From outside came several people.
The leader seemed to be at his twenties, who, with a face as white as a jem, and dashing eyebrows, was bright-eyed and slender and had good features. He was really handsome. Wearing a light suit of armor and carrying a long sword on his waist, he was engulfed by a heroic spirit. However, on his face was full of anger. He glared at Li Mu when coming in.
Apparently, it was the young man who spoke just now.
Behind him were four to five people, all about at their twenties. Though wearing strange clothes, they seemed quite noble, who were obviously from rich families at first sight. They are definitely masters of martial art since their breath was deep.
Seeing they step in, “Heartless Scholar” Zheng Cunjian retreated a bit towards the corner, lowered his head, and kept silent as if he was integrated into the corner darkness.
These young people who came in ignored this servant-like man.
Li Mu held his mother to sit on the broken wooden chair. When she asked Grassy to serve Li Mu, he turned around and asked after a glance, “Who are you?”
“Bastard. You should speak out such impolite words and be disrespectful to your senior people,” the handsome young man roared, “Don’t you kneel down yet to apologize?”
Li Mu felt ridiculous, replying, “What fucking are you? Are you abnormal?”
In fact, he had already guessed out his identity.
This man should be the oldest son of the brute magistrate of a prefecture, who was the son born by brute’ s first wife before that brute magistrate took off.
It seemed that the matter of this night had something to do with the oldest Young Master of Li Family.
“At such a young age, you should be quite disrespectful. Brother Li is your half-blooded elder brother. Come to greet him,” another young man in costly dress shouted.
Li Mu jeered, “Since I only have mother, why is there the half-blooded elder brother?”
“Bastard. You dared to speak out such impolite words. You are totally heartless,” that young man bellowed, “I even spent time to persuade father to give you a chance, but you surprisingly and stubbornly refused. I think that it is time for you to quit your post, county magistrate.”
On the other hand, Li Mu’s mother, who heard this, already knew who it was, and quickly stood up trembling and said, “It turned out that Mr. Xiong came here. Mu Er has just returned today and still doesn’t know your identity. You don’t need to dispute with him…” As she said, she attended to bent down for apology.
Li Xiong snorted.
Li Mu held his mother immediately, saying, “Mom, it is no need bending to this contemptible scoundrel…He’s just the officialling, of no importance. I can use one hand to defeat him. Mom, you should be a bit confident of your son.”
“Hah hah hah… it’s really funny,” another young people laughed after hearing this, “he is actually a vulgar man, who should speak out such exaggerating words. Don’t anyone know the fame of Young Master in Chang’an? You are just a humble county magistrate, but you even are so arrogant. With a limited look, you really have an exaggerated opinion of your ability.”
Li Mu snorted and didn’t want to waste time to talk nonsense with the officiallings and the rich second generation who felt good about themselves.
He directly erected three fingers, saying, “Thirty times of breath.”
“What do you mean?” the young man was shocked.
Li Mu replied, “Within thirty breaths, you fools take time to stand outside the wall and don’t pollute the air in the yard. Don’t challenge my patience limit again and again, otherwise…”
“Otherwise what?” a young man in embroidered dress sneered.
Li Mu moved his body as if he flashed like a ghost.
“Ah…”
Before everyone reacted, they all felt dazzling and then screamed.
The young man who just now spoke was thrown out like a ragged jute bag. With a crash, he fell down outside the wall, making dust rise, and struggled to stand up after a long period.
“Otherwise… that’s it,” Li Mu stood at the same place as if he hadn’t moved.
At this time, the handsome young man, Li Xiong, and several other young partners looked at each other and gasped.
They, priding themselves on being out of the ordinary, considered themselves the most outstanding among the young martial generation of Chang’an. They were quite arrogant in Chang’an, so the major sects and factions all tried to keep a good distance from them. Even many famous masters were very polite to them, but at the flashing moment, no one of them saw clearly how Li Mu did.
“Now, I think you all understand… When you go out, help me close the gate of the courtyard from outside. Thank you,” Li Mu said with a smile.
This smile, in the eyes of young people like Li Xiong, was a bit scary and showed a strong provocation.
Li Xiong inhaled deeply.
The expression on his face changed slightly, but the tone was completely changed. He turned his image into that of a brother with admonishing words and kind feelings, and said, “Li Mu, don’t make trouble. Father already knows that you have come to Chang’an mansion, and he, over these years, still has an expectation to you. The mistakes you made in the past can be forgiven by father. Go with me to the mansion to meet father.”
Li Mu sighed. “How can you not understand human words? There are 20 breaths left.”
“You are fucking bothering me. Only fools waste time to talk to you.”
