The Fearsome Servants of Great Families

Bandits?

The people aboard panicked, their cries mingling as they swept out of the cabin and carried across the lake.

Light shimmered on the water, and ripples spread gently.

Gu Zhengchen watched the passengers. Men huddled with their wives and children in their arms. Travelers journeying alone looked terrified and lost. Merchants clutching their bundles wanted to flee, but the bandits' broadswords frightened them into keeping still.

Only the monk seemed detached and unmoved. He was probably thinking:

The Buddha said: This is all fate.

Boatman Wang panicked at the sight of the robbers, but a closer look revealed there were only three. His resolve steadied at once. He glanced around, gathered his courage, and was about to speak.

Just then, the scholar who had spent the journey discussing past and present stepped forward. Without a trace of fear, he reassured the woman beside him, then walked toward the cabin and gave two cold chuckles. "Bandits? Hah! Our Great Ming dynasty was founded six years ago. These are not the chaotic final years of the Yuan, when the likes of you could trample the law at will! I am an official of the imperial court. Put down your weapons and surrender!"

Gu Zhengchen stared at the scholar a short distance away, his expression growing grave.

Liang Family Jiajun stood at the doorway and glanced at Gu Zhengchen.

Scarface, the bandits' leader, tilted his head, his neck cracking. He advanced on the scholar with his saber in hand and shouted murderously, "An imperial official? Imperial officials are exactly who I kill!"

Seeing his ferocity, the scholar hurried backward and cried, "I-I'm an imperial official! If you kill me, the court will send troops to hunt you down!"

"I'll cleave you in two!"

Scarface swung his saber down.

The scholar went pale and grabbed the woman beside him, pulling her in front of himself as a shield!

The woman screamed.

A step forward!

The saber slashed down!

"You're a fool, and you think you deserve to be an official?"

The woman collapsed to the floor.

The scholar trembled, unable to speak.

Scarface walked past them and looked coldly at Boatman Wang and the boatmen. "Ba Gen, get a rope and tie them up! Boatman Wang, I advise you not to try anything. Once you're dead, you have nothing left."

Boatman Wang's face darkened. "This is my boat!"

"Not anymore."

Scarface threatened him with his saber.

Ba Gen approached with a rope, heading toward a boatman nearby.

The boatman looked at Boatman Wang, who hesitated. These men were vicious criminals, ruthless and armed with sabers. If a fight broke out, someone was bound to die.

"You mustn't kill us!"

Boatman Wang was forced to bow his head.

Scarface chuckled. "If we wanted you dead, why go to the trouble of tying you up?"

Ba Gen bound the boatmen and their master, while another bandit tied up the boatman at the stern.

Scarface returned to the cabin, surveyed the passengers, and hacked his saber into the wall. "Brothers, time to rob them!"

Gu Zhengchen looked at the somewhat alarmed Liang Family Jiajun and said quietly, "Do you still think they'll spare us out of respect for our status?"

Liang Family Jiajun's expression soured. These bandits were robbing men connected to the court-did they not fear bringing down its thunderous wrath?

Gu Zhengchen watched the bandits plunder, his gaze turning chilly. "To them, money is money. Status has nothing to do with it. Even if a duke ended up here alone, they would rob him just the same."

Liang Family Jiajun said worriedly, "Without our money, we won't be able to travel to the Capital to take up our posts."

Gu Zhengchen glanced at the composed Liang Wujin and frowned slightly.

Liang Family Jiajun's steward seemed unusual. Even Gu Cheng had hidden behind Sun Shiba, yet Liang Wujin stood to Sun Shiba's right, his body slightly bent like a leopard poised to spring.

"Hand over your money!"

The bandits seized each passenger's baggage by force and poured their loose copper coins into a chest.

Anyone who refused to surrender their baggage was met with brutal punches and kicks.

How could ordinary people stand against bandits? With sabers threatening them, they had to hand over their money whether they wanted to or not.

The merchants suffered even worse. Not only did they lose their money and have their attendants beaten, but their purchased goods were seized as well. They had lost every last bit of their investment.

"Hand over your valuables!"

Ba Gen looked at Sun Shiba and Liang Wujin blocking his path, then stepped forward and barked the order.

Sun Shiba and Liang Wujin looked back at Gu Zhengchen and Liang Family Jiajun.

Seeing how things stood, Gu Zhengchen was about to speak when Liang Family Jiajun stepped forward, his face cold. "You've taken enough. Don't be greedy."

Liu Gen raised his saber and pointed it at Liang Family Jiajun. "Another arrogant bastard! I'll teach you a lesson today and show you what's what!"

Liang Family Jiajun looked at Scarface and said calmly, "Stop here and leave."

Scarface raised a foot and planted it on the edge of the chest, shifting the blade in his hand. "How can we leave before the chest is full?"

Liang Family Jiajun turned to Liang Wujin. "Don't kill anyone."

Gu Zhengchen's pupils tightened slightly as Liang Wujin stepped forward, seized Ba Gen's saber-wielding wrist with his left hand, twisted hard, and jerked it upward. A crack rang out, as though a bone had snapped.

Ba Gen fell to the floor in agony. Liang Wujin caught his falling saber and advanced step by step toward another bandit. Seeing Ba Gen screaming, Jiu Gen turned savage and swung his saber!

Liang Wujin kicked a chest toward him. Jiu Gen hastily dodged, but before he could react, a hand clamped around his neck like iron pincers. He looked up to see a head hurtling toward him.

Thud!

Jiu Gen's head rang, and his whole body went limp.

"Incredible!"

Gu Zhengchen was stunned. The unassuming, aging Liang Wujin possessed astonishing skill. No wonder the Liang Family had sent only one old servant. With him here, they had the equivalent of four or five men!

Sun Shiba stepped back and whispered, "I'd always heard the Liang Family had two formidable martial practitioners. I never imagined he was one of them."

Liang Family Jiajun smiled faintly. "In troubled times, without a few capable men to guard the household, everything would have been looted long ago. The Liang Family paid a hefty sum to buy Wujin as a servant. A few bandits are nothing to him."

Gu Zhengchen looked at Liang Family Jiajun. This man hid his depths well, his servant did too, and the Liang Family hid theirs even better! So this was a true scion of a great family: seemingly as still as an ancient well, yet unfathomably deep. Compared with someone like him, born to a humble, fallen household, they were far too powerful.

If even the little Liang Family of Teng County was like this, how deep were the schemes of the great predators in the Capital, and how endless their methods?

He still had much to learn, and countless things to be wary of.

The road ahead was a single-plank bridge with no turning back. Once he placed a foot down, there was no room for regret.

Never underestimate anyone!

Liang Wujin was formidable indeed. Though Scarface had some skill, he was no match for him. Driven back to the bow, Scarface had nowhere left to retreat.

"We'll take our things and leave!"

Scarface panted heavily.

Liang Wujin shook his head slightly. "You've already had your chance."

Scarface's face twisted viciously. "So you're not going to let us go?"

"Exactly!"

Liang Wujin stepped forward.

"Watch out!"

Gu Zhengchen's gaze sharpened, and he shouted urgently.

Liang Wujin froze. He heard a rush of wind beside his ear, then a heavy blow struck his neck. His body toppled helplessly, and a voice reached his ears. "Scarface, you've disappointed me sorely. To think I must intervene over such a trifling matter. Amitabha."