Chapter 0005: A Moment of Terror

Gongsun Changming snorted and said: "Not to mention others, just the butcher Li Chunchun beside him, do you have confidence that you can defeat him? That man was once a fierce general under Lord Li, but he had to leave because he committed an offense and offended someone. If I am not mistaken, this butcher Li Chunchun is likely the first person to be used by this young master. If there are indeed those people in the mountains, they must also be led and taught by Li Chunchun."

"Not bad, if I were to guess, I could only guess this. This young master has hidden a power in the mountains that he alone controls. The scale is yet to be determined, but just being able to achieve this is quite remarkable." Gongsun Changming shook his head and said, "The village is fully equipped, with all kinds of workshops. Upon discovering this, I became even more attentive. The blacksmith workshop in the village, every so often, always purchases some iron ingots from outside, claiming it is for making farming tools. However, after being here for quite some time, have we seen any farming tools dispatched from this village?"

Liang Han nodded: "After all, Mr. Li is a parent, and naturally must consider the future of his children and grandchildren. Although he cannot bestow upon this son immense wealth, ensuring that he lives a life free from worries about food and clothing indeed requires considerable effort. This place is truly wonderful, with mountains and water, and it is also quite secluded; there is no other place that can compare for hiding people. With this estate, this land, this young master will also live a worry-free life for the rest of his days"

"Sent here to take care of this young master, could there possibly be a bright future ahead? Do you believe that if one day, Lord Li wishes to conceal the matters here, or if that young master has any thoughts, none of these people would survive?" Gongsun Changming retorted.

At this moment, Liang Han had regained his composure and, upon hearing the words, expressed his disbelief: "The young master is gaining strength, and with the support of his wife's family, this young master, even if skilled, is still all alone. It may be acceptable here, but if he were to go out and act recklessly, it would surely lead to disaster. Lord Li's actions are likely motivated by a desire to protect him; thus, it can be inferred that Lord Li is not unaware of his deeds."

He does not have that capability either. Liang Han glanced proudly at a long sword on the table

Mr. Gongsun does not teach this young master, is it also for this reason

Of course, if this young master were an honest person, I would have no problem idling away my time, considering it a way to relax. However, he happens to be quite troublesome, and if I were to teach him, I would be implicated if anything were to happen in the future. I am already burdened with debts and do not wish to add another major trouble. Gongsun Changming said, "After some time, when the storm has passed, we can appear openly by Lord Li's side."

At this point, he looked at Gongsun Changming and smiled: "Speaking of which, this young master is much stronger than you. Mr. Gongsun, you have toiled for most of your life, yet you remain all alone, with no roof over your head and no land to stand on, which is quite similar to my own situation."

What a strange occurrence

"Yes, yes, yes, my Lord Gongsun, it is I who have lost all face and shame, is that alright?" Liang Han said with a smile as she picked up the water and suddenly pushed open the window to splash it outside. A faint gasp of surprise could be heard from outside, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps departing.

"At first glance, you are clearly a source of concern. As for me, with my thin and frail appearance and friendly demeanor, others would hardly be on guard. If I were to take you along, what could we possibly find out?" Gong Sun Changming chuckled.

In Zhuangzi, needles cannot penetrate, and water cannot seep in; I cannot believe that the villages outside are the same. Therefore, taking the opportunity to wander around, I indeed learned quite a bit. Gongsun Changming said with a smile, "However, this fellow before us is truly extraordinary. I had not yet gathered much information when he became aware of me. The next time I went, the farmers' attitudes had changed; some offered cold glances and words, while others unleashed fierce dogs, and the worst even picked up their hoes and staves.

Gongsun Changming looked at Liang Han for a while, then chuckled: "If this young master really kills and buries us, do you think Lord Li would take revenge on this young master for us? He might even consider it a waste not to use the opportunity and simply take our heads to exchange for some benefits."

Isn't that unlikely? How old is he? How could he manage the household so meticulously?

Gongsun Changming nodded: "These few, if nothing unexpected happens, are certainly those who do not care for this young master. In that case, they must die without a sound. To execute matters so flawlessly, there is no doubt about Lord Li, and the villagers are no different. The village is calm, yet you still think this young master is an ordinary person"

Should we inform Mr. Li about the situation here

Gongsun Changming nodded earnestly, showing no signs of shame. "Although the harvest is not abundant, it is still a harvest. From the fragments of conversation of these farmers, I surprisingly discovered that this young man here truly enjoys unparalleled prestige; the tenants hold him in considerable respect. Any slighting remarks about this young man would immediately provoke displeasure among these people"

"To forge weapons, what does this young master intend to do?" Liang Han said in surprise

"A few days ago, there was a light rain. After the rain, the sky cleared up, truly a good day for relaxation. I went out for a stroll and unexpectedly discovered tire tracks leading into the mountains. Moreover, I found some scattered grains along the road. Judging by the disordered tire tracks, there must be at least a dozen vehicles. "Gong Sun Changming laughed and said, 'Just think about it, this village has several hundred acres of land, with only a little over a thousand people. The annual yield is naturally more than sufficient. Just after the autumn harvest, shouldn't the surplus grains be transported out for sale? Why are they instead going into the mountains? Could it be that there are big buyers in the mountains?"

