Chapter 58: This Unlucky Place

"Second Young Master, could it be that the gardeners left these bloodstains after cutting their fingers?" Zhao Xin said.

"Maybe!" Zhao Cheng did not say more. He hoped so, but he did not stop searching. With so many people gathered outside the estate, he had to be cautious. Who knew if there were any assassins among them.

"The person must have jumped over the western wall, and there were two of them. The big one was injured, and badly," Zhao Cheng traced back the bloodstains to the base of the wall, circled a pair of blurred footprints, and whispered.

"Second Young Master, how do you know there were two people and that the big one was injured?" Zhao Xin asked, puzzled. He had been searching for a long time and found a few drops of blood, but could not figure anything out.

"Look, the size of these footprints is not large, indicating a height of about five feet six inches. However, the footprints are very deep. Unless this person is a super fat man, he would not leave such deep footprints after jumping from the wall. This means he was carrying someone!" Zhao Cheng gestured with his hand to illustrate the footprints.

"Second Young Master, if he was carrying something, wouldn't the footprints also be deep?" Zhao Xin said, unconvinced.

"Idiot, look at the two scratch marks behind him. They are clearly left by the tips of his feet. Here, the footprints turn into two sets, indicating that the smaller one could no longer carry the bigger one and had to support him. The big one is likely injured on his right rib!" Zhao Cheng scolded with a smile.

"Hmph, you're just making it up. How can you tell where he was injured? You haven't even seen him. Maybe he was injured on his thigh!"

"Calling you an idiot, you still don't believe it!" Zhao Cheng shook his head and put his arm around Zhao Xin's shoulder. "If I were the injured big one and you were the smaller one, and I was injured on my left leg, how would you support me?"

"Of course, I would stand on your left side and support your left arm!" Zhao Xin grabbed the Second Young Master's left arm and put it on his shoulder.

"Good, you're right. But if I were injured on my left rib, how would you support me?"

"Hmm," Zhao Xin thought for a moment and said, "I would have to stand on your right side to avoid touching your wound!"

"Right, that's exactly it!" Zhao Cheng pulled Zhao Xin to stand on his left side, put his hand on Zhao Xin's shoulder, and then placed Zhao Xin's left hand under his right rib. "What are you fussing about? You're not a girl. This way, you can support me and also cover my wound, right?"

"Oh, that's how it is!" Zhao Xin quickly pulled his hand back, freed himself from Zhao Cheng's embrace, and lowered his head, keeping his hands behind his back, afraid that the Second Young Master would grab his hand again.

"Where would they hide after coming in?" Zhao Cheng, not noticing Zhao Xin's actions, looked around and said.

"Second Young Master, you're an idiot. Two people came into our estate, and one was injured. They must have been in a panic, being chased. Although it's warmer now, it's still cool at night. They would find a place that can shelter them from the wind and rain, and is quiet. That would be the..."

"Greenhouse!" Both of them looked at the greenhouse and said it together. The greenhouse, of course, was not a garden feature but was built in a corner. It was no longer in use, and the gardeners were busy with their own affairs and would not go there.

"Second Young Master, do you think they are still there?" Zhao Xin asked.

"Who knows, let's go and see!" Zhao Cheng and Zhao Xin were already not far from the greenhouse. He pointed at it and said.

"Second Young Master, it's too dangerous. We should call the guards!" Zhao Xin, a bit timid, said softly, as if afraid of startling the people inside.

"Alright," Zhao Cheng nodded, but suddenly felt a tingling sensation on his scalp. He lunged forward, did a few somersaults, and then hid in the bushes.

"Stop, if you run any further, I'll kill him!" A cold voice came from behind him.

"Ah, I won't run anymore!" He knew without looking that Zhao Xin, the 'idiot,' had been caught and was now a hostage. This unlucky place, every time he came, something happened. Zhao Cheng helplessly shook his head, raised his hands, and turned around.

"You're quite clever, little boy!" Zhao Cheng only heard this much before he felt someone pass by him like the wind. He received a heavy blow to the back of his head, and stars danced in front of his eyes. He was knocked out.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhao Cheng woke up, feeling a wave of heat. He knew he must be in the greenhouse. He moved his hands and feet slightly; fortunately, only his feet were tied. "Second Young Master, Second Young Master, where are you?" The voices of Feng Xi and the others came from outside the greenhouse. They must have noticed he hadn't returned and came to look for him.

"Don't cry, go tell them 'you and the Second Young Master are playing here, tell them to go back,' or I'll kill the Second Young Master!" Zhao Cheng recognized the voice of the woman who had knocked him out.

"Okay!" Zhao Cheng heard Zhao Xin agree, stand up, and open the door, then walk out. "Zhao Xin, once you go out, don't come back. Don't get in the way here," he silently prayed, his hand subtly touching the gun and gently pulling the hammer back.

He slightly opened his eyes to observe the situation. A person was lying on the ground about ten meters away, covered with a straw mat, breathing heavily. It seemed to be the injured big one. The woman was guarding the door, her right hand holding a dart, looking out cautiously.

