Three hours later.
Qin Wang returned to his home located twenty zhang behind the eastern end of Qingniu Market.
The home consisted of two dilapidated mud-walled thatched cottages. Through the cracks in the walls, one could see the worn-out bedding inside. To the left of the door was a pair of old bamboo baskets, and to the right leaned a wooden-handled hoe.
He took out a key and opened the door.
Inside, the walls had gaps that let the wind through, and the ground was uneven, though it was swept clean.
Against the wall stood an old wooden table with a missing corner, propped up by several bricks to stay balanced, with two brick 'stools' beside it.
A few bricks held up an iron pot, forming a makeshift stove.
Such a stove filled the house with smoke while cooking, making the eyes water, but there was no other choice.
Originally, Qin Wang's family had three large tile-roofed houses on Qingniu Market Street, but they had been used to settle debts incurred by his father Qin Sanhuai's medical expenses, calculated by Li Laocai.
"Tonight, I'll cook fish soup to nourish myself."
Qin Wang touched his chest, thin as a washboard, and placed the carp given by Li Yunhai into the pot, lighting a fire to start cooking.
There was only coarse salt, no other seasonings.
Although he had just picked up 18 taels of silver from Li Laocai, combined with the 3 taels he had earned using the intelligence system over the past ten days, making a total of 21 taels, he could only spend it secretly.
If a weak young man like him spent money freely without working, it would undoubtedly attract the attention of Li Laocai and others with ill intentions.
Qin Wang tasted the boiling fish soup with a spatula. It was still bland, but there was nothing he could do about it. His body, due to long-term hunger, was too thin, the kind that made him pale with just a little exertion.
He needed to nourish himself more and build up his strength.
With a healthy body, everything else would follow.
After eating, Qin Wang felt warm all over.
He lay on the bed against the wall, wrapped tightly in a quilt, planning in his mind, "I have enough for the martial arts school's entrance fee. Tomorrow, I must go to the village head's house to ask him to help get a stamp for a travel pass."
To live better in this dog-eat-dog world, one must become stronger.
In the Great Cang Kingdom, the household registration system was strict. Ordinary people needed a travel pass to leave their village and go to the county town, or they would be caught as vagrants by the soldiers.
As for the excuse to get a stamped pass to the county town, he had already thought of it. His sister, Qin Xuemei, worked for one of the four major families, the Chen family, in the county town. He could say he was going to visit his sister.
Time passed.
Suddenly, Qin Wang heard a prompt in his mind.
[Today's Intelligence has been updated!]
[Today's Intelligence]
[1: Yesterday, you buried rusty nails to harm Qingniu Market's landlord (Li Chunli), Li Laocai, and obtained related information. Li Laocai will develop tetanus in five days and die in ten days after suffering greatly.]
[2: Yesterday, you passed by Sister Zhen's bun shop and obtained related information. To boost business, Liu Zhen has introduced a 'buy ten get one free' promotion.]
[3: Yesterday, you met Li Laocai and obtained related information. Today, Granny Yan will visit him in the morning and, under the guise of offering you a job in the county, sell you to a rich man's brothel as a boy toy to make money.]
[4: Yesterday, you met Li Laocai and obtained related information. Eight hundred and fifty taels of silver ingots are buried under the floor of Li Laocai's bedroom.]
[5: Yesterday, you visited your father Qin Sanhuai's grave and obtained related information. Qin Sanhuai hated the River God and despised worshipping him.]
[6: Yesterday, you passed by Qingniu Market's fish stall and obtained related information. The Black River's water level will rise significantly.]
[7: Yesterday, you passed by Qingniu Market's Baicao Hall and obtained related information. The doctor at Baicao Hall, Bai Langzhong, lamented his lack of strength and is looking for an apprentice to pass on his skills.]
[8: Yesterday, you met Li Laocai's guard, Li Ligang, and obtained related information. Li Laocai's beloved youngest son is actually Li Ligang's child.]
