Chapter 103: Damn It, Worst Case I’ll Just Blow Up Right In His Face
“Ah!”
“Imperial Inspector Wang!!!”
Prefect Zhao exclaimed, completely taken aback that someone would actually dare to act. He quickly rushed to Lord Wang’s side, helped him up, and then pointed at Ning Yu with uncontrollable fury.
“Rebellion! You’ve defied heaven itself! How dare you! You dare to strike an Imperial Inspector sent by the Imperial Court. This is treason, a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your clan.”
Prefect Zhao had no other motive than to shift all the blame onto Ning Yu.
Lord Wang clutched his burning, aching abdomen, his face turning from pale green to white, his breathing becoming difficult.
His gaze towards Ning Yu was filled with shock and disbelief.
They’ve all gone mad, every single one of them.
As an Imperial Censor, in his entire life, he had never imagined he would be beaten.
“Who are you?” Lord Wang questioned angrily.
Prefect Zhao quickly said, “Sir, this woman is Ning Yu, a disciple of Chief Lin, who holds the position of clerk in the Public Security Bureau. Now that she has dared to strike, she must have been instigated by Chief Lin.”
After kicking him, Ning Yu shouted, “That’s right, it was I, your grandma, who kicked you. You can scram back now and tell the Grand Tutor that Ning Yu kicked you.”
Her only thought now was to prevent her Master from acting.
If her Master were to act, they would truly fall into the Grand Tutor’s trap.
The purpose of sending an Imperial Censor was none other than to frame her Master. Moreover, having followed her Master, how could she not know her Master’s temperament?
If her Master were truly pushed to the edge, she truly feared her Master would kill the Imperial Censor.
If that were to happen.
It would truly be a major incident.
The heavens would fall.
Ning Yu’s two followers watched the scene unfold with very calm expressions. Although Ning Yu had beaten the Imperial Censor, in their eyes, it wasn’t a big problem.
Li Zhengdao’s face turned ashen, knowing it was over. Their Anzhou Public Security Bureau would surely be stripped bare from top to bottom.
In his eyes, an Imperial Censor was someone who couldn’t even have a single hair on their body touched.
“You… what are you all standing around for?” Lord Wang finally caught his breath, feeling his dignity utterly lost. Unable to contain his rage, he roared at the surrounding soldiers, “Assaulting an Imperial Censor appointed by the Imperial Court is a heinous crime of the utmost gravity. Take this savage woman down, seize her on the spot.”
The soldiers paused slightly, then, shaking their weapons, they aimed at Ning Yu.
“Who dares?”
Lin Fan stepped in front of Ning Yu, his gaze sharpening, his eyes fierce, staring intently at all the soldiers present.
This terrifying sense of oppression instantly tightened the hearts of the soldiers present.
Although they had always trained in the City Defense Barracks, they knew of this Chief Lin.
He was a man of strong will and overbearing methods.
During his tenure, he swept through Anzhou.
It was rumored that his personal martial prowess was extraordinarily high, beyond what ordinary people possessed. The iron rod he carried weighed sixty jin, and one strike from it would either kill or cripple. Now, with Lord Wang ordering them to act, if they were to fight, it would surely be suicide.
Prefect Zhao shouted, “Lin, you are incredibly bold! Lord Imperial Censor is here, acting under orders. Now that your disciple has beaten an Imperial Censor, it’s as if you have beaten him. Do you truly intend to rebel?”
“What are you waiting for? Attack! Take them down! Those who disobey will be court-martialed.”
At Prefect Zhao’s command, the soldiers exchanged glances, hesitant to move forward or back. At this critical moment, Lin Fan suddenly slammed the iron rod in his hand onto the ground. The collision of the rod’s tip with the ground produced a thunderous roar, creating a deep pit.
The intense booming sound stunned everyone present.
“If you want to die, feel free to try,” Lin Fan said angrily.
