The hall, inside and out, was filled with deafening snores.
Luo Zhongtong had already fallen face-first to the ground.
Only a few dozen people from the West Village could still stand.
Amidst the jeers of the men from the East Village, they struggled to climb the hall pillars, trying to reach the main beams to retrieve their hidden weapons.
Unfortunately, they were all affected by the Three-Day Drunkenness.
Even the dozen or so who were still standing, strong and healthy, trying their best to stay conscious and pinching the flesh on their arms and legs, ultimately couldn't resist.
The last strong man from the West Village also fell to the ground, his head bleeding, after a man from the East Village poked him with a single finger.
The men from the East Village were climbing the beams, crawling under tables, and lurking by the walls outside the kitchen…
Soon, all the weapons hidden by the West Village were retrieved and distributed.
Luo Lu glanced towards the doorway leading to the back kitchen, cupped his hands in a salute to Xie Jiang, and then led the East Village elites to the village gate.
Shou Luo, with the remaining men, cleared out those ambushed outside the kitchen. Afterward, he would also lead men to control those left behind in the West Village.
Xiao Hu ran outside the kitchen and blew three whistles. A group of half-grown boys, about ten years old, from the East Village, darted in from all directions like monkeys.
Each boy had a coil of rope, made from bark, wrapped around his body.
Xiao Hu led these companions to tie up the men from the West Village who had fallen inside and outside the kitchen.
Dongzi rubbed his hands, eager to help, but he remembered that Young Master Xie was still there. "Young Master Xie, how about I escort you back to rest first? We can handle things here."
Xie Jiang said, "I know the way, I can go back by myself. Oh, right, where did you put the ribs I asked you to save?"
Xu Hengyan was probably still hungry, and she needed to go back and make something good for him.
After their last meal, they would be leaving.
Dongzi accompanied Xie Jiang to the courtyard behind the kitchen to get a basin of spare ribs and a small jar of honey, placed them in a basket, and handed it to Xie Jiang.
Xie Jiang slung the basket over her arm, fanned herself with a palm-leaf fan, and slowly walked back, leaving the not-so-intense sounds of fighting far behind.
~
After Xie Jiang woke up from her nap, Luo Shou and Dongzi came running. They said that Young Master Xie and Young Master Xu's people were waiting outside the village.
Young Master Xie was leaving.
Both of them were very reluctant to see her go.
Xie Jiang looked at the blood-stained bandage on Luo Shou's arm. "Is the village completely cleared?"
Luo Shou said happily, "There will be no more East Village or West Village. There is only Yongfeng Village."
Luo Shou raised his injured arm to prove that his injury was not serious. "Lu Baohong's death warriors were all skilled fighters."
It cost them over a dozen brothers injured or killed from the East Village to eliminate all the death warriors Lu Baohong had brought into the village.
Before leaving the small courtyard, Xu Hengyan opened the cage under the shade of the tree and released the little rabbit.
Xu Hengyan looked up and met her gaze. He saw a faint smile in her eyes.
"What's wrong?"
It made him feel uneasy.
Xie Jiang walked up to him and whispered in his ear, "You are so lovable."
Xu Hengyan: "..."
Was that something a decent person would say?
"Alright, alright, let's go quickly, it will be dark soon."
Xie Jiang was lighthearted and carried nothing. For her, this small courtyard held nothing special, no reason to linger.
Xu Hengyan, however, carried a small bundle. Inside it were the two bamboo cups that Xie Jiang had made with her own hands.
Xie Jiang asked as she walked, "Where is Lu Baohong?"
"He's tied up in the dungeon," Luo Shou mused, since Young Master Xie had asked. "Are you going to have him beheaded?"
"As you please."
"Then I'll go back and behead him later. Young Master Xie, how many cuts do you think would be appropriate?"
"A thousand cuts?"
"Ah? That might be a bit difficult, but I'll try my best."
~
The road out of the village was rough and difficult.
Xie Jiang remembered that Xu Hengyan had carried her when they entered the village. She had been drowsy and asleep the whole time. She wanted to hold Xu Hengyan's hand.
Xu Hengyan's hands were good-looking, with well-proportioned bones and flesh. She could play with them from the mountain to the foot of the mountain.
When she looked back, she noticed Xu Hengyan's gait was very awkward. Xie Jiang asked curiously, "Xu Hengyan, why are you walking like your hands and feet are moving in unison?"
Xu Hengyan's mind buzzed upon hearing this. He stopped walking and looked down at his arms and legs. "...Really?"
Xie Jiang asked, "Are you uncomfortable somewhere?"
Xu Hengyan said with a straight face, "No, it's probably just the difficult mountain path."
The two of them were wearing the same clothes they had worn on the day they left Ninghe. Since they were leaving Yongfeng Village to return to Ninghe County today, Xu Hengyan no longer needed to lend her his clothes.
However, the clothes she had worn several times, inside and out, were all imbued with her unique scent.
Even though he had washed them repeatedly with soap, her scent still strongly enveloped him.
Xu Hengyan felt as if thorns were pricking his skin all over.
Xie Jiang reached out her hand to him. "I'll hold your hand and lead you."
Xu Hengyan glanced at her hand, its fairness so striking it hurt his eyes. He subtly shifted his gaze. "We should walk faster."
Seeing her gaze fixed on his hand with longing, Xu Hengyan hesitated. Perhaps he should let her hold his hand for a while?
He knew she liked to play with his hand.
Several times in the middle of the night, she would start playing with his hand while half-asleep.
A few times, she had woken up quite early, still not fully conscious, and started playing with his hand with her eyes closed.
Xu Hengyan didn't admit it, but he had been awake then, yet he hadn't moved.
At most, he would let her hold his hand for a while in Yongfeng Village. Once they left Yongfeng Village, then...
To his surprise, she just said "Oh" and turned to continue on their way.
Xu Hengyan looked at his hand. Did it no longer hold much attraction?
~
The bodies outside the mountain gate of Yongfeng Village had all been disposed of.
How were they disposed of?
Of course, they were thrown into the nearby valley to feed the eagles.
The blood on the ground had not yet dried.
The air was thick with the smell of blood.
Xu Tianqing had already left with the others, leaving only Nie Tong and Da Chui to wait here.
Nie Tong and Da Chui climbed onto a tree and leaned against another, idly dozing off.
In contrast, the guards from the Duke of Wei's mansion stood tall and straight like bamboo.
Suddenly, a thunderous snore erupted.
Guang Bai looked back.
The two men leaning against the trees had fallen asleep! Where was their discipline and awareness as guards!
Luo Lu glanced at the guards from the Duke of Wei's mansion without changing his expression, then his gaze fell upon Nie Tong and Da Chui.
He stood silently to the side, holding his saber, his eyes downcast, lost in thought.
It wasn't until someone called out, "They're coming out."
Luo Lu finally looked up and stared in the direction of the exit.
Da Chui and Nie Tong, who had been asleep, heard the shout and ran faster than Guang Bai.
Seeing Xie Jiang talking to Luo Lu, Nie Tong stopped a few steps away and did not approach, also holding back Da Chui.
Xie Jiang was a little surprised, not expecting Luo Lu to be waiting here just to make this request, "Let Luo Shou accompany me?"