Chapter 22: Liu Hai

Seeing Liu Xie’s repeated insistence, Jia Yu no longer pressed the issue, but the gratitude in her gaze toward him grew ever deeper.

That night, as everyone settled down to rest, Jia Yu and her daughter shared a room together. Liu Xie was with Fu Shou. The remaining twenty companions occupied the other rooms in the house, mostly in pairs. Their responsibilities extended beyond simply helping Jia Yu and her daughter manage household matters; they were also charged with ensuring the security of the residence. Each day, someone patrolled the courtyard. Though their arrival had been kept secret, none could guarantee that Cao Cao wouldn’t somehow discover their whereabouts. Thus, safety was of utmost importance.

Jia Yu was a sensible woman. Since Liu Xie and his people had moved in, she had never asked about their backgrounds or occupations.

That afternoon, while Jia Yu was out shopping for groceries with two attendants, trouble found them.

“You wretched woman! So you’re hiding here,” came a shout. “I’ll beat you to death!”

A man in his thirties, bearing the airs of a wealthy wastrel, caught sight of Jia Yu and immediately raised his fist to strike her. Terrified, Jia Yu quickly shielded her daughter and retreated, but the man surged forward, his fist poised to land. At that moment, a strong hand seized the man's arm.

The man was stunned and turned to see who had stopped him—a burly man with a cold expression.

“Who the hell are you? Mind your own business!” the man spat, then, glarin