As a young marshal, it's reasonable for me to have 300,000 private troops, right?

When Lu Shouxuan heard Zhang Zuolin say that even he couldn't figure out the mysterious man's background, he valued Zhang Xueliang even more.

A child of only a few years old can handle social situations with ease, defusing an awkward situation with just a few words yesterday, and even has such a mysterious and highly skilled master protecting him. This ability is not something an ordinary child can possess.

She looked at Zhang Zuolin, her tone full of approval.

"Even the master doesn't know this person's background, which shows that Liu Zi is really quite capable."

Zhang Zuolin had already regarded Zhang Xueliang as his chosen successor, and now that Lu Shouxuan also thought so highly of him, he immediately beamed with joy, slapped his thigh heartily, and burst out with laughter in his rough Northeastern accent.

"Haha! Damn it! This little brat has really confused even his old man! I've only been back home for a short while, and I've already heard a ton of praise for him!"

This is no exaggeration. When Xi Shun returned home yesterday to report, he spoke highly of Zhang Xueliang.

After all, if Zhang Xueliang hadn't noticed the unusual nature of the bandits' guns, he wouldn't have been able to accurately determine that they weren't ordinary bandits, and he wouldn't have been able to explain the whole story to Zhang Zuolin, inevitably incurring a scolding.

As the two were talking, Zhang Zuolin had already changed into a loose set of casual clothes. Without the slightest hesitation, he put down his teacup, got up impatiently, and walked out the door, his steps much faster than when he came.

Seeing this, Lu Shouxuan quickly stood up and asked in confusion, "Master, where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Go check on that little brat!" Zhang Zuolin waved his hand without turning his head, his tone carrying a hint of exasperation and reproach.

"The sun's already high in the sky, and he's still lying on that warm bed, refusing to get up. I have to go and drag him out of bed!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he quickened his pace and actually jogged out, heading straight for Zhang Xueliang's room.

Lu Shouxuan followed behind, watching his eager yet somewhat excited back, and couldn't help but smile and give him a word of advice.

"Sir, please slow down and watch your step!"

Despite his short stature, Zhang Zuolin walked with incredible speed, and in no time he reached Qi Fan's room.

"Bang bang bang!"

A sudden, rapid, and loud banging on the door caused the paper windows to tremble slightly.

Immediately afterwards, Zhang Zuolin's booming voice, like a broken gong, pierced through the door and came in.

"Liu Zi! Your father's here! Get the hell up right now!"

Qi Fan, who was half asleep on the heated kang, was startled by the sudden banging on the door and shouting. He sat up, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

Zhang Shoufang and Zhang Xueming, who were on the next bed, were also woken up. Both of them looked at the door with blank expressions.

Qi Fan listened intently and confirmed it was Zhang Zuolin's voice; his heart skipped a beat.

"What's wrong with Old Zhang? Is he really like the character in the original story, always getting angry at his son for no reason?"

He had only recently transmigrated and was still unsure of his adoptive father's temperament, so he couldn't help feeling apprehensive.

But he had no time to think about it, as the banging on the door continued.

Qi Fan had no choice but to bite the bullet, grab the cotton coat from the bedside and put it on, buttoning it as he hurried toward the door.

"Squeak"

As soon as the door opened, Zhang Zuolin rushed in like a gust of wind and immediately launched into a tirade.

"Damn it! At a time like this, you're still lying here fast asleep?"

As he spoke, he raised his hand and slapped Qi Fan on the back of the head.

The slap wasn't too hard or too soft, but it sent a shiver down Qi Fan's spine, making the hairs on his body stand on end. He knew he was in trouble.

"Could it be that I guessed right? This old man came here specifically to vent his anger on me?"

But he only panicked for two seconds before he noticed the favorability rating of 60% above Zhang Zuolin's head! The bright red number was particularly eye-catching.

Qi Fan instantly breathed a sigh of relief, his heart finally settling down: 60% favorability rating, he didn't seem like he was about to get angry at all. That slap just now was at most a father's affectionate discipline of his son, and he had worried for nothing.

He composed himself, rubbed the back of his head where he had been slapped, and muttered an explanation under his breath.

"I was on the road yesterday and got a fright, so I was too tired and slept a little longer..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zuolin glanced at the boy's face and saw that the boy was drooping his head and had a sleepy look in his eyes. He found the boy very endearing, and his initial annoyance vanished instantly. The more he looked at the boy, the more pleasing he became.

