[Fantasy] My World (Complete) - Chapter 23

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Chapter Eight * Making a Fortune
"Achoo..."
Little Turtle sneezed and muttered, "How come it was so warm and sunny a few days ago, but today it's so cold I feel like jumping up and down?"
Wang Miao'er laughed, "You don't know the climate in the Northwest. From late autumn to early winter, the temperature changes drastically. But now is not the hottest time. We have to wait until January and February, when the snow is falling heavily, that's when it's so hot it'll make your nose fall off."
Today is my second day back, and the battle reports from various armies were delivered to the city garrison after I rested for a night.
Because of the continuous stream of good news, Xiliang City is now filled with laughter and joy... Oh, no, not just in the city, but outside Xiliang City, in the three northwestern prefectures, and even throughout the entire Liufeng Kingdom, the news of this great victory, the first in decades, has been spreading.
Last night, after returning to the city garrison with the Jinggong sisters, we were exhausted and quickly took a bath. I then held the two little beauties and fell asleep. This was the only time we slept in more than half a month. The rest of the time, we used meditation to recover our energy.
After the snowfall, neither the southern nor northern deserts dared to send troops out. Winter is not only harsh on the weather, but snow also seriously affects the mobility of cavalry. Therefore, it can be said that we have now entered a nearly four-month truce period. Even if they want to move, it will only be after April next spring.
I was in a rare relaxed mood today, sleeping until dawn. The two delicate beauties in my arms were still lazily sleeping. I didn't disturb them, quietly tucked them in, and then got up and went to the meeting hall. They have worked even harder than I have lately, doing most of the scout work. In fact, their ninjutsu is the best choice for scouts, gathering intelligence, observing the environment, and so on. With the help of the two beautiful girls, our 10,000-strong cavalry regiment fought its way from the southern to the northern deserts and back again. Among the ten 10,000-strong cavalry regiments, our movements were the most elusive and our results the most fruitful.
However, there's one thing: the Jinggong sisters have a very strong bloodlust. I heard from my master's secret manual that if a person kills too much, they are easily possessed by demons. Once possessed, not only is the bloodlust uncontrollable, but their personality also tends towards destruction.
My two little darlings are women, making them even more susceptible to demonic possession after killing many people.
Therefore, for all the killings of the herdsmen this time, I kept Jinggong Mei and Jinggong Cai by my side, and the three of us stood outside the camp watching. They were initially dissatisfied, but after I expressed my concerns, the twin sisters turned from anger to joy, happily experiencing my love and care for them, and thus abandoned their killing intentions. Before
I even reached the council hall, as I passed through the front garden, I saw Little Turtle, Little Bird, the Wang family father and daughter, and the military and political figures from Xiliang City, with several tables set up, a few pots of wine warmed on a small stove, and some barbecued meats, chatting comfortably.
Like the little turtle earlier, even while sneezing, he didn't forget to grab a few skewers of lamb grilled by the servants and devour them, asking for extra chili peppers in his food next time.
"Your Highness!"
Upon seeing me arrive, they all stood up, greeting me respectfully and with admiration.
"Sit, all of you, sit."
I smiled and sat down among them. "We've been through life and death together so many times, why be so polite? Just eat whatever you like."
After a pause, I beckoned to the cook: "By the way, bring me a few skewers of lamb and some grilled beef tongue."
The ingredients were all from fresh cattle and sheep, the same cattle and sheep used in the northern and southern deserts to exchange for weapons. Besides distributing them to the people who had moved to the vicinity of Xiliang City, more than two-thirds, millions of livestock, remained, all being raised on several large ranches on the outskirts of Xiliang City, waiting for more poor people to arrive next year, at which point they would be distributed to them according to their families.
In addition to allocating five mu of land per person, each resident of Xiliang City will receive ten fat sheep and two oxen. For the first three years, they will only pay 10% of the harvest, and thereafter only 30%. The government will absolutely not collect more than 30% in taxes—this is a provision that, with my status as Imperial Envoy and the Heavenly Dragon Golden Token, no one except the Emperor can overturn.
Furthermore, the Xiliang City garrison will purchase all the grain and meat produced each year at a generous price, a fact known to the surviving people.
I had Wang Guowei help spread this good news, and I believe that by next spring, at least 100,000 households will have moved here, at which point Xiliang City will regain its former glory.
Eating the roasted meat served by the cook, its flavor is delicious, with a rustic Northwest taste, enhanced by unique spices—perfect for hearty meals.
"The cattle and sheep Your Highness bought this time are all of very high quality, excellent for both eating and raising,"
Chi Changyun said, eating a piece of fatty beef. "I've already asked the prefect and the officials to find experienced farmers to study how to breed second-generation cattle and sheep to increase production."
"What about the horses?"
I pressed.
"Your Highness, I've found the best horsemen, and the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War have also sent their best horse breeders to try to increase the production rate of warhorses,"
Zhou Jing said, bowing. "There are many grasslands near our Xiliang City, with abundant water and grass. There's no reason why we can't raise them, and there's no reason why we can't raise more fine horses."
"Don't be so careless,"
I said seriously. "I heard General Chen Fuyue say before that the soil and water in the Northwest, and even in Xiliang City, are different from the real grasslands. Mass breeding has always been a problem. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been so passively attacked for hundreds of years."
"Yes, I understand,"
Zhou Jing said cautiously. "Speaking of which, I have something to report."
"Speak up, we're all comrades who've been through thick and thin together, what are you afraid of?"
I said with a smile, "If you've said anything wrong, I'll forgive you."
Zhou Jing didn't say anything, but after looking at Gao Qimeng and Chi Changyun, he turned his head away and said, "Isn't my lamb leg ready yet? Add more chili and cumin, I'm not afraid!"
I secretly cursed Zhou Jing for not being responsible enough, while the two men who were swept by my gaze gave an awkward smile.
"It's like this, Your Highness," Qi Meng, the Second Bureau Chief, began. "Recently, haven't the northern and southern deserts been encroaching on the territory of Chahar? They've not only killed the Chahar people, but many other small tribes living in eastern deserts have also been brutally slaughtered by them. As a result, several small tribes have fled to our Xiliang City with their families, begging for our protection... At the time, you were leading troops outside, and we dared not make a decision, so we left them to camp outside the south gate, intending to see what to do when you returned."
"Small tribes in eastern deserts? How many people?"
I finished the meat skewers in my hand, finding them truly delicious, and signaled the cook to bring more. "Three small tribes, totaling over 20,000 people, but most are women, children, and the elderly; only about 3,000 are able-bodied men, and most of them are wounded." Qi Meng, unable to discern my thoughts, could only answer honestly.
Three tribes with only 20,000 people—that's about 7,000 to 8,000 people per tribe. Even without losses, each tribe probably wouldn't exceed 15,000 people. Such small tribes are more numerous than stars on the grasslands.
I pondered, "What are your plans? Are you going to take them in and have them help raise horses?"
"Your Highness is truly brilliant,"
Chi Changyun flattered slightly. "That's exactly what we mean. With these people who specialize in raising fine horses, the chances of large-scale successful horse breeding will be much greater."
"Yes, anyway, they have very few able-bodied men and many women, children, and the elderly, so they don't pose a threat to us. Letting them stay and do some work won't hurt,"
Feng Wei said loudly, his tone as fast as the speed at which he ate meat.
"The most crucial thing is that the two overlords of the desert grasslands are now their enemies, so they have no reason not to follow us,"
Gao Qimeng said.
"Actually, General Gao's worries are unnecessary,"
the fat man Lang Youxin chimed in. "Life on the grasslands is tough. Every day is filled with wind and sun, and the heavens often don't cooperate. Otherwise, why would they come here to rob us? Now in Xiliang City, we have stone houses to live in, a salary, and a stable environment. We no longer have to worry about other tribes attacking us. Who wouldn't want such a good thing?"
"Youxin, I didn't realize you were so eloquent!"
The little bird sitting next to him patted his shoulder. "That's right. Only the poor rob the rich. I've never heard of a rich person robbing the poor."
In terms of age, Lang Youxin could easily be the little bird's father, but looking at Lang Youxin, the little bird seemed quite pleased to call him that.
I smiled and ignored them. "So you've already decided to commit this, and just wanted me, the city garrison commander of Xiliang, to step in?"
Chi Changyun's eyes widened, and he quickly explained, "How could that be? Our considerations are all from Your Highness's perspective. If Your Highness's interests are harmed, then everyone's interests are harmed. Such a thing is absolutely unacceptable."
Upon hearing this, everyone except Little Turtle, Little Bird, and the Wang family father and daughter turned pale.
"Don't panic so much. I'm not blaming you."
I nodded calmly. They had all sensed my warning earlier, and they were all intelligent enough that I didn't need to say more. "This isn't a big deal. I'll take these people in. Treat them according to the standards of a city garrison commander. Their homes must be settled in Xiliang City, preferably scattered."
"Understood, Your Highness. Thank you for your mercy."
Chi Changyun stood up respectfully.
I gestured for him to sit down and turned to Wang Guowei: "Uncle Wang, how's it going over there?"
We acquired 400,000 ordinary horses from the northern desert tribes, and I entrusted the Northwest Wang family to help with the sale. Now, almost two months have passed, and there should be some results.
Wang Guowei took out a piece of silk and handed it to me: "They did a good job while we were fighting outside. The quality of this batch of ordinary horses is even better than we expected; they can already be used as semi-military steeds in the interior, so they've already sold out."
"Sold out?"
I was slightly taken aback, took the silk, and looked at it. It clearly described the Wang family's process of selling the horses.
Due to considerations of transportation costs, the Wang family stopped at the border of the Northwest Plateau—Guizhou County. They used carrier pigeons and other means to send messages to all the nobles and wealthy people in the country, and then waited for them to come and buy them. Long before they sent out the carrier pigeons, news of my acquisition of a large number of horses, cattle, and sheep had spread throughout Liufeng Kingdom. Hearing that I intended to sell, merchants and nobles rushed to the Northwest like leeches smelling blood.
The inland areas of the Sea Mi Continent are severely lacking in horses, especially strong, tall steeds. Many nobles don't even have a decent horse team, let alone merchants. With convenient and fast horse-drawn carriages, who would still use oxcarts?
After seeing the quality of these horses, everyone was overjoyed. Even my exorbitant price of one hundred gold coins per horse didn't deter them. Many shouted that they wanted as many as they could, money was no object. Fortunately, I knew that fine horses, like weapons and equipment, are essential tools of war and absolutely cannot be sold indiscriminately. If I sold someone 100,000 horses, they might turn around and start a rebellion—wouldn't that be shooting myself in the foot?
Therefore, I stipulated that each household could only purchase a maximum of five hundred horses, not a single one more.
Even so, within just twenty days, merchants, wealthy people, and nobles from all over the land snapped up four hundred thousand horses.
Fortunately, the managers sent by the Wang family were experienced in business. They saved the best horses for last, and when they saw signs of price gouging, they quickly raised the price. In the end, the best ten thousand horses sold for an astronomical price of one thousand gold coins each. The twenty nobles and wealthy people who bought the horses at such exorbitant prices were not angry at all; on the contrary, they walked away with their horses, basking in the envious glances of others.
The reason was simple: the horses they bought were simply too beautiful. Not only were they all the same height, but even the color of their coats was identical. If such a caravan of five hundred horses were to walk down the street or avenue, it would definitely be the biggest focus of attention—what's the point of money if not to show off and be powerful? The sheer prestige alone was enough.
After deducting a series of expenses, they actually made a total of one hundred and twenty million gold coins.
Taking the stack of gold notes from Wang Guowei, I was overjoyed. No wonder people say that if you want to get rich, you have to resort to robbery; money obtained through forced buying and selling is so satisfying!
After thinking for a moment, I divided the gold notes into two portions and handed them to Zhou Jing and Lang Youxin.
Everyone present was stunned, especially Little Turtle and Little Bird, who wondered if I had a fever. How could I give away all my money?
