Chapter 106: Zheng Jian: How Did I End Up as the Fall Guy?

Chapter 106: Zheng Jian: How Did I Become the Scapegoat?

The big boss nodded upon hearing this. “Very good. As long as he is a man, he will have a woman he likes. With her by his side, it’s nearly impossible for him to keep all his secrets.”

Tie Hu nodded silently. “What do you mean, boss?”

The boss smiled. “I know that Bamboo Leaf Qing likes Zi Ling.”

Zi Ling was the beauty with a mole at the corner of her mouth whom the boss had brought back from the Qinhuai River.

Upon hearing this, Tie Hu suddenly understood and felt sincere admiration for the boss—just because of that one sentence.

Because the boss hadn’t kept it from him, it meant Tie Hu was truly the boss’s trusted confidant.

The boss understood even more clearly that such a simple gesture and a single phrase were enough to secure Tie Hu’s absolute loyalty.

By giving Zi Ling to Bamboo Leaf Qing, the boss might not win Bamboo Leaf Qing’s loyalty outright, but with Zi Ling by his side, even if Bamboo Leaf Qing made any secret moves, they would never escape the boss’s notice.

Because Bamboo Leaf Qing liked Zi Ling.

One move, multiple gains!

The boss smiled softly and closed his eyes, leaning back. Tie Hu knew the boss was resting and quietly left.

...

That night seemed especially long.

Just as Zheng Jian was about to rest, Xue Keren came again. “Boss, someone’s knocking at the door.”

Zheng Jian was somewhat speechless. His tavern wasn’t a grand establishment—why was tonight so turbulent?

He thought for a moment and said, “Keren, you should rest. Don’t worry about it.”

Xue Keren didn’t have profound internal energy, so if she didn’t rest, she would tire easily and age quickly.

She smiled sweetly at Zheng Jian. Although he was usually sharp-tongued, at critical moments, he never disappointed.

Zheng Jian watched her return to her room and sighed, then went to the front.

He opened the tavern door again. Standing there was a man.

In the deep autumn night, he seemed to blend perfectly with the surroundings.

He exuded an aura of coldness and an uncontrollable killing intent. He had killed—many times!

In his hand hung a sword, its scabbard adorned with a golden throat and thirteen gleaming pearls.

The sight of that sword instantly cleared Zheng Jian’s mind.

Yan Thirteen!

The Deadly Thirteen Swords!

He looked tired and sorrowful, as if some matter had trapped this world-renowned sword demon in an inescapable abyss.

“Boss, I want a drink!” Yan Thirteen said in a low voice, filled with an overwhelming sense of disappointment and endless loneliness.

Zheng Jian composed himself. This man was worthy of respect.

“Please!”

Because it was Yan Thirteen, Zheng Jian never mentioned closing time and led him inside.

“No fine wine, but plenty of cheap stuff!”

Yan Thirteen didn’t even look up. “Bring the wine!”

He slumped into a chair as if all his strength had been drained.

Zheng Jian carried a jar of wine and sat beside him. “Please!”

Without a word, Yan Thirteen grabbed the jar, broke the seal, and tilted his head back, gulping down the wine.

*Glug glug glug glug...*

After drinking more than half the jar in one go, Yan Thirteen finally gasped for breath. “Do you know me?”

Zheng Jian nodded. “I do. Mainly because of this sword. Not many people in the martial world don’t recognize it.”

Yan Thirteen gave a desolate smile. “I should thank you.”

Zheng Jian blinked. “Thank me for what? The wine?”

Yan Thirteen took another big gulp. *Glug glug glug.* Then he said, “Thank you for being a master, a swordsman!”

“Under Green Cloud Peak, in front of Green Water Lake... hahaha...” Yan Thirteen laughed bitterly. “When I accepted Murong Qiudi’s invitation to go to the Divine Sword Villa to fight Xie Xiaofeng, guess what happened?”

Zheng Jian understood. Murong Qiudi had sought him out before but he ignored her, so she turned to Yan Thirteen.

Yan Thirteen went to the Divine Sword Villa but returned—obviously, Young Master Xie Xiaofeng had faked his death and escaped.

Sure enough, before Zheng Jian could answer, Yan Thirteen cried and laughed at the same time: “He’s dead! He actually died—before I even got to him!”

His sword energy spanned thirty thousand miles, his sword’s light chilled nineteen continents.

This phrase was written for Yan Thirteen and Xie Xiaofeng.

To Yan Thirteen, Xie Xiaofeng was his destined rival.

Though there was quite an age gap, Yan Thirteen believed so firmly.

But when he went to find Xie Xiaofeng, he was dead ┏┛grave┗┓(((m-__-)m

Yan Thirteen’s disappointment was obvious.

“He’s dead, my rival is gone. Passing Green Water Lake, I wanted to sink the sword that had been with me for twenty years, but the Xie family steward stopped me,” Yan Thirteen said sadly. “Do you know how he stopped me?”

Zheng Jian shook his head. This was a bit beyond him—he had figured the sword would already be sunk in Green Water Lake. Who knew why Yan Thirteen still carried it.

“The steward said, though the young master died, there are still others in the world who can rival me. So, I came here.” At this, Yan Thirteen’s eyes gradually gleamed faintly as he stared at Zheng Jian.

“The Heaven-Returning Swordsman, who once defeated Xiahou Feishan with a single sword, bested Ouyang He and three other top swordsmen, and even killed the Three Mountains of Iron Sword Town—spared only that kid Cao Bing. Am I right?”

Zheng Jian understood completely—absolutely!

Damn that Xie family steward. Your young master faked his death and ran away, and you sold my information to Yan Thirteen?

No wonder Yan Thirteen came here drinking late at night, no wonder he still carried the Deadly Thirteen Swords!

Damn it—so it’s all because of me that Yan Thirteen hasn’t completely sunk into despair like in the original story...

Zheng Jian didn’t know whether to feel honored or angry. Maybe both.

He hesitated, then a thought suddenly popped up: “Suddenly, I’ve become the scapegoat. What should I do? Waiting online, it’s urgent...”

But regarding Yan Thirteen’s question, Zheng Jian confirmed, “That’s right. You’re not wrong at all. So?”

Yan Thirteen smiled. “So the young master is gone, but at least there’s you.”

“...???”

At least there’s you, worth cherishing? And your presence here is a miracle of life~~~

If circumstances were different, Zheng Jian might have broken into song.

No, wait—that sounded dangerously close to something else...

“But I can see, you still seem a little afraid of me!” Yan Thirteen continued, “So, you’re definitely not my match yet. But that’s okay, I can wait.”

“Damn it...” Zheng Jian felt his scalp tingle. This conversation would be perfectly natural between a man and a woman.

Zheng Jian said nothing but decided: the moment that bastard Xie Xiaofeng shows up in Han Family Alley, he will tell Yan Thirteen immediately!

...

(End of chapter)