Finest Servant

Chapter 237 The Dilemma

Gao Qiu jumped in shock, hurriedly shaking his head. "Brother Lin, that is unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable. In our Great Hua army, we have rules. If a soldier indulges in drinking, gambling, or prostitution on his own, at best he'd be flogged, at worst beheaded."

Lin Wanrong laughed, "Brother Gao, are you afraid of being flogged, or of losing your head? The generals we met earlier didn't seem afraid at all."

Gao Qiu laughed awkwardly. If it were normal times, he would be quite good at visiting brothels himself. However, things were different now. They were in the army, and they were in the midst of marching and battling. Military discipline had to be strictly followed, otherwise, what kind of war could they wage?

Seeing that Gao Qiu remained silent, Lin Wanrong realized he was hesitant. With a mischievous smile, he led his horse toward the Lixiang Pavilion. Despite being only a minor military strategist, Xu Wei's orders allowed him to control the soldiers in Chuzhou. As Gao Qiu was responsible for protecting Lin Wanrong, seeing him stride into the brothel, Gao Qiu had no choice but to follow.

When the elderly madam of the brothel saw two more guests leading their horses over, she perked up. The man in the lead was young and healthy-looking, handsome; the one following was tall and sturdy, like a bodyguard. Having spent years in this line of business, she had a keen eye for clients. Her eyes gleamed as she wiggled her way over, "Oh, sirs, you've finally arrived!"

Lin Wanrong slapped her ample backside, grinning, "Do you happen to recognize us, sister?"

The madam swiveled her hips, fluttering her eyelashes flirtatiously, "Never seen you before, but I know you now, don't I? Look at you, both so handsome and strong, you must be important men. Your presence brightens up our little place."

Lin Wanrong tossed half a tael of broken silver onto her ample bosom, grinning, "Sister, you do have a sweet mouth. I like it." He tugged Gao Qiu forward, "This big brother of mine is a very important man. Be sure to take good care of him."

Seeing Gao Qiu's imposing stature, the madam thrust her bosom towards him, giggling, "My lord, you're so tall and strong."

Gao Qiu gave her waist a light squeeze, slapping her backside, "Big sister, not only am I tall, I'm also quite sturdy. Fancy a try?"

"Oh, my lord, you're so naughty!" The madam feigned shyness but leaned even closer into him.

It turned out Gao Qiu was a fan of mature women. Watching the two exchange flirty glances, Lin Wanrong laughed heartily. The madam let out a loud call, "Girls, upstairs and downstairs, make sure to treat our two lords well--"

As she spoke, a servant led the two men inside. Gao Qiu turned back, "Big sister, make sure to come and keep me company later."

The madam's heavily painted lips parted, "My lord, my only fear is that you'll forget about me when you see the young and pretty girls."

Goosebumps broke out all over Lin Wanrong's body, ‘what a pair of debauchees, getting on so quickly.’ He clapped Gao Qiu on the shoulder and said, "Brother Gao, you are truly impressive. In my experience of visiting brothels across the lands, it's usually the madams who are the most difficult to approach. They might be rotund, but they are also very coquettish. I didn't expect you to charm her so quickly. You have my utmost admiration. It seems you have a special affection for older women."

Gao Qiu, already well-acquainted with him, laughed and replied, "To be honest, Brother Lin, I have a preference for older women, especially those around forty or fifty. As the saying goes, they start to get wild at thirty, wilder at forty, peak at fifty, and it's a wave upon wave at sixty. These women are experienced, know how to cater to a man's needs, and offer a level of comfort those young vixens can't match." As they had shared the battlefield and now shared the brothel, their bond was truly iron-clad, allowing them to speak without any inhibitions.

Their shared laughter echoed loudly as they entered the main hall. It was early evening and the hall was already filled with diverse, jovial guests, arm in arm with courtesans, drinking, jesting, and flirting. Vulgar jokes were thrown around amidst the lively atmosphere.

