The newcomer was none other than the older maid who had scolded Xiao He earlier.
She bowed repeatedly to Lin Yuan, her smile blooming like a chrysanthemum.
"Thank you for your patronage, young master!"
She had never imagined it possible.
The junk that had sat in the warehouse for decades had actually sold for a full thousand taels!
Now, when she looked at Lin Yuan, her eyes held the tender concern one might show an idiot.
Lin Yuan more or less knew what she was thinking.
It did not matter.
How could sparrows know the ambitions of a great swan?
One could not speak of ice to a summer insect.
Lin Yuan raised a hand and pointed at Xiao He, who stood helplessly to the side.
"This girl is good. I'll ask for her again next time."
The older maid's smile froze, then she hurriedly nodded and bowed.
"Yes, yes, of course! We look forward to your next visit, young master!"
Xiao He bit her lip hard. She understood just how much weight Lin Yuan's words carried.
She bowed deeply to Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan picked up the wooden chest and headed out.
As he passed through the hall, he caught sight of the maid in green from earlier out of the corner of his eye.
The woman was staring at him with an ugly expression.
Their eyes met.
The corner of Lin Yuan's mouth curled into a cold sneer.
Heavenly Delight Inn.
Inside the guest room, Lin Jiu had already recovered considerably thanks to the nourishment of the century-old ginseng.
Apart from still being unable to fight, he was now no different from an ordinary person.
Thud.
Lin Yuan set the chest on the floor, lifted its lid, and sat cross-legged to begin studying.
Master Wu and Lin Jiu gathered around curiously.
Lin Jiu glanced down at a copy of the Vegetable-Cutting Saber Technique, his brows knotting together.
"Young master, why did you buy this whole chest of junk?"
Lin Yuan did not even raise his head.
"The Life-Severing Saber has too many flaws. I'm going to see if I can draw on the strengths of a hundred schools to complete it."
"Will that work?"
The corner of Lin Jiu's mouth twitched.
Master Wu, however, stroked his beard and pulled Lin Jiu aside.
"What the hell do you know? Stop making noise and let the brat study in peace!"
Others might not know how talented Lin Yuan was, but Master Wu had experienced it firsthand.
Lin Yuan read ten lines at a glance as red light flashed madly before his eyes.
Two hours later.
Lin Yuan slowly opened his eyes. He had reached the entry level in every saber technique.
Unfortunately, he had already used up today's sudden enlightenments and could only wait until tomorrow.
Over lunch, the three discussed things and agreed that staying at the inn indefinitely was no solution.
Lin Yuan planned to buy a courtyard residence first.
After leaving the inn, he habitually glanced at the corner of the steps.
It was empty. There was no sign of the little beggar.
After passing through two streets and alleys, his footsteps gradually slowed.
Something was wrong.
Where had all the beggars who were usually everywhere gone?
Lin Yuan reached out to stop a passerby and slipped him five copper coins.
"Brother, could I ask you something? Where have all the beggars on the streets gone?"
The passerby pocketed the coins, glanced around, and lowered his voice.
"Two hours ago, who knows what madness got into the county office's constables, but they started rounding up beggars all over town, led by a young master in brocade!"
"They seemed to be looking for someone."
A young master in brocade?
Rounding up beggars?
And able to send constables out to arrest people.
Lin Yuan could have figured it out with his ass. It had to be that bastard Lin Shan.
Worry stirred in his heart.
Many people had seen the little beggar guiding him earlier. It was no secret.
"Do you know where they've gone now?"
"Probably the City God Temple in the west of town. That's the beggars' den."
After asking for the exact location, Lin Yuan spun around and hurried over anxiously.
"Please, don't let anything happen!"
In the clearing before the City God Temple.
More than twenty constables and guards from the Lin estate stood with sabers in hand.
Dozens of ragged beggars crouched on the ground, huddled together.
They were watching the scene before them in terror.
"Will you talk or not!"
"Are you going to talk or not!"
Sharp slaps rang out.
A constable held an iron ruler and struck an old beggar across the face, alternating sides.
The old beggar's cheeks were swollen high, his teeth shattered and his mouth full of blood.
He covered his face in terror and wailed indistinctly.
"Officer, you haven't asked me anything!"
The constable's wrist paused, his iron ruler stopping in midair.
"Old bastard, have you seen a scrawny little beggar, about eleven or twelve?"
The old beggar wore a miserable expression, tears mingling with the blood streaming down his face.
"Officer, you should have said so sooner!"
"That boy slipped out the back door an hour ago!"
