"Where did this stinky girl come from? How dare you meddle in our family affairs!"
"Xiaotang, come to your uncle. I'll take you to see your father."
As the stubbly - bearded man said, he was about to reach out and grab Gong Xiaotang. At this moment, a sharp glint flashed in Zhao Shuning's eyes. The next second, her sword was out of its scabbard.
The sword pointed straight at the man's chest. If the man took one more step forward, it would pierce through his chest.
By now, there was already a smear of blood on his chest.
"Stinky girl, you're looking for death!"
Zhao Shuning took a step back, her eyes showing no trace of fear. She said directly, "Who on earth are you?"
"I'm Xiaotang's uncle. I've said this before, you bitch."
"If you're Xiaotang's uncle, why doesn't Xiaotang recognize you?"
"I've said that she only saw me once when she was born. At that time, she was just a baby. What could she remember?"
Zhao Shuning sneered.
"Then how did you recognize her now?"
The stubbly - bearded man was taken aback and held his breath. "She's my own niece. How could I not recognize her?"
Zhao Shuning didn't lower her sword. She scanned the men in the yard who were filled with hostility. It wasn't that Zhao Shuning judged people by their appearance, but their actions were far from friendly, and there was not a shred of respect in their eyes for Gong Xiaotang, the young miss.
It was impossible for them to be from the Gong family.
Among those men, one was holding a portrait. Zhao Shuning just glanced at it roughly and guessed what it was.
"Are you bandits?"
"No! I am really Xiaotang's uncle. Xiaotang, your father's name is Gong Qing, and your mother's name is Ji Hou, right?"
Gong Xiaotang nodded.
The man continued, "My name is Ji Wei. I'm your mother's younger brother."
Zhao Shuning looked at Gong Xiaotang. Gong Xiaotang said, "My mother's name is Ji Hou. She died not long after I was born. But I've never heard my father say that I have an uncle."
"Xiaotang, uncle isn't lying. You have to believe me."
"Believe you?"
Zhao Shuning took a few steps forward with her sword. Seeing this, Ji Wei had to back away. Although Zhao Shuning was just a young girl, she never warned others before she took action.
"Then I'll ask you three questions."
"Okay."
Gong Xiaotang followed Zhao Shuning and closed the door of the Gong family's house after they entered.
"Xiaotang has been missing for so many days. Why didn't you send people out to look for her?"
"I... I just haven't had the time yet."
"No time? Your subordinates are holding the missing - person notices of Xiaotang, right? Judging from the state of the paper, it must have been three or five days. You should have sent people to tear them down on the street to prevent the news from spreading, right?"
Ji Wei took a step back.
"Second question. Since Xiaotang showed up, you've only claimed to be her uncle. You clearly know that Xiaotang's father is seriously ill. If you're really her relative, shouldn't you be by Gong Qing's bedside now? Why have you gathered so many people from the martial world here? Is it to take care of Gong Qing or to seize the Gong family's property?"
"Stinky girl, what do you know?"
Ji Wei roared. Seeing this, the others drew their swords one after another.
Zhao Shuning wasn't afraid. She moved the sword in her hand a few centimeters forward.
"Don't be in such a hurry. I still have a third question."
"When we first came here, when you saw Xiaotang, your first expression was one of surprise. Then you quickly changed your expression and walked out from among those people, pretending to be very happy. Why is that?"
This young girl in front of him had fearless eyes and was extremely meticulous. It was just such a simple action, and Ji Wei was standing among so many people. Even such a subtle expression was noticed by this girl.
"I... I..."
"Can't answer? Then I'll answer for you."
"You must have premeditated this."
"Premeditated? What could I have premeditated?"
Zhao Shuning said, "On the way here, I've also observed the surroundings. The Gong family is a wealthy family. You could come in so openly, which should have been permitted by the Gong family's master. Otherwise, the neighbors would have noticed something strange long ago."
"Of course, I was allowed to come in by my brother - in - law. I've said that I'm Gong Xiaotang's uncle, but you just don't believe me."
"No, I believe you. You should be Xiaotang's relative, but you're not a good person."
"Stinky girl, don't talk nonsense."
Zhao Shuning lifted the sword upwards, and Ji Wei felt a burning sensation on his chest.
"I have a guess that's taking shape. Do you want me to tell you?"
Ji Wei squinted his eyes dangerously and didn't reply. He was afraid that the next moment, this girl's sword would pierce through his body without hesitation.
"First, you should have known that the Gong family's master was seriously ill and that the Gong family was desperately seeking medicine."
"So, you deliberately arranged for someone to lure Gong Xiaotang to the black market."
The black market was such a terrifying place with a high threshold for entry. Without someone's guidance, how could Gong Xiaotang have rushed in rashly?
Moreover, from the conversation between Gong Xiaotang and herself before, Gong Xiaotang knew how dangerous the black market was before she went there. Without someone's guidance, Zhao Shuning believed that Gong Xiaotang wouldn't be so stupid as to go to the black market to seek death on her own.
At this moment, Gong Xiaotang was also sharp - eyed and pointed at a servant behind Ji Wei.
Then she said, "Shuning, it's him. He told me that I could buy the pill to save my father in the black market. It's him."
Zhao Shuning smiled and looked at Ji Wei again, then continued, "In this case, my previous guesses have been confirmed. I think those big and strong men in the black market should have been bribed by you at a high price. Otherwise, they wouldn't have taken such a high - risk move to try to kill Gong Xiaotang in that alley to silence her."
Even if those big and strong men were cruel by nature, they had already stolen Gong Xiaotang's money bag. For the sake of money, they shouldn't have been so determined to kill Gong Xiaotang.
It seemed that they were mostly under someone else's instruction.
"Little girl, your imagination is a bit too wild."
Zhao Shuning tilted her head slightly to one side and looked at the group of people behind Ji Wei.
"You should know in your own hearts whether what I said is right or not."
"However, you probably didn't expect that those big and strong men not only failed to take Gong Xiaotang's life but also lost their own lives, right?"
"How is that possible? That was a remote alley. Among the five of them, three were fourth - stage spiritual pharmacists. Spiritual pharmacists of this status were more than capable of killing the two of you. Even if they couldn't kill you, they shouldn't have been killed by you instead."
In a moment of impatience, Ji Wei retorted instinctively.
It was only after he finished speaking that he realized that he had been tricked by the young girl in front of him.