Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 333

"Young Master Yuan, buy some cigarettes."

"it is good."

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the entrance of Aunt Zhang's shop and pointed to the pack of Zhonghua cigarettes on the shelf.

"I want that one."

Aunt Zhang: "Oh, Uncle Sanjiang is getting all Westernized now."

Li Sanjiang, who was walking behind, didn't see what was going on and just casually replied:

"That's right, I've always been very Westernized."

As he got closer, he saw Aunt Zhang hand Xiao Yuanhou a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes. He was slightly taken aback, but just smiled and reached into his pocket. These cigarettes were expensive and not enough to be his staple food, but he could afford to smoke a pack occasionally.

Before Li Sanjiang could take out his money, Li Zhuiyuan took the money himself and handed it to Aunt Zhang.

Aunt Zhang: "There's more money."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Um, take one."

Aunt Zhang: "Okay."

Li Zhuiyuan placed the pack of Zhonghua cigarettes in his grandfather's hand. The boy was carrying a plastic bag containing a pack of cigarettes that his grandfather usually smoked.

Li Sanjiang tore open the packaging paper, opened the cigarette box, took out a cigarette, smelled it under his nose, put it in his mouth, and lit it with a match.

Aunt Zhang laughed and said, "Uncle Sanjiang is so lucky."

Li Sanjiang adjusted his cigarette holder and replied, "Of course."

Unlike other elderly people, Li Sanjiang is not stubborn; he is open-minded and adaptable.

He used to feel disappointed because Xiao Yuanhou no longer needed him to take care of things and gave him money, but now he actually enjoys the occasional filial piety his child shows him.

In any case, all his possessions will be left to Xiao Yuanhou in the future, and he has already made a will.

Aunt Zhang: "We slaughtered a pig at home, Uncle Sanjiang, do you want some meat?"

Li Sanjiang: "What's up?"

Almost every household in the village has a pigsty, but the locals are frugal and stingy, so there is no custom of slaughtering pigs for the New Year.

Only when there is a family event requiring a banquet will they have no choice but to kill a carp to buy from a shop outside.

Aunt Zhang: "My daughter had appendicitis last week and had surgery at the town's health center. She's back now."

Li Sanjiang: "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Aunt Zhang: "It's just a minor illness or surgery, there's no need for a big celebration. It's just his family and my family, three tables of relatives at most."

Li Sanjiang: "That's true."

If someone is seriously ill, only close relatives will visit them and give them a red envelope. After being discharged from the hospital, it is customary to treat these close relatives to a meal.

Aunt Zhang: "We can't finish eating one pig."

Li Sanjiang: "Send it to my place, I consume a lot there. Oh, and by the way, give me a lot of blood."

Aunt Zhang replied, "Okay, I'll have my family deliver it to you later."

Li Sanjiang: "Your little girl isn't young anymore, is she?"

Aunt Zhang: "That's right."

When Zhao Yi was here, Aunt Zhang thought he was good-looking and even had some feelings for him. However, the words of Zhao Yi's "two wives" really frightened Aunt Zhang.

Li Sanjiang: "Still want to come knocking on our door?"

Aunt Zhang only gave birth to girls.

If you want an easy life, just marry off all your daughters; however, if you have some ambition and your family is well-off, you will usually keep one daughter and find a son-in-law to live with you.

Liu Jinxia was originally hired by Li Juxiang as a live-in maid.

Aunt Zhang: "That's what I used to think, but after that incident, my husband has recently become more open-minded. Who would have thought?"

Li Sanjiang: "Yes, who would have thought?"

Aunt Zhang: "It still depends on fate. If you're family, you'll end up together. If you're not family, coming in will only bring trouble."

"That's the truth."

Li Sanjiang and Li Zhuiyuan left the convenience store and continued their post-breakfast walk.

“Young Master Yuan, you shouldn’t buy this kind of cigarette by the carton anymore. There are too many loose packs at home.”

Li Sanjiang usually sits in a vegetarian shrine to handle funeral arrangements. He takes several packs of cigarettes at a time, so he never worries about running out of food. Sometimes when Li Sanjiang goes out, he will deliberately put an empty cigarette pack in his pocket so that he can fill it up with loose cigarettes when he returns home.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Next time I'll buy a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes."

Li Sanjiang raised his voice: "I've become an immortal! I'll smoke a whole pack of Zhonghua cigarettes, haha!"

Exhaling a smoke ring and flicking off the ash, Li Sanjiang asked again:

"By the way, Young Master Yuan, what did that old lady specifically call you over to say this morning?"

"Grandma Liu is going to the city center today and wants me to go with her."

"Oh, is this to buy you something?"

"Probably not."

"If they really buy it for you, then keep it. Let that mercenary old woman bleed a little more; she'll lose at the card table anyway."

"Yes, sir."

When I returned home after my walk, I found that Aunt Zhang's husband had already brought over the pork and pig's blood.

There was a good amount of meat, and Aunt Liu had already paid for it; it was much cheaper than buying it at the butcher shop in town.

There's no worry about not being able to finish all this meat, since the family raises carnivorous mules.

Li Sanjiang picked up a bag of pig's blood and started fiddling with it.

