APSIL -Chapter 55 Who’s Afraid of Whom?

The thunder of galloping hooves rolled ever closer. It didn’t sound like one or two riders—it sounded like an entire force on the move.

At the same time, a firm hand settled onto Zhang Shou’s shoulder, strong enough that, with a little pressure, it could pin him in place.

After a brief moment of surprise, Zhang Shou relaxed. Without even turning around, he smiled and asked,

“Master Hua, aren’t you going to join us for a drink?”

“You really are an interesting kid.”

Seeing the noble youths nervously glancing around after hearing the approaching cavalry, with some already showing signs of panic, Hua Qi merely chuckled lazily.

“There’s no need to panic. I sent a carrier pigeon back to the capital last night. Those old ministers have finally come to their senses and dispatched troops to wipe out the remaining fugitives from Linhai Camp.”

“Eat and drink in peace. Surely they wouldn’t mistake all of you for rebels and slaughter you?”

His voice wasn’t particularly loud, yet every noble youth heard him clearly.

In an instant, the unrest that had begun spreading through the birthday banquet subsided.

But Zhang Shou caught the hidden meaning in Hua Qi’s words.

Wouldn’t dare mistake you for rebels?

What if they did?

Feeling Hua Qi still resting a hand on his shoulder as he sat down beside him, Zhang Shou calmly poured him a cup of wine.

Hua Qi accepted it one-handed and emptied it in a single gulp.

Yet his hand remained on Zhang Shou’s shoulder.

Even Zhu Ying noticed.

So did Madam Wu, whose brows knitted together slightly.

After a moment’s thought, Zhang Shou quietly set down the wine jug.

“Master Hua, there are a few things I’d like to discuss with you privately. Would that be convenient?”

“Oh?”

Hua Qi smiled faintly, his gaze deep and unreadable.

“Certainly.”

The hand on Zhang Shou’s shoulder immediately loosened.

Setting aside the wine jug and cup, Zhang Shou calmly rose and left the table.

Only after walking more than a dozen paces, stopping before the entrance of his own house at the edge of the village—where he could already see dust rising from the distant official road—did he finally ask, “Were you holding me back because you were afraid I’d ask something inappropriate? Is there a problem with the troops that are coming?”

Hua Qi remained silent for a moment before letting out a snort.

“Yingying is clever beyond measure. She simply can’t be bothered to think unless absolutely necessary.”

“You’re even smarter than she is.”

“I really wonder how the two of you are ever going to get along in the future.”

Zhang Shou couldn’t help laughing awkwardly.

Only then did Hua Qi continue casually.

“Facing danger after you’ve had time to prepare is very different from suddenly being thrown into it.”

“I was worried that although you remained calm last night, today’s unexpected change might make you lose your composure.”

“But it seems you’re steadier than I imagined.”

“You’re Yingying’s fiancé, Duke Zhao’s future son-in-law, the Dowager Lady’s future grandson-in-law. You’ll face storms far greater than this in the future. Consider this practice.”

He paused before speaking frankly.

“The truth is… the troops I left outside never sent me any advance message.”

“So the force that’s coming is very likely… problematic.”

After saying that, Hua Qi turned toward the path leading to the official road outside the village.

Without looking back, he said, “Still, I really did send word to the capital by pigeon last night.”

“So even if the commanding officer has ulterior motives, unless he intends to become a rebel himself, he shouldn’t dare act completely without restraint.”

“But it’s always better to prepare for the worst.”

“I’ll go deal with them. If anything happens, I’ll send a warning.”

Zhang Shou sighed inwardly.

One crisis had barely passed before another arrived.

If these newcomers intended to publicly suppress the rebellion while secretly silencing every witness…the worst possibility would be massacring everyone in the village—including all the noble youths—and then blaming it on the rebel soldiers.

Just as Hua Qi had said, the odds were small.

But they weren’t zero.

As he was thinking this, he suddenly turned around—and nearly jumped in fright.

Standing directly behind him was none other than Zhu Ying.

“You heard everything?” he asked instinctively.

“Of course I did!”

Zhu Ying proudly lifted her chin.

“You and Uncle Hua are always trying to hide things from me!”

Zhang Shou couldn’t help smiling.

She thought she’d concealed herself well, but from her relaxed tone alone he knew she’d only just snuck over.

He looked at her for a moment.

Her cheeks were slightly flushed from having had a few more drinks than usual, making her look even more radiant.

She was staring curiously at Hua Qi’s departing figure.

Finally, Zhang Shou smiled.

“I just didn’t want anything to spoil your birthday banquet.”

“Come on.”

“Let’s head back.”

