Li Xi handed his sword to the people of the mountain stronghold, and the two were taken to a courtyard inside the stronghold.
"Boss, I had some business to attend to that night and had to go down the mountain first. I'm so sorry I couldn't tell you in person." Li Xi clasped his hands in apology to Song Yuan.
Song Yuan sneered: "I didn't expect you to be so cunning and eloquent at such a young age. I almost fell for your trick."
"Brother Song, please forgive me. I had no choice but to do this. Please forgive me if I have offended you." Li Xi smiled apologetically.
"Then what brings you here today?" Song Yuan asked warily.
"Shall we find a place to have a proper talk?" Li Xi looked around to observe everyone's reactions, only to see Chang Sheng reveal a meaningful smile.
"What should we talk about?" Song Yuan looked at Li Xi with suspicion, his eyes filled with wariness and doubt.
“Brother Song, I know you may have some doubts about me, but I assure you, I just want to talk to you and I have no ill intentions.”
Li Xi looked at Song Yuan and said sincerely.
“Alright, let’s find a place to sit down and talk.” Song Yuan nodded, looked around, found a quiet corner, and gestured for Li Xi to follow him.
The two went to a corner and found a place to sit. Song Yuan looked at Li Xi, waiting for her explanation.
“Brother Song, I know you are a very smart and capable person, and you also have great strength,” Li Xi said. “I think you must have experienced a lot and met many different people over the years.”
Upon hearing this, Song Yuan frowned slightly, as if he were pondering something.
“Brother Song, I know you have many doubts and worries,” Li Xi continued.
"But please believe me, I just want to be your friend. I know this world is complicated, and many people are secretly plotting against others. But please believe me, I will not harm you, nor will I scheme against you."
After hearing this, Song Yuan remained silent for a long time.
He seemed to be thinking about something, then he sighed deeply, "You come and go freely in my village, what brings you here?"
"To be honest, I did initially cooperate with Magistrate Lu, intending to wipe you all out in one fell swoop. But I found something in your study." Li Xi planned to confess truthfully.
"What is that?" Song Yuan's expression changed.
“My father’s books, the books and scrolls you’ve treasured for so many years, are my father’s keepsakes,” Li Xi said honestly.
"What did you say?" Song Yuan looked at Li Xi with a surprised expression.
"I am the daughter of your close friend Li Huaifeng." She no longer intended to keep any secrets.
Song Yuan asked incredulously, "Aren't you a man?"
"There's a reason for this; it's just a disguise." Li Xi said helplessly, but she didn't care much about her clothes or appearance.
"How can you prove it? Maybe you have some ulterior motive?" It seems that Song Yuan still has some reservations about her.
"My name is Li Xi. I was raised by Li Da and his wife. Ten years ago, my family was massacred, and the entire Xuanming Sect was burned to the ground!"
Li Xi recalled the scene in her dream and couldn't help but burst into tears. The once happy family had long since turned to dust.
The tragedy of that year was simply dismissed as revenge by enemies.
"This, this, Heaven has eyes! Brother Li left behind his bloodline." Song Yuan, a burly man nearly 1.9 meters tall, was now in tears.
"It really is you, child. No wonder you always seemed familiar to me before. You look like your father," Song Yuan said with emotion.
“Back then, the Xuanming Sect was wiped out overnight. When I arrived there, it was already a ruin. The government officials had already collected the bodies. Over one hundred and eighty lives were lost… Alas, I buried them on Qingning Mountain, my child…”
His eyes lost their light, replaced by deep sorrow and helplessness.
"Brother Song, please accept my bow." Li Xi knelt on both knees and kowtowed to express his gratitude.
"I have no way to repay your great kindness to the Li family. If anything happens in the future, I will definitely go through fire and water for you." Li Xi was truly moved.
He was tall and imposing, like a mountain peak, giving people an unparalleled sense of security.
"Unfortunately, I haven't found the murderer yet. All I know is that it's a cult. For over a decade, no one has been able to find any trace of them. They are shrouded in mystery. Because of them, many sects in the martial arts world have been brutally murdered." Song Yuan recalled the clues he had secretly found over the years.
"My adoptive parents were most likely killed by them as well. Last year, I was pushed off a cliff by the housekeeper and barely survived."
The two fell silent for a moment; this was their first in-depth conversation.
Their voices were filled with grief, and a somber atmosphere enveloped the room, making even breathing difficult.
"So what do you plan to do next? Uncle Song will listen to you," Song Yuan asked Li Xi.
He wandered around as a child and has no memory of his family.
When he was starving and exhausted, it was Li Huaifeng who saved him. With Li Huaifeng's help, he became very successful in the escort agency.
"Uncle Song, this matter has a huge impact. It's no longer a simple revenge killing. It could have a significant impact on the entire Jingyuan. We need to plan this carefully."
Since she arrived in Jingyuan, she has experienced numerous assassination attempts. This group of people has probably been planning this all along, just waiting for the right moment to expose it.
“Xiao Xi, you’re right. Over the years, I’ve been an outlaw, and people in the martial arts world are terrified of cults. The imperial court has been around for so many years, but they’ve only caught small fry. It seems like things are about to change in Jingyuan.”
The Song and Yuan dynasties were also worried that the most pitiful people were these poor people.
The future of the people of Jiuxiang Mountain is unknown. Changsheng is a like-minded friend he met two years ago, although there is a gap in their ages.
"Uncle Song, there's another matter I've come to discuss with you today. I'd like to talk about the retreat route for the people of Jiuliu Mountain." This was also one of the purposes of Li Xi's visit.
“This is something that has been bothering me all along,” Song Yuan understood.
It's getting harder and harder to rob people on the road these days, and besides, he only targets those unscrupulous merchants who have oppressed them, which is why the bandit gang is losing money.
“I have a business partnership in the capital, a chili pepper workshop. I want you to come with me to the capital. I have a manor in the suburbs where you can be settled. You can work in the workshop or on the land and earn money.”
Li Xi had this plan ever since she learned that Song Yuan was on good terms with her father.
The people of the Hidden Gate discovered that Song Yuan possessed an account book that Magistrate Lu had been searching for.
There must have been some shady deal involved, which is why he took the risk of having someone intercept and kill him.
“That is indeed good, but most of the people in this village are old, weak, sick, or disabled, so it may be difficult for them to travel.” Song Yuan didn’t have much money to settle them down.
"Leave Uncle Song to me. Don't worry about the carriages and horses. Just talk to the people in the village." Li Xi still had several thousand taels of silver on hand.
This was taken from Magistrate Lu; it was taken from the people and used for the people.
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