Chapter 8, The Scheme to Steal Chickens

Just as Li Yi was pondering how to improve his current life, at the very least to reach a modest standard of living where he would not have to worry about food and clothing, a thick phlegm suddenly flew in from the side. If he had not reacted quickly, this disgusting substance would likely have landed on him.

This is the lunch for four people

A particularly robust hen suddenly shot a gleam from its small eyes, glanced around, and noticed that none of its companions had yet detected the unusual occurrence. Feeling a surge of joy in its heart, it pretended to be nonchalant, swaying gently as it took small steps towards the scene.

In her small heart, the young master is a scholar, and scholars should stay away from the kitchen, a place only suitable for women. Of course, the little girl is even more afraid that the young master will waste food, as the family's food supply is already limited and cannot withstand any waste

It is said to be plain noodles... and indeed, it is just plain noodles

a quarter of an hour later

The poor harvest last year left people with nothing extra to eat; if you do not lay eggs soon, each of you will be slaughtered!

In the kitchen, when Li Yi opened the cloth bag, the young maid was momentarily taken aback

A table, with seating on all four sides

The maid named Xiao Huan, with her big eyes wide open, watched the young master who had dived into the kitchen right after finishing his meal, unaware of what he was busy with, feeling a slight unease in her heart

The three of them raised their heads and looked at him with strange expressions. Li Yi's face involuntarily flushed red as he quickly finished the food in his bowl, saying, "I am full!"

He did not expect that such a large stronghold would have the leader's family living in such poverty; it can be assumed that the lives of others should be similar, perhaps even worse.

The bowl contained nothing but white noodles, devoid of any other color. Li Yi picked up his chopsticks and took a small bite; there was no flavor at all, to the point that his mouth felt as if it were fading away...

The table was resplendent, with three beautiful women of varying sizes, each more stunning than the last. However, Li Yi was not in the mood to admire them; he was staring blankly at a bowl of plain noodles in front of him

Opposite Li Yi is the devilish sister-in-law Liu Ruyi, with the maid Xiao Huan on one side and the beautiful wife Liu Ruyi, who can only be admired but not touched, on the other side

Uh... I just found a pheasant while I was out for a walk..." Li Yi casually remarked.

... ...

Where have you been, son-in-law

Regarding the spherical woman who has designs on his wife, Li Yi certainly has no good impression of her. Now that he sees that he has not taken the initiative to provoke her, she actually wants to plot against him. Any man would find it intolerable to endure such humiliation

The young maid was taken aback for a moment, and then she softly said: "There are... there are some."

Several domesticated hens waddle awkwardly, pecking at the ground in search of scattered grains of wheat. Perhaps among them are a few that are cursing their stingy owner, who expects them to lay eggs without providing food. Do you think eggs just appear out of thin air?

Skilled in slaughtering chickens and plucking feathers, cleaning the entrails, and despite the passage of several thousand years, Li Yi showed no signs of being unaccustomed. The only aspect that was somewhat inconvenient was the lack of hot water, which consumed a considerable amount of time during the plucking process. Fortunately, the overall procedure went relatively smoothly

After having two meals without any oil or fat, I can finally indulge in some meat and rich flavors this time

After this series of actions, the smell on his body was somewhat unpleasant. Li Yi took a simple bath by the creek, and when the sky darkened, he wrapped the processed chicken in the coarse cloth he had prepared earlier, carrying it in his hand as he leisurely walked towards the village.

Li Yi watched the woman with a barrel-shaped waist walk away, and his expression began to turn somewhat unpleasant

Thus, one of the chickens from my second aunt's family, lured by a small piece of dough, ultimately embarked on a path of no return in its chicken life

As soon as I stepped into the courtyard, Xiao Huan, who had been waiting here for quite some time, immediately ran over, her little face filled with anxiety

Fortunately, the little maid peeking at the door did not see any other actions from the young master. Just as she felt somewhat relieved, Li Yi had already walked out from the kitchen

Turning his head abruptly, he discovered that the middle-aged woman he had seen once was standing nearby, looking at him with a face full of disdain. It seemed that she was somewhat disappointed, as a nearly perfectly round face showed a hint of disappointment because Li Yi had just dodged that blow.

In addition to being Liu Ruyi's personal maid, Xiao Huan also took on the roles of a nanny, cook, and cleaner. With winter upon them, she might even be called upon to serve as a bed warmer. Li Yi looked at the meager noodles in her bowl and transferred half of the noodles from his own bowl to hers

When I approached the dough and was about to poke my head in, the dough suddenly rolled forward a short distance

Li Yi, who has a slight tendency to be a foodie, originally has high demands for food. Faced with this bowl of "vegetarian noodles," even though he is quite hungry, he cannot muster much appetite.

The middle-aged woman merely passed by, let out a cold snort, and then twisted her cylindrical waist to enter the adjacent room

Xiaohuan, is there any sewing thread at home? Please bring me some.

Bang

Suddenly, a white dough flew out from a corner, rolling on the ground for a few turns before finally coming to a stop

However, it is not surprising to think that this could be the case. Instead of being good bandits, they insist on becoming law-abiding citizens. In the past, when there was nothing left to rob, they now have no choice but to take matters into their own hands. In such an era, for ordinary people who rely entirely on farming to survive, struggling to live without starving to death has already become their highest ideal

The young maid pointed at the cloth bag in Li Yi's hand and asked curiously

What about the pheasant? A look of curiosity appeared on the pretty face of the young maid. The pheasants near the village had long been hunted, and the young master had not left the village. Where did he find it?

A girl of fifteen or sixteen years old is at a crucial stage of growth; how can she manage with such little food?

After the woman entered the house, Li Yi looked at the free-range chickens in front of the other party's door, and a slight curve gradually appeared at the corner of his mouth

I turned my head to look at the three people beside me, who were surprisingly enjoying their food so heartily. The young maid next to them had a face full of happiness, as if simply being able to fill her stomach was something worth celebrating

Is there a mountain chicken as fat as this one?

Hmph

Suddenly, the bowl was snatched away by Li Yi, and the young girl was momentarily taken aback. "Young master..." she had just begun to utter when Li Yi had already prepared the noodles and placed the bowl back in front of her.

... ...

Watching Li Yi leave in a somewhat disheveled state, Liu Ruyi gazed for a long time, her beautiful eyes reflecting something that had never been there before

Liu Ruyi beside her curled her lips, noticing the little maid who was on the verge of tears with emotion. Her usually indifferent and carefree pretty face inadvertently outlined a gentle curve.

Moreover, not only has the physical plumage been lost, but it has also been disemboweled. What kind of torment did this pheasant endure after its death?

Having nothing to do, I decided to go for a walk

What is this

Caught off guard, the hen pecked at nothing. As it took a few steps forward, it was about to peck again when the dough moved forward a short distance once more

"I am not hungry, you should eat more..." As I reached out to ruffle the little maid's hair, just as the words left my mouth, a strange sound suddenly emanated from my stomach

Pah

A ravine behind the village

Not far away, the woman came out of the room, grabbed a handful of wheat grains, and threw them into the yard, cursing and shouting a few phrases.

Li Yi sat on a large stone in front of the door, resting his chin on one hand, gazing blankly at the sky