Chapter 2

Zhou Shihao gave Wu Yi a look as if he were looking at a piece of trash, then got up and left. "D*mn!" After Zhou Shihao left, Wu Yi spat viciously. In a blink of an eye, he noticed a familiar figure in the crowd. After instructing his subordinates to take Flower Butterfly away, he quietly followed.

Every household in Pear Blossom Lane has pear trees planted.

When the pear blossoms are in full bloom, the lane is as beautiful as a painting.

Now it's September and the flowering season is over.

The bare tree trunks give people a somewhat desolate feeling.

With the moonlight shining down, it adds a touch of barrenness.

Lu Yi can't stand for long.

If it's too long, the left supporting leg will hurt.

While resting against the wall, a black shadow entered the lane.

"Lu Yi, quite leisurely, aren't you?"

Lu Yi was patting his thigh to relax the muscles and didn't respond.

"I'm talking to you!"

Wu Yi was in a great rage today. The look Zhou Shihao gave him made him very unhappy.

"Oh, it's Lord Wu. I'm sorry. It's too dark. I didn't see clearly."

Saying this, Lu Yi stood up again and walked towards his home.

Or rather, deeper into the lane.

"Stop! Did I tell you to leave?"

Wu Yi took a few steps and clung tightly to Lu Yi.

He just pushed against Lu Yi's back with his chest.

Making the latter stagger.

"What are you doing?"

Lu Yi turned around, frowning tightly.

"What am I doing? I'm not happy and looking for someone to vent. Not satisfied?"

"Capable."

Lu Yi put his hand on the ruler and continued walking.

"Oh, who are you trying to scare? A broken ruler. Carry it with you every day. Do you really think you're a well-read scholar and want to be a teacher?"

Wu Yi laughed loudly, and the laughter was shrill.

Lu Yi ignored him.

"I told you to stop!"

Wu Yi was furious and reached out to grab Lu Yi's shoulder.

But as soon as he put his hand on it, something pushed against his chest.

It felt very soft, almost imperceptible.

He looked strangely at Lu Yi's right hand on the ruler and found no sign of movement.

Before he could think about it carefully, another voice sounded in the lane.

"Wu Yi, bullying people depends on the place. This is Pear Blossom Lane, not Willow Lane!"

As the words fell, Liu Dabao panted and rushed over.

He pushed Wu Yi away with a backhand.

"So it's Lord Liu."

Wu Yi looked at Liu Dabao coldly.

This guy was also someone he and Zhang Ping used to bully.

The difference was that Wu Yi didn't have Zhang Ping's skills.

And Liu Dabao was good at fighting. He wasn't as easy to bully as Lu Yi.

Now alone, he was a little scared.

"The child of a b*tch is a b*tch!"

Liu Dabao gritted his teeth and glared at Wu Yi.

Lu Yi raised his hand and patted Liu Dabao's shoulder: "Dabao, such words shouldn't be said. What's wrong with the parents? It's just that he himself behaves wrongly."

One against two, although one was a cripple.

But Wu Yi didn't dare to be presumptuous at this moment.

The post station official, like them, was a petty official without rank.

But its importance was no less than Zhou Shihao's ninth-rank inspector.

Those they usually came into contact with were either wealthy families passing by for outings or officials going out on business.

Even if it was just a coachman who couldn't say much.

But that little bit of face was really not something a patrolling soldier could have.

"Just wait and see."

After leaving a harsh word, Wu Yi ran away in disgrace.

Liu Dabao sent Lu Yi to his doorstep and took out a bag of medicine from his bosom.

"Not long ago, I met a high-ranking official. I served him well and learned about this prescription. You try it and see if it works."

Lu Yi opened it and took a look.

Well, they were all highly nourishing.

Ginseng, deer antler, gecko, etc.

This wasn't a prescription at all. It was like grasping at straws when seriously ill.

Based on Lu Yi's understanding of Liu Dabao, it was definitely bought with the savings this guy had accumulated for a long time.

"Thank you."

Lu Yi didn't expose it and the corners of his mouth rose slightly.

