Upon hearing Li Jue mention his nephew's name, Zhang Ji smiled and nodded with a hint of satisfaction.

"That's right! Xiu'er came here after completing her apprenticeship half a year ago!"

"Your nephew doesn't seem very old, does he? To be able to fight off bandits, he must be an exceptionally brave man. It's truly enviable to have such a son!"

Hearing Li Jue praise his nephew so highly, Zhang Ji smiled modestly, "Those bandits are just robbing passing merchants; they have no fighting power whatsoever! They are no match for our Han army!"

Upon hearing this, Li Jue's eyes darted around, and he looked at Zhang Ji, "You mean those bandits have always been robbing passing merchants?"

Zhang Ji nodded without suspicion, "Yes! Some of them disguise themselves as merchants and sell the looted goods and slaves they have taken."

Li Jue's eyes lit up. "Then they must be very rich?"

"Uh... that should be it! May I ask what brings you here, Commander Li?"

Zhang Ji was somewhat bewildered by Li Jue's appearance.

"Hmph~ These bandits dared to attack my Han merchants, clearly showing contempt for the might of my Han Dynasty. If we don't eliminate them, where will the dignity of my Han Dynasty be?"

Seeing Li Jue, who had just been greedy for money, suddenly transform into someone filled with righteous indignation, Zhang Ji was somewhat bewildered. This guy's change of face was too fast, and so seamless; it was truly admirable.

Zhang Ji smiled awkwardly and echoed, "What Commander Li said is right. Now that Commander Li has led a thousand elite troops to Dunhuang, the day when those bandits are wiped out is not far off!"

"Haha~ That's right! Mere bandits are no match for our Xiliang Iron Cavalry. They dare to rob Han people, so let's raid their stronghold and rob them too..."

Seemingly realizing he had misspoke, Li Jue quickly corrected himself, "Oh! No, it's about reclaiming what belongs to our Great Han!"

Seeing Li Jue's appearance, Zhang Ji shook his head repeatedly. It was no wonder, really. These Xiliang soldiers had been terrified of poverty in the past. Things were a little better when they were fighting, as the court would provide some extra rations to boost morale.

But once the war ends, life will become very difficult. It will be good enough if they can keep from starving to death. Military pay is out of the question. Even if the court issues it, after layers of embezzlement by corrupt officials, very little will reach them.

Thinking of the batch of cattle and sheep that were recently sent from Anding, if it weren't for the current emperor's ascension to the throne, they wouldn't know when they would be able to live such a good life with grain, pay, and meat.

Before long, Zhang Ji and Li Jue arrived at Zhang Ji's residence, where only an old servant was guarding the door.

Upon seeing Zhang Ji and his companion, the old servant hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects.

"Master, you're back!"

Zhang Ji smiled and nodded to the old servant, "We have guests today, and Prefect Xun will be here soon!"

The old servant said respectfully, "Master, rest assured, this old servant will make the arrangements immediately!"

The old servant then hurried forward, pushed open the door, and stood aside.

Zhang Ji walked to the courtyard gate, looked at Li Jue and said politely, "Minister Li, my humble abode is simple and unadorned, I hope you will not find it offensive!"

Li Jue smiled and waved his hand, "Commander Zhang, you're too kind! We're both soldiers, we don't care about such superficial things!"

"Hehe~ Li Sima's generosity seems rather pretentious, please!"

"please!"

Zhang Ji also laughed heartily, and then led Li Jue into the courtyard.

Zhang Ji's residence was relatively simple. The front yard was small, with only a stone-paved path leading directly from the gate to the living room. There were no exotic flowers or rare plants in the yard.

The two entered the living room, where they found nothing but a few sets of essential furniture. Li Jue nodded to himself, realizing that Zhang Ji was quite frugal.

Just after the two sat down, Li Jue suddenly heard a shout, which seemed to be coming from the backyard.

Li Jue couldn't help but look at Zhang Ji, "Commander Zhang, is someone practicing martial arts in this backyard?"

Zhang Ji smiled and nodded, "That's right, it's my nephew. Although he has already completed his apprenticeship, he still practices diligently every day without interruption."

"Excellent! This young man has extraordinary potential and is destined for great things. May I take him to see him?"

"If Commander Li wishes to see it, then so be it. Please!"

Zhang Ji then got up and led the way, leading Li Jue to the backyard.

At this moment, in the backyard, Zhang Xiu, who was only fourteen years old, was practicing the spear technique taught by Tong Yuan, and the sound of wind breaking could be heard constantly as he thrust.

Li Jue, watching from the side, nodded repeatedly. It was the first time he had ever seen such exquisite spear technique. However, Zhang Xiu's transitions between moves seemed somewhat stiff. In Li Jue's opinion, it was probably because he had not grasped the essence of the technique.

Although Zhang Xiu noticed the arrival of Zhang Ji and Li Jue during his practice, he did not stop practicing and continued to move between the wooden stakes with his spear in hand.

With thrusts and swings, the spearhead precisely left a deep mark on the head of each wooden stake. Reaching the last stake, Zhang Xiu executed a beautiful backhand thrust, the entire spear tip piercing through the stake in an instant, causing Li Jue, who was watching from the side, to twitch his brow.

Whether it's Zhang Xiu's movements or his thrusts, this set of spear techniques doesn't feel murderous at all; instead, it gives people a sense of beauty. But it is precisely this beauty that is deadly at every turn.

"That's some really good marksmanship!"

Seeing Zhang Xiu stop practicing, Li Jue couldn't help but admire him. If Zhang Xiu could master this spear technique in the future, he would probably be unmatched in the art of the spear.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!