Two gongs clanged, followed by a roar.
The eighteen fine horses charged headlong into the crowd, completely disregarding the common folk.
They had already issued a warning. If they didn't make way now, were they expected to wait for the nobles to slowly move aside?
Ha, it was better to dream about that.
The people queuing behind Yunze quickly retreated, as if this wasn't their first encounter with such a situation, their response remarkably experienced.
They swiftly moved to a safe spot and then buried their faces deep.
The men were afraid of offending the nobles with their mere presence, while the women feared being noticed by them.
Given their status, even if they were 'favored' by a noble, the only outcome would be to be left to die in the wilderness.
Even if they were to ascend to heaven, entering a noble's household, without any backing in such an environment, they would sooner or later become fish on a chopping block.
Yunze also pulled Bu Bu's hand and retreated to the side with the crowd.
It wasn't the right time yet!
If he revealed himself now, there would be no outcome other than death.
Yunze watched the carriage procession charge towards the city gate. Even the guards at the gate dared not look directly at the carriage.
Only after the carriage had entered the city did the guards smugly begin their searches.
These people... truly deserved to die!
Yunze clenched his fists, staring at the carriage that was gradually disappearing from view, wishing he could be like the legendary immortals, pluck a blade of grass, and obliterate them, carriage and all!
"What? Do you know the noble in the carriage?"
The old beggar's voice came from the side. Yunze realized his emotions might have been too obvious and could only force a smile to conceal it.
"Ah? How could that be? I just saw how arrogant that person was, hitting people and then leaving as if nothing happened. I found it detestable."
"Heh heh..."
The old beggar said nothing, merely chuckling twice, with an air of "you can keep lying, and I'll just watch."
The three soon entered the city, following the crowd.
After entering the city, the setting sun had vanished, leaving only a full moon hanging in the sky.
Yunze and the others walked to a less crowded spot, preparing to bid farewell to the old beggar. "Old sir, we have arrived at Weishan Prefecture. It's time for us to part ways.
If fate allows, we'll meet again in the martial world."
"Go on then, go on. If you leave now, you'll never get your revenge!"
The smile on Yunze's face froze, and he looked at the old beggar with a stiff expression. "Old sir, what do you mean by that?"
"Old sir has no meaning,"
The old beggar said, then sat down on the ground, crossing his legs with a thoroughly roguish air. "Yunze, a native of Hanshan Village, with only parents at home, no siblings.
Three days ago, He Laichao of the He family massacred Hanshan Village, and the reason was because of you."
Upon hearing this, Yunze could only force a smile. "What are you talking about, old sir? I don't know any Yunze."
How could he know these things?
Was he at Hanshan Village at the time?
No!
For his own safety, if the old man truly knew the truth, it would be best to give him some benefits and send him out of Weishan Prefecture first!
As for making him unable to speak forever... he was just a beggar. If he wanted to kill, he could have exposed Yunze's identity outside the city.
Now that he said it after entering the city, he was probably just after money.
"Don't know?"
The old beggar casually lay down on the ground, using his hands as a pillow for his head, still swinging his legs. "Legend has it that three hundred years ago, an immortal gifted a jade pendant to the Yun family.
That jade pendant is with you now, isn't it? If you are not Yunze, do you dare let me search you?"
Yunze's expression remained unchanged, but his heart pounded wildly in his chest.
He did indeed have the jade pendant on him, and it couldn't withstand a search.
It seemed the old beggar's mention of He Laichao was not unintentional.
"Alright."
Yunze furrowed his brow slightly, acknowledging the matter. "May I ask, old sir, how do you wish to settle this?"
"Settle it? Oh, from what you're saying, you want to settle me!"
The old beggar said, then sprang up like a carp, standing directly in front of Yunze. He picked out a sticky substance from his nose and flicked it away. "Come on, I'll stand right here. Let's see how you plan to settle me, you brat!"
"You jest, sir."
Yunze's brow furrowed, maintaining a respectful demeanor. He reached into his backpack filled with gold and silver and took out a silver ingot. "Please accept this, old sir, and leave Weishan Prefecture as soon as possible. And in the future, do not mention that you have seen me and my sister."
"Hmm?"
The old beggar grunted, seemingly surprised, then a slight smile appeared on his face. He placed a hand on Yunze's shoulder. "Kid, you don't want to kill me?"
"Don't you want to kill me either, sir?" Yunze replied.
This was Yunze's judgment, based on the old beggar not having betrayed him when He Laichao arrived.
"Hahahaha, good! Well said, you don't want to kill me!"
The old beggar roared with laughter, then placed his other hand on Yunze's shoulder and pulled, bringing him close to his face!
"Kid, I'll give you a chance now. If you're willing, I'll help you get revenge. Do you dare?"
The foul odor almost made Yunze unable to breathe.
He endured the smell and stared at the old beggar in front of him, noticing something he had never seen before in his eyes.
Clarity.
An incomparably pure clarity!
He hadn't examined the old beggar closely before, and had completely missed the appearance of his pupils.
When he was in private school, he had once asked Teacher Zhang why the pupils of the elderly became cloudy and yellowish, and Teacher Zhang had taught him an idiom.
"Ren lao zhu huang" (As people age, their eyes yellow, implying aging and fading beauty).
The so-called 'zhu' (pearl) referred to the eyeballs.
Now, the old beggar looked at least over sixty years old, and his eyeballs shouldn't be this clear! Unless...
A guess popped into Yunze's mind.
As if possessed, he nodded slightly and then asked, "Why wouldn't I dare?"
"Good!"
The old beggar uttered the word again, then released Yunze and pointed to a spot. "There, lick it clean."
Yunze paused.
When he turned his head to look in the direction the old beggar was pointing, he was stunned.
It was a stone wall, and stuck to it was the sticky substance he had just dug out of his nostril, slowly sliding down!
Yunze looked at the old beggar, his face filled with disbelief!
Are you kidding me?
"What? You don't dare anymore?"
The old beggar saw through Yunze's thoughts and retorted, "Didn't you say you would pay anything for revenge? Does this small matter stump you?"
A small matter? You call this a small matter?
Yunze's brow was tightly furrowed, his face filled with anger.
He thought the old beggar was deliberately humiliating him.
But to his surprise, Bu Bu behind him turned and walked towards the stone wall, then looked at the old beggar without changing his expression.
"You only said to lick it clean, you didn't say who had to do it, right?"