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The Three Harmonies Gang thugs, who had been so aggressive moments before, simply nodded and withdrew at a word from Zhao Feng, without collecting any more money.

The surrounding villagers found it unbelievable.

Was this what becoming a martial master meant? Just two remarks and two nods, and he could make that vicious gang return the money and leave?

"Thank goodness for Youlin's boy."

"Yes, thank goodness he became a martial master. Now we can all bask in his reflected glory."

"They're both martial masters, so why couldn't Zhao Youfu's boy do the same? Those men wouldn't even acknowledge him, and they beat his family up."

"Didn't you hear what they said? It sounds like Zhao Sheng never became a martial master at all..."

"So Qian Shi was just boasting. Who knows where her son's been fooling around?" Everyone whispered among themselves.

Just then, Qian Shi, who had been thoroughly deflated a moment earlier, puffed up again. "What nonsense are you talking? My son is a martial master. How could the martial arts school have sent him packing? Those men must have made a mistake! Anyone who dares wag their tongue again will get what's coming when my Sheng'er returns!" she cursed, hands on her hips.

"Besides, we don't even know which Martial Master Zhao they meant, or who's playing the fox borrowing the tiger's might!"

Qian Shi's words carried a pointed implication.

"All right, everyone, disperse. Go back home," the village head said.

"Well, Feng..." Zhao Youfu rubbed his hands together, hoping to ask about his son's situation in the county seat, but the fiercely proud Qian Shi dragged him back.

Zhao Feng ignored them and told the driver to stop the carriage outside his house.

Then he walked home with his father.

His mother, Yang Shi, and his sister-in-law, Tian Cuihua, had been hiding indoors, too frightened to come out. Only when the two little boys returned and told them the news did they hurry out to greet him.

"Mother, Sister-in-law!" Zhao Feng greeted them with a smile.

"It's good to have you back. My youngest, you've grown thin again," Yang Shi said, her heart aching for him.

Tian Cuihua, meanwhile, craned her neck to peer into the carriage. Why hadn't he brought anything back this time?

Zhao Feng looked around the house. Hardly anything had changed in the past few months.

"Son, you must be hungry. I'll make you some flatbread right away. We still have some salted meat," Yang Shi said.

Zhao Feng saw that the white flour left from his last visit was still being mixed with coarse grain flour for cooking, and he couldn't help frowning.

"Father, Mother, didn't I leave you money and grain last time? You don't need to scrimp so much."

"Feng'er, after we paid off our debts and the spring tax, there wasn't much money left. Your mother's family came to borrow some money and grain, and Old Uncle Zhong and Auntie Yuan borrowed some grain too. Then..." Zhao Youlin said.

"Old Uncle Zhong's little one fell ill, and Auntie Yuan's family had a poor harvest. The elderly were nearly starving to death. I just couldn't bear to watch... Feng'er, you won't blame me, will you?" he asked.

"Of course not," Zhao Feng said at once.

He was no bleeding-heart saint, nor was he generous. But his maternal uncle had often helped their family in the past, and their neighbors, Old Uncle Zhong and Aunt Yuan, had watched the original owner of his body grow up and treated him well. Repaying those kindnesses was one thing; as the saying went, help people through emergencies, not endless poverty. It was only right to lend old neighbors a hand in a crisis.

"Let's not talk about that anymore. Father, Mother, Sister-in-law, get ready. I'll take you to the county seat for a look around."

"Oh! We're not eating at home?" Yang Shi asked.

"No, Mother. We'll eat in town."

At the mention of going into town, Zhao Bao'er and Zhao Zihuai immediately jumped for joy, brimming with anticipation.

Tian Cuihua hurried off to wash her face and change into new clothes. She tidied her bun and secured it with the hairpin from her dowry.

His parents also changed into the new clothes made from the cloth he had bought last time, then locked the door. They asked their neighbor, Old Uncle Zhong, to keep an eye on the house.

The whole family climbed into the carriage and headed for the county seat. As soon as they set out, their fellow villagers came out to watch.

"They're riding in a carriage now. Youlin's family has raised a fine son."

"We owe him a great deal."

