Chapter 49: The Second Son of the Lei Family

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In Qingshi Town, early spring arrived earlier than in the Tianlan Empire. The fierce and sharp wind-knives of winter had already lost their biting chill. Blowing on people’s bodies and faces, it felt warm and extremely gentle.

On this day, the sky was clear and cloudless. The entire Cangqiong was like a clear sapphire, clean and pure. The trees with sprouting branches and the wild flowers in bud looked exceptionally tender and delicate under the refreshing sunlight.

This was good weather suitable for those noble and wealthy youths who did not need to worry about their livelihood to invite three or five friends and seven or eight beauties to go on an outing together. The warm breeze and the fresh air mixed with a hint of spring made people feel happy most easily. It also made those delicate young ladies more likely to open their hearts.

This did not seem like good weather for killing.

Fierce Tiger Ridge.

It sounded like a very dangerous and imposing name, and the actual situation here was indeed very dangerous. Because the old lair of one of the famous bandits nearby, Backing Tiger Boss Zhao, was located here.

Anyone who mixed in the high-risk profession of bandits was most afraid of being attacked in their lair while sleeping and having their head taken off. Therefore, bandits always liked to build their lairs in strategically difficult terrain that was easy to defend and hard to attack.

Lei Qing, who had just arrived in this new place, had only been there for half a month. But he also discovered that the Free Alliance truly lived up to its name of freedom. In a mere remote rural corner, an area of a few hundred miles, there were actually three groups of bandits and thieves entrenched.

One could imagine and deduce how free and chaotic the entire Free Alliance territory was?

However, Lei Qing actually liked this kind of environment. In the Tianlan Empire, due to the unified regime, and the current Grand Preceptor of the Cabinet Yu Tianji being an extremely capable and courageous person, although the whole country was not exactly singing and dancing in peace, the national laws were strict, just like a thriving scene. To make a difference in that kind of environment, one naturally had to follow the rules and develop step by step. For someone like Lei Qing, if nothing went wrong, perhaps he would enter the army, mix until he was thirty or forty years old, gain some seniority and strength, and then rely on the family’s connections and power to mix his way into being a regiment leader. Finally, if there were no major accidents, before retirement, he would be promoted one level again, bestowed a small nominal title of nobility, and then go home to retire, enjoying the Empire’s generous retirement pension, playing with birds and walking dogs, and playing with grandchildren.

Such a road, where one could almost see the end of one’s life at a glance, was so boring and without passion. It also caused a large group of playboys with no ambition in the Imperial Capital, who only knew how to eat, drink, and have fun. These people were like Lei Qing; although most were direct descendants, they basically had no hope of inheriting the family’s hereditary title, that is, the fate of becoming the clan leader. Because the future clan leader successor would often receive stricter training from a very young age, enjoy better resources, and join the army early to hone their skills. Just like Lei Qing’s eldest cousin Lei Zhen, also known as that guy Lei the Second, he was thrown into the army in the Empire’s coldest border area to train right after turning eighteen. Now he was only twenty-eight, and he was already the leader of a thousand-man regiment, uh no, a regiment commander. His cultivation strength had reached High-rank Silver under the family’s sparing no effort and his own hard work.

Moreover, according to speculation, it was extremely possible for Lei the Second to advance to Gold-rank before the age of thirty. At that time, the family would use all resources to pave the way for him to step onto the road of a general and let him become a general with real power, commanding a legion of ten thousand people. By then, Lei the Second would be a famous figure. It also laid the foundation for the family’s survival and continuation.

This is a thousand-year-old family, this is a thousand-year-old empire. If you want to stand out, your own talent and hard work are far from enough.

The Free Alliance was a place Lei Qing had longed for a long time. He had long wanted to come and smell the air here to see how free it really was. Unfortunately, no matter how outrageous Lei Qing was before, he still had the title of a direct descendant of the Lei Family hanging on him. You could be a playboy in the Imperial Capital and mess around in the Imperial Capital. But if you wanted to run to the Free Alliance to develop power for no reason, that would be a big problem. It was possible that some hostile families would attack and put a crime of treason on him.

