Evil Monarch Wields Nine Yangs Chapter 4: Drunkard

There is a metalled path in the purple bamboo forest. Walking along the path, you can hear bird chirps and rustles of bamboo leaves in the breeze.

Li Xing is a happy-go-lucky man. After accepting his new ident.i.ty, he walks to the bamboo house at ease while smelling the fragrance of bamboo leaves.

"Greetings, young master." an honest face appears behind the raised bamboo curtain on the second floor of the house. Seeing Li Xing, the man gives him a kind smile.

The man is named Zhang Zhong, a loyal servant to Li Ziran. Since Li Ziran became a drunkard, his status has fallen considerably, but Zhang Zhong still serves and takes care of him and Li Xing for more than ten years.

"Uncle Zhong!" Li Xing grins. His gracious smile surprises Zhang Zhong. But Zhang immediately smiles back joyfully, thinking, "The young master seems to be in a good mood and have gotten over those bad things."

The former owner of this body always looked glum. With his eyebrows knitted in worry every day, he never had such a carefree smile. Zhang Zhong does not know the one standing before him is no longer what Li Xing used to be.

Zhang Zhong feels so happy for him that he can't help smiling, and he says, "Young master, go buy some rice and noodles, so we can eat together later." He goes downstairs, putting a bunch of coins in the hand of Li Xing.

Seeing the money, Li Xing cannot help giving a bitter smile in mind.

This bamboo forest and surrounding buildings all belong to Purple Bamboo Community built by Li Ziran. The Community is located in a remote corner of Three Chivalries Garden.

People residing in the Community live a hard life. Since Li Ziran became a drunkard, the Community has lost its previous glory, even normal food supply to the Li Family has been cut off. The daily expenses of Li Xing and Li Ziran are paid by Zhang Zhong, who is very frugal and occasionally has to p.a.w.n something for money.

Year after year, the valuables of the family have almost been sold out. Their situation gets even harder. What's worse, the Li Family no longer has any expectation on this drunkard Li Ziran and his useless son, Li Xing.

Li Xing takes over the money and smiles, "Ok, Uncle Zhong, I'll go right away." He turns and walks away from Purple Bamboo Forest. It takes him more than half an hour to pa.s.s countless pavilions, terraces and open halls, small bridges over the flowing stream, artificial hills and lakes, and finally get out of Three Chivalries Garden.

"How wealthy the Garden is! These architectures are more extravagant than the ancient imperial palace in my previous life!" Li Xing sighs with emotion. He lived a normal life as a n.o.body in the previous life, and never saw such a scene.

After walking a while, he enters a thriving and busy street which is lined with stores and bustling with pedestrians, packmen, merchants and friars.

This place is located in Qingyun City which belongs to Ping State.

Ping State, an area of 8000 square lis (T/N: The li is a traditional Chinese unit of distance, has varied considerably over time and now has a standardized length of a half-kilometer.) is only a small country in Tianyuan Isle. In Ping State, thirty-six feudal kings set up separate regimes, sitting as equals at the same table with the King of Ping State.

Qingyun City has a population of three million. It is only a medium sized city with relatively prosperous economy in Ping State.

In Qingyun City, Three Chivalries Garden's power is only inferior to Castellan.

Looking in the distance, Li Xing finds houses in the Garden richly ornamented, splendid and grand. He cannot help taking several glimpses at the Garden, feeling both strange and familiar.

While walking and enjoying the sight of Qingyun City, Li Xing is knocked down by a powerful force. He sensed the attack at that moment but failed to avoid it. Then, licentious laughs arise, "Whoa, isn't this young master Li Xing?  Are you coming to buy some rice again?" A shrilling voice pierces into Li Xing's ears like a needle. 

Li Xing slowly stands up, looking in the eyes of the speaker.