Chapter 84: I Have a Sword

(Now available! This chapter is ten thousand words long. PS: Welcome to follow the WeChat public account: fenghuo1985)

Chen Ping'an immediately looked around, not noticing anything unusual. He then took the little girl's hand and said softly, "Let's talk somewhere else."

Chen Ping'an pondered. The stream was quiet and easy to hide near, but after sensing something foul in the water last time, he wasn't eager to go there.

The little girl in the red cotton-padded jacket immediately regretted speaking so impulsively. Standing next to Chen Ping'an was an outsider, the green-clad, ponytail-wearing Miss Ruan. Though Li Bao Ping had met Ruan Xiu once before on the ox's back, along with the Daoist golden boys and jade girls, one who kept large red and green fish, and the other leading a snow-white elk, who were related to the little girl’s family. Ruan Xiu didn't seem like a bad person, but the little girl was wary of people like her, people with an acquaintance relationship, who seemed kind, but stabbed those close to her in the back without warning.

At first, Master Ma and the man named Cui traveled together, quoting scriptures, debating philosophy, composing poetry, and drinking wine. Li Huai had said that either this Cui was Master Ma's illegitimate son, or his grandson, or they wouldn't be so close. No one expected that Master Ma would die at the hands of that famous gentleman. According to Master Ma's original statement, among all the Confucian gentlemen and virtuous people of Eastern Treasure Bottle Continent, two stood out and were known as the "Greater and Lesser Lords," and Cui was the famous "Lesser Lord of Viewing the Lake." Before the sudden change, almost everyone had a good impression of Cui Ming Huang, who was gentle, elegant, and extremely knowledgeable, seemingly knowing everything and answering any question. Only Lin Shou Yi disliked Cui Ming Huang from the start, but Lin Shou Yi, who came from the wealthy Peach Leaf Lane, always had a stern expression, as if everyone owed him millions of taels of silver. Because of his distant relationship with the other four children, Lin Shou Yi had often mocked Cui, but no one understood, instead thinking that Lin Shou Yi was jealous that Cui Ming Huang was more charming.

Ruan Xiu, though puzzled by the little girl's unfriendly gaze, still suggested, "How about we go to our newly built forging room?"

The little girl, already frightened, held Chen Ping'an's hand tightly, shaking her head with pleading eyes, "Chen Ping'an, let's not go to places with lots of strangers, okay?"

Chen Ping'an gently squeezed Li Bao Ping's small hand and said softly, "Trust me, the blacksmith shop's forging room is the safest place."

The little girl looked into Chen Ping'an's eyes, which reminded her of the stream she had seen when she first walked to the water's edge as a child. It was clear, and the water flowed so slowly that she felt like she would never grow up. Now facing a life-or-death situation, the little girl felt overwhelmed with grievance and began to cry, sobbing, "Chen Ping'an, you can't lie to me!"

Chen Ping'an said with firm eyes, "I won't lie to you!"

Ruan Xiu led the two to the forging room, took out the key, and opened the door. She stood there and smiled softly, "I won't go in. I'll keep watch outside for you. Even if my dad comes, I won't let him in."

Chen Ping'an was a little embarrassed and whispered, "Could you get her something to eat and drink? I think once she's not so nervous, her energy will collapse. Filling her stomach will be the best thing then. I used to be like that when I was little."

Ruan Xiu nodded vigorously and stepped aside slightly. With a flick of her wrist, she conjured a small silk pouch from nowhere and handed it to Chen Ping'an, "Here are five newly made peach blossom cakes from Yaosui Shop. Take these first. I'll go get a pot of water too, so she doesn't eat too fast and choke."

Chen Ping'an and Li Bao Ping sat opposite each other on small stools. Although the little girl accepted the peach blossom cakes, she didn't show any signs of eating them.

Chen Ping'an said softly, "Tell me what happened."

