Finest Servant

Chapter 395 Through Thousands of Years, Unifying the Xiao Family!

At the cliff's base, the water flowed turbulently, without cessation. Hu Bugui led tens of thousands of soldiers to search for several hours, but other than a few cloth strips hanging from the trees, they found nothing.

Lin Wanrong was relieved. Not finding the Fairy Ning was good news. Considering Ning Yuxi's abilities, she wouldn't perish so easily. Perhaps one day, she would suddenly appear before him and scare him.

They dispatched soldiers to carefully remove the gunpowder from the mountain cave, taking half a day to clear it all. Staring at the mountainous pile of gunpowder, Hu Bugui was sweating profusely. If not for General Lin's heroic courage to break into the enemy's lair, those tens of thousands of brothers might have died without even knowing how.

Xu Zhiqing was initially furious at Lin San for abandoning his post, but upon seeing the small mountain-like boxes of gunpowder, she was terrified and didn't scold him anymore.

With the last obstacle gone, a wide open road led straight to the capital, and the more than tens of thousands of troops marched day and night, arriving in the capital region in just over two days, right within the Emperor's seven-day deadline, an astonishing speed indeed.

Xu Wei received the news and waited outside the city early. Seeing the approaching army from afar, a young general in a white robe, wearing silver armor and a golden helmet, riding a steed, was lazily looking around, looking very majestic.

"Little, little brother Lin!" Xu Wei exclaimed in joy, urging his carriage to rush over, calling out from afar.

"How dare I trouble Mr. Xu to greet me personally? I am unworthy," Lord Lin pretended to bow on horseback, his face serious.

Miss Xu lowered the carriage curtain, humming to Luo Ning beside her: "Ning'er, your husband should perform in a theater. He's been so joyful and laughing all the way here. But now that my father is coming out to greet him, he puts on an act. Pretending to be serious, he's indeed a fine actor."

Miss Luo giggled: "Sister, you know how big brother is. He's naturally like this. If he ever becomes serious, you might complain again."

Miss Xu stared at Luo Ning for a while and suddenly sighed: "Ning'er, the way you talk now, you really seem carved from the same mold as your Lin San. Is it true that one becomes red when near cinnabar and black when near ink?"

"Really?" Luo Ning unconsciously touched her pink face and peeked out of the curtain, shyly saying, "'Husband sings, wife follows,' it should be like this. Sister, I think you understand big brother even more deeply than I do."

"Is that so?" Through the window, seeing Lin San chatting happily with Xu Wei, Xu Zhiqing's cheeks flushed, and she waved her hand annoyedly: "Don't talk to me about that despicable fellow; I'm annoyed when I see him."

"Do little brother and this old man still need to be so formal?" Xu Wei chuckled, stroking his beard: "You are now a hero of our Great Hua. It would only be right for all the civil and military officials to greet you."

Master Lin, knowing he had inadvertently been too familiar with Mr. Xu's daughter, felt a pang of guilt. With an embarrassed smile and a humble expression, he said: "Mr. Xu, you overpraise me. I am unlearned and have much to learn from you. I hope you will continue to guide me in the future."

Has the sun risen from the west? How had this youngster changed so drastically, becoming so humble all of a sudden? Xu Wei looked at him, puzzled, only to see Master Lin's face filled with ingratiating smiles, his expression quite odd, but he couldn't discern anything amiss. Strange!

Xu Wei snorted and turned his head, looking at the dozens of heavily guarded silver carts, then at the brand-new fire-sealed labels on the silver boxes. His heart thrilled with excitement, and he hurriedly walked over to the carts, slowly stroking the cold silver boxes, murmuring to himself, "Found it, finally found it, Heaven bless Great Hua, Heaven bless our Great Hua! Little brother, tell me in detail about the process of finding this silver."

