My lord, spare his life!

"Oh, you probably don't understand what 'red heat' means." Zhang Yang's voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the tent held their breath, so her words could be clearly heard by Sun Ban. "Red heat means being so emotionally agitated that you lose control and become enraged."

The last "anger" lingered on the tip of her tongue, its final sound rising in a trilled tone.

"you--"

Sun Ban didn't know what "red warmth" meant, but from the context, he knew Zhang Yang was up to no good and was already furious. This guy even went so far as to offer an explanation, emphasizing "out of embarrassment and anger" in a sarcastic tone. How could Sun Ban possibly maintain his composure?

"Zhang Boyuan, how long can you be so arrogant after your petty triumph!"

"Your personality is really not suited for PvP." Zhang Yang did nothing; he neither severely injured Sun Ban nor sat on her corpse to mock her, nor did he pull out the player faction's insults. He was just curiously concerned about whether Sun Ban had reached the "red temperature" level, and sure enough, she had. Not only that, but she also inexplicably called Zhang Yang a smug little man, "I'm younger than you, not even an adult yet. If I don't take advantage of my youth, am I supposed to be arrogant when I'm seventy or eighty?"

Zhang Yang doesn't think there's anything wrong with what he's saying.

Players can even sing songs to taunt their opponents.

If Zhang Yang sang a couple of lines live, wouldn't Sun Ban be furious?

She hadn't even said the harsher things yet. In the world of PvP, being bad is the original sin; the strong beat others, the weak are left to languish, and any emotional outburst is a trophy to be enjoyed. She found Sun Ban's breakdown more interesting than the players' curses.

There seemed to be a faint curve at the corner of Zhang Yang's mouth.

"I'm almost reluctant to kill you."

To others, these words sounded like Zhang Yang wanting to spare Sun Ban's life and torture him properly, and Sun Ban himself thought so too.

She retorted, embarrassed and annoyed, "Don't even think about it!"

"All you can say is 'Don't even dream about it'? What a poor vocabulary." Zhang Yang's expressionless face spoke words that sent chills down Sun Ban's spine. He couldn't imagine the inhuman humiliation he would suffer; he'd rather be dead.

The prefect of Hu County, who was standing to the side, remained silent.

He wished he could be completely invisible right now.

Zhang Yang gave Sun Ban one last look: "I've seen the person. Take him away and nurse him back to health until Changsun Fuming recovers his strength."

The governor of Hu County was considered an extra in the "buy one get one free" deal.

Sun Ban was the one who gave the order, while the Prefect of Hu County was the one who carried it out and fueled the fire; both of them were considered Changsun Wang's enemies who killed his mother. Since Zhang Yang avenged his mother's death, he couldn't hold a grudge against her for killing his teacher. Zhang Yang waved to signal everyone to disperse.

"My lord..."

"Is something wrong with Xidan?"

"This humble general has a request, but I cannot presume to ask. May I see Sun Zhaoruo and speak with her for a few moments?" Ge Zhou, like a child who had made a mistake, lowered her head guiltily. She had lost all her memories, leaving only meager common sense and instincts. Seeing Sun Ban stirred a new emotion within her long-calm heart. She wanted to see Sun Ban and clarify some things. Her intuition told her that if she didn't do so, she might regret it for the rest of her life.

This request is too difficult for my lord.

Ge Zhou was an honest man, and it was unusual for his face to turn completely red.

"Go, before Changsun Wang regains his strength."

Ge Zhou said happily, "Thank you, my lord."

Sun Ban and the Prefect of Hu County were both taken back to the tent where they had been held captive. One trembled with rage, the other was pale with fear. Sun Ban was contemplating suicide, but the Prefect of Hu County was not. He had originally hoped to speak to Zhang Yang to protect himself, but the latter hadn't even given him a second glance, casually sealing his fate. He was unwilling to accept this, but didn't know how to save his life.

