Finest Servant

Chapter 367 A Bad Sign

"This..." Gao Ping hesitated for a moment, "Master Lin, you must know that the Emperor has already retired for the night." He had met many officials, but Master Lin was the most audacious among them. Others would wait until the Emperor had eaten, drunk, and relieved himself before they dared to ask for an audience, but Master Lin was one to pull the Emperor out of bed.

"He may be resting, but we must still go." Lin Wanrong sighed deeply, "This matter sticks in my heart, and if I don't clarify it, I will find no peace. Don't worry, Eunuch Gao, if anything happens, I'll bear the responsibility. If the Emperor wants to blame someone, let him blame me."

Even if Gao Ping had ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare disturb the Emperor's peaceful slumber. But having just witnessed Master Lin's full martial display, he also knew well that this man was no easy one. If words were to clash, perhaps he'd end up on the receiving end of a tyrant's punch. At that moment, he was caught in a dilemma, neither able to advance nor retreat, finding himself in an impossible situation.

"Husband, do you have some urgent matter that requires you to see Father at this late hour?" Qin Xian'er asked softly.

"It is a very important matter." Lin Wanrong nodded gravely. In front of Xian'er, his jealous wife, he could not say what the matter was, otherwise, who knew what chaos this girl might create.

Qin Xian'er nodded and looked at Gao Ping, "You go and see if Father is sound asleep, tell him I will accompany Husband there in a while."

Upon hearing the Princess's command, Gao Ping reluctantly complied and left. Qin Xian'er glanced at Lin Wanrong, her mouth pouting slightly, "Husband, are you going to ask about that fox-like seductress?"

"This... may I refrain from answering?" Lin Wanrong chuckled, thinking that Xian'er, this little minx, was truly not ordinary; nothing could be hidden from her.

"You may if you wish, how could I stop you? I knew long ago that you couldn't give up your old feelings for that fox-like seductress." Qin Xian'er pouted.

‘Old feelings? When did I ever let go? This girl really knows how to put things!’ Lin Wanrong laughed, embracing her waist, "Don't worry, I will balance things out perfectly, like carrying water with a pole. Sigh, taking care of all of you, it's not easy for me."

Xian'er smiled sweetly, tightening her arm around him, sighing softly, "Husband, to be honest, all I want is to spend a lifetime with you and to honor Father properly. Being a princess doesn't interest me."

"How did you change your mind?" Lin Wanrong asked curiously.

"My master was right. Husband, you are a talent unlike any other in history. It would be a waste to be buried among the common people. With my status and Father's love for me, there's nothing you can't accomplish in this world. Besides, Father likes you so much." Qin Xian'er's eyes sparkled with determination, her face filled with affection and trust.

Was it the old man speaking to Xian'er again? Sigh, ambition never dies. One must not be too outstanding! Lin Wanrong put away the painting scroll, embracing Xian'er and smirking, "Don't worry, I will certainly strive hard — let's strive together, and have a dozen children. Let the old man hold one each day, heh heh!"

Qin Xian'er's face flushed with a rosy glow, and she hid in his embrace, shyly whimpering, "Nonsense, my mother gave birth to only me in her lifetime; having two children with my husband will be enough."

The two were affectionately teasing each other when they suddenly saw Gao Ping rush out hurriedly. He looked at Lin Wanrong and said, "Master Lin, the Emperor says he has gone to bed."

‘What a clever statement this is! Is it meant to deceive me or you?’ Lin Wanrong chuckled, "Is this the Emperor's exact words?"

Gao Ping nodded, "These are his exact words. His Majesty instructed me to convey that he has gone to bed and that if Master Lin has any business, you should seek an audience tomorrow."

‘I just did something for him, and now he doesn't recognize me? This old man's face changes fast indeed,’ Lin Wanrong thought, about to grab Xian'er and charge inside when Gao Ping spoke again, "The Emperor also says that he will not pursue the matter of you trespassing in the forbidden palace. If you are so inclined, just remember these three words—Zhe Bao Ding!"

Zhe Bao Ding? What did it mean? Lin Wanrong looked at Gao Ping with suspicion, "Did the Emperor say anything else, Eunuch Gao? Please tell me everything at once!"

[TL: The words Zhe Bao Ding have no immediate clear and common meaning.

折 (zhé)

Most commonly means "to break" or "to fold".

In a figurative sense, it can mean "to discount" or "a setback".

Depending on the context, it has other meanings as well.

宝 (bǎo)

This means "treasure" or "jewel".

It can also refer to something precious or valuable.

丁 (dīng)

Most commonly it refers to the fourth Heavenly Stem, a part of the system used in traditional East Asian calendars.

It can also mean "a male", "a nail", or "robust", depending on the context.]

Gao Ping sighed bitterly, bowing respectfully, "Master Lin, these were the Emperor's instructions, and I dare not omit a single word. I have conveyed them to you in full. As for their meaning, this servant understands nothing."

