Chapter 69: The Corpse-Hiding Space, Old Man Li Runs Into Li Feng!
After dealing with the group of people, Li Feng put away his saber.
His first time killing someone.
Surprisingly, Li Feng did not feel any significant discomfort.
Perhaps it was because the original owner had killed too many wild beasts.
Thus, he felt completely numb to it this time?
Besides.
Judging from the recent combat, the original owner’s martial prowess was quite good. How on earth could he have been rammed to death by a wild boar?
It didn't make sense.
It was utterly bizarre.
He searched through his memories, but finding no relevant clues, he simply stopped thinking about it.
Perhaps even a brave warrior could occasionally stumble!
Pulling his thoughts back, Li Feng entered the system mall, spent a few silver coins, and purchased items to clean up bloodstains.
Then he looked at the corpses strewn all over the ground.
Leaving them lying here was certainly not a proper solution.
He thought of his spatial storage. Since these were inanimate objects now, he should be able to store them inside!
He gave it a try!
Indeed, it worked!
Except for one corpse, Li Feng stored all the others inside the space.
Looking at this person who was feigning death, Li Feng drew his long saber once again.
Clutching the hilt, he walked toward the fellow!
"Don't kill me, please don't kill me!!!"
The man suddenly scrambled up, clutching his chest as he looked at Li Feng, "It wasn't me who wanted to kill you! It was Brother Xiong—no, Li Xiong! It was him who wanted you dead!"
The man was so frightened he wet his pants!
So many people had just vanished into thin air; they must have been swallowed alive by this monster!
He was a demon!
"Besides Li Xiong, who else was involved?" Li Feng asked.
He placed a hand on the blade of his saber and lightly scraped his fingernail against it.
Must admit, it was truly sharp!
Li Feng naturally possessed a rather honest and wholesome appearance, with a square, upright face that anyone would describe as a typical, hardworking countryman. Yet why was this person so ruthlessly savage?
A hundred times more savage than the likes of them!
The man thought for a moment, struggling as he inched backward, mumbling incoherently, "I don't know anything!"
"Li Xiong only told us to tag along!"
"He said his son was bullied and asked us to help him teach someone a lesson!"
"Immortal lord, I really knew nothing about this! All of this was Li Xiong's doing. Have mercy, please raise your hand and spare my life!"
"Rest assured, I won't utter a single word about today's events. If you spare my life, ugh..."
Before he could finish his sentence, a thin line of blood appeared across his neck, and then he pitched forward, collapsing dead to the ground.
As if!
A whole bunch of people were already dead.
Could he possibly let this one go?
Confirming the man was dead, Li Feng stored the body away and began tidying up the loose ends!
The bloodstains on the ground were cleaned away, leaving no trace behind.
The marks of the struggle were also erased!
Until it no longer looked as though anyone had ever died here, Li Feng inspected himself.
Ah!
It seemed he still hadn't completely integrated the original owner's memories; he still hadn't entirely managed to avoid the splatter.
Finding an abandoned house, Li Feng changed into a fresh set of clothes. As for the blood-stained garment, he disposed of it directly!
To avoid arousing suspicion, he had also purchased an identical set of clothes, indistinguishable from the previous one in every way.
Buying the clothes and the blood-cleaning supplies cost Li Feng a total of six silver taels.
Still, it was fine.
Killing Li Xiong could also be considered eliminating a thorn in his side.
Anyone who dared to threaten him with his daughter was already a dead man the very moment those words left their mouth!
...
Old Man Li was not visiting the prefecture city for the first time!
He had been here before, though back then he had tagged along with a labor gang to help unload cargo at the docks.
That was his first time coming to the prefecture city, and also his only time!
Even though he had only stayed at the docks, the prosperity of the prefecture city had been deeply etched into his mind.
He had always thought that since a person's life was so long, and he had raised one scholar and one craftsman, surely at least one of them would eventually let him tour the prefecture city in style.
Back then, he never imagined that one day, he himself might actually become a resident of the prefecture city.
He had raised three sons in total.
The eldest looked honest and simple, but was actually a person with exceptionally strong opinions. Among his three sons, the eldest was the one he feared the most!