If Sun Ban were to die at Zhang Yang's hands, no one in Dou County would respect her, while he could help Zhang Yang establish herself in Dou County and untangle the complex relationships. With Sun Ban here, he couldn't possibly disregard his dignity and beg Zhang Yang in front of her. Hesitating, Sun Ban had already been brought back, and the chances of seeing Zhang Yang again were slim. He sat anxiously, images of death constantly flashing through his mind.

Each one terrified him to the point that his legs went weak.

At this moment, Ge Zhou, Zhang Yang's bodyguard, appeared outside the tent.

He was so excited, as if he had seen a savior: "Ge—"

Ge Zhou: "I have come to see Lord Zhaoruo. I have lost my memories of the past. I heard that Lord Zhaoruo once saved me from dire straits and did me a great favor. It is only right and proper that I come to see you off on your final journey."

Sun Ban looked at her, his brows furrowed in disgust.

Ge Zhou was Zhang Yang's personal guard and his closest confidant. If Ge Zhou had pleaded on Sun Ban's behalf, she might have had a chance to live. However, her inherent pride prevented her from begging for mercy, and Sun Ban was even less willing to plead with a low-ranking military officer she didn't even consider worthy of her attention. Therefore, Sun Ban had nothing to say to Ge Zhou and didn't give him a kind look.

"true."

Ge Zhou: "Thank you, Lord Zhaoruo. I will properly collect your remains and ensure that Changsun Fuming does not dishonor or humiliate them."

Sun Ban looked at her coldly: "But I regret it."

Ge Zhou was taken aback: "What does Lord Zhaoruo mean?"

"You shouldn't have meddled in other people's business back then. Anyway, you're worthless. You'd rather commit a capital crime for a few taels of medicine." Sun Ban looked at the other person's astonished expression and smiled quietly. "I never thought that being kind for a moment would leave me with a hidden danger."

The prefect of Hu County was so frightened that he took several steps back, fearing that Ge Zhou, in her rage, would not only kill Sun Ban but also kill him as well. Unexpectedly, Ge Zhou did not do that. She just looked dazed, her mouth slightly open but unable to speak, her eyes reddening, her expression helpless and aggrieved, completely unaware that her fists could kill several Sun Bans with one punch: "Lord Zhaoruo, what you said is wrong."

Sun Ban: "Does it have any right or wrong for you to judge?"

With red eyes, Ge Zhou said, "My life is not cheap. I took the blame back then to buy medicine for my parents. My lord said that this was the most filial act. I just didn't know any better and was deceived. It's the government's fault that my parents couldn't afford medicine, it's the government's fault that I couldn't study, it's the government's fault that my family has no land to cultivate and no livelihood, it's still the government's fault... It's your fault that the government did a bad job."

The government of Dou County belonged to the Sun family.

The people in the counties and towns under its jurisdiction were all arranged by the Sun family.

Therefore, the root of the problem still lies with Sun Ban.

"You weren't meddling in other people's business; you were just doing your duty. It's your negligence and dereliction of duty that caused my wrongful death; you owe me a life." Ge Zhou initially stuttered, but her words became more fluent as she spoke. Her lord had said before that it wasn't the wealthy families who gave the refugees a way to survive, allowing them land to cultivate and support their families; rather, they had seized the refugees' land, blocked their paths, and forced them to sell their bodies for labor. According to this logic, it wasn't Sun Ban who saved her life; it was Sun Ban who owed her.

The lord is definitely right.

Ge Zhou finished speaking quickly and staggered away, ignoring Sun Ban's furious state. Despite her confident words, Ge Zhou was actually somewhat guilty. She was clumsy with words and had little eloquence. Sun Ban was well-educated, and if he realized what she meant and said something hurtful, Ge Zhou might burst into tears on the spot—that would be incredibly embarrassing.

Sun Ban was also stunned with anger.

She didn't come to her senses until Ge Zhou ran away.

