Finest Servant

Chapter 354

Chapter 354 The True Hero

Upon stepping out of the Prince's mansion, he looked back to see the grand, vermillion doors emblazoned with the golden characters, "Prince Cheng's Mansion," shimmering with a light that was hard to ignore. He held no fondness for the mansion, but the memories of his times with Sister An were impossible to erase. Thinking back to Sister An's tender tears from the previous night, and An Biru's enchanting yet tragically heartbroken eyes floated before him. He let out a loud cry, his heart filling with anxious confusion. ‘The Miao Village, where exactly is the Miao Village?!’

Considering that Sister An had dealt with Prince Cheng for twenty years while maintaining her innocence, he realized how incredibly rare her integrity was. In the past, she had the White Lotus Sect to rely on, providing her with the strength to negotiate with Prince Cheng, who dared not push her too far. But now, with the White Lotus Sect destroyed by his own hands, Sister An had lost her leverage, her ability to bargain with Prince Cheng. She was now threatened by Prince Cheng with the safety of her clan. Thinking about it, he had unintentionally implicated her, complicating matters even more.

Whenever he thought of An Biru, his mind would drift to Xian Er. Ever since she became Princess Nishang, she had stayed quiet. Had she given up on her husband? She and Sister An were master and student, their relationship extremely close. If Sister An was to return to the Miao Village, she would certainly bid Xian Er farewell. Xian Er must know where the Miao Village was.

With this thought, a burst of hope ignited within him, and he started to run toward the Imperial Palace. The mansion of Prince Cheng was quite far from the Imperial Palace. Upon reaching the moat, he saw Xu Wei exiting the palace.

"Old Xu, Old Xu, is the Emperor in?" Panting heavily, he rushed over, shouting. Due to the urgency of the matter, he dropped formalities and addressed Xu Wei directly.

"Ah, Little brother Lin," Xu Wei said with a smile, "What are you doing here? Yesterday, Zhiqing told me that the mansion the Emperor bestowed upon you happens to be next door to my humble dwelling. I was so delighted that I visited your mansion, but I didn't find you there. Instead, I ran into Miss Qiaoqiao. She and Zhiqing were busy sprucing up your place. Have you seen it yet?"

Impatient, Lin Wanrong interrupted Xu Wei's lengthy ramble: "Brother Xu, let's cut to the chase. Is the Emperor in? I want to see Princess Nishang."

Xu Wei shook his head, "Little brother Lin, you're out of luck. The Emperor went to pray at the Grand Prime Minister Temple today. He was supposed to go yesterday but had to turn back."

‘Of course, he couldn't go. He was at my mansion giving me a lesson.’ Hearing that the Emperor was not in the palace, Lin Wanrong felt a pang of disappointment. It was troublesome to enter the Imperial Palace inner court without the Emperor's order. If only he could make the rules in the palace.

Thinking Lin San was still contemplating the matter of the marriage proposal, Xu Wei patted him on the shoulder, "Little brother Lin, it's unfortunate that your efforts fell short, but forcing things wouldn't be right either. If you and Princess Nishang are meant to be, you'll meet again."

Lin Wanrong didn't know whether to laugh or cry. There was no need to force anything. He and Xian Er had already performed the formal wedding rituals in front of Sister An; she was his true and legitimate wife. Why would a husband need to report to his father-in-law before seeing his wife? Marrying a princess was indeed troublesome.

In truth, even if he had found Xian'er now, he feared it would be to no avail. Sister An had deliberately avoided him, had even gone as far as drugging him to ensure he slept through the night. By this point, she must have been gone for quite a while. Catching up with her would be impossible. He shook his head with a bitter smile, coming to a deeper understanding of An Biru's obstinate and firm character. An Biru, born a Miao girl, was of a universally acknowledged low status, yet she was stunningly beautiful. Her sensitivity and pride made her heart as fragile as a crystal, easily shattered. He had indeed made a foolish mistake the night before, one he couldn't possibly make again.

The Miao village!!! He must go to the Miao village!!! He must get Sister An back!!! Regret was useless, it would be better to put more effort into action. After all, he had plenty of time. His belief grew stronger, his mood suddenly brightened. Thinking about the surprise and joy on Sister An's face the day she saw him again, he could almost envision her running towards him like a charming fox, a gleam in his eyes, a smirk on his face.

Xu Wei was left dumbstruck, wondering what Lin San was thinking. His eyes were moist, yet his laughter was inexplicably lewd and lascivious. Truly a strange man!

"Mr. Xu, when is General Li Tai's army leaving?" His heart felt lighter, much more relaxed. Remembering what Prince Cheng had told him that morning, Lin Wanrong asked with concern for Li Tai.

"The grain and payment for the troops are not yet ready. Gathering the provisions from various places would take about a month. Why do you suddenly ask about this?" Xu Wei asked, curious.

