CHAPTER 119: CHAPTER 119: PROBING

Long Yue prepared the meal and brought it to Li Qingmu.

"A Mu, do you remember what Elder Qin said when he took us to visit the Qin Mansion?"

After placing the dishes on the table, Long Yue added some food to Li Qingmu’s bowl and handed it over, asking him.

Li Qingmu had a good memory, but Long Yue’s question seemed vague, and he looked at her hauntingly.

"Just asking. Elder Qin mentioned that Mr. Qin’s family met their misfortune near Luanshi Ridge, and the ones who supposedly murdered them were the mountain bandits of Heifeng Village?"

"Yes, indeed, and it was around this time... Hmm? What’s wrong?"

Li Qingmu casually responded but then noticed his young wife’s expression seemed a bit off.

"A Mu, do you remember the boy who stoked the fire in the kitchen? He is about the same age as you, and... he’s been somewhat off these days! Do you think he could be..."

"Could it really be that coincidental?"

Li Qingmu, who had been half lying on the bed, sat up promptly, his expression serious. After all, this matter concerned them personally and needed clarification.

Though nothing in the world typically happens so coincidentally, who could really know?

Long Yue pondered, considering her own experience of being reborn after death, that perhaps the young master from the Qin Family hadn’t died either—it’s certainly possible.

"Yue’er, tomorrow I will go meet the boy who stokes the fire. If there is any possibility that he is indeed the young master of the Qin Family, I must visit the mountain to seek Elder Qin’s confirmation on several matters."

"Good!"

Early the next morning, Li Qingmu followed Long Yue to the kitchen.

The boy seemed to be in much better spirits, though still reserved and sullen, never being one to easily engage with others, even more so now.

When Long Yue stepped in, he only glanced up reflexively, then resumed his daze.

Li Qingmu approached, crouched down to meet his gaze, and retrieved a meat bun from his pocket, offering it: "Have you had breakfast?"

He raised his eyes to look at Li Qingmu, then glanced at the bun, remaining silent.

Could the boy be mute?

Li Qingmu thought it was possible and pressed the bun into his hand: "You seem down and don’t look like you’ve had breakfast; hurry and eat."

"Don’t touch me!"

The boy finally reacted, pushing him away, causing the bun to tumble to the ground, turning black.

"Prime Minister!"

Concerned that Li Qingmu might have been knocked over completely, Long Yue hurriedly went to steady him and then glared indignantly at the boy.

"My husband saw you alone and seemingly down, worried you were starving yourself, and came to speak with you—how can you treat him like this? If I hadn’t steadied him just now, you could have injured him!"

"Who asked you to meddle, hmph!"

The boy had a defiant look that made one want to teach him a lesson.

Long Yue took a deep breath, thinking: If it weren’t for the possibility you might actually be a descendant of the Qin Family, I wouldn’t bother with you!

"Do you have a strong aversion to the people in this village?"

Li Qingmu paid no heed to the boy’s earlier rudeness, maintaining his good temper inquiring.

The boy’s eyes narrowed slightly, suddenly locking his gaze on him: "You’re not from this village, so who are you? Really, who are you?"

"I am indeed from this village!" Li Qingmu chuckled, stretching his arms, even turning around in front of him, "Look at my attire, my demeanor—head to toe resembling that of the mountain bandit chief, how am I not from this village?"

"Hmph, people from the village wouldn’t ask such foolish questions!"

"Oh, you’re quite smart, huh!"

"Hmph, naturally..."

As he said this, the boy suddenly raised his head in anger, stared at him intensely.

This jerk had lowered his guard only to extract information—too audacious!

He turned to grab a fire poker, sweeping it at them: "Get lost, get lost, hurry up and leave, or don’t blame me for flipping out!"

Today could be considered the boy’s most talkative day, at least from the perspective of Long Yue’s observations over these past few days; his words today far exceeded those from the previous six or seven days combined.

It seems their probing really hit him deeply.

"Alright, alright, we’re leaving, leaving—this guy really doesn’t know what’s good for him, extending a conversation out of kindness, instead being treated like villains? Blind!"

The racket attracted the attention of mountain bandits coming in for food, who all showed suspicious looks; Li Qingmu deftly pulled Long Yue along while cursing indignantly.

"Hey, Shi Qi, this boy is indeed peculiar, forever only suitable for tending fires, don’t trouble yourself keeping up with him!"

"Indeed, what good comes from chatting with him? At the most, he’ll keep your fires lit; let me tell you, any of us here can order him to stoke the fire, and if he dares refuse, he’ll be beaten up—could he possibly protest?"

"Hahaha..."

The mountain bandits laughed, with arms around each other’s shoulders, and headed to the kitchen for food, then headed back, still discussing which girl from last night was more enticing and captivating...

Li Qingmu escorted Long Yue out of the crowd, withdrew his bandit demeanor, and became solemn: "Yue’er, I must find an opportunity to descend the mountain."

"We have a bottle of vintage wine we brought over before—I’ll present it to the chief, and he should like it. Then I’ll use it as a reason to go down and purchase fine wine."

"Alright, although they certainly won’t allow both of us to descend the mountain together, when I descend, make sure you protect yourself well up there, don’t hesitate to be forceful when necessary!"

"Don’t worry, I won’t let myself suffer a loss!"

"Avoid consuming their water and food—they might lace them with drugs!"

Uh... Did he even consider something like this? Long Yue found it quite remarkable, wondering if his mind was this meticulous?

The couple made their plans, then Long Yue took a small jar of fine wine to seek the chief, Ma Biao, who was currently indulging with two women, and distressed over not having proper wine; Long Yue’s arrival was truly timely.

Ma Biao quickly downed the wine, yet was unsatisfied, demanding Long Yue bring more, though she claimed there wasn’t any left—it was brought up from the mountain and needed to be bought again.

Though the jar was only a three to four bowls’ worth, it was a precious cellar treasure from the Qin Family, with quite a strong kick; having finished, Ma Biao barely exchanged a few words with Long Yue before the intoxicating power took hold, starting to slur his words.

Seeing the chance, Long Yue requested an opportunity to descend, to which Ma Biao agreed but only allowed one person.

At the mountain exit, Long Yue sent Li Qingmu off, looking both ways to ensure no one was watching, and reminded him: "Return quickly, this wine won’t keep him drunk for long."

Previously, they had tricked him into agreeing by getting him drunk; should he awaken, have second thoughts, and Li Qingmu was not up there, it might trigger Ma Biao’s suspicion.

Li Qingmu understood the gravity of it, thus merely nodded and hurried down the mountain.