I am the villain in the book

Dazed, Xu Qingwan called Wei Changtian from the bed. Dazed, he changed clothes and washed up with Qiu Yun's help. Dazed, he ate breakfast. Dazed, he climbed into the carriage.

Glancing at Yang Liushi beside him with a puzzled expression, Wei Changtian simply muttered, "I'll catch up on some sleep," and then fell asleep again, using the former's lap as a pillow.

When he opened his eyes again, the sun outside the carriage window had already risen to its zenith.

"Ha..."

He got up, stretched, and casually asked Yang Liushi, "Where are we? Have we left the city yet?"

"Giggle, Young Master, we've been out of the city for over three hundred li."

Yang Liushi covered her mouth and laughed, "What did you do last night? Why are you so tired?"

"Didn't do anything."

Wei Changtian touched his nose, "Just chatted with Wan'er for a bit too long."

"Is that so?"

Yang Liushi saw through him but didn't expose him, her eyes curving into crescents, "When we left this morning, Miss Lu was still eagerly waiting to say a few words to you."

"But that's also a sign of Miss Lu's concern."

Yang Liushi knew about Lu Jingyao's previous affair with Xiao Feng, so she didn't continue the topic, but softly asked:

"Young Master, did you eat enough this morning?"

"It will still take some time to reach the town ahead for lunch. Mother has prepared some osmanthus cake. If you're hungry, have some to tide you over."

"I'm not hungry."

Wei Changtian shook his head and reached out to lift the carriage curtain to look outside.

Zhang San was driving the carriage, and there were two black carriages in front and behind his own.

The carriage behind was tied with a pile of large boxes, presumably their luggage.

The carriage in front must be where Wei Xianzhi and Qin Caizhen were.

A gust of wind swept in, raising dust and sand, stirring up waves of yellow sand in the strong midday sun.

He thought this farewell would take a lot of effort, but he actually slept through it.

But this was also good.

At least he didn't have to listen to Wei Qiaoling's crying.

"Liushi."

Looking at the scenery outside the window, Wei Changtian suddenly asked, "How long do you think it will be before we can come back this time?"

"Hmm..."

The smile on Yang Liushi's face gradually faded, "At least a year, I suppose."

"A year..."

Wei Changtian seemed a little sentimental, "If Wan'er were to become pregnant last night, wouldn't I be a father directly when I return in a year?"

"Ah?"

Yang Liushi was stunned, and then reacted, "Giggle, no wonder the Young Master is so tired."

"So you spent the whole night doing that with Miss Xu!"

"Cough, let me state that I was forced."

Wei Changtian coughed and pulled his head back from the window, "But a year isn't really that long or that short."

"I don't know what Shu Prefecture will be like in a year, or what the situations of Da Shu and Da Ning will be."

"..."

"Young Master, this servant believes in you."

Looking at Wei Changtian, who seemed a little worried, Yang Liushi's expression became serious, "And even more so, I believe in the words you said in Weiyang Palace that night."

"Anyone in the world who dares to offend me will be killed?"

Wei Changtian gave a wry smile, "Those were just words to boost morale, why take them seriously?"

"But this servant doesn't think that Young Master was just saying them for others to hear."

Her skirt falling to her feet, Yang Liushi placed her hands properly on her knees, her tone very serious, "Young Master, that's actually what you think, right?"

"..."

This time, Wei Changtian didn't answer immediately.

Because this involved a very crucial question.

If the situation were to become unfavorable in the future, and not only Da Ning and Xin Feng, but even Da Shu could not be defended, what would he do?

Would he really stick to his principles and persevere to the end, even if it meant "nine deaths without regret"?

Or would he run away with his family?

If he really wanted to escape, Wei Changtian was confident that he could escape successfully.

However...

The winter wind is cold, the grass is short, the midday sun scorches, the sand is hot.

"Let's do our best."

"If we really can't win, then we'll talk."

In the end, Wei Changtian still didn't give a direct answer.

And Yang Liushi didn't ask any further, just softly comforted him:

"Young Master, man proposes, Heaven disposes."

