Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 503 Special Skills
"My lord, what is it that you summoned me for?"

In the main hall, Shi Xiangyun, who was seeking advice from Xue Baochai, was flattered when her maidservant told her that Yue Ling was looking for her.

Everyone in the mansion knows the current situation in the main hall. Apart from Xueyan, few people go inside, which might spoil the mood for Yue Ling and Lin Daiyu.

When Shi Xiangyun was summoned, she was naturally filled with apprehension.

Especially the once cheerful one in the household, who was now burdened by household chores and had a furrowed brow all day long, unable to even manage a smile.

He came to the hall with a pained expression, unable to force a smile.

Seeing her bitter and resentful appearance, Lin Daiyu warmly stepped forward to help her forward and sat down with her in a guest seat on one side, personally accompanying her.

"Don't panic, Sister Yun. The Marquis is asking you about those family matters today."

Holding the teacup in both hands, Yun Meimei's eyes welled up with tears and turned red. "My lord, I... I beg you to save my third uncle."

"Although I have no special skills, as long as the Marquis is willing to help me, I will do anything for you, even be your slave."

Before Yue Ling could speak, Lin Daiyu smiled helplessly and said, "Sister Yun, what are you saying? We're family, why speak like strangers? Marquis Zhongjing is also an old acquaintance of my husband. Besides, out of respect for you, he can't be the only one to suffer."

Shi Xiangyun nervously rubbed her hands together, her eyes lowered, looking extremely embarrassed.

Yue Ling asked, "Have you been in contact with General Shi again recently?"

Shi Xiangyun pondered and said, "Since the Marquis and Sister Lin got married, they have rarely been in contact. The last time was when my third uncle sent someone to deliver a note, telling me not to look for him recently, because he probably has a lot of informants around him."

"At that time, I felt that my third uncle might meet with misfortune."

As she spoke, tears welled up in Shi Xiangyun's eyes.

"I dare not go out from my residence, nor do I dare to disturb the Marquis. I am truly at my wit's end. I hope the Marquis can help me."

Only then did Lin Daiyu realize the torment Shi Xiangyun had endured all this time, with her loved ones in grave danger outside the mansion, and her being powerless to do anything about it.

Thinking back on what Lin Daiyu and Yue Ling had been doing during this time, she couldn't help but blush.

Even though Lin Daiyu was unaware of the inside story, she was still somewhat embarrassed.

Having been sisters for many years, Lin Daiyu couldn't bear to see her suffer. She pulled her into her arms, gently wiped away the tears that filled the corners of her eyes, and patted her back to comfort her, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. Your husband must have a well-thought-out plan. General Shi is a good general of the country. Nothing will happen."

Lin Daiyu glared at Yue Ling, slightly displeased.

She was unaware of the inside story, but how could Yue Ling be completely ignorant? Not only had he never mentioned it to her, but he also spent his days indulging in sexual pleasures with her, neglecting all important matters. This was truly excessive.

Yue Ling scratched his head; of course, he wasn't without a plan.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Yue Ling comforted her, "Miss Yun, don't worry. If there were really something wrong, news would have spread by now. General Shi was a marquis, how could he have been murdered in the capital without any explanation?"

"Moreover, General Shi is not without strength. After years of fighting on the battlefield, it is certainly not difficult for him to protect himself."

Shi Xiangyun rubbed her eyes, got up from Lin Daiyu's shoulder, and nodded slightly, saying, "What the Marquis said makes sense."

Yue Ling pressed further, "Do you know where General Shi is staying now?"

"I know, it's at the East Archway, Baofang Hutong, Yinyue Inn."

Yue Ling nodded and said, "Alright, before curfew today, take the carriage from the manor and head over there to find General Shi. You don't need to worry about the rest."

Shi Xiangyun looked surprised and asked, "Should I go directly there?"

Yue Ling said, "Well, if we go today and there's no news, we'll go again at the same time tomorrow. We'll go for several days in a row, choosing different routes each time to appear as cautious as possible."

Shi Xiangyun nodded silently and left the house with a worried expression.

Lin Daiyu escorted him all the way to the end of the corridor. When she turned back to her room, she saw Yue Ling undressing and preparing to bathe and wash.

Gritting her teeth, Lin Daiyu looked at Yue Ling with a disappointed expression, then reached out and pinched his waist, giving him a twist.

"Why are you thinking about leisurely activities right after we finished discussing serious matters?"

Yue Ling looked completely innocent. "I just wanted to change into some shorts so I could go out."

Lin Daiyu blushed deeply, too embarrassed to speak.

While Lin Daiyu was still in a daze, Yue Ling casually patted her shoulder and said with a smile, "Could it be that Madam is feeling lonely again..."

"Get lost!" Lin Daiyu stomped her foot angrily and shoved Yue Ling away, saying, "Isn't it all because you're always up to no good? You're either teasing me or teasing Xueyan. I think you're just deliberately making fun of me!"