Zhou Jing, trembling, accepted the gold notes, saying, "Your Highness, you..."
This sum of money was enormous. If I kept it for myself, it wouldn't cause any problem for anyone present.
Firstly, Xiliang City's finances have been extremely tight recently. With the arrival of the cattle and sheep, there's already a surplus in terms of food and supplies. Furthermore, after His Majesty took 300,000 first-class warhorses, he didn't leave without compensation. Besides sending in another 500,000 sets of weapons and equipment, he also gave out a year-end bonus of 50 million gold coins. The Ministry of Revenue also stated that next spring, salaries and expenses will be increased by 30%, a rare and generous reward.
Secondly, during the last hostage exchange in Xiliang City, the 50 million gold coins and the purchase of cattle and sheep were all paid for by His Highness alone. Although His Highness eventually recovered the money from Mo Nan through opportunistic means, given his initial magnanimity and generosity, Lord Lanting should have taken the money. Moreover,
even if we consider the worst-case scenario, what was the reason for such a large gain? Wasn't it due to His Highness's unparalleled bravery, resourcefulness, and boldness? Could anyone else have taken this opportunity to extort such a large sum? Since the money was earned by someone else, and the benefits weren't withheld from Xiliang City, then naturally it should be theirs.
This kind of thinking wasn't limited to Lang Youxin and his group; even Chi Changyun felt it was perfectly reasonable.
Seeing their surprised and puzzled expressions, I felt a surge of joy. It seemed I was still respected!
"The military and the city garrison each have 60 million gold coins; there's no need to argue,"
I declared righteously. "The Xi Yinhu Legion and the city garrison have already eliminated two batches, haven't they? Now, the remaining 300,000—you all need to train them even harder, increasing the difficulty. The specific plan will be decided with the Wang family. With such high-difficulty training, the food and supplies will need to be increased. We're not afraid to spend money; the most important thing is to train an elite force."
"Although most of the weapons have been sold, haven't the catapults, crossbows, and other equipment all arrived? There are plenty of stones near Xiliang City, so I need to further strengthen the city's defenses! Then, like Chen Fuyue, I need to extend the defenses a hundred miles into the grasslands. Set up whatever traps are available, don't be afraid to spend money, and make them as vicious as possible."
"The same goes for the city garrison. Give each widow in the city ten gold coins for the New Year. As for the number of cattle and sheep, you can decide. Their men died fighting for Xiliang City, so we can't mistreat them and disappoint others. Also, those 40,000 men of the Silver Tiger Legion, sigh, another 10,000 went with me to the grasslands... Give each household an extra hundred gold coins. An elite legion should be treated like an elite legion. Find the 100,000 streamlined reserve legion members, and you should also give them more subsidies and cattle. They are the backbone of protecting the outer perimeter of Xiliang City. In ten or twenty years, their children will grow up and become the best soldiers for Xiliang City. In addition, the people who have settled here will have a tough winter. If there is any infrastructure construction that needs to be prepared, you should plan it as soon as possible. Officials and yamen runners should go to the countryside more often and do their best to help solve any problems that need their help."
After saying so much in one breath, my mouth was dry, so I quickly drank some lukewarm wine and ate a few skewers of fatty mutton. It was very comfortable.
"Your Highness is wise!"
"Your subordinate will certainly do as Your Highness says!"
"Having a city lord like Your Highness who cares so much for Xiliang City is truly a blessing for Xiliang City!"
"..."
After a pause, flattery flooded me like a tidal wave, but their praise was all heartfelt.
Despite the lack of formal discussion, my own considerations had already created a detailed plan for what Xiliang City needed to do recently. Developing in this direction, Xiliang City was bound to become strong.
"Stop just flattering. Although it's nearing the end of the year, we can't slack off on what needs to be done, understand?"
I stretched. "I've written a memorial to the court to request commendations for you. Furthermore, for your hard work and great achievements, each of you will be rewarded with 10,000 gold coins. I will also issue another 500,000 gold coins. All other officials will also receive rewards."
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
Isn't the whole point of serving as an official for money and power? Following me, you'll not only gain both advantages, but you'll also be on the side of justice, enjoying respect from all sides. Only an idiot would refuse such a legitimate path to promotion and wealth!
Amidst the joyful farewells of the crowd, I gestured for the Wang family father and daughter to follow, and strolled leisurely outside.
In the corridor of the city garrison, Wang Guowei and I walked side by side, with Wang Miao'er following easily behind. Further away were two small turtles and birds, each carrying dozens of skewers of roasted meat. In every major battle since I arrived in Xiliang City, the Wang family had cooperated wholeheartedly, suffering at least 30,000 elite casualties. Even with their considerable wealth, such losses had crippled them.
It was precisely because of their unwavering support that I had long since lowered my guard against the Wang family. If I didn't reward such loyal people, my conscience would be troubled.
"Uncle Wang, when are you going to select the warhorses?"
I asked him. For the past half month, we've been killing and burning on the grasslands, and the Wang family hasn't had time to select the 20,000 fine horses we promised. Emperor Kangzong only left me 100,000 fine horses before, and the Wang family wanted 20,000, which I didn't hesitate to give. Now, bringing back another 1.1 or 1.2 million superior horses from the grasslands makes us seem even more powerful.
The last 100,000 elite troops I could muster set off, including the entire 50,000 of the "Silver Tiger Legion," 20,000 of the Wang family's sons, plus the best 30,000 from the reserve legion. Only 70,000 returned. 5,000 of the Wang family's sons died in battle, 15,000 from the reserve legion, and 10,000 from the "Silver Tiger Legion." The remaining 70,000 of us, without prior agreement, all seized the best horses while slaughtering horses, cattle, and sheep to keep as backup options for changing mounts. The first three cavalry regiments to return, each carrying five or six fine horses, easily made their way back to Xiliang City, having escaped the pursuit of the two major alliances. Had I not strictly forbidden them from leaving again upon their return, they might have even considered looting nearby again.
It must be admitted, looting can be addictive.
The later the group returned, the fewer horses they carried. For example, the last cavalry regiment I personally led had an average of less than two horses per person; all the extra horses they had brought had died from exhaustion during the escape.
In total, 320,000 fine horses were brought into the camp. Excluding the 100,000 we took out, the spoils amounted to 220,000.
These 220,000 horses were far superior to the 400,000 they had sold me before; many were even stallions from various tribes—which makes sense, just as I wouldn't sell them my finest weapons, the Guligan and Geluo tribes of the Northern Desert wouldn't sell me their best horses.
Wang Guowei knew that I now considered the Wang family true friends, so he didn't stand on ceremony and said, "Your Highness, after thinking about it, on the surface you'll still sell me 20,000 horses, but secretly I'll take another 30,000. There are still many disciples in the Wang family's secret training base waiting to be trained with them."
The Northwest is a vast region, with each of its three prefectures ranking among the top ten in Liufeng Kingdom, boasting countless mountains and valleys. For the Wang family, which has been rooted in the Northwest for a thousand years, finding a few large canyons or remote plains as training grounds is as easy as breathing.
Given time, and with the Wang family's deep resources, in three to five years, at most ten, the super-elite cavalry legion I first saw will reappear. "No problem,"
I readily agreed. "Go and collect them tonight, the group we brought back. Have Little Turtle and Little Bird accompany you. Take them away overnight before they discover you, and then say these horses died from acclimatization problems." "
Alright, thank you, Your Highness."
Wang Guowei didn't stand on ceremony and immediately said, "Your Highness, should you prepare some gifts for your return to the capital?"
"Gifts?"
I asked, taken aback.
"Yes, gifts for the high-ranking officials of the court. Every year at the end of the year, the prefects and important officials of various counties return to the capital. The bigwigs in the capital, including the Emperor, the Empress and the concubines, the three princes, the left and right prime ministers, the six ministers, the vice ministers... no matter how high your official rank is outside, you must pay tribute when you come to the capital. Otherwise, when you are far from the center of power, be careful of being harmed by villains!"
At this point, Wang Guowei added, "Although Your Highness is the Empress's nephew, it is always good to have more people to speak on your behalf. Don't neglect the details just because of your noble status." The fact that he
could so directly say that he wanted to give tribute to the officials in the capital proved that Wang Guowei did not treat me as an outsider and directly pointed out the things that needed attention. However, Wang Guowei would never know that the "poisonous prime minister," Prime Minister Han, was both my godfather and father-in-law. With such a high-ranking official helping me in the court, what did I have to fear?
The Han sisters sent me many letters every month via carrier pigeon. Since the girls started following me, their minds have been entirely on me, to the point that my godmother, Madam Han, kept asking, "Xiao Ri, why don't you just get the two girls pregnant and have a few babies? Otherwise, they're thinking about you all the time, it's really hard for them."
Moreover, they had already said that I had to return to the Han residence before the eve of the Lunar New Year, or I would face the consequences.
According to their habits, they would definitely have tortured me for a while before, but now, I guess at most they would just team up with a few sisters to drain me dry in bed.
Hmph, I'm not afraid of that.
But I also miss them very much, so I definitely need to go back as soon as possible.
Snapping out of my thoughts, I politely declined his offer: "There's no need to prepare anything. As long as you have money, what can't you find in the capital?"
"Is the money enough?"
Wang Guowei asked with concern. He had seen me give away gold notes worth 120 million gold coins, and he had assumed I would use them in the capital. Chi Changyun and the others shared the same thought.
I can't blame Wang Guowei for being so verbose; the fate of the Wang family is now intertwined with mine. If I fall, the Wang family, which has sacrificed countless members to highlight my glorious achievements, will gain nothing after paying the price in blood. The newly arrived governor of Xiliang City might then subject the Wang family to all sorts of torment—the current Wang family, after sacrificing over 20,000 elite members, is at its weakest point in centuries and cannot withstand further turmoil. I smiled and nodded, saying, "That's enough. If not, I'll ask my cousin."
Wang Guowei knew that the cousin I was referring to was Princess Yongyue, the only legitimate princess of Liufeng Kingdom, and he felt relieved… Just force her… Your Highness, it just so happens that my youngest daughter is going to the capital to visit her elders at the end of the year. Would you be willing to go with her?
I stopped in my tracks, frowning. "Uncle Wang, why are you being so long-winded? Alright, I won't take anyone with me. We've been tense for half a year, and finally it's the New Year. Your family should rest a bit! Next spring, there might be a very serious situation waiting for us to deal with." Seeing
my resolute attitude, Wang Guowei had no choice but to abandon his idea. When he took his leave to go home, he specifically kept Wang Miao'er behind, asking her why Wang Guowei, knowing our good relationship, didn't let her come to the capital with me. He thought that if we were compatible, something might happen, and it would be a guarantee for the Wang family. Wang Miao'er rolled her eyes at me: "How did you know?"
I laughed: "Uncle Wang just thinks our alliance isn't strong enough, and that it would be best if I became a son-in-law of the Wang family to ensure we'd always be of one mind, right?"
"It's not my father's fault. The elders all agree that you have to marry a daughter of the Wang family to be completely at ease."
Wang Miao'er sighed helplessly: "As for me, I'm an ugly duckling, not as pretty as my little sister."
"Isn't Wang Shuang the prettiest in your Wang family?"
I asked with interest .
"Sister Shuang's beauty is different from my little sister's... The elders saw the two beautiful He ethnic girls beside you and thought you'd prefer someone like my little sister."
Wang Miao'er said calmly, her mood unreadable.
"Damn, this is called matchmaking."
I lowered my voice, "Miao'er, actually I quite like you, why don't you just give in to this great king?"
"Get lost..."
Wang Miao'er walked away without looking back.
Watching her slender figure, a faint smile appeared on my face.
This girl has personality, I like it!

Chapter Nine * The Beautiful Woman's Deep Affection*
Returning to the capital from Xiliang City by the fastest carriage would take at least ten days.
