3 3. Meng Po Soup

"Eh? Even in this time, I'm still good at everything. Ahh! What a shame! They can't catch me even if they wanted to." Li Jie praised himself inwardly. He is still being chased by the guards but due to his blindsiding strength and speed, the guards were no match for him. Like a grazing lion and a running cheetah, whoever catches up with him ended up being blown away. Being the merciless killer as what they've said, his agility in combat was as smooth as a jade. In the end, the shadow guards surrendered and went back instead.

"Hah! What a pity!" Li Jie can't stop praising himself but at the same time, he pitied the original owner of this body. The original owner was weak to the point that he only died by drinking a drug. In his past life, he drank or injected too many drugs from the people who wanted him down. Oh well, he can't blame it. This original owner is too weak and spoiled by his brothers too much. He can't even protect himself from those bandits.

Li Jie stopped running and sat on the rough ground for bit. So much happened this night. From a runaway bride to a crazy getaway. Even the guards got shivers from his laugh! A psychopath!

"Where would i sleep now? Should i go to the..." he stopped thinking when he realized where he was. He remembered, he was not in his world anymore. The cell which he slept for seventeen years with his fathers making fun of him now exists only in his memories. Somehow, he felt a bit sad.

"I wonder what they are doing now." Li Jie can't help but to be worried. That place was his home. Maybe, he hurt his fathers right now because of his sudden leave. He can't blame the hydrogen peroxide, he was the one who accidentally put there in the first place. If only I didn't make that mistake, my fathers wouldn't have be sad because of him, he thought.

Li Jie shook his head, accepting the fact that he transmigrated into this world. As far from his knowledge, this era is the Qin era. Knowing that he transmigrated in the ancient time, he cried with blood as he missed the world full of technology. He missed his favorite laptop, his machine gun, his weapons, his phone, and also,

His WIFI connection.

He immediately went on his feet and patted his butt, removing the dirt from his ripped hanfu and underpants which have been laying on the ground not too long. He then started roaming around finding a perfect spot for him to stay for the night.

"A cave must be nice. Since I have no money left, I'm worse than a servant. *sighs*" he exclaimed in disbelief as he roamed around the area. He ran away from that General's mansion but he could tell that he was not far from that place. Li Jie's brain delayed its process right now. He was thinking on how will he survive in this world, but it's best if he will find shelter first. He walked around the area with no torch. Thanks to to the big full moon that he can still see clearly.

Li Jie halted when he spotted a cave not too far from where he was standing. His heart leaped for joy thinking that he finally found a place to rest. He still wished that this was just a dream but Lie Jie was not dumb to think about that.

He walked until he reached the cave. There were dried branches and dead leaves scattered outside the cave so he gathered lots of it to build a fire. He then entered inside with no hesitation. He didn't bother if there were snakes or wild animals inside, if he wished there was. Though, in bLi Jie, he was blessed if he encountered wild animals inside, thinking how juicy and tender the roasted meat would be, it already made his mouth water.

But there were none so he was disappointed.

"At least I ate that bun in the table! I should have brought it with me so i could even nibble a little nutrient! Ahh! Why is this body so feminine?!" He blurted out as he kept cursing at his current physique. He was thankful that his talents and strength remained the same, or else he would die from escaping, or his ass got penetrated. Thinking that made Li Jie's hair stood up. The horror in his face shown despicable.

As far as he can remember, the General's face was the most unique facial features he encountered. His sturdy and firm body was more like a Greek God, full of grace and pride. His dark colored hair flowed in from his scalp to the his waist, nudging from his black robes. His piercing phoenix eyes makes one shivers if one got stared at, and his straight nose and beautiful lips could make one fell from his charms. Li Jie was so jealous! He wished that his body was like that. Instead, he landed on a weak body, more feminine at that. He sighed as he picked two stones, rubbed it to make fire. The friction produced sparks and later formed a fire as the spark lighted the gathered leaves and branches. The fire made Li Jie's cold body warm.

"I will look for this past owner's brothers. They may be worrying right now." He whispered as he remembered the past owner's memory. Since all of his brothers looked like his fathers in the past, not to mention their same names, Li Jie will find them easily, if God lets him. He then lay in the ground as he closed his eyes, ready to enter from his dreamland.

