IDWBE -Chapter 78 Making Up for Lost Time

Yu Xiaoshi shouted loudly, “Your Highness, I’m not the fool—A-Dai is the fool!”

He pointed at Cui Gengsheng, who was hiding behind Cui Gengren and sucking his thumb.

“You’re the fool! Your whole family is full of fools!”

Cui Gengren immediately became upset—Cui Gengsheng was his own elder brother!

He was the only family he had in this world.

“A-Dai, stop putting your finger in your mouth. How many times have I told you?”

Lin Yi said to Cui Gengsheng, “You’re old enough now; only little children do that.”

Cui Gengsheng’s build was similar to Yu Xiaoshi’s, but he looked even stronger. Bare-chested, his muscles were intimidating.

Yet, sucking his thumb made him look somewhat ridiculous.

“Your Highness, I’m not a child!”

When Cui Gengsheng shouted, his massive chest muscles trembled.

“If you’re not a child, put your finger down.”

Lin Yi understood the stubborn, silly nature of these kids and had his own method for handling them.

Reluctantly, Cui Gengsheng withdrew his finger from his mouth.

Lin Yi nodded in satisfaction, then asked Cui Gengren, “Your elder brother is sixteen by the end of the year, right?”

Cui Gengren said, “Yes, sixteen. He’s two years older than me.”

Lin Yi said, “Then soon he can move out of the orphanage. You can find a place to build a house, and then go to the workshop to learn blacksmithing.”

It would be a shame for such strong muscles to go unused.

Cui Gengren protested, “My brother can’t blacksmith!”

“Nonsense! Who’s born knowing blacksmithing?”

Lin Yi scowled. “If you don’t know, you must learn. You expect me to support him for life? Do I owe you that?”

Cui Gengren argued, “Your Highness, I can take care of him!”

“Stop with the useless talk. Since you’re brothers, you should plan for the long term,” Lin Yi said impatiently. “Can you guarantee you’ll always be there for him? Don’t brag. When you marry one day, who will be in charge then?”

Cui Gengren said firmly, “I won’t marry!”

“Get out of here,” Lin Yi said with disdain, growing even more impatient. “You’re barely ten years old, you don’t know anything. Listen to me: go find land and build a house. If you need anything, ask Sister Mingyue.”

“All right.”

Although young, Cui Gengren was not completely unreasonable. They couldn’t rely on Lin Yi to support them forever. Regardless of whether his brother became a blacksmith, they needed to move out of the orphanage.

Lin Yi glanced at the grinning Yu Xiaoshi. “How old are you now, fifteen or sixteen?”

“I’m fifteen, Your Highness!”

“Then go find Fang Pi and discuss with your brother where to build your house. You need to move out as well.”

“I want to be a blacksmith too!”

“You want to blacksmith?”

Lin Yi laughed. “Good, both of you can go to the workshop together. It will be your livelihood.”

Would they be bullied outside?

Not at all—they were strong, broad-shouldered, and both trained in martial arts.

Lin Yi had seen Yu Xiaoshi lift a wild boar weighing several hundred pounds with one hand—it was like lifting a rabbit.

Everyone in Baiyun City knew these two wild boys were not to be messed with. No one dared bully them.

They didn’t even bully others unless someone dumber than them sought trouble.

Construction of the bridge across the West River finally began during the dry season.

Stone and timber were piled high. Bian Jing requisitioned nearly all available labor in Baiyun City. People carried materials on shoulders, creating a scene full of activity.

At its widest, the West River spanned 150 zhang. Even with immense skill, given the current state of Sanhe, it was impossible to span it directly.

Bian Jing used a clever method, connecting the two banks via a river-island midstream. This reduced the widest span to just over twenty zhang.

From Sanhe to the southern provinces, they had gained experience blasting mountains and building bridges. Constructing this stone bridge was not difficult for them.

The only issue was manpower—there weren’t enough people. Baiyun City’s population was too small!

Even many elderly men and women were sent to help. Two copper coins a day, with food provided—better than doing nothing at home.

It didn’t stop them from continuing their “martial arts” training.

The playground remained crowded mornings and evenings.

The kapok trees had just bloomed, and the flowers fell quickly before the leaves even appeared.

For the first time, Lin Yi slept under a silk quilt.

Even Da Hei and Xiao Huang refused to sleep outside, choosing to sneak into the house.

“You’ve gotten quite fat.”

Lin Yi stroked Huang Gou’s soft fur.

When he first found him, he was a tiny little lump of meat; now he was stronger than even Da Hei.

Mingyue smiled. “Little Hong An has been feeding him diligently. She even gave him meat she didn’t eat herself.”

Lin Yi laughed. “Still practicing martial arts? How’s your skill level? You’ll surpass your master sooner or later.”

“Your Highness, I practice every day.”

Hong An stood with her head lowered. If one didn’t look closely, no one would guess she was a girl with a limp.

Zixia said, “Your Highness, thanks to Hong the chief’s keen eye, she’s a promising martial arts talent. The skills Sister Wen taught us took me and Mingyue half a day to grasp, but she can imitate perfectly after seeing it once.”

Lin Yi sipped his tea. “What rank is she now?”

Wen Zhaoyi set the child she was holding on the ground, glanced at Hong An, and smiled. “She’s only eleven, and she’s already fourth rank.”

“That’s pretty good,” Lin Yi said.

Wen Zhaoyi rolled her eyes. “Not just good! They used to say I was a prodigy, yet at eleven I was only third rank.”

“So talented?”

Lin Yi could hardly believe it. “What about that little brat Fang Pi? Always being chased by Hong An—he should be decent too, right?”

Mingyue said, “Fang Pi has talent, but he can’t stay focused. If he can use neutralizing power by year-end, that’s good. Right now, Yu Xiaoshi is progressing fastest. Chief Hong taught him the Iron Cloth skill. We don’t know how far he’ll go. As for A-Dai, though he’s Cui Gengren’s brother, he’s far stronger. Whatever Chief Hong teaches, he learns instantly. Unfortunately, they started martial arts late; otherwise, they’d be extraordinary by now.”

“Fools have their luck,” Lin Yi said, secretly a little envious of the two silly kids.

He remembered how, back in the orphanage, the caretakers often comforted them: whatever you lack in one area, heaven will compensate elsewhere.