Under the sky

Chapter 331 Going the opposite way

Kunlun August Autumn 92

The long-overdue heavy rain made Tucker happy, but also plunged him into an abyss.

"My name is Erskine, Captain of the Fifth Guards. On orders from Gulthas, I asked Arion to come back to the palace with us." The tall, muscular brown-haired man bowed and said, his face full of respect, but he The Holy Mountain Guards behind him were full of murderous intent, and their number was far greater than the men Wang Qile brought.

The Holy Mountain Guards and the refugees swore to be incompatible, and the refugee team brought by Wang Qile formed a circular formation to be on guard.

Tucker knew that these people were sent by Gulthas, otherwise who else could they be?He didn't reply.If Gulthas wanted to kill him, it wouldn't make much difference whether he died in the Arien Palace or the Priest House, or even here. What he got in exchange for obedience was dignity and a chance of survival. He was thinking about things earlier.

If he and Gao Leqi didn't care about anything at that time, escaped from Batu and became refugees like Wang Qile, there would be nothing wrong with it. At least they would have something real in their hands.But Gao Leqi would definitely laugh at his naivety.

Gao Leqi thought that Yang Yan had fallen into the hands of Gulthas, and their only bargaining chip was gone.Gulthas will never kill Yang Yan, but he may not "teach" Yang Yan a lesson, and his and Tucker's fate will most likely serve as a lesson to Yang Yan.

He suddenly wanted a mirror.After running away with Tucker for a day and standing in the rain all night, I must be looking very embarrassed at the moment.Thinking that this was the last look he would have, he was unwilling to accept it, but he could only move his hair with his hands to make himself look as good as possible.

Tucker didn't want to show fear in front of the people, at least the captain still called himself "Arion".He said: "The people are waiting for food. I will return to the palace after the food is distributed."

"It's late at night, and Gulthas is worried about Arion's safety." Erskine's tone was strong and he could not refuse.

The rain suddenly became heavier, adding a deeper haze to the already gloomy night.Gao Leqi gave Tucker a look and signaled Tucker to obey. It was obvious that the priesthood had controlled Nabu Batu, Tucker had lost, and resistance was useless.

Maybe the night was too dark, or the heavy rain obscured his vision, but Tucker didn't react immediately.He looked towards the direction of Arien Palace, which was too far away and hidden in the night. He only saw a long queue on the road leading to Arien Palace.

The line is so long, so long, with no end in sight.Not everyone has an umbrella, and not everyone has thick clothes. The rain soaked their clothes, and people were shivering while gratefully receiving the wet food.

Erskine raised his right hand and motioned for Tucker to follow him. "Is Arion going to leave?" A man waiting in the front row to receive food noticed that Erskine and Tucker were behaving strangely and shouted in panic, "Arien is gone, what will happen to our food?"

"I'm not leaving!" Tucker shouted loudly and waved to the people.Erskine frowned and grabbed Tucker's wrist: "Please ask Arion to return to the palace!"

His hands were very strong, as if he could dislocate Tucker's wrist with just one twist. "I will stay here!" Tucker shouted in pain, "I will stay here until the food is distributed and I will not go anywhere!"

The crowd cheered, Erskine's expression changed, and he held Tucker tighter.Tucker gritted his teeth and whispered: "Kill me if you dare, chop off my head in front of the people, and let my blood flow mixed with the rain!"

"If you don't dare, just stand still and watch me wipe the butts of you bunch of priests!"

Even Gollach was shocked by Tucker's tough tone, and he saw Erskine's hesitation.Erskine let go of Tucker, pointed at the refugees and ordered to the Holy Mountain Guard: "Escort Arion's 'friends' back to the palace!"

Gao Leqi was surprised.No matter how stupid Tucker was, he could still figure out what this meant. The Holy Mountain Guards wanted to capture Wang Qile and his men together.The refugees showed panic on their faces. They were at the bottom and would only be trampled or even killed if they fell into the hands of the nobles or priests.Tucker said anxiously: "They are not my friends. You can't arrest them before they enter Nabu Batu!"

