Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 340 Seven Evil Stars Take Action Together, Who Dares to Provoke the Grand Duke?
The 15th day of the seventh lunar month is the Ghost Festival.

The Mingyue Sect, a demonic sect in the Central Plains, was destroyed.

Li Zhaoting traveled three thousand miles from Lingnan, taking advantage of the Mingyue Sect's celebration to kill all the sect's high-ranking members and wipe out the entire sect, becoming a laughing stock in the martial arts world.

A topic of conversation on the streets and in alleys, or during leisure time.

Nobody cares why.

Nobody cares about the beginning, development, climax, and conclusion.

Nie Xiaofeng was the leader of the Underworld Sect when she was alive.

Nie Xiaofeng is dead, but she is nothing more than a cloud of blood mist.

Nie Xiaofeng's experiences, her forbearance, her beauty, and her ambitions have all vanished with the wind, leaving only a record in the history of the martial arts world.

Based on Li Zhaoting's behavior and habits, Tianji Pavilion came to a relatively reliable conclusion: Li Zhaoting inadvertently discovered the ugliness of the Mingyue Sect and wanted to destroy it. He pretended not to know and timed his attack perfectly, traveling thousands of miles to launch the raid.

The Mingyue Sect is an evil and wicked sect that has committed countless insidious and vicious acts. Who knows what they might do that Li Zhaoting might do to make him want to kill them?

The hype surrounding the Mingyue Cult quickly died down.

In early August, the biggest news in the martial arts world became Tang Zhuquan's marriage. Tang Zhuquan first married Miss Zhu of Wanjintang in Suzhou. Less than half a month after the wedding, he redeemed a courtesan from the largest brothel in Suzhou.

The courtesan's name is "Bai Huahua".

She was pretty with striking features, but her body was rather thin and frail, and she was always taking medicine.

Tang Zhuquan and Xu Qiaozhi, the master of Medicine King Valley, were very good friends. With the medical skills of Medicine King Valley, a person who was weak and frail could be cured in at most six months.

But then, something strange happened.

Tang Zhuquan neither brought Bai Huahua back to the Tang family nor asked the divine doctor of Medicine King Valley to treat her. It wasn't because the eldest daughter of the Zhu family was jealous. In fact, this Mrs. Tang was surprisingly generous. She took the initiative to pay for a house in Suzhou so that Bai Huahua could stay there temporarily.

Rumors circulated that she even paid for Bai Huahua's redemption. As this rumor spread throughout the martial arts world, the gossip surrounding Tang Zhuquan became increasingly explosive.

Some say that Tang Zhuquan was the reincarnation of Tianpeng (the Monkey King), skilled in the art of enduring battle, which caused Bai Huahua to become emaciated.

Some say that Tang Zhuquan started a relationship with someone and then abandoned them, and that Old Master Tang scolded him many times, eventually kicking him out of the house.

Some say that Tang Zhuquan was corrupted by Li Zhaoting. Before meeting Li Zhaoting, Tang Zhuquan only drank alcohol and had never been rumored to be a womanizer. After meeting Li Zhaoting, seeing that Li Zhaoting had countless beautiful wives and concubines, Tang Zhuquan couldn't help but have crooked thoughts and indulged in debauchery in brothels.

According to the information provided by Tianji Pavilion, Tang Zhuquan would visit a brothel every so often.

Tang Zhuquan frequented more than one brothel and had more than one old lover, which was common in the martial arts world. However, it was truly absurd that he took a concubine only half a month after getting married.

It was understandable that Old Master Tang kicked Tang Zhuquan out of the house and made him reflect on his actions outside.

What does this prove?
This proves that Tang Zhuquan is Tang Songting's biological son.

Such reckless behavior and disgrace to the family would have earned him a death sentence if he weren't the son's own; he would have been shot long ago.

Tang Zhuquan did not go home, but instead stayed in Suzhou to help investigate a case involving a series of rapes and murders.

A series of murders recently occurred in Suzhou, with the victims being wives and daughters of wealthy families, martial arts masters, and prominent families. The perpetrator was ruthless, raping and then killing the victims in each crime, with a total of eight victims.

