Chapter 74: Making a Deal Cannot Be Regretted

Li Banfeng indeed had to return to Ligou.

If private detective Daboyeen was truly sent by the Jiangxiang Gang, Li Banfeng absolutely couldn't stay in Yu Family Village. Otherwise, once the Jiangxiang Gang dispatched troops to surround the village, Li Banfeng would have no chance to escape. If Daboyeen wasn't sent by the Jiangxiang Gang, Li Banfeng would need to try his best to find out his true background.

Furthermore, Li Banfeng needed to find Shopkeeper Feng to clarify the phonograph's origin. In addition, he needed to inquire about travel permits. Obtaining a permit to other prefectures was too difficult. If Yu Nan couldn't manage it, he'd still have to ask Shopkeeper Feng for connections. If two million was truly needed, Li Banfeng would have to seriously consider returning to Yue Prefecture. Therefore, returning to Ligou as soon as possible was the only correct choice.

Li Banfeng was leaving, and Little Fatty wanted to follow.

"Seventh Brother, from now on, my life, Qin Tianjiu's life, is yours. Whether it's climbing a mountain of knives or plunging into a sea of fire, just give the word, and I won't even blink."

Li Banfeng frowned, "It's fine if you don't blink, but you need to stop me. If I'm climbing a mountain of knives, you can't pretend not to see it."

Qin Xiaopang thought for a long time, then nodded, "Seventh Brother makes sense. Let me kowtow to you first."

Li Banfeng's frown deepened, "From now on, no kowtowing to living people. If anyone makes you kowtow, kill them."

Qin Xiaopang pondered for a while, then nodded, "Seventh Brother makes sense. When do we leave?"

"You'd better not leave yet. Rest for a few more days in Yu Family Village. I'll give you some money, and you can ask Shopkeeper Yu to make you some good food." Li Banfeng was concerned about Qin Xiaopang's health; he would break out in a cold sweat after standing for a short while.

Qin Xiaopang smiled, "Seventh Brother, you don't have to worry. Once we're back in Ligou, I can find my own way and won't be a burden to you. I'm not afraid of the Geng family, nor that bunch of bastards from the Jiangxiang Gang!"

Yu Nan advised from the side, "Boss Qin, you can't act on impulse. Now is when the Jiangxiang Gang is most aggressive. Let alone Ligou, just stepping out of Yu Family Village would likely lead to more ill than good."

Qin Xiaopang shook his head, "Shopkeeper Yu, thank you for your kind intentions. I know this trip is a matter of life and death, but if I can't leave Yu Family Village today, I'm afraid I'll never leave in this lifetime. Seventh Brother, can I borrow some money? I want to buy some dry rations from Shopkeeper Yu first!"

The money really should be given, as Yu Family Village's food supplies were all carried back from outside by Yu Nan's subordinates.

Just as Li Banfeng took out his wallet, Yu Nan waved her hand, "Seventh Master, don't embarrass us. What are dry rations? Boss Qin can eat here for a lifetime, it's fine. I'm just worried..."

Qin Xiaopang laughed, "Shopkeeper Yu, don't worry. Qin Tianjiu won't die. When your fabric shop opens one day, I'll still come to congratulate you."

Li Banfeng exclaimed, "He truly is a man of courage!"

Yu Nan looked at Li Banfeng and said, "Seventh Master, I'll go back to Ligou with you too."

Li Banfeng asked with a serious expression, "Are you also a person of courage?"

Yu Nan looked awkward, "I'm not, I don't have..."

"Since you don't have courage, hide here first. Don't run around recklessly."

Li Banfeng wasn't joking. Yu Nan's situation was different from his; she still had the Yu Family Gang to consider. Given her capabilities and strength, she couldn't return to Ligou right now.

Li Banfeng left Yu Family Village. Yu Nan felt a surge of impulsiveness; she truly wanted to go with Li Banfeng. But the old storekeeper stopped her, "Shopkeeper, wait a little longer. We know it's dangerous, so we can't rush into it. Boss Li is an extraordinary person; we can't compare. The Jiangxiang Gang can't keep an eye on us forever. After half a year or a year, when things quiet down, it won't be too late for us to return to Ligou."

***

Li Banfeng hurried across the dark, new ground, with Qin Xiaopang struggling to keep up behind him.

As they went up the slope, Li Banfeng pulled Qin Xiaopang, "If you can't handle it, don't push yourself. I still think you should rest more in Yu Family Village for a few days."

Qin Xiaopang wiped his sweat, "Seventh Brother, if you think I'm too slow, just go ahead. Don't wait for me."

