Chapter 49
Tie Ping Gu has never been close to a man. The fire of her youth had been suppressed for too long, and besides, now that one is on the brink of death, the sensibilities are even more fragile.
Tie Ping Gu herself did not expect that she would fall into Xiao Yu’er’s arms, but now that she’s in it, she felt no shred of regret at all. She only felt Xiao Yu’er’s hands, already slowly hugging her shoulder.
Tie Ping Gu stammered, “Life, life is really full of wonders, only now do I realise… I do not know you a few days ago, but now… now…”
Xiao Yu’er suddenly asked, “Do you know, what am I thinking about now? The thing that I want to do most now is take a look at your face.”
Tie Ping Gu replied, “No… I beg of you, no…”
But the torch is already lighted. Tie Ping Gu used her hands to cover her face, she is blushing again. She stammered, “The torch… is almost used up…”
Xiao Yu’er laughed, “The torch may be precious, but to be able to see your look now, no matter what precious thing that has to be sacrificed, would be worth it.”
Tie Ping Gu’s hands slowly lowered, and she asked, “Really?”
Xiao Yu’er said with a laugh, “What a pity there’s no mirror now, or else I would want you to know that, the way you look now, is so much prettier than the icy look you had in the past.”
Tie Ping Gu’s eyes stared at Xiao Yu’er, and asked slowly “Would you blame me if we really cannot find out way out?”
“Blame you? Why would I blame you?”
Tie Ping Gu explained, “You would not die if you were there, but now…”
Xiao Yu’er chuckled, “If that’s the way, you should be blaming me. If not for me, you won’t be suffering like this.”
Tie Ping Gu said with a sweet smile, “I don’t even take myself as a woman, what more about others? Others may look upon me as a fairy or demoness, but will never look upon me as a woman.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed, “But you are definitely a woman, I can use a thousand ways to prove it.”
Tie Ping Gu laughed, “I myself know it now, so even if I were to die now, I’ll still be happy.”
The flame on the torch, slowly became the size of a pea.
Tie Ping Gu stared at the flame, her eyelids getting heavier, and said with a low voice, “I also know, that you’re treating me like this not because you really like me, but just to console me, so that I can have a final moment of happiness.
Xiao Yu’er laughed “You… you think too much.”
The corners of Tie Ping Gu’s mouth curved up into a small smile, and she said softly “But I’m still grateful to you, it’s just that I am… I am really tired, please let me sleep. Even if I never wake up from my sleep, I’ll be satisfied…”
Xiao Yu’er looked at Tie Ping Gu’s eyelids slowly closing, and can’t help but sigh.
Right at this time, there was a ‘swoosh’ sound, and there was a line of fat and huge rats, joined from nose to tail, running past them.
Tie Ping Gu was startled, opened her eyes and her body curled up in fright.
Xiao Yu’er was full of joy and said loudly, “You don’t have to sleep, we’re saved.”
Tie Ping Gu asked, “But these are just rats.”
XiaoYu’er replied, “Look, these rats are fat and huge, they certainly do not belong in the mountains. There’s not even a grain of rice here, so they can never have such fat rats.” Tie Ping Gu’s eyes shone as well, and said, “You mean these rats came from outside the mountain?”
Xiao Yu’er affirmed, “That’s right, this place must be near the brink, there must be a pathway nearby.”
As he spoke, he was already walking towards the direction that the rats came from.
Luckily the torch is not totally extinguished, in a short time he found a medium sized hole, and there was a faint ray of light coming from outside. He immediately dragged Tie Ping Gu over and squeezed through the hole.
Outside turned out to be a treasure cave, chests of gold and, silver and precious stones were piled there. Although it’s not considered a lot, but it’s still a considerable amount.
Xiao Yu’er was stunned, and laughed, “I’m not money mad, but heaven always want me to discover some kind of mysterious treasure. I really cannot understand why there are so many treasures in the world.”
