Transmigrated into a minor official in a county government, with children at home waiting for rice t

Without thinking twice, he crouched down under the window in the dark. The footsteps had already fallen from the wall into the yard, very light, but still making a sound on the muddy ground, one, two, three, heading towards the main house.

Zhang Sanlang quickly took out a kitchen knife from the outer room and held it in his hand. It was cold, hard, and reassuring.

Before long, the footsteps returned to the east wing and stopped only outside the window.

A dark shadow was cast on the window paper, bending over as if peering inside.

Zhang Sanlang squatted motionless under the window.

He could hear his own heartbeat, thump-thump-thump, like someone drumming on his chest.

The dark figure stood outside the window for a moment, then moved to the doorway. The latch was tried from the outside, but it wouldn't budge.

I dialed it again.

Zhang Sanlang gritted his teeth and gripped the kitchen knife even tighter.

After an unknown amount of time, the latch popped open.

The door was pushed open a crack, and a cold wind rushed in, making the back of his neck feel cold.

The dark figure squeezed in from the side, empty-handed and without a weapon.

He stood in the doorway, catching his breath as if adjusting to the darkness. He took a step forward, tripped over something, and reached out to steady himself on the doorframe.

Zhang Sanlang emerged from the shadows, a kitchen knife pressed against his throat. "Don't move."

The shadowy figure froze.

The light from the tinderbox illuminated the dark figure's face, a square-faced man in his thirties. He was tall, strong, and thin, dressed in a gray cloth tunic with mud on his trousers and worn-out shoes. His left arm was cut by a shard of porcelain, and blood was seeping out.

Zhang Sanlang was taken aback. "Donkey Three?"

Donkey Three's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his lips trembled as he squeezed out a voice from his throat, "Zhang Qianxing... don't cut... it's me."

Seeing that it was him, Zhang Sanlang pressed the kitchen knife even deeper. "Weren't you serving time in prison?"

Donkey Three swallowed hard. "The other day, Kong You'an had a secret meeting with the prison warden. He... he wanted to kill me."

Zhang Sanlang stared at him, but didn't move the kitchen knife away.

Donkey Three hurriedly continued to explain, "There's a jailer under the warden who's my third uncle's grand-nephew. He heard Kong You'an say that I know a lot of things, and he wants to make me die 'accidentally' in the prison."

"I escaped by scaling the wall at night, breaking half my leg in the process. I crawled for two miles before stealing a donkey to ride back. Otherwise, how could your wall have stopped me?"

Zhang Sanlang looked at him. Donkey San was leaning against the wall, his forehead covered in sweat, his left trouser leg was ripped, and the exposed skin was bruised and swollen.

Zhang Sanlang knew he wasn't lying, but he still didn't dare relax even a little. "Since you escaped, why didn't you flee to other prefectures or counties for refuge? Also, what were you doing climbing over the wall in the middle of the night?"

"I've been doing dirty work for that guy surnamed Kong all these years, and he actually wants to silence me. Of course, I'm not willing to accept that. That's why I came back to talk to Boss Qian. If Kong You'an is going to kill even me, he certainly won't escape."

"In this county town, the county magistrate and the county assistant magistrate don't really have any power. Registrar Gu doesn't have many men under his command. Only County Lieutenant Xu has dozens of archers under his command and dares to make a move against Kong You'an. He's just struggling to find concrete evidence."

Donkey Three lowered his voice even further, "Boss Qian said you have connections with County Magistrate Xu. He's willing to stand up with me and testify against Kong You'an for all the evil deeds he's committed over the years."

"He also knows about all the things Chen Youde has done. For example, the death of Huo Laogen, the former steward of the Chen family, was instigated by Chen Youde. As long as County Magistrate Xu protects our lives, Boss Qian is willing to tell us everything."

Zhang Sanlang looked into Donkey Three's eyes and asked, "Where is Qian Laohei?"

