At the Training Ground.
Snowflakes as large as goose feathers drifted down in thick flurries, covering the bloodstains on the ground.
Zhou Liang stood ramrod straight in front of the guards, gripping his bloodied broadblade tightly. Blood dripped steadily from its edge. The blade, forged from fine steel, was riddled with chips, and Zhou Liang had several wounds on his body as well.
Though his injuries weren't serious, Zhou Liang knew Liu Mazi wouldn't be easy to handle. Apart from their leader, Liu Mazi, who was a Blood Rush Realm expert, the bandits had two more Blood Rush Realm experts. Their presence was imposing.
Even so, Zhou Liang didn't take a single step back.
Ordinarily, a mere guard had no reason to risk his life for his employer. If bandits attacked, most would have dropped their weapons and run long ago.
But Zhou Liang was different.
To him, he wasn't merely the Chen Family's head guard; he and Chen Yin Fu were bound by brotherly loyalty. He had sworn long ago to protect Chen Mansion with his life. So when teaching the other guards martial arts, Zhou Liang had instilled the same principles in them. As a result, they were all brave and placed great importance on loyalty.
"Master Zhou, we can't keep this up."
Wei Heng walked over to Zhou Liang's side with Liu Jiang, his face full of worry.
Zhou Liang said, "I've already sent someone to inform the master. He'll think of a solution. Our job is to hold these bandits back, even if it costs us our lives."
Wei Heng and Liu Jiang exchanged a glance, each showing a resolute expression.
Wei Heng gritted his teeth. "Half my martial arts came from Master Zhou's teaching. If Master Zhou won't retreat, we'll fight these bandits to the death."
Liu Jiang wasn't one for many words. He simply said, "Same here."
The other three guards in the Five Viscera Realm came forward as well. "Same here."
With the strongest guards having made their stand, the rest also rose with their blades in hand and faced off against the bandits.
Though the bandit leader had his face covered, the pockmarks and conspicuous scar on his face were faintly visible. There was no doubt he was Liu Mazi.
But Liu Mazi was in a bind now, too.
He hadn't expected a bunch of guards to be so stubborn, risking their lives to protect their employer over a few pieces of silver.
If the fight continued, they could win, but their losses would be considerable. They might even lose the foundation of the bandit gang Liu Mazi had spent years building.
Just then, a masked, bald-headed man holding a blade stepped forward from the side. "Big Brother. Even though the government offices and Guard Station are closed today, we can't stay here long. We need to finish this quickly. The Chen Family has considerable influence. If we draw the authorities and the Guard Station here, we'll have a hard time getting away."
A black-faced man two meters tall, carrying a huge axe, came forward. "Big Brother, Second Brother's right. Since we're already here, we might as well fight them. No matter what, we have to take Lu Wei and that Chen kid with us, or we won't be able to explain ourselves to Grandma."
Hearing his two sworn brothers' words, Liu Mazi made up his mind. He walked forward a couple of steps, his soft sword in hand, and glared viciously at Zhou Liang.
"Zhou Liang, I know who you are. You used to be an escort, but after you got into trouble, Chen Yin Fu took you in. When all's said and done, you don't have much of a relationship with him. It's just a matter of how much silver he pays you. Whatever Chen Yin Fu gives you, I'll pay you double. Why risk your life for an outsider? It's hardly worth it, don't you think?"
Zhou Liang held his blade crosswise, his eyes blazing. "Bandits like you know nothing of loyalty. If you want a fight, come and get it. Even if I die here today, I'll take you down with me."
"Don't be so sure of yourself." Liu Mazi produced a bag of silver ingots and tossed it at Zhou Liang's feet. "Ten large silver ingots—five hundred taels. Take the money and bring your men to Spring Breeze Tower for a good time. Today, all I want is to take Lu Wei away and ask the Chen Family's Second Young Master a few questions."
Liu Mazi had gone to great lengths to persuade Zhou Liang to stand down.
As far as he was concerned, Zhou Liang, a Blood Rush Realm expert, was his only real problem. Once Zhou Liang backed down, the rest could be slaughtered at will. After all, besides Liu Mazi himself, his bald-headed Second Brother and axe-wielding Third Brother were both newly advanced Blood Rush Realm experts.
The three brothers could wipe out everyone in Chen Mansion in the blink of an eye.
"Pah!"
