The thugs were eyeing the money, especially since they had never seen such a large sum before—greed shining in their eyes. As they prepared to seize the cargo, Gao Li roared, "Don't push me! Otherwise—anyone who stands in my way dies! Anyone who blocks me, I'll kill! Even a Buddha, if he stands in my way, will be slain!" "Hear me out! Who do you think you are? Just some little merchant? I'll tell you—our boss is Zhao Erhu, a well-known local power in Handan. He's a master of martial arts, and whatever he sets his mind on, he always secures! Hah!" The thug who had previously chopped down the redwood box spoke with utter disdain. Yet, when he struck again with full force, a sharp cry of pain escaped him—"Ah!," followed by a clatter as the axe fell to the ground—and straight into his own foot. Immediately, blood poured out, and he howled like a pig being slaughtered. The crowd watched in astonishment as Gao Li had merely thrown a single yellow bean, striking the thug's wrist. Seeing the blood gushing from the wrist, everyone was stunned. What kind of skill does this guy have? How could he be so impressive? One of the thugs gasped. "Hey! A merchant from Qin—how can he possess such extraordinary martial prowess? I don't believe it! I've never encountered anyone who could match me! Brothers! Quick! Bring me the nine-tusked crescent blade!" H Zhao Erhu swiftly took the crescent blade from a fellow, over three meters long, and with a flurry of swift movements, swung it through the air, sending dust swirling everywhere. Zhang Yuping, dressed as a man, was deeply worried about Gao Liang's safety. Yet Gao Liang only gave a slight downward curve to his lips—what a show! To the seasoned veteran, Old Zai, such vigorous movements were just window dressing. Everything else seemed like mere mist in his eyes. Indeed, Zhang Yuping's concerns proved entirely unnecessary. As the nine-tusked crescent blade neared Gao Liang's nose, he moved with remarkable speed, effortlessly grasping the blade's hilt with his hands—so smoothly, so naturally—and what about Zhao Erhu? He strained every muscle to control the nine-teeth crescent blade, sweat pouring down his forehead and his face turning crimson. "Brother-in-charge! Hold on! Hold on!" his comrades shouted in unison. Zhao Erhu used his last strength to pry the blade, as if it were clamped between the jaws of a vise, yet he hadn't anticipated that while he was pulling the blade with all his might, Gao Guang had suddenly released his grip. With a sharp "ho!" the blade immediately snapped free. Due to the sudden force, Zhao Erhu's body, carried by inertia, recoiled backward. "Ah!" he cried out in pain, his head striking squarely against a large stone mill behind him, sending stars of light dancing before his eyes. Fortunately, a group of loyal subordinates held him steady. Zhao Erhu, gazing at Gao Liang who remained unharmed, felt his legs trembling. He knew Gao Liang was no ordinary man. While startled enough to have his bladder empty, he immediately fell to his knees with a loud "thump." Yet Gao Liang merely said, "If you continue to act recklessly, I'll make you suffer far worse than this!" Naturally, Zhao Erhu bowed repeatedly, saying, "Sir! I'll never dare again! I'll never dare again!" Gao Liang then blew a soft whistle, exuding calm grace, and with one hand holding each of two large redwood boxes, he turned to Zhang Yuping and said, "Let's go!" Zhang Yuping was smiling quietly to herself—she had never imagined that her husband could command such power, making the very heavens tremble. That Zhao Erhu, who had once seemed so confident, now looked like a beaten rooster, his legs shaking as he struggled to control his bladder—such a sight was truly reassuring. Well deserved! How could he have dared to lay hands on my husband? Don't you know what kind of man my husband is? Zhang Yuping was truly relieved and delighted, experiencing a sense of pride and satisfaction that only she could truly feel—absolute satisfaction! As soon as the master and servant pair of Gao Liang and Zhang Yuping walked more than thirty meters ahead, Zhao Erhu and his companions hurried up to catch up. "Plunging!" Zhao Erhu fell to one knee before Gao Liang, hands clasped in front of him, unable to look up, respectfully saying, "Master Gao! Please take me as your disciple! If you don’t agree, I shall remain kneeling until you do!" For heaven’s sake—wasn’t this the first time someone had boldly asked to be taken under my wing? Gao Liang was somewhat uncertain. Yet Zhang Yuping, this clever woman, simply didn’t like carrying the burden on her shoulders. Hmph! I’m your wife, and now I’m in the position of a servant, even dressed as a man. This lady, the original lady of the house, has never once taken on such a burden—she’s practically worn out. If you don't take a disciple, then what will I do but carry this burden every day, braving wind and rain? If that's the case, all the care I've put into maintaining my figure will be worn out—turned into a yellow-faced old lady, I tell you! I simply won't do it! So Zhang Yuping smiled happily and said to Zhao Erhu, who was kneeling on the ground, "Alright! Get up and carry the load for our master!" Zhao Erhu immediately rose to his feet. With his broad shoulders and strong frame, he lifted the load steadily. His strength was as great as that of a bull. He roared at the sky and managed to take over the large, heavy redwood chest filled with silver from Gao Liang, attaching it to each end of the pole. Though the pole bent under the weight, Zhao Erhu still cheerfully carried it. Yet Gao Liang had not agreed to take Zhao Erhu as his disciple. He merely kept his face stern and silent—this made Zhang Yuping quite anxious. She immediately began to act coy in front of Gao Liang. Almost calling him "husband," fortunately still retaining a bit of self-awareness, she said, "If it really comes down to having them choose, they'll be absolutely exhausted!" Saying this, his body swayed steadily, as if a breeze were about to blow him to the ground. Gao Liang was a man who cherished the delicate and refined—this chief wife, like a slender green stalk, seemed quite suitable. Taking on a disciple might not be a bad idea at all; at the very least, it would allow the chief wife to enjoy a more relaxed life. Still, the husband would have to make some sacrifices—should he agree to take on a disciple, he'd need to devote some of his energy to managing his team of brothers. I certainly can't waste my own efforts in vain, unless... Gao Liang smiled with a touch of mystery, whispering a few words into Zhang Yuping's ear. Zhang Yuping blushed deeply, her face turning as crimson as a peach blossom. At that moment, Zhao Erhu had already called Gao Liang "Master," though Gao Liang was not used to being addressed as such. He preferred to be called "Senior Brother" or simply "Older Brother," and his team of brothers all regarded him as his junior. Zhao Erhu was even more delighted and immediately Just shout out "Boss!" together! Looking at Zhao Erhu's team of no less than thirty brothers, High Light nodded. It was clear that this journey into the Qin Dynasty would require gathering more capable allies—after all, even the strongest man needs three helpers; no matter how capable he is, there will always be limits. Immediately, stepping into the role of a true leader, he issued his command: "Zhao Erhu, listen up! Since you've willingly chosen to follow me, then from today on, I'm establishing a strict set of rules. Every morning at five o'clock, everyone must rise promptly and join me for special physical training!"