Finest Servant

Chapter 387 Please Respect My Dignity

The silver chests were hauled up, and Lin Wanrong dared not delay. He immediately broke open the chests on the spot, directing the soldiers to separate the silver pieces and tin chunks. Once they were repackaged and accounted for, all three hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver were present, neither a fraction more nor less. Only then did he completely relax, sealing the treasury silver and deploying a heavy guard, with Luo Yuan personally supervising the army. It seemed unlikely anything would go wrong now.

Having completed these tasks, night had fallen. Just as Lin Wanrong was about to take a sip of water, Hu Bugui arrived on horseback. He dismounted with excitement, exclaiming, "General Lin, I heard the silver has been found. Is this true?"

Lin Wanrong laughed and waved his hand, pointing to the sealed silver chests in the field, "Could it be false? Three hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver, not a penny less, all here."

Hu Bugui's face beamed with joy. "General Lin, you are truly a remarkable person of this age. The people of Jining are spreading the word of your generosity and care for the people, saying you released three hundred thousand fish fry into Weishan Lake, nurturing hope and becoming the great benefactor of Jining County. They even say you're a celestial being descended to Earth to solve problems and save the people. As I was traveling back today, all I heard were tales of you. Ah," he shook his head in annoyance, a hint of frustration appearing on his face, "I only regret that official duties took me to confiscate something in Zhuping County's government building today, missing such a grand opportunity to witness this."

Lin Wanrong burst into laughter, "A celestial being descended to Earth? The good folks of Jining are flattering me. Don't you know my character? Eating, drinking, playing - I'm first in all of them. How can you talk about caring for the country and people, saving the masses? By the way, Brother Hu, did you find anything when you searched Zhuping County's government building?"

Hu Bugui shook his head, his face filled with annoyance. "Those wily dogs! By the time I led the soldiers there, they had already evacuated half an hour earlier. I gave a desperate chase and caught a few at the tail end, but the rest escaped."

This was expected, so Lin Wanrong just nodded, patting Hu Bugui's shoulder with a laugh. "Brother Hu, you handled this matter very well. When we get back to the capital, I'll report favorably to the Emperor. You and I will rise together, rich and prosperous, ha ha ha ha."

Hu Bugui laughed, finding Lin Wanrong's words amusing, though he admired the man's decisiveness in significant matters.

With three hundred and fifty thousand taels of treasury silver already having been stolen once, no mistakes could be made this time. With Hu Bugui overseeing things, Lin Wanrong was two hundred percent confident, especially with Luo Yuan's assistance. He finally exhaled a sigh of relief, shouting, "Bring me a horse! I need to send a report to the Emperor in the capital to share the good news!"

A clerk entered from outside the tent with pen and ink, ready to write. Lin Wanrong paced slowly, smiling, "I'm not familiar with writing petitions, so I'll leave it to you. The main point is to emphasize the hardships of this journey, tens of thousands of soldiers working day and night, and General Hu Bugui traveling a thousand miles without sleep for two nights to capture the real culprits. In short, make it long and mention the names of my brothers, so they can also be recognized by the Emperor. Consider it my way of doing right by everyone.”

Hu Bugui's brows unfurled in laughter. Following General Lin was always rewarding; last time it was a military drill on the battlefield, and this time retrieving silver from the lake. Each time brought increased prestige before the Emperor. It wouldn't be more than a few years before the Emperor would recognize old Hu's name.

The scribe was a clever man too. General Lin repeatedly emphasized the importance of highlighting the many soldiers. If even the common soldiers were mentioned in the memorial, how could General Lin's name not be prominently featured? Grasping the intent, the scribe's pen moved as if divinely guided. Each paragraph began with phrases like "The General, leading by example and risking his life, personally commanding the army," and so on. He filled two pages with effusive praise for General Lin's great achievements and the people of Weishan Lake's deep admiration and support for the general.

General Lin received the paper and, without changing his expression, said, "Very objectively written! You have potential! From now on, you'll write all the battle reports." At the end of the letter, he signed his name and dispatched a messenger on a fast horse to deliver the news to the capital.

