Why Not Say I Have the Makings of a Great Emperor?

"One million taels each!"

At those words, a stir immediately ran through the Black Robe Guards, and several pairs of eyes burned with desire.

Forget the others-even Song Xuan was tempted.

One million taels of silver would be enough for him to buy a mansion in the Imperial Capital, acquire a thousand acres of fertile farmland, marry a bevy of lovely wives and beautiful concubines, and live in bliss.

Seeing that they seemed tempted, Tian Yuan seized on it like a drowning man clutching a straw and hurriedly raised the stakes. "As for you gentlemen, I'll prepare an additional three million taels of silver for each of you afterward!"

Money could move even the gods. Tian Yuan could no longer afford to worry about anything else. Even if he exhausted his entire fortune, as long as the Tian Household survived and he and his elder brother kept their official posts, there would be plenty of opportunities to rake it all back in!

"You make it sound almost believable!"

Song Qian scoffed. "A million taels each, plus what you've promised the few of us on top-that comes to at least thirty million taels of silver, doesn't it?

"I'm not looking down on your Tian Household, but can you actually produce that much?"

Tian Yuan hastily offered an ingratiating smile. "We certainly don't have enough ready silver, but the Tian Household has operated in Jianghuai Prefecture for over a century and ranks among the great clans of Mingzhou. We own no shortage of farmland, shops, and residences. If we sell off our properties, we should be able to scrape together most of it."

"You really could scrape it together?" Song Qian clicked her tongue. "Just how much fat and marrow have you squeezed out of the common people?"

Tian Yuan looked sheepish and dared not speak, merely gazing pleadingly at Song Xuan.

He could tell that this man was the true leader.

Song Xuan shook his head slightly and sighed. "To be honest, it really is tempting. After all, you're offering far too much.

"But unfortunately, Prefect Tian, your household's silver is too hot to handle. I don't dare take it!

"This case involves a struggle for power at court. Who knows how many people are watching from the shadows? If we accept your household's silver today, it could be our heads rolling tomorrow!"

Song Xuan knew perfectly well how much weight he could carry.

With the Pure Yang Limitless Child Skill, a celestial person level cultivation technique, he should have few rivals in the Houtian Realm. Even against a martial expert in the early Xiantian stage, he should be able to put up a fight.

But if pocketing some silver drew the attention of an expert on the level of a first-class Black Robe Guard, he would face ten deaths with no chance of survival.

He had a bright future and limitless potential. As long as he survived, he could eventually cultivate into a martial grandmaster or even a great grandmaster. Why risk his life for a little silver right in front of him?

Once he became a martial great grandmaster, wouldn't he have as much silver as he wanted?

His words instantly extinguished the spark of greed that had risen in the Black Robe Guards' hearts.

What use was silver they could live to take but not live to spend?

Before Tian Yuan could speak again, Song Xuan swept a hand through the air. "Arrest everyone in the rear residence!"

Five days later, Song Xuan treated Shen Lian and the others to a farewell meal.

The case had been investigated thoroughly, and the suspects were all in custody. Whatever came afterward was no longer something Song Xuan could involve himself in.

The day before, people from the Adjudication Office of the Black Robe Guard in the Imperial Capital had arrived and escorted both the case files and the prisoners back to the capital. How they would be tried and sentenced was a matter for the higher-ups.

After eating and drinking their fill, Song Xuan, Song Qian, Little Six, and the others mounted their horses and cupped their fists toward Shen Lian and his companions.

"Brother Shen, it was a pleasure working with you. If any of you ever visit the Imperial Capital, remember to come find me for a drink!"

Shen Lian managed a smile. "We certainly will if we get the chance... Well, Brother Song, could I have a word in private?"

Seeing Shen Lian's embarrassment, Song Xuan nodded and urged his horse more than a hundred meters ahead before stopping.

Shen Lian followed on horseback. As soon as they met, he gave an uneasy smile.

"We've fought shoulder to shoulder and faced life and death together," Song Xuan said. "Whatever you want to say, just say it!"

Shen Lian hesitated, then took a heavy bundle from inside his robe. With one glance, Song Xuan could tell it contained roughly two or three hundred taels of silver.

"Brother Song, I'm a rough fellow, so I'll just be straight with you."

Looking somewhat embarrassed, Shen Lian said, "When we arrested Tian Yuan's family in the Tian Household's inner residence that day, my men helped themselves to some silver."

"How much did you take?" Song Xuan lowered his voice. "The higher-ups probably had their eyes on the Tian Household long before this. They likely have an estimate of its wealth. If you took too much, there could be trouble."

"Not much!"

Shen Lian hurriedly said, "Split among the twenty-odd men, it only came to a few dozen taels each. Compared to the Tian Household's fortune of tens of millions, it doesn't even amount to a single hair off nine oxen."

"Oh, then there's no problem! The men fought hard. Taking a little drinking money is nothing."

Song Xuan waved dismissively. Everyone understood how these things worked. As long as they didn't take too much, no one would make an issue of it.

After all, with the Tian Household brought down, tens of millions in assets were waiting for the big shots above to divide up, and the emperor's privy purse would receive a windfall too. Was it excessive for the Black Robe Guards who had fought through blood to take a few dozen taels each?

Not in the slightest. On the contrary, Song Xuan felt that Shen Lian and the others had been rather restrained. They had probably worried he would object and so held themselves back.

"Brother Song, this is your group's share. It isn't much-fifty taels each. Consider it money for the journey."

Shen Lian looked expectantly at Song Xuan, afraid he would refuse.

Song Xuan laughed heartily. "If I don't take this silver, I'm afraid you and the other brothers won't be able to sleep, will you?"

As he spoke, he accepted the bundle and hefted it casually. "The clink of silver really is a lovely sound!"

Shen Lian gave an awkward smile, but he still breathed a sigh of relief.

Now that Song Xuan had accepted the silver, he no longer needed to worry about him reporting them after returning to the Imperial Capital.

Although he didn't think Song Xuan was the sort of petty villain to trip people up behind their backs, laying everything out in the open was more reassuring all the same.

Slipping the bundle onto his back, Song Xuan cupped his fists and smiled. "No banquet under heaven lasts forever. Brother Shen, you needn't see us any farther. I hope we'll have another chance to work together!"

Shen Lian smiled. "Brother Song, you're a dragon and phoenix among men. By our next meeting, you may already have been promoted to company commander!"

Song Xuan laughed, gaining a deeper understanding of Shen Lian. The man really wasn't much of a talker. Was "a dragon and phoenix among men" something he should casually throw around?

Why not say I have the makings of a great emperor?

After calling over Song Qian and the others and bidding Shen Lian's group farewell once more, Song Xuan and his companions set out on the road back to the Imperial Capital.

Watching their party recede into the distance, Squad Leader Jin Yichuan turned to Shen Lian. "Sir, did they accept the silver?"

"They did!"

Shen Lian smiled in relief. "We were too nervous. He isn't some rigid pedant who refuses to bend to human feeling. He has strength and backing, and he understands the ways of the world. A man like that has boundless prospects!"