Before entering the brothel, Gao Qiu had been somewhat reluctant. But once they found a quiet spot to sit, he became comfortable, wandering around and taking in the sights. Suddenly, he tugged at Lin Wanrong's sleeve, "Brother Lin, look over there."

Following his gaze, Lin Wanrong saw several of the soldiers they had just met sitting not far away. Each held a woman in his arm, their hands already exploring the women's chests, making crude jokes, half their armor discarded next to them.

True to their military nature, they were truly unrestrained. Gao Qiu turned to Lin Wanrong, "Brother Lin, what should we do?"

Lin Wanrong shook his head, "Let's wait and see. These men are so audacious, they must have some backing. We should find out which province's soldiers they are first. If their backing is too strong, we may want to lay low and stay out of their way."

His words were casual, implying that if the men had strong backers, they should just ignore the situation. If any upright person heard him, they would sneer and refuse to associate with him. But Gao Qiu, who had seen all manner of shady dealings in the palace, simply gave a thumbs-up and said, "Brother Lin, you are truly wise. No wonder Master Xu values you so much."

Laughing, Lin Wanrong replied, "Brother Gao, I'm just being a coward, yet you see it as being smart."

Gao Qiu, speaking seriously, said, "Brother Lin, I grew up in the palace and have witnessed countless instances of infighting. I've seen many honorable and deceitful characters. It's often said that good men die young while villains live for a thousand years - a seeming iron rule in our Great Hua. But has anyone ever wondered why good men die so young? To my mind, it's because they are too upright, too willing to face danger head-on, too averse or too inexperienced to engage in schemes and plots, making them easy targets. These people are naively idealistic, exposing themselves even when they are outmatched, essentially waiting to be struck down. To be a good man, one must first learn to protect oneself. Brother Lin, you are truly wise. To deal with deceitful people, you must outsmart them."

Gao Qiu's words resonated deeply with Lin Wanrong. He had initially thought of Gao Qiu as a man interested only in brawling and carousing, yet here he was expressing profound insights. Lin Wanrong raised his cup and said, "To your wise words, Brother Gao. You are truly a kindred spirit. I toast to you."

The two men downed their drinks in one go, just as two carefully selected courtesans joined them, sitting by their sides. The splendor of Chuzhou City paled in comparison to Jinling, as did the quality of the courtesans. Lin Wanrong, having a beautiful wife and several exquisite women waiting in the wings, found these powdered women ordinary.

After some light flirtation with the courtesan, Lin Wanrong gestured to the soldiers at the other table. "Huh, Brother Gao. Those generals look familiar. It seems I've seen them somewhere before."

Gao Qiu, engaged in singing a bawdy song with his courtesan, paused at Lin Wanrong's words. He glanced at the table and pretended to be surprised, "Isn't that so? These generals do look very familiar."

The courtesan at Lin Wanrong's side ran her hand along his arm and asked coyly, "Kind sir, you wouldn't happen to be from the capital, would you?"

"The capital?" Lin Wanrong was taken aback, quickly saying, "Ah, yes, yes. Could it be that these generals are from the capital as well?"

Gao Qiu's courtesan gave him a flirtatious look and said, "No wonder you're so robust, you're from the capital."

Did that have anything to do with being from the capital? Lin Wanrong gave a wry smile, listening as the courtesan continued, "Those men are generals from the capital, something about a 'Divine' something 'Unit'..."

"Divine Machine Unit?" Gao Qiu quickly interjected.

"Yes, that's right, the Divine Machine Unit. You're not only robust but also quick-witted." The courtesan giggled, "That General Zhao, I heard he's a Hundred-Man Commander in the Divine Machine Unit. They've been stationed here for several days already."

A mere Hundred-Man Commander daring to openly wear his armor while visiting a brothel - where was his superior? The Thousand-Man Commander? Lin Wanrong wondered aloud, "Oh, so he's a Hundred-Man Commander. Miss, I'm just passing through this city. Why are the soldiers of the Divine Machine Unit stationed here? Could it be that there's a war coming?"

