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“Lord Han, we cannot reveal our family backgrounds, but I can assure you of our utmost loyalty and that we will never betray you,” Zhai Li said after a moment of silence. He did not try to deceive Han Yu with the excuses they had used on others, unsure if it was out of gratitude or a belief that Han Yu would not be easily deceived.

“How can there be talk of loyalty when you can’t even reveal your basic origins, let alone the question of betrayal? It’s merely a matter of how much you’re offered to betray,” Han Yu said with a wry smile, his face clearly showing disbelief.

“But what if our backgrounds really can’t be disclosed?” said one of the younger boys, unable to conceal his impatience, his face showing a sense of urgency. He was worried because Han Yu didn’t trust them and wanted to explain but felt powerless. He truly wished to follow a great hero like this master, a man unlike the corrupt officials in the Imperial Court, with formidable skills that even the Bandit Leader couldn’t match. Such talent deserved his allegiance.

However, Han Yu wasn’t swayed by this appeal. Even though he was eager to recruit talents to build his secret forces, he would not take on people with unknown origins. The risk was too great. His expression grew colder, signaling that his previous gentle approach had been too lenient. It wasn’t enough to merely speak kindly; he had to make them aware of their predicament.

“If you cannot clarify your origins, not only will I be unable to take you in, but I will also have to arrest and hand you over to the Imperial Court for judgment,” he said.

Upon hearing Han Yu’s words, the four young men maintained their composure, a result of their upbringing and the experience they had gained over the past days. They didn’t show much fear, but their involuntary gestures betrayed their panic. Their enemies wielded immense power within the Imperial Court, second only to the emperor himself, who even made concessions to them. It could be said that they controlled the court. Thus, for these youths, being handed over to the court was tantamount to a death sentence. Even though they were far from Chang’an, the old Corrupt Official who deeply feared them had sent assassins after them all this way and would surely not rest until they were dead.

In such a predicament, it seemed they had no choice but to speak out. The young men could only compromise with Han Yu, still worried as they said, “If you must know, then fine, we will tell you. But before that, we hope, Lord Han, that if you decide not to take us in, you will not reveal our origins and will allow us to leave.”

Han Yu raised an eyebrow, “I make no guarantees, nor can I promise you anything. If you wish to ally with me, you must show me your sincerity.”

“Big brother Zhai, this man is outrageous. Why should we listen to him? Let’s go!” One of the youths couldn’t hold his temper any longer and, pulling on Zhai Li and the others, attempted to leave, only to be blocked by Han Yu’s subordinates.

“Who said you could leave? Didn’t you understand what our master just said?”

“What do you mean? We helped you fight the Bandits, and now you want to stop us from leaving? How does that make sense?” Some of the youths changed their expressions, but Zhai Li remained calm throughout, neither speaking nor agreeing with his companions, silently observing Han Yu’s reaction.

“What help? Are you sure you weren’t just having a fallout with the Bandits? If you are Bandits, naturally we cannot let you go. We must take you in and report back,” Han Yu’s meaning was clear from his earlier words, which his followers, having been with him for a while, understood.

“That’s not true. We are not Bandits. Bandits killed our family members. We sought revenge, and that’s why we infiltrated the stronghold,” the youngest boy, who had long been restless, now grew even more agitated, speaking somewhat recklessly. “And to think, we believed you were good, different from those Corrupt Officials in the Imperial Court. It turns out you’re just as unreasonable.”

“Lord Han, I know you are a good official. I hope you can discern the truth. We are not Bandits. We came to this stronghold to seek an opportunity for revenge. Our origins are truly something that we cannot disclose for compelling reasons,” said the youths, who despite the hardships faced over the days, were still a bit naive, thinking the reason they were not allowed to leave was just that.

Seeing the youths looking expectantly at him, Han Yu said, “What’s really the case is not for you to decide. If you have been wronged, the Imperial Court will clear your names after a thorough investigation. You will be released if you are found innocent; otherwise, the court will deal with you. I will not interfere.”

Han Yu spoke with integrity, sounding as though there was no personal sentiment involved, just official matters. In reality, he was indeed blackmailing the youths to act according to his intentions. He sensed that their origins were likely tied to the Imperial Court, and given the youths’ inadvertent display of resentment towards the court, he surmised their relationship was hostile, or perhaps their enemy was a highly influential person within the court. This would be why they were so fearful and unwilling to cooperate with his investigation.

“Master, I can tell you our origins, but there are some things I can only discuss with you alone,” Zhai Li finally made his decision. More calculative and pragmatic than the other three youths, he had already grasped Han Yu’s intentions. They had no other choice.

“Very well,” Han Yu said with a slight smile, pleased with Zhai Li’s astuteness. He didn’t find his own behavior despicable as using some schemes to achieve an objective was inevitable. Moreover, had it been someone else standing there today, the youths’ fate would not have been any better.

With Han Yu’s indication, Zhai Li led him to a room beside the Hall, followed by the other three Young Masters. Perhaps because of their origins or maybe due to Zhai Li’s greater steadiness and wisdom, the youths had always somewhat looked up to him as their leader, willing to heed his decisions on many matters.

“Are you ready to speak?” Han Yu was curious about the young men’s identities, judging by their demeanor and bearing that they came from notable origins and were skilled in Martial Arts, wondering how they had come to fall onto hard times.

Instead of immediately disclosing his background, Zhai Li posed a question to Han Yu, “Master, have you ever heard of the renowned Martial Arts Families in Jianghu?”

Upon hearing this, Han Yu’s eyes flickered, “Of course, I have,” he replied.

Han Yu observed Zhai Li, silent and probably hoping to gauge his strength through this exchange. He listed several well-known Martial Arts Families from recent decades, among which the Zhai Family in Guanzhong stood foremost among the Eight Great Families.