Chapter 51 051 Fu Ci Fu Wen

That night, the girls prepared a large and sumptuous meal to celebrate the youngest girl's victory in the exam and her becoming a Tongsheng.

Before it got completely dark, Du Qingju went to a nearby winery to get some rice wine.

Rice wine has a low alcohol content and can be drunk by young girls. After a few glasses, they will only be slightly tipsy.

When the food was served, Du Qingmei poured three glasses of wine: "Ju Jie'er and Tang Ge'er are young and can't drink."

Du Qingtang didn't care. She had tasted all the imperial wines before, and she planned to study late into the night.

The book given by Prefect Yan is of great research value. Last night, because of Cao Xingcan, her original reading plan was disrupted. She has to read a few more pages tonight.

Du Qingju, on the other hand, was a little greedy. She put her thumb and index finger together, leaving only a tiny gap between the tips of her fingers, and begged, "I'll only drink a little, that's all."

Du Qingtang smiled and said, "Fifth sister, just pour some rice wine for Eighth sister. She won't get drunk in just a few sips."

Du Qingmei herself couldn't stand her sister's coquettishness, so she tapped Du Qingju's nose unhappily and said, "Alright, alright, I'll do as you say."

Du Qingju smiled with her lips pursed and her eyes curved.

After eating and drinking, the girls' pretty faces flushed, their eyes bright and watery in the candlelight.

Du Qingtang looked at them intently for a few times to make sure they were conscious. "Have you practiced calligraphy during the days I was away?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a look of guilt flashed across Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan's faces.

Du Qingzhu himself likes to learn and practice calligraphy. He nodded vigorously when he heard this and said, "I practice it. I practice it every day. I am very diligent!"

Du Qingju has always been well-behaved and said softly, "I have learned all the dozens of words that Tang Ge'er taught me before he went to the capital, and I also reviewed the hundreds of words I learned earlier."

"Seventh and Eighth Sisters are great." Du Qingtang praised them a bit and looked at the two who were looking down and pretending to be quails. "How about you? How are you doing?"

The youngest's voice was calm and slow, but it was like a devilish sound piercing their ears, causing Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan to shrink their necks.

Du Qinglan swallowed her saliva: "I...I...I've been too busy with business at the shop lately. I come home too late every day and don't have time..."

Du Qingmei picked at her fingers, her eyes wandering, not daring to look at the youngest: "It's, it's just what Lan Jie'er said."

Du Qingtang pinched his brows: "Don't you have time, or don't want to practice?"

Facing the youngest's all-knowing eyes, Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan were speechless, and shame welled up in their hearts.

Tang Ge'er squeezed out time from his busy schedule to teach them carefully, but they just did it perfunctorily and made excuses to be lazy.

Admittedly, they feel that practicing calligraphy is somewhat useful, as it can calm the mind and cultivate the heart and character, but to this day, they still feel that reading and writing are not the most important things in their lives.

So when Du Ji Snacks' business became more and more prosperous, and Du Qingtang was not around to supervise them, they made excuses for themselves and slacked off without any justification.

Du Qingtang tapped the table lightly with his index finger, and the crisp sound made the girls shudder.

"I teach you to read and write so that you can broaden your horizons and gain more experience, so that you won't be trapped in Taoyuan Village or even Du Ji Snacks."

"Now that I have passed the examination for a Tongsheng (Tongsheng), I will take the Imperial Academy examination next year. It is only a matter of time before I obtain the title of Xiucai (Scholar). If nothing unexpected happens, your husband will be my classmate, or at least a scholar."

"A husband and wife can only go a long way if they share the same ideals. Do you want your partner to be eloquent and write poetry and prose, while you know nothing and your only topics of conversation are household chores and gossip?"

The sharp words struck the girls' hearts directly. While they were stunned, a ray of light penetrated the confusion and chaos and forcefully entered their minds.

But before they could catch it, it disappeared without a trace.

"You are no longer Du Wuya and Du Liuya, you are Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan."

"I hope you all become better people and have a more meaningful life."

"Today is your last chance. If you don't want to read and write anymore, you can tell me tomorrow morning and I won't teach you anymore."

