CHAPTER 406: CHAPTER 357: PLEASE ACT WITHIN YOUR MEANS

Xiao Yuansui’s face darkened.

Although he knew that after just killing Wang Quyi, the morale within the village was surely unstable, and his act of leading a group to confront Yu Wenye and the others at the gate was done only after temporarily calming people’s hearts on the surface, had something happened again during this time?

He immediately asked, "What happened?"

One of them pointed tremblingly towards the back of the village, his voice shaking even more: "The granary on the back mountain is on fire!"

"What!?"

Xiao Yuansui was shocked.

The people around were even more shocked and turned their heads to look at the back of the village—however, from this position, they could not clearly see the back mountain, but they could see thick smoke rising in the distance, with hidden flames, like a roaring black dragon rising to the sky.

Xiao Yuansui’s eyes were instantly reflected red by the flames within the black smoke.

Watching this scene, he suddenly turned his head, looking at the bewildered Shantong’er, and Yu Wenye and Shen Wuzheng, who were obviously frowning, and gritted his teeth, saying, "Was it you?!"

"..."

"Is it you again?!"

This time, Yu Wenye didn’t hide the hint of surprise in his eyes. Upon hearing this, he looked at Xiao Yuansui and said calmly, "The same tactic, I’m not interested in playing it a second time."

After all, last time at Xingluo Granary, the success relied significantly on having his men set fire to the granary in Wanggang Village, burning their stored grain, which led Wang Quyi to send Hu Jinfeng and others to Xingluo Granary to get food, thereby causing internal strife and mutual slaughter among them.

But employing this tactic at this moment would not be as effective.

After Yu Wenye finished speaking, he smiled faintly, "It seems the hearts of your people in this village are not so easily appeased."

After speaking, he turned to leave.

But just as he turned, Xiao Yuansui suddenly said, "Do you think you can still leave at this time?"

"..."

Yu Wenye had already reached out his hand to take the reins of Black Cloud Stepping Snow coming towards him. Hearing this, he exerted slight pressure with his hand, causing the horse’s head to droop as it flung its head and snorted.

Then, Yu Wenye slowly turned back.

He did not look at Xiao Yuansui but slightly raised his head to look at the distant back mountain. A patch of dark clouds had already tainted the twilight sky, adding gloom to the golden sunset at the horizon.

He said, "Do you think you still have time to exchange a few moves with me here?"

Xiao Yuansui coldly said, "You should know, I’m not talking about exchanging moves."

This time, the tone and look in his eyes were filled with murderous intent. Clearly, it wasn’t about just sparring but a fight to the death.

He had decided to kill Yu Wenye!

Just as Xiao Yuansui raised his hand again, about to give orders to the people around him, Shen Wuzheng suddenly stepped forward, gently speaking, "Young Master Xiao—please act according to your strength."

Xiao Yuansui frowned and looked at him.

He saw Shen Wuzheng also looking at the thick smoke from the back mountain, obscured by the mountain itself, then slowly settled his gaze on him, saying, "Your stored grain is not important to us, but it’s very important to you, and even more important to your village!"

"..."

"You’re one step late, and it burns more."

"..."

"The more it burns, the more chaotic the hearts of your people become."

"...!"

These words made Xiao Yuansui’s face darken even further.

Indeed, although he still doesn’t know who set fire to the granary on the back mountain, the stored grain is very important to him at this time. Just like Shen Wuzheng said, once the grain is burnt up, the already unstable hearts of Wanggang Village will completely collapse!

So, he indeed couldn’t delay any longer!

However, he knew in his heart that this was perhaps the only chance to kill Yu Wenye, and if he let him go now, then in the future—

Thinking of this, he looked up at Yu Wenye again, but just as his gaze fell on Yu Wenye, Shantong’er had already walked behind Yu Wenye.

Although this child’s figure is not tall, his combat power, as Yu Wenye said, is indeed top-notch.

It was because of this combat power that he was accepted into the village, but if he fought against both him and Yu Wenye simultaneously—

Xiao Yuansui gritted his teeth and finally said, "Quickly go to the back mountain!"

The people around him were already restless. After all, for threats that might affect them at an unknown time, the grain that filled their bellies at that moment was paramount for survival. Hearing his order, they hurriedly turned and entered the village, ran towards the back mountain, and the panicked shouts along the way seemed to confirm what Shen Wuzheng had just said—the hearts of the people were about to be in turmoil!

Xiao Yuansui took one last look at them, turned, and left.

When they all left, the gate closed with a rumble, and a gust of wind made one’s hair fly up.

Shen Wuzheng slowly walked over on his horse, watching Yu Wenye mount his horse and pull Shantong’er to sit in front of him. Then he asked, "Who set the fire?"

Yu Wenye shook his head.

Shantong’er looked back at him, then at Shen Wuzheng, and said in surprise, "Wasn’t it you guys?"

"..."

"It’s a shame if all that grain burns."

Although he had been fierce just now, almost to the point of putting someone to death, he now completely returned to a child’s innocence, speaking with a hint of naivety. Yu Wenye looked down at him, said nothing, and just said lightly, "If I did it, I would admit it."

Shen Wuzheng slightly frowned, "Then who could it be? Who would burn the stored grain of Wanggang Village at this time."

Yu Wenye looked down at Shantong’er again, "Someone from the village?"

Shantong’er immediately shook his head, "Who would be willing?"

"..."

"That much grain could last us several months."

Yu Wenye nodded silently—this reasoning made sense. If it really was someone in the village dissatisfied with Xiao Yuansui who did it, then even if it meant killing, it would be better than burning the granary. After all, if after regaining power, the grain is gone and the hearts of the people are unstable, it might not be worthwhile to regain it.

He said, "It seems, this is indeed a problem."

Shen Wuzheng said, "Let’s discuss this after going down the mountain. Ruyi and the others are surely impatient waiting at the foot."

Yu Wenye nodded, and said to Shantong’er in his arms, "Kid, sit tight."

With that, he urged his horse forward, galloping down the high ground along the mountain path.

But just as they finally reached the foot of the mountain, nearing the pavilion, they saw from afar that there was no sign of Mu Xian and the others waiting there.

Yu Wenye’s face darkened. He quickly rode to the pavilion, only to find it empty. Looking up and scanning the surroundings again.

Even Shang Ruyi was gone!