It's not for making blood curd, but for making "black dog blood" to be used in religious ceremonies.

Li Sanjiang was very experienced in this kind of "forgery". He first filtered the paint himself and processed it slightly. Then he took the basin, sat in the hall, and began to stir the paint in it.

This kind of "black dog blood" has red as the base color and black as solemnity. Once it is splashed out, it solidifies and takes shape quickly, resulting in a good performance effect.

While Li Sanjiang was busy with his work, Xiao Hei's doghouse was right next to him. Xiao Hei rested its head on its leg, its eyes wide open, watching Li Sanjiang create the artificial "black dog blood".

Xiao Hei is very intelligent, definitely considered smart among dogs. After all, it knows how to make choices, and in order to continue its lazy life of good food and drink, it even disdains dog sex.

Every time blood is drawn, Xiao Hei will proactively extend its leg, and after the blood is drawn, it will shake it and give a look, indicating that more blood can be drawn.

During breaks in river crossings, when the use of red mud is low, the frequency and amount of blood collection will decrease. Xiao Hei will feel anxious about this and will actively stretch out his leg to pry at Runsheng or Tan Wenbin, for fear of losing his job collecting blood.

But looking at Li Sanjiang in front of him, Xiao Hei had no desire to flatter him at all, because Li Sanjiang had prepared a huge basin of it.

After processing it, Li Sanjiang put it in a container.

Then, he brought out all his tools and wiped and aired them out.

In particular, the peach wood sword with the mark of the Shandong State-owned Furniture Factory on the hilt was Li Sanjiang's favorite. Li Sanjiang even applied a layer of oil to it to make it look even shinier.

Lin Shuyou squatted down to the side and asked, "Grandpa, is there something important to do?"

Li Sanjiang nodded: "Yes, it's a big job, a really big one. You should get ready too, come with me to perform the shamanic dance this afternoon."

Lin Shuyou: "I wasn't performing a shamanistic ritual..."

Ever since a generous venue owner once arranged a business for Li Sanjiang, Lin Shuyou performed the "Guan Jiang Shou" (a type of ancient Chinese military performance) and received a large red envelope (a symbol of honor), Lin Shuyou's "Guan Jiang Shou" performance became an extra item in Li Sanjiang's funeral business.

When Li Sanjiang encounters someone with plenty of money, he recommends Lin Shuyou.

Li Sanjiang: "It's no difference, you danced quite well."

Lin Shuyou: "Of course."

Li Sanjiang: "Today's ominous sign, we need to be careful."

Lin Shuyou: "How fierce can he be? Don't scare yourself, grandpa."

Ah You knew that with that peach grove there, the Nantong area was very peaceful and stable, and even the greatest resentment would hardly turn into a ghost.

Li Sanjiang: "It's terrible. The whole family is gone. They've wiped them out."

Lin Shuyou: "When did this happen?"

Li Sanjiang: "During the few days you went back to Fujian..."

Lin Shuyou: "Who killed him? Was it a robber or a vagrant?"

The social order is not very stable these days, and almost every year there are murderers who commit crimes across multiple provinces, which are constantly reported in newspapers and on television.

Such cases, wherever they occur, will cause great social panic and may even trigger a surge in local residents reinforcing or replacing their doors and windows.

Li Sanjiang hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and said, "There must be an explanation, otherwise they wouldn't have invited me. Let's wait and see."

Lin Shuyou: "Then I should also prepare?"

Li Sanjiang: "Yes, you should put on makeup beforehand, and then you can start dancing when you arrive."

Lin Shuyou: "Okay."

Actually, Lin Shuyou doesn't need makeup anymore when he starts practicing his spiritual practice; it's all natural now.

The food for lunch was very hard.

Although Li Sanjiang's family has always had a high standard of living, their consumption of oil and fat alone is greater than that of a factory with a hundred employees in a nearby town.

But today's lunch was quite different from usual.

Runsheng, who had just returned from the fields, looked at the basin covered with a layer of braised pork and looked at Li Sanjiang with some confusion.

Tan Wenbin: "Hey Grandpa Li, did you win the lottery again?"

Li Sanjiang: "Touch a ball."

Tan Wenbin: "So you're not planning to continue living like this?"

Li Sanjiang: "Eat your food, eat more, and then you'll all come to work with me later."

Tan Wenbin: "Is there a big job coming up? Hmm... wait a minute, shouldn't they provide meals if there's a big job?"

Li Sanjiang: "Zhuangzhuang, can't eating shut you up?"

Tan Wenbin: "Block it, block it, I'll block it right now."

After the meal, Li Sanjiang directly appointed his generals.

From Uncle Qin and Xiong Shan to Runsheng, Tan Wenbin, and Lin Shuyou, all the mules in their households were mobilized.

In the past, Li Zhuiyuan would have asked to go along at this time, but Grandma Liu had something to do today.

Li Sanjiang led everyone away, pushing out three carts filled to the brim with all sorts of paper offerings.

While clearing away the dishes, Aunt Liu specifically asked Liu Yumei:

"Shall I go with you?"

"No need, I didn't even call Ali, and they won't bring him."