The soldiers looked at the shattered, sunken floor tiles.
They felt their breathing become heavy.
A sense of indescribable pressure.
“Master, it’s alright,” Ning Yu said.
Lin Fan raised his hand to interrupt, “It’s fine. You are my disciple, and as your Master, I will naturally protect you. I know you are worried that I might act against this Imperial Censor, but it’s alright. What’s the harm in acting against him?”
With that, he strode forward.
Prefect Zhao, who was helping Lord Wang, felt a shock in his heart and couldn’t help but want to retreat. But he knew this was his only chance to capture Lin Fan, so he naturally couldn’t back down.
The soldiers, standing at attention, retreated, unable to withstand Lin Fan’s oppressive aura.
Just as Prefect Zhao was about to speak.
Bang!
A dull thud!
Lin Fan, too lazy to waste words on him, simply kicked out, accurately hitting Prefect Zhao’s chest.
Prefect Zhao let out a pig-like scream, his entire body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily onto the ground several meters away. He clutched his chest, curled into a ball, tears and snot streaming from his eyes from the pain.
He had long anticipated that Lin Fan might act and had prepared himself to be beaten, but the force of this kick far exceeded his imagination; his internal organs felt almost displaced.
Lin Fan didn’t even glance at the screaming Prefect Zhao and walked directly to Lord Wang, looking down at him with undisguised contempt in his eyes.
He reached out, grabbed his head, and shook it back and forth.
“Do you think that because you are an Imperial Censor, with the power to supervise officials, you can act arrogantly and put on airs in front of me, Lin Fan?” Lin Fan shouted sternly, the words striking Lord Wang’s heart heavily.
Lord Wang’s head, being shaken, felt like it was filled with mush.
He was truly shaken to the point of foolishness.
As he’d said before, after so many years in office, when had he ever encountered such a situation?
The officials in the area who saw him would tremble with fear, some even abandoning their posts and fleeing. He had never encountered anyone who dared to confront him directly like this.
“Speak!!!” Lin Fan raised his voice again, like thunder in his ears.
The reprimanded Lord Wang jolted violently, suddenly snapping back to attention. He tremblingly raised his hand and pointed, saying, “How dare you! Do you know who I am?”
Lord Wang’s voice trembled, almost on the verge of tears.
*Slap*—!
Lin Fan slapped him, turning Lord Wang’s head to the side. Lord Wang’s lips twitched, and he fell into a daze. If this incident spread, it would likely become a huge joke.
An Imperial Censor being beaten.
This had never happened in the three hundred years of the dynasty’s history.
“You don’t even know who you are, yet you dare to be so presumptuous in front of me. Do you think I, Lin Fan, am easy to bully?”
“Anzhou is my Anzhou, not a place for you to cause trouble.”
Lin Fan’s words left Lord Wang completely speechless. His lips moved several times, as if he had many things to say but didn’t know what to say.
He could only stare blankly, looking at Lin Fan in disbelief.
Judging by his chest, which rose and fell like a bellows, the Imperial Censor before him was clearly extremely angry.
“Speak!!!”
Lin Fan exerted his dominance, forcefully pressing all the pressure onto Lord Wang.
Ning Yu looked at her Master, who was being extremely overbearing, and was truly stunned.
Her two followers exchanged glances, seeing a look of panic in each other’s eyes. They sensed Lin Fan’s intention: if they were truly to be apprehended, this man might very well march to the Imperial City with his iron rod and beat the Grand Tutor to death.
Others might not know, but they knew how terrifying Lin Fan’s strength was.
It was strength beyond human capability.
At this moment, Lord Wang was full of resentment and even indignantly roared, “I am an Imperial Censor!”
“Even your Imperial Censor father wouldn’t matter,” Lin Fan retorted angrily.
“Ah…” Lord Wang roared madly, completely breaking down under Lin Fan’s overwhelming actions. He started shouting like a madman, looking at the surrounding soldiers, “What are you all standing around for? Take him down! Take him down…”
“Do you all want to rebel?”
