Asked About The World Of Mortals

Chapter 13: The Hanging List

Qin Yi knew that although Nanli Country was remote and self-sufficient, it still had enemies nearby.

Xihuang Country was Nanli's archenemy. Unlike Nanli, which had been a thousand-year-old established country and had already adopted many aspects of the Central Plains culture, Xihuang was a nation formed by a rising barbarian tribe only a hundred years ago. They were savage and fierce, frequently launching attacks. Of course, the people of Nanli were not easy to provoke either, with many great generals resisting and even counterattacking against Xihuang. The two countries had been at war for centuries.

Just over a month ago, Nanli had repelled a Xihuang invasion, and the prince who was stationed in the capital to mobilize troops and appoint generals was the prince before Qin Yi's eyes. Qin Yi could never have imagined that while this guy was fighting against the enemy, he would also accompany his sister on a journey to seek immortality.

Moreover, Li Qinglin had personally been on the battlefield many times, with countless enemy blood spilled beneath his long spear.

Qin Yi didn't have high ambitions for himself, but he still admired someone like Li Qinglin to some extent. It was no wonder Li Qingjun believed that the struggle between her brother and the national teacher was a battle between righteousness and evil, much like the conflict between a virtuous general and a calamitous figure for the country.

"So, Li Xiong is the crown prince?" Qin Yi was not very knowledgeable about this.

"No. I have an older brother who is the legitimate heir and the crown prince," Li Qinglin replied nonchalantly. "My older brother has been learning the art of governing the country since childhood, unlike me and Qingjun, who only have the courage of ordinary men and can only fight."

Qin Yi looked at him seriously but couldn't discern anything from his expression.

Li Qingjun said, "What do you mean by the courage of ordinary men? Either leading troops in battle to protect the borders and the people, or wandering the rivers and lakes to eliminate evil and uphold justice, that's what we desire. Are we supposed to be like those women in the inner chambers, weak and powerless, pretending to be delicate?"

Li Qinglin smiled and explained to Qin Yi, "Our founding ancestor of Nanli came from the rivers and lakes. According to ancestral rules, the royal family's descendants need to conceal their identities and venture out alone to experience the mortal world. Although there have been some regrettable incidents throughout the generations, it has overall been greatly beneficial to the royal family's atmosphere, which is why it has continued to this day. However, because of this, the atmosphere in the homes of the princesses who have married out is a bit... you know..."

Qin Yi couldn't help but laugh. No wonder these princes and princesses traveled alone. It turned out to be a rule like this set by their founding ancestor. Speaking of which, this rule of the founding ancestor was quite interesting... But princesses raised like this would probably be hard for ordinary husbands to handle.

Li Qingjun sneered, "Who needs to get married? Once I find an immortal, I can roam freely between the sun and the moon, slaying demons and monsters. Wouldn't that be delightful?"

Li Qinglin smiled but didn't respond.

Qin Yi also chuckled. He always felt that this girl shouldn't have been born as a princess. It would be so much better if she became a heroine instead.

Speaking of which, since this girl yearned for immortality, he wondered what would happen if she encountered Liu Su... With the difference in their values, they would probably argue even more fiercely than he did.

By now, the three of them had been on the road for a long time, and the outline of the county city was faintly visible ahead.

"This is Hengshan County. After passing through this county, it will take less than two days to reach Lihuo City. We can rest here for a while," Li Qinglin dismounted and led his horse into the city like an ordinary person from the rivers and lakes. Qin Yi also dismounted and followed behind, observing this large county.

It had only been a little over two months since he arrived here, and the farthest he had been from his village was the county seat. He hadn't really had a chance to appreciate the charm of this ancient metropolis.

Nanli had a small population, and the county didn't have a bustling atmosphere. Many pedestrians carried knives and swords, highlighting the bold and fierce character of the people, which was different from the tranquil atmosphere of the secluded Xianji Village. Various notices and rewards were posted at the city gate, but they seemed to have been hanging there for a long time, and pedestrians no longer paid much attention to them as they passed by.

Qin Yi stopped and looked around. There were recruitment notices as well as notices for collecting certain items, including "Blazing Flintstone." The seal used was different from the recruitment notices and resembled Taoist talismans. It seemed to be a notice from the national teacher, not in the name of the court. Therefore, its purpose might not necessarily be for the king to refine elixirs; it could be for the national teacher's own affairs.

But when something went wrong, others would only blame the king. Of course, there were also local officials who flattered the national teacher or took the opportunity to extort, which led to public grievances.

In any case, this Nanli Country was really unhealthy.

Li Qingjun glanced at him meaningfully.

