Slaughter
The heavy rain gradually stopped, leaving the inn in a mess.
Gu Ziyu was negotiating compensation with the shopkeeper. He Lin's hand was badly injured, and Shan Yanzhi was helping him treat it and apply medicine. The ground was littered with corpses, all of whom were killed by He Lin and his men.
Although Steward Liu also suffered varying degrees of external injuries, his life was not in danger, and he was tied up tightly with ropes.
Jiang Yi was soaked from head to toe, wearing a cloak and sitting near the stove. She was unusually quiet the whole time, which was not like her usual self.
Having witnessed so much bloodshed today, she must be terrified; He Lin's gaze remained fixed on her.
"Young master, the bandage is done."
He Lin gave a soft "hmm" and withdrew his hand.
For a moment, the inn was unusually quiet.
Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit awkward, Gu Ziyu asked the owner for a pot of hot soup, poured a bowl for He Lin, and then went over to pour a bowl for Jiang Yi.
"Miss Jiang, have some soup to warm yourself up."
Jiang Yi's lowered eyelashes trembled slightly as she wrapped her cloak tighter around herself.
"Thanks."
Gu Ziyu was flattered: "You're welcome, Miss Jiang."
She then turned to look at her young master, He Lin, who didn't react and was still looking at her.
Gu Ziyu and Shan Yanzhi exchanged a glance, asking what was going on. The latter shook his head slightly, meaning he didn't know either.
At this moment, Steward Liu sneered, "Lord Zhaobai, you have quite the skills. Even when besieged in Lingnan, you still managed to find help. If you're so capable, then kill me with one sword!"
Gu Ziyu gasped for breath. This guy really had no sense of propriety at all, insisting on walking right into the line of fire at this moment. Didn't he see that the air around his young master had turned into a layer of ice?!
"Let him go."
Manager Liu was taken aback.
Shan Yanzhi gripped his sword tightly, frowning as he said, "No, young master, he will definitely—"
I said let him go.
Shan Yanzhi pursed his lips: "Yes."
He cleaved the ropes binding Steward Liu with a single sword stroke, then retreated to He Lin's side and looked at Jiang Yi.
Shan Yanzhi knew very well that the young master was never a soft-hearted person, nor would he leave any future troubles for himself. He did this simply because of that woman.
Although Jiang Yi didn't look in He Lin's direction, she had been keeping an eye on things. When she heard that He Lin was going to release the steward Liu, she couldn't help but turn her head to look.
He Lin asked her from a distance, "Are you satisfied now?"
Jiang Yi suddenly stood up: "What's it to me? You were the one who wanted to let him go!"
He Lin did not respond, but said to Steward Liu, "Go back and tell your prince that it is only right to tie himself up and come to the capital to plead guilty to His Majesty as soon as possible. Otherwise, if he continues to be so stubborn, he, a prince of a different surname, will probably be beheaded."
Manager Liu clasped his hands in a fist and smiled, "Thank you, Lord Zhaobai."
Amidst the lightning and thunder, Steward Liu pulled a dagger from his sleeve and stabbed it straight at He Lin's chest. With Gu Ziyu and Shan Yanzhi present, how could they let him succeed?
So he was deliberately seeking death!
"Wait for Yanzhi!"
By the time Gu Ziyu reacted, it was too late. Shan Yanzhi couldn't stop his sword, and the sword pierced his heart. His heart turned cold, and he coughed up blood and fell straight to the ground. Jiang Yi closed her eyes and screamed. In her panic, she inadvertently stepped back and bumped into the table, spilling hot soup all over the floor and staining her clothes...
Before he died, Steward Liu closed his eyes. His beard was covered in blood, and there was a faint smile on his lips. It seemed that he had no regrets and that his wishes had been fulfilled.
In a way, he was indeed a loyal servant.
Dan Yanzhi sheathed his sword. The once bright blade was now a glaring crimson, dripping blood. His expressionless face was frightening, like a soulless corpse, merely a ruthless killing machine...
You have to understand, those lying on the ground weren't chickens or fish, they were living, breathing people! He just killed them so easily?!
Perhaps she never understood He Lin at all...
The moment their eyes met, Jiang Yi's face twitched uncontrollably, and it wasn't just out of fear.
Go, go quickly, she's going to suffocate if we don't leave!
Jiang Yi couldn't imagine what her expression looked like right now; it must have been terrible. But she didn't care anymore. She turned and ran, and He Lin quickly caught up and grabbed her hand.
Where are you going?
Jiang Yi couldn't speak. Her chest felt tight and her stomach churned. She kept twisting her wrist, trying to pull her hand away, but to no avail. He Lin was holding on too tightly.
"Let me go, He Lin! Let me go!"
"I won't let go!"
When He Lin said this, his tone was extremely firm, as if she were his personal possession. His desire for control and possession was too strong, which immediately aroused Jiang Yi's discomfort and disgust.
Her upbringing in modern society prevented her from accepting He Lin as someone as terrifying as a demon from hell.
Jiang Yi's eyes reddened, and she roared, "What right do you have to tell me what to do?! Who are you to me? What right do you have to restrict my freedom? Where I go is none of your business! Let go!"
He Lin was clearly taken aback for a moment, then gripped her hand even tighter.
The person's gaze was like a knife, piercing his heart, squeezing and twisting, causing him pain so intense that even breathing hurt.
Gu Ziyu and Shan Yanzhi were also stunned. Although they knew that young women might be afraid of this kind of scene, they never expected that Jiang Yi would be so disgusted.
