Chapter 1222 - 954 Parental Past_2
The old Madam Ji couldn’t stand it, her heart ached terribly!
"Mother! You..."
Ji Youyuan was about to say something to comfort the old Madam Ji, but she raised her hand to stop him.
"Yuan the warrior, please continue!"
Yuan Yifan nodded, and sank into deep thought.
"To tell you the truth, actually before we met Miss Xi’Er while escorting near Muta River, we already knew of Miss Xi’Er’s existence."
Upon hearing this, the old Madam Ji was taken aback, and she looked at him sharply.
"What do you mean by this?"
"Old Madam, there’s something you may not know. Miss Xi’Er’s husband, Li Qi, was a brother working at the same escort agency. Although there’s a significant age difference between us, we’re considered friends despite the age gap.
I still remember when Li Qi first arrived at the Escort Agency; he was just a little kid. He kneeled in front of Weiyuan Escort Agency, begging to be taken in, willing to do odd jobs without pay.
Seeing that he had good bones, Ho the old escort leader took him in, made him do odd jobs for some time to test his character, and eventually accepted him as a disciple once he passed.
Li Qi was a smart kid, diligent and eager to learn, and had a decent talent in martial arts. But there’s one thing—he never talked about his family matters with us.
All we knew was his family was from Baiyun Town, but specifics were unclear. Whenever the disciples were going on a mission and wrote letters home for safety, he never wrote.
We asked him about it, and he said no one at home could read, so writing would be pointless. We suggested he could write anyway, and they could find someone to read it aloud as a memory.
He just shook his head and said nothing.
As time passed, several years later, we disciples traveled to various places.
It was around seven summers ago when the government posted an announcement, and he stood beneath it for a long time without moving.
I joked with him: You seem so absorbed, do you intend to switch careers and abandon martial arts to take the imperial examination?
He shook his head with a slight smile, saying the announcement had his brother’s name, Li Yu, and we were all happy for him.
He said he wanted to visit home, and we brothers bought large bags of gifts to join him, but he refused.
Li Qi never spoke of family matters. Other brothers were fine with it and left upon seeing his reluctance.
However, I thought this kid never spoke about his family, and seeing his manners, I guessed his family wasn’t wealthy, fearing we’d latch onto them?
So, I followed him secretly.
This followed path led to trouble. My martial arts were no match for his; he discovered me during the journey and tricked me. He went straight up White Cloud Mountain.
Once I saw this, I knew things had gone wrong. Li Qi discovered my tracking; I thought of following him but feared damaging our brotherly bond. If I didn’t, the mountain was dangerous. Hesitating for a long while, I finally followed him.
From afar came cries for help—a girl’s heart-wrenching voice calling for rescue.
"It’s Xi’Er!"
As Yuan Yifan reached this point, the old Madam Ji couldn’t contain herself anymore; it matched what Ji Youyuan previously told her.
"That’s right, it was exactly Miss Xi’Er!
She was wrapped by a python as thick as a leg, in danger.
I was so shocked at the time, barely reacting before seeing Li Qi draw a curved dagger to save her.
After several twists and turns, fortunately, we saved her without harm, and the python was killed, but Miss Xi’Er was terribly frightened.
She timidly watched Li Qi, no matter what we asked, she remained silent, nearly in a state of following him wherever he went.
I worried she might have been terrified out of her wits. Li Qi said to let him speak to Miss Xi’Er alone, ask about her family and send her back.
Li Qi coaxed her for over an hour before Miss Xi’Er finally spoke, saying her home address. Later, as night fell, Li Qi escorted her back home."
The old Madam Ji closed her eyes, nodding, "Xi’Er is usually lazy, sitting by the window watching the courtyard’s flowers and plants. She can sit there for half a day without moving, so if she’s not at home but goes out for leisure, she finds a big stone slab, sits there the whole day, and returns only when the sun sets.
So, she returned home nearly at night, which was my oversight.
But according to what the warrior said, Li Qi should have been traveling far and wide, rarely returning home. How could Xi’Er have met you while you were escorting to Muta River then?