The sage was determined to die.

As Yan Ming spoke, he couldn't help but punch Ji Bai a few more times.

He frantically pressed down on the corners of his mouth, his face contorted with a sour expression, like a pie chart, filled with three parts anger, three parts disdain, and four parts contempt.

Ji Bai's frail body was pounded down by his punches, and he stumbled back two steps.

Yan Ming's words were as venomous as if he had just drunk poison. He threatened, "Ji Bai, you piece of trash! Just for losing Wenxin, I won't let you off the hook when we get back to Qi. If it weren't for the fact that you're still somewhat useful..."

Yan Ming was so thoroughly enjoying his rant that he could barely contain his smirk.

When Ji Bai first discussed with him about cooperating in the acting, he was initially very reluctant.

Yan Ming prided himself on being upright and honest, so how could he associate with a villain like Ji Bai who would start a fight after just three sentences? Under normal circumstances, he was more adept at killing people directly.

Until Ji Bai told him that he could use public funds to beat him up.

Yan Ming was tempted.

Yan Ming gritted his teeth and swung his fist high, putting all his strength into it. Just as the iron fist of justice was about to land on Ji Bai, the latter pretended to cough to dodge, but gave him a light glare out of the corner of his eye.

That look in his eyes was like a ghost staring at someone.

"Yan Ming, don't be angry, I just wanted to help someone..."

Ji Bai turned his back and, taking advantage of the moment when Gongsun Yang couldn't see his expression, rolled his eyes at Yan Ming in unison.

That's enough. Are you really planning to fight?

So Yan Ming had to gently lower his raised fist.

It's all because the public funds were so satisfying to shout and curse at Ji Bai that he almost forgot this was a self-inflicted injury scheme that was to be stopped short of a full-blown conflict.

Yan Ming gave Gongsun Yang a disappointed look, then turned and left, saying, "Don't let this happen again."

Gongsun Yang remained silent.

Seeing that Ji Bai was beaten for helping him, he should have tried to stop it, both morally and logically.

But when he thought about his identity, Gongsun Yang felt embarrassed. While he was hesitating, he heard the name "Ji Bai".

Ji Bai.

Gongsun Yang gripped the bamboo tube tightly; he was familiar with those two words.

The red-faced examiner had mentioned this name to them before.

He didn't take it seriously at the time, but he never expected that there really was such a person.

Gongsun Yang took a slow breath and silently swallowed all his doubts. He was always good at enduring things and naturally good at keeping secrets.

Ji Bai's health seemed to be really bad. After being hit by Yan Ming, he was hunched over and coughing violently. He covered his mouth, and there was a trace of bright red blood on his fingertips.

Gongsun Yang thought to himself, this person might really be injured. If this is an act, then the acting is really too exaggerated.

"Brother Ji, are you alright?"

Gongsun Yang gently helped Ji Bai up, his face showing both concern and annoyance: "I am merely a Jinshi from a small country, not worth you Jinshi from the same country arguing over me."

He even bowed to Ji Bai with great politeness.

"Thank you for the water, Brother Ji. Please don't let my presence affect your camaraderie. I'll be leaving now."

He lifted his leg to leave, but those seemingly weak hands landed firmly on his arm again, rendering him instantly immobile.

Ji Bai seemed to have finally recovered. Although his voice was not loud, he still said firmly, "It's too dangerous for you to travel alone. Stay here."

"Although that man just now looked like a crude and uncouth fellow, he was actually the most outstanding scholar in our Qi state, and he had already cultivated a literary mind amidst the mountains of books."

As Ji Bai spoke, his smile involuntarily turned bitter, and he sighed, "Yan Ming is used to being stubborn but soft-hearted. He doesn't actually blame you; he's just blaming me."

Gongsun Yang calmly brushed Ji Bai's hand away, his face showing struggle, and said, "But..."

Ji Bai raised his hand to interrupt him.

"Listen to me first."

Ji Bai seemed reasonable and polite as he advised, "You look unlucky and not very smart. You won't survive long alone in the mountain of books. Come with us."

Gongsun Yang: "...?"

Ji Bai even nodded seriously, affirming, "This is what you call mutual help."

What you're doing is called forcing a sale.

Gongsun Yang cursed inwardly, but his face remained impassive. He politely declined, saying, "I know there's no shortage of alliances in the world of books, but I'm truly just a scholar from a small country, without any companions. I really can't possibly be worthy of a great power like Qi..."

Just as Ji Bai was about to speak, Yan Ming's cold words, delivered from not far away, came like a knife.

"Why waste your breath talking to him? Who knows if he'll expose our whereabouts? If he doesn't want to stay here, we might as well kill him."

Ji Bai's lips instantly twitched down, and he retorted loudly, "Don't say such hurtful things."

Gongsun Yang ultimately stayed.

If he still can't see through the good cop/bad cop dynamic between these two at this point, then he's a real fool.

……

Ji Bai used his exceptional personal charm to take in many people who had nowhere else to go.

At first, these people, like Gongsun Yang, did not cooperate and even did irrational things like running away. However, with Ji Bai's rational explanation, they gradually became more sensible.

Of course, Yan Ming was also constantly causing trouble. For example, he used his sharp tree branch sword to cut many stones, and stared at the heads of these people with his tiger-like eyes, threatening to kill them if they disobeyed.

At times like these, Ji Bai would argue for them.

Saying things that are heartwarming, like "even trash has the right to live."

Choose the lesser of two evils.

The scholars from the small country compromised.

The Qi army, which was not particularly prosperous to begin with, now had a long, reluctant tail following behind. Ji Bai had no doubt about the sturdiness of their army.

They cannot withstand the slightest storm; at the slightest disturbance, they scatter like birds and beasts.

However, in terms of sheer numbers, they are indeed rapidly closing in on the combined forces of Chen and Chu.

Gongsun Yang was unusually silent this time, not taking the initiative to communicate with others as before, but quietly hiding himself away, while his attention was quietly focused on Ji Bai.

Ji Baihui would occasionally take out a compass to check the way. He led the way at the front, while Yan Ming followed behind, holding a tree branch like a sheep herding sheep.

"Gentlemen—"

Just as they were about to reach a small earthen mound, Ji Bai suddenly stopped, turned around to look at the group he had led, and frowned slightly: "I know you all want to obtain Wenxin, and I will give you the opportunity to compete for it, but you must promise me one thing first."

The crowd below immediately erupted in commotion.

Someone asked, "Everyone wants Wenxin, so if you're truly capable, why are you giving us this opportunity?"

Ji Bai looked at the ordinary-looking man with some surprise and said, "This brother actually noticed?"

The man was completely bewildered.

What did he notice?

Ji Bai nodded in agreement, saying, "Excellent people really can't hide their talents. Okay, I do have the ability, and I also have Wenxin."

"I need your help to obtain a second Wenxin."