Tie Ping Gu held onto a chest, and suddenly exclaimed, “This is not some mysterious treasure. These chests have only been here for a few days, there’s not even a layer of dust on it.”
He lifted his hand for a look, and there really was no dirt on his hands.
He suddenly realized that on the cover of every chest, there was a piece of red paper stuck on it, and on the paper there were actually the four words ‘Duan He Fei’s Property’.
This discovery almost made him jump.
These treasures must be those goods that Jiang Bie He and his son had stolen, which were hidden by Jiang Yu Lang here. He must have thought that this place is extremely secreted, but did not expect that it would be found out by Xiao Yu’er. Xiao Yu’er was so surprised and delighted, that he almost wanted to shout with joy.
Tie Ping Gu’s body suddenly leaned nearer, and whispered, “There’s someone outside!”
They saw that a stone slab that is shaped like a door, there seems to be light streaming in. Xiao Yu’er walked over quietly, and really saw that beside a huge stone outside, two people were sitting across each other.
The person facing this side, was pale looking, and surprisingly it was Jiang Yu Lang. The one sitting opposite Jiang Yu Lang, was extremely large and tall, but his face could not be seen clearly.
Beside that huge rock, there were a lot of meat and wine, but neither of them was eating or drinking, only concentrating on looking at this huge rock in front, their two pairs of eyes opened widely, unblinkingly.
Tie Ping Gu can’t help but whisper, “What’s so nice about that rock, why are those two people so absorbed with looking at it? Could they be mad?”
Xiao Yu’er swallowed his saliva a few times and lamented, “From what I know, this person is not only sane, but his brain is clearer than anyone else.”
Tie Ping Gu asked, “You know him?” Xiao Yu’er’s eyes were still staring at those meat and wine, and affirmed, “Mmm.”
Tie Ping Gu asked again, “Then why are they staring at that rock?”
Xiao Yu’er smiled, “Maybe they are hoping that flowers would grow out of that rock.” His eyes finally shifted away from the meat and wine, towards the rock.
The rock was square and straight, nothing extraordinary about it at all. But in the middle of the rock, there was a line, and on the left and right side of the line there was a small piece of fatty meat. The eyes of the two of them were staring at the fatty meat, not moving at all.
Xiao Yu’er was also perplexed by their actions, and can’t help but laughingly said “I know that lad has no problems in the past, but now I’m not too sure. Could it be he has forgotten he’s supposed to use his mouth to eat the meat, and not use his eyes to look at it.”
Tie Ping Gu unconsciously swallowed her saliva as well and whispered, “If you know him, why don’t you go teach him.”
Xiao Yu’er gave a bitter smile and said, “How I wish I could teach him how to eat, but a pity that as soon as I walk out now, he would want to eat me. He can’t wait to eat me up.”
Tie Ping Gu sighed again, and can’t help but ask, “What about the other person?”
Xiao Yu’er replied, “I still can’t see who the other person is, looks like…”
He has not finished his words, when suddenly a rat ran out from the darkness, up that huge rock, bit a piece of fatty meat from the front of the burly man, and fled with it.
Jiang Yu Lang’s expression immediately changed, and said with a bitter smile, “Fine, you win again this time.”
That burly man laughed loudly, “Now, you already owe me a 1.3 million taels. You should have lost most of your things over there!”
Jiang Yu Lang replied coldly, “Don’t worry, there’s a lot more.”
The burly man laughed madly, “I am having fun gambling now, if you were to lose everything so quickly, I’ll wrangle you.”
As he laughed, he sliced another small piece of fatty mean and placed it on the rock.
Tie Ping Gu realized what was happening, and can’t help but say laughingly, “So these two are gambling, the person whose meat placed in front of him is taken by the rat, will be the winner. This type of gamble, is really rarely seen in the world.”
Xiao Yu’er grinned, “But this type of gamble is very fair, no one can think of cheating.”
Tie Ping Gu asked, “What happens if the rat doesn’t come?”