Li Bao Ping spoke very slowly, which seemed contradictory to her usual hasty personality. However, the slow pace allowed Chen Ping'an to organize his thoughts and empathize with her. Before the old Master Ma at the school died, the five children's journey away from home for study had gone smoothly. The ox cart and two carriages had traveled hundreds of miles. Master Ma and Cui Ming Huang of Viewing Lake Academy had talked happily and become friends despite their age difference. But one day, while checking their homework, Master Ma suddenly said that he needed to talk to Cui about the journey and that they might go their separate ways, since all good things must come to an end.

But the children waited a long time and didn't see Master Ma and Cui Ming Huang return. So Li Bao Ping and Li Huai went to look for them. Li Huai was the first to find Master Ma lying in a pool of blood. Not just his hands and feet, but the old man's injuries were so severe that blood was flowing from his eye sockets and ears. It felt like his body was like a bamboo basket lifted from the stream, with all the water leaking out. The dying Master Ma told Li Huai to only bring Li Bao Ping to his side. After Li Bao Ping reached him, the old man just grabbed her hand. For some reason, the old man, who had been unable to say a single word, may have had a final burst of energy, or mustered all his strength for a last stand, and finally managed to briefly explain the aftermath to Li Bao Ping, bit by bit.

At this point, the little girl in the red cotton-padded jacket was sobbing uncontrollably, crying her heart out.

Chen Ping'an wasn't the type to comfort people, so he just silently moved his stool closer to the little girl and reached out to wipe her tears, repeating, "Don't cry, don't cry..."

The little girl sniffed hard and continued, "Master Ma grabbed my hand and told me I had to find you alone and tell you to be careful of people from Viewing Lake Academy and the Great Li Capital. Don't trust anyone!"

Chen Ping'an's face became serious, and he asked, "Where are Shi Chun Jia and the others?"With tear-streaked face, Li Baoping suddenly grinned, saying, "The four of them are leading that out-of-town coachman in circles near Nibottle Alley. Lin Shouyi thinks that coachman isn't a good person, maybe he's in league with that guy named Cui, conspiring to kill Mr. Ma. After we buried Mr. Ma in a secret place, the coachman said that Cliff Academy was no longer an option, because Mr. Ma and Mr. Cui had just received news that the academy, now headed by Master Qi, had moved from Great Li to the enemy state of Great Sui. Without Mr. Ma to guide us, we'd all be killed by the border troops for treason before we even reached Great Sui. We didn't know what to do back then. Mr. Ma didn't tell us what to do in the end, whether to return to the town schoolhouse to wait for the next master, or to go to Great Sui to continue our studies at Cliff Academy. So we had to follow the coachman back here. But the coachman also said that all our elders and families had moved to the capital of Great Li. If we didn't believe him, we could ask anyone in our families back in town. One question would confirm that he was telling the truth, because the Great Li government had kept some members of each family in town."

Ruan Xiu, carrying a pot of water, knocked on the door and entered the smithy. Li Baoping immediately stopped talking.

Ruan Xiu didn't forget to close the door behind her as she left.

Once the door was closed, the little girl continued, "That coachman was very strange, deliberately asking if any of us knew a young man named Chen Ping'an, who lived in a place called Nibottle Alley. He said he wanted to pass on a message from Mr. Ma to you. I didn't say anything then."

Chen Ping'an nodded. "You did the right thing. Let's fill our stomachs first."

Li Baoping devoured three pieces of pastry one after another, gulping down a mouthful of water, wiping her face roughly with the back of her hand, and said quickly, "Later, the five of us found a chance to discuss it and decided that we couldn't just sit around and wait for death. We came up with a plan. The day before we got back to town, Shi Chunjia started pretending to be sick, and I had to take care of her all the time. Then I secretly told Li Huai the layout of the alleys around Nibottle Alley, and told him to admit that he had known you for a long time, because his father, Li Er, had worked as a shop assistant at Yang's store, and there used to be a young man from Nibottle Alley named Chen who often went to the store to sell herbs. But when the coachman first asked, he didn't remember it."

Chen Ping'an was puzzled.

Li Baoping explained with embarrassment, "I often saw you alone by the stream in town, going up the mountain to collect herbs, or coming down with a large basket of herbs on your back."

