Lord Leng, Jun Mohan, signaled Yin Chen after hearing this, and instantly disappeared into the crowd.
Marquis Jing Yuan also said to Grand Tutor Xia, "This matter happened in Grand Tutor Xia's residence today. This Marquis hopes Grand Tutor Xia can assist me in apprehending the culprit."
"Marquis Jing Yuan, rest assured. This Grand Tutor will immediately send Shan Yi to search every nook and cranny of the Xia manor for this man with a crescent moon tattoo on his left wrist," Grand Tutor Xia said resolutely.
At this moment, Madam An looked at Leng Ruo Li and Bai Yu Xuan, their clothes still dripping wet, and reminded, "Marquis Jing Yuan's wife, it is best to quickly help Princess Qing Ling change into a set of dry clothes. We have spare women's clothing in our side rooms."
The Marquis and his wife of Jing Yuan immediately realized that their daughter's clothes were still wet. It was early winter, and the weather had already turned cool, making her susceptible to catching a cold.
"Then we will trouble Madam Xia," the Marquis Jing Yuan's wife said gratefully to Madam An.
"Ruo Li, you should also go and change your clothes quickly," Madam An said to Leng Ruo Li.
"Yes, Eldest Aunt," Leng Ruo Li replied obediently.
After Madam An led the Marquis Jing Yuan's wife, Bai Yu Xuan, and Leng Ruo Li away, Xia Ling Xuan and Xia An Nan dismissed the onlookers.
Half an incense stick's time later, Leng Ruo Li emerged from the side room wearing dry clothes. In her hand, she held a half-body portrait sketch.
She had drawn this portrait quickly by hiding in her system space while she was changing.
She handed the drawing to Xia Shan Yi, asking him to find this maid as well.
After receiving the portrait, Xia Shan Yi was stunned.
"Ruo Li, this portrait doesn't seem to be drawn with a brush, does it?" Xia Shan Yi asked curiously.
"Yes, Eldest Uncle," Leng Ruo Li replied with a sweet smile.
"Can you draw a portrait like this for Eldest Uncle next time?" Xia Shan Yi asked, smiling at her.
"Alright!" Leng Ruo Li nodded with a smile.
***
In a deserted courtyard within the Xia manor, the little maid wearing a light pink dress with a small mole on her lower left chin was drowsily engaged in a passionate encounter with a man.
This man was precisely the one with the crescent moon tattoo on his left wrist whom the Xia manor was currently searching for.
He was supposed to leave immediately after completing his mission with that woman, but when he saw this adorable little maid by the lake again, whom he had previously hypnotized, he was immediately overcome by wicked thoughts.
Moments later, the little maid's senses returned, and she looked at the man lying beside her with horror.
"Ah—"
"Who are you?" the little maid yelled at the man.
"Heh—"
"I am your man now!" The man smiled wickedly at the little maid, slowly stood up, and put on the black robe that was scattered on the ground.
The little maid felt the strangeness of her own body and angrily roared at the man, "You ruined my purity for no reason! I will kill you, you pervert."
With that, she immediately pulled the hairpin from her hair and lunged at the man.
Unexpectedly, before her hairpin could even touch the man, he lightly brushed his sleeve, and the hairpin was sent flying, crashing hard against a pillar. She spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Heh, truly overestimating yourself." The man sneered. Without even looking at the little maid, he smoothed his long black hair and said contemptuously.
"Wuwu~~" The little maid immediately burst into tears. Her back ached fiercely from the impact.
Her name was Yi Cui. She was an ordinary second-class maid recently purchased by the Jiang family in the Xia manor. Her family was very poor, and her brother had incurred a large gambling debt, selling her to the Xia manor. Now, every few days, he would come to her for money to repay his debts. If she didn't give him money, he would beat her, which caused her great distress.
Today was the day her brother was supposed to come for money, but she had nothing on her. She didn't know what to do. After finishing her chores, she went alone to the entrance of the long-abandoned courtyard in the Xia manor and sat there, lost in thought.
Not long after she sat down, someone gently patted her shoulder from behind. She quickly turned around, and the person sprinkled a handful of powder on her. She instantly lost consciousness. She couldn't remember what happened afterward.
The little maid now regretted her actions deeply. Why did she have to come to this abandoned courtyard to sit and daydream? Now, her purity was gone.
After smoothing his hair, the man came to Yi Cui and squatted down, gently lifting her chin with his fingertips. "Today, for helping me with a task and serving me well, I will let you die with some dignity and leave your body intact."
With that, the man's large hand reached for Yi Cui's neck and squeezed forcefully. Yi Cui immediately stopped breathing. Before she died, her eyes stared at the man in horror, and her hands were still trying to pry open the man's large hand on her neck.
After the little maid stopped breathing, the man withdrew his hand and whistled at the corpse in front of him.
Just then, Yin Chen, along with several guards from the Leng Royal Manor, had tracked them to this location.
Upon seeing them, the man sneered, "Oh, you arrived quite quickly, didn't you?"
"You are Black Robe? One of the top ten assassins of the Dark Night Pavilion," Yin Chen asked calmly.
"Oh my, you guessed it so quickly. That's too boring," Black Robe said in a nasally voice.
Hearing this, Yin Chen's skin crawled. This person, neither male nor female, spoke so disgustingly.
"Why did you trespass into the Xia manor today to throw Princess Qing Ling into the lake, and then frame the eldest daughter of the Leng family?" Yin Chen asked coldly.
"Alas, it's just that little maid's bad luck for becoming a sacrifice for someone to sow discord between the Marquis Jing Yuan's residence, the General Leng's residence, and the Xia residence." Black Robe smiled sinisterly. "I am merely repaying her life-saving grace. It's a bit of a waste for her to have me do such things."
"Who is she?" Yin Chen asked again.
"No comment!" With those words, Black Robe intended to flee.
However, he was intercepted by Yin Chen not long after he took flight.
"You can't defeat me!" Black Robe glanced disdainfully at Yin Chen and said contemptuously.
"Is that so? Then what about this King?" Jun Mohan, Leng Jin Yu, and the two Xia brothers instantly appeared before Black Robe.
"Oops, oops, oops. The ancients often said: 'Lust is a knife above the head.' It is indeed true. Alas, it's all my fault, Black Robe, for being too easily attracted by beauty, which is why you have the opportunity to intercept me today. It seems there will be a great battle today if I want to leave this Xia manor." With that, Black Robe lightly flicked one of his sleeves, and a black cloth resembling a swimming dragon immediately flew out from his cuff, transforming into a sharp blade that slashed towards Jun Mohan and the others.
Jun Mohan and Leng Jin Yu quickly leaped up, drew their swords, and used their movement techniques to fly towards Black Robe. At this moment, Black Robe flicked another black cloth from his cuff, striking Jun Mohan and Leng Jin Yu. Unfortunately, Jun Mohan raised his soft sword and sliced Black Robe's sleeve into pieces. This enraged Black Robe, and his entire face contorted.
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