Xiao Yu’er replied, “If the rat doesn’t come, they’ll just wait. The more one is itching to gamble, as long as there’s a gamble, he won’t mind even if he has to wait a few days and nights.” Tie Ping Gu chuckled, “That’s right, right now it seems like they have gambled for more than a few days and nights.”
Xiao Yu’er asked, “Do you know who is this person who has his back to us? He is ‘Compulsive Gambler’ Xuanyuan Sanguang. If he does not gamble until he loses all his possessions and money, he would never walk away.”
Tie Ping Gu asked in surprise, “Compulsive gambler? Could he be one of the ‘Ten Evils’…” Tie Ping Gu was quiet for a moment, when she suddenly asked, “Do you know who the ‘Ten Evils’ actually are?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed, “You’ve really asked the correct person, there are really not a lot of people in the world who knows more about the ‘Ten Evils’ than me.”
He counted off his fingers, saying “Ten Evils, referring to ‘Bloody Hands’ Du Sha, ‘Dagger in Laughter’ Ha Ha’er, ‘Neither Man nor Woman’ Du Jiao Jiao, ‘Half Human, Half Ghost’ Yin Jiu You, ‘Does not eat human head’ Li Da Zui.”
As he said these, Tie Ping Gu’s body seem to be shaking a little, and her expression changed, but Xiao Yu’er did not look at her at all, but continued, “And there is ‘Mad Lion’ Tie Zhan, ‘Charm to Death without Compensating with Life’ Xiao Mimi, ‘Compulsive Gambler’ Xuanyuan Sanguang, ‘Harm others without benefit to oneself’ Bai Kaixin, and in addition the brothers Ouyang Ding and Ouyang Dang.”
Tie Ping Gu commented, “So according to what you’ve said, won’t there be eleven people?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed, “It’s because these Ouyang Brothers are never apart from each other, no matter what they do, they’ll be together, so they can only be counted as one person.”
Tie Ping Gu slowly lowered her head and asked, “Are these people really extremely evil?”
Xiao Yu’er smiled, “Actually there are a lot more people in the world who are more evil than them. It’s just that the way they do things are extremely peculiar, and they have extremely weird habits.”
Tie Ping Gu asked, “What do you mean by that?”
Xiao Yu’er explained, “For example, this ‘Does not eat human head’ Li Da Zui, on normal days, not only is he amicable, he can also be considered a talent in both scholarly and martial pursuits. But once his weird habit happens, he can even eat his own wife. Those who have met him, would never expect that he could do such a thing.”
As he said the name ‘Li Da Zui’, Tie Ping Gu shivered again, and was stunned for a moment, before asking gently, “Could it be that you know them?”
Xiao Yu’er laughed, “Not only do I know them, to tell you the truth, I grew up with them.”
Tie Ping Gu was again startled, and asked, “You… do you know where they are now?”
Xiao Yu’er replied, “I’m afraid they’re in the vicinity of Turtle Hill.”
He suddenly paused, and asked with a laugh, “Why are you asking in so much detail?”
Tie Ping Gu forced out a smile and said, “I was just curious, who would have expect that there would be such weird people in the world?”
Naturally their voices were very low, and by now Jiang Yu Lang and Xuanyuan Sanguang were so engrossed that they would have forgotten their own birth dates, so naturally they would not hear the conversation.
Jiang Yu Lang suddenly smiled, and said “We have gambled for seven, eight days, but neither of us have lost everything, aren’t you annoyed?”
Xuanyuan Sanguang replied, “Not annoyed, not annoyed. Even if we were to gamble for another three years and six months, I will still not be annoyed.”
Jiang Yu Lang said, “But at the rate we’re gambling, I am feeling a little annoyed.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang immediately stared at him with large eyes and raised his voice, “Even if you’re annoyed, you still have to gamble with me.”
Jiang Yu Lang laughed, “I’m not saying that I’m not gambling, it’s just that I’m thinking of upping the stakes.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang laughed loudly, “When I gamble, I normally complain about small stakes and not large ones, the bigger the stakes the better. How big do you want it to be, speak.”
