My older brother said I'm invincible.

Chapter 2 I am not strong yet

The next day, as dawn was breaking.

"My lord, it's time to take your medicine."

A robust woman carrying a bowl of medicine strode into the room. She placed the bowl aside and quickly helped Li Xuanba get up, bringing him the clothes he was to wear that day.

This strong woman was thick and large, while Li Xuanba was already thin and weak. He was completely powerless to resist her and was lifted up like a chick and quickly dressed.

"Duan Niang, what did you eat today?"

The strong woman took out a small table from somewhere, answered questions, and kept going in and out of the house, without missing a single thing.

This strong woman, surnamed Duan, was Li Xuanba's wet nurse. She had taken care of him since he was a child, and the two had a very close relationship.

Duan Niang was diligent and honest, and was deeply trusted and valued by her mistress.

"The doctor instructed me not to let the cold wind hit my body, so you can eat your meal indoors."

Li Xuanba sat at the table and expressionlessly swallowed the terribly bitter medicine.

He had tried to resist, struggled, and cried, but he could not change his fate of having to take the medicine. After a long time, he became numb and could drink the bitterest medicine in one gulp.

He took the medicine, then suddenly looked up at Duan Niang.

"Duan Niang".

"Ok?"

"I feel much better; I didn't have any shortness of breath all night yesterday."

Duan Niang was taken aback, then looked at Li Xuanba. She nodded in agreement and said with a smile, "Yes, yes, you look different from yesterday. You have more energy now. Come on, eat more."

Li Xuanba fumbled for the jade pendant at his waist. "This was given to me by my elder brother yesterday. He said it could cure my illness and that I should help him achieve great things in the future! This must be the effect of this jade pendant!"

Duan Niang laughed again, "Yes, this jade pendant looks very good. You should treasure it and eat more. I think you'll get better in a while and be able to jump and play again."

Upon hearing this, Li Xuanba was overjoyed. He laughed out loud, then lowered his head and began to eat his food with great relish.

Looking at the boy's excited appearance, Duan Niang felt an indescribable heartache. Her eyes reddened, and she turned her head away, tears welling up but she held them back.

After they finished eating, Duan Niang bent down and squatted in front of him. "Come on up, it's time to go to school."

Li Xuanba hesitated for a moment, "Duan Niang, I want to walk there myself."

"what?"

Duan Niang was shocked. "How can this be? You..."

"I'm fine. Besides, didn't Aunt Duan just say that I look much better today?"

Looking at Li Xuanba's confident face, Duan Niang opened her mouth several times, but couldn't say a word.

The world outside has a unique charm.

A long corridor leads to the inner courtyard in the distance. To the left is a quiet garden, and to the right are a row of houses. In the distance, servants can be seen moving around frequently, quite busy.

It's the perfect time of year; the cool breeze is refreshing, and everything is coming back to life.

Li Xuanba, however, was dressed in thick clothes and moved carefully through the mansion.

His face was full of smiles, as if he had accomplished something of immense significance.

Along the way, they encountered servants who were all astonished to see the Third Young Master traveling alone. Some even came to ask if they could carry him to the door.

Li Xuanba refused these well-meaning people and happily showed off his different side today.

In the distance, Duan Niang followed like a thief, almost giving herself away every time she saw Li Xuanba stop to catch his breath.

He walked all the way to the entrance of the side courtyard, where a carriage was waiting for him.

Two children, one big and one small, were standing by the car.

The older one was Li Shimin, who was talking loudly to the coachman and pointing at something in the distance. He was a very talkative child.

As for the other one, it was the fourth brother, Li Yuanji, who was engrossed in playing the game of stepping on ants with his head down. He didn't look much like his three older brothers. He had a dark face, small eyes, and no trace of his mother's features. He was not good-looking at all.

The coachman was the first to spot Li Xuanba, and then the two brothers also spotted him.

Everyone was quite surprised.

Li Shimin quickly realized what was happening, smiled and waved his hand, while Li Yuanji muttered something.

"He can be late even if he walks alone, why can't we have two cars? We have to wait for him every day, can't he just come out earlier?"

"Don't say that. We are brothers. Brothers should get along well. We were born in the same mother's womb, so how can we travel in two different cars?"

Li Shimin suddenly turned around and said.

Li Yuanji glared at him. "That's not what you said when you abandoned me and ran away yesterday! Running away is one thing, but you took all the fruit from me, leaving not a single one! Are you just going to live with me like this?"

"All he does all day is spout platitudes he's heard from elsewhere."

Hearing his fourth brother's complaints, Li Shimin suddenly narrowed his eyes. "Fourth brother, has it been a long time since I've practiced swordsmanship with you?"

Li Yuanji shuddered and quietly walked a few steps away, not daring to argue anymore, only muttering some nonsense like "I am not strong enough".

When Li Xuanba walked up to the two of them, his forehead was covered with fine sweat, and he was slightly out of breath.

"Second brother! Fourth brother!"

"I walked here today!"