After Du Qingtang finished speaking, he went into the west room without looking back.

Du Qingmei wanted to chase after her, but was stopped by Du Qingzhu: "Fifth sister, what are you doing?"

Du Qingmei said, "I know I was wrong. I'll go apologize to Tang Ge'er."

Du Qingju whispered softly, "Fifth sister, Tang Ge'er is not angry with you for being lazy, but you don't know how to cherish this hard-earned opportunity. You don't make progress and just muddle through."

The color drained from Du Qingmei's face.

She wanted to say that she didn't, but she couldn't say it.

Du Qingzhu looked at Du Qinglan and said, "And you, Sixth Sister, Tang Ge'er is so tired from studying, yet you still squeeze out time every day to teach us how to read. You have let Tang Ge'er down."

Du Qinglan also looked pale and her eyes were red and wet.

Du Qingju was a little angry. Tang Ge'er shouldn't be let down. "If you don't want to learn, just tell Tang Ge'er tomorrow."

Du Qingzhu added, "But in my opinion, even if you want to continue learning, Tang Ge'er doesn't want to teach anymore."

After saying that, she snorted at her two sisters, pulled Du Qingju to clean up the dishes, and ignored them.

The main room was quiet. Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan looked at each other and tears fell.

......

Du Qingtang was not as angry as the girls imagined.

She knew that Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan's attitudes represented the vast majority of women in the world.

Under the influence of feudal ideas for many years, the idea of taking care of husbands and children and having children has been deeply rooted in their minds. They need someone to guide and change them subtly.

She thought this might be an opportunity.

Du Qingtang turned a page of the book and wrote down his thoughts and feelings in his notebook.

The flickering candlelight brings silence to the room.

In order not to disturb the youngest child from studying, Du Qingzhu and Du Qingju sat in the main room doing embroidery.

Opposite them, Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan were practicing calligraphy.

Because of the argument after dinner, which was not really an argument, no one spoke and everyone was busy with their own things. It was not until midnight when Du Qingtang washed up and they went back to the room to rest.

The next day, the girls got up before dawn.

They have to prepare today's ingredients and transport them to the shop by donkey cart.

Du Qingmei has been paying attention to the movements in the west room.

She thought about it for half the night and realized that she had done something wrong. What Tangger said seemed to make some sense, so she decided to continue studying and learning to read.

Du Qinglan thought the same as she did. She planned to wait for Du Qingtang to get up and then admit her mistake honestly.

However, until they prepared the ingredients and were ready to go out, the youngest one did not come out of the west room.

"Is Tang Ge'er still awake?" Du Qingmei asked.

Du Qingju said, "Tang Ge'er left half an hour ago."

Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan were stunned, and suddenly realized that Tang Ge'er had no intention of teaching them to read and write anymore.

Looking at the empty west room, their hearts sank to the bottom.

-

Although there is a three-day break, students can still continue to live in the dormitory.

Du Qingtang intended to let Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan reflect on their mistakes, so he went out at dawn and had breakfast in the cafeteria.

Someone in the introductory class noticed Du Qingtang and was very surprised: "Classmate Du, aren't you taking a break?"

Du Qingtang said, "I had nothing to do, so I decided to go to the library to borrow some books, so I came back."

Qingyuan Academy, as the leading official academy in Daxia, had a library built with funds from the imperial court decades ago.

The library contains hundreds of thousands of books, covering a vast range of categories. Students can register to borrow books, but are limited to three books at a time and must return them within the specified time limit.

Du Qingtang had borrowed it once, but later he was busy preparing for the county and prefectural examinations, and only now had time to come over.

"I see. I borrowed two books yesterday, too." The introductory classmate said with a smile, "Student Du, hurry up. I have to go to class."

Du Qingtang bowed, left the cafeteria and went straight to the library.

Du Qingtang basically spent the next two days in the library, finishing one book and moving on to the next.

On the third day, Du Qingtang stayed in the library for an hour, planning to have a meal and then go back to the dormitory for a nap.