That means I had to depart no later than December 12th to make it in time for the Lunar New Year's Eve on the 23rd.
It's already December 6th, and there are still many things to handle. The most important thing, of course, is to visit my beloved wife, Lin Cuier.
From the day after I acquired her body, I've been busy with a mountain of things, and only today have I almost finished. It's been two months since I last saw her.
Thinking about it makes me blush. I, Liu Ri, call myself a master of cherishing women, and although I've returned to Xiliang City a few times, I haven't visited her. I suppose it's because it's my first time leading such a large-scale plan and battle, and I dare not slack off!
Little Turtle and Little Bird, seeing nothing amiss, had already slipped out to play. I naturally changed into the uniform of a city guard and led my horse towards the west gate.
Recently, the "Silver Tiger Legion" returned home in triumph. Chi Changyun, of course, dared not neglect the soldiers who had fought alongside me through thick and thin. Each soldier received five gold coins, a pig, and a cow upon their return, and was given leave until the Lantern Festival. Therefore, recently, quite a few young men like myself have been showing off their horses.
The city garrison guards, along with the Wang family's elite troops, accompanied me again this time. This time, we weren't passively taking hits, nor did we need to engage in desperate sniping; we only needed to be agile. This allowed us to maximize the strength of their individual martial arts skills, repeatedly charging across the northern and southern grasslands, and returning last. Our team's losses were only around a few hundred men. The
city garrison guards, who had achieved the best results, were already on leave today. Most of them still had some jewels and gold and silver ornaments they had looted along the way. I didn't care about these small things at all; instead, I advised them which ones were more valuable. After all, they had risked their lives, so some reward was deserved.
Walking through the streets of Xiliang City, I received many lustful glances from women. Seeing someone as handsome and young as me, dressed in the legendary uniform of the strongest city guard, these widows were eager to lure me into their homes and force themselves on me.
Excited to see the beautiful woman, I spurred my horse and galloped off after a while, increasing my speed considerably. A short while later, I arrived in Xiliang City.
"Wow, Brother Lan…"
It wasn't even noon yet, and the widows, as usual, came out to chat and go shopping. Seeing me, the women in this alley greeted me with smiles.
I had a knack for dealing with them. I took out the small gifts that Little Turtle and Little Bird had prepared for me—from cosmetics to children's toys. After a short while, every woman and child was holding a gift, and the large leather pouch on my saddle quickly dented.
Upon receiving the news, Lin Cuier was already standing at the door, gazing intently at the approaching figure, tears welling in her beautiful eyes.
I clearly saw the expectant and passionate expression of the beautiful young woman, threw down the reins, and rushed over, embracing this delicate woman whose beauty was so captivating it was impossible not to feel pity. "Cuier!"
"Brother..."
A single call contained all her emotions; everything was understood without words.
The widows who had been watching the spectacle chuckled and cooperatively shooed the children back into their homes, no longer disturbing us.
"Creak..."
The door had just closed when a pair of soft, fragrant lips covered mine. Then, a delicate tongue darted into my mouth, awkwardly yet passionately teasing me.
I never imagined my shy, beautiful sister could be so bold. After a slight pause, I began to ruthlessly eliminate the intruder, my tongue entwining with hers, slowly savoring her flavor.
"Mmm...uh..."
The beautiful sister's nostrils twitched rapidly, and her breathing quickened, but she didn't back down at all. Instead, she kept moving her body closer to me, letting me hold her tighter and tighter. As soon as I released the beautiful sister who was almost out of breath, Lin Cuier leaned against me like a ball of water, her face flushed red, full of spring passion and longing. She whispered, "Little brother...go...to the room..."
The colors in Lin Cuier's room had been brightened up, even the sheets, pillowcases, and blankets were decorated with fiery red mandarin duck patterns, giving it a more vibrant feel than before, like a young woman's boudoir.
After I put her on the bed, this beautiful young woman who had been so bold just moments before reverted to her usual shyness, shrinking into the blankets and covering her head tightly.
I had practiced undressing girls since I was a child, and in just a few breaths, the beautiful sister and I were naked in bed.
The city of Xiliang was already very cold, especially Lin Cuier's house. The building materials weren't of high quality, and the cold wind seeped through the cracks and into the room. But the earthen kang (heated brick bed) in the northwest was wonderful; the heated stone bed was warm and cozy, and with three thick quilts underneath, lying inside was indescribably comfortable.
Of course, the most comfortable thing was holding the soft, boneless Lin Cuier in your arms.
Upon our long-awaited reunion, no sweet words could compare to the genuine feeling of being one. I embraced and kissed the beauty in my arms, one hand roaming freely over her delicate body, sometimes kneading her full, round breasts, sometimes gently patting her shapely buttocks, or slowly probing around her vulva with my fingers.
My mouth didn't stop either, kissing her entire face before resolutely moving downwards to take her two pink nipples into my mouth, licking and gently biting them.
How could Lin Cuier withstand my teasing? In the blink of an eye, her soft moans turned into suppressed cries.
"Little brother... oh... stop... ah... oh... ah... ouch... oh..."
The beauty's hands, which had been trying to push me away, now forcefully pressed my head down.
No matter how much she twisted and resisted, I firmly controlled the beautiful woman's delicate body. As my hand caressed her honeyed entrance, unknowingly, fluid gently seeped out from between her closed pink labia.
"Little brother... don't tease your sister... come on... sister... ah... I want you... to... love me..."
Suddenly, Lin Cuier lifted my head, and I saw that the shy, beautiful young woman's eyes were already about to drip water, her red lips slightly parted, radiating unparalleled heat and allure.
"Okay!"
I smiled and agreed, turning over and pressing down on the beautiful woman's body. Lin Cuier gently parted her snow-white legs, and her hands wrapped around my neck. The
beautiful woman's crystal-clear eyes, full of love, stared at me, as if she couldn't get enough of looking at me.
Lovemaking in bed should be this kind of intense and sweet affection to be truly meaningful!
I sighed inwardly, placing my hands on the beauty's slender waist. My already thriving Tyrannosaurus Rex swirled a few times at the muddy entrance before firmly entering the shy young woman's body. Lin Cuier's honeyed passage was even tighter than before. Although it was constantly lubricated by secreted honey, the advance of my large penis was still a struggle.
The walls of the beauty's cavity seemed to have a life of their own, constantly sucking and squeezing my penis, giving me layers upon layers of envelopment.
"Oh..."
Lin Cuier's pleasure was even greater than mine. My hot and hard penis felt like it was trying to tear open her vaginal walls, yet this feeling of being penetrated brought unparalleled comfort to the beauty's heart.
Finally, I reached the deepest part of the beauty's body, and when I touched that soft mound of flesh, Lin Cuier trembled all over. Her vagina tightly wrapped around my penis, and the sudden force almost made me ejaculate. But how could I be the kind of person to admit defeat so easily?
I let out a soft moan, my penis suddenly swelled even larger, and as it resisted the pressure, my powerful waist began to thrust violently.
"Ah... little brother... itchy... oh... so deep... oh... comfortable... mmm... so comfortable... ah... ah... so beautiful... oh... oh... harder... harder..."
The hot, thick Tyrannosaurus Rex revealed its ferocious face, rapidly moving in and out of the pink labia, each time forcefully penetrating deep into the beautiful hole, the tight, wet, and warm honey hole simultaneously bringing me wave after wave of pleasure.
"Ah... I can't take it anymore... too deep... gentler... oh... a little more over there... oh... yes... little brother... ah... woo woo... sister loves you..."
The beautiful sister's ten fingers gripped the sheets tightly, her small mouth uttering satisfied moans, her plump, snow-white buttocks twisting and turning under the stimulation of my penis, cooperating with my thrusts, so that it could penetrate deeper and more pleasurably.
Seeing that Lin Cuier was nearing her climax, I changed my approach. Instead of relentlessly thrusting, I pressed my glans against the beautiful young woman's clitoris, rotating it to rub her tenderest flesh. After a moment, I pulled out sharply, paused, and then repeated the rubbing motion.
"Ugh...no...ah...no..."
"It's so sore...ah...brother...this is...this feeling..."
The beautiful woman, driven mad by my large penis, trembled uncontrollably, her plump, white buttocks thrusting upwards desperately to relieve the intense pleasure. I felt that the more violently I thrust, the tighter her vaginal opening became. Each impact of my glans against her clitoris required breaking through layers of resistance. The elastic walls of her vagina squeezed my penis tightly, making my breathing rapid with pleasure.
"Oh...ah...I can't take it anymore...ouch...I can't take it anymore...brother...ah!"
Lin Cuier's hand suddenly grabbed my back, her plump buttocks arching upwards, pressing tightly against my penis. After a long, loud cry, the beautiful woman's body convulsed uncontrollably, thick vaginal fluid gushing from her flower core. Warm streams of fluid hit my glans and shaft, stimulating my already heightened desire.
The walls of the shy, beautiful young woman's vagina sucked and squeezed even more forcefully than before, sending waves of tingling pleasure through me.
"Sister, I'm not satisfied yet!"
I hugged the beauty tightly, sucking on her full breasts while gently thrusting my penis, trying to prolong her ecstatic pleasure.
"You're going to kill me...so young and already so amazing...in a few years...won't I be tortured to death by you?"
the beautiful woman gasped, her face flushed with desire. A satisfied woman is naturally even more alluring.
"I've heard that in the war between men and women, the man always loses in the end, because your sister's pussy always sucks out my essence, turning it into a caterpillar..."
I whispered in the beautiful young woman's ear.
"Pfft..."
The shy young woman couldn't help but laugh, giving me a charming sidelong glance, "You bad guy... ah... don't move... let me rest for a bit... oh!"
I ignored her protests, turning the beauty over so she was lying face down on the soft bed.
Although Lin Cuier's stamina wasn't great, several orgasms were still no problem. Letting her go after just one time seemed a bit too good for this shy and alluring beauty.
Outside, snow was falling, but the light was excellent.
As I lifted the blanket and made the shy young woman lie like this, I deliberately slapped her plump buttocks, making her round, snow-white buttocks stick up high.
Between her two plump buttocks, I first saw a pink, tender little chrysanthemum, opening and closing with the beautiful woman's panting breaths. Then, following the chrysanthemum downwards, amidst the lush pubic hair, two honeyed lips opened and closed, constantly flowing with nectar, as if inviting me to enter again.
I knelt behind the beautiful woman, my hands first supporting her slender waist, then with a thrust of my hips, my large penis "plop" broke through her jade gate, entering the beautiful young woman's fiery little hole for the second time today.
"Ah...it's coming again..."
"Ooh...so good...little brother...you've entered sister's...heart...oh...oh..."
With the lubrication of the nectar, my large penis thrust in and out rapidly. Lin Cuier buried her head between the blankets, screaming shrilly, her jade hands gripping the pillow tightly. Her snow-white skin was covered in sweat, which, from my angle, looked like a layer of oil had been smeared on the beautiful woman's body, smooth and alluring. "Thump... thump..."
My lower abdomen kept hitting the beautiful buttocks of the shy young woman, making a moving sound. Combined with the sounds of intercourse, the young woman's moans, and my panting, all the sounds blended together to create an incomparably beautiful melody.
"Little brother... your... penis... is so long... ah... oh... so big... oh... oh... it's going to kill... me... harder... harder... woo woo... good... let me die here... oh... um... ah..."
The beauty's moans were so natural, growing louder and bolder, which excited me even more. I reached forward and grabbed her full, firm breasts, kneading and playing with them. My penis was also harder and harder than before!
"Oh... yo... oh... oh..."
My rhythm quickened, and after a hundred or so thrusts, the shy young woman's moans became weak, as if she might faint at any moment. Her vagina seemed to spasm and tighten for the third time.
"Ah... little brother..."
As Lin Cui'er called my name, she also reached the peak of her sexual pleasure. Her legs could no longer support her plump buttocks, and she collapsed softly onto the bed.
