novelSusiti Chapter 21 My benefactor, you've kept me waiting for so long!
Chapter 21 My benefactor, you've kept me waiting for so long!
Master Chai is no ordinary person, and the things he does are no simple matter either. After seeing Master Chai off, Li Xuan and Li Ji discreetly returned home, not daring to inquire further about what happened next.
Li Ji is eighteen years old this year. Feng Niaoniao said during the New Year that she was going to arrange a wife for him. Li Ji smiled and asked his sister-in-law to wait a while. He planned to wait until things were better in a few years.
Li Xuan and Feng Niaoniao felt that Li Ji was sensitive about his meager personal wealth and the fact that he couldn't find a good girl.
Feng Niaoniao recalled her mother's words: as Li Ji's only remaining close relatives, the eldest brother was like a father, and the eldest sister-in-law was like a mother; logically, Li Ji's wedding expenses should be borne by the couple. Li Ji must have understood all this, and subconsciously avoided it, not wanting to cause trouble for his brother and sister-in-law.
Thinking of this, Feng Niaoniao temporarily let Li Ji go. That night, she and Li Xuan discussed in bed how to secretly set up two shops for Li Ji and save some cash. Once everything was ready, they would arrange a blind date for Li Ji and hand over all the family property to her sister-in-law in the future, so that Li Ji wouldn't be indecisive, insecure, or sensitive.
This trip to see Master Chai only earned him 100 strings of cash. Li Xuan gave 20 strings to Li Ji, keeping the rest for household expenses. Under Li Xuan's deliberate care, Li Ji will soon accumulate a small fortune, and perhaps he will come to his senses soon enough.
To "motivate" Li Ji, Li Xuan would carry his two sons around as soon as he got home. His eldest son, Li Yuan, was three years old, and his younger son, Li Ke, was two—both at an age where they were particularly dependent on their parents. Every time Li Xuan held them and looked into their adorable eyes, his heart melted.
Who doesn't adore adorable kids? Li Ji especially adores his two nephews, always following Li Xuan around, wanting one of them to play with. Under Feng Niaoniao's tutelage, Li Ji is incredibly skilled at childcare, and his two nephews are very close to their uncle. As a result, Li Xuan and Li Ji frequently engage in a child-grabbing battle when they get home. Every time this happens, Li Xuan always snaps at him, "Go find someone else to raise!"
Taking advantage of the salt price surge caused by the shutdown of the Hailing Saltworks, Li Xuan and Li Ji did not stay at home for more than a few days before taking another group of soldiers, along with ten shi (a unit of dry measure) of salt stored in the village and fifty newly made lanterns, and embarking on a journey for export.
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Jinling, the Imperial Palace of the Yu Kingdom
Princess Xingguo, the sixth daughter of the emperor, Li Lizhi (originally named Li Lizhi, changed her name after becoming a princess), was fifteen years old. She hated studying and was always ridiculed by her brothers and sisters for being from the countryside.
The day before, they had studied the chapter "Mencius on King Hui of Liang," and the next day, the teacher checked their recitation in class. Princess Xingguo hummed and hawed, only managing to recite: "If the farming seasons are not missed, there will be more grain than can be eaten; if nets with small meshes are not used in ponds, there will be more fish and turtles than can be eaten; if axes and hatchets are used in the mountains and forests at the right time, there will be more timber than can be used." "If a five-acre plot of land is planted with mulberry trees, those over fifty can wear silk; if chickens, pigs, dogs, and swine are raised at the right time, those over seventy can eat meat."
Because the text describes fish, turtles, clothing, and meat, it evokes vivid imagery and a sense of accomplishment. This made it particularly easy for the Sixth Princess, who had just returned from the countryside, to remember. Each time she read it, she couldn't help but reminisce about the happy times she spent in the countryside of Chuzhou during her childhood.
Back then, ponds, fields, and forests were all her playgrounds. Catching loaches and catching fish and turtles were her specialties, and she would come home every day as a mud monkey, only to be scolded by her mother. It wasn't until the Emperor of Yu remembered this daughter and brought her back to Jinling that she lived a life of luxury. But she missed the wild fun of her past even more and longed for her old friends.
She embarrassed herself by reciting a text in class, and was laughed at by her classmates, relatives, and peers for being a country girl. Furious, Li Lizhi felt this was not a place for her. So she secretly changed her clothes and left the palace, intending to cross the river from Jinling to the north, return to her hometown in Chuzhou, and see her friends whom she hadn't seen for several years.
