Ning Chen stared coldly at the two of them.

Ning Xing and Ning Mao were staring at the heavy cloak on his shoulders.

They weren’t like Ning Chen. They had grown up in fine clothes and rich food, and one look told them the cloak was worth a great deal.

“Ning Chen. Where did you get that cloak?”

Ning Mao said it loudly.

Last time, his eldest brother had taken a hundred taels of silver off Ning Chen and Ning Chen hadn’t dared make a sound about it.

He had his eye on the cloak now.

Ning Chen said flatly, “None of your damn business.”

“A bastard born of a mother and never taught by one — crude beyond bearing. I’m your third brother. I ask you a question and this is how you answer?”

“Ning Chen, a few days ago Mother had a heavy cloak made for me. I hadn’t even worn it yet and somebody stole it. So it was you again.”

Ning Mao had decided to run the same trick twice.

“There’s no guarding against a thief inside the house. Ning Chen — you rotten little bastard, you thief, give my third brother his cloak back. If Father hears about this, you’ll be lucky to get away with your skin.”

Ning Xing chimed in to back him up.

Ning Chen couldn’t be bothered to explain. If a man means to condemn you, he’ll never be short of a reason.

Explaining would change nothing.

His face didn’t move. “You want it? Come and take it.”

Ning Mao looked at the door bar in Ning Chen’s hand and didn’t come.

“You thief. Take it off right now and throw it over here. Or I’ll have the men strip it off your back.”

Ning Chen’s face went cold and his voice cut. “Try it.”

Damn it. The outhouse was out back. If it had been in here, he’d have shown this crowd what a mop dipped in shit could do — Lü Bu (TL Note: the most feared warrior of the Three Kingdoms era, proverbially unbeatable in single combat. “Lü Bu reborn” is the standard way of saying somebody has become briefly unstoppable — usually said about someone who absolutely is not.) himself, back from the dead.

Seeing that Ning Chen was going to be difficult, Ning Mao’s eyes rolled around and he found another idea.

He looked at Uncle Chai. “You mangy dog. What are you still hanging around here for? Get out of this estate.”

“You men. Search this old dog’s bundle for me. He’s in the same nest as Ning Chen — snakes and rats. Don’t let him carry anything of this family’s out the gate.”

Uncle Chai’s face was full of swallowed anger, but he set the bundle down on the ground and let them search it.

“Let’s see which of you dares.”

Ning Chen said it coldly.

Ning Xing gave a nasty little smile. “Ning Chen, you still haven’t explained stealing your third brother’s cloak. You haven’t even wiped your own backside clean and you’ve got attention to spare for somebody else?”

Ning Chen’s eyes turned vicious. He brought the bar up crosswise between them. “Nobody is driving Uncle Chai out of this estate. Anyone who touches his things — don’t blame my stick for not knowing your face.”

Ning Xing said contemptuously, “Ning Chen. Can you beat this many men on your own?”

“Fourth Young Master, let it go. Let them search. Anyone with a clean conscience has nothing to fear.”

Uncle Chai stopped him.

Last time, Ning Chen had been knocked to the ground by a crowd of them and beaten until he lost consciousness. The old man could still see every part of it.

This many men, and Ning Chen still weak and worn down. How could he possibly win?

Ning Mao said, “Ning Chen, I’d advise you not to interfere. This is Mother’s order. This old dog is too old to work, and the Ning estate doesn’t feed idlers.”

“You get in the way and we’ll beat you along with him. Even if Father finds out, he won’t have much to say about it.”

Ning Chen was past furious. He gripped the wooden bar until the knuckles went white.

Ning Mao wasn’t exaggerating. Chang Ruyue was the Left Chancellor’s daughter. Even if Ning Ziming found out, what was he going to do to her?

It seemed he couldn’t keep Uncle Chai this time.

If he forced it, all he’d do is get Uncle Chai beaten alongside him.

Never mind. Uncle Chai leaving might not be a bad thing.

If he stays at the Ning estate, sooner or later my troubles land on him.

Once I’m out of here and have a place of my own, I’ll bring him back.

