Not long after Huo Yuanba left, a lot of food was sent over.
Tang Xiaoyu didn't selfishly keep it all to himself, but evenly distributed it among everyone, including the cells across from and next to his.
He didn't take much more for himself than what he gave the others. No matter how the others had acted, they had at least served the country at one point, and deserved respect just for that.
After eating their fill, the others admired Tang Xiaoyu even more.
The dark, damp cells were boring places that wore down the spirit. To keep his own from sinking too far, Tang Xiaoyu turned to his old job, softly singing songs.
"There's a girl in the village named Little Fang..."
"As pretty as she is kind..."
"With a pair of beautiful big eyes..."
"And thick, long braids..."
Hearing Tang Xiaoyu's voice, the others gathered around.
"Little Tang, sing louder so we can all hear!"
Tang Xiaoyu smiled. "Alright, but remember to clap!"
Before long, the only sound left in the jail cell was Tang Xiaoyu's beautiful singing.
The atmosphere in the jail over the next few days was no longer so gloomy and oppressive, with laughter and cheers ringing out from time to time.
Huo Yuanba never came back after that day. The horn blasts from outside the city meant the Qin army had made camp there, waiting for reinforcements before laying siege to the city.
At the same time, some of the relief troops were on their way to the front lines.
After a few days, Tang Xiaoyu had become the most respected person in the jail cell.
"Little Tang, what story are you telling today?"
Tang Xiaoyu stretched lazily. "No rush. Let's start by exercising our bodies so we don't waste away in here."
"You're right," the others conceded.
Tang Xiaoyu stood up. "Alright, let's jump and bounce in place until we break a sweat."
After the exercise, Tang Xiaoyu cleared his throat. "Today we’ll talk about..."
He wracked his brains but couldn't think of any stories left to tell.
[I haven't read Dream of the Red Chamber, Water Margin isn't suitable, I only know a few characters from Romance of the Three Kingdoms and I’ve told all those stories already. Journey to the West is all about the monk in the later parts, can't talk about that.]
[You only know the true value of an education once you need it. This is driving me crazy!]
Tang Xiaoyu's face grew more and more contorted until he deflated like a popped balloon. "We've been at this all day. I've told you everything I know."
The others let out a collective moan. Their one relief was gone.
Tang Xiaoyu felt bad about it too, but what could he do? He didn't want to sleep all day either!
Everyone stared blankly at each other, sighing from time to time.
It was only when some steamed buns were tossed in that they snapped out of their daze.
Holding a bun, Tang Xiaoyu gazed out the small window at the sky outside.
It reminded him of Zhiqiang De's song "Tears on the Iron Bars".
He stood up and grabbed the bars of the cell door, singing passionately:
"Oh iron bars and iron locks and chains..."
"I grasp these iron bars and gaze outside..."
"How wonderful life seems just out there..."
"When can I return home again?"
Hearing this, the others got up one by one, grabbing the cell bars as they looked towards Tang Xiaoyu.
Because he had given voice to their situation and inner hopes -
None of them knew when they'd get home again either.
Thinking of this, many of the prisoners were moved to tears.
"Oh curved moon shining on my heart..."
"My child in jail missing his dear mother..."
"If only I had listened to her words..."
"Now I'm imprisoned as a criminal..."
Mention of mothers made many think of parents far away in their hometowns. They crouched on the ground bawling as they clutched their heads and pounded the floor.
Tang Xiaoyu did have a good voice. When learning to sing in a woman's range he had gotten quite close to matching it, though of course not exactly the same.
"Dear mother with tears flowing from your eyes..."
"Your child has caused you sorrow and pain..."
"If I just had another chance..."
"I would gladly shed my blood in battle..."
"Mother dearest, your child kneels before you..."
By this point Tang Xiaoyu didn't know any more lyrics. Catching himself, he slapped his own face twice. "What am I thinking? I'm not a criminal, what do I have to repent for here!"
Looking up, he saw people kneeling across the way. What was that about? Then he noticed some were kneeling on his side too.
"Mother! Your child is kneeling to you here! Please forgive my unfilial behavior!"
[What the heck, how am I supposed to explain this? If I try they might just beat me to death!]
Tang Xiaoyu quickly lay down in a corner and pretended not to see anything.
