Finest Servant

Chapter 273 Desolation

"It's going to snow." Luo Min gazed at the brooding sky, a sigh of melancholy escaped him. He moved forward, his steps, both aged and solemn, crushing the wilted grass beneath, making a rustling noise. The withered branches along the path, rattled in the chilly wind, wailing mournfully, were like skeletal fingers, reaching out to the horizon, painting a scene of desolation.

From the moment Luo Min received the imperial decree of his demotion to Jining the previous day, his household began packing. It was not until this morning that they bid farewell to the Old Madam Luo, who was returning to the capital. Luo Min seemed like a child who had been abandoned, seeming to age several years overnight, his demeanor extraordinarily desolate. It was only the two tears shed by the elderly madam before her departure that truly revealed his lonely state of mind.

The imperial decree from Emperor of Great Hua was stern, ordering Luo Min to immediately take up his post in Jining, and clearly stated that his entire family must relocate, including his children Luo Ning and Luo Yuan. For the siblings who were deeply attached to Jinling, how could they not be overwhelmed with sadness? With the New Year just around the corner, it was heartless of the Emperor to not let them celebrate the Spring Festival in Jinling.

Jining was remote and Luo Min's new position a demotion; everything was yet to be settled. The conditions for a minor county magistrate would naturally not be favorable. Luo Min dared not let his old mother accompany him to this new post. Besides, the emperor had decreed, specially dispatching a servant to escort the Old Madam back to the capital for recuperation, which aligned with his intentions. However, as the New Year approached, while other families gathered, the Luo family was torn apart, the inevitable sadness within their hearts could not be avoided. Old Madam Luo, however, was remarkably strong and unpretentious. As she left, she only said three words to Luo Min — diligence, stability, and endurance. These three simple words embodied countless hopes and expectations, inspiring respect within him.

Although Luo Min had served in government for many years and was accustomed to the unpredictability of the royal court, the melancholy he felt in this situation did not need to be spoken for Lin Wanrong to deeply perceive it. Seeing Old Luo's greying hair and sad expression, he didn't know how to comfort him, he could only shake his head helplessly. Being at the Emperor's service required enduring his whims, and being prepared for sudden changes in fortune.

"Indeed, it's going to snow. Without snow, it wouldn't be winter. That's the law set by the heavens. Nobody can stop it." Lin Wanrong said, "It's just like humans, there are no eternal gatherings, but countless partings. If you are born into this world, it's meant for you to suffer. Human affairs are ever-changing, and even the Emperor himself can't change that."

Luo Min gazed deeply at him and said, "Little brother Lin, listening to you, it feels as though I can't tell who is older among us, and your words seem sincere, not contrived, which is strange to me."

Lin Wanrong had been betrothed to Luo Ning, making him technically Luo Min's son-in-law. Luo Min addressing him as "little brother" might have seemed out of place, but to both of them, it felt right. It was a testament to their close relationship.

Luo Min shook his head helplessly, "Without people, where would there be matters to attend to? Don't dwell on it too much. There are better days awaiting you."

‘Open-minded? Is there anyone more open-minded than me in this world?’ Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, raised his fist to Luo Min in a gesture of thanks, and said, "I've learned my lesson."

The carriage creaked slowly forward, with Luo Min and Lin Wanrong leading the way on foot, followed by Luo Yuan and Luo Ning. Luo Ning looked at Lin Wanrong, her phoenix eyes glistening with tears, but she held them back with sheer willpower.

Luo Min had few possessions. One carriage was loaded with books of poetry, while another held a few trunks of clothes and Luo Ning's personal belongings, including some calligraphy and paintings. Apart from that, there was nothing else. A fitting description for Luo Min would be "clean-handed".

"Old Luo is a clean official," Lin Wanrong exclaimed, even though there was no crowd of citizens to send him off, nor any grandeur to speak of. However, officials like Luo Min, who knew how to hide and protect themselves best, were the truly talented and smart ones. Lin Wanrong could not help but give a thumbs up in admiration.