Seeing that the soldiers remained unmoved.
Lord Wang became utterly enraged.
The soldiers gritted their teeth. There was no choice; they had to draw their weapons and charge at Lin Fan. Qian Tao and the others, seeing this, were about to intervene when Lin Fan stopped them with a look.
He then moved instantly, snapping the approaching weapons. Of course, he didn’t go for the kill, but rather threw the soldiers to the ground. They were acting under orders, and if they didn’t act, it would be difficult for them to account for themselves.
In the span of a short moment.
The soldiers all lay on the ground. Some soldiers weren’t injured, but they knew that since they had fallen, they should lie down properly and not think about getting up just because they were okay.
“You… you.”
Lord Wang stared with wide eyes, utterly disbelieving that the soldiers he brought had all fallen.
Lin Fan looked at Lord Wang, “Scram. Get out of Anzhou right now, immediately. Go back and tell the Grand Tutor to bring whatever he’s got. Do you think I, Lin Fan, am afraid of him?”
Having suffered such humiliation, Lord Wang understood that he truly had no recourse now.
To continue confronting Lin Fan.
would only bring him more trouble.
“Lin, you are truly audacious. Just you wait,” Lord Wang scrambled away, half crawling, half rolling. As he reached the entrance of the Public Security Bureau, he suddenly found the street filled with common people.
“What are you looking at? You group of peasants.”
Lord Wang unleashed all his anger and humiliation onto the innocent common people, roaring in impotent rage.
Lin Fan, who was in the courtyard, heard Lord Wang cursing the common people as peasants and could not tolerate it. He strode out and kicked the man to the ground.
Looking around, he searched for a suitable tool.
He spotted an old man leading an ox. Lin Fan went up, borrowed the ox-driving whip, and without a word, swung it directly at Lord Wang.
“Damn it, this is Anzhou! Are the people of Anzhou someone you can curse?”
“Peasants? I think you’re the dog official.”
Lin Fan’s whip landed on Lord Wang’s body with each strike, causing Lord Wang to cry out in pain and roll on the ground. The pain made him grit his teeth. Before long, Lord Wang lay motionless on the ground, completely beaten unconscious.
The surrounding common people were stunned.
Completely dumbfounded.
If they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, they wouldn’t have believed such a scene.
Some of the common people knew that the Imperial Censor from the Censorate, who had the power to supervise officials, had been beaten by Master Lin. But now that Master Lin had beaten an Imperial Censor, even the slightly knowledgeable common people turned pale.
They understood that Master Lin had committed a grave crime.
Seeing that Lord Wang was unconscious, Lin Fan stopped, returned the whip to the old man, and walked back into the Public Security Bureau. Prefect Zhao, who was holding himself up with difficulty, didn’t even dare to look at Lin Fan. With his head lowered, he shuffled along the wall and cautiously walked out.
“Zhao, you just wait,” Lin Fan said, pointing at Prefect Zhao.
Hearing this, Prefect Zhao trembled.
He felt an immense terror.
In fact, he was now one hundred percent certain that this Lin Fan was a madman.
……
Office.
Li Zhengdao sighed, sitting there, despair appearing in his eyes.
“Deputy Squad Leader Li, why are you sighing so much?” Lin Fan asked with a smile.
Li Zhengdao looked at Lin Fan with a complex expression.
“Chief Lin, let’s run. The world is vast, and there are many places to run. With your strength, where can you not go?”
Lin Fan smiled, “Run? Why should I run?”
Li Zhengdao said with a wry smile, “My Chief Lin, you are truly not suited to be an official. You cannot endure the slightest grievance, but that person is an Imperial Censor from the Censorate. If you beat him and resist investigation, when this news reaches the Imperial Court, you will face a manhunt by the Three Judicial Offices, and the army will surround the Public Security Bureau. At that point, not even a fly can get out.”