Jiang Yu Lang replied slowly, “The things you have with you, are obviously worth seven to eight hundred thousand taels, and now that you’ve won 1.3 million taels from me, then let this bet be two million hundred taels.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang clasped his hands and smiled, “Win or lose in one bet, this is hearty, but…” he suddenly stopped laughing and shouted, “I have already seen, in that cave of yours, there’s only two to three million taels at the most, and now that you have lost half, where else can you find so much money to gamble with me?
Jiang Yu Lang replied, “There is at least a million taels remaining in the cave.”
“Then what about the other million?”
“The other million, will be topped up by a person.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang laughed madly, “You son of a turtle is worth a million?”
Jiang Yu Lang’s expression did not change, and replied with a slight smile, “I may not be worth a million, but there is someone who is worth a million.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang asked, “Where?”
Jiang Yu Lang laughed, “Are you going to estimate the worth?”
Xuanyuan Sanguang stared, “Of course I need to estimate, when it comes to the gambling table, even relatives would not be spared. Even if a son were to bet with the father, the accounts must be settled clearly, not a single cent can be less.”
Jiang Yu Lang replied with a slight smile, “Since this is the case, I will bring her here then…”
Behind Xuanyuan Sanguang, on a protruding rock, was a copper lamp. Jiang Yu Lang took that copper lamp and walked out, smiling at the same time, “Please rest assured, I will return immediately.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang laughed, “I will naturally be assured, you son of a turtle’s possessions are all here, and you’re anxious to recoup your losses, it’ll be strange if you don’t come back.” He tore off a chicken drumstick, and chewed it with a drink of wine.
Tie Ping Gu was at a loss at the scene before her, and she suddenly sighed, “Once these people start gambling, their stakes are at least a million taels of silver, it’s almost as if their silver are stolen money.”
Xiao Yu’er grinned, “Who said these silver are not stolen?”
Tie Ping Gu replied, “Even if it’s stolen, that would require some effort. To lose everything at once, isn’t it a pity.”
Xiao Yu’er said, “This is called easy come, easy go, besides, a compulsive gambler would even lose his wife and son without feeling any heartache.”
Tie Ping Gu can’t help but laugh, “Could it be he wants to use his wife as stake?”
Xiao Yu’er replied, “Even if he has a wife, she’ll not be worth a million. What tricks is that lad up to, even I cannot fathom. There’s not a lot of people who are worth a million.”
By now Jiang Yu Lang has walked in with someone, the person pulled in by him, was slender, and is a girl. Only her face is covered by a veil, and it could not be seen.
Xuanyuan Sanguang furrowed his brows and asked, “Why did you bring a woman?”
Jiang Yu Lang smiled, “Of course it’s a woman, if it’s a man, he won’t be worth much.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang laughed loudly, “But the leftover goods from your hands, I’m afraid it’s not even worth a cent.”
Jiang Yu Lang replied with a straight face, “Although this lady have followed me for a few days, but I have not touched her at all.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang rebutted, “A hungry cat that does not steal fish, I don’t believe you.”
Jiang Yu Lang laughed, “If you do not believe me, you will know with a try.”
He placed the copper lamp on the rock, but this time he did not put it behind Xuanyuan Sanguang, but behind himself instead. The light shone from above his shoulder, shining right in front of Xuanyuan Sanguang.
It doesn’t matter where a lamp is placed, it’s a small matter, naturally no one would bother, but Xiao Yu’er can’t help but furrow his brows and mutter, “What is this lad up to, he’s bringing this lamp in and out, there must be a reason.”
What evil Jiang Yu Lang is capable of, naturally no one knows better than Xiao Yu’er.
That lady with the black veil, stood there like a piece of wood. Jiang Yu Lang raised his hand to remove the veil on her face but she still stood there numbly without moving at all.
