The fire was eventually extinguished in this manner.
The villagers eagerly walked home with their gold, and Xue Jingyun had achieved his objective.
When Xue Li and Xue Song rushed in, they saw Xue Feng holding the elderly man and hiding beneath the window. Although he was somewhat blackened by the smoke, his spirits appeared to be quite good.
Xue Song breathed a sigh of relief, stepped forward to help Xue Feng up, and said to Xue Li, who followed behind, "You take care of the elder."
Xue Li nodded. "Alright."
Xue Song helped Xue Feng walk out. Xue Jingyun stepped forward upon seeing them and asked, "Are you injured anywhere?"
Xue Feng shook his head. "Your Highness, please rest assured, your subordinate is unharmed. I will be fine after a short rest."
"Xue Song, take Xue Feng back," Xue Jingyun instructed.
Xue Song nodded and left with Xue Feng.
Xue Jingyun looked at the room, now reduced to just its frame after being burned, his gaze chilling slightly.
"Young Master, Young Master..."
He turned to see the village chief hurrying towards him. The chief approached and looked Xue Jingyun up and down, then feigned relief, saying, "Young Master, it's truly wonderful that you are unharmed."
Xue Jingyun looked at the village chief indifferently and said coldly, "It's all thanks to the village chief."
The village chief smiled and asked instinctively, "How is Qi Xiu's grandfather?" Da Feng Novel Network
Xue Jingyun looked at the village chief and replied slowly, "He is very well."
The village chief's gaze paused for a moment, then quickly returned to normal. "That's truly excellent. If anything were to happen to Qi Xiu's grandfather, I truly wouldn't know how to explain it to Qi Xiu later."
"Qi Xiu is not here?" Xue Jingyun asked. He kept hearing the village chief mention Qi Xiu, but Qi Xiu didn't seem to be present.
The village chief nodded. "Qi Xiu left with that couple. Qi Xiu has never left the island since he was old enough to remember, and he wanted to see the outside world, so he left with the couple."
"When did they leave?" Xue Jingyun inquired.
The village chief thought for a moment and said, "It's been about ten days."
Upon hearing this, Xue Jingyun asked, "What kind of boat did they leave on?"
The village chief faltered, his gaze shifty and evasive. "I don't know."
"You don't know, or you dare not say?" Xue Jingyun looked at the village chief with coldness.
The village chief startled. "Young Master, what are you implying? What is there for me not to dare say? I truly don't know."
Xue Jingyun sneered and suddenly leaned in, his voice icy. "You were the one who set this fire, weren't you?"
The village chief trembled all over and instinctively took a step back. "Young Master, you are wrongly accusing me. Why would I set a fire?"
"I'd like to know that too, but I suspect the entire matter revolves around Qi Xiu's grandfather."
The village chief's eyes flickered evasively. "Young Master, what are you talking about? I really don't understand."
"It matters not. Once I uncover the truth, I will come to ask you, Village Chief."
With that, Xue Jingyun turned and left.
The village chief watched the receding figure, his gaze gradually darkening.
A villager standing nearby stepped forward and whispered, "Village Chief, what do we do? What if Qi Xiu's grandfather reveals everything? That distinguished person said that no one who comes here is allowed to tell them..."
"You ask me? Who do I ask? How could I have known this would be such a troublesome affair? If I had known..." he would never have agreed.
Qi Xiu's grandfather was truly a nuisance. He had been bound in the cave, yet he was still discovered. Now, what was to be done?
"Village Chief, perhaps we should just go all the way..." The villager made a throat-slitting gesture.
The village chief's eyes brightened, revealing a deep, chilling gleam. "It seems this is the only way."
"Village Chief, wouldn't this be too cruel?" Some villagers still felt a pang of reluctance, as these were lives after all.
The village chief looked at him and sneered, "If this matter is exposed, do you think you'll still be alive to discuss cruelty with me here?"
Hearing this, the villager lowered his head and remained silent.
The village chief said, "Since there are no more questions, prepare yourselves and ensure that not a single one escapes."
