Guarantee

"Junior Martial Uncle from Mount Sanqing has arrived. I told you about her—she wants to talk to you."

"What is there for me to talk to her about? Does she want to join us?"

"No, she's here to offer amnesty."

Song Dalin dug at his ear. "You said she's here to do what?"

"She's here on behalf of the Imperial Court to offer amnesty."

Song Dalin rolled his eyes so hard they nearly vanished. "The county office is looking down on us too much. They didn't even send an official, just some irrelevant young daoist to offer us amnesty?"

Wang Xiaojing looked solemn. "Junior Martial Uncle is very formidable."

"No matter how formidable she is, can she make decisions for the county office?"

Wang Xiaojing fell silent for a moment, then insisted, "Anyway, if the county office agrees to our terms, with Junior Martial Uncle here, they won't dare go back on their word."

Song Dalin frowned, half believing and half doubting. "She's that formidable? Does she come from a powerful family, or does she hold great influence?"

Wang Xiaojing said, "The disaster relief funds and grain in Yushan County recently were all provided by Junior Martial Uncle."

Song Dalin froze for a moment before saying, "Mount Sanqing, Pan Yun?"

Wang Xiaojing nodded.

Only then did Song Dalin's drowsiness completely vanish. He got off the bed thoughtfully. "Fine. I'll go take a look with you."

Song Dalin was a towering twenty-seven-year-old. Born into a tenant farming family, he planted land for landlords year after year, saying every year that he would save enough money to marry a wife. Yet every year, after paying rent, taxes, and levies from the harvested grain, what remained was not even enough to feed himself, much less sell for money to save.

Finally, in the