Chapter 4

Yun Yang returned with a full load.

With a spring in his step, he walked out of the tavern, and the seven young masters, with pale faces, saw him off: "Take your time, Young Master Yun, we'll meet again next time..."

Only when Yun Yang's figure was no longer in sight did the seven of them heave a sigh of relief.

"Eat! Eat heartily!" Young Master Ma gritted his teeth and shed tears: "How can I eat to make up for these two million?"

The other six young masters rolled their eyes, and a sense of satisfaction secretly arose in their hearts.

Although I am unlucky, there is still someone more unlucky than me!

Thinking this, their spirits soared: "Come, come, come, we won't return until we are drunk tonight! Boss! Bring another hundred dishes! Damn it, I have to make up for my losses!"

They surged back in a rush.

Young Master Qin, who had won the right to treat, turned pale with anger and urgency: "Damn, eat until you burst, all of you get lost..."

He hurriedly rushed in to stop them.

...

Old Mei's arms were full of silver bills, following behind Yun Yang.

The doubts in his heart were even more than the silver bills in his arms.

These seven young masters, which one of them is not arrogant and domineering? Which one of them is not lawless and unruly? How could they be so obedient?

Just this year alone, he has been extorted twice by the young masters...

Not to mention before.

What kind of leverage does the young master have over them?

"Six million of it, you can distribute it in the directions you see fit," Yun Yang said as he walked, instructing: "You know what to pay attention to."

Old Mei solemnly replied: "Young Master, rest assured, I understand."

Yun Yang nodded.

By the time they spoke, they had already reached the entrance of the Yun Manor.

Yun Yang looked up at the four large characters on the plaque, smiled bitterly, and strode in.

"Clouds Beyond the Sky."

The four golden characters shone at the entrance of the Yun Manor, written by the current emperor, expressing the highest respect for the mysterious Yun Marquis.

The gate slowly closed.

Outside, a distant voice called out: "... Nine Respects of Yu Tang, heroes of the world; the nation mourns, sending off our spirits; on the ninth day of March, before the Hall of Heroes; slay the traitors, honor our spirits; the spirit of heroes, the eternal righteousness..."

The faces of countless people were heavy, including officials, military leaders, soldiers, and commoners... crowds flooded towards the flower and incense shops...

All the incense in the city of Tian Tang was sold out by the afternoon.

A faint cry could be heard.

Today is the eighth day of March.

Tomorrow, to honor the spirits.

Inside the Yun Manor, Yun Yang leaned against the gate, listening to the repeated calls outside, his face showing deep sorrow.

"Nine Respects, always there!"

Yun Yang said silently, his eyes filled with determination: "Because, I am still here!"

...

Yun Manor.

In the secret room.

Yun Yang, dressed in a purple robe, stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Wu Wenyuan in front of him, a flash of blood in his eyes, and said softly: "Mr. Wu, I have long admired your name and have long wished to meet you; so today, I specially invited Mr. Wu to come over, to have a good chat."

On the opposite side, Wu Wenyuan, dressed in prisoner's clothes, smiled lightly: "Young Master Yun, before, I only thought you were the son of the Marquis of Clouds Beyond the Sky, and did not take you seriously, but I did not expect that in the Yu Tang Empire, Young Master Yun is such a mysterious figure. Truly, I have underestimated you."

He smiled casually: "To be able to bring me from the imperial prison to here so easily, Young Master Yun's means are truly heaven-defying."

Yun Yang looked at the Left Censor, seeing no trace of tension or fear in his eyes.

This is a loyalist.

Yun Yang concluded in his heart and smiled faintly: "A small trick, I apologize for making Mr. Wu laugh."

Wu Wenyuan said calmly: "I wonder what Young Master Yun wants to talk about, bringing me from the imperial prison to here?"

Yun Yang smiled lightly: "I want to play a game with Mr. Wu."

"What game?" Wu Wenyuan asked.

