Zhao Hanzhang wanted Zhao Erlang to train in martial arts while also burning off his excessive energy, so naturally she couldn’t let him ride a horse to the fortified village to pay respects.

Thus he led people running there every day, then running back. He also had to listen to Ji Ping’s assignments of helping people in the city move things and repair houses; then in the afternoon run to pay respects again before returning.

Today Ji Ping assigned them the task of moving dried grain into the storehouses. When they came out, it was already late.

Being stubborn, since his sister said to pay morning and evening respects every day, that meant every day. So at dusk he led them running to pay respects.

Fu’an, who had been assigned to record their grain-moving work, followed them out in a daze. By the time he realized what was happening and they’d already run out the city gate, he couldn’t very well just turn around and leave.

After all, he was a servant, and this was his young master’s brother-in-law. He had to give some face.

So he panted and wheezed as he followed them running to the fortified village, watching him bang on the door to kowtow to the Zhao family’s Fifth Great-Uncle before exiting the fortified village to return to the city.

Fu’an couldn’t help saying, “Second Young Master, it’s already dark. By the time we get back, the city gates will be closed, won’t they?”

Zhao Erlang said, “If they’re closed, we’ll just have them open them again. My elder sister is still at home waiting for me.”

He insisted on leading everyone running toward the city gates.

Running forward, they’d grown accustomed to running during this period. In less than half an hour, they reached beneath the city gates.

Sure enough, the gates were already closed.

The eleven young men could only stand beneath the city gate looking up. Zhao Erlang shouted at the people above, “Open the gate quickly! I’m back—I need to go in!”

The people on the city wall recognized Zhao Erlang but didn’t dare open the gate casually. This was the city gate—aside from Zhao Hanzhang, who dared open it at will?

So the people above shouted, “Second Young Master, please wait a moment. This subordinate will go request instructions from the young mistress immediately.”

Having said this, he clattered down from the city tower, grabbed a horse, and galloped toward the county office to request instructions.

Zhao Erlang didn’t make a fuss either. He led his people to lean against the city wall and wait. All around were buzzing mosquitoes, particularly annoying.

He waved his hand to drive away the mosquitoes, slapping mercilessly at his own face with a posture suggesting he’d die together with them. Fu’an watched with his heart in his throat and quickly stopped his actions, waving his hands around him to help drive away the mosquitoes.

Seeing this, the other retainers also surrounded him to help. “Second Young Master, it must be that your blood is sweeter, so the mosquitoes all love biting you.”

Zhao Erlang asked, “Really?”

“Really.”

Zhao Erlang was about to say something when he suddenly pricked up his ears. “Did you hear the sound of horses?”

Just as they were wondering, the people on the city tower had already noticed and shouted loudly toward the distance, “Who goes there? Xiping County has already closed its gates—halt immediately!”

They were a bit frightened—the Second Young Master was still down below.

The people on the city tower anxiously circled about, grabbing the person beside them. “Should we open the city gate first and let the Second Young Master in? If something happens to him, won’t the young mistress skin us alive?”

Just as they hesitated, the mounted riders had already reached beneath the city tower. Because Zhao Erlang and his group of eleven were standing in the shadow of the city wall, and it was pitch dark at night, the newcomers didn’t notice them either. Instead, they shouted up at the city tower, “The Provincial Governor’s Office has urgent military orders! Open the city gates quickly!”

The people on the city tower breathed a slight sigh of relief and their tone softened. “Messenger, please wait. We’ll go report this immediately.”

They also asked, “Does the messenger have official documents and seals?”

“The official document is here. This is an urgent military order—what nonsense! Hurry and open the city gates. If you delay military operations, you’ll all be held accountable.”

The retainers wouldn’t open. They weren’t court officials. Their master was Zhao Hanzhang. From the very first moment they took charge of Xiping County, there had been an order: aside from their young mistress, no one could privately open the city gates. Even their Second Young Master had to wait honestly down below. Who did these people think they were?

With their poor attitude, the retainers’ attitude also worsened, and they roughly replied, “We told you to wait, so wait. After we report this, we’ll talk.”

The newcomers were shocked and called out, “How dare you! This is an urgent military order. According to regulations, when any county receives an urgent military order, they must immediately open the city gates. You dare disobey!”

But the key point was they weren’t court troops. The retainers on the tower turned a deaf ear.

“We’ve long heard that Xiping County has been taken over by the Zhao clan. Now that you’ve taken a new master, you no longer obey your superiors’ orders—could it be you’re planning rebellion?”

Unable to bear being gagged and silenced any longer, Zhao Erlang couldn’t restrain himself. He tore off Fu’an’s hand and pointed at the mounted men, shouting, “How dare you insult my Zhao family! Even I have to wait honestly—who do you think you are?”

The two men on horseback were startled by this sudden voice. One nearly had his heart jump out of his mouth, while the other’s eyes rolled back and he fell straight off his horse, fainting from fright.

Zhao Erlang let out a “ha” and jumped up, pulling everyone to bear witness for him. “They’re bad—they’re deliberately trying to frame me, just like my older sisters did!”

Zhao Erlang urgently sought everyone’s acknowledgment. “I didn’t hit him—didn’t even touch him!”

Fu’an said, “…Yes, the Second Young Master didn’t hit him. He was just frightened unconscious by the Second Young Master.”

Zhao Erlang’s eyes widened, filled with great bewilderment and a touch of pride. “Am I really that impressive?”

The young retainers shrank behind him, saying softly, “Second Young Master, he won’t be scared to death, will he?”

After his hands and feet went weak, the man on horseback heard their discussion. His reason gradually returned, and he finally realized—this wasn’t a ghost, but people!

With a pale face, he trembled as he tried to dismount to check on his companion, but found his feet were still shaking and he couldn’t quite step into the stirrup properly. So he pointed at the shadowy figures barely visible in the darkness and said, “Hurry up and help him!”

Zhao Erlang was a kind-hearted young man. He led everyone forward to flip over the person lying on the ground and lift him to the side to avoid being trampled by the horse.

Fu’an felt the man’s neck and, confirming he still had breath, sighed in relief. “Still alive.”

Zhao Erlang stared at his nose. “You need to pinch his philtrum—pinch it and he’ll wake up.”

He continued, “My elder sister said so. Once when our oldest sister fainted, elder sister did just this—pinched hard, and oldest sister woke up immediately.”

Hearing this, Fu’an forcefully pinched the man’s philtrum. After a long time, the person finally made “mm mm” sounds. He struggled to open his eyes just a crack to barely make out human shapes, only to meet several pairs of eyes all looking at him at once, gleaming in the darkness. His eyes widened, his head tilted to one side, and he fainted again.

Zhao Erlang was also startled and fell backward, sitting on the ground. He sought confirmation from everyone, “He fainted on his own—it has nothing to do with me.”

The people surrounding him also abandoned him and scooted backward, saying in unison to the man on horseback, “Right, right, he fainted on his own.”

The man on horseback: …

Annoyed, he said, “What are you all standing around for? Help me down!”

Everyone looked at Zhao Erlang—they listened to him.

Zhao Erlang thought for a moment. Elder sister had said not to easily trust strangers when outside, so he righteously refused, “No. Who knows if you’re a bad person?”

The other party fumed and collapsed, shouting hysterically, “Just who are you, lurking by the city wall? What are you doing here?”

Finally, he shouted up at the city tower, “Why haven’t you opened the city gates yet? If something happens to the messenger, even all your lives combined won’t be enough compensation.”

—