Chen Ping'an laughed wryly, signaling that he understood.

At the same time, Chen Ping'an was a little scared, and said in a deep voice, "What you did was actually very dangerous."

The little girl nodded. "We knew. So before the five of us discussed this, I made it clear to them. Lin Shouyi said that Li Baoping's life was the most valuable, and she wasn't afraid to die. He was just an annoying bastard, so he didn't care even more. Shi Chunjia was a bit stupid, and said that she would listen to me anyway. Li Huai said, what's there to be afraid of? If you die, it's just another life. Besides, if something happened to him, his father, Li Er, although useless, his mother would definitely avenge him. Dong Shuijing was the most straightforward, saying that he was strong, and if things were exposed, he would let the four of us run first, and he would fight the coachman to the death."

"But I don't think it's that dangerous. If the coachman really wanted to kill us, he wouldn't have delayed it until we got to town. He must have had some ulterior motive. I guess one of the real purposes behind the scenes must be related to you."

Li Baoping ate the last two pieces of peach blossom pastry, took a deep breath, "Later, we finally arrived at Apricot Blossom Alley in town. I told Dong Shuijing and Li Huai to take the coachman off the carriage, saying that they could take a shortcut to Nibottle Alley. In fact, Li Huai was going to lead him around in a big circle. As soon as they left, I immediately ran off the carriage to find you in Nibottle Alley, but your house and yard were locked. Luckily, a neighbor passed by at the time, and I asked him and found out that you were working as an apprentice at the smithy. I was really anxious at the time."

This time Chen Ping'an was a little shocked, and asked, "You came up with this whole plan?"

Li Baoping shook her head, "Lin Shouyi also had ideas, such as not casually finding a place far from Nibottle Alley at the beginning, and just saying that this was Nibottle Alley, because that would easily expose us, and I wouldn't be able to run far. It's best to have the carriage stop at Dong Shuijing's Apricot Blossom Alley, not too far or too close from Nibottle Alley, so there's room for detours. Besides, when the coachman arrives at Apricot Blossom Alley, he will definitely ask people to confirm if it's real, then it will be much easier for us to deceive him."

Li Baoping said in a deep voice, "In the end, it proved to be true."

Chen Ping'an couldn't help but rub the little girl's head and praised, "Very clever."

Li Baoping smiled, "If you're not at home, then Li Huai and Dong Shuijing will be even safer, no need to worry about being forced to confront each other and expose the truth."

Li Baoping asked curiously, "Why do Mr. Ma from the schoolhouse and that coachman, who couldn't even speak the town dialect clearly, both want to find you?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head, "I'm also very strange, I only know for now that it may be related to the things that Master Qi gave me."

Master Qi had taken him to ask for scholar tree leaves, but in the end, that scholar tree leaf with the character "Yao" had already been used.

That jade hairpin? But Master Qi himself and Ning Yao had both said that this hairpin was of ordinary material, just an ordinary hairpin for holding hair.

The seal?

Chen Ping'an's mood was heavy, it was mostly like that.

Master Qi had given him seals twice, a total of four.

Not long ago, Old Man Yang had told him to especially treasure that seal with the character "Quiet".

The complete inscription of the seal was "Quiet Heart Attains Meaning".

Besides that, Master Qi had also casually said that if he saw landscape patterns that he found interesting in the future, he could press that pair of landscape seals on the painting.

Connecting it with the thousands of miles of mountains and rivers after the landing of the Great Li Pearl Paradise, there really would be mountain and river spirits sitting in town, of which the Desolate Mountain that he was about to buy was one of them.

Li Baoping suddenly took out three withered scholar tree leaves, held them in her palm and showed them to Chen Ping'an, distressedly saying, "The green leaves have turned yellow."

Chen Ping'an suddenly understood, at that time, it must have been these three Ancestral Shade scholar tree leaves that helped that schoolhouse Mr. Ma to prolong his life, so that he could say a few more words.

