"Congratulations, Lord Lin. Let me raise a toast to you."
"Lord Lin's promotion to probationary hundred-household was absolutely what everyone wanted."
"Of course. Lord Lin isn't just a skilled martial artist; the way he treats people has earned all our respect. I wouldn't accept anyone else in that position."
In a private room on the second floor of Gathering Abundance Tower, the county's largest restaurant, Lin Lang sat drinking with the core members of the hundred-household office. It was still daytime, but Hundred-household Li himself was there, so what did they have to fear?
Those who had previously clung to Liu Wu's coattails were now flattering Lin Lang twice as hard, terrified that he would make life difficult for them.
Although Lin Lang wasn't yet in charge of the hundred-household office, Hundred-household Li rarely took action personally on routine assignments. Lin Lang would undoubtedly lead the team, which meant that who earned merit and who died in the line of duty would all be up to him.
Lin Lang raised his cup with a broad smile. "Thank you, everyone. Unfortunately, I failed to control my strength while sparring with Banner Commander Liu today, leaving him bedridden at home and unable to join us for drinks. What a shame."
Wang Wu said loudly, "If Lord Lin hadn't spared a thought for a fellow officer and refrained from drawing his saber, Banner Commander Liu wouldn't have gotten off with just two months in bed."
Jia Liu chimed in, "Exactly. Lord Lin even gave Banner Commander Liu three free moves. If you ask me, Banner Commander Liu should have surrendered outright. How could his paltry martial arts possibly match Lord Lin's? He was simply inviting humiliation."
Hundred-household Li looked at Lin Lang. "Brother Lin, your strength has improved so quickly that even I failed to notice. What's even more surprising is that you actually went into seclusion at Jade Green Pavilion to make your breakthrough."
Until now, he had never realized that Lin Lang was so calculating.
Who could have imagined that a man would spend three days in a woman's room doing nothing but practicing martial arts?
Even more baffling was how Lin Lang had managed to achieve a breakthrough in the Golden Body Child Skill while Xiao He was making those sounds.
If they hadn't just relieved themselves together, he would have suspected that Lin Lang had secretly had himself castrated.
He had thought Liu Wu was devious enough, paying him three thousand taels to persuade Lin Lang to agree to let a ring match decide who became probationary hundred-household, then arranging for someone to drug Lin Lang so his strength would decline and he would lose.
Yet Lin Lang had merely pretended to fall for the trap, turning it around and fooling everyone instead.
Lin Lang wore a look of fond recollection. "I never expected to make a breakthrough while practicing at Jade Green Pavilion either. I had to grit my teeth and endure those three days. It was all thanks to Miss Xiao He."
If Xiao He hadn't put on such a convincing performance, acting as though she really had become Lin Lang's woman, how would Liu Wu have fallen for it? How would the other brothers in the Jinyiwei have been fooled? Hundred-household Li thought.
Xiao He must have been Lin Lang's person all along. That fool Liu Wu had thought he could use her to trap Lin Lang, never realizing that Lin Lang was leading him by the nose every step of the way.
They drank and chatted for two hours before Hundred-household Li excused himself, claiming he couldn't hold his liquor. This was Lin Lang's celebration banquet, and he shouldn't steal the host's thunder.
He could already see that he could no longer keep Lin Lang beneath him. Lin Lang might become his equal at any time. Banking a little goodwill now might earn him a helping hand in the future.
Once Hundred-household Li left, the atmosphere instantly grew even livelier.
Everyone directed their flattery at Lin Lang alone, making him feel as though he could become a hundred-household tomorrow, a thousand-household next month, and commander of the Jinyiwei next year.
Another two hours passed, and it was nearly dark before Lin Lang finally called it a night.
The others stood up, promising to visit Lin Lang's home in a couple of days or invite him over to theirs soon, before finally leaving.
Only Lin Lang, Wang Wu, and Jia Liu remained in the room. Jia Liu checked outside the door, made sure no one was around, then shut it securely and took a stack of banknotes from inside his robe to hand to Lin Lang.