I then pressed myself against her, my long, thick, hard penis pressing tightly against her clitoris. Her incredibly tight vaginal walls spasmed, squeezing my penis, making me unable to hold back any longer. With a low growl, I ejaculated inside Lin Cuier's vagina.
"Ah..."
The hot, viscous fluid made the shy, beautiful young woman convulse again, her hoarse voice still beautiful.
After I ejaculated, my penis remained erect, immersed in her tight vaginal walls, feeling the trembling and squeezing sensations of the vaginal walls. The massage-like pleasure was incredibly exhilarating.
Lin Cuier collapsed weakly onto the bed, her skin flushed a rosy pink from the consecutive orgasms. She breathed heavily, her small mouth panting heavily. Pressing against her soft, boneless body, I could still feel the heat and slipperiness of her skin.
Apart from our breathing, the room was quiet, except for the sound of snow hitting the window outside.
Looking outside, the swirling snowflakes painted the roads white, telling us that the peaceful and tranquil end of the year had arrived in Xiliang City.

Chapter Ten *Whispers by the Pillow*
My beautiful sister was covered in fragrant sweat; she couldn't afford to catch a cold now. After covering her with the blanket, I held her in my arms, and Lin Cui'er let out a soft moan of comfort.
"Cui'er, why are you so passionate today?"
Only then did I remember her initial actions. Such bold behavior was something only a "beautiful girl sex slave group" would do, not something a shy and beautiful young woman like her would do.
After a woman marries, her husband is the head of the household, so even though she's older than me, Lin Cui'er automatically sees herself as my little woman, and it's normal for me to call her "Cui'er."
My beautiful sister opened her bright eyes: "Little brother, I've already lost one husband, and I don't want to lose you too... So, I want to have a child for you, so you know that you still have a wife and children waiting for you to come home, and that way you'll cherish yourself even more."
A wave of tenderness welled up in my heart.
My other wives all know my abilities; there are very few people in the world who can take my life. Besides, with my skills, even if I can't win, I can always run away. Therefore, they have never worried about me in this regard.
Lin Cuier thought I was just an ordinary member of the city garrison guard. Recently, I've been fighting on the battlefield every day, so you can imagine her fear and worry. No wonder she cried when she saw me today.
"Cui'er, don't worry, our city guard has always been by Lord Lanting's side, there's no danger at all."
I tightened my embrace. "Think about it, if Lord Lanting personally goes out and something goes wrong, how will the people here explain to the Emperor? So if there's any trouble, others will help us solve it in advance."
"Bragging..."
Lin Cui'er waved her little fist, looking at me angrily: "You still want to lie to me? Lord Lanting always goes to the most dangerous places! Last time when the Northern Desert Allied Army attacked, he did the same thing, leading you to raid the camp of 300,000 troops at night. He was lucky not to be surrounded. And every time he fights against overwhelming odds, it's always terrifying. Besides, now, your 10,000-strong team is the last of the ten 10,000-strong teams to return. You're not telling me you got lost while playing on the Great Han Grassland, are you?"
The beautiful young woman looked quite attractive when she was angry, and what she said made a lot of sense. I guessed that she had overheard a group of widows chatting.
I touched the shy beauty's breasts with one hand. Those rounded breasts, too large to be grasped in one hand, were incredibly elastic and felt wonderful to the touch.
"Oh..."
Lin Cuier's anger vanished instantly under my caresses. Her face flushed red, and she looked at me softly, her beautiful eyes almost overflowing with tears.
"If you want to have a baby, you'll have to work even harder,"
I whispered in her ear, my engorged member gently moving between her legs, stimulating her desire. Holding the beauty, penetration was difficult due to the position, but the friction alone was enough to make Lin Cuier, who had just experienced the peak of pleasure, feel her body burning again.
"Am I not working hard? These past few days have been good... Oh... you naughty little brother... who told you to come in again? Get out, get out..."
As Lin Cuier spoke, the large head of my member parted her labia and entered her tight passage. Although it wasn't a complete penetration, its sheer size still stirred her emotions. "What are you going out for? My sister's hole is like a fairy cave, my little brother wishes he could stay inside forever."
I chuckled, lowering my head to kiss the beautiful young woman's red lips, sucking and teasing them for a while before letting go.
During this time, my big penis naturally moved in and out gently, not going deep, just the glans gently pushing in and then slowly coming out... always rubbing between her labia, Lin Cuier's honey lips really looked like a small mouth, constantly swallowing and spitting out my huge member.
When I released Lin Cuier, the beautiful young woman was already unbearably numb, and with great difficulty, she managed to grab my big penis with one small hand, trembling as she said, "No... now... I still want to talk to you..."
I smiled and stopped moving, but the head of my penis remained in the warm and tight honey hole, enjoying the gentle sucking and squeezing sensation of the honey hole.
The beautiful young woman glared at me, but was also delighted that I was so infatuated with her. She said sweetly, "Little brother, it's almost New Year's. My brother and sister-in-law want me to go home so we can celebrate together as a family. Will you come with me?"
As she spoke, Lin Cui'er's face flushed slightly. After all, although we had consummated our marriage, we hadn't yet held a wedding ceremony. Bringing her young man home like this made her both sweet and embarrassed.
I frowned and sighed, "Sister, I'd like to go with you, but Lord Lanting is returning to the capital for the New Year in a few days. The two stewards have selected a hundred members of the city guard to protect him, and I'm one of them."
Lin Cui'er's face darkened. "Oh... little brother, it's alright. A man should prioritize his career. You must protect Lord Lanting well; he's a good man."
Even as she said this, the shy young woman still showed a melancholy air about parting. I smiled. "Cui'er, we still have a few days before we leave. How about I go back with you now?" "Really?"
Lin Cui'er was overjoyed, but then hesitated. "But we're about to leave for the capital. You must be very busy. If you run off now, won't the steward say anything?"
"What could they say?"
I complained in a low voice. "I won't even mention the fighting on the battlefield, but they won't let me rest during the New Year. Can't I even celebrate the New Year with my wife early? And Lord Lanting is really something. Isn't it better to celebrate the New Year in Xiliang City? Why do he have to go back to the capital? I... um..."
The beautiful sister turned pale with fright, and a fragrant little hand tightly covered my mouth. "Little brother, you're not allowed to complain about Lord Lanting like that. It'll be terrible if someone hears you!"
I smiled slightly and lightly slapped the beautiful young woman's shapely buttocks. "Alright, alright, don't be so scared. Lord Lanting isn't such a petty person. As long as you're loyal enough, he won't hold these little things against you. When he's fighting outside, he often drinks and chats with us."
"That's different..."
Lin Cuier said coquettishly, "Being valued by Lord Lanting and the Chief Steward, and having him escort you to the capital, will be very good for you in the future. This is a blessing that others can't even imagine. You're still complaining; you really shouldn't be."
"I just wanted to spend more time with you!"
I said lazily, stroking the beautiful woman's plump, round buttocks.
"You're still so young, you can't put all your energy into your older sister."
Lin Cuier felt she needed to educate her younger brother-in-law. "You need to study hard and practice your martial arts so you can survive on the battlefield, gain the appreciation of Lord Lanting, and achieve success... As for other things, don't worry about them. I'm doing fine here; the neighbors are all taking care of me. Be a good boy, and your older sister will like you..."
"Hehe, Lord Lanting is very good to us. The soldiers who followed him this time received a lot of benefits. He even generously didn't question the money we plundered on the grasslands."
I pointed to my clothes by the bed and said, "This time, I only got some gold and silver jewelry and a little over a hundred gold coins, all of which are in my clothes. You can take them out for household expenses later, sister." "
Okay..."
Lin Cuier agreed with a smile. She thought that since her younger brother had handed over the money, it meant he considered her family. Since that was the case, as her brother's wife, she naturally had to do her best to manage the household affairs. Refusing and being polite only meant being too distant. After a pause, the beautiful young woman chuckled, "With a younger brother, we can work hard to earn money. When our baby is born, he'll be a child of a wealthy family... much happier than us parents..."
Although she wasn't pregnant yet, the mention of her future baby made Lin Cuier unconsciously stroke her smooth, jade-like belly, a maternal glow radiating from her shy, beautiful face. "How can this little money be enough? To get you to give me seven or eight babies, I'll have to work even harder!"
I clenched my fist.
"Do you think I'm a sow..."
Lin Cuier chuckled and playfully punched me. "What's there to be afraid of? As long as you can have children, we'll have as many as we can. It'll be more lively at home."
I kissed her.
"Hehe... just don't complain that I've become fat and ugly..."
Talking about the wonderful days to come, Lin Cuier was in a good mood, her body twisting and turning in my arms, her lips taking in a little more of my member, making me groan softly in pleasure.
"Don't...not now..."
Lin Cuier said seductively, her small hands playing with my penis, but she wouldn't let me go any further. "Baby, this is very inhumane. What if you make me feel pent up?"
I said, pretending to be fierce.
Lin Cuier clearly felt my hands kneading and playing with her plump buttocks, but she was obviously not really angry.
To be honest, the shy and beautiful young woman's small hands were clumsy when playing with me, not even a tenth as good as the five girls in the "Beautiful Girl Sex Slave Group," but she had always been a well-behaved young woman, so how could she know so much?
Looking at her shy yet passionate face, my big penis swelled up again, almost too big for the beautiful young woman to hold with one hand.
Lin Cuier, whose face was clearly surprised, not only felt it in her hands, but also felt that the huge head of the penis inside her body was stretching the entrance of her honey hole by an inch.
"Little brother... I'm already working hard to save money..."
The beautiful woman looked at me shyly, her starry eyes dreamy. "The government has already distributed ten gold coins to each household. In addition, this time, our Xiliang City exchanged for a large number of horses, cattle, and sheep. Except for the fine horses, which cannot be distributed, each household has one cow and five fat sheep. If you don't want the cattle and sheep, you can exchange them for five gold coins."
The beautiful woman counted on her fingers and said, "Adding your more than one hundred gold coins... Si, I don't need the gold and silver jewelry for the time being, let's exchange them all for gold coins. When we
spend the New Year at my brother's house, I'll keep an eye out for any good farmland around here. Xiliang City is sparsely populated now, we can buy dozens of acres of land and collect rent on weekdays, which will be a stable income..." The beautiful young woman from a modest family was blushing and excited as she planned our future life. She wasn't just happy for her own happiness, but also for the happiness of me and our children. For an ordinary woman like her, having a good husband, many children, and a wealthy family was enough to make her very happy. At this moment, Lin Cuier was incredibly focused and undeniably captivating, making my heart burn with desire. Just then, she let go of her calculations, and I thrust forward, my penis immediately entering her wet and narrow honey hole.
"Ah...you cheated..."
The beautiful young woman playfully hit my shoulder, but couldn't stop me from lifting her up.
This position was perfect for penetration, and when my large penis firmly pressed against the deepest part of her delicate body, she was already too comfortable to speak.
"Slap..."
I slapped her plump buttocks, leaving a red mark on her snow-white flesh.
"Sister, you move too, let me see how cunning you are!"
I said indistinctly while kissing her large breasts.
"You naughty guy..."
Lin Cuier was very uncomfortable with this position. The Tyrannosaurus Rex was inserted too deeply, and even the slightest twist brought waves of pleasure to her entire body. Every part of her body felt as if it were about to fly away, light and wonderful.
The two pink cherries on the beautiful young woman's chest were being sucked in various ways by me. Watching her little man greedily buried in her jade breasts, Lin Cuier felt incredibly sweet.
She gently placed her hands on my shoulders and began to try to slowly rise and fall.
"Si... oh... oh... um... little brother..."
Once she started moving, the Tyrannosaurus Rex thrust wildly into her body. No matter how much force the beautiful sister controlled, she felt as if her body was being pierced each time. The feeling of those layers of soft flesh being pushed apart was simply incomparably intense and pleasurable.
"Slap... slap..."