In fact, this was the truth. If it wasn't for Li Baoping's inspiration, always keeping these three Ancestral Shade scholar tree leaves close to her body, the old man probably wouldn't have been able to say a single word, and would have died so unwillingly.Chen Ping'an had entrusted all his valuables to the blacksmith shop. Master Ruan had given him the mud-brick house Ning Yao used to live in. Besides the eight serpent's gallstones that retained their luster, the remaining hundred or so ordinary serpent's gallstones, large and small, were moved from the ancestral home in Mud Lane and Liu Xianyang's courtyard, all piled against the walls of the house.

However, the "Quiet" seal and the Mountain-Shaking Manual remained with Chen Ping'an at all times.

After careful consideration, Chen Ping'an slowly said, "The coachman should be on his way to the blacksmith shop. Why don't you hide here first? I'll sneak Shi Chunjia and Lin Shouyi over from the ox cart and carriage. If the coachman asks, I can have someone here tell him I have a habit of taking walks. Also, about taking the long route, the coachman should notice something when he arrives at my house in Mud Lane. He might not say anything, but after that, you'll really be in danger."

Seeing Li Baoping's hesitation, Chen Ping'an said sternly, "Trust me, if your families have all moved away, this town is only safe here."

Li Baoping thought for a moment and asked, "Do you trust the blacksmith Master Ruan?"

Chen Ping'an shook his head. "I trust the 'rules' that Mister Qi once spoke of more."

Li Baoping smiled brightly. "I understand!"

Once Li Baoping made a decision, she displayed remarkable decisiveness. "Since you trust that Sister Ruan, I'll have her take me to bring Shi Chunjia and Lin Shouyi over, then find a place to hide. You just deal with that bad coachman and see what he's up to first."

Chen Ping'an smiled. "Alright."

Chen Ping'an led Li Baoping out of the smithy. Perhaps to avoid suspicion, Ruan Xiu sat a short distance away, on a small, emerald-green bamboo chair, swaying idly.

After Chen Ping'an explained his request, Ruan Xiu agreed without hesitation. "No problem."

Then Ruan Xiu crouched down, turned to the little girl in the red cotton coat, and motioned for her to climb on her back.

Li Baoping looked unwilling. "I'm a fast runner!"

Ruan Xiu smiled. "I'm definitely faster."

The little girl turned to Chen Ping'an, clearly hoping he would attest to her speed.

Before Chen Ping'an could speak, Ruan Xiu said seriously to the pair, "Even if you and Chen Ping'an ran back and forth, you still wouldn't be able to reach the town."

Li Baoping pouted. "I know there are gods and ghosts in this world, but do you think it's easy to become a god?"

Chen Ping'an settled the matter. "Listen to Sister Ruan, hurry!"

Li Baoping sighed and reluctantly climbed onto Ruan Xiu's back. The soft, comfortable feeling made the little girl sleepy.

Before leaving, Ruan Xiu said to Chen Ping'an, "If anything happens, you can find my dad."

Chen Ping'an nodded.

With a whoosh.

The cotton-clad little girl, hugging Ruan Xiu's neck, suddenly felt her hair stand on end, sensing a great wind rushing past her ears.

She turned her head and looked down, and how the houses became as small as the bluestone slabs on Fulu Street? And the stream was as thin as a rope?

On the ground, Chen Ping'an was stunned, watching Ruan Xiu carrying Li Baoping rise into the air and disappear in a flash.

The young man thought that Ruan Xiu, like Ning Yao, was a divine being.

In a quiet and peaceful residence in Erlang Lane, Cui Chan stood by the pond, while a taciturn boy sat quietly on a small stool.

Cui Chan softly instructed, "Go get a cup of water."

The boy immediately stood up and brought a cup of cold water with both hands.

Cui Chan took the cup and with a flick of his wrist, scattered the water casually into the pond, turning it into a thin, azure water curtain.

With a slight thought, the scene of the ox cart and carriage entering the town one after the other appeared in the water curtain, every detail of people and objects visible.

Cui Chan folded his hands into his sleeves, appearing relaxed and at ease, shifting his weight between his toes and heels, swaying back and forth like a tumbler doll.

