Chapter 232 Unable to Pay Back

Outside the city of Runing Mansion, Lv Xianzheng and Yan Lin stood by the roadside, gazing at the distant city, waiting for the people ahead to gather information to return.

Compared to before, this big boss, who clearly came from a successful candidate but went into business, seemed to have lost some weight. In the eyes of the shrewd and calculating philistine, there was also a strange sense of desolation.

It looks like there's nothing wrong, but in reality, it's not.

Yan Linxin knew that he had only recently recovered from the death of You Fangyin and that it would take some time for him to recover. He didn't ask much, but said, "The Heavenly Sect's flag of raising righteousness, although it is not small in the south, may not be able to compete with us. We only need to be humble and pretend to cooperate with it, and then we can negotiate. Although it may take some effort, I understand that they dare not let Ning Ning go. However, Mr. Xie insisted on taking risks with his own body, which took a lot of trouble. I don't understand."

Lv Xian felt a bit lazy in his heart.

Others cannot see Xie Ju'an clearly because they do not understand him, but in his eyes, everything is clear.

I didn't originally want to explain.

After all, Yan Lin was the one who asked the question. He also wanted to get out of these gloomy days, so he took a breath and exhaled, answering, "Catch the thief first, catch the king."

Yan Lin looked at him.

Lv Xian then asked, "Nowadays, in the world, we, the court, and the Heavenly Cult are divided into three parts. If it were you, how would you compete for victory?"

Yan Lin pondered for a moment and said, "Join forces, join forces, and fight against the weak against the strong. The first priority is to fight against the court, so it's better to cooperate with the Heavenly Cult. Even if you plan with the tiger, you will first plan for the capital, and the rest will compete for victory or defeat."

L ü Xian smiled and said, "So you are a normal person."

Yan Lin suddenly frowned.

L ü Xian lowered his eyes and took a sip of the wine in his water bag before saying, "Normal people would want to fight two to one, but Crown Prince, is your elder brother normal?"

Yan Lin recalled and slowly said, "He's not."

Lv Xian sighed, "Yes."

He is not.

He is crazy.

In the depths of Xie Ju'an's calm and rational planning, there is always an almost extreme madness hidden.

I dare not think of others, and I dare not do others.

If neither the court nor the Heavenly Sect can see through what kind of person he is, and he is blinded by his old appearance of being skinny, anyone who holds such a tiny illusion about him, thinking that even if he has ambition, he will not collude with the other party and is a person who can win his own side, then it is a big mistake.

Unfortunately, unfortunately——

Both the Heavenly Sect and the court have not yet realized, and Wan Xiuzi is just a normal person.

They may have doubts about Xie Wei, but Xie Wei will never be lenient towards them.

Whether it's Tianjiao or the court.

It's all he wants to eliminate. He has been enduring it for over twenty years, and once he gets the chance, he will only use the fastest and most cruel methods to catch these two sides in one go, to repay the blood feud of the past!

Upon hearing this, Yan Lin remained silent for a long time.

He didn't ask again.

So Lv Xian didn't mention it again: I have endured it for more than twenty years. What can't be endured in this moment and a half? Although there is a demand for benefits in risking oneself, he believes that if the person being held hostage by the Heavenly Sect was not Jiang Xuening, he would never make the current choice.

A cavalry galloped ahead, and the soldiers on horseback dismounted with an uplifted expression and spoke quickly, "General, we have detected that the heads of the Heavenly Sect thieves have entered the city half an hour ago!"

Yan Lin and Lv Xian then exchanged a glance.

With a wave of his hand, 20000 people parked outside the city quickly gathered, and in the darkness, a dark cloud quickly rolled towards the city of Runing!

*

On the high platform, Lu Tai's face was almost indistinguishable from the color of pork liver.

Jiang Xuening's magnanimity and upbringing simply set him off as an outsider!

Moreover, there is still a group of followers below who don't mind the big picture and don't know anything, still making noise!

Although Jiang Xuening had a beautiful appearance and even bowed to him, in Lu Tai's eyes, her face became increasingly detestable, even making people want to tear her apart now!

No matter what, he is unwilling to repay the gift.

So he stood with a sneer on his face.

Suddenly, there was another wave of booing from below.

Xie Weiyuan thought that Jiang Xuening would be afraid and helpless, but when he saw her step by step, and even just like this, he couldn't help but laugh.

The little girl has finally grown up.

I can take on my own responsibilities now.

