Qinghe Inn
"Brother Jiayan, why would the common people suddenly attack the Cui residence?" Yu Mingyue asked anxiously.
"I'm afraid they've been incited. I've already sent Sect Leader Ye to investigate." The news should arrive soon.
"Although these common people are numerous, most are unarmed. The Cui residence's guards are all carefully selected. This will only lead to mutual destruction," Yu Mingyue said.
The Jiedushi's troops were stationed thirty li outside the city. Jiedushi Cheng had always had a good relationship with the Cui family.
Grandfather had already sent people to request reinforcements, and they should have arrived by now, but they were nowhere to be seen entering the city.
It was clear he was weighing the pros and cons, or perhaps someone had instructed him. In this world, only the Sage could achieve such a feat.
If that were the case, it was unlikely that the Seventh Prince's jade pendant could secure any reinforcements.
Yu Mingyue and Xie Jiayan exchanged a look; they had clearly reached the same conclusion: this riot was premeditated.
Xie Jiayan pondered for a moment: "There is a way to resolve this for now."
"Open the granaries and release grain, a diversionary tactic!" Yu Mingyue also thought of it.
Tonight, these were all common people who had been incited and were blindly following others. Perhaps there were ambitious individuals, but most of them simply sought to survive.
With tens of thousands of common people, as soon as one person rushed to grab grain, many more would eagerly follow. This would buy the Cui family more time and reduce casualties on both sides.
Xie Jiayan nodded: "Indeed. However, once the granaries are opened and the common people rush for the grain, stampedes are inevitable. Therefore, the granary location cannot be too far away. But... these are the Cui family's granaries. If..."
"My maternal grandfather won't care about that. This grain was originally prepared by him to help with the coming famine. Who knew one wrong step would lead to another? Nothing can be undone now," Yu Mingyue said with a somber expression.
Her trip to Qinghe was intended to persuade her maternal grandfather to make plans early, but it was still too late.
"Don't worry. I will find a way to persuade Official Qian to help. Wait for my news at the inn," Xie Jiayan instructed.
"I'll go with you."
"You are not going anywhere!" Ye Feisheng entered from outside, cloaked in darkness, his tone extremely serious. "Stay put in the inn!"
Yu Mingyue already harbored a prejudice against the sect leader of the Lijing Sect. Seeing her make decisions for her now, she naturally felt displeased, and her tone became sharp: "What business is it of yours!"
Ye Feisheng snorted, thinking her an ignorant girl.
"You'd best behave yourself here. This is not the Duke's mansion or the Cui family, where you can have your way," Ye Feisheng said with fierce eyes.
Yu Mingyue was never one to be easily intimidated. Already worried, she became even more incensed by Ye Feisheng's threat.
"Sect Leader Ye, even if you are the Sage's pawn, you cannot control me. Please mind your words and your position," Yu Mingyue said angrily.
Once the Cui family safely navigated this crisis, she would settle accounts with this Sect Leader Ye.
What role had this pawn of the Sage played in this riot of the common people?
Yu Mingyue's killing intent was palpable, and Xie Jiayan sensed it.
The last time he saw her like this was when she dealt with the old madam of the Yu family.
"You little brat, you..." Ye Feisheng lunged forward, ready to strike. Who was she looking at like that? Even her father wouldn't dare look at her like that.
"Sect Leader Ye!" Xie Jiayan stepped in front of Yu Mingyue. "I appreciate your good intentions, but I will handle Sixth Lady's affairs."
"You'll handle it? What are you to her?" Ye Feisheng was amused to the point of anger.
These two ignorant fools, no one could stop this riot.
Xie Jiayan's gaze darkened. He was not her man, but he would handle her affairs.
"Sect Leader Ye, you came in a hurry. Have you gathered any news?" Xie Jiayan changed the subject.
Ye Feisheng, momentarily blinded by anger at the young girl, almost forgot the main business. "This riot was indeed premeditated. The ones leading the charge are from the Wuji Sect."
Ye Feisheng had infiltrated the crowd and recognized people from the Wuji Sect.
"Wuji Sect?" Xie Jiayan frowned, a hint of disbelief in his eyes.
The Wuji Sect were martial artists kept by the Yao family. Yao Zhinian was dead, and seeking revenge for him would make sense.
However, such meticulous planning and such a large-scale riot could not be manipulated by mere martial artists.
This meant that the Wuji Sect was not originally from the Yao family.
Ye Feisheng nodded: "The Cui family is likely in grave danger."
The women and children who had escaped were no match for martial artists. To flee was a dead end.
"Sect Leader Ye, how many men have you brought this time?" Xie Jiayan looked at Ye Feisheng.
He never directly commanded the Lijing Sect members. If there was anything, he would inform Ye Feisheng, or Ye Feisheng would assign his subordinate, Xiao Tian, to handle it.
As for how many men he had at his disposal, he never inquired. But this time, he had to know.
If the troublemakers were merely incited commoners, opening the granaries would be effective. But with the Wuji Sect involved, their goal was to kill amidst the chaos.
"My Lord, are you intending to confront the Wuji Sect?"
"Sect Leader Ye, the Cui family cannot be harmed!" Xie Jiayan said with conviction. "Have your men lie in wait and prevent the Wuji Sect from striking."
"Xie Jiayan, do you know what you're saying? The Cui family is already a target. If the Cui family falls, it will be the perfect opportunity for you to establish your reputation and build your academy," Ye Feisheng said.
This riot, a lose-lose situation for the Cui family and the people of Qinghe, was the best opportunity for building the academy.
Moreover, with Jiedushi Cheng as a fallback, the riot would not truly spiral out of control.
"Sect Leader Ye, the purpose of building an academy is to nurture talent. If the academy is built upon conspiracy, then what is the point of building it, and what talent are we nurturing?" Xie Jiayan walked past Ye Feisheng. "Liaokong!"
Liaokong appeared before Xie Jiayan in an instant. Even Ye Feisheng, who had seen countless experts, was momentarily stunned.
"Tell Hua Chao Fei to annihilate the Wuji Sect's stronghold at all costs."
Liaokong was taken aback. This was the first time his master had displayed such killing intent.
"Yes!" he replied, then vanished quickly.
He had to inform the楼主 Hua immediately, without delay, for his master's grand plan.
"Sixth Lady, let's go!" Xie Jiayan pulled the stunned Yu Mingyue along.
Yu Mingyue looked up at him: "Brother Jiayan, have I implicated you?"
Ye Feisheng was an agent of the Sage. For her, for the Cui family, Brother Jiayan had offended Ye Feisheng, and he would likely face difficulties from the Sage.
"It's not for you, nor for the Cui family, but for justice. The Cui family has made mistakes, but they do not deserve death. The common people should not be pawns in anyone's game; they are innocent," Xie Jiayan said with certainty.
The common people already lived difficult lives and should not be tools for anyone.
"But this world is inherently unfair."
"Then let us do our best to make it as fair as possible. Sixth Lady, these are temporary. Everything will get better, and the Cui family will too."
"I believe you!"
Xie Jiayan strode to his horse and extended his hand to Yu Mingyue. "I know."
Yu Mingyue reached out her hand to him. In that moment, Xie Jiayan was a beam of light in the dark night.
Yu Mingyue felt that he could illuminate all the dark corners, illuminate everyone.