Chapter 86

"Whoosh!!"

Accompanied by the sound of water, Hongyun, carrying Buye and Chai Yujing, leaped onto the surface of a river that was thirty meters wide.

The water in the river flowed rapidly and was very murky, making it impossible to tell how deep it was. The moment Hongyun jumped, Buye's heart leaped to his throat.

Then, Hongyun started running on the turbulent water.

A magical cushion of cloud-like vapor formed under Hongyun's hooves. Each step it took was not on the water itself, but on this cushion of vapor.

Buye looked down from Hongyun's back and saw that there were hardly any splashes from Hongyun's hooves, leaving only a two-meter-long wave behind. The water continuously washed away the waves left by Hongyun, and as Hongyun ran, new waves appeared behind them.

Buye looked upstream with a deep sigh, fully sensing the immense power of nature carried by the vast river, flowing from the distant horizon to their feet and then to the end of the sky. However, compared to Hongyun's hooves, the river seemed much lighter.

Nature has its favorites, and the cloud horse, Hongyun, clearly received such favor.

The cavalry from Muyuan City had already chased out, but their mounts were all dragon mammoths and ordinary horses, and they could not catch up with Hongyun. With the appearance of the river, Hongyun, who didn't need to detour to cross a bridge, further expanded its advantage.

An hour later, when Hongyun stopped under a tree on the top of a small hill, Buye was left with only the feeling of "the true test of a horse's strength is a long journey."

Buye first threw Chai Yujing off the horse, then jumped down himself.

At this point, Hongyun was no longer picky about food and started to graze on the wild grass on the hill. It had been running non-stop since the night before when it met Wei Xing, and it was already tired and hungry.

Buye plopped down on the ground, looking at the still unconscious Chai Yujing, and couldn't help but frown.

Actually, after they left the city gate, Chai Yujing had lost his usefulness. If Buye wanted to kill him, he could have done so halfway, instead of bringing him dozens of miles away.

Buye looked at Chai Yujing's legs. Although there were several wounds and a lot of blood, none of them were deep. The soldiers who dared to stab at Buye were not aiming at Chai Yujing. When they realized they might injure Chai Yujing, they all pulled back. Objectively speaking, the wounds on Chai Yujing's legs were actually caused by Buye swinging him around and deliberately colliding with the weapons...

In any case, Chai Yujing wouldn't die from these injuries. His face was very pale, and his brows were furrowed, indicating that he had never suffered such hardship in his life.

Buye didn't have much time. He took off the water bag from his waist, pulled out the stopper, and poured the water directly onto Chai Yujing's face.

"Whoosh..."

Finally, Chai Yujing's eyelids twitched, and then he opened his eyes.

The moment his eyes cleared, he suddenly sat up from the ground and saw Buye. The second-in-command of Muyuan City, who was known for his elegance, now had water stains on his face and grass clippings stuck to it, giving him a somewhat scholarly appearance.

"Don't panic, I still have a few questions for you," Buye said calmly, sitting still.

Chai Yujing was slightly stunned, and then all his vigilance vanished, or rather, all his spirit and energy were gone. He didn't even need to look around; just by seeing Buye's state, he guessed everything: Buye had already escaped Muyuan, and he had only one path left—death.

Since death was inevitable, why panic and make a fool of himself?

Chai Yujing sat loosely on the ground, carefully examining Buye, then gave a self-mocking smile and sighed, "My brother Yuge and I have struggled through many hardships. Although we didn't face the flashing of swords and the clash of spears, the dangers were even greater. At least three times, we almost fell into others' traps. Now, Yuge and I govern a city together, and the next step is the position of Duke, which only the Xiao family can hold. It can be said that we have reached the pinnacle of our positions."

Buye smiled and said sarcastically, "Are you indirectly praising me?"

Chai Yujing shook his head and said disdainfully, "You are just a brute. What is there to praise?"

"Then, what's there to boast about dying at the hands of a brute?" Buye continued to mock.

Chai Yujing was taken aback, then remembered that Buye was also good at verbal sparring. He had already experienced this at the execution platform yesterday noon.

Chai Yujing gave a bitter smile and sighed, "People like us fear most those who don't play by the rules. Only someone like you can truly pose a threat to us."

Buye liked hearing this and sincerely said, "If I played by the rules, I would only have one path—death. When Lu Qi arrested me, I couldn't resist according to the rules; after resisting and killing someone, I should have fled as far as possible, letting you take as many villagers as you wanted as scapegoats, and I could only ignore it. But when I asked, you still killed people, and according to the rules, I should have realized that I was not taken seriously, how insignificant I was, and fled as far as possible, living in obscurity... While you would only need to order your subordinates to act, enjoying the fruits of your labor."

Chai Yujing smiled, acknowledging Buye's words.

At this moment, Buye delivered the final conclusion, "In short, if we play by the rules, you win, and I lose. Why should I follow your rules?"