"If these refugees are not friends of Arien, they will not be allowed to stay." Erskine drew out his saber, and the Holy Mountain Guards followed suit. "The refugees are not protected by the Sa god!"

"Shit! It's your turn to decide who God Sa wants to protect?" Wang Qile not only did not panic, but laughed, "The Holy Mountain Guard wants to invite us to Arien Palace? But the refugees don't bother to set foot on the territory of the nobles!"

He pulled out his sword, raised it high to the sky, and said loudly to his men: "Today we will just think that we have gone the wrong way, and fighting out is the only chance to survive!" This heroic spirit was inspiring, and the refugees put away their panic and raised their swords. Knives and spears ready for battle.

"Stop!" Tucker stood in front of Wang Qile.Gao Leqi sighed, turned around and shouted to the people: "Arian is tired and needs to go back to the palace to rest! Food will continue to be distributed to ensure that everyone can receive food!"

"Gao Leqi!" Tucker roared, then became frustrated, pointed at Wang Qile and said to Erskine: "Let them go!"

"You are very smart, but you are in the wrong place." Erskine looked at Gao Leqi.

Gao Leqi was noncommittal: "You don't need to comment."

"This group of refugees can't leave yet." Erskine shook his head, "We'll just wait for Gulthas' instructions."

Tucker was furious: "You!"

Just as he was about to curse, a burst of rapid hoofbeats approached, and someone shouted: "The Son of God has an order!" Tucker was greatly surprised. Could it be that the Son of God had found a way to restrain Gulthas?Although Gao Leqi was not as optimistic as Tucker, he was still surprised. Wang Qile raised his eyebrows slightly.

The little priest got off the horse and announced on the spot: "The Son of God has an order! Wang Qile was entrusted by him to lead his men to deliver food to Batu. The priest's courtyard has prepared hot food and tents for hospitality. If they want to leave, no one can be left behind!"

Wang Qile sneered, put away the knife, and shouted to his subordinates: "Let's go!" Without saying a word, he led the refugees away in the rain.

Tucker almost jumped for joy, he felt that he was safe.Gao Leqi appeared in front of Xiaoji at some unknown time and asked, "Did the Son of God leave a message for Arien?"

Xiaoji shook his head: "No. Arien can return to the palace at any time, or he can stay."

■

A dozen oil lamps illuminated the room brightly. Tucker paced back and forth, the glass full of wine shaking in his hand.After drinking it all, he poured another glass and continued to shake it.

He could still vaguely smell the burnt smell of the fire in the square in front of Arien Palace.

"Why hasn't the Son of God come back yet?" Taco asked Gao Leqi, "Where is Wang Hong? Where has Wang Hong gone?"

Gao Leqi half-reclined on the recliner, looking at the ceiling and the carvings on the corners of the room. He had only been away for a day, but he felt like he was revisiting his old place.The painting is made up of different patterns intertwined into ovals of various sizes. Each group of patterns is separated by a chain-like ring, plus several straight lines and arcs of different colors. There is no fixed shape, but there is no fixed shape. Showing confusion.At the corner of the house is a square made up of eight equal rhombuses, twelve triangles and four small hourglass-like images.

"Arion, have you counted the total number of patterns on the ceiling?"

"Patterns?" Tucker raised his head and counted them casually, then cursed, "I didn't know, I didn't count them!"

"I just counted, there are eight kinds." Gao Leqi looked at Tucker, "It's really not simple, eight kinds of patterns were used."

"So what?"

"You sleep here every night and you can see it when you look up, but you never thought about counting?"

"Who is so boring!" Tucker sat down on the chair and stood up impatiently, "I'm asking you a question!"

"Look carefully, there are a lot of things we look at every day but don't see carefully." Gao Leqi pointed to the corner of the room and asked Tucker, "Do you remember the shape of the leaves on that vase? Did you find something at the foot of your bed? Carved?"