"Brothers. No need for polite words. Have an early rest. I'll go back after cleaning the ancestral house."

After two generations of hard work by the Liu family, they finally bought a nice house in the north of Fen City.

Liu Dabao was nostalgic. He was reluctant to sell the ancestral house and left it unused.

Every time he came, the reason was to clean the ancestral house and drop by to see Lu Yi.

In fact, for an empty house, a little bit of weeds didn't matter much.

Lu Yi nodded and unlocked the door.

Just as he was about to enter the house, he suddenly turned around and shouted at Liu Dabao, who had walked a short distance away:

"Dabao, in a few days, I'll treat you to a feast."

"Have a feast? Did you find a wife?" Liu Dabao turned around, surprised.

"It's hard to even support myself. How could I find a wife?"

"Then what kind of feast is it?"

"Willow Lane, a white funeral."

Liu Dabao was completely confused, waved his hand, and urged Lu Yi to go back into the house and rest quickly.

On the other side, Wu Yi, who just left the lane entrance, rubbed his chest while spitting and cursing. While cursing, he felt something was wrong with his chest.

There was a tendon aching faintly. Lifting his shirt, there was a red mark on his chest. It was very slight and not noticeable if not looked carefully.

The width was between two and three fingers. "Strange. D*mn it."

...

In the following days, Fen City was relatively quiet. Except for constantly coughing up blood, Lu Yi's life was rather leisurely.

Writing family letters for others, collecting debts for Yu Yong, and listening to the elders on the road chatting about this and that.

Life should be like this, peaceful, simple, and with a little bit of trivia.

"Have you heard? Widow Zhao has found another man."

In front of the Downwind Inn, several women were gathered.

"An unchanging widow and changing men. This isn't strange."

"Right. If we talk about strange things, it has to be Willow Lane in the south of the town. Do you know?" "What happened?"

"Wu Yi from the Inspection Department has recently been possessed by evil spirits. He hasn't been able to get out of bed for several days."

"Could it be that he saw a ghost?"

"Most likely. He keeps shouting that his chest hurts. Even the doctor can't figure it out. I'm afraid he won't live long."

When Lu Yi came to park the cart, someone asked. "Lu Yi, you're not young anymore. Why don't you find a wife?"

Lu Yi gave a shy smile: "No money."

After saying that, he entered the inn, asked the waiter for a plate of fried beans and two ounces of yellow wine.

He was in a good mood today and wanted to have a couple of drinks.

Clang —!

A plate full of beef suddenly appeared on the table. Lu Yi looked up: "Uncle Pan, I didn't order beef."

"It's a gift. If not sold, it would be a pity to throw it away." Pan Hongcai smiled.

The beef was very fresh, fat and tender. It was definitely not the leftover unsold ones.

"Thank you, Uncle."

Lu Yi picked up the chopsticks, took a small bite. It was really delicious.

"Lu Yi, there's a guest staying at my inn. A woman. She's looking for a man."

Pan Hongcai pulled a bench and sat down, looking at Lu Yi with great worry.

Lu Yi took a sip of the wine: "Uncle Pan, I'm only twenty years old. I'm not in a hurry."

"She went to the Inspection Department, saw Flower Butterfly, and asked me about your address this morning."

"Cough cough."

The wine was too strong. The blood rushed into the wine cup and turned it into bloody wine.

Lu Yi shook the wine cup, mixed the blood evenly and drank it in one gulp. Then he asked: "Which room is she staying in?"

"Lu Yi, why are you asking this? That woman knows martial arts." Pan Hongcai's facial features wrinkled together, looking extremely ugly.

"So what if she knows martial arts? Can she kill me in the inn? Wouldn't that be walking into a trap?" "Then you..."

"I'll go talk to her. If the talk goes well, she'll leave tomorrow. If not, we'll talk again tomorrow."

Seeing that Pan Hongcai was still full of worry, Lu Yi patted the other's forearm and continued:

"Don't worry, Uncle Pan. I'm a scholar. I have knowledge in my belly. I do things with discretion."