"A war? What war?" The courtesan laughed, "According to the Hundred-Man Commander, there are only a few hundred of them. Where would they go to fight a war? But now that you're here, you could engage in a different kind of battle with me." With a burst of laughter, the courtesan leaned in closer to Lin Wanrong.

Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, playfully patting the cheek of the woman by his side. But he was puzzled. Why were there only a few hundred men? If he was to take command, wouldn't Xu have the decency to give him at least several tens of thousands of soldiers?

After probing a little more, he found that the two courtesans knew little else, only confirming for him and Gao Qiu that there indeed wasn't a large army stationed in Chuzhou. The two men exchanged glances, their doubts deepening.

Seeing that the Hundred-Man Commander Zhao from the neighboring table was having a great time with his courtesan, Lin Wanrong signaled to Gao Qiu. Gao Qiu nodded, and Lin Wanrong approached, patting Commander Zhao's shoulder and saying with a laugh, "General Zhao, what a coincidence!"

General Zhao, thoroughly enjoying himself as he fondled the girl at his side, turned around in response to the call, only to see a young man winking and smiling at him. He paused, confused, and asked, "You are...?"

"Do you not remember me? Capital City... The Eight Alleys..." Lin Wanrong suggested, pretending to jog his memory.

[TL: During the middle and late Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911 AD), the Eight Alleys used to be the red-light district near the Forbidden City, attracting many officials. In that time, there were nearly hundreds of brothels, with many classy ones, distributed in the eight alleys. At present, it was called Eight Great Hutongs.]

At the mention of the Eight Alleys, General Zhao's eyes lit up, "Ah, you are...you are that...who?"

"I am Lin..." Lin Wanrong responded with a salute, "Also a frequent visitor of the Eight Alleys."

"So it really is you, Master Lin," General Zhao suddenly seemed to understand, yet he struggled to remember exactly who this Master Lin was and from which influential family he hailed, "Why are you here in Chuzhou?"

"Oh, I am traveling the world. Today, I happened upon Chuzhou. An old habit flared up, and I decided to have a drink here. I didn't expect to run into General Zhao. It's indeed a pleasant surprise."

At this point, Gao Qiu silently stood behind Lin Wanrong, his eyes gleaming as he surveyed the room. It was clear he was Lin Wanrong's bodyguard. Although General Zhao was only a Hundred-Man Commander, he came from the Divine Machine Unit stationed near the capital and had a keen eye. Seeing the tall and fierce-looking Gao Qiu, he quietly wondered about Master Lin's background and why such a formidable man was his bodyguard.

General Zhao invited Lin Wanrong to sit down, and Gao Qiu took his position behind him. As they talked, Lin Wanrong, unfamiliar with the layout of the capital, let Gao Qiu fill in the gaps. As a guard in the royal palace, Gao Qiu was more than familiar with the city's topography and affairs. The number of doors in the palace, which concubine the emperor favored, where the houses of the Secretaries were, which house in the Eight Alleys the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel had stayed in last night, who had impregnated the daughter of the Inspection Censor, all the gossip was shared.

A few sentences in, General Zhao was convinced that Master Lin was indeed from the capital, even though he couldn't remember where he had seen him. However, seeing Lin Wanrong's dark complexion, he was reassured that he likely wasn't the descendant of any high-ranking officials.

General Zhao, whose full name was Zhao Liangyu, was a Hundred-Man Commander in the Divine Machine Unit stationed near the capital. This time, he led two Hundred-Man squads, escorting two large cannons to the front lines in Jining. Those who came with him today were his banner leaders. Upon hearing this, Lin Wanrong felt a slight disappointment. This Zhao Liangyu only had a couple hundred men under his command. Commanding an army? That was a joke.

Zhao Liangyu chatted with Lin Wanrong for a bit and felt they were fairly acquainted, especially since they had "met" in the Eight Alleys. So he relaxed and began to joke around again, draping his arm around the woman by his side. Gao Qiu, observing all of this, shook his head in private. For soldiers from the Divine Machine Unit, which was essentially a royal guard near the capital, they sure had an intriguing character.

