The Elixir is for You, The Poison is for Me

#124 - address

Although there were some minor incidents along the way, the merchant ship finally arrived in the capital smoothly.

Before disembarking, all the passengers thanked Lu Jing.

Li Li also followed her mother to say goodbye to Lu Jing.

"What do you want to do with martial arts?" Lu Jing asked her.

"Become a constable."

"Become a constable?"

"Yes, yes."

Li Li nodded her head like a chick pecking rice, "Being a constable allows you to solve cases legitimately."

"You like solving cases?"

"Yes, solving cases is like solving riddles, no, it's much more interesting than solving riddles, you have to consider all aspects."

Li Li counted on her fingers, "Including the victim's personal preferences, their relationships with others, where they've been recently, what they've done…"

"Especially those seemingly insignificant things, my dad says the answers are often hidden in those places."

Li Li became energetic when she talked about these things.

"Did your parents agree?" Lu Jing asked again.

Li Li's spirit deflated instantly upon hearing this, "My mother doesn't allow it, saying that this is not something a girl should do, but there are clearly female constables in the capital.

"My dad… he didn't explicitly forbid it, but he also told me that being a constable is not that easy, often being in danger, and accidentally losing one's life."

After a pause, she rekindled her hope, "Young Master Lu, your martial arts are so high, teach me a few self-defense moves, I… I can take you as my master."

"No," Lu Jing refused.

"Why?" Li Li was unwilling to give up, "Young Master Lu, are you afraid that my aptitude and talent are not good enough? Then you can teach me some basics first, and if you really think I'm embarrassing you, you don't have to acknowledge me as your disciple."

"It's not because of embarrassment," Lu Jing shook his head, "Firstly, only I can practice this skill, others can't practice it well."

"Then how did the person who taught you this skill practice it?" Li Li asked doubtfully.

As expected of a young girl who aspires to be a constable, her thinking and reaction are much faster than others.

"… … … …"

However, Lu Jing ignored her question and continued, "Secondly, learning a smattering is more dangerous than not learning martial arts at all."

"How could that be?" Li Li didn't believe it.

"Because if you don't know martial arts, you will listen to your parents and stay at home obediently. On the contrary, if I teach you martial arts, you will definitely join in on the fun, and if you get killed, I will have to avenge you.

Lu Jing said lightly, "With a knife in hand, courage arises naturally. You also saw the gang of river bandits earlier. You are so good at observing, you should also be able to see that they are not ordinary fishermen. The calluses on their hands are not from casting nets, but from practicing martial arts.

"They are probably disciples from some small sect nearby. Seeing that the world is in chaos, they have also become greedy, relying on their martial arts to engage in this cost-free business, but they met me and all died cleanly."

"That's because they didn't take the right path. Having martial arts but not using them in the right place will inevitably lead to their own demise," Li Li said.

"That's what they say, but in reality, more righteous people die at the hands of evil demons and heretics," Lu Jing said.

"Then why do you, Young Master Lu, still act chivalrously, first killing that Yama's Flute or whatever, and last month helping the Imperial City Division eliminate Iron Arm Flying Bear?"

"Because I'm strong enough," Lu Jing said leisurely.

"Damn it, then you should take me as your disciple and teach me, so I can become stronger!" Li Li said anxiously.

"I said in the first point before that you can't learn my skills."

"Ahhhhh! ! !"

… … … …

Similar conversations basically happened every day for the past half month.

However, Lu Jing didn't find it annoying. The journey was slow, and it was nice to have someone to banter with.

Moreover, besides always wanting to take him as her master to learn martial arts, Li Li was quite good in other aspects.

Although women in the Chen Dynasty were already of marriageable age at fifteen, in reality, most girls of this age were not yet mature, either psychologically or physically.

Especially the young ladies from official families, because they were raised in secluded boudoirs from a young age, they often didn't know much about the world, like a blank sheet of paper.

But Lu Jing found that Li Li was different. Although she occasionally said childish words, she actually knew everything about the various aspects of the city and the daily lives of the lower classes, and she could even say some very obscure natural science knowledge from time to time.

In her own words, her father often took her with him when he was handling cases before.

And she herself usually liked to hang out with the constables and yamen runners in the yamen, listening to them bragging and chatting all day long, filling her head with strange cases.

When she got a little older, she liked to read the case files of various cases and tried to deduce the murderer from the files, and she often hit the mark.

Li Li regarded this as a kind of brain game for self-entertainment, but later her reputation gradually spread.

Some constables would even bring the files to her when they encountered tricky cases to try their luck, and as a result, they really caught the murderer because of this.

So, in this way, Li Li's reputation became even greater, and gradually she was not only limited to having people bring her case files to read, but she was also allowed to run to the crime scene for field investigation.

At first, everyone was a little worried that those bloody scenes would scare this seemingly weak little girl.

But after vomiting a few times, Li Li quickly adapted to the bloody and cruel atmosphere of the crime scene, and then became more and more comfortable.

Before, when Lu Jing killed Huang Ya's gang of river bandits, not only the women in the boat, but also the three scholars couldn't help but look away.

However, Li Li was watching with great interest. It was a pity that she didn't see Lu Jing's movements clearly.

She only heard a burst of rushing river water, and the eight river bandits were all killed separately.

It was also at that moment that Li Li made up her mind that she had to get a set of skills too.

Unfortunately, no matter how she begged Lu Jing, Lu Jing didn't seem to have any intention of taking her as his disciple.

And seeing that the capital was right in front of her, it wouldn't be long before the merchant ship would dock, Li Li couldn't care so much. Finding a gap where her mother wasn't paying attention, she scurried to Lu Jing's side again, "Young Master Lu, how long are you staying in the capital this time, where are you staying?"

"Not decided yet," Lu Jing said.

Li Li became anxious when she heard this, "Then how can I find you later?"

"What do you want to find me for?"

Li Li learned to be good this time, and didn't say anything about taking a master to learn martial arts, but only said, "I'm just afraid that Young Master Lu will be bored in the capital without any friends, especially during the New Year and holidays, it's pitiful for you to drink alone."

"What, you want to accompany me for a drink?" Lu Jing raised his eyebrows.

"I don't drink alcohol, but I can bring some snacks to go with the wine to see you, alas, forget it… I'll tell you where I live, you must remember to come and find me after you settle down, and tell me where you live."

While Li Li was talking, she leaned close to Lu Jing's ear and said quickly, "My home is diagonally opposite Zheng's Sesame Cake Shop in Old Crow Lane. When you get there, ask people about the residence of the newly appointed Shaoqing Xie of the Great Prison Temple, and you'll be able to find it. Don't forget."

After she finished speaking, she quickly ran back to her mother's side.