Lin Cuier's plump buttocks rose and fell on my thighs, making a beautiful sound.
Able to control her own direction, allowing the shy, beautiful young woman to move according to her own preferences, twisting her beautiful hips wherever they felt most itchy. Stimulated by pleasure, her movements gradually became more relaxed.
"Little brother... ah... so good... sister... oh... sister likes... your... come in... ah... so big... so full..."
The beautiful woman's weak moans added a touch of warmth to this winter morning...

Chapter Eleven * Joyful Homecoming*
A second eruption occurred inside the beautiful woman's body. She had already fallen into a coma, only trembling and instinctively clinging to me when the hot, viscous liquid struck her clitoris.
Don't underestimate Lin Cui'er just because she doesn't know martial arts. Her shyness revealed a sexy and charming style, which gave me a great sense of conquest. In addition, out of pity for her desire for a child, and her insistence on consuming my second life essence, I lovingly fulfilled her wish.
However, whether she can conceive depends on the beautiful young woman's abilities.
After resting on the bed with Lin Cuier in my arms for a while, it was almost noon. Although the beautiful young woman was extremely sore and weak, she still struggled to get up and cheerfully prepared lunch for me. I
would be so happy to have a few more of such virtuous and obedient wives!
After lunch, I led the languidly beautiful woman out of the room. The horse I had left outside had naturally been tied to the stone pillar in front of the door by the neighbors.
Seeing us come out, the widows who had also finished lunch and were chatting nearby immediately burst into laughter.
"Hey, Cui'er... your little man just got back, don't overdo it on him, or he won't be able to play with you anymore..."
"Yeah, look how satisfied Cui'er looks, she's been moaning non-stop. Poor Lan, he must have been tortured to death."
"Hehe, no, you should be talking about Lan. He's a member of the city guard, someone who fights with Lord Lanting. He's been fighting outside for months without any release, and now that he finally has such a beautiful sister, how can he not work hard?"
"Yes, Lan is very powerful. I just heard Cui'er begging for mercy when I passed by... Lan, be careful, Cui'er is a well-behaved girl from a good family, how can she withstand your wolfish torture..." "
..."
Lin Cui'er and I practically fled in a sorry state.
There was no way around it; these women were usually so lacking in male attention, and now that they finally had a chance, how could they not be loudly flirting?
It seemed it was time to find them new men. The 300,000 men in the reserve army outside the city, all thirsty for attention, would surely produce excellent results.
"What are you laughing at? Do you think I'm too unreserved?"
Lin Cuier, sitting next to me in the carriage, asked nervously and coquettishly.
She thought I was thinking about the jokes made by those widows and was afraid I'd think she was too promiscuous.
Driving the carriage, I laughed and said, "Cui'er, if you're considered a wanton woman, then there are no chaste women in Xiliang City. Are you really so rigid towards your own man? A woman like that will only drive her man to brothels!"
"Giggle..."
Lin Cui'er laughed crisply, her face brightening with joy. "As long as my brother is happy... I'm happy no matter what..."
Because of the continuous light snow, the roads had become quite muddy. Zhengjiazhuang, which was originally only thirty li from Xiliang City, took the carriage two full hours to reach. Along the way, Lin Cui'er told me that Zhengjiazhuang was where she and her brother were born. There weren't many residents, only about three hundred households and two thousand people, but they had all lived in Zhengjiazhuang for decades.
In this great calamity in the Northwest, the Iron Cavalry of the Southern Desert roamed around Xiliang City. Seven or eight hundred thousand residents lived in the area, and the devastation was immense; almost one in five survived. At most, two hundred thousand fled to Huaiyuan City and the mountains. The rest were not so lucky. Apart from the 150,000 women and children who returned, the rest perished at the hands of the Southern Desert cavalry.
Within a few months, less than half the population remained around Xiliang City. Crops and fields were completely destroyed. From what I've seen along the way, it's nothing but desolation. Fortunately, I distributed money and livestock in time, and those who returned finally showed a rare smile.
Entering Zhengjia Village, I could still hear people speaking with accents from other places, and children running around added a touch of festive atmosphere.
Lin Cuier knew I had given her brother many favors to dissuade him from marrying her off to the Guo family. She also knew Lin Dazhuang had moved, but the village had long been destroyed by the cavalry of the Southern Desert, and everything was newly built. So she had me drive the carriage around, and when we couldn't find Lin Dazhuang's house, she asked the villagers nearby.
"Master Lin? That's the biggest and most luxurious manor over there."
The young man who answered was obviously young and arrogant, and he even showed a smug look when he spoke. He glanced at the beautiful young woman next to me a few more times.
Lin Cuier and I looked up and saw that it was the place we had passed earlier, not far from where we entered the main road.
The mansion was obviously different from the houses next to it. Not only were the walls high and large, but there were also many trees transplanted from somewhere around it. The gate was made of bronze, and two people who looked like servants were sitting in the open doorway. They even made a few strange noises when they saw Lin Cuier.
Upon hearing this, Lin Cuier's face flushed with displeasure: "What's wrong with you, brother? We're not some wealthy family, is it really necessary to be so dramatic?"
I smiled and said, "Don't think too much about it, you'll know when you see him."
"Hmm..."
Lin Cuier nodded gently, but a hint of worry lingered in her delicate brows.
The carriage turned around and stopped in front of Lin Dazhuang's bronze gate. The two servants at the gate were taken aback, but then laughed when they saw Lin Cuier.
"Little lady, what are you doing here? Are you here to see your brother?"
one of the servants said with a lecherous grin. They didn't take me seriously because I looked young. My beautiful sister suppressed her anger: "Excuse me, is this Lin Dazhuang's house?" "
How dare you!"
The other servant, finally getting a chance, immediately jumped out. "How dare you call our master by his name? I think you're a spy from the grasslands. Get down here, let me search you!"
As he spoke, he made a grabbing gesture with both hands, and amidst his companion's laughter, he walked over in a lewd and menacing manner.
Before Lin Cuier could get angry, I flicked my whip and tossed it aside. With a "bang," the scoundrel was flung against the door, slowly sliding down, leaving a trail of bright red blood in his wake.
"Murder!"
another scoundrel screamed, terrified.
They were just country bumpkins; they'd never seen anything like this before. A flick of the whip, and a man was sent flying—this was the legendary hero!
I didn't hold back either. I flicked my whip again, and his screams abruptly ceased. On the other door, another identical bright red bloodstain appeared. "Brother...you...this isn't a battlefield, don't be so ruthless."
A pair of slightly icy hands gently grasped mine. Lin Cuier's beautiful eyes were filled with worry. Her ex-husband always became irritable and easily angered after battles, and she feared I might suffer the same psychological pressure.
I understood her concern and gently patted her small hand: "It's nothing, it's just that if these unruly servants aren't taught a lesson, your brother's reputation here will only get worse, and he'll cause trouble." Lin Cuier glanced at me a few times, and seeing that I didn't seem agitated, she felt relieved and agreed with my suggestion: "Yes, they're too awful. If brother hires them to guard the gate, isn't he just like the old Master Zheng of Zheng Family Village?" As
she spoke, the people inside heard the commotion, and after a noisy commotion, more than a dozen people rushed out. The leader was a woman in her thirties, of average appearance, with a burly, dark figure, carrying two large kitchen knives, extremely fierce.
"Well, well, the dogs of the Zheng family have actually come to our door! Do they think I'm some kind of bully?"
The woman spoke fiercely, cursing before even seeing who it was, her aura suggesting she was ready to brandish the knives at any moment.
"Sister-in-law!"
Lin Cuier's eyes lit up, and she waved and called out happily.
The woman looked over at this moment, and when she heard the stunningly beautiful young woman shouting, she rubbed her eyes in disbelief. It wasn't until Lin Cuier shouted a second time and jumped down from the carriage that she suddenly realized what was going on.
"Cui'er!"
"Sister-in-law!"
The two women cried out and hugged each other, while the two kitchen knives had long been thrown aside.
The people who rushed out with the woman stared in disbelief at this scene, but at the same time, their faces changed from tension, anger, and fear to relief and joy. In particular, their eyes were full of admiration and goodwill when they looked at me, and their smiles even carried a hint of flattery.
As for the two unlucky servants, they were naturally ignored by everyone.
"Haha, Cui'er, why are you back so early?"
After the hug, the woman pulled Lin Cui'er and looked her over from left to right. "Si, you've become much prettier, just a little thinner... Didn't you eat well in the city? It's okay, after you come back, I'll cook a chicken for you every day, and I guarantee you'll be plump and healthy, and give birth to a big, fat son."
"Sister-in-law..."
Lin Cui'er stamped her foot in protest, the shy and beautiful young woman's expression even more charming at this moment.
She reached out and pointed to me, who was already standing beside the carriage, and whispered, "Sister-in-law, he... he is Lan Ting..."
My beautiful sister had told me that, besides her deceased parents, the person who treated her best at home was her sister-in-law, Zhang Huali. Since marrying into the Lin family at eighteen, her sister-in-law did all the housework, while her brother was always lazy and gluttonous. Zhang Huali was not only hardworking but also very fond of her aunt, treating her even better than her own sister, always saving the best food for her first. This remained unchanged even after her eldest and second sons were born. Lin Dazhuang, however, was a scoundrel. He knew that his beautiful sister could bring him a lot of money, so while his wife and children were visiting their parents, he sold Lin Cuier to Xiliang City. Zhang Huali even chased Lin Dazhuang for miles with a kitchen knife, only stopping when she saw that Lin Cuier was doing well and that her husband loved her dearly.
This time, Lin Dazhuang wanted to sell his sister again, sneaking into Xiliang City without his wife knowing. Afterwards, he secretly begged Lin Cuier not to tell Zhang Huali, otherwise he would be chased by a kitchen knife again.
Now that life was better and more comfortable, Zhang Huali's first thought was to bring Lin Cuier home for a lively New Year. That's why Lin Dazhuang sent someone to tell her to come back.
Naturally, I felt a good impression of my sister-in-law who cared for my beautiful sister so much, and I greeted her with a fist and palm salute, "Hello, sister-in-law."
Zhang Huali didn't reply at first, but looked me up and down for a while before smiling, "Not bad, not bad, handsome and refined, worthy of my cunning Cuier."
"Sister-in-law..."
Lin Cuier seemed to know this phrase best.
Zhang Huali laughed, about to say something, when suddenly a hoarse shout came from behind us in the distance.
"Help! Help! Murder!"

Episode 13

[Episode Synopsis]
Amidst the village disputes in Zhengjiazhuang, Liu Ri discovers the whereabouts of the Prefect of Xishuo County. What secrets does this high-ranking official of the imperial court have hidden here?
Before returning to the capital, Young Master Ri finally reverts to his true colors as the "Little Tyrant of Wushuang County." With a passionate encounter at "Kaige Gate," Young Master Ri begins his conquest of the Ecstasy Sect... The mysterious Third Miss of the Wang family finally appears. What kind of stunning beauty is hidden beneath the veil of this naturally alluring young woman?

Chapter 1: The Sister-in-Law Shows Off Her Power
Looking back, the one shouting in such a hoarse voice is none other than Lin Cuier's elder brother, Lin Dazhuang. He is seen running towards us in a panic, while several men dressed as servants run even faster than Lin Dazhuang, leaving him far behind. This clearly proves that Lin Dazhuang's prestige is insufficient, as even his servants have abandoned him.
Pursuing them was a group of burly men, fierce as wolves. The leader, a young man in his early twenties, was clearly a playboy, carrying a dagger and relentlessly chasing after them.
Lin Dazhuang shouted loudly so his wife and servants would hear him. He looked up and saw a large group of people standing at the door. A surge of joy filled him; his previously weak legs felt as light as if they had gained twenty pounds, and he sprinted forward like lightning, instantly overtaking the servants ahead and reaching us first.
"Wife, they're coming! Hold them off!"