"But you still can't escape death," Chai Yujing said with a light laugh, disliking Buye's satisfaction.

Buye looked at Chai Yujing with a look of disdain, "Are you trying to bluff me now?"

Chai Yujing shook his head and said calmly, "Do you think this is the end?"

Hearing this, Buye became alert. He had something he wanted to ask Chai Yujing, which was related to this.

He knew that for him, the matter could end at any time; he just needed to run away. But for the entire Muyuan City and the villagers of Dongmang Village, it was far from over.

Buye's bottom line was that he had promised Hong Zhongwei and Du Sanhui to take care of the villagers. Since he wasn't in immediate danger, he couldn't just leave. At least, he should ensure the villagers' safety before leaving, or leave when someone was chasing him urgently.

Oh, and there was also Luo Xiu.

More fleas don't make the itch worse. Since things had already come to this, Buye didn't mind adding more trouble or causing a bigger mess.

He would resolve it quickly and decisively!

"Please enlighten me," Buye said humbly.

Chai Yujing smiled, then sat up a bit straighter, finally regaining some of his demeanor as the second-in-command of Muyuan City.

"Give me some water first," Chai Yujing said casually.

Was he completely resigned? It seemed that scholars who offended the powerful often had this demeanor before their last meal.

Since there was still half a bag of water, Buye handed it over.

Chai Yujing took the water bag, raised his head, and drank several large gulps, then put it down and wiped his face with his sleeve. The gesture made him look more like a peasant than a scholar. From this, Buye saw a down-to-earth side of Chai Yujing, suggesting that this middle-aged man had risen from humble beginnings.

Chai Yujing returned the water bag to Buye, then extended his hands, right hand above, palm down, left hand below, palm up, with about half a foot between them. He shook his right hand and looked at Buye, "Let's simply divide the people in this world into two classes. I belong to this class."

Buye smiled and nodded, "I belong to the lower class."

"Not just you, all the people of Dongmang Village, all the citizens of Muyuan City, and all the commoners in the entire Xiao Kingdom and the world, belong to this class," Chai Yujing said, shaking his lower hand.

"Um."

"Each class has its own rules, and only by following these rules will you be recognized by others."

"Yes."

"The upper class has even more rules, and they are stricter. One of these rules is that everyone should maintain the rules of this class."

Buye pondered in silence.

Chai Yujing gave a self-mocking smile, "This is because everything the upper class enjoys depends on these rules. If they don't maintain these rules, it's no different from not maintaining themselves."

Buye suddenly looked up, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

He had thought about these issues while lying in bed, but later, with a myriad of thoughts and a confused worldview, many questions were left unresolved, or there were too many answers, and he didn't know which to choose. Otherwise, he wouldn't have created a -87 world.

What Chai Yujing had just said was one of the answers Buye had once reached. The only difference was that Chai Yujing, as a true member of the upper class, was particularly certain about it.

"So..." Buye said slowly.

Chai Yujing nodded, "So, you will face the entire upper class."

After saying this, Chai Yujing stared intently at Buye's face, hoping to see him scared.

But what he saw was...

Buye didn't hesitate, smiled, and said, "That's good."

Chai Yujing was taken aback. Was Buye a madman, or had he been scared silly?

But Buye didn't give him time to think, and asked, "Actually, what I wanted to ask you is similar to this. Regardless of how many people I've offended, I just want to know, after you and Lu Yuge die, who else will try to kill me and take the villagers of Dongmang Village as scapegoats? Are there any, and if so, who are the most likely candidates?"

"Let me think."

"Um."

Chai Yujing's mind worked quickly, and a minute later, he looked up and said to Buye, "There are many. However, I'm curious why you always say 'Dongmang Village' instead of 'our village.' Logically, since you are so protective of them, you should have a strong sense of belonging to Dongmang Village and naturally say 'our village.'"

He observed quite carefully!

Buye said unhappily, "I don't need to explain to you."

Chai Yujing sighed and said, "Alright. The most likely to threaten the villagers of Dongmang Village in the short term, even today, is the commander of the White Wolf Camp in Muyuan City..."

Chai Yujing listed a series of names, all powerful officials in Muyuan City who had the potential to become the next governor. To gain more support, they might take revenge on the villagers of Dongmang Village, directly demoting them to criminals and exiling them to the border.

Buye's brows furrowed deeply. Muyuan City was surely on high alert, and with so many people, how could he kill them all in a short time?

"Who else?"

"Only two more."

"Who are they?"

"One is General Xuanwei Yang Feng. If you had only killed Lu Qi and his men, he might have just taken a few villagers as scapegoats and wouldn't have spent much effort chasing you. But now, with such a big incident, he will definitely try to kill you."

"Um."

"However, Yang Feng is proud and values his reputation. Since he has already sent Wei Xing, he probably won't send more people for a while. Unless Wei Xing fails to catch you for a long time, then he will act only when he is sure of success."