The perpetrators were extremely meticulous in their methods. The four famous detectives, Zhui Ming and Wu Qing, joined forces to search for them, but they found not a single clue until the last case occurred.

The last victim was a female constable from a wealthy family, but she was born to be a constable and had made many meritorious contributions in recent years, and was about to be promoted to the Six Doors.

Other victims were first drugged, then their acupoints were sealed, and then they were woken up, leaving them to watch helplessly as they were assaulted by the perpetrators.

Horror, pain, fear, despair...

He endured physical and mental torment and ultimately died a tragic and miserable death.

The female constable was the only one who was ambushed from behind and killed cleanly. If the wounds were not identical, no one could connect the two cases. Before she died, the female constable left a mark and wrote the character "rain" on the ground.

What does "rain" mean?
Perhaps the name contains the character for "rain".

Perhaps martial arts are related to "rain".

Perhaps "rain" is only half a character, and the murderer's name contains characters such as snow, thunder, rain, frost, and sky.

Perhaps the murderer deliberately diverted attention.

This mark is definitely not a normal mark.

The character "雨" (rain) is extremely common; countless names contain "雨" or the radical for rain. Characters with the "雨" radical are very suitable for people from the martial arts world to use in their names, and can be used by both men and women.

What does investigating flower thieves have to do with women?
Who says women can't be womanizers?

Even if a woman can't be a flower thief, she can be his assistant. The fact that so many noblewomen from different backgrounds, professions, and personalities showed no suspicion and complete trust indicates that the flower thief's assistants were women of relatively high status.

To give a somewhat inappropriate example, if Li Zhaoting took a fancy to a woman in the family of a prince or nobleman, and that woman was highly skilled in martial arts and had eighty bodyguards, it would be impossible to get close to her through normal means. However, if he asked Feng Suzhen to invite her to stroll in the garden, play the zither, write poetry, and play mahjong, she would most likely be less on guard, and then he could take the opportunity to drug her!
"Rain" cannot be considered a clue.

However, since the case occurred, there have been only these few insignificant clues in eight consecutive cases. No matter how unbelievable it may seem, we must investigate them thoroughly.

This case not only involved martial arts masters, but also the wives and daughters of several high-ranking officials in the imperial court. The court and the public were shaken. Two of the Four Great Constables were dispatched, and heroes from all walks of life in the martial arts world were mobilized. In just two or three days, hundreds of masters arrived in Suzhou.

Lu Xiaofeng, Chu Liuxiang, and Long Chengbi, three famous detectives from the martial arts world, rushed to Suzhou to investigate the case. Just when everyone thought they had it all figured out, the criminals struck again, flaunting their bloody corpses. The martial arts world of Suzhou was in a state of panic. Lu Xiaofeng and the others gritted their teeth and vowed that if they didn't find the murderer, they would simply shave their heads and become monks!

Unfortunately, there were no clues.

The criminals' methods were so sophisticated that they seemed to have mastered the art of bewitching and disarming people, causing them to lower their guard.

Even though the martial arts community in Suzhou was in a state of panic, the victims would subconsciously trust the other party, let down their guard, and be captivated by the other party, as if it were a magical art.

Tang Zhuquan flipped the table over: "To hell with your magic! If there are gods in this world, they should strike this bastard with a bolt of lightning."

Long Chengbi sneered: "The words may be rough, but the reasoning is sound! We must have overlooked some intelligence. Unfortunately, we are good at fighting and our analytical reasoning is passable, but we are not good at autopsy. The coroners in the county are all idiots."

Chu Liuxiang waved his hand: "Brother Long, you are mistaken. From the moment I arrived in Suzhou, Rongrong personally examined all the corpses. Rongrong's medical skills are superb; she can detect even the most insignificant medicines."

Lu Xiaofeng asked, "Could it be poison? Where is Li Zhaoting? His wife is the leader of the Five Poisons Sect. No one can surpass the Five Poisons Sect in terms of poison skills."

Tang Zhuquan looked distressed: "Li Zhaoting sent a letter yesterday, saying that the criminals may seem to be committing crimes for money and women, but in reality, they have psychological trauma."

"so what?"