Telling stories was indeed one of Master Lin's specialties, and this was a miracle he had created with his own hands. When it came to boasting, he naturally took the lead. Right then, he elaborated on their overnight journey to Shandong, searching for clues, determining the location of the silver, netting fish, and raising silver from wooden ships. His livelihood depended on his ability to talk big, and he knew how to praise himself; how he was so wise and held all the aces, how he went against all odds to fish with a net, and how they used wooden boats to sift the sand and retrieve the silver. For a moment, words were flying everywhere, the world seemed to change color, and even he felt that Lin San was a rare genius, unparalleled in both Heaven and Earth.

Xu Wei listened with great interest, occasionally questioning, sometimes sighing. When the story was over, he breathed a sigh of relief and said, "The process of finding this silver has already spread in the capital, but it's all hearsay. Today, after hearing your account, I realized that it's even more thrilling and splendid than the rumors. It seems I missed a great show! Little brother Lin, do you know that now in the capital, it's widely said that you are truly the number one scholar in the world."

‘My goodness, isn't this stirring up conflict between me and old Xu? Everyone knows he's the number one.’ Master Lin shook his head solemnly, "Who's spreading these rumors? Mr. Xu, you must not believe them. I'm young and ignorant, how can I compare to your youthful accomplishments, your elegant scholarship, your support for the Emperor, and your respect throughout the land? At most, I could claim to be second in the world."

Xu Wei laughed heartily, patting him on the shoulder, "Little brother Lin, don't be too modest. The people have seen what you've done. When Princess Nishang chose a husband, you fought the Turks, winning every battle, already beyond everyone's expectations. In the arena, you defeated many with few, and the strong with the weak, which was extraordinary. This time in Shandong, you created the spectacle of fish leaping through the dragon's gate, worthy of being called a world-class genius. Moreover, your stories in Jinling have already spread to the capital. In taverns and tea houses, the most popular story is 'Lin San's Furious Battle with the Couplet King, Brave Houseboy Winning Back the Beauty.' It's about you and Miss Luo. Your couplet verses have even been transcribed, framed, and sold, and they're not cheap. Even your newly renovated mansion, though still uninhabited, has many people waiting day and night, hoping to receive a calligraphy piece from you."

"No way!!!" Master Lin was taken aback, people asking him for calligraphy? Playing with a brush, he couldn't even create a simple "chick-pecking-at-rice" picture. But if people were willing to pay, why not learn to use a brush for a few years?

“Brother Xu, all these honors are bestowed by the fellow villagers and elders; they mustn’t be taken seriously,” Master Lin said, his face alight with laughter after Xu Wei’s compliment. “You know me, Brother Xu, I always live simply and humbly, with indifference to fame and wealth. All these titles like being the first or second in the world are mere vanities; they matter not to me!”

‘How shameless this boy must be to speak without any regard for propriety,’ Xu Wei thought, laughing out loud before nodding, “Understood, understood, your integrity and virtue are known to all. But our Great Hua has not seen such outstanding talent for hundreds of years. With a foreign invasion looming and internal strife at hand, our nation faces a great crisis. Great Hua needs a hero, a symbol admired by the people, to unite hearts and share in the country's difficulties. Among all the learned men in the world, little brother Lin, you are accomplished in both literary and military fields, your experiences are legendary, and your origins as a commoner give you an unparalleled lofty status among the people. Who else could bear the mantle of this symbolic hero but you?”

‘From this perspective, it really seems like I am the only choice,’ Master Lin thought, chuckling, “Brother Xu, did someone tell you to say all this to me? I was wondering why you would personally come out of the city to meet me, so this is the reason.”

Xu Wei coughed awkwardly a few times, laughing, “This, this is truly from my heart, little brother. Please do not misunderstand.”

The Emperor's campaign to deify Master Lin was indeed grand, quietly forcing Master Lin into a corner without any escape. Xu Wei, being such a clever man, must have sensed something, to speak so fervently on the Emperor's behalf.

