The commoners, including the old lady who dried vegetables and the disfigured mother holding her child, and the wife supporting her husband with a broken leg, all stood before Lan Yan. Their eyes held sincere gratitude.
Lan Yan, encountering such a scene for the first time, felt flustered and looked at Jun Yelan.
Jun Yelan smiled faintly, shielding Lan Yan. He said to the commoners, "Rise, Yan'er loves to see you all living well."
Lan Yan was taken aback; Jun Yelan had spoken her thoughts. She poked her head out and nodded, "Yes, you don't have to do this."
The commoners then rose and offered the eggs and vegetables they held. "We have nothing much else, so we offer these to the City Lord and his lady."
Lan Yan looked at the commoners, still clad in patched clothes. These were the best they could offer. Their eyes held a flicker of hope, a desire for her to accept, which made Lan Yan unable to refuse.
She took one of each item and smiled, "Thank you all. I will savor them. Everyone, please return home."
The commoners slowly dispersed, leaving only the mother and child. The woman knelt with her child and called out, "Thank you, City Lord and Lady, for killing my scoundrel husband last time, saving my child and me from his abuse."
The ruffian who had tried to steal Lan Yan's silver was her husband.
Lan Yan quickly stepped forward to help them up. "We merely acted in passing. It's good that you are both well now." She hadn't known she had helped this mother and child.
She looked at the child. His pupils were still unfocused, but his eyes were bright. She couldn't help but stroke his head and place the candy in her hand into the child's palm. "Child, have this."
The child, knowing the person before him had saved his mother, nodded, his lips curving into a smile. "Thank you." He turned and offered the candy to the woman. "Mother, have some candy."
The woman wiped away tears and smiled. "Mother doesn't want it, you eat it." She crouched down, unwrapped the candy, and fed it to the child. "Is it sweet?"
"Mhm," the child nodded joyfully, his hand held by the woman as she led him away.
Lan Yan waved goodbye to them. Turning, she saw the hint of envy in Jun Yelan's eyes and thought of his relationship with the Saintess. She stepped forward and said, "Yelan, there's something I've been hiding from you."
Jun Yelan looked at Lan Yan's troubled expression and said, "It's about the Saintess. Actually, I've known for a long time that she is my birth mother."
Lan Yan's eyes flickered slightly, and she suddenly understood some things. The Saintess had committed many misdeeds over the years, yet Jun Yelan had never acted against her, all because of this mother-son bond and the five years of upbringing.
The world said Jun Yelan was cold-blooded and ruthless, only knowing slaughter. But she knew Jun Yelan's heart was warm; for any kindness shown, Jun Yelan remembered it all.
This was true for both the Saintess and the commoners here.
She felt even more pained for Jun Yelan and comforted him, "She was blinded by hatred and overlooked such a good child as you. You were just a child then, and it wasn't your fault. She was wrong; do not let her affect you."
Jun Yelan looked up, a hint of moisture in Lan Yan's eyes. He cupped Lan Yan's cheeks and smiled with relief, "Now that you are by my side, these things no longer affect me."
"I want to see her one last time, to end this karmic debt."
"Alright, I'll accompany you." Lan Yan held Jun Yelan's large hand and went with him to the water prison. However, she did not enter, feeling that some words could only be spoken between the two of them.
Jun Yelan had not seen the Saintess for a long time. This time, he noticed she had less hatred about her. He simply looked at the bound Saintess, saying nothing.
The Saintess heard a faint sound and looked up, seeing Jun Yelan. This time, she did not lash out but was unusually calm. She said, "Jun Yelan, she did implant the Gu; you won't die anytime soon."
"I am alive, and the one most displeased is you," Jun Yelan said coldly. "I never understood before why you became like this because you couldn't gain the former City Lord's attention. Now that I've met Lan Yan, I understand much more."
He couldn't imagine a life without Lan Yan by his side. He would probably have become possessed, entangled, and driven himself mad.
The Saintess was stunned, realizing Jun Yelan knew everything. "Few people knew about my giving birth to you. I poisoned all those people later. When did you suspect?"
"From the very beginning," Jun Yelan recalled vague childhood memories. "Back then, you often went mad alone, cursing the former City Lord. One time, I heard the noise and ran over. You grabbed my neck and asked me why I didn't die!"
She had said many things then, and from that moment, he knew the Saintess was someone who detested him.
The Saintess remembered nothing and after a long pause, asked, "Do you hate me?" She then felt it was a foolish question and stopped asking.
Jun Yelan did not answer. He struck out, breaking the chains on the wall. "From now on, you will leave the dead city and never return. You should be grateful that Lan Yan appeared by my side; otherwise, I would not have let you go."
He turned and walked out of the water prison, where the one waiting for him was.
The Saintess behind him called out, "This Gu can only guarantee you ten years of peace. If you wish to extend your life, you need to go to my clan." But even that would only extend it by a few months.
Jun Yelan did not stop walking, clenching his fist hidden in his sleeve. He only had ten years left!
Lan Yan kicked at the pebbles at her feet by the entrance. Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned and called out, "Yelan." As she spoke, she was pulled into a tight embrace. Thinking Jun Yelan was sad because of the Saintess, she remained silent, simply staying with him.
After a long while, Jun Yelan spoke, "Yan'er, I don't want to be the City Lord anymore, alright?" Being the City Lord meant living in constant vigilance. Before, he could be indifferent, but now he had Lan Yan.
He wanted to spend these ten years well with Lan Yan.
Lan Yan had always felt Jun Yelan worked too hard. Seeing that Jun Yelan voluntarily wished to step down, she nodded. "Alright. Afterwards, I'll take you to travel around."
In Jun Yelan's twenty-six years of life, apart from missions, he had never truly seen the world outside the city. She longed to show him.
Jun Yelan couldn't help but curve his lips upwards, having made up his mind in his heart. He would end everything before the wedding!
The two returned, and the Saintess also boarded a carriage and left the city.
Early the next morning, Jun Yelan asked Lü Qi to accompany Lan Yan. "Remember not to let her go to the dark chamber these few days. If she asks about me, tell her I am arranging the abdication."
Lü Qi respectfully called out, "Yes, City Lord."
Jun Yelan then went alone to the main hall. Looking at the stewards below, he announced, "This City Lord has decided to abdicate the position of City Lord starting today."
The stewards were all shocked. Such a thing had never happened before. "City Lord, according to the rules, if you abdicate without dying, you must endure forty-nine forms of punishment. If you survive, you may leave."