Julie tested three people.
In the end, she kept a 36-year-old man.
The man's eyes were emotionless, but when he heard that she had bought him, a slight smile appeared in his eyes.
Julie liked that he was calm. He didn't need to talk much; all he had to do was observe and protect the three men.
He was capable of handling a few moves, which was good.
After all, most men in this era were not very strong. Many practiced dancing, and few practiced martial arts.
So she was satisfied for now.
She paid two taels of silver to buy him, then received the contract, which she put in her sleeve. She actually stored it in her space, as it was the safest place.
She never trusted that a contract would guarantee loyalty.
To her, it was just a piece of paper.
She didn't think the man she just bought would be very loyal. To ensure his loyalty, she would give him a pill.
The Broken Bone and Bleeding Pill was not easy to find. There were only ten pills in a bottle, and one pill was enough for one person.
After taking the pill, the person would become completely loyal to their master. If they betrayed or disobeyed, their bones would break, their blood would flow endlessly, their skin would rot, and they would feel unbearable pain.
There was an antidote, but Julie wouldn't give it to him until she trusted him, and that would be extremely difficult.
She handed him the pill without saying anything.
The man took it without speaking and swallowed it.
When Julie saw him swallow it, a satisfied look flashed in her eyes.
Then, she took him with her and rode off.
By the time Julie returned to the village, it was already afternoon.
She slowed down when she saw people at the village entrance.
Several villagers saw her but didn't dare to bother her, nor did anyone make any rude comments.
Some even greeted her, smiling: "Julie, you're back?"
Julie nodded and sped up.
When she reached her house, she saw the three brothers waiting for her at the door.
A look of confusion appeared in her eyes.
What happened?
She dismounted seriously and asked the one closest to her, Lorrie: "What happened? Why are you all at the door? Did someone cause trouble while I was gone?"
It was not surprising that Julie was suspicious.
This was the first time all three of the brothers had waited at the door for her.
She wasn't flattered. Her first reaction was that something was wrong.
Lorrie avoided her gaze: "It's nothing. You were out for a long time. Bailee and Haven were worried you might be in trouble, so they asked me to wait with them at the door." He was being honest, even if it sounded awkward.
Julie believed him.
If nothing happened, then it was fine.
The three brothers immediately noticed the man who had come back with her.
They looked at him with some confusion.
Was this their new brother?
He didn't look like it. This man could even be their mistress's father.
They hadn't met their mistress's father, but they knew he had passed away and was buried already.
The three men stared at him. Even though he remained calm, he still felt a little embarrassed and uncomfortable.
The man avoided their gaze and looked elsewhere.
Haven smiled gently and said, "Mistress, who is this?"
Julie didn't hide anything: "He's a bodyguard. He'll watch the gate and clean the yard. He knows some martial arts and is mainly here to protect you. Sometimes when I go to the town for meetings or to the back mountain, I feel safe with him here." It was better than bringing back a young man who would cause chaos.
The three men secretly relaxed.
As long as he wasn't brought back as a husband, that was fine.