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Whether or not all living things are suffering is something I don’t know, but I do know that when Moon returned, she caught a cold due to getting wet in the rain.

It took a full two days in bed before he recovered and this period of time was all thanks to Aleya’s care.

During this period of time, Bai Huang assumed the position of patrol chief as usual and maintained public security within the city. She also successfully uncovered two cases of incitement and caught 7 lawbreakers.

I took Felita along with me to the blacksmith shop and dumped all the uncommon materials Aleya and I had harvested from Demons onto a table. It included the shining horn, Red-Mane Bear’s mane, and several precious materials from the Level 5 Demons that Aleya cut down. The reason why I brought Felita with me this time was to let her and the blacksmith shop’s boss discuss the way of making the most convenient magic staff for her.

As for me, after a long day of sleep, I very energetically gathered the people to give out a speech.

The substance of this speech was quite simple and was nothing else but informing everyone. My dad drove me out of the family for nothing other than me being an unwanted child. After being subject to such treatment, I hurried to West-Resisting City and became haggard like a stray dog. While it was true that I didn’t attract my family’s attention, it also represented the position West-Resisting City had in my dad’s heart.

“I know some of you within the crowd harbor resentment towards me because of this matter. You must feel that I’m the one who brought you with me and broke away from Yunyang to walk on a completely unknown road.”

“I’ve also heard many opinions saying that I’ve implicated West-Resisting City and destroyed your stable life.”

“But all people have a scale in their hearts. Think about how West-Resisting City was like before I came and how it is now, I think all of you can see the difference. Reduced servitude and lower taxes, focusing on agriculture and commerce, promoting the useful and getting rid of the harmful. I’ve basically done all that is there to be done. Just take a look at your current living standards, they’re still steadily rising. So far, there are many of you who have already gotten rid of your thatched huts and built new houses.”

“This momentum will continue. So long as I am the City Lord of West-Resisting City, West-Resisting City will never decline. I don’t demand you to do much for me, I don’t demand you to go all out to attack the enemy, I don’t demand you to sacrifice your life. There’s only one thing you need to pay attention to and that is to perform your duty and do your job well. The soldiers in the front line are always ready for action and I hope that you don’t hold them back. Let me repeat it again, as long as there is no special situation, you must stick to doing your job even if the sky falls!”

After a few succinct words, I once again returned to my room to sleep.

In any case, the things I’ll have to face will come to my doorstep sooner or later, so I might as well stabilize my mentality and prepare myself to take on the coming storm.

By the time Moon dragged his still-ill-but-able-to-work body to work, Yunyang’s emissary finally arrived outside the city.

I ascended onto the city wall and when I looked downwards, I discovered that the emissary leading the team looked somewhat familiar. After a little bit of pondering, I recalled that this person seemed to be one of Yunyang’s butlers with relatively old qualifications and that his name was Pulun. He stood very properly in front of the team and was my elder brother’s lackey from a very long time ago. Whenever my brother would find trouble with me, the butler would be the one fanning the flames most of the time.

It made me unable to help but feel that it was quite laughable.

It appears that my elder brother is unwilling to abandon this opportunity to humiliate me, but didn’t dare to come in person as the emissary to West-Resisting City. He simply sent his number one boot-licking dog to convey his leadership instructions. This selfish calculation of his was pretty good and didn’t go to reveal it. Instead, I leaned on the city wall and stretched out a hand to greet him:

“Yo, Uncle Pu, we’re honored by your presence, your presence brings brilliance to my small town. I wonder why you’ve come here this time?”

Pulun’s figure was slim and he had a crew cut, a triangular goatee, was hunchbacked, and green light shined out his beady soybean-sized eyes. As his eyes darted back and forth, he hung a kindly expression on his face as he replied:

“Isn’t this the young master who I haven’t seen in a long while? Master has some instructions to convey and has sent this old man to relay his words and bring some presents to the young master.”

As he spoke, he pointed at the several black boxes behind him.

Judging from how several people were required to carry each box, it could be seen that the contents within each chest wasn’t light. But it was definitely hard to say whether these things were valuable or not. With how he didn’t take the initiative to clearly state his purpose in coming, instead opting to speak in a roundabout way about nonsense, I reckon that he’s afraid that I won’t open the city gates and shamelessly waste time.

Even though I knew this was nothing more than an excuse, I didn’t expose him. I shouted at the distance:

“Open the city gates.”

The heavy gates that had been reinforced twice slowly opened.

Pulun strolled in an exasperatingly slow manner into the city. I got down from the city wall and brought Aleya, Felita, and Moon with me to welcome this official. I didn’t have the right to manage Bai Huang, but she seemed to have found her conscience today and straightened her chest as she followed behind me. From this position alone, it could be seen that she intended to support me.

I felt a little more grateful to her in my heart.

After Pulun saw me, he first greeted me with a smile, but after the city gates closed, he abruptly changed expressions and shouted sternly:

“Li De! Heaven is always looking at whatever people do; you’ve caused such a calamity yet how come you still haven’t started begging for forgiveness upon seeing this official?”

I nearly laughed out loud, but I hurriedly pulled a long face and said with deadpan solemnity:

“Sir Pu, Li De was just about to speak.”

Pulun placed both his hands behind him and spoke with the attitude of an inspecting grandpa as he snorted:

“Oh?”

I angrily added:

“I was just about to speak, sir Pu, that you have such great official power, huh. You aren’t even considered my dad’s running dog, you’re just the dog my elder brother’s raising. In terms of seniority, you’re even lower than me, so what are you doing there barking. If you have something to say, then just say it, otherwise get the hell out.”

Pulun roared:

“Impudent! If you were still Yunyang’s fourth son, I wouldn’t bother bickering with you. But now, I’m the messenger official representing Yunyang’s stance towards West-Resisting City and you’re about to be driven out of Yunyang. Stray dog, are you even worthy of speaking to me like this?”

I didn’t respond, only gazing at him coldly.

Pulun took a deep breath, then said:

“Present the report!”

Naturally, a lackey within the group of henchmen wore a smile as he emerged from the crowd to place a conferment scroll into Pulun’s hands.

Pulun raised the scroll above his head before looking at me in contempt and asked:

“Do you know what this is?”

What is it? Isn’t this just my dad’s handwritten letter?

Without waiting for my reply, he clicked his tongue and looked at the people behind me before casting his gaze on the much-less-flourishing-than-Lingyun-City West-Resisting City. His two legs started moving and already started heading towards the center of the city. The people on both sides of the road on the way to the center of the city gave way and they sized up this messenger official from Yunyang. I shook my head and followed them up.

Pulun laughed heartily as he said:

“Hey, you, as well as you. You all better listen well! Because that stupid pig-like City lord of yours has commited a crime, the Overlord of Yunyang already no longer wants him! And that includes you all! All of you have been abandoned by Yunyang! From now on, Yunyang’s Territory no longer includes this city known as West-Resisting City, you have all forever lost the identity of being Yunyang’s commoners. If you want to blame it on someone, then blame it on your incompetent City Lord!”

He shook his embroidered gown and walked towards the lecture stage while being escorted by his group of envoys, clutching the tightly bound scroll in his hand.