If Jiang Xuening's calmness still had a bit of anger to hold up, his calmness would be true calmness. He didn't say much and quickly stepped onto the high platform, standing together with Lu Tai.

A talented man and a beautiful woman, a pair of talented men.

Under the firelight, it is like the interplay of flowers and moon. Ignoring this tense situation can be quite pleasing to the eye.

The noise below not only lingers, but also intensifies.

Wan Xiuzi, who was sitting high above, frowned and only stood up to glance down.

The followers below noticed and immediately dared not act recklessly.

The scene immediately quieted down.

Wan Xiuzi then said, "Dujun has always devoted himself wholeheartedly to our sect and served for many years. How dare Lu Helmsman Yuan be so certain that he has harmed Gongyi Cheng and the brothers in the sect? How could he still be related to Miss Jiang Er?"

Lu Tai's face finally improved because he knew that the leader of the sect was standing on his side, so he was a bit more confident and fearless. He bowed and said, "Since I dare to speak, it's not that I have no basis for words. The court's lackeys have calculated everything, thinking their plans are seamless. However, how can there be an impermeable wall in this world? If anyone wants to know, they must do nothing!"

Speaking of which, he turned to Xie Wei.

Then he waved his arm and gestured for his subordinates to bring him up, loudly saying, "There are two people here, Mr. Lu. I also want to ask Mr. Du Jun to be friendly with you and identify one or two!"

This person's speech is really not clean and he never forgets to belittle others.

Jiang Xuening's heart ignited upon hearing this.

Just being under the eaves, she couldn't bear it and only looked up in the direction indicated by Lutai. Suddenly, her eyes widened and she couldn't help but glance at Xie Wei beside her!

===Kunning Section 286===

The person who was tied up was a woman and a man, one big and one small, with scars all over their bodies.

Especially that woman, with disheveled hair and tears streaming down her face.

It can be seen that there is already some age, around thirty years old, dressed in a woman's attire, with simple and scheming eyebrows and eyes, and not delicate hands and feet. It is evident that he is also a hardworking person from a background that is difficult to handle physical labor.

And what shocked Jiang Xuening the most was the young boy who was pushed up with him

It's Xiaobao.

The child who saved Jiang Xuening in the Battle of Tongzhou, later appeared by Xie Wei's side. He was clever and sensible, often helping him run errands, but she had not seen him in the past two years. He had grown taller and grew up.

But he had more injuries than that woman.

His face was covered in stains.

When she was tied up and pushed onto the stage, her face was disheartened and even somewhat ashamed. She only glanced at her and Xie Wei, and her eyes almost welled up, afraid to look up more.

What else does Xie Wei not understand at first glance?

Xiaobao was originally a disciple of the school, but he happened to be interested in him and only took a few days to teach him how to read and write. He also gained momentum and practiced good martial arts skills. Due to his young age, it was not easy for others to pay attention to him, so he was able to do many things that swordsmanship, swordsmanship, and calligraphy could not do.

He just joined the Heavenly Sect not because he wanted to.

But it was because his siblings and sister-in-law joined the Heavenly Sect that they brought him along.

Xie Wei had never seen the brother and sister-in-law whom he had heard of. He only knew that every time he received something good, he would always keep it and take it home, hoping that his family would take it seriously.

He may be able to withstand the punishment and grit his teeth without revealing a word, but his sister-in-law may not be the same.

Besides, the Heavenly Sect has caught everyone together?

If he were to do this, it would probably be no different: but knowing what this child values, he whipped his sister-in-law in front of him. The people who were beaten were all flesh hearted, how could they truly endure the suffering of their loved ones who treated them extremely well?

Sure enough, Lu Tai immediately pointed to Xie Wei and Jiang Xuening and asked Xiao Bao, "Kid, do you know these two people?"

Xiaobao gritted his teeth and didn't speak.

Lutai put his foot on him and walked straight over to the woman who was crying with her head down. He grabbed her fluffy hair and lifted her head, still pointing to Jiang Xuening and Xie Wei, asking, "Do you know each other?"

Her face lifted, and her facial features became clearer.

Jiang Xuening finally remembered.

Yes, this woman was also one she had seen during the Battle of Tongzhou. At that time, she and Zhang Zhe were wrapped up by bandits who had escaped from prison and rested in a dilapidated temple with the rebels of the Heavenly Sect. As one of the recipients of the Heavenly Sect, this woman brought them food and water, and even smiled and handed her a pancake.

