Chapter 57 Diverse Industries, Beyond Reality
"Master Li, you're leading our patrol today."
Just as Li Xian was deep in thought, a third-class guard ran over quickly and said with a fawning smile.
His name is Fu Yongfa. He is obese and over forty years old. But when you call him "Master Li," it comes out of his mouth very easily.
"good."
Li Xian regulated his breathing, calming his qi and blood.
The daily patrols of Class B guards are all led by a team, which usually consists of two Class C guards and seven Class D guards.
The patrol routes are relatively remote and usually require leaving the village.
"Wait a moment, I don't know who's on the team yet, let me go get the list first," Li Xian said.
Fu Yong laughed and said, "Mr. Li, there's no need to get a list. We'll just give them a shout, and they'll know exactly what to do. Who would dare not come?"
After saying this, Fu Yongfa's expression changed, his fawning demeanor turning into a fierce one. He shouted to the crowd, "Whoever is on patrol with Master Li today, come and report quickly. If you are late, Master Li is magnanimous and it won't matter."
“But Fu Yongfa is not so easy to talk to. I’ll count to three.”
"three…"
The words had barely left his lips when several people scrambled over from the crowd, their clothes disheveled, as if afraid of being too late by those three seconds.
These low-ranking guards, fearing to offend their superiors, paid meticulous attention to the daily patrol schedule.
How could I not know who I was patrolling with today?
Li Xian didn't stay at the Ding-class guard post for long, so his experience wasn't deep and he wasn't very clear about it.
However, he didn't want to figure out the ins and outs of it.
The group was quickly assembled: two Class C members, seven Class D members, plus Li Xian, making a total of ten people.
Among the seven Ding class members, there was a familiar figure—Zhuo Yilie, his former roommate. He kept his head down, not daring to look at Li Xian.
"The palm lines of the Azure Palm are still there..." Li Xian glanced at it and saw that the purple and blue palm lines had not faded, and muttered to himself.
He kept the matter of the Azure Palm in his heart.
At this moment, I thought to myself:
"I will soon enter the Leisure Martial Pavilion to select martial arts techniques for training."
"The choice of which martial art to use doesn't really matter to me, so I might as well switch to the Azure Palm. Once I've mastered the palm technique, I can settle this matter of cause and effect. Why not?"
Li Xian said, "Now that everyone is here, come with me."
This patrol route is very long and winding, taking a full two hours to complete, and it also involves leaving the village.
Before setting off, Li Xian led everyone to the restaurant to collect a sufficient amount of hot dry pancakes.
Each person is given two pieces. Grade D is a plain, dry biscuit with no filling. Grade C has a vegetable filling, while Grade B has a meat filling with beef and is very fatty.
Li Xian has a big appetite and is still growing, so she took three pieces.
"We might not have time for lunch today, so we'll just have some dry biscuits for a meal."
Li Xian called out.
"Set off!"
Li Xian walked at the front of the group, passing through two large bends and turning into a deserted garden. The place was eerily cold, and the wind chilled one to the bone.
After walking for about 15 minutes and turning out of the garden, the scenery suddenly opened up, and after walking a few more steps, we arrived at the side gate of the manor.
Class B guards are strong and lead patrols, usually going outside the village.
We need to go to some mountainous areas, woodlands, and fields to assess the situation. The routes were all planned in advance.
After all, the lady's property is not limited to what's in the village.
A cool breeze blew in my face, making me feel refreshed.
Li Xian stretched and looked around. What could be more beautiful than this mountain forest?
Thousands of trees are covered in silver, and the frost and snow are cleared by the sun.
This magnificent scenery stretches for thousands of miles, yet it is already occupied by its inhabitants. Only the cool breeze and the thin sunlight are slightly more generous, showering everyone with their own blessings.
"Uncle Li, should we go to the forest farm first, or the mulberry orchard?" Fu Yongfa asked.
"Let's go to the forest farm first."
There is a forest farm on the west side of the village, and the firewood used for cooking and boiling water in the village all comes from the forest farm.
After walking seven or eight miles, you will see a vast expanse of forest. Today, a southwest wind is blowing, and from a distance, the leaves are being blown down, creating a green ocean.
This is a "perennial tree" that does not lose its leaves in winter; this type of tree grows very quickly.
The village had over a thousand people, and every day they burned an unknown amount of firewood.
Li Xian led the team through the area, checking to see if anyone was stealing firewood.
"Who goes there!"
Fu Yongfa suddenly shouted, and the two guards beside him leaped into a patch of weeds.
A moment later, a beggar was brought out. The guard poked the beggar in the back of the knee with his toe and then pressed down with both hands, forcing the beggar to kneel on the ground.
"Ouch..." the beggar cried out in pain.
"So, you dare to steal firewood? Beat you up!" Fukunaga roared.
