Ying had no intention of becoming the leader of the Assassination Pavilion; it was just that he was currently the one with the highest combat power in the pavilion.
Hu Da: "Ying, you'll take over as the Pavilion Master. You don't need to do anything; you can still act freely as before, how about that?"
The shadow remained unmoved.
Thinking of Ying's special feelings for Zhang Huaien, Hu Er advised, "Ying, even if you don't think about yourself, think about Zhang Huaien too." Seeing Ying's eyes flicker, Hu Er was secretly pleased, thinking, "There's hope."
He continued to advise, "You know, everyone in our Assassination Pavilion has a few enemies. If people find out that Zhang Huaien saved you, he might be targeted. And you can't guarantee you can stay by his side forever..."
Ying's sharp eyes fixed on Hu Er, who, under pressure, continued, "If you take over the Assassination Pavilion, with it as your backing, even if others know your relationship, they won't dare to act rashly. Furthermore, you can send people from the pavilion to protect him..."
Ying looked away and nodded. Hu Er breathed a sigh of relief when he realized the gaze had disappeared. Hu Da and the others also breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that Ying had agreed to take over the Assassination Pavilion.
Although Ying is a man of few words, he is very principled. These assassins trust no one else, and internal strife is inevitable no matter who becomes the leader. Only Ying is truly trusted by everyone, not only because of his superior martial arts skills, but also because of his character.
Hu Da summoned the members of the Assassination Pavilion back and announced to the public: "From now on, Ying will be the new head of our Assassination Pavilion. The Assassination Pavilion will no longer take on assassination jobs; its main responsibility will be collecting and selling intelligence."
He paused, then continued, "Anyone who wants to leave the organization can take their money and leave. The Assassination Pavilion will distribute the money according to their previous contributions. Anyone who wants to stay can also stay, but I want to emphasize one point again: those who stay are not allowed to kill ordinary people in the future. If they violate this rule, they will be severely punished according to the rules of the organization. You have three days to make a choice. It's up to you whether you stay or leave."
Everyone turned to look at Ying. Ying was tall and had the same calm and unwavering gaze, as if he couldn't see anything. But it was this very person who made the group of people in the courtyard who had been living on the edge of life feel inexplicably at ease.
Seeing everyone looking at him, Ying nodded.
Only when he nodded did the crowd truly believe him. They then dispersed in all directions.
A few days later, many chose to stay. As assassins, they were used to being alone and had nowhere to go if they left, nor did they know what they could do, so they might as well stay. Only a few with families took the money and left, living in anonymity with their families.
One month later
Mu Qi passed the imperial examination and was personally selected as the top scholar by Murong Zhi, who bestowed upon him the special privilege of "parading on horseback through the streets" to celebrate with the people. Mu Qi, dressed in red, sat astride a tall horse, his handsome appearance and dignified demeanor exuding youthful vigor while also displaying the refined elegance of a scholar.
He clasped his hands in thanks to the cheering crowds around him, and wherever he went, the cheers were deafening and resounding, creating an unprecedented spectacle.
Upon learning that Mu Qi had passed the imperial examination with flying colors, Mu Qing, who was far away in Jiangnan, carefully selected a set of writing implements and sent it back to the capital. Mu Qi was delighted with the gift and used it every day.
Jiangnan
By the end of the year, the sweet potatoes in the fields of various villages in Jiangnan were almost ready for harvest thanks to the villagers' careful tending. Even without the blessing of wood energy, they could still be harvested after the New Year. However, this year's floods had destroyed the rice, and most of the villagers' surplus grain wouldn't last until after the New Year. Families with extra money were better off, but those with little savings faced a difficult situation. Therefore, Mu Qing had been traveling among the villages of Jiangnan, secretly using wood energy to ensure that the people could harvest sweet potatoes before the New Year.
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