Hua Manlou chimed in, "This is the first time in my life I've felt such a pity about being blind! I can't see Lu Xiaofeng's wedding; it's such a shame!"

Lu Xiaofeng said fiercely, "Miao girl? I've heard that Miao girls are passionate and gentle as water. Even if I were to be bewitched by a Miao girl, I would do it willingly!"

"No, no!"

Xu Qingya waved his hand: "How could a Miao woman who could subdue Lu Xiaofeng be as gentle as water? She must be the tigress of tigresses, capable of biting you to death in one bite!"

Lu Xiaofeng angrily retorted, "Xu Qingya, if I ever marry that tigress Miao girl, I'll make my son recognize you as his godfather! If not, humph! I'll become your son's master! And you'll give me 880 earthworms as a gift for his apprenticeship, not one less!"

Xu Qingya laughed and said, "Of course! Let Hua Manlou be the witness. If Lu Xiaofeng marries a Miao woman, and she's a shrewish one at that, and they have a son, he has to recognize me as his godfather. If he doesn't marry a Miao woman, I'll have my son become his disciple, and I'll give him an earthworm as a wedding gift!"

Hua Manlou asked curiously, "Lu Xiaofeng, what do you need earthworms for? Have you learned how to fish?"

Lu Xiaofeng looked utterly dejected: "I recently made a bet with Sikong Zhaixing. The loser would have to dig up earthworms for the winner if they flipped over. That old monkey Sikong Zhaixing is a real devil! He secretly practiced for months and caught me completely off guard. I lost miserably!"

"What did he use earthworms for?"

"Pour it all out in front of me! Sikong Zhaixing doesn't like fishing; he only wants to see the handsome Lu Xiaofeng digging for earthworms in the mud. Xu Qingya, don't laugh! Sooner or later it'll be your turn. If you dare not dig earthworms for me, I'll punish your son by making him copy books. You just wait and see!"

Lu Xiaofeng thought to himself, "I never intended to get married. What kind of tigress could tame me? At worst, I'll never set foot in Miao territory again from today onwards!"

The three walked while secretly communicating telepathically. The dealer leading the way found it strange, wondering when Yin Yewang had become so quiet. The dealer turned around and saw that Lu Xiaofeng had almost gotten into a fight with "Yin Yewang"!

The dealer nodded, thinking to himself that this was more like it.

That's right, Lu Xiaofeng's identity has also been exposed!

His two little mustaches were so distinctive that anyone except Hua Manlou could recognize him at a glance!

Soon, the group arrived at Wu Yan's room.

Wu Yan, dressed in a female knight-errant outfit, looked even more heroic. Behind her were two maids carrying a large tray with hundreds of flower petals on it.

Wu Yan said boldly, "Gentlemen, there is nothing you cannot say. In my room, there is no need to hide anything. You may remove your mask."

The three of them smiled and simultaneously removed their masks.

Xu Qingya was wearing a disguise mask, still dressed as Yin Yewang. Jinse and Ningxiang examined him seven or eight times, but they couldn't find any flaws!

There's no need to hide anything from that bastard Lu Xiaofeng!

Hua Manlou remained silent, opened his folding fan, the front of which was painted with peach blossoms, and the back with four characters:

The fragrance lingers under the moonlight!

Wu Yan was startled upon seeing this.

Master Jia obtained a top-secret secret from "Yin Yewang"—Chu Liuxiang in Hangzhou!

Wu Yan initially thought it was a hoax, but seeing Hua Manlou open his folding fan, she wondered if Lu Xiaofeng and Chu Liuxiang were really going to join forces to investigate the case? Had they broken some heavenly law?

We're just making some counterfeit banknotes, hoping to steal a few million taels of silver from Datong Bank to spend. If time allows, we might also take some from the national treasury.

The imperial court has just acquired the Liancheng Treasure, as well as the treasures of five underworld forces that have been around for decades or even centuries. Is it really necessary to be so stingy? Is it really necessary to send out such a lineup?

Lu Xiaofeng transmitted his voice to complain: "Hua Manlou, I remember you never lie. What are you doing? If Chu Liuxiang finds out, he might empty your family's coffers!"

Hua Manlou said calmly, "This fan was a gift from Chu Liuxiang. I'm blind, so I just picked any fan I could find when I went out, and it just so happens to be this one! I never said I was Chu Liuxiang, did I ever admit that?"

Lu Xiaofeng: You're so damn honest!

Xu Qingya stepped in to explain: "Lu Xiaofeng, it was I who fooled Master Jia. Hua Manlou only used a fan to help me deceive everyone; that doesn't count as lying!"

"If it's not lying, then what is it?"

"It should be considered—silence is golden!"

