When two people reached the point of swords drawn and arrows nocked, there was no possibility of turning back. Even if he went to the Heavenly Immortal Tavern to apologize to her now, he wouldn’t receive any forgiveness.

So Shen Qiyuan had the carriage go straight back to the manor, never turning throughout the journey.

When he alighted at the manor gates, the steward hurriedly came forward: “My lord, the manor has already housed over five thousand people, there’s no space left. But today over a thousand more people came from outside, saying the refugee huts in the eastern suburbs collapsed and they have nowhere to go.”

Shen Qiyuan was puzzled: “Eastern suburb huts?”

Zhou Tingchuan quickly said, “I know about this. They were originally built with Miss Liu’s money to house refugees. That place seemed to be built overnight, probably not constructed very carefully, which is why they collapsed.”

Huts built overnight—she must have used her methods. If she didn’t want them to collapse, those houses would never have fallen, no matter what.

So Shen Qiyuan knew that Liu Ruyi’s accumulated kindness over the past half year had completely dissipated with little Heye’s betrayal and his attack with blade and sword.

She would no longer show mercy to the living beings, nor would she show mercy to him.

“My lord, my lord?” The steward called to him, “What should we do?”

He came back to his senses, saying softly: “Open up that garden in the back, set up some places for them to live.”

The steward’s face fell.

That garden was built by imperial decree with excellent scenery, not yet completed for viewing. It would be quite a pity to ruin it like this.

Though it wasn’t quite appropriate to say so, most of these refugees were unlettered farmers and peddlers. When housed in the front courtyards, they had already taken away everything they could see, even prying out the worthless, rough jade embedded in the beams.

Letting them further in, he worried his lord wouldn’t even be able to recover from his injuries properly.

“It’s fine.” Seeing his concern, Shen Qiyuan waved his hand, “Just take them in, I’ll handle the rest.”

Saying this, he turned to look at Zhou Tingchuan: “Don’t go running around these days either, stay and help me.”

Zhou Tingchuan wanted to speak but hesitated, muttering quietly: “I promised Miss Liu to go fishing for spring fish.”

Shen Qiyuan acted as if he hadn’t heard.

He seemed to suddenly understand Liu Ruyi’s wicked humor. When one was unhappy, if others could be unhappy together with oneself, that would truly be wonderful.

The corner of his mouth lifted for an instant, then returned to its downward curve. Shen Qiyuan stepped through the main gate, facing directly toward those sounds of painful wailing.

Ruyi was almost coaxed back to the tavern by Fuman. She didn’t want to board the carriage, so Fuman accompanied her in stepping over ants in the streets. She wanted to eat roadside snacks, so Fuman went to queue for her.

As various grilled meat pastries slowly filled her hands, Ruyi’s eyes gradually brightened too.

“I’m not sad anymore.” She hung her head on Fuman’s shoulder, saying with a smile: “So can we buy another string of sugar figurines?”

Fuman didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, nodding in agreement.

She didn’t ask if she had encountered Shen Qiyuan, nor did she ask why she was squatting alone by the well. She just generously bought four strings of sugar figurines—one for herself, one for Zhao Yanning, who was following not far behind, and the remaining two all for her.

Ruyi ate until her belly was round, with sugar stains at the corners of her mouth.

“The city won’t be very peaceful recently.” She said indistinctly, “I can’t control others, but if you two want to go out, remember to let me know.”

Fuman nodded obediently.

The two of them had already delivered the evidence to the Secretariat. According to Lord Wei, His Majesty already knew and had summoned him to the palace overnight to speak. Their mission was complete—they shouldn’t need to run around anymore.

Ruyi thought of this matter but found it somewhat strange. According to the Demon King’s plan, Great Qian had already begun to take action, so why was there no movement from Great Xia’s side instead?

“Big Senior Sister!” As soon as they returned to the room on the second floor, Yunque rushed toward her, chirping: “Something’s wrong, Master is injured!”

Ruyi was startled and even asked: “Which master?”

Yunque stared: “Naturally, our master, the King of Ten Thousand Demons Cave.”

“How could he possibly be injured?” Ruyi brushed her aside, waving her hand, “Who in this world could harm him?”

Yunque flapped her wings frantically: “I didn’t believe it originally either, but we were supposed to depart for Great Xia today. Yet Master hasn’t moved from the old mansion, and many blood demons are surrounding the estate.”

Only the Demon King’s blood would attract blood demons. Those things weren’t afraid of death and would attack an injured Demon King one after another.

Only then did Ruyi become serious. She grabbed Yunque, pushed open the window, and leaped straight out.

The moonlight was heavy. A clean, efficient figure shuttled past eaves and bridges, quickly reaching that silent old mansion. The blood demons breaking through the gates sensed the approaching threat, all turning to raise the bone spikes on their backs, even slowly forming an array.

Yunque quickly hid on a nearby tree branch, but curled her lip at those blood demons: “Ignorant.”

They thought Big Senior Sister was an ordinary demon who could have her demonic power suppressed by an array.

As soon as her words fell, Ruyi tore apart several blood demons forming the array, their muddy demon blood splashing on the mottled gate. The gate creaked and slowly opened.

Seeing this, the blood demons immediately rushed inside desperately, a dense mass like grain drying in a farmer’s courtyard on a sunny day. Ruyi leaped to land in the center of the gate, squarely blocking their path. A wave of demonic energy descended, forming a line at the entrance.

“Those who cross will die.” She reminded me with a smile.

How would blood demons listen to threats? They continued running inside, some even fighting back against her.

Yunque watched from the tree branch, seeing those blood demons that usually made other demons flee in terror being sliced one by one by Big Senior Sister’s hand. Where the muddy black demonic energy flashed past, not even a wisp of soul remained.

In less than half an hour, only a small mountain of corpses remained before Ruyi.

She called Yunque back to her shoulder, turned to glance at other demons still watching from the distance. Her gaze was very calm, without any threatening intent.

But after she stepped through the gate, though the gate remained open, not one of the demons in the shadows dared approach again.

The old mansion was deep, and the deeper one went, the heavier the bloody smell became. Ruyi was somewhat alarmed. This scent couldn’t be caused by ordinary minor injuries. If Master wasn’t even bothering to conceal it anymore, then he must be powerless to do so.

She quickly turned her hand to establish barriers around the area.

“You’ve come.” The Demon King sighed in the shadows, his tone somewhat pleased, “Only you understand filial piety and gratitude. Your junior sisters and brothers, ah, sigh.”

Yunque pitifully raised her wing: “Master, I came too.”

She couldn’t be ignored just because her cultivation was low.

The Demon King nodded, but still looked toward Ruyi: “I was schemed against by youngsters and severely injured. I can no longer go to Great Xia to help that prince succeed. Just when we were one step away from success, it all fell through. It’s truly a pity…”

“Master.” Ruyi said, “Whatever you want me to do, just say it directly.”