Chapter 218: Did I, while my brothers were picking soapberries

Seeing Uncle Niu's face show hesitation, a glimmer of hope just appeared in Qin Huaidao's eyes.

He thought he had a chance to escape the sea of suffering, but the next moment he was stunned by a good brother's single "No."

Cheng Chumo: "Lao Qin, you can't do that, how could you abandon us without a care?"

"Didn't we agree to share both sweetness and bitterness together? How can you leave your brothers and act so carefree?"

"Exactly!" Yu Chi Bao Lin took over, "Have you forgotten our oath, forgotten the Guan Gong we once worshipped, forgotten that we once swore a blood pact together?"

"We've shared blessings together; what's wrong with enduring hardship now?"

"You can't just leave us unattended!"

Qin Huaidao: "......"

A brother's sorrow is indeed heartbreaking, but if a brother is carefree, that's something they can never accept!

The three of us entered the Mediation Office together; on what grounds does your single claim of being both literary and martial give you a chance to get out?

"No way!"

"Absolutely not!"

"You really are my good brothers!" Qin Huaidao thought he could take their hearts.

"That's the password."

"Don't play like this!"

Uncle Niu watched the three brothers on the ground with interest; he had only been reminiscing and sighing a moment ago, never intending to let Qin Huaidao go.

He didn't expect it would spark such a spectacle.

"Uncle Niu, you must never follow Lao Qin's way," Cheng Chumo said earnestly. "Think of my Qin Uncle, what a heroic legend!"

"In terms of personal martial strength, who in the world can surpass him?"

"My father always told me, if you go to the battlefield, seeing my Qin Uncle is like a frog at the bottom of a well gazing at the moon; if you never go to battle, seeing my Qin Uncle is like a mayfly seeing the blue sky."

"Back then, whenever His Majesty faced a tough campaign, he would have the opposing commander duel my Qin Uncle. My Qin Uncle has always been invincible, cutting down enemy generals single‑handedly amidst ten thousand troops."

"Horses thunder across both banks of the Yellow River, and the iron mace strikes three provinces and six prefectures."

"Golden‑clad mace, yellow galloping horse, sweeping the world with no one able to block."

"With such a reputation, if Lao Qin were to abandon martial arts for literature, wouldn't that disgrace Qin Uncle's face?"

"Uncle Niu, you must think it over three times!"

Uncle Niu looked at Cheng Chumo in surprise; he never expected this kid could utter such words.

"It's not as disgraceful as Old Cheng said."

Only Qin Huaidao and Yu Chi Bao Lin wore speechless expressions.

"Wasn't this what Chen Yan said when he was flattering Qin Qiong back then?"

"He didn't expect Cheng Chumo to jot it down."

"He really did it to set a trap for the brothers, not caring about his own face."

"You kid actually spoke well." When Qin Qiong is mentioned, no Tang Dynasty general dares to disagree.

One thing Cheng Chumo said was spot on: when His Majesty faced a protracted battle, he would summon the opposing commander to duel Qin Qiong.

"The result was predictable."

"After all, this is universally acknowledged as the Shandong number one hero who could contend with Guan Gong."

"Even Yuchi Gong was captured alive by Qin Qiong."

Qin Huaidao hurriedly said: "Uncle Niu, to be frank, my father said that he fought with iron blood for most of his life, fought the toughest battles, drank the strongest wine, earned great military merits, all just to ensure his descendants live in peace."

"In fact, my father's greatest wish was for me to be like Zi Anxiong, becoming a civil official."

"So, you really don't need to trouble me like this; just train Cheng Chumo and Bao Lin."

"Oh?" Uncle Niu smiled at him, "But I heard your father wants you to inherit his mantle?"

"Before coming, my father even asked me to train you well, didn't he?"

"?"

Qin Huaidao felt as if struck by lightning.

He understood; he fully understood.

No wonder Qin Qiong readily agreed when he said he was going to Weinan County.

No wonder Uncle Niu was working hard to torment them, even risking his life not to let them send messages out.

It turned out all this was ordered by their old father.

Qin Huaidao sighed deeply, completely giving up hope.

Actually he had already suspected earlier, but Uncle Niu's words completely confirmed his suspicion.

"Hahaha, Lao Qin, you mustn't blame me, okay? You heard it, right? This was all ordered by Qin Uncle."

"You can't run away!"

Cheng Chumo burst into laughter.

Yu Chi Bao Lin also laughed, "Lao Qin, think more openly; aren't we all here with you?"

"It's fine, just think more openly."

Qin Huaidao simply didn't want to speak; he had completely given up hope of escaping Uncle Niu's grasp.

"Alright, little brats, don't claim Uncle Niu is being heartless; you've rested enough, haven't you?"

"Now, heed my command: three rounds of weighted frog jumps, begin."

Uncle Niu chuckled, and his words made the three brothers feel as if they were falling into an ice cavern.

"Three rounds of frog jumps!"

"And it's damn weighted."

Will you let anyone live?

"Uncle Niu, where on earth did you get so many ways to torment people?" Yu Chi Bao Lin was about to cry but had no tears.

"Carrying weight for three rounds of frog jumps, can my brothers even see tomorrow's sun?"

"Don't worry." Uncle Niu patted Yu Chi Bao Lin's shoulder, "Just three rounds; you little brats who've been living in silk and jade since childhood can handle it."

"At most your legs will hurt, that's nothing."

"As for where I got so many tricks to mess with people," Niu Jinda grinned broadly, "that's obviously thanks to your Brother Zi An."

The three brothers stared wide‑eyed, Cheng Chumo could not remain silent: "You mean... these tricks were all thought up by Zi An, no, by that dog thief Chen Yan?"

"Then what else?" Niu Jinda raised an eyebrow, his voice growing serious, "Stop the nonsense, get up and jump for me."

"Otherwise you won't even think of eating!"

At this point, the three had completely lost hope that Chen Yan would come to rescue them.

Numbly they stood up and lifted the wood they had just thrown to the ground.

Just as they crouched and were about to jump, a clamor erupted nearby.

Followed by a loud shout: "Get out of my way, where's my brother?"

"What did you do to him?"

Qin Huaidao said blankly, "I think I heard Brother Zi An's voice."

Yu Chi Bao Lin kept nodding, "I heard it too."

"How did this kid get here?" Niu Jinda muttered, holding an umbrella, intending to go see what was happening.

However, before he could get far, he saw Chen Yan brandishing Li Shimin's Imperial Token, storming in with fierce momentum.

A group of palace soldiers nearby, wanting to block him, dared not advance because of the token.

"Damn it, where's my brother?"

"Sir, you... who exactly is your brother?" At that moment, a soldier stepped forward to ask.

"My brother is Cheng Chumo!" Chen Yan shouted angrily, "Tell me, where is he?"

"Why did I receive his distress letter?"

When the soldiers heard that name, they exchanged glances, their expressions turning strange, and no one answered.

Cheng Chumo, after all, who at the Mediation Office doesn't know him?

He's one of the three suffering brothers, after all.

Seeing everyone's expressions, Chen Yan felt a sudden jolt in his heart.

Before coming, he had been wondering why Cheng Chumo was asking for rescue.

What danger could be encountered at the Mediation Office.

Now, seeing the soldiers' odd looks, he suddenly formed a hypothesis.

"Could it be that, while my brother was picking soapberries... you stabbed him?"

"......."