Chapter 424: Aftermath and Compensation

There was a minor setback in the middle, but it was negligible, almost as if time had fast-forwarded.

"I wondered what treasure this boy could possess to counter divine arts!" Fushan Yue pulled a small hourglass from his pocket. "Hey, he really had one!"

Seeing him so arrogant, his tail practically wagging with pride, He Lingchuan cooperatively asked:

"What is this?"

Fushan Yue gestured with his chin towards Uncle Da: "You know best; you tell him."

"'This is a treasure bestowed by the King: the 'Inch of Time','' Uncle Da whispered. 'Before the sand in the hourglass runs out, it can completely freeze the user's state, effectively pushing them into a temporal crevice. This prevents their injuries from worsening. However, the user also enters a state of suspended animation, unable to move, open their eyes, or maintain consciousness.'"

As He Lingchuan understood it, while the hourglass was active, the user entered a 'paused' state.

For them, time seemed to stop.

"'We originally intended to use this treasure to extend the life of the young master—the second young master—until he could be returned to the capital, where we would ask the King to find a solution.'"

"'Then why did you still kill people for their blood?' Several caravan members from the Stone Gate Caravan had been killed."

"'We feared unforeseen circumstances, worrying that the 'Inch of Time' might not sustain him all the way to the capital. So, we prepared fresh blood for Young Master Ji in case he awakened prematurely...'"

He Lingchuan wondered, "Can the King of Chiyan truly counter divine arts?"

"'It's uncertain,' Uncle Da mused. 'Even if the King is powerless, we could still appeal to the gods.'"

He Lingchuan felt a jolt of surprise.

Yes, the gods.

At that time, when Wen Jian was critically ill, Zhong Shengguang immediately recalled General Hong from the front line and implored Mitian, the deity attached to him, to intervene and save him.

He Lingchuan observed their expressions and tones, sensing that Wen Xing might still be saved. However, his father, Wen Daolun, ultimately chose to give up, likely due to the excessively high cost.

The King of Chiyan, of course, did not share his concerns, and it was entirely reasonable to ask the gods to intervene and heal Fushan Ji.

The success rate might have been considerable.

Alas, Fushan Ji could not escape his brother a second time. He lost his life in this desolate wilderness and, in doing so, relinquished his claim to the throne.

Power struggles often unfold this way: if one strikes first but lacks sufficient ruthlessness, they will ultimately be counter-attacked and defeated, as Fushan Yue demonstrated.

"'Alright, the main task is complete. Let's go back and drink.' Fushan Yue tucked the 'Inch of Time' into his pouch and told Uncle Da, 'Come on, what are you standing around for?'"

Uncle Da had no choice but to rise and follow him towards the camp.

By then, the camp was already on edge.

Even the most oblivious members of the Stone Gate Caravan couldn't remain unaware when their own people were dying one after another.

The team was enraged, clamoring for justice.

However, because Fushan Yue had just returned, killed two Chiyan men, and then abruptly left, no one, including Second Boss Shi, understood the current situation.

For a time, the situation remained in a stalemate.

The two men and the tiger returned to the camp, immediately causing a commotion.

These two sides, who had been fighting to the death and sworn enemies, had suddenly joined forces? How could this be?

How could they expect their subordinates to adjust when they changed allegiances so rapidly?

In the eerily silent atmosphere, He Lingchuan and Fushan Yue returned to their respective camps.

Uncle Da's first words were, "The second young master is dead. From now on, we follow only the eldest young master."

All the Chiyan people bowed their heads in unison.

Times were changing.

Even if the news reached Chiyan, provoking the King's fury, the undeniable fact had already been established. No matter how enraged the King became, could he truly kill his only remaining bloodline?

What then would become of the throne, and who would inherit it?

Now that they were obeying Fushan Yue, all their belongings, including the carriage, naturally became his property.

He grabbed Fushan Ji's body, intending to discard it, but his subordinates all looked up at him, their gazes filled with unspoken sentiments.

After all, just a quarter of an hour prior, both sides had been enemies. Uncle Da had led them in attacking Fushan Yue, and Fushan Yue's hands were stained with their comrades' blood.

Although he was now the 'young master' to all the Chiyan people,

that didn't mean they would bear no grudges.

So Fushan Yue thought for a moment, then handed Fushan Ji's remains, including his head, to Uncle Da, saying gently, "Keep it safe and present it to the King upon your return."

Uncle Da silently accepted it and placed it into his storage fang.

Fushan Yue beckoned everyone to gather and scrutinized them one by one.

His gaze was sharp and piercing, like a hawk and a wolf combined. He continued until the guards lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes, and even the owl perched on a branch cowered like a sickly chicken. Only then did he clear his throat lightly and state, "Some of you have my blood on your blades!"

At his words, some of the guards' expressions became uneasy.

Was this the beginning of the reckoning?

Fortunately, Fushan Yue promptly continued: "However, I too have killed many, and the instigator of these events was my second brother, Fushan Ji, who has now met his end. Ultimately, this is a family matter, and it has nothing to do with you. Let this whole sordid affair be wiped clean from this moment forth, and let no one ever speak of it again. Agreed?"

Since he had spoken thus, the guards all readily agreed, their expressions visibly relaxing.

The awkward atmosphere also began to dissipate.

He Lingchuan watched from the opposite side and could discern that Fushan Yue must have had a strong reputation in the past. Otherwise, how would the Chiyan guards have taken his casual declaration of 'wiping the slate clean' so seriously?