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At Gaojia Private Port near Gaoyou Post Station, Li Xuan and Li Ji accompanied Gao Dalang as he unloaded salt bags.
Gao Dalang sighed, "How did the Hailing Salt Bureau end up in this mess? Salt prices have skyrocketed, and my family in the village has no choice but to raise prices as well. The villagers are furious. They don't understand what stopping production and shipping means; they just think my family is heartless. Honestly, I, Gao Dalang, really didn't make any money this time."
Li Xuan dared not reveal the true situation at Hailing Saltworks, and said with a wry smile, "Sell it carefully. After I finish selling all the salt I have, I'll need to rest for half a year. There's nothing anyone can do when the Dragon King is angry. If anyone has any objections, tell them to go and complain to the Dragon King."
Gao Dalang warned him, "Brother Xuan, you need to be careful. It's no secret that you have salt on your boat. The officials can refrain from taking action out of respect for the palace. But those river pirates won't care about your status as an imperial merchant. With salt prices soaring, their salt shortage is even more severe. You need to be careful."
Li Xuan nodded: "Thank you for the reminder, Elder Brother. I understand. They are fierce, and I am even more dangerous. It won't be easy for a few pirates to take over this large ship."
After unloading, Li Xuan stood at the bow of the boat, bidding farewell to Gao Dalang, and left Gaoyou, heading north. The warm sunshine, coupled with the breathtaking canal scenery along the way, made him feel drowsy.
About two hours later, the crew on the ship was suddenly awakened by screams and thick smoke from the shore. One by one, the portholes were opened, revealing the Li family's retainers who had hurriedly donned their leather armor and strung their bows.
Li Xuan and Li Ji, also fully armed, climbed onto the ship's platform to look out. In the distance, they saw a group of river bandits robbing a village.
The village, built along the water, was fortified with walls, but was already on the verge of collapse after repeated attacks by river bandits. Meanwhile, in the houses not protected by the walls, many bandits were still burning, killing, and looting. Clearly, the enemy's attack was sudden, and many villagers had not had time to enter the fortified area.
Li Xuan's ship was relatively large and conspicuous on the canal, so the bandits naturally wouldn't let them get away. Soon, two small boats, taking advantage of their lightness and speed, surrounded Li Xuan's merchant ship.
Since there's no way to avoid it, we should take advantage of the villagers' resistance on the shore and crush these bandits. Otherwise, if the villagers surrender, the bandits, now free to attack, will turn around and hunt down Li Xuan, which would be disastrous.
Each of the two light boats carried a dozen or so people. As they approached, they shouted loudly and occasionally fired a few arrows.
Li Xuan calmly directed everyone: "Don't panic, they're just petty thieves, let some in and shoot."
Taking advantage of the ship's size and height, the soldiers, positioned high above, unleashed a barrage of arrows from the portholes on both sides. To increase their rate of fire, they all unanimously chose softer horsebows. The relentless rain of arrows quickly emptied the pirates from both ships. Taking advantage of the situation, Li Xuan directed the large ship to rush towards the dock.
Before the large ship had even come to a complete stop, Li Xuan and his men unleashed a barrage of fire on the enemy on the shore, felling a large number of them. Li Ji, grabbing a rattan shield in one hand and a single-edged sword in the other, leaped onto the dock, using the shield to protect himself and securing himself at the dock's exit. Two retainers, also armed with shields, stepped forward to protect Li Ji on either side, while another retainer with a bow followed behind them, forming a four-man combat team.
Once the four-man team was in position, Li Ji shouted, "First wave, kill!"
The other three responded loudly, "Kill!" The four of them worked in perfect harmony and charged into the residential area, using the terrain to pick off the thieves one by one and pursue them relentlessly.
Li Xuan wasn't idle either. Three of his men went down to set up the battle formation, while he quickly anchored and secured the ship under their cover. After everything was done, he carried a sword on his back and held a horsebow in his hand, leaping onto the dock. The four of them shouted and charged into the enemy ranks.
The reason Li Xuan and Li Ji rushed into the residential area first was because some villagers were still resisting, and the houses in the residential area naturally divided the battlefield, which was conducive to small-scale operations and mutual cover.
