Chapter 11: The Little Thief of Fengtian (6)

  Qijian Er shouted in agreement, but didn't dare sit down. He pulled Huo Xiaoyao and the others back, making them stand behind him. He stood upright in the hall, not daring to turn his head randomly, only his eyeballs moving around to size up the situation.

  Before long, a coughing sound came from the inner room, and a man in his fifties slowly walked out, leaning on a red wooden crutch. The hand holding the crutch had only three fingers, shaped like a cone, and it was more like a claw-shaped instrument made of black iron than a hand. The newcomer was none other than Liu Fangbao!

  Qī Jiàn èr jiàn dào, gǎn máng jiāng shuāng shǒu xiān qián liàng chū, ràng sān zhǐ Liú néng kàn dào zì jǐ de shǒu zhǎng, suí jí liǎng gè dà mù zhuā zài yī qǐ, wò shǒu quán tóu, zhěng gè rén yě xiàng xià shēn shēn yī fū gōng, shuō dào: "Liú dà yé ye."

  Sanzhi Liu didn't seem like a gloomy person, his face was calm and easy-going with a smile, he said in a hoarse voice: "Oh! It's Qi Er Gunzi ah! Sit down! Sit down!"

  Qī Jiàn èr said: "No need, no need, I'll just say it standing up."

  Sanzhi Liu no longer being polite, walked to the main seat in the hall and sat down. He coughed and said: "Qi Er, you haven't come to visit me for a long time. What good news have you brought me today?" Sanzhi Liu's gaze also turned to Huo Xiaoyi and the others, and he continued: "I suppose these few young ones know something?"

  Qizheng Er said: "Old Master Liu, it's precisely these few young ones who found out some of the things you had the younger generation investigate."

  Sanzhi Liu said: "Oh? Qi Er Gunzi, you still let the little ones under Wuxiong go and ask around? Not good!"

  Qijian II hastily said: "Liu Dage, how dare I? It's just that these few young ones coincidentally entered the Buddhist hall of Zhang Siye's family!"

  Liu's three fingers grasped the handle of his crutch tightly, and the sharp light in his eyes flashed wildly as he shouted, "Qi Erzi! Speak truthfully!"

  "Really? Really?! They wouldn't dare deceive me! I've brought them all here, let them tell you themselves!"

  Three fingers Liu stamped his crutch on the ground with a loud "thud", and shouted: "Speak!"

  Qijian Er grabbed Huo Xiaoxie and hastily instructed, "Huo Xiaoxie! Tell Grandpa Liu exactly how you got into the Buddhist hall at Zhang Siye's house!"

  Huoxiao Ye was originally quite tense on the way, but hearing the two of them making a big fuss over nothing, he became nonchalant instead. He thought to himself: "It's just a small matter of stealing some snacks, what's the big deal?"

  "Mr. Liu, I'm Huo Xiaoxie... I wish you good health."

  Huoxiao Ye lowered his head, shaking it back and forth as he slowly told the story of how he had stolen pastries from the Buddhist hall at Zhang Siye's house, which was exactly what he had said to Qi Jian'er.

  Liu listened attentively for a while, then remained silent for half a moment. He tapped his cane and sighed, "I didn't expect that you, a young kid, would have such ability!"

  Huo Xiao Ye heard San Zhi Liu's praise, and didn't know how to react. He looked at Qi Jian Er, who was already beaming with joy, but only paying attention to San Zhi Liu's expression. Qi Jian Er thought to himself: "I'm guessing this time San Zhi Liu will definitely reward me heavily! For so many days, no one knew what was placed in Zhang Si Ye's Buddhist hall, and it was actually seen by my little bell underneath! Haha!"

  Three fingers Liu closed his eyes in contemplation, but then heard a loud burst of laughter coming from the inner hall, and someone quickly walked out.

  Qijian's eyes widened as he looked up, and his knees went weak with fear, almost causing him to kneel down on the ground.

  All that could be seen was that the newcomer was a dark-faced big man, of average height and build, very lean, with a goatee beard, a flat-top haircut, a scar on his left cheek from eyebrow to ear, wearing a yellowish-brown overcoat, open at the front, with a wide black leather belt around his waist, from which hung a dark green snakeskin whip.

  The big Han walked and laughed, staring straight at Huo Xiao and others.

  This man was one of the four notorious thieves in Northeast China at that time, known as Hei San Bian (Black Three Whip) in the Jianghu world. With a black face, a knife scar and a whip shaped like a snake, he was a figure known to everyone in the lower eight rows of Northeast China! Black Three Whip was originally from a martial arts background, but somehow turned to thievery. He once stole from nine wealthy households in Fengtian City overnight, with each household losing a picture of a black snake. From then on, he escaped from Fengtian City and only had Jianghu legends telling stories about his various exploits!

  It is said that Hei San Bian not only steals but also kills people like flies, if you are the one who reprinted this book

  He was stopped from stealing, he went on a rampage, and the whole family, regardless of men, women, old and young, were all slaughtered. Some say that the case of the Palace Family Massacre, in which 16 members of the Gong family were killed overnight, shocking the entire Northeast, was also done by Hei Sanbian.

  So the black three whips suddenly appeared in the Liu family's three fingers, and rushed towards them with a loud laugh, naturally making Qi Jianer's legs and feet soft.

  Qijian thought to himself: "Why did Hei Sanbian return to Fengtian? Is it possible that Liu Sanzhi let us go investigate Zhang Siye's family situation, and it has something to do with Hei Sanbian?"

