If You Want Huge Credit, You Have to Talk Big

Pingyang Prefecture, Thousand-household Office.

Thousand-household Liu finished practicing a saber routine and sat down in a chair to rest.

"Still no word from Hundred-household Lin?"

He had been waiting all this time, hoping Lin Lang would succeed. Then he could report to Governor Cao and win promotion and riches.

But with no word after so long, he was growing impatient.

A Small Banner handed him a hot towel. "Lord Thousand-household, soon after we left Bailing County last time, Hundred-household Lin left too. He said he was going to recruit experts from the prestigious schools, and he hasn't returned since."

"But these past few days, we've heard a rumor that Liu Zhengfeng, an elder of the Hengshan School, has joined the Jinyiwei. We don't know whether it's true."

Thousand-household Liu instantly sat upright. "What did you say? Liu Zhengfeng, the Hengshan elder, joined the Jinyiwei?"

Had someone really managed to recruit an elder from a prestigious school? Could it have been Lin Lang?

As they were speaking, someone came to report, "Lord Thousand-household, Hundred-household Lin of the Bailing County Hundred-household Office is here. He says he has an important matter to report."

Thousand-household Liu immediately said, "Show him in, quickly."

"Lin Lang pays his respects, Lord Thousand-household."

Thousand-household Liu laughed heartily. "No need for formalities, Hundred-household Lin. Sit down."

"Have you come with good news?"

Lin Lang said solemnly, "Lord Thousand-household, I have fulfilled my mission. I successfully recruited Liu Zhengfeng, an elder of the Hengshan School, into the Jinyiwei. He now serves as a Small Banner in my Hundred-household Office."

Thousand-household Liu's eyes widened. "You really recruited Liu Zhengfeng? And you made him a Small Banner?"

Although he had already suspected as much, hearing it from Lin Lang still shocked him.

What shocked him even more was that Liu Zhengfeng was a peak Martial Arts Master, formerly the second-in-command of the Hengshan School. His Thirteen Forms of the Ever-Changing Cloud and Mist were immensely powerful. An expert like that was actually willing to serve as a mere Small Banner?

Lin Lang explained, "Lord Thousand-household, I wanted to give Liu Zhengfeng a higher position too, but a Probationary Hundred-household must be appointed by the Thousand-household Office. After all, I'm only a Hundred-household myself."

Even Probationary Hundred-household is too low, Thousand-household Liu thought. With Liu Zhengfeng's martial prowess, he felt the man was more than qualified to be a Thousand-household.

"Hundred-household Lin, how did you manage it?"

Was a peak Martial Arts Master really so easy to recruit?

If he could recruit a few himself, wouldn't winning a promotion be as easy as turning his hand over?

Lin Lang spun his tale. "Lord Thousand-household, I racked my brains before I finally persuaded Liu Zhengfeng. I also risked my life helping him fight the Mount Song Sect, saving his entire family from certain death..."

Lin Lang embellished his achievements, making it sound as though Liu Zhengfeng's entire family would have died if anyone but him had gone.

To win a promotion and a raise, you had to know how to claim credit.

If you put in one measure of effort, you had to describe it as twelve.

After hearing Lin Lang's story, Thousand-household Liu also felt that he had faced tremendous difficulties. One slight mistake would not merely have cost him the recruit-it would have cost him his life.

"Hundred-household Lin, you did well. I will certainly put in a good word for you with our superiors and recommend you for Deputy Thousand-household."

"With martial-world experts joining us, we can deal with those martial sects. Governor Cao will certainly be delighted."

Since Lin Lang had successfully recruited a Martial Arts Master, that proved his plan was viable. It could be extended to other Thousand-household Offices to strengthen the Jinyiwei.

He was already preparing to report the news to Cao Zhengchun, governor of the Eastern Depot. If this brought him to Cao Zhengchun's attention, he would surely soar to greatness.

Hearing this, Lin Lang thought a mere recommendation would never do. Apparently, he had not talked big enough yet.

"Lord Thousand-household, we don't necessarily have to act ourselves to deal with the martial sects. We can let the dogs bite each other."

"For instance, this time I joined forces with Liu Zhengfeng, killed six Martial Arts Masters from the Mount Song Sect, and pinned the blame on the Sun Moon Demon Cult."

"The Mount Song Sect and the Sun Moon Demon Cult must be fighting by now, and both sides will inevitably suffer losses. In other words, we've depleted the strength of two major sects without spending a single soldier."

"And I'm confident I can keep stoking their conflict until at least one of them is wiped out."

Thousand-household Liu was stunned. "I was wondering why the Mount Song Sect suddenly struck and uprooted three Branch Altars of the Sun Moon Demon Cult. So you were behind it."

Six Martial Arts Masters from the Mount Song Sect—and Lin Lang and Liu Zhengfeng had handled them alone? Was Liu Zhengfeng extraordinarily powerful, or was Lin Lang a Martial Arts Master too?

But whichever it was, they were both his subordinates. Either way, he ought to be pleased.

"Hundred-household Lin, you're confident you can wipe out one side? How do you intend to do it?"

Even the Dragon Guard Manor had not managed to wipe out a major martial sect.

If their Jinyiwei could do it, they would certainly bring Governor Cao tremendous prestige.

If Governor Cao gained the upper hand over the Iron-Gallant Divine Marquis, he would surely be generous with his rewards. Thousand-household Liu had to seize this opportunity.

Lin Lang smiled. "The method is to plant undercover agents in both the Sun Moon Demon Cult and the Five Mountains Sword Alliance, then use them to keep provoking battles between the two sides."

"We then support one and suppress the other. Like the Dragon Guard Manor, we use people of the martial world to govern the martial world."

"But we don't need to recruit large numbers of martial experts the way the Number One Manor does. Instead, we directly support a major martial sect. That sect will be our Jinyiwei's Number One Manor."

"We let that major sect swallow up the others, keeping those willing to obey and wiping out every last one that refuses."

"When the Great Ming's martial world is unified and only one obedient sect remains, the entire martial world will be firmly under our control."

The authorities supporting a martial sect?!

Thousand-household Liu was stunned by Lin Lang's bold plan, but he had to admit that it did seem feasible.

Yet this plan was far too big for him to decide on. Even the Jinyiwei might not be able to make that decision.

After all, the Jinyiwei barely had any experts. How could they support those major martial sects?

What if they succeeded and nurtured a colossal power, only for it to turn around and bite the Jinyiwei later?

He only needed a share of the credit for this. He absolutely could not take it all upon himself, or he would be the first to suffer if anything went wrong.

Hadn't Lin Lang already made some impression on Governor Cao? Then he would take Lin Lang along this time. When he rose through the ranks in the future, he would need his subordinates' support too.

He was even more worried that Lin Lang might bypass him and report directly to the Eastern Depot. After all, that was exactly how Lin Lang had become a Hundred-household.

"Hundred-household Lin, you must report this plan to Governor Cao in person and ask him to decide. You will accompany me to the capital immediately. This cannot wait."

Lin Lang cupped his hands. "Yes, sir."

To earn huge credit, you had to talk up the potential benefits.

The bigger the boasts, the bigger the credit.

His plan could not succeed without the Eastern Depot's support. The Jinyiwei was still too weak.

This would also prevent Thousand-household Liu from plucking the ripe peaches and stealing Lin Lang's credit.

Lin Lang could accept Thousand-household Liu getting promoted alongside him. That would free up a position and let him move up too.

But he could not tolerate Thousand-household Liu alone getting promoted while he stayed where he was.

Still, now that he was going to meet Cao Zhengchun, should he talk even bigger?