Lin Dazhuang was a force to be reckoned with; his voice preceded his arrival. He swept past like a whirlwind, already hiding behind Zhang Huali.
Zhang Huali had already drawn her twin swords, letting out a roar as she slashed at the charging crowd. The men behind her gritted their teeth and followed, but their resolve was far less resolute than Zhang Huali's.
The young man, dagger in hand, saw this formidable woman charging towards him and his heart pounded with fear; his steps slowed unconsciously.
The group of burly henchmen behind him didn't stop, one of them even sneered, lightly leaping forward, his hand forming an eagle claw, fearlessly grabbing out with his twin blades.
Others didn't know, but I frowned. It was just a village squabble, yet this martial arts expert actually wanted to kill Zhang Huali; it was truly ruthless.
After a moment's thought, I flicked my finger, a wisp of wind striking his pressure point. The man's sure strike suddenly lost its power, and he watched helplessly as the tigress's cleaver came crashing down.
"Ah!"
With a bloodcurdling scream, a hand flew out, and the man fell to the ground, blood gushing from his wrist. The young master was so frightened that he completely stopped running.
"Bold and cunning woman!" Seeing Zhang Huali's clean and swift movements, the group assumed she also knew martial arts, and several more rushed out, their swords flashing, aiming directly for her vitals.
Zhang Huali's heart sank. She only had some strength; how could she possibly withstand these martial arts masters?
But she couldn't retreat now. Whatever, one fight would be worth it, two would be a bonus—kill them all! With her
eyes closed, Zhang Huali immediately brandished her cleaver and charged into the midst of the flashing blades.
"Whoa!"
Lin Dazhuang and the others noticed something was wrong and exclaimed in surprise. Lin Cuier screamed even louder, almost fainting. I, however, remained calm, my fingers flicking rapidly. Several third-rate martial artists wielding swords instantly felt a numbness in their limbs. When they regained feeling, the pain intensified.
To others, Zhang Huali seemed divinely aided. With two cleavers, she hacked and slashed, the martial arts masters like paper tigers, their screams echoing as severed limbs flew everywhere—a scene reminiscent of a master's slaughter.
"You slut, I'll fight you to the death!"
Among the group were some ruthless individuals. One man, whose right arm had been severed in two, pulled out a sharp knife. He ducked, and with a flash of cold light, the blade swept towards Zhang Huali's legs.
Zhang Huali had just opened her eyes when she saw this. She froze, trying to retreat, but her legs had already given way.
In that life-or-death moment, a sudden, powerful force propelled Zhang Huali's hand. Under the force of this force, the cleaver in her left hand flashed, swiftly and ruthlessly severing the attacker's left arm.
"My god... this is a master... retreat quickly..."
Just as the man who had lost both arms fell, the group of originally fierce men, led by the panicked young master, turned tail and ran, several times faster than when they had chased Lin Dazhuang.
However, as soon as they turned around, a handsome young man was already standing behind them, smiling slightly at them and saying, "Why are you leaving? Stay here!"
The others could only see me fly past them, and then they all seemed to be frozen in place, unable to move anymore.
Now, in the quiet, the cries of pain from several third-rate martial artists whose arms had been severed could be heard.
"Huff, huff..."
Seeing that the situation was under control, Zhang Huali threw down her cleaver with a thud, plopped down on the ground, and gasped for breath. Watching so many enemies writhe and scream in pain, the fear that had gripped her only now was truly overwhelming.
"Sister-in-law!"
Lin Cuier, surprisingly brave, was the first to rush out and support Zhang Huali. "How are you?"
"I'm fine,"
Zhang Huali said weakly. "Cuier, I have to thank your man. If it weren't for him, I would be dead here today."
"Sister-in-law's courage is extraordinary; Lan Ting greatly admires it."
I happened to be walking up to her, and while praising her, I casually gave her a pill. Without a word, Zhang Huali immediately put it in her mouth.
A warm breath descended from her throat, quickly spreading throughout her body, and Zhang Huali, who had been somewhat exhausted, suddenly felt much more energetic.
Zhang Huali said happily, "Great! Lan Ting, your pills are really good. It's like I've had a few meals of wine and meat, and my strength has returned!"
Unexpectedly, Lin Dazhuang also chimed in, shamelessly saying, "Wife, you don't know, your brother-in-law is the Imperial Envoy's favorite general, so naturally he has many secret palace medicines!"
Zhang Huali's face immediately darkened when she saw him. "Tell me, how did I manage to offend the Zheng family just by collecting some rent?"
"I was already careful enough, but this little bastard from the Zheng family kept bothering me. I got impatient and cursed him a few times, and then so many people rushed over. It's clearly a trap!"
Lin Dazhuang wasn't stupid; his analysis was quite logical. But when he looked at me, he laughed, "Brother-in-law, it's good that you're here. Let's see if the Zheng family patriarch's head is made of iron; he'll dare to mess with me again!"
"Enough nonsense,"
I ordered, "Send a few people to stop the bleeding and bandage them."
"Really?"
Lin Dazhuang was stunned. "Brother-in-law, they wanted to kill me, why do I need to save them?"
"Fool!"
I said coldly, "It's alright to hurt people, but if all these people die, your feud with that Zheng family will become much bigger. Do you want to be their mortal enemy?"
Lin Dazhuang hadn't recovered yet, but Zhang Huali understood and turned to the servants, saying, "Come on, bandage them up. Half-dead is fine, just don't let them die."
"Madam, but we don't have any medicine to stop the bleeding!"
a servant asked.
"What need is there for hemostatic medicine? Just light a torch and burn the wound, and it'll stop the bleeding."
Zhang Huali's bold reply truly impressed me. The most impressive part was her explanation as she turned back: "Hehe, my parents used to do this when our pigs got injured. It stopped the bleeding quickly, and there were no aftereffects, just a bit of pain."
"No, no!"
Several martial arts practitioners rolling on the ground were terrified at the sight of the lit torches, but the servants ignored them. The sounds of burning flesh and screams of pain overlapped... Before long, after the bandages were applied, seven or eight burly men had already passed out, foaming at the mouth.
The fifteen people whose pressure points I had sealed turned deathly pale upon seeing the Lin family servants treating their men like livestock. The young master was the most distressed; a breath of hot air escaped from his crotch.
Lin Dazhuang picked up a sword from the ground, wanting to show off, but he was too weak to hold it with one hand. He had to use both hands to grip it tightly and drag himself toward the young master: "Young Master Zheng, Dazhuang has come to pay his respects. What did you just say? Did you want me to kneel down and kowtow to you, and then crawl between your legs? Young master, I'm here now!"
Lin Cuier couldn't stand her brother's arrogance and looked at me with her beautiful eyes, wanting me to stop him.
With a gentle smile, Zhao Wen put his arm around Lin Cuier: "Let him be. In the countryside, if you're too weak, you'll get bullied. He's still your brother; it's better to be assertive than to be bullied, right?"
As the beautiful young woman smiled, Zhang Huali also laughed: "Brother Lan is right, Cuier. You don't know, the Zheng family, relying on their numbers and the fact that someone in the court is an official, has been bullying us ever since we returned to the Zheng residence. Many people in the family have been beaten so badly they're bedridden and can't get up now. It's good for your brother to teach them a lesson."
Despite Zhang Huali's crude appearance, she had a sharp eye. She could see that I was fearless, so she naturally wanted to use this opportunity to establish her authority—we were family after all, and if she didn't help her brother-in-law, would she let others bully her?
As they spoke, Lin Dazhuang had already walked up to Young Master Zheng, finding his smug look rather amusing.
But Young Master Zheng couldn't laugh at all: "Brother Lin, Brother Dazhuang, I was just joking, you... Ah!"
Lin Dazhuang reversed his sword, the back of the blade slamming into Young Master Zheng's shoulder. Spoiled since childhood, Young Master Zheng had never experienced such pain before.
He cried out in agony, but couldn't move at all. The servants nearby were terrified; if their young master had been harmed, they would be in serious trouble when they returned home.
A servant, mustering his courage, said, "Hey, Lin Dazhuang, don't be so presumptuous! My master is the magistrate of Kangzhi Prefecture. If you dare touch a hair on our young master's head, my master will definitely send officials to arrest you."
"Magistrate?"
Lin Dazhuang muttered, dragging his sword to his side. "Kangzhi Prefecture?"
"Yes! My master is highly regarded by the Emperor and is about to be promoted. Don't offend us!"
The servant, thinking he was afraid, immediately tried to intimidate him. He didn't even consider that a mere magistrate wouldn't be remembered by the Emperor.
Lin Dazhuang's smile vanished instantly. He thrust his sword forward, slashing the servant's face amidst his screams.
"Go to hell! Magistrate? I'm not even afraid of the prefect!"
Lin Dazhuang looked at his handiwork smugly, showing no humility whatsoever.
Lin Dazhuang was a typical scoundrel, but being a scoundrel wasn't easy. Their greatest skill was reading people and situations. Lin Dazhuang had personally witnessed how Guo Feng, the most powerful man in Xiliang City, treated him with utmost courtesy after his brother-in-law appeared. The five hundred acres of fertile land in his house had been bought and given to him by Guo's steward, who had begged and pleaded, without his brother-in-law contributing a single penny.
Why were they so attentive?
Wasn't it because his brother-in-law was the trusted bodyguard of the Imperial Envoy, Lord Lanting?
Despite the fame of the three northwestern prefectures, and Xiliang City being just a city, its status had always been higher than that of the three prefectures. This was evident simply from the fact that first the Prince of Chu's heir was in charge, and then the Empress's nephew, Lord Lanting, was also in charge.
Upon hearing that his opponent was a county magistrate, Lin Dazhuang felt no apprehension whatsoever. "You, a mere county magistrate, can you compare to Master Guo? You'd better eat your words!"
Lin Dazhuang's domineering attitude silenced the dozen or so servants and the young master Zheng, who dared not utter a single harsh word. As the saying goes, a wise man doesn't fight a losing battle; they figured they could always get revenge if they
spared their lives. So, everyone unanimously began to soften their stance and flatter him. Once people lose all shame, they become incredibly obsequious, showering Lin Dazhuang with compliments. The landlord, Lin, carrying his sword, chuckled, enjoying the feeling. He thought to himself, "It's still good to be powerful and influential!" These Zheng family members, when he was poor and destitute, would never have given him a second glance.
Lin Cuier was exhausted. She had come twice that morning and then started traveling at noon. She just wanted to go home, wash up, and rest for a while. She had no interest in this bloody fighting.
"Brother, you're back. Don't bully them. Let them leave,"
the beautiful, shy young woman said in a raised voice.
Upon hearing this, Young Master Zheng was practically in tears. His eyes widened when he saw the stunningly beautiful and curvaceous Lin Cuier: "Damn, such a beautiful woman! I want to have her! I want to have her!" Lin Dazhuang was adept at reading people's expressions. He had seen countless lecherous men like this. What beauty was behind him? Of course, it was his sister!
You bastard, how dare you look at my sister? My brother-in-law is going to be a great general!
Thinking of this, Lin Dazhuang stepped forward and slapped him several times: "Zheng Zhongming, where are you looking? That's your great-aunt!"
"Yes, yes, Brother Lin, that's my great-aunt, my own grandmother..." Young
Master Zheng quickly closed his eyes, but his hatred only grew stronger: "When I go back and bring a large army, I'll kill this beauty in front of you, damn it, let you know what happens when you hit Grandpa Zheng!" Watching the group of people whose pressure points I had released stumble away with their unconscious companions, Lin Dazhuang felt very pleased.
Following me into the mansion, Lin Dazhuang flattered: "Brother-in-law, I didn't expect you to come today. Why don't you spend the New Year at home? Your sister-in-law misses Cui'er terribly."
Lin Cui'er knew I didn't like her brother, so she casually said: "Brother, Lan Ting is going back to the capital with Lord Lan Ting, he's very busy, so he doesn't have time to stay here any longer."
"Oh dear, look at my head."