The enemy was divided into two groups. One group was besieging the fortress walls, and the morale on the wall side was greatly boosted by the arrival of reinforcements, allowing them to hold out for the time being. Once the bandits in the residential area were eliminated, a group of bloodthirsty villagers would be freed up to follow Li Xuan and Li Ji to attack the fortress walls. Otherwise, it would be too risky for just eight people to attack a hundred or so bandits exposed on the open ground.
Li Ji followed Li Xuan on the salt route for over a year, experiencing seven or eight conflicts and battles. With just a glance, he could accurately judge the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy and his own forces, choose appropriate tactics, and decisively launch the first attack. He was truly a born general.
Li Xuan also understood the situation on the field. He personally took up his bow and led his men into the formation to protect Li Ji's rear, and used his bow and arrows to cover Li Ji's flanks.
Li Ji and his three men advanced like a wall, brandishing their shields and swords, and using their bows and arrows to maintain control at a distance of sixty paces, quickly taking control of the small residential area. The remaining bandits either fled towards the stockade wall or were routed by Li Ji and his men, scattering in all directions.
A large door was flung open amidst screams from several fleeing thieves. Driven to desperation, they became even more frenzied. Seeing a young woman inside, they immediately drew their knives and charged forward, ready to slaughter her. At the critical moment, two arrows shot into the house like lightning, accurately striking two of the thieves. The remaining two, terrified, collapsed to the ground, crying out, "Grandpa, spare us! Grandpa, spare us! We surrender! We surrender!"
Li Ji entered, gripping a blood-dripping dagger. He stabbed the trembling bandits to death one by one, then turned and saw the girl inside, too frightened to speak. He immediately realized his rashness. He planted the dagger in the ground and said, "I'm sorry, young lady, you've been frightened. It's not safe here. Quickly go to the west side to hide. The bandits there have been killed. The people from your village have occupied a few houses; you can stay there for now."
The girl, suppressing her fear, said, "I am just a traveler passing through, staying here for the night. I am not a local villager, and I never expected to encounter such a tragedy. General, please feel free to kill the thieves and do not worry about me."
Li Ji lifted his rattan helmet, revealing a handsome smile: "I'm no general. Like you, I'm just a traveler passing through."
The girl's attention was diverted, and she looked up to take a closer look at Li Ji. He was a tall, handsome, and dashing young general, dressed in leather armor. He looked to be about the same age as her.
At that moment, as if something had suddenly dawned on her, the girl felt the impact of a man for the first time in her life. Her face flushed, and she said timidly, "This humble servant, Lychee, greets my benefactor. Please do not leave afterward. I will certainly repay your kindness."
This was the first time Li Ji had been stared at like this by a girl, so he gave an awkward smile and said, "Take care, miss. I'm going to kill some thieves." With that, he drew his sword and led his men out to continue killing thieves.
After taking a few steps outside, Li Ji's men began to complain, "That young lady is so unreasonable. I was the one who shot the arrow, so why is she thanking Brother Ji?"
The other two brothers burst out laughing: "Is that even a question? When the young lady met Brother Ji, she naturally had to repay him with her body. But when she met you, she'll definitely repay him in the next life, maybe with an extra longevity tablet."
Li Ji was extremely embarrassed and quickly interrupted their antics: "Stop talking, brother is waiting for our support. Quickly crush these bandits, now is not the time for jokes."
With the organization and breakthrough of Li Xuan and Li Ji's group of well-trained warriors, the remaining villagers, armed with knives and spears, fought their way out from several isolated courtyards.
Seeing that things were going badly, the bandits on the other side of the fortress had no intention of fighting back. They immediately gave a whistle and ran towards the dock.
Li Xuan and Li Ji had anticipated this, and they led the villagers to the dock ahead of them. With the villagers providing cover, eight warriors drew their bows and fired a rapid-fire barrage of arrows, instantly covering the bandits dressed only in plain clothes. In the chaos, the bandits fell one after another, struck by arrows.
Seeing that the vicious bandits had no chance of turning the tide, the villagers, each with their own blood feud, could no longer contain their anger. They charged at the bandits, brandishing knives, spears, forks, and shackles, and viciously attacked them. From the other side of the village wall, a group of men and women armed with various weapons and farm tools also emerged. Unable to adapt to the rapidly changing battle situation after being repeatedly attacked, the bandits were ultimately wiped out by the combined efforts of the villagers.
