A Great Achievement

A Great Achievement

"Reporting to you, sir, Deputy Battalion Commander requests your presence."

When Bai Yan arrived at the Hundred-Household Office, Li Kaiyao hurried forward to report.

"All right, I know."

Bai Yan nodded and strode toward the Battalion Commander's Office.

When he reached the central hall of the Battalion Commander's Office and had just arrived at the entrance, he heard Battalion Commander Zheng Haihan's hearty laughter, along with the corners of his mouth that he could not suppress no matter how hard he tried.

"Your subordinate Bai Yan pays respects to Battalion Commander Zheng."

"Enough, enough. Get up quickly."

Zheng Haihan laughed as he helped Bai Yan up, then raised a hand and patted him on the shoulder, his voice brimming with approval:

"Bai Yan, you did an outstanding job this time!"

"You rendered a great service during yesterday's mission."

Zheng Haihan asked again:

"Do you know the background of the traitor you captured yesterday?"

Bai Yan shook his head:

"Your subordinate does not know."

Zheng Haihan's smile widened:

"That was a traitor of the Azure Lotus Sect."

"Someone from the Demonic Cult?!"

Bai Yan was slightly startled. He had not forgotten that he had already made an enemy of the Demonic Cult.

The treasure map and broken jade the Demonic Cult wanted were still hidden in his home.

"Correct. It was indeed a traitor of the Demonic Cult."

Zheng Haihan's expression turned solemn as he said in a deep voice:

"From the female traitor's confession, we learned that the Demonic Cult intended to take advantage of the Bozeguo delegation's entry into Yongtang to plant spies within the imperial palace."

"On the one hand, this was to make it easier to gather intelligence from within the palace. On the other, it was to assassinate His Majesty."

"It was all thanks to you that their plot was dismantled in time. You effectively saved His Majesty once. Tell me, was your achievement great or not?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Yan immediately rubbed his hands together with a grin:

"Since your subordinate has rendered such a great service, may I ask what reward His Majesty has prepared?"

One ought to be straightforward in dealing with people. That was what made superiors like you.

No matter what kind of leader they were, none would like a subordinate with too many schemes.

By acting this way, he would instead make Zheng Haihan find him even more pleasing to the eye.

"Rest assured. Would I mistreat you?"

Zheng Haihan laughed:

"This time, you rendered merit by escorting the delegation and exposing the Demonic Cult's plot. Judging by your achievements, you are fully qualified to serve as Deputy Battalion Commander."

"But your seniority is too shallow, and you were only recently promoted to Hundred-Household Commander, so I cannot promote you again this time."

"Still, His Majesty's reward for you is quite generous. Guards!"

At Zheng Haihan's command, a Brocade Guard strongman immediately entered from outside.

The strongman carried a tray lacquered with gold. On it sat a stack of silver notes, a jade bottle, and an inner garment that looked extraordinary at a glance.

"These are the thirty thousand taels of silver notes, the Heart-Protecting Elixir, and the Golden Silk Armor bestowed upon you by His Majesty."

"The silver notes may not be much, but the latter two are treasures that money cannot buy."

Pointing at the jade bottle, Zheng Haihan explained to Bai Yan:

"The Heart-Protecting Elixir is also known as the Three-Dynasty Yang-Return Elixir. It is a seventh-grade supreme elixir."

"No matter how grievous the injury, so long as the person has not died on the spot, taking the Heart-Protecting Elixir can preserve their last breath and extend their life by three days, giving them enough time to seek treatment. That is why it is called the Three-Dynasty Yang-Return Elixir."

"A single pill can fetch twenty thousand taels of silver on the black market, and there is still more demand than supply."

After speaking, Zheng Haihan pointed at the armor:

"As for this Golden Silk Armor, it is an even greater treasure. It was woven from the silk of five kinds of silkworms—the golden silkworm, ice silkworm, jade silkworm, blood silkworm, and stone silkworm—and then soaked in the medicinal liquids of hundreds of spirit medicines for forty-nine days."

"Wearing it makes one impervious to blades and spears and immune to water and fire. It can also nourish the body, accelerate the circulation of true qi, and drive away a hundred ailments."

"A Golden Silk Armor like this cannot be bought for even a thousand taels of gold. There are only a few pieces in the entire imperial palace, which shows how much favor His Majesty has shown you."

