I'm Just a Beast Tamer

Chapter 49: Chapter 47: Jiang Zuo’s Letter

That evening, after night had fallen, Blacksmith Li met with Jiang Zuo’s parents again in their guest room.

"Boss Li, this is our little girl, Qingling. I was too worked up this evening and forgot to introduce her. Please forgive me, Boss Li."

Jiang Rulin said apologetically to Blacksmith Li after they entered the room.

"Qingling, a fine name. She looks clever, not dazed like Jiang Zuo was as a child. And Jiang, no need to be so formal. I’m ten years older than you both, so just call me Li."

Blacksmith Li glanced at the girl they had brought with them. She looked to be about twelve years old.

Hearing the girl’s name, Blacksmith Li understood. They must have been afraid their daughter would end up like Jiang Zuo, which was why they had chosen a name like that.

"In that case... Li."

Jiang Rulin and Zuo Qing’e exchanged a glance before respectfully addressing him as such.

Both of them were puzzled. More than ten years ago, they had simply called him Boss Li.

After not seeing each other for over a decade, Blacksmith Li’s attitude toward them hadn’t grown distant. In fact, it seemed even more familiar.

They couldn’t figure out why, but they wouldn’t refuse his goodwill.

"You two don’t need to overthink it. It’s simply because Jiang Zuo and I are very close. Before he left Red Fox Town, he hid a letter for you, and I just went to retrieve it."

Seeing the couple’s confusion, Blacksmith Li explained with a smile. He then took out a stone box containing Jiang Zuo’s letter, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Jiang Rulin.

He had seen this stone box in the hollow at the bottom of the well that night. When he left, he didn’t take it with him, leaving it where it was.

He never expected Jiang Rulin and Zuo Qing’e to return just three months later.

"A letter from Jiang Zuo?"

Hearing this, Jiang Rulin and Zuo Qing’e’s eyes widened. Their voices, which had just calmed, began to tremble again in disbelief.

"Open it and see. Jiang Zuo said the letter was inside."

Blacksmith Li nodded.

The stone box was sealed with wax. Since it had only been sealed for a little over three months, it looked as if it had just been done.

With trembling hands, Jiang Rulin scraped away the wax and opened the stone box.

Inside, sure enough, was a letter sealed in oil paper.

For my father, Jiang Rulin, and my mother, Zuo Qing’e.

On the envelope, their two names were written side-by-side in brush calligraphy.

Thanks to his experience writing novels for Night Cat’s Eye and practicing Beast Pattern Drawing, Jiang Zuo’s handwriting was elegant and strong, very pleasing to the eye.

Just looking at their names, Jiang Rulin and Zuo Qing’e’s eyes began to moisten.

Wiping the corners of his eyes, Jiang Rulin opened the letter, took out the paper inside, and began to read it with Zuo Qing’e.

Jiang Zuo had never written a letter before. When he decided to leave this one, he had to think for a long time before finally putting it to paper.

In the letter, Jiang Zuo wrote that he remembered everything that had happened when he was a child and was deeply grateful for everything they had done for him.

He went on to share some amusing anecdotes from his daily life.

Finally, Jiang Zuo said that he was grown up now and had a knack for raising dogs, which allowed him to live very well.

He wrote that after leaving Red Fox Town, he probably wouldn’t ever return. He could take care of himself, and if they were reading this letter, they should be sure to take care of themselves and no longer worry about him.

Reading the words Jiang Zuo had written, the couple’s eyes filled with tears.

It’s true that parents will do anything for their children.

As long as their children are well, it doesn’t matter if the children never know what their parents have done for them.

But to see Jiang Zuo write that even though his mind wasn’t right back then, he had seen everything—all the kindness they had shown him, he had seen it all and kept it in his heart.

The moment they read those words, the couple felt that all their hardship had been worth it.

’We raised a good son!’

It was as if all those years of hardship had been for this very moment.

"Dad, Mom..."

Jiang Qingling looked at her parents with concern.

Three months ago, when she found out she had an older brother, she had been completely stunned.

Afterward, her parents decided to take her to find this brother. She was a little curious, a little hopeful, but also a little worried.

Now, her parents were crying as they read the letter. It seemed like something bad had happened.

"Qingling, don’t worry. Your father and mother are crying because they’re happy."

Blacksmith Li said with a kind smile. Jiang Qingling was about the same age as Xiangtao.

"Y-You’re right. I’m sorry, Li, we’re just overjoyed! Qingling, it’s alright. We’re just happy."

Jiang Rulin wiped his tears, trying to make his voice sound normal again.

"What’s this?"

Noticing another wax-sealed, oil-paper envelope in the box, Jiang Rulin picked it up and looked at Blacksmith Li in confusion.

It looked like another letter, but Jiang Zuo’s letter seemed to be finished.

"Open it and you’ll see. Jiang Zuo mentioned it to me, but I’m not certain what’s inside either."

Blacksmith Li gestured for Jiang Rulin to open it himself.