Xu Qingya managed to come up with a word.

Lu Xiaofeng: How come you two are so in sync? Hua Manlou and I are childhood friends! Why do I feel... something's off? I feel uncomfortable all over!

Xu Qingya added, "Investigate the case honestly! Believe me or not, I'll give you some more three-day nitroglycerin."

For the first time in his life, Lu Xiaofeng felt defeated!

—I really want to die together with Xu Qingya!

— Grab Xu Qingya, find the highest and most dangerous cliff, clear away all the branches and vines beforehand, and then jump down together. Splash! The whole world becomes quiet, and the world is so beautiful!

The people in the boudoir were all lost in their own thoughts. Wu Yan was the first to come to her senses and instructed, "Jinse and Ningxiang, you two sisters, please go out first. I can handle things here!"

Xu Qingya waved his hand, and Jinse and Ningxiang placed the chips on the table and obediently left.

Wu Yan's maid also followed them out.

There were only four people left in the room.

Wu Yan clasped her hands in a fist and bowed, saying, "Gentlemen, since we've come to the third floor, why not play a more elegant game? I have a plate of flower petals here. Let's bet on whether the number is odd or even. The winner can stay, and the loser must leave."

Xu Qingya deliberately provoked, "Isn't that a bit unfair? If the three of us all guess an even number and we all guess correctly, are we all supposed to stay? I don't have that kind of hobby!"

Wu Yan smiled and asked, "May I ask, Young Master Yin, what game would you like to gamble on? Perhaps dice or dominoes?"

Xu Qingya pointed to his eyes: "Lu Xiaofeng's 'Lingxi Finger' is unparalleled in the world, and Chu Liuxiang is known as the 'Thief King.' They are both masters with quick eyes and hands. I am the Eagle King, and I am most confident in my eyesight. Let's have a contest of eyesight, throwing all the petals up and betting on the number of petals!"

Lu Xiaofeng said, "I have no objection!"

Hua Manlou nodded, signaling to begin.

Wu Yan picked up the tray and slapped it down, sending petals flying and creating a shower of flowers.

Hua Manlou listened intently.

As a child, he was blinded by a master thief and trained his hearing diligently. Hua Ruling took a different approach and found several skilled con artists to teach Hua Manlou. This was not a crooked method, but genuine hearing training.

It is said that the most skilled gambler could be blindfolded, throw hundreds of dice at the same time, distinguish how many dice were thrown by ear, and accurately calculate the sum of the points on the dice—a truly miraculous feat.

Having mastered this technique, one can sense even the slightest fluctuations within a radius of tens of feet through the rustling of grass and the sound of wind. Hua Manlou possesses an extraordinary talent in this regard, making him a veritable "human radar."

Hundreds of petals fell softly. Hua Manlou calculated the number of petals based on air fluctuations, but Lu Xiaofeng had no patience for calculation. He flicked his finger lightly, and a petal silently floated down and gently landed on Wu Yan's shoulder.

Soon, all the petals fell off.

Hua Manlou chuckled, "There are a total of four hundred and twenty-seven petals, unless someone secretly cheats!"

Lu Xiaofeng readily admitted, "That's right, there were two cheaters. This Young Master Yin used his Eagle Claw Grappling Hand to snatch two petals, and I quietly flicked one away. The total number of petals is four hundred and thirty. It seems I won!"

Xu Qingya pushed the chips forward: "Losing to Lu Xiaofeng is truly not unjust! I definitely can't beat you at betting, let my brother-in-law gamble with you!"

Lu Xiaofeng asked, "Xu Qingya? Where is he? I really want to meet him!"

Xu Qingya pointed to the sky: "Xu Qingya should be working overtime in the palace reviewing memorials. Old Master Zhuge wants to take him as his apprentice and won't let him go home!"

After a pause, Xu Qingya continued, "It's best if the two of you don't meet. Any martial artist who practices with weapons, regardless of the type, will instinctively draw their weapon and test their 'Lingxi Finger' when they encounter Lu Xiaofeng!"

Lu Xiaofeng: Is this a threat? He must be threatening me! I'm going to take this to the palace!

Hua Manlou handed the fan pendant to Lu Xiaofeng: "Since Brother Lu has won the bet, I won't disturb you any longer! The fan pendant belongs to Brother Lu, and so does your good fortune in love!"

Hua Manlou and Xu Qingya left at the same time.

Lu Xiaofeng leered at Wu Yan.

Wu Yan put her hands together and took off her outer robe.

Just as Lu Xiaofeng was thinking he could enjoy himself during the investigation, he suddenly noticed that Wu Yan had an axe tattoo on her chest. Wu Yan nestled in his arms, but instead of teasing him, she gave him a string of Buddhist beads, her eyes filled with tears, and looked at him with a pleading expression.

