Chapter 124 Returning to the Qinghe Town
The next day, Su Li returned to the Qinghe Town with Xiaowu and Datian who were full of expectations for the future and with w.a.n.g Lizhuo who was full of worries.
Su Li agreed to w.a.n.g Lizhuo’s request for following Xiaowu temporarily to expand his horizon. Unexpectedly, w.a.n.g Li didn’t prevent w.a.n.g Lizhuo because she thought that it was a good thing for her son to work for Su Li, a miss from the Qinghe Town.
After Su Li and others left, the Yinguang Town was in trouble again. Half of one hundred charred corpses transported from the Blood Refining Hall were missing. There was no man-made trace as if those charred corpses without limbs came back to life and then ran away from unremarked common graves.
The county magistrate was so frightened that he was seriously ill. He then asked people to investigate whereabouts of those corpses but got no clues.
“Su Li, when can we complete the construction in the hillside?”
Seeing that Xiaowu went to prepare dinner, Qu Qingning whispered, “The hillside is so huge. Even if we send a team of 50 craftsmen there, it will take about a month to complete. In fact, we don’t have the ability to find 50 craftsmen who can keep the secret for us. Can’t you prepare a drawing like that of the Linli Building?”
“The secluded site is not a restaurant, so we can build it simply.”
Su Li responded calmly and then changed the topic, saying, “As soon as we return to the Qinghe Town, you can secretly bring in new blood and then send them to the secluded site once every half a month. As for the secluded site… I will pick one from you to manage it.”
“Half a month? So fast?!”
Qu Qingning was startled and then didn’t speak. He didn’t want to manage them in that desolate secluded site. Qu Qingning was really annoyed when he thought about that.
In addition, he didn’t want to be separated from Yin Xuetong.
Thinking of this, Qu Qingning suggested in Su Li’s ear, “I think Fang Yuan and Luo Yichen are more suitable. They show a cold and frightening expression every day, which can awe them.”
Qu Qingning persuaded Su Li for a long time, but the latter said nothing. Hearing Xiaowu calling them to have dinner, Qu Qingning left helplessly.
In fact, Qu Qingning was really puzzled about something. For example, why Su Li was sure that the hillside could be cleaned in half a month? He didn’t ask Su Li because he knew that Su Li wouldn’t tell him even if he asked.
Seeing that Qu Qingning left, Su Li turned around and looked at the luxuriantly green forests in the hillside thoughtfully.
“Only the dead can keep secrets, can’t they?”
…
A few days later, Su Li and others arrived at the Qinghe Town. On their way to the town, they didn’t meet any robbers. Maybe other robbers got the news that this area was mopped up half a month ago and didn’t dare to stay long here.
w.a.n.g Lizhuo had never been in the town. After arriving here, he looked here and there curiously and excitedly. Seeing w.a.n.g Lizhuo’s expression, Xiaowu couldn’t help laughing. w.a.n.g Lizhuo was as disgusting as his mother before, but now he changed. Xiaowu didn’t dislike w.a.n.g Lizhuo as much as before.
The busiest time of the Linli Building was noon. Seeing that Su Li’s carriage stopped at the back entrance of the Linli Building, Heidan and others were stunned and then shouted excitedly, “They come back! They come back! Big Brother and others come back!”
Mei Ruohan was making accounts in the room at that time. Hearing Heidan’s shouting, she stood up immediately and then ran towards the back entrance. Yin Xuetong was looking at her with a smile. Then Mei Ruohan’s nose twitched. She burst into tears and then threw herself into Yin Xuetong’s arms.
“Great! You are finally back. I thought that I couldn’t persevere…”
Yin Xuetong patted Mei Ruohan’s back slightly with her eyes misted with tears. Mei Ruohan could be regarded as Yin Xuetong’s apprentice. Yin Xuetong understood that it was uneasy for Mei Ruohan to manage the Linli Building for half a month.
Seeing the busy scene in the front hall, Su Li nodded with a smile and praised, “You do a good job and also look like a shopkeeper.”
Hearing Su Li’s praise, Mei Ruohan blushed and waved her hand repeatedly. She said, “I do nothing! Ms. Li has a good fame, so those gangsters don’t stir up trouble.”
At this time, Luo Yichen walked towards Su Li coldly as before as if someone owed him some money.
“This is what you want.”
Then Luo Yichen shoved a pink parcel into Su Li’s hands and turned away because he didn’t want to link him with that parcel.
Looking at Luo Yichen’s back in the distance, Su Li didn’t complain but turned to Heidan and others. She asked, “How is it going in the Qinghe Town recently?
Heidan and others had been with Su Li at the very beginning. They kept an eye on what happened in the Qinghe Town, so they all talked at once.
Everyone left after an hour. The Linli Building returned to normal.
In the attic of the top floor, Su Li picked up a writing brush and then wrote the words “Wu Yun” on paper.
The Yan Family might not be defeated in the business compet.i.tion with the aid of Su Li’s 1 million taels of silver, but they didn’t win, either. The situation was deadlocked now.
As the old saying went, a powerful dragon couldn’t crush a snake in its old haunts. Although Wu Yun was influential, the power of the Yan Family was deeply rooted in the Qinghe Town. So, if Wu Yun wanted to fight against the Yan Family, she must pay a higher price. However, it seemed that Wu Yun had a hard time.
“You have no other choice. Wu Yun, if I were you, what would I do later?” Su Li murmured.
…
Su Li in a light-yellow yarn skirt stood at the entrance of the Qinghe Girls’ School. Seeing Su Li, guards ran towards her delightedly and said with a smile, “Lecturer Su, you finally come back. We haven’t seen you for half a month and we really miss you.”
