That day, over a hundred cavalrymen rode up to Two Worthies Manor.
Shan Xiongxin came out nervously to greet them and asked respectfully, "Two Worthies Manor has always obeyed the law and treated the people kindly. I wonder..."
The officer at the head waved a hand, cutting him off. "The general is coming."
"The general?"
"Duke Wang!" The officer was impatient with Shan Xiongxin's failure to grasp the situation.
"Duke Wang is coming?" Shan Xiongxin's eyes widened. "At a time like this..."
The officer shook his head. "Prepare food for fifteen hundred people. The general will arrive in half an hour."
"Yes, yes, yes." Shan Xiongxin quickly agreed. He immediately ordered the gates of the manor thrown open, sent the servants out to clear and sweep the streets, dispatched people to buy supplies, set up large cauldrons to boil water, prepared fodder for the horses, and mobilized the nearby villagers as well. Everyone became busy.
The troops that had arrived first did not stand around watching either. Some were assigned to watch the warhorses, while more than half joined the Shan Family's people in their work. Yet even these soldiers helping with the chores had sharp eyes. They watched the water being boiled, watched the vegetables being sorted—whatever anyone did, they watched.
Shan Xiongxin took all of this in. He felt no resentment, nor did he dare to. He only gained a sense of how difficult Wang Yan's position truly was...
Before long, the Wang Family steward arrived with a large group of people and brought countless chickens, ducks, geese, and pigs, which were slaughtered on the spot under the soldiers' watchful eyes.
Everyone was talking about Wang Yan, wondering what kind of person he was. A whole pack of children emerged as well, hopping and running about in play.