The little heroine investigates a mysterious case

Zhao Xuan chewed some beef jerky and replied swiftly, "I don't know."

"Did you know that the Tiandao League holds a martial arts competition every five years? This year is the fifth year, and the competition will be held at the Tiandao League headquarters, on the outskirts of Jinyang City, and will begin in ten days."

Zhao Xuan looked at Hao Xiong: "I didn't know it just now, but now I know."

Hao Xiong leaned closer to Zhao Xuan and said, "This martial arts competition is extraordinary. It's said that the winner will receive the most precious martial arts treasure from the Tiandao League! The Evil-Slaying Blade! That's a peerless sword, and legend has it that it guarded Fengcheng many years ago..."

Zhao Xuan continued, "This was the personal sword of General Hu Yidao, the defender of Fengcheng. Before his death in battle, Hu Yidao asked the current Prime Minister Yang Liuming to have it delivered to the Tiandao League headquarters and personally handed over to his brother Hu Yiba, so that he would not forget the hatred for the country and the family!"

Hao Xiong stared at Zhao Xuan with wide eyes, stammering, "This... You don't even know about the Tiandao League or the martial arts tournament. You, you know the origin of the Evil-Slaying Blade better than the legend?!"

Zhao Xuan didn't want to explain: "Go on."

Hao Xiong chuckled, "I just want to invite you to participate in the martial arts competition. I think with your kung fu skills, you will definitely take first place! You are sure to win! You will definitely get the Evil-Slaying Sword!"

Zhao Xuan jumped onto the table, sat cross-legged, and asked Hao Xiong, "Is that all?"

Hao Xiong swallowed his saliva: "Promise first that you won't hit me after I tell you..."

"Speak, I won't hit you."

"Then...then we'll sell this knife..."

Hao Xiong quickly jumped away at this point before continuing, "We can sell it for a lot of money. You take half! The other half will be given to all of us. That way we can buy a lot of food and medicinal herbs, so we can all survive!"

Zhao Xuan waved at Hao Xiong: "Come here, I said I won't hit you, I won't hit you, come here!"

Hao Xiong slowly approached Zhao Xuan. Zhao Xuan suddenly stood up. Hao Xiong was so frightened that he immediately squatted on the ground and hugged his head. Zhao Xuan said, "I promise you! But I don't want half the money!"

Hao Xiong compromised very straightforwardly: "Okay, you can give it to me as you see fit, but I can't refuse it. After all, I provided the information!"

Zhao Xuan shook her head gently and said calmly, "I don't want it. I'll give it all to you!"

Hao Xiong looked up at Zhao Xuan in great surprise and asked, "Really?"

"But I have a condition."

Hao Xiong muttered, "I knew it wouldn't be that easy."

Zhao Xuan continued: “If I can get this done, I will take Little Medical Fairy away.”

Hao Xiong immediately stood up and said, "That won't do! I can be my own boss, but I can't be the boss of Xiao Yixian!"

At this time, the voice of the Little Doctor Fairy came from the door, concise but firm: "I promise you, as long as you buy back the food and herbs and save everyone's lives, you can take my life!"

After saying this, the Little Medical Fairy went into the house. Without even looking at Zhao Xuan, she said to Hao Xiong, "If you're not busy, come and help boil the medicine. We're short of manpower."

Hao Xiong promised to come right away, and Xiao Yixian turned and left.

Hao Xiong then asked Zhao Xuan, "Haven't you asked for the heroine's name yet?"

Zhao Xuan replied, "Daylily."

Hao Xiong's eyes widened, wanting to laugh, but he held it back. Instead, he gave Zhao Xuan a thumbs-up and said, "What a great name! Quite domineering!"

Zhao Xuan said, "You seem to be well-informed, so I want to ask you something."

"Madam Huang, please speak."

"Ten years ago, the Crown Prince led an embassy on a mission to the Kingdom of Yue. En route, they were attacked in the Tiankeng Gorge of Jigong Mountain. It's said that the bandits who ruled Jigong Mountain were responsible..."

Hao Xiong knelt on the ground and cried, "Lady, spare my life..."

Zhao Xuan frowned coldly, pressed the long sword on the table, and said sternly, "You are really related to those bandits?!"

Hao Xiong quickly waved his hands. "Miss, you misunderstood! It really is a misunderstanding! I just want to say that our Jiaoyang Valley has nothing to do with Jigong Mountain! We fled here during the flood two years ago. Back then, this valley was deserted, so we built a few thatched huts to make do, picking wild fruits and vegetables to fill our stomachs. Later, as more and more people arrived here, we named it Jiaoyang Valley."

"Then why did you suddenly kneel down?"