"Gao Leqi!" Tucker was impatient, "These things are not important!"

Gao Leqi raised his head, thought for a while, and sighed: "Maybe it's not important, but we always ignore the details that are taken for granted when we are in front of us."

"I don't understand what you are talking about. I'm going to sleep!" Tucker was very irritable. After a day of running around and being frightened, he wanted to rest. "If the Son of God doesn't come back, I'm going to sleep!"

That's what he said, but Yang Yan didn't come back. Tucker was still worried: "If the Son of God comes back, wake me up!"

Gao Leqi nodded, he was also very tired.He blew out the oil lamps one by one, leaving only the one closest to the door.Tucker took off his coat and lay on the bed, and saw Gao Leqi standing next to the oil lamp, and the light cast a long shadow on the door.

"Tucker, what are your wishes?" Gao Leqi asked.

"Take back the power that belongs to Arien!" Tucker leaned back on the pillow, "What about you? Revise the history book to vindicate General Yu?"

Why are you so tired?Tucker became delirious as soon as it touched the pillow.The last light went out, followed by the sound of a door closing.

What did Gao Leqi just say?He didn't hear clearly.

He slept until noon and woke up very hungry. Just as Tucker was about to pass the meal, the guard knocked on the door and shouted: "Report to Arien! News came from the Priest's House, asking Arien to go to the temple to pay homage to the Son of God. The Guards Priest Army Waiting outside the palace gate!"

Tucker was startled and jumped up from the bed.Gao Leqi came quickly and thoughtfully brought a piece of butter cake, which Tucker mixed with wine and wolfed it down.

"Why did the Son of God let us go to the Priest's Court?" Tucker asked as he wiped the crumbs from his mouth.

"I don't know." Gao Leqi shook his head, "We won't know until we go there."

The entire Naibuba was almost controlled by the guard army. The palace guards were under strict supervision. Erskine led the team to guard outside the palace gate. "Please ask Arion to take his carriage to visit the Son of God." Erskine's attitude was very humble, completely different from his toughness last night. "This is the dignity and courtesy that Arion should have." Tucker's carriage has been dismantled long ago. In order to serve as the Son of God's sedan chair, he took Gao Leqi's carriage.He was very uneasy. Was he safe or in danger?He asked Gao Leqi several times, but Gao Leqi either remained silent or said he would know as soon as he went there.

He and Gao Leqi were introduced into the church. The huge statue of the Sacred God stood in the center of the church. The flaming eyes looking down at the world were not sure whether they had been tempered by the years, and it was no longer possible to determine where the sight was falling.In the past, believers loved to compete for position when worshiping, but now every believer is convinced that their location is watched by the Sa God.

There was a row of people standing in front of the high platform, including Nadia, the chief priest Mengde, the chief priest Kong Xiao, and the chief priest Potu.Tucker saw the three people on the altar at a glance. The person among them was wearing a white priest's robe embroidered with sunray patterns with golden silk thread. He was wearing a hood. The tall collar covered his chin, making his red eyes stand out. .

It's Yang Yan, standing in the middle of the altar is Yang Yan!

Tucker didn't understand what was happening now, and felt dizzy in his head.

Gulthas stood behind Yang Yan on the left, and a man Tucker didn't know stood on the right side of Yang Yan, one position behind Gulthas.

This man was wearing a sky blue robe and gray trousers, and was tall. Tucker estimated that he was only slightly shorter than Wang Qile. He had broader shoulders and a stronger figure than anyone else in the palace guard.His thighs are very thick, his trouser legs are bulging, and he has a pair of palms big enough to grab a watermelon with one hand. He has a rough appearance, deep outlines, dull skin, and his hair is flat and no more than an inch thick, and his beard is white and black. The young man looks to be about forty or fifty years old, with obvious wrinkles on his forehead, as if he has experienced many vicissitudes of life, and his eyes are as bright as tiger eyes, but very gentle.When you see this person, you don't feel that he threatens you, but you know that you must not make him feel threatened.

