The years I was in the human world

"You mean, Prince Yongling colluded with the Wuxiang people to invade? How is that possible?" Lin Xiyang instinctively didn't believe it. Although he and Xiao Ling were at odds in the past, they were also rivals who respected each other. How could he not be shocked when he suddenly heard Xiao Fengzhuo's speculation and judgment?

"What benefit will he get from colluding with the Wuxiang people?" Lin Xiyang listed several reasons as if to enhance his persuasiveness. "He will be conferred the title of the Emperor Jiuding soon and abdicate to become the Emperor. If he invites the Wuxiang people to invade at this time, won't that ruin his own kingdom?"

"If Xiao Ling was just a traitor, he certainly wouldn't collude with the Wuxiang people. He would even take the initiative to fight against the Wuxiang people in order to secure his throne." Xiao Fengzhuo said sarcastically, "But he is the Ghost King. Is being an emperor in the human world really attractive to him?"

"I have already told Mianmian that Xiao Ling came here to disrupt the government." Xiao Fengzhuo cast his eyes towards the feast not far away. He spoke softly, as if he was murmuring unconsciously, "Xiao Ling has already arrived in Jingkou. It won't be long before the Wuxiang people arrive."

As if to confirm Xiao Fengzhuo's words, the next moment, there were cries and sounds of fighting outside Cui's mansion. Because of the sudden change, the obscene sounds of stringed instruments and orchestras inside Cui's mansion also stopped.

A servant stumbled in with fear on his face to report the situation, speaking breathlessly: "Sir, it's bad, the Wuxiang people, the Wuxiang people are breaking in!"

The rich young men who had just been enjoying themselves drinking and having fun were all panicked. When they stood up, they knocked over the banquet table, and the cups and plates were in a mess. "How is it possible? Where are the Northern Army? Aren't they stationed outside the city? How did they attack us?"

"The Northern Army has already retreated westwards. Young master, let's escape quickly. The Wuxiang people are burning, killing and looting everywhere. They will attack us soon!" The servant had a sad face. He ran all the way back, but the outside world had become a purgatory with corpses everywhere. If he didn't run away, he would be killed by the sword.

No one would doubt the truth of the servant's words, because the eaves of the tower on the east side were already ablaze with flames that shot up to the sky. The Wuxiang cavalry were holding long swords, and their iron hooves were tearing bodies apart wherever they passed. They could see it clearly just by leaning out to take a look.

"Right, run, run quickly, but where to run to?"

"The Wuxian people haven't arrived yet, so take advantage of the chaos and run out through the west gate!"

The young masters of noble families who once prided themselves on being romantic were now snatching gold and silver jewelry in a state of disgrace, and then fled westward in panic, carrying large bags of dead objects.

Xiao Fengzhuo sat there calmly, watching these people panicking with cold eyes, and cursed softly: "Idiots, a bunch of useless people who can't even carry anything on their shoulders or hands, carrying so many things, how can they outrun the Wuxiang people's horses."

As expected, the person who went out first was beheaded by the Wuxiang people who came after him before he could run a hundred meters away. His once gorgeous clothes were stained with blood, and it was another tragedy.

"Shall we fight our way out?" Lu Zhouxue silently summoned his Sad Wind Sword and held it in his hand, subconsciously protecting Xiao Fengzhuo behind him.

The Wuxiang people had already broken into Cui's mansion. No matter who ran away first or last, they all became dead souls under the barbarians' knives.

“No need.” Xie Huaiyu reached out and held Lu Zhouxue’s tense arm. This time it was Lin Xiyang who spoke. He paused and explained, “Uncle Lin will come to pick us up.”

As expected, just as Lin Xiyang finished saying this, a group of soldiers in Northern Army uniforms suddenly broke into the open door of Cui Mansion and started fighting with the Wuxiang people in the mansion.

The leading general was particularly brave. He held his sword in reverse and slashed the throat of a Wuxiang officer cleanly and neatly. A pair of sharp eyes were revealed in the splattering blood. He kicked down the corpse of the Wuxiang officer standing in front of him and issued a military order to the soldiers he brought with him. His voice was deafening: "Don't worry about others, find the young master first."

The young man I am looking for is naturally Xie Huaiyu.

Xiao Fengzhuo's hiding place was too tricky for the Wuxiang people to see him at first glance, and the Northern Army had to work hard to find him.

Lin Shuyang killed his way to Xie Huaiyu. When the two met, the latter was still wearing wooden clogs and had the demeanor of a banished immortal without a speck of dust; but the former was covered in blood, and there was a scratch of blood on his handsome face.

"Huaiyu, come quickly, I'll take you away." Lin Shuyang's right hand holding the knife was wearing an iron knives glove, so he wiped the blood off his left hand on the hem of his clothes before reaching out his hand to Xie Huaiyu.