"Ah, asking questions," Yun Yang laughed: "You ask me a question, and I ask you a question."

Wu Wenyuan also laughed: "When I ask you questions, you can answer anything; but when you ask me questions, I may not necessarily answer."

Yun Yang smiled and said gently: "According to my information, Mr. Wu's entire family has been captured. Including your elderly mother, your wife, your two concubines; your three sons, and one daughter."

Wu Wenyuan's eyes turned cold: "What do you want to say?"

Yun Yang said gently: "Mr. Wu has already put life and death aside, of course, you don't care about anything. But, the lives of your family, Mr. Wu, you may not be able to ignore them, right?"

Wu Wenyuan's eyes flickered: "What do you mean?"

Yun Yang said calmly: "I will ask you the first question, and if you answer, I can let you die a quick death. This is the first benefit."

Wu Wenyuan said sarcastically: "If I don't want to answer any questions, can you let me live?"

Yun Yang tilted his head slightly and said: "Death also has different ways. Mr. Wu understands. If you don't answer any questions, none of your family will live; and you, Mr. Wu, will have a long life here."

He smiled slightly, revealing his white, neat teeth: "What do you think, Mr. Wu?"

Even Wu Wenyuan, who was ready to die, could not help but shudder.

A long life.

This phrase, full of auspicious meaning, now spoken by Yun Yang, was filled with sinister terror. Wu Wenyuan naturally knew how he would "live a long life."

He paused and said: "Do you mean my family can still live?"

Yun Yang said: "Of course; I will ask you the second question, and if you answer, I can guarantee that your wife will live. The third question, your mother will live. The fourth, your daughter will live. The fifth... question, your least favorite second son will live... the last question, your entire family, except you, will live, and live freely."

Wu Wenyuan closed his eyes in pain: "If I don't answer one of the questions?"

Yun Yang said lightly: "For example, if you don't answer the fourth question, I will let your daughter live, but in a brothel, and every customer will know she is your daughter. Yes, each question corresponds to a person."

Wu Wenyuan's eyes bulged, his anger almost bursting: "You are so cruel!"

Yun Yang smiled: "I am not cruel, Mr. Wu, you are. Because, it is your lack of cooperation that has led to this human tragedy. On the contrary, as a son, a husband, a father, you can create a better living environment for them."

Wu Wenyuan closed his eyes, his heart filled with despair.

The readiness to die that had filled his heart disappeared without a trace.

Yun Yang, with one word, had hit his vital point.

"Indeed, Young Master Yun is Young Master Yun," Wu Wenyuan said with a bitter smile: "What do you want to know?"

Yun Yang, with his hands behind his back, said softly: "The first question, 'A year's plan starts in spring.' This saying is correct; but I want Mr. Wu to explain its meaning."

Wu Wenyuan's face turned ashen, his eyes struggling for a long time, and said: "This is the Four Seasons Tower... the four seasons of the year. The meaning of this phrase is to have the Spring Hall take action..."

Yun Yang nodded: "Very good, as a reward for your answer, you can die a quick death. The second question, what does the tenth day of the first month mean?"

"I am the tenth day of the first month," Wu Wenyuan said weakly, his eyes closed: "The Four Seasons Tower, each season has three halls. Each hall is named after a month; each hall has thirty people, from the first to the thirtieth."

"Congratulations; your wife will live," Yun Yang said with a smile: "The third question. Who is Mr. Year?"

Wu Wenyuan looked into Yun Yang's eyes and said: "I don't know."

Yun Yang frowned, looking into his eyes for a long time, and said: "Alright, change the question, who is the Hall Master of the Spring Hall?"

"I don't know," Wu Wenyuan said with a bitter smile: "This question, you really don't need to ask; we are all in single-line contact, not knowing who each other is. I don't even know who the ninth and eleventh of the first month are, let alone the Hall Master."

Yun Yang exhaled, his face turning grim.