What are these people compared to them? Back when they followed He Lin to deal with the Pavilion Master of Yu Ling Pavilion, they killed far more people, almost everyone was covered in blood, and everyone was bloodthirsty...
Seeing the two locked in a stalemate for a long time, Shan Yanzhi stepped forward to explain for He Lin, his tone stiff: "Miss, you have misunderstood the young master. I was the one who killed him."
Jiang Yi retorted angrily, "Aren't you his subordinate? If you weren't authorized and tacitly approved by him, why would you have killed someone?!"
That makes perfect sense.
He Lin was right next to Steward Liu at the time. If he really wanted to stop it, he could have blocked the fatal sword strike, but he chose to remain indifferent. What is this if not tacit approval?
Dan Yanzhi moved as if to explain further, but Gu Ziyu grabbed him, shook his head, and signaled him not to say anything more.
The misunderstanding is deep enough that further words are useless. Besides, this is the young master's matter, and they cannot interfere. The more they say now, the deeper the misunderstanding will become...
He Lin remained silent for a while, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
After a long silence, he finally spoke, saying, "If I don't kill them, they will kill me."
There was nothing wrong with that statement; if you listened carefully, you could even hear a hint of grievance in it. But Jiang Yi still couldn't understand it. It wasn't out of some kind of saintly heart to sympathize with a bad person, but rather because she couldn't tolerate He Lin's indifference to life!
Jiang Yi's lips trembled as she said, "He Lin, have you been in a position of power for too long? Can't you see the suffering of those below you? They are human beings too, living, breathing human beings! How can you make 'killing' sound so simple? Look closely at everyone lying on the ground. They also have families. They are someone's son, husband, or father! What about their loved ones? They were just killed by you like that. Do you even know that?"
At the end, Jiang Yi couldn't help but tear up and cry.
He Lin's throat tightened terribly, and he slowly released her hand. Jiang Yi squatted on the ground, buried her head, and began to cry softly.
He knew all of what Jiang Yi was saying, and he was fully aware of it.
But he was raised with the law of the jungle, the survival of the fittest, where only the strong survive. No one gave him care or warmth. He... couldn't understand.
Killing was the instinct flowing in his blood.
...
The journey back to Beijing went smoothly. Ever since the argument with He Lin that day, He Lin and Jiang Yi hadn't exchanged a single word, which put Gu Ziyu in a difficult position. She was tormented by both sides and caught in a dilemma, unable to afford to offend either of them.
They spent the night by the river. Jiang Yi refused He Lin's grilled fish, so Gu Ziyu grilled one himself and brought it to her. However, his young master slammed the grilled fish aside, picked up a piece of firewood, and started poking at the campfire without saying a word. He was clearly angry.
Several subordinates stared in disbelief, not daring to take a bite, leaving Gu Ziyu in a dilemma: whether to hand the grilled fish over or back.
The two of them wanted to be as far apart as possible. Jiang Yi snorted, not wanting to force herself, and took the grilled fish from Gu Ziyu. She took a bite and found it fragrant and tender. Even without salt or seasoning, it wasn't fishy at all, but rather fresh and delicious. She wondered how they had prepared it.
Jiang Yi took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Gu Ziyu. She hadn't spoken to anyone for so long and was about to burst with boredom, so she chatted casually with him, asking him how to grill fish, how he prepared it, and saying that his grilled fish was delicious, and so on.
Gu Ziyu could feel the scorching gaze behind him even without turning around. He really wanted to kneel down before Jiang Yi and beg her to stop praising him, otherwise, few could stop his young master when he went crazy...
While Gu Ziyu awkwardly answered Jiang Yi's questions one by one, he sped up the grilling of the fish.
After it was finally baked, he ran over to He Lin in a very obsequious manner to fawn over him.
"Young master, I've grilled another one. Miss Jiang said it's delicious."
He Lin looked up at him, then at the grilled fish. He naturally took it and took a small bite, then turned his head and spat it out, saying indifferently, "What kind of flavor is this that's burnt like this? Take it away, it's not good."
Gu Ziyu: "..."
I'm going crazy! I knew I shouldn't have said that last sentence! Shan Yanzhi, come back soon! I really can't take it anymore!!
Jiang Yi secretly pursed her lips. Take it or leave it, no taste at all! She ate even harder.
Perhaps heaven heard Gu Ziyu's heartfelt words, for Shan Yanzhi returned not long afterward.
A dark bird, which looks like a crow, is perched on the left arm.
"Young master, Lord Wu Yuan has sent a letter."
Gu Ziyu saw him as if he were a savior, and quickly ran over to shove the pitiful grilled fish that He Lin had rejected into his hands.
Dan Yanzhi was completely bewildered, his face full of questions. When did this guy become so attentive and considerate? Did he poison him?
After handing the letter to He Lin, Shan Yanzhi sat cross-legged by the campfire and quietly ate fish. The crow then hopped onto Shan Yanzhi's shoulder, looked around, and its bright eyes resembled those of a night elf.
He Lin slowly unfolded the letter, and after reading the small line of writing on it, he frowned and his expression became serious.
Gu Ziyu and Shan Yanzhi, who were standing nearby, both noticed it keenly.
"Young master, what's wrong?"
He Lin crumpled the letter into a ball and threw it into the fire, where it burned to ashes.
"The capital is in danger; Ma Zhang has rebelled."
These few words revealed the seriousness of the matter, and both of them were taken aback, exchanging a glance.
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