Seeing Yue Ling rummaging through the wardrobe looking for a martial arts outfit, and recalling what Yue Ling had just said, Lin Daiyu keenly sensed that something was amiss.

"My lord, do you not intend to go out and start a war?"

Yue Ling stretched his arms and nodded, saying, "It's been a long time since I've picked up a weapon. I'm afraid some people have forgotten how I first rose to power."

Lin Daiyu said worriedly, "Swords have no eyes, husband, you should be careful."

Yue Ling turned back and pulled Lin Daiyu into his arms, saying, "Is Madam reluctant to part? Then why don't we go into the inner room? Miss Yun will probably be delayed for a while before she leaves. This is a good opportunity for your husband to enjoy her beauty..."

"Pah, pah, pah! 'Kiss her beauty'? You've kissed her less often, waah... Stop it, close the door first, it's so embarrassing..."

Lin Daiyu's small fists rained down on Yue Ling's chest, but the distance between them grew closer and closer, and gradually, the sound of panting filled the room.

……

For several days in a row, Shi Xiangyun followed instructions and left the mansion by carriage, winding through the streets and alleys, with her final destination always being the Yinyue Inn.

On that day, Shi Xiangyun went to the inn as usual.

We set off quite late today, and after taking a long detour, it was already nearly dusk when we arrived at the inn.

After entering the inn, Shi Xiangyun, who had been familiar with the innkeeper for some time, went straight to the innermost room on the second floor without needing to be led.

But when she knocked on the door and pushed it open to enter...

Instead of Uncle Shi Ding, Yue Ling was waiting in the same spot, comfortably sitting and sipping tea.

"Marquis?"

Before she could finish speaking, seeing Yue Ling put his index finger to his lips, Shi Xiangyun quickly covered her mouth.

Only when they got closer did they lower their heads and listen attentively to Yue Ling's whispers.

"When you went out today, you were followed by a tail."

Shi Xiangyun was taken aback and asked in astonishment, "Why didn't I notice where they were?"

Yue Ling shook his head and said, "We must not alert the enemy. General Shi has already disguised himself and left the city to request reinforcements. We just need to wait quietly."

"Go hide in bed first, wrap yourself up in the blanket, and be careful."

Shi Xiangyun nodded slightly.

Being alone in a room with Yue Ling, and having to prepare the bed for her, made her nervous and shy at the same time.

Fear made her heart race, but it also made her gaze towards Yue Ling soften even more.

She didn't even dare to look directly at his handsome face, only daring to steal glances. The night fell silent, and the two remained facing each other in silence.

Before she could react, a dark shadow seemed to flit past the bedside, startling Shi Xiangyun awake. She stared wide-eyed at Yue Ling.

Yue Ling slowly opened his eyes, nodded firmly to Shi Xiangyun, then went to her, untied the bed curtains, and protected her inside.

With the brocade quilt tightly wrapped around her body, Shi Xiangyun could only see the silhouette cast outside the bed curtains. Her heart continued to beat faster, as if she could hear the "thump-thump" sound.

Yue Ling scanned back and forth between the window lattice and the guest door, held his breath and gathered his energy, placing one hand on his sword.

Yue Ling's ears twitched slightly, and suddenly a "whoosh" sound broke the silence of the night.

Both carved wooden windows were smashed open from the outside by men in black.

Wood chips, scraps of paper, and fragments of window frames kicked up dust and grime, all of which seeped into the room.

At the same time, a sharp sound came from the guest room as a knife cleaved through the latch and flung the door open.

In an instant, six people stood facing Yue Ling inside the inn.

It was obvious that they were all well-trained assassins. Yue Ling was no stranger to assassins and had dealt with them before. In particular, the crescent-shaped short blades they carried were very distinctive, which made them the group of assassins he wanted to understand.

With a slight upturn of his lips, Yue Ling hadn't been this excited in a long time. He drew his sword, pointed it diagonally to the sky, and the sound of the sword echoed throughout the room.

Such imposing presence stunned the assassins, leaving them frozen in place for a moment.

The assassins had certainly seen Shi Ding's portrait, but the person in the room was clearly not Shi Ding; firstly, their ages didn't match.

Such imposing manner, encountering an assassin at night without retreating, making a sound, and even... feeling ecstatic?
With such a remarkable person in mind, the warriors could only think of the one and only person in the capital.

"Oh no, we've fallen into a trap! Let's get out of here!"

It seemed that the leader shouted something, and the other five people held their swords in front of them and retreated little by little, not daring to look away from Yue Ling even for a moment, let alone blink.

Yue Ling chuckled and said, "You didn't announce your name when you came, so you'll have to leave one now if you want to leave, won't you?"

"So many people have come at once, it seems you intend to kill General Shi in one blow. It's really hard to guess what grudge General Shi has against you."

