Chapter 87: A Minor Warlord!

“Folks, after all these days, you must have come to know what kind of person I, Li Yuanjing, am. So let’s not waste words on this matter!”

Though Zhang Kun’s report of the interrogation just now had left Li Yuanjing somewhat displeased, he showed not the slightest trace of it on his face. He turned directly to Liu Ben and said,

“Brother Liu, dawn is almost upon us. I’ll send a few men with you—go now and bring Brother Liu Shuan back!”

As he spoke, Li Yuanjing handed Liu Ben two taels of silver.

“This money—apart from covering Brother Liu Shuan’s first month’s wages, the rest is for your travel expenses, Brother Liu!”

“Master…” Liu Ben had not expected Li Yuanjing to be so generous, nor to act so decisively. Overwhelmed, tears welled up in his eyes. He hurriedly dropped to his knees with a thud and kowtowed fervently to Li Yuanjing.

“Master, I’ll see to it at once! I’ll try my utmost to bring Old Wu back by tomorrow!”

“Master… Master…” The surrounding crowd erupted in excitement, falling to their knees and kowtowing desperately to Li Yuanjing.

…

After some time, it was the old village chief who spoke up to calm the crowd, saying that Li Yuanjing still had important matters to attend to. Only then was Li Yuanjing able to extricate himself.

Arriving at the small dark room nearby, Zhang Kun hurried over and reported softly to Li Yuanjing,

“Master, those two scoundrels have tough mouths. We’ve tried every means, but they still insist it was Lord Dong who gave the orders, no one else…”

Li Yuanjing glanced at the two horse-faced men, now unconscious and disfigured from the torment, his brow furrowing deeply.

If the burly fellow beside them had been the tough one, perhaps Li Yuanjing could believe it. But for the horse-faced one to be so hard-headed—how could that be possible? Coupled with Wang Baotian’s previous confession…

Li Yuanjing began to see things clearly in his heart. The situation seemed much as he had deduced: this night’s assault had been orchestrated by Lord Dong himself, unrelated to Zhao Yinling’s side.

Yet he had never offended Lord Dong in the least—not even met him once. Why would the old man strike at him so ruthlessly?

Could it really be, as Wang Baotian said, that Lord Dong coveted the five hundred taels that Wang Youdao had given him?

“Brother Zhang, if nothing more can be gleaned, just keep them under guard. Make sure there’s always someone watching them. You should go get some rest too—take care of yourself.”

“Master…” Zhang Kun’s eyes brimmed with emotion; he nodded solemnly.

“Don’t worry, Master, I’m fine. But you must look after your health as well.”

…

The sky gradually brightened, snowflakes drifting down once more.

The traces of last night’s fierce battle had long been erased, and the construction site at the north gate was once again bustling with energy.

Clearly, the common folk had not been dampened by last night’s events. On the contrary, inspired by Li Yuanjing’s promise of “brick houses,” their spirits soared higher than ever.

However, though Li Yuanjing had managed to rest a little that morning, he was far from cheerful.

Beside him, Yu Niang, her eyes swollen and red, clung to him, sobbing softly.

For before them stood a brand-new cedar coffin.

The lid was not yet closed, revealing Zhao Yinling’s delicate but now deathly pale face within…

“Master, it’s almost time…”

Chen Chunyan, her eyes bloodshot from a sleepless night, leaned over and whispered cautiously to Li Yuanjing.

Nearby, Wang Cuihua, her eyes equally red, watched anxiously.

Li Yuanjing exhaled a long breath. “Let’s begin, then.”

“Yes, sir…”

The crowd moved quickly, adding burial goods, closing and sealing the coffin.

The four men—Kui Zi, Zhu Zi, and the others—who had been waiting, lifted the coffin and carried it toward the Li family’s burial grounds.

Li Yuanjing had not wanted Yu Niang to follow, but her resolve could not be shaken. He could only let her come, signaling to Chen Chunyan, Wang Cuihua, and Da Ya to look after her.

By custom, a mere concubine’s burial didn’t require the male head of house to attend. But Zhao Yinling’s case was different.

Li Yuanjing could not express his regret—he had to see her off on her final journey.