He showed none of the tension and anxiety a Qi cultivator should have when faced with the opportunity to attain enlightenment.

When Cui Chan saw the little girl in the red cotton coat bid farewell to her rosy-cheeked companions and jump off the carriage, running through the streets, and then the coachman being tricked by two young men into going to Apricot Blossom Lane,

The Great Li strategist tutted. "I used to mock Song Changjing's spies for being raised on excrement. I didn't expect the spies I trained to be about the same, raised on urine."

However, Cui Chan soon relented. The water curtain continued to show Li Baoping's running figure, and he muttered to himself, "The children here are inherently clever, especially Song Jixin, Zhao Yao, and that lot, who are older. Then there's this second group, including this little girl. The land is fertile, and the people are outstanding, so they are precocious and quick to learn. They are not to be underestimated."

When he saw the little girl in the red cotton coat running towards the stone arch bridge, the light in Cui Chan's eyes rippled with excitement, like waves crashing against rocks.

Cui Chan slightly shifted his gaze, no longer staring at the water curtain, and closed his eyes to relax. When he opened them, the little girl had already run past the stone arch bridge.

Cui Chan frowned slightly. "Is it because the Great Li royal family's methods are too bloody and cruel, causing the old sword to feel a natural revulsion? To the point that it also harbors some animosity towards me, the one who supports the Great Li? But logically, the true history of this sword is untraceable, with only some vague rumors. But since it's an ancient sword, it must have experienced all kinds of battles. It shouldn't be so petty, right?"

The scene in the water curtain drew closer and closer to the blacksmith shop.

Without warning, the water curtain created from the cup of water shattered with a crash.

Countless water droplets shot out in all directions, striking the walls, windows, beams, and pillars of the house, creating countless holes and craters.

However, the droplets that shot towards Cui Chan and the boy seemed to hit an invisible wall of copper and iron, instantly exploding into even finer droplets.

Ruan Qiong's voice fell from the courtyard. "Don't overstep your boundaries!"

Cui Chan looked up and said with a smile, "The sage is just petty. If you don't want to watch, then don't. There's no need to talk so harshly. After all, this is the Yuan family's ancestral home. What will happen if I return to the capital and get settled the score later?"

Cui Chan muttered to himself, "The remnants of the Lu Dynasty's criminals should be arriving soon."Cui Chan lowered his head, glancing sideways at the youth. Withdrawing his gaze, his left and right index fingers, hidden in his sleeves, tapped lightly as he murmured, "Just in case, just in case."

Li Huai and Dong Shui Jing, along with the coachman, found Chen Ping An while the latter was helping to build a house.

Li Huai was being sneaky, his eyes darting about.

Dong Shui Jing maintained a composed expression, exhibiting a demeanor of a great general.

Chen Ping An, covered in dust, walked towards the trio, asking with curiosity, "Are you looking for me?"

The coachman, unremarkable in appearance, looking like an honest and simple farmer, rubbed his hands together and approached Chen Ping An, whispering, "Could we speak somewhere else?"

Chen Ping An shook his head, his voice deep and resolute, "Speak here!"

Although the coachman's face revealed a hint of displeasure, he felt a slight relief. This was the kind of temperament one would expect from an ordinary street urchin.

The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment. "Do you know Mister Qi, the teacher at the town's school?"

The straw-sandal-wearing boy said in an annoyed tone, "Who in town doesn't know Mister Qi? But whether Mister Qi recognizes us is another matter."

Li Huai snickered to himself at the side.

Dong Shui Jing of Apricot Blossom Lane gave Chen Ping An of Mud Bottle Lane a deep look.

Someone shouted urgently from the direction of the house, "Hey Chen, don't slack off! Hurry up and finish talking, then get back to work!"

The boy sighed and said to the coachman, "Just say what you need to say, alright?"

