Whenever something goes against the norm, there must be something sinister behind it; when a person acts strangely, he must be hiding a blade.
Li Mu Yang naturally did not believe Yan Xiangma, just as Yan Xiangma did not believe that Li Mu Yang could kill Crow all by himself.
Li Mu Yang knew Yan Xiangma had no favorable impression of him. A toad wanting to eat swan meat—what would the swan's family think?
Therefore, when Yan Xiangma asked whether he believed him, he answered without the slightest hesitation, "I don't."
Yan Xiangma was both embarrassed and furious. When had the dignified eldest young master of the Yan Family ever been humiliated and rejected like this?
Yan Xiangma curled his lips and said with a face full of mockery, "You're biting Lu Dongbin, unable to recognize a good person. I saw you caught between two difficult choices, so I kindly offered a solution for the sake of helping you complete your examination. Since you refuse to appreciate it, just pretend I never said anything."
He swept a glance over Luo Qi, Li Yan, and Li Sinian, who lay unconscious beside Li Mu Yang, and said, "Just stay here and guard them properly. As for today's examination—it makes no difference to you whether you take it or not, does it?"
Li Mu Yang pondered for a moment, his scrutinizing gaze sweeping back and forth over Yan Xiangma's face and body before he finally asked, "Are you really willing to help me look after my family?"
"I'm not willing anymore," Yan Xiangma said with unparalleled haughtiness. I'm not some family's servant. Why should I look after your family?
Li Mu Yang fell silent again for a while before looking at Yan Xiangma and saying, "I really want to take this examination. You don't know what it means to me—"
"—" Yan Xiangma leisurely waved his fan. Beg me. Beg me. If you beg me, maybe I'll agree.
"You said earlier that the Cui Family and the Yan Family owed me a favor?" Li Mu Yang said hoarsely.
Yan Xiangma had a bad feeling, but he could not deny words he had just spoken to someone's face. He could only brace himself and say, "I did say that."
"Then, could you—return that favor to me now?" Li Mu Yang looked at Yan Xiangma with complete sincerity and said, "For the sake of the help I gave the Cui Family and the Yan Family, look after my family for me? You only need to watch them for a little while. I'll come back immediately after I finish the examination."
"Li Mu Yang—" Yan Xiangma really wanted to get angry, yet he did not know where this anger came from. This isn't the kind of negotiation I wanted!
"You won't agree?"
"It's not that I won't agree—" Yan Xiangma said. "It's just—"
"Could the merit of killing Crow not even be enough to exchange for such a small request?"
"—All right," Yan Xiangma said bitterly.
Li Mu Yang carried Li Sinian back into the main hall, then carried his mother, Luo Qi, inside as well.
When he went to carry his father, Li Yan had already opened his eyes and regained consciousness. His body had suffered severe injuries, however, and he would not be able to recover his strength for some time.
"Mu Yang, are you all right?" Li Yan asked urgently.
"Dad, I'm fine—" Li Mu Yang forced a grin, but with his face covered in blood, his smile made him look like a fiend from hell.
"Your mother, and Sinian—are they all right?"
"Dad, don't worry. They're both fine—" Li Mu Yang pointed at his mother, Luo Qi, and his younger sister, Li Sinian, who lay not far away, and said, "They were only affected by the poisonous fog. They'll wake up soon."
"As long as they're fine." Only then did Li Yan relax. His eyes reddened as he looked at Li Mu Yang and said, "I was useless and made you all suffer."
"Dad, we're all fine. As long as our family is safe and sound."
"Mm. Safe and sound is all that matters." Li Yan patted Li Mu Yang on the shoulder, then suddenly realized something and hurriedly said, "Mu Yang, today is your Literary Examination—go take it! You absolutely can't delay."
"Dad, I was planning to—"
"The examination has probably already begun. Don't waste another word. Go immediately."
"But you all—"
"I've already woken up. Nothing will happen." Li Yan knew how much his son valued the Literary Examination, and he had seen the hard work Li Mu Yang had put in day and night for more than a month. He said, "Mu Yang, don't delay. Otherwise, when your mother wakes up, she'll be frantic. You have no idea how much she cares about this examination of yours."
"Dad, I've already asked—" Li Mu Yang glanced at Yan Xiangma, who was standing in the main hall and looking around, then said, "I've already asked Cousin Xiangma to help look after you. He's Xiao Xin's cousin. I'll come back after I finish the examination."
"There's nothing wrong at home. Go on." Li Yan urged him repeatedly.
Li Mu Yang was just about to rush outside when Yan Xiangma cast him a cold glance and said, "If I were you, I'd wash my face and change into clean clothes first. Looking like this, you probably won't even make it through the examination hall's entrance."
Li Mu Yang thought that made sense. If he went to the school in his current state, no one would think he had come to take an examination. They would only assume he had come to cause trouble.
Li Mu Yang ran upstairs, rushed into his room to wash his face, and changed into a clean set of clothes. Only then did he dash into the courtyard, pick up the schoolbag he had thrown down earlier, pull open the gate, and run outside.
When Li Da Lu and the others at the entrance saw Li Mu Yang charging out with his schoolbag, their first reaction was to stop him.