Under the light, her face is truly so pretty that it does not bear any taint of the mundane world. Xuanyuan Sanguang and Tie Ping Gu, on seeing that face, was pleasantly surprised. Xiao Yu’er, on seeing that face, almost cried out in shock.
Murong Jiu, this girl is actually Murong Jiu. After she was chased away by Third Missy, she walked in a daze aimlessly and walked out of the city in a daydream. Others who saw her may think it weird, but on seeing her grand clothes, her refined beauty, no one dared to do anything bad to her. Who would have expected that this piece of news would actually find its way to Jiang Yu Lang.
He immediately thought that this girl must be Murong Jiu, so he immediately stopped all his current work and rushed back. Coincidentally he met a famished Murong Jiu on the way.
Jiang Yu Lang was of course not afraid that she would reveal his secret, so he took her along to hide the stolen loot here. Who would have expected that there would be someone behind him, and Xuanyuan Sanguang has already been following him!
When Xuanyuan Sanguang saw Murong Jiu’s face, he can’t help but was stunned for a moment, before he sighed, “A beauty, really a beauty, a pity that these twenty years, I am no longer interested in any beauty. You better take her away!”
Jiang Yu Lang smiled, “This lady may be beautiful, but it’s not this face of her that is valuable, but her status.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang laughed loudly, “Could she be a princess then?”
Jiang Yu Lang replied, “she may not be a princess, but she’s not that much different from a princess.
Xuanyuan Sanguang asked angrily, “Who is she actually? Why do you, son of a turtle keep talking in circles?”
Jiang Yu Lang replied slowly, “She is Miss Murong Jiu of Jiu Xiu Villa.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang can’t help but feel surprised, and his expression changed, “The Ninth Miss of the Murong Family, how did she end up in your hands?”
Jiang Yu Lang replied, “She was harmed by someone evil and lost her senses and her way. The eight sisters and the eight son-in-laws of the Murong Family could not find her. I was lucky and found her unexpectedly.”
He continued with a smile, “Please think about it, if someone were to send her back to her sisters and brothers-in-law, how grateful would Qin Jian, Nangong Liu and the rest be. Would the appreciation gift be any less?”
Xuanyuan Sanguang thought for a while, and with a clap of his hand, exclaimed “Fine, I’ll gamble with you!” Suddenly someone was heard shouting, “It cannot be gambled!”
With this sudden shout from Xiao Yu’er, not only were Xuanyuan Sanguang and Jiang Yu Lang shocked, even Tie Ping Gu was startled.
Xiao Yu’er was not anxious. He leaned towards Tie Ping Gu’s ears and whispered, “You’ll follow me out, whatever you want to eat, just take and eat it. Don’t ever be shy, I already have a plan to deal with that lad.”
Only after he finished his words did he stride out and say with a smile, “The friend who hid under the cesspool eating shit, could you have forgotten about me?”
When Jiang Yu Lang saw Xiao Yu’er, he was even more surprised than if he had seen a ghost, and took two steps back, saying hoarsely, “You… how is it that you’re here?”
Xiao Yu’er grinned, “I’m like a lingering ghost, sure to follow you son of a turtle.”
He was clever beyond words, and extremely adept at copying, so when he learnt Xuanyuan Sanguang’s tone of voice, it was very convincing. With a hard slap on his shoulder, Xuanyuan Sanguang laughed loudly, “If it was someone else stepping out from inside, I’ll be surprised too, but you mischievous imp, even if you were to climb out from the ground, I won’t think it any strange.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang was bending over in laughter, but Xiao Yu’er has already started eating and drinking. Murong Jiu looked at him numbly, as if she knows if, as if she doesn’t know him.
Jiang Yu Lang saw that behind Xiao Yu’er there was actually another incomparable beauty, whose table manners were exactly like Xiao Yu’er, like a hungry ghost reincarnated. He was staring at the sight, not knowing what to do at all.
With much difficulty, Xuanyuan Sanguang controlled his laughter and was panting as he asked, “Little brother, I have been gambling all my life, why do you say that I cannot gamble this time?”