The woman came from a farming family and only joined the church with her own men. However, she helped make some food and did not engage in academic affairs on a daily basis. She did not know how such a big disaster would happen to her.

Her eyes almost turned red from crying.

Following the direction of Lu Tai's fingers, Xie Wei naturally didn't know him. However, when he saw Jiang Xuening, his gaze stopped, as if he had grabbed a life-saving straw and shouted, "Yes, yes! I know this girl!"

Jiang Xuening's heart sank to the bottom.

Lutai burst into laughter, feeling ecstatic as he continued, "When, where, and where have you seen her?"

The woman cried and said, "Two years, no, almost three years. It was the time when many, many people died in Tongzhou. Xiaobao and I went to deliver freshly made pancakes to everyone. There were all big men there, and this girl was wearing men's clothes. But I could tell at a glance that she was pretending, but I didn't think it was something I should ask, so I didn't make a sound. Later, I heard that something had happened in Tongzhou..."

There was an uproar in the audience!

Lu Tai took advantage of the situation and sternly scolded Jiang Xuening, "They have already been recognized. What else do you have to say?"

This situation is already unfavorable to them.

Jiang Xuening's gaze fell on Xiao Bao, and after careful consideration, she remained calm and asked, "To be honest with Captain Lu, I have indeed seen her, but it was only in the dilapidated temple that we had a chance encounter. Since then, there has been no intersection at all. Can resting in the same temple prove that the Battle of Tongzhou is related to me and Mr. Du Jun?"

"Okay, since you're going to resist in a corner, I'll make you understand today!" Lu Tai pushed the woman to the ground all sorts of times, but he walked over to Xiao Bao again and said coldly, "It's your turn. When I asked you the day before yesterday, what did you say? Today, I'll tell you the truth!"

Xie Wei backed his hand and stood quietly.

Xiao Bao lifted his head to look at him, then slowly turned his head to look at Jiang Xuening. His pair of dark eyes flashed with a hint of suppressed blood, and he said, "I have worked for you, so naturally I have seen you both. But the Battle of Tongzhou and even the death of Mr. Gongyi have nothing to do with you! I know nothing about you!"

"Nonsense!"

Lutai was furious and almost immediately reached out to pinch his neck, with a fierce expression on his face, even somewhat ferocious.

"The day before yesterday, you clearly admitted yourself completely. Now, in front of my Heavenly Sect brothers and even the sect leader, you dare to lie! Speak, speak quickly - otherwise I will immediately chop your hands and feet, let you know how powerful you are!"

Xie Wei remained calm from beginning to end. With a flick of his eyelids, it seemed as if Xiao Bao was not someone who did things for him. He was only indifferent and reminded him lightly, "Master Lu, he's not very old. Why bother you? I don't even know when I'll be forced to do it."

The Heavenly Sect recruits people to join the sect under the banner of "Datong", and has always disliked the style of government offices. As early as when Lu Tai brought the people out, someone noticed the scars on these two people's bodies. Seeing Lu Tai dealing with Xiao Bao like that, they couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable.

After all, they are not high-ranking individuals.

When Lu Tai was with Gong Yicheng, he was still a small character, but over the years, his position has increased. He has someone under his command, someone on his bed to warm his quilt, and even a flowing stream of gold and silver to spend on. How can you remember that he also joined the sect for a meal? I didn't know where I had thrown my original intention.

The rooftop is still considered private, which inevitably leads to criticism.

As soon as Xie Wei spoke, there were whispers and whispers below.

No matter how foolish Lutai was, he also realized that he could do it himself.

His face turned red and white, unable to come down from the stage.

But what infuriated him even more was that Xiaobao had previously admitted, but now standing on this high platform, he disregarded the life and death of his sister-in-law and denied it, putting himself in a disadvantageous situation.

And Xie Wei's just one sentence further extinguished the possibility of him using that woman to blackmail him!

At least not now.

The scene suddenly froze for a moment.

At this moment, Wan Xiuzi sat on top and coughed, seemingly casually asking, "Isn't Tongzhou very close to the capital? This girl was also in Tongzhou at that time?"

Lutai was instantly awakened.

He suddenly realized that even if Xiaobao didn't speak up, there were still articles to write. At that moment, he simply let Xiaobao go and stood in the middle, pointing to Jiang Xuening and asking him, "Just now, you said you followed Du Jun, so naturally knew this woman. So, let me ask you, what is this woman's surname, where does she live, what is her background, and what is her relationship with Du Jun?"

Upon hearing these words, Xiaobao's expression changed.

