When Liu Acheng reached the doorway, he did not forget to grab the bewildered Murong De and run with him. He could hardly leave with Gap-Toothed Murong... what if Murong Aludun, who had nearly been cut down, came to his senses and decided to cut him down instead?
Murong De was the safer choice.
Perhaps Murong De had grown used to running around with Liu Cheng every day lately: one tug really did send him running outside arm in arm with him.
Only after they had run out of the palace did Liu Acheng explain as they ran: over the name change, your second brother got drunk and insisted on killing your fifth brother, dragging me, the envoy, into it too. Your fourth brother told you to protect me and get me out of here first... Murong De did not question it. How could he not know his second, fourth, and fifth brothers' temperaments and relationships?
He had caught a few words about the name change just now, too. Wasn't that precisely the trouble involving his fifth brother? His fourth brother's final shout had been clearer still.
And so, after running out, the two climbed straight into the high carriage. Liu Cheng once again asked the wine-flushed Murong De to drive, while he held the Commander's Staff and Tally. Without even returning to their lodgings, they fled straight out of the city.
They spent that night in Guangyang.
Now Liu Acheng took Murong De's hand and began complaining. That second brother of yours truly had no dignity. I had settled everything perfectly well with your fourth brother: once I cooperated with your second brother at the formal audience, he guaranteed I could return safely and in style. Yet he went and humiliated me for no reason. If I, Liu Cheng,