Chapter 26

Pulling his thoughts back to the present, Pei Ye remembered that he still hadn't asked the identity of the person outside the wall.

"This..." Pei Ye hesitated, and chose the former between "Miss" and "Senior," "... Miss, my name is Pei Ye, may I ask your name? I don't know what you are doing in Fenghuai. If you need anything, I can introduce you to the magistrates of the county office."

"No need, just some private matters," the person outside the wall said. "I am Ming Qitian. May I ask you some questions?"

Ming Qitian? Who is that?

Pei Ye searched for this strange name in his brain. The other party said "I am Ming Qitian" instead of "My name is Ming Qitian." This subtle difference seemed to indicate something.

"Please ask."

"Is there any news about a book or a miraculous martial art circulating in your area?"

Pei Ye frowned blankly: "Haven't heard of it."

"Good, thank you."

Pei Ye was stunned—that's it?

He couldn't help but remind: "You can say more relevant information, maybe I can think of some clues."

The person outside the wall pondered for a while and said: "I don't know more either, only one thing, it can be called the 'Immortal Method of Dantian Seed'."

This strange term made Pei Ye even more blank, so he had to say again: "Haven't heard of it."

"Hmm, thank you," the person outside the wall said again. "In addition, I accidentally saw your sword style. I have three things on hand to compensate—a sword technique that is not as good as yours but can still be called top-tier; a sword cast by the East Sea Sword Furnace that is 'Grade B-plus'; and a booklet of my childhood practice insights. I don't know which one suits your heart more?"

Pei Ye was stunned for a while. He hadn't thought that his sword being heard once was such a serious matter—a few years ago, when reading miscellaneous books in the public office, he had listened to Magistrate Shen practicing sword in the courtyard many times.

Perhaps this is the rule outside? After all, it is indeed inappropriate for one's housekeeping skills to be seen by others.

But then again, hearing is not equal to seeing, and seeing is not equal to learning. The black-robed person last night, even if he had been given ten times to see it in advance, he wouldn't know how to crack it, and he could still pierce his throat on the eleventh time; and now that the person outside the wall could analyze his sword style just by listening through the wall, even if he was caught off guard again, this sword style of his couldn't build any merit in front of her.

After thinking about it, Pei Ye still acted according to his own cognition and said sternly: "Miss Ming, I didn't guard against others when practicing sword in the courtyard. It is your ability to hear and learn it when walking on the street. You don't need to give me any compensation. Besides, your words have already benefited me a lot."

The person outside the wall pondered for a while, threw a small jade sword that landed in Pei Ye's hand, and said: "This is the best sword technique I have seen in the past month. I didn't learn it, but I was also quite inspired. Reciprocity is a matter of course. Since you don't want to accept the gift now, then take this sword talisman first. When you think about it, you can inject True Qi into it at any time to contact me."

Pei Ye was just about to speak when his heart jumped suddenly. He pushed open the courtyard door quickly, but there was no one on the street.

He walked back, playing with the small sword with some disappointment, picked up the black cat on the lounge chair and rubbed it, and was about to lie back on the chair. At this time, the cat suddenly turned to look at him.

Those eyes seemed to be lit up, possessing intelligence, and Pei Ye was quite familiar with this charm, so he stopped his hand in embarrassment.

But the black cat didn't care, but cast its eyes out of the door and muttered to itself: "You say, could I have... concluded the contract with the wrong person?"

"?"

"'Young,' 'Sword,' 'Clear Mind,' 'Firmness'... truly every one fits."

Pei Ye looked down at it with disbelief. Although he was wary of the other party when concluding the contract, he was equally unhappy to hear the other party's change of heart, so he couldn't help but say: "Don't I fit too?"

"You certainly fit, but, just like fireflies can illuminate, the bright moon can also illuminate..."

"Hmm, then go find her," Pei Ye curled his lips, feeling like he had been abandoned.

"Forget it, marry a chicken and follow the chicken, marry a dog and follow the dog," the black cat looked at him and said, "I'm leaving."

"Wait."

The black cat looked at him.

"What is going on on your side, is the situation still dangerous?" Pei Ye asked.

"Nothing complicated. Just like you last night, I also have a great enemy to face. Thanks to you, the situation has indeed improved a lot after concluding the contract, and, it seems that a helper came today," the black cat thought about the things over there and said, "In short, the current situation is okay. If it worsens, if there is time before I die, I will take the initiative to find you to dissolve the contract."

After speaking, the spiritual light in the cat's eyes disappeared again.

"I didn't—mean that either." This sentence didn't catch up. Pei Ye looked at the kitten that was quiet like an idiot again, packed his things, and went back to the room.