Liu Yumei beckoned to Li Zhuiyuan, and the young man walked over.

"Come with me to meet a few people later."

“Okay, Grandma Liu.”

"Don't call me grandma."

"Does it mean we can't let them know who I am?"

“If you want them to know, that’s fine too.” Liu Yumei took a cup of tea from Aunt Liu, rinsed her mouth, and spat it out. “But aren’t you unhappy about displaying our family’s sign on the river?”

“I would be happy to.”

"Oh?"

"They also frequently display their brand names."

"Ouch."

Liu Yumei smiled.

This was the first time she had discussed this issue in detail with the boy.

In just a few words, the old lady's doubts were basically dispelled.

"That's great, so much better than that blockhead Ali." Liu Yumei pointed to her temple. "I've always thought that the Qin family has always been a bunch of idiots. What do you think?"

"Grandma, I'm also considered a member of the Qin family."

As he spoke, Li Zhuiyuan glanced at A Li sitting there out of the corner of his eye.

Liu Yumei said irritably, "Sigh, if it weren't for the pitiful state of the Qin family, I wouldn't have let A-Li take the surname Qin. It would be so much better if she took my surname."

Li Zhuiyuan smiled ingratiatingly.

Liu Yumei looked up at the sun and said, "Alright, that's enough. Let's go with Grandma."

Aunt Liu: "I'll go get the box from under the bed for you."

Liu Yumei raised her hand: "Don't take it, it's better to go empty-handed. If you bring a sword, I'm afraid I won't be able to resist."

Aunt Liu: "Then bring an umbrella, it looks like it's going to rain today."

……

It's raining.

Li Sanjiang: "Quickly, quickly, push all the paper offerings inside, so they don't get wet."

Three large cartloads of paper offerings, not even costing money yet. If they get ruined by rain along the way, it will be difficult to hand them over.

Uncle Qin and the others immediately moved the paper offerings. The paper offerings still got wet in the rain, but the quality of Li Sanjiang's paper offerings was so good that they not only didn't break, but they also didn't fade much.

Lin Shuyou patted the water droplets off his hair as he walked to the entrance of the hall and looked inside.

There was a square table in the hall, with a ladder made of yellow paper on it, and six frames of portraits of the deceased placed on it.

At the top are two elderly people, in the middle are two middlemen, and below are two children.

Three generations, old, middle-aged and young, stood together neatly.

Tan Wenbin walked over: "This is the first time I've ever seen a funeral like this."

Lin Shuyou: "Grandpa Li said that their entire family was wiped out."

Tan Wenbin: "Sigh, what a pity for those two kids."

Lin Shuyou: "Yes."

They are used to life and death; what can move them is the smile of a child in a memorial portrait.

It must have been developed from photos of the two children before they were born.

This family moved here from another place in the past, and they had no relatives in the area. Since the whole family had passed away, there was no head of the household, so the village took the lead in organizing the funeral.

Officials and reporters came over at noon, so the mourning hall was simply set up; it wasn't suitable for any feudal or superstitious activities.

But the villagers have a simple need for spiritual comfort.

The family's violent deaths have caused widespread panic in the village, necessitating a grand funeral service to put everyone's minds at ease.

Therefore, the money came from the village, which to some extent can be considered a "fundraising" by everyone.

"Rain may be rainy, but let's get back to training!"

After Li Sanjiang gave a shout, he changed into a Taoist costume, held a peach wood sword, and ran out with a "thump thump thump".

They began performing the ritual in the rain.

Tan Wenbin and others quickly helped set up the offering table and brazier.

Lin Shuyou found a corner, changed into the clothes of an official general, flicked his face, revealing runes, and then came out holding a trident, following Grandpa Li on the dam in the heavy rain... to catch "ghosts" together.

Xiong Shan played the suona, Tan Wenbin struck the gong, and Uncle Qin beat the drum.

Soon, some villagers heard the commotion and came to see what was happening.

Unlike in the past when crowds would gather to watch the funeral procession, this time only a few villagers got close enough to watch, while most of the villagers stood outside with umbrellas.

These days, even when walking, the villagers will deliberately avoid the area in front of this family's house.

Li Sanjiang is getting old, and his costume became very heavy after being soaked by the rain. In addition, many of his moves were not suitable for him to perform in the heavy rain, so he could only move around and wave his arms.

After a while, Li Sanjiang started to pant.

Lin Shuyou: "Uncle Li, hold on a minute, I'll do it!"

Li Sanjiang: "Okay."

Lin Shuyou began to walk around Li Sanjiang.

As soon as Li Sanjiang raised his sword, Lin Shuyou began a series of backflips.

As soon as Li Sanjiang swung his sword, Lin Shuyou performed a series of side somersaults.

In short, all Grandpa Li needs to do is stand there and make a few casual gestures. With Lin Shuyou's agility, the surrounding villagers, especially the village secretary and village chief standing inside, won't think they're just slacking off.

Because Lin Shuyou's performance was so good, it was real kung fu and quite handsome, that he gradually attracted the villagers who were originally standing on the periphery to come closer.

Moreover, after each of Lin Shuyou's acrobatic performances, villagers would applaud and cheer.