Although I don’t have classes, I have already developed a biological clock and will start to feel sleepy at that time, not to mention that it is the time when spring sleepiness is rampant.

When he walked outside the dormitory, Du Qingtang found that the door was half-open and there was a faint rustling sound coming from inside.

Du Qingtang had some guesses in his mind, and when he opened the door, it was indeed Fu Ci.

"Why are you here?"

Fu Ci was cleaning and making the bed. He turned his head and said helplessly, "My sister is not feeling well. My parents have been looking for doctors and fortune tellers. The house is a mess, so I came back first."

In fact, she knew that Fu Wen was pretending to be sick just to annoy her and gain his parents' sympathy and attention.

Ultimately, it was because she passed the imperial examination and became a student.

Fu Wen was afraid. He was afraid that he would not return the identity of "Fu Wen" to him, so he fell ill on the night Fu Ci returned to the village.

Her parents thought that she had provoked Fu Wen, so they beat and scolded her.

"Without Wen Ge'er, you're nothing. You'd better be honest and study for Wen Ge'er, and get a good reputation. When Wen Ge'er goes to Xiajing to become a high-ranking official, you can have a good life. Otherwise, you will be hanging out with men all day long. Who would dare to want you?"

But it’s not my fault that Fu Wen was born weak.

Why should I bear this false fault?

Fu Wen wanted to study and become an official, but his health did not allow it, so his parents asked her to study and take the imperial examinations for him.

Don’t her parents know that once her identity is exposed, she will surely die?

Mom and Dad have always known.

But they don't care.

They only care about their son Fu Wen.

This morning, Fu Wen brought up the old story again and mentioned what happened back then.

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been born weak."

"It's all your fault!"

"Why didn't you just die?"

On the way back to the city, Fu Ci was crying with grievance, and thought that if she had a choice, she would not want to be born in the Fu family.

She would rather be reborn as a kitten or a puppy, at least she wouldn't have to suffer and worry every day.

But she really likes reading.

She likes to wander in the sea of books, listen to the teachings of ancient scholars, and study and research with Qingtang to enrich herself.

It would be nice if I could just keep reading.

......

Du Qingtang put the book on the table and raised his eyebrows slightly: "Sister?"

Fu Ci hesitated for a moment, then said nonchalantly, "Her name is Fu Ci, she's... a girl."

Du Qingtang laughed. Fu Ci heard her laughter and realized it belatedly, his face turning red.

"Fu Ci?" Du Qingtang repeated, "It's a good name."

Even though he was used to being called Fu Wen, Fu Ci was still very happy at this moment. He chuckled, "Really? I think so too!"

Du Qingtang spoke to her for a few more words, took off his clothes, shoes and socks, and took a nap for half an hour.

In the afternoon, the two went to a bookstore to exchange paintings.

As soon as they entered, the shopkeeper smiled and congratulated them: "Congratulations to the two young masters for passing the examination to become Tongsheng students."

The news that the top candidate in the prefecture was a student of Qingyuan Academy and was only of the age of dancing with a spoon had already spread throughout Baoding Prefecture.

The shopkeeper heard the names of the first and second place winners in the provincial examination and immediately told the news to his boss.

The boss was grinning from ear to ear: "Luckily, I had a keen eye for talent. The first place in the provincial exam and the second place in the provincial examination were both painters from my printing house. Brilliant! Brilliant!"

The shopkeeper confirmed that the illustrations were accurate and paid the wages promptly, as well as twenty sample drawings and drawing paper.

Fu Ci said, "Qingtang, wait a moment. I'll go buy two calligraphy books."

Fu Ci privately thought that the reason she was able to get second place in the provincial examination was partly because of her good handwriting.

After practicing the calligraphy of the Saint of Calligraphy, Fu Ci has made some progress so far, but he feels that there is still room for improvement in his calligraphy and he needs to practice more diligently.

Du Qingtang was waiting on the side and heard several scholars arguing about something, each of them arguing so hard that their faces turned red and their necks became thick.

She had nothing to do, so she listened.

"Li Ying and Zhao Tanxiang were just weak women, barely able to even tie a chicken. How could they have led the people to defend Guangning Prefecture for two months?"

