Chapter Six: A Midnight Intrusion into the Zhao Residence

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Within the borders of Yangyuan County, there were four powerful families, collectively known as the Four Great Houses. These illustrious clans controlled nearly all the land, stalls, and shops throughout Yangyuan, so much so that the entire county was, in effect, their property. Li Ju had even heard rumors that, when united, these four houses wielded such influence that the county magistrate’s decrees could not leave his own yamen without their consent. In Yangyuan, the Four Great Houses stood above even the magistrate—they were as gods in this land.

Li Ju’s target tonight was the Zhao family, one of these mighty houses.

Deep within the inner city of Yangyuan, the Zhao family’s grand residence stood imposing and silent. Li Ju’s figure melted into the shadows of night as he crouched atop a rooftop, eyes following a patrol of guards as they receded into the darkness.

Compared to the lax security of the outer city, the inner district was tightly guarded, with sentries stationed every few steps and patrols crisscrossing the streets. The various family retainers also assisted with the watch. For an ordinary criminal, slipping quietly into the inner city would be an impossible feat.

Fortunately, Li Ju was no ordinary criminal—he was a thief skilled in martial arts.

“If not for the Ghost Bat Technique, which is naturally suited to stealth and night movement, I’d never have slipped in so easily,” Li Ju mused, watching the Zhao retainers patrol the estate.

It also helped that, back when he sold fish, he used to deliver to the Zhao family and had often entered the inner city; otherwise, he would not have known where to find their compound in this sprawling district.

“With my current skills, I can easily handle around ten guards at once. But if more swarm me, I’ll be overwhelmed, and who knows if there are even stronger martial artists hired by the Zhaos lurking inside,” he thought. “I’d better proceed with caution.”

Having glimpsed the level of security within the Zhao residence, Li Ju realized he’d underestimated the challenge. Although he had the help of his mysterious panel, he was, after all, just an ordinary man newly initiated into the martial path. He lacked experience, and his martial skills were not yet so advanced that he could disregard the sheer number of guards. If caught in a prolonged fight, his life would be at risk.

“Best to first observe the situation around the Zhao family’s eldest son, then decide what to do next,” he planned.

The forced marriage to Li Yan was entirely the eldest son’s personal desire, not the will of the entire Zhao family. Li Ju believed that he didn’t need to take on the whole clan; as long as he dealt with the troublemaker, Li Yan’s predicament would be resolved. Once the eldest son was dead, he doubted anyone in the vast Zhao family would pay attention to a commoner like Li Yan.

Having made up his mind, Li Ju found a spot beyond the guards’ line of sight. With a few agile leaps, he traversed the rooftops and slipped deeper into the Zhao estate.

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Li Ju arrived at the back kitchen of the Zhao residence—a place he knew well from his days delivering fish. The kitchen was now silent, the night broken only by the occasional scurrying of rats.

Though the kitchen was empty, Li Ju concealed himself there. He was not waiting for the common rats, but for the “rats” who came to steal food.

Creak...

After a while, the kitchen door gave a muffled groan. Li Ju watched as a furtive figure slipped inside. The intruder closed the door behind him, then hurried to the stove, pulling out a bag and, by the moonlight, sweeping whatever he could find into it.

Li Ju waited until he was sure there was only one thief, then struck.

Swish.

Before the man could react, a claw-like hand gripped his throat and dragged him into the shadows.

A muffled whimper drifted from the corner.

A moment later, Li Ju emerged from the darkness, his business concluded.

Leaving the kitchen, he headed purposefully toward a particular part of the estate. His familiarity with the Zhao compound ended beyond the kitchen; he did not know where the family members lived. Only after “friendly inquiry” with the thief did he learn the precise location of the eldest son’s quarters.

It was a spacious courtyard, with four or five buildings scattered to either side, manicured trees and flowers, and intricately carved stones artfully arranged in the open spaces. At the center stood a three-story wooden pavilion, ablaze with light.

Li Ju stood atop a nearby roof, gazing down at the courtyard, his brows knit with concern.

“Something’s not right here...”

There was an odd sense about this place that made him hesitate to approach.

“And where are the guards?”

He looked around but saw not a single sentry within or near the courtyard.

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This was highly unusual. Given how jealously the Zhaos guarded every corner of their estate, the absence of even a single guard near the residence of the eldest son—a person of such importance—was inconceivable.

“Could it be that this isn’t actually the eldest son’s residence?” he wondered.

But he shook his head. The man he interrogated had insisted this was the place, and Li Ju doubted someone who risked stealing from the Zhaos would be more loyal to them than fearful of death.

“No matter what, this place is anything but simple,” he concluded.

In a compound crawling with guards, only two explanations accounted for this courtyard’s desolation: either the place was so insignificant the Zhaos didn’t bother to post guards, or—

It needed no guards at all.

Li Ju was more inclined to believe the latter.

“It seems I must reconsider my plans,” he decided.

He was just a novice on the path of martial arts, albeit a promising one with the mysterious panel. There was no need to risk his life charging into a place that fairly screamed danger. He was young, not desperate.

To step blindly into an unknown peril was not the act of a hero, but a fool.

Croak...

Suddenly, just as Li Ju was about to leave, a strange sound echoed from within the courtyard.

He immediately pressed himself low, activating the Ghost Bat Technique to cloak himself in shadow, his eyes fixed intently on the illuminated pavilion.

What he saw made his pupils contract in shock!