This made Li Sanjiang feel a little sorry for him, and he quickly spoke up:
"My Lord, take a rest, take a rest, there's no need to work so hard."

"Uncle Li, I'm not tired, I'm really not tired."

Li Sanjiang: "The rain has stopped, burn paper money, burn paper money! Youhou, go downstairs and have a drink of water to calm down."

Lin Shuyou: "Hehe."

The paper offerings were laid out, and the burning of the paper offerings began.

There are many styles of paper crafts today, including a very tall paper building.

Because it had been wet from rain, although it could be lit, it burned much slower than usual.

Li Sanjiang used his peach wood sword to slash open the main door of the paper tower's ground floor, allowing more air to enter and improve combustion. But Li Sanjiang then took the opportunity to address the framed portraits in the hall:
"Come in quickly, ascend to paradise soon, and rest in peace soon!"

……

"Please come in, please come in."

Below the Wangjiang Tower, a middle-aged man with a fair complexion was bowing while holding a fan.

Liu Yumei, holding an oil-paper umbrella, walked downstairs.

The pale-faced middle-aged man bent down, wanting to catch a glimpse of the person under the umbrella.

The oil-paper umbrella was raised a few inches, revealing Liu Yumei's face.

The middle-aged man shuddered slightly and hurriedly said:

"Madam, please come in."

Liu Yumei continued walking inside, and only put away her umbrella after entering the building.

This Wangjiang Tower looks very big from the outside, but inside it only has two floors.

After Liu Yumei entered, everyone sitting on the second floor stood up.

A wealthy, white-haired old man dressed in the robes of a wealthy landowner, stroking a jade thumb ring on his fingertip, said with a smile:
"I was feeling stuffy here, but luckily it was raining where my sister is, which brought the moisture with me and made it much cooler and more refreshing."

A lady standing next to Liu Yumei, who appeared to be about the same age, closed her eyes, took a drag, and smiled:

"This rain has a misty, Jiangnan flavor. It seems that Sister Liu does not live in the ancestral home, but lives in seclusion in Jiangnan."

Liu Yumei walked up the stairs, saying as she went, "There are few people in the family, and living in the old house feels even more desolate. It doesn't matter where we live."

Another gaunt old man with a stern face, leaning on a bamboo stick, responded:
“The ancestral home still needs to be inhabited. In families like ours, our ancestors have put too many things there. If no one lives there for too long, trouble is likely to arise.”

Liu Yumei: "I think it's good for things to get a little chaotic, so everyone can have some fun."

Come to the second floor.

There was a round table on the second floor, and a group of people were standing around it.

The elderly people who had spoken with Liu Yumei earlier were all qualified to take a seat.

Some people who didn't look that old, or who were of a different generation, took the initiative to bow to Liu Yumei.

Liu Yumei nodded to each of them.

The noblewoman raised her hand and swept it around the table, saying, "Before Sister Liu arrived, I was lamenting that there were several new faces at this table. If we didn't pay attention to these manners, we might not recognize each other when we meet in the martial world."

The well-to-do old man said, "I envy you. I also want to put down this burden and retire early to enjoy my old age. Unfortunately, there are not many capable people among the younger generation in my family."

The thin old man said, "Alright, everyone, please sit down."

Liu Yumei sat down.

The people around the round table slowly took their seats.

Outside the round table, a group of people stood around, generally somewhat reserved, or even...a little apprehensive.

Each person sits on a separate round stool.

After everyone around the round table had sat down, the group on the perimeter sat down, but only on half of the stools.

A middle-aged man sitting at the round table got up again, picked up the teapot, and poured tea.

After pouring water for everyone on the table, he flicked his finger, and the water from the teapot flowed out and splashed around.

People sitting on round stools around them raised their teacups with both hands to catch the tea, and then continued to do so.

The middle-aged man smiled and said, "It's a pity that it's like a dream, but it lacks a bit of real flavor. I hope that you elders will have time to visit my humble abode in the future, and I will personally brew tea to serve you."

Liu Yumei played with the teacup in front of her, gently shaking it, making the tea sometimes appear like water and sometimes like mist.

“I’ve already replied to you. I won’t get involved in the Yu family’s affairs, but you still insist on doing this, wasting my time.”

Originally, Liu Yumei could have happily played cards with her old friends in the afternoon.

The gaunt old man said, "If the Dragon King were here, this matter would be simple. But the previous Dragon King died young, and the next Dragon King has not yet been chosen."

The affairs of the Yu family are of great importance. Even if they are contrary to human ethics, they are still a member of the Dragon King's family.

We, this group, have a responsibility to establish rules for this martial arts world.

Outside Wangjiang Tower.

Li Zhuiyuan sat on a bench.

There's a square downstairs, and it's very crowded.

There were vendors setting up stalls, young couples taking photos, tourists strolling around, and people putting on performances—it was bustling and lively.

But these people are all fake.

Even Li Zhuiyuan was a fake.

This was the first time Li Zhuiyuan had ever gone out with Grandma Liu, as far as he could remember.

In the past, Liu Yumei never even left the courtyard of her great-grandfather's house.

