The uprising on the eighteenth was three days ago, but the "remnants" left by the uprising have yet to be cleared.

The iron fences near the docks have been twisted by the flames.

Barricades made from church pews stretch across the square, with a broken halberd handle lodged in the crack of the oak planks.

Under the city's employ, a large number of laborers have been mobilized to clean the bloodstains and scorch marks from the streets and repair the damaged roads.

In the blazing sunlight, these laborers rolled up the sleeves of their linen shirts, and the sun turned their arms to a bronze sheen, glistening with sweat droplets.

Occasionally, the laborers would put down their bricks, straighten their backs, and look up at the sky.

At the street corner and in the square, dozens of tall gallows have been erected, suspending the corpses of the Knights and the rebels.

Under the bodies, citizens and laborers are happily purchasing low-priced bread with their ration tickets.

Grains unearthed from the cellars of nobles and guild merchants significantly supplemented the previously scarce food supply.

If not for the gendarmes and Night Watchers guarding every entrance at the corners of the streets, it would almost seem as if the uprising had never occurred.

The click-clack of heels sounded on the ground as Denosov tried his best to hold in his large belly, walking with his head down behind the mule cart.

He changed into a simple merchant's linen vest, deliberately smearing olive oil and soot on his face to hide his fair skin.

As for his formerly proud crescent mustache, he shaved it into the common sideburns found among the citizens.

Mingled among the farmers and peddlers leaving the city after the market, Denosov felt confident he was inconspicuous enough.

Yet he remained cautious, fearing any slip-up that might betray him.

People often say plans can't keep up with changes, but Denosov felt this particular chain of events unfolded far too quickly.

In the beginning, they held the upper hand firmly, while the representatives were indecisive, leaderless, and the citizens were chaotic and selfish.

With Liborole's eloquence and his persuasion, a large number of old nobles, guilds, and citizens joined his Royalist Revival Society.

Through the uprising, he even managed to pressure the Advisory Council into publicly voting in the square.

If the Advisory Council could succumb to mob siege once, it could do so twice or thrice, thus coordinating rural actions to swiftly incite widespread chaos.

The first two steps were proceeding smoothly, but then came Rangbang, who somehow convinced the representatives.

Denosov still couldn't fathom the representatives' and citizens' mental processes at the time.

Did they really believe him?

Since the first plan failed, they resorted to encirclement and assassination, launching ahead of schedule.

In the end, they had cornered the representatives and monks and captured them; even if Moliat arrived, they could rely on hostages to threaten.

But at the crucial moment, a group of unrelated laborer housewives suddenly appeared.

What does this coup have to do with you common folk?

This distraction allowed the representatives to escape, immediately followed by Moliat bringing thousands of tax police gendarmes to the scene, utterly collapsing the plan.

Veins bulged in Denosov's fat neck; the subsequent events were the last thing he had anticipated.

Under normal circumstances, the Royalist Revival Society members would stir up trouble within the city, confusedly blaming incidents to thoroughly escalate the situation.

Even if the Cheka wanted to confirm and investigate, it would require an extremely long time and effort and similarly deplete the Holy Alliance's internal forces.

But the unexpected continued to occur.

After the eighteenth uprising, the Cheka demonstrated remarkable investigative and apprehension efficiency.

In just three days, most of the Royalist Revival Society members were locked up by their revival target—Moliat.

Denosov changed residences six times in three days, barely escaping the Cheka's pursuit, forced to blend in with farmers and peddlers to flee.

Looking at the bustling atmosphere on the streets, the ferrymen shouted orders, porters carried wooden crates, vendors loudly hawked refreshing mint water.

Those unaware might think some festival was just held!

"Name, origin, permit."

"Maurice, a resident of Stinky Boots Town, Zhuanghe Town, Lower Reif County, here's my permit."

"Alright, next!"

Denosov covered half his face with a straw hat, unconsciously inching toward the checkpoint.

Only a dozen or so left before his turn.

"Name, origin, permit."

"Hayaku Namirudo, a resident of Nairu Village, Honey River Town, Shangruifo County, here's my permit." Denosov deliberately sounded hoarse.

The inspecting gendarme casually opened his permit, checking the date, origin, character description, and stamp.

"Alright, next!"

Breathing a sigh of relief, Denosov signaled the hired attendant, steadying the mule cart as he stepped forward: "Hurry up, don't block the way."

"Hey, wait a minute!"

Denosov hadn't walked three meters before he heard the shout of the gendarme behind him.

His body was a little stiff, but still his neck turned like a mechanical puppet with a crackling sound: "What did you say?"