I suddenly stood up, felt a wave of dizziness, and slumped back down.

"...How could I tolerate such humiliation from such a despicable person?"

Zhang Boyuan did it on purpose! He deliberately sent Ge Zhou over to say he would collect the body for her, but in reality, he was just showing off!

Sun Ban was so angry her hands trembled, her mind racing with conflicting thoughts. Her desire to uphold her dignity outweighed her fear of death. She murmured, "No way! Who is Zhang the scoundrel? He won't dare humiliate me!"

After running away, Ge Zhou did not return to the main tent, but instead went to find Changsun Wang.

Those who are afflicted by the wrath of the stars are half-dead and extremely resilient. Changsun Wang was angered by Sun Ban to such an extent, but he recovered after a good night's sleep. As long as he doesn't think about that scene, his complexion is normal.

She had just woken up when she saw Ge Zhou coming to see her.

The other person's eyes were red-rimmed, which puzzled Changsun Wang.

When did their personal relationship become this good?

Only then did Changsun Wang learn what had happened.

"You mean the lord entrusted Sun Zhaoruo and the other two to me to kill?"

"Well, you kill them both to avenge yourselves. I don't care about the man, but the woman... she's still my former master, so let her be properly buried. Don't resort to any other methods." Ge Zhou was still soft-hearted and honest, and after thinking it over, he decided to preserve Sun Ban's body intact.

"I only want her life; I have no intention of doing anything to the body."

Ge Zhou is right; after all, he was his former master.

Even if it doesn't end well, the past is real.

He had barely agreed to Ge Zhou's request when he received news of Sun Ban's suicide. This news shocked Changsun Wang so much that he forgot about recovering from his injuries and, with Ge Zhou's help, limped over to the scene.

Zhang Yang was also stunned for a moment when he received the message.

"Why did she commit suicide?"

Lu Yuan understood Sun Ban's thoughts very well and guessed it almost perfectly: "She didn't want to be beheaded before she died, nor did she want to be killed by her former subordinates, and she didn't want to be laughed at and humiliated. Hanging herself was the best choice."

"Who's trying to humiliate her?"

Lu Yuan: "Judging from her own experience, she felt that it might happen."

Sun Ban's concerns were not entirely unfounded. Wasn't the King of Dou also treated as a male concubine by Zhao Chai, who played with him and made fun of him in various ways? It was unclear whether Zhao Chai had any grudges against the King of Dou, but it was clear that Sun Ban and Changsun Wang had a blood feud over the murder of his mother.

Zhang Yang: "...Changsun Wang's moral character is acceptable."

Lu Yuan: "You can know a person's face but not their heart. Outsiders looking at Sun Zhaoruo, how could they possibly imagine her private fetishes? Outsiders don't know, but she knows herself, so it's understandable that she would assume others would humiliate her to vent their anger. It's just that I didn't expect her to actually have the courage to commit suicide. That makes me think a little more highly of her..."

Zhang Yang nodded thoughtfully.

Sun Ban committed suicide, and Changsun Wang was unable to avenge his enemy with his own hands. This fueled an uncontrollable rage within him. Only after killing the begging prefect of Hu County with his sword did he feel better: "You treacherous villain, you deserve to die too! My mother's body was torn apart; how can these two be buried with their bodies intact?"

It's time to cut off his head!

In the end, he didn't do it. Instead, he angered himself so much that his old injury flared up, and the army doctor made him lie down to recuperate. Changsun Wang angrily pounded the bed, cursing himself for being so weak.

The next day, someone came to visit the sick.

Looking at Lü Yuan's face, Changsun Wang felt even more frustrated. He raised his hand, pulled the blanket up to cover his head, and turned his back to her.

Lu Yuan: "What's wrong with you now?"

Changsun Wang: "He doesn't throw tantrums, but is moved by the scenery."