When it came to playing cards, it was Liu Jinxia and the others who would come to her.

She doesn't take walks or strolls. In her spare time, she either drinks tea, designs clothes, or talks to the memorial tablets.

Grandma Liu really gave Li Zhuiyuan a unique experience on his first time taking him out.

In reality, Liu Yumei and Li Zhuiyuan are currently sitting at a bus stop in the city.

Grandma held up an umbrella, and her grandson sat beside her.

The two were quiet, but their expressions were not blank; their eyes would occasionally glance at the people and cars passing by. In front of them stood a black stake with a token embedded in it, and in front of the stake were three sticks of incense.

The smoke curled upwards, and the people and cars passing by seemed completely invisible.

A rickshaw stopped in front of the "grandmother and grandson," and the rickshaw driver asked in a southern dialect:

"Where to? Want to go? I'll give you a discount."

Li Zhuiyuan smiled, waved his hand, and said, "I'm not leaving."

Upon hearing this, the rickshaw driver continued to persuade him: "Come on, it's raining so hard, and we don't know when the bus will arrive. Take my rickshaw back first, and you'll avoid getting wet."

Li Zhuiyuan slowly raised his hand: "I won't sit."

Liu Yumei said, "I won't sit."

The rickshaw driver blinked for a moment, then silently got into the rickshaw, started pedaling, and drove away.

Immediately, Liu Yumei turned her head and looked at the boy sitting next to her.

The boy also looked up at her.

Liu Yumei: "Talent is innate, but how did you train your willpower to this level?"

It should be noted that Liu Yumei is currently holding a meeting at Wangjiang Tower.

Now, Li Zhuiyuan is sitting in the square outside Wangjiang Tower.

Entering that place is like a dream, and a very, very difficult one at that. Ordinary martial artists, even with the invitation token, do not have the ability to enter.

This boy not only got in, but he was also able to focus on reality; he had just spoken with the rickshaw driver.

In fact, if he hadn't just spoken up, the boy's raised hand would have meant he was about to intimidate the rickshaw driver.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Grandma, since I can't practice martial arts now, I can only practice other things."

Just now, Li Zhuiyuan was indeed preparing to use magic on the rickshaw driver. It was his first time experiencing this kind of "scene," and he subconsciously wanted to ensure that the "grandfather and grandson" in reality would not be disturbed.

But before he could make a move, Grandma Liu sent the master away with just a glance.

This is a terrifying level of effortless mastery.

Li Zhuiyuan couldn't see through Grandma Liu's true nature.

As if seeing the doubt in the boy's eyes, Liu Yumei explained, "Grandma has practiced martial arts and has the advantage of physical strength. This little bit of skill will be nothing to you when you can practice martial arts in the future."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Grandma, please stop talking."

Liu Yumei: "It's alright. I'm not giving you pointers or teaching you. You already understand these principles."

Besides, I'm just bringing you to the meeting today as usual. By any measure, it doesn't constitute helping or interfering with fate, so don't worry about me vomiting blood, haha.”

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

Liu Yumei looked at the boy with loving eyes.

People are indeed prone to favoritism, especially when it comes to children.

Smart and sensible children are the easiest to like.

Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu were raised by Liu Yumei herself. Aunt Liu was fine when she was young; she was always clever and thoughtful. But Uncle Qin was like a block of wood from a young age.

Fortunately, he has a real talent for practicing the "Qin Family Observation of Dragons Method".

But compared to the boy in front of him, that kind of talent is somewhat... insignificant.

Unfortunately, when Ali was sitting next to him at that age, he was still young.

But when this young man sat next to him, he was already old.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Grandma is old, but not too old. There's still time for everything."

The boy has long since stopped acting.

But when a teenager wants to comfort someone, all the basic skills he's had since childhood are still there.

Liu Yumei raised her arm, put it around the boy's arm, and gently shook it.

To passersby at the bus stop, the "grandparents and grandchildren" sitting there seemed more endearing than before.

Liu Yumei: "Those guys must have brought their younger relatives with them too. They're probably all current generation lantern bearers from their respective families. Did you see them in the square?"

Li Zhuiyuan nodded: "Yes, I saw it. Some didn't hide it, they were very open; some tried to hide it, but I still noticed."

Liu Yumei: "Although it is said that true heroes can emerge from the wilderness, you should also know how much of an advantage those with family background and resources have on this river."

Find as many as possible, observe them closely, and remember them. These people may become your true rivals in the future.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Liu Yumei: "Hehe, I just don't know what they'll think of you?"

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head and said calmly:
"They can't see through me."

on the square.

The boy held a can of Jianlibao in his hand, looking around anxiously every now and then, like a child waiting for an adult to come over.

This "Wangjiang Tower" and this "square" are real.

The people appearing here are mostly real people, and what is presented is a scene that is currently unfolding.

However, a group of people, like Li Zhuiyuan, who were brought by their elders, did not enter the building but stayed in the square.

Like a dream, it's as if everyone here is unreal, yet you can glimpse the truth within.

