Zhao Rucheng’s family was well-off. He bought a house near the Daoist academy to live in, with a dozen servants attending to his needs. He wasn’t often in the dorm. Du Yehu, on the other hand, once he started drinking, it wouldn’t be over in a short while.

Therefore, when Jiang Wang returned to the dorm, he suddenly realized that the usually noisy dorm was left with only him.

After closing the door, he subconsciously glanced at the bed on the far left inside the dorm.

The bed had neatly folded, clean bedding, with no difference in material from the bedding of others in the dorm. The bed was empty now, and would never be occupied again.

This was Fang Pengju’s bed. He was from a wealthy family, but never acted awkwardly or nitpicky, sharing drinks and meals with everyone without complaint.

The bed opposite Fang Pengju’s was empty, piled with luggage.

The beds on both sides were arranged in this way, three on each side.

The second bed on the left, next to Fang Pengju’s, was the messiest in the dorm. The bedding was piled up randomly, scattered clothes were just decorations, and if you sniffed closely, you could smell alcohol. If you looked under the bed, you would see neatly arranged rows of wine jars. Compared to the environment the bed’s owner lived in, these wine jars were obviously well taken care of.

The first bed on the left side was by the door, so it was Ling He’s bed—he was always responsible for opening and closing the door for everyone. There were a few inconspicuous patches on the bedding, but it was washed very cleanly.

The first bed on the right side was Jiang Wang’s. His bedding was similar to Ling He’s. Although he hadn’t been back for a long time, the bed was still very tidy, obviously someone cleaned it regularly. Perhaps it was Ling He, perhaps it was Zhao Rucheng… or maybe it was Fang Pengju.

The second bed on the right side, next to Jiang Wang’s, belonged to Zhao Rucheng. His bed was unique in the entire dorm, with bedding and sheets all high-end goods from Yunxiangzhai. The small dorm bed even had a gold-embroidered canopy. It was a world apart from Du Yehu’s.

Strangers might think Zhao Rucheng was difficult to get along with, but in reality, his living standards were just too high. Even if he only occasionally stayed in the dorm, he wanted it to be as luxurious and comfortable as possible. He even once spent a fortune to remodel the entire dorm into a top-class guest room—if Jiang Wang hadn’t beaten him up.

From the age of fourteen when he entered the outer gate of the Daoist academy until now, Jiang Wang had spent three years in this dorm. Every detail in the room was exceptionally familiar to him.

Things changed, people moved on, and everything came to an end.

Jiang Wang was silent for a while, then took off his shoes and socks, unbuttoned his outer shirt, and lay down on his bed.

He was tired, very tired, but only now could he finally sleep peacefully.

He would face the world when he woke, and reach for the sky in his dreams.

The entire Maple Forest City was square and well-planned. The City Lord’s Mansion was in the center, radiating in all directions. The eastern city was the territory of the Daoist academy, while wealthy families lived in the western city. The southern city was mostly inhabited by commoners, while merchants and wealthy businessmen were mainly gathered in the northern city.

Seeing Jiang Wang walk out of the courtyard headmaster’s quiet room safely, Ling He carried Fang Pengju’s body away from the Daoist academy alone.

When Fang Pengju was alive, he was popular and had many friends, but in death, everyone shunned him.

His actions were despicable and malicious, and he deserved to be shunned.

Ling He didn’t feel wronged for him, but he still felt some heartache.

He wrapped Fang Pengju’s body in his outer shirt, which was old but clean.

For his walking speed, it wasn’t far from the eastern city to the western city, and he was familiar with the road to the Fang family mansion. But Ling He walked slowly, with heavy steps.

He was reluctant.

He was the oldest, he should have taken care of his four sworn brothers, but he didn’t.

He still remembered the scene of the five of them becoming sworn brothers by the Green Willow River, remembered the bright smiles of each of the five brothers.

The Green Willow River was a tributary of the Clear River, winding around Oxhead Mountain, and the water in the river was very clear. It could reflect their young faces, and their young hearts. That year they rode horses with swords, that year they raised their glasses and talked, countless times they sparred, and countless nights they talked by candlelight.

They agreed to enter the inner courtyard together, to ride swords in the blue sky together, to become extraordinary and enter the sacred realm together. Those memories, those… agreements.

Ling He never thought that those five people who were so like-minded and deeply affectionate would one day have brothers turn against each other, facing each other in life and death.

How was this possible?

He wondered.

He couldn’t understand it, but he held Fang Pengju’s cold body and finally arrived at the front of the Fang mansion.

“What are you doing?” the gatekeeper stopped him and asked.

The Fang family’s mansion was very tall, high and mighty.

“Oh.” Ling He held Fang Pengju’s body, nodded slightly to greet him, “Fang Pengju has passed away, I’m sending his body back for your family to bury.”

If no one collected the body, it would be taken by the government to a mass burial ground for unified disposal. That was the favorite place for heretical sorcerers to visit, and it would be difficult to have peace after death.

But Ling He thought there was no need to say this, he wasn’t someone who liked to show off, nor did he think this was any merit.

The gatekeeper’s face changed, and he slammed the door shut. A voice came from behind the door: “Take him away! The master said he’s not allowed to enter!”

“Brother,” Ling He said sincerely: “Please report to your master again, no matter what Pengju did, he is still a member of the Fang family. They may just be saying angry words, they won’t ignore him.”

The gatekeeper seemed to hesitate for a moment, “I’ll go ask again… Don’t take the opportunity to break in!”

“Please rest assured, brother.”

Ling He held Fang Pengju’s body, standing firmly in front of the Fang mansion, listening to the footsteps hurrying away.

He lowered his head and said to Fang Pengju’s already cold face: “Pengju, what kind of outrageous things did you do? Even in death, no one will remember your good deeds anymore, hated by gods and despised by men.”

After a long time, the gatekeeper’s voice sounded again behind the door.

“The master said.” He paused, repeating the tone of the Fang family master: “He’s already dead, why bring him back?”

Ling He was stunned for a moment, then said hesitantly: “The Fang family is a respectable family, they should give Pengju a proper burial.”

“The master said, the old man already knows the cause of Fang Pengju’s death. This kind of unrighteous person is not a member of the Fang family!”

“But he is, he is a member of the Fang family.” Ling He said.

“Leave!” The gatekeeper threw a handful of knife-shaped coins from the crack in the door, “If you keep pestering us, we’ll report you to the authorities!”

Those knife-shaped coins fell to the ground with a clatter, attracting attention. If used to simply bury a corpse, it would be more than enough. The extra money was a tip.

This was the Fang family’s attitude.

Ling He was silent.

He no longer tried to say anything.

He was poor, always poor since he was a child. He was short of money, his only intact outer shirt was wrapped around Fang Pengju’s body, and his underclothes were patched in many places. He stood in front of the magnificent Fang mansion, like a poor relative who had been turned away.

He held Fang Pengju’s body and turned to leave.

From beginning to end, he didn’t look at those knife-shaped coins.

This was Ling He’s attitude.