Lu Xiaofeng picked up the wine pot and drank it all in one gulp.

"To investigate this case thoroughly, we must start from the beginning. Li Zhaoting went to examine the original crime scene and slowly traced the route of the crime. He arrived in Suzhou five days later."

Furthermore, this is not poison, but a sleeping potion. Su Rongrong is studying in Medicine King Valley, my sister is a disciple of the Tang Clan, and I have also invited three experts from the long-established Wen family.

After joint verification by numerous renowned doctors and toxicologists, it was determined that the perpetrators used a potent sedative.

My sister spent the night researching ancient texts and discovered that this substance was a medicine unique to the ancient Yuezhi Kingdom, called... called Sea-Ling Fragrant Wood, which has a strong hallucinogenic effect.

Its last appearance was during the Tang Dynasty.

Just a tiny bit of powder, placed in incense or candlelight, is enough to bring down a Grandmaster of the Heavenly Gang.

I'm not exaggerating at all.

This is recorded in Di Renjie's notes: a schemer named Sha'erhan used sea-scented wood to bewitch Li Yuanfang, causing him to go mad and dance wildly. The antidote for sea-scented wood is very simple.

All you need to do is pour a bowl of water.

If I'm not mistaken, this might be why the criminal chose sea laurel instead of Western datura. Just as Li Zhaoting said, the criminal committed the crime not for money or women, but because of psychological issues. He resented these people and wanted to take revenge on them.

They must be inflicted with the most intense pain.

We cannot let them die silently.

Sea pine wood is just perfect.

The effect is so strong that even a grandmaster cannot withstand it.

The solution is simple: a bowl of water will wake him up.

What a cruel heart!

Tang Zhuquan took out a paper package from his pocket.

It contains the powder from burning sea pine wood.

Tang Zhuquan's younger sister, Tang Zhujun, who is also Long Chengbi's fiancée, searched through ancient books and finally found a record about sea pine wood in an ancient book that recorded Di Renjie's case-solving deeds. The author's name was Zeng Tai.

Everyone put in a lot of effort to solve the case.

The easiest, yet also the most dangerous, tactic for catching flower thieves is the bait tactic.

Chu Liuxiang's confidante Su Rongrong, Lu Xiaofeng's lover Xue Bing, Long Chengbi's fiancée Tang Zhujun, Tang Zhuquan's newly acquired concubine Bai Huahua, and even the Wen family's eldest daughter Wenrou who was just watching the show, were all bait.

The martial arts community in Suzhou is in a state of panic. Five women from martial arts families form a "Women's Investigation Team" and vow to find the criminals in their own way.

The five people are:
The wife of the chivalrous Yuan Wuwu, Xiu Chunshui;

Ju Yuehui was the wife of the famous constable Ao Jintie.

Xi Caisang, the elder sister of Xi Jiuniang, a scholar who excelled in both literature and martial arts;
Lu Hongshi, wife of Situ Bu, leader of the Beggars' Sect;

Jiang Aitian is the younger sister of the wealthy tycoon Jiang Shouyu.

To prevent these people from walking into a trap, and also to provoke the criminals, Xue Bing, Bai Huahua, Tang Zhujun, Su Rongrong, and Wenrou joined this small group, making a total of ten people, named "Perfect Ten".

Lu Xiaofeng, Chu Liuxiang, and Long Chengbi, three famous detectives of the martial arts world, two of the Four Great Constables, along with Li Zhaoting who is investigating cases outside, even major factions like the Power Gang and the Six and a Half Hall could not withstand such a lineup.

If Tian Boguang and Yun Zhonghe were still alive, they would probably shave their heads overnight upon hearing these names.

Hanshan Temple outside Suzhou!
Even if he spends the rest of his life as a Buddhist monk or even becomes a eunuch, it would be more pleasant than being dismembered and blasted into dust. Chu Liuxiang doesn't kill people, but there's no rule that he has to save them, as long as he doesn't kill them with his own hands.

Who would dare to commit a crime under such circumstances?

The criminal who committed nine crimes dared to do so.

