Chapter 14 - Slums

Li Shuangyan and Li Zhengji were pestering and pulling Li Jie's clothes, they wanted their older brother to play with them, seeing this scene made both Li Wei and Li Na delighted to the limit,

they just wanted their life to always be this peaceful but they were worried of-course because they knew, they could only keep their eldest son safe to a limit,

and one day whether they like it or not he will have to face the ridicule of the whole world,

after all, he wasn't some commoner born in the streets, he was the eldest son of the great Li family and there were many who would want to show their superiority and would make comparison

and hurt their son's feeling after all this is a world where the strong hunts the weak, where the strong is everything and the weak is nothing,

they were of-course worried for the future but also wanted to cherish the time they were spending right now,

Li Jie finally pulled himself away from the grasp of his younger twin brother and sister, who were still playing with each other,

he came tired with a chuckle on his face and sat beside his father and mother as if he suddenly remembered something and was worried if he forgets about it,

he asked nonchalantly "father have you heard of this place called slums where the people live very harsh lives and don't have anything to eat for days, why doesn't anyone help them, I am sure even our Li family alone can help them right",

Li Wei's eyes narrowed as if recalling something unpleasant, "Li Jie, where did you hear about the slums", noticing his father's sudden change of behavior in this topic he understood that there was something wrong with the slums which made even the patriarch of the Li family's expression grave,

"Father I just heard it when I was in the outer periphery of the castle whilst eavesdropping between two servants, who were discussing about the slums and how their resident's lives are extremely poor and how no one helps these poor souls I was wondering father why don't you help these people"

Li Wei wanted to say something but it was difficult for him to explain his reasons

"Li Jie my boy it's not that your father doesn't want to help them but it's just that I can't even if I want to, I also know how harsh it is for those who live in the slums is, but if I were to help them, the first ones to resist will be the members of the Li family and I don't just mean some of them, I mean all of them and there are also those of the other regions as well and the imperial family itself who will resist for this to happen",

Li Jie was stunned by what he just heard after all it all just seems too complex

"but father why does everyone hate them and resist those from the slums for no reason, I mean they are not even powerful so how does everyone feel threatened" Li Wei shook his head and sighed

"it's not about threat nor strength, it's just that first, those in the slums are not simple as they look, they might not be strong but there are some of them who have special backgrounds and circumstances which forced them to be in the slums, so of-course no one would want their enemy to get a helping hand and the main reason is that the slums are considered to be the lowliest of all places, they have the worst of bloodlines, their bloodlines are basically considered which is even inferior to the low-level bloodline which the servants have, that's why their residents are looked down by everyone horribly, it's a matter of status, and most of the humans don't want those of low status to rise in the status of life, they don't want to see to whom they call lowly or dirt get equal or surpass them, and that's why everyone likes to suppress them because it gives them a feeling of accomplishment".

Li Jie felt his mind burst from all this complex knowledge that he was getting from his father

"Father why is everyone like that, why are all of them so badly corrupted in their hearts", Li Wei helplessly said "I don't know son but I can't help you with this even if I am the patriarch of the Li family",

Li Wei was pondering in his head about everything that he just learned from his father and the fact that even his father who was extremely strong couldn't help him in this case and the thing that made him feel worst was that the sole reason for all of this, in the end, is the grade of bloodline one obtains, he felt worst cause he had no bloodline, to begin with, which made him worse than those people of the slums he felt his mood in an all-time low, noticing Li Jie's downcast mood, his mother stared sternly at Li Wei who felt helpless about the whole situation.

Li Jie's mother turned to Li Wei and said lovingly "Li Jie how about this when you become stronger in the future you can help those poor people of the slums",

Li Jie suddenly jolted in surprise and thought, "Yes so what if no one helps them, I will help them no matter what when I get stronger"

he thanked his mother in joy for the idea, but Li Wei didn't feel good but he kept quiet, after some time his parents took his younger twins who were tired from all the playing with them and left him to rest in his room.

outside the room, Li Wei said to his wife "dear why did you give Li Jie false hope, we all know it's impossible for him to cultivate"

Li Na just sighed "did you see how happy he was, I don't want him to be upset and hurt, I just want our family to live happily for as long as possible" hearing his wife Li Wei didn't know what to reply, they both just moved forward in the corridors.

Li Jie was excited in his room, it was hard for him to fall asleep, he couldn't wait for the next day because he finally made a choice and he perfectly knew what he wanted.