Xie Huaiyu looked at him and put his hand on him for the first time. He pointed at Ah Xun next to him and said, "Take him with you."

Upon hearing this, Lin Shuyang then noticed Ah Xun, who had little presence next to him. The latter had a slender figure and it was obvious at first glance that he was a prostitute in the flesh trade. Now that the Wuxiang people were attacking fiercely, bringing Ah Xun along would only be a burden.

He instinctively didn't want to bring it, but this was Xie Huaiyu's request, so he nodded and agreed: "Okay."

"Were you so stupid before?" Xiao Fengzhuo took advantage of the situation and teased Lin Xiyang in his mind.

Lin Xiyang surprisingly did not refute, but said in a light tone: "Lin Shuyang has always been unruly. It is more loyal to Xie Huaiyu than to Xie family."

Lin Shuyang led the two of them and killed their way out of Cui's mansion, protecting the two people behind him so well that Lu Zhouxue didn't even have a chance to attack.

There were two white horses tied to the small door of Cui's mansion. No one knew when Lin Shuyang prepared them. The Wuxiang people had not caught up yet, but all the people he brought had been killed in the battle. It would not be long before the Wuxiang people would realize something was wrong and catch up.

Lin Shuyang climbed onto his horse and held out his hand to Xie Huaiyu: "Huaiyu, get on board. I'll take you."

There were two horses, enough for the three of them to leave, but Xie Huaiyu and A Xuan obviously didn't know how to ride a horse, so Lin Shuyang could only take one, so it was understandable that A Xuan was abandoned.

Xie Huaiyu couldn't ride a horse, but Xiao Fengzhuo could. He didn't take Lin Shuyang's hand, but climbed onto the horse himself, then pulled Lu Zhouxue in front of him and protected her in his arms: "You lead the way in front, and I'll follow you."

Seeing that he could ride a horse, Lin Shuyang was a little surprised, but this was not the time to dwell on it. He nodded, whipped the horse and galloped out, with Xiao Fengzhuo following closely behind.

"Azhuo can actually ride a horse?" Lu Zhouxue was as surprised as Lin Shuyang. After all, the demon race was not like humans, who had to rely on dogs and horses to travel. It was really unexpected that Xiao Fengzhuo could ride a horse.

"Ha." Xiao Fengzhuo chuckled, the oncoming wind blew his black hair. On this face that belonged to Xie Huaiyu, it seemed that Xiao Fengzhuo's high spirits in those days could be seen. "Mianmian, I also rode a horse all over Yangzhou and was wantonly and frivolous."

He was in great glory at that time. Even though his reputation as a mediocre person was circulated in the capital, people in the south of the Yangtze River did not know what Prince Zhaoli looked like. When he rode his horse freely on the street, who would not praise his young spirit?

Lin Shuyang's Northern Army was originally stationed ten miles outside Danyang City. The Wuxiang people's invasion to the south was sudden, and their tactics were weird. Each of them was tall and strong, invulnerable to swords and spears, and could not feel pain or death. No matter how brave the Northern Army was, they had to abandon the city and flee in the face of such heresy.

Lin Shuyang ordered his deputy general to lead the remaining defeated troops to retreat to the capital, and then he brought a small team of elite soldiers back to rescue Xie Huaiyu. This was not only out of his selfish motives, but also to plan a way out for the Northern Palace Army.

After being defeated and abandoning the city, the news reached the court and they were bound to be punished. The Northern Army, from generals to soldiers, were demoted at the very least, and reduced to slavery and exiled at the worst. As the commander-in-chief, he was even more to blame and would surely not escape dismissal and exile.

If Xie Huaiyu could be saved, even for the sake of saving his life, with the Xie family's mediation, even if there was to be a punishment, only he would be punished, and the other brothers would definitely not be involved.

Xiao Fengzhuo stopped Lu Zhouxue and rode his horse from the east of the city all the way to the west gate. On the way, they passed by the wonton stand where the latter had eaten earlier. He sat on his horse and looked down, but saw only scattered bowls and plates on the ground. The old man selling wontons was lying on the ground with his neck cut and his body pierced with several holes by the Wuxiang people's spears.

In war, it is the people who suffer. Lu Zhouxue closed his eyes and felt that the pool of blood on the ground was particularly glaring: "All this is Xiao Yueheng's fault." Gods must be punished for stirring up trouble in the world.

Lin Shuyang prepared a fast horse and traveled non-stop for several days. He soon returned to the Northern Army's garrison in the capital. Although these people fled the city after being defeated, they were by no means deserters because in addition to the soldiers, there were also many civilians in the garrison. They did not suffer any injuries and were obviously retreating under cover.

On the other hand, more than half of the 80,000 soldiers of the Northern Palace Army were killed in the battle. Even among those who survived, everyone was injured to varying degrees. It was obvious that after a fierce battle, they had done their best to save the people.

