Stop, stop!
Although Li Xiu was robust and full of vigor, he truly could not bring himself to force his will upon them. He climbed out of bed with soft, stealthy steps, careful not to wake his two young wives. Today, he had to discuss with the clan leader, Li Daqing, whether they could find a spacious plot of land to build a new home. This dilapidated shack, which seemed as if it might collapse whenever the wind blew, was simply no place to live.
"Husband, you're up so early," Yang Ruiling said, rubbing her eyes as she climbed out of bed.
"Yes, I’m heading out to speak with the clan leader about planning a large new house," Li Xiu replied as he finished dressing.
"A new house?"
With a sudden "whoosh," Yang Ruixue jumped up on the bed, her eyes instantly sparkling like two brilliant stars. "Really? Are we really going to build a new house?"
"Of course it's true. Do you think I would lie to you?" Li Xiu tapped her on the bridge of her nose and laughed. "I can't very well let you two sisters keep living in this crumbling shack."
"But..." Yang Ruiling’s face was filled with worry. "That’s going to be a significant expense. Our family..."
"Money isn't a problem. Leave everything to me," Li Xiu said, tapping his chest with absolute confidence. "Just get ready to move into a new home!"
After finishing breakfast, Li Xiu went straight to the clan leader's house.
"Clan leader, I’m planning to build a large residence on the vacant land to the west of the village. Five rooms with a large courtyard in the middle. What do you think?"
Li Xiu didn't mince words; he stated his purpose directly the moment he saw Li Daqing.
Li Daqing was in the middle of smoking his pipe when Li Xiu spoke. He was so startled that the pipe nearly fell from his hand.
"What on earth? Five rooms? And a large courtyard?" Li Daqing’s eyes widened, and he looked Li Xiu up and down as if he were a monster. "You fellow, where would you get that much money?"
Although Li Xiu had made a tidy sum selling mountain bear meat and medicinal herbs, it shouldn't have been enough to afford such a large house.
"You don't need to worry about that. Just tell me, is it possible or not?" Li Xiu had no intention of revealing his private affairs.
Li Daqing stroked his beard, squinting as he thought it over. "That land belongs to our village. If you want to build a house, you’ll have to pay a fee to the village, according to our customs—consider it a contribution to the fellow villagers."
"Fine, name your price," Li Xiu replied readily.
The two of them went back and forth, eventually reaching an agreement on the cost.
"Good, that’s settled. I’ll break ground tomorrow," Li Xiu affirmed.
Early the next morning, Li Xiu called for the carpenter, Li Fengwu, along with a few sturdy men, and they began gathering materials for the construction.
"Li Xiu, your requirements for this house are quite high," Li Fengwu said, marveling as he took the simple blueprint Li Xiu had drawn. "The cost of the bricks and timber alone is a fortune!"
"The money isn't the point. What matters is that the house must be sturdy and comfortable to live in," Li Xiu said with a wave of his hand, looking every bit the wealthy landowner.
Yang Ruiling and Yang Ruixue watched the busy scene from the sidelines, their hearts full of joy.
Yang Ruixue tugged at Yang Ruiling’s sleeve and whispered, "Sister, what do you think our new home will look like?"
"I'm not sure," Yang Ruiling replied, a glimmer of longing in her eyes. "But it will certainly be a hundred times better than this crude thatched hut!"
A few days later, the foundation was laid, but Li Xiu quickly realized that his current funds were nowhere near enough. The money from selling bear meat and herbs was far from sufficient.
"It looks like I'll have to head back into the mountains to find something of real value," Li Xiu muttered to himself while rubbing his chin. He was skilled in his Dart Technique, and with his knowledge of medicinal herbs, he could do whatever he set his mind to.
"Li Xiu is going into the mountains again?"
As the news quietly spread, many in the village were eager to join him.
"Li Xiu, can you take me with you?" Li Fengwu asked. "I can help you carry things!"
"Me too!" Li Mingda chimed in. "I’m familiar with this terrain; I can definitely help you find good things!"
Li Mingda had been stunned by Li Xiu when they had hauled the mountain bear down last time. Even as an experienced hunter, he couldn't have managed it alone, but with Li Xiu's help, his harvest had been far greater.
Li Xiu thought about it and decided that more hands would be better, so he nodded in agreement. "Fine, but let’s be clear: I’ll take eighty percent of whatever treasures we find, and the remaining twenty percent will be split among everyone else."
"No problem!"
In these times, being able to earn a living under Li Xiu was already a stroke of immense luck—who could afford to be picky?
The next morning, Li Xiu led a group of over a dozen men up the mountain.
"Pheasants!" Li Mingda whispered, his sharp eyes pointing toward a cluster of bushes in the distance.
Li Xiu narrowed his eyes and looked; there were indeed several pheasants hopping about in the grass. He didn't waste a second, immediately pulling out a Flying Dart.
"Whoosh!"
"Flap, flap..." A pheasant fell to the ground.
"Don't you run!" Li Xiu’s hands moved with lightning speed, throwing three more Flying Darts in quick succession. Each one whistled through the air with ferocious power.
All three pheasants were struck down, with not a single one escaping.
"My goodness!" Li Mingda exclaimed in awe. "Li Xiu, your Dart Technique is incredible!"
Even though he had expected Li Xiu’s skills to be strong, the display still shocked him. Everyone else was dumbfounded; this wasn't even hunting—it was a guaranteed hit every single time!
"Hehe, just luck, just pure luck," Li Xiu said modestly, though he was secretly ecstatic. The techniques his master had taught him in his past life hadn't gone to waste!
Next, they encountered some wild rabbits. Li Xiu maintained his perfect aim, one dart per kill, leaving everyone’s eyes practically popping out of their heads.
"Li Xiu, is your luck just too good?" Li Fengwu marveled. "You must be a martial immortal reincarnated!"
While hunting, Li Xiu also discovered a wealth of valuable herbs.
"This is astragalus; it nourishes the blood and energy."
"This is angelica..."
"This is fleeceflower root..."
Li Xiu introduced each herb as he gathered them, leaving everyone watching in complete amazement. He had the others collect the common herbs, while he carefully packed the more valuable ones into his own bamboo basket.
"Li Xiu, how do you know everything?" Li Fengwu asked, full of admiration.
Li Xiu just smiled and said nothing.
By the afternoon, the group had a substantial haul. They had over ten pheasants, seven or eight rabbits, and their baskets were overflowing with medicinal herbs.
"Before, when we went into the mountains, we were lucky to catch two or three pheasants in a day," Li Mingda reflected with a sigh. "With Li Xiu here, we’ve gotten all this in half a day. My ancestors must be looking out for us!"
The others nodded in agreement, their faces beaming. In these days, having meat to eat was even happier than the New Year!
"It’s getting late. Let’s look around a bit more, and if we don't find anything else, we’ll head home," Li Xiu suggested.
Just as they were preparing to leave, a rustling sound suddenly came from the distance.
"Shh!" Li Xiu held up a hand, silencing the group. He crouched low and crept forward carefully.
Pushing aside the thick brush, the scene that greeted them left everyone stunned.