Chapter 10: You Must Have Money, and You Must Also Have Power

A secret passage leading outside the pass had been discovered beneath the post station. Zhuang Yutang took this matter very seriously and immediately sent a message via carrier pigeon to the Protectorate Office.

The Protectorate Office also attached great importance to the discovery, and within two days, a newly appointed postmaster was dispatched to the station.

Outside the post station, Li Sanlang, accompanied by Li Wuya and Li Qilang, lay behind a dirt mound more than ten meters away, watching from afar as Zhuang Yutang’s party bid farewell to the new postmaster and completed the handover.

Watching the crates of medicinal herbs being loaded onto the horses of Zhuang Yutang’s men, Li Wuya’s face twisted in pain.

Those were supposed to be her spoils of war.

Unfortunately, she currently lacked the strength to keep them and could only watch helplessly as others took them away.

Li Qilang noticed Li Wuya’s expression and asked anxiously, "Fifth Sister, what’s wrong?"

Li Wuya clutched her chest. "My heart hurts."

Li Sanlang immediately looked over. "Wuya, are you feeling unwell?"

Li Wuya nodded, her face grimacing, and pointed at Zhuang Yutang and his men as they rode away. She accused, "They took my medicinal herbs! Those were all supposed to be mine!"

Uh...

Li Sanlang didn't quite know what to say. After a moment of deliberation, he said, "Wuya, General Zhuang already gave us a crate of herbs."

He was already quite surprised by that.

General Zhuang was a Canjiang (Assistant General) of the Dieling Pass, a high-ranking official of the third grade. In normal circumstances, he was a big shot they wouldn't even get to meet. Given the situation at the post station, even if he had given them nothing, they wouldn't have been able to say a word.

He was already very content with having received an extra crate of herbs.

Li Wuya rolled her eyes at her foolish brother, who clearly thought she should be satisfied, and felt utterly exhausted.

That group of Northern Yan people had been taken down by her, alright!

If not for her, let alone intercepting the military deployment map, Zhuang Yutang’s group wouldn't even know how many lives they might have lost.

She had performed a great service!

Influenced deeply by Li Wuya, Li Qilang also felt that their belongings had been stolen. He puffed out his cheeks and said indignantly, "Those herbs were our spoils of war to begin with. Those people are just robbers for taking them away. How annoying!"

Li Sanlang choked on his words. Looking at his younger brother and sister with their long faces, he said with a headache, "General Zhuang has already been very kind. If it had been someone else, like that deputy general, we might not have gotten anything at all."

Hearing this, Li Wuya sighed. "It’s still because we are too weak, without power or influence. Even if we get good things, we can't keep them."

Li Qilang disagreed with this and retorted, "Our family has power! Dad is a Xiaoji (Junior Flag Officer) and manages ten soldiers under him."

Li Wuya’s expression went blank. "A Xiaoji is only a seventh-grade official, the lowest rank in the garrison. It doesn't carry much power."

Li Qilang, who admired Li Changsen the most, immediately said, "That’s still an official! Every time Dad comes home on leave, even the Tunzhang (Village Head) comes to our house to look for him."

"Goudan and the others are so envious that I have a dad who is a Xiaoji. Hmm, when Dad comes home next time, I must talk to him and tell him to keep being a Xiaoji, so I can always be the boss of Goudan and the others."

Looking at his self-satisfied younger brother, Li Wuya had the urge to cover her face. She took two deep breaths before earnestly saying, "Qilang, have you forgotten what I told you before? One must have ambition."

"What is a tiny Xiaoji? Our horizons must be broader. You should think about how our dad will become a Baihu (Commander of a Hundred), a Qianhu (Commander of a Thousand), or even a Zhihuishi (Regional Military Commander) in the future."

Li Qilang’s eyes went wide. Could he really think like that?

A Baihu or Qianhu were very high-ranking officials; he had heard they were extremely difficult to attain. And a Zhihuishi—he had heard the Tunzhang say that one had to be personally appointed by the Emperor.

Li Wuya continued, "Take this incident, for example. Even if our dad were a Baihu or a Qianhu, that General Zhuang probably wouldn't have given us only one crate of herbs."

"Because we are weak and have nothing that makes others hesitate, even though those things were our spoils, they could take them away openly and give us a tiny bit, and we would still have to be grateful."

"Qilang, you must remember: if we want to live well, we must have power and influence. Oh, and we also need money. Otherwise, we can only be like this, watching helplessly as others take our things."

Li Qilang shook his head vigorously, like a rattle-drum. "No, we can't let others take our things."

Li Wuya patted Li Qilang’s shoulder and said earnestly, "Then we must work hard. Work hard to become strong, work hard to become capable."

"If we don't have the ability, we won't be able to keep even the best things we get."