Li Zhuiyuan came to Nantong during the summer vacation when he was ten years old. He took the college entrance examination a year after his senior year of high school, and now he has just finished his final exams in his first year of university. The boy is now twelve years old in the traditional Chinese way of counting age.

This doesn't align with the unspoken understanding between adults who travel by river.

This gives Li Zhuiyuan a unique and hidden advantage here.

However, this is only the first step.

Because the people here are all very intelligent and cautious.

Moreover, Li Zhuiyuan discovered that the group paid extra attention to the "elderly" and "children" in the square.

Someone whose identity had been recognized by Li Zhuiyuan deliberately walked past him, scrutinizing him with undisguised eyes.

Some people are even using various special methods to "deduce" the behavior of the people in the square.

Even with Li Zhuiyuan's seemingly harmless appearance, he realized that he had been the subject of at least ten simulations.

The boy then went along with it and quietly cracked the code ten times.

Nobody's a fool; everyone's scrutinizing the entire square like they're using a sieve.

Liu Yumei said that these people would be her real opponents in the future, and in their eyes, Li Zhuiyuan was no different.
However, there are exceptions.

Some people meticulously capture the details with the air of seasoned veterans, while others stand alone, unmoved.

They might even be carrying a knife on their back or have a compass tied around their waist.

There were also groups of two or three people, speaking in different regional accents, chatting and talking together.

Moreover, what they say is without regard for people.

We are all from the same hometown of Dian Deng Jiang Shang, and while many things are inconvenient to discuss with our elders at home, we can freely communicate with our peers from Jiang Shang.

These people all exude a natural confidence.

Considering the identities of the core attendees at Wangjiang Tower today, it's not hard to guess their backgrounds.

Li Zhuiyuan had very little contact with his peers.

Yu Miaomiao, that's not normal.

Before Zhao Yi wiped out his entire family, the Zhao family of Jiujiang, strictly speaking, was not considered part of the Dragon King's family.

The Zhao Yi of today is the result of continuous transformation. If you compare the original Zhao Yi with this group of people, Zhao Yi seems very sleazy and uncouth.

Of course, crows can't see that they are black.

Li Zhuiyuan's method of hiding by diving deep into the sea is also inconsistent with the traditional confidence and openness of the Dragon King's family.

But the boy didn't think he had done anything wrong, nor did he feel ashamed at all.

All other things being equal, I wasn't targeted by the Heavenly Dao at a young age, I'm now an adult, and I even have the basic support that the Dragon King's clan provides to those who travel the river...

Li Zhuiyuan looked towards Wangjiang Tower. Perhaps the old lady had already retired, and he was holding a meeting inside.

The boy tilted his head back and took a sip of his drink.

Sipping slowly, afraid of finishing it too quickly, and holding each sip in your mouth for a while to savor the flavor.

My great-grandfather was an exception. When he first entered university, he even set aside some money for himself to use as a "competition fee" with his classmates.

In fact, parents and elders in normal families will nag their children about this:
"Don't compare yourself with others in terms of food, clothing, and daily necessities. If you want to compare, compare your studies and exam scores."

When facing these guys, Li Zhuiyuan could actually use these words to comfort himself.

"Little brother?"

A young girl walked up to Li Zhuiyuan.

She was very beautiful, with pure, innocent eyes, and she was holding a flute in her hand.

Earlier, she had been standing there chatting with two people, talking about a new piece of music she had composed.

At this moment, she walked up to Li Zhuiyuan.

It wasn't because she noticed anything unusual about the boy, but because she thought he was very handsome.

But this still means that Li Zhuiyuan's concealment has been broken.

No matter how ingenious the plan, it can't stop someone from having a sudden, spontaneous joy.

Li Zhuiyuan knew that the young woman in front of him would be the only one among his peers who had come with their elders in the entire square who knew his identity.

Because the boy is unable to communicate with others, especially with someone staring at him and looking at him with eyes full of you.

Li Zhuiyuan instinctively scanned the other party. Fortunately, the other party did not intend to hide his identity. The flute was engraved with the character "Chen". Longwang Chen, also known as Zhuyai Chen, whose ancestral home is now in Hainan.

She should be sitting by the sea right now, because when she gets close to him, Li Zhuiyuan can "smell" the scent of the sea breeze on her.

"Little brother, how old are you?"

Chen Xiyuan took the initiative to talk to Li Zhuiyuan.

Li Zhuiyuan had no choice but to respond to her.

The exchange between the two was brief, as Chen Xiyuan was simply "eager to try something new".

Moreover, at least for now, she still regards the boy as an ordinary person in Wangjianglou Square.

She couldn't talk to the boy for too long, otherwise he would have nightmares when he got back, and might even get sick because of it.

However, when Chen Xiyuan turned around and walked back, she stopped after walking a short distance.

Li Zhuiyuan knew that she had realized what was happening.

Because she will forget what she looks like.

And at this time, "forgetting" is actually the most "special" thing.

Even Liu Yumei hadn't expected that the boy could not only turn a blind eye in reality and in his "dream," but also take caution to the extreme in this "dream."

With abundant energy and profound thoughts, Li Zhuiyuan simply kept his "appearance" in a state of "dynamic blur".

