The future father-in-law brought his future daughter-in-law to the house. It was easy to guess that most likely, The Walker Family felt that this bandit crisis was coming on fiercely and that something unexpected could easily happen. So, rather than risk it, they simply sent their daughter early to the already betrothed The Thompson Family, where she could be better protected.

“Ha ha! Young man! You must treat Grace well in the future. The two of you should have children soon, so our old The Thompson Family will have descendants, ha ha ha! Back in the day, I, David Thompson, led my brothers to conquer the world. There was once a time when I was hunted for three days and nights, but I unexpectedly met your mother—hmm, a beauty just like Miss Grace, so stunning at first sight…”

With his boisterous, rough laughter, David Thompson began reminiscing about the glorious days of “back then.”

Classmate John sincerely suspected that the rumors about his own father once being a gang leader might actually be true. Just from that terrifying laugh and the constant “back in my day,” he was no different from a street boss collecting protection fees.

Hey! Is this 110? There’s a gangster grandpa here, hurry up and arrest him for re-education through labor!

Faced with such a blunt and unrestrained future father-in-law, Grace Walker became even more bashful, lowering her head deeply, her fair neck blushing red.

Surprisingly, the scholarly Mr. Walker, who should have been unable to stand such crude, vulgar, nouveau riche behavior, acted as if he hadn’t heard or seen anything. He continued to smile at the father and son, at least finding the polite and courteous Little Thompson far more respectable than David Thompson.

Although Mr. Thompson was burly and pot-bellied, his three sons were all handsome and elegant, especially Little, who was the most outstanding. Sending his daughter here early could be considered a weight off his mind.

……

Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang!

Suddenly, a rapid and urgent clanging of gongs rang out in Xiyan Town. Immediately after, the whole town erupted into chaos, with the neighing of livestock, the shouts and cries of men, women, and children, and all sorts of sounds intermingling.

Just after seeing off the in-laws’ carriage at the door and returning to the front hall to have a cup of tea, David Thompson heard the commotion outside.

“Fugui! What’s happening outside? Why is it so noisy?”

“Master, I’ll send someone to check right away. Paul! Paul! Go see what’s going on!”

The head steward, who was busy outside the main gate organizing the transfer of the convoy, quickly sent a servant to investigate.

But in no time, Paul returned, his face ashen, bringing back a terrifying piece of news that shocked everyone.

Chapter 4: Knocking at the City

Xiyan Town was the county seat, and at the same time, the county magistrate Edward Chase received the news and was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

Over a thousand fierce bandits had broken through the pass at Heifengkou. Xiyan Town was now like a stripped maiden, left at the mercy of the invaders.

There were only a dozen or so constables registered at the county office, usually just enough to bully some local thugs. Even if you added the retired old government soldiers scattered in the villages outside town—who might not even be able to wield a blade anymore—they probably still wouldn’t be a match for the old bandit chief, and their numbers didn’t even come close to a fraction of the enemy’s.

As for the hangers-on, most of them had probably already packed up and slipped away, not about to stick around and risk their lives with the magistrate against ruthless bandits.

Edward Chase did want to run, but as the “parent official” of the county, he had a duty to defend his land. The law was merciless, and he knew full well that if he dared to take one step out of Xiyan Town, those bored censors at court would drown him in impeachment memorials, and his whole family would be executed as a bonus—one-way tickets to hell for all.

Stay and die alone, or flee and have your whole family killed. The calculation was simple. Call it integrity if you want, or just being forced into a corner.

After arranging for his family to hide outside the town, Judge Chase immediately called out.

“James Lewis! Sheriff Lewis!”

The magistrate handled civil affairs, the county captain handled military matters—at this moment, the two were in the same boat.

“Here! Here!”

Sheriff Lewis, drenched in sweat, rushed in with two constables.

“Where are the others?”

Judge Chase noticed the yamen was suddenly empty, not even a messenger left. Sheriff Lewis had come on his own after hearing the commotion.

“Ha! What others? They’ve all run off!”

Sheriff Lewis saw the same resigned sorrow in the magistrate’s eyes as in his own.

Your Majesty, your humble servant is about to give his life for you!

The magistrate, not caring about propriety anymore, grabbed a fine steel sword and said fiercely, “Gather everyone! We’ll fight those bandits to the end!” Under the official’s robe, his legs were trembling uncontrollably—if you didn’t look closely, you wouldn’t notice. The ancients were truly clever!

All those strategies and feather fans, talking and laughing as the enemy is destroyed—those only exist in operas. Right now, no one has any tricks left. It’s down to blades—kill or be killed. The dead are bastards, the survivors are the real men.

This is the price of eating the emperor’s grain. Sheriff Lewis gritted his teeth and said, “Of course we’ll fight!”

If even the civil magistrate says so, as the military officer, he couldn’t back down.

“Wait, has Suye City been notified?”