Chapter 100: Ninth Prince, I Want To Go Myself
“A mysteriously acquired ability?”
Lin Fan looked at the content the Saintess wrote on the paper, his gaze fluctuating slightly.
Inconceivable.
Even somewhat incredulous.
This was just like encountering someone who could fly; you ask him why he can fly, and he says he doesn’t know either. He was living perfectly fine before, and suddenly he could fly, exactly the same.
Lin Fan raised his eyes, staring intently at the Saintess with scrutinizing, suspicious gaze, hoping to see some signs of lying in her eyes.
The Saintess, beaten into fear, hurriedly picked up the brush and wrote on the paper.
‘I really don’t know, it’s truly a mysteriously acquired ability.’
What the Saintess said was all true.
She herself was also puzzled and very eager to figure out why others didn’t have such an ability, but only she possessed it.
Lin Fan pondered, could it really be the so-called one-in-ten-thousand special trait?
If it was just a mental state different from ordinary people, he could accept that—after all, since ancient times, there must have been those with exceptional talents—but to say someone suddenly appeared with talent beyond imagination, possessing abilities ordinary people didn’t have, even classifiable as divine means.
He didn’t quite believe it.
Seeing Lin Fan not speaking, the Saintess impatiently picked up the brush and wrote.
‘Chief Lin, both you and I have abilities ordinary people can only yearn for from afar; we must be the same kind of people.’
Lin Fan read the content on the paper word by word.
“Same my ass; this official is the reincarnation of the Great Celestial Venerable of the Ninth Heaven—you demoness, stop trying to latch onto some relationship?”
Lin Fan angrily rebuked; he hadn’t gotten the relevant situation he wanted.
This left him in a rather unpleasant mood.
The Saintess stared blankly at Chief Lin in front of her.
She thought this Chief Lin was simply deranged; no one without issues would say such things at a time like this.
Lin Fan reached out and picked up the Saintess, left the office, arrived at the prison, brought her to the rack, bound her up, then covered her eyes with a cloth.
Eyes covered, instantly crippled.
While he was interrogating the Saintess, this woman had tried to use her create illusions ability to pull him in; he hadn’t obstructed it at all and very much hoped to be personally pulled into the illusion to see the situation.
But unfortunately.
Even if the Saintess popped her eyeballs, it was useless.
……
At the same time, Zhuoming Prefecture.
Battalion Commander Song rushed back covered in dust, without even time to drink water, and went straight to see the Ninth Prince to report in detail on the results of the Anzhou trip.
“What did you say? You personally went and still couldn’t resolve this matter for the Ximen Family?” The Ninth Prince was fishing by the pond in the garden; hearing Battalion Commander Song’s report, he turned his head in astonishment. “What background does that Anzhou Prefecture Chief have? He dares not to give face even to this prince?”
His expression was very incredulous.
Though he was just the neglected Ninth Prince, regardless, his Imperial Family bloodline and prince title were real and substantial; for a mere Anzhou Chief to not give face like this was something he hadn’t expected.
“Replying to Your Highness, indeed so. The Anzhou Chief is named Lin Fan; he is upright and unbending, with a fiery temper. Even knowing it was Your Highness’s order, he remained unmoved. Such principles truly make this subordinate admire him immensely.”
Battalion Commander Song spoke truthfully, his words full of admiration, without the slightest fury from being angrily kicked by Lin Fan in Anzhou.
Upholding loyalty to His Highness, after leaving Anzhou, he had rushed nonstop to Yong’an to investigate the situation locally.
To be honest, after he initially learned some of Lin Fan’s deeds,
He was stunned on the spot.
The matter of the Stone Dragon Mountain mountain bandits and Tianxian Island sea bandits being wiped out was no secret in Yong’an; just pulling any person to ask would get the details from them.
These were all personally led by Master Lin to wipe out.
Using his own identity, he went to the Public Security Bureau, using the court’s desire to reward Lin Fan as a pretext to inquire with the participating constables, but the news he got shocked him repeatedly.
Both the mountain bandits and sea bandits were killed single-handedly by Lin Fan.
When he learned it was this situation, his first thought was impossible—who could be so terrifying?
But the local constables swore it was true, not looking like they were lying at all.
For this, he personally went to Stone Dragon Mountain and Tianxian Island to check the situation there; even after so long, those pits and craters still remained.
Seeing these, Battalion Commander Song shifted from half-believing half-doubting to fully convinced.
Chief Lin was a fierce man of this era.
But now, he had only just begun to show his edge and hadn’t yet drawn others’ attention.
The Ninth Prince held his fishing rod, frowning slightly, looking at Battalion Commander Song with a complex expression. “The Ximen Family is one of this prince’s sources of wealth; now he won’t even give me face—why do you seem to admire him so much?”
“Are you really my man?”
The Ninth Prince was quite helpless.
