Chapter 30: Discussion

Only after squeezing every bit of information out of Wan Yuankai did Li Xiangping finally see off the despondent man. Carefully stowing away the sketches in his hands, he led Li Yesheng back to Lijing Village.

Thanks to the continuous stream of land taxes sent from the various villages every year, the Li family was able to support more craftsmen. These workers primarily built the small courtyards in the back mountains, but during slow periods, they were also responsible for the repairs in Lijing Village.

After more than half a year of renovation, Lijing Village had undergone a transformation. Polished bluestone slabs had been laid piece by piece, stretching from the front of the Li family gates all the way to the village entrance. As the main thoroughfare of Lijing Village, it served as a hub of power, radiating influence throughout the surrounding villages.

The wealthy households in the village also began to imitate the Li family's blue-brick and tiled houses, renovating their own earthen and thatched dwellings. Liu Linfeng and the others did not dare to use blue brick; instead, they used a second-rate white brick, using mortar to outline the wall joints. Although it was not as striking or beautiful as blue brick with white joints, it was still considered quite grand.

Looking from a distance at the clusters of buildings behind the village, the white-brick courtyards huddled around the main house of blue bricks and gray tiles, possessing the charm of a Jiangnan water town amidst the misty wind and rain.

When Li Xiangping returned to the courtyard, he saw Li Mutian sitting in the courtyard resting with Li Xuanxuan. Li Mutian was in high spirits and moved with agility; he sat composedly by the table holding a teacup, looking as though he had already moved past the grief of losing his son several years ago.

Although Li Mutian no longer managed much, no one dared to underestimate this old man. Even though he was merely a mortal, the fear Li Yesheng and the others felt for him far exceeded that of Li Tongya and Li Xiangping.

"Xuan'er!"

Li Xiangping smiled and picked up the lunging Li Xuanxuan. The child had reached the age for schooling, and the Li family had hired Han Wenxu as his primer teacher. Li Xuanxuan was clever and bright, making him easy to teach.

"Today I went to the reed marshes with Xie Wen. He said Uncle Yesheng used to herd ducks there when he was little!" Li Xuanxuan said in a childish voice, hugging Li Xiangping with a grin.

The Li family had arranged a marriage for Li Yesheng, and Li Xiewen was Li Yesheng's child. He was just over two years old and followed Li Xuanxuan around running everywhere every day.

"That's right," Li Yesheng answered with a smile from behind.

"Call Second Brother back," Li Xiangping instructed with a smile. He watched Li Yesheng withdraw and gradually walk away before turning his gaze back to Li Xuanxuan.

"Back then, your Third Uncle was catching fish nearby. Those fish were so fat, covered in green scales and incredibly slippery."

Li Xiangping set him down and pinched Li Xuanxuan's small face, but his gaze drifted uncertainly, staring blankly into the distance as if falling into a profound memory.

"Those fish were the most delicious I ever ate. They were heavenly fish, immortals among fish..."

"How is the Wan family?"

Li Mutian glanced down lowly, set his tea on the table, and interrupted Li Xiangping.

"Their strength far exceeds our Li family. They have a long history, and the clan head possesses the cultivation of the Yujing Wheel. Furthermore, there is that Wan Yuankai, who achieved the Qingyuan stage at such a young age."

Li Xiangping patted Li Xuanxuan, letting the child go play on his own, and looked up to answer.

Just as he spoke, Li Tongya stepped into the courtyard with a solemn expression. He found a seat and listened intently to Li Xiangping's explanation.

Li Xiangping recounted everything Wan Yuankai had said in one breath, then picked up his teacup, drinking deeply while looking at the two men.

"If the Wan family is truly pressured from both internal and external fronts, we should help if we can. The Ji family is right next door; if the Wan family truly falls, the lips will be gone and the teeth will be cold—the next target will likely be our Li family."

Li Tongya listened to Li Xiangping's words in silence, holding the sketch and studying it.

"The Wan family must be saved, but there must be a way to save them that yields the most benefit for our Li family. Xiangping, listen closely."

Li Mutian narrowed his eyes, raised an eyebrow, and stared quietly at the tea in his cup before speaking again

"The Wan family says the Ji family has seized their spirit rice. Then we shall reply like this—say that our Li family has surplus spirit fields but lacks manpower. Tell them to send someone to the Li family to plant rice here; the Li family will take a thirty percent cut of the harvest. If that Wan Yuankai truly sends someone, then it proves the Wan family is indeed being oppressed by the Ji family to an unbearable degree."

"Exactly," Li Xiangping nodded, clearly thinking along with his father. He said seriously, "However, the Ji family knows the Wan family's spirit fields like the back of their hand; their internal defenses must be like a sieve by now. Wan Yuankai must handle this matter with extreme secrecy. At this moment, our Li family must not clash with the Ji family; we should merely provide silent support and momentum from behind the Wan family."

"Correct."

Li Mutian nodded in approval, took a light sip of tea, and continued, "The strength of both families far exceeds ours. For now, we must bide our time and accumulate strength. The Ji family is aggressive and their intentions are sinister. And while the Wan family is also under the rule of Qingchi, we must still be wary of them being right next to our bed."

Li Tongya stared at the sketch for a long while before suddenly asking, "Does the Ji family in this map border our Li family?"

"Yes," Li Xiangping nodded, pointing at Lidaokou, and said in a heavy voice, "The ancient Li Road forks here. One path goes north, leading directly into the Ji family territory; the other goes east, leading to the Wan family territory."

Pausing to observe Li Tongya's thoughtful expression, Li Xiangping continued, "I asked Wan Yuankai. Over a hundred years ago, a demon gathered several minor demons and built a demon den on the road leading to the Ji family. Since then, that road has been severed. Even the Ji family abandoned that area, though it remains under their jurisdiction in name only."

"So that's how it is," Li Tongya realized. "In that case, there is no need to fear the Ji family entering our territory. As long as the Wan family does not fall, the Ji family cannot pose a threat to this place."

"That demon is quite clever, choosing the border between the Qingchi Sect and the Tangjin Gate, content to stay in its demon den to cultivate without coming out to cause trouble," Li Xiangping said softly, then turned to Li Mutian. "I heard from Wan Yuankai that there are Shanyue people appearing in the mountains to our west. Father, when you fought the Shanyue back then, did you gather any intelligence?"

Li Mutian waved his hand and said, "In terms of appearance, those Shanyue people are not much different from us, save for their cropped hair and tattoos. They speak a different language, and the Shanyue are fond of martial arts and physical strength. Their clans have shamans skilled in curses and beast-taming, making them difficult to deal with."

"We do not know how effective your exorcism techniques are, but as long as they can handle the curses, the village men will be roughly equal to the enemy. It is not impossible to deal with them."

"There is no rush," Li Tongya interjected, his finger tracing a circle around the Li family on the map. "The Wan family has been squeezed and carved up by the Ji family many times. The area Si Yuanbai allocated to our Li family is large; currently, our territory is even larger than the Wan family's."

"The land is vast but the people are sparse, and our Li family's strength is low—it is nothing more than 'bloated weakness.' If the Shanyue do not come, we need not provoke them. Let the Wan family hold the line in front of us. Let our Li family develop for a few years first; we shall discuss other matters once we have completely mastered these lands."