“Let's talk about this later,” Master Lin laughed. “For now, we should focus on delivering this silver to the national treasury. Brother Xu, you are the Minister of Revenue, so please count these 350,000 taels of silver, and I will have fulfilled my duty. Then I can go home and sleep beside my wife.”

The officials who had come with Xu Wei had already opened the silver chests and counted them under the supervision of soldiers. They reported the final amount to Xu Wei, who stamped the receipt document, smiling, “Little brother Lin, how could I not trust your work? All 350,000 taels are here, not a bit more or less.”

‘Xu Wei is indeed a master at lying without batting an eye,’ Master Lin thought. The scribes had counted the silver several times, and only after confirming the accuracy did Xu Wei stamp the document, yet he spoke as if he had complete trust in him.

Xu Wei glanced around and saw Xu Zhiqing and Luo Ning jumping down from the carriage, walking towards them. He stealthily pulled Master Lin aside, whispering, “Little brother Lin, did my daughter Zhiqing cause you any trouble on this journey?”

Master Lin responded with a lewd smile, his face displaying a lascivious expression, “No trouble, no trouble at all, only that my hand grew a bit tired.”

Master Lin's words were profound and elusive. Despite Xu Wei's vast knowledge, he couldn't comprehend the meaning hidden within them and could only nod in agreement, saying, "Indeed, it must have been tough for you on this journey. Our Xu family's Zhiqing is delicate in body and innocent in mind. I would be worried if she were with anyone else, fearing that she might be mistreated. But with you, little brother Lin, I have a hundred percent trust. With you by her side, nothing can go wrong with her!"

Master Lin couldn't help but grit his teeth and grimace at hearing this. Delicate? Was Xu Wei really willing to say such words? Along the way, he didn't know how many times he had been beaten up by her. But her innocence? Well, that was indeed as pure as his own, truly very pure!

"Niece Luo Ning pays her respects to noble Uncle Xu. For your great kindness in assisting my father this time, along with sister Zhiqing, I am eternally grateful," Luo Ning said, coming forward with Xu Zhiqing and bowing to Xu Wei.

Xu Wei hurriedly helped her up, laughing, "These were just my duties, noble niece. Please, no more formalities. Do rise."

Luo Ning smiled slightly, respectfully completing her courtesy, and stood beside her big brother. Xu Wei nodded to Xu Zhiqing, "Zhiqing, you should thank little brother Lin for taking care of you on this journey."

"No need, no need," Master Lin modestly waved his hands, "Miss Xu and I helped each other; there's no need to thank."

Xu Zhiqing recalled the bullying she had endured on the way, snorted, and ignored him. Xu Wei, looking somewhat embarrassed, said, "Ah, Zhiqing is still young, and lacks manners. I hope you can forgive her, little brother Lin."

Young? Master Lin was taken aback. Luo Ning chuckled; Uncle Xu's skin was not much thicker than her big brother's.

After some pleasantries and settling necessary matters, Xu Wei climbed into his carriage, preparing to depart. Suddenly, he turned around, glancing at Lin Wanrong, and asked, "Little brother Lin, there is one more thing. I'm not sure if I should speak about it or not."

"What's there to question? Mr. Xu, why the need for formality between us?" Lin Wanrong replied with a magnanimous smile.

Xu Wei nodded and sighed, "In less than half a month, General Li Tai's army will be setting out. I hope you'll consider his proposal and not act rashly. The army is in dire need of talented leaders. A real man should be on the battlefield, making a name for himself. With your abilities, it would be a great waste if you couldn't serve the country. I urge you to give it serious consideration."

From inside the carriage, Xu Zhiqing lifted the curtain, giving Lin San an annoyed look, and snorted, "Father, this man is selfish and short-sighted, concerned only with his own pleasures. What's the use of speaking to him? Let other men stain the battlefield with their blood while he remains trapped in his world of beauties."

Hearing that Uncle Xu wanted her big brother to go to battle, Luo Ning's grip on her big brother's hand tightened, and she looked at him anxiously.

