Pingyang Prefecture, Fragrant Pavilion.
Lin Lang and the others sat together enjoying a celebratory feast, toasting their recent arrests of numerous fugitives wanted by the imperial court-and the promotions and riches that followed.
Liu Zhengfeng, Wang Wu, and Jia Liu had all been promoted. Liu Zhengfeng became the Hundred-household of Bailing County, while Wang Wu and Jia Liu rose to Probationary Hundred-household, though all three remained at the Thousand-household Office under Lin Lang's command.
Although Lin Lang had not been promoted, the Eastern Depot had showered him with praise. They had even issued an order placing him in charge of the Thousand-household Office while Thousand-household Zhao recovered from his injuries.
"My lord, a toast to you. Following you was the wisest decision of my life."
Wang Wu's face glowed with delight. This time last year, he had not even been a Small Banner, and his martial arts had only ranked third-rate in the martial world. How could he have imagined that, in such a short time, he would become a Probationary Hundred-household and rise to the ranks of first-rate fighters?
He had also bought a grand residence with three successive courtyards in Pingyang Prefecture and was living exceedingly well.
Jia Liu, Liu Zhengfeng, and the others also piled on the flattery. Lin Lang lowered his hand to quiet them. "You've all served me wholeheartedly. Naturally, I won't let you go unrewarded."
"You're satisfied with being mere Hundred-households and Probationary Hundred-households? A Jinyiwei officer who doesn't want a promotion isn't a good Jinyiwei officer."
"Follow me, and I guarantee you'll all become Thousand-households at the very least."
By now, Lin Lang had mastered an essential leadership skill-painting lavish pies in the sky.
There was no harm in painting those pies big. Only by giving them something to look forward to could he make them follow him with unwavering devotion.
Sure enough, as soon as he said those words, Wang Wu and Jia Liu's faces filled with excitement. Even Liu Zhengfeng's eyes gained a hint of anticipation.
"Thank you all for your hard work lately. Pingyang Prefecture has become forbidden ground for fugitives wanted by the imperial court, so we won't be catching anyone else for a while. Go unwind in a bit. You're all getting five days off."
Wang Wu and Jia Liu dragged Liu Zhengfeng away to pick out some women. He had wanted to refuse, since he had both a wife and a concubine at home, but their warm insistence was impossible to turn down. He chose the two youngest.
Lin Lang smiled in satisfaction. With a woman in each arm, Liu Zhengfeng looked every bit a proper Jinyiwei Hundred-household.
The madam entered with a beaming smile and poured Lin Lang a cup of wine. "Lord Lin, you've been so busy lately. So many of our girls have been hoping you'd come give them some pointers. Would you like them to sing a few newly learned tunes for your appraisal?"
Lin Lang asked, "Any new girls?"
What was the point of appraising little tunes? He wanted someone to appraise his flute.
The madam shook her head, and Lin Lang immediately lost interest. Her thinking was still too rigid. She needed to keep discovering promising newcomers if she wanted the Fragrant Pavilion to keep thriving.
"Make sure Hundred-household Liu is well entertained. When I'm transferred to the Capital City someday, I'll let you open a Fragrant Pavilion there too."
"Rest assured, my lord. We'll make sure Hundred-household Liu wants to come back again after this visit."
The madam watched Lin Lang leave, her face full of puzzlement. How many new girls knew how to sing?
Lord Lin seemed to have asked more than once. She had better buy a few new girls as soon as possible, lest she displease him.
Humming a little tune, Lin Lang strolled home.
Now Xiao He at home had a truly marvelous voice-one that could make a man forget all his troubles.
The streets were nearly deserted at night. After turning off the street hung with red lanterns and entering a narrow alley, his surroundings grew noticeably darker.
Lin Lang suddenly stopped. "Come out."
Two men in black blocked his path ahead, while another two cut off his retreat behind him. All four held swords.
"Lin Lang, the Divine Marquis is very angry about what you did at the Silver Hook Gambling House. But he's willing to give you a chance. Pledge your allegiance to him, and he'll guarantee you soar to greatness."
