Chapter 127 Recruiting Wu Yang

Pan Yueqing's proposal was just a formality. Pan Haiyun nodded in approval, and Yao Zongkui swallowed his courage to plead for mercy. The soldiers beside Pan Haiyun stepped forward to lift Yao Da up and drag him away.

"No!" The moment Yao Da was lifted up, his face turned completely pale with fear. Everyone in the army knew that receiving eighty heavy sticks might not kill a person, but it would leave one with only a breath left, breaking all the bones in the back. And after that, no one could survive. It was not only not a quick death but also extremely torturous.

"Deputy Pan!" Although Yao Zongkui knew that he couldn't save his nephew, he didn't expect Pan Yueqing to pick exactly this number. He had originally thought that she was just a brat relying on the momentum of Prime Minister Pan, but he didn't expect that the young man was not only better at hiding his emotions than him but also more vicious. He let out an angry shout but then softened his tone. "I beg Deputy Pan to give him a quick death!"

"Life and death are determined by fate, and wealth and honor are in the hands of heaven," Pan Yueqing turned her head. Her words were completely devoid of warmth, and her voice was as soft as a murmur. "I don't want his life either."

These words, originally without any emotion, sounded as terrifying to Yao Zongkui as a ghost breathing in his ear. He had been shouting in front of Pan Yueqing while stepping on the table before, and his tone was very disrespectful.

Qi Sian looked at Yao Da who was being dragged away, coughed two or three times. His face was as pale as paper. He raised his hand and waved it, indicating that Pan Yueqing should not speak. Then he looked at Yao Zongkui. "Captain Yao, although his nephew committed the crime and mobilized the soldiers of the Tunqi Battalion for personal reasons, he will be given thirty sticks and be required to reflect on his mistakes for half a month. All the affairs of the Tunqi Battalion will be handled by the lieutenant. Chief Chen Chang of the guards on the eastern city wall, um... consider it as a sacrifice in the line of duty. He will be buried with the Standard of a Garrison Commander of the fifth rank, and his wife and children will receive subsidies according to his rank."

He wanted to calm the situation.

Although the two sides had already faced each other with swords drawn, it could neither be regarded as a mutiny nor as a random brawl. It was neither possible to hold the Tunqi Battalion fully accountable nor to punish the guards on the eastern city wall. Stopping at the surface and not delving deeper into the matter was the best way.

Pan Yueqing understood this and didn't raise any objections for the moment. With the matter finally settled, Pan Yueqing looked at Su Jing, who had a somewhat dejected expression on his face, and unconsciously stepped forward and bowed slightly to Su Jing. "Uncle, I understand your love for talent. When I was young, you once taught me that if a person has talent but no virtue, he should be discarded like an old shoe."

"I understand," Su Jing's smile was tinged with bitterness.

Yao Zongkui was someone he had cultivated with his own hands. In the bloody battle back then, the Northern Qi had risen from the brink of death, and the friendship forged from climbing out of the pile of bones was something that was very difficult to let go of. Su Jing understood this, and so did Pan Yueqing. But how could the word "understanding" solve all problems in the world?

It was just that emotions were hard to extinguish.

"Go and take a look at that girl," Pan Yueqing turned her gaze to Wu Yang, who was still kneeling on the ground. It was obvious that when she said these words, Wu Yang's hand suddenly clenched tightly, and his expression was hidden under the huge wolf skin.

Pan Yueqing knew that when Chen Chang's body was still lying there, Wu Yang couldn't face the girl he had saved with a normal attitude. But she didn't plan to give Wu Yang the opportunity and time to sort out his emotions. She saw a very special quality in Wu Yang. This kind of person who Concealed his killing intent and tries hard to walk in the sunlight is a natural fierce general.

Qi Sicheng had fierce generals, and she could have them too.

Pan Yueqing stood on the wooden stake beside the tent and turned her head to see that Wu Yang was still standing there motionless. She was silent for a moment and then signaled the soldiers beside her to lift Wu Yang up.

When the soldiers touched his skin, Wu Yang's first reaction was to resist. But for some unknown reason, his hands, which were already prepared for attack, surrendered in the next breath. He was brought in front of Pan Yueqing as if he had no consciousness, and there were two traces of tears on his thin face.

Pan Yueqing lifted the curtain and ignored Wu Yang's expression, not even giving him a glance. "Go and see what life and death are."

"Life and death?" After hearing these words, Wu Yang, who was standing in front of Pan Yueqing, showed a sarcastic smile on his expressionless face for the first time. "I've seen more dead people than you've seen living people! You, a pampered young master, are talking to me about life and death?"

Pan Yueqing raised her eyes and met Wu Yang's smile. She raised her hand to signal the soldiers holding Wu Yang to go out first, and then she let out a sneer. The words she said in a calm tone made one's hair stand on end. "Is the death of an irrelevant person considered death in your eyes?"

"Poverty, famine, chaos... there have been a lot of deaths," Pan Yueqing let out a leisurely sigh. In Wu Yang's frozen smile, she tasted the fear and killing intent. At the moment, the smile on her lips became even more pleasant. "Look at you. You originally enjoy killing. Staying by that dog official Qian's side is just because he can satisfy your hobby of tasting blood."

"So you stood on the city tower, looking at our arrival with a cold expression and even the excitement of a hunter."

"What do you know about life and death? In your previous life, were the life and death of others any different from pigs and dogs being slaughtered in your eyes?" Pan Yueqing raised her hand and patted gently, as if she was really encouraging him. Then she pointed at Chen Chang's body. "Look, he's dead. Does it feel different from seeing those common people die?"

"Here," Pan Yueqing looked at the expression of pain and distortion as the killing intent disappeared. She retracted her hand and tapped three times on his chest with her finger. "Does it hurt?"

"Shut up!" Wu Yang finally couldn't stand it anymore. In an instant, all his calmness disappeared, and only the fear of having his thoughts seen through remained. He raised his hand and grabbed Pan Yueqing's thin shoulder. Red blood vessels filled his eyes, and the exhaustion and fear made him gasp for breath as if he was suffocating.

"Congratulations. You're finally a human being," Pan Yueqing didn't care at all that Wu Yang was pinching her shoulder so hard that it hurt. She looked up at Wu Yang's gaze without fear. "If you feel guilty, make his death worthwhile."

Wu Yang lowered his voice. "Do you think why he chose to die? Do you really think he couldn't bear the pain?!"

"Of course not," Pan Yueqing said with a cold face. "Because he was desperate. He couldn't defend Suoyue City, couldn't protect you, and I'm afraid he couldn't even protect his wife and children. As long as he died, you could live, and his wife and children could live."

"Just because Yao Da has a powerful uncle, he shows off his power and plays with human lives," Pan Yueqing let out a slow sigh. "He was just angry at the injustice in this world. And with his death, he hoped to give you a hand."

Wu Yang stood there stunned, lowering his head and shedding countless tears. Chen Chang's last words to him echoed in his mind.

"Yangzi, remember, heaven has eyes, and the blood of the loyal is as noble as that of the Yellow Emperor. No one can cover the sky with one hand. One should be upright in one's actions." Chen Chang's face was completely bloodless, but he still talked about some principles as usual. Suddenly, he stopped speaking and raised his hand to cover Wu Yang's hand. "Live well."