"But his little sister is still here!"
Delighted, Lin Shan strode down the steps.
"Where's his sister?"
A vicious grin spread across Lin Shan's face.
As long as he caught the little beggar's sister, he did not believe the boy would refuse to show himself.
Once he caught the little beggar, he could follow the vine to the melon and find the brat who had snatched the ginseng.
That bastard certainly ran fast. He dared to make me, Lin Shan, lose face in public. He really doesn't know whether he lives or dies.
The old beggar shakily raised his hand and pointed toward a tiny figure curled up hugging her knees at the very edge of the crowd.
The crowd scattered in panic at once.
The nearby guards hurried forward.
"Hey, get up."
The figure stirred slightly but gave no reply.
A guard paused, then kicked her.
The figure toppled to the ground.
Her hair spilled loose, her cheeks gaunt and her eyes sunken.
A constable stepped forward to examine her briefly, then shook his head.
"She's already dead."
Everyone turned in unison to look at the guard.
The guard stumbled backward in fright, his face deathly pale, wanting to cry but unable to shed a tear.
"It wasn't me! I barely used any strength!"
The constable explained.
"This girl was already frail, her Qi and blood depleted. She only had a breath left in her."
At this, Lin Shan's expression darkened.
He shot the guard a vicious look, feeling the urge to curse.
What the fuck was all this!
Now his only lead was gone too.
He looked up at the sky.
Several hours had already passed since that person had taken the ginseng.
The ginseng had probably been used up long ago!
At that thought, he looked angrily at the beggars before him.
"This is all your fault."
"Why do you all insist on opposing me!"
His gaze suddenly turned cold.
"What use is there in keeping you alive?"
Lin Shan waved his hand.
The guards obeyed, drawing the sabers at their waists.
The constables exchanged hesitant glances.
An older constable stepped forward uncertainly.
"Young Master Lin, isn't this going a little too far?"
They were only beggars. He could not quite bear it.
Lin Shan looked coldly at the man who had spoken.
"Even you want to oppose me."
The constable cupped his hands and was about to explain.
Lin Shan suddenly stepped forward and smashed his fist into the constable's chest.
Bam!
The constable was sent flying several meters and landed heavily, coughing up bloody froth, unable to get up for a long while.
At the sight, the other constables glared angrily and tightened their grips on their iron rulers.
Lin Shan ignored them, rubbed his fist, and spoke indifferently.
"Have you forgotten that my uncle is the county commandant?"
Those words weighed like a thousand tons.
The constables' breathing caught, their shoulders slumped, and they turned away in silence.
Screams rose one after another within the dilapidated City God Temple.
Not long after they left.
A small, thin figure came in from behind the courtyard wall.
The little beggar looked at the little girl, a trace of madness flashing through his eyes.
"Little sister, don't blame your brother for being heartless. You weren't going to survive anyway."
"We're only lowly beggars, after all. Remember to be born into a good family in your next life."
The little beggar looked at the corpses strewn across the ground and felt a little sick.
He completely abandoned the idea of throwing in his lot with Lin Shan.
Even though he knew his information about Lin Yuan would fetch a good price.
But Lin Shan was a bloodthirsty killer. Unless he had absolutely no other choice, he truly did not want to get involved with him.
By contrast, the little beggar considered Lin Yuan very easy to talk to.
Especially now that his little sister was dead.
The little beggar's gaze suddenly sharpened as a bold plan formed in his mind.
An hour later.
Hurried footsteps sounded outside the City God Temple.
Lin Yuan's nostrils twitched. The air was thick with the pungent stench of blood.
This is bad, he thought, hurrying inside, only to stop short.
The scene before him was so gruesome that he almost vomited.
Forcing down his discomfort, he slowly walked farther inside.
His gaze was riveted to the lone figure before him.
The little beggar knelt beside the little girl, his shoulders shaking violently.
He stopped three paces behind the little beggar.
He remained silent for a long time.
"My condolences."
The little beggar stiffened.
He shuffled on his knees over to Lin Yuan and kowtowed heavily.
Lin Yuan felt a tightness in his chest.
In the end, he was the one who had dragged the brother and sister into this.
He exhaled a breath of turbid Qi and made up his mind.
If the little beggar asks to become my disciple again, I'll take him in.
The little beggar slowly raised his head, his face full of sorrow.
"Young master, this lowly one has had such an agonizing wait for you!"
Waves of guilt surged through Lin Yuan's heart.
He bent down to help the little beggar up, but before he could voice any words of comfort-
A cold glint flashed before his eyes!