While Tang Zhuquan was out searching for clues, he found a corpse. The method of the crime was the same as always. This time, he left a note to provoke him, saying that he would kill all the so-called perfect people and make the reputations of Thief King, Four Eyebrows, Snow Blade Prodigal, and Drunken Swordsman all ruined!

The paper strips were pieced together from cut-out pieces of newspaper.

The Jianghu Monthly Report published by Tianji Pavilion.

This happened to be the most glorious experience for everyone.

provocative!

A blatant slap in the face!

Tang Zhuquan was furious, his eyes bulging with rage. He pointed at the sky and cursed, "Tang Zhuquan hereby swears that if I cannot catch you, you beast, I will jump into the river and commit suicide."

I'm not human anymore!
I'm going to become a turtle under the Grand Canal!

Before long, Lu Xiaofeng and the others arrived, all of them burning with rage. Even Chu Liuxiang, a chivalrous man who never killed anyone, felt a surge of desire to break his vow.

Chu Liuxiang does not kill people.

However, the perpetrator was not human.

He is a beast.

The worst of the worst.

Tang Zhuquan looked up at the sky and cursed angrily: "Get out here! Who the hell are you! You don't like me, you look down on chivalrous people, so if you have the guts, come at me!"

The fat man weighs over 300 pounds and is lying here!
Damn it, come and fight me one-on-one if you dare!
Fatty will give you a hand, a foot, and a whip!

Didn't you want to see me get angry?
You wanted to see me jump up and down in anger, banging my head on the ground helplessly? Well then, come and see for yourself!

Fatty will personally give you a performance!

Cowardly wretch!

Cowardly wretch!

Cowardly wretch!

You're a rat, a piece of trash, a coward!
You will live in darkness for the rest of your life!
You won't be able to be a human being in your next life either!

Back then, Tang Zhuquan had a verbal battle with a shrew on the street. Thirty people couldn't get close to him. At first, he had some discipline, but when he got excited, he used the most vulgar language imaginable, with all sorts of words coming out one after another. The more he cursed, the more vicious he became, and the more vicious he became, the more he cursed!

He cursed for over an hour, until his mouth was dry and his throat was hoarse, before finally stopping to drink a glass of wine. He picked up his large wine jar and gulped down several kilograms of wine in one go.

Then, continue the cursing!
Based on the known clues, the villain harbored resentment towards the wealthy family and the chivalrous heroes of the martial arts world, and it was speculated that he had been bullied by some of these heroes. Tang Zhuquan used this as a pretext to hurl insults, spewing out a string of fabricated lies, his words like knives, each one piercing the heart.

The heroes of the martial arts world are not fools.

Such a vicious, cunning, and insidious thug must be narrow-minded and vengeful. Tang Zhuquan cursed him for several hours in a row. How could the other party not hate him?
What would Tang Zhuquan do if he transferred this resentment to Bai Huahua, Tang Zhuquan's favorite concubine?

Could it be that Tang Zhuquan is using someone else to do his dirty work?
Some speculate that Tang Zhuquan's eagerness to take a concubine was mostly because Bai Huahua was pregnant with his child and was using the child to threaten him, as the Tang family line was not thriving. In order to continue the Tang family line, he had no choice but to reluctantly accept the situation.

Tang Zhuquan had long wanted to get rid of Bai Huahua, and he could use the flower thief to eliminate her, thus ending any future troubles. He could also catch the flower thief and enhance his own reputation.

Killing two birds with one stone, what a brilliant plan!

Who would have thought that this fat man, who seemed so generous and laughed so happily, was actually so sinister!

Tang Zhuquan is now burdened with debts, and has been accused of countless misdeeds. His romantic relationships have been thoroughly investigated, and rumors about him are rampant in the underworld.

All he wants now is to catch the murderer.

We must catch the murderer at all costs!
Including my own life!

He was willing to die together with the murderer!

　This story comes from "The Great Showdown of the Four Great Constables: The Meeting at Tanting". Most of Wen Ruian's long works have bad endings, are discontinued, or are abandoned, but Wen Ruian's short stories are really amazing. He can write about twenty or thirty characters in a work of tens of thousands of words. Even if he dies after writing it, he can still leave a deep impression!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)