Chapter 140: The Four-Person Oath

Li Lin, Bai Zhiwei, and Zhao Hao gathered in the wine house.

The three ate, drank, and laughed; when the wine and dishes were nearly finished, Zhao Hao asked, "Brother Li, you should now tell us the reason for treating us two to wine."

Bai Zhiwei also looked at Li Lin with curious eyes.

"Do you remember our Four-Person Oath?"

The other two nodded.

"I am preparing to go to the Bobai Army Camp, and I have the authority to command the township militia of the military town. We can find an opportunity to retrieve the treasure once more."

Bai Zhiwei and Zhao Hao both brightened in the eyes.

No one ever complains about having too much money.

Last time, constrained by 'time' and 'transport capacity', each of them could only bring back thirty gold; this time, with Li Lin going, as he serves as the County Commandant, he can direct the movements of the township militia within the military town; a short drill is all that is needed, thus creating enough time for the three of them to obtain the gold.

"But the problem lies in the Su family people, how about them?" Li Lin asked.

The other two both sighed.

Su Huafang's death was completely unexpected.

Not only does the Su family have no heir who is a Spirit Hunter, but according to their recent understanding, none of the several sons can shoulder the family's heavy burden.

They are even quarreling over the division of the family property.

Under such circumstances, who can truly be counted as the direct bloodline of the Su family is hard to say.

According to common sense and rules, the legitimate son and legitimate grandson count.

It's just that the Su family's legitimate son... is a bit abstract.

He is proficient in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling.

Especially gambling, he squanders the family fortune particularly quickly.

He is also the chief culprit behind the Su family's split.

After all, the remaining younger brothers do not want the family assets to be squandered bit by bit by the eldest brother.

After a while, Bai Zhiwei said, "Old Su's share must definitely go to his descendants, but who to give it to? It's a headache."

Li Lin also did not know how to handle it.

They had not expected such a situation to arise before.

At this moment, Zhao Hao said, "Old Su has a daughter, married out."

The two looked at him.

Zhao Hao continued, "But her husband is a rotten alcoholic; when drunk, he beats his wife and children; they have already divorced. That daughter also has backbone; after divorcing, she changed both her sons' surnames to her own, following her surname, showing quite a bit of Old Su's spirit from his younger years."

"Why haven't I seen her mourning at Old Su's spirit tablet?"

"The Su family simply would not let her enter the door."

Tsk!

Bai Zhiwei could not help but emit a contemptuous sound: "Afraid that a married-out daughter would return to seize the family property? Afraid to such an extent?"

"Then let's talk to her. According to our rules, the Su family must have a direct bloodline present. Since she changed her sons' surnames back to her own, that means they are the Su family's bloodline!" Li Lin said, "Is she in our Yulin County?"

"She is!"

"Then shall we go see her together?"

Bai Zhiwei stood up: "Let's go."

The three of them were people who kept their word; Old Su's share was indispensable.

But which branch of Old Su's family to give it to, that was up to the three of them to decide.

Under Zhao Hao's guidance, they arrived before a low, single-story house.

This is the county's 'Commoner District'; the houses are very cramped, but fortunately, there is still an independent small courtyard, with two apricot trees planted and a vegetable plot cultivated; usually helping others with needlework, they can still support two children.

"This house was bought by Old Su and given to her after his daughter's divorce."

From this, one can see that Su Huafang was quite attentive to this daughter of his.

The sound of the three chatting disturbed the people inside.

Soon, a small boy in plain clothes, with snot hanging from his face, came out.

Seeing Li Lin and the others, the boy was immediately startled; he rushed back into the house shouting, "Mother, brother, three men have come outside; they look very fierce."

The three exchanged glances; Li Lin said to Bai Zhiwei, "He said you are fierce."

Hearing this, Zhao Hao laughed.

Bai Zhiwei also smiled: "It has nothing to do with me; it's because you came out wearing official robes."

Li Lin was instantly helpless; indeed so!

After work, he immediately invited the two out for wine, forgetting to go back and change into ordinary clothes before coming out.

However, this era did not have such high requirements for officials; wearing official robes to drink wine outside was not a major problem.

Half an hour later, a woman and a youth walked out from inside.

Seeing Li Lin and the other two, their faces were all somewhat surprised.