Liang Han was stunned for half a day, "Li Gong has two sons, and it seems that one is more impressive than the other. At just fourteen years old, he is already like this. If he grows older, what will happen? It is fortunate that Li Gong has confined him here; if he were to take him home, it would not be impossible for disaster to strike within the Li family."

Why meddle in others' affairs? Gongsun Changming said: "It's someone else's family matter; let's just be blissfully ignorant about it."

Are you saying? Liang Hanhou stood up suddenly

In addition to these thoughts, it is this young gentleman's remarkable means that is noteworthy; he has quietly and skillfully brought these individuals under his control, which is truly hard to believe for a mere fourteen-year-old boy, do you understand? I went to the back mountain, where the burial site for this village and several surrounding villages is located. Among them, a few have only died in the past three years, all of whom were prominent figures in this village.

Gongsun Changming, however, shook his head in a manner that suggested a lack of clarity in meaning

So, this little fellow is not easy to deal with? Gongsun Changming chuckled and said, "Before Li Gong sent me here, he told me that Lady Wang here is timid, the child is honest, and the steward in the village is extremely loyal, leaving no room for error. However, it seems that this is a great misunderstanding. While loyalty is indeed true, the object of that loyalty may not necessarily be Li Gong."

Let us hope! Gongsun Changming smiled ambiguously, saying: "However, a fierce tiger will always think of descending the mountain, and a flood dragon will always think of soaring into the sky. Whether they can be contained or not is another matter!"

Gongsun Changming's old face flushed red, yet he stubbornly retorted, "I did not ask for you; it is you who cling to me like a sticky plaster, pestering me with your shameless face."

Gongsun Changming smiled, took his feet out of the basin, accepted the handkerchief handed over by Liang Han, dried his feet, and walked to the bedside with a pair of slippers. He climbed onto the bed, sat cross-legged, and did not directly answer Liang Han's question. Instead, he spoke to himself: "This estate that supports Madam Wang and the young master manages a total of five villages, with nearly 200 acres of land, approximately 10,000 mu, and about 200 tenant households, totaling over 1,000 people of all ages."

The amount of information revealed here is overwhelming, and Liang Han was taken aback, "Are you saying that there are people hidden in the mountains, and they are unwilling to let others know? If that is the case, these individuals must be extraordinary, and they can only be ... ... "

"Sheng Mi'en, Dou Mi'qiu, matters of the past should not be mentioned again. Now, Lord Li has saved my life, and the past kindness has already been repaid." Gongsun Changming said lightly, "You should also forget about this matter."

The two exchanged a smile.

Gongsun Changming rolled his eyes and said: "If I were to simply desire these material possessions, it would indeed be as easy as turning my hand. However, with the chaos of the world approaching, what use are these possessions? Without the ability to safeguard these possessions, wealth is merely a path to disaster."

Liang Han chuckled and said: "No wonder that day when the gentleman returned, his clothes were torn in several large places, and he looked quite disheveled. When I asked, you only said you had accidentally fallen. It turns out you were bitten by a dog. I told you not to go out without me; if I had been by your side, the dog that bit you would have merely become our side dish for drinks."

"At such a young age, can one really achieve this?" Liang Han exclaimed in astonishment

"This young master wouldn't be so bold, would he? After all, you are a person sent by Lord Li?" Liang Han said, filled with uncertainty.

"Li Gongcha is here, and it must be his trusted confidant. How could he betray his master?" Liang Han exclaimed in astonishment.

Close the window, lower the basin, and Liang Han sat on the brocade stool at the edge of the bed. "It seems that Mr. Gongsun has been wandering around these days, inquiring about these matters, hasn't he?"

After listening to Gongsun Changming's words, Liang Han felt a moment of hesitation

Gongsun Changming said lightly: "If the world does not change, perhaps it will remain this way, but who can predict the future? A few days ago, I witnessed a strange occurrence."

"It is not necessarily the case that they are betraying their master; is this young lord not the son of Lord Li? These individuals have merely shifted their loyalty to the young master. " Gongsun Changming said淡淡地道, "They do not see anything wrong with this."

No matter what he does, let us just pretend not to see it. You should also keep it hidden and refrain from inquiring here and there, lest this young master becomes agitated. Do you believe he would have us buried in that graveyard as well

Liang Han was suddenly startled, "Indeed, it is only natural for these individuals to have certain thoughts."

This young master is a person without prospects said Liang Han in a daze

If it were not for you, Mr. Gongsun, would there be a present for Mr. Li today

Liang Han laughed heartily: "It is fine if you do not want these material things; whether your ambitions are lofty or not, you should at least restrain yourself a bit in the future. Just do not let me end up like you, becoming a stray dog, pursued to the point where there is no way to escape to the heavens or the earth."

Liang Han looked at Gongsun Changming's face, which was anything but friendly, and chuckled, "Indeed, it looks familiar."

This young master is truly not an easy character; while we are probing into him, he is also spying on us!