"Keep watch for me at the alley entrance. Boss Qian said he dared not go to the county government office, fearing he would be silenced on the way. He said he only trusts you and asked you to take him to see County Magistrate Xu."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Sanlang put the cleaver away, turned around, tore off a piece of old cloth, and threw it to Donkey Three, saying, "Wrap this around your arm."

Donkey Three took it, clumsily wrapped it around his left arm twice, tied a knot, and stood up while holding onto the wall.

He glanced instinctively toward the inner room. The door had opened a crack, revealing three rows of eyes; the sudden sight almost startled him.

Zhang Sanlang looked closely and saw that it was happy Mei'er and the Lin sisters. All three pairs of eyes were filled with fear, like frightened deer.

He knew that Ximei had had a difficult time in the Zhang family, which had instilled in her a cautious nature over the years. He also knew that the Lin sisters had gone through many changes recently and probably had to sleep with one eye open, so he wasn't surprised.

happy Mei stood at the door, dressed in a robe, her hair loose. "Father, are you going out?"

"Okay. I'm going out to run some errands and might not be back until dawn. You stay home and keep the door bolted. Don't open it for anyone."

happy Mei glanced at him, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she swallowed it back.

She nodded. "Dad, be careful out there. Don't take any risks."

Zhang Sanlang was stunned for a moment.

Hearing these words from a nine-year-old child made his nose sting a little. He reached out and gently patted Ximei'er's head. "Okay. Go to sleep."

He turned and took two steps, then glared back at Qing-ge'er on the bed in the outer room. Compared to the three girls' vigilance, the brat was sleeping like a dead dog.

Zhang Sanlang thought for a moment and went to the main house first.

Zhou Qing and his wife had already gone to bed, and the room was dark.

He knocked on the door, and Zhou Qing's muffled voice came from inside, "Who is it?"

"I am Zhang Shouli. Open the door."

A short while later, Zhou Qing came out, put on his clothes, and opened the door. He saw Zhang Sanlang standing at the door, and then saw Donkey Three leaning on a cane in the yard. He paused for a moment, and his expression changed. "Zhang Qianxing, this..."

"I'm going out to run some errands, and no one's home. Could you keep an eye on things for me? Please ask Madam Zhou to sleep in the east wing with the maids. You stay in the main room and be vigilant; we won't know if anyone comes into the courtyard!"

Zhou Qing's Adam's apple bobbed, and he turned and went into the room to wake up the drowsy Zhou Chenshi.

Zhang Sanlang was relieved to see her put on her clothes and slippers, carrying an oil lamp as she walked towards the east wing. Donkey San followed behind, limping, and the two of them left the courtyard one after the other.

The lights in Old Sun's gatehouse also came on at this time.

The door opened a crack, and Old Sun poked his head out, his gray hair trembling in the night wind.

His gaze lingered on Donkey Three's lame leg for a moment, but he didn't ask anything. He simply nodded to Zhang Sanlang and closed the door.

Zhang Sanlang knew he understood. He didn't ask because he didn't want to cause Zhang Sanlang any trouble. But he didn't dare to sleep anymore; the light would stay on.

A night breeze swept into the alleyway, carrying the chill of early winter. The alley was pitch black, and in the distance, the watchman's clapper sounded, muffled and deep, like a heartbeat.

At the corner of the alley, a dark figure crouched against the wall, hugging his knees and curling up into a ball.

Hearing footsteps, the dark figure suddenly raised his head; it was Qian Laohei.

His face was blue from the cold, his lips were purple, and a few hairs on the mole at the corner of his mouth trembled in the wind.

He saw Zhang Sanlang and Donkey San, his eyes lit up, and he stood up by leaning against the wall. His legs were so numb from squatting that he couldn't stand steadily and swayed a couple of times before he could hold onto the wall.

"Zhang Qianxing." His voice was hoarse, as if there was sand stuck in his throat.