The third in command's voice was no longer able to speak at this time, so Yan Cheng turned around and left without hesitation.
When I came to the woodshed again in the afternoon, the third in command had already taken the medicine and his throat felt a little better.
Yan Cheng entered the woodshed and asked the key questions directly.
"You said you knew the topographical maps of other strongholds, so why didn't you use them to trade with Governor Ma? Instead, you wanted to trade with an unknown person like me?"
"You are a scholar. If you explain the situation to Governor Ma, he will make proper arrangements for you."
This is what Yan Cheng couldn't understand.
"No, if I go and explain the situation to Governor Ma, I might lose all my honors."
The third in command had a low fever, his cheeks were rosy, and he looked quite pitiful with his drooping eyelashes.
He seemed afraid to look at Yan Cheng, a man with clear eyes, and kept looking at his hands.
"After I was robbed and taken to the cottage, they forced me to do a lot of things I didn't want to do. My hands are no longer clean."
When he said this, there seemed to be tears in his voice.
"I know I should be punished, but I have a 40-year-old mother at home, three younger sisters and a younger brother. If word gets out that I'm in jail, they won't be able to survive in the village."
Yan Cheng's eyelashes trembled, slightly touched.
"Please don't hand us over to Governor Ma."
The third in command supported himself on the guard's arm and dragged his frail body to kneel tremblingly on the cold ground.
Then the guard knelt down without hesitation.
Yan Cheng: ...
Yan Cheng hated it most when people would kneel down and beg him for help. He got a headache when he saw them doing that.
"You two get up first, I'll think about this matter again."
Knowing that Yan Cheng was hesitant about not handing them over to Governor Ma, the third in command increased the stakes.
"I can give you the topographic maps of other strongholds first."
Yan Cheng: "Aren't you afraid that I will lie to you?"
The third in command patted the guard's arm, and the two exchanged glances that Yan Cheng couldn't understand.
Then the guards promoted the third in command so that he could talk to Yan Cheng more decently.
"Did Governor Ma attack Black Wind Village under your instructions?"
Yan Cheng raised his eyebrows: "Why do you say that?"
"You didn't deny it, but asked why. It seems that you are the one who is behind this."
The Third Master sighed, "Heroes truly emerge from youth."
"I'm not as cunning as you. I was just one step behind."
Cunning isn't a nice word, is it?
Yan Cheng didn't say anything.
"You just asked me why I said that, right?"
With the smell of blood around him, the third in command tapped his forehead lightly and smiled.
"In fact, before Governor Ma came to Luyang, I had already investigated his past. I inferred that he was a rule-abiding person and his thinking was not flexible enough, so I thought he was not to be feared."
"Even if Cheng Yuanshan's first wave of assassins failed to kill him, it wouldn't matter. Governor Ma wouldn't be a big threat to Black Wind Village. But I didn't expect that Black Wind Village would really fall this time."
"So I guess there was someone behind him directing him."
The Third Master didn't seem to be worried about his own situation. Instead, he was worried about something else: "You are younger than I expected. It's terrible that someone like you exists in Daxia!"
"Aren't you from Daxia?"
Yan Cheng pursed his lips, noticing something unusual in the Third In Command's words. This tone easily made people think differently, and he looked at the two of them sharply.
However, nothing was seen.
There are two main countries in the Central Plains, Daxia and Nanyou. The people of both countries look like people from the Central Plains and their clothing is almost the same.
If people from the two countries stand together without saying anything, it is difficult to tell who is from which country.
"I never said that." The third in command denied it flatly.
He spoke in a circle and then returned to the previous topic: "A capable person like you would not deceive others casually, and I am not worth your deception, right?"
Yan Cheng was silent for a moment, then said, "I can't give you an immediate answer as to whether or not I'll hand you over to Governor Ma. Besides that, what else do you want?"
The Third Master turned his head to look at the guard and said, "Find a doctor to see him."
"No, I don't need it. Don't worry about me."
"So you want me to watch you die?"
The third in command weakly grasped the guard's collar.
His whole body was covered with wounds, and some parts were even bleeding. If this continued, Yulin would die.
"You are my confidant. You cannot die before I die."
Yan Cheng: Shouldn’t I be here?
The third in command asked him for paper and pen. Yan Cheng gave the order and someone soon brought paper, pen, and ground ink.
The third in command was lying on the ground writing, and every word on the paper was weak and powerless.
After he stopped writing, he did not move. Only after the doctor entered the firewood room did Yan Cheng get the paper covered with handwriting.
Yan Cheng's eyes condensed as he examined it from top to bottom. Unable to confirm its authenticity, he turned and handed it to a secret guard: "Send it to Uncle Ma and let him see if it is useful."
"If it's fake..."
The Third Master replied, "It's absolutely true. If it's not true, I'll let you do whatever you want."
Facing the Third Master's calm gaze, Yan Cheng finished his words softly: "If it's fake, go talk to Governor Ma!"
The third in command's expression became even more serious.
He is extremely intelligent, dubious, and ruthless. This boy should not be underestimated.
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