Xiao Lian wore a Flying Fish Robe, a jade belt cinched around her waist. Her curves swelled in all the right places, outlining a delicate and beautiful figure.
Beneath the Flying Fish Robe, her jade-like legs were long and slender, their graceful shape half-hidden, half-revealed.
Ning Chuan pulled his gaze back and looked higher.
With her hair tied in a high ponytail, her pretty face was bright and enchanting, her skin white as snow, radiating the lively vigor of youth.
"Lord Xiao Lian is actually this beautiful!"
Last time, Leng Hanshuang's imposing aura had intimidated him so thoroughly that he had failed to notice Xiao Lian.
"Lord Xiao Lian, we meet again!"
"Hmph!" Xiao Lian snorted coldly, seemingly displeased by the sight of Ning Chuan.
Ning Chuan's hawk-like eyes were like Japanese devils entering a village, filled with naked aggression as they swept back and forth over Xiao Lian, making her deeply uncomfortable.
Such a beautiful girl—so long as her character is upright, even if she doesn't like me—
I don't mind spending some time giving her a little ideological and political education, making her realize her mistakes.
If necessary, I can even waste a few bullets and punish her physically, lest she stray onto the wrong path!
Ai! Who told this young master to be a real man, a pure-blooded man!
That illness of kindness all men have has struck again!
I can never help wanting to drag respectable women into the water and teach fallen girls to return to virtue!
Xiao Lian simmered with irritation.
This brat doesn't look like a good person at all. I'll definitely have to teach him a proper lesson in the future!
"Follow me!"
Xiao Lian said no more and turned to walk inside.
I didn't offend this little girl, did I?
Muttering inwardly, he followed Xiao Lian into the Imperial Guard yamen and arrived at its most imposing room.
"Miss, Ning Chuan has arrived!"
After entering the room, Xiao Lian folded her arms and ignored Ning Chuan.
Ning Chuan looked up.
Behind an enormous desk sat a stern and dignified woman high above him.
Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, her nose was high and refined, and her skin was white as snow, giving off a captivating glow.
Her limpid eyes shot out icy light, as though they kept all others a thousand miles away, inspiring fear in anyone who met them.
Her cherry-red lips brimmed with endless temptation. Ning Chuan truly wanted to pounce on her and savor them carefully.
Mm, this girl is quite the standard beauty, Ning Chuan assessed inwardly.
Seeing Leng Hanshuang again, all his fear vanished, and a desire to possess her rose from the depths of his heart.
When I have the time, I'll make her mine and repay the grudge of her threatening me that day!
"Have you looked enough?" Leng Hanshuang narrowed her eyes, her tone chilling.
"You lecher, keep staring and I'll gouge out your eyes!" Xiao Lian glared angrily at Ning Chuan from the side.
"Not enough!"
Ning Chuan answered honestly, his eyes still fixed straight on her.
As his strength had grown, standing before Leng Hanshuang no longer gave him that fatal sense of threat he had felt during their first meeting. Naturally, his courage had grown as well.
"You..." Leng Hanshuang was briefly left speechless.
She rose to her feet and walked toward Ning Chuan with her hands behind her back.
She was tall and slender, with long hair draped over her shoulders, peerless beauty, and unmatched bearing.
Sharp light flashed from her phoenix eyes as she examined Ning Chuan from head to toe. Ning Chuan met her gaze directly.
Several seconds later, Leng Hanshuang was the first to yield!
Little thing, you still want to crush me with your aura? I'm no longer the ignorant fool I was back then!
"Not bad. Since you have managed to reach the county seat, this official will honor her promise and permit you to join the Imperial Guard. There happens to be an opening under Xiao Lian. Follow Xiao Lian for now and begin as a Cavalry Officer!"
"This subordinate thanks Lord Leng. My lord's kindness, I will... repay it... in the future!"
"This subordinate pays respects to Lord Xiao Lian. In the... future... please take good care of this subordinate, Lord Xiao Lian!"
Ning Chuan clasped his hands and offered up a flattering remark with two meanings.
In officialdom, the main thing was saying one thing while thinking another, honey on the lips and daggers in the belly.
Besides, flattery cost nothing, at most a little dignity.
Since he would be navigating officialdom for some time to come, dignity was the cheapest thing there was!
Xiao Lian gave a cold snort and glared at Ning Chuan, seeming rather unhappy.
"Enough. Take him down to complete his enrollment first. We'll discuss everything else later."
Ning Chuan was dismissed by Leng Hanshuang.
