Howling Wind Manor had been plagued by troubles these past few months.
First Son-in-Law Sun met with disaster, then Li Ju did too. Their two strongest experts were gone.
The manor was left with only an old, decrepit tiger. It was clearly no longer secure.
The servants talked among themselves.
Some even took the opportunity to pack up valuables and flee.
This world was far from safe. Martial arts existed, and bandits who could leap over walls and soar across rooftops came by seven or eight times a year.
For a wealthy rural manor like this one, with few experts and no extensive connections, it was a bandit favorite—a fixed bank, essentially.
Whenever they ran out of money, they came to withdraw some, while taking the chance to ruin a few young ladies.
In the past, Son-in-Law Sun and Li Ju handled such matters. True experts did not think much of a manor like this; they simply went to pay their respects at the right doors, and someone would provide them with travel funds.
Today, another incident occurred. Eighth Miss had taken people hunting in the mountains, and when she returned, she was possessed by evil. She had remained unconscious ever since.
For a time, all sorts of rumors flew.
Some said Son-in-Law Sun's ghost was haunting her. Others said Li Ju was taking revenge.
Still others claimed a great bandit had drugged her... In any case, the carriage had gone over a cliff.
Fortunately, they were merely wealthy rural folk from a martial background, not a prominent aristocratic family. Otherwise, lives would surely have been lost.
That was also the root reason why daughters of prominent families did not meet unfamiliar men. The moment they did, gossip would arise.
Zhao Han woke up.
Curtains surrounded her, and two