"We just need to have a clear conscience."

"A clear conscience..."

Wei Changtian was stunned, and then smiled after a moment.

"Having a clear conscience is always easier said than done."

Five days later, the ninth day of the first month.

Five days had passed since leaving Shu Prefecture, and they had been traveling all the time, so there wasn't much to say.

The group's speed was very fast, basically conforming to the "get out of the carriage to eat, get into the carriage to sleep" "old people's tour group travel mode."

During this process, Wei Changtian discussed some things with Wei Xianzhi, and spent the rest of the time practicing the Falling Sky Sword in the dream world.

As of now, he has mastered thirty-three of the thirty-six moves of the White Hall's ultimate skill, the Falling Sky Sword. It is estimated that he will be able to master the last two moves in another month or two.

And after that, he can try to practice the thirty-sixth move, which is rated by the system as "Pseudo-Immortal".

I wonder how awesome this "Pseudo-Immortal" level swordsmanship is.

Although it is impossible to be as perverted as the Moon Picking Sword, it should be much stronger than the Returning Dust Saber.

In fact, with Wei Changtian's current mastery of the Falling Sky Sword, its power is already no weaker than the Returning Dust Saber once it is used.

In addition, he also has a "divine sword" like the Profound Heaven Sword.

Should I switch to using a sword in the future?

It feels like it's a bit more pretentious than a saber.

"Young Master!"

Just as Wei Changtian was struggling with whether to abandon the saber and use a sword, Zhang San's voice suddenly rang from in front of the carriage curtain.

"We have already entered Tanzhou territory!"

"Huh?"

Wei Changtian was stunned, not knowing why Zhang San suddenly said this, "What's wrong with Tanzhou?"

"That... we'll be at Zhongling County in half a day."

Zhang San explained, "Should we rest in the county town for a night?"

"Zhongling County?"

Wei Changtian repeated in his mouth, and a thin magistrate with patches all over his official uniform, and a ghost-faced spider that had turned into a beautiful woman suddenly came to mind.

No wonder Zhang San would ask, so this is a return to the old place.

When he was being "exiled" to Shu Prefecture, Wei Changtian happened to pass by Zhongling County.

At that time, bandits were rampant in Zhongling, so Wei Changtian and Liang Zhen helped the local magistrate put on a show, thereby "raising" the military pay needed to suppress the bandits.

And after that, Wei Changtian never cared about the situation in Zhongling County.

I don't know if the banditry has been quelled, whether that honest and incorruptible, but somewhat rigid, thin magistrate is still there.

"Tell my father, if the time is right, let's rest in Zhongling County tonight."

After thinking for a moment, Wei Changtian smiled and said, "But there's no need to notify the county government, we'll just stay for one night and leave."

"Yes, Young Master!"

Zhang San replied, his tone sounding a little excited.

In his opinion, Wei Changtian had rarely done such a good thing, and now he would definitely be happy to see Zhongling return to prosperity.

So he was also happy.

Including Yang Liushi, she was in a similar mood at this time.

They had both been to Zhongling with Wei Changtian and witnessed Wei Changtian helping the magistrate come up with ideas and raise money to suppress the bandits.

Now, after two years, passing by here again, the three of them felt that even if Zhongling County was not particularly prosperous, it should at least be much stronger than it was two years ago.

However...

The three carriages traveled quickly all the way, entering Zhongling County after two hours, and soon passed through the first village.

It was dusk at this time, but the expected scene of smoke rising from chimneys and the sounds of chickens and dogs did not appear.

There wasn't even the sound of closing windows and doors after hearing the sound of the carriage.

The entire village was silent, cobwebs crawling all over the dilapidated courtyard doors, and the fallen leaves on the ground were several inches thick, obviously having been abandoned for some time.

At first, Wei Changtian only thought this was a special case.

But as they got closer and closer to Zhongling County, and encountered more and more villages along the way, they realized that every village was like this, and had long become dead villages.

Fortunately, the city walls of the county town in the distance were still lit with fire.

However, looking at the swaying light spots in the night, a trace of unease rose in Wei Changtian's heart.