"General Zhao, looking at your spirited eyes and your powerful presence, I can tell you are from a distinguished family. May I ask about your ancestors?" Lin Wanrong laughingly said.

"The current Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Wart, Master Tie, is a distant uncle of mine," Zhao Liangyu said with pride.

"Oh, so you are the distant nephew of Master Tie. My apologies for not knowing," Lin Wanrong chuckled. No wonder he was still just a Hundred-Man Commander. It turned out his uncle was a distant one.

"May I ask what you do in the capital, Master Lin? I seem to remember you mentioning it once in the Eight Alleys. But I have forgotten," Zhao Liangyu inquired about Lin Wanrong's background.

"Oh, my family owns a cloth store. Just a small business," Lin Wanrong responded honestly.

Hearing this, Zhao Liangyu felt even more at ease, and he slightly sneered, "So you're a merchant. That explains it."

‘Damn it,’ thought Lin Wanrong, ‘I earn my money honestly through business, which is far better than using military funds for debauchery.’

"General Zhao, doesn't it seem inconvenient for you to come to a pleasure house dressed in military armor?" Lin Wanrong asked, smiling.

"What's so inconvenient about that? We, the soldiers of the Divine Machine Unit, have fought hard on the front lines. What's so outrageous about visiting a brothel?" Zhao Liangyu responded casually and dismissively glanced at Lin Wanrong, thinking that he was such a meddler.

"Aren't you supervised by anyone?" Lin Wanrong asked with a grin. "I've heard a very important person is coming to Chuzhou to lead you to a glorious victory."

"Important person, my ass! It's just some junior Military Strategist. I don't even know where they dug him up from. I bet he has never seen a real battlefield. And he dares to lead an army? We've been waiting here for him for days," Zhao Liangyu shouted, clearly displeased. His subordinates echoed him, "That so-called Military Strategist is nowhere near as good as our General Zhao. He isn't fit to lead an army. It should be General Zhao who takes command."

Seeing them protesting loudly, Lin Wanrong leaned in to whisper to Gao Qiu, "Brother Gao, can Mr. Xu handle this Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Wart?"

Gao Qiu smiled, "A petty Deputy Minister can't compare to Mr. Xu. Moreover, this lad is just a Hundred-Man Commander. His relationship with Deputy Minister Tie surely can't be that good."

Seeing Lin Wanrong whispering with Gao Qiu and recalling his previous question, Zhao Liangyu's face changed. "Who are you? How do you know someone is coming to Chuzhou?"

Lin Wanrong grinned, "Well, I am but a humble Military Strategist, also known as Lin San."

"Military Strategist?" The faces of everyone present paled. If that was the case, wasn't this the man supposed to command the troops in Chuzhou? The flag bearers were especially upset. They had just criticized the Military Strategist! While their Hundred-Man Commander Zhao had the backing of the Deputy Minister, they, however, weren't so lucky.

Zhao Liangyu, after all, was a Hundred-Man Commander. After a moment of panic, he suppressed the anxiety in his heart and said, "You have no proof. Do you have an imperial edict?"

Gao Qiu snorted, "The Imperial Edict of Marshal Xu, it's not for someone of your rank to inspect. Once you have gathered your soldiers, someone will read it out."

Zhao Liangyu didn't dare to make a sound. He was a man of the military and understood the importance of obeying orders. Although this Military Strategist didn't hold a formal position, he did have the power to command troops. If he offended him, one military order could lead to his execution without anyone daring to object.

Lin Wanrong, with a sinister smile, asked, "Commander Zhao, do you know your crime?"

Zhao Liangyu, with cold sweat rolling down his forehead, dared not speak. Lin Wanrong said with a sneer, "Brother Gao, according to our Great Hua laws, what should be the punishment for fraternizing with prostitutes while on military duty and slandering superiors?"

"According to the law, it's death!" Gao Qiu said decisively.

