Chapter 44: Han Jin'er’s Ambition

She stepped closer, tears shimmering like pear blossoms in the rain, as if seeking to lean on Li Yi’s shoulder.

Li Yi turned his body, evading her.

“If Sister-in-law wishes to talk to someone, I’ll call my brother back,” he said.

His words spoiled the mood entirely. Han Jin’er straightened, glaring at him with anger.

Li Yi gazed at her calmly, his eyes deep and unfathomable, making Han Jin’er’s heart inexplicably uneasy.

She hurried to explain, “Uncle, please don’t take offense. I merely admire you and lost my composure.”

She reached out to grasp Li Yi’s sleeve, but upon seeing the coolness in his eyes, she withdrew her hands resentfully.

“Let’s not play these games, Sister-in-law,” Li Yi said with a smile. “Such tricks might work on your patrons, but don’t use them on me.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Han Jin’er flared, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, baring her claws and glaring at him.

Li Yi grinned. “Sister-in-law, you’ve had quite the experience—gentlemen from Xi’an, scholars from Yan’an…”

“How do you know these things?” Han Jin’er’s eyes widened in shock.

Li Yi, of course, would never reveal he’d read about it in historical records.

But the less Li Yi explained, the more frightened Han Jin’er became.

She had only told Li Zicheng she’d escaped from an opera troupe, homeless and wandering, winning his pity and a place to stay.

If Li Zicheng threw her out, she’d have nowhere to go.

Thinking this, Han Jin’er first resented Li Yi’s heartless coldness, then blamed Li Zicheng’s incompetence.

If Li Zicheng hadn’t lost his job at the post station, if he hadn’t brought her to this wretched place, she wouldn’t have been humiliated by Li Yi.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she grew. She walked down to the well at the foot of the hill and began to sob.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded nearby.

She stopped crying at once and looked over in fear.

The hunter Liu waved his hands reassuringly. “Miss, I mean no harm. I just saw you crying by the well and came to comfort you.”

Only then did Han Jin’er realize sitting by the well might give others the wrong idea.

“Why are you crying here alone?” Liu asked.

Seeing he was a country bumpkin, Han Jin’er replied coldly, “What business is it of yours?”

Liu chuckled. “You don’t need to say—I saw it myself. Li Yi bullied you, didn’t he?”

Han Jin’er remained silent.

Liu pressed on, “Do you want to get back at Li Yi?”

Han Jin’er looked at him as if he were a fool, replying with disdain, “Li Yi is my man’s brother, and a capable one at that. Why would I do such a thing?”

Liu gave a sheepish grin. “But what if there’s money in it?”

“Money?” Han Jin’er’s eyes lit up. “Where would that come from?”

Liu recounted the feud between Li Yi and the Ai family, then explained that Master Ai suspected Li Yi had stolen his silver.

Han Jin’er’s mind raced.

She’d noticed Li Yi pouring money into organizing the militia and building the granary, wondering all along where his funds came from.

So, he’d made a profitless deal after all.

Liu glanced around, then lowered his voice. “If you help Master Ai find out where Li Yi hid the silver, you’ll be handsomely rewarded.”

“Five hundred taels of silver,” Han Jin’er demanded.

“What?” Liu was stunned.

Han Jin’er said impatiently, “Li Yi dared to rob the Ai family. If you want my help, at least offer five hundred taels.”

Liu rubbed his hands, unsure how to respond.

Master Ai had told him to watch Li Yi, but everyone in Lijiazhuang knew he and Li Yi were enemies.

He was at a loss when he happened to see Han Jin’er crying, and thought to rope her in.

He hadn’t expected her to ask for five hundred taels right off the bat.

Seeing Liu’s hesitation, Han Jin’er realized he was just a pawn with no authority to promise anything.

“You can ask your master about the five hundred taels,” she said, glancing at him disdainfully. “But expecting someone to work for nothing is unreasonable. Give me ten taels now, and I’ll start investigating.”

Liu hesitated.

Han Jin’er stood up, annoyed. “If you’re unwilling, forget it. I don’t want to offend Li Yi.”

She turned to leave.

“Wait!” Liu called out quickly. “I have ten taels at home. Wait here, I’ll fetch them.”

He hurried off without looking back.

After a while, Liu returned and handed her a pouch of silver.

Han Jin’er inspected it, curled her lip, and said, “Wait for my news.”

With that, she swaggered away, leaving Liu standing there baffled.

Back in her cave dwelling, Han Jin’er smiled brightly at the bag of silver.

“What a fool—just a small trick and I’ve earned ten taels,” she thought.

If the Ai family truly offered five hundred taels, she’d get the information, take the money, and flee far away.

If they didn’t, she could tell Li Zicheng about the scheme, have him demand some silver from Li Yi, and then trick it into her own hands.

Either way, she would profit.

Her excitement grew at the thought.

Over the next few days, she paid special attention to Li Yi’s movements.

She discovered all matters concerning Li Yi’s wealth were handled by Gao Jie, his close aide. If she wanted to uncover the whereabouts of the silver, she’d need to pry open Gao Jie’s mouth.

With this in mind, Han Jin’er shifted her focus to Gao Jie.

...

“Next!”

It was the depths of winter, the twelfth lunar month, cold and bitter.

One by one, the young men shivered in line, waiting to register.

Li Yi sat behind a mulberry wood table, beckoning the next in line forward.

Yun Niang sat beside him, recording their details.

In recent days, young men from all the surrounding villages—and even further afield—were eager to join the Ganquanli militia.

After a two-day holiday, Li Yi had to hurry the selection process, registering and organizing the men to expand the militia’s ranks.

In the end, through long-distance runs, stone-lock lifting, and martial contests, Li Yi selected one hundred men.

The original members of the militia were all promoted to squad leaders.

Now these veterans stood aside, watching the new recruits with excitement and curiosity, laughing and chatting among themselves.

Since joining the militia, they not only had enough to eat and earned wages, but had also become leaders themselves.

Wherever they went, they were treated with respect.

Even normally stingy relatives began to show concern, and their families depended on their pay to get by. Never before had they received such attention, or been so relied upon by their families.

These changes made them the most loyal supporters of the Ganquanli militia.

So, with the expansion, each was full of pride and determination to make the militia even stronger.

Today, with each squad filled, it was time for the first training session.

They all arrived early, eager to meet their new men.