"You can barely walk now. When you get back to Ligou, how will you deal with the Geng family?"

Qin Xiaopang bit into a piece of dry ration, "I told you, I will never be a burden to Seventh Brother. I'm going to join a gang."

"Which gang?"

"The Three Heroes Sect."

Although Li Banfeng had little concept of gangs, he had heard Yu Nan mention the Three Heroes Sect; it was one of the three major gangs in Pu Luo Prefecture. Li Banfeng doubted if Qin Xiaopang had the qualifications to join.

Qin Xiaopang took a sip of water and swallowed his dry ration, "There are qualifications to join. As long as you're a practitioner who has entered the gate, the Three Heroes Sect is willing to accept you. It's just that people like me, without a high cultivation level, can only be ordinary soldiers once we join the sect. We won't see good food or drink, but we'll be first to charge into battle."

Isn't that just being cannon fodder?

Li Banfeng narrowed his eyes and asked, "What's the benefit of joining the Three Heroes Sect?"

Little Fatty said, "Once I join the Three Heroes Sect, those petty thugs from the Jiangxiang Gang won't dare provoke me anymore, and the Geng family will be even less likely to."

They won't dare provoke you, but if you become cannon fodder in the Three Heroes Sect, you probably won't live long either.

Li Banfeng asked, "If you reach a higher level, you won't have to be an ordinary soldier?"

Little Fatty nodded, "If you advance one level, you can become an 'Iron Seal' in the Three Heroes Sect."

"What does 'Iron Seal' mean?"

"It's a small leader, with five or six people under them, and an iron seal. They manage some miscellaneous local affairs."

As he spoke, Little Fatty's face was full of yearning. Li Banfeng asked, "You've wanted to join the Three Heroes Sect for a long time?"

Little Fatty first shook his head, then nodded, "I did think about joining the sect, but I didn't want to be a mere foot soldier. At the very least, I wanted to reach the first level and become an 'Iron Seal' – that wouldn't be embarrassing."

"Then wait a little longer. Wait until you can eat twenty jin of rice."

"I tried once," Little Fatty shook his head, "I bought twenty jin of steamed buns, wanting to try it, but after thirteen jin, I couldn't eat any more. I'm simply not cut out for it."

Li Banfeng shook his head, "Who can swallow twenty jin of steamed buns? When we get to Ligou, eat good food, find the best and eat twenty jin of that!"

Little Fatty smiled and said nothing.

The two walked out of Jiangyue Mountain. Li Banfeng found a horse carriage, and after a day and a night of travel, they returned to Ligou.

Little Fatty was going to the Three Heroes Sect's hall and asked Li Banfeng if he wanted to go together: "Seventh Brother, I see you've already reached a higher level. I know people in the sect; if you join, you'll definitely get an Iron Seal."

"If you know people, take care of yourself first. Even if you're an ordinary soldier, pick a good assignment."

After dropping Little Fatty off at the hall, Li Banfeng went to Feng's General Store.

Shopkeeper Feng sat in front of the counter, his face flushed, humming an opera tune: "Forty-eight stations in Xiliangchuan, as a soldier, I demand people, not money!" This was "Wujia Po," a tune his wife liked to sing, and Li Banfeng often heard it. He originally wanted to step forward and join the singing, but when the shop assistant, Chunsheng, saw Li Banfeng, he trembled with fear and immediately yelled, "Shopkeeper, the debt collector is here!"

Shopkeeper Feng, having seen many big scenes, watched Li Banfeng arrive at the door. He first told Chunsheng to close the shop, then invited Li Banfeng to the back room.

Li Banfeng sat down in the back room. Shopkeeper Feng first brewed a pot of tea for him, then immediately asked, "Boss Li, I know why you're here. This matter, I truly feel a bit guilty about it. But friendship is friendship, and business is business. Once a deal is made, we can't go back on it. If you feel uncomfortable, I can compensate you, but you absolutely cannot return the item."

Li Banfeng took a sip of tea and asked in surprise, "Return what?"

Shopkeeper Feng added a piece of charcoal to the tea stove, "Boss Li, a sensible person doesn't beat around the bush. Since you're here, let's not play guessing games. You've already bought that phonograph; there's no way it can be sent back."

"Who said I want to send it back?" Li Banfeng looked at Shopkeeper Feng, perplexed. "That phonograph is quite good, and there's nothing wrong with it. Why would I send it back?"

"Quite good..."