***********

"Why did you leave Li Jie alone?! Who knows what would happen to him if he got scared?! What will mother say in heaven that we have been careless and leaving Li Jie behind?!" Chang Bao almost blurted words like a rap. The six brothers were in their ordinary house. Not too big, not too small. Just an ordinary for seven brothers who lived in peace. Now that their youngest brother was gone, they panicked, thinking that their weak brother wandered off and kidnapped, or worse, being sold off by a brothel. Min Zhe, who was the one in charge of taking care of Lie Jie, got scolded so bad that he thought he maybe dead later on.

"I'm sorry brother! I won't do it again I promise! I got tempted by the Young master's pouch so I...Uhh...followed my hand. I never thought Li Jie got lost! I promise I won't do it again!" Min Zhe continued bowing at the furious Chang Bao, who was thinking about his weak brother's situation.

"Now, now, how about we all calm down and started thinking calmly? We need to act fast than to face your erupted head right now." Cheung Chao said calmly, but inside he was about to explode when he knew Lie Jie got lost. He was sitting in the floor with his 5 brothers who were furious of Lie Jie's disappearance.

"Erupted head?! What erupted head!? Do I look like a volcano?!"

"Did I say you're face looked like a volcano? Ahh! Bao ge's hearing is a bit slow ba!"

"Oh ho?! You dare!?"

"Stop it you uncultured yeasts! Our brother was gone and yet you two still debating whether Chang Bao's face looked like a volcano but he indeed looks like it!" Jiang Hua shouted to make his idiot brothers calm down. As expected, they both shut their mouths. He sighed as a relief and rubbed his temples. Jin Ping on the other hand sighed on how his brothers were too childish.

"How about this? No one is allowed to step foot inside the house until Li Jie's been found. We need to spread up to look for him in case he's nearby. I trust my intuition, I think he never leave the capital. But, we need to be careful. No slacking off! Bao ge and A-zhe will search for the nearby brothel in case he got abducted. A-chao and A-hua will search the rich families' manor in case he was sold off. While me and A-ping will search for nearby rivers and caves in case he got escaped and went into hiding." Tu Fai suggested, it was not a bad idea so they all agreed.

They decided that they were not allowed to step their foot into their house until Lie Jie has been found. As for Min Zhe, they will punish him after they will find him. Poor Min Zhe...

They searched for the entire night. The rich families also got scared 'cause they heard footsteps outside their manor. They maybe thought there were assassins so their hearts shivered for the entire night.Also in the General's manor, the shadow guards were on duty for the night when they spotted two people sneaking on the General's place. They charged at them, but they were skilled in terms of fighting. They got off after the masked Cheung Chao and Min Zhe left the place. The shadow guards reported to the General but he was furious because of his concubine's escape thus the shadow guards words only passed on the General's ears.

Until the dawn is breaking, they can't find Li Jie. The six brothers face paled, worrying if their brother is okay or not.

_________________

Li Jie woke up from the deep slumber, he yawned and stretched his arms and head. His whole body ached due to the rough ground he was laying. Though he didn't care. He was hungry and all he thinks about is food.

"It's better to drink meng po soup or swimming in the pool of lava than being alive and suffered too much! I'm hungry!" Li Jie blurted as he stepped out of the cave and roamed around the area. He gnawed on the edible leaves he passed, as long as there were edible around then it's not bad to become a goat for now. He had no money to buy food. If only his money also brought in this world then it wouldn't have to be a problem. Now he didn't have any left. Not even one.

"Uwuu~ my arm! My arm! Wuwuwuu..." He was about to leave the spot when he saw an injured old man with his left arm separated in his body. If he was an ordinary citizen he would have freaked out. However, this kind of scenario is pretty normal in his previous life. In some things, it maybe even worse!

Judging from the blood dripped from his arm to ones that dropped on the ground, it was fresh and it seemed like whoever managed to cut off this pity old man's arm was a beginner. As a skilled doctor and surgeon, he could tell the sword's trails were messy but still managed to cut through it. 'Aiyaa! This old man went through a lot.'he sighed inwardly.

He was about to leave the old man, but guilt run through his blood. He may be a merciless criminal but he have a heart also. He can't bear to see anyone who suffered like this, let alone a harmless old man.

