“Yamen brat?! So what if you’re the son of an official?! I…”

William Grant saw the nearby Yvonne Foster cock his thumb with the swagger of a brazen lackey.

“My master is the mighty Grand Commandant. Just try laying a finger on our young lord.”

“Grand Commandant… could it be Young Master Grant himself?”

The burly man came to a complete stop three paces from William Grant, staring at him in shock, then glancing back at the residence.

Seeing the man brake so promptly, William Grant also breathed a sigh of relief.

He signaled Yvonne Foster to step aside, then took a step forward to scrutinize the burly man with thick brows and striking features.

“Could it be that you are the drill instructor of the 800,000 Imperial Guards, Robert Lane?”

At this moment, the burly man looked extremely awkward, carefully and shyly rolling down the sleeves he had just pushed up, forcing a sheepish smile.

“Huh? No, no… I am not surnamed Lin. My surname is Lane, given name Matthew.”

“I didn’t realize I was in the presence of Young Master. My words just now…”

“So there isn’t a single drill instructor named Lin Chong?”

Hearing the name Robert Lane twice in a row, Matthew Lane’s face instantly turned very unpleasant, and he forced a strained smile.

“…Could it be that Young Master wishes to recommend this talented Lin Chong?”

What the… Someone’s actually eyeing Lane’s position? And they’re pulling strings all the way to Young Master Grant?

Seeing Matthew Lane’s expression, William Grant was completely baffled. What the hell is going on here?

There’s a Young Master Grant, but no Robert Lane.

Did I time travel the wrong way? How could such a famous Water Margin character from the Northern Song not exist?

William Grant raised his hand, full of suspicion, and pointed ahead.

“Alright, let’s drop this topic for now. By the way, was that your wife just now?”

“!!!”

…

As soon as William Grant said this, everyone who heard the question couldn’t help but tense up.

Yvonne Foster, who already had a bit of a squint, went cross-eyed on the spot, feeling a newfound respect for his own Young Master.

Faced with the husband of the woman he’d just teased, the Young Master could still say such brazenly provocative words with utter composure.

And this Instructor Lane was also thoroughly shocked by the offhand, cheeky remark from the still-wet-behind-the-ears Young Master Grant.

You little brat, you’re barely grown, and you dare say such things to Lane’s face? Do you not see me as a man at all?!

Seeing the drastic change in the other’s eyes and expression,

William Grant realized his words were inappropriate and quickly added,

“Don’t misunderstand, I just thought your wife looked very much like a relative of mine whom I haven’t seen in a long time, so I asked.”

“……” Matthew Lane stared blankly at Stephen Grant, seeing the other’s youthful, innocent face and seemingly pure eyes.

He pursed his lips for a long while, then pretended to believe this young, not-so-reputable Young Master Grant, forcing a reluctant smile.

“Yes, my humble wife is of the Huang family.”

“Surname Huang…” William Grant froze on the spot, his heart pounding wildly. Damn! My little cousin is also surnamed Huang.

Seeing William Grant standing there, eyes darting, Matthew Lane was left awkward and at a loss.

Yvonne Foster and the other Grant Residence servants exchanged glances as well. After all, their Young Master was still too young and had never done anything as bold as bullying men or harassing women.

Everyone was clearly a bit inexperienced. No one knew what to do next to please the Young Master.

But they also worried that if the Young Master, at such a young age, got up to no good in this area, and the Master and Madam found out, it would be a disaster.

Fortunately, at this moment, William Grant finally snapped out of it and looked at the embarrassed and uncomfortable Instructor Lane.

He glanced at the burly, rough-looking Grant Residence servants at his side.

Whether Instructor Lane’s wife was his little cousin remained to be seen, but Stephen Grant decided to play it safe for now.

“Alright, thank you, Instructor Lane, for clearing things up for me. I was a bit presumptuous today—my apologies. I’ll come by another day to apologize properly.”

…

Matthew Lane stood there in a daze, watching as Young Master Grant patted his backside and led the The Grant Family servants away, leaving him alone, bewildered in the wind.

What just happened? Did this barely grown Young Master just take a liking to his beloved wife, Madam Huang?

That remark was clearly a pretext for coming by again.

What should he do? Should he resign and run away with his wife?

Or should he go all out, wait for a dark and windy night, sneak into the Grand Commandant’s mansion, and quietly take this brat out?

But he’d only just managed to attain his current position. If he lost his official hat over something like this, Matthew Lane felt it would be a real waste.

And who is Robert Lane? When did this bastard cozy up to Young Master Grant and try to take Lane’s job?

For a while, this ambitious, career-driven drill instructor of the 800,000 Imperial Guards

couldn’t help but wear a face full of worry for his future, sighing endlessly by the roadside.

Just as William Grant reached the carriage and was about to get in, he suddenly heard a burst of unrestrained, boisterous laughter.