Lin Dazhuang slapped his forehead: "Brother-in-law is trusted by both the Grand Steward and Lord Lanting. Lord Lanting will definitely take you with him when he returns to the capital for the New Year!" "
Hehe, Brother Lan, speaking of which, your name sounds very similar to Lord Lanting's."
Zhang Huali, walking with us, laughed as she went: "People might even think you're Lord Lanting."
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Lin Dazhuang's face changed: "Wife, you can't say things like that so casually. If someone hears us, they'll say we're disrespecting Lord Lanting, and then I'll be in big trouble."
"I know."
Zhang Huali said casually: "We're all family here. Do we have to be so careful what we say? Besides, that's how it is!"
"How can they be the same?" Lin Dazhuang scoffed at his wife's words: "
Lord Lanting is Empress Ren's nephew; his surname is Ren, and 'Lord Lanting' is just a title. My brother-in-law, on the other hand, is surnamed Lan and is a local from the Northwest. His power and prestige are nowhere near even a fraction of Lord Lanting's… Uh, brother-in-law, I didn't mean to belittle you…"
He analyzed enthusiastically for a while, but after speaking with great enthusiasm, he realized he was praising the unattainable Lord Lanting, while belittling Lanting, his rightful backer and brother-in-law. I can't afford to offend him.
I wouldn't even get angry at someone like him; I could only wave my hand to indicate I didn't care.
Lin Cuier was quite resentful. So what if Lan Ting Gong was from a better family? He was just from a better background. My younger brother and lover, given the chance, would definitely do better than him.
We chatted as we walked into the Lin family compound.
Lin Dazhuang was indeed a nouveau riche; he had planted a lot of expensive trees, and the pavilions were arranged haphazardly. Although the construction cost was certainly high, it completely lacked style.
"Where did you get so much money?" "
I asked him. I only asked Xiao Gui and the others to give him five hundred acres of land, enough for his family to live comfortably, but judging from the layout and scale of his mansion, it must have cost at least tens of thousands of gold coins to build!
"Hehe, brother-in-law, these were all gifts from the Guo family's chief steward. He originally thought I had built it too simply..."
Lin Dazhuang said proudly. It wasn't that he was afraid of wasting money, but with his vision and standards, this was all he could manage. The outside was a little better, built by good craftsmen from Xiliang City, with good quality and appearance, but the inside only showed that he was a nouveau riche, all gold and silver, very vulgar. Compared to him, the Liu County Magistrate's family was a family of scholars.
"The Guo family is highly regarded by His Highness, and it's good to have more contact with them, but you must remember, if you act arrogantly like the Guo family before, His Highness's guillotine will not recognize who you are." "
I gave him a hint. If Lin Dazhuang goes to deal with the Guo family, they'll be overjoyed. He's Lanting Gong's brother-in-law, someone you can't even get close to normally.
" "I know,"
Lin Dazhuang chuckled. "Brother-in-law, look at you. I have plenty of meat and fish every day, manage so many tenants, and oversee the harvest of five hundred acres of land. I'm
already in a good mood. That kind of oppressing others and acting like a king isn't really my thing."
"Good that you understand."
They had already entered a courtyard, specially prepared by Zhang Huali for Lin Cuier. Although the furnishings were a bit rough, the materials and style were still elegant.
Lin Dazhuang wanted to follow her in, but Zhang Huali pulled him back: "Cui'er has traveled for half a day and needs to rest for a while. We'll come back later."
Lin Dazhuang was taken aback, then revealed a lewd expression, "Haha, yes, brother-in-law, you two rest well. I'll ask the kitchen to stew some old hens later to nourish you..."
"This brother of mine has no manners at all!"
Lin Cui'er pouted as she watched Lin Dazhuang being pulled out of the courtyard by Zhang Huali.
It was clear that she was happy to see her brother and sister-in-law's family living a comfortable life, but she was just saying that because she was worried I would think they were showing off.
I didn't expose her little scheme. Cui'er was a very kind person. If she were doing well but her family wasn't, she wouldn't be happy either, so I let her be!

Chapter Two: Each Gets What They Need
"Knock knock knock..."
The loud knocking sound seemed to be about to smash the wooden door, and it also woke Lin Cui'er and me up.
Lin Cuier was truly exhausted and fell into a deep sleep as soon as she lay down. I, however, was drawn to the alluring body of the beautiful young woman and had slept with her… In the cold winter, holding a naked beauty in my arms felt simply wonderful.
“What is it?”
I roared at the door. Damn it, who’s so inconsiderate?
“Brother-in-law! It’s me! Hurry! The officials are here to arrest you!”
Lin Dazhuang’s panicked voice rang out from outside.
The officials?
Lin Cuier sat up abruptly, revealing her incredibly beautiful and voluptuous figure. She frowned and said, "What kind of government is so domineering?"
"It's the guards from the Xishuo County Prefectural Governor's Office. I told them that my brother-in-law is a guard of the Duke of Lanting, and they wouldn't let it go. They insist on arresting you and taking you to see their superiors."
Lin Dazhuang's voice carried a hint of fear. "Brother-in-law, there are also a few henchmen from the Zheng family following behind. They're definitely here because of what happened earlier. You'd better run quickly. If either of the two chief stewards comes, everything will be fine."
"Nonsense! What will happen to Cuier if I leave?"
By this time, I had already put on my clothes. I turned back to my beautiful wife and said, "Cuier, you stay in the room for now. I'll go check and come right back."
"Hmm, should we inform the chief stewards?"
Lin Cuier looked up at me with her big, watery eyes.
"No need, I can handle this little thing. It was the Zheng family who went too far first."
I reached out and covered the beautiful young woman who had just sat up with the blanket. "Cover yourself up, or I won't be able to enjoy myself tonight."
Lin Cuier blushed and gave me a charming sidelong glance. "Be careful, don't be reckless... but don't be too docile either. We people of Xiliang City are not for the Xishuo County to bully."
I had seen the beautiful young woman's gentle exterior but strong interior, but I didn't expect her to be so tough.
Indeed, as she said, Xiliang City had always been larger than the three counties of the Northwest. If the three counties of the Northwest could bully the people of Xiliang City, it would make us seem too weak and incapable of resisting foreign invasion.
After leaving the house, Lin Dazhuang quickly led the way, and soon we arrived at the main hall.
At this time, many people were standing facing each other in the main hall. On our side, of course, was Zhang Huali, holding his two signature kitchen knives, his eyebrows furrowed and eyes glaring, ready to chop people up if things didn't go well.
Standing opposite us were a dozen or so guards in brocade robes. Judging from their composed demeanor, they were clearly skilled martial artists, far superior to the group from before. Behind them stood several Zheng family servants who had suffered a loss here earlier, displaying an arrogant and domineering air.
The guards didn't take Zhang Huali and her group seriously at all, instead waiting for the man rumored to be a guard of the Duke of Lanting. Otherwise, they would have already beaten these unruly commoners to a pulp, especially this female tiger, who was all bark and no bite; any one of their guards could easily subdue her.
"Here he comes, here he comes, my brother-in-law is here! Let's see who dares to move!"
Lin Dazhuang smugly rushed out from behind, walked to his wife's side, crossed his arms, and glared at the guards with bravado.
Seeing his imposing manner, the guards began to believe him somewhat, and when they saw me in my silver outfit, they had no more doubts. The reason is simple: only the personal guards of Lord Lanting are allowed to wear such attire. Among those who went to Huaiyuan City last time, they had seen people wearing similar clothes, practically living and dying alongside Lord Lanting; it would be difficult to call them anything less than trusted confidants.
"Hehe, young brother, please."
The guards, their previous arrogance gone, were replaced by a middle-aged man at the head, who smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "I am Zhao Zunhu, the deputy commander of the guards of the Xishuo County Prefectural Governor's Office. May I ask your rank, young brother?"
"Lan Ting, a member of the guards of the Xiliang City Prefectural Governor's Office,"
I replied with a cupped hand and a smile, "What brings you here, gentlemen?" "It's like this," Zhao Zunhu said kindly,
"my master is visiting the Zheng residence and heard that the Zheng family and the Lin family here have a conflict. He sent us to inquire and hopefully resolve any issues." "Ah, sir, it wasn't a conflict, it was that they committed heinous acts, killing many of our people and insulting the Prefect..." *Slap!* A resounding slap followed, and a talkative servant from the Zheng family was struck by a nearby guard, his mouth gushing blood. The remaining servants swallowed their remaining words. "Hehe, these country bumpkins are ignorant, please forgive them, Brother Lan," Zhao Zunhu laughed. "Then, I won't disturb them any longer. It's just a small matter; they can resolve it themselves. With Brother Lan here, I'm sure things will be handled well." Lin Dazhuang, a man adept at reading people, immediately understood that his brother-in-law's reputation was exceptionally strong, and he was even more delighted. But he wasn't incapable of social skills. He smiled and said, "Gentlemen, please take care. When you finish your official duties, please come to my Lin residence as a guest. I may not have much else, but I have good wine and meat, enough to keep you entertained." Zhao Zunhu smiled, "Master Lin, you're too kind. Farewell!" "Wait a minute." I called out to him, "Lord Zhao, which of your lords has arrived at the Zheng residence?" "This..." Zhao Zunhu hesitated for a moment, "Brother Lan, you know, we can't reveal these things..." "Oh, no problem. Please lead the way, Lord Zhao. I'll also go and pay my respects to your lord." As Zhao Zunhu was taken aback, a hint of contempt immediately rose in his heart. This little brother of yours is too tactless! I've already given you face on behalf of my lord, and you still want to take this opportunity to get on my lord's good side? Do you deserve it? If it weren't for the fact that you're a guard of Lord Lanting, I would have slapped you right now. However, Zhao Zunhu reconsidered. This man was already suspected of boasting and insulting the adults, so having him go in person would allow the adults to vent their anger on him. Besides, with Lord Zheng present, any dissatisfaction would be directed at Lan Ting, not at him for agreeing to the conditions without his consent. "Alright, since Brother Lan is so eager to pay his respects, let's go together." After much deliberation, Zhao Zunhu finally made this decision. Lin Dazhuang and Zhang Huali weren't worried, because they had seen Zhao Zunhu's earlier wariness of me and assumed I was going to explain myself to the important figure to avoid future difficulties. Zhang Huali secretly admired him: 'Don't underestimate Brother Lan just because he's young; he's very good at handling people. Cui'er has finally found happiness with him!' The Zheng residence and the Lin residence were quite far apart, one at the east end of the village and the other at the west end. Compared to the Lin residence, the Zheng residence was far more grand and profound in its history. The buildings, nestled against the mountains and beside the water, clearly had a history of over a century, though they were somewhat dilapidated; even now, many craftsmen were still repairing them. Entering the Zheng residence, just from the hundreds of fine horses displayed at the horse stable, I knew the visitor must be Gan Kunzhong, the prefect of Xishuo County. Otherwise, how could anyone possess such wealth and so many horses? The wealthy people buying my horses were mostly concentrated in the central, eastern, and capital regions—those were the places where the rich congregated. Even the wealthiest people in the northwest wouldn't bother with something so obviously exploitative. Zhao Zunhu, true to his manners, asked me to wait at the entrance of the hall before running inside to report, and only invited me in after a short while. It was nearly dusk, and the hall was brightly lit by dozens of candles. Several members of the Zhao family, seated near the entrance, already glared angrily at my clothes. Upon my arrival, they were even more eager to pounce, waiting for the head of the household to speak before launching a group attack. Below the Eight Immortals painting in the living room, a tall, stout middle-aged man sat alone at the head table, surrounded by several burly guards. Slightly below, on either side , sat two men: one thin, holding a cup of tea, his eyes darting around; the other, a portly man in his fifties wearing a wealthy man's hat, was giving me a forced smile. The tall, stout man, initially quite reserved, began to widen his eyes as I approached, even rubbing them to see if he was seeing things. With a smile, I stopped three meters away from him. "Lan Ting, a guard from the Xiliang City Garrison, greets Lord Gan." "How dare you!" The thin man slammed his cup down on the table with a loud crash, splashing tea everywhere. "Who are you? A lowly guard! Lord Gan is a third-rank official of the imperial court! You dare not kneel before him? This is blatant disrespect for the court and blatant disloyalty!" Master Zheng also stood up and roared, "Kneel down before Lord Gan!" The two were making a scene, hoping to alienate Gan Kunzhong and advance their plan. But Gan Kunzhong didn't respond at all. Instead, he nervously scrutinized me, trying to discern something. "Do you really want me to kneel?" I asked, a half-smile playing on my lips.