Li Qilang nodded. "I understand that. Just like when we brought the herbs home and Grandma and the Second Uncle came to snatch them—if we weren't tough, the herbs would have been taken by them."

Li Wuya looked at Li Qilang with a look of "a child worth teaching," full of satisfaction.

This younger brother had loved sticking to her since he was small, like a little tail. As his older sister, she had the responsibility and obligation to educate him into a person of talent.

Li Qilang was greatly encouraged by her gaze. He lifted his chin and puffed out his chest, his face flushed with excitement. However, his expression soon faltered, and he asked weakly for confirmation, "Sister, can Dad really become a Baihu, a Qianhu, and even a Zhihuishi?"

Li Wuya nodded firmly. "As long as you dare to think and dare to act, there is nothing that cannot be done."

One was the father he admired most, the other was the sister he trusted most. Li Qilang was immediately convinced and grinned. "Then Dad will definitely be able to become a Baihu, a Qianhu, and a Zhihuishi in the future!"

Beside them, Li Sanlang watched his younger brother and sister daydreaming in broad daylight with a blank expression.

Their father had served in the garrison for over twenty years before becoming a Xiaoji four years ago. How could official ranks be so easy to climb?

He was ten years old this year and had heard many things in the village. He knew that for families like theirs, without connections or money to grease the wheels, it was very difficult to move up.

If their father wanted to be promoted, he would have to risk his life on the battlefield, but that was truly putting one's head on the line.

He would rather his father remain a Xiaoji forever than see him risk his life on the battlefield.

At this moment, Zhuang Yutang’s party had ridden far away, and the post station returned to its usual state.

Seeing the postmaster turn and enter the station, Li Sanlang immediately led Li Wuya and Li Qilang straight to the backyard.

"Third Brother, Qilang, we’ll go straight to the kitchen later. If we run into anyone, you two go up and distract them while I go into the secret passage to get the things we hid."

Although the postmaster was newly appointed, the staff in the station were still the original ones.

The people in the station knew that it was Li Sanlang who had drugged the Northern Yan people, allowing them to survive. Therefore, upon seeing the three Li siblings, most were very friendly.

Li Sanlang and Li Qilang were responsible for making small talk. While they attracted everyone’s attention, Li Wuya snuck into the kitchen and slipped into the secret passage.

The three siblings worked in coordination, and without raising anyone’s suspicion, they successfully retrieved the bundle hidden in the passage.

"Fifth Sister, hurry and check if anything is missing!"

As soon as the three left the post station, Li Qilang urged Li Wuya to check the bundle.

Li Wuya looked amusedly at Li Qilang, who was staring eagerly at the bundle. "Nothing will be missing. Your sister is very good at hiding things." As she spoke, she opened the bundle.

A blood ginseng, a blood ganoderma, a small bag of cordyceps, and two sabers.

"It’s a pity about that sword!"

Mentioning Huyan He’s sword, Li Sanlang also looked regretful.

Huyan He was an eighth-grade expert; his sword was naturally extraordinary.

Unfortunately, it had been confiscated by Zhuang Yutang.

Li Sanlang carefully wrapped the items up and then led his younger brother and sister back to the military colony.

At the gate of the post station, the new postmaster, Dong Wencheng, saw the former postmaster, Old Man Zhou, out. At a glance, he saw the three Li siblings walking home hand in hand.

"Is that the Li Sanlang who drugged the Northern Yan people?"

Old Man Zhou nodded. "Yes."

Dong Wencheng smiled and said, "His stance is steady. Has that child learned martial arts?"

Old Man Zhou nodded. "Of course he has. His father, Li Changsen, is a Xiaoji at the Xining Garrison. His hand-to-hand combat skills are quite good, and Sanlang has been learning from his father for the past two years."

Dong Wencheng smiled. "That makes sense. I saw the three Northern Yan men killed by Li Sanlang. Even if it was a surprise attack and they were poisoned, Li Sanlang wouldn't have been able to take them down without a foundation in martial arts."

"I’ve met Li Changsen at the Xining Garrison. He’s a man of iron bones. It’s said he’s very brave in killing the enemy and has solid external martial arts skills."

Old Man Zhou laughed. "It was his luck, really, to meet an old soldier willing to teach him those skills. Li Changsen entered the garrison as a soldier at thirteen. If he hadn't learned some skills, he wouldn't have lived until now."

Dong Wencheng looked surprised. "Why did he enter the garrison so young?"

Old Man Zhou sighed. "It was all because of his father, Old Man Li. Old Man Li used to be a beacon soldier. Once, he accidentally fell from the beacon tower and broke his right leg, so he sent Li Changsen to take his place."

Speaking of this, a look of sympathy appeared on Old Man Zhou’s face.

"Li Changsen’s life is bitter. After Old Man Li rested for a year, his leg was almost healed, and he could have completely gone back to be a beacon soldier."