"'Alright, go about your business, and do not disturb the caravan across from us. Dismissed!'"

The guards dispersed, and Fushan Yue walked toward the caravan.

As the two sides faced each other, the illusion of Qianxing City slowly faded, disappearing as abruptly as it had appeared.

Upon his return, He Lingchuan succinctly explained the course of events to everyone. Second Boss Shi was greatly alarmed to hear that the Chiyan people had killed his subordinates, but he finally breathed a long sigh of relief when he learned that Fushan Yue had reclaimed authority and could control Fushan Ji's men.

This particular business trip had been anything but peaceful.

Seeing Fushan Yue approach, Second Boss Shi felt a complex mix of emotions and couldn't help but sigh, "Young Master Fushan, you've certainly presented me with a formidable challenge!"

Four or five people in the caravan had died, all at the hands of the Chiyan people. Yet, in the blink of an eye, Fushan Yue had become the leader of those very Chiyan people. How, then, was this account to be settled?

The caravan members' gazes towards Fushan Yue were also filled with anger.

Fushan Yue knew this issue was unavoidable, so he said solemnly, "They are my subordinates now, and their mistakes are my mistakes. What do you wish to do?"

Several caravan members cried out, "A life for a life!"

"Exactly, our brothers cannot have died in vain!"

"'A life for a life is not an option. Furthermore, let me remind you that this group will soon be entering Chiyan territory,' Fushan Yue said, gesturing to himself with his thumb. 'I offer you two proposals. First, we select individuals from both sides to duel. You may seek revenge, an eye for an eye. Just as these men behind me killed your people, you may kill them back, but you must do so yourselves. Second, I am willing to generously compensate the caravan for its fallen members, and everyone present will receive fifty taels of silver as a token of reassurance. You may choose between these two options.'"

As soon as he finished speaking, many in the caravan immediately turned their gaze to He Lingchuan.

If Young Master He were to fight, he would surely eliminate many of the opposing men. It might even be possible to achieve both outcomes: "I'll have my revenge, and I'll take the money."

However, Young Master He was not a member of the caravan; he was a patron, a guest.

Who would ask a guest to put their life on the line?

So, they could only fantasize internally before making a pragmatic adult choice.

After discussing with the caravan for a while, Second Boss Shi returned to Fushan Yue and asked, "If we choose the second option, how much compensation will our wrongfully killed brothers receive?"

Fushan Yue named a figure.

A figure that would easily sway even the families of the deceased, were they present.

Second Boss Shi remained silent for a moment, then asked, "And what about the compensation for the others, the... reassurance fee?"

Ah, so this was the real crux. Fushan Yue understood. "Eighty taels per person," he stated.

Second Boss Shi's face was solemn. "Such incidents must not happen again in the future," he said.

"'Naturally!' Fushan Yue, relieved that the matter was settled, also let out a breath. As the crown prince, issues that could be resolved with money were hardly problems at all. 'These sums are noted; I will arrange payment once I return to Chiyan. Furthermore, Second Boss Shi, you are a shrewd individual, and precisely the kind of partner the Chiyan Kingdom values.'"

Second Boss Shi's lips curved into a smile, but realizing it was an inopportune moment for laughter, he instead offered a light cough. "I look forward to our cooperation, truly," he said.

He then found men to retrieve the bodies of the wrongfully killed caravan members.

He understood that Fushan Yue's willingness to compensate was, at its core, a gesture made out of consideration for He Lingchuan.

He Lingchuan also saw clearly that Fushan Yue's use of money to convey condolences and sincerity was only one reason for how the situation was ultimately resolved.

The dead are long gone, and the living are not necessarily willing to risk their lives for them again.

Everyone had families to consider and their own calculations to make. And most importantly, Fushan Yue was very likely to be the future King. Why would merchants want to make an enemy of the crown prince?

He looked at Fushan Yue; the man's apparent recklessness was likely a protective façade, masking a keen understanding of human nature.

"'Hey, come take a look at Taozi,' he called to Fushan Yue."

Taozi was currently unconscious.

In fact, he had just used the eyeball spider's vision and witnessed the entire process of Fushan Yue beheading his own brother.

Fushan Yue had stealthily returned and attacked the four remaining guards, who naturally retaliated. Despite instantly killing one, Young Master Fushan, hindered by an unusable arm, was still at a numerical disadvantage.

At that moment, a sweating Taozi scrambled up, pointing at the four guards and screaming, "Bite them!"

With adults fighting, no one paid much attention to a child's scream, at most dismissing it as delirium from a high fever.

Little did they know, a dozen or so small snakes quickly emerged from nearby rock crevices and bit at the heels of the Chiyan men.

Indeed, two men were inadvertently bitten and instinctively shook their legs. Another, while flicking a snake away, was simultaneously struck in the chest by Fushan Yue's punch, sent flying backward and spitting blood.

After that, Fushan Yue easily dispatched the remaining two, a process that requires no further elaboration.

By the time he entered the carriage to behead his second brother, the other Chiyan people had rushed back, but the tide had already turned.

Taozi had contributed by distracting the enemy, but she herself had collapsed and remained unconscious ever since.

Fushan Yue felt her pulse, circulating his energy through her body to examine her. "She absorbed too much malevolent energy," he said. "She didn't know how to resist it, and just now she released it all at once. Her bodily functions are now somewhat chaotic."