Upon hearing the commotion, Shi Xiangyun was utterly shocked. Her body trembled slightly, and she covered her mouth and nose tightly with both hands, afraid of making any noise and being discovered by the assassins.

But for some reason, she wasn't afraid at this moment, but rather inexplicably excited, as if a scene from a novel was unfolding before her eyes.

In particular, Yue Ling's demeanor in dealing with the enemy was so overwhelming that the other party was speechless.

Knowing that things were not going to end well, the leader of the assassins had no choice but to say, "We have troubled the Duke of Dingguo this time. I will leave my head behind as an apology. I hope the Duke of Dingguo will spare their lives."

Yue Ling narrowed his eyes slightly and said strangely, "A loyal soldier only serves his master, how can there be any camaraderie among colleagues? Don't pretend to be kind and try to make me lower my guard."

"What kind of background do you take me from?"

Others couldn't stand it any longer and shouted, "We originally came to capture Marquis Zhongjing, Shi Ding, but we've run into the Duke of Dingguo. If we can get his head, it will be the end of our troubles and our mission will be accomplished! Why not take this chance?"

Before he finished speaking, the man had already taken a step and leaped forward.

Two short swords whirled in his hands as he closed in on Yue Ling. Each strike landed with incredible precision on vital areas such as the throat, chest, and abdomen, demonstrating his extremely ruthless tactics.

Without a doubt, these short blades are all poisoned; even a small scratch would be fatal.

However, Yue Ling's movements were even more agile. Not only did he evade each blade's path with minimal movement, but he also performed a sword flourish, turned the sword tip, and used a horizontal strike to slice off half of the intruder's shoulder blade and head.

Blood gushed out instantly, and a mangled body crashed to the ground.

Before his body had fully hit the ground, Yue Ling's eyes widened suddenly. He took a few steps back, flipped over, and landed in the center of the round table in the room.

In the same spot, the leader of the assassins had already stabbed the dead man through the torso and was now slashing at Yue Ling.

If Yue Ling hadn't reacted quickly enough, he would have already been skewered on a candied hawthorn skewer.

"The Duke of Dingguo was skilled in martial arts."

"Heh, a bunch of hypocrites."

The probing was over. As soon as the whistle blew, three more people entered through the door and window. They all exerted their strength and surrounded Yue Ling, leaving him no way to retreat.

Then, a cold light flashed like a venomous snake's tongue, and several short knives, piercing through the water, tore through the murky air and roared in!

In such a confined space, the group attacked from tricky angles, their coordination was seamless, and they almost completely blocked any room for dodging, creating a sure-kill situation!

Yue Ling concluded that someone like Shi Ding, who was used to fighting and charging into battle and only knew how to use a spear, would definitely suffer a silent loss at this moment.

However, the situation would be completely different for Yue Ling.

Unable to dodge with his agility, Yue Ling raised his sword to parry, and a series of teeth-grinding, dull stabs suddenly exploded, sparks flying.

Instead of simply parrying, Yue Ling would even take the initiative to slash back when he saw an opening.

The sword Yue Ling used was a precious sword bestowed upon him by Emperor Longyou; it was not only sharp but also heavy.

With his superhuman strength, he cleaved the short blade in two, creating a nick in the opponent's blade and making his hand go numb from the impact.

Finding only this one opening, Yue Ling leaped off the table, stepped on the shoulders of the assassins, and flew low over them, leading the group to the open space in front of the inn.

The assassins pursued relentlessly, leaping down the stairs, whereupon the two attacked from the left and right.

The two coordinated perfectly, with a short sword slicing through the neck and a heavy sword striking the waist.

Yue Ling shook out his robe, twisted his waist and turned to pass the two, then bent down to dodge the blade at his neck.

He then raised his left foot, like a scorpion's tail, aiming straight for the face of the assassin on the right.

The blow immediately left his face covered in cuts, and he collapsed to the ground in agony, clutching his face.

Before the other person could even turn around, Yue Ling stepped forward and stomped on his knee, forcing him to kneel down and await execution.

With his swift and ruthless skills, two more people were killed when the others surrounded him again.

Yue Ling used the tip of his sword to lift up furniture, tables, and chairs, smashing them at the people around him to divert their attention.

He stepped back and kicked up a large round table, then leaped after him, thrusting out his sword, imitating the leader of the assassins by skewering candied hawthorns.

The difference is that Yue Ling succeeded, and another corpse was added to the ground.

Of the nine people in total, nearly half had been killed in a short time.

Now the area is even more open, and although they still outnumber the enemy, the elite soldiers are not enough to completely surround Yue Ling.

The formation, in the midst of the standoff, slowly began to crumble and disintegrate.

Every time Yue Ling takes a step forward, they involuntarily take a step back, completely reversing the situation.

"Things are doomed to fail today, let's retreat!"

Yue Ling snorted coldly, drew his sword and gave chase, "You really don't have the ability to come and go as you please!"

(End of this chapter)