"Hey old man, why is your arm have been cut off?" He asked the weak old man. The old man was stunned seeing Li Jie's unique eyes, but his body is too weak that he barely speak. Moreover, he only replied Li Jie with few words.

"B-bandits, m-money, s-tolen..." The old man uttered as Lie Jie looked with pity at the old man.

"Maybe, I can't go to my home for now."

He carried the old man along with his arm. He placed the right hand to his shoulder and placed his left hand around the man's waist. He also carried the arm on his left hand, thinking that he should stitch it from the old man's hand back again.

They went back at the cave, he lay the old man on the ground and find something that he could use for stitching. He was glad that the old man was a tailor judging from his tools in his spare bag. There were thread and needles, and also a pice of cotton. One of his tools had a suture so he is quite lucky. He then gained a thought, was he really just a tailor? But the old man needs anesthesia and herbs to stop blood from gushing out and to suppress pain.

"Old man, wait here. I'm gonna go get some herbs nearby." The old man nodded and closed his eyes for a bit, ignoring the pain in which he can't totally ignore. The pain made his body numb, he can't even feel his body right now. And as for Li Jie, he needs to find herbs real quick or else his patient dies. He went looking, but there's no even garlic or ginseng.

"Okay, need to use this for a while."

The capital is not far from here, and he also knows he could find all his needs in the capital. There's only one way.

He could steal.

He borrowed the old man's robe and wore it himself. The robe was old and tattered, but at least it's better than that ripped wedding hanfu. It was totally hideous. He also wore a veil and a conical hat to avoid contact with people. Who knows if people suspected him weird because of his eyes, they may thought he was a beast.

After a few minutes, he was ready to set off. He ran like a ninja, jumping and hopping around trees and roofs of houses, but his feet barely touched the contact so he can't make a sound. Not too long, he arrived at the capital again. He didn't even know he was standing at the General's roof. It took for a long time when he realized where he was. He knew the shadow guards he punched last nights spotted him but instead, he looked at where the shadow guards hiding and smiled. Raising his left hand gesturing a hush signal, the shadow guards were stunned.

'How does this male concubine knew where they were hiding?'

Who knows? Ask him!

He spotted the ancient pharmacy. He spotted the ginseng, garlic and ginger.

Li Jie,"Target spotted."

Shadow guards,"..."

He then leaped through the roof and landed on the ground full of people. No one seemed to noticed so he went immediately to the shop. Just like a passing citizen, the shopkeeper didn't even noticed that he was being robbed. Li Jie's hand was so fast that you can't even see it moving. And when he passed that store, he grabbed 3 big gingers, 2 ginsengs and 4 garlics.

He then ran off and went back to the cave. He thought the old man died but it was still breathing. Li Jie sighed as a relief.

He then started crushing the ingredients for anesthesia and applied it on the affected area.

"Old man, this hurt a little for 10 hours. Just bear with it. I'll fix your arm back." He said carefully but full of caution. The old man nodded, hoping this would be alright.

************

For 10 hours, he managed to stitch the man's hand. Just like before, his skills were superb. The hand was stitched well. "Old man, try moving your finger."

He thought that the young mai---man was bluffing. Who on Earth would stitch a dismembered arm? But it turns out that he was wrong. He can move his index finger on the stitched hand.

He found a miracle. He found a savior. He was glad that he won't become a disabled man for his life. His gratitude for this young mai--man was beyond heaven. He can't even explain his emotions right now.

"Y-young man. May this old man thank you for your help! Although this old man can't give you much, but what do you want in for exchange?" The old man uttered, praising Li Jie's skills.

"No thanks old man, I'm just glad that you're alright. Just put this cloth to your hand for support. Be careful with yourself this time." The old man cried for Lie Jie's kindness. He was indeed the angel that God sent him. Though on Li Jie's side, he didn't ask anything 'cause he knew that this man had no money. It would be meaningless to ask anything.

In short, he was just being himself.

Li Jie bid his farewell on the old man, telling him to be careful from the bandits. He then turned his way and he was shocked seeing a duplicate figure from his 2 fathers running all the way to him.

"Li Jie! Thank heavens you're okay!" He was dumbstruck. It was indeed them. "Fai ge and Ping ge is here. Don't be afraid anymore." Tu Fai and Jin Ping hugged the paralyzed Lie Jie.

Later on Li Jie knew, his tears went out for the first time in his life.