Chapter 3: Young Lady

Just after sending off the carriage of the in-laws, as Li Dahu returned to the front hall and was about to have a cup of tea to quench his thirst, he heard a commotion outside.

The dress is a light green high-waisted wrap skirt with water blue edges, adorned with a golden hairpin featuring a red jade bead, and in her hand, she carries a dark blue wax-dyed fabric bag with a rose pattern. Her skin is as fair as snow and as smooth as jade, with a slightly pointed chin and delicate oval features. Her phoenix eyes and moth-like eyebrows, along with a prominent and elegant nose, create a charming and lovely appearance, embodying the youthful beauty of a budding flower. Perhaps born into a scholarly family, she possesses a certain tranquility and ethereal quality that sets her apart from ordinary women.

Merely for a single obsession, over a decade of seeking immortality ultimately culminated in a sigh. The young master of the Li family returned once more to the starting point, having no choice but to return home in sorrow

Grandfather

When the sky falls, there are tall individuals to support it, there are government officials, and there are border troops. Ordinary commoners need not voluntarily offer their heads; at most, they can gather their belongings and flee.

Li Xiaobai did not expect that his elder brother Li Mo, who had always been wandering outside in search of immortality and rarely returned home, suddenly appeared before him

Perhaps sensing the doubts in his heart, Li Mo smiled and said, "This time I will not leave again, I will take a good rest at home."

Go!

Rest assured, Master, Xiangjun is certainly very safe with me. As for my Li family, it is not an issue to ensure the safety of a few individuals. Oh, here comes the young master, quickly come and greet the Master!

In the future, the father-in-law will bring his future daughter-in-law to visit, which can be inferred that the Wu family feels that the bandit threat is severe and likely to lead to unforeseen events. It is better to send their daughter to the Li family, with whom they have already arranged a marriage, to ensure her safety.

Bang bang bang Bang bang bang

Thank you, Master!

Young man!

Noticing Li Xiaobai's gaze, the young woman from the Wu family immediately flushed with a rosy hue on her face, feeling both joy and shyness, and quickly bent down to perform a deep bow of respect.

If the full score is one hundred, then this nine-headed beauty before me could score ninety-nine, with one point withheld to prevent arrogance

Student Xiaobai sincerely suspects that the rumor about his biological father once being a leader of the underworld may indeed be true, especially considering that terrifying laughter and the frequent mention of "back in the day," which bears a striking resemblance to the gang leader who collects protection fees on the streets.

Li Xiaobai cast an apologetic glance at Li Mo; had it not been for the second steward's call, he would have been quite interested in listening to his elder brother's tale of seeking immortality

Young Master! Young Master! The master has summoned you to the front hall! Master Wu has brought the young lady of the Wu family with him

Although Xiyan Town is located near the important trade route at the border between the Dawu Dynasty and the Xiyan Kingdom, there are always those who, driven by greed for wealth, harbor covetous thoughts. It is inevitable that there are individuals who enjoy taking heads and engaging in bloodshed, committing acts of arson and robbery.

Encountering such a frank future father-in-law, Wu Xiangjun became increasingly bashful, her head deeply buried, even her delicate neck turned red

Sister Xiangjun

Has the elder brother found the immortal?

Li Xiaobai came to his senses and still offered a bow

Whether it is the Li family's sycophants, the Li father and son, passersby, or the shopkeepers on the street, all immediately changed their expressions in fear

thousands of bandits

The chief steward, who was busy organizing the transfer of the convoy outside the main gate, quickly instructed a servant to investigate.

It now appears that Old Li is also a lovesick individual. Ever since the mother of the three brothers passed away, he has been left all alone, without even the thought of taking a concubine to warm his bed. Aside from not reciting Buddhist scriptures, not residing in a thatched cottage, and having an extra meal at night, he is almost no different from Master Zhi Du who lives outside the town.