Back when they were in Yong’an, Li Zhengdao already knew that Lin Fan feared nothing.
At that time, as a Prefect.
He only cared about stability and survival, so he let Lin Fan do whatever he wanted. But who would have thought that coming to Anzhou, he would create such a monumental problem?
The only way to resolve this matter now.
would be if the Emperor did not pursue it.
But was that possible?
Beating an Imperial Censor was akin to slapping the Emperor’s face; how could it not be pursued?
“Don’t worry, I’ll take responsibility for my actions. It has nothing to do with you,” Lin Fan said.
Li Zhengdao shook his head, “How can it have nothing to do with us? You are our Chief, and we belong to your faction. This cannot be changed. That’s why I say, while there is still a chance, let’s run. We cannot just sit and wait for death.”
Ning Yu said, “We’re not running. I’ll find a way. I have connections.”
Li Zhengdao glanced at Ning Yu and sighed inwardly. Although he knew Ning Yu had status and background, even the greatest status and background might find it difficult to resolve this matter.
In the Imperial Court, the Grand Tutor would surely want to kill Lin Fan.
And they had no one in the Imperial Court. Who would help them?
If Ning Yu’s elders learned of this, they would likely not want to be involved. This was a matter of challenging the Imperial Court’s authority, something that couldn’t be resolved with just a few words.
Yang Ming stood there, trying to maintain his composure. As for fear, Yang Ming was certainly afraid because he still had family and parents. But since following Brother Lin.
the life he had lived had been truly stimulating.
As Brother Lin’s confidant, when the Imperial Court demanded accountability, he would inevitably be implicated. As for his family, their property would likely be confiscated, and they would be reduced to low-status households. In the worst-case scenario, they would be exiled.
Lin Fan knew that everyone present was troubled. He couldn’t help but reach for his saber hilt.
At worst, he would self-destruct.
If he could brazenly storm the Imperial Palace, he would directly threaten the Emperor’s safety, ending the matter. If that didn’t work, they would all self-destruct together.
For those in power, they were not afraid of their power being encroached upon.
What they feared most was the lack of security.
At this moment, Ning Yu didn’t say much more. She left the office and called her two followers. “You two go back immediately and tell my maternal grandfather and my aunt that the Grand Tutor is deliberately targeting me and sent an Imperial Censor to Anzhou to try and kill me. Also, tell them that I was stabbed by someone sent by the Imperial Censor.”
Follower A: “Ah!?”
Follower B: “……?”
“What are you still waiting for? Go!” Ning Yu urged.
The two said no more and turned to leave.
……
Barracks.
Commander Qin stared at Lord Wang, who was being carried back on a stretcher, bruised and swollen, his official robes in disarray, and completely unconscious.
“What happened?”
He was truly stunned.
Could it be that Lin Fan beat the Imperial Censor to this state?
That would be too audacious.
Prefect Zhao, with a mournful face, said angrily, “Brother Qin, the Imperial Censor was severely beaten by Lin Fan. He is truly lawless and arrogant. Quickly, bring your soldiers and immediately surround the Public Security Bureau and arrest them. If they resist, kill them without mercy.”
Hearing this, Commander Qin’s brow twitched slightly. He felt that the current situation was truly explosive.
He truly couldn’t believe it.
Lin Fan was indeed overbearing, but he wasn’t stupid. How could he commit such a foolish act?
“Brother Zhao, calm yourself. This matter requires careful consideration. Although I am the Commander, I have no authority to mobilize troops into the city. It requires proper procedures. I think we should quickly wake Lord Wang up and have him send the news to the Censorate to be reported to His Majesty.” Commander Qin said.
Prefect Zhao became anxious upon hearing this, “Brother Qin, the situation has already escalated to this point, and you still want Lord Wang to report to the Censorate? Waiting for the Censorate to report to His Majesty will take too long; by then, it will be too late.”