"Nonsense! Who are these people? Do you think they'd joke with you?"
The thin man said righteously, "Don't think you're just a lowly soldier under Lord Lanting. Even if you were the commander of Lord Lanting's guards, you'd still be lower in rank than our Lord Gan. You can't bear the responsibility for disrespecting your superior!" "
I'm not afraid of anything else,"
I said, turning my eyes to Gan Kunzhong. "Lord Gan, I'm just afraid you can't handle it."
"How dare you!"
A glint of joy flashed in the thin man's eyes. He said indignantly to Gan Kunzhong, "Sir, this man is far too rude. I propose that he be imprisoned until we report to Lord Lanting, and then he can be punished."
Seeing my calm demeanor, Gan Kunzhong already had a sliver of certainty in his heart, so he dared not agree to my suggestion. "Hmm... His Highness's guards are always a bit arrogant, it's alright."
The thin man and Zheng Zhen were dumbfounded. Gan Kunzhong had been furious when he heard someone shout that "calling Gan Kunzhong here won't do any good!"
“Lord Gan, speaking of which, my lord has some words he wants me to convey to you. If it's convenient for you, let's go inside and talk, shall we?”
I said with a smile and a cupped-hand salute.
Even Zhao Zunhu frowned this time. This kid was going too far! Even a fox borrowing the tiger's power should have some sense of propriety. Who is His Highness, the Duke of Lanting? Why would he send you to speak with my lord? Besides, His Highness has no idea that my lord is in this desolate village!
Compared to their contempt, Gan Kunzhong was flustered and immediately stood up. “You… please, please come inside.”
I didn't stand on ceremony, nodded, and gestured for him to go first, then followed him out of the hall.
Even after we entered the inner courtyard, the group of people were still dumbfounded and speechless. They weren't fools; everyone had seen Gan Kunzhong's overly polite attitude.
The thin man glanced at Zheng Zhenwai. Could it be true, as the servants said, that this young man named Lan Ting was indeed a trusted confidant of His Highness and the two chief stewards?
If so, that would be terrible! Regardless of what they thought, Gan Kunzhong casually found a private room and pushed open the door.
After the door closed, Gan Kunzhong looked at me tremblingly, without saying a word.
"Lord Gan, you have quite the air of authority."
I sat down in a chair and said calmly, "Your subordinates are really flattering you, actually wanting me to kneel before you?"
"Ah...Your Highness!"
Gan Kunzhong no longer had a trace of doubt. The silver-clad youth only needed to sit there and speak to immediately change his demeanor. That imposing noble air was something that ordinary people could not possess. His previous doubt was only because he didn't believe that Lan Ting Gong would come to this rural place, assuming it was someone with a similar appearance. Now that he was certain, how could he dare to have the slightest bit of restraint?
"Your Highness, please calm down, please calm down!"
Gan Kunzhong pleaded desperately. "Your loyalty is as clear as day. I will punish those two lowly people severely for their nonsense!"
"Fool! If you punish them, won't my identity be exposed?"
I rebuked angrily. "You're supposed to be a prefect, don't you have a brain?"
Gan Kunzhong reacted quickly. Recalling what the Zheng family had mentioned about the extremely beautiful young widow in the Lin family, he immediately understood that this amorous prince was definitely using the incognito trip to try and win over that beautiful young widow.
"Yes, yes, I was foolish."
Gan Kunzhong said, "Then I'll tell them that you are His Highness's confidant, and that they should treat you with extra courtesy, especially the people from the Lin family..."
"It's not necessary to be too obvious. Just watch the table. I don't want the Zheng family to bother the Lin family anymore."
"I understand, I will handle it properly."
"And the person who slammed his fist on the table and glared at me just now, isn't that the magistrate?"
"Yes, he is Zheng Jiaying, the eldest son of the Zheng family, but he left the Zheng family after becoming an official. This is also their family's ancestral property."
When it came to truly reading between the lines, Lin Dazhuang couldn't outdo Gan Kunzhong. He immediately said, "However, this person has a volatile temper and is extremely rude. He actually dared to offend His Highness. I will immediately send him to guard the horse farm."
"The horse farm requires patience. He doesn't have enough composure."
I shook my head. "Half-circle is also a very important position, and it needs someone to take care of it."
"Ah, Your Highness is very thoughtful. I will take care of it immediately."
Gan Kunzhong was both amused and exasperated. You might ask, how could a first-class duke, the empress's nephew, and a renowned, ever-victorious general be so petty with a mere county magistrate?
But he wouldn't dare say that to me. After all, His Highness is still young, and it's normal for him to be a little arrogant. I don't want to get myself involved for the sake of a nobody.
I nodded. "Speaking of which, it's almost New Year's. Why aren't you staying in your Huaiyuan City? What are you doing sneaking around Zhengjia Village?"
"Your Highness, I'm innocent!"
Gan Kunzhong smiled bitterly this time. "This humble servant knew Your Highness might be returning to the capital, so I came to wish you a Happy New Year in advance. However, the journey was too rushed, so Zheng Jiaying suggested we rest here. I thought it made sense. Arriving in Xiliang City tonight would be too much of a disturbance for Your Highness. It would be better to rest for the night and pay my respects to you tomorrow morning."
As he spoke, Gan Kunzhong took out a palm-sized wooden box from his robes. "Your Highness, look, this is the New Year's gift I prepared for you."
I took it and opened it. Inside was a pair of blood-red jade bracelets. Upon closer inspection, the bracelets were carved with no fewer than ten dragons and phoenixes, lifelike and exquisitely crafted.
"I understand."
I nodded gently and casually placed the wooden box on the table beside me.
This is what my godfather, Lord Han, taught me: if you want more benefits, don't show your liking for gifts. It's best to remain indifferent; that way, he'll offer you something even better.
I did that with Prefect Ma Changmu of Yizhou last time, and it worked quite well.
Sure enough, Gan Kunzhong's expression changed. He gritted his teeth and pulled out a smaller box from his pocket. "Your Highness, the previous one was for your confidante. Here's another gift; see if you like it."
Inside the box was a gemstone displaying yellow, red, and white colors simultaneously, immediately presented before me.
The gemstone was about the size of an egg, but its luster was smooth and its light soft and not dazzling, still illuminating a small area in the slightly dim room.
"Not bad, not bad, thank you, Lord Gan."
I casually tossed the gold aside, my words and actions completely inconsistent.
As Gan Kunzhong's face turned from red to white again, I sighed and said, "His Majesty once taught me that we officials must be the first to worry about the world's troubles and the last to enjoy its pleasures. Now that the barbarian tribes of the grasslands are not yet pacified, I truly have no interest in these luxuries!"
Upon hearing this, Gan Kunzhong immediately realized that it wasn't that his gifts were inadequate, but rather that His Highness wasn't interested in such things. Now that he understood, things became easier.
The Prefect immediately produced a stack of silver notes: "Your Highness, I learned from court documents that the Ministry of Revenue is currently facing difficulties, resulting in insufficient support for Xiliang City. My family has some savings, and after selling everything we own, we still have some money left. I present it to you now as part of Xiliang City's daily expenses. Please do not refuse."
"What do you mean by this? I…"
I was about to say something to him when I saw that the first note was worth 100,000 gold coins, so I immediately changed my tune: "Lord Gan's loyalty is commendable, and Lanting will gladly accept your kindness. I will compensate you when the finances of Xiliang City improve."
"Your Highness, it is too insulting for my sincere patriotism to say that!"
Gan Kunzhong said resolutely, "I am not doing this for such vulgar things!"
"Good, good!"
Of course, I didn't take his words seriously, and instead said, "Lord Gan, Lanting will be returning to the capital to meet His Majesty and my aunt in the next few days. I wonder if there are any interesting things happening in Xishuo County recently that I can bring back to tell you?"
Gan Kunzhong smiled like Maitreya Buddha: "I only know how to be loyal to my duties. Apart from the people living in peace, the roads being well-maintained, taxes being collected in full, and officials being wholeheartedly devoted to the country, there really isn't much else to Xishuo County." Damn it
, these officials and scholars are better at boasting than anyone else.
I smiled and asked, "So, Lord Gan, what are your aspirations for the future?"
Here it comes! Gan Kunzhong's spirits lifted. Wasn't this what he was trying so hard to please Lord Lanting for?
"Ahem, actually, I don't have any grand wishes. However, I was born in the capital and have been serving as an official in the Northwest for over twenty years. I truly miss my family and hometown. Therefore, if Your Highness could transfer me back to the capital, allowing me to continue serving the country while also caring for my aging parents, that would be a great favor from Your Highness to me, Gan Kunzhong."
He spoke very subtly, but the meaning was clear—Your Highness, I want to be transferred back to the capital as a government official!
I was quite puzzled. My father and uncle held low-ranking positions and lived a carefree life as local tyrants; my godfather, Prime Minister Han, held a high position, yet he fought tooth and nail with his political enemies in the court, never daring to relax or be careless—how tiring his life must be!
"You, Gan Kunzhong, are already the head of a prefecture. The saying 'the emperor is far away' perfectly describes someone like you. Why would you want to join the hustle and bustle of the capital?" I asked Gan Kunzhong without hesitation.
Gan Kunzhong laughed heartily, "Your Highness, you don't understand. Officials are never content with being regional governors. We aspire to stand in the imperial court, to realize our ambitions on that ever-changing stage, and to shine alongside the heroes of the land. That's the greatest joy in life!"
I gave him a thumbs up, "Lord Gan, you truly have ideals!"
"Ideals are hard to define. I just feel that I've lived almost half my life, and I must at least make the most of it."
Gan Kunzhong then revealed the magnanimity of a regional warlord, "Even if I don't succeed in the end, when I retire, my descendants will have more than enough to enjoy."
"Very well, since Lord Gan has this intention, I'll ask him when I return to the capital."
I agreed.
It wasn't that his bribery had worked, but rather that I suddenly realized that if Gan Kunzhong left, wouldn't I be able to seize control of Xishuo County, the closest prefecture to Xiliang City? A strong and fortified Xiliang City, coupled with the vast Xishuo County behind it, wouldn't the future security of the northwest frontier be even greater?
Gan Kunzhong was overjoyed at this. He knew that as long as this popular Lord Lanting went back and spoke on his behalf, his transfer back to the capital was just around the corner. With his qualifications as a third-rank official, once he entered the capital, he would surely be one of the dozens of vice ministers in the six ministries. As for whether he could be assigned to a good ministry like the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Personnel, or the Ministry of Justice, that would naturally require incredibly powerful weapons to pave the way.
Turning around, Gan Kunzhong produced another stack of gold notes: "Your Highness, I know the rules for handling matters in the capital. Even if you are the Empress's nephew, helping with these things requires managing things from top to bottom. Please use this money first. If it's not enough, just send me a message, and I'll send it to you immediately."
Legitimate embezzlement was always welcome, so I readily accepted it.
The first gold note was still worth 100,000 gold coins—Old Gan was truly generous!
How much one uses or spends when lobbying for an official position in the capital is entirely up to the person handling it. But Gan Kunzhong wouldn't question whether I used too much or too little; otherwise, who would do his bidding in the future? He wants help but doesn't allow anyone to benefit—why doesn't he try to find such a good deal?

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