"My lord, we made a fortune this time."
"Everyone thought your strength had declined, so the betting odds kept changing. These are all your winnings."
Lin Lang looked at the thirteen thousand taels in banknotes in his hand. If he remembered correctly, he had supplied only two thousand taels in capital, most of which had been the money Xiao He had given him to buy her freedom.
They had discussed it over drinks earlier. Although rumors had spread that his Golden Body Child Skill had been broken and his strength had declined, Silver Hook Gambling House's odds had only reached six to one. The extra thousand taels must have been a tribute from these two.
"You're both ninth-rank officers, and you've been at our hundred-household office for quite some time. I'll mention it to Hundred-household Li later. With your talents, you're more than capable of shouldering the responsibilities of Small Banner officers."
Both men were delighted. They had indeed latched onto the right patron.
"It's still early. What do you usually do around this time?" Lin Lang thought, Now that we've eaten and drunk our fill, shouldn't we move somewhere else for a little activity that's good for body and soul?
Wang Wu smiled sheepishly. "The two of us usually go to Jade Green Pavilion to listen to a few songs."
Lord Lin had already become a probationary hundred-household. Surely he would continue diligently practicing his Child Skill and would never want to visit such a pleasure den again.
Lin Lang stood up. "Then let's go. What are you waiting for?"
Wang Wu and Jia Liu exchanged looks. Was Lord Lin going to listen to a few songs?
Of course. Merely listening to songs wouldn't affect Lord Lin's Golden Body Child Skill.
But when they arrived at Jade Green Pavilion, they watched Lin Lang take Miss Xiao He by the hand and leave, telling them to enjoy themselves.
Miss Xiao He must be Lord Lin's undercover agent. Lord Lin had serious business to attend to. That had to be it!
With Lin Lang gone, the two of them let loose. They had made a tidy fortune today and attached themselves to the right patron, with promotions and pay raises just around the corner. They simply had to make it a double celebration.
An hour later, Lin Lang leaned against the headboard, feeling that his hand was missing a cigarette and that the experience wasn't quite perfect without it.
Xiao He gently kneaded Lin Lang's shoulders. "Congratulations on winning the ring match and becoming a probationary hundred-household, my lord."
"I wish to serve you forever, my lord. I would willingly be your slave or maid. Please grant my wish."
Lin Lang glanced at Xiao He. "Sure. Go to my house tomorrow and become a maid."
The smile on Xiao He's face froze. That wasn't what she had meant. She wanted to become the probationary hundred-household's concubine!
But judging by Lin Lang's expression, if she refused, she probably wouldn't even get the chance to become his maid.
At least she could escape the pit of fire that was Jade Green Pavilion. Once she bore Lin Lang a child, she would surely become his concubine.
"Thank you, Lord Lin. Tomorrow, Xiao He will tell Madam Li that you wish to buy my freedom."
Lin Lang nodded, casually took out a hundred-tael banknote, and handed it to Xiao He with an air of great generosity. "Take this and buy your own freedom."
Xiao He was dumbfounded. That morning, she had given Lin Lang all fifteen hundred taels of her savings, and now he was giving her a hundred taels to buy her own freedom?
Surely she had told Lin Lang how much it cost to buy her freedom? It looked like she wouldn't be able to keep her jewelry.
The night watchman's calls sounded outside. Lin Lang got out of bed. At this hour, the curfew should have begun.
"Help me dress."
Xiao He paused in surprise. "Are you leaving, my lord? Aren't you staying here tonight?"
Lin Lang smiled. "I'll be back in a little while. I'm going to put in some overtime."
Once dressed, he took one of Xiao He's gauze garments and covered his face with it, picked up his Xiuchun Blade, pushed open the window, and jumped straight down from the second floor.
Xiao He stared blankly after Lin Lang. What kind of overtime required him to cover his face?!
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