Chapter Fifty-Two: Brothers

Chapter Fifty-Two: Brothers

“Cur! If you want to kill me, then kill me already, but leave the innocent out of this!” Upon hearing Zhang Qian threaten to hang him in the privy, the attacker remained completely unfazed. But the moment Zhang Qian declared he’d have the entire Wang family taken to the authorities along with him, the man suddenly cried out as if stung by a scorpion. “I came tonight to kill you for the good of the people—this has nothing to do with anyone else!”

“Leave the innocent out of this? Now you’re so concerned about not implicating others? Why didn’t you say the same when you threatened Zijuan just now?” Zhang Qian glanced down at the assailant, a cold sneer on his lips. “As for ridding the people of evil, why don’t you tell me, exactly who have I harmed in my life?”

“You—” The attacker flushed, speechless.

Just moments ago, frustrated at being unable to catch Zhang Qian, he had indeed tried to seize Zijuan as a hostage—hardly an act befitting someone who now claimed not to involve the innocent. And as for Zhang Qian’s misdeeds, he’d only ever heard tell of one, and voicing it would inevitably drag the Wang family into the matter.

“Can’t answer, can you?” Zhang Qian sneered again, rolling his shoulders and stretching his limbs as he coldly addressed the attacker. “You can’t even fabricate a single charge against me, and yet you boast about ridding the world of evil? Let me explain it for you: I’ve only been in charge of this estate for less than a month. I don’t even know all the roads here yet. Today was my very first time going out, and the only thing I did for the neighbors was to forgive the Wang family’s owed rent and famine debts!”

With that, he raised his fists and set upon the attacker once more, each blow landing with a thud, each kick sharp as ice. The man writhed in agony, rolling on the ground, yet still cursed through gritted teeth, “Good, hit me, hit me! If you’ve got the guts, beat me to death and see if my friends won’t slaughter your whole family!”

“You’re the one begging for a beating! I shall oblige!” Since the man refused to yield, Zhang Qian dealt his blows without mercy, aiming for those sensitive places that would cause excruciating pain without endangering life.

It wasn’t out of cruelty. He recalled what Ren Quan had told him earlier—this man was surely a servant of someone powerful, and as the saying went, “beat the dog, mind the master.” Such a servant could be killed at his master’s whim, but outsiders could not touch him. If Zhang Qian merely handed him over to the authorities, there was every chance that the officials, swayed by connections, would release him in a matter of days. And given the man’s arrogance and lack of remorse tonight, he was bound to return for revenge unless given a thorough lesson.

If he came alone again, Zhang Qian, with his skills, might not fear him in a confined space. But should he bring others and set an ambush in the open, Zhang Qian might not escape unscathed.

So, he would hand the man to the officials, but not before ensuring he learned fear. And how best to instill fear? Zhang Qian recalled his free-fighting lessons—target the sensitive spots, avoid lethal blows, and teach a lesson without causing death. Now, he put that training to practical use.

The attacker suffered miserably. At first, he tried to act tough, hurling insults through the pain. But after forty or fifty punches and a dozen or so kicks, he could only scream hoarsely, “Ah, ah, ah—”

No one had ever seen Zhang Qian, usually so genial, reveal such a ruthless side. The servants and workers watching were all terrified, but none felt the assailant deserved pity, nor did they think Zhang Qian went too far.

The reason was simple, just as Zhang Qian had said—he had only just taken over the estate, had harmed no one, and had no time to make enemies. If this attacker had no connection to the Wang family, he had come to rob and murder, and if he were beaten to death, it was his own fault.

If, as Zhang Qian suspected, the attacker was connected to the Wang family, then he deserved the beating even more.

All the servants had heard Zhang Qian forgive the Wang family’s debts and rent that very afternoon. The attacker not only failed to show gratitude but came to commit violence—such ingratitude deserved divine retribution; only a fool would feel sympathy for him now.

Only Ren Quan, who had taken a blow to the head, worried Zhang Qian might accidentally beat the man to death and bring trouble upon himself. Struggling to raise his arm, he whispered, “Master, just teach him a lesson. No need to dirty your hands. You’re worth more than gold—don’t risk your future over the likes of him.”

“He said himself he deserved it!” Not wanting to embarrass Ren Quan, Zhang Qian landed one last punch, then stood, rolling his wrists and ankles. “Don’t believe me? Ask him!”

“Ah, ah, ah…” The attacker gasped like a fish on a chopping block, unable to meet Zhang Qian’s gaze, and dared not utter another defiant word.

