Figures gradually emerged from the darkness. They were a group of people dressed in black. Their faces were cold and their eyes revealed a sharp light.
After a brief exchange with them, Meng Liang turned and left the dilapidated house, leaving the men in black to handle the follow-up matters.
Xue Yuanchu was lying on the ground, unconscious. The men in black carried him to a corner of the room and tied him up tightly with ropes.
One of them searched Xue Yuanchu's body and found his identity token and some loose change.
"Is this man the eldest son of the Xingyuan Marquisate, Xue Yuanchu?" A man in black, holding an identity token, asked his companion in a low voice.
"Yes, it's him. We have made a great contribution this time, and the higher-ups will definitely reward us handsomely." Another man in black smiled proudly.
They didn't know that although Xue Yuanchu was unconscious, his consciousness was gradually recovering.
He overheard the conversation between the men in black and was shocked. It turned out that all this was a conspiracy against him, and Meng Liang was actually a part of it.
Xue Yuanchu was filled with anger and disappointment, but he knew that he had to remain calm and find a way to escape.
As the man in black said this, he called on his companions to prepare to take Xue Yuanchu away. They were obviously quite proud of their plan.
"Take him back. We have achieved great success this time. First we got the military rations, and now we have captured the son of Marquis Xingyuan. Our Prince Doziger will be able to gain honor in front of the prince." The leading man in black ordered excitedly.
Upon hearing this, everyone echoed the words, their voices revealing an ecstasy that was difficult to conceal. They carefully lifted Xue Yuanchu up and prepared to leave the dilapidated house.
Xue Yuanchu regained some consciousness, only to feel a dull pain at the back of his head. He wanted to struggle but was powerless. When he heard the men in black mention the looting of military rations and Prince Doziger, he had an idea and pretended to be still unconscious.
He realized that this was a rare opportunity to go deep behind enemy lines and find out more about the conspiracy of the Xirong people.
So, he remained unconscious, allowing the men in black to lift him up and take him away from the shabby house. During the bumpy ride, he slightly opened his eyes and secretly observed the surrounding environment and the actions of the men in black.
The men in black had obviously not expected Xue Yuanchu to feign unconsciousness, and along the way they discussed their plans and Prince Doziger's ambitions. Xue Yuanchu listened silently, and gradually understood the outline of the entire conspiracy.
…
At this moment, a warm atmosphere permeated the orphanage. Earlier, Xue Yuanchu generously sent people to deliver winter clothes to the elderly, weak, women and children in the orphanage.
The cold wind in Xiguan Town has begun to blow, but the camphorwood boxes in front of Guanyan seem to exude warmth.
It was filled with fine fabrics and furs, some of which he had seen in the Marquis's storehouse and knew were very valuable.
This generous gift made Guanyan express his gratitude to Xue Yuanchu beyond words.
Steward Li picked up a fur cape and found a note attached to it, saying it was specially given to Guanyan. He handed it over with a smile, "This was specially given to you by the eldest master."
Guanyan took the shawl and put it on immediately.
His clothes were a little thinner than those of other people in the yard, but at this moment, this fur shawl brought him warmth.
Although Guanyan received a salary every month and Zhao Ma also generously gave him silver notes, Guanyan always kept the money carefully.
He had already made a plan in his mind. If he could not find his lost relatives in the future, he would recognize Zhao Ma as his godmother and use his savings to take care of her in her old age and till the end of her life.
"This shawl does make me feel much warmer when I wear it." Guan Yan sighed with an innocent smile on his face.
Steward Li picked up a woolen coat and said, "Meng Liang is helping out in the hospital now, so he should have one too. Let's give this to him."
Guan Yan nodded and said, "Thank you, Manager Li. Meng Liang has been wearing his old clothes. I will take them to his room right away."
Having said this, Guan Yan turned and walked towards the room next to his own, which was the residence specially prepared for Meng Liang.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw clothes scattered in a mess on the kang. When living in the Marquis' Mansion, Guanyan developed the habit of keeping things in order. Seeing such a mess at this moment, he couldn't help but frown.
He noticed that there were a few dirty clothes hanging on the kang, so he went forward to tidy them up and take them for washing.
However, the moment he picked up the clothes, a metal pendant suddenly fell off, making a crisp sound.
Guan Yan's heart tightened, fearing that the pendant would be broken, so he quickly bent down to pick it up. He saw that it was a palm-sized bronze plate. Just as he was about to put it on the cabinet beside him, he unexpectedly discovered the wolf head pattern embossed on the pendant.
The wolf head pattern was exquisite and vivid, revealing a wild power that made Guan Yan take a few more glances.
Guan Yan was shocked. The wolf head pattern on the bronze plate instantly reminded him of a similar pattern he had seen on those Western Rong soldiers.
He was full of doubts. How could Meng Liang have this?
This question lingered in his mind.
Just as he was staring intently at the bronze medal, Meng Liang appeared at the door without him noticing.
He stared at Guan Yan with a sinister look and said in a hurried tone, "Give it back to me!"
As he said that, he rushed forward and snatched it from Guanyan's hand. Because his movement was too violent, Guanyan's palm was scratched by the edge of the bronze plate, and blood immediately oozed out. The pain made Guanyan involuntarily let go of his hand.
"Meng Liang, where did this pendant come from?" Guan Yan tried to keep his voice calm, but his tone couldn't hide his confusion and worry. "I've seen this pattern on Xirong soldiers."
Meng Liang dropped all his disguises. He calmly closed the door and approached Guan Yan step by step, his tone filled with provocation and disdain: "Want to know where this thing came from? Do you want to hear me say I picked it up, or tell you that this thing has always been mine?"
"Your things? As a citizen of the Great Zhou, how can these things of the Western Rong people belong to you?" Guan Yan roared angrily, his voice echoing in the house.
A hint of cunning and arrogance flashed across Meng Liang's face. "Let me tell you a secret. I have made great military achievements today. Who knows, I might become a leading general in the Western Rong in the future!"
At this moment, a chill rose in Guan Yan's heart, and he had to face his previous doubts.
"Did you set the fire at the orphanage that night? Were you the one who secretly tipped off the military rations that were robbed?" He spoke in a firm tone, staring at Meng Liang with a sharp gaze.
Meng Liang snorted, a twisted smile on his face. "You've been smart since you were a child, no wonder the troupe owner has always liked you. Even though he locked you up in the woodshed when he was angry, when he was selling people, he only sent you to the capital... Do you remember Erya? She was sent to be married to the dead."
At this point, Meng Liang's eyes turned bloodshot, as if he would fall into madness at any moment: "Even keeping me by his side was just to let me do those disgusting things! I wish I could stab him a few more times to relieve the hatred in my heart!"
His voice was filled with anger and despair, like a roar from the abyss.
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