Late at night, an imposing old man came to the cell.
Huo Yuanba’s elder brother respectfully greeted him: "Elder, all of Qin's officials and generals are here."
The old man nodded as his gaze swept over each cell.
"So many warriors! It would be a waste to send them mining. My Xuesha Sect is short on men for hard labor, they can come back with me!"
Hearing this, Tang Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief. [That name doesn't sound like any proper sect. Though wait, isn't this Qingyun Sword Sect's territory? How did Xuesha Sect people get here?]
What Tang Xiaoyu guessed was right, but Yan Country was not within Qingyun Sword Sect's sphere of influence.
Even if Yan Country conquered Qin Country the Sword Sect’s reach would not expand, because they didn’t care who ruled the land.
The old man picked out all of the warriors.
When he reached Tang Xiaoyu's cell, the old man paused, detecting qi fusion aura.
He pointed at Tang Xiaoyu. "You, come here."
As Tang Xiaoyu approached, his heart pounded like thunder.
The old man looked him up and down, then casually flicked out a hand. The paper crane note Tang Xiaoyu had received from Lin Qingying flew into the old man's grasp.
Elder Zhou glanced at the paper before incinerating it with a mystic sign.
"You still bear remnants of cultivator qi. You'll come with me too!"
Then he cast a spell over Tang Xiaoyu, instantly erasing the aura Lin Qingying had left on him.
Tang Xiaoyu and the other selected warriors boarded a spirit vessel and departed.
"How strange, why do I keep ending up in situations like this?" Huo Yuanba's elder brother muttered, shaking his head as he left.
Of course the old man could not let Qingyun Sword Sect know he had been there.
In Sky Demon Sect, Lin Qingying had been very busy the past few days catching up on sect affairs she had previously neglected. She was so busy she forgot that Tang Xiaoyu hadn't written back for several days.
Stretching lazily she mused, "Finally got all that sorted out. I can properly relax for a few days now."
"I feel like something's missing. But what could it be?"
"Oh well, no use fretting about it. I'm off to catch up on my beauty sleep."
Tang Xiaoyu remarks: What use have I for you, forgetting me after just a few days. Fickle woman!
Suddenly Lin Qingying sat bolt upright in bed some time later.
"What's going on, why can't I sense the aura I left on Little Yu anymore?"
"I said something was missing. Turns out there's been no word from Little Yu for days on end."
Chu Yanran's cultivation was interrupted by Lin Qingying's voice.
"Yanran, send someone to check out what's happened with Little Yu."
Facing the sky, Chu Yanran intoned: “Yes, Master.”
Taking out a Sound Transmission Jade Token, Chu Yanran said: “Wu Hao junior brother, go find out right now what’s happened with our Sect Master’s junior brother.”
After receiving the message, Wu Hao pawned the task off onto another junior.
By the time a Foundation Establishment disciple set off, half a day had already passed.
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
e school belle recognized by the whole school, a genius girl from the kendo club. She also has a hidden identity, the youngest legendary demon hunter. Chen Shuo just transmigrated and found himself turned into a weak, helpless little vampire. He was caught by Su Xiyen and taken home at the very beginning. Since then, Chen Shuo's life creed only had two items. "First, classmate Su Xiyen is always right." "Second, if classmate Su Xiyen is wrong, please refer back to item one." Many years later, Chen Shuo, who had turned back into a human, led a pair of twins to appear in front of all the vampires to share the secret of how he turned back into a human. "It's simple, I tricked a female demon hunter into becoming my wife!"
For the sake of his unrequited love, his ex-girlfriend abandoned him at the altar, indirectly causing the death of his parents. Just when he thought his life was plunged into darkness, a clueless yet beautiful girl unexpectedly took him in. Looking back, he realized how many hidden gems had always been by his side. A childhood friend who had secretly loved him for over a decade, a stunning but socially clueless school beauty, a mischievous and playful girl who lived for chaos... His ex, filled with regret, pleaded: "I was wrong—can we go back to how things were?" Before he could respond, the girl stepped in front of Ye Shuang and coldly declared, "If you didn’t cherish him, then he’s mine now." Also known as: "After Losing My Job, I Was Picked Up by a Hidden Gem," "The School Beauty I Raised," and "Oh No, I’m Surrounded by Rich Girls."
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.