Despite his anger, Zhang Qian would not kill a man, especially as he had never even killed a chicken before. Seeing the attacker finally subdued, he relented. “Someone, wipe the blood from his face and tie him up in the privy! At dawn, we’ll take him and the Wang family to the magistrate together!”

But before the words were out, the attacker found his voice again, crying hoarsely, “No, don’t drag others into this! I lost to you tonight—hit me, kill me, do as you please, I won’t even frown. But leave the others out of it—what happened tonight is mine to bear alone, it has nothing to do with anyone else!”

“You think just saying so makes it true?” Zhang Qian, hearing this, became even more convinced of the connection between the attacker and the Wang family. Gritting his teeth, he decided to see it through. “Dream on! Tie him to the tree in the yard, then go fetch the Wang family. If Wang can’t get out of bed, have his wife and son come identify this man! If they say they don’t know him, I won’t blame them for tonight. If they do, then I’ll settle things with them directly!”

“Don’t go!” the attacker shouted desperately, struggling to lift his head. “Kill me! Just say I broke in to rob you and you killed me by accident! Don’t drag innocent people into this!”

“Innocence isn’t for you to decide!” Zhang Qian shot him a cold glare and waved his hand.

The servants, already resentful of the Wang family for their deliberate defaults and for getting Steward Cui punished, were more than happy to oblige. They dragged the attacker to a large tree in the yard and bound him tightly, then lit torches and marched straight to the Wang household.

“Are you dizzy? Do you feel nauseous? Hold on until dawn and I’ll fetch Imperial Physician Sun—his house is just nearby!” Zhang Qian hurried to Ren Quan’s side, concerned.

“A little dizzy, but not nauseous,” Ren Quan replied, his complexion much improved. “Don’t worry about me, Master, I’m sturdy. I’ll recover in a couple of days. Besides, Imperial Physician Sun only treats nobles like you—he wouldn’t come for someone like me.”

“Then we’ll get another doctor!” Zhang Qian understood perfectly. In a rigidly hierarchical society, summoning an imperial doctor for a steward was pure fantasy. Even if the doctor didn’t mind, the patient would be drowned in public scorn.

“Other doctors aren’t necessarily better than I am!” Ren Quan smiled weakly, waving a hand. “Forget it, Master, my life isn’t worth much—a blow like that won’t kill me. But you must be extra careful in the future.”

“I already promised not to kill him, didn’t I?” Zhang Qian knew what Ren Quan was worried about, but feigned calm. “His master won’t go out of his way to bully us over a worthless servant, will he? Surely the law of the Tang dynasty isn’t just for show?”

“No, but be cautious all the same. Chang’an is a small place—a random stone thrown can hit a prince or a general!” Ren Quan grinned wryly. “I suspect the Wang family isn’t as simple as they look. Though they’ve fallen far enough to become tenant farmers, their eldest is still studying hard, and now this relative shows up, wielding a golden hammer.”

“So what if he swings a golden hammer? I still captured him alive, didn’t I?” Not wanting Ren Quan to fret, Zhang Qian replied lightheartedly. “Don’t overthink it—maybe he doesn’t even know how to use the thing and just carries it to look impressive!”

“A golden hammer is a cavalry weapon—on foot, it’s hard to bring out even thirty percent of its power,” Ren Quan replied with a bitter smile. “Master, you should have someone search the area—see if there’s a horse hidden nearby. If so, then things are even clearer. Anyone who can handle a golden hammer on horseback has quite the lineage. The descendants may have fallen on hard times, but their old friends and students might still have influence. So, Master, if you can avoid making enemies, it’s best to do so.”

“What’s done is done. We’ll deal with the future when it comes!” No matter how earnestly Ren Quan advised, Zhang Qian simply shook his head and smiled.

Had he known the attacker’s background before tonight’s storm, perhaps he would have hesitated. But after the thunderstorm, he had already resolved to follow his own path. If a little trouble made him shrink back, how could he ever achieve his newly set goals, or make his journey through this world worthwhile?

“Master…” Ren Quan wanted to persuade him further, but before he could speak, the servant Zhang Gui ran in, panting heavily.

“Master—Wang Maobo, supported by his wife and son, has come to apologize.” Zhang Gui bowed as he reported breathlessly, “Just as we were heading out, we met them. Right now, they’re kneeling at the gate! Wang Maobo says the man who caused this trouble is his own younger brother. Whatever punishment you deem fit, he is willing to share it with his brother!”