Wen Xiuyuan was filled with shame and couldn't utter a single word for a long time.
His eyes were red, and his voice was strained: "Lord Liu, I have wronged you."
...
The next day, Liu Yi went up to the city gate again.
The bandits below the city gate had been shouting for a while when Liu Yifu's figure emerged from a corner of the gate: "I want to see your leader."
Upon hearing the news, the leader's eyes gleamed with interest: "I thought they would at least hesitate for a couple of days, but I didn't expect them to make a decision so quickly."
His tone was slightly disdainful, and I immediately felt a bit bored.
Although he had expected the answer, his reaction was still a bit too cowardly.
He arrived at the city gate, squinted at the figure on the city wall. Liu Yifu was easy to spot in the crowd. He was wearing an old robe, and his scholarly demeanor made him stand out from the crowd.
"Lord Liu, how have you been?"
His tone was sarcastic, but the malice in his eyes was palpable even from a great distance.
Liu Yi lowered his eyes and stared at that figure, neither pleased nor angry: "I want to ask the chief, if I really walk out of this city gate, can you really guarantee that the people of Liu City will not be harmed?"
The leader chuckled, "You don't believe me?"
Liu Yi frowned again: "The chief is a man of his word, and he will not contradict himself. I am just confirming this in front of everyone."
Eagle eyes lit up with interest, and the leader smiled casually: "Of course."
He thought Liu Yifu was too naive. He was a bandit, not a gentleman. Why would he care about keeping his word?
Liu Yifu's gaze steadied for a moment: "Okay, I promise you."
His robes fluttered in the wind, and his thin, frail figure swayed precariously, yet remained resolute.
Suddenly, Feng Zhiwen's excited voice came from behind: "Lord Liu!"
Liu Yi paused, then turned around to look.
Feng Zhiwen ran ahead, followed by a group of people.
When the people first met his gaze, they lowered their heads in shame.
After a moment of silence, someone spoke first:
"Lord Liu, we've thought it over. You really have no obligation to sacrifice yourself for us. We shouldn't be so selfish!"
"If it weren't for Lord Liu's research on growing melons to get rich, my child would probably have starved to death right after birth. Lord Liu is our benefactor!"
"At worst, we'll just die. There are so many of us, it's not a loss if each of us kills one!"
Liu Yifu's eyes flickered slightly as his gaze fell on Feng Zhiwen, who was clamoring for credit. His expression was somewhat smug, but his words were serious:
"Lord Liu, even one person's sacrifice is still a sacrifice."
...
Feeling tricked, the bandits immediately launched a fierce attack.
On the city wall, the people spontaneously rushed to help, and if someone fell, they would immediately step in to help, all to protect the paradise where they had grown up.
Liu Yi picked up a rock and hurled it at the bandits who were climbing the wall. His fingers trembled involuntarily from exhaustion.
His face was smeared with someone's blood, but his dark eyes were unusually bright. Liu Yifu raised his hand to wipe it away, and heard the faint sounds of horses' hooves amidst the chaotic clash of swords.
He suspected it was his imagination, and with his last bit of strength, he looked up and saw Chi Yan at the very front. He paused for a moment, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
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