"The Northern Army is worthy of the Southern Dynasty and the people." Lin Xiyang looked at the wounded Northern Army soldiers sitting on the sand to rest, his tone moving, "The noble families claim to be elegant and look down on these soldiers who have fought in the bloody battlefields, but under the iron hoof, their integrity can't be preserved at all."

Lin Shuyang had been traveling for several days. When he arrived at the camp in the capital, his tense breath suddenly relaxed. He fell off his horse. The soldiers on duty saw the commander coming back and rushed forward to help him. Then they wiped their hands with sticky blood and said, "General, how are you? Military doctor, call the military doctor!"

Lin Shuyang was already injured, and by the time he brought Xie Huaiyu back safely, he was already exhausted. He was quickly carried into the tent by the soldiers. The adjutant called a doctor to treat him. For a while, no one paid attention to Xie Huaiyu and A Xuan who came back with them.

The two men got off their horses and looked at the soldiers busying around for the injured commander. Xiao Fengzhuo said, "According to the Southern Dynasty's style, Lin Shuyang will probably be dismissed and imprisoned."

"Dismissed?" Lin Xiyang exclaimed in surprise. These things happened too long ago and he didn't take them to heart at the time. He really couldn't remember them now. When Xiao Fengzhuo mentioned them now, he also had no impression at all.

"The noble families have always been fighting each other. Uncle Lin has made such a big mistake, so naturally the other noble families will not let go of the opportunity to seize the military power of the Xie family." Xiao Fengzhuo said sarcastically. He was different from Lin Xiyang. The latter hated the Wuxiang people who caused the fall of the Southern Dynasty. He hated the Southern Dynasty.

"Besides, Xiao Ling has set up such a big plan, he will definitely not let go of this person who should have died in Jingkou."

Xiao Fengzhuo's guess was correct. Not long after, Lin Shuyang woke up from his coma after bandaging his wounds. The imperial court issued an imperial edict summoning him to the palace for accountability. He was forced to drag his injured body out of bed, hurriedly put on his armor, and forced himself to enter the palace.

His subordinates felt sorry for him and couldn't help but persuade him: "General, your wound has just been bandaged, why are you in such a hurry..."

"Abandoning the city and fleeing after a defeat is a serious crime. If you disobey the order, you and I will really have no chance of survival." Lin Shuyang had no intention of changing his mind. Seeing that his men were still worried, he consoled them, "Don't be afraid. I am a retainer of the Xie family. At most, I will be punished, but my life will not be in danger."

When Lin Shuyang mentioned Xie, the subordinate's eyes lit up: "Didn't you save the son of Xie? Can you please give me some consideration..."

"No." Lin Shuyang knew what his subordinate wanted to say and interrupted him directly. He said seriously, "He is the master and I am the subject. How can I repay his kindness?"

Of course, Lin Shuyang is not such a rule-abiding person. However, if he were to use the fact that he saved Xie Huaiyu to absolve himself of his guilt today, then he and Xie Huaiyu would really have no friendship at all.

"Those punishments won't take his life, but they can make his life worse than death. He took all the blame for the Northern Army, but he refused to ask for a pardon in exchange for saving his life." Xie Huaiyu stood at the door of the tent and spoke softly. It was unclear whether he was talking to Xiao Fengzhuo or to himself.

There was a sense of sadness in his tone, like regret, and also like annoyance, "Xie thought he was greedy and wanted to seek more, so he did not seek leniency for him. But no one could resist the attack of the Wuxiang people, so he should not be held responsible."

This incident was insignificant in his memory and he didn't care about it at the time. But now looking back, he realized that what he owed was far more than he thought.

"If we don't hold him accountable, who will calm the public anger?" Xiao Fengzhuo asked calmly. Lin Xiyang felt sorry for the young general who had to go to the palace to be held accountable despite his injuries, but he was particularly cold and ruthless. "Are you still using the excuse that Chu Zhaoli's comet caused disaster?"

"Sometimes I am really curious about who you are. You are clearly the leader of the demon tribe, but you know so much about the past of the Southern Dynasty that others are reluctant to talk about." Lin Xiyang was not dissatisfied with Xiao Fengzhuo's words, he just felt strange.

"Chu Zhaoli did not see the late king in person. After he gained power, he killed almost all those who knew about his humiliating past. Even my father didn't know much about it, but you know it so thoroughly. Whether it is made up or true, it is indeed suspicious."

"Chu Zhaoli's reputation for mediocrity and debauchery is known throughout the capital, but he won't kill everyone in the world." Xiao Fengzhuo had a look of disdain on his face, as if the person being ridiculed by him at this moment was not the self in the past who was in indescribable pain because of being ignored.

From the moment he abandoned the name Chu Zhaoli, he abandoned his past self, but even so, he still couldn't be free. The absurdity of the past still followed him like a shadow, even though he thought he could let it go.