At the same time, Xie Wei's face also darkened.

Although Jiang Xuening didn't know why Lu Tai asked this question, she only knew her identity by looking at the faces of Xiao Bao and Xie Wei. In the Heavenly Sect, she might be in trouble——

How would a sect that opposes the court view a young lady from an official family?

Lu Tai saw Xiao Bao not speaking and sneered, "Speak up! Don't you know him?"

Xiao Bao's throat was dry and he spoke, "Miss Jiang, yes, yes..."

The rest of the words could not be spoken no matter what.

Lu Tai snorted coldly, realizing that he had seized the opportunity to win. He looked around and loudly said, "You don't say it, but I know, I speak for you! This woman, surnamed Jiang and named Jiang Xuening, is the daughter of Jiang Boyou, the Minister of Household in the Dog Court! Her father was a high-ranking official in the court and was the emperor's lackey; her sister married into the royal palace and was the daughter-in-law of the royal family; and she herself, who had entered the palace and served as the princess's attendant, and was also a student of Du Jun! Such a woman, I teach Mr. Du Jun, who is known as Mr. Gongyi, to be on par with him, is actually wasting his ethics." "I also need to cultivate with her, and even more so, let her go through danger alone! Brothers, do you still remember the rules I taught you?"

Surprisingly, it's an official girl!

A stone stirred up a thousand waves, and below the high platform, there was an instant of bustling voices!

Many people were both surprised and angry.

"Surprisingly, they are still relatives of the imperial family?"

"Pooh, no wonder this posture doesn't look like an ordinary family!"

"The Minister of Revenue, is it the Ministry of Revenue that levies heavy taxes every year?"

"How could Mr. Du Jun be with such a woman..."

"Where is ethics between teachers and students?"

"Pooh!"

If there were still many people watching dramas before, when Jiang Xuening's identity is now made public, most people's previous mentality of watching dramas has suddenly changed. Everyone comes from poor backgrounds, enduring the heavy burden of taxation and the hardships of corv é e labor. They have deep resentment towards the court and the imperial family. Otherwise, how could they be willing to sacrifice their lives for the Heavenly Sect?

Isn't it true that one day there will be "great harmony"?

But the girl from this privileged family stands tall like this, and is also entangled with the famous Mr. Du Jun in their religion, which is really eye-catching, even giving people a clear target and outlet for anger and resentment.

There is a clear rule in the church that anyone who joins the church should draw a clear line with the powerful. Those who have a family should leave home, those who have property should give birth, and it is even more forbidden to have sexual intercourse with such women!

I don't know who shouted from below first: "Disciplinary measures!"

Immediately after, someone shouted, "Handle according to the rules!"

Soon the voices below gathered together: "Three knives and six holes, let's deal with it first!"

Jiang Xuening's scalp was numb for a moment, and she felt as if she was being targeted by a venomous snake by Lu Tai, with a chill rising from her spine.

The saying "three knives and six holes" is a rule in the martial arts world.

A knife piercing through a part of the body will leave two holes, but those who want to withdraw from the sect must poke six holes with three knives to show their determination.

And the teachings of the Heavenly Church

"I teach the rules, and all members of the sect must not be associated with the powerful. Mr. Du Jun, who is among the members of the sect, sets an example for my brothers, but knowingly violates it!" Lu Tai's voice became increasingly harsh. "If you are not a member of the sect, of course it is easy to say. But since you are, and have not yet withdrawn from the sect, you are with this woman. Can't you spare her lightly?"

Xie Wei stared at him without saying anything.

Someone below started shouting "three knives and six holes".

Jiang Xuening's face was slightly pale, her mind was spinning, but she couldn't do anything.

Wan Xiuzi watched coldly from a high place, but gradually noticed something.

He actually just wanted to borrow Lu Tai's hand to control Xie Ju'an and not let himself get involved, leaving himself some room for maneuver. After all, although Xie Wei is here, his cousin Yan Lin at the border still holds a 100000 strong army, which cannot be underestimated. If we could unite to fight against the court, it would be best to cooperate like we did with the Prince of Pingnan back then. Even if we want to kill Xie Wei, we must also consider the outside world and cannot let the border and the court unite.

However, I didn't expect Lu Tai to hate Xie Wei so deeply.

Gongyi Cheng didn't raise this dog for free.

After considering for a moment, he burst into laughter with a kind expression and said, "Du Jun has contributed 100000 points to my teachings over the years. Besides, this woman and he are just practicing together and getting married. Ignoring folk ethics, although there are conflicts with religious rules, they are not so powerful. From what I see here, Du Jun was just momentarily confused and lost in his mind."