Tucker came to the altar and looked up at Yang Yan, with mixed emotions for a moment.He couldn't see Yang Yan's face clearly, but he felt that his red eyes were getting even redder.

Potu gently reminded Tucker: "Arion, you forgot to salute the Son of God."

salute?Tucker was stunned for a moment, but it was Gao Leqi who resolved his hesitation: "Chief Consul Gao Leqi met the Son of God, and may God Sa's will reach the Son of God and the light."

Yang Yan looked at Tucker. Not only Yang Yan, Tucker felt that everyone was looking at him.Gao Leqi tugged at the corner of Tucker's clothes, Tucker lowered his head and touched his heart with his left hand: "Tark Arien meets the Son of God."

Yang Yan said slowly: "The food shortage in Nabu Batu this time was caused by Hilidege and the princes. Hilidege has already surrendered to the law, and the sacrificial guard army has put Prince Hu Gen in prison and will be executed on a certain day. "

Hillidegg is dead?Tucker frowned.He didn't care about Prince Hugen at all. Prince Hugen deserved to die as well. If he hadn't sided with Hilidegg, the intentions of the princes would not have been one-sided, causing him to be forced into a desperate situation.

He just hasn't figured out what's going on yet.

"As for the other princes involved in this matter, that is something I will discuss with Arien."

Tucker was confused. He thought it would be Gulthas standing on the altar and talking about how to deal with the aftermath of this turmoil, including the trial of him and Gao Leqi. Even if Yang Yan would be present, he should just stand like a puppet. , said with great reluctance: "Everything will be carried out according to Gulthas' wishes."

But Yang Yan on the altar was obviously not like this. He seemed to be speaking according to his own wishes. No one forced him. Gulthas just watched kindly and let him deal with these things.

Yang Yan seemed to sense Tucker's doubts and said to everyone: "Nadia stays, and the others should leave first. I have something to say to Arien and his consul."

"I will follow your will, Yang Yanha Jin." Gulthas responded respectfully and led everyone away. The strong man behind Yang Yan did not move.

Tucker has never seen Gulthas so surrendered. This is so unimaginable that it has never even appeared in his dreams.

"Dion, please step back as well." Yang Yan ordered.The guard named Dion put his left hand to his heart, saluted, and retired respectfully.

After everyone left, only Tucker, Gao Leqi, Yang Yan and Wang Hong were left in the temple. Yang Yan jumped off the altar, and suddenly it was the Yang Yan that Tucker was familiar with again.Tucker couldn't wait to ask: "Yang Yanha Jin, what on earth is going on?"

There was silence.

"I joined the Priesthood." After a while, Yang Yan replied, "Only in this way can everyone survive."

"Did Gulthas force you to do so?"

Yang Yan shook his head: "It is my own wish. I will not deal with Gulthas with you anymore, nor will I let him hurt you."

Tucker was startled, and his voice could not help but rise: "Did you betray us?" He thought about many possibilities, but he never thought that Yang Yan would betray him.He felt his blood boiling, his head was buzzing, and his face turned red.

"Only in the Priest's House can I become a true 'Son of God Sa'." After Yang Yan finished speaking, he received a hot punch on the face.

"You betrayed us! You said you wouldn't betray us!" Tucker couldn't suppress his anger and grabbed Yang Yan by the collar. "You betrayed my trust, you traitor!" He punched Yang hard. Yan's face was slapped, causing Yang Yan to stumble.

"Stop fighting!" Wang Hong tried to dissuade her.Just as Gao Leqi grabbed Tucker's arm, there was a "bang" sound, and Tucker was punched in the front. Tears and nosebleeds immediately flowed from his eyes.

"Why don't you blame yourself for being useless? You can't even fight Hillidegg?!" Yang Yan returned a punch, and Wang Hong hurriedly stopped him.