[9: Yesterday, you met Li Laocai and obtained related information. Li Laocai's son, Li Tianyi, found martial arts practice too hard and secretly went to the bamboo forest in the back mountain yesterday afternoon, where he lost the handwritten copy of Taizu Long Fist near a millstone-sized rock. Li Tianyi is now figuring out how to explain to his father.]
[10: Yesterday, you passed by Qingniu Market's granary and obtained related information. Due to Emperor Yun of Great Cang newly taking power, Prince Jin has raised troops in the name of 'purging the court,' causing grain hoarding in the south and leading to future high grain prices.]
Note: Daily intelligence refreshes at midnight every day.
"Intelligence has refreshed!"
"Li Laocai will develop tetanus in five days? And die in ten days?"
"That old scoundrel will suffer for five days before dying? Excellent! It wasn't in vain that I soaked those rusty nails in the pig manure pit overnight."
Seeing the first piece of information, Qin Wang's eyes lit up with satisfaction.
Tetanus wasn't a big deal in his previous life. But in this world, once injured by a tool contaminated with soil or manure, the fatality rate from tetanus was eighty percent!
Qin Wang couldn't confront Li Laocai directly. Based on the intelligence system, he devised this plan, finally giving Li Laocai the fate he deserved.
"Granny Yan and that old scoundrel Li Laocai are plotting to sell me?"
"That old scoundrel, only a few days left to live, still scheming to sell me to a brothel? How vicious! And that old witch Granny Yan... she cannot be spared!"
Qin Wang's eyes turned cold as he read the second and third pieces of information.
He hadn't expected that even with Li Laocai nearing death, he would still be scheming to sell him off. Unforgivable!
Granny Yan, too, deserved a fitting end. He would find a way to deal with her and take her money before she met her end!
"Eight hundred and fifty taels of silver buried under Li Laocai's bedroom?"
Qin Wang looked at the fourth piece of information and shook his head.
Li Laocai knew he had done many evil deeds. He had hired four guards and kept four ferocious dogs. The Li family estate was inaccessible to him, so this would have to wait for another opportunity.
"The River God…"
Qin Wang's eyes showed a thoughtful look as he read the fifth piece of information.
In his memory, his mother had been taken by the River God, so Qin Sanhuai hated the River God.
"Doctor Bai Langzhong at Baicao Hall looking for an apprentice to pass on his skills?"
"It's worth a try!"
Qin Wang considered the seventh piece of information thoughtfully.
Becoming Bai Langzhong's apprentice would indeed help him. His body was too weak; he could use medical knowledge to strengthen himself. Moreover, medicine and martial arts were closely linked. Future martial arts practice would also require medical knowledge. Most importantly, as Bai Langzhong's apprentice, his source of income would be more justifiable.
Being a doctor was one of the most profitable professions. If he became one, having money would be natural.
"Li Laocai's beloved youngest son is actually Li Ligang's child? He's been cuckolded?"
"Serves him right! That old scoundrel deserves it!"
Qin Wang looked at the eighth piece of information, deep in thought. Perhaps he could spread this news at the right time to sow discord, speeding up Li Laocai's downfall?
"Taizu Long Fist?"
Qin Wang's eyes sparkled with surprise as he read the ninth piece of information.
[9: Yesterday, you met Li Laocai and obtained related information. Li Laocai's son, Li Tianyi, found martial arts practice too hard and secretly went to the bamboo forest in the back mountain yesterday afternoon, where he lost the handwritten copy of Taizu Long Fist near a millstone-sized rock. Li Tianyi is now figuring out how to explain to his father.]
"Yesterday afternoon?"
"That means the handwritten copy is still in the bamboo forest!"
"I must go to the bamboo forest behind Li Laocai's house and find it now!"
Even though it was midnight, Qin Wang was too excited to sleep.
He hadn't expected today's intelligence to hold such a surprise.
He had been worried about not having martial arts skills. This was like a pillow delivered to someone who needed sleep!
With Taizu Long Fist, he wouldn't need to rush to the county town. He could first master this martial art.
Without strength, he would always be vulnerable to bullying and schemes!