"A Left Censor of the court is just one day in the four seasons; with no official position... The Four Seasons Tower, a behemoth!"

Yun Yang chuckled. The coldness in his laugh made Wu Wenyuan shudder involuntarily.

"Since you don't know anything..." Yun Yang frowned and said: "Then, last year, in the Heavenly Mystic Cliff, who were the participants in the ambush of the Nine Respects?"

Hearing the words "Heavenly Mystic Cliff ambush of the Nine Respects," Wu Wenyuan's facial muscles involuntarily twitched, and he said: "I am just an insider, the specific implementation plan is handled by the Spring Hall Master; I don't know who the participants were."

Yun Yang nodded: "Besides you, are there other insiders? Are they from the military?"

Wu Wenyuan said: "The ninth and eleventh who contacted me felt like military leaders, but I don't know their specific identities, nor can I be sure."

Yun Yang said: "Good. I have finished asking my questions; you can ask me anything."

Wu Wenyuan trembled and shouted: "Why do you only ask these few questions? Since you mentioned the Heavenly Mystic Cliff incident, there should be many more questions you should ask!"

Yun Yang said coldly: "Because I already know the answers to the other questions. And, if I continue to ask, and you answer, I will have to release your son, but I don't want to release him."

Wu Wenyuan was furious and screamed: "But you have already asked me four questions!"

Yun Yang said calmly: "Because the last two questions, you didn't answer. So, it counts as one answer. In total, you answered three questions. The first question, you die a quick death; the second question, your wife lives; the third question, your mother lives. Rest assured, I will do it!"

Wu Wenyuan's body suddenly went limp, his heart filled with despair.

This person, using the method of asking questions, made him feel hope; but, at the most critical moment, suddenly cut it off. Making the people he cared about the most unable to live.

He looked at Yun Yang's cold and fierce expression and suddenly asked: "Who are you?"

Yun Yang's face showed an extreme sadness, his eyes fixed on the void, and he slowly said, word by word: "... I am the Cloud Respect!"

I am the Cloud Respect!

Since the last battle, returning to Tian Tang City with a body and mind full of wounds; every time he thought of this identity, he felt an extreme sadness and bitterness.

After a year, he could finally say these four words!

Because, I have found the first thread.

I can finally, when thinking of my brothers, have a little comfort.

Wu Wenyuan's face showed a look of shock, staring at Yun Yang, unable to speak.

The intense shock almost made him lose the ability to speak.

He only heard Yun Yang continue, word by word: "... I am... one of the Nine Respects, the Cloud Respect!"

"You didn't die?!" Wu Wenyuan screamed: "You were clearly dead!"

Yun Yang's face showed a strange expression, his voice filled with infinite sorrow: "The Nine Respects will never die!"

Wu Wenyuan laughed bitterly, his soul lost: "So, so... you didn't die... Is this the will of heaven?"

He repeated this sentence several times, his entire body like a walking corpse, even his eyes losing their luster, and suddenly laughed bitterly: "I never thought... the soul of the Nine Respects, actually didn't die... Is this the will of heaven?"

Yun Yang's face was cold, his eyes deep like the sea.

From such eyes, no one could see the turmoil in his heart.

"Clouds hanging in the sky, winds sweeping the earth, thunder shaking, stabilizing the heavens. Golden light flashing, earth dragons rising, wood piercing the sky; nothing can stop it; raging fires, water nowhere to be found, the blood of heroes, eternal! The Nine Respects, there are still people alive..."

Hearing these words, a fierce flame suddenly ignited in Yun Yang's eyes. He softly murmured: "Yes, I am still alive, and since I am still alive, then countless people must die!"

"All those involved in the Heavenly Mystic Cliff incident must die!"

"So many of my brothers' blood debts..." Yun Yang lowered his head, looking at Wu Wenyuan in front of him, and softly said: "You are the first."

The blood in his eyes suddenly burned like a flame.

...