Chapter 74

Li Banfeng indeed wanted to return to Ligou.

If the private detective Da Boyins was truly sent by the Jiang Xiang Gang, Li Li Banfeng absolutely could not stay in Yu Family Village; otherwise, once the Jiang Xiang Gang sent troops to surround Yu Family Village, Li Li Banfeng would have no chance to escape.

If Da Boyins was not sent by the Jiang Xiang Gang, Li Li Banfeng had to try his best to find out his background.

And Li Li Banfeng had to find Shopkeeper Feng to figure out the origin of the phonograph.

Besides that, he had to ask about the travel permit. The travel permit to the Outer Provinces was too hard to handle; if Yu Nan couldn't get it done, he would have to find Shopkeeper Feng to inquire about other ways.

If it really required twenty million, Li Li Banfeng had to carefully consider the issue of returning to Ban Yue Province.

Therefore, returning to Ligou as soon as possible was the only correct choice.

Li Li Banfeng wanted to leave, and Qin Xiaopang wanted to follow.

"Brother Qi, my life, Qin Qin Tianjiu's, belongs to you from now on. Whether it's climbing a mountain of blades or descending into a sea of fire, as long as you say the word, I won't even blink."

Li Li Banfeng frowned: "It doesn't matter if you don't blink, but you have to stop me. If I'm already climbing a mountain of blades, you can't pretend you didn't see it."

Qin Qin Xiaopang thought for a long time and nodded: "Brother Qi is right. I'll kowtow to you first."

Li Li Banfeng's brow furrowed even tighter: "From now on, you are not allowed to kowtow to the living. If anyone tells you to kowtow, you kill him."

Qin Qin Xiaopang pondered for a long time and nodded: "Brother Qi is right. When shall we set off?"

"You'd better not set off. Rest in Yu Family Village for a few days. I'll give you some money, and you ask Shopkeeper Yu to make you more good food." Li Li Banfeng was worried about Qin Qin Xiaopang's physical condition; he would break into a cold sweat just standing for a while.

Qin Xiaopang smiled: "Brother Qi, you don't need to worry. Once I'm back in Ligou, I can find a way out; I definitely won't drag you down. I'm not afraid of the Geng family, nor am I afraid of those bastards from the Jiang Xiang Gang!"

Yu Nan advised from the side: "Shopkeeper Qin, you can't act on impulse. Now is the time when the Jiang Xiang Gang is being ruthless. Let alone Ligou, as long as you step out of Yu Family Village, I'm afraid it's more ominous than auspicious."

Qin Qin Xiaopang shook his head: "Shopkeeper Yu, thank you for your kindness. I know this trip is nine deaths and one life, but if I can't walk out of Yu Family Village today, I'm afraid I'll never be able to walk out for the rest of my life.

Brother Qi, can you lend me some money? I'll buy some dry rations from Shopkeeper Yu first!"

This money really should be given; the food in Yu Family Village all relied on Yu Nan's subordinates carrying it back from outside.

Li Li Banfeng just took out his wallet, but saw Yu Nan wave her hand: "Brother Brother Qiye, don't shame us. What are dry rations? Shopkeeper Qin can eat here for a lifetime, it doesn't matter. I'm just worried..."

Qin Qin Xiaopang smiled: "Shopkeeper Yu, don't worry. I, Qin Qin Tianjiu, won't die. When your cloth store opens in the future, I'll come to pay a visit and offer congratulations."

Li Li Banfeng exclaimed: "Truly a man with guts!"

Yu Nan looked at Li Banfeng and said: "Brother Qiye, I'll go back to Ligou with you too."

Li Li Banfeng asked with a serious expression: "Are you also a person with guts?"

Yu Nan's expression was awkward: "I'm not, I don't have..."

"Since you don't have guts, hide here first and don't run around."

Li Banfeng wasn't joking. Yu Nan's situation was different from his; she was still dragging the Yu Family Gang along. With her current ability and strength, she couldn't return to Ligou.

Li Li Banfeng left Yu Family Village.

Yu Nan was somewhat impulsive; she really wanted to leave with Li Li Banfeng.

But the old warehouse manager stopped her: "Shopkeeper, wait a little longer. Knowing it's a blade's edge, we can't rush into it. Li Boss is a master, we can't compare.

The Jiang Xiang Gang can't keep an eye on us forever. After a year or so, when the limelight passes, it won't be too late for us to return to Ligou."

……

Li Li Banfeng traveled rapidly across the pitch-black New Land, with Qin Qin Xiaopang following with difficulty behind him.

When climbing a hillside, Li Li Banfeng pulled Qin Qin Xiaopang: "If you can't hold on, don't push yourself. I still think you should rest in Yu Family Village for a few days."