"No...no...sir, I was just passing by..." the beggar hurriedly begged for mercy.
The guard wouldn't listen to his explanation and was about to take action when Li Xian said, "This man has no axe on him, so he's not the one who stole firewood. Let him go."
“Uncle Li, this kind of scoundrel, even if he doesn’t steal firewood today, he’ll definitely steal firewood tomorrow.”
"Why not just kill him and bury him? Hehe, since he likes firewood so much, let him become nourishment for the firewood. That will fulfill his wish, and who knows, he might even thank us in the underworld."
Fukunaga offered a fawning suggestion.
The beggar boy shook his head immediately, and cried in fright.
"oh?"
Li Xian was very displeased with this suggestion. Seeing Fu Yongfa's despicable face, his obsequiousness to superiors and his bullying of subordinates, she had no good feelings towards such people.
Thinking about it again, burying and killing beggars was clearly a common practice, and the fact that this forest was so lush might well be due to this reason.
If Li Xianruo goes against the tide, people will naturally dare not disobey, but they will certainly gossip behind his back. It would be better to use this opportunity to establish his authority, instill fear and trepidation in them, thus reducing a lot of trouble.
He immediately swung his hand back and slapped Fukunaga across the face. "Does it hurt?"
Fu Yongfa was stunned. A handprint appeared on his face. He didn't know why Li Xian had hit him, but he dared not be angry or hateful. He was completely unaware of the humiliation and said with a smile, "It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt. It's my honor that Uncle Li could slap me."
Li Xian flicked his hand again. This time, he channeled his inner energy and imbued it with the essence of the Four Directions Fist. Although it was just a light slap, it seemed to come from all directions, making Fu Yongfa tremble all over in fear.
He sensed the approach of death and tried his best to escape. But there was nowhere to hide. With a "bang," Fu Yongfa was slapped to the ground.
Blood was flowing freely from the nose.
"Thank you, Master Li. Thank you, Master Li."
Fu Yongfa covered his face, knelt down and kowtowed, tears streaming down his face. If Li Xian hadn't held back, he would have been slapped to death.
Terrified, this Master Li was so young, yet his martial arts skills were profound. He dared not harbor the slightest disrespect.
"Release them," Li Xian said calmly.
How could the guards dare disobey? They immediately released the beggar.
Li Xian said, "Don't come here again."
"Yes...yes, thank you for your mercy, sir." The beggar ran away frantically.
Such a person wouldn't dare steal firewood; he probably just wanted to steal some fruit. He got lost last night, used the weeds for shelter from the wind, and drifted off to sleep in a daze.
They released the lost beggar and continued patrolling the forest.
Not far away, a group of laborers were chopping firewood. Usually, at times like this, the guards would make a special detour to bask in the envious glances of everyone.
Finding it troublesome, Li Xian glanced at it from afar and left the forest farm directly for the "mulberry garden".
Upon arriving at the mulberry orchard, we were even more amazed.
The lady's family property is too large, including tens of thousands of acres of fertile land, and this mulberry garden also occupies a large area.
Moreover, being nestled among mountains, the area is sheltered from wind and snow, making it surprisingly warm even in the dead of winter.
More than a hundred women were employed to tend the mulberry fields and raise silkworms. The silk they produced was crystal clear and easily torn, clearly indicating that these were not ordinary mulberry trees, nor were these silkworms ordinary insects.
The division of labor in the mulberry orchard was clear: some picked mulberries, while others spun the silk. The mulberry-picking girls were skillful and their movements were light and practiced, causing the patrolling group to slow down.
"What are these silkworm silks usually used for?" Li Xian stopped a mulberry maid and asked curiously.
"Ah! What a young college student! I've never seen you before." The maid's eyes lit up.
Li Xian smiled and said, "I've just been promoted."
The woman replied to the previous question, saying, "I make a lot of things, including clothes and cloth, which have many uses, and I also make ropes."
"Some sell to clothing shops in the market, and some sell to martial arts sects. There are so many, I can't list them all in a short time."
The woman was hired; she did not sell herself.
In terms of status, it is not low.
The more senior mulberry maids in the mulberry grove can even direct the guards.
"The lady's business empire is truly unfathomable."
Li Xian used the patrol as an excuse to broaden his horizons.
I gradually came to understand a truth: a martial artist who has undergone a complete transformation, though possessing incredible power and an unfathomable lifespan, is not an ethereal immortal or god; he is still a person with his feet firmly planted on the red earth!
It needs industrial support to back it up!
Martial artists stand above reality, but are not completely detached from it.
When evaluating a martial artist, one cannot only look at their strength, but also at the resources behind them!
This book is set in a martial arts world, and its worldview will be gradually revealed, making it a slow-burn story.
(End of this chapter)
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