It seems I underestimated Dad. For Dad to have held the position of county constable in Changping for ten years, he must have his own methods. No wonder that when I spoke to Dad before, although he was surprised, he didn’t show any impatience.

So, he discovered that the crime scene was at Yangweiba.

But the more this was the case, the more curious William Harris became.

“Erlang, I’m telling you, this is a great opportunity for you.”

“How so?”

William Harris pointed at Ryan Harris and said in a deep voice, “Although you’ve already become a Zhiyi, everyone knows the only reason you could become a Zhiyi is because you’re Dad’s son, not because you have real talent or learning. And you’re still young, so people won’t take you seriously. You’re only thirteen this year—if you don’t have convincing achievements, you’ll definitely be ridiculed.

Look, now that I’ve found a clue, if the two of us work together and solve this case, Dad will definitely praise you. By then, you’ll be able to hold your head high in the yamen, and even Captain Grant will look at you differently.”

Ryan Harris’s expression was uncertain. He lowered his head, clearly a bit hesitant...

Chapter 11: Night Visit to Mile Temple (Part 1)

Ryan Harris has his own pride!

He wants to break free from the status of a concubine’s son and gain recognition from others.

Previously, he used some tricks to become the Zhiyi by Robert Harris’s side. But that doesn’t mean he’s truly been accepted by others. Take someone like Henry Grant, who has followed Robert Harris for five or six years and, relying on real skill, rose from an ordinary runner to the head of the arresting squad—without true ability, it’s hard to win his acceptance. Everyone knows that being a squad runner pays well, with a monthly salary of eight hundred wen, plus various bonuses, totaling over one string of coins a month.

Ryan Harris is still too young now to be a runner.

But if...

Admittedly, he was a little afraid.

But William Harris was right—if he could really solve the case, maybe he wouldn’t even need to wait until eighteen to become a runner.

Hmm, it’s worth a try.

After hesitating for a long time, he finally decided to give it a shot.

Actually, William Harris didn’t really want to bring Ryan Harris along, since a night visit to Mile Temple did carry some risk.

But if Ryan Harris didn’t go, it would be inconvenient. After all, Ryan Harris had official status and could step forward to negotiate with the temple’s people if needed. If things went well, it would benefit Ryan Harris too; even if nothing came of it, William Harris believed that with his own skills, protecting Ryan Harris wouldn’t be a problem. Besides, there were monks residing in Mile Temple.

“Erlang, remember to stick with me, don’t stray too far.”

It was already late, and night had fallen.

Because of Ryan Harris, Emily didn’t pester William Harris that evening. It was clear the little girl was still uneasy about Ryan Harris, or perhaps held a grudge.

Because of this, The Harris Family and Emily went to rest early.

After the lights in their room went out, William Harris and Ryan Harris went out into the courtyard. The two of them passed through the flower garden in the back, crossed the wooden fence, and walked along the creek for a while, stopping at the head of a small wooden bridge.

After crossing the river and walking further ahead, they would reach the mountain entrance.

Mile Temple was located in Que’er Ravine, about twelve or thirteen li from the mountain entrance.

Moonlight shone on the creek, the ripples glimmering. The chirping of autumn cicadas added a touch of mystery to the quiet night.

Looking into the mountains, it was pitch black and silent.

Suddenly, Ryan Harris stopped in his tracks and said in a trembling voice, “Big brother, why don’t we wait until morning?”

“If we wait until morning, Captain Grant and the others will go over, and whatever is discovered then will have nothing to do with you.”

William Harris glanced at Ryan Harris and smiled.

He patted the spear in his hand and said in a deep voice, “Erlang, don’t be afraid. I’ve practiced martial arts for ten years—protecting you is more than enough.”

That spear was left by William Harris’s grandfather, David Harris.

The spear was six feet seven inches long, much shorter than a standard spear—just over two meters.

William Harris was seventeen years old this year, about 175 centimeters tall, more than a head shorter than the spear. The spear was heavy, weighing fourteen or fifteen jin. The shaft, made of hard jujube wood, was as thick as a baby’s arm, and silver threads were wound around the body, giving off a faint silvery glow in the moonlight. The spearhead was made of fine refined iron, spindle-shaped, with two barbs. In the moonlight, the blade glimmered with a dark red light, as if telling of the blood it had drunk.

This spear was called Tiger Swallow!

It was said to be the weapon used by David Harris in his early years, and had claimed many lives.

But William Harris could no longer remember the stories his grandfather once told, and Robert Harris was even less likely to tell him.

Earlier, when he brought out the spear, Ryan Harris thought he was making a fuss over nothing.

But now, seeing the spear in William Harris’s hand, he couldn’t help but show a look of envy.

David Harris doted on William Harris, but was cold to Ryan Harris.

When he was young, Ryan Harris wanted to learn martial arts from David Harris, but was refused.

“In the Yang family, the spear art is passed to the legitimate son, not the concubine’s; to sons, not daughters.”