Downwind Inn, Room Tianzi Yi.

Dong dong dong —!

Lu Yi knocked on the door.

Zhi —!

The door opened.

What came into view was a large expanse of pure white.

Lu Yi pretended to cough and turned his face away.

"You lad, you have quite the nerve!"

Seeing Lu Yi standing at the door with a limp, the woman was quite surprised.

"I'm timid and afraid of death. So I came to find you. Can I come in?"

"Why not come in? Could it be that we talk about the price at the door?"

The woman was above average in looks. She wasn't stunningly beautiful but had a unique charm.

She was indeed the boldest one Lu Yi had seen in the past twenty years.

The most crucial thing was that she was willing and didn't hide it.

"Miss, may I ask your name?" Lu Yi asked after sitting down.

"Heh, I heard the villagers call you Scholar. Your level isn't that great. Can't you tell if I'm a girl or a married woman?" The woman sneered.

Lu Yi wiped his forehead: "It's because you look like a young girl. I'm a bit nervous. Sister, what's your name?"

"Your mouth is quite sweet. Call me Feng Erniang. Forget about the real name. If you go and report me later, I'll be in trouble again."

The woman poured Lu Yi a cup of tea and sat on the bed.

Crossing her legs, the short skirt revealed an infinitely charming scene.

"Crazy's 'feng'?" Lu Yi asked curiously.

"Feng as in 'feng shui'!" Feng Erniang rolled her eyes.

"Sister Feng, you're joking. Reporting also depends on the person."

Since he was already here, Lu Yi openly admitted that it was he who reported the information.

"Oh, Flower Butterfly doesn't look like a good person, so you reported. I have a bit more here, do you have pity on me?"

Feng Erniang swayed her calf. The back of her leg formed an alluring curve as it squeezed back and forth.

Lu Yi withdrew his gaze and seemed to change into a different person.

"Whether you kill or rob has nothing to do with me. But the Yang family, no. If you still have your mind on the Yang family, I'll still be a villain."

Seeing Lu Yi suddenly become serious, Feng Erniang raised her eyebrows.

"Reason?"

"Miss Yang of the Yang family did me a favor. People, unlike pigs and dogs, should know how to repay kindness."

"Did she save your life? Even knowing that we're from the underworld?"

"Saving my life is not necessary. That year, it was freezing cold and I was hungry. I ate two meat buns from Miss Yang."

Hearing this, Feng Erniang placed her elbow on her knee, supported her chin, and her eyes flickered.

"So Flower Butterfly ended up in prison because of two buns?"

"Mainly because I like buns." Lu Yi's mouth curved upward, and he had a very nice smile.

Feng Erniang sized up Lu Yi again.

He was wearing a scholar's robe. The robe was old but very clean.

He wore a ruler at his waist. But he was too thin and looked weak.

He had a fair complexion and a decent appearance. Unfortunately, he was a cripple and had lung disease.

After thinking for a while, Feng Erniang suddenly said: "Alright, you can go. Forget about the Yang family. And you too. "

Lu Yi didn't move: "Are you going to target another family?"

"No. I've been roaming the martial arts world for many years. I'm tired. I'm planning to open a shop in Shili Town."

Lu Yi got up and prepared to leave.

"Aren't you curious about what kind of shop I'll open?"

"As long as it's not a human flesh shop, I'll come and visit."

"Hahaha."

Feng Erniang laughed charmingly: "You're quite interesting. Dealing with someone like you is pleasant."

When Lu Yi reached the door and was about to close it.

Feng Erniang leaned forward, her charming eyes like silk: "Bun shop. With meat. Welcome to come often."

"Cough cough cough."

Lu Yi closed the door and left.

...

The deal was made, but the person didn't leave.

The next day, there was a new Erniang Bun Shop in Fen City.

The shop was large, comparable to the Downwind Inn.

The proprietress was generous. The buns were filled with plenty of meat.

The business was extremely booming.

Some people came to buy buns, and some came to see the shop.

Lu Yi passed by the bun shop but didn't go in.