This way, we can avoid those fanatical collectors who memorize everyone's face in the square and then draw them all back home, "following the map to find the source."

Chen Xiyuan, who had just finished talking, was still savoring the moment when she suddenly couldn't remember the boy's exact appearance. She only felt that the boy was good-looking, but his features were already somewhat blurry.

That boy!
Just as Chen Xiyuan was about to turn around, the curtains on the roof of Wangjiang Tower were completely opened, revealing all the elders of the family who were having a meeting on the top floor.

Everyone instinctively looked up, and Li Zhuiyuan was no exception.

Because the one who lifted all the curtains was none other than Liu Yumei.

Liu Yumei's voice followed:

"Our two families will not get involved in the affairs of the Yu family; nor do our two families covet the flesh of the Yu family!"

"Boom!"

It started raining heavily on the roof of Wangjiang Tower.

Apart from the attendees inside the building, all the accompanying persons outside were forcibly pushed out due to the shock of the "dream".

The entire square immediately became empty.

In reality, Li Zhuiyuan, sitting on the platform, raised his hands and did a stretch.

Grandma Liu's sudden outburst of temper allowed her to expose herself as little as possible to Chen Xiyuan.

But the boy knew that Grandma Liu wasn't trying to cover for him.

She must have deliberately opened the curtain so that she could see and remember the faces of the group of people sitting at the round table on the top floor... no, to be precise, the top floor.

The meeting inside Wangjiang Tower is still ongoing.

Li Zhuiyuan stood up and walked to the bus stop. By now, the rain had subsided considerably, leaving only a light drizzle.

Grandma Liu's announcement indicated that her part of the meeting was about to end.

Since the Qin and Liu families have made it clear that they will not participate "openly," Grandma Liu will definitely leave before the other top martial arts forces discuss the specific steps against the Yu family.

At that moment, a truck drove up on the road ahead, with police cars leading the way and following behind. Armed police officers stood on the truck, and a middle-aged man was tied up and standing there. Above him was a banner that read, "The murderer has been caught."

Although the nationwide crackdown has ended, some customs have been temporarily retained in some places. For example, in cases with extremely serious nature and great social impact, the perpetrators are paraded through the streets in this manner when they are caught.

When information media were not yet widely developed, this method could indeed play a very good role in stabilizing people's hearts and minds, and could also deter potential criminals.

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze swept over the banner.

Ok?
The crime scene was not far from his home.

So, the place where Grandpa and the others went to perform the ritual in the afternoon, was that the place?
Across the street, a group of elderly people were watching. After the truck left, they started talking.

Li Zhuiyuan had excellent hearing, and all their words reached the boy's ears, thus he learned the specific details of the case.

It turns out the murderer was from the victim's family...

……

“Adopted son.” The village chief said with emotion as he settled the funeral expenses with Li Sanjiang, “This child was born with a limp and was abandoned by his biological parents on the side of the village road. This family adopted him.”

Li Sanjiang took the money, didn't count it, but instead gave the village chief a Zhonghua cigarette.

Then, the two of them gently pushed each other, each holding a match, trying to light the other's cigarette, and eventually they ended up lighting each other's cigarettes.

The village chief said, "This couple was old and had been unable to have children. But after adopting this lame child for less than six months, she became pregnant."

Back then, everyone said it was good luck earned through accumulating good deeds.

Even though they had their own biological son, the old couple treated the adopted son well and never mistreated him; everyone in the village knew this.

But a biological child is still a biological child, and normal people would give their family's assets to their biological children. So the old couple took out their life savings and helped their biological son and his wife rent a storefront in the city to start a business. They even had me do a notarization process, saying that the house and land would be registered under the eldest son's name.

Of course, houses in our rural areas aren't worth much, and this kind of land... doesn't make money either.

This eldest son, even though he knew he was adopted, still felt that his parents were unfair, favoring his biological second son and giving all the money to him, leaving him only this worthless thing.

That night, the eldest brother drank alone first, and then came here to demand an explanation. He brought a knife with him. When they couldn't reach an agreement, he got angry and stabbed his parents, his younger brother and sister-in-law, and his younger brother's two children to death.

"Oh, what a tragedy."

Li Sanjiang took a deep drag on his cigarette and then sighed.

Village chief: "It still depends on fate. If you're family, you'll be family. If you're not family, coming in will only bring trouble."

……

"It's truly pitiful for the Yu family. Everyone here has had a relationship with them for at least several hundred years. Who would have thought that the Yu family would be ruined like this by the monsters they keep at home?"

Even if we consider the reputation of those Yu family dragon kings and the ancestral relationship, we cannot just let this go unchecked.

If we can lend a hand, let's do so.

"As long as the Yu family isn't completely rotten to the point where not a single descendant remains, we must join forces to help them rebuild their family."

The white-haired old man sighed, making up for the "bloody reality" mentioned in Liu Yumei's earlier words.

Even though everyone knows that dealing with the Yu family is for the sake of the Yu family's heritage and legacy, you can't say it so bluntly.

Even those who uphold the principles of righteousness still have a sense of shame.

At the same time, these words were also a prelude to Liu Yumei's departure.