Upon returning to his mansion, he found the entrance decorated and festive, with red lanterns hung and joyful decorations everywhere. Luo Ning was outside, directing people to clean and tidy up.

"What's all this for?" Lin Wanrong asked, walking over with a smile and gently rubbing Luo Ning's waist, "Ning'er, are we celebrating something special? That's great; we'll have a wedding night again tonight!"

Luo Ning's face turned rosy, and she playfully scolded him, "Big brother, can't you be serious? Today we found the silver, and my Luo family can finally hold our heads high again. It's time for a proper celebration. And another piece of good news: Father just woke up, and he wants to see you!"

His father-in-law had woken up? Lin Wanrong thought, somewhat contemptuously, how the old man had chosen the perfect moment to awake. He quickly put on a joyful expression, "Oh, that's wonderful! Today is indeed a double celebration, Ning'er. Let's quickly go and pay our respects to your father!"

Ning'er nodded lightly, took her big brother's hand, and headed to her father's residence. Just as they reached the door, Luo Min's voice came from inside, "Is that Ning'er outside?"

"Father, big brother and I have come to see you," Luo Ning gently pushed the door open and saw Luo Min slowly sitting in a chair, smiling at them, assisted by a maid.

"Ah, Lord Luo, it's been quite some time!" Lin Wanrong greeted with a laugh, "I must admit, I've missed you a bit."

"Missed me for what?" Luo Min laughed, shaking his head, "You probably missed my daughter Ning'er, right?"

Luo Ning blushed and scolded playfully, "Father, you're teasing your daughter too!" Lin Wanrong chuckled, "I miss both of you, neither one can be missed."

Luo Min sighed deeply, "It's been months since we've seen each other, and I didn't expect our reunion to involve you and my niece Zhiqing working day and night on my behalf. I feel deeply guilty."

Seeing that Luo Min seemed to have aged considerably, without any of his previous cunning and sly demeanor, Lin Wanrong quickly reassured him with a smile, "Nonsense, we are family! Back in Jinling, you, Old Taishan, took great care of me. I should be the one to help ease your burdens now."

Upon hearing Master Lin's constant use of the term "Old Taishan" (a respectful nickname for a father-in-law), Luo Min looked at his daughter Luo Ning in surprise. Seeing her blushing cheeks and the boy's triumphant expression, he suddenly understood and chuckled bitterly to himself. 'Well, well, the rice is already cooked. Why should I be polite with this youngster?' He laughed heartily and nodded, saying, "So it is, very good, very good! My dear son-in-law, I've heard that on this journey you've leaped like a fish over the dragon gate and scooped up silver from a wooden boat. The people of Jining City praise you highly. If the Emperor hears of this, it will be no small matter. Your rise to prominence is just around the corner."

'Nonsense,' thought Master Lin, ‘The Emperor's own daughter is my dear wife Xian'er. If I don't rise, who will?' Master Lin laughed heartily, looked around, and said mysteriously, "Old Taishan, you don't have to worry. The Emperor spoke to me before I left the capital."

Luo Min was overjoyed and stood up from his chair, asking excitedly, "What did the Emperor say?"

"The Emperor said that in Jining, 350,000 taels of official silver were stolen, leaving tens of thousands of soldiers without food or grain. The soldiers are stuck in the capital while the border is in urgent need, Luo Min, your guilt is truly unforgivable."

Luo Min's face turned pale, and he fell back into his chair. Lin Wanrong shook his head and sighed, "Old father-in-law, don't blame your talkative son-in-law. You've weathered great storms in Jinling. How could you let down your guard in Jining? This place is the birthplace of the White Lotus Sect, and the waters run deep. You are so upright, and many at court would seize the chance to eliminate you. How could you allow 350,000 taels of official silver to pass through your domain and allow them to stay overnight? Others would have avoided them, but you sought trouble."

