"Master, you're finally back! This old servant was worried sick!"
"Master, thank the ancestors! Fortunately, you returned safe and sound!"
"Uncle, from now on, let Yan Zhang accompany you with the guards whenever you go to court! Even if you refuse to ride in a sedan chair, you can't go out alone anymore!"
"Uncle, Yan Zhang has a point. I've trained to become stronger. At the very least, I can protect you from bandits!"
"Master, a token isn't omnipotent. The bandits found you this time, after all. If anything had happened to you, how would I... how would I go on living?"
At the entrance to the Shang Family residence, a large crowd made a great commotion when they saw Shang Xuanwen return. After listening carefully, Yan Qing learned that Shang Xuanwen had always gone to and from court alone. He neither rode in a sedan chair nor needed guards to accompany him, and had done so for years.
However, he clearly wasn't treating his personal security as child's play. He seemed to possess a token that could reduce his presence, making him safer when alone. Nothing had happened to him in all these years; today's assassination had been an accident.
Thus, when faced with his family's fervent suggestions and concern, Shang Xuanwen rejected them all. He trusted only his own judgment. If they continued prattling on, all they would receive was Shang Xuanwen's cold glare and the terror of feeling as though their throats had been seized—not everyone could calmly face a Third Rank Herald's glance.
Yan Qing finally understood. This uncle was a prime minister outside, and a prime minister at home as well. Everyone else was his subordinate, and only he had the final say.
"Where's Xin Lei?" Shang Xuanwen looked around.
"The Fourth Young Miss is