My System Is Three Thousand Years Early

Li Tongzhen woke up to find pain throbbing throughout his body.

It seemed to be a medical hall.

There were quite a few people around, looking at him.

Li Tongzhen gritted his teeth, propped himself up with his hands, and managed to stand.

After standing up straight,

Li Tongzhen checked his clothes and saw that most of the food was still in his embrace, though some had been squashed, losing their appealing shapes.

But that was still alright.

For Li Tongzhen, as long as the food wasn't lost, that was all that mattered.

Li Tongzhen tucked the food into his embrace and then started walking step by step towards the outer city.

The Town-Nation Duke's Heir's wedding banquet would last only this day, after which opportunities to steal food like this wouldn't come easily.

Although he had taken a beating, he had obtained food, which made it worthwhile.

Li Tongzhen moved slowly, his figure staggered slightly.

When he reached the residential area of the outer city, Li Tongzhen squeezed through a crack in a window and entered a house.

Once inside,

Li Tongzhen called out the girl's name as usual.

"Qingqing, I'm back."

Li Tongzhen walked towards the pile of hay.

But after calling the girl's name, there was no reply.

Li Tongzhen felt a surge of confusion as he took out all the food from his embrace and ran towards the hay.

Seeing the hay there scattered haphazardly,

the space was empty.

Only an uneaten chicken leg lay forlornly on the ground.

"Qingqing...?"

Li Tongzhen was momentarily stunned, staying frozen in place for a while. At that moment, he simply couldn't understand why Qingqing had disappeared without even finishing her chicken leg.

Where had she gone?

Could something have happened to her??

A sense of urgency rose in Li Tongzhen's heart, and he hastily started running towards the outside of the house.

But just as Li Tongzhen ran out the door, a series of muffled sounds came from one of the side rooms of the residence, followed by something falling to the ground and a cry of pain.

Li Tongzhen hurriedly ran into the side room upon hearing the noise and saw Qingqing, her slender frame burdened by several bundles of firewood that were disproportionate to her size.

"Qingqing, what are you doing?" asked Li Tongzhen, puzzled as he looked at Qingqing.

Qingqing replied with a smile, "You've been helping me all this time; I have to do something for you, too."

"It's getting dark soon, and we can use this firewood to keep warm," she said.

Upon hearing this, Li Tongzhen nodded in resignation, "Alright then."

Li Tongzhen made no objections and didn't say anything else to Qingqing, but just took her hand and brought her to the food.

This time Li Tongzhen had been beaten,

and time was of the essence,

so he hadn't been able to grab much food.

A half loaf of bread and a few pastries.

Li Tongzhen handed the relatively intact pastries to Qingqing, "Eat."

Qingqing shook her head as if to indicate she was not very hungry. Then she quickly got up and handed the chicken leg beside her to Li Tongzhen.

Just as he was about to speak,

a roar suddenly erupted outside the door.

"Damn, all you useless fools, who allowed you to spare him?"

"That bastard touched my woman, and you spared that little brat, even daring to dump him at the medical hall's doorstep? Do you not take me seriously?"

When that furious voice appeared,

Outside the residence,

through the cracks of the window, several silhouettes could be seen standing at the door,

one as imposing as a small mountain.

Li Tongzhen recognized the visitor at a glance.

His eyes instantly narrowed.

He truly hadn't expected that person to come after him again.

"Are you certain that the little beggar is here?"

Standing outside the abandoned residence, the merchant questioned the bodyguard beside him.

The bodyguard, too afraid to say much, simply nodded quickly.

Assured by this, the merchant waved his hand grandly,

"Smash this place to pieces for me, and drag that beggar out," commanded the merchant.

The words of the merchant had barely fallen.

when the bodyguards exchanged glances.

"Master, after all, he is just a beggar, and we've already taught him a lesson; if we go to this extent and accidentally kill him..."

One of them spoke hesitantly.

The merchant, focusing his gaze on the one who had spoken, slapped him across the face and then, as if not fully satisfied, kicked him several times.

"Enough with your nonsense!"

The other bodyguards looked fearfully at the merchant, suppressing anger in their hearts.

Seeing the bodyguards' hesitation, the merchant yelled furiously, "Do you still want your wages? To sympathize with a beggar over me?"

Upon hearing the merchant mention wages, the bodyguards hesitated no more,

and charged towards the residence's main gate.

The residence's gate had been secured with planks of wood nailed shut,

but before the formidable bodyguards, the gate seemed to have no defense at all.

With just a few powerful kicks, the gate began to wobble as if on the verge of collapse.

Inside the residence,

Li Tongzhen's face turned pale when he heard the noise outside. He hadn't expected the merchant who had beaten him to still not let him go.

"Qingqing, we need to go," urged Li Tongzhen. Experience exclusive tales on empire

He picked up Qingqing, placed her on his back, and, not bothering to put the food he had just taken out back into his embrace, he held it in his hand, carrying Qingqing to another exit.

Just as Li Tongzhen had picked up Qingqing and dashed towards another exit,

the residence's main gate came crashing down with a thunderous sound.