From slave trader to the Immortal Lord of Ten Thousand Laws

"Father?!"

Li Nian was startled by these words.

He turned his head frantically, looking around, and said anxiously, "Father, several months ago, did you orchestrate the murder of Miss?"

"Oh, how could I dare?"

Li Wengu grunted, his burly figure standing beneath the pillar, obscuring most of the shadow, and said in a low voice:

"To murder the young lady? That would be suicidal. How could I, as her father, be so unwise?"

"They only wanted to use the young lady's murder as an opportunity to kill someone else, but who would have thought... that Jiang She would be so resilient!"

"In the end, it only caused him to lose all his skills."

At this point, a hint of annoyance and cold calculation flashed across Li Wengu's eyes. He paused briefly, then said in a deep voice:

"When I arrived just now, I happened to meet a few guards in the courtyard. They said they wanted to find an excuse to get to know Qin Lie better. It seems that today they want to invite him to a drink."

"Ha, a weathervane, quick to change course with the wind."

He smiled. He didn't say anything more.

But Li Nian's mind was churning with thoughts.

He knew that his father was reminding him: at this moment, with the guards trying to curry favor with Qin Lie, it was the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the chaos and get rid of this man!

"Thank you, Father."

Li Nian clasped his hands in a salute, then left with a fierce look in his eyes, clearly to set up a killing trap.

Jiang She, who was eavesdropping with his divine sense in the distance, followed suit.

...

...

As night deepens, the city lights begin to illuminate the night.

In the capital city, a tavern facing the street was bustling with noise, even more so than during the day.

A wooden sign that read "Full" was already hung at the entrance of the tavern, and the shouts and calls for drinks from inside were incessant.

The table was littered with cups and plates, and wine jars were scattered all over the floor.

Dozens of Xu family guards, regardless of their usual relationship with him, gathered together, each holding a wine bowl, their eyes burning with desire, trying to get close to Qin Lie, who was sitting in the main seat.

"Brother Qin! No, I should call you Brother Qin now!"

An unfamiliar guard raised his wine bowl high, his face flushed red with the smell of alcohol and excitement.

"Brother Qin, let me offer you a toast. I hope you'll give me your guidance in the future!"

"Haha! No problem, no problem!"

Qin Lie was enjoying himself immensely, showing no sign of being deliberately cold or distant because the person was a stranger.

"Gurgle, gurgle..."

He downed a large bowl of wine.

"Brother Qin is so generous! Cheers to this!"

"Brother Qin, when you achieve great success in the future, don't forget the brothers you drank with today!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Let's toast Brother Qin again!"

Everyone offered toasts, showering him with compliments.

Qin Lie sat at the head of the table, his slightly immature face full of pride. Surrounded by the crowd, he listened to the shouts of "Brother Qin," "genius," and "promising future," and felt as if his bones had become lighter, floating on clouds, extremely happy.

He was used to hardship and had never been flattered before. Now that he had received a little benefit, he was like a nouveau riche, feeling so happy that he forgot all his worries. He was even more willing to accept flattery. Whenever someone offered him a drink, he would tilt his head back and drink it all down, showing his extreme generosity.

"Very well! My brothers think highly of me, Qin Lie, so I'll drink this wine!"

Qin Lie's tongue was already a little tied, but he still forced a confident demeanor, patted his chest, and vowed, "From now on... from now on in the Xu family, as long as I, Qin Lie, have food to eat, then... then you all will surely receive your share of benefits!"

Before he could finish speaking, he let out a burp, swayed, his eyes were dizzy, and his cheeks were flushed.

But he was oblivious to it all, only feeling that the hall was filled with noise and he was the center of attention, enjoying immense glory.

"drink!"

"Drink some more!"

"Brother Qin, you're drunk."

"Um... I'm not drunk!"

Amidst the clinking of glasses, countless drinks were consumed.

By the time the moon was high in the sky, the tavern was in complete disarray. Most of the guards were so drunk that they were unconscious, lying on the tables and the floor, fast asleep.

Qin Lie was completely drunk.