It was the same old issue raised again, and Lin Wanrong couldn't remember how many times he had been advised. Even he was puzzled. He had never studied military strategies or formations, so why did Xu Wei, Li Tai, and this defiant Xu Zhiqing value him so much? Just because he had won a battle in Shandong? That seemed far too careless.

Lin Wanrong smiled with a fist salute and said, "I thank Mr. Xu for his kind intentions. Achieving great deeds and success is of no concern to me; what truly matters is bringing those brothers who charged onto the battlefield back alive. To be honest, on the way to Shandong, I've been constantly pondering this matter. It's not that I'm afraid to go, but the responsibility is too great, like a massive burden weighing on me, making it hard to breathe."

"What are you afraid of if you have the ability to bear the responsibility? I'm not afraid, why should you be?" Xu Zhiqing glanced at him, her face softening, her voice gentler.

"Exactly, exactly." Seeing Master Lin's attitude seeming to waver, Xu Wei became energized and hastily persuaded, "Only the sage and virtuous are brave enough to bear responsibility. I have seen little brother Lin's talent in commanding troops with my own eyes. Just the love and admiration of tens of thousands of soldiers alone is something that others cannot achieve. Moreover, you are clever and resourceful, wise beyond measure, and the soldiers under your command are disciplined and fierce. You are highly regarded in the army. With these two points, you can surely fight the northern nomads."

‘This old man sure knows how to sweet-talk,’ Lin Wanrong laughed and said, "Thank you, Miss Xu, for your advice, and thank you, Brother Xu, for the encouragement. Hearing you speak, even I start to think of myself as a military genius. If not for my mind being elsewhere, I would surely have been persuaded by you."

"Mind elsewhere?" Xu Wei heard a glimmer of hope and hurriedly said, "If there's anything troubling you, little brother Lin, anything that I can help with, I'll certainly spare no effort."

"You know of this matter too, Mr. Xu," Lin Wanrong sighed, taking Luo Ning's small hand and smiling affectionately, "When I was in Jinling, I encountered a close female friend named Xiao Qingxuan. Later, we were separated, but we promised to meet at the Jade Buddha Temple in the capital on the seventh day of the seventh month this year."

‘So he went to the Jade Buddha Temple to find Miss Xiao. How many close female friends does this guy have?’ Xu Zhiqing thought of her first meeting with Lin San at the Jade Buddha Temple and felt a pang in her heart. She looked at him and lowered her head, silent.

"I won't hide it from you all," Lin Wanrong continued, "the reason I left Jinling for the capital was to keep this promise. Qingxuan's place in my heart is like Luo Ning's; I can't bear to leave either of them."

Luo Ning lowered her head in joyful shyness at his words, while Miss Xu shook her head repeatedly. This girl had really turned foolish since marrying her husband, not even recognizing Lin San's deliberate flattery.

"The seventh day of the seventh month?" Xu Wei furrowed his brow, "That's more than five months away. Little brother Lin, do you have any clues about this Miss Xiao? If you have any leads, I'll risk my life to help you find her."

"I can't say I have no clues," Lin Wanrong said, full of emotion, "I must admit, Mr. Xu, just before leaving for Shandong, I happened to see Qingxuan's portrait in the palace."

"In the palace?" Xu Wei exclaimed, looking at Lin Wanrong, "I understand, little brother Lin. After all that beating around the bush, you want me to inquire about this young lady with the Emperor. But there's one thing I don't understand. With your current standing near the Emperor, why don't you speak to him yourself?"

The old man was indeed shrewd. Lin Wanrong shook his head with a bitter smile and said, "My dear brother Xu, if the Emperor were willing to tell me, would I bother you? That old man is now avoiding me, and I don't know what he's thinking."

Since the Emperor was unwilling to tell Lin San, there must be something unspeakable. Xu Wei thought for a long time. Lin San cared so much for Miss Xiao, so if he could persuade her to speak and ask him to lead the troops into battle, wouldn't that be wonderful? Miss Xiao should be easier to talk to than Lin San.