Xiao Yu’er said through a mouthful of meat, “Because once you gamble, you will be tricked.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang asked, “I am an old gambler, that son of a turtle can only be considered a little gambler at most, how could he have tricked me. Besides this type of gamble is the most fair, no one can cheat, unless he is a rat spirit.”
Xiao Yu’er said slowly, “You said this type of gambling is the most fair, you have won a lot of times as well, right?”
“That’s right.”
Xiao Yu’er continued, “Do you know how you won?”
Xuanyuan Sanguang said, “I’m having a streak of good luck these two days.”
Xiao Yu’er replied, “No.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang furrowed his brows and asked, “Could there be another reason?”
Xiao Yu’er replied, “It’s because….” He deliberately took a glance at Jiang Yu Lang, and immediately said while shaking his head, “No, I cannot say.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang jumped up and asked, “Why can’t you tell me?”
Xiao Yu’er said, “I’m not in good health these past few days, I’m afraid that lad will fight it out with me.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang fumed, “If that son of a turtle dare to touch a finger on you, see if I don’t break his bones one by one.”
Xiao Yu’er asked, “If I fight with him, will you help me?”
Xuanyuan Sanguang replied, “Of course.”
Xiao Yu’er smiled broadly, “Good, then I can speak assuredly.”
He continued with a grin, “You should know that rats are the most afraid of light, and would only show themselves at night. However once a lamp is lighted, there will be nothing they can do.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang laughed, “I didn’t expect you to know about rats so well too.”
Xiao Yu’er chuckled, “Fish and rats, are in the same boat, and will get a headache on seeing a cat. Who else but me would understand them?”
Xuanyuan Sanguang was breathless from laughing again, and asked, “But this... what has this got to do with anything?”
Xiao Yu’er continued, “The rats here, must have moved in here recently from outside, it could be there’s an evil cat outside who chased them into the cave. Who would have expected that there is no rat inn here, if they were not famished, they would not dare to steal meat right in front of you...”
Xuanyuan Sanguang said with a laugh, “And it also requires me not to move. Anyone who can’t take it and move, the rat would not dare to eat the meat in front of him.”
Xiao Yu’er said, “But you forgot another point, just now, the lamp was behind you. Your body blocked the light, that’s why you won a few times continuously.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang clapped his hands and exclaimed, “Indeed correct, you are indeed a mischievous imp, that you can even think of such a thing.”
After a while, Xuanyuan Sanguang seemed to be enlightened, “I understand, that son of a turtle has now changed the position of the lamp, and the light is shining right at the meat in front of me. He calculated that I will surely lose, that’s why he upped the stakes.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed, “Exactly, not only can he win back the money he lost to you this time, he can cheat your money as well.”
Xuanyuan Sanguang felt fury and amusement at the same time, and said “If not for your reminder, I would have lost it all.”
Xiao Yu’er turned around and looked at Jiang Yu Lang, “How is it? Have I spoken correctly?”
The expression on Jiang Yu Lang’s face had changed long ago, but he still said with an icy smile, “If you must use the heart of a scoundrel to measure the intention of a gentleman, there’s nothing I can do.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed loudly, “Jiang Yu Lang, you’re full of evil ideas. Others may not know it, but will I not know it too? Why are you still pretending in front of me?”
Jiang Yu Lang replied frostily, “I’m afraid it’s just that I’m down on my luck, that’s why I saw a ghost.”
Xiao Yu’er laughed loudly, “That’s right. To have met me, you must have been down on your luck for the last eight reincarnations. Now that I’ve caught you red-handed, you shall follow me and explain to Duan He Fei.”
Jiang Yu Lang looked at him, and looked at Xuanyuan Sanguang, before saying with a lowered head, “Since things have come to this, I have nothing else to say, but…”
He suddenly grabbed Murong Jiu’s wrist and placed himself behind her back, and said with a sinister laugh, “But don’t you want this Miss Murong’s life anymore?”
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