"Huh?"
Even Hu Ma hadn't expected this to be the Li Family's request. He found it absurd at first but then suddenly understood its logic.
The Dongzi Li Family had lived here for generations, yet they still yearned for a bustling life. Even if they remained secluded, it was impossible to completely isolate themselves from the outside world.
For instance, when their family mbers married and had children, how could they manage this internally?
Previously, Housekeeper Zhou had ntioned that his daughter was married into the main family, indicating that the Dongzi Li Family didn't care much about status when it ca to finding spouses for their clan mbers. Perhaps they would agree to anyone fated to be with them and willing to stay.
However, getting soone to stay was easy; getting them to willingly stay was difficult. How many could endure the daily hardships?
Of course, from the Li Family's Lord's words, another subtle insight into their perspective erged. With Xiang returning ho, it seed this clan was preparing to stay here indefinitely.
Upon hearing his request, Lady Han also smiled and said softly, "This is easy to arrange."
"The disciples and grand-disciples of our Trick Door make a living through this craft. Having such a good patron, how could we refuse?"
"I'll find them and speak to them. Arranging a show monthly is definitely doable."
"..."
"That would be great. Thank you for your consideration, Lady Han..."
The Li Family's Lord repeatedly bowed in thanks and laughed. "We invited several opera troupes and acrobat groups in the past. However, after visiting once, they were terrified and refused to return."
"But with Lady Han's word, they will surely believe us..."
"..."
After their detailed conversation, the Lord approached. The genuine smile on his face was clear.
Seeing that everyone else had been thanked one by one, it was finally Hu Ma's turn. He quickly and politely stood up, exchanged greetings with the Lord, and glanced discreetly at the box that had held the Copper Coins—it was already empty.
"Mr. Hu, I have t with the Old Master and heard from him how you saved our entire clan's lives."
The new Lord of the Outer Mansion of the Dongzi Li Family said in a low voice, "We dare not forget such profound gratitude, which cannot be repaid with trivial gifts. But please, follow , so that the Li Family can at least express a token of our appreciation!"
"It was my duty; there's no need for such formality," Hu Ma said as he followed him to a nearby house.
Most of the houses here were simple and rustic, with mud walls and thatched roofs, resembling farmhouses. But this one was exquisitely built, quaint like a scholar's abode, though it appeared quite ancient.
"This was the official residence built by our Li Family ancestors when they arrived. No one lives here now. The younger generations rely patched up walls and thatched roofs to make do."
The Li Family's Lord explained with a smile, invited Hu Ma to sit, and then called over a young Li family mber waiting at the door. He instructed him to bring the items collected from the back mountain.
Hu Ma heard the words "golden pattern ointnt," and his heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Could it be?
But just after the Li Family's Lord poured tea, before Hu Ma had finished half a cup, he saw the young Li family mber from before carrying two large baskets on a pole.
The baskets were ordinary bamboo baskets but with large bellies, likely able to hold over a hundred pounds each. The carrying pole bent under the weight, indicating how heavy the contents were.
He brought them in, placed them against the wall, then took his leave.
Hu Ma, without letting it show on his face, sniffed the air slightly. He imdiately caught an extrely familiar scent, which stirred his heart and surprised him greatly.
But the Li Family's Lord didn't even glance at the two large baskets. He just smiled apologetically at Hu Ma, saying, "Thank you for waiting, sir."
"You traveled such a long way to bring our young lady back and faced so many dangers along the way. The Li Family deeply rembers and greatly appreciates it. Such profound gratitude cannot be repaid with re silver or gold..."
"..."
I don't really mind; I can forgive you... Hu Ma thought to himself but naturally didn't say it aloud. He simply gave a modest smile. "I've heard these words quite a few tis. The Li Family is very polite."
"Bringing Miss Xiangyu back was my duty. Moreover, at the ti, no one knew the Li Family was such a large clan. Perhaps I shouldn't have ddled and should have just sent a letter; the Li Family would have naturally brought her back."
"..."
"Sir, you are too modest..."
The Li Family's Lord smiled, then suddenly lowered his voice. "I've already asked the Old Master. He too said that worldly gifts could hardly express our gratitude for your great deed. In life, one's skills are most important, and you, sir, make a living from Blood Food..."
He paused slightly, looking at Hu Ma. "Additionally, the Old Master also noticed that Mr. Hu is from the Shousui man lineage, right?"
Hu Ma hadn't expected the topic to shift so suddenly. He was montarily taken aback, looking into the other's eyes. "Does the Li Family also know the Shousui Path?"
"Not really."
The Lord smiled. "Our Li Family doesn't actually possess much skill. These abilities were all given by the Ghost Cave."
"If we really left, whether they're useful or not is another matter."
"But within Lingshou Prefecture, or rather, in Anzhou, all who die will co to the Ghost Cave."