A glimmer of light appeared in Xu Wei's eyes as if he had found a bright path. He laughed a few times, his chest thumping with assurance, "Little brother Lin, rest assured, even if it costs me my life, I will find the Emperor and inquire about Miss Xiao's whereabouts, and help you and your wife reunite. Everyone knows that I, Xu Wei, love to play matchmaker."

Ignoring the latter part of the statement, Lin Wanrong nodded, "Brother Xu is eager to help others, and I am eternally grateful. In that case, I await your good news."

With everything said, Xu Wei felt assured, urging the carriage to move on.

"Father, are you really going to look for Miss Xiao for Lin San?" Xu Zhiqing bit her lip, asking softly.

"Of course. Lin San is loyal and affectionate. As long as I find Miss Xiao, and she speaks, Lin San will obediently lead the troops into battle," Xu Wei stroked his beard, smiling triumphantly.

"Loyal and affectionate? Bah!" Miss Xu felt a strange bitterness in her heart, quickly turning her head away.

"Zhiqing, my dear," Xu Wei sighed softly, full of meaning, "Life is short; you must seize it in time. Don't play dumb and miss your chance."

"Father, you're the one who plays dumb the most!" Miss Xu's face flushed as she chided softly. Xu Wei was momentarily startled, then burst into laughter, "Right, right, Father plays dumb the most, but Zhiqing doesn't!"

With Xu Wei's help, there seemed to be hope. Having handed over the military token and seal, Master Lin lay comfortably in the carriage on the way back, stretching lazily and tenderly touching Luo Ning's waist, his hand gradually moving towards her chest.

"Big brother!" Ning'er's face turned rosy, as she snuggled into his arms, softly asking, "Where will we rest tonight?"

Master Lin was taken aback. That was a good question. Luo Ning and Qiaoqiao were in the capital, and if they continued to stay at the Xiao residence, although he didn't mind, the two girls might be uncomfortable. Luo Ning, being passionate, would probably be too embarrassed to express herself, hindering his grand plans. But if they moved to a new house, what about Eldest Miss? What would she think? Theoretically, he still belonged to the Xiao family; would he be directly fired by Eldest Miss?

He thought back and forth but found no good solution, inwardly regretting that he hadn't turned the Xiao family into his harem earlier, combining Ning'er, Eldest Miss, and the others in one swoop, solving all his troubles.

"Big brother, what are you thinking about?" Ning'er's seductive voice rang in his ear.

"Through thousands of years, unifying the Xiao Family," Master Lin uttered through gritted teeth.

Luo Ning chuckled, punched him playfully in the chest, and said with a hint of sarcasm, "The poor Xiao family, with their widowed women, chose you out of thousands, only to have you, a wicked man, bewitch the souls of both Eldest Miss and Second Miss. The Xiao family doesn't need to be unified; it's already yours."

"Is that so?" Lin Wanrong teased, "I never realized Ning'er had planned so meticulously. I really didn't see that you have some potential as a little housewife!"

Luo Ning wrinkled her little nose and huffed, "Of course. Big brother, earning money isn't easy, and Ning'er can spend, but she can also save. Big brother, in the future, when Ning'er uses the money you've earned to do good deeds, you can just take the opportunity to advertise; two birds with one stone."

Intimacy really did make a difference. As Master Lin marveled at this, he heard the Talented Lady Luo lean into his ear and whisper with fragrant breath, "Big brother, don't we have a mansion in the capital? Uncle Xu said that the renovation is complete, so why don't we stay there tonight—"

"This..." Master Lin was hesitating when Talented Lady Luo blew a breath into his ear, her eyes sparkling with wild flames, her face so hot and flushed it seemed it could drip water, "—and Qiaoqiao will be there too, just the three of us! Ah, big brother, what will you do to satisfy me?!"

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