I traveled back to the Qin Dynasty, and the First Emperor begged me to become his empress.

Chapter 248 Assassination of Zhang Liang 10

Upon hearing the voice, Zhang Liang quickly moved a few steps to the side, staring suspiciously at the four people who had appeared before him. An elderly woman with gray hair and a beaming smile sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), while three men stood beside it. The old woman spoke in a gentle tone, “Young lady, don’t be afraid! I’m Granny Wang. These three are my own sons! The eldest is twenty-eight this year, the second is twenty-five, and the youngest is twenty. They are all promising young men! It was my three precious sons who rescued you from danger!” She finished speaking with a proud smile.

Listening to Granny Zhang's introduction, Zhang Liang subconsciously lowered her head to examine herself. Sure enough, she was still dressed in women's clothing. Then, her gaze fell upon the somewhat simple house. Inside was only a kang (heated brick bed), but thankfully it was very warm. Moreover, the kang looked quite large; it could easily sleep several people. Not far away was a dilapidated stove, and the surrounding walls were somewhat mottled from years of neglect. Cold wind constantly seeped in through the cracks, filling the entire house with a chill.

Zhang Liang couldn't help but look up at the roof, which seemed precariously balanced, as if it might collapse at any moment. The room was cluttered with various odds and ends, appearing chaotic. Finally, her gaze returned to the old woman sitting on the kang (heated brick bed). The woman had inverted triangular eyes, and her face was covered with loose, wrinkled skin. Although she was smiling at Zhang Liang, he keenly sensed a hint of meanness emanating from her.

Looking at the three men inside the house, each one was so thin they were practically skin and bones, evoking pity. The oldest of them had a weathered face, covered in wrinkles, and his age suggested he was the wife of the old woman, not her son. He was hunched over, moved slowly, and completely lacked the vitality and energy of youth.

The man in the middle appeared disheveled, his clothes tattered and patched with numerous large and small patches, resembling a patchwork of rags. Furthermore, he seemed somewhat dazed and foolish, his eyes vacant and lifeless, giving him an impression of dullness and slowness.

However, the third-ranked man was quite different from the other two. Although his clothes were also patched, they looked exceptionally neat and clean, clearly meticulously groomed. Even more striking was his jet-black, lustrous hair, which shimmered with a faint sheen, as if coated with some kind of oil, making him appear remarkably energetic.

Although Zhang Liang was dressed as a woman, his voice still betrayed his masculine nature. Faced with this situation, he was extremely anxious but helpless, and could only keep his lips tightly closed, not daring to utter a sound, for fear that if he opened his mouth, he would expose his true identity.

Just then, the old woman spoke again, asking, "Young lady, why have you been so silent? Don't look down on my sons for their shabby clothes; they are all strong and healthy, with inexhaustible strength! Especially my eldest son, he carried you all the way home from outside. How about this, why don't you just marry him?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the youngest of the three, the third, eagerly interjected, "This beautiful young lady, my name is Wang Laosan, I'm just twenty years old this year, and I'm still unmarried. I'm the one who carried you all the way here." After saying that, he scratched his head shyly, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

The old woman frowned slightly and scolded the third son with a serious expression: "Third son, how can you make things up like this? It's clear that your eldest brother carried it back with great difficulty!" However, the second son just chuckled foolishly and mumbled, "I...I..." as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.

Seeing her sons behaving this way, the old woman became anxious and annoyed. She quickly called out, "Eldest son, second son, third son, come here quickly, I have something to tell you." Hearing his mother's call, the third son first glanced at Zhang Liang, and then reluctantly put his ear close to Wang Po's side.

Seeing this, Granny Wang quickly lowered her voice and said to the third son, "Third son, I understand what you're thinking, but you also have to think about your eldest brother. He's so old now, if he wants to get married, what girl would be willing to marry him? But you are young and strong, and handsome. I will definitely try my best to find you a good marriage."

To everyone's surprise, the third brother looked displeased after hearing these words. He pouted and muttered to himself, "I don't care about all that. I just think she's pretty good." As he spoke, he turned his head to look at Zhang Liang, who was lying to the side, his eyes full of stubbornness and obstinacy.

At this moment, although Zhang Liang was physically weak, his hearing was not affected in the slightest. The whispers of those people, which they thought were being kept very low, were actually heard by Zhang Liang clearly, word for word.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liang suddenly realized that he had actually fainted on the mountain! These people must have found him unconscious while hunting in the mountains. Because he was dressed as a woman, they assumed he was female and kindly brought him back. As for who carried him all the way here, even with his eyes closed, Zhang Liang could guess with a high degree of certainty—each of them must have taken turns carrying him for a portion of the journey.

Just then, Wang Po's voice reached Zhang Liang's ears: "So what are you planning to do, sir?"

The eldest brother quickly looked at the third brother and said with a fawning expression, "Third brother, please be kind this time and let your older brother have a turn!"

However, the third son refused to back down and shouted at Wang Po with a very firm attitude, "No, Mother, I absolutely will not agree!"

Faced with her stubborn third son, Granny Wang was at a loss for what to do. However, a thought quickly formed in her mind. She whispered to her sons, "How about this? Why don't you three all marry this girl together? Think about it, she's a young girl who suddenly fainted in the mountains; she's probably run away because she had a fight with her family. And look at the clothes she's wearing—they're all made of the finest materials! It's like a windfall! We've found a living, breathing person for free. We can even save on dowry when she marries you. If she's willing to marry you three, and then gives each of you a healthy baby boy, wouldn't that be wonderful?"

The three burly men exchanged glances, then nodded in unison, understanding each other perfectly, and replied in unison, "Okay!"