Buye couldn't help but sneer, "I'll wait. And the other one?"

"Xiao Hong, the Duke of Dongping."

"The Duke of Dongping?"

"The current emperor of the Xiao Kingdom has over thirty siblings, of which eleven capable brothers were enfeoffed as dukes, each governing one of the eleven prefectures. Xiao Hong, the current emperor's seventeenth half-brother, has been the Duke of Dongping for twenty-six years, governing sixteen cities, including Muyuan. In his early years, Xiao Hong had many achievements in Dongping, but after he turned fifty, he became tyrannical and cruel..."

"What does he have to do with this?" Buye asked.

"He once executed a whole clan because an official glanced at his concubine during a banquet. He also killed all the officials and craftsmen involved in the construction of a mausoleum because he was dissatisfied with it. His tyranny and cruelty are evident, and Yuge..."

Buye raised an eyebrow, "Had a good relationship with Xiao Hong?"

"Yes. Yuge was skilled at reading people and knew how to please him, making him one of the most trusted governors by Xiao Hong. You killed Yuge, so he will not only send people to capture you but also not spare the villagers."

Buye really felt the urge to learn the Shadow Clone Jutsu. With so many powerful enemies, how could he handle them all in a short time?

At this moment, Chai Yujing dropped another bomb, "Actually, Xiao Hong's tyranny has a reason, and I am one of the few who know. It is said that in his youth, he was one of the most talented princes in the royal family, awakening his Heart Cloud at twelve and his Abdomen Cloud at eighteen. Then, to practice the Constellation Techniques, he secretly went to a higher kingdom. I don't know which one."

"In any case, when he was in his forties, the news somehow leaked. The higher kingdom immediately sent people to the Xiao Kingdom, and after some negotiations, they took severe action against him. Since then, although he still has his Heart Cloud and Abdomen Cloud, he can no longer practice the Constellation Techniques. Moreover, he is likely impotent. This last point is inferred from various signs."

Buye looked at Chai Yujing, "Do you know how many stars he has in his Abdomen Cloud?"

"I don't know."

"Um. Is there anyone else?"

"No."

"Good, thank you for telling me so much."

"Heh..." Chai Yujing gave a bitter smile, knowing that Buye was about to kill him.

But then, Buye suddenly asked, "Did you tell me all this to curry favor, hoping I might spare you?"

Chai Yujing looked up and admitted, "A little."

"Because you think I believe you can help me eliminate all the threats in Muyuan City?"

"Yes, but you might not believe me," Chai Yujing said.

"Why do I need to believe you? I just need to see what you do," Buye said.

Chai Yujing's eyes widened, understanding Buye's meaning, "You're going to spare me?"

"To be honest, I still want to kill you. But I don't have the energy. If you die, I can't solve the problems in Muyuan City. So, I'll spare your life. You can do whatever you want, but you must take care of the villagers. If you don't, I'll come back to kill you," Buye said.

Chai Yujing didn't know what to say, his heart pounding wildly. He even feared that Buye was testing him, making him happy and then killing him!

But at this moment, Buye was already impatient and frowned, "You won't agree?"

"I agree!" Chai Yujing said hurriedly.

"I hope you have the ability to take over Muyuan smoothly." After saying this, Buye stood up.

Chai Yujing also stood up quickly. Buye was his "savior," and he wouldn't dare to sit while Buye was standing.

"I'm leaving. Remember, the only reason I'm sparing your life is because you can help me solve the problems in Muyuan City."

"Good." Chai Yujing, even if he had other thoughts, would definitely agree verbally.

Buye finally turned and walked towards Hongyun, one step, two steps, three steps...

Chai Yujing's heart almost leaped out of his throat, standing there motionless, fearing that Buye might suddenly turn around.

But at this moment, Buye, who had already walked five meters away, suddenly stopped and turned back.

At that moment, Chai Yujing almost fainted, feeling his soul tense up.

But Buye didn't come back, just stood there and said, "One last question."

"Um." Chai Yujing responded nervously.

Then, a completely unexpected question was thrown at him. Buye asked, "Have I ever been jealous of Lu Yuge?"

Chai Yujing was stunned, then after a moment, he truly thought about it, and his thoughts were all written on his face...

Buye smiled satisfactorily, "Now I believe you won't seek revenge for Lu Yuge."

...

Five minutes later, Buye and Hongyun had already disappeared from Chai Yujing's sight on the hilltop.

At this point, they were in a wilderness, and riding was quite pleasant.

Buye finally cleared his thoughts and said to Hongyun, "We need to hurry. You'll have to work hard for the next two days."

Hongyun didn't understand, but its strength had recovered quickly, and it ran lightly, the cloud-like vapor under its hooves creating a long green wave on the wild grass...

Direction northwest, destination, the capital of Dongping Prefecture, Dongping City!