Li Xuan left the villagers to clean up the battlefield and ordered Li Ji to take his men back to guard their boat. These riverside villages were civilians when they were robbed, but who knows, they might become bandits themselves. Just then, the remaining village elders emerged from the village walls and presented Li Xuan with ten strings of cash and some chickens, ducks, and geese.
Li Xuan accepted the ten strings of cash without hesitation. As for the chickens, ducks, and geese, he kept a few to slaughter and cook, and returned the rest to the owners to show that Li Xuan and his group were righteous and not greedy.
Rewarding the brave is the rule of the community. If they don't reward the righteous people who came to their aid today, they'll have a bad reputation tomorrow. Then everyone will know that this village is isolated and helpless, and can be bullied without worry.
After a fierce battle, everyone's clothes were soaked and reeked of blood and filth, so they obviously couldn't leave immediately. They took turns boiling water, bathing on the boat, and then rinsing their clothes on the riverbank while waiting for dinner.
Smelling the aroma of meat, the lychee girl came over. She looked left and right. There weren't many people around. One of the brothers laughed and said, "Girl, don't look around. Your benefactor is taking a bath on the boat. If you go up now, you can still get a back scrub."
The Lychee Girl, blushing with embarrassment at being teased, spat out, "What an impolite man! I... I won't stoop to your level."
Li Xuan finished washing his clothes at the dock and hung them to dry on the boat when he saw a girl talking to one of his men. Thinking something was wrong, he quickly went ashore to check.
"What are you doing? A bunch of grown men shouldn't be surrounding a young girl. Aren't you afraid of scaring her to tears?" Li Xuan's voice rang out before he even arrived. Harassing women in someone else's village was a major taboo. These days, when doing business, everyone relied on their reputation. Otherwise, why would those villages cooperate with Li Xuan, why would they provide them with supplies, and why would they allow him to rest in their villages?
At Li Xuan's shout, everyone chuckled and dispersed, revealing Lychee Girl standing with her hands on her hips, puffing out her cheeks in a huff.
One of the retainers explained, "My lord, please calm down. This young lady was rescued by Brother Ji in the village just now, and she has come here specifically to repay his kindness."
Li Xuan was taken aback and asked in return, "Since they've come to repay a debt of gratitude, how can you afford to provoke them and ruin our reputation for loyalty?"
Another detail reveals: "It's all because of Lu Laoliu's anger. The three of them, along with Ji Ge, rushed in to rescue people, but the girl only remembered Ji Ge. The young lady's actions were too obvious; Lu Laoliu couldn't save face."
Hahaha, everyone burst into laughter.
Li Xuan was both amused and exasperated.
Instead, it was Lychee who, feeling embarrassed after realizing what had happened, walked up to Lu Liu and bowed deeply. "Just now, it was dark in the room, and I was blind to your presence. I failed to recognize your face. I thank you for saving my life."
Lu Liu, being a man of honor, was pleased with himself and thanked the young woman profusely. He quickly took a few steps back, avoiding her direct gaze, and said, "There's no need for such a grand gesture. Suppressing rebellion and suppressing violence is the duty of a warrior; I am not worthy of the title of hero."
Since she had come to see Li Ji, Li Xuan kept her there and invited her to eat the meat cooked in the pot.
Li Xuan could tell that this Lychee was no ordinary person; her refined manners couldn't have been achieved without years of practice. She was definitely not from an ordinary family. As a businesswoman, it was best to cultivate a good relationship with someone of such background—who knows, it might come in handy in the future?
Lizhi also asked Li Xuan about his origins and destination. It turned out that he was going to Chuzhou just like Lizhi. So she took out a silver bean from her bag and gave it to Li Xuan, asking him to go on the same boat.
Li Xuan chuckled and said, "You shouldn't flaunt your wealth when you're out. This silver bean looks like a top-quality product made in Nanjing. Remember to bring some cheap cash when you go out to play next time, young lady."
Soon, Li Ji finished bathing and washing his clothes and came ashore for dinner. He bumped into his cousin by the campfire with a girl beside him. Li Ji was startled; his brother and sister-in-law had been happily married and deeply in love. He hoped nothing bad would happen.
Li Xuan turned around and saw Li Ji, beckoning to him and saying, "Little brother, come quickly, we've been waiting for you."
Li Ji nervously approached the campfire and caught a glimpse of half of her pretty face illuminated by the firelight: "My benefactor, you've kept me waiting for so long."