After pondering for half a day, Li Xiaobai was unsure whether it was related to the fragmented memories in his mind. However, judging by his current physical condition, it seemed that there were no adverse effects, and the lotus seed in his heart and the lotus flower in his palm existed naturally.

The Li family is wealthy and powerful, but that does not mean they are capable of fighting or killing. When the bandits come, they still have to flee

Brother, let's talk later

Unexpectedly, the scholar, who should have been unable to tolerate such vulgar and boorish nouveau riche and crude individuals, seemed oblivious to it all. He continued to smile warmly at the father and son, and at least the polite and courteous young man from the Li family was not as unbearable as Li Dahu.

A call pulled Li Xiaobai, who was gazing at the simple lotus flower in the palm of his hand, back from his contemplation

Looking at the man in front of him, who was dressed in a similar manner and bore a faint resemblance to himself, he could not help but exclaim: "Elder brother!"

The maids and houseboys moved back and forth around Li Xiaobai, continuously loading valuable silks and goods onto the ox carts outside the main gate of the mansion. The Li family was large and prosperous, requiring the loading of thirty to forty large carts. Just the copper coins alone filled five carts. The chief steward, Li Fugui, and his brother, the second steward, Li Mancang, were bustling about, drenched in sweat and extremely busy.

As the young master of the Li family, Li Xiaobai naturally did not need to shoulder the burden alongside others. He leaned alone against the moon gate of the inner courtyard, staring blankly at the palm of his right hand, while the sound of his second brother Li Qing, known in town as a bookworm, recited his studies resonated in his ears. It seemed as if the impending disaster had little to do with him, as this second young master continued to read the classics undisturbed.

Li Dahu is truly a conscience of the grandfather community, as he did not seek out a robust and ample woman, rumored to be good for bearing children. Classmate Xiao Bai secretly breathed a sigh of relief

A sudden and urgent sound of dense gongs erupted within Xiyan Town, followed immediately by a cacophony akin to a boiling pot, as the entire town was thrown into a frenzy. The neighing of livestock, the shouts and cries of men, women, the elderly, and children all intertwined in a chaotic symphony of sounds

In this world, there are mortals, there are demons, and there are immortals. Li Xiaobai feels a great curiosity towards these unscientific phenomena

The farmers who received their rewards quickly dispersed to return home with their children and wives to avoid the threat of bandits, while the Li family's mansion immediately became bustling with activity

Li Mo's expression momentarily froze, and then he shook his head, bitterly smiling as he said: "I set out on my travels at the age of thirteen, and now I am twenty-five. Over the past twelve years, I have mostly encountered swindlers in the world; where are the immortals? Even if there were true immortals, they would not necessarily look favorably upon someone like me, an ordinary mortal. How could a mere flesh-and-blood being recognize a true immortal! Alas!"

From a distance, the sound of Li Dahu patting his chest and speaking to someone could be heard in the front hall. Upon seeing Li Xiaobai, he immediately waved his hand repeatedly, signaling him to come over

... ...

The Old Knife Master is a notorious figure in the trade routes between the Wind Xuan Kingdom and the Great Wu Dynasty, capable of silencing crying children. He commands at least three to five hundred desperate men who have taken lives. Both countries have dispatched troops to encircle him, yet he has repeatedly managed to escape. This time, for reasons unknown, he has suddenly rallied over a thousand fierce bandits, preparing for a significant operation, and has set his sights on the town of Xiyan near the border of the Great Wu Dynasty.

This is just like the clever riddle about Wang Xiaomao's mother having three sons: Da Mao, Er Mao, and the third son is definitely not called San Mao

Li Mo nodded at him

Rich and noble! What is happening outside? Why is it so noisy?

Do not be deceived by Li Yuanwai's stout and portly appearance; his three sons are all handsome and dashing, with the youngest son being particularly outstanding. Sending his daughter over in advance can be considered as settling one of his concerns.

The middle-aged man in a tunic looked up and down at Li Xiaobai, stroking his several-inch-long beard and said: "Hmm! It's good that you are back; do not act recklessly again in the future"

Although there is a gentle smile on the face, the tone reveals a hint of disheartenment

Greetings to Brother Xiaobai!

