knife

Chapter 139 Changchun Valley

Li Kaixin's eyes were almost slits from smiling. He nimbly grabbed Xiao Hei's horse reins and reached out with his other hand to help Li Dachui off the horse.

"Sir, you're back!"

That look in his eyes was like that of an elder watching their youngest son achieve success and return home in glory.

In fact, this is exactly the case.

Li Dachui's trip back to Baoping Prefecture was nothing short of bringing it back.

"Butler, you seem to have gained some weight again?" Li Dachui looked the other man up and down, noting his large figure and face. "You need to lose weight!"

Li Kaixin nodded her head vigorously, like a chicken pecking at rice, "If the young master says he wants to lose weight, then he will lose weight!"

"What's been happening at home lately?" Li Dachui asked casually as the two walked inside side by side.

"You know what, there are quite a few interesting things!" Li Kaixin whispered, "Do you remember that calligraphy and painting shop in the south of the city, young master?"

"Of course I remember! Everything they sell is top-quality southern goods!" Li Dachui laughed. "Just like the Northern Yuan people who are afraid that others won't know they're from the north when they sell their goods here, this family is also afraid that we won't know they're from the south. What's wrong? They've jumped out of the woodwork?"

"They've jumped out!" Li Kaixin said, "They've come to me and say they want to discuss a business deal with you, young master."

Li Dachui stopped walking and stroked his chin: "Did you get a feel for him? He wants to talk business with me? Does a spy exiled thousands of miles away have the right to do that?"

“If his identity is true, then he does deserve to speak with you, young master!” Li Kaixin said.

As they talked, the two of them arrived at the study.

Pushing open the door, the room was spotless.

Li Kaixin took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped non-existent dust off the chair behind the large table. Seeing Li Dachui sit down, he said, "That man's name is Zhu Chi, that's his real name. He's from the Zhu family of Suzhou in Jiangnan. A few years ago, during the conflict between Southern Chu and Northern Wei, they chose the wrong side and offended Empress Dowager Jiang Qian. However, in the end, their head of the family invested heavily, sacrificing almost all their wealth to Jiang Qian, thus saving their family's reputation. At that time, after Jiang Qian's great victory over Qin in Xiangcheng, she was incredibly powerful, but that was just a facade; inside, things were a mess! They were so poor they were practically bankrupt. The Zhu family's actions relieved Jiang Qian of a predicament, so she let them off the hook. But even so, the Zhu family lost most of their powerful positions. This Zhu Chi was originally an important figure in Tianluo, and his opponents took this opportunity to drive him here."

“The Zhu family of Gusu, hmm, I know them. I remember that their silk was among the silks sold in Tai'an City before, right?” Li Dachui thought for a moment.

“No, not anymore!” Li Kaixin laughed. “The Zhu family has fallen on hard times. How could they possibly get involved in such a high-profit business?”

"In that case, it's worth a meeting!" Li Dachui nodded. "Families that were once glorious but have lost power are most eager to regain their former glory. Only with this foundation can they truly want to cooperate with us. It's just that this guy doesn't have anything substantial to offer right now! Butler, you make the arrangements, let's meet him and talk about it!"

“Okay!” Li Kaixin replied.

When will Old Man Fu arrive?

"It must be around sunset."

"This time, I'll go to Yandu with him and try to pry some good stuff out of him!" Li Dachui rubbed his hands together, looking on with anticipation, which left Li Kaixin speechless for a while.

"We're out of Rejuvenation Pills. We need to get at least two more. They're life-saving stuff!" Li Dachui muttered to himself.

Li Kaixin couldn't help but say, "Young Master, the Rejuvenation Pill is no ordinary item. Even the Valley Master probably doesn't have many of them."

“There must be more! Old Fu has a habit of hiding things well. Xiao Changche is a fearless fighter. We haven’t encountered a tough opponent before, but that doesn’t mean we won’t in the future. We need to get one for emergencies.”

Li Kaixin's facial muscles twitched for a moment.

Over the years, the young master has stolen, robbed, and cheated his way out of Changchun Valley, and he has indeed obtained a lot of good things. From the valley master to the storeroom servant, no one in Changchun Valley has been spared from the young master's mistreatment.

Last time, under the guise of visiting the Valley Master, he managed to cut off a branch of the Nan Jin wood and escape despite the strict security measures in Changchun Valley. He eventually made it into a toy and gave it to Xiao Changche's son, Xiao Qianli.

"Young master, there's something I don't understand!" Li Kaixin leaned closer.

"What's the matter?"

“If Kaixin’s thinking is correct, this General Xiao Changche, or rather, Miss Xiao Ningyu, will definitely be my mistress in the future, right?” Li Kaixin whispered.

Li Dachui chuckled: "You think it's good too, right? Beautiful, fierce in battle, guileless, and she doesn't even have a family to rely on. Isn't she the perfect match?"

Li Kaixin blinked and said, "Miss Xiao has a son named Xiao Qianli."