Next, it's time to discuss how to "specifically help" the Yu family. Since some people don't intend to participate or get a share, they can leave first.

Liu Yumei got up and left the table.

"Please continue your conversation. I'm tired, so I'll go back and lie down."

Everyone silently stood up, maintaining the most basic etiquette, and watched Liu Yumei leave.

As Liu Yumei came downstairs, the old noblewoman suddenly spoke:

"We've been so focused on the Yu family's affairs that we've forgotten about Sister Liu's family affairs. Sister, you'll have to be careful when choosing a husband for your granddaughter. If all else fails, we, the elders, can help us vet your niece."

These outsiders, they're still outsiders. If you can get them on good terms, great; but if you can't... they might really devour your family.

The rest of the people at the round table all frowned.

They were disgusted by the old noblewoman's unauthorized provocation. Today's discussion was about the Yu family, yet she insisted on stirring up trouble because of personal grudges.

Moreover, it brought up a taboo between the Qin and Liu families.

Although the Qin Liulong family has declined, even a centipede with a hundred legs will not die easily. This old lady can still wield a sword. In addition, the two families are supported by another relationship.

Without absolute certainty, no one would dare to openly provoke them.

The group outside the round table, knowing that this matter involved the secrets of the true Dragon King's faction, all turned their backs, and some even faded by half.

Liu Yumei stopped walking downstairs, turned back to look at the noblewoman, and smiled:
Do you know how my old man first mentioned you to me?

Upon hearing this, the noblewoman's eyes showed panic.

At her age and in her position, she should have long been able to keep her emotions hidden, but what Liu Yumei brought up was a secret that no one knew back then.

"Sister Liu, I misspoke just now, I apologize to you..."

“My old man said he didn’t like you because you’re too cheap to offer yourself to him.”

"boom!"

The lady's eyes reddened.

The building began to shake, the lanterns inside swayed violently, and the tables and chairs rubbed against each other, showing signs of disintegration.

A smile appeared on Liu Yumei's lips; she wasn't lying.

The old man was once the young master of the Qin family, and many girls in the martial arts world were fond of him.

But the old man just wouldn't leave, no matter how hard I tried to get rid of him.

Liu Yumei went downstairs, came to the door, and picked up her oil-paper umbrella.

Ha ha,

Are you worried about my grandson-in-law?
Just wait and see.
That day won't be long.

My grandson-in-law,
We'll ask you guys to take a look.

"Wow!"

The umbrella was opened.

Liu Yumei looked up and glanced at the bottom of the umbrella.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone at the round table upstairs, Liu Yumei walked out.

A train platform in real life.

Liu Yumei stood up and held the umbrella over the boy's head:
"The rain has lessened, but it's still falling, so don't get wet."

The stake shattered into wood chips, and the three incense sticks went out.

Li Zhuiyuan picked up the token from the ground, wiped it on his clothes, and handed it back to Liu Yumei.

"Keep it, even though you don't like using it."

The token is engraved with the character "柳" (Liu).

Li Zhuiyuan put the token into his pocket and said, "We need to make a pair."

Liu Yumei: "Alright, I'll give you another one with the character 'Qin' engraved on it when we get back. You do know how to treat everyone fairly."

"Thank you grandma."

Liu Yumei reached out and rubbed her wrist.

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and took the umbrella from the boy, who had to raise his arm to shield both of them from the umbrella.

Liu Yumei looked up and looked at the bottom of the umbrella again, but this time, she was looking at herself under the umbrella.

"Grandma, we should go home now."

"You saw the people at that table on the rooftop, right?"

"Yeah, I've got that."

"Forget it, it was Grandma who was too attached to appearances."

"I can't forget it. You know I have a good memory; I can remember everything I see."

Liu Yumei reached out and took the umbrella again:
“You’re still young. Grandma isn’t so old that she can’t move. She can still hold the umbrella for you for a while longer.”

"Is it that group of people who plotted against Uncle Qin back then?"

Didn't your Uncle Qin tell you?

“I asked before, and Uncle Qin said it wasn’t the right time for him to tell me.”

"Now doesn't seem like the right time."

"Then I'll take that as my opinion."

"Well, yes."

Li Zhuiyuan knew that targeting Uncle Qin was just one part of the whole process.

In the years since the Qin and Liu families declined, this group of people and the forces behind them have made many secret moves to target, scheme against, and suppress them. If it weren't for the old lady's desperate protection, the Qin and Liu families' lineage might have been lost long ago.

The ancestral homes of both families, and the remaining members of both families, including Ah Li, will all be submerged and swallowed up in this turbulent world.

What must the old lady have been holding back for to deliberately open the curtain during a meeting so that she could see their faces?

It perfectly matches the old lady's personality.

The eldest daughter of the Liu family is clearly the one who can't stand being wronged, yet she has forced herself to endure so much over the years.

This is a complaint against oneself, and against the future leaders of the Qin and Liu families' Dragon King factions.

As we walked, the sun came out, and a newly formed rainbow could be faintly seen in the distance.

Li Zhuiyuan stopped and looked up.

"Grandma, the rain has completely stopped."

"Ah."

"They will be gone too."

(End of this chapter)