The man rubbed his cheeks with both hands, exhaled a breath, and said in a low voice, "I am a deathsworn of the Great Li Dynasty, responsible for protecting these children on their journey to study at Cliff Academy. Of course, I won't deny that I also have the duty of preventing them from being abducted by outsiders, such as the Great Sui, or Lakeside Academy. You might not understand any of this, and it doesn't matter if you believe me or not. But regardless of your relationship with Mister Qi, and whether or not you know Old Master Ma Zhan, I hope you'll be careful recently. Because Mister Ma was murdered halfway to Cliff Academy. And before that, Mister Ma occasionally chatted with me, inadvertently mentioning you twice. Once, he said that he remembered a long time ago, when he was sweeping, he often saw a child who liked to squat outside the school window. The second time was when Mister Qi was resigning as the teaching master and academy head, he said that you were also a seed for scholarship, but unfortunately he couldn't take you to Cliff Academy."

The man smiled wryly, "It's just a pity for these children. They're truly pitiful orphans now, unable to go to the academy, and their homes in town are gone as well. You should know that Cliff Academy, founded by Mister Qi, isn't a place where just anyone can study. In our Great Li capital city of millions, it's said that over the years, there have only been a dozen or so disciples from Cliff Academy, and each of them is now a high-ranking official."

Li Huai lowered his head, his expression unreadable.

Dong Shui Jing stood still, expressionless.

In the distance, Ruan Xiu coughed lightly. Chen Ping An turned his head, and the girl in green nodded with a smile.

Chen Ping An understood, and only called out Li Huai's name, "Li Huai, Lin Shouyi, come over here. I have something to ask you both first."

Li Huai responded with an 'oh', and pulled Dong Shui Jing forward.

When the man realized something was wrong, Chen Ping An suddenly pulled Li Huai and Dong Shui Jing behind him. He stepped forward, his voice low and resolute. "Thank you for the heads up. From now on, I will take care of these school children in place of Master Ma. Whether they go to the capital to find their parents, or whatever else, I have to ask for their opinions."

The man forced a smile, "Chen Ping An, that's not appropriate. After all, I am more capable of protecting them."

Chen Ping An smiled, "It's fine. I have money now, and I know Magistrate Wu Yuan, as well as Vice Minister Dong Hu of the Ministry of Rites. If something really happens, I will find them. Of course, first I'll ask our teacher Ruan to help relay the message."

The coachman pursed his lips, glancing out of the corner of his eye, and noticed a man of not particularly large stature standing under the eaves of the house.

The coachman, who had originally harbored murderous intent, immediately broke out in a cold sweat, and smiled at Chen Ping An, "Alright, since Master Ma was willing to trust you, I certainly trust your character. Okay, Chen Ping An, if you need my help in the future, go to Sannvzuka Lane on the north side of town. I live in the small house at the northernmost end of the lane."

Chen Ping An smiled amiably, "It's a deal."

The coachman turned and left.

Sweat trickled down Chen Ping An's forehead. Once the man had completely disappeared from sight, he said to the two of them, "Li Huai, Lin Shouyi, come with me to see Li Bao Ping."

Li Huai asked, "Has Li Bao Ping told you everything?"

Chen Ping An nodded.

Dong Shui Jing then asked, "What about Shi Chun Jia and Lin Shouyi?"

Chen Ping An smiled, "They have already been brought over."

Dong Shui Jing looked at him and said nothing.

Still in the temporarily empty sword-casting room, Chen Ping An stood facing the five school children, sitting in rows on two long benches. Arranged by age, they were Shi Chun Jia from Riding Dragon Lane, Lin Shouyi from Peach Leaf Lane, Dong Shui Jing from Apricot Blossom Lane, Li Bao Ping from Fortune and Prosperity Street, and Li Huai from the westernmost part of town.

Except for Li Huai, who was the youngest and significantly younger than the others, the remaining four were only a few months apart in age.

Chen Ping An asked, "Li Huai and Dong Shui Jing have already told you about the situation just now. What do you think that foreign man who claimed to be a Great Li deathsworn wants to do?"

Lin Shouyi, whose precious fox fur coat was gone, said coldly, "We don't even know why that Cui person wanted to kill Master Ma, let alone anything else."