  Hu Xiao saw Hei San Bian and thought of the rumors in Jianghu about "Black Face Knife Scar Snake Whip". Seeing Qi Jian's body slightly shaking, he also guessed who the person was.

  Huo Xiao Xie felt uneasy in his heart, thinking: "Could it be that Hei San Bian doesn't believe what I said? If he asks about the matter of Zhang Si Ye's Buddhist temple, should I say something or not? Even if I do speak up, would he believe me?" Actually, Huo Xiao Xie had indeed seen a strange and unprecedented event in the upper part of Zhang Si Ye's Buddhist temple, but it was too bizarre. He thought that even if he spoke out, no one would believe him, so he decided to omit this part and not mention it.

  Hei Sanpiao walked up to Sanzhi Liu, stopped laughing and made a fist at Sanzhi Liu, saying: "Brother Liu, please don't mind me. I was listening to them inside and found it interesting, so I couldn't help but come out."

  Sanzhi Liu was also very polite and nodded: "Black brother is being too courteous, I was just thinking of calling you out."

  Hei San Bian Dao: "May I ask this doll a few questions?"

  "Please go ahead and ask, they're just some young whippersnappers from the lower five provinces, no need to be polite."

  Hei San Bian turned around, his long and narrow eyes fixed on Huo Xiao Xie. He walked two steps forward with his hands behind his back and asked: "You little rascal, I'm asking you, what Buddha is worshipped in Zhang Si Ye's Buddhist hall, and what incense is burned?"

  Huo Xiao thought to herself: "As expected, it's about something in the Buddha Hall."

  Huo Xiao Ye didn't dare to be slow and replied: "Master Hui's words, the offerings are for Earth Store Bodhisattva, and the incense burned is nine branches of three feet high."

  Hei San Bian smiled and hummed: "What's on display in front of Buddha?"

  "Really cruel! How did he know!" It turned out that the things placed in front of the Buddha in this Buddhist hall were exactly the strange objects that Huo Xiaoyao had been suspicious of.

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yī slightly hesitated, nodded after a moment, and looked up at Hei San Biān.

  "Hei San Bian hummed: 'If you go, can't you see these things?'"

  Huo Xiao Xi hastily lowered his head and said: "Master's words, I'm afraid that if I say it, Master won't believe me."

  "Hei Sanbian said: 'Just say it! Your black grandfather has traveled all over the place and seen many things.'"

  Huoxiao Ye said: "In front of the Buddha in that Buddhist hall, there was a half-naked woman..."

  Everyone who heard it was shocked, even Sanzhi Liu, who had been sitting calmly, was greatly shocked, with his small eyes wide open.

  "Shut up, you wicked little beast! What nonsense are you spouting!"

  Hei Sanbian's face turned red with anger, and he said in a deep voice: "Let him speak!" Qi Jian'er hurriedly closed his mouth, not even daring to fart.

  Huoxiao Ye calmed down, and it seemed as if the scene in front of him had returned to the Buddha Hall. He collected his thoughts and slowly said: "At first, I was also startled, thinking it was a living person. But after taking a closer look, there's not even a hint of human aura. Although this woman is dressed lightly, from her headdress and attire, it can be seen that she's not from the Qing Dynasty, but rather from an earlier dynasty."

  "Hei San Bian asked: 'What is this woman's posture?'"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yé said: "Lie flat, face up to the sky, with both hands crossed over the lower abdomen. Ah, yes, that woman's forehead seems to have a crimson symbol drawn on it."

  Hei San Bian hummed and suddenly pulled out a piece of paper from his bosom, unfolding it to reveal a symbol in front of Xiao Xie, saying: "Is this the symbol?"

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yī kàn, zhǐ jiàn zhǐ shàng hè rán huà zhe yī gè rú tóng sān gè luó xuàn pīn zài yì qǐ de tú àn, zhèng hé fó táng nǚ zǐ tóu shàng de fú yī mú yí yàng.

  Huǒ Xiǎo Yé nodded repeatedly and said: "That's right, that's it!"

  Hei San Bian's hand shook, and he put the paper back in his bosom. His dark face turned red as he said, "You little kid, you're lucky to have seen such a treasure!"

  Sanzhi Liu stood up and walked in front of Hei Sanbian, saying: "Hei brother, what you said is not the Jade Maiden, is it?"

  "Hehe, it's indeed this thing! I came to Fēng Tiān specifically to steal this Female Body Jade! Hmph, and it ended up in Zhang Siye's house! Come, little girl, you've done a great service for Hei Sanbi this time. This is your reward!" Hei Sanbi said, pulling out several gold leaves from his sleeve and tossing them in front of Huǒ Xiǎo Xié.

  Huoxiao Ye had never seen so much money laid out before his eyes, and without thinking, he was about to squat down to pick it up. Qi Jian'er saw the gold leaves and immediately threw away his fear of Hei Sanbian, his eyes shining brightly as he swiftly moved in like a weasel stealing a chicken's last trick, knocking Huoxiao Ye aside and snatching up the gold leaves in an instant. "Thank you, Master Hei! Thank you, Master Hei!" he exclaimed repeatedly, not forgetting to glare at Huoxiao Ye out of the corner of his eye as he muttered under his breath, "I'll deal with you when we get back!"

  Liu Sanzhi said: "You few go back! Be more discreet with your mouths! If you let others know, you'll know the consequences!"

  "Right, right, Grandpa Liu, don't worry, don't worry!"

  Qijian Er pulled Huo Xiao Xie and others to leave, several people just walked a few steps, only to hear Hei San Bian shouting behind them: "Wait!"