Luo Min lamented, "I was confused at the time. The commander told me they needed to resupply, or the journey couldn't proceed. I allowed them to stay a night out of concern for the Emperor. How could I have known... Ah! My wise son-in-law, quickly tell me, what else did the Emperor say?"

Hearing her father and big brother discussing political matters, Miss Luo was not interested and excused herself to leave.

Seeing that old Luo was truly loyal to the Emperor, Lin Wanrong felt it inappropriate to frighten him further, "Upon hearing of the missing silver, the Emperor was furious and wanted to execute you immediately. Fortunately, Mr. Xu and I begged on your behalf, kneeling outside the palace for twelve hours until the Emperor's anger subsided. He gave you a seven-day reprieve. He said if we could find the silver within seven days, he would let bygones be bygones, and you would be reinstated. But if we couldn't, well, you know the consequences."

"Did the Emperor really say that?" Luo Min was both startled and pleased, sighing, "So, it seems I have turned misfortune into a blessing? Even if I am reinstated, how can I face the Emperor and my colleagues?"

Lin Wanrong grinned mischievously, his face full of mystery, "That? It depends on whether you still want to be an official."

"Oh, my wise son-in-law, stop playing riddles with me. I've given you my daughter, and we are family now. Help me come up with a plan." Luo Min, cunning as a fox, clearly understood his son-in-law's intentions. He grasped Master Lin's hand warmly, speaking with great affection.

‘This old fellow's face was no thicker than mine,’ Lin Wanrong chuckled, "As for this, it depends on how you, father-in-law, want to handle it. The silver was indeed lost in Jining territory, and you can't deny it. In my opinion, you might as well draft a confession, and honestly take responsibility for the whole matter."

"A confession?" Luo Min's face was filled with disbelief, "If I draft a confession, wouldn't I be giving Prince Cheng an excuse?"

"If you don't draft a confession, does he not have an excuse already?" Lin Wanrong patted his shoulder, "Old Taishan, don't worry, the confession is just the prelude, the more exciting part is yet to come. The silver did go missing, but didn't we find it again in less than three days? Moreover, you even raided Zhuping County government office and caught a nest of thieves—" Master Lin blinked, a smile surfacing on his face, "This group, they are remnants of the White Lotus Sect, numbering in the thousands. Old Taishan, you personally led the troops, charging to the front, killed thousands of White Lotus remnants, captured dozens of rebels, and eliminated the last influence of the White Lotus in Shandong. The silver wasn't lost, and you even managed to wipe out the White Lotus along the way, tell me, is this a fault or a merit?"

Luo Min was no fool, since his wise son-in-law credited him with the merit, he can't be modest, he immediately nodded, "It's a merit! But who knows what the Emperor thinks? Besides, it's still uncertain whether they are White Lotus rebels!"

"Whether or not they are White Lotus rebels doesn't matter, what matters is, someone else is taking the blame for you. It will silence everyone, and the Emperor can save face!" Master Lin chuckled, "Wait until the silver and rebels are escorted to the capital, and you can submit a memorial overnight, saying that although you have redeemed your sins with merit, you still feel ashamed of the Imperial grace, and ask the Emperor to let you retire. Heh heh, what do you think the consequences will be—"

"The Emperor will never let me—Brilliant!" Luo Min clapped his hands, shouting excitedly, looking Lin Wanrong up and down, "Indeed, a gentleman changes for the better every three days, and one should look at him with new eyes. Son-in-law, you've only been in the capital for a few months, and you're already so familiar with the ways of the court, surpassing this old man a hundredfold."

"That's because Old Taishan taught me well!" Master Lin said without blinking, and the two burst into laughter.

Luo Min was still recovering from a serious illness, so after a short conversation, Lin Wanrong excused himself and left the room. After looking around and not finding Luo Ning, he was about to return to his room when a young maid ran over and reported, "Sir, Sir, Miss Xu invites you!"

"Which Miss Xu?" Lin Wanrong asked curiously.

"The Miss Xu who came with you from the capital!" The young maid blinked and said, "Miss Xu says she's waiting for you in her room!"

