Bro Mac, I Want to Follow You

The wind and snow howled.

Outside Phuc Trach Village.

A constable wiped the snow and frost from between his eyebrows, looked at Ngo Son walking ahead, and said, "Big Brother, do you believe that kid?"

"Big Brother, I think the disappearance of Vuong Hi and Luu Nhi Cau might really be related to him," another constable also chimed in.

Ngo Son stopped his steps, turned around, raised his hands to blow warm air between his palms, then rubbed his hands together, saying, "So? Go back and have someone arrest him? Do you have evidence?"

The constable who spoke first, his face stiffened, said nothing. The constable who spoke after said in a low voice, "Big Brother, in this current world, arrest is arrest. What evidence is needed? At worst, just torture him a bit, he'll surely confess."

"Li Tam, do you know Vuong Hi?" Ngo Son looked at the constable who spoke after and said.

"Big Brother, what are you talking about? I've never even been to Phuc Trach Village before, how would I know any Vuong Hi?" The constable called Li Tam said.

"Then why are you speaking up for him?"

Ngo Son said, waving his hand.

The few men immediately gathered around, forming a circle. Ngo Son said, "Even if Vuong Hi was killed by Tran Mac, so what? Just now Li Tam also said, in this current world, even if we arrest Tran Mac, we won't get half a bit of benefit. The higher-ups also won't give us any credit. That Vuong Hi has no familial relationship with us; why should we, for two commoners, offend a martial artist?"

"Since it's like this, isn't it better to take this opportunity to befriend a martial artist? Maybe in the future, we'll have to rely on him."

"Then how do we report to the superiors?" Li Tam asked.

"Are you a pig-brain? How many murder cases are piled up in the yamen? Have the superiors ever managed them? In his eyes, commoners without power or influence are just like pigs and goats in a pen. In this current chaotic world, they are even worse than pigs and goats. That city entrance fee and overnight fee regulation implemented before, can't you see? Matters outside the city, the superiors fundamentally don't want to manage."

Ngo Son had been a yamen runner for several decades. If there was even a slight rustle of wind or grass, it was clear as day in his eyes. After all, people who couldn't even afford the overnight fee in the city not only had no power or influence but also no money. This kind of person, there was fundamentally no need to worry about them retaliating against you.

Li Tam and the others somewhat understood.

Ngo Son truly treated them as brothers, continuing, "Heard the rebels want to attack Thanh Chau. In my view, afraid they will fail again."

Ngo Son sighed.

"How come? Didn't Ha Lam gather an army of a hundred thousand? That's Thanh Chau's elite!" Li Tam said in surprise.

Ngo Son chuckled, said in a low voice, "Do you know who those two young misses were that the superior personally received a few days ago?"

"Who?"

"Those are our Prefectural Governor's daughters! Binh Dinh County is Thanh Chau's major rear area! Why at this time would the Prefectural Governor send his daughters to our Binh Dinh County? In my view, afraid the Prefectural Governor also knows Thanh Chau's army can't stop the rebels, already prepared a retreat route early on. If it really comes to that day, the superior will definitely need to rope in strong individuals..."

Li Tam and the others thoroughly understood, saying in unison, "Big Brother is brilliant!"

"Let's go! Go back and drink!"

...

The sky gradually darkened.

In the kitchen.

The two of them snuggled by the burning stove, eating dinner.

Eating, eating, Tran Mac with one hand pulled Han An Nuong into his embrace, letting her sit on his lap, his large hand expertly... inside Han An Nuong's cotton-padded jacket, plucking lotus pods, picking lotus seeds.

Han An Nuong's soft body suddenly tensed up, her pretty face flushed red, twisting her body: "Uncle, don't..."

Her eyes had already turned into a pool of spring water.

"Who told Sister-in-law to tempt me? A sixteen-year-old youth can't stand temptation the most." Tran Mac's voice was deep, with a long nasal tone.

"I... didn't." Han An Nuong grabbed Tran Mac's left hand, wanting to pull it away. She was eating her meal properly on the side; how was she tempting him?

"Sister-in-law's body is tempting me at every moment..." Tran Mac whispered beside Han An Nuong's ear.

"Boom!"

Han An Nuong immediately turned red from head to the root of her neck. She had never heard such embarrassing yet teasing words, her voice trembling as she said, "Uncle, don't... bully me."

"How could I bear to bully Sister-in-law? Come, I'll feed Sister-in-law."

Tran Mac picked up a piece of bear meat and fed it to Han An Nuong's mouth.

"Bro Mac!"

Suddenly, he heard someone call him from outside the kitchen.

Han An Nuong shot up, frantically tidying her clothes.

"Sister-in-law, don't rush. I'll go take a look."

Tran Mac frowned, put down his chopsticks, and walked out of the kitchen.

"Bro Mac."

Tran Mac saw at the courtyard gate a young man wearing a cotton-padded jacket, a cotton hat, his clothes covered in patches, currently calling him.

Tran Mac's eyes narrowed. If he remembered correctly, this person was called Truong Ha. The villagers called him Bro Thuy.

Previously, when he went to deal with Vuong Ma Tu, among those dealt with, he was there.

"What are you here for?" Tran Mac's voice was faint and cold.

"Bro Mac, don't misunderstand! I... I'm not here to cause trouble! I just have something to tell you!" Truong Ha was truly afraid of Tran Mac, didn't even dare enter the courtyard gate, his voice trembling as he spoke.

Tran Mac looked him up and down a few times, then walked into the house: "Come in and talk."

"Okay."

Only then did Truong Ha dare to enter the small courtyard. Passing by Han An Nuong, he even more respectfully called out, "Sister-in-law Han."

Entering the room, he saw Tran Mac sitting in the main seat, also didn't invite Truong Ha to sit, said indifferently, "What is it? Speak."

Truong Ha should be more than ten years older than Tran Mac. Being treated like this, he also wasn't angry, bowed his body, and said, "Bro Mac, do I know why those yamen runners came looking for you this morning?"

"Oh."

Tran Mac was interested: "Tell me."

"Yesterday when I entered the city, I happened to see Old Mistress Lu coming out from the yamen. Today the yamen runners came. It must be Old Mistress Lu saying something unfavorable about Bro Mac in the yamen," Truong Ha said.

Regarding this, Tran Mac also didn't think much.

When Ngo Son said before that the informant was an old woman, Tran Mac had already guessed it was Old Mistress Lu.

The reason Tran Mac didn't pursue Old Mistress Lu to the bitter end.

Was simply seeing her advanced age, her son not being promising, her grandson also still young. Adding the lesson from last time, thought she would be honest, so felt compassion.

After all, even the most ruthless person, facing the old and young, would also hesitate.

However, the opponent repeatedly provoked him.

Tran Mac already had a plan in his heart.

He nodded lightly, "Anything else?"

Truong Ha suddenly lowered his head, looked at his own toes, hesitated for a moment, then looked up, his face red as he said, "Bro... Bro Mac, I... want to follow you."

"Weren't you following Vuong Ma Tu before?" Tran Mac assessed him a few times, said indifferently.

"Bro Mac, I... I was also forced into it! Bro Mac, rest assured, I have already changed... turned over a new leaf! Hope you can forgive me!"

"Forgive or not, let's put that aside first. To follow me, one must have ability. What ability do you have?" Tran Mac gently tapped the table, looking at Truong Ha...