Early the next morning, Qin Li woke up and pushed open the door to find the sky overcast with dark clouds. The air was damp, carrying the faint, earthy fragrance that precedes rain. Zichen Garden was exceptionally quiet. The eastern district was Yellow Sand City's wealthy quarter, and the area around Zichen Garden, in particular, was a place only the super-rich could afford to live.
Qin Li took a deep breath. Today, he would bid farewell to this place, and he probably wouldn't be coming back. It wasn't that Qin Li disliked enjoying life; he just preferred to build it with his own two hands!
Qin Hanyue's door was gently pushed open. She stepped out, and upon seeing Qin Li, she was momentarily startled before smiling and asking, "Up so early today?"
Qin Li looked at the dark circles under his mother's eyes, knowing she hadn't slept well all night. He smiled and said, "Mother, don't worry. Before long, I'll give you a garden ten times larger and ten times more beautiful than this one!"
Qin Hanyue subconsciously thought Qin Li was referring to the dowry from the Shangguan Family, and her heart ached. She slowly shook her head and said, "Son, as long as you're happy, that's all that matters. Don't make things too hard on yourself!"
Qin Li knew his mother had misunderstood him, but he didn't bother to explain. For a man, actions spoke louder than words.
Just then, Qin Xue came over, her eyes still heavy with sleep. She paused for a moment upon seeing Qin Li and his mother standing in the courtyard, then said with some embarrassment, "I woke up late. I'll go make breakfast right now..."
"Qin Xue." Qin Li stopped her. Seeing the hint of confusion on her delicate face, he smiled. "So, the thing is... today, my mother and I are moving out of Zichen Garden..."
"I know," Qin Xue said, looking at Qin Li. 'I don't understand why the Young Master is telling me this so early in the morning.'
"Yes. The place we're moving to... it will be very poor. Just like... just like the house we lived in before," Qin Li said awkwardly. "Qin Xue, you're a good person, but my mother and I don't want to hold you back, so..." 'In his heart, aside from his mother, Qin Hanyue, Qin Xue was probably the only person in the entire Qin Family whom he truly respected. Even though she was raised by the Qin Family, the girl was kind and sensible. A good girl!'
"Young Master, what... what do you mean by that?"
The rims of Qin Xue's eyes instantly reddened. "Is it because I haven't done something well enough? Or do you think I'll be a burden? I can do many things, I can support myself! Please let me go with you... okay?"
Qin Li was stunned. He had seen countless materialistic girls. In his previous life, there had even been a popular saying: "I'd rather cry in a BMW than laugh on the back of a bicycle!"
That saying was widely circulated and treated as a profound truth by countless people. 'Although I don't quite agree with it, there's not much to say,' Qin Li thought. 'Everyone has the right to pursue a better life. Even if they're wrong, others have no right to interfere.'
But he had never met someone like Qin Xue, who would give up a comfortable life to willingly endure hardship and poverty.
The corner of Qin Li's mouth twitched. He held out his hand and waved it in front of Qin Xue's face, then asked, "Are you sure you're not sleep-talking?"
Amused by her son's antics, Qin Hanyue let out a chuckle.
Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Qin Xue looked at Qin Li and said softly, "Of course I'm not sleep-talking!"
Her voice grew somber as she continued, "From a very young age, I knew my fate. I would either be sent to another family—if I was lucky, I might become a concubine, though it would be my misfortune to end up with a jealous wife. If I was unlucky, I might even be sent to a brothel to gather information for the family. No matter what, I would have no freedom. To be honest, when the Patriarch first said he was giving me to you, Young Master, I was heartbroken and felt my life was hopeless. But then I discovered that you are a true man—responsible and filial. It is my good fortune to have found such a master. So, whether it means hardship or suffering, I am willing to follow you and the Madam. Wherever you go, I will go."
Qin Li scratched his head at Qin Xue's praise. 'How come I never noticed I had so many virtues?' he thought.