‘Xu Zhiqing is looking for me? And in her room?’ Master Lin chuckled a few times, quickening his steps towards the backyard. Luo Ning's room was dark, seemingly unoccupied, but the room next to hers was brightly lit, a graceful shadow cast on the window screen.

Master Lin's eyes swept over the tall, firm breasts, and he swallowed silently. Recognizing a woman by her chest, there was no doubt that this was Miss Xu.

He lightly tapped on the door twice, and the room fell silent for a moment before Xu Zhiqing's voice, slightly trembling, came through, "Who, who is it?"

"Eh, it's not Ning'er?! I'm sorry; I've gone to the wrong door." Lin Wanrong gave a roguish smile and turned, pretending to leave.

The door swung open with a clatter, and Miss Xu stood in the doorway, biting her silver teeth, softly saying, "Lin – you, wait a minute!"

Lin Wanrong turned around, casting her a puzzled glance, "It's so late, Miss Xu; have you not gone to bed yet?"

Seeing his feigned ignorance, Miss Xu's heart seethed with anger. She looked around to ensure they were alone, then reached out and fiercely pulled him inside before slamming the door shut.

"You, what are you doing? Don't you dare get out of line!" Lin Wanrong's eyes widened, his face filled with fear, as he stammered.

"Get out of line?" Miss Xu was both angry and amused, and felt like giving him a hard kick. "In this world, is there anyone more reckless than you?"

Lin Wanrong chuckled lasciviously, "Miss Xu, don't hold on to my strengths. Though I may have vulnerabilities in your hands, you too have some holes that need plugging. We're even."

"Nonsense, who wants to grab your vulnerabilities? And what holes do I have?" Miss Xu sniffed, noticing his gaze wandering across her chest. Her face turned red, and she quickly turned away, her heart pounding. Silence filled the room, the only sound being their breathing.

Lin Wanrong let his eyes wander over her alluring curves, swallowing hard as he gazed at her voluptuous hips. ‘Miss Xu is suitable for bearing a son,’ he thought, ‘there's potential here!’

"So, Miss Xu, you called me here so late at night. Do you have any instructions?" Lin Wanrong asked, pretending to be concerned while his eyes continued to explore.

"You, you must stop looking!" Miss Xu's face flushed, as she protested.

"Look, look at what?" Lin Wanrong feigned confusion. "I'm looking straight ahead; I don't see anything at all!"

Arguing with such a shameless man was pointless. Miss Xu had no way to handle him, so she sighed and thought, ‘Well, he has seen it all before. What does one or two more times matter?’ She spoke calmly, "Lin San, your performance today was astonishing. I underestimated you before."

"Where, where? Mutual feelings!" Lin Wanrong said, without a trace of seriousness.

"Lin San, what impression do I make in your heart? Can you tell me?" Miss Xu asked softly, sighing.

"Impression? Oh, it's big, very big!" Lin Wanrong said, wiping a bit of drool from the corner of his mouth.

"What's big?" Miss Xu asked, confused, only to understand his meaning when she noticed his lewd gaze on her chest. Her face turned bright red, and she clenched her small fist, fighting an urge to punch him.

"Lin San, I will honor our bet!" Xu Zhiqing almost bit her lip, pushing her chest out proudly, her eyes slightly closed, and long eyelashes quivering. A faint drop of moisture clung to them. Her voice trembled slightly, "Here, take it! Just please be quick!"

"Quick? Quick about what?" Lin Wanrong asked, genuinely puzzled.

"You want to tease me again?" Miss Xu's tears fell like rain, and suddenly her eyes widened as she yelled in anger, "I've agreed to your conditions, and I can fulfill them now. You wanted to touch, right? Well, here you go!"

Seeing Miss Xu's firm chest advancing straight toward him, Lord Lin's eyes widened more than that of an orangutan. Startled, he leaped back two steps, his face losing color as he exclaimed, "Miss Xu, what do you mean by this? When did I ever say I wanted to touch you—touch that? Please respect my dignity!"

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