But this time, Lei Qing was chased by the daughter of the Grand Preceptor of the Cabinet and had to run to the Free Alliance to avoid the limelight. Good news doesn’t go out the door, but bad news travels a thousand miles. At this moment, Lei Qing’s reputation in the Imperial Capital could be considered famous. Perhaps even His Majesty the Emperor knew his name. Unfortunately, it was a joke, something to talk about after dinner. Peeking at a woman taking a bath, and then being chased by the woman and fleeing in panic. This kind of reputation didn’t sound like a good reputation no matter how you listened to it. Many people would probably laugh and curse after hearing it, saying that the Lei Family has finally declined, how could they produce such a character?

Therefore, no matter how Lei Qing played here, the people in the Imperial Capital wouldn’t care. What great future could a playboy like him have? A pretty boy, coaxing women to be happy, going to bed was okay. If he wanted to achieve great things, he should take a piss and look at his reflection; was he really that kind of material?

Fierce Tiger Ridge, for the sake of its own safety, had built its lair as solid as gold and soup. Large chunks of bluestone were built into a small fortress along the mountain terrain. Inside and outside the fortress, several watchtowers were set up. On the high watchtowers, a few sleepy bandit archers stood. It was early in the morning, who would be blind enough to come and attack Fierce Tiger Ridge at this time?

The defense was very lax, and military discipline was not strict. Indeed, for bandits, they naturally had to have some bandit style; how could they be arranged like a regular army?

However, Lei Qing and his group were still discovered by the sentry. Startled, the sentry shouted loudly: “How bold! Who dares to come to my Fierce Tiger Ridge to cause trouble?”

The other archer sentries on the watchtowers also woke up one after another, staring at Lei Qing and his group from afar with ill intentions.

There were more than ten people in Lei Qing’s group. The leader was naturally Lei Qing, wearing fresh clothes and riding a white horse, with a long sword hanging at his waist, full of the aura of a noble young master. His dress was very particular, to the point of being meticulous. He had everything like a belt and a Jade Pendant, and he also very flamboyantly held a folding fan. Although he had red lips and white teeth, in his bones, he was still a fair-faced pretty boy.

With this appearance and aura, Lei Qing didn’t need to pretend at all. He just had to bring out the playboy temperament he had in the Imperial Capital, and it was ready-made. As a playboy noble young master going out to tour the mountains and water, how could he not be accompanied by a beauty?

Although Zuo Qianqian had not yet fully grown up, this did not hinder her from being a rare little beauty. Dressed up carefully, she appeared youthful and lively, extremely tender. Her watery eyes and fair, delicate skin made her look like a beautiful and lovely porcelain doll.

Although her age seemed a bit young, what did that matter? Many people with status and position, tired of playing with those mature beauties, just liked these half-ripe, somewhat green but coquettish little girls.

Being able to get some top-quality little lolitas was also a way to show off one’s status.

Naturally, as a playboy young master with status, position, and ideals. Going out for an outing, touring the mountains and water to pick up beauties, how could he not bring a few powerful guards? Even if they didn’t encounter blind bandits to harass them, at least, standing behind him, they looked majestic, showing off the young master’s noble status.

If you went out without some lackey guards, you would be embarrassed to say you were a playboy young master.

“How bold.” Wearing majestic black armor and exuding a heavy and cold aura, Jiang Yu took the lead in shouting angrily at the sentry: “Lowly dog slave, what kind of thing are you? How dare you shout at my Young Master. Why don’t you roll down quickly and kneel to die.”

Oh my, what a big tone. Those little minions on the sentry posts looked at each other, a bit confused for a moment. Although the other party’s tone was big, it seemed that they indeed had some background. Boss Zhao often taught that for us bandits, the most important thing is not high Fighting Technique, but bright eyes. Who should be robbed and who shouldn’t be robbed must be seen clearly. Otherwise, if you offend someone you can’t afford to mess with, the whole Fierce Tiger Ridge will suffer along with you.

Only by distinguishing these clearly can our great career of being bandits be done flourishingly and for a long time.

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