At that moment, Qin Hanyue took Qin Xue's hand and said gently, "Qin Xue, since you don't mind following a widow and her orphan son, I promise I will never treat you unfairly. Sooner or later, you will be proud of the choice you made today."
...
"What? That little bastard and his mother moved out?" Disbelief was written all over Qin Feng's face before he burst into laughter. Gritting his teeth, he snarled, "Good! Very good! That little mongrel... It's like he was afraid I wouldn't get a chance to kill him, so he delivered himself right to my doorstep! This is perfect!"
Looking at his brother, who was lying in bed like a madman, Qin Hu sighed and shook his head. "Kill him? How? You won't get a chance to deal with him anytime soon. At least, not here in Yellow Sand City. Grandfather would never let you touch a single hair on his head!"
"Hmph, I know that," Qin Feng retorted. "But I refuse to believe that brat will hide in Yellow Sand City for the rest of his life! The moment he dares to take a single step outside the city, I'll make sure he never returns!"
A wave of heat washed over Qin Hu as he thought of Qin Xue's beautiful face and perfect figure. He added, "Yeah, we'll kill that little bastard. If it weren't for him, Grandfather would never have sent Qin Xue away!"
Many of the younger generation in the Qin Family knew about Qin Hu's feelings for Qin Xue. They had all grown up together, training in the Qin Family's Cultivation Techniques and studying various subjects. The Qin Family was more than willing to invest heavily in these specially groomed talents. The purpose of having people like Qin Xue study alongside the legitimate sons was to instill in them a strong sense of family honor, ensuring they would serve the clan with unwavering loyalty.
Qin Feng's injuries weren't particularly severe. He would recover after a period of rest, with no lasting damage. However, the hatred he harbored for Qin Li was intense enough to set the sky over half of Yellow Sand City ablaze!
Lying in bed, the two Qin brothers began plotting their revenge on Qin Li.
Meanwhile, Qin Li, his mother, and Qin Xue had rented two horse-drawn carriages. They loaded up all of their belongings—which weren't many to begin with. Most of the cargo consisted of books. For Qin Hanyue, next to her son, these books were probably the most important things she owned.
Before they departed, Qin Ze, one of Qin Hongyuan's attendants, made an unexpected visit to Zichen Garden. He pulled two books from within his robes, handed them to Qin Li, and said expressionlessly, "The Patriarch asked me to give these to you."
A little puzzled, Qin Li took them. Both books looked quite old. On the cover of one was written 'One-element Heart Method.' Below that, two small, somewhat blurry words were written. Qin Li had to look closely to make out that they read: 'High Level.' The other book had three words written on it: 'Blade Palm Technique.' Below that, the same two words, 'High Level,' were also noted.
Standing beside Qin Li, Qin Xue gasped. "These are the Qin Family's highest-level Primordial Power and Combat Techniques! The Patriarch, he..."
Qin Li glanced at Qin Ze, noticing a flicker of disdain deep in the man's eyes. With a calm smile, he handed the books back. "Please thank the Patriarch for me," he said. "However, I cannot accept a reward I have not earned. While I do wish to cultivate Combat Techniques, I will obtain them on my own!"
A flash of surprise crossed Qin Ze's eyes. For the first time, he said more than a few words. "I understand. I will relay your message to the Patriarch!"
Watching Qin Ze's retreating back, Qin Xue said complainingly, "Young Master, those are treasures! Why didn't you take them? You deserved them!"
Qin Li looked at Qin Xue with a cryptic smile. "It seems you learned these techniques as well, didn't you? If I were to ask, would you teach me?"
"Huh?" Qin Xue stared at Qin Li, dumbfounded. Her naively baffled expression was rather adorable.
Qin Li's smile vanished. "I will not learn any of the Qin Family's Cultivation Techniques," he said calmly. "I believe that out of the thousands of techniques in this world, there will be one that is right for me."
Qin Xue nodded silently. Although she didn't fully understand why Qin Li had once again refused the Qin Family's gesture of goodwill, she was certain of one thing: 'The choice I made after so much thought was not the wrong one.'