You Are the Mute [Comprehensive Martial Arts] - Chapter 16

For now, let’s set aside Iron Hand’s inner turmoil. When he saw Yuan Suiyun in Wang Lianhua’s grasp, his expression was deeply conflicted. This wasn’t due to any particular reverence for Wuzheng Manor or grief over Yuan Suiyun’s true identity, but rather because of Yuan Suiyun’s current state.

Iron Hand had met Yuan Suiyun, the Young Manor Lord of Wuzheng Manor, before. Though blind, Yuan Suiyun possessed striking features and an exceptional bearing. A single glance would make anyone lament his blindness—a flaw in otherwise flawless jade, prompting inevitable sighs of pity.

But now, Yuan Suiyun was bound like a dumpling, ropes constricting him from shoulder to ankle. A long, narrow dumpling, was Iron Hand’s first thought. His second was doubt: Could this really be Yuan Suiyun? Bruised and swollen beyond recognition, even his own father might struggle to identify him.

Iron Hand immediately cast a subtle glance at Wang Lianhua, wondering what Young Manor Lord Yuan had done to so thoroughly offend him. After all, crossing Wang Lianhua rarely resulted in death, but it invariably brought utter ruin.

What a person cherishes most is precisely what they stand to lose. Take Yuan Suiyun, for example. His blindness had always made others pity him, fostering an exceptionally strong sense of pride and a deep concern for his reputation. Wang Lianhua, in turn, stripped him of all dignity.

In truth, had Qiao Yiying not been present, Wang Lianhua would have sent Yuan Suiyun to meet the King of Hell after shattering his pride. He didn’t want Qiao Yiying to see him as ruthless, and since she had already declared her intention to hand Yuan Suiyun over to the authorities, he saw no reason to interfere. After all, someone so insignificant who had angered his dearest friend wasn’t worth the trouble.

Of course, Iron Hand remained unaware of Wang Lianhua’s murderous intent toward Yuan Suiyun. He merely pondered what Yuan Suiyun had done to offend Wang Lianhua, his gaze growing increasingly nuanced.

Wang Lianhua scoffed coldly. “What’s with that look?” If Qiao Yiying hadn’t been present, he would have settled the score with Iron Hand then and there.

“Nothing,” Iron Hand quickly averted his gaze. “But how did you know he was the Bat Young Master?” Though he trusted Wang Lianhua and knew he wouldn’t joke about such matters, he still couldn’t quite grasp it.

If Yuan Suiyun truly was the Bat Young Master, his disguise must have been flawless. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come up empty-handed during his earlier investigations. Wang Lianhua was genuinely curious about how Wang Lianhua had managed to pierce through Yuan Suiyun’s deception.

Hearing this, Wang Lianhua immediately puffed up with pride. “This is all thanks to the Divine Calculator, Miss Qiao! She can see through the past and glimpse the future, so naturally, she could discern Yuan Suiyun’s true identity. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to capture him in a single encounter.”

In truth, Wang Lianhua hadn’t been completely oblivious. He had met Yuan Suiyun before and immediately disliked him. He sensed a darkness within Yuan Suiyun, a stench of the abyss that mirrored his own, yet carried a particularly foul odor. Though Wang Lianhua considered himself no saint, he loathed villains and kept his distance from Yuan Suiyun.

At the time, Wang Lianhua hadn’t known Yuan Suiyun was the Bat Young Master, but he had sensed the man’s duplicity. Had he known the truth, he likely would have reported it to Shen Lang. Wang Lianhua had no interest in meddling, but Shen Lang would undoubtedly have intervened.

Qiao Yiying, the woman being pointed at, met Iron Hand’s curious gaze with a nod and a smile. Although Wang Lianhua had completely abandoned his original persona—transforming from a capricious, morally ambiguous figure into a cheerful, sunny young man who proudly introduced her to others—she remained steadfast in maintaining her own carefully crafted image.

She had to uphold her reputation as the Divine Calculator, to maintain the aloof dignity of a true sage. The man before her was one of the Four Great Constables. If he were to lavish praise on her divinatory abilities while traveling the Jianghu, the news would undoubtedly spread like wildfire. Even if it didn’t reach every corner of the martial world, it would certainly aid her Mission.

Thus, Qiao Yiying carried herself with the dignified air of a Jianghu master. Sitting upright, smiling faintly, and remaining utterly composed—what else could she be but a true expert? At this moment, she even began to see the advantages of her limited speech.

If she were in her normal state, her words would flow as densely as spring rain, making it impossible to maintain this image of aloof mastery. Wait… why was she starting to think that being unable to speak was a good thing? Even the slightest hint of that was unacceptable!

As a self-proclaimed and universally acknowledged chatterbox, being unable to speak was excruciating for Qiao Yiying. The thought nearly shattered her carefully maintained composure, but years of practice allowed her to hold firm.

Wang Lianhua sensed that something was amiss with Qiao Yiying’s mood, but the occasion was inappropriate for questioning. He resolved to inquire later.

Iron Hand’s eyes widened in astonishment. “Miss Qiao truly lives up to her title as the Divine Calculator.” While the claim of divining past and future seemed exaggerated, his uncle had warned him never to underestimate anyone. Perhaps Miss Qiao genuinely possessed such abilities?

Even if she lacked such powers, her exceptional ability to gather intelligence from across the land was not to be taken lightly. Moreover, Qiao Yiying’s willingness to hand over Yuan Suiyun, the Bat Young Master, to the Divine Marquis Manor rather than taking matters into her own hands, earned Iron Hand’s immediate respect.

Sigh. The Divine Marquis Manor faced a constant dilemma: upholding their responsibilities as government officials while navigating the unpredictable world of the Jianghu. Jianghu practitioners often acted on impulse, some even killing their targets in the name of justice, leaving the manor with unsolved cases and endless headaches for the four brothers.

Now that Qiao Yiying, a woman who acted differently from the norm and was willing to hand over criminals to the Divine Marquis Manor, had appeared, Iron Hand naturally felt a sense of goodwill toward her.

After exchanging pleasantries, Iron Hand prepared to take Yuan Suiyun away. He needed to treat Yuan’s injuries first, then verify the authenticity of the evidence. If the evidence proved true, Young Manor Lord Yuan would have to rely on fortune and await His Majesty’s judgment.

“Wait,” Wang Lianhua called out to Iron Hand. “Buy one, get one free. Don’t be shy, take them both.” As he spoke, one of his subordinates carried another long, wrapped bundle from the rear courtyard.

Iron Hand immediately felt a foreboding sense, yet he still had to ask, “Who is this?”

Wang Lianhua’s smile seemed tinged with schadenfreude. “The old manor lord of Wuzheng Manor, Yuan Dongyuan.” If he remembered correctly, Yuan Dongyuan and Zhuge Zhengwo were acquainted. Tsk, tsk, tsk, he thought. I love watching others suffer.

Iron Hand stared at the second long, wrapped bundle thrown before him, his entire being falling into silence.