"You forgot your pass, damn it, you people are always like this." Seeing Denosov frozen in place, the gendarme cursed impatiently, "Do you need me to bring it over to you?"

"Oh, oh." Denosov ran a couple of steps and gratefully took the pass.

He had just turned his head when he collided with a solid chest.

"Excuse me." Denosov bypassed the man, only to have his path blocked by another person.

He looked up in confusion and saw two sturdy tax policemen smirking at him without a smile.

Cold sweat instantly dripped from his temples. Through the tax officer's armpit, Denosov saw the street corner not far away.

Jia Li was riding on horseback, while the pale Liborole, wearing wooden handcuffs, was still pointing at him.

It's over. Denosov's face and heart turned to ashes at the same time.

With a bitter smile, he extended his hands: "Boys, do what you must."

His response was a punch to the abdomen from Griz, and as he watched Denosov twitching on the ground like a boiled shrimp, Griz waved: "Take him away."

At this moment, Jia Li stared at Denosov for a few seconds before turning her head and glancing disdainfully at Liborole, "You're smart to have saved your skin."

Liborole bowed with difficulty to Jia Li, "I have betrayed the Constitution, I deserve this punishment."

"You may escape death, but you can't escape punishment." Turning her head, Jia Li looked Rangbang up and down appreciatively, "Do you have anything to say?"

Rangbang, who had been silent since the meeting, finally spoke: "Yes, we will finish quickly."

Taking out her pocket watch and looking at it, Jia Li urged her horse away: "I'll give you five minutes, make it quick."

Taking out his pipe and tobacco, Rangbang looked at Liborole with a complex expression: "Wanna puff?"

As there was only one pipe, the two could only take turns puffing.

Slowly blowing out a wisp of smoke, Liborole murmured, "You shouldn't have done this. You're famous now, admired by His Lordship Ge Angqi and Lady Jia Li. If you completely sever ties with me, you'd gain even more."

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."

Liborole raised his head in surprise. Although he had been surprised many times before, it was as if he was meeting Rangbang for the first time.

"Why are you looking at me like that? While you were talking in the taverns, I was learning to read and studying."

"So, I'm the only one left behind?" Liborole squatted down, his face full of dust, and took the pipe from Rangbang.

"You helped me a lot back then, taught me a lot. Without you, I wouldn't be where I am now." Rangbang squatted beside Liborole, "In justice, I denounce you as a devil. In private, I hope to repay your help.

Don't worry about your family.

I've found the factory director of the Rapids City dye workshop. He granted me a favor and got your father a guidance job there.

He's responsible for training new dye workers. I'm sorry I lied to him, saying that was the only way you could survive.

The salary might be low, but at least it can support your whole family, maybe even send your brother to elementary school and your sister to university."

Liborole, who was puffing on the pipe, began to cough violently, showing expression on his previously numb face for the first time: "University?"

Rangbang laughed and took out a letter: "Your sister wrote it. Her grammar and rhetoric are even better than mine."

Eagerly taking the letter, Liborole unfolded it to read.

Taking the pipe from Liborole's hand, Rangbang smoked small puffs: "This June, the first batch of 95 female students graduated from Joan of Arc Castle Girls' School.

Some went to hospitals to study medicine, others became teachers in middle schools.

There were even three female students who passed the exams for Holy Machinery Court University and Saint Dangji Military Academy.

Your sister took Kusvania, who got into Holy Machinery Court University, as her inspiration, and she also said she wants to go to university."

Quickly glancing at the letter, Liborole shrank his neck and asked hesitantly in a low voice: "Will my situation affect her?"

"It will; she won't be able to hold public office, but teaching or being a scholar won't be a problem." Rangbang patted his shoulder, "Without you, she can still save for a dowry and choose someone she likes to marry."

Liborole stared at Rangbang for a long time, suddenly stood up trembling, and bowed deeply to Rangbang: "Thank you."

"If I were to be shot by arrows today, you would take care of my wife and children just the same."

Liborole's nose tingled: "This time, joining the Trinity Education Team to pioneer in Black Snake Bay means I might never see you again in this life."

Rangbang pursed his lips and stood up as well: "Living is better than anything."

"Time's up."

Griz walked over slowly, glanced at the promising Rangbang, and said to Liborole: "Do you have any last words?"

After a moment of thought, Liborole took off his dirty but intricately designed silk ceremonial coat from his shoulders and tossed it onto Rangbang: "Your previous one got lost in the chaos, wear this."

Staring in astonishment at the coat in his hand, Rangbang suddenly stepped forward and tightly grasped Liborole's hand: "Take care."

"Goodbye."