Zhuoming Prefecture was no good place: extremely poor location, scarce arable land, severe soil issues, erratic climate, and bandit troubles nearby.
Even after having Battalion Commander Song lead troops to clear them out several times, they still couldn’t be eradicated at the root.
His relationship with the Ximen Family wasn’t them depending on him; rather, as a prince, he relied on the Ximen Family’s Anzhou Chamber of Commerce to buy up at high prices the produce grown by Zhuoming Prefecture common people, thereby maintaining stability in Zhuoming Prefecture.
Battalion Commander Song said: “Your Highness, this subordinate is naturally your man, but this Chief Lin is no ordinary person. This subordinate hopes Your Highness can win him over. Your Highness need not doubt; please allow this subordinate to report the investigated situation one by one, and then Your Highness will understand why this subordinate admires Chief Lin so much.”
Seeing Battalion Commander Song so serious, the Ninth Prince proactively set down his fishing rod; he hadn’t caught any fish despite all this time fishing—it didn’t matter.
The key was he had never seen Battalion Commander Song praise someone so highly.
Mr. Yang, waiting respectfully by the Ninth Prince’s side, was also very curious; he was an advisor to the Ninth Prince, like Battalion Commander Song, one of the most trusted people.
Then, Battalion Commander Song recounted all the news he had gathered, without any withholding.
At first, the Ninth Prince thought this Chief Lin was a bit arrogant, but as he listened, he felt something off—this wasn’t arrogance; this was clearly beyond human capability.
Even Mr. Yang, who always maintained calm, unconsciously opened his mouth wide at this moment, his eyes that usually gleamed with sharpness filled with unconcealable shock.
After finishing speaking about Chief Lin’s matters.
Battalion Commander Song bowed and said: “Your Highness, every word this subordinate spoke is true, without the slightest exaggeration. In this subordinate’s humble opinion, if Your Highness can manage to befriend this Chief Lin, even if just establishing a good connection, it will surely be greatly beneficial to Your Highness’s future.”
He had thought about it on the way back.
This Chief Lin was definitely no ordinary figure in the future; he would surely leap over the dragon gate and soar to the skies.
He followed the Ninth Prince, so he was one of the Ninth Prince’s people.
As the saying goes, one prospers together, one suffers together.
Now the Ninth Prince was neglected in the Imperial Family; sometimes when he accompanied the Ninth Prince back to the Imperial City and met familiar people, they mocked him openly and covertly for following the wrong person.
“Ah! There’s such a formidable person in this world?”
The Ninth Prince’s mouth was slightly agape; he originally thought Left Commander Qin Li was very powerful, but he never imagined there was someone even more domineering than Qin Li.
Mr. Yang’s gaze flickered; after quickly weighing the pros and cons, he volunteered, “Your Highness, if what Battalion Commander Song says is true, this man is indeed a rare talent. This subordinate is willing to personally go to Anzhou and convey Your Highness’s goodwill and appreciation to this Chief Lin.”
At this time, Battalion Commander Song said awkwardly: “To be honest with Your Highness, this subordinate went to Anzhou this time without understanding the local officialdom situation, and moreover, that Anzhou Prefect and Chief Lin have long been at odds, so this subordinate’s actions may… may have been somewhat reckless, and I’m afraid I’ve already offended this Chief Lin.”
Hearing this, Mr. Yang gave Battalion Commander Song a complex look and sighed inwardly.
This Battalion Commander Song was loyal, but sometimes acted too directly without knowing subtlety.
But with things as they were, complaining was useless.
Regardless of the situation.
He still had to go.
For His Highness, and for himself.
Pulling capable people for His Highness would invisibly add some security for the future.
Don’t think that being in Zhuoming Prefecture, far from Imperial City strife, meant he wasn’t closely watching.
The Imperial Court side could be said to be in dire straits.
The First Prince and Second Prince fought openly and covertly; officials took sides, competing overtly and covertly.
The Ninth Prince being exiled to Zhuoming Prefecture wasn’t the Emperor’s wish, but the Second Prince using some means to drive him away, because the Ninth Prince was simple-minded, unfit for great use, impulsive in situations, lacking depth.
Because the Ninth Prince and Second Prince shared the same mother.
The Second Prince couldn’t ignore him and was even worried the First Prince might target the Ninth Prince to affect him, so he could only send him away, as far as possible.
Therefore, Mr. Yang very much hoped the Ninth Prince could pull capable people to his side.
Imperial Family struggles were very cruel.
If the Second Prince won, all would be well, but if he lost, then even the Ninth Prince exiled to such a barren place would surely be settled by the First Prince.
Thus, his development direction staying by the Second Prince’s side was toward holding the city as king and rebelling.
Raise troops, train soldiers, stockpile grain.
This was also why he had ties to the Anzhou Chamber of Commerce.
“Then after offending him, did you apologize?” the Ninth Prince asked.