Jiang Rulin picked it up. Holding it in his hand, it really felt like another letter.

He opened it quizzically, took out the contents, and was stunned by what he saw.

Inside the oil-paper envelope were five brand-new one-thousand-tael silver banknotes!

"It seems Jiang Zuo was telling the truth. It really is five thousand taels of silver."

"Jiang Zuo left this for us?"

Jiang Rulin asked in disbelief.

"That’s right. Everyone in Red Fox Town knows how good Jiang Zuo is at raising dogs. A single dog can sell for a thousand taels. The most expensive one was bought by the former County Magistrate for five thousand taels."

"So you can take it without worry. There’s no need to be concerned about Jiang Zuo."

Blacksmith Li nodded, his voice full of admiration.

"It’s too-too much!" Jiang Rulin’s hands trembled. After exchanging a few words with Zuo Qing’e, he took out two of the silver banknotes and tried to hand them to Blacksmith Li.

"Li, actually, after my wife and I left Red Fox Town following that incident, we hired someone to go back and gather information for us."

"When he returned, he told us that the person in Red Fox Town who treated Jiang Zuo best was you, Li. Since Jiang Zuo trusts you so much, you must have taken good care of him over the years."

"My wife and I haven’t been able to care for Jiang Zuo all these years. We feel ashamed to accept this money. It’s only right that a portion be left for you, Li. I’m sure Jiang Zuo would agree."

Jiang Rulin said to Blacksmith Li with sincerity.

Three years after leaving Red Fox Town, Jiang Rulin and Zuo Qing’e couldn’t bear it any longer. They spent a great deal of money to hire a reliable person to go to Red Fox Town and inquire about Jiang Zuo.

By then, Jiang Zuo had already returned to normal. The couple was overjoyed to hear this news.

But because of this, they felt it was even more crucial not to let the matter be exposed. Every few years, they would change their identities and move to a different place. They even stopped using their hunting skills to avoid arousing suspicion.

If not for this, their lives would not have been so difficult.

"No! Absolutely not!"

Blacksmith Li hastily refused.

Setting aside the principle of not accepting a reward without merit, just the fact that they had hidden in the shelter Jiang Zuo provided that night was a debt Blacksmith Li felt he could never repay.

Although it might seem like no one truly died as a result of that night’s incident, Blacksmith Li would never have wanted his family, including Li Xiangtao, to go through such a death-like experience.

After that night, the matter wasn’t over.

Over the past three months, there were constant rumors among those who had died and come back to life—so-and-so had fallen gravely ill, so-and-so was having nightmares every day.

Now, many people in Red Fox Town would secretly avoid anyone who had been one of the resurrected.

In Blacksmith Li’s eyes, Jiang Zuo had saved his entire family that night.

To take a share of the money Jiang Zuo left for his parents was something he would never do, no matter how much he needed it.

Besides, he wasn’t short on money.

Jiang Qingling watched from the side, completely bewildered.

’What kind of person is my big brother? How could he leave so much money for Mom and Dad? Does this mean they won’t have to work so hard anymore? Will I be able to go to school and study like other children?’

An incredibly mysterious image of her brother began to form in Jiang Qingling’s mind. She was suddenly overcome with an unprecedented, powerful urge to meet him.

...

Nine months had passed in a flash since Jiang Zuo settled by the Li River.

"The maturation period for a Black Stone Fish is about eight to nine months. Its lifespan is around 22 years. Strength 3, Physique 5, and agility 5."

Jiang Zuo looked at the rearing notification in front of him and nodded.

The first batch of two Black Stone Fish had been successfully raised, taking a little over nine months.

However, once he became more proficient, the time required could be reduced to somewhere between eight and nine months.

The two Black Stone Fish granted him 2.2 and 2.3 years of lifespan, respectively. Each fish also provided him with 0.3 Strength, 0.5 Physique, and 0.5 agility.

By that calculation, he could raise about three Black Stone Fish a year, gaining approximately 6 years of lifespan, 0.9 Strength, and 1.5 Physique and agility.

’I can continue with the Refining Stone Stele. Refining it three times a year should be enough.’

Refining it three times a year would still allow his lifespan to increase by three years annually.

Jiang Zuo felt that refining the Stone Stele would be a very long-term project.

He refused to increase the frequency of refinements for that reason. He wouldn’t feel at ease unless he could see his lifespan increasing.

Currently, Jiang Zuo could draw about 60 incomplete Beast Patterns a year. Refining three times a year meant he could offer 20 patterns to the stele each time.

His Beast Pattern Drawing skill experience was now at "LV2: 82/500." At this rate, he could reach LV3 in about another seven years.

In these peaceful, undisturbed days, time flew by.

「In the blink of an eye, another three years passed for Jiang Zuo by the Li River.」

On this day, Jiang Zuo was fishing by the river.

A young woman in tattered clothes, holding her son, approached Jiang Zuo apprehensively.

At the same time, far away in Cowherding Village, an uninvited guest arrived.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!