"Mr. Luo," Lin Wanrong began, "The Emperor's edict came too abruptly, and it's exceedingly unreasonable. It's as if he deliberately wanted to make a display for someone. Logically speaking, regardless of the gravity of your mistake, you've always been fiercely loyal to the Emperor. He should understand this better than anyone else. Unless he is a thoroughly foolish and incompetent Emperor, he wouldn't do something to hurt a loyal official's heart. Moreover, Mr. Xu is mediating. Even if he couldn't completely absolve you, he wouldn't have forced you to relocate before the Spring Festival. I suspect there's more to this situation than meets the eye," he said, trying to comfort Luo Min after seeing his lingering melancholy.

Luo Min shook his head and smiled bitterly, "The Emperor's mind is inscrutable. While your interpretation makes some sense, it is still speculation. Outsiders will never truly know what the Emperor is thinking. That is the art of ruling. I once thought I was above it all. Though I can't say I was never elated by possessions or saddened by personal issues, I believed I could face them with equanimity. But today, when I encountered this setback, I realized that I, Luo Min, am just an ordinary man. I can feel resentment and complaint, and I am far from the path of tranquility."

Lin Wanrong sneered at the idea of not being elated by possessions or saddened by personal issues. Humans, nourished by grains, feel joy, sadness, pride, and desolation. These are the basic emotions of a human being. If one were to discard all these, could they still be considered normal? They'd be closer to a stone!

Lin Wanrong nodded and said, "Mr. Luo, it's normal for you to have such thoughts. We are ordinary people and naturally, setbacks would make us feel this way. However, the Emperor never does things straightforwardly. As you said, he's naturally meant to be speculated about." Lin Wanrong pulled out a pencil, found a piece of paper and began sketching, "Mr. Luo, please look. This is Jinling, and this is Jining. Further north is the capital. Tell me, is Jinling closer to the capital, or is Jining?"

Luo Min laughed heartily at the profound implication, "You indeed know how to comfort me. If it's as you said, then it would be worth it to become a humble county magistrate in Jining."

Lin Wanrong chuckled along, helplessly shaking his head as he looked at the distances marked on the paper, thinking himself even more adept at delusions than he'd accused others of being.

Luo Min gave him a meaningful look, sighing, "For the sake of my daughter Ning'er, I sincerely hope that you won't enter the capital. The place is a sea of nobles and a minefield of dangers, a single misstep could lead to irreversible catastrophe, far worse than Jinling. Ning'er is deeply attached to you, if anything were to happen to you, I fear she would not survive alone in this world."

Lin Wanrong glanced at Luo Ning, who was walking beside him. Her cute little face, red from the cold, her lips slightly parted, and a trace of tears glistening in her eyes. Smiling at him, she snuggled closer to his side.

Luo Min took a deep breath, adding, "A real man should have ambitions and you are no exception. If you're shackled in Jinling, it would be a waste of your talent and Ning'er would surely feel discontented. It's a real dilemma. Fortunately, you have a powerful patron. Even if you were to go to the capital, you should be able to turn bad luck into good fortune. This reassures me."

When Luo Min mentioned the mysterious patron again, Lin Wanrong could not help but ask, "Mr. Luo, we are about to part ways, can you finally tell me who this patron is? So that I won't be haunted by doubts. If the patron is influential enough, I would fear nothing in the capital. I could walk around with my head held high, which is what I prefer."

Luo Min laughed, "Your patron? Isn't Xu Wei, Mr. Xu, a powerful enough patron? Isn't that enough of a backing?"

Lin Wanrong forced a smile. ‘You old man are fooling me again. After becoming my father-in-law, you still won't tell me the truth.’

Luo Min, knowing his thoughts, patted him on the shoulder, "It's not that I don't want to tell you. Given your relationship with Ning'er, if I could, I would have told you long ago. However, you can rest assured. With this powerful figure as your patron, you can freely venture into the capital - although, even without this patron, with your character, I doubt you'd ever lay low, would you?"