Shi Chun Jia clung tightly to Li Bao Ping's shoulder, her face pale, still somewhat frightened. However, after returning to town, especially after seeing the relatively familiar Chen Ping An, the little girl with pigtails felt much more at ease. At least she didn't have to worry about suddenly ending up like Master Ma after his death. When they helped dig the pit for burial, Shi Chun Jia was so frightened that she hid in the distance, covering her head and crying bitterly, unable to help in any way from beginning to end. Li Huai was no better, hiding even further away, his teeth chattering.

At this moment, Li Huai clutched his stomach, his face crestfallen, muttering, "So hungry and thirsty, this is what they mean by 'suffering from hunger and cold.' Parents, your son is having such a hard time now."

Li Bao Ping turned her head and glared, "Li Huai!"

Li Huai drooped his head, secretly tugging on the sleeve of Dong Shui Jing, who was sitting on the far right, "Shui Jing, are you hungry?"

Dong Shui Jing said calmly, "I can pretend I'm not hungry."

Li Huai rolled his eyes.Li Baoping, disheartened, subconsciously reached out and grabbed Shi Chunjia's pigtail, shaking it vigorously. "Actually, everything is so hazy right now, impossible to see through or guess. Lin Shouyi is right, the person playing chess against us is definitely a master. We're too green. The most urgent thing is to preserve our lives. Only after confirming our safety can we talk about other things, like quickly contacting our family who moved to the Dali capital, to let them know we're safe."

After Li Baoping casually mentioned "let them know we're safe," everyone instinctively looked at the guy in the straw sandals.

Chen Pingan was silent for a long time before asking, "Since we can't figure out what others are thinking, then let's figure out what we're thinking."

Seeing that the five opposite him had no objections, Chen Pingan asked, "Do you want to go to the Dali capital safely to find your parents and elders? Or what?"

Li Huai wailed in agony, "My parents took my sister somewhere to enjoy life. Why would I go to the capital? With my uncle's family's temper, if they really get rich, they'll only bully me more. They used to treat me like a thief, and now they'll treat me like an enemy? The world is so big, but there's no place for me, Li Huai, to stand?"

Li Baoping bypassed Shi Chunjia and smacked him on the head, immediately silencing Li Huai.

Dong Shuijing thought for a moment and mumbled, "I want to study. If my parents stayed in the town, I wouldn't study and would just help them work in the fields. But what can I do in the capital? I can't even speak their Dali official language. I'm not like Li Baoping, who learns everything so quickly. Besides, when my grandfather died, he wanted me to die in the school too, saying that if I couldn't become a scholar, I shouldn't go to his grave; he wouldn't acknowledge me as his grandson. If the school here continues to operate, I'll stay in town."

Shi Chunjia, with red eyes, timidly said, "I want to go to the capital to find my parents."

Lin Shouyi, sitting on the far left of the bench, frowned and said, "Wherever is safe, I'll go there."

Li Baoping crossed her arms, her eyes shining, full of spirit, and said loudly, "I want to go to Cliff Academy! To the place where Mister Qi studied!"

Li Baoping stood up, standing between Chen Pingan and her four classmates. She pointed at Dong Shuijing. "Not just Dali, but the entire Eastern Precious Bottle Continent, Mister Qi's Cliff Academy is the most famous. If your grandfather knew you stayed in town to study instead of going to Cliff Academy, I reckon his coffin lid wouldn't stay closed. Of course, if you're afraid of death, don't go. Studying here, for ten or twenty years, can make you a mediocre scholar, which is better than dying on the road to seeking knowledge."

Dong Shuijing's face turned red from Li Baoping's words.

Li Baoping pointed at Lin Shouyi. "Aren't you a despised illegitimate child? And don't you look down on rich kids like me from Fortune Street? After you get to Cliff Academy, who will dare look down on you? Of course, Mister Qi said that a gentleman does not stand near a dangerous wall. So, if you, Lin Shouyi, want to stay here, I couldn't care less."

Shi Chunjia saw Li Baoping point to her…