Shang Xingyan pondered for a moment and said, "No need! Only by keeping the young master in the dark will the game become more realistic. We'll have more excitement and tricks to watch."

"The more trouble the young master makes, the faster those hiding in the shadows will show their faces."

Shang Xingyan smiled and said, "Don't underestimate the young master. When Lord Guan was his age, had he gathered so many heroes around him?"

"Had he shaken the martial world with his own strength?"

"The young master is just unlucky, he encountered opponents who were too strong."

"If he had faced opponents of the same level, he would have swept through his peers long ago."

Only then did Can Ying relax. "Have your fun! I'm leaving now. Remember, if anything happens to the young master, I'll be the first to kill you."

After Can Ying left, Shang Xingyan released Pei Haohong's restraints and sat casually on the sofa. "Continue! How far has your plan progressed?"

Pei Haohong seemed to have forgotten his fear and what had just happened. He licked his lips habitually and said, "My plan is simple: to make Xia Mengying suspicious of the Confucian School."

"The Confucian School's greatest strength is the aura of righteousness (Haoran Zhengqi). I'll first show Xia Mengying a traitorous Confucian who sees human life as worthless, and then let her see the aura of righteousness on me. She will definitely suspect the Confucian School."

"There's nothing wrong with my plan!"

"It's just... it was the appearance of the master that ruined everything."

If I had been there, I would have been dumbfounded. Pei Haohong's actions didn't make Xia Mengying suspicious, but made me suspicious.

"Mm!" Shang Xingyan said, "Give me the route you used to enter Banxianzhuang."

Pei Haohong took a map from the bookshelf. "This is the route into Banxianzhuang. It can bypass several traps and formations."

Shang Xingyan looked at the map for a few moments and said, "How do I know this map is real?"

Pei Haohong took out another map. "This map was drawn when I was an undercover agent in Banxianzhuang. The master can compare them."

Shang Xingyan looked at the two maps for a long time before calling a Xiu Yi Wei (embroidered uniform guard), "Take these two maps to the young master. Tell him that this is the route I forced out of him, and don't say anything else."

"If the young master asks, make up your own reason! Understand?"

"Understood!" After the Xiu Yi Wei left, Shang Xingyan took out a bottle and placed it on the table. He said to Pei Haohong with a kind expression, "You definitely won't survive. But I can protect this branch of your Pei family's bloodline."

"I can also help them reset their identities so they have a chance to return to the Confucian School."

"This was my promise, and it's a little consolation for you!"

Shang Xingyan could have avoided doing this. There was no one here but the well-trained Xiu Yi Wei. Even if he killed the Pei family, no one would reveal his breach of faith.

However, he chose to change the Pei family's identity. Even the Xiu Yi Wei would find this troublesome!

Pei Haohong looked at the bottle on the table, trembling. He wanted to reach out but didn't dare. After several attempts, he finally stammered, "Master, I am willing to obey the young master, I..."

Shang Xingyan waved his hand. "The young master doesn't need someone like you. He can't control someone like you either."

"Drink! Show some courage as a Confucian scholar. You and I are both scholars. Don't lose face as a scholar before you die."

Pei Haohong finally picked up the bottle, trembling. He brought it to his lips, stretching them out as if to suck it in. After several tries, he put the mouth of the bottle into his mouth.

Shang Xingyan said, "Hold the bottle up and drink it slowly."

"You'll realize that poison is sweet, only wine is bitter. Once you drink it, you'll have no more worries!"

"Yes, slowly, slowly... Good... very good!"

As Shang Xingyan spoke, Pei Haohong's soul became fainter and fainter. Finally, it turned into a wisp of green smoke and disappeared without a trace. The bottle containing the poison fell to the ground with a crash.

Shang Xingyan sighed and said to himself in the direction of Pei Haohong's disappearance, "What a pity! In the end, you couldn't protect the dignity of a scholar!"

"Once a scholar kneels, he really kneels and can never get up again!"

Shang Xingyan played with the porcelain bottle in his hand, as if he was using it to capture the scent in the air. "There's still the fragrance of ink after the soul scatters. In fact, you are a scholar, and you still have some righteousness in you. It's a pity you went down the wrong path."

As Shang Xingyan spoke, he closed the porcelain bottle. At this moment, the Xiu Yi Wei who had delivered the map had returned.

Shang Xingyan handed the porcelain bottle to him and instructed, "Take it back and put it in my collection cabinet. Another Confucian scholar is on display!"

After Shang Xingyan sighed, he asked, "What did the young master say?"

The man imitated my voice and said, "Did Old Shang never go back to be a civil official? Tell Old Shang, next time, pretend for a longer time so I can have some sense of accomplishment!"

After Shang Xingyan heard this, he was stunned for a few seconds before laughing heartily. "As expected, like father, like son! He can see through my identity with just a few words! Lord Guan has someone to carry on his legacy!"

"It was unnecessary for me to worry about the young master! Hahaha..."