After returning to the banquet, Zhang Shou and Zhu Ying carried wine jugs together, making the rounds and offering drinks table by table.

Zhang Shou himself only took an occasional sip.

Even so, not a single villager refused his toast.

As for the noble youths…

Whether out of respect for him as Grand Scholar Ge Yong’s disciple…

Or gratitude for sharing the military merit…

Or simply because Zhu Ying stood beside him glaring at everyone…

Not only did they happily empty their own cups, not one of them dared force Zhang Shou to drink more.

After the pair walked away, Lu Sanlang suddenly heard Zhang Lu muttering beside him, “It’s just a birthday… Why does it look like a wedding?”

“If you’ve got the guts, go ask the Dowager Lady of Duke Zhao’s Estate why she insisted Miss Zhu celebrate her birthday here.”

Lu Sanlang snorted before adding something completely unrelated.

“A wedding? Since when does a groom wear purple?”

He had once used his pursuit of Zhu Ying as an excuse to escape his overbearing father and elder brother.

Now he had become part of the Ge School.

There was no longer any need to hide behind Zhu Ying.

From now on…

He could simply use Little Teacher Zhang Shou as his shield instead.

As Zhang Shou continued making toasts, he quietly gave discreet instructions to certain villagers.

At first Zhu Ying didn’t notice.

But gradually she realized something.

Old Yang, who had been flattering everyone moments earlier…

Had vanished.

Not just Old Yang.

Several other familiar faces had disappeared as well.

When they finally turned back toward the main table, she couldn’t hold back any longer.

She grabbed Zhang Shou’s sleeve once again.

“As you made your rounds with the wine…”

“More than ten people disappeared from the banquet.”

“What exactly did you tell them?”

“What are you and Uncle Hua hiding from me?”

Zhang Shou looked first at the sleeve now firmly trapped in the young lady’s grasp…

Then at the nearby table, where several people pretended to look elsewhere while secretly watching them.

He coughed lightly.

“I’ll explain when we get back…”

But before he could finish those three words—

Although Zhu Ying hadn’t objected—

Someone else suddenly slammed a hand onto the table and stood up.

“What can’t you say in front of us?”

Seeing Zhang Chen rise unsteadily with a flushed face, Zhang Shou didn’t need to guess.

The man had obviously drowned his worries in wine.

His bloodshot eyes weren’t fixed on Zhu Ying.

They were fixed squarely on him.

Zhang Shou smiled.

He casually pulled Lu Sanlang aside and sat down directly at their table.

Realizing she’d unconsciously released his sleeve, Zhu Ying immediately drove another person away and imperiously claimed a seat herself.

Then, with eyes as sharp as knives, she forced the remaining two people at the table to retreat as well.

The hoofbeats outside had already stopped.

Not knowing how Hua Qi’s negotiations were progressing, Zhang Shou noticed Lu Sanlang squeezing someone out of a seat.

Zhang Wu and several others who had long known his true abilities also gathered around.

Only then did Zhang Shou lower his voice.

“Hua Qi just told me…”

“The troops outside might be reinforcements.”

“…Or they might have come with ill intentions.”

For these young nobles, the four words ill intentions were more than enough.

Even Zhang Chen, whose head had been swimming with alcohol moments before, sobered instantly.

Several faces around the table turned deathly pale.

After her initial anger and surprise, Zhu Ying suddenly slapped the table with a loud bang.

Yet her voice remained very low.

“What are you afraid of?”

“If any army truly dares harbor evil intentions…”

“…then as long as even one of us survives…”

“…their entire clan will be exterminated!”

Zhang Shou smiled faintly.

“Exactly.”

“So I had Old Yang and the others move all those rebel prisoners away.”

“They’ve spent so many years pretending to be ordinary farmers right under my nose.”

“They’re certainly capable of handling something like this.”

“As long as whoever intends to silence us can’t produce the prisoners…”

“…even if these newcomers really have bad intentions…”

“…they won’t dare take such a reckless risk.”

Zhu Ying nodded vigorously.

She slapped the table again.

“Wasn’t someone complaining they didn’t get to do anything useful last night?”

“Everyone!”

“Move to the head table with A-Shou and me!”

“If anyone dares enter the village later…”

“Then show them the same swagger you always display in the capital!”

“Let’s see…”

“…who’s afraid of whom!”

“That’s right!”

“Who’s afraid of whom!”

Zhang Chen drained another bowl of wine in one gulp before sweeping a fierce gaze across everyone present.

“We’ll sit here…”

“We’ll eat…”

“We’ll drink…”

“And if the sky falls…”

“…then we’ll hold it up together!”