They still remembered their young master's mission for the day: prevent this fellow from suddenly rushing to the examination hall to take the test. Since everything was already prepared, they might as well stuff him into a sack, tie him up, and carry him away.
"Let him go." Just as Li Da Lu was preparing to act, Yan Xiangma walked in while waving his fan and issued a new order.
"Young Master—" Li Da Lu looked at Yan Xiangma in confusion.
"He won't pass anyway." Yan Xiangma disliked Li Da Lu's questioning gaze and replied without the slightest courtesy.
"Yes, yes, of course. Young Master is a strategist who can determine victory from a thousand miles away—" Li Da Lu waved his hand and had his men clear the way.
Li Mu Yang gave Yan Xiangma a grateful look, then ran toward the examination hall with his schoolbag flying behind him like the wind.
Yan Xiangma watched Li Mu Yang's retreating figure and sighed softly. "The harder he works now, the greater his disappointment will be later. The most important thing in life is not to take the wrong direction when you strive."
"Yes, yes, Young Master is right—"
Smack—
Li Da Lu took a blow from the iron fan to the head.
Yan Xiangma returned to the courtyard with a group of followers and said, "Clean up the courtyard. I hate filth, and I don't want a single trace left behind."
"Yes, Young Master." Li Da Lu waved his hand, and the black-clad followers he had brought immediately began cleaning up with swift, practiced movements. The Blood Crow's corpse was picked up and buried, while the blood was washed and wiped away. Even the bloodstains on the courtyard wall were scrubbed completely clean.
"What happened today was done by us. Do you understand?" Yan Xiangma swept his gaze around, his voice cold. "If anyone dares leak a single word, just wait for your family to collect your bones in the Beast Forest."
"Young Master, are you saying—we're taking this credit for ourselves?" Li Da Lu asked with bright eyes and a beaming smile.
"Credit? What use would we have for this credit?" Yan Xiangma's expression turned grim. "But this credit absolutely cannot be placed on Li Mu Yang's head."
"Of course. We can't let him pick up such a huge bargain. Crow was an important wanted criminal, and the City Lord's Mansion offered a bounty of three thousand Gold Coins. That's a huge sum."
"Idiot." Yan Xiangma glared at him with exasperation. "Do you think I'm stealing his credit for money? Use that pig's brain of yours and think about it. If this credit were placed on Li Mu Yang's head, what would everyone else think? What kind of person is Li Mu Yang, exactly? I'm afraid countless people would want to investigate him. And the people from the Assassin's Guild, as well as Crow's employer—would they let Li Mu Yang off easily? Once they learned that Li Mu Yang had killed Crow, I'm afraid his entire family would face even greater danger."
"I understand." Li Da Lu wore a look of sudden realization. "But Young Master, weren't we going to kidnap this fellow? Why have you been protecting and taking care of him at every turn?"
Yan Xiangma remained dazed for a long while, then sighed softly. "My heart is simply too soft."
"—"
Yan Xiangma returned to the main hall and looked at Li Sinian and Luo Qi, who were still unconscious.
Standing behind Yan Xiangma, Li Da Lu saw the direction of his Young Master's gaze and immediately racked his brain. With a fawning smile, he said, "Young Master, this little beauty really is quite beautiful. If Young Master likes her—"
Smack—
Li Da Lu took another blow to the head.
Realizing he had fawned in the wrong direction, Li Da Lu hurriedly changed his words. "Of course, our Young Master has seen every kind of beauty under the sun. Naturally, he wouldn't be attracted to such an ordinary flower—"
Smack—
Li Da Lu took yet another blow to the head.
Li Da Lu was on the verge of tears. "Young Master, is this girl beautiful or not? Could you please give me a straight answer?"
"Shh—" Yan Xiangma raised a finger to his lips and gestured for silence. "Don't be rude to a beauty."
"—"
Li Yan leaned against the corner of a chair, glaring furiously at the two foul-mouthed bastards.
One of his fists was clenched tightly, while his other hand gripped a teacup he had just taken from the table. If that lecherous wastrel dared make even the slightest rash move, the teacup in his hand would land squarely on the man's head.
--
When Li Mu Yang rushed to the examination hall, its gates were already tightly shut, with guards stationed outside.
Countless students' parents stood silently outside the gate, guarding it. They were so cautious that even their breathing was subdued, afraid that they might disturb the examination inside.
Li Mu Yang handed over the admission card in his hand and said to the two guards stationed at the entrance, "I'm an examinee. I was delayed by something and arrived late. Please let me in."
"The time for entering the examination hall has passed. No one is allowed in. Go home." The guard looked at Li Mu Yang with disdain and said, "You were late for such an important examination. A student like you wouldn't achieve good results even if you entered the examination hall now. You'd only affect the other examinees while they answer their questions. Go on. Come early for the next session. Maybe there'll still be a glimmer of hope."
"If you miss the first important subject, then even if you score full marks in every subject afterward, you probably still won't get into a very good school. I advise you to give up early—" the other guard said gleefully.
"What kind of thing is that to say?" A sharp voice came from behind Li Mu Yang.
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