Supported by two equally intoxicated guards, he staggered out of the tavern, muttering to himself, "Drink... drink some more... I'm not drunk..."

"Tap tap tap..."

The group helped each other up and staggered into a secluded alley, trying to take a shortcut back home before curfew.

But when the night wind blew, the group of people leaned against the wall and vomited.

"Huh? There's a tavern up ahead...?"

A drunken guard pointed to the depths of the alley, where a wine flag could be vaguely seen, swaying in the wind.

Under its banner was a small, dimly lit tavern with a narrow storefront and few customers, a stark contrast to the grand restaurant they had just booked.

Just as they were wondering what was going on, seven or eight figures suddenly emerged from the dimly lit tavern entrance. They were all dressed in short clothes, had rough appearances, and smiled as they blocked their way.

"W-What are you doing...?"

Qin Lie waved his hand, his eyes glazed with drunkenness as he sized up the other man, who then cupped his hands in a salute and laughed:

"This humble servant greets Master Qin."

Master Qin?

He called me "Master"?!

Qin Lie's eyes lit up, as if he had heard some incredible words.

Although he was very drunk, the words "Master Qin" were particularly pleasing to his ears. He shook his head to shake off some of the drunkenness, and his eyes were blurry as he looked at the few obsequious hooligans in front of him. The vanity that suddenly swelled in his stomach instantly overwhelmed his last bit of vigilance.

"hehe......"

Qin Lie shook off the guards' support, staggered forward, let out a burp, and said:

"You...you all know of my name, Qin Lie?"

"That's natural."

"Heh...you guys have good taste!"

"Let's go for a drink!"

He let out a shout and strode ahead with high spirits, completely oblivious to whether he had any money left in his pocket.

Several guards, having just vomited, also succumbed to the effects of the alcohol and passed out in a daze.

The alley was deep and secluded, swallowing up the figures one by one.

Before long, the old tavern was filled with the sounds of clinking glasses and exchanging toasts.

The hooligans offered a toast.

Qin Lie drank, one bowl after another.

At the same time, a woman's voice rang out from the kitchen:

"Dad, they're still eating."

"Why isn't Brother Li here?"

A woman's delicate hand lifted the curtain, revealing half of her face. Her features were clean and her eyes were bright.

This woman was named Yun'e, and she was only twenty-nine years old, just the time when flowers are full of nectar and ready to bloom.

She wore a slightly worn coarse cloth dress with an apron around her waist. Although she was unadorned, her features still exuded the delicate beauty and cleanliness unique to women from water towns.

This humble tavern, nestled deep in an alley, was the livelihood she and her father, Old Zhou, depended on for each other.

The two women were not from the capital; they were refugees who had fled to the south after a flood.

Six months ago, the father and daughter were penniless and starving, huddled in a street corner waiting to die, when Li Nian happened to pass by and saw them. He saved their lives and even gave them a lot of money so that they could take over this tavern.

"father."

"Um?"

"Brother Li's friends can really eat."

"Why do you care about those things? Just do your job." Old Zhou frowned.

"Oh! I wish Brother Li would come!"

Yun'e twisted the hem of her clothes with her fingers, her voice soft and delicate, carrying the shyness and longing unique to a young girl.

Old Zhou didn't even look up, just silently scrubbing the bottom of the pot with a loofah. He knew what his daughter was thinking, but for some reason, he felt a vague unease in his heart.

Although Li Nian would come over for drinks every few days, he never reneges on his debts and takes great care of his business.

But... he had never invited so many brothers before.

Do not!

These guards, dressed as his brothers, might be his brothers.

But these hooligans...

Those were all tough guys from the nearby alleys.

Is he also Li Daxia's brother?

Thinking of this, Old Zhou's heart suddenly skipped a beat, as if something had shattered, and he became inexplicably uneasy.

He paused slightly while wiping the bottom of the pot, about to tell his daughter to quickly pack her bags and leave, but before he could even speak, he heard his daughter's joyful voice:

"Oh! It's Brother Li! Brother Li is here!"