Chapter 217: The Unfortunate Rise of Niu Jinda

All along, Qin Huaidao has always thought himself very lucky, because he was born into a good family.

His mother was gentle and magnanimous, his father strict yet still caring toward him, and the siblings in the household shared deep affection.

Their family held a pivotal position in the Tang Dynasty, living in abundance and blissful happiness.

The only regret might be that he has few friends.

After all, he is the Duke's eldest son, a top Meritorious Noble of Chang'an destined to inherit the Duke's title.

Among those he interacts with, ninety percent are of lower status, creating a natural barrier; even if he lowers himself, he still shares little common ground with them.

This may be Qin Huaidao's sole regret.

Later, as Qin Huaidao grew older, he became acquainted with the offspring of his father's senior brothers; they were either Duke's sons like him, top Meritorious Nobles of Chang'an, or exceptionally talented prodigies.

At first Qin Huaidao was delighted, because these people ignored his status, doing whatever they wanted and saying whatever they liked; he felt he had made genuine friends, true good brothers.

Even if these few seemed somewhat unseemly, often indulging in revelry and frequenting brothels, starkly contrary to his parents' teachings, he likewise didn't mind.

Brothers, if we don't together kill a seven‑in‑seven‑out at Pingkang Lane, what kind of brothers are we?

Moreover, these brothers truly treated him sincerely; they never forgot him whenever good things happened.

For example, whenever Chen Yan created something good, he would share it with them immediately, and later involve them in big deals.

Qin Huaidao felt very content; having a few friends, what more could life ask for?

Only, that had become his former way of thinking.

The present Qin Huaidao only wants to cut ties with them, never to interact again.

Damn, sis, you really set brothers up like this.

Qin Huaidao gritted his teeth, shouldering a waist‑thick log, braving the pouring rain as he ran forward.

"Lao Qin… I, I really can't hold on any longer."

Beside him, Cheng Chumo also shouldered a log, drenched through, gasping heavily.

"Just… just hold on a bit longer, one more round and the task's done, otherwise Uncle Niu will think up another way to mess with us."

Yu Chi Bao Lin, big‑bodied and strong, could still barely persevere.

But Qin Huaidao could no longer even speak, numbly running forward.

"No… I can't, I really can't!"

Cheng Chumo felt his lungs about to explode, unable to keep going; he tossed the log off his shoulder, plopped onto the ground, then lay flat, letting the rain pelt his face.

Seeing this, Qin Huaidao seemed to make a decision, also throwing the log on the ground, then lying down like Cheng Chumo.

"I won't run anymore; whoever wants to run, go ahead."

"Lao Qin, brilliant insight!" Cheng Chumo laughed heartily, giving a thumbs‑up.

"What a tall fart!" Qin Huaidao's former gentlemanly aura vanished, "Isn't it you, the trapper, bragging about how wonderful Weinan County is, how carefree this place is?"

"Because I stupidly believed your nonsense and even asked my father to send me here."

"Look at the result? I'm damn ruined by you."

As he spoke, Qin Huaidao's eyes reddened; this truly wasn't a human's life.

Niu Jinda is damn treating them like Göktürks!

Yu Chi Bao Lin, seeing both had stopped running, hesitated a moment, then resolutely lay down as well.

"Fine, you all won't run, I won't run either; we brothers share fortune together, bear hardship together."

"Also, I think Lao Qin is right, Chu Mo is a trapper!"

"Am I not also deceived?" Cheng Chumo felt very aggrieved.

He didn't intend to trap anyone on purpose.

"Having you is truly my blessing." Qin Huaidao no longer wanted to speak, only trying to conserve energy.

Because Niu Jinda somehow obtained a method, his pranks never run out.

They have not yet completed the thirty‑round task; later they probably won't be able to finish and will have to leave empty‑handed.

Cheng Chumo was silent for a moment, "Brothers, did Zi Anxiong receive the letter?"

"It's been so long, why hasn't he come to rescue us?"

"Maybe something delayed him?" Yu Chi Bao Lin hesitated, "If Lao Chen received the letter, he would definitely not leave the three of us unattended."

Qin Huaidao thought for a while, then said uncertainly, "There's another possibility: Zi Anxiong got the letter but can't understand it."

With those words, the three brothers fell silent at once.

One's own people know one's own affairs; Niu Jinda, to train them, truly spares no effort.

He gives them no chance to transmit information outward.

Many times they tried to ask Chen Yan for rescue, but Niu Jinda blocked them.

The letter they sent out, after long scheming and paying a month's money for a courier, still contained only a single sentence; if Chen Yan didn't understand it, perhaps he truly wouldn't take it seriously.

The above is just one sentence; if Chen Yan doesn't understand it, he might truly not take it seriously.

The three sighed together.

"Yo, little brats, looks like you're ready to receive punishment."

At that moment, a large black man with a beard across his cheek, clad in military armor, walked over holding an umbrella.

Seeing the newcomer, the three brothers shivered as if seeing a ghost; they were terrified.

Cheng Chumo lamented, "Uncle Niu, why is this?"

"Can you tell me why this is happening?"

"What grudge do we brothers have against you? Why must you torment us to death?"

"Yes, Uncle Niu." Yu Chi Bao Lin shouted hoarsely, "We were also raised by you; is it necessary to treat us like this?"

"Yes, Uncle Niu." Yu Chi Bao Lin shouted hoarsely, "We grew up under your watch, so why are you treating us like this?"

Qin Huaidao said nothing, but the meaning conveyed by his gaze was clearly the same doubt as the other two.

"Hmph!" Niu Jinda kicked Cheng Chumo with his foot, "If you hadn't been the ones I watched grow up, I wouldn't even be willing to trouble you."

"Look at how you mix with that Chen kid, your bodies have become so feeble; how will you go onto the battlefield later?"

"That Chen kid is sharp; he grew up reading the sages' books, and now that he's become County Magistrate, he's thriving and is highly valued by His Majesty."

"He'll surely become a high‑ranking court minister in the future, with limitless prospects."

"What can the three of you do?"

"If you're good at neither literature nor martial arts, unless I train you, you won't even be able to go onto the battlefield, let alone get onto a woman's quilt."

The three brothers were left speechless.

They're not people who can't tell right from wrong, so they naturally understood that Niu Jinda's words were true; this approach truly was for their own good.

After all, their fathers all fought their way out on the battlefield.

Since they can't take to studying, the only path left is through martial ways.

"What about me?" Qin Huaidao could no longer sit still; he stuck out his neck and said, "I, too, grew up reading the sages' books, consider myself somewhat learned, and becoming a civil official would not be out of the question."

When Niu Jinda heard that, he seemed to think, "That does seem to be the case."

This kid, like his father, is a scholar‑general, capable in both literature and martial arts.

However, before Niu Jinda could speak, Cheng Chumo and Yu Chi Bao Lin simultaneously said, "No way!"