Su Li handed a basket over with a bright smile and said, “The Yinguang Town along the Qinghe River is really beautiful. These are specialties there. I bought a lot. You can have a taste.”
Hearing Su Li’s words, guards were extremely happy and took the basket. Then one guard looked around and whispered with a strange expression, “Miss Su, do you really come from the Su Family in the Dasu Town?”
Su Li still smiled but was a little puzzled. She replied, “Yes, but why do you ask?”
The guard waved his hands repeatedly and said, “No, no, I do not doubt your origin. I just think that it is impossible for your family members who are… to cultivate such an excellent girl.”
“Oh?” Su Li’s smile faded and she said, “That is to say, you have seen some members of the Su Family.”
“Some? I have seen all of them!” the guard said naturally.
Seeing that Su Li was still puzzled, the guard patted his head and explained, “I am too stupid! It seems that you don’t know that your family members came here before. That Madam Su was really arrogant and unreasonable at that time. It angered Dean Wen deeply.”
Hearing the guard’s description, Su Li bit her lips thoughtfully.
Had members of the Su Family come to the Qinghe Town at this time?
Su Li came to Wen Ruomin’s courtyard in less than half a quarter. Seeing that Su Li came back, Wen Ruomin was quite happy and then sat down holding Su Li’s hands. She frowned and asked, “Su Li, do you know that Su Huanli and others come to the Qinghe Town?”
“I heard from one guard, but I don’t know what happened.”
Hearing Su Li’s innocent answer, Wen Ruomin showed a helpless expression and said, “I don’t like gossiping about others, but your parents are really…”
“I understand.”
Su Li said calmly with a smile, “I was born in the Su Family, so I must accept the result. After all, I don’t have the right to choose my parents, but I am satisfied because my Eldest Brother loves me so much.”
Hearing Su Li’s words, Wen Ruomin was more distressed. Wen Ruomin wanted Su Li to pour out her sufferings in the Su Family rather than enduring all those silently.
“We don’t allow outsiders to enter into the school, and relatives of lecturers are no exception. I sent them back with great efforts at the entrance of the school, but I heard that they were still in the Qinghe Town. They might live in the Fulai Inn.”
Wen Ruomin told Su Li the news of Su Huanli and others and then urged her carefully, “I told them that the special-cla.s.s lecturer in the Qinghe Girls’ School had no genuine authority. So, you mustn’t expose yourself as the workshop owner of the embroidery workshop, or you will be in trouble.”
Wen Ruomin could imagine that if members of the Su Family knew that Su Li was the workshop owner of the embroidery workshop, they must force Su Li to give green lights to the business of silk store of the Su Family. Once the Jin Family and the Lin Family knew that Su Li showed favoritism, Su Li and even the Yan Family would be in trouble. It was serious.
“I get it.”
Su Li nodded serenely and said, “Even if others tell my family members that I am the workshop owner of the embroidery workshop, I won’t exploit my authority to help them. I won’t let Dean Gong and you down even though they blame me for being undutiful.”
Su Li must be sure that Yan s.h.i.+xun wouldn’t fail in the battle.
Otherwise, Su Li’s one million taels of silver would be in vain.
“Li, you bear a huge burden.”
Then Wen Ruomin sighed. She heard from Ning Yunzhi before that Su Li was really a filial daughter. No matter how badly members of the Su Family treated her, she had never complained, but Wen Ruomin had to urge her to be against her beliefs.
It’s a sin!
After saying goodbye to Wen Ruomin, Su Li didn’t return to the courtyard of the school but went to the Fulai Inn. It made guards sigh repeatedly as if they saw that Su Li had already been in danger.
The Fulai Inn.
A waiter saw Su Li and then asked with a smile, “What can I do for you? Do you want to eat something or live here?”
Su Li forced a smile and said gently, “I am Su Li.”
Hearing Su Li’s words, the waiter was extremely stunned and then bent over to give a salute. Few people saw Su Li, but everyone in the Qinghe Town knew Su Li’s name because her name had got around in the Qinghe Town.
“Lecturer Su, you finally come! I will lead the way to see Master Su!”
The waiter led Su Li to the upstairs while complaining, “Master Su has owed 10 days’ rent, but our shopkeeper doesn’t drive them away from the inn on account of your fame. It is not suitable for them to live in three luxurious rooms without paying the rent all the time. We are looking forward to your coming!”
“Lecturer Su! Lecturer Su!”
The waiter still wanted to say something but was interrupted by a fatty who was going upstairs flexibly. Then the fatty said, “I heard that you went to the Qinghe River to relax. I haven’t seen you for over half a month. I miss you so much.”
Su Li nodded slightly with an indifferent expression and said, “You must be the boss of the Fulai Inn, w.a.n.g Fulai.”
“Yes, it’s me!”
w.a.n.g Fulai wiped his sweaty head and dismissed the waiter. Then he flattered Su Li, “I am so honored that Lecturer Su still remembers my name. Does Lecturer Su come here to see Master Su and others?”
“Uh-huh.” Su Li answered gently. Hearing Su Li’s answer, w.a.n.g Fulai immediately led the way for Su Li enthusiastically.
There were three floors in the Fulai Inn and the higher the floor, the more expensive the room was. w.a.n.g Fulai didn’t stop until he came to the three most luxurious rooms.
“The price of the Tianzi Room is fifty taels of silver one night. Your family members have occupied the rooms for ten days, but I can’t do anything. You are an educated lecturer, so take them away!”
w.a.n.g Fulai sighed helplessly and thought, “They are really scoundrels! What rotten luck!”