"I worry that someone might be plotting against General Li. Please advise him to stay vigilant. He must not only watch out for the Turks, but also for traitors within." Lin Wanrong's brows furrowed as he spoke seriously. Prince Cheng had been vague, the scheming behind his back wouldn't be explained to him clearly, he had no way to guard against it, he could only warn Li Tai to be careful.

Xu Wei nodded, smiling. "Of course. General Li is a pillar of our Great Hua, a stalwart figure in our military. He has long been a thorn in the side of the northern nomads. Attempts on his life have never ceased. Over the years, we've become used to it. Little brother Lin, why not speak to General Li about this matter yourself? After all, you two are now neighbors."

"My neighbor?" Lin Wanrong was taken aback, then remembered seeing two large mansions on either side of his own the day before. One belonged to a Xu, and the other to a Li. So, that was Li Tai's mansion. Xu Wei and Li Tai, one in charge of civil affairs and the other the military, were the nation's arm and leg, two pillars of Great Hua. The Emperor had given him a mansion situated between these two important ministers, which seemed to carry a significant implication.

"Yes, neighbor. Both my family and Li's lack in number. Only your wife is plentiful. I'm sure you will have many children and grandchildren, which would make things lively. We should visit each other more often." Xu Wei said with a smile.

"Many children and grandchildren? I accept your kind words." Lin Wanrong chuckled, clasping his fist in response, "I also wish you, an old tree to blossom, and that Sister Su becomes a mother soon."

Xu Wei's face turned red, but he couldn't help but laugh heartily. To have a child in old age was a blessing in life, a testament to an old man's capability in every respect. Every time this lad Lin San spoke, he always made people feel comfortable.

Having bid farewell to Xu Wei, Lin Wanrong visited his new residence. The interior was spotless, radiating an inviting glow from the neatly arranged furnishings. However, Qiaoqiao wasn't in the house; presumably, she was with the Eldest Miss and Madam Xiao. As he rushed towards Xiao's residence, a galloping horse rushed towards him. From atop the horse, Li Sheng leaped down and said, "General Lin, I've finally found you."

A light sparked in Lin Wanrong's eyes, and he grinned, "Brother Li, do we have good news?"

Li Sheng nodded and said, "You will not be disappointed. The 'F*ck Cannon' you requested has been assembled by our joint efforts." Mentioning the 'F*ck Cannon', Li Sheng struggled to suppress a smile. Having understood the meaning of 'F*ck' through Lin Wanrong's explanation, it meant having a blast - a real blast!

Lin Wanrong suddenly remembered the scent of tobacco on Zhao Kangning from their close encounter the previous night. As Lu Dongzan had mentioned, this 'Nose-piercing Grass' could only be found among the Turks. Could this signify -

The efficiency of Li Sheng's men was impressive. They had completed the task he had given them just the day before. This showed that there were indeed many talented craftsmen in the Divine Machine Unit. Properly utilized, they could provide significant aid on the battlefield. Lin Wanrong felt this deeply, "Brother Li, send two trustworthy men to hide the 'F*ck Cannon' outside the city. Damn, such a useless toy that can't even fire, yet I must treat it as a treasure to deceive people."

Li Sheng laughed heartily. Listening to General Lin was always refreshing. Lin Wanrong waved his hand and added, "Another thing, whenever you and Brother Hu have time, come and check the blood-sweat treasure horse. Let's see if it can mate with our local horses and produce some baby blood-sweat treasures. If we succeed in this, our cavalry's combat capabilities will certainly improve. Of course, if it's not possible, I'll just ride it myself."

Li Sheng, who was still laughing heartily, instantly wore a serious look. Who said General Lin was just a player? Just by these words, he proved himself a true hero. Considering how precious blood-sweat treasure horses were, others would treat them like gold, but he generously offered it up. How many could match his spirit and boldness?

"On behalf of the cavalry, I thank you, General." Li Sheng gave a deep bow, giving a thumbs up, "General Lin, you are indeed a great man."

"I wouldn't say a great man. I just do some foolish things sometimes." Lin Wanrong said lightly, the meaning of his words known only to himself.

As they strolled and talked, Lin Wanrong arranged with Li Sheng a hidden location outside the city for the 'F*ck Cannon'. It would be delivered directly to Lu Dongzan and his men. Considering that these Turks probably had never operated a large cannon, even with ten times their courage, they wouldn't dare to fire it publicly. As long as they didn't test fire it, deceiving a few Turks with Li Sheng's craftsmanship would be a piece of cake. Lin Wanrong had complete confidence in his men.

By the time he returned to Xiao's residence, it was almost noon. Before he got close, he saw Qiaoqiao standing at the entrance, looking around as if searching for something.

"Little darling, are you coming out to welcome your husband with such enthusiasm?" Lin Wanrong approached with a beaming smile.

Qiaoqiao blushed, quickly grabbing his hand, "Big brother, you're finally back. There's a young lady in the shop who's been waiting for you since last night. She said she wouldn't leave until she sees you. She hasn't eaten or drunk anything for eight hours and is about to faint."

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