"There is no record of this in official history; it's just unofficial history."

"If it was said that a certain general defended Guangning Prefecture to the death, I would believe it. However, the unofficial history says that it was two women who led the people to defend the city. This is absolutely ridiculous!"

"However, Li Ying was born into a military family, and Zhao Tanxiang was born into the royal family. Both of them are noble ladies from high-ranking families. They must be extremely beautiful."

"Perhaps the enemy delayed the attack on the city for two months because of their stunning beauty."

At this point, the scholars burst into laughter.

Du Qingtang listened to their obscene laughter: "......"

"They laugh so sickly."

Fu Ci came over with the calligraphy he had bought and happened to hear these remarks. His face flushed red and he glared at the scholars.

"Please be careful with your words! Whether it's historical fact or fiction, these two are long gone. You shouldn't speak of them in a mocking tone."

"That's right! I don't know whether this is true or not, but one thing is certain: you all are people of low character!"

Obviously, the unscrupulous words and deeds of those people aroused public anger, and many people came out to criticize them.

"Which private school are you from? I'd like to ask your teacher how he managed to raise students like you!"

The scholar panicked and dared not respond, fearing that he would be scolded by the teacher. He covered his face with his sleeves and almost ran away.

"Bah! Shameless villain!"

Some people spat and went to buy books elsewhere.

Fu Wen changed his angry expression and said with a smile: "It seems that there are still many good people in this world."

Du Qingtang did not comment, and the two left the bookstore side by side.

On the way back to the academy, Fu Ci asked, "Qingtang, do you think what they just said is true or false?"

Du Qingtang didn't answer but asked, "What do you think?"

Fu Ci pondered for a moment, his expression serious. "If this really happened in history, they should be remembered by history."

Yes, history books should remember them instead of allowing future generations to make malicious speculations.

Du Qingtang knew Li Ying and Zhao Tanxiang.

When she first entered the Hanlin Academy, she was ordered to sort out the historical records of the previous dynasty. She accidentally discovered a truth in an abandoned historical book.

Li Ying and Zhao Tanxiang were both women from the previous dynasty, one was the legitimate daughter of Duke Dingguo, and the other was the Princess of Qingping County.

When 80,000 enemy troops attacked the city, the generals defending the city died one after another. It was these two women who led the people to defend the city for two months, holding on until the last moment, until they died in battle.

They deserve to be recorded in history, passed down through the ages, and praised by future generations.

However, this is not the case.

Just because they were women, the historians of the previous dynasty erased their achievements, leaving only a short sentence: "The people of Guangning Prefecture held out for two months, but were ultimately defeated and brutally massacred."

There is no Li Ying and no Zhao Tanxiang.

Their heroic act of sacrificing their lives for the country has disappeared in the long river of history, no one remembers it, and no one even knows about it.

How unfair.

Fu Ci felt depressed when he recalled the scholars' contempt for Li Ying and Zhao Tanxiang.

Isn't this a disrespect for women?

Fu Ci looked up at the sky and boldly imagined: "It would be great if one day women could also achieve great things."

She could also study as a woman, take the imperial examinations, and serve as an official in the court.

Instead of pretending to be Fu Wen and becoming a shameful existence.

Du Qingtang said nonchalantly, "Maybe that day will come."

If it were in the past, facing this situation, she would be unwilling and angry.

But now, she will just think calmly, plan every step, and move towards the predetermined direction and goal.

She believes that one day, the dark clouds covering women's heads will dissipate and the sun will shine down.

Fu Ci couldn't help but smile, his eyes brightening a little: "If this day really comes, all women in the world will cry for joy."

Especially her.

-

After the holiday, the candidates who took the provincial examination returned to the academy.

Those who have passed the examination will be promoted to the Tongsheng class, while those who unfortunately fail will continue to stay in the enlightenment class and try again next year.

Du Qingtang and Fu Ci belonged to the former and officially became members of the Ding class of Tongsheng.

Cao Xingcan is also in Class D, but he has taken a half-month leave and will not be back until a few days later.