When Xue Jingyun received the message from Xue Li, he merely smiled faintly, his smile not reaching his eyes, which were exceedingly cold.
Xue Song, on the other hand, was rather indignant. "These people are truly cruel, wanting to treat human lives so carelessly."
Xue Jingyun replied, "Have Xue Feng take a few men to protect Qi Xiu's grandfather. The rest will accompany me to the banquet."
Xue Song twitched his lips. "Your Highness, seeing this but not being able to eat it, isn't that more cruel than death?"
Xue Jingyun said faintly, "You can eat it too."
Xue Song shook his head. "I'll pass on eating. I don't want to die an unexplained death."
Seeing Xue Jingyun arrive as expected, the village chief beamed and quickly invited him in.
Xue Song looked at the banquet on the table, which was truly lavish. Did this mean they had been eating scraps every day?
"Young Master, a toast to you." The village chief raised a wine cup and approached Xue Jingyun.
Xue Jingyun looked at the village chief for a long time before raising his cup. The village chief drank it down in one gulp. He then put down his cup. "I'm not good with alcohol. I won't drink this."
The village chief was stunned, clearly not expecting such a refusal. He quickly said, "Young Master, this is not giving me face. Do you feel this wine is not as good as the wine in your home?"
"Yes..." Xue Jingyun stated directly.
The village chief stood there, dumbfounded, racking his brains. Finally, he poured himself another cup of wine and raised it again. "I have been neglectful of my esteemed guest. I shall punish myself with three cups..."
The village chief gulped down three cups of wine and then looked at Xue Jingyun. "Young Master, I have drunk three cups. Should you not give me face and drink one?"
"Exactly! He's clearly looking down on our village folk," one villager grumbled unhappily.
Soon, several other villagers chimed in their agreement.
The village chief pointed at the wine cup. "Young Master, please drink!"
Xue Jingyun looked at the village chief indifferently, then smiled and raised the cup, drinking it all in one go.
Xue Song, standing nearby, was taken aback. Didn't you say you wouldn't drink? Is Your Highness preparing to commit suicide?
"Xue Song, you drink a cup too. Otherwise, how can we repay the village chief's generous hospitality?"
Xue Song was startled. Your Highness, if you want to commit suicide, fine, but why drag your subordinate along?
"Drink," Xue Jingyun uttered one word.
Xue Song held his wine cup, on the verge of tears. This is unacceptable. How could you do this?
Your Highness, you've turned bad.
Looking at his master's expression, Xue Song drank the wine with tears in his eyes. It was spicy upon entering his mouth, not good at all.
"Does it taste good?"
Xue Song twitched his lips. Is Your Highness doing this on purpose? Knowing he rarely drinks, and then asking him if it tastes good?
"It's... it's alright!" Xue Song replied.
"Xue Song, I feel a bit dizzy."
"Master, are you alright?" Is Your Highness about to begin his act?
"Not very well..." Xue Jingyun said as he prepared to get up. Xue Song quickly stepped forward to support him.
"How are you?" Xue Song asked in a low voice.
"We will proceed with the plan in a moment," Xue Jingyun said faintly.
"Yes," Xue Song replied.
"Village Chief, my master is feeling unwell. I will escort him back first," Xue Song said to the village chief.
The village chief, seeing this, quickly said, "Since he is feeling unwell, he should not move around freely. Perhaps he should rest here for a while."
Xue Song was about to refuse when he heard a secret message from his master, agreeing to it.
"Then it would be impolite to refuse your kind offer." Xue Song said.
"May I ask the name of this Young Master?" the village chief asked Xue Song.
Xue Song replied, "I am the Young Master's bodyguard. You may simply call me Xue Song."
"Lord Xue, since your Young Master has had too much to drink, perhaps you could drink a bit more?"
Xue Song quickly shook his head. "I cannot drink wine. As a bodyguard, drinking is a great taboo." One cup of poisoned wine was enough; he didn't need to drink more.