"Don't say it like that, I've always been low-key," Lin Wanrong answered earnestly. With his unique experiences, he would never demean himself. He had already faced death multiple times, why should he act like a subordinate in front of others?

Luo Min laughed and nodded, then asked, "Are you planning to head to the capital on the third day of the New Year?"

"That's the plan, it's what I arranged with Eldest Miss Xiao and the others," Lin Wanrong replied.

Luo Min glanced at Luo Ning and said, "The New Year is in a few days, and there isn't much time before the third day. That's a good plan. After you've settled in the capital, I'll send Ning'er and Little Yuan to visit their grandmother in the capital. You must take good care of the two of them when the time comes."

There was no need to even say that. One was his wife-to-be, and the other was his brother-in-law and brother. Naturally, he would take good care of them.

"The newly appointed Governor of Jiangsu was once a colleague of mine. He's been in close contact with Mr. Wenchang and me, and I can assure you that after I leave, he will take care of the Xiao family and the properties in your name. Given that Mr. Xu must have given him instructions, you can rest easy." Luo Min advised meticulously.

This wasn't a concern for Lin Wanrong. The Emperor had demoted Luo Min, but he wouldn't hand over Jiangsu to anyone else. The new governor was bound to be one of Xu Wei's men. With old Xu Wei around, he was sure that the new governor would look after the Xiao family and his properties.

Old Luo, having become his father-in-law, was different. He was thoughtful about these little things. Lin Wanrong nodded, and a few light, fluff-like snowflakes landed on his face, icy cold. He reached out and gently touched them, and the fluff disappeared instantly.

"The snow... it's finally falling," Luo Min sighed. The fluttering snowflakes fell on Old Luo's white hair and beard, frosting the edges of his temples.

Luo Ning hurriedly draped a long robe over her father, then gently straightened Lin Wanrong's clothes. Her gaze was full of affection as she looked at him, her eyes misting over with unshed tears.

"You two should say your goodbyes," Old Luo said beside the long pavilion where they were seeing off Xu Wei. Looking at his children and Lin Wanrong, he couldn't help feeling a pang of sadness. After walking a few steps, he climbed into the carriage and disappeared behind the curtains.

Luo Yuan and Qingshan exchanged a few words on the side, both young men breaking into tears. They had built Hung Hing together, surviving life-threatening battles and forming an unbreakable bond. Naturally, they were finding it difficult to say goodbye.

Lin Wanrong walked over, clapped both men on their shoulders and said, "What are you two crying for? Jinling is only a day's ride from Jining. If Qingshan misses Little Luo, he can lead the brothers there, and take the opportunity to establish a Hung Hing branch in Shandong, or even Jining. Doesn't that solve everything?"

Qingshan slapped his forehead, suddenly enlightened, "Right, why didn't I think of that? Little Luo, let's stop crying. You'll lay the groundwork in Jining, and I'll lead the brothers to join you soon."

Luo Yuan laughed heartily, feeling touched. He grabbed Lin Wanrong and said, "Big brother, thank you for always taking care of me. Without you, there wouldn't be the me of today."

"I didn't teach you anything. Drinking, gambling, swindling, robbing, it's all self-taught, and has nothing to do with me," Lin Wanrong said earnestly. The three of them burst into laughter as snowflakes gently fell around them, landing on their heads and bodies.

Luo Yuan glanced at Luo Ning standing beside Lin Wanrong. Winking mischievously, he said, "Sister, brother-in-law, time is precious, you two should talk. I won't disturb you." He then walked a few steps forward with Qingshan, leaving Lin Wanrong and Luo Ning some space.

Luo Ning's face flushed as she grumbled, "That Luo Yuan, he's so disrespectful in his speech."

"How so? Wasn't he right?" Lin Wanrong pulled her icy cold hand into his chest, rubbing it briskly a few times, "Don't you want to talk to me?"

Luo Ning stole a glance at Qiaoqiao, standing far off at the pavilion, waving towards them. She gritted her teeth in secret, her eyes welling up, and could no longer contain herself as she threw herself into his arms, sobbing, "Brother, Ning'er doesn't want to leave you—" Only recently had she and him committed to each other, envisioning a romantic future under the moonlight and blooming flowers. Yet an imperial edict shattered her dreams before they could truly be together. How could she possibly bear it?