Du Qingtang and Fu Ci both knew the reason.

That night, Cao Xingcan was beaten by Du Qingtang, and then fell off the horse and hit his head.

The wound on his forehead was quite deep and would take at least ten days or half a month to heal. Cao Xingcan had always been very concerned about his reputation and probably wouldn't come back before he recovered.

Du Qingtang rarely said something naughty: "Rather than this reason, I think he doesn't want to see me."

Fu Ci laughed uncontrollably. When he finally stopped, he sympathized with poor classmate Cao: "Qingtang, when he comes back to class, please don't be sarcastic to him anymore."

It wasn't easy for classmate Cao either. He was so obsessed with the first thought that he even had thoughts of committing suicide.

Fu Ci thought she had suffered enough, but no matter how wronged or unwilling she was, she had never thought of committing suicide.

She thought of Du Qingtang again.

Qingtang was in so much pain at first, but isn't he getting better now?

Once you get over that hurdle, everything will be fine.

Du Qingtang snorted, which was considered as his agreement.

After the first day of classes in the Tongsheng class, Fu Ci prepared to go to Du Ji Snacks.

After changing into the blue-gray short-sleeved shirt he wore at home, Du Qingtang was seen sitting steadily at the table, doing his homework.

Fu Ci reminded: "Qingtang, it's time to go."

Du Qingtang said without even turning his head: "I won't be going back recently, you go by yourself."

Fu Ci didn't think much about it and went to Du Ji Snacks alone.

Du Qingmei was sitting behind the counter collecting money. When she saw her coming, she was delighted and greeted her while looking back.

But he never expected that there was no one behind Fu Ci.

Du Qingmei pursed her lips: "Awen, where is Tang Ge'er?"

Fu Ci was wiping the table. Hearing this, he turned around and said, "Qingtang said she won't be coming over recently."

Du Qingmei was stunned. The emotion called panic was like a vine, tightly wrapping around her heart, making her face pale and her breathing rapid.

Du Qinglan also heard Fu Ci's words and almost dropped the plate: "Tang Ge'er said she won't be coming back?"

Fu Ci then realized something was wrong, but since it was her friend's family affair, she didn't want to ask about it. She just nodded and said, "Sisters, you know that Qingtang and I have just been promoted to the Tongsheng class. We have a heavy workload. After we get used to the rhythm of the Tongsheng class, Qingtang will be free to come back."

Is this really the case?

Du Qingmei and Du Qinglan didn't believe it.

When they returned home in the evening, the four sisters washed up one after another.

Du Qingmei came out to get water for washing her face. Passing by the main hall, she found that her seventh and eighth sisters were practicing calligraphy.

She hesitated at the door for a moment, but finally did not go in and returned to the east room quietly.

"Seventh sister, fifth sister..."

Obviously, the two girls in the main room discovered Du Qingmei outside the door.

Du Qingzhu poked Du Qingju's arm with the pen and said, "Don't worry about her. Tang Ge'er obviously wants the fifth and sixth sisters to reflect on themselves. If we interfere, it will only have the opposite effect."

Du Qingju had no choice but to give up, put away her sympathy and concentrate on practicing calligraphy.

On the other side, Du Qingmei returned to the east room, opened the cupboard, and took out a stack of rice paper.

I have been practicing calligraphy for a long time and have consumed a lot of rice paper.

Du Qingmei couldn't bear to throw it away, so she saved the rice paper and put it in the cupboard.

At that time, she thought that she could still make a fire if there was no firewood at home.

She also knew that Du Qinglan had also saved a stack of rice paper to use for burning.

Du Qingmei used her eyes to trace the horizontal, vertical and diagonal strokes on the rice paper. Every stroke was the result of her practice until late at night, her hard work.

She thought that at this rate, she could save more rice paper, but she didn't expect Tang Ge'er to stop teaching her.

Logically, she should throw these rice papers into the stove now...

Du Qingmei thought of Du Qingtang's words.

Broaden your horizons, increase your experience, and don't be confined to the small world of Taoyuan Village and Du Ji Snacks.