"But Old Man Li couldn't bear the hardship of being a beacon soldier and simply refused to call his son back."

Dong Wencheng was stunned. "That Old Man Li is truly heartless. Letting a thirteen or fourteen-year-old son take his place as a beacon soldier—is he even a father?"

Old Man Zhou’s mouth curled with a hint of sarcasm. "Who’s to say otherwise?"

He had very little respect for Old Man Li.

According to the laws of the Great Yan, a soldier could only retire at fifty.

Old Man Li had only turned fifty the year before last. According to the rule that each military household only had to provide one soldier, it meant Li Changsen had served nearly twenty years of military service for Old Man Li.

Twenty years...

Li Changsen’s life was truly unfortunate to have such a selfish father. And, there was also a biased mother at home. Just thinking about it made him feel sorry for Li Changsen.

Although Dong Wencheng also sympathized with Li Changsen, he felt it wasn't his place to comment on other people’s family affairs. Seeing a dozen people walking from the direction of the military colony, he immediately said

"Uncle Zhou, I’ve just arrived and am not familiar with this area. The secret passage under the post station is to be filled in by order of the superiors. You must help me keep a close eye on the workers later."

Old Man Zhou quickly assured him, "Don't worry, I won't let them slack off."

Dong Wencheng nodded. "Uncle Zhou, tell me about these people."

Old Man Zhou quickly told Dong Wencheng about the newcomers. "By the way, the three people walking at the back are Li Changsen’s father and two younger brothers."

Dong Wencheng took a look and clicked his tongue twice. "Li Changsen is tall and sturdy; how are his father and brothers so short? If you hadn't told me, I really couldn't imagine they were a family."

Old Man Zhou laughed. "It’s not just the adults who are vastly different. You haven't seen it—when the children of the Li family’s second and third branches stand with the four Li siblings, they are immediately overshadowed. People in the village say all the good fortune of the Li family went to the eldest branch."

Dong Wencheng smiled. Seeing that the workers had arrived, he stopped chatting with Old Man Zhou.

At the entrance of Tianling Village, Li Wuya held Li Qilang’s hand, skipping ahead, while Li Sanlang followed with a smile.

As the three siblings were about to enter the village, a man in his thirties walked out from a side path.

The man walked with a limp, his expression serious and taciturn, exuding an aura that warned strangers to keep their distance. Even timid people would instinctively detour to avoid him.

"Uncle Ye!"

Seeing the man, Li Wuya’s face lit up with a bright smile as she ran over, asking with great familiarity, "Uncle Ye, when did you get back? How many days of leave did the garrison give you this time?"

Ye Mo gave a cold glance at the little girl whose skin was thicker than a city wall. He ignored her and walked past her, striding toward the village.

Li Wuya, who had been ignored countless times, stiffened for a second before immediately returning to her smiling self. Seeing the bundle of firewood Ye Mo was carrying, she immediately said

"Uncle Ye, you are often at the garrison, so I imagine you don't have much firewood at home. This bundle won't last long. My brother and I will go cut some more for you!"

The only answer she got was Ye Mo’s back as he walked away without looking back.

After he was far away, Li Qilang covered his face and looked at Li Wuya. "Fifth Sister, can you stop trying to curry favor with Uncle Ye like this? It feels so embarrassing."

Li Wuya raised her hand and flicked Li Qilang’s forehead. "What do you mean 'curry favor'? I am clearly expressing my admiration, alright?"

As she spoke, her face fell in frustration. She had been trying to build rapport with Uncle Ye for two years, but unfortunately, the man hadn't softened even a little bit.

"Why doesn't Uncle Ye think highly of me? A smart and clever child like me is clearly a martial arts prodigy. It wouldn't be a loss for him to take me as his apprentice!"

Li Sanlang looked at his confident sister with amusement. "Wuya, if you want to learn martial arts, I can teach you. If you think I’m not good enough, wait until Dad comes back and let him teach you."

Li Wuya showed a look of disdain. "I don't want to learn any external martial arts. What if I end up looking like a bodybuilder?"

"What kind of builder?"

Li Sanlang and Li Qilang both looked at Li Wuya, confused.

Li Wuya crossed her arms and huffed, "Anyway, I just don't want to learn external martial arts."

In her past life, due to the harsh environment, she had to be tougher than any man to survive. Because her aura was too strong, no man dared to approach her, and she remained an unmarried woman until her death.

In this life, having finally been given a fresh start, she was not going to walk the same path as her past life.

"Learning external martial arts makes you look big and burly; it’s very ugly. When I grow up, I want to be a delicate and charming young lady."

Li Sanlang: "..."

Delicate and charming?

A young lady?

An image of his younger sister at the post station, swiftly and cleanly taking down the Northern Yan men with a blade, flashed through Li Sanlang’s mind, and his expression suddenly became strange.

His little sister seemed to have a slight misunderstanding of herself!