"What did you tell me at the hunting ground? You said you would help me fight against Gulthas! I took you out of the sheep dung pile, gave you power, gave you glory, and even dismantled my carriage and gave it to you !" Tucker's hands were held by Gao Leqi, and his feet kept kicking forward, "I also stopped Gao Leqi from burning your mistress!"

"Pah!" Wang Hong slapped Tucker and cursed: "Who is his mistress!"

There was no one to stop Yang Yan, so he immediately hugged Tucker and threw him to the ground. Gao Leqi was also pushed down and had to let go. Tucker and Yang Yan struggled together.

"Stop fighting!" Gao Leqi tried his best to separate the two and shouted to Wang Hong, "Come help!" Wang Hong snorted and stepped forward to pull Yang Yan away. Yang Yan and Tucker were punching and kicking each other in the air.

Tucker was in pain all over and stared at Yang Yan fiercely.It's so unfair. When he hits Yang Yan, Yang Yan is not afraid of pain at all, but when Yang Yan hits him, he will feel pain.Damn it!He sat on the ground and couldn't help panting. He felt so wronged that he wanted to cry, his eyes were red, and he cursed: "I treat you as a brother, but you betrayed me!"

"I didn't betray you, it was your brothers who betrayed you, it was the princes who betrayed you!" Yang Yan's white robe was stained with blood and dust. He wiped the red and swollen corners of his mouth and asked, "What are you going to do with your brothers?"

"What do you mean?" Tucker asked.

"They are Hillidegg's accomplices. They single-handedly controlled this famine. They have to pay the price!" Yang Yan said loudly, "Who killed the people who starved to death?!"

Tucker blushed and cursed: "It's all Hillidger's fault!"

"Are the princes right?" Yang Yan yelled back, "Have you forgotten that it was they who betrayed you that brought you to this point? It was they who harmed you!"

"I will give them the punishment they deserve!" Tucker knew very well that although those bastard brothers deserved to die, the royal power needed their support to be stable.

"What punishment?" Yang Yan looked at Gao Leqi.

Gao Leqi hesitated for a while: "We will investigate the princes who participated. Those with serious crimes will be jailed or executed. Others will have their monopoly rights withdrawn and redistributed to the princes who did not participate."

Yang Yan asked: "How many princes will you kill?"

"We will find those who have committed the most serious crimes." Gao Leqi bowed respectfully, "We will kill the chickens to scare the monkeys. As long as the priesthood..." He hesitated for a while, but said, "As long as no one instigates it, there will be no This happens again.”

"That's it?" Yang Yan took a breath, "Hand over three or five princes to kill Li Wei, and then the matter is over? Innocent people were involved in this struggle for nothing, and they starved for several months in vain?"

"Son of God, you know our predicament. Those are Tucker's brothers." Gao Leqi said, "God Sa, for the sake of our former allies, don't make Tucker too embarrassed."

Yang Yan looked disappointed.Power will not betray its owner, he recalled what Gulthas had said.Tucker will not deal with these princes, because without these princes, the royal power will be weak, and this is why the princes are confident.

"This is not enough!" Yang Yan said, "They must know clearly that there is a price to pay for doing such a thing!"

"How does the Son of God plan to deal with it?" Gao Leqi respectfully pleaded, "I hope the Son of God can be as tolerant as possible."

Yang Yan tore off a piece of white cloth one foot square from his sleeve and threw it on the ground.Does this mean circumcision?Gao Leqi was puzzled, not even Wang Hong, and Tucker was certainly puzzled. The three of them looked at Yang Yan.

"Write all the names on this piece of cloth and give it to the Priesthood." Yang Yan said.

Gao Leqi picked up the white cloth. How many names could be written on such a small piece?He looked up and asked, "Will everyone who writes on this die?"

"No." Yang Yan replied, "All princes whose names are not written on this white cloth must be executed."

"What?!" Tucker yelled.

"Princes whose names are not listed above must be executed." Yang Yan repeated, gritting his teeth, "I let you decide who can live. This is my tolerance."

(End of this chapter)