Looking at Lu Yuan reminded her of her current state of being all alone, with no blood relatives left, and she couldn't help but feel a deep sadness. However, if she were to express these emotions to outsiders, she would inevitably appear too weak.

Lu Yuan sighed, yanked the blanket off him, grabbed his arm and pulled him up: "If you can walk, get up. Your adoptive mother has sent people to find your deceased mother's body. The coffin is outside. What are you doing lying here as her son? Get up and go take care of the funeral arrangements."

Upon hearing this, Changsun Wang was so overjoyed that he nearly scrambled to his feet, his chest brimming with barely contained emotion: "Really?"

She ran out with tears in her eyes.

Lu Yuan shook his head as he watched his retreating figure.

It wasn't Zhang Yang who sent someone to find the body; it was Lü Yuan who reminded Zhang Yang and then personally took care of it. However, Lü Yuan didn't mind attributing the credit to his adoptive mother, hoping to completely dispel Changsun Wang's rebellious thoughts and make him obediently sell his life to his adoptive mother.

"...It also saves me the trouble of worrying about his life."

He Zhi asked, "You like him that much?"

Lu Yuan spoke fluently without hesitation.

"He was seventeen or eighteen when he came to me cleanly and without any problems."

He Zhi remained silent, only offering a sullen, mocking laugh.

Lu Yuan: "...Okay, that's not the reason. I just see myself in him, is that reason acceptable?"

She left the camp with her friend Xiao Sui, drinking and complaining.

"If I had known I would be able to wait for my adoptive mother, why did I bother scheming against He Feiye back then? Now that he's holding me hostage like this, it's like I owe him a mountain of interest." Lu Yuan drank more wine and became even more sorrowful. He covered his face with his hands and said, "Xiu Ying, I really don't know what he's laughing at in such a sinister way."

Xiao Sui waved her sword fan: "Perhaps she's laughing at herself for not being exactly innocent and naive back when she was with you, and for not being seventeen or eighteen years old?"

Ritsumoto: "..."

Xiao Sui sighed, "There's no need to regret it. If that target had been aided by He Feiye, the chances of your success in working with the lord from the inside would have been slim. This is already the best outcome."

Lu Yuan also shook the wine jar and sighed: "After winning the battle, everyone's face is full of joy, but I alone have to watch other people's expressions... If He Feiye continues like this, I will take care of him as my nephew when I get back."

Xiao Sui: "..."

Lu Yuan shuddered: "It was just something I said in anger, just something I said in anger."

As she spoke, she furtively looked around, afraid that He Zhi would emerge from some corner like a ghost to scare her.

Fortunately, there were no ghosts nearby.

The two drank to their hearts' content outside the camp before returning, secretly dissipating their drunkenness, and then covering for each other as they returned to their tent.

Upon hearing that Dou County had changed hands and that Sun Ban had hanged himself, the garrison commander of Hejian Pass was filled with grief and indignation. He mustered his troops to fight back. Ostensibly, he raised the banner of avenging Sun Ban, but few responded. When his army arrived, he discovered that Zhang Yang's forces far outnumbered his own.

Not only did they fail to gain any advantage, they also lost themselves.

Zhang Yang spared his life instead of killing him.

Because Xiao Sui advised that this person be spared, she said, "Hejian Pass will be closed for a long time. We don't know the terrain of this pass, so it's best to leave someone who is familiar with it."

Beyond Hejian Pass lie Tianji, Guansuo, and Qigong, and beyond that are Tianshi Kingdom and Ziwei Kingdom, which are difficult for our side to resist.

It would be better to close the borders and focus our energy on fighting each other.

First, plot against the state, then seize Xuanwu.

Once the power is fully developed, the three walls can be conquered one by one.

Zhang Yang's good mood didn't last two days before Fan You arrived.

"I haven't finished my homework yet!"

"Die, move already!"

? ?|??w?`)

There's a meeting on the 1st, so today's update will be the normal amount. I'll try to update two to three times with 10,000 words each in July.