Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Zhang Ji reclined on his bed early, his expression slightly exhausted yet resolute, quietly awaiting Zhang Xiu's arrival. Zhang Ji knew Zhang Xiu's temperament well, knowing that if he did something so out of line, he would inevitably fall into extreme emotional turmoil. And the Hu Che'er brothers were his carefully prepared backup plan.

Sure enough, a moment later, a commotion erupted outside. Hu Che'er and his brother arrived, escorting Zhang Xiu in. Zhang Xiu's hands were tightly bound with ropes. His eyes were bloodshot, red and bloodshot, like a trapped animal, filled with remorse and shame. As soon as he saw Zhang Ji, his legs went weak and he fell to his knees with a plop. His body trembled slightly due to the inner torment. He said with shame, "Uncle, I have made a terrible mistake today. I lost my mind after drinking and had such an unbearable thing with my aunt. I am worse than pigs and dogs. I have no face to see you again. But I didn't expect to be forcibly taken here by the two Hu Che'er brothers. Now that I have seen you, uncle, if you want to kill me to vent your anger or impose a severe punishment on me, I will not say a word and will do whatever you wish. I only hope that you will not hurt yourself because of such an unfilial descendant as nephew, and make your condition worse." Zhang Xiu's voice was choked with sobs, and his words were full of regret for his mistakes and guilt towards his uncle.

Zhang Ji's face was filled with indifference. He looked at Zhang Xiu, frowning slightly, and said with a tone of regret: "You child, you are so stupid and confused. Just because of such a small matter, you want to die. Do you know that you are the only one left in the Zhang family now? The continuation of our family line and the transmission of our incense depend on you. If you take your own life so easily, how can you face your parents in the afterlife? How can you face me, an old man, not to mention your ancestors?"

Zhang Xiu, bound tightly by ropes, was instantly overwhelmed by shame at his uncle's words. His face flushed crimson, mortified by his actions, and he slammed his head against the ground, a resounding thud. Within moments, his forehead was a bruised purple, a striking reflection of his inner remorse.

Zhang Ji looked at Zhang Xiu in such a state, his eyes filled with heartache and anxiety, but he was weak and had no strength left. He turned to Hu Che'er and the other generals and shouted, "Are you two blind? Can't you see the young master's condition? Hurry and help him up and loosen the ropes!"

The two generals hurriedly pulled Zhang Xiu up and hurriedly untied him. As soon as Zhang Ji finished speaking, Zhang Xiu took advantage of the opportunity to untie him and reached for the scimitar on Hu Che'er's waist. Seeing this, Zhang Ji anxiously shouted: "Hu Che'er, stop him!" At the same time, with a bit of anger and helplessness on his face, he said: "You stupid thing!" As he spoke, Zhang Ji became emotional and coughed again. Zhang Xiu was shocked by this sudden situation and stood there on the spot. He was at a loss as to what to do. He just stood there in a daze and even forgot how to sit down. Hu Chi'er hurried to Zhang Ji's side and gently patted his back to help him breathe, again and again. After a long while, Zhang Ji finally recovered and his breathing gradually stabilized.

Zhang Ji's face was filled with frustration, and veins bulged slightly on his forehead. He raised his voice, which echoed throughout the room: "She's just a woman. I never even considered her dearest to me, yet you're making such a fuss here, trying to commit suicide and acting so coy. You don't have the courage and freedom of a real man!"

Zhang Xiu's body trembled upon hearing this, and he fell heavily to his knees on the cold ground with a thud. His eyes filled with tears, and he cried in a trembling voice, "Uncle, no matter what, she is your legitimate wife after all. She is my aunt. This status is established, and the moral code is clear. How can a nephew violate it?"

Zhang Ji snorted disdainfully, a cynical smile on his face. "Aunt? Stop mentioning this empty title. She's just an ordinary woman I forced to marry in these troubled times. Look at this world, every man has three wives and four concubines, enjoying the happiness of having a wife and a husband. It's a common thing, nothing to worry about. And look at you now, you look so dispirited, like a spineless coward. Didn't Hu Che'er tell you that all this was specially arranged by me to have Zou serve you?"

Zhang Xiu was bewildered, beads of sweat trickling down his temples. "Hu Che'er did tell me, but I have no idea what secrets and twists are hidden within this. Uncle, this is a matter of great ethics and morality. If word gets out, I'll be embarrassed, but your reputation, built through a lifetime of hard work, will be ruined. I'll never redeem myself from this."

Zhang Ji heard this and a bitter, self-deprecating smile played on his face. He then cursed, "Hmph! I'm just a rough-and-tumble man from the barbaric lands of the northwest. My hands are stained with blood, and I'm trying to survive in this world of swords and sabers. How can I even think of a lifelong reputation? Don't play dumb in front of me. I know everything. If you hadn't already developed feelings for Miss Zou, why would I have gone through all this trouble and racked my brains?"