He also knew the eldest was capable; hence, he condoned his old woman giving covert financial support to the eldest's family.
Although the second son was a twin born in the same birth as the eldest, his temperament was vastly different. The eldest was as sly as a fox, while the second was as honest and foolish as an ox!
He had never favored the second son since childhood, but that didn't stop him from bestowing verbal affection!
Giving a stick followed by a sweet date was his specialty, and the second son always fell for it. Over the years, the second son had remained utterly obedient to him and never dared to defy him!
Even during this recent family division, when he clearly knew he was shortchanging the second son's family, he said nothing, and the second son didn't raise a fuss either!
Over time, the second son's status within the Li family naturally plummeted, and the youngest son, acting as the younger brother, had never once regarded the second brother with any respect.
All of this was by his own deliberate design!
The youngest son was just over thirty and still had no sons. Although the second son was incompetent, he had sired five sons. Now that Fourth Cow and Fifth Cow were older, he intended to have them adopted by the youngest son!
That way, the youngest son would have two sons and effortlessly gain the backing of the second son's family. To the youngest son, this would undoubtedly be all benefit and no harm!
The reason he favored the youngest son was because the youngest was also someone he had cherished in the palm of his hand. Having studied books for decades, the youngest had no strength to truss a chicken and knew nothing of farming!
He was more than happy to scheme on the youngest son's behalf!
With the second son's family putting in the labor, the youngest son's life would turn out well no matter what!
As for the eldest's family...
Chengtai and Chengyou had both passed the county examinations. The two boys were still young, and achieving such results now meant that passing the trials to become child scholars—or even attaining the status of imperial scholars—was just a matter of time.
By then, the eldest's family would have two scholars, and their prospects would certainly not be inferior to the youngest son's family!
Old Man Li kept these little calculations to himself, sharing them with no one. His trip out today, aside from sightseeing in the prefecture city, was intended to buy a few things for the second son and see if he could finalize the adoption matter!
Walking up to a clay figurine stall, Old Man Li looked at the items displayed on the counter, and a vague memory stirred in his mind!
Many years ago, the second son—who was then barely taller than his waist—had cried and made a fuss wanting a finely crafted figurine doll, but he hadn't bought it for him and had even scolded the boy severely!
When they returned home, the old woman had forced the boy to kneel in the courtyard for the entire night. By the time they discovered him the next day, the second son had already fainted.
And they hadn't even bothered to summon a doctor for him!
Country folk were all like that.
Which family's child had a fever or illness that wasn't just endured through sheer willpower?
The second son had been quite resilient too, pulling through, but he became much more reticent after that. From then on, the second son never again asked them for a single thing!
"Old patron, buying clay figurines for your grandson?" the vendor asked cordially, looking at Old Man Li.
"Mmm!" Old Man Li nodded. "How much for one?"
He pointed at a clay figurine that vaguely resembled a woman and asked.
"Two copper cash each!" the vendor replied.
Old Man Li: "..."
Why was it so expensive!
Thinking of the second son's usual submissive demeanor, as well as the matter he intended to bring up, Old Man Li gritted his teeth and pulled out his final hidden stash of private money.
He felt around for a few copper cash.
"Wrap this one up for me, and that one too!"
He bought two!
He planned to give one to the second son!
However, since the second son was already around thirty years old, he surely wouldn't like it. When the time came, he would offer it with a few polite, superficial words and then smoothly take it back!
Two clay figurines, one each for Fourth Cow and Fifth Cow, and this favor would be considered settled!
Old Man Li calculated with utmost precision!
Taking the figurines handed over by the vendor, he limped his way back, intending to discuss the matter with the eldest son.
He was planning to return to Li Family Village soon, and at the same time retrieve the silver he had hidden in the old ancestral house.
However, the moment he turned a corner, he caught sight of an unusually familiar figure.
"Second son?" Old Man Li muttered to himself.
Looking at the other person's attire, Old Man Li shook his head again.
"Couldn't possibly be the second son. When has the second son's family ever been able to afford linen clothing!"