CHAPTER 35: CHAPTER 32 IT’S TIME

Qing Yu met Li Pingsheng again, his complexion still pale, but now there was a tinge of color.

"Looks like your injury has stabilized. How have you been resting, Family Head Li?" Qing Yu sat down at the tea table, brewing tea for himself as he spoke.

With a spinal injury, Li Pingsheng was completely unable to sit up and could only lie in bed. He remained silent, utterly ignoring Qing Yu. Understandable, given Qing Yu had ruined his family and left him penniless.

Qing Yu didn’t mind at all and continued speaking, "You don’t have to glare at me. It seems you’ve been awake for a while now, and with your current physical condition, although you’ve lost control of your body, biting your tongue to commit suicide is still an option. What, still waiting for a chance to kill me and avenge your wife and son?"

"Or, perhaps," Qing Yu drew out his words, "you’re afraid to die!"

Li Pingsheng’s eyes, initially lifeless, suddenly widened—a clear sign that Qing Yu had struck a nerve. Indeed, he feared death; who doesn’t, especially someone as selfish as Li Pingsheng? A new wife could be married if the current one died, another son could be born if the current one died. Even if Li Pingsheng himself couldn’t have more children, he had a second son living abroad; his lineage wasn’t extinct yet.

Still receiving no response from Li Pingsheng, Qing Yu laughed as though he had received the answer he wanted, "It seems that you truly fear death. If so, continue clinging to life. Recover quickly, and hopefully, you will manage to keep living."

His words carried a profound meaning as they reached Li Pingsheng’s ears, who still remained silent.

Losing interest, Qing Yu stood up and ordered, "Come in and give Family Head Li his medicine, so he recovers quickly."

A house servant from Li Mansion, who had surrendered to the Iron Saber Association, entered. The members of the Iron Saber Association were crude and not skilled in caregiving; with Li Pingsheng severely injured, Qing Yu didn’t want them to accidentally kill him with a mishap.

Watching someone being fed medicine wasn’t interesting, so Qing Yu left.

As the house servant helped Li Pingsheng sit up to take his medicine, Li Pingsheng watched Qing Yu’s departing figure with a meaningful look.

Once outside, Qing Yu’s disinterested expression vanished, replaced by a stoic countenance.

"Young Master," Li Xin greeted as he waited outside.

"Have someone follow the house servant who fed the medicine," Qing Yu walked ahead while Li Xin followed to the courtyard.

"Do you think that house servant is problematic?" Li Xin asked, puzzled.

"It may not necessarily be this servant, but there must be someone among them loyal to the Li Family. The Li Family has been rooted in Yang City for three hundred years; if there isn’t a single loyal servant among them, Li Pingsheng might as well just dash his head to death."

Arriving at the courtyard, Qing Yu entered a small pavilion in the garden where tea had already been prepared. Wishing for privacy, he dismissed the maidservant standing inside.

Watching the graceful figure of the departing maid, Qing Yu remarked, "Life at the Li Family is quite decadent, even the maids possess a unique charm. And now, all this is yours. If you continue to stand by me, you might end up with nothing, perhaps even doomed forever. Are you prepared for that?"

Li Xin responded, expressionless, "A coarse person like me can’t handle the pleasures of a rich family."

Qing Yu chuckled, "Such eloquent words wouldn’t typically be expected from a coarse person."

Qing Yu, who was seated first on a stone bench, gestured with his hand and said, "Come, sit down."

"I know you’ve grown up accustomed to seeing the domineering behavior of the families in Yang City and have often suffered at the hands of the Li Family. You might have some misunderstandings about wealthy families. Not every rich young master is a beast like Li Qiuyan, and not every family is as bizarre as the four major families of Yang City that are involved in brothels, robbery, and trafficking. You will also become one of the influential people in the eyes of the commoners, and you need to get used to that."

Li Xin looked puzzled and opened his mouth to speak...

"Let me finish," Qing Yu raised his hand to stop Li Xin from speaking. "Although what Li Pingsheng said yesterday wasn’t detailed, it was enough for me to understand the danger I’m currently in. I’ve thought of a way out, but unfortunately, it’s not the best time for me to leave yet. To escape is to take a risk, and I cannot take you with me. Before I leave, I will make sure your path ahead is secured. It’s better for you to stay in Yang City than to leave with me."

"There is no need for further discussion, my mind is made up," he said with determination.

Seeing Qing Yu’s resolute attitude, Li Xin did not press the matter further. Although he did not know the details of the danger Qing Yu mentioned, he could sense the peril in his words. If the situation was indeed that dangerous, Li xin could not be of any help; trying to help blindly could even become a burden.

"If it comes to it, I’d rather give my life for you," Li Xin thought to himself. If Qing Yu’s plan succeeded, it would be a joy for all; if not, Li Xin was prepared to risk his life to help him escape.

...

Night fell.

It was time for Li Pingsheng to take his medicine again.

This time, it was not the house servant from noon who administered the medicine.

Li Pingsheng gulped down the bitter medicine. It was slightly hot, but he drank it without caring about burning his mouth.

With a sweep of his eyes around the room, he first glanced at the door, saw that there was no one outside, then slowed the pace of his drinking to make eye contact with the house servant who was feeding him the medicine. The house servant gave a slight nod, and seeing this, Li Pingsheng slightly curved his lips. The remaining bits of the medicine spilled out with this broad smile, staining his chest.

Seeing this, the house servant hurriedly grabbed a cloth to wipe it off. Li Pingsheng, undisturbed by the servant’s fuss, lay down on the bed, his eyes gazing at the canopy above, silently laughing.

In the darkness away from the house, two figures observed everything inside.

"Young Master, the house servant who fed Li Pingsheng his medicine at noon went to see Li Qi, the steward of Li Mansion, afterward. Someone then ran to inform the Zhang Family. The informant was a member of the Iron Saber Association, as the Li family’s servants couldn’t leave Li Mansion. The servant who fed the medicine tonight is Li Qi’s son. Of course, the informant has been captured and is now being interrogated," Li Xin roughly reported the situation to Qing Yu.

"The centipede dies but never falls stiff, the Li Family is deeply rooted in Yang City and has many loyalists. By controlling the Iron Saber Association and the Li Family, it’s only because we had previously cut off many of Li Family’s tendrils within the Iron Saber Association with a surprise attack and succeeded in capturing the Li’s leaders. While things seem calm on the surface right now, the Zhang Family’s actions could still stir hidden troubles."

"If someone went to inform, how could they not catch the informant."

"The headless snake can’t proceed. The reason these people previously held back from surrendering is because we caught Li Pingsheng, making them hesitate to act. Without Li Pingsheng, it’s unclear whether they would wait for Li Qiuran, the second young master of the Li Family, to return, or if they’d jump out seeking revenge directly. Either way, it’s better than them hiding in the shadows.

We haven’t taken Li Pingsheng’s life before now only because of the information he holds. Now, it’s time, let Li Pingsheng go reunite with his family."

Saying this, the two men stepped out of the darkness and headed toward the brightly lit house.