Better go to sleep early. Tomorrow is the day Uncle Lin and Lin Jue are buried.

The next day, Lin residence in the west of the city.

The sun was in the east, and the courtyard was hung with white.

Lin Lin had no relatives, but the students he taught and the subordinates he took care of were everywhere. The people in the courtyard were all there to mourn spontaneously. Men of different ages and attire were in groups of three or five, and the opera stage was set up on one side, singing "yi-ya-yi-ya."

And Lin Jue's friends could be counted on one's fingers—a girl of about the same age on the edge of the west of the city, who was her close friend since childhood; the daughter of Master Huang who practiced martial arts, who had endless things to say every time Lin Jue went to the martial arts school; and Meng Jiao, the son of a neighboring farmer, who had always been at odds and wanted to marry Lin Jue, but finally married the daughter of a carpenter in the north of the city in the first half of the year.

The two young girls sat with the female family members, and Meng Jiao leaned against the pavilion with his eyes empty, not knowing what he was thinking.

"Brother Meng," Pei Ye walked over and said, "Seems very busy lately, what are you doing?"

"Little Ye," Meng Jiao turned his head. After getting married, he appeared much more mature and steady, smiling and responding, "Collecting some skins and herbs from the surrounding villages. Relying only on those few acres of land, it's enough to eat for a year, and the rest can't be sold for much money."

"Isn't that already good enough? Other families just have enough to eat, and you can still sell some."

Meng Jiao shook his head, his tanned cheeks looked up at the sky, and then lowered his head: "Your sister-in-law is pregnant, I want... I want... to let this child read or practice martial arts in the future."

"Hmm..." Pei Ye opened his mouth, "That would be a huge expense."

"Yes, my mother and father-in-law are all criticizing me," Meng Jiao's feet rubbed the ground, and a smile appeared, "However, I will not change my mind."

His gaze looked at the empty space again, subconsciously falling on Lin Jue's boudoir, muttering to himself: "Must read and practice martial arts..."

"Running around like this every day, don't get too tired."

"It's okay, I borrowed a donkey cart from Uncle Lu. When he is not pulling wine, I will borrow it—after saving for another half a year, I can buy a donkey myself."

"Yo, it seems that it is quite profitable?" Pei Ye smiled.

"I have been watching it for a long time. No one is grabbing this job, as long as you are diligent—hey, what's the point of talking about this, I almost forgot that the young hero everyone wants to see is standing right in front of me."

Pei Ye smiled and shook his head.

"I heard that even the adults couldn't deal with that villain, but you cut his throat cleanly," Meng Jiao sighed, "Truly amazing, I really admire you from the bottom of my heart."

"Saying such things... just luck."

Meng Jiao shook his head and held Pei Ye's wrist: "I'm telling the truth, Little Ye, I really admire you. I saw that head on the coffin lid, it was truly satisfying, Little Ye. Yesterday I heard that Little Jue and Magistrate Lin were harmed, I was angry, scared, panicked... and stifled. Do you remember? When we were young, Little Jue liked to watch you practice martial arts, and I was always at odds with you. Now I understand, if a person has no ability, he cannot hold his head high. Little Ye, you are a person with real ability."

Pei Ye was speechless. Meng Jiao looked at the sky and said: "Alright, let's not talk. I remember Little Jue made a few small things she was very proud of, and joked that she would take them into the tomb when she died. If you have nothing to do, why not go to her room and look for them."

"Right, there is such a thing," Pei Ye recalled, "But I don't remember which ones—let's go find them together."

"A bamboo birdcage, a small pottery teapot with a black and white puppy painted on it, a yellow jade seal the size of a thumb, and a set of story paintings as thick as a palm... find as many as you can, it was just a joke anyway," Meng Jiao picked up the sack beside him, "I won't go in, it's not appropriate. I have work in the afternoon, I have to go first."

"So busy?"

"Old Mo from the village in the east owes me two skins. He said he would bring them to the city for me the day before yesterday, but there has been no news until now. I'll go see what's going on."

"Oh, okay. Some parts of the mountain road haven't dried yet, you must be careful."

"Don't worry, they are all roads I'm used to walking," Meng Jiao waved his hand and walked out of the courtyard gate with the heavy sack on his back.

Pei Ye watched him disappear from his field of vision, sighed silently, and turned to walk toward Lin Jue's room.

Meng Jiao's sincerity toward Lin Jue was indeed true, but if the two really combined, not only would Lin Jue, who married into a farming family, be unable to adapt, but for the Meng family, a daughter-in-law with a disabled hand who couldn't work would not be a happy event.