Seeing Gao Ping's expression, Lin Wanrong knew that the old Emperor would not meet him tonight. Since the Emperor was even aware of his trespassing, his instructions must have been inspired by recent events. But what did "Zhe Bao Ding" mean? Could it be related to Qingxuan? It seemed the old man was also a master of riddles.

He racked his brain but could not fathom the meaning of these three words. Even if he had forced his way in to see the Emperor, given the old man's temperament, he still wouldn't have explained his cryptic message. That night, after receiving news about Qingxuan, he was extremely excited but became frustrated thinking that a small riddle might keep them apart, even if they were close by. He felt an unspeakable gloom, tossing and turning without sleep. Even the incident of encountering the Dongyin warriors on the back mountain the previous day slipped his mind.

The next morning, when he went to seek an audience, he was stopped by a worried and downcast Gao Ping. Gao Ping looked around before cautiously saying, "Master Lin, you are no outsider, so I will tell you the truth. The imperial physicians are all waiting inside, and the Emperor is in a great fury. Three have already been dragged out and executed."

Executed three? Could it be because of the injury from the assassination attempt yesterday? But Xian'er had returned to Grand Prime Minister Temple this morning, her vow to build a hut for her mother still unfulfilled, and she hadn't mentioned anything about the old master's condition worsening. Remembering his discussion with Xu Wei and Li Tai yesterday, he had a moment of insight—this was a deliberate strategy by the Emperor, a cunning play of hard to get!

Lin Wanrong remembered something he had instructed Ning Yuxi to do yesterday and wondered if she had passed on the message. He was a little concerned about it but also thought that the old Emperor, possibly knowing Qingxuan's whereabouts and intentionally being enigmatic, was not being fair. He didn't feel like dealing with the Dongyin matter, thinking that they could attempt another assassination if they wished.

Upon leaving the palace, Lin Wanrong found Xu Wei lurking outside the gate, his demeanor rather eerie. Lin Wanrong stealthily approached and gently tapped him on the shoulder. Xu Wei jumped in fright but breathed a sigh of relief when he realized who it was. "Little brother Lin, you've finally come out," he said.

"What do you mean 'finally come out'? I'm not in prison," Lin Wanrong chuckled. "What's the meaning of this, Mr. Xu? Didn't we just see each other yesterday morning?"

Xu Wei pulled him aside and carefully examined him from head to toe. Glancing around cautiously, he finally nodded and said, "It's good that you're alright. Miss Xiao and Madam Xiao were worried about you after the Emperor summoned you yesterday, and we heard nothing from you till this morning. Miss Qiaoqiao was especially frantic."

Lin Wanrong realized he had neglected to think about Miss Xiao and Qiaoqiao. In his excitement over reuniting Xian'er with her father and seeing the scroll left by Qingxuan, he had forgotten about them entirely. Guiltily, he asked, "Mr. Xu, they're alright, aren't they?"

"They're fine!" Xu Wei shook his head, his expression enigmatic. "You don't know, but now the Xiao family has secret guards from the palace protecting them. You are the one we were worried about after seeing the Emperor yesterday."

Lin Wanrong, a clever man, understood the implications in Xu Wei's words. The Emperor's assassination attempt was a significant matter, and his summons at such a critical time was a potentially ominous sign. The fact that he had not been seen for a whole day and night was bound to raise suspicions. Lin Wanrong gratefully clasped his fists, his face a mix of emotions. The experiences of the previous day still sent shivers down his spine, and he was torn between laughter and tears. Yet he felt a touch of warmth at Xu Wei's evident concern.

"There's another matter," Xu Wei began, his brow furrowing, concern written across his face. "I don't know how to tell you this."

Lin Wanrong's heart sank, and he urged, "Come on, brother Xu, what's with the modesty? Just spit it out."

Xu Wei gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "It's not that I don't want to tell you. I'm just afraid you'll lose your temper. You know that General Li Tai's army is set to depart in about twenty days, right?"

"Everyone in Great Hua knows that." Lin Wanrong waved his hand impatiently. "Brother Xu, get to the point!"

"The reason for the delay in Li Tai's deployment of hundreds of thousands of elite soldiers is that the necessary funds have not been gathered. The most critical sum, totaling 350,000 taels, comes from Jiangnan," Xu Wei slowly explained, watching Lin's face.

"What's wrong with Jiangnan? Once the silver is gathered, that's it," Lin Wanrong said, laughing. He thought of Luo Min's tax collection in Jinling and how easily men could be swayed.

"350,000 taels, gathered apart from the sum submitted to the national treasury, was to be transported to the capital. But en route—" Xu Wei sighed, shaking his head.

"Something went wrong?" Lin Wanrong exclaimed, taken aback.

Xu Wei nodded somberly, "350,000 taels of silver, escorted by five thousand elite soldiers, vanished without a trace in Shandong, along with the entire contingent of men and horses, all in one night."

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