Finest Servant

Chapter 303 Defiant and Unyielding

Lin Wanrong chuckled lightly, feigning surprise as he said, "Oh, what is this, your Highness? Are you amusing yourself by flaunting your gold leaf? It's so glittery that it's blinding! What an intriguing hobby."

Seeing Lin San's nonchalant demeanor, Prince Cheng grinned and said, "Brother Lin, please don't misunderstand. You are a recluse of high wisdom, naturally uninterested in these mundane treasures. This is merely a token of my respect. I hope you won't find it offensive."

Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, "Your Highness is too kind. I am no hermit. Who wouldn't love glittering gold and shining silver? As a man of common tastes, seeing these worldly treasures makes me all the happier. But, accepting such a generous gift out of the blue makes me uneasy. I am afraid I cannot accept it."

A glint flashed in the eyes of Prince Cheng, as he focused his gaze on Lin San, saying, "Brother Lin, you speak swiftly and honestly, just as I had hoped. Truth be told, my court lacks a young, talented, and courageous scholar like you. Therefore, I took the liberty to invite you to join me at my mansion. I promise to reward you handsomely in the future."

Prince Cheng indeed was a formidable figure, publicly recruiting talent and promising rich rewards to lure people. Even if he failed to recruit, he gained public favor, ensuring that many talents would seek him out to serve under his command.

Lin Wanrong shook his head, taking a few steps back as he laughed, "Your Highness is overly generous in your praise. I am but a lowly servant in the Xiao family, basking in the glory of the Madam and nurtured under the care of the Eldest Miss. I grow strong and healthy, spend my days tending to the flowers, nursing the grass, sketching landscapes in my leisure, leading a carefree life. Apart from this, I am unskilled. Your talk of a young scholar assisting and supporting you is like playing a lute before a cow, I'm afraid. Oh, just touching this gold leaf doesn't cost me, does it? That's good then, gentlemen, please take it back."

Prince Cheng was no ordinary man. His expression remained calm, but a sharp light gleamed in his eyes as he glanced at Lin Wanrong, then shifted his gaze to the Eldest Miss, "Brother Lin, won't you reconsider— Oh, Miss Xiao, are you running your operations in the capital now?" Seeing Miss Xiao nod, he smiled and nodded, "That's excellent, very good indeed."

A change flickered across Lin Wanrong's face. The others might not understand the implications in Prince Cheng's words, but he did. The Prince was threatening him using the Xiao family. Lin Wanrong cursed inwardly, ‘Such is the nature of a hero, unscrupulous in his ambition. If soft tactics don't work, he turns to threats. Well, I'm not scared. I would rather write my name backward than bow to you.’

"I have made up my mind." Lin Wanrong plucked a peach blossom, held it near his nose, sniffing its fragrance with an air of defiance, "Whatever I intend to do, I will do, even if you try to stop me. And if I don't want to do something, nobody can force me. Your Highness, isn't this peach blossom beautiful? Here, have one."

"How dare you!" Zhao Kangning, standing beside Prince Cheng, could bear it no longer. His expression darkened, and he roared in anger, "You dare to show such audacity in front of my father! Seize him at once—"

Lin Wanrong burst out laughing and declared, "Your father is your father, but what does that have to do with me? I, Lin San, don't seek officialdom, and don't crave talent. What gives you the right to dictate my actions? We stand under the Emperor's rule. Despite your princely status, you're not the highest authority. The Gods watch us from above, and the Emperor presides over the golden court. It's up to the law and the emperor to decide my fate, not a young prince like you."

Prince Cheng managed to maintain his composure quite impressively, letting out two curt exclamations of "Well done!" However, a trace of grimness flickered in his eyes.

Lin Wanrong fingered the gold medal in his pocket. ‘Damnit, I'm not afraid of you. Our enmity didn't start today. Even when I was a penniless nobody, I wasn't afraid of you. Am I supposed to be scared now? My wife is a princess, I have Xu Wei by my side, and the old man from Lingyin Temple hidden in the wings. Why should I be scared of you?’

Lin Wanrong let out a hearty laugh, snapped two peach blossoms off a tree and twirled them around. He began to stride away, singing loudly, "In the peach blossom hut lies the peach blossom temple, below it, the peach blossom fairy; the fairy planted peach trees, picked the blossoms to sell for wine money. Sober, he'd sit before the flowers, drunk, he'd sleep beneath them. This cycle of half-sobriety, half-drunkenness was repeated day after day, as the flowers bloomed and fell, year after year. He'd rather die amidst the flowers and wine, than bow to the trappings of power..."

Everyone listened to his mad poetry, quietly admiring his eloquence but too intimidated by the Prince's power to utter a word.

Xu Zhiqing watched Lin Wanrong's retreating figure and thought to herself, ‘He's not even afraid of Prince Cheng. Anyone who tries to force him onto the battlefield is asking for humiliation.’ She didn't understand him; he was at once lascivious and noble, making it impossible to figure out what kind of man he was.

"Lin San..." the Eldest Miss cried, tears brimming in her eyes. This damned man, one minute he's fooling around, the next he's excessively serious, always pulling at heartstrings.