"Among these people, there are naturally so Shousui n. If they are Shousui n who have Entered the Mansion, their souls won't co here. But there are quite a few Shousui n with trump cards who arrive here before Entering the Mansion."
"The Li Family is responsible for receiving these people, serving them their last al, and listening to their last words. Having stayed here for a long ti, we've naturally accumulated quite a bit from various Paths, perhaps..."
"...so of which might be suitable for a Shousui man, sir, and you wouldn't find them wanting."
"..."
"What?"
When the Li Family first ntioned Shousui n, Hu Ma had remained relatively calm. The mysterious Dongzi Li Family naturally attracted many from different Paths.
Take Housekeeper Zhou, for instance. Wasn't he also rescued by the Li Family and willing to serve them?
Given that they could attract people from the Trick Door, certainly, those from the Shousui Path would also be present. Offering so guidance to soone like him, who hadn't Entered the Mansion, probably wasn't difficult for them.
But he never expected the Li Family's Lord to say such things...
His inner shock was, for a mont, difficult to describe with words.
The Dongzi Li Family was far deeper and more terrifying than he had imagined...
Putting other things aside, if those who died within Anzhou truly had to pass through the Ghost Cave, and if the Li Family had the ability to extract secrets and dharma thods from these dead, how much would they have accumulated over generations?
Dharma thods represented skills; secrets represented even more...
For a mont, Hu Ma even felt that perhaps the Dongzi Li Family's foundation was unimaginably vast.
Earlier in Mingzhou, when he first learned about the Ghost Cave Li Family, he had only thought their foundation was quite solid, perhaps a bit stronger than the Red Lantern Lady's Club, but the difference would be limited. After all, the Red Lantern Lady's Club was no slouch either.
But now...
Hmm, even if Little Red Lantern worked hard for another hundred or eighty years, it might not be enough, right?
This ti, he didn't deliberately hide it; the surprise on his face was genuine.
"Actually, we should have given you the entire Shousui n's dharma thod for Entering the Mansion, Mr. Hu, and even that wouldn't be enough."
The Li Family's Lord, seeing Hu Ma's reaction, also sighed softly. "After all, Shousui n who have Entered the Mansion won't co to the Ghost Cave. However, so Shousui n who knew the dharma thod for Entering the Mansion but hadn't yet Entered the Mansion did co here."
"However, the dharma thod for Entering the Mansion carries too much karma, and it's not our Li Family's to give. If we gave it to you, sir, we fear the ancestors of the Shousui n would co to us to Reason."
"So, we can only offer a few trump cards for you to see if any are suitable..."
"..."
"It's enough, more than enough..." Hu Ma listened, his heart filled with considerable surprise.
Shousui n certainly valued trump cards. It could be said that the number of trump cards one possessed determined how capable one was when encountering trouble.
Currently, he had refined his Five Organs, but he only possessed two trump cards: one obtained by risking his life, and another, also originally obtained by risking his life, was then bartered from soone else by leveraging a favor.
But from what the Li Family implied, they had an abundance of trump cards for Shousui n, enough to pick and choose?
And they pick and choose... We Shousui n outside don't pick and choose at all. As long as it's a trump card, we welco it eagerly...
Moreover, the Lord had also ntioned the dharma thod for Entering the Mansion, aning they weren't without it, just worried that giving it to him would displease the ancestors of the Shousui n?
If they possessed even such things, just how deep was the Li Family's foundation?
Pondering in astonishnt, he instinctively glanced again at the two large baskets by the wall. He had already slled the Tai Sui Blood and Flesh scent coming from them. If the Li Family was planning to thank him with a Shousui man's dharma thod, then the things in the baskets were...
"Oh, those."
The Lord smiled. "That's a local specialty our Young Lady prepared for you, sir, collected from the back mountain. The Li Family mbers rely on eating this daily to be able to stay here by the Ghost Cave."
"Feel free to take it with you when you leave, sir."
"..."
What the hell?
Hu Ma was even more shocked. Could it be that the Li Family's back mountain housed a blood food mine?
The Dongzi Li Family, who served such simple daily als and whose feasts even soone from a village like him found wanting, were actually living by guarding a blood food mine?
Stunned by the Dongzi Li Family's grand gesture and unintended revelation of secrets, Hu Ma reacted briefly and then imdiately expressed...
...a strong refusal: "This is absolutely unacceptable..."
"I didn't co here for this! How could I accept such a valuable gift from you? No, no, please take it back, take it back imdiately..."
"..."
The Li Family's Lord quickly insisted, "You must, you must, sir! Please accept it, otherwise the Old Master will bla for not handling things properly..."
"No, no."
"You must, you must."
"..."
The previously peaceful conversation suddenly turned intense. Hu Ma, believing it was the right thing to do, firmly refused. anwhile, this new Lord of the Li Family was equally insistent on expressing their gratitude.
You push, I yield; you push again, I yield again.
In the end, Hu Ma lost...
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