Li Yuanji rolled his eyes at him, "I'm not blind."

The three brothers boarded the carriage, which then slowly drove away from the side gate. Inside, Li Xuanba excitedly shared his speculation, "I think my illness is getting better, last night..."

After he finished speaking, Li Yuanji, who was hearing the story for the first time, widened his eyes and curiously pinched the jade pendant. "Really?"

"real!"

"When you get better, can I borrow it for a few days?"

"Okay!"

The two were chatting enthusiastically when Li Shimin smiled and shook his head. He had already heard the story of the jade pendant yesterday. He tilted his head back slightly.

"That's just your imagination. Your brother gave you the jade pendant to give you confidence. This kind of trick can only fool little kids like you."

"Besides, assisting our elder brother in achieving fame and success? Is that something you should be doing?"

"Among us, I am the only one who can help our elder brother achieve fame and success!"

Li Shimin proudly patted his chest, "You are not as good as me in studies, nor in riding and archery. I always come first. From now on, I can only rely on you. As for the two of you, Yuanji can be a groom, and Xuanba can be a clerk."

"Why should I be a groom? I want to be a cavalryman!"

"Cavalry? You want to be a cavalryman if you can't even use a bow?"

"I'll learn to use a bow sooner or later. Just you wait."

The brothers were chatting when the carriage slowed down, and then they heard some noise.

Li Shimin curiously peeked out, as did Yuanji, but Xuanba dared not peek out because it was windy outside.

The two brothers were amazed. Xuanba, who dared not peek out, couldn't help but ask anxiously, "What happened outside? Tell me!"

The once spacious road was now unusually crowded. A group of officials were seen shouting something and waving whips. A large group of people were being driven from the opposite direction.

They blocked the road, and many people refused to walk any further, complaining as they went.

They were not only all men, but also many women.

They practically filled the entire street, and the officers glared fiercely at them, shouting incessantly in profanities the three brothers had never heard before.

Seeing that the crowd refused to leave, the officers began to lash out with their whips, and some even drew their swords. The crowd gasped in alarm and dared not hesitate.

They tried to drive the crowd from one end to the other, like herding sheep.

Seeing this, Li Yuanji couldn't help but laugh. "They should have raised some big dogs and let them out from behind, let's see if they'd run away."

Li Shimin glanced at him and frowned.

Li Yuanji then looked at the coachman and asked curiously, "Who are these people?"

The driver simply gazed calmly into the distance, remained silent for a moment, and then replied, "A servant."

He added, "Serving the sage."

Li Yuanji was somewhat puzzled. "Serving the Sage? Isn't that a good thing? Why are they resisting?"

This time, the coachman did not answer, but quickly led the three young masters away from there.

The carriage drove away from the city center and headed south. After traveling for a long time, even the three brothers in the carriage were so tired from talking that the driver finally stopped the carriage. Li Shimin and Li Yuanji jumped off the carriage skillfully, while Li Xuanba was the last to get off.

Before the three of them stood a massive mansion, its walls stretching as far as the eye could see.

Someone was already standing at the door, waiting for them.

Li Xuanba refused the coachman who offered to carry him inside, and followed on foot behind everyone, entering the massive mansion.

Inside the mansion, the green hills and clear waters formed a picturesque scene, completely different from the scenery outside. Even the prefectural mansion where Li Xuanba and others lived paled in comparison.

The servant leading the way moved with incredible speed and agility. He didn't look like a servant at all; he exuded confidence, and you could even see a hint of arrogance in his eyes.

Li Xuanba was left behind and didn't care about the scenery on both sides, he just focused on speeding up.

The winding path inside the courtyard led us to a lush, green courtyard after several changes of direction.

There were about ten children gathered here, all around the same age as the three brothers, around ten years old, some older and some younger.

After the three brothers arrived, the place suddenly fell silent.

The children secretly glanced at them, then whispered something to each other.

Li Shimin was taller than the children here. He looked up and didn't care about them at all. Li Yuanji, on the other hand, glared at them fiercely, making them afraid to meet his gaze.

Li Xuanba was panting heavily, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, standing at the very back.

My father was a family man. After taking office as the governor of Xingyang, he petitioned the court and successfully brought my mother and several brothers to this place.

In order not to delay the children's studies, he made a special request to the local prominent clan to allow his three children to temporarily study at their Zheng clan school.

As outsiders, Li Shimin, Li Yuanji, and others had a very bad relationship with this family, while Li Xuanba never had any disputes with them.

An elderly gentleman soon appeared. This scholar had white hair, but his movements were not slow at all. He strode like the wind, exuding a fierce aura. He was also wielding an iron ruler in his hand. His sharp eyes swept over the disciples around him, and everyone bowed their heads in respect.

Even Li Shimin obediently lowered his head at this moment, secretly glancing at his younger brother beside him.

"Xuanba, if the master tests your knowledge later, I'll say I'm going to take care of you. You'll have to say a few words in response."

Li Yuanji quickly looked at the third brother.

"me too."

(End of this chapter)