“Father can forgive you for doing the naive things at your young age. As long as you go back with me, and admit your mistakes to father, it’s easy to solve any problem. After all, connected by boold, father will not be too harsh,” Li Xiong said with some traces of smiles, “I heard that you made serious troubles inTaibai Count, and even privately killed Deputy county magistrate and Dianshi janitor of Taibai County. Even though committing such a serious crime, you are forgiven by father without any dispute. Otherwise, your title, county magistrate, might end, so you shouldn’t be ungrateful.”
Li Mu was almost speechless.
“Are you stupid?” He retorted directly back and said, “Do I need his forgiveness? Who is he? You tell him to be a good magistrate of the prefecture, and not to come to bother me. Otherwise, his title, magistrate of prefecture will also end.”
“Arrogant.” the young man who had been blaming Li Mu before, bellowed, “So arrogant. Are you Li Mu, right? Oldest Young Master is your half brother, whose status and identity are so noble, and advises you in such a gentle manner. He does all for you, but you, with wild nature, even speak such impolite words. You…”
Clap!
A slap interrupted his words.
“Ah…”
This young man, like the former companion, flew out of the small courtyard and fell down outside the wall, and no one knew whether he survived.
“There are fifteen breaths left,” Li Mu said calmly as he retracted his palm.
“There is no way to talk to this group of the officiallings who consider themselves superior to others. It might as well take act directly, which should be effective.”
“Can you… can you stop troubling me?” Li Xiong bore him for a second time, saying, “Even though you don’t consider for yourself, can you be considerate of your mother? Since father purposely gave a chance to turn over a new leaf, you could continue to be county magistrate. If you displease father, you will have nothing instantly, and then you have to live life as a fugitive. Do you want your mom to wait for you for another suffering eight years? Till then, she might have been blind for tears. How long can she live?”
Li Mu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as he listened to him, so he simply ignored the man.
Beside Li Mu, Li Mu’s mother dragged his sleeves, as if she wanted to say something. The servant girl, Grassy, on another side, also looked at Li Mu worriedly.
In the eyes of these two women, although Li Xiong’s words were shameless, they were indeed the fact. If provoking Li Gang, magistrate of a prefecture, Li Mu must struggle to be county magistrate. At that time, all would be lost instantly. Under the heave, one had to lower his head. Young people shouldn’t act on impulse without due consideration. However, they didn’t try to persuade Li Mu, because they knew the temper of ‘Li Mu’. He once dared to leave home after slapped three times, which showed his stubbornness. At this moment, their advice might stimulate Li Mu’s self-esteem that he returned home after getting home and money.
“Do not worry, I have an idea in my mind,” Li Mu said to the two women.
After that, he turned back and said to Li Xiong and others, “There are five breaths left.”
“Don’t… don’t be obsessed with that,” Li Xiong replied with his face changed.
The other young people were also angry. They weren’t treated like this previously. As a humble county magistrate, did he really think of himself as an important figure? Here was Chang’an, not Taibai County.
“He doesn’t appreciate our kindness.”
“He acts on impulse… Hah hah… and works his own ruin.”
“Bro Li, Let’s go. A man without ambition is not worth to be taught. You don’t need to think of him so kindly. Just let him wait to suffer the anger of your honor, magistrate of a prefecture.”
These young people said angrily.
What the last person said was actually giving everyone an out.
They had been frightened by the ghostly martial art of Li Mu. Even though they came in a threatening manner, they found that they couldn’t defeat Li Mu at all. Thus, they dared not to really turn hostile and could use this way to leave, not admitting that they were actually scared by Li Mu.
Li Xiong’s complexion changed again. Finally, he sighed and said, “Alas, Li Mu, I say these words for your benefit. Unfortunately, you are stubborn. You are young and doesn’t know good from bad, but I don’t blame you. Think about it yourself. Don’t get off on the wrong foot, or you may regret for a lifetime.”
After finishing, he glanced at Li Mu’s mother and said, “As a mother with old age, although you are blind, you shouldn’t be muddled and be smarter than children. You should try to persuade him not to do things that surpass his own strength, if you have time.”
Li Mu’s mother knew these words were for her, so she quickly stood up again and nodded, trying to make up for something for Li Mu.
However, Li Xiong completely ignored the old woman’s smile with apology and humility.
He bit his teeth and turned to his companion, saying, “I think, I have done my best… Let’s go.”
After that, these people were about to leave.
Li Mu patted and smiled as he said, “Wait a minute.”
Li Xiong felt pleased, turned around, looked at Li Mu, and faintly said, “Why? Do you figure it out? Do you know that you are wrong? Well, to err is human. As long as you are willing to admit mistakes, I can give you a chance…”
Li Mu directly interrupted his words and pinched his fist, replying, “Don’t misunderstand, I just want to remind you that I feel sorry for the end of the 30 breaths. But your time – is- out -!”