Wu Yan's eyes can speak.

One look extinguished Lu Xiaofeng's desire!

Master Lu, please help me!

Master Lu, I am the victim!

Lu Xiaofeng: You're a victim of a hammer!

The night passed quietly.

The group left the Paradise Tower in coffins.

Master Jia immediately convened a meeting with his subordinates.

Yang Yan and Hua Baifeng hid themselves the best, their identities were not discovered, they mingled in the circle of wealthy women, obtained a lot of information, and even made two or three deals.

Yin Yewang, disguised as Tang Zhuquan, started drinking as soon as he entered the Pleasure Pavilion and continued drinking until the end, until he was seeing stars, thus completely confirming his identity.

During a break from drinking, Yin Yewang managed to extract a lot of private information from several gossipy drunkards.

People speak the truth when they're drunk!

The hardest thing to suppress at the dinner table is not lust or violence, but the urge to confide; when you drink too much, you want to brag.

-

Yin Susu did not enter the Blissful Pavilion, but instead took charge of monitoring the two constables from the Six Doors who were handling the case.

A man named Jiang Long, nicknamed "Flying Dragon".

A man named Lockhart, nicknamed "Iron Horse".

The Hua family were imperial merchants, so they had to report this to the emperor and couldn't handle it privately. The court appointed two local detectives to investigate the case. Jiang Long and Luo Ma were detectives from the Six Doors, but they usually handled cases in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

Those two are the real "local bullies"!

The investigation process was extremely "casual"!

The appearance of counterfeit banknotes clearly indicates a problem with the printing plate. The printing plate for Datong Bank's banknotes was hand-carved by Zhu Ting, the master craftsman known as "Master Boss" from the Lu Ban Divine Axe Sect, and no one in the world could imitate it.

Therefore, Zhu Ting became the prime suspect.

Anyone with eyes to see could know that Zhu Ting couldn't possibly be the culprit who forged the printing plates. This kind of investigative method was clearly an attempt to find a scapegoat. Zhu Ting played along, saying that he would only confess after he had brought Lu Xiaofeng to him, and that he would only tell Lu Xiaofeng the secrets he knew!

Jiang Longluoma could only try to trick Lu Xiaofeng into going to the prison so that he could meet Zhu Ting. Afterwards, Lu Xiaofeng said, "Zhu Ting confessed that besides himself, the only other person in the world who could forge printing plates was his senior brother Yue Qing!"

Yue Qing died of the plague seven years ago, but he had a daughter who could inherit his skills. Female disciples of the Lu Ban Divine Axe Sect would have an axe tattoo on their chest, which was their identification mark.

Therefore, the skilled craftsman who forged the printing plate is very likely Yue Qing's daughter. Finding the woman with the axe tattoo on her chest will lead to the mastermind!

Loma: Hahaha, well said! Since you're so capable, then you go find the real culprit!

Lu Xiaofeng: I won't agree! I don't care!

Loma: You have no choice but to do something! I gave you a three-day dose of heart-inducing powder. If you don't get the antidote in three days, your intestines will rupture and your eyebrows will rot away!

Lu Xiaofeng: I'd rather die than care!

Lockheed Martin: If hard tactics don't work, try soft ones!

Soon, the head manager of Datong Money Shop, the obese and wealthy "Boss Qian," first used a sleeping potion to lure Lu Xiaofeng over, then respectfully knelt down and begged Master Lu to help investigate the case and save his whole family's lives!

Lu Xiaofeng: Okay! I'll help!

And so, Lu Xiaofeng agreed to help investigate the case, found Sikong Zhaixing, and the two entered the Paradise Tower.

After that, Lu Xiaofeng won the bet, met Wu Yan, and saw her axe tattoo.

This is interesting!

As a local gangster, Yin Susu naturally had long-term working relationships with constables. She quickly learned about Jiang Long and Luo Ma's case-handling process and thought to herself, "You two are definitely up to something!"

If they wanted to find a scapegoat, they could just kill Zhu Ting. The government has no shortage of techniques to make prisoners die silently, so no one can detect it. They have all sorts of confessions, written more meticulously than those from the Six Doors (a government agency).

If you want to investigate a case, just give the complete case file to Lu Xiaofeng, and he will definitely help you investigate. Lu Xiaofeng is a crazy person. The more you pay attention to him, the more arrogant he becomes. The more you ignore him, the more eager he will come to help. There is no need to poison or threaten him!

It doesn't seem like an investigation, nor does it seem like they're looking for a scapegoat to cover their tracks; it's clearly related to the case.