Qin Yi understood her meaning. When she "recruited" him earlier, she had mentioned that she could help him obtain rare medicinal materials. With her identity, her words were not empty promises. Just like how the national teacher could use the power of the entire country to search for resources, she would definitely be more effective than him alone, who had no clue where to start.

Li Qingjun casually said, "If you can really be of help, I can let you take his place when the time comes."

Qin Yi shook his head, not paying attention to her words. Seeing that Li Qingjun was talking to him but her gaze was on other notices, he also took a look.

Li Qingjun was reading a reward notice from the local government. It said that there seemed to be something strange happening at Zhang Family Village outside the city. Guests at the village would inexplicably disappear, and even the village master had recently died without any illness or disaster. The notice invited capable individuals and extraordinary talents to investigate the matter, promising rewards.

This is also something I heard from people in the martial arts world at that time. Cangsong Daoist went to see it and said there were no ghosts.

Actually, Qin Yi also felt that the possibility of this being a man-made matter was more likely.

Seeing Li Qingjun's eager and curious appearance, his curiosity and sense of chivalry were aroused. But as they were approaching Lihuo City, Li Qinglin's mind should be filled with thoughts of competing with the National Teacher, and he wouldn't be in the mood to investigate a case, right?

"Shall we go take a look?" Li Qingjun finally asked his older brother.

To Qin Yi's surprise, Li Qinglin only hesitated for a moment before turning to ask Qin Yi, "Would Brother Qin be willing to delay for a day?"

It seems that he actually doesn't think Qin Yi is the kind of person who likes to meddle in other people's affairs.

Qin Yi asked, "Isn't the National Teacher responsible for dealing with these strange matters?"

"I haven't seen him do anything useful," Li Qinglin sneered, "Besides, this kind of thing may not necessarily be caused by ghosts, the possibility of human mischief is even greater."

"Well, let's go take a look then." Qin Yi didn't refuse, "It won't make much of a difference in our journey to the capital."

A smile appeared on Li Qingjun's stern face.

Liu Su was extremely surprised. It knew better than anyone that Qin Yi was really not the type to meddle in other people's affairs, especially in a case that was obviously likely to be man-made. Unable to hold back, it asked in Qin Yi's sea of consciousness, "Hey, are you really interested in this princess? What about being a loyal follower without a house?"

Qin Yi ignored it. The three of them turned and left the city, heading straight for the farm outside the city.

As they approached the farm, it was already dusk, and looking around, the farm was still faintly lit with white flags, giving it a desolate feeling.

Farmers working in the fields saw the Li siblings' long spears and couldn't help but tremble, bending over and standing aside, not daring to take a breath.

Li Qinglin pointed out, "These are normal villagers."

He was naturally referring to the villagers of Xianji Village, who were different from the others. Qin Yi didn't respond to this comment and went straight into the farm. Xianji Mountain, the peculiar space, Liu Su's location, and the origin of his own transmigration. He didn't know if the villagers had anything special, but he was obviously the most special one, so it's better not to talk too much...

The farm gate was open, and there was a farmhand guarding it. Qin Yi asked, "The city gate is closed, and we missed the curfew. Can we stay at your farm for the night?"

The farmhand was taken aback, "Aren't you here to catch ghosts? Hurry up and leave. This place is haunted, why would you want to stay?"

Li Qingjun said, "If you can live here without fear, why would there be ghosts causing trouble?"

The farmhand stomped his foot and said, "If it weren't for the fields, I would have left long ago! Even the master of the farm has passed away, this place really has ghosts!"

"Laifu!" A soft voice came from inside the farm, "Why are you stopping the guests? Let them in."

Laifu helplessly bowed, "Yes, madam."

Qin Yi never expected that the so-called "Madam Zhang" would be so stunning.

The woman in front of him was at most twenty years old, dressed in plain white mourning clothes, without any makeup, but her face was already as beautiful as a peach blossom. There was a touch of sorrow on her face, but when her peach blossom eyes glanced over, they shone with a captivating light, unintentionally bewitching people. Coupled with her mourning clothes, it added even more flavor.

And she smelled really good, even covering up Li Qingjun's fragrance...

Madam Zhang's gaze swept over Qin Yi without stopping, apparently not interested in his thin and weak teenage body and rough clothes. Her gaze passed over Li Qingjun, pursing her lips slightly and smiling, but without any particular expression.

When her gaze fell on Li Qinglin, Qin Yi could clearly see her eyes suddenly brighten, and her voice became even softer, as if dripping with water, "When you're away from home, who doesn't have inconvenient times? If the three of you don't mind the impurity of this farm, why not stay for a night?"

(End of this chapter)