"It's fake, she adopted him to cover it up!" "Young Master Qianli calls General Xiao 'Father,' so if you marry General Xiao in the future, what will Young Master Qianli call you? Aunt?"

With a scream, Li Kaixin flew out of Li Dachui's study window like a ball. The fat man stretched his arms and legs in the air and landed lightly on the ground under the gaze of countless people. He dusted off the dust on his clothes, put his hands behind his back, and walked away.

However, a huge footprint was left on his buttocks, swaying under everyone's gaze.

Outside Tai'an City, a group of people slowly approached. When they saw the blue flag with a medicine gourd on it fluttering in the procession, many people consciously made way for them, and many even bowed in respect.

Changchun Valley is located outside the pass and is not known for its military might, but it is highly respected. Even the most vicious bandits would not dare to target them.

However, Li Dachui scoffed at this claim.

It's just that those guys who went to Changchun Valley hoping to get some good stuff never came out. Li Dachui probably ended up with most of it becoming fertilizer for the medicinal herbs!

Who wouldn't want to carry a few pills of the Rejuvenating Elixir with them in their pocket?

Changchun Valley is renowned for its medical skills beyond the Great Wall. Its apprentices travel the world, practicing medicine and helping the needy. Whenever a plague breaks out, Changchun disciples will bravely rush to the affected areas, regardless of the danger. Over the years, they have accumulated a great reputation.

When Li Dachui rode up, the people of Changchun Valley all changed color upon seeing him, and they all spurred their horses to give way to him while also clasping their hands in greeting.

"Hey bro, you've gotten fat!"

This is more friendly.

"Big Hammer, you're riding high! But I see you're all smiles, as if you're about to face a love misfortune!"

This is malicious.

"Big Hammer, let's have another match later. Your brother has made another batch of medicine, and it's incredibly effective!"

This is an attempt to retaliate.

With a smile on his face, Li Dachui returned the greetings with clasped hands one by one, and finally went straight to the largest carriage, jumped onto the carriage shaft, and said to the driver with a smile, "Hello, Master!"

The middle-aged driver glared at Li Dachui, "As long as you're not hanging around me, I'm perfectly fine."

“Master, you can’t just abandon me after I’ve served my purpose. I’ve recently come up with some new ideas about surgical treatment, and I was just about to tell you about them!” Li Dachui said with a wronged expression. “Besides, I’ve set up a huge clinic for you in Baoping Prefecture. There’s no shortage of patients for your surgeries there, and I’ve even reserved some heinous criminals for you!”

Hearing Li Dachui's words, the middle-aged man's eyes lit up. "We'll talk about it later, we'll talk about it later!" He turned his head and gestured towards the car. Li Dachui nodded in understanding.

He turned around, pushed open the carriage door, and saw two white-haired old men staring at him.

"Grandmaster!" Li Dachui called out affectionately and tried to squeeze inside.

"Get out!" the two old men shouted in unison.

"Alright!" Li Dachui immediately shrank back and sat on the carriage shaft with the middle-aged man.

Inside the carriage, the two old men looked at each other and smiled.

"Fu Cheng's experiments on people have resulted in many deaths and injuries, which is against the natural order. However, in the long run, it can be considered a benefit to all living beings. I don't know whether to approve or disapprove of this matter!" The slightly plump Fu Qingzhu listened to the two people outside discussing the matter in very low voices and sighed.

“Those people deserved to die anyway. Letting them contribute to medical science is nothing!” Zhou Zhi said, “If the arts that Fu Cheng has studied are mature and can be widely promoted and used, it will benefit the world. At that time, these evil people will have accumulated some merit and won’t be reborn as beasts in their next life!”

"So I'll just pretend I don't know!" Fu Qingzhu said. "Old Zhou, you and Da Chui's plot to seize Bao Ping Prefecture has kept it from me quite well!"

Zhou Zhi snorted, "Your Changchun Valley is full of all sorts of people, and you take in all sorts of people. Do you think I would dare tell you these things? If even a whisper gets out, it'll all be over. When it comes to keeping secrets, I'm far worse than you. What do you have to say about Xiao Changche?"

Fu Qingzhu shrugged: "That child has a tragic fate. Her grandfather and I were close friends. I always thought she had died in that tragedy. I never imagined that when I saw her again more than ten years later, she would have become a renowned general. She came to me because her cultivation of the Heaven-Slaying Technique has begun to show signs of trouble. If it weren't for that, she probably wouldn't have come to see me at all. She begged me to keep her secret, and I will naturally keep my promise."

At this point, Fu Qingzhu suddenly became angry again: "But you, you only told me Li Dachui's identity now, you clearly don't believe me, right?"

“Old Fu, this matter is really too big. I didn’t tell you before because I really didn’t want to implicate you!” Zhou Zhi said, “But now, the Great Hammer’s foundation is already established. Your Changchun Valley is not only a powerful force outside the pass, but also very popular. Naturally, I want to bring you on board.”

"The world is truly full of wonders!" Fu Qingzhu exclaimed. "It seems as if there is some unseen force that is binding us all together, making us work in the same direction!"

(End of this chapter)