Battalion Commander Song said: “No, but this subordinate didn’t spread the matter; it’s just that Chief Lin might have some opinion of Your Highness.”
“Ah?” The Ninth Prince was slightly stunned. “I haven’t even met him; why would he have an opinion of me?”
“Because Your Highness sent this subordinate.”
“……That’s true, haha.” The Ninth Prince smiled awkwardly.
Seeing this, Mr. Yang reaffirmed, “Your Highness, rest assured; leave this matter to this subordinate to mediate. This subordinate will do everything possible to clear the misunderstanding and convey Your Highness’s sincerity.”
“No, I want to go too.”
The Ninth Prince was full of curiosity about Lin Fan and very much wanted to see with his own eyes what was so special about the person Battalion Commander Song praised so highly—whether he had three heads and six arms.
Battalion Commander Song was greatly alarmed and hurriedly dissuaded, “Your Highness, absolutely not! You are a body worth thousands of gold, a noble prince—how can you easily venture to outside places? Moreover, Zhuoming Prefecture has much government affairs needing Your Highness to oversee and control.”
Mr. Yang nodded: “Yes, Your Highness.”
As for Battalion Commander Song saying Zhuoming Prefecture needed His Highness to control, Mr. Yang just wanted to say, you really know how to boast—a huge Zhuoming Prefecture, when had His Highness ever managed it.
Which daily government affair wasn’t us discussing a plan and presenting it to His Highness, who after hearing would usually just say “do it” with a nod.
As for why he was unwilling to let His Highness go personally.
Nothing more than fear of accidents.
If the prince encountered danger outside and something really happened.
How many heads did they have to chop?
“No, this prince must go, and incognito.” The Ninth Prince’s expression was firm, beyond question.
“Your Highness…”
Battalion Commander Song and Mr. Yang still wanted to dissuade.
The Ninth Prince frowned: “If you really keep blocking this prince, don’t blame this prince for sneaking out of Zhuoming Prefecture; then if you can’t find me, don’t cry in a panic.”
These words came out.
The two immediately didn’t dare say more.
They knew the Ninth Prince could really do such a thing.
……
Anzhou.
Nightfall arrived.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
In the courtyard, booming roars echoed through the darkness.
His motivation for cultivation was even stronger now; after returning and eating, he threw himself into cultivation.
The Mingwang Cult Saintess could make people enter illusions—this was definitely not a unique special ability of the Saintess; thinking of what he knew earlier about Qin Li, who in his youth could lift a cauldron of two to three hundred jin single-handedly.
This was not something ordinary people could do.
Previously he only thought it was innate divine power, but now it seemed it might not be innate divine power; very possibly like the Saintess, mysteriously gaining this power.
Of course, lifting a two-to-three-hundred-jin cauldron single-handedly was nothing surprising to him; even two to three thousand jin, he could lift.
However, he always believed one thing.
There are people beyond people, skies beyond skies.
Always maintaining the highest pressure was the right way.
At the nearby stone table, Ning Yu and the others held teacups, drank hot tea, cracked sunflower seeds, and watched Lin Fan cultivate intently; no matter how many times, it always felt shocking.
After a long time.
As Lin Fan finished cultivating, Qian Tao took the lead, quickly stepping forward with the cloth to wipe.
Lin Fan nodded; seeing the proficiency rise on the panel every day from cultivation satisfied him greatly, but the proficiency needed for the Guiyi Body Refining Method to advance was really too much.
Two thousand points even before beginner.
Really too much.
Up to now, barely over six hundred points, still needing a long time to reach the beginner stage, but the one fortunate thing was that each time proficiency increased, his own intensity would improve.
No need to reach the stage entry to get stronger.
This was the point about the panel he was most satisfied with.
Lin Fan walked to the stone table and sat down; Ning Yu handed over the already poured tea. “Master, drink tea.”
“Mm.” Lin Fan nodded.
Xu Ming said: “Sir, some relatives of the Mingwang Cult followers we captured have come to the Public Security Bureau pleading, hoping we release their family members, saying they were also deceived by the Mingwang Cult.”
Lin Fan picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said: “Ignore them. Remember what I said during the day: these devout believers have been thoroughly brainwashed, their reason completely gone. It’s impossible for them to recover on their own; must strike hard, beat fear into their hearts—that’s truly saving them.”
Everyone hearing this nodded in strong agreement.
Feeling Sir made sense.
Lin Fan looked at Ning Yu. “Do you know the situation with the Grand Tutor, one of the three dukes?”
The Mingwang Cult’s Dengzun had mentioned the Grand Tutor was a supporter of the Mingwang Cult.
Now he had taken down the Mingwang Cult.
The Grand Tutor would surely know.
Of course, he didn’t take the Grand Tutor to heart at all.
Come and I’ll deal with him.
PS: Sorry, family dinner tonight, no way around it during National Day, drank too much, will make up tomorrow.