Shortly after, the woman bowed slightly and said, "This humble woman greets County Commandant Li, Uncle Bai, and Young Master Zhao."

This woman recognized the three of them.

Li Lin often patrolled the streets; very few people in Yulin County did not know him.

Bai Zhiwei had been to Su Huafang's house many times; this woman had met him before.

Young Master Zhao... seemed to be known from somewhere else.

"Won't you invite us in for a seat, Great Niece!" Bai Zhiwei smiled.

"Three noble guests, please come in." The woman was somewhat surprised.

The three entered the house.

The room was small; with three people entering, it seemed a bit cramped.

The woman appeared somewhat flustered, rummaging through chests and cupboards to find something to treat the guests, but she could find nothing.

"No need to busy yourself, great-niece," Bai Zhiwei smiled. "We came here to tell you something."

The woman breathed a sigh of relief: "Uncle Bai, please speak."

"We have an agreement with Old Su," Bai Zhiwei said with a smile. "There will be a great fortune, but our four families each need a direct bloodline member present. We are preparing to go now; only the Su family is missing."

The woman looked at Bai Zhiwei for a while, then turned her gaze to Li Lin: "Can County Commandant Li guarantee this matter is not false?"

Li Lin was slightly surprised; why did the other party seem to trust him more!

But he still nodded.

The woman breathed a sigh of relief: "Do I need to be present? Also, why me and not my eldest brother!"

Bai Zhiwei snorted: "The eldest who drinks, eats, whorres, and gambles... hehe, we don't look favorably on him."

"Then it shouldn't be my family either."

Zhao Hao spoke from the side: "Because you changed your son's surname back to Su, we believe your child is also a member of the Su family."

The woman was stunned for a moment, then tears welled in her eyes: "Is that so? Thank you, three noble ones."

"Are you willing to trust us?" Li Lin asked.

"With our family's circumstances, I suppose the three of you would not look favorably on us," the woman said very clearly. "I am willing to follow the three noble ones to gamble on this fortune."

"You cannot go; your son must go." Bai Zhiwei looked at the youth beside him and asked, "Are you practicing martial arts?"

This youth was the eldest; his skin was very dark, and he also appeared very thin.

He nodded lightly.

"Stop practicing for now," Bai Zhiwei said, looking at the other party. "The poor do not practice martial arts. Your own vital essence and blood are already scarce for mere survival; how dare you practice martial arts? If you continue like this, you won't live to thirty; first nurture your body."

Hearing these words, the woman immediately turned and said to the youth: "Did you hear? From now on, you are not allowed to practice those martial techniques anymore."

The youth was somewhat unwilling, but still nodded lightly.

Li Lin said: "Since you are willing to trust, then tomorrow have your eldest son come to the county government office to find me; I will arrange a position in the Local Militia for him. Then in a couple of days, you can officially set out with us."

The woman was overjoyed and said: "Dabao, why don't you quickly thank County Commandant Li!"

The youth was very obedient; with a thud, he knelt down: "Su Bei thanks County Commandant Li for the grace of patronage."

Li Lin helped him up and said: "No need for such a great bow; I also became a Spirit Hunter thanks to Senior Su's patronage, so now I am merely returning the favor."

The woman looked at the three of them with gratitude.

They were truly in difficult times now; with the eldest son joining the Local Militia, he would have food, clothing, and money, plus Li Lin's protection; presumably, life would be much easier in the future.

Not long after, the three left this small house and then parted ways.

Li Lin returned home and began continuing his study of the 'Foundation Establishment Method'.

He felt increasingly that, compared to when he first learned the Foundation Establishment Method, the speed of absorbing spiritual qi had slowed down significantly.

It was as if... the spiritual qi in the air had diminished.

Li Lin had a vague conjecture in his heart.

By the next day, holding the written upper half of the Foundation Establishment Method, he went to Ding Yingqiu's place.

He knocked on the door.

The door opened, revealing Ding Yingqiu's anxious face behind it.

"You have finally come," Ding Yingqiu said impatiently. "Let me see it quickly."

As soon as Li Lin took out the written booklet, the other party snatched it away.

Then she turned and walked briskly toward the back courtyard; Li Lin could only follow quickly behind.

(End of this chapter)