It wasn't that he didn't want to, but he didn't have time.

Wu Yi from Willow Lane died in the middle of the night.

Today was the funeral. Yu Yong was busy and asked Lu Yi to deliver his share of the money when collecting debts.

Before Zhou Shihao took office, the Inspection Department was divided into two factions.

Yu Yong's faction was focused on making money.

Zhang Ping and Wu Yi belonged to one faction, focused on grabbingbling money mindlessly.

Different paths, unable to work together.

So, Yu Yong was busy whether he really was or not.

When arriving at Willow Lane, there was a person waiting at the entrance of the lane.

"Dabao, you came early?" Lu Yi smiled.

Liu Dabao rubbed the corner of his mouth: "Come a little earlier to feel the impermanence of life and death in advance. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll laugh out loud in front of the mourning hall later."

"Mean!"

The two walked side by side. Liu Dabao looked at Lu Yi from time to time.

"If you have something to say, just say it."

"Lu Yi, did you do something about Wu Yi's death?"

Remembering that night when Lu Yi said he would invite him to a white funeral, Liu Dabao felt more and more strange.

Lu Yi looked around and seeing no one around, moved closer to Liu Dabao's ear.

"Let me tell you quietly. It was me who did it."

"Ah?" Liu Dabao was shocked.

Lu Yi gave a mysterious smile: "To tell you the truth, I know magic. Whoever I point at will die!"

Liu Dabao was stunned and it took him a good while to come to his senses.

"Lu Yi, you're joking again. If you knew magic, could the two of us have been beaten by Zhang Ping since childhood?"

"Isn't that the point?" Lu Yi rolled his eyes. "Could I curse Wu Yi to death out of thin air? This guy had a bad heart. Heaven took him. He deserved it. Why do you care how he died?"

Liu Dabao thought about it and it did make sense.

No matter how he died, he deserved it. Just go in and drink.

There were many people attending the funeral, but not many were truly sad.

In the neighboring villages, who hasn't been bullied by these two brutes, Zhang Ping and Wu Yi.

Yu Yong lent money to the villagers, mostly small amounts.

The money these two lent out was all large amounts.

It was easy to borrow large amounts, but the interest was hard to repay.

If they couldn't repay, they would surround the person, smash and beat as they pleased.

If they really couldn't come up with anything as collateral, they would kill and dispose of the body.

There were numerous people who were displaced and dared not return home because of them.

These military ruffians. Once they took off the skin of the Inspection Department, they were undoubtedly the bandits of Shili Town.

If it weren't for the connection with the Inspection Department, there wouldn't even be anyone offering incense in front of the coffin.

"Lu Yi, I'm going to be prosperous and successful."

After several rounds of drinking, Liu Dabao, slightly drunk, put his arm around Lu Yi's shoulder.

"Promoted?"

"More or less. My superiors have arranged a task for me. If I do it well, I'll be transferred to the county. Then I'll also be an official with a rank."

Liu Dabao was very happy, smiling with wrinkles all over his face.

Lu Yi put down the chicken leg in his hand and said seriously: "What kind of task? Can you tell me?"

"Can't say. It's a secret. Just wait for my good news. When I rise, you come and live with me in the county. There are more people there and the business is definitely better than here. At that time, I'll find a shop for you specially. No need to push the cart around the streets anymore."

Envisioning the beautiful scene, Liu Dabao's hand holding Lu Yi tightened even more.

If Dabao didn't say, he had his difficulties.

Official business is always mysterious.

Having lived together for so many years, Lu Yi knew that Liu Dabao wasn't the type to brag.

He raised a cup of wine and clinked it with Liu Dabao's cup.

"Do it well. When that day comes, we'll drink to our hearts' content."

"Hahaha."

Liu Dabao grinned but pressed down Lu Yi's cup: "You have a cough. Don't drink. When I'm really promoted, we'll drink heartily."

Lu Yi looked at the cup in his hand.

After putting it down, he gently patted Liu Dabao's shoulder.

"OK. When that day comes, we won't go home until we're drunk."