Even Prince Cheng, with all his patience, was at a loss dealing with the unruly Lin San. Should he really apprehend Lin right here in the public? That would destroy the good reputation he had painstakingly built.

"Where's the Sect Leader An?" Prince Cheng finally asked after a moment of silence, a heavy murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

Zhao Kangning answered hurriedly, "Your Majesty, Sect Leader An said she ran into an old friend and left to visit. I don't know where she's gone."

Prince Cheng snorted and said, "An Biru and this Lin San have a deep-seated grudge, their feud is a matter of life and death. She won't let Lin San off the hook. Let her handle this."

—---

The garden was bustling with activity. However, atop the bell tower of Grand Prime Minister Temple, someone was quietly enjoying the spectacle. An elegantly dressed old man sat on a stool, his fine eyebrows and narrow eyes exuding a formidable aura. A handsome young man stood respectfully by his side.

The old man's gaze swept across the scene, catching Prince Cheng's embarrassment. He couldn't help but smile, "Interesting, very interesting indeed. I came out to enjoy the flowers today, but I didn't expect to watch such a good show. This youngster, not seen for a few months, is still as intriguing. He dares to offend even Prince Cheng. He has developed some mettle indeed. It appears that I underestimated him at the Lingyin Temple."

The young man cast a glance at Lin Wanrong's retreating figure and asked respectfully, "Is this the man you mentioned, the one you encountered outside the Lingyin Temple?"

The old man nodded and peered at the young man, a glimmer of light flickering in his eyes. "This young man, despite his carefree and nonchalant demeanor, is very decisive and cunning. You, despite your status as the top scholar, can match his cunning, but you lack his broad-mindedness."

The young man slightly lowered his head without saying a word, his expression unreadable to anyone.

Behind them, a blind old man stood quietly, as if he had heard nothing...

—---

Lin Wanrong walked swiftly and managed to exit the peach garden in just a few steps. Recalling his playful demeanor earlier, he seemed to embody the charm of Tang Yin - charismatic and handsome. However, in his self-satisfaction, he slapped his forehead suddenly: "Ah, I've been too carried away with my charm, and I've left Eldest Miss behind."

[TL: Tang Yin, courtesy name Bohu, was a Chinese painter, calligrapher, and poet of the Ming dynasty period.]

Just as he was about to return, a series of shouts came from behind, "Lin San, Lin San—"

Turning his head, he saw Xu Zhiqing rushing towards him. The Eldest Miss, lifting her long skirt, followed behind, with Ye Yuchuan inseparable from Xu Zhiqing's side.

Lin Wanrong approached them and chuckled, "What's all this, ladies?"

The Eldest Miss gave him a warm look and gently reprimanded, "You, once you've had your fun, you just forget about me. Wait till I get you back home." Her cheeks blushed a charming pink, her brows arched with a smile, her eyes radiating a tenderness that seemed to drip water.

Xu Zhiqing smiled, "Lin San, was the poem you recited just now composed by yourself?"

‘Another conversation about poetry? So what if I did write it? Can you appreciate me just because of one poem?’ Lin Wanrong laughed, seemingly determined to contradict her. "Miss Xu overestimates me. How could I possibly compose such a fine poem? I merely copied it. My modest talent can only capture some plain and mundane scenes. I am thousands of miles away from reaching such a realm."

Xu Zhiqing paused upon hearing his frank admission that the poem was copied. Could someone be so unabashed about copying? But when she heard his self-deprecating comment, she couldn't help but burst into laughter. So, this Lin San did hold grudges.

Upon hearing his words, the Eldest Miss, oblivious to Miss Xu's presence, impulsively grabbed his hand and shyly said, "Lin San, I like your honesty."

Lin Wanrong felt a cold sweat. Just one instance of honesty had earned the Eldest Miss's open confession. If he were honest a hundred times, would she shout out, "My dear, I want you"?

Seeing Xu Zhiqing's puzzled expression, Lin Wanrong remembered the gold medallion tucked away in his robe. He wondered whether he should bring it out for this well-read and talented girl to appreciate, but a sudden cheer from ahead distracted him. "Exotic flower, it's an exotic flower—"

‘What exotic flower? None of my business,’ he was about to say, but the Eldest Miss pulled his hand, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "Lin San, let's go and take a look."

"Yes, let's go see it." Miss Xu echoed with a mysterious smile.

Laughing so slyly, there must be a scheme. Lin Wanrong firmly shook his head and said, "I won't go. Miss, I need to visit the privy. Will you come? Let's go together!"

"Disgusting." Xiao Yuruo was emotionally stirred because Lin Wanrong would rather offend Prince Cheng for the Xiao family. She was about to speak softly to him when he made his crude remark, utterly shattering the amorous atmosphere. She couldn't help but blush and give him a reproachful look.

Was he truly audacious or just crass? Which one was the real Lin San? Xu Zhiqing let out a small sigh, "Appreciating a flower is like appreciating a person. To find one that is unique and different from the rest is no easy task. Whether it's a blooming flower or a poisonous weed, one won't know until it's tried."

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