Soon, they reached the resting place of Li Yuanjing’s parents.

A deep pit had already been dug, and as soon as the workers saw Li Yuanjing arrive, they greeted him respectfully.

Gazing at his parents’ fresh graves and then at the new pit beside them, Li Yuanjing felt momentarily dazed, as though in another world.

But he could not linger—he was still waiting for news from all sides. With a long sigh, he said,

“Bury her.”

“Yes, sir…”

The strong men raised the coffin on long poles and slowly lowered it into the pit.

Watching them begin to shovel earth in, Li Yuanjing’s composure wavered, and his eyes grew moist.

In his arms, Yu Niang was already a weeping mess.

Even if Zhao Yinling’s intentions had been impure, and he had no real feelings for her, she had still entered the Li household—and now this had happened…

After a while, the mound over Zhao Yinling’s grave was complete. Yu Niang, pulling herself together, began directing the final rites.

Just then, Li Yuanjing suddenly motioned for someone to bring Wang Cuihua over and asked softly,

“I remember you once said that my Uncle Wang Youdao also took in a concubine years ago, and she died suddenly after only a few days?”

“Ah?” Though exhausted and nearly asleep, Wang Cuihua was instantly jolted awake, as if doused in cold water.

She nodded warily. “Master, yes… That’s right…”

“Mm.” Li Yuanjing wanted to pursue the matter further, but seeing Wang Cuihua’s state, he simply patted her shoulder.

“Once this is all over, go home and rest.”

“Ah? Yes, thank you, Master… Thank you…”

…

Li Yuanjing did not stay for the entire funeral, but left ahead of time.

Only now did he truly understand how difficult it had been for Wang Youdao to survive in this quagmire.

Such a person could not simply be called clever or shrewd—he was a minor sort of “warlord.”

How laughable, that Li Yuanjing, with all his experience from two lifetimes, had never really seen Wang Youdao as a threat, yet had unwittingly followed the same path.

After returning to Quanzi Village, Li Yuanjing waited all morning, but received no word from Dagou Village.

It was as if Biaozi and his twenty men had been thrown into the river without even a ripple.

Li Yuanjing saw no point in waiting foolishly. He gathered Zhang Liang and eight handpicked gunners and began their indoctrination and training.

…

While Li Yuanjing was inspiring the eight gunners to tears of pride and gratitude, over in Dagou Village, Lord Dong could finally no longer sit still.

In a grand parlor built of solid brick and tile, Lord Dong—about fifty years old, his hair silver but his frame still robust, hints of his youthful vigor lingering—sat in the main armchair, frowning at his black-faced confidant kneeling before him.

“A Gui, you mean Biaozi and the others haven’t returned because they failed at Quanzi Village? How is that possible?”

“There were nearly twenty of them, all skilled fighters. How could they fail to take down Li Yuanjing—a mere penniless scholar?!”

“If you dare play tricks on me, I’ll skin you alive right now!”

The black-faced confidant was terrified, kowtowing frantically.

“Master, I wouldn’t dare! I would never mislead you or slander Biaozi. My informant saw with his own eyes this morning—Li Yuanjing was burying his concubine…”

“Given Biaozi’s loyalty, if he hasn’t come back by now, while Li Yuanjing is still alive and well, it’s likely he’s already fallen victim to Li Yuanjing…”

“This…” Even Lord Dong was momentarily at a loss.

Though he accepted the logic, suspicion and wariness still gnawed at him over Biaozi’s disappearance.

After all, he had not only weathered storms, but tempests. What situations had he not seen?

Biaozi might look honest and loyal, but who could truly read another’s heart?

Was it possible he had run off to strike out on his own? Lord Dong had seen it happen too many times before.

After all, being an underling was never as comfortable as being your own boss, a bandit king in your own right. Those desperadoes had no family here.

But seeing his confidant so earnest now, Lord Dong could not press the matter further. With a deep sigh, he nodded.

“So be it, then. But, A Gui, send men to Quanzi Village to keep an eye on Li Yuanjing. If there’s any movement, report back to me at once—understand?”

“Yes, sir!”