Zhao Liangyu and his fellow flag bearers hurriedly knelt down and pleaded, "Please spare us, General Lin. We were confused waiting for you in Chuzhou. That's why we came to this pleasure house. Please consider Deputy Minister Tie's face and spare us."

"Harassing the civilians, visiting a brothel in armor, any of these offenses can be punished by death." Lin Wanrong sighed, "Commander Zhao, you're putting me in a difficult position."

Hearing that there seemed to be room for negotiation in his tone, Zhao Liangyu quickly bowed, "I was confused. Please forgive me, General Lin. I will never dare to do this again."

Lin Wanrong snorted, "In that case, remove your armors. Return to the camp and await your punishment."

Gao Qiu acted accordingly, ordering them to remove their armor, holding them in his own hands. They were left wearing only their undergarments. Seeing that this new Military Strategist seemed to have some fear of his distant uncle, Deputy Minister Tie, Zhao Liangyu felt a bit relieved. With this relationship at his disposal, he was not afraid.

The crowd saw the once noisy soldiers suddenly calm down, take off their armors and become utterly compliant. They didn't know what had happened. It was only after this group left the Lixiang Pavilion that they began to chatter.

Lin Wanrong ordered the flag bearers to bring the horses, leaving only Zhao Liangyu, "Commander Zhao, where are your troops stationed?"

Seeing Lin Wanrong's polite approach, Zhao Liangyu felt much more at ease. He replied, "General, my two hundred men are stationed at the foot of Langya Mountain."

Lin Wanrong nodded, "Are only your Divine Machine Unit soldiers stationed in Chuzhou? By rights, there should also be soldiers from Shandong and Zhejiang. Where are they stationed?"

"In response to your question, General, there is a Hundred-Man Commander from both Shandong and Zhejiang. They lead two groups of hundred soldiers each, stationed at Langya Mountain, very close to my Divine Machine Unit," Zhao Liangyu answered.

Shandong and Zhejiang each had over two hundred men? By that count, in Chuzhou City, including the Divine Machine Unit, there were just over six hundred soldiers. No wonder there was little activity. Xu Wei, the old man, had tricked him. He had thought he would be leading an army of thousands. Who knew it would be just a tiny group of men? Such a force would barely be enough for a single charge on the battlefield. And yet, they wanted him to lead this? He sulkily thought this was a far cry from the command he had imagined.

"What are those more than two hundred men each from Zhejiang and Shandong doing here? Surely they are not also here to visit brothels." Upon learning the truth, Lin Wanrong's spirits deflated significantly, his words now lacking energy. He thought to himself, 'I was too naive. I should have known that Xu Wei wouldn't trust my abilities that easily. He probably handed these six hundred men to me as a test. Damn, if he wanted to observe me, he should have said so earlier. All these roundabout ways, and I even played matchmaker for him. However, if Xu Wei had rashly handed over tens of thousands of soldiers to him, then this old man wouldn't have been worth helping.' With this thought, he felt slightly better.

"The troops from Zhejiang are here to transport supplies, and those from Shandong are here to meet them. Although there are over four hundred of them combined, they are composed of remnants selected from various garrisons," Zhao Liangyu explained.

Transporting supplies? Lin Wanrong's eyes widened. The rule of 'supplies move first, then the army' was as basic as it could be. Xu Wei had used only four hundred men for supply transport, and they were the leftovers? It had to be a joke. If the White Lotus cult received this information, they would be completely finished.

"What kind of supplies?" Lin Wanrong managed to steady his mood and asked.

"As winter is coming, they are transporting dry grass for the warhorses. The main supply transport troops have already passed. What remains now is only supplementary, with or without, it wouldn't matter," Zhao Liangyu's words eased Lin Wanrong's doubts. No wonder Xu Wei trusted him with such a "great responsibility."

In that case, those who had remained in Chuzhou to wait for Military Strategist Lin, were a motley crew and mixed units, numbering over six hundred in total. Lin Wanrong managed a bitter smile. Xu Wei, the old man, was indeed good at setting difficult tasks.

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