Eldest Uncle and Eldest Aunt watched the carriage recede into the distance. "Wife, why don't we go beg Second Brother to lend us some money? We can barely keep the cooking pot going, and Sheng'er still has his tuition fee to pay," Zhao Youfu said.

"Go yourself if you want to!" Qian Shi snapped.

Over the years, they had kept almost all the property left by the previous generation-the house and the fields-for themselves. They had even pocketed all the betrothal gifts from Zhao Youfang's marriage. They had paid no heed to their younger siblings, and treated their children no better. Whenever they saw them in the village, they offered nothing but scoldings, never so much as a chestnut or a piece of dried sweet potato. Their last attempt to borrow grain had earned them a faceful of dust; asking for money would probably end the same way.

"What's so impressive about them? My Xing'er serves a noble in the Inner City, and Sheng'er is a martial master. Are we any worse off than they are? We're just keeping a low profile," Qian Shi said.

"Besides, my Sheng'er is so outstanding that he'll pass the martial examination. Then he'll be a lord. Don't disgrace him."

"But Sheng'er keeps demanding money to pay his tuition fee," Zhao Youfu said.

"Don't we still have fields? We can just mortgage them to Li the Landowner. Once Sheng'er passes the martial examination, we'll surely get them back," Qian Shi said.

Apart from Zhao Feng, everyone in the family was riding in this kind of enclosed carriage for the first time, and everything along the way seemed fascinating. They arrived safely at the courtyard in Willow Tree Alley in the county seat and climbed down once the carriage stopped. Zhao Feng told the driver to fetch Little Aunt and Qiao'er from the Embroidery Workshop.

"Feng'er, you rented this place? It's wonderful." Zhao Youlin couldn't help marveling at the spacious courtyard and rooms.

"This must cost a lot," Yang Shi said, pained at the expense.

"Not much, Mother. Rest here for now. Once Little Aunt and Qiao'er arrive, we'll go eat at a restaurant."

"You foolish child, why go to a restaurant? What nonsense. You have all the cooking utensils here. Your sister-in-law and I will buy some vegetables at the market and cook when we get back," Yang Shi said.

Unable to persuade Yang Shi otherwise, Zhao Feng gave his mother and sister-in-law some silver pieces to buy vegetables and meat at the market.

Before long, the driver returned with Zhao Youfang and Qiao'er.

Zhao Feng paid the driver and sent him away, telling him to come back the next day to pick them up.

"Second Brother!" Zhao Youfang called happily when she saw Zhao Youlin.

"Uncle," Qiao'er greeted him sweetly.

"Little Sister, Qiao'er." Zhao Youlin hadn't seen his younger sister and niece for more than half a year, either, and was delighted. He drew them over to sit down and asked warmly after them.

Before long, Qiao'er could no longer sit still and went to play with Zhao Bao'er and Zhao Zihuai in the courtyard. Although she was their aunt in the family hierarchy, she was only four or five years older. They climbed up and down, having the time of their lives.

Soon, Yang Shi and Tian Cuihua returned from the market with vegetables and meat. Zhao Youfang helped them prepare everything, and the kitchen bustled as they set to work cooking.

Meanwhile, Zhao Feng told Zhao Youlin about some of his recent experiences practicing martial arts.

"By the way, Feng'er, some of the young men from the neighboring villages who went to perform corvée labor with your elder brother have returned," Zhao Youlin said.

"Hm? What about my brother?" Zhao Feng asked immediately. From the sound of it, something had happened to Zhao Shuo.

"After they finished their corvée work repairing the waterways in You Province, they headed home together. But while passing through Pine River County, they encountered bandits and were scattered. There's been no word of your brother since." Zhao Youlin sighed.

Zhao Feng's expression grew grave. Pine River County was one of Qingzhou's northernmost counties, even farther north than Three Yang County, where he had escorted a shipment last time. It bordered Bing Province, where a rebellion was raging.

It was also one of the counties most overrun with refugees and bandits. The most notorious bandits, those of Black Cloud Stronghold, as well as the Blood Wolf Bandits, operated in that area.

Could Black Cloud Stronghold have taken him? The Blood Wolf Bandits had no fixed stronghold, so Black Cloud Stronghold was the likeliest possibility. The other scattered, smaller bands were less likely.

This was bad news, but not the worst. At least he now had a starting point for his investigation.