Lin Wanrong heaved a sigh. He and Luo Ning, the talented woman, had always been together sparingly, with very few opportunities for proper companionship. Most of the time, he had been teasing her, which, upon reflection, made him feel somewhat guilty. Patting her on the shoulder gently, Lin Wanrong managed a forced smile, "Little Ning'er, stop crying. If people see the renowned talented woman of Jinling crying like this, they might think I've been bullying you again."

Luo Ning whimpered, lightly beating his chest, "You did bully me. You've been doing it since the first time we met. You've made me lose my appetite and my peace of mind. I can't focus on anything else. And worst of all, we have hardly had a proper conversation, and yet we have to part again. Big brother, why is my life so bitter? I want to be like Qiaoqiao and the others, always by your side, listening to you speak, never parting—"

Her simple request would only be possible once he returned from the capital. These girls, he couldn't bear to leave any of them behind. Damn, how did he develop such a bad habit of loving them all? This was really troubling.

Seeing Luo Ning crying so sadly, he softly said into her ear, "Ning'er, didn't you once say that you wanted a husband who was both a scholar and a warrior? What do you think of me? Have I fulfilled your requirements?"

Luo Ning chuckled, her eyes glistening with tears, she looked up at him briefly before burying her head back into his chest, "Big brother, that was when Ning'er was naïve, with some childish thoughts. Big brother, your literary talent is unmatched, even if others spent ten years studying, they might not match up to you. Even if you don't know martial arts, what does it matter? I love you for who you are. Even if you have nothing, I will follow you, for a lifetime, without any regrets."

Lin Wanrong spoke seriously, "Ning'er, actually, I completely meet your requirements of being both a scholar and a warrior. Now that we're here, I have to tell you the truth. The Big brother Lin standing in front of you is actually a general who has fought in many battles, once following Marshal Xu Wei to quell the White Lotus Rebellion. As a Commander commanding the right flank of a hundred-thousand-strong army, I have led tens of thousands of troops, battling the enemy on the front lines of Jining. Leading my brothers, we defeated the bravest warrior of the White Lotus, captured their King, and effortlessly captured Jining City. Enemies hearing my name would lose heart; those catching my eye would only flee. People call me General Lin of a hundred victories, with an invincible spear. This is no empty boast."

Luo Ning stared blankly at him for a while, then suddenly hid her laughter in her sleeve, "Big brother, you say these things as if they were true. If I hadn't heard so many of your jokes, I would certainly have believed you. Big brother, the things I said in the past were just naive words of a young girl. I thought I was pursuing those things. It wasn't until I met you that I realized how shallow I was. A man like you, big brother, is truly wise. Even if you can't go to the battlefield, you're the hero in my heart."

Why was it that people always believed him when he lied, but no one believed him when he told the truth? His character was never in question. Lin Wanrong shook his head helplessly, his face pulling into a smile that was even more painful than a cry.

Luo Ning giggled, glanced around, saw no one was paying attention, stood on tiptoes, and quickly pecked him on the lips like a dragonfly skimming the water. Her face instantly turned red as a crimson cloud, and she turned to leave.

Remembering the day she had forcefully kissed him on the flower boat, Lin Wanrong wouldn't let her have her way again—now it was his turn to take the initiative. He chuckled, swiftly pulled her back into his arms, found her tender lips, and kissed her fiercely. Her small, fiery tongue and sweet essence filled his mouth.

—---

"Big brother, always remember Ning'er. Once father settles everything, I will come to the capital to find you, wait for me!" The carriage carrying Luo Ning and her family slowly disappeared in the distance, her passionate words still echoing in Lin Wanrong's ears.

"Ning'er, we'll meet in the capital!" He waved gently at Luo Ning's receding carriage, the ground blanketed with white, the swirling snowflakes landing on him, encasing him like an undissolved snowman…

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