"Damn, she's a pro!" From this simple action, Zhao Cheng could tell she was well-trained. Standing sideways, she could observe outside and strike if Zhao Xin tried to escape, while also keeping an eye on the greenhouse. However, Zhao Cheng did not believe she could be faster than his gun. Once Zhao Xin was at a certain distance, he was confident he could shoot her the moment she moved. As for the injured one, he would be like meat on a chopping board!

Unfortunately, Zhao Xin was truly 'stupid' and did not understand the Second Young Master's feelings. He stood just ten steps away from the door and loudly told Feng Xi that the kite was broken and the Second Young Master was angry, telling them to go back and that he would play for a while. Then he obediently returned, making Zhao Cheng sigh in frustration.

"Boy, you're awake, stop pretending!" The woman walked over, kicked Zhao Cheng, and laughed.

"Damn, you have dog ears, you can even hear me sigh!" Zhao Cheng released his grip on the gun, pretended to brush off the dirt on his clothes, sat up, and tilted his head. This time, he clearly saw her appearance: she was in her thirties or forties, neither ugly nor beautiful, just an ordinary person. She had a red scarf on her head, a blue and white long robe with spots of blood and dirt, a wide belt around her waist, a quiver of darts, and a pair of twin knives. She wore thin-soled fast boots, the standard attire of a martial artist.

"You have a foul mouth, asking for a beating!" The woman slapped Zhao Cheng, making his face red.

"Don't hit our Second Young Master, hit me instead!" Zhao Xin rushed over, crying and blocking Zhao Cheng.

"Heh, you have quite a bit of sentiment for this boy."

"Zhao Xin, ignore her, she'll be the one crying soon!" Zhao Cheng rubbed his face and smiled. After months of training, he had recovered a lot. Although he was not a match for her in a direct confrontation, he could avoid her slap. He just didn't want to let her overestimate him.

"Why would she cry?" Zhao Xin wiped his tears and sobbed.

"Look at that man, his face is flushed, his breathing is rapid, and his limbs are twitching. That's the sign of a dying person. If he doesn't get treated soon, he won't make it through the night. When her man dies, won't she cry?" Zhao Cheng nodded toward the injured man.

"Shut up, he will live a long life. If he dies, I'll kill both of you to accompany him!" The woman was indeed upset, tears in her eyes, and drew her knife, pointing it at them.

"See, I was right, she's almost crying!" Zhao Cheng not only wasn't afraid but clapped and mocked.

"Second Young Master, don't say that!" Zhao Xin, frightened, quickly covered Zhao Cheng's mouth. "Madam, please go find a doctor to treat him!"

"Hehe, I'm afraid as soon as she steps out of our estate, she'll be hacked to death. The officials and her comrades are all waiting for them outside!" Zhao Cheng knew with his toes that those people outside were after these two.

"Cough, cough," suddenly, a violent coughing fit came from the injured man. The woman stopped arguing with Zhao Cheng and quickly squatted down to support him. "Master, you're awake," she said with surprise.

"Xiao Mei, who are they?" The man, called Master, asked, but was interrupted by another violent cough, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Don't press his neck, he'll choke. Let him lie on your lap!" Seeing Xiao Mei frantically wiping him, Zhao Cheng quickly reminded her, not out of kindness but to distract her.

"They discovered us. One is probably the young master of the estate, and the other is his attendant!" Xiao Mei followed Zhao Cheng's instructions, and the man's coughing stopped, his breathing becoming steady.

"Ah, what's the situation outside?" the man asked.

"Last night, I checked. There are still many people around. Besides the underworld, there are also spies from the Ministry of Justice and the Imperial City Office. However, this place is still relatively safe. The estate's guards are skilled, and they have driven away the underworld people. The officials seem to be wary of this place, just watching from a distance and not daring to approach!" Xiao Mei said.

"Um, tonight I will hold them off. You find a way to break out and contact the various branches. We must eliminate that dog!" The Master panted.

"It's probably too late. Not many of your people are left!" Zhao Cheng, fearing they would forget him, interjected. "If you're in such a state, would you leave your disciples to seek revenge? Unless he's a fool."

"Ahem, ahem," suddenly, a violent coughing fit came from the injured man. The woman, no longer arguing with Zhao Cheng, quickly squatted down to support him. "Master, you're awake," she said with surprise.

"Xiao Mei, who are they?" The man, called Master, asked, but was interrupted by another violent cough, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Don't press his neck, he'll choke. Let him lie on your lap!" Seeing Xiao Mei frantically wiping him, Zhao Cheng quickly reminded her, not out of kindness but to distract her.

"They discovered us. One is probably the young master of the estate, and the other is his attendant!" Xiao Mei followed Zhao Cheng's instructions, and the man's coughing stopped, his breathing becoming steady.

"Ah, what's the situation outside?" the man asked.

"Last night, I checked. There are still many people around. Besides the underworld, there are also spies from the Ministry of Justice and the Imperial City Office. However, this place is still relatively safe. The estate's guards are skilled, and they have driven away the underworld people. The officials seem to be wary of this place, just watching from a distance and not daring to approach!" Xiao Mei said.

"Um, tonight I will hold them off. You find a way to break out and contact the various branches. We must eliminate that dog!" The Master panted.