Lin Lang asked curiously, "Can he make me Commander of the Jinyiwei next year?"
The leader froze for a moment. "...No!"
You're only a Deputy Thousand-household of the lower fifth rank right now, and you fucking want to become Commander of the Jinyiwei, an upper third-rank official, next year?
If we agreed to that, would Lin Lang want the Divine Marquis's seat next?
"Then can he give me a million taels of silver?"
"No."
Lin Lang was displeased. "No promotion and no riches? That's what you call soaring to greatness?"
The man in black demanded, "Did you join the Jinyiwei just to get promoted and get rich?"
Lin Lang nodded. "Yep."
If he was not serving for promotions and riches, was he supposed to be doing it for his dreams? Even if he was, his dreams were still promotions and riches. It came to the same thing.
The man in black: "..."
Wouldn't a normal person say something about having lofty aspirations?
Even if he really was after promotions and riches, surely he wouldn't admit it so openly?
"Lin Lang, stop dreaming. Only by pledging allegiance to the Divine Marquis can you survive. Otherwise, today will be the day you die!" the leader threatened.
Lin Lang shook his head. "Then you've got it wrong. Not only will I live, I'll outlive Zhu Wushi."
"Insolence! You dare address the Divine Marquis by name? You're courting death!"
He had thought recruiting Lin Lang would be easy, just like the other martial experts he had previously recruited for the Iron-Gallant Divine Marquis.
After all, the Iron-Gallant Divine Marquis's reputation was known far and wide. Even Gu Santong, the Invincible Urchin who had single-handedly slaughtered over a hundred experts from eight great sects, had fallen to him. How many people in the martial world could hear the Divine Marquis's name without fear?
Yet how could this lowly Jinyiwei Deputy Thousand-household be so arrogant?
All four lunged at Lin Lang at once. The Divine Marquis's orders were to kill him if he could not be recruited.
Not only would that weaken the Eastern Depot, it would also intimidate anyone else thinking of causing trouble at the Silver Hook Gambling House.
Over the years, they had already dealt with many people like him.
Although all four were only at the martial arts master peak, they excelled at combined attacks and had joined forces to kill more than one early-stage Grandmaster.
When the Dragon Guard Manor sent them here, they had all felt the Iron-Gallant Divine Marquis was making a mountain out of a molehill.
The alley was narrow to begin with. As the four charged, they sealed off every direction in which Lin Lang could dodge.
They intended to cripple all four of his limbs in one strike, then torture him thoroughly and ask why Cao Zhengchun valued him so highly before killing him.
Facing the four charging men, Lin Lang did not dodge. Instead, he rushed straight at two of them.
Two blades swept almost flush past his ears, yet failed to harm him in the slightest.
But although he had clearly broken out of their encirclement, he did not leave. Instead, he darted back at once.
After a single exchange, the four realized Lin Lang was far harder to deal with than they had expected. His movements were too fast, too uncanny.
But Lin Lang actually dared to charge back. That was courting death!
Lin Lang's figure kept weaving through their encirclement, and he felt his Evil-Warding Body Technique improving rapidly.
After dozens of exchanges, Lin Lang suddenly said, "That's about enough. If we keep fighting, it wouldn't be good for you to exhaust all your true qi."
As his words fell, the short sword he had seized from Li Fei slipped out of his sleeve.
Although it was not the longsword he was more accustomed to using, it was enough to kill these four.
"Aah!"
A moment later, four screams rang out almost simultaneously. The four men in black lay crumpled on the ground, staring at Lin Lang in terror.
They had never seen such uncanny swordsmanship. Combined with Lin Lang's ghostlike movements, it had left the four of them helpless even when fighting together.
"If you dare kill us, the Divine Marquis will send more experts to take your life!" the leader threatened.
Lin Lang's face lit up with delighted surprise. "He'll send more? The Iron-Gallant Divine Marquis really is far too kind."
Then my true qi is sure to skyrocket. Should I send the Iron-Gallant Divine Marquis a silk commendation banner to thank him?
Before you continue