Zhou Liang spat hard at the bag. "If you're scared, then take your men and get out. Don't resort to such low tricks."
"Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit. You must be tired of living. Second Brother, Third Brother, the three of us will team up and take down this sour old scholar first." Liu Mazi finally lost patience and raised his sword to attack.
The bald-headed man raised his broadsword. "I've been waiting long enough. Let's cut him down!"
The giant axe-wielder swung his weapon and charged forward, too.
Just then—
"Honored heroes, please don't lose your tempers. Anything can be discussed. Why draw blades and raise weapons?"
Chen Yin Fu came hurrying out with a smile, cupping his hands toward the bandits from a distance and wearing an ingratiating expression.
When Liu Mazi saw Chen Yin Fu, he immediately called out to his sworn brothers. "Second Brother, Third Brother, hold on."
Though the bald-headed man and the Axe Man were violent by nature, they listened to their Big Brother above all else and both stopped.
Liu Mazi gave a cold snort. "Finally, someone who can make decisions has shown up. Old Chen, your son took my cousin Lu Wei. What do you say we should do about it?"
Chen Yin Fu walked over to Zhou Liang, smiling from ear to ear. "I only just heard about this myself. It was my son who broke the rules and offended you honored heroes. He's gravely ill, but I've already sent someone to call him here so he can apologize to you. How does that sound?"
Seeing Chen Yin Fu back down, Liu Mazi was delighted. He saw a chance to settle this without bloodshed and said, "If you'd done this sooner, your Chen Family wouldn't have brought disaster upon itself. Is my cousin doing all right?"
"He's fine, perfectly fine. I've already sent for my son to bring Lu Wei here. It was all my son's fault. If you honored heroes decide to kill him later, that would be only right. Just please spare the rest of the people in Chen Mansion."
"Hahaha! Old Chen knows what's what after all." Liu Mazi was immensely pleased. After years as a bandit, he knew merchants cared most about profit. There were plenty who would abandon their wives and children to save their own skins.
The Bald Headed Man added, "Old Chen, we're not only taking Brother Lu Wei with us. We'll also take your son away for questioning."
Chen Yin Fu immediately agreed. He even brought out a thick stack of banknotes and set them on the ground, weighting them down with a small stone. "Of course. Here are five thousand taels. I only ask that you spare the rest of my Chen Family."
The Bald Headed Man walked over, picked up the banknotes, and counted them. Excited, he returned to Liu Mazi's side. "Big Brother, it really is five thousand taels. Looks like Old Chen is truly afraid of us. He's even willing to abandon his own son to save himself."
Liu Mazi pocketed the banknotes, smiling broadly. "Merchants are heartless and disloyal, after all. Once we see Lu Wei and the Chen Family's Second Young Master, we'll tie them up immediately."
The bald-headed man was confused. "Are we really going to let the whole Chen Family off?"
Liu Mazi snorted and lowered his voice. "Of course not. Since we came all this way, if we don't kill everyone in the Chen Family, they'll report us to the authorities, and we'll be in for trouble. Once we've tied up those two, we'll slaughter everyone in Chen Mansion. Not a single person left alive!"
The bald-headed man was delighted. "I knew it. Since when did Big Brother change his ways? Hahaha."
Liu Mazi said, "If you're going to rob people, you have to pull out the roots and leave no shoots behind, or trouble will grow without end. And that bitch Liu Cui is probably hiding somewhere because of the Chen Family's Second Young Master. We'll dig her out and kill her, too."
The Bald Headed Man said, "That's only right. Heh... Chen Yin Fu handed over five thousand taels without blinking. He's certainly loaded. If we wipe out the Chen Family, won't we find ten thousand taels of silver?"
Liu Mazi laughed. "That'll keep us living it up for a good while. I'll have enough silver to break through to Internal Martial Master, too."
As the two spoke in hushed voices, four figures approached from a distance.
Qiulan was supporting a sickly-looking Brocade Youth. He wore brocade and silk, his hair hanging loose and his expression gloomy. In the darkness, it was hard to see him clearly.
Another young man, dressed in an old servant's robe, was supporting Lu Wei.
No one noticed that the young man in the old servant's robe was actually Chen Mo. And the Brocade Robe Youth supported by Qiulan was Ma Tie.
With his hair hanging loose and the night so dark, it was impossible to tell them apart from a distance.
Chen Yin Fu smiled. "Honored heroes, my son has arrived with Lu Wei."
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