Bai Yan cheerfully stepped forward and accepted the tray, then bowed respectfully in the direction of the imperial palace:

"Many thanks for His Majesty's gracious reward! Long live our emperor! Long live, long live, long live!"

Zheng Haihan had not exaggerated. The things the old emperor had bestowed this time were indeed all treasures.

The Three-Dynasty Yang-Return Elixir was a life-saving spiritual medicine, while the Golden Silk Armor was a wondrous protective treasure.

Bai Yan was a Grandmaster-level expert with a three-foot wall of qi protecting him. His defenses were far stronger than the Golden Silk Armor's, so the armor was of little use to him.

But even if he had no use for it, he could give it to Ye Lingdang.

Ye Lingdang was a frail woman, with no strength to truss a chicken. With the Golden Silk Armor protecting her, Bai Yan would feel a little more at ease.

His marriage to Ye Lingdang had already been arranged, and the wedding date had been chosen as well.

As for Ye Lingdang, who would soon enter his household and become his wife, Bai Yan naturally could not be stingy.

His generous father-in-law had not asked Bai Yan for betrothal gifts. Instead, he had provided a substantial dowry.

Bai Yan had also been thinking that he ought to prepare a respectable betrothal gift, and this Golden Silk Armor had arrived at exactly the right time.

This was the first time he would marry in his life, so the betrothal gifts naturally had to be valuable enough to save face.

"All right, put everything away."

Seeing Bai Yan looking utterly delighted, Zheng Haihan could not help saying a word.

"You rendered a great service this time, which was originally a good thing, but it also drew the attention of certain people."

"Drew their attention? I haven't done anything."

Bai Yan blinked and spoke with an innocent look on his face.

Zheng Haihan rubbed his brow, somewhat helpless.

He knew Bai Yan was playing dumb with him, but unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about Bai Yan.

Zheng Haihan patiently explained:

"This mission was originally meant for Zhao Gaozhong, the subordinate of Battalion Commander Wang Zheng."

"So long as he rendered a great service, the Wang Clan would receive even more favor from His Majesty."

"But you beat Zhao Gaozhong and took this mission away from him. That was tantamount to snatching food from Wang Zheng's mouth. Do you think Wang Zheng will let you off?"

"If it had merely been an ordinary mission carried out for appearances' sake, that would have been fine. But this time, you happened to uncover the Demonic Cult's trail, and His Majesty was overjoyed."

"Tell me, do you think Wang Zheng will hold a grudge against you?"

Bai Yan curled his lips:

"If Zhao Gaozhong had gone to receive the delegation, with his abilities, let alone capturing a Demonic Cult traitor, he probably would have failed even at escorting the delegation."

"By then, it would have been like drawing water with a bamboo basket—nothing gained. Where would the merit have come from?"

Zheng Haihan nodded:

"That may be true. I understand that, Wang Qingquan understands that, and Wang Zheng understands that too."

"But understanding is one thing, holding a grudge is another."

"People are simply like this. They always feel that if others can accomplish something, they can accomplish it too."

"After all, no one will admit that they are inferior to others."

Bai Yan nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. Envy and jealousy don't need any reason at all."

"If they want to cause trouble, they will find a reason even when there isn't one."

"But it's no big deal. If they're watching me, let them watch. I'm a Brocade Guard Hundred-Household Commander, after all. They shouldn't be so brazen as to openly sabotage me."

Seeing that Bai Yan clearly did not take it to heart at all, Zheng Haihan felt even more admiration for his courage.

The Wang Clan had deep-rooted influence throughout the Imperial Court and could summon wind and call rain. If an ordinary person incurred their hatred, they would probably lie awake night after night.

There were only a handful of people throughout the Imperial Court who could remain as calm and composed as Bai Yan.

"It's good that you know what you're doing. Be more careful in your actions for the next while."

Zheng Haihan reminded him again.

"Rest assured, Battalion Commander. If anyone dares trip me up, I'll send him to keep Zhao Gaozhong company."

"He must feel awfully lonely lying alone in a sickbed. Sending a few people to accompany him and chat should count as doing a good deed."

Bai Yan gave a wicked chuckle.

"You brat..."