Regarding this son, Li Changqing truly doesn't know much because in the writings left by the original host, this son was mentioned very little.
He only knows the son's name is Li Hengsheng, and upon seeing this name, Li Changqing also realizes how obsessed the original host was with becoming a Painting Saint.
"Thank you very much." Li Changqing said to the middle-aged man in purple.
The middle-aged man in purple looked at Li Changqing in surprise. Since when was he so polite?
He's just a minor post officer, yet today, this Li Changqing seems a bit off.
"You're too kind, Painter Li." The purple-clad officer quickly replied, then hurriedly left to deliver messages to others.
Tearing open the letter, inside was a piece of letter paper and a banknote, and Li Changqing looked over the content of the letter.
The letter was very short.
At home, Li Changqing had also found several letters from Li Hengsheng, and the contents were almost the same every time.
Father, I'm doing well in the Mountain Ancient Land. This is this month's living expenses. This month I completed a sect task, and the elder gave a reward. I'm sending you an extra twenty taels of silver; please spend it sparingly. I'm not around to look after you, so take good care of yourself, don't miss me.
Li Changqing looked at the silver note, a note worth seventy taels of silver.
Such a silver note can be exchanged for silver at any bank in town. Though he doesn't understand the prices, Li Changqing knows that seventy taels of silver is definitely not a small amount.
For an ordinary family, this would be considered a huge sum, but for Li Changqing, who was used to a lavish lifestyle and needed to purchase a large amount of precious paper and ink, it was simply not enough.
From the original host's journal, Li Changqing saw that the original host complained his son was a bastard who only sent over a little amount each month, and he had tried writing to ask for more, but Li Hengsheng never sent additional funds.
Despite Li Hengsheng sending letters every month, the original host hadn't replied to a letter in almost a year.
"This Li Changqing is really a bastard." Li Changqing cursed, holding the letter, wishing his own son were a tenth as good as Li Hengsheng; he'd be moved to tears.
How is it said, when there's a drought, it dries to death, and when there's a flood, it drowns to death.
Having such a good child and not knowing how to cherish him.
Truly a beast.
Li Changqing knows that this money each month is certainly scraped by his son out of his own tight budget. As a cultivator, the resources given by the sect each month should be used to buy cultivation resources. Li Hengsheng hardly has enough for himself, and yet has to send money back to support such a beastly father.
Taking a deep breath, Li Changqing held the silver note, feeling uncomfortable inside.
Although Li Hengsheng is not his son, having traversed here, inheriting this body and receiving the alimony from his son, gave Li Changqing a complicated feeling.
If it were his past life, receiving the money from a filial son, he would have laughed non-stop for three days.
But now, receiving this money, Li Changqing felt a sense of overwhelming guilt.
He doesn't know exactly what life Li Hengsheng is living, yet he can imagine that Li Hengsheng, being an ordinary disciple without much talent or background, living in a large sect like Dao Mountain, how good could his life be?
And he has to squeeze out part of the money meant for buying cultivation resources to support his father.
"Damn it, in the past life, a son's lack of filial piety made me uneasy. In this life, a son being too filial still makes me uncomfortable!" Li Changqing slammed the table in anger.
"How much is it?" Li Changqing asked the stall owner. Although not quite full, he had lost his appetite.
"Eight copper coins." The stall owner said awkwardly, seeing that Li Changqing seemed to be in a bad mood for some reason.
Li Changqing took out his money pouch, pulled out the smallest silver ingot, and tossed it over, estimating it to be about one tael.
"So much? Painter Li, just a moment." The stall owner quickly turned around, busily worked for a while, and gave Li Changqing nine qian in silver and ninety-two copper coins as change.
Only then did Li Changqing realize that one tael of silver could exchange for a thousand copper coins, and the seventy taels sent by Li Hengsheng were indeed a huge amount.
Seeing the record of indulgent spending from the original host, Li Changqing had thought silver wasn't worth that much.
The reality is this person was too wasteful.
After finishing the meal, Li Changqing decided to take a stroll around town for a good look at this world.
He cannot be like the original host, living in idle indulgence, dreaming unrealistic dreams, and then living off his son, right?
With such a son, Li Changqing truly felt heartache.
Though it's just a town, it's really large. Li Changqing walked for more than two hours and only covered a few squares. Along the way, he encountered many people who knew him, but, unfortunately, he couldn't recognize any of them or recall any memories.
Luckily, the original Li Changqing was quite aloof and didn't have many friends, or else running into acquaintances would be hard to explain.
"Painter Li." As he passed by a shop in White Court Square, someone immediately came out and called out to Li Changqing.
Coming out was a short, chubby old man, smiling and clasping his hands together, saying: "Today your son should have sent money back, right? Come in and take a look, I've got a new batch of very fine Flowing Cloud plain paper, it's perfect for painting, just right for you!"
Li Changqing saw this and took a look at the shop, which turned out to be a scholar's studio shop.
It seems the original Li Changqing often bought paper here, right?
Li Changqing walked in, curiously looking around, there were brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, all seemingly very exquisite, but Li Changqing didn't feel that there was anything particularly special about these things.
"How much for a sheet of this paper?" Li Changqing asked curiously.
"Heh heh, this Flowing Cloud plain paper is rare, you've always wanted it, now that it's here, buy a little more, Painter Li, as a regular customer, I'll give you a discount, three taels of silver per sheet, how about it?" The chubby shopkeeper squinted his eyes.
Li Changqing nearly spit out the porridge he had just eaten.
He said in stunned disbelief, "Three taels of silver, for a sheet of paper?"
"Yes, Painter Li, you are a regular, otherwise, for others, it's three taels and five qian per sheet." The chubby shopkeeper looked at Li Changqing, somewhat puzzled.
He felt that Li Changqing today was somewhat different, if it were in the past, upon seeing this Flowing Cloud plain paper, he'd probably be salivating over it.
It's even less likely he'd consider a mere three taels of silver expensive, what's wrong today?
Li Changqing looked at that paper for quite a while without speaking, now he finally understood how the original Li Changqing's wealthy household had been squandered away.
Becoming a painter is really too difficult.
The initial investment is just too much!
"Excuse me, I just remembered there's soup cooking on the fire at home!" Li Changqing quickly bid farewell, unable to afford it!
Painting really is a money pit.
The chubby shopkeeper was momentarily at a loss, and in that time, Li Changqing had already disappeared without a trace.
And just then, Li Changqing also realized that in the whole town covering seven or eight market squares, he hadn't seen anyone selling carved wood items or similar crafts.
If he were to sell wood carvings, would there be a market for it?
The more he thought about it, the more he felt he should try it, at least to earn a living to sustain himself, otherwise, would he rely on his son to support him for the rest of his life?
Li Changqing couldn't bear that.
Thinking of this, Li Changqing turned around and went straight to a blacksmith shop he had passed earlier.
To do carving, first, he needed specialized carving knives.