As Xiao Lian handled Ning Chuan's enrollment, she introduced him to the Imperial Guard in the county seat.
Xiao Lian said a great deal, but Ning Chuan's summary was nothing more than this.
The Imperial Guard were the emperor's loyal hounds. At certain times, they held the authority to execute first and report later; they penetrated everywhere and cowed all under heaven.
Whether in the martial world or the imperial court, none failed to turn pale at the mere mention of the Imperial Guard.
The Imperial Guard in the county seat had one Battalion Commander, a Principal Seventh Rank official, with ten Squad Leaders beneath him. Xiao Lian was one such Squad Leader.
Each Squad Leader commanded ten Cavalry Officers, making a full complement of one hundred and eleven men.
Naturally, there were also many unofficial personnel called auxiliary guards, whose numbers varied.
The minimum requirement for enrollment was being a Ninth Grade martial artist. The pay and benefits were quite good too, and one could swagger arrogantly down the streets.
All who joined the Imperial Guard were martial artists.
A Cavalry Officer had to be at least an Eighth Grade martial artist, a Squad Leader at least Seventh Rank, and a Battalion Commander at least Sixth Grade, with no upper limit.
In county seats near the capital, becoming a Battalion Commander might require a Fourth or even Third Grade martial artist.
But in a frontier town like Qingshan County, having a Sixth Grade grandmaster serve as Battalion Commander was already more than enough.
Half an hour later,
Ning Chuan tossed aside his coarse linen clothes, put on a Flying Fish Robe, and wore an Embroidered Spring Saber at his waist. He turned several circles beside the pool in satisfaction.
His features were sharply defined and his figure tall and well-proportioned. The Flying Fish Robe was brightly colored, its flying fish design lifelike, splendid without losing its majesty.
I'm one of those dreaded Imperial Guards now!
Ning Chuan was delighted inside, his face blooming like a flower.
What made Ning Chuan even happier was that the Imperial Guard's benefits were truly excellent. Besides a monthly salary of ten taels of silver, he was also allotted a residence.
It was located in the south of the city, not far from the Imperial Guard yamen, making travel to and from work extremely convenient.
"Tsk, tsk..."
"Who would have thought that a country brat would look rather like a proper human being after putting on those clothes!"
Xiao Lian's expression softened somewhat. After all, she was a young girl, and she too suffered from that common weakness of being especially tolerant toward handsome men.
Seeing Ning Chuan's refined and handsome appearance, the dissatisfaction in her heart immediately faded by thirty percent, and he became a little easier on the eyes.
Ning Chuan is rather good-looking. Having him as this miss's subordinate is somewhat beneath him!
Ning Chuan drew his Embroidered Spring Saber. Its blade was long and sleek, its lines smooth, and its edge sharp enough to chop or thrust.
"Clang..."
With a flick of his finger, the blade quivered lightly and gave off a crisp hum.
"Fine saber!"
No sooner had Ning Chuan spoken than, with a soft crack, dense fractures appeared on the spot where he had flicked the Embroidered Spring Saber.
Ning Chuan hurriedly sheathed the saber and glanced at Xiao Lian. Fortunately, she had not noticed.
Damn it, am I too strong, or is this saber too lousy?
"Enough! You are now an official Imperial Guard Cavalry Officer. Starting tomorrow, come report for duty."
Seeing Ning Chuan's showy manner, Xiao Lian was already growing impatient.
"Yes!"
After bidding Xiao Lian farewell and leaving the Imperial Guard yamen, Ning Chuan arranged with Zhang Chao to meet that evening at the Qingshan Restaurant.
He then returned to the inn and opened his room's door. The room was empty, and Ning Chuan's mind thundered.
"Big Dog!"
"Xiao Hua!"
"Where are you?"
Ning Chuan shouted, but neither Big Dog nor Xiao Hua answered. A terrible foreboding immediately rose in his heart.
"Where's the innkeeper? Get out here!"
Ning Chuan's voice boomed through the inn, drawing many onlookers.
The innkeeper came out, and his face immediately changed. His body trembled slightly.
"Oh no! Oh no!"
"What do I do? What do I do!"
Before leaving, Ning Chuan had made arrangements with him and asked him to look after them. Seeing Ning Chuan dressed in coarse linen, he had assumed he was an ordinary guest and had not taken the matter seriously.
Now, seeing Ning Chuan dressed as an Imperial Guard and learning that his younger brother and sister had gone missing, he realized he had caused a massive disaster.
Ning Chuan seized the innkeeper by the collar.
"I told you to watch my younger brother and sister. Where are they?"
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