Chapter 16: The Sage's

At this moment, Li Lin furrowed his brows, somewhat puzzled.

Generally speaking, only 'family' may enter one's own backyard.

After all, there are women in the backyard.

You could say the backyard of a county government office is a public place; if permitted, entering is no issue.

But entering the backyard of someone else's private residence is not good; what if one offends the women...

Li Lin was about to confirm again, but saw that Huang Yan had already left and gone far away; he had no choice but to follow the stone path toward the backyard.

Along the way, he met several Huang family servants, and these servants looked at him with strange eyes.

Not long after, Li Lin arrived at the backyard and immediately saw Huang Qi; this scholar was sitting before a round green stone table, happily drinking tea.

And opposite him sat a young woman wearing a green robe skirt.

As soon as Li Lin appeared, he was spotted by Huang Qi's peripheral vision; the latter stood up, clasped his hands in a bow, and smiled: "Brother Kunge, we are just waiting for you."

Li Lin returned the bow with clasped fists: "Brother Zi Jing, my visit is hasty; I brought no gift, for which I am deeply sorry."

"One cannot speak that way; it was I who suddenly invited you, so the fault is mine." Huang Qi smiled, then pointed to the young woman in the green robe skirt beside him and said: "This is my second sister; her given name I cannot yet tell you. You may call her Ermei, just as I do."

These words were intimate; the young woman looked at Li Lin with some surprise, for she knew very well how arrogant her own brother was, and yet he valued this Soul Hunter so highly.

It was extremely rare.

Though surprised, the young woman in the green robe skirt remained outwardly calm; she gracefully performed a fu bow: "Brother Li."

Her tone was neither intimate nor warm, yet neither cold; she handled it perfectly.

"Lady Huang." Li Lin clasped his fists and responded with a similar attitude.

Although Huang Qi had told him to call the other 'Ermei', he still kept proper measure in his heart.

Seeing the two behave this way, Huang Qi helplessly shook his head slightly and said: "Brother Kunge, please sit."

Li Lin sat as instructed.

The young woman lightly moved her soft hand and poured him a cup of clear tea.

The tea was fragrant, and the teacup was very beautiful; a semi-transparent porcelain cup without any decoration, yet when tea was poured in, faint patterns of flowers and birds would appear.

Li Lin had once bought a set of such teacups for his own home; they were quite expensive.

After saying thanks, he took a light sip from the cup and asked: "Brother Zi Jing invited me as a guest; for what purpose?"

"Actually, it is no great matter." Huang Qi said leisurely: "My father should have already told you Soul Hunters some time ago that Jincheng will hold a gathering concerning Soul Hunters; all participants will gain something, and among the outstanding ones, there will be great opportunities."

Li Lin smiled and said: "Naturally, I have heard of it."

"Is Brother Kunge not tempted?"

"Tempted."

"Won't you strive for it?" Huang Qi laughed: "I can help you."

"No need." Li Lin shook his head: "Fairness is very important; with over a dozen Soul Hunters in the county town, no matter how one ranks them, it would never be my turn."

Hearing this, Huang Qi sneered: "Fairness! If there were truly fairness, Zhao Hao would not be able to attend the gathering."

Zhao Hao was the one whose 'uncle is the Registrar of Jincheng'.

The young woman beside him said softly: "Big Brother, please speak cautiously."

"It is fine; we are all one's own people; the words will not spread."

Li Lin's expression was natural: "This too is fairness. One cannot expect that I, having practiced in the depths of winter and the height of summer, could in merely half a year surpass the efforts of two or three generations of another family."

The young woman raised her eyebrows slightly; her expression showed some surprise.

Huang Qi was stunned; only after a while did he say: "Brother Kunge, your viewpoint is truly somewhat unique."

Li Lin continued to smile and said: "I know Brother Zi Jing wishes to lend me a hand, but often, when virtue does not match one's position, it is a very troublesome matter."

"Virtue does not match one's position?" Huang Qi's expression twisted slightly: "Brother Kunge, in my humble opinion, you are also a person of magnificent bearing; if even you do not possess virtue matching your position, then Zhao Hao..."

Li Lin gently waved his hand, cutting off the other's words: "Brother Zi Jing, in your heart, what is 'virtue'!"

Huang Qi answered without hesitation: "The Sage once said: take filial piety as the foundation, benevolence as the supplement, and ritual as the manifestation; this is called virtue."

This was indeed the philosophy accepted by most scholars.

Li Lin smiled: "But my elders at home once warned me: the sword at the Sage's waist is called 'Virtue'!"

The Huang family young woman was stunned for a moment, seeming as if she wanted to laugh.

But Huang Qi first showed a shocked expression, then became thoughtful.

Li Lin quietly drank his tea.

After quite a while, Huang Qi sighed softly, clasped his hands in a bow and knelt, saying: "Thank you, Brother Kunge, for clarifying my doubts."

"You are too polite." Li Lin stood up: "It is already late; I must go to the market to buy some sundries, so I will not trouble you further."

"Brother Kunge may stay the night here; we can sleep side by side and talk by candlelight through the night."

Li Lin instinctively shivered; who would want to sleep side by side with you? You're sick!

He quickly refused: "Recently, the wandering ghosts at the entrance to Tiku Village have been causing quite a disturbance; I must return to hold the fort; I am not entirely at ease staying out here."

Huang Qi was very disappointed, but Li Lin's reason was both lofty and legitimate; he could only say: "Then, until we meet again, I shall converse with Brother Kunge about life and romance."

"Very well."

Li Lin smiled, turned, and left.

Before leaving the backyard, he instinctively looked toward the small bamboo grove to the west.

There, a figure in red clothing was hidden by the bamboo grove, yet one could still tell it was a woman.

Hmm... it was that Hu Ji seen earlier; she was eavesdropping there.

This young woman is not favored here; she does not even have the chance to appear openly?

But that does not seem right; just now, the County Magistrate Huang clearly doted on her.

However, these matters have nothing to do with Li Lin; he hurried away, for he indeed needed to go to the market to buy some necessary items before returning to the village.

Not long after Li Lin left, Huang Yan stepped out from a wooden door in the back courtyard.

He had been eavesdropping too.

At that moment, he looked toward the small bamboo grove: "Come out. What kind of example is it for a girl to hide there? If you want to listen, sit over here properly. You are the eldest daughter of the Huang family; what are you afraid of?"

The blonde, blue-eyed girl stepped out. She looked somewhat ashamed and found a round stool to sit by the stone table.

Huang Yan naturally took the seat of honor.

"Ling'er, what do you think of this Li Xunshou?"

"What do you mean?" Huang Ling paused, then pouted unhappily: "Is this a matchmaking setup for me?"

The Huang father and son both laughed heartily.

They indeed had that intention.

Seeing her father and brother act this way, Huang Ling frowned and said: "Next time, notify me first about such matters."

"Sigh, those are trivial matters." Huang Yan asked: "What do you think of this Li Xunshou? He is already a rare suitable match in Yulin County."

(End of this chapter)