A life of two souls traveling through time

Chapter 508 Xue Gen's Confused Revenge

Just after the beginning of the first month of the year, we hear the sudden thunder of spring, snakes and insects come out, grass and trees blossom, orioles sing loudly, and the branches of trees are full of white plum blossoms.

As dusk approached, dark clouds covered the sky over Qile City again. Li Yunye walked out of the study and looked up at the dark sky. He couldn't help but frowned and said to himself worriedly, "I'm afraid it's going to rain again. I wonder when Brother Mu Liang will come back?"

Ever since they were sternly admonished by Madam Li at the beginning of winter last year, the two brothers felt like a thorn in their hearts. They used to be inseparable and had been teased by the servants in the mansion and Old Zhou for a long time, but they just treated it as a joke and ignored it. Until Madam Li exposed the truth, they could no longer deceive themselves.

From then on, Mu Liang changed his usual behavior and kept a distance from Li Yunye in public or in private. After the New Year, he would find excuses to go out early and come back late every now and then, so he was rarely seen in Li's house. His sworn brother deliberately distanced himself from her, and although Jiang Siyao felt aggrieved, she understood his difficulties.

But her independent consciousness is Jiang Siyao after all, not Li Yunye. Just because she has to drag this body, can she only be friendly with brother Mu Liang in this life? Even if she is unwilling, what can she do? In this world, except Siyao who is far away in Xiyue Country, who will believe in the existence of Jiang Siyao? Even if brother Mu Liang hears her tell the truth, he will probably think that his brother has encountered evil spirits. So after struggling for a while, Jiang Siyao simply thought it over. Instead of stirring up a mess that is difficult to clean up, it is better to live peacefully day by day. As long as brother Mu Liang is still by her side, she will be satisfied.

"Young Master, Young Master Mu Liang went to the farm with the housekeeper. If he hasn't come back by this hour, he may have to stay there overnight." An Yun, who was following behind, immediately replied.

"Gone to the farm? Didn't you say you were going to the dyeing workshop this morning?" Li Yunye turned back in surprise, with a hint of annoyance in his eyes. Did they have to be so unfamiliar with each other?

"Young Master Mu Liang went to the dyeing workshop this morning, and went to the farm with the housekeeper in the afternoon. But seeing that Young Master was still taking a lunch break, Young Master Mu Liang did not go upstairs to disturb him. I...I forgot about it when I saw that Young Master did not ask about it later." An Yun saw that Young Master was unhappy and lowered his head, blaming himself.

Even with An Yun's explanation, Jiang Siyao still felt bitter in her heart. She said nothing more, just sighed softly and left.

"Young Master!" As soon as Li Yunye walked out of the hall, he saw Madam Li's personal maid, Sister Lan, coming towards him.

"Aunt Lan, what are you doing here? What does mother want me to say?" Li Yunye put away the melancholy in his heart and forced a smile at Aunt Lan.

"It's nothing. Madam noticed that you have lost a lot of weight recently, so she specially cooked some nourishing medicine for you. As it was getting dark, Madam asked me to come and see if you have finished your work." Sister Lan also smiled at Li Yunye.

"I'm sorry to have caused my mother to worry." Li Yunye said lightly and went to the plum garden with Sister Lan.

"Master Muliang, looking at the sky, I'm afraid it's going to rain heavily again. We need to find a place to shelter from the rain first." Halfway between the farm and Qile City, a Li family carriage was traveling in a hurry. Ange glanced at the sky that was suddenly darkening and said worriedly.

"If I remember correctly, there are a few houses ahead. You might as well stop there." Without thinking, Mu Liang raised his voice and instructed Dashi who was driving outside.

"Okay, Master Muliang!" Dashi responded immediately.

"Shut up!"

However, the carriage suddenly stopped before it reached the resting place. Dashi frantically pulled the reins and was stunned for a moment, then he rushed to a short and thin man holding an iron rod in front of the carriage and bowed and said with a smile: "I wonder why this hero is blocking our way?"

"What's going on?" The sudden stop of the carriage alarmed the people in the carriage. Ange was the first to lean out, but as soon as he asked, he was shocked to see the person blocking the way.

"Long time no see, Li family steward?" The man sneered as he put the iron rod on his shoulder when he saw Ange.

"Yanjiapo, Xue Gen." Although Mu Liang was still in the carriage, he could immediately recognize the person by the voice.

"It turns out to be the second leader Xue from Yanjiaopo. How are you?" Ange reacted and quickly jumped off the carriage and bowed to the other party with a smile.

"Hmph, how are you? Stop pretending! Do you dare to swear to heaven that you don't know what happened to Yanjiapo today?" Ran Ange's polite treatment seemed extremely hypocritical to Xue Gen. He had a furious face and his eyes were burning with hatred.

"What does Master Xue mean? Didn't Yanjiaopo surrender to the imperial court long ago? Why are they coming to our Li family out of the blue?" Mu Liang had also gotten off the carriage and came to Ange, asking.

"For no reason? You really don't know what happened to me, Yanjiapo, after I surrendered to the imperial court?" Xue Gen became even more furious when he saw Mu Liang. He clenched the iron rod in his hand tightly and said with gritted teeth.

"Our Li family really has no idea what happened to Yanjiaopo. Second Master Xue, please don't be impulsive. There must be a misunderstanding!" Seeing that Xue Gen looked like he wanted to kill someone, Mu Liang immediately softened his tone and comforted him.

Rumor has it that when Yanjiaopo surrendered to the imperial court, it became a vanguard for the imperial court to suppress bandits everywhere. By the time the bandit problem was completely eliminated, most of the people in Yanjiaopo were killed or injured, but the imperial court kept its promise and rewarded them according to their merits. Mu Liang didn't know what happened afterwards, but looking at Xue Gen's appearance, he guessed that Yanjiaopo would not have a good ending.

"Let me ask you, when you went to Yanjiapo to redeem people, why did the government come to offer amnesty right after you left? Do you dare to say that the famous Li from Jiangnan has nothing to do with the court's conspiracy to offer amnesty?" Xue Gen continued to question angrily. His hundreds of brothers from Yanjiapo died, were injured, or scattered after working for the court. The last ones who stayed were deceived by the corrupt officials to the Beigu camp under the pretext of rewarding them for their merits. The eldest brother Yan Song refused to resist but was poisoned. Fortunately, Xue Gen was on guard against the court from the bottom of his heart and escaped early.

Upon learning the news of his elder brother's death, Xue Gen was heartbroken, but he knew that he was too weak to avenge his brother from the court. However, he would never let the famous Li from Jiangnan go.

"Second Master Xue thinks too highly of the famous Li family from Jiangnan. My Li family is just a small merchant family in Jiangnan. How could we be favored by the imperial court?" Mu Liang was at a loss whether to laugh or cry when he heard this. Although the imperial court offered amnesty and the famous Li family from Jiangnan did provide financial support, it was ultimately a helpless act forced by the powerful. As for the conspiracy behind it, how could the Li family know?

"I know that you unscrupulous businessmen are all good at talking, so go to hell and talk enough!" However, Xue Gen had long hated the famous Li from Jiangnan because of the previous redemption incident. He was also stubborn and self-willed, so he sneered at Mu Liang's explanation. Thinking of the brothers who died tragically in Yanjiaopo, the fire of hatred burned away his reason. After cursing, he swung the iron rod in his hand and hit Mu Liang and Ange.

At the same time, a flash of lightning suddenly appeared in the sky, followed by a loud bang and heavy rain pouring down.