Tang Long was completely bewildered. Even now, he still couldn't figure out how he'd gotten so lucky as to befriend such a powerful figure.
"Brother, say something! I heard the person who treated my illness was a disciple of the Treasure Tree Sect? Brother, you're incredible — you can even afford to hire a Treasure Tree Sect disciple?"
Seeing his younger brother's animated expression, Tang Long could only manage a bitter smile. "Tang Chong, you think too highly of your old brother. A Treasure Tree Sect disciple? I'm not even fit to carry their shoes."
"But..."
"Don't give me any 'buts.' If your brother actually knew a Treasure Tree Sect disciple, would he have been discharged from the Border Defense Army? Now the three of us can barely even afford to eat. At least we got a decent price for the Dark Spirit Wood — if we're frugal, it should keep us going for two or three years." Tang Long snapped back to reality from his fantasy.
He knew, of course, that he had encountered a benefactor. Back at the border, the man had been generous, handing over a superior-grade Blue Sea Pill without hesitation.
This time in the Royal Capital, if not for him, the Dark Spirit Wood would have been stolen, and the woman Tang Long loved might have been beaten to death.
For Tang Long's sake, the man had even gotten into legal trouble — and yet he hadn't blamed them at all. Instead, he had sent someone to rescue Tang Long's younger brother.
Tang Long let out a sigh. He had never liked owing anyone anything in his life. But he also knew that the favor he owed Jiang Chen was probably something he could never repay.
"Jiang Chen... just who exactly is he?" Tang Long was truly curious. "Someone who isn't afraid of the Qianlan Northern Palace, whom even the Dragon Tooth Guard couldn't hold, and who can command even Treasure Tree Sect disciples. This... could Jiang Chen be some senior expert of the Treasure Tree Sect?"
"Never mind, never mind. I shouldn't let my imagination run wild. He just felt sorry for me and gave me a bit of help on a whim. I, Tang Long, come from nothing — I'm nothing but an ant, destined to live in a completely different world from someone like him."
Tang Long tried hard to shake off these wild thoughts and turned to the young woman. "Xiao Qing, go start cooking. We've been tired all day, and we're hungry. The Dark Spirit Wood sold for a good price today — go buy something nice to eat and help Tang Chong build his strength back. Let's see if we can get him walking again soon."
Tang Chong was deeply moved by his elder brother's words. "Brother, once I can stand up and walk, I'll find work too. I can't keep being a burden on you both."
"Silly kid, our parents are gone, and your sister-in-law was my childhood betrothed — she lost her parents too. Now it's just the three of us, relying on each other to survive. If we don't look after you, who will?"
Tang Long patted his brother's shoulder. "Don't let your imagination get the better of you. Focus on recovering for now. You're still young — there's plenty of time ahead."
Easier said than done. Tang Long looked around at their bare, empty home and felt a pang of sorrow. He'd lost his job too. He needed to find something to do as soon as possible and hold this family together.
His fiancée, Xiao Qing, quietly took some money and headed for the door, planning to buy some fish and meat at the market to help her brother-in-law regain his strength.
But the moment she stepped outside, Xiao Qing let out a shrill scream, her face going deathly pale. Like a frightened fawn, she turned and fled back inside.
"What happened?" Tang Long rushed to the door.
"Tang Long, we've finally found you!"
"You fool — you ran off on your own and got us in trouble!"
"Now tell me, how are you going to pay for this? You thought you could just walk away and it'd all be fine?"
There were four of them — all young men in their twenties, clad in armor with weapons at their waists. Every one of them looked vicious, clearly out to pick a fight.
"Captain Yu, what are you doing here?" Tang Long felt a flash of embarrassment, wiping his hands on his clothes.
"What are we doing here?" A burly, bald, browless man shoved Tang Long's chest. "You tell me what we're doing here? You abandoned your post on your own, and we all suffered for it. I got dragged down by you and took thirty strokes of the military rod — do you think I'm just going to let that go?"
"And what about us? Every single one of us got twenty strokes. Tang Long, how are you going to pay for this!?"
The other three guards all shouted in agreement, looking ready to rush forward and beat Tang Long senseless at the slightest provocation.
These were Tang Long's comrades-in-arms. Their relationship hadn't exactly been close, but at the very least they had served together in the same unit.
"Captain Yu, I know this was wrong of me. My family had an emergency, and when no one approved my leave, I resorted to this desperate measure. How about this — another day, I'll treat everyone to a meal at a restaurant. What do you say?" Tang Long said with an ingratiating smile, standing in the doorway without stepping aside or inviting them in.
He knew perfectly well that while these men were his colleagues, they had always had a lukewarm relationship at best. On top of that, every one of them had a terrible reputation — notorious troublemakers in the Border Defense Army, soldiers who were half-military, half-bandit.
Tang Long had never had much patience for them and had rarely interacted with them. Now, seeing them come looking for a fight, it was obvious they were simply seizing any excuse to cause him trouble.
"A meal?" Captain Yu, the bald, browless man, let out a sinister laugh. "Tang Long, are you suggesting we're so poor we can't even afford a meal on our own and need you to treat us?"
"No, no, that's not it at all. The treat is an apology, and a way to thank you all for looking out for me before," Tang Long said with an apologetic smile.
"Captain Yu, don't waste words on this punk. Drag him out and beat him half to death — if we don't, these twenty strokes were in vain!"
"Exactly! This guy has always had it in for us. I reckon he ditched his post on purpose just to drag us down with him — pure malice. He needs a beating so he knows he can't mess with us brothers!"
"Beat him!"
Tang Long's expression changed. He took a deep breath. "Captain Yu, can we step outside to discuss this? My family is inside — please don't disturb them."
Captain Yu, the bald, browless man, chuckled. "Family? I just saw a young girl in there — pretty little thing. Who is she to you?"
"She's my woman." Tang Long's heart lurched. He had heard the rumors about this bald, browless Captain Yu — the man indulged in drink, women, money, and violence without restraint, especially women.
"Your woman? I heard she's only your fiancée?" Captain Yu said with a half-smile.