On the other side of the corridor, another person shuffled a few steps into the courtyard, snickering quietly from a distance.
"Fourth, you take my post for the second half of the night," Third Brother said impatiently.
Just then, the window of a side room next to the main hall opened. A cold, sinister voice called out, "You lot, stand your posts properly. No more noise. If anything goes wrong, I'll have your heads!"
"Master Ruan, I was wrong." Third Brother immediately froze, spoke respectfully, and trudged resentfully back toward the corridor.
They had only relaxed for a moment, but Chen Cheng had already snuck into the corridor. After a quick glance toward the side room, he slipped into the rear courtyard.
The Zhou Family's rear courtyard was even more expansive, composed of several nested courtyards. One directly ahead was brightly lit, its main gate wide open. A middle-aged man dressed as a steward stood by the entrance, his back bowed.