Zhang Xiu opened his mouth slightly, wanting to explain, but his throat felt like it was choking, and for a moment he didn't know where to begin. Zhang Ji saw this and continued, "Don't think I'm old and confused and can't see anything. From the way you look at her every day, the subtle affection you have for her, I have long seen through your heart. I have proposed marriage to you many times before, but you have been like a blockhead, stubborn and unyielding, showing no interest in those beautiful women. It turns out that you already have someone in your heart, and are infatuated with this woman, Zou. Since you are deeply in love with her, I am not an unreasonable person, so I will give her to you."

Zhang Xiu hesitated, his face flushed, and his words became stammering: "Uncle, this... this is simply unreasonable. How could a nephew do such a thing that goes against moral principles?"

Zhang Ji waved his hands impatiently, a hint of irritation on his face. "What the hell is this? In these troubled times, life and death are unpredictable, so how can I bother with all this red tape? I'm already half buried in the ground, a dying man. The family business, the rise and fall of this family, will all be entrusted to you. I also hope that you can wear mourning for me a hundred years after I die, so that I can rest in peace. What's more, it's just a woman. If you continue to be deeply involved in this matter because of this woman, refusing to marry and have children, causing the old Zhang family to die without a successor, then I, Zhang Ji, will be the true sinner of the Zhang family, and I will die to blame. My time is coming to an end, and Zou has found a good home with you. As long as you don't despise her in your heart, your uncle really doesn't care. You little calf, remember this clearly, in the future you must treat her well, and don't let me down."

Zhang Xiu's heart remained tightly bound by the moral code, as if he were stuck in a quagmire, unable to escape. He simply kowtowed repeatedly, his forehead thumping against the ground as he spoke, "Uncle, please be quiet. I have committed such an unforgivable sin that I cannot face you. From now on, I will have no further ties with Zou and will soon move to the military camp to avoid the awkwardness and embarrassment of our encounters, and spare you the anger and worry."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ji's eyes widened in anger, his facial muscles twitching slightly. He roared in frustration, "I know, damn it! I've put so much thought and effort into this, wasn't it all for you? And you're actually challenging me here! If you dare to move to the barracks, I'll have Zou brought here and kill her with a single blow, so I don't get upset when you see her."

Zhang Xiu felt a sense of unease as he watched Zhang Ji's fury. His gaze shifted. Just as the tension mounted, Jia Xu finally and slowly entered the room. Upon entering, he keenly sensed the intense tension between the uncle and nephew, a stalemate at its peak.

Jia Xu, with a smile on his face, hurried into the house. His eyes quickly swept over the furious Zhang Ji and the stubborn Zhang Xiu, and then he spoke in a naive manner to smooth things over: "My lord, what exactly is the reason that has caused such a big fight between you, uncle and nephew?" After he finished speaking, he immediately turned to Zhang Xiu, the smile on his face slightly restrained, and he pretended to be reproachful, but his eyes hid a real intention of rescuing him. He said softly: "Young master, you also know that my lord is ill and unwell. Even if there is a big thing, can't you communicate calmly? Why do you have to make my lord so angry? You should apologize to my lord quickly, and in this way, the storm can be settled. We will all be happy, and the matter will be completely over." While speaking, Jia Xu kept winking at Zhang Xiu, his eyes showing hints, persuasion, and a bit of eagerness.

However, Zhang Xiu seemed to be determined and completely ignored the look given by Jia Xu. He still knelt on the ground with his neck stiff, his chest heaving violently and breathing heavily. He looked like an angry bull that refused to surrender.

Seeing this, Zhang Ji's fingers trembled with anger. He shouted at Jia Xu, "Mr. Wenhe is here. You need to understand the situation and persuade this ignorant brat. I'm not trying to embarrass him today. This brat is just challenging me. Look at him!"

Jia Xu asked Zhang Ji with a puzzled look on his face, "My lord, you summoned me here in such a hurry, but I'm still confused and don't understand what's going on. I wonder what exactly has you and your nephew so angry about?"

Zhang Ji's face was still brimming with rage. He glared at Zhang Xiu fiercely and angrily said, "It's all because this bastard has fallen for that Zou girl and has been dragging his feet on getting married. I was thinking to myself, I'm already terminally ill and won't be around long. Since he's interested in Zou, I might as well help him get what he wants and give her a lifeline. I was hoping that after this bastard came to his senses, he'd marry a few more wives to continue the Zhang family's bloodline. But who could have imagined that after a one-night stand with Zou, not only would he not appreciate it, but he would even go on to make a scene with me. It really pissed me off!"