“You don’t need to search it. I’ll take everything out and show you, one piece at a time.”

Ning Chen said it word by word.

He was afraid they’d play dirty and slip something into Uncle Chai’s bundle to frame him with.

One of the household men glanced at the two brothers, Ning Xing and Ning Mao.

Ning Chen had guessed right. They had indeed been planning to frame him.

He opened Uncle Chai’s bundle. Inside were a few worn-out clothes.

“Open your dog eyes wide and look. Anything smuggled in there?”

Seeing the framing plan fail, Ning Xing came up with another one. “Search him as well. What if he’s got something hidden on his body?”

“This is too far. You aren’t officials and you aren’t constables. What gives you the right to search a man? That’s trampling on his dignity and his person.”

Ning Chen was thoroughly enraged now.

Ning Mao said contemptuously, “Dignity? In this young master’s eyes he’s a useless old dog. Where would he get dignity?”

Ning Chen said furiously, “All men are born equal. You just landed in a good womb. That isn’t an ability of yours.”

“He came into this house as a servant because life forced him to. Eating by the work of his own two hands is nothing to be ashamed of. It puts him well above a pack of shit-producing machines who couldn’t wring the neck of a chicken.”

“Uncle Chai has worked in the Ning estate for decades without a word of complaint. And now, on his way out, he has to be humiliated by you as well? Can he not be allowed to leave with his dignity, on his own two feet?”

Ning Mao spread both hands, the picture of a man with no shame. “It’s Mother’s order. Nothing to do with me. If you don’t like it, go and see Mother.”

Uncle Chai’s jaw was tight with anger he couldn’t voice, but he didn’t want Ning Chen coming to blows with these people over him.

“Fourth Young Master, let them search. I’m clean. I’m not afraid of being searched.”

Ning Chen shook his head. “Uncle Chai, they’re doing this to humiliate you. Set your mind at ease. As long as I’m standing here, I’d like to see which one of them isn’t afraid to die.”

Ning Chen had grown up in a modern world, and he loathed this kind of thing to the bone.

A vicious grin came over Ning Mao’s face and he sneered, “You don’t know how close you are to dying.”

“Go and search this old dog. Anyone who tries to stop you is setting himself against Mother. You don’t need to be gentle with him.”

Several household men closed in step by step, clubs in hand.

Ning Chen watched them coldly, without a trace of fear, and didn’t move an inch.

Uncle Chai was the only person in this house who was truly good to him. He couldn’t stand and watch someone humiliate the old man.

“Fourth Young Master, don’t force it with them. Let them search. This old servant is all right.”

Uncle Chai caught at Ning Chen’s arm, afraid he’d be hurt again.

“Wait!” Ning Xing suddenly called the men off. Then he looked at Ning Chen. “There’s no need for brothers to break each other’s heads over one mangy servant. Here’s what I’ll do. I’ll do you the courtesy. Give your third brother his cloak back, and I’ll agree not to search this old dog.”

Ning Chen was shaking with rage.

But he weighed the situation. Once it came to blows, in the condition his body was in, he was no match for these men, and Uncle Chai would very likely be beaten alongside him.

Starting tomorrow I go to Old General Chen’s house and train hard. I need this body strong as fast as possible. Then I can protect myself.

Ning Chen didn’t hesitate for a moment. He unfastened the cloak and said sharply, “Ning Xing. Remember what you said. If you go back on it, one of us doesn’t walk out of here today.”

Looking into Ning Chen’s cold eyes, Ning Xing felt something chilly rise in him.

But he put on a calm face. “You’re my younger brother. Would I lie to my own brother?”

Ning Chen threw the cloak over and said, with no expression at all:

“Look after that cloak. Sooner or later I’ll be taking it back with my own hands.”

Ning Mao took the cloak and put it around his shoulders, laughing coldly. “Don’t worry. Mother had it made for me. Of course I’ll take good care of it.”

Ning Chen said nothing more. He tied the bundle up again, took the bar in one hand and Uncle Chai’s arm in the other, and walked toward the gate.

(End of Chapter 16)