But aren’t all women like this?

Before getting married, she took care of her younger siblings and did farm work. After getting married, she took care of her husband and children and continued to do farm work.

Now their lives are better and they no longer have to do farm work. They rent a few acres of land in the village to their third uncle's family. Every day they only need to prepare ingredients and make snacks, and then sit back and collect money.

Du Qingmei was already very satisfied and didn't dare to ask for more.

She thought of Du Qingtang's next words.

Only when a couple shares the same ideals can they go a long way.

Du Qingmei moved her fingers holding the rice paper, expressing her thoughts.

-

Just as Du Qingtang was staying in the dormitory and had not returned to the Du family courtyard for many days, and the girls were thinking deeply about the meaning of reading, Mu Tingyu rode at full speed and finally arrived in Xiajing in mid-May.

As the young master of Wanbao Villa, Mu Tingyu is not a reckless person and will not act rashly.

He first disguised himself and mingled in the market, trying to gather information about the Duke of Changguo's Mansion and the Qi family.

Decades ago, the founding emperor of Daxia overthrew the rule of the previous tyrant and established a new dynasty.

After ascending the throne, the emperor rewarded the civil and military officials who followed him according to their merits.

The old man of the Qi family, Qi Yong's father, was granted the title of Duke of Changguo because of his outstanding military achievements, and it was the first time for three generations to surrender.

After the establishment of the Xin Dynasty, the world was at peace and there was no need for military generals to be appointed for their achievements. The first Duke of Changguo arranged for his eldest grandson, Qi Lianmao, to study and take the imperial examinations.

Qi Lianmao was also very ambitious. He passed the imperial examinations all the way and entered the cabinet when he was over fifty years old. He was said to be in power.

The eldest daughter was the imperial concubine of Emperor Qingyuan and gave birth to two princes. She was said to be deeply favored by the emperor.

The eldest son was extremely talented and passed the imperial examination when he came of age, but unfortunately he died young. The second son held an idle position of the fourth rank and had no special skills, commonly known as a useless piece of mud that cannot be helped. The youngest son was a playboy and a good-for-nothing who only knew how to eat, drink, gamble and have sex.

Seeing this, Mu Tingyu called it retribution.

The eldest son had a son during his lifetime, but his whereabouts disappeared after his death. Now, the most promising one among the three generations is the eldest grandson from the second house, Qi Heming.

He was also the person that the young master specifically asked him to kill.

Mu Tingyu quickly figured out the internal routes of the Duke of Changguo's Mansion, and successfully found the only daughter who was raised by the housekeeper of the Duke of Changguo's Mansion and lived a life worse than that of a maid.

Mu Tingyu disguised himself as a shopping servant. Seeing Zhu Jie'er, who was dressed in rags and being bullied by the children of the Jui family, his eyes turned red with hatred and he wanted to kill these people immediately.

Of course, he did so.

......

That night, Mu Tingyu was dressed in black and carrying a long sword, like a Rakshasa descended to the earth.

He first knocked Zhu Jie'er unconscious and took her away, hiding her in a safe place. Then he started from the gate of the Duke of Changguo's Mansion and killed his way to the main courtyard where the Duke of Changguo Qi Lianmao lived.

If gods stand in the way, kill gods; if Buddhas stand in the way, kill Buddhas.

Any guards or servants in the mansion who blocked his way would be pierced through the heart by his sword or beheaded.

In addition, he also did not let go of the masters in the mansion.

The century-old and glorious Duke Changguo Mansion was flooded with blood, and cries of crying, wailing, and begging for mercy filled the air.

Mu Tingyu knew that they were all innocent people.

But aren’t his parents, his first wife, and his fellow apprentices innocent people too?

Just because of Qi Yong's selfish desire, he was killed tragically, without even a complete body left.

Mu Tingyu's eyes were stained red.

He swung his sword mechanically, reaping the lives of his enemies.

There were only two words in his mind: revenge.

He wanted to kill all the members of the Qi family to avenge his relatives.

He wants to take his sister Zhu home.

Mu Tingyu waded through a sea of blood and corpses and finally arrived in front of Qi Lianmao.

