houghtful. Lao Si said that the Marquis will be back in a couple of days. I'll ask him then."As the two talked, they arrived at Suijin Beach. Someone in the valley saw them and ran forward to speak. L...I can't be sure they will act exactly as I expect.

Jia Ren lowered his voice and continued, "But when that young man carried the water upstairs just now, I heard the shopkeeper ask him what he was doing. It seems this inn doesn't have the custom of proactively providing hot water to guests."

Even guests staying in the most remote rooms complained as they passed our door, saying that the young men were too lazy and wouldn't work for money.

We didn't give him any reward, nor did we order him to do so. Yet he was so proactive and eager, even asking about the four rooms we had booked one by one. I suspect he was trying to find out where we were all staying so he could inform the bad guys.

"Just now, I purposely appeared in your room. There were only me and my two brothers in there. They were the least likely to resist. As long as I captured them first, I would hold the upper hand. Then, with just the two of you left, it wouldn't take much effort at all..."

Lu Zonghe and Jia Xu were speechless. Jiarren's intellect truly crushed them again and again.

They were all about the same age and had achieved fame as scholars, but in Jia Ren's presence, they always felt like ignorant fools.

They were once praised as prodigies wherever they went...

"Cough," Lu Zhong strained to find a little bit of his voice, whispering, "I've already instructed my men. If we fail, they will step in."

"That's best." Jiaren nodded and whispered to his two younger brothers, "Mao-ge'er, there's a gap under the bed now. When someone comes in, you hide under the bed. I won't call you out, and you absolutely cannot move, understand"

"Got it, big bro." Maoge replied listlessly.

Evidently, this arrangement wounded his youthful passion, but he also knew that this was his elder brother protecting him.

Jia Ren rubbed his little head and then instructed Li Ge'er, "Try your best to protect yourself and don't act recklessly. Don't let your guard down until the bad guys are completely subdued, you know"

"Understood, big brother," Li Ge'er replied readily, but whether he could truly obey was another matter entirely...

Jia Ren thought for a moment, then took out a medicine bottle from his waist and poured out four small pills, handing them to Lu Cong.

"This is an antidote pill, very precious and effective. Each of you takes one, be sure to keep it well. If anyone dares to use poison, or if weapons are coated with poison, take it immediately, at least it will save your life."

Lu Zong quickly distributed the money to Jia Xu and their two attendants.

Finally, he held the pill under his nose and sniffed it. It wasn't bitter; instead, it had a refreshing aroma.

Just like the depths of a forest, where the essence of plants and trees gathers, forming a spiritual energy...

Jia Ren still wanted to give Gou Sheng a few more, but he saw that Li Ge er had already divided them up for them.

A group of people, master and servants together making ten, hid in a room.

Occasionally speaking in a hushed tone, time seemed to pass pleasantly.

When it was almost dawn, Maoge'er was really too tired and started to snore softly in bed, which even made Ligere who pretended to be asleep beside him feel a little sleepy.

Jiārén, Lúzōng and Jiāxù hid behind the screen. The servants of the Lu family and the Jia family hid at the foot of the bed.

Zheng Liu and Zheng Qi were going to fight, so they hid in the corner of the room, which was closest to the window.

Gousheng hid at the head of the bed, protecting Ligaoer and Maogaoer nearby.

Just when everyone thought no one would come tonight, and they were overdoing it, there was suddenly a commotion outside the window.

The waning moon, not so bright, yet cast the two figures clearly onto the windowpane.

A bamboo tube pierced the paper window, wisps of blue smoke drifting in.

Lu Cong and Jia Xu's hearts were pounding with nervousness. They quickly swallowed the pills.

Jia Ren was the same. He forced down his anxiety and gently patted Lu Cong and Jia Xu.

After a long pause, a dagger was thrust into the window frame, prying open the small shutter. Then two people jumped in from the window.

Jia Ren could see clearly that the man and the old man who came in were the same swindlers as those from midday.

They were very cautious, first glancing at the two boys in the bed. Seeing that they didn't move at all, the big man let out a sigh of relief and turned his head to beckon someone downstairs.

Two more people jumped in, one with a sharp-nosed and thin face, the other a young woman, but not a familiar face.

When four people gather, they close the windows.

The old man lowered his voice and said, "Strike quickly! Grab those two brats first, then go next door. Get the money first, appease them, and once we have the money, silence them."

"Understood, Mr. Kong," the man replied.

The three of them were obedient, clearly showing that the old man was their leader and strategist in their daily lives.

The man stepped towards the bedside and bent down just as he was about to reach for Li Ge'er, who was sleeping on the outer side of the bed. Suddenly, he heard a faint sound, like a machine turning...

In the next instant, his chest was pierced. The excruciating pain made him open his mouth to speak, but he couldn't utter a sound. Blood trickled down from the corner of his mouth.

The sharp-nosed and thin-lipped man, seeing him half kneeling beside the bed, became impatient. He stepped forward and complained, "They are just two little brats, what's so interesting about them!"

As he spoke, he was about to push the man away. But an instinctive sense of danger made him feel uneasy, so he dodged out of the way.

Pfft!

A sharp arrow pierced through his arm, causing him to cry out in pain.

The scream seemed to have opened some kind of switch, and the house instantly descended into chaos.

Li Ge'er twisted his body and directly kicked his younger brother onto the bed. Then, using the mosquito net as cover, he fired three crossbow arrows at the sharp-nosed man.

The sharp-nosed and hawk-like man, anticipating danger, quickly ducked behind a window but was still stabbed in the shoulder by Zheng Liu's dagger.

It was that burly man who was already destined to die, and after being hit by two more arrows, he went to meet the King of Hell completely.

The elderly man and woman in the middle of the house reacted quickly, hearing something amiss they began to seek cover.

Unfortunately, Jiarren had his sights set on them. Three crossbow arrows were fired in unison. The old man dodged, but the woman was hit in the right abdomen and thigh.

The old man was ruthless too. He grabbed the woman and used her as a human shield, retreating to the window. He stubbornly endured until Li Ge'er and Jia Ren had fired all their crossbow arrows.

The sharp-faced man was still fighting to the death with Zheng Liu. Only Zheng Qi and Gou Sheng were left. At this moment, they also raised their daggers and charged at the old man.

The old man drew a short knife, a foot long, from behind his waist and fought Zheng Qi together.

Gousheng also wanted to join, but the house was too small and there wasn't enough space to move around. He could only stand on the sidelines.

Occasionally make some humming sounds to distract the elder.

The servants of the Lu and Jia families had also learned some skills from the guards at their respective estates. Otherwise, they wouldn't be allowed to go out with their masters.

But when you meet these people from the underworld, you're completely outmatched.

Two people also had daggers in their hands, but they could only protect Li Ge'er and Mao Ge'er on the side of the bed.

Seeing that Zheng Li and Zheng Qi were both grappling, Jia Ren shouted to light the lamp.

Then, he rushed over to help Zheng Liu, intending to deal with that sharp-mouthed and narrow-eyed man first.

In the academy, what they teach is the sword of a gentleman, mostly for show. It looks good but isn't practical.

Jiarren had only been practicing with his dagger at home and on the road for a while.

But at a critical juncture, he had to protect his two younger brothers, and he gained a bit more ferocity.

While the man with a sharp nose and protruding cheekbones was being pressed back by Zheng Liù, unable to turn around, he plunged a dagger into the man's heart.

The man let out a short, pained cry and collapsed to the floor...let go even when she was scolded.Along the way, they chatted and laughed as they made their way back to Xincun. Old Lady Li had been anxiously waiting at the door.Until her granddaughter, like a litt...