The whole room fell silent.

However, Wan Xiuzi glanced at Jiang Xuening before turning his gaze to Xie Wei, as if all he had in mind. He said, "The three swords and six holes are too harsh on those who have made contributions. How about this, Du Jun? Considering that you have just violated the rules, my teachings are not unreasonable, so I will give you a chance to turn around. As long as you set aside your relationship with this woman, this matter will definitely not happen, and the merits and demerits will be balanced from now on."

The leader speaks, who dares not listen?

No one expressed opposition.

However, Xie Wei knew that Wan Xiuzi's decision would not be so simple as to let go: it is easy to separate relationships, but the difficulty lies in how to prove it!

Sure enough, he immediately raised his hand to signal the Daotong beside him, and surprisingly pulled out a sword from his waist and threw it to the ground below. Then, pointing to the sword, he said to Xie Wei, "There's no need for three or six holes, but it's too perfunctory. I'm afraid everyone may not be convinced. A knife is still needed. The leg injury is difficult to treat, and the body injury is fatal. So, just wear her hand. If you don't want it, this knife will fall on you!"

At this point, there is already a hint of confusion.

===Kunning Section 287===

Wan Xiuzi certainly wanted to challenge Xie Wei, but with Jiang Xuening in his hand, he always wanted to further explore the value and importance of this chip.

After all, the act of going alone to Luoyang to save someone for love has always been somewhat unbelievable to him. And just jumping into one's own set seems a bit too simple, to the point where one has to suspect there is a conspiracy behind it.

What if he was pretending to be with that girl?

Or perhaps this journey was to relax his vigilance and make him feel like he was in control of the overall situation, so that he could smoothly step into the trap he had designed. At that time, he thought that using that girl could threaten him, and it's possible that Xie Wei would push the girl out to block the knife and catch him off guard!

This time, he just wanted to take the opportunity to see clearly. In this situation, would Xie Wei choose to give Jiang Xuening a knife or give himself a knife?

Jiang Xuening heard his words and instinctively looked at Xie Wei.

That knife is right at Xie Wei's feet.

He also looked towards her.

At that moment, an ominous premonition rose from her heart. Jiang Xuening stepped up and rushed towards him, shouting urgently, "No!"

However, the nearby Taoist almost immediately restrained her.

No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't escape control.

Countless pairs of eyes watched.

Xie Wei bent over and picked up the short knife from the ground. The blade was shiny and easily reflected in his calm and deep eyes. The scorching flames burned to the tip of the knife, revealing a particularly murderous intent.

His hands were playing the piano, with slender fingers and jade like joints, as if finely carved and polished by heaven, or as if standing tall bamboo poles in the cool mountain breeze, carrying a touch of warm ink.

Jiang Xuening remembered the beginning.

When I saw him, I had a sickly face, dressed in white clothes holding a qin and casually brushing the strings, which made me feel like seeing a towering mountain or hearing the murmuring water. Despite being in danger, I couldn't even walk and insisted on carrying the piano with me. She will never forget the look in her eyes when she smashed the piano in anger

I can't afford it yet.

She can't afford this favor!

Fear rose up and grabbed her whole body. Jiang Xuening tried to stop him, almost pleading with tears, "No, Xie Ju'an, no! I can't afford it yet..."

Her tears have already rolled down.

Xie Wei looked at her with a slightly pale expression, but a strange smile appeared.

He clenched the knife tightly.

But he just casually said to her, "I can't repay it. From now on, if you owe me, okay?"

Jiang Xuening couldn't describe the feeling in that moment, as if it hurt deeply in her heart, and it seemed like something was pulling her down, unable to escape from then on——

Lutai impatiently urged, pointing to the execution platform commonly used for public displays, and said, "It's rare for the leader to show mercy. Have you decided who to choose? I'll count three times -"

Xie Wei lowered his gaze and said, "No need to count, I have chosen it."

The people around have not even reacted yet.

He had already grasped the knife in his right hand and calmly placed his left hand on the dented execution platform. The tip of the knife pressed against the back of the hand, piercing the skin, and blood droplets burst out. He paused for a moment, as if he was about to completely throw something away, then tightly pursed his lips, closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and exerted force, then pressed the blade down!

A faint "hiss" sound sounded in people's minds.

But in reality, it is silent.

This sharp cut penetrated deeply into his entire palm!