"My legs went weak the moment you said that, lady! I didn't want to kneel either! Although I was still young back then, that tragedy shocked the entire country. Everyone in the country knew about it. My parents were terrified at the time. Who could be so heartless as to do such a heinous thing? Not long after, the court announced to the world that the evidence was conclusive and it was the bandits from Jigong Mountain who did it. They beheaded them and displayed their heads! Even now, their heads are still dangling from the gate tower of Luyang City! How can I not be afraid now that you suddenly bring this up?"

"Is it really the work of bandits?"

"Anyway, that's all I know," Hao Xiong stood up and brushed the dirt off his knees. "Lady, I beg you not to get so excited. It's been so many years, please don't scare me anymore! Besides, ever since the imperial court sent troops to suppress the bandits on Jigong Mountain, no one dares to stay there anymore. They all stay in hiding!"

Zhao Xuan couldn't help but ask, "What are you going to do in the future?"

"Let's survive first. I'm going to help the Little Doctor Fairy."

After Hao Xiong finished speaking, he ran out of the thatched house. Zhao Xuan thought about it, then followed him out of the thatched house and walked towards the outside of Jiaoyang Valley.

Hao Xiong, who was boiling medicine, saw Zhao Xuan leave. He looked at the little medical fairy who was preparing medicine beside him and asked, "Huang Huacai is afraid of going to the competition and sneaked away, right?"

"Daylily?"

"That's the girl I tricked into coming here. I didn't expect her to actually agree. Regardless of whether she can get first place or not, this is always a solution. Am I smart?"

Xiao Yixian's voice was calm, but her words were frightening.

"You have a really clever mind, but have you ever considered this? If she really participates in the competition, she might lose limbs, or even her life. Several people have already died in the martial arts world because of this evil-slaying sword."

Hao Xiong's hand trembled and he almost knocked over the medicine jar.

"Really? Then wouldn't I have harmed her?"

"So, if she wants to slip away, then she can slip away."

At night, most people in Jiaoyang Valley were already asleep. Zhao Xuan lit a bonfire in a secluded and open area far away from the thatched hut. She simply skinned two wild rabbits she had caught in the mountains and roasted them over the fire.

Hao Xiong came over after smelling the food, swallowed a few times, and asked, "Do you want salt?"

"Where's the Little Doctor Fairy?"

"I'm feeding the patients medicine. The last two."

Hao Xiong squatted in front of the campfire, watching Zhao Xuan roasting the rabbit, and advised: "I think you should not go to the competition. It's very dangerous! What if something happens..."

Zhao Xuan immediately glared at Hao Xiong: "Are you cursing me?"

"I'm worried about you."

"I'm not related to you. Why worry about me?"

"Can't you just talk properly?"

"Xiao Yixian agreed to my conditions, so I must go."

"Then don't blame me if anything happens to you."

"If I come back safely, I'll be the boss!"

"That's no problem. Don't just say you're my boss, you can even be my ancestor!"

Zhao Xuan was amused by Hao Xiong's words: "Just call me sister first, I'm not that old."

Hao Xiong looked at Zhao Xuan and questioned, "I'm nineteen this year, so I should be older than you, right?"

"I'm nineteen too. What's your day?"

"May 5th, 15:30 AM."

Zhao Xuan raised an eyebrow at Hao Xiong proudly: "What a coincidence, I was also born on the fifth day of the fifth month, at 2:15 in the morning, just a little earlier than you!"

Hao Xiong was stunned for a moment: "So it's fate? Okay! Sister! From now on, you have to protect me!"

Zhao Xuan smiled slightly, but her mind went back to more than ten years ago, when Concubine Xiao Shufei brought the fifth prince Gu Zhanghua to Qingfeng Courtyard for the first time. Concubine Xiao Shufei and her master were drinking tea and chatting in the house. She took Gu Zhanghua to the garden to catch butterflies, and Aunt Lan was looking after them.

She chased the butterfly and shouted, "Fifth Prince! Come quickly!"

Gu Zhanghua smiled and swatted the butterfly with his hands, calling her, "Sister Xuan! This butterfly is so beautiful!"

She was a little unhappy at the time, and she asked Gu Zhanghua: "How old are you this year?"

"Five years old."

"You are only five years old, and I am ten!"

"really?"

"Of course it's true, so you should call me sister, not sister!"

Aunt Lan laughed so hard that she almost choked. She held her stomach and waved her hands at Zhao Xuan.

"Little Miss, stop talking nonsense! You're the same age as the Fifth Prince, how come you've suddenly become ten years old?"

At that time, she was exposed by Aunt Lan and was a little angry. She put her hands on her hips and glared at Aunt Lan. At this moment, she heard Gu Zhanghua shouting at her: "Sister Xuan!"

She turned to look at Gu Zhanghua, who was smiling innocently, his dark eyes looking at her, making her feel extremely kind and sincere. She then took Gu Zhanghua's hand and said, "Then I'll call you Xiaowu from now on, okay?"