"Such mighty stone lions."
The manor gate looked smaller from afar and larger up close. Standing proudly at over a height of one zhang, the bronze nails and red lacquer on the door exuded authority. It seemed like an open bloody mouth, ready to swallow people whole.
Li Xiaofan stood outside the gate, feeling an unshakable oppression. Thinking that his brother lived in such a place, his determination grew even stronger.
After hesitating for a moment, he gently knocked on the door.
"In this cold winter, I wonder which lord has arrived."
There was some muttering from inside, and soon the large door was opened.
It was opened by some head servants responsible for clearing the snow from the courtyard. When the snow melted, it would stick together, making it difficult to sweep. However, compared to other servant chores, it was much easier.
Only senior servants could snag such a task.
These servants were initially nodding and bowing with flattering smiles, but upon seeing the visitor’s dirty and tattered clothing, they immediately changed their demeanor.
"Who are you, boy?"
One servant asked impatiently, "We’re not hiring servants right now."
"Looking at that frail body of yours, a gust of wind would knock you over. You can’t do any work. Get lost quickly; don’t die at our gate. We would have to clean up after you."
Another servant added.
Saying this, they were about to close the door.
"Gentlemen, you’ve misunderstood." Li Xiaofan blew hot air into his hands and rubbed them together, "I’m here looking for someone. Could you kindly see if you can notify them for me?"
The voice was tender but polite.
"Looking for someone?" The servant frowned and turned to shout toward the back, "Master Bi, there’s an outsider kid wanting to find someone. Should we send him away, or...?"
Bi Hao rose from his wooden chair, leaning on a cane. He had suffered severe injuries in the last confrontation with Li Xian and had only just managed to get out of bed in recent days.
"Looking for someone?" Bi Hao mused.
Selling oneself into servitude, it’s rare to see any relation come looking.
"Who are you looking for?" Bi Hao asked with interest.
Li Xiaofan earnestly said, "I’m going to take the winter exams and am about to leave Qingning County. My brother is in the manor. I want to see him one more time."
"What’s your brother’s name? If he’s a servant, he might not even be around anymore." Bi Hao taunted.
"No, no, no, that can’t be. My brother has already become part of the Nursing Home," Li Xiaofan shook his head repeatedly.
"Oh..." Bi Hao frowned, "He’s with the Nursing Home, is he?" The taunting tone faded considerably.
"My brother is called Li Xian. Sir... can you please notify him for me?" Li Xiaofan pleaded.
"Li... Xian?" Bi Hao’s expression changed, but he quickly suppressed it, "Are you sure your brother is Li Xian?"
"What’s going on?" Li Xiaofan also became nervous.
"No... it’s nothing. Wait here for a moment." Bi Hao signaled to a few servants with his eyes, then quickly left, using his cane.
These servants were heads among servants. They had no other abilities but were closely associated with Bi Hao and understood his intentions.
They quietly spread out, intentionally blocking Li Xiaofan’s path.
"Uncle, uncle!"
Bi Hao hurried to find Steward Luo Fang.
Luo Fang frowned and waved him off, "Go away, go away, just seeing you annoys me."
"Uncle, please listen to me." Bi Hao briefly explained the situation at the gate.
"Oh..." Luo Fang raised an eyebrow, and a sinister plan surfaced in his mind, "If that’s the case, wouldn’t it come without any effort?"
"Uncle, what do you mean?" Bi Hao asked.
"You idiotic oaf, you’re stupid, yes, you’re thick-headed, but you do have one good trait," Luo Fang said, pacing back and forth like a strategic mastermind, "and that’s obedience. You don’t make decisions on your own."
"Now that Li Xian’s younger brother has come out, we only need to trick him into signing the indenture contract to become a servant. Wouldn’t we have the means to exploit Li Xian?"
Bi Hao’s eyes widened in delight, "Uncle, you truly are the most intelligent man in the world."
"Hahaha. No, no, no, I’m just doing what’s necessary." Luo Fang laughed heartily and said, "Prepare the contract, quickly follow me to the front gate."
Before long.
At the front gate, Luo Fang indeed saw Li Xiaofan. Seeing his dirty and messy clothes, but his bright eyes and his brow resembling Li Xian by thirty percent.
"Young brother, you want to see your older brother?" Luo Fang’s smile was gentle, hiding a dagger behind his smile.
"Yes, is that possible?" Li Xiaofan asked tentatively.
"This... it’s a little tricky because the manor rules don’t allow outsiders to enter privately," Luo Fang pretended to be troubled.
Li Xiaofan sighed lightly, looking longingly into the manor. If so, the news of him going to the exam would not reach his brother.
"But..." Luo Fang deliberately dragged his voice, pulling out a paper contract, "If you want to see your brother, sign this paper contract, and you can enter the manor. Then I’ll take you to see your brother."
Li Xiaofan caught a glimpse and immediately recognized it as an indenture contract.
His heart skipped a beat, thoughts racing. Though young, he was not foolish, and his mind was very sharp.
"The servant earlier said they’re not hiring servants now. This person came right away after hearing my brother’s name, intending to force me to sign an indenture contract."
"It seems they hold a grudge against my brother and want to use me to control him. Brother said the people in the manor are all beasts, and he was right!"
Li Xiaofan feigned ignorance, "Oh no... I ate some wild fruit on the road, and my stomach hurts. I’ll go to the restroom and come back to sign. Please wait for me, gentlemen."
"Hahaha." Luo Fang rubbed his short whiskers defiantly, "Sure, sure, go ahead."
Li Xiaofan, sweating profusely, turned and ran. Luo Fang waited a moment, sensing something was amiss because it was winter, and the landscape was all white.
It wasn’t hard to see that Li Xiaofan had already started running madly. Luo Fang cursed, "Damn it, that kid is trying to run, get him back!"
"Why are you just standing there, go... ouch..." Bi Hao, seeing this, anxiously kicked a servant beside him, but this aggravated his injury, causing him to grimace in pain.
Several servant heads quickly gave chase. Li Xiaofan was small, with short legs, and wearing adult clothes. How could he outrun them?
He was soon caught and brought back.
"Hold him down and get his thumbprint." Luo Fang said coldly.
"Never!" Li Xiaofan fought back like a trapped beast, struggling wildly. However, with so many opponents, his limbs were firmly restrained.
"Ah!"
He suddenly saw an opportunity and bit fiercely. A servant, in pain, released his grip. He quickly got up and ran away.
"You little brat, if I can’t deal with your brother, can’t I at least deal with you?"
Luo Fang was also enraged. These two brothers were truly troublesome.
With a leap, he grabbed Li Xiaofan by the nape of his neck. Circulating his Inner Qi, no matter how Li Xiaofan struggled, he was powerless to resist.
He held Li Xiaofan’s hand, employing his Inner Strength, forcing blood out from his fingertip, and was about to press it onto the paper contract.
"Hahaha."
Li Xiaofan suddenly laughed, glaring coldly at Luo Fang, "If you think you can use me against my brother, think again! If you get my print, I’ll take my life right away!"
He entirely ceased his resistance.
Luo Fang felt an unexpected chill at his words.
He hadn’t anticipated the two brothers having such strong resolve. If this were true, wouldn’t his scheme backfire?
"Ha, you little brat, still daring to talk tough." Luo Fang was about to firmly press it onto the paper contract.
Just then, he felt a hand on his shoulder. The fingers dug in, as if piercing through to the flesh.