Qin Qin Xiaopang wiped his sweat: "Brother Qi, if you think I'm walking too slowly, you go first, don't wait for me."

"You're having trouble walking now. If we return to Ligou and run into the Geng family, how will you handle it?"

Qin Qin Xiaopang gnawed on a piece of dry ration: "I said, I definitely won't drag Brother Qi down. I'm planning to join a gang."

"Join which gang?"

"The Sanying Sect."

Although Li Li Banfeng had no concept of gangs, he had heard Yu Nan mention the Sanying Sect; it was one of the three major gangs in Puluo Province. Li Li Banfeng doubted whether Qin Qin Xiaopang had the qualifications to join.

Qin Qin Xiaopang drank some water and swallowed the dry ration: "I have the qualifications to join. As long as one is a cultivator who has entered the door, the Sanying Sect is willing to accept them.

It's just that for someone like me without a cultivation level, entering the gang means I can only be a miscellaneous soldier. I won't see good food or drink, and I'll be the first to charge into battle."

Isn't that just being cannon fodder?

Li Li Banfeng narrowed his eyes: "What benefits do you get from joining the Sanying Sect?"

Qin Xiaopang said: "Once I join the Sanying Sect, those small fry from the Jiang Xiang Gang won't dare to provoke me anymore, and the Geng family will dare even less."

They won't dare to provoke you, but once you become cannon fodder in the Sanying Sect, I'm afraid you won't live long either.

Li Li Banfeng asked: "If you reached a cultivation level, would you not have to be a miscellaneous soldier?"

Qin Xiaopang nodded: "Once I reach the first layer, I can be an Iron Seal in the Sanying Sect."

"What does Iron Seal mean?"

"It's a small leader, managing five or six people, holding an iron seal, and managing some miscellaneous matters on the ground."

As he spoke, Qin Xiaopang's face was full of yearning. Li Li Banfeng asked: "Have you wanted to join a gang for a long time?"

Qin Xiaopang first shook his head, then nodded: "I have thought about joining a gang, but I didn't want to be a miscellaneous soldier. At the very least, I'd wait until the first layer, so I could be an Iron Seal, which wouldn't be embarrassing."

"Then wait a little longer. Wait until you can eat twenty jin of rice before talking."

"I tried once," Qin Xiaopang shook his head. "I bought twenty jin of steamed buns and wanted to try it, but after eating thirteen jin, I couldn't eat anymore. I'm simply not that kind of material."

Li Li Banfeng shook his head: "Eating twenty jin of steamed buns, who could swallow that? Once we're back in Ligou, eat good food, find the best food and eat twenty jin of it!"

Qin Xiaopang smiled and didn't speak.

The two walked out of Mount Jiangyue, Li Li Banfeng found a horse-drawn carriage, and after traveling for a day and a night, the two returned to Ligou.

Qin Xiaopang wanted to go to the Sanying Sect's hall and asked if Li Li Banfeng wanted to go together: "Brother Qi, I see you've already reached a cultivation level. I know people in the gang. If you join, you'll definitely be able to get an Iron Seal."

"Since you know people, look after yourself first. Even if you're a miscellaneous soldier, pick a good job."

After sending Qin Xiaopang to the hall, Li Li Banfeng went to the Feng Ji Grocery Store.

Shopkeeper Feng was sitting in front of the counter, his face flushed, humming a play: "Forty-eight stations in Xiliangchuan, for the army, I want people, not money!"

This was "Wujiapo," which his wife liked to sing, and Li Li Banfeng also listened to it often.

He originally wanted to step forward and join in the singing, but when the clerk Chunsheng saw Li Li Banfeng, he trembled all over and immediately shouted: "Shopkeeper, the debt collector is here!"

Shopkeeper Feng had seen big scenes. Seeing Li Li Banfeng arrive at the door, he first ordered Chunsheng to close the shop, then invited Li Li Banfeng into the back room.

Li Li Banfeng sat down in the back room, Shopkeeper Feng brewed a pot of tea for Li Li Banfeng, and then asked: "Li Boss, I know why you came. Regarding this matter, I do feel a bit sorry,

But friendship is friendship, and business is business. Once a business deal is made, we cannot go back on it. If you feel bad, I can find a way to compensate you, but you absolutely cannot return the item."

Li Li Banfeng took a sip of tea and was surprised: "Return what?"

Shopkeeper Feng added a piece of charcoal to the tea stove: "Li Boss, an honest man doesn't do things in the dark. Since you've come, we don't need to speak in riddles. That phonograph, you've already bought it, so no matter what, it cannot be sent back."

"Who said it was going to be sent back?" Li Li Banfeng looked at Shopkeeper Feng, confused. "That phonograph is quite good, and it doesn't have any problems, so why would I send it back?"

"Quite good..."

Shopkeeper Feng was stunned for a long time and couldn't speak.