Master, I will send someone to check immediately, Zhongbao! Zhongbao! Go and see what is going on!

Li Dahu, with his boisterous laughter, began to reminisce about the glorious years of "yesteryear"

Li Dahu's expression fluctuated between dark and bright, and he said, "Let's go, we will return home first"

That being said, who hasn't been reckless and rebellious in their youth? Compared to Li Dahu's "back in the day," the young scion of the Li family is simply an honest child who abides by the rules, what more could one possibly be dissatisfied with

In an instant, the entire street was devoid of any human presence, all the shops had raised their shutters and closed their doors, and the whole county was thrown into chaos.

In fact, the strange events do not end there; no one knows that deep within Li Xiaobai's heart, an inexplicable seed has taken root, one that cannot be seen or touched, yet can be felt, much like a lotus seed

Li Xiaobai bowed deeply once again, raised his eyes, and saw that in the front hall there was not only Li Dahu and Master Wu, but also a young lady.

Oh!

The second steward, Li Mancang, ran back from the front yard, drenched in sweat

Haha! Xiao Lang! You must treat Xiang Jun well in the future. If you two have children soon, the Li family will have descendants, hahaha! Back in the day, I, Li Laohu, led my brothers to conquer the world. There was once a time when I was chased for three days and three nights, but unexpectedly encountered your mother, who was just as beautiful as Miss Xiang Jun. At first glance, she was breathtaking... Back in the day, I, Li Laohu, led my brothers to conquer the world. There was once a time when I was chased for three days and three nights, but unexpectedly encountered your mother, who was just as beautiful as Miss Xiang Jun. At first glance, she was breathtaking...

Just as the ignorant are fearless, Li Xiaobai harbored little fear towards those desperate bandits

The other party is the legendary inexpensive father-in-law

For a novice like Xiaobai, the concept of bandits is extremely distant, to the point that he does not even know how to approach it. If he continues with such a dull disposition, perhaps he will only express a delayed astonishment when faced with a knife or axe, exclaiming, "I can't believe I was actually killed by a knife"

Li Dahu specifically arranged a marriage for Li Xiaobai. If it weren't for the recent incident involving the peeping of the tofu beauty, Widow Jiao, and her disappearance for three days, along with the notorious bandit Lao Daobazi leading a group to break through the defenses, the two families might have already begun preparations for the wedding at this critical moment.

Before Li Xiaobai confirmed that he had stepped onto the small boat of the Bai family father and daughter, this lotus, outlined by black simple lines, had not yet appeared. It was not until the monk with the Dharma name Zhidu recited the scriptures again that it suddenly manifested in the air with a strange sensation of scorching heat

Li Xiaobai immediately followed the second steward to the front hall of the mansion

Li Xiaobai gazed at a middle-aged man dressed in a grayish-white coarse linen robe, quickly stepped forward a few paces, deeply bowed, and respectfully said: "I have met the master"

However, it was not long before Zhongbao, with a pale face, brought back a terrifying piece of news that shocked everyone

Until now, he has not fully adapted to the new identity of the Third Young Master of the Li family

Hello! Is this Yao Yao Ling? There is a gangster here, quickly take him away for labor reform

He does not seem to take the rumors on the street to heart

Isn't the town of Xiyan, which is not a military garrison on the frontier, about to face a catastrophic disaster

Elder brother

Li Dahu has three sons: the eldest, Li Mo; the second, Li Qing; and the youngest, Li Xiaobai. Unless the three brothers add another younger brother or sister, Xiaobai will only have the opportunity to honorably transfer the title of "the youngest" above his head and officially assume the title of "the third son".

A group of servants and farmers surrounded Li Dahu and Li Xiaobai, no longer parading through the streets, and immediately made their way back home

There is also a sound of a sword chant, the authenticity of which is uncertain, perhaps merely an auditory illusion