Shopkeeper Feng was stunned into silence for a long time. Ever since his general store acquired this phonograph, his life had been anything but peaceful. He suspected Li Banfeng was speaking sarcastically, or perhaps he had gone insane from being tormented by the phonograph.

"Boss Li, are we talking about the same phonograph?"

Li Banfeng blinked and said, "I only have one phonograph."

"Boss Li, do you know that one sings by itself without anyone operating it?"

"Of course, I know. Isn't a phonograph meant for singing?" Li Banfeng thought it was perfectly normal.

Shopkeeper Feng was speechless for a moment, "If it's happy, it sings a couple of tunes. If it's unhappy, it can sing all night. You can't stop it, and you have to listen carefully, otherwise a burst of steam can scald a person half to death. You know that, right?"

Li Banfeng thought for a moment and said, "I hadn't noticed that. If she wants to sing, let her sing. Why stop her?"

Shopkeeper Feng stared at Li Banfeng in astonishment, feeling that this person was beyond reason. Had he really gone mad?

"Boss Li, let me be honest with you. You might not know this, but this phonograph can summon the surrounding deceased spirits." Since the deal couldn't be reversed anyway, Shopkeeper Feng recounted his past experiences to Li Banfeng. An old lady who died in Chuanzi Alley would come to the general store every night to listen to songs, and she especially liked to sit beside Shopkeeper Feng while listening. An old yellow dog from Yuqian Alley, which had only died two days prior, was also summoned by the phonograph. It would come every night to listen to tunes, lying by Shopkeeper Feng's bed. It was said that the shopkeeper's deceased father, who had passed away years ago, also returned twice. He liked to brew a pot of tea and listen while smoking his pipe. In the Green Flute Pavilion, young Miss Xiaoxuan, who had drowned herself for love, liked to bring her pipa and play and sing along with the phonograph. Brother Hu San, who had died for love with Miss Xiaoxuan, liked to hold a cigarette in his mouth and listen to music while embracing Chunsheng. Every night, seeing the shop filled with lonely ghosts, he wondered how he could live like this.

Shopkeeper Feng hardened his heart and had Chunsheng throw the phonograph out. At eleven o'clock that night, the phonograph returned home punctually, first scalding Shopkeeper Feng and Chunsheng with blisters, then continuing to sing. Shopkeeper Feng was forced into a corner; he closed the shop and simply took Chunsheng and moved back to his old home in Waigou. But moving back was useless; the phonograph followed Shopkeeper Feng back to his old home. Shopkeeper Feng rented another house and moved there to escape the calamity. The phonograph followed Shopkeeper Feng there that very night, sang all night, and warned Shopkeeper Feng that wherever he went, the phonograph would follow. If he ever dared to leave without saying goodbye again, it would give Shopkeeper Feng and Chunsheng a "good warming up." The phonograph also said it liked its original place. Shopkeeper Feng didn't dare to disobey. The next day, he and his assistant moved back to the shop.

If they couldn't escape it, they'd send it away. Shopkeeper Feng discussed it with the phonograph, explaining that he was a businessman and couldn't stop someone from buying the phonograph if they wanted to. The phonograph agreed. The next day, Shopkeeper Feng offered it for twenty yuan and sold it. That evening, the phonograph returned again, scalding Shopkeeper Feng with blisters, claiming it had been sold too cheaply. The phonograph told Shopkeeper Feng to set the price at a minimum of two hundred thousand, with room for negotiation. Shopkeeper Feng had dragged it out until today and finally managed to sell the phonograph. He felt guilty towards Li Banfeng, but he hadn't expected Li Banfeng to say the phonograph was "quite good."

After recounting all his experiences, the shopkeeper added, "Boss Li, this phonograph can not only summon spirits but also consume them. Did you know that?"

Li Banfeng nodded and said, "That's exactly what I like about her: she's thrifty and doesn't waste things!"

Seeing Li Banfeng in such a state of apparent madness, the shopkeeper felt even more guilty. He quickly had Chunsheng bring over 260,000 in cash: "Boss Li, this is your 160,000 back; I don't want it. And I'll add another 100,000 as a token of my sincerity. What do you say?"

Li Banfeng waved his hands repeatedly, "What are you doing? I genuinely like that phonograph. I came to you not to return it, but to buy something."

Shopkeeper Feng paused for a moment, then asked, "Boss Li, what would you like to buy?"

"I want to buy some information: information about this phonograph. I want to know who the person inside this phonograph is."

P.S.:

Thanks to Original Bright Magic Master!

Li Banfeng is about to do something big. Dear readers, come and help Shala do it together.It's about 'doing things,' not 'doing Shala'!