Ever since his grocery store received this phonograph, there hadn't been a moment of peace.

He suspected Li Li Banfeng was speaking ironically.

Or perhaps he had been driven insane by the torture of the phonograph.

"Li Boss, are we talking about the same phonograph?"

Li Li Banfeng blinked: "I only have one phonograph."

"Li Boss, do you know that it doesn't need anyone else to operate it, and it sings by itself?"

"I know, isn't a phonograph used for singing?" Li Li Banfeng felt this was very normal.

Shopkeeper Feng was stunned for a long time: "It sings two tunes when it's happy, and can sing all night when it's unhappy, and you can't stop it, and you have to listen to it properly, otherwise a puff of steam can scald a person half to death. Do you know this?"

Li Li Banfeng thought about it: "I didn't notice that. If she wants to sing, let her sing, why stop her?"

Shopkeeper Feng looked at Li Li Banfeng in astonishment, feeling that this person was unreasonable.

Had he really gone crazy?

"Li Boss, I'll tell you the truth. You might not know yet, but this phonograph can summon the souls of the dead." Since the business couldn't be undone, Shopkeeper Feng told Li Li Banfeng about his past experiences.

An old lady who passed away in the alleyway would come to the grocery store every night to listen to songs, and she specifically liked to sit next to Shopkeeper Feng to listen.

There was an old yellow dog in the alleyway that had died two days ago and was summoned by the phonograph; it also came over every night to listen to tunes, lying by Shopkeeper Feng's bed to listen.

It is said that the shopkeeper's father, who had passed away many years ago, also returned twice. He liked to brew a pot of tea, smoke his pipe, and listen to the music.

In the Qingxiao Pavilion, Miss Han Xiaoxuan, who committed suicide by jumping into the river, liked to bring her pipa and play and sing along with the phonograph.

Brother Hu, who committed suicide with Miss Han Xiaoxuan, liked to hold a cigarette and hug Chunsheng while listening to the music.

Every night, looking at the shop full of lonely ghosts, how could one live like this?

Shopkeeper Feng hardened his heart and had Chunsheng throw the phonograph away.

At eleven o'clock that night, the phonograph returned on time, first scalding Shopkeeper Feng and Chunsheng with blisters, and then continuing to sing.

Shopkeeper Feng was driven to the point of having no choice; he stopped running the shop and simply took Chunsheng and moved back to his old home in Waigou.

But moving back was useless; the phonograph followed Shopkeeper Feng back to his old home.

Shopkeeper Feng rented another house and moved there to hide from the disaster.

The phonograph followed Shopkeeper Feng there that very night, sang all night, and warned Shopkeeper Feng that no matter where he went, the phonograph could follow, and if he dared to leave without saying goodbye next time, she would make Shopkeeper Feng and Chunsheng warm up properly.

The phonograph also said she liked the original place.

Shopkeeper Feng dared not disobey and moved back to the shop with his clerk the next day.

Since he couldn't hide, he would send it away.

Shopkeeper Feng negotiated with the phonograph; he was a businessman, and if someone wanted to buy the phonograph, he couldn't stop them.

The phonograph agreed. The next day, Shopkeeper Feng set a price of twenty yuan and sold the phonograph.

That night, the phonograph returned again, scalding Shopkeeper Feng with blisters, saying it had been sold too cheaply.

The phonograph told Shopkeeper Feng to set a price of at least two hundred thousand, and that he could negotiate the price appropriately. Shopkeeper Feng dragged it out until today, and finally managed to sell the phonograph.

He felt sorry for Li Li Banfeng in his heart, but he hadn't expected Li Li Banfeng to say the phonograph was quite good.

The shopkeeper finished telling his various experiences and added a final sentence: "Li Boss, this phonograph can not only summon the souls of the dead, but can also eat them. Do you know this?"

Li Li Banfeng nodded: "That's exactly what I like about her; she knows how to live, she doesn't waste things!"

Seeing that Li Li Banfeng had gone crazy to this extent, the shopkeeper felt even more guilty and had Chunsheng quickly bring twenty-six thousand in cash: "Li Boss, this is your sixteen thousand, I don't want it anymore, and I'll add another ten thousand for you. Consider it a token of my heart, what do you think?"

Li Li Banfeng waved his hands repeatedly: "What are you doing? I genuinely like that phonograph. I didn't come to you to return the goods; I came to buy something."

Shopkeeper Feng was stunned for a long time and asked: "Li Boss, what do you want to buy?"

"I want to buy some news, news about this phonograph. I want to know who the person in this phonograph is."

PS:

Thanks to Yuanliang Magic Master!

Li Li Banfeng is going to do something big. Dear readers, come and help Yumian Shala do it together.

It's doing things. Not doing Yumian Shala!

(End of chapter)