Qi Lianmao is nearly sixty years old, but his hair is gray, his eyes are deep and sparkling, and he is indeed an old fox who has been immersed in officialdom for many years.

He was protected by dozens of people behind him. Even though the mansion was filled with a strong smell of blood, he remained calm and showed no sign of panic.

"Who are you?"

Looking at Qi Lianmao, Mu Tingyu thought of the man with gray hair in the mirror when he was combing his hair before coming here.

Why should those who do evil live a life of luxury and power, while he has to endure the pain of having his family torn apart and is forced to run around like a stray dog?

Mu Tingyu held the sword in his right hand, and drops of blood rolled down the blade and seeped into the brown soil.

"Twelve years ago, the Mu family."

Just six short words made Qi Lianmao's face change suddenly. He took more than ten steps back and shouted, "Kill him!"

It is obvious that Qi Lianmao knew what happened that year.

At the Duke's command, the guards rushed towards Mu Tingyu.

Mu Tingyu growled and fought angrily.

The guards fell one after another, revealing Qi Lianmao who was protecting them with his life.

Qi Lianmao's pupils suddenly shrank, and fear crept onto his cheeks: "What happened back then has nothing to do with me. I know nothing. I... uh!"

The long sword pierced through his chest. Qi Lianmao's eyes widened in disbelief: "You!"

Mu Tingyu ignored him, drew his sword and kicked him to the ground.

Qi Lianmao covered his chest, collapsed on the ground like a pile of mud, and gasped for breath.

Mu Tingyu was about to leave to fulfill his promise when he heard hurried footsteps approaching from behind him.

"Who gave you the courage to trespass into the Duke of Changguo's mansion?"

Mu Tingyu turned around and saw a large group of people rushing towards him from the darkness.

The leader was wearing a ochre robe, his handsome face full of sinisterness, as if a storm was about to come.

Dozens of guards rushed up and surrounded Mu Tingyu, holding their swords tightly, ready for battle.

"grandfather!"

The young man rushed towards Qi Lianmao, checked his injuries, and his face was extremely solemn.

The man shot a sharp gaze at Mu Tingyu and said in a cold voice: "Kill him for me!"

Then he picked up Qi Lianmao and strode back to the main courtyard.

The guards rushed forward one after another, and Mu Tingyu had to concentrate on dealing with them.

Although they were only good at it, they were extremely difficult to deal with. It took Mu Tingyu some time to deal with it, and he was even injured.

But he had no time to care and stepped on the bodies of the guards to enter the main courtyard.

The young man stood in the yard with a sword in his hand, like a statue.

Mu Tingyu wiped the blood from his cheek, blood dripping down his clothes, his eyes filled with murderous intent: "Qi Heming?"

The man didn't answer, but Mu Tingyu already had the answer: "You came at the perfect time. It saved me from having to look for you again."

People in the martial arts world value their promises, and this man will surely die under his sword tonight.

Qi Heming didn't know what he was thinking, a trace of sadness and madness flashed in his eyes, and he took the lead in attacking Mu Tingyu.

As the two sides fought, the clanging sounds of swords clashed and continued.

After dozens of rounds, Mu Tingyu was still at ease.

In contrast, even though Qi Heming had practiced martial arts since childhood, he was only a civil servant. His physical strength was gradually overdrawn and he was no match for Mu Tingyu.

But he refused to give in, and even though he was covered in wounds, he still fought hard with Mu Tingyu.

Mu Tingyu saw that Qi Heming was at the end of his strength and sneered, "You don't know your own limitations."

He no longer held back, and with a turn of his wrist, he directly crippled Qi Heming's right hand.

The sword tip drew a line of blood on Qi Heming's wrist. Severe pain came over him, and his right hand dropped limply, and the long sword in his hand fell to the ground with a thud.

Mu Tingyu thrust his sword into his chest with all his might.

Qi Heming spat out a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground with a bang.

Qi Heyun, the eldest son of the third house, arrived with reinforcements. Seeing this scene, his eyes were red with anger: "Big brother!"