"Brother Yan."
Yan Shouyi had only walked a few steps with Li Genmiao when Long Feicheng called out to him worriedly.
Yan Shouyi nodded, signaling Long Feicheng to relax. Long Feicheng then shouted at Li Genmiao, "You opera singer, if you dare to do anything to our Brother Yan, I'll burn this dump of a village to the ground!"
"Arson isn't a light offense!" Li Genmiao said with a faint smile. "If I wanted to kill you, why would I wait until now?"
Long Feicheng relented, watching the two leave.
The two arrived at another courtyard. The courtyard was simply furnished and very basic.
Li Genmiao introduced, "This is my ancestral home."
"Ancestral home?"
Yan Shouyi was surprised. Li Genmiao's mother, Zhang Suqing, was from the south, and his father, Li Zhongxi, was a native of Chang'an. He had no connection to the north.
How could there be an ancestral home?
"If you count it, this should be our first meeting alone. You must have many questions," Li Genmiao said, gesturing towards a chair. "Sit down, I'll go warm some wine, and we can talk as we drink."
As Li Genmiao had said, if he wanted to kill people, he would have done so long ago.
Therefore, Yan Shouyi felt there was no need to be on guard and sat down openly. Li Genmiao brought out some charcoal, yellow wine, and snacks like red dates and walnuts from the house. He started a fire in a stove in the courtyard and then quietly warmed the wine.
Through the courtyard wall and fence, Yan Shouyi heard Yang Ge playing and laughing with his daughter, the father and daughter seemingly having a snowball fight. Da Feng Novel Network.
Li Genmiao also heard it, so he used it as an opportunity to start the conversation:
"Actually, this village was abandoned many years ago. Later, I returned and, with the homeless followers of folk cults, rebuilt this village, naming it Taoyuan Village, symbolizing a paradise. It is also my ideal state."
"I wouldn't have thought you had such a side... What is your purpose in rebuilding the village?"
Yan Shouyi didn't want to be so aggressive, but based on his understanding of Li Genmiao, it was hard not to suspect Li Genmiao's motives.
Li Genmiao was not angry. He spread his hands and said, "What purpose could I have? You've seen how the villagers look at me, and Zhi Gui and his daughter. Although I have a notorious reputation outside, everything I do is for all the followers of folk cults in the world, to bring joy to all the impoverished scholars. Have you heard of it? All the villagers came here voluntarily."
He smiled and added, "Speaking of which, what we do is the same. Your folklore research society and my Taoyuan Village, your ideals and my ideals... This is also one of the reasons I chose you as my successor."
"Unlucky."
Yan Shouyi expressed his disdain without hesitation.
"Hahahaha!"
Li Genmiao was amused and asked curiously, "Hasn't your inner demon been sealed in the Maha Tower? Why are you still so aggressive when you speak?"
Yan Shouyi sighed. Li Genmiao's information was too well-informed.
It seemed that Hanshan Temple also had Li Genmiao's informants.
Admittedly, Li Genmiao's methods of manipulating people were too brilliant. Yan Shouyi admitted he couldn't see through his depth of planning.
However, there were some things Yan Shouyi could see through.
He said faintly, "The so-called Taoyuan Village, and the ideal state you imagine, are merely illusions you have created. Those villagers are not here willingly."
"Oh? What makes you say that?" Li Genmiao asked with great interest, pouring Yan Shouyi a cup of warm wine.
Yan Shouyi took a sip of the warm wine and said,
"Since Brother Yang's daughter has recovered from her illness, why don't you send her back to her hometown to study, instead of keeping her in this cold mountain village?"
Li Genmiao was undoubtedly using Yang Ge's daughter to control Yang Ge, making Yang Ge willing to sell his life for him.
Li Genmiao grinned and inhaled, slapping his thigh, acknowledging Yan Shouyi's words.
"One must use different methods for different people," he said, as if defending himself. "Throughout history, benevolent and righteous individuals have mostly met bad ends. Only those like me, who understand how to use people's hearts, can survive to the end."
"You really want to be recorded in history," Yan Shouyi sneered.
Li Genmiao held up a finger and shook it back and forth in front of Yan Shouyi: "You are wrong about this. I am not doing this for historical fame, but for the long-term survival of folk cults. For this, I can sacrifice everything, including my life."
"Don't frame your unscrupulous methods so nobly. Why haven't I seen you sacrifice your life? Oh... you sacrifice other people's lives." Yan Shouyi taunted.
Li Genmiao sighed, seemingly deciding to give up on convincing Yan Shouyi to understand him.
He took a sip of yellow wine and said leisurely, "Although we have many disagreements, you are, after all, Yan Chou's son. This is unavoidable, and I can understand it. Do you know why I chose you as my successor?"
Yan Shouyi remained silent.
Li Genmiao's self-asked and self-answered question truly surprised Yan Shouyi slightly: "Apart from a more important reason, I thought that if my endeavor failed, it would prove that my methods were not feasible. But the members of the New Xuan Mountain Sect cannot perish with me, so I want to entrust them to you. Then you can use your way to lead them to achieve our common ideals."
This answer truly surprised Yan Shouyi.
But after calming down, he only found it laughable. Li Genmiao had done countless heinous deeds with these people.
Although they were all followers of folk cults, their methods of conduct had completely divided them into two categories.
Otherwise, Uncle Zou, the Old Heavenly Master, Sect Leader Lü Jing... wouldn't they all have died in vain?
"I can see you have little interest in this matter. Then let's move on to the next topic."
Li Genmiao picked up his wine cup, wanting to clink glasses with Yan Shouyi, but Yan Shouyi remained unmoved. Li Genmiao could only say, "Do you want to hear about your mother?"
A few seconds later, Yan Shouyi picked up his wine cup, reluctantly clinking glasses with Li Genmiao.
Li Genmiao smiled and drained his yellow wine, as a gesture of sincerity.
After drinking, Yan Shouyi inverted his wine cup, wanting to talk quietly next and not drink any more.
Li Genmiao didn't mind, pouring himself more wine. At the same time, it began to snow lightly.
Snowflakes fluttered, falling into the warm wine cup and melting instantly.
Li Genmiao's expression was somewhat different from usual, as if he were talking about a deceased friend:
"Do you know your mother's name?"
"How could I not know?" Yan Shouyi snorted coldly, answering in his heart: My mother's name is Jiang Qingxue.
He had chanted this name in his mind for over twenty years. On every lonely and helpless night, his mother would come to him in his dreams, comforting him and giving him the courage to overcome difficulties.
Unfortunately, Yan Shouyi had never met his mother.