He suddenly burst into laughter, slapping Qi Fan on the shoulder with considerable force, causing Qi Fan to stumble.

"Good lad! Not bad, not bad! You're worthy of being my son!"

Zhang Zuolin's booming voice was deafening, and his tone was full of praise. Then, he changed the subject and got straight to the point.

"Tell me, who was that mysterious person who saved you when you were ambushed by bandits yesterday? Tell me properly!"

Qi Fan's heart skipped a beat, and he instantly realized that after all this fuss, his cheap father hadn't come to interrogate him, but was after Yan Shuangying!

His heart tightened, and he quickly racked his brains to come up with a lie.

Yan Shuangying's identity was too special, so he absolutely could not tell the truth and could only find the simplest excuse to cover it up.

He looked up, his eyes feigning sincerity, his tone carrying a childlike simplicity.

"Father, that man... is someone I saved before. Once, he was fleeing and passed through our area. He was starving and almost couldn't go on, so I gave him a white flour bun. This time, when the bandits tried to ambush us, he happened to be there and saved us."

This story is riddled with holes. It lacks not only details but also a coherent cause and effect, making it extremely unbelievable.

After Qi Fan finished speaking, he couldn't help but complain to himself: This reason is too lame.

Zhang Zuolin frowned, his eyes full of suspicion, and looked Qi Fan up and down, his tone scrutinizing.

"Are you telling me the truth? You're not lying to me?"

"Truly...truth! It's definitely the truth!" Qi Fan replied, his voice a little weak. His eyes unconsciously avoided Zhang Zuolin's gaze, and beads of sweat quietly appeared on his forehead. Oh no, oh no, will I be exposed so soon?

Zhang Shoufang, who was standing nearby, saw the whole scene clearly and knew that her younger brother was about to give up. She quickly came over, tugged at Zhang Zuolin's sleeve, and spoke with a hint of coquettish urgency.

"Dad! I'm hungry! It's almost noon, isn't it time for lunch? Let's go eat quickly, don't just stand here!"

Zhang Zuolin's gaze lingered on Qi Fan for a few seconds, but he knew perfectly well that the kid was definitely not telling the truth.

But seeing that Qi Fan was determined not to say anything more, he didn't intend to investigate further.

Anyway, the mysterious person saved Liu Zi, and it doesn't seem like there's any potential danger. Since this kid wants to hide his abilities, there's no need for me, as his father, to pry into it.

He patted Zhang Shoufang's head, his tone softening, "Alright! Since my daughter is hungry, let's go eat!"

Upon hearing this, Qi Fan breathed a huge sigh of relief, finally feeling much calmer.

He quickly spoke first, his tone urgent: "Um... Dad, where are Xishun and the others eating? I want to eat with them from the communal pot!"

He dared not eat with Zhang Zuolin. What if his father got into a trance during the meal and started asking about Yan Shuangying again? He wouldn't have many excuses left. It was better to stay away.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zuolin was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter. His gaze towards Qi Fan held even more approval and recognition, and he thought to himself:

This kid's got something! He's already getting close to my men the moment he stepped into the manor? He's definitely my son, Old Zhang's son. He knows he'll take over my job someday, and he already knows how to mingle with the officers and soldiers and win their hearts!

Keep in mind that Zhang Xueliang was only ten years old at the time.

For a ten-year-old child to proactively think of eating at the same stove as those soldiers—this kind of thoughtfulness and vision is not something an ordinary child would possess. Zhang Zuolin became more and more satisfied, and his expectations for this son grew even higher.

Qi Fan had no idea about Zhang Zuolin's inner thoughts; he only saw the favorability rating above Zhang's head jump from 60% to 65%! The bright red number startled him.

Huh? What did I do? How come my favorability rating suddenly increased by 5 points? Could it be... that the old man actually believed my lame excuse?

He dared not think too much, fearing that Zhang Zuolin would change his mind. Following the direction of the canteen that Zhang Zuolin pointed to, he took off running as fast as he could, as if a dog was chasing him.

Watching his retreating figure disappear in a flash, Zhang Zuolin couldn't help but shake his head with a smile and mutter something to the air.

"That brat, he runs faster than a rabbit!"