Commander Qin’s face stiffened, and his tone became firm, “Brother Zhao, rules are rules. Without a clear order from the Imperial Court, mobilizing troops into the city without authorization is equivalent to treason. I, Qin, cannot bear such responsibility. Please do not make things difficult for me!”
“You…” Prefect Zhao glared, staring intently at Commander Qin.
He realized now.
This Commander Qin truly did not want to leave him any room for error.
Just then.
Lord Wang, lying on the stretcher, let out a faint groan and slowly woke up.
Prefect Zhao no longer argued with Commander Qin and rushed to the stretcher, supporting him solicitously, “Lord Imperial Censor, you are awake? How are you feeling? Are you alright?”
Lord Wang’s head was groggy, and as he seemed to recall the events that had just transpired, his face instantly turned ashen, “Damn it! This Lin fellow is damned! I am an Imperial Censor, and he dared to beat me?”
“Lord Imperial Censor, how can such a rogue be tolerated? We must immediately report this to the Censorate, present it to His Majesty, and immediately dispatch troops to surround the Public Security Bureau and arrest such a rogue,” Prefect Zhao said.
Lord Wang looked at Commander Qin, “Quick, send troops to apprehend him.”
Commander Qin said, “Imperial Censor, the rules do not permit it. According to the Imperial Court’s regulations, only thirty men can be mobilized. Without official authorization from the Imperial Court, I cannot bring troops into the city.”
He had made up his mind not to get involved in this mess.
This was clearly the Grand Tutor’s move against Lin Fan. Although the Grand Tutor held great power now, there were still checks and balances in the court.
Without explicit instructions from the Imperial Court, he would not easily mobilize troops.
To avoid giving anyone leverage and drawing trouble upon himself.
Lord Wang looked at Commander Qin and immediately shouted towards the door, “Someone, ride at full speed to the Imperial City and inform the Censorate of this matter.”
……
Two days later.
“Is this Anzhou?”
The Ninth Prince looked around the city curiously, observing that the local common people had a spirited demeanor. He approached a tea stall.
“Customer, what tea would you like?”
“The best.”
“Right away.” The stall owner busily prepared it.
The Ninth Prince never skimped on himself when it came to food and drink.
Soon, a pot of steaming hot clear tea was served.
The Ninth Prince took a sip; the taste was acceptable.
Seeing that there were no other customers at the moment, he took the opportunity to inquire with the stall owner, “Stall owner, I’m from out of town. I heard that your Chief Lin is a renowned figure. Is that true?”
Since there were no other customers, the stall owner, seeing this distinguished-looking outsider actively asking about their Anzhou pride, suddenly found his tongue and began to speak volubly, his face beaming with pride.
“Customer, you’ve asked the right person. Our Chief Lin is indeed a renowned figure. He stands up for us common people and upholds justice for us. Look around, are there any local ruffians?”
“Hmm, no. It is indeed rare.”
“Of course. Those who dare to bully people are all locked up in prison. As for those who commit violence in the streets, the grass on their graves must be knee-high.”
Speaking of the practical deeds Master Lin had done for them, the stall owner’s face was filled with gratitude and admiration.
But soon, he seemed to recall something vexing, his smile disappeared, his brows furrowed deeply, and he let out a heavy sigh.
This scene was observed by the Ninth Prince.
“What’s wrong?”
“Alas, our Master Lin has encountered some trouble.”
“Oh? What trouble?”
“A few days ago, an Imperial Censor came to Anzhou, clearly under orders from the Grand Tutor to deal with our Master Lin. But is our Master Lin someone who would suffer in silence? He beat the Imperial Censor after a disagreement. I heard that beating an Imperial Censor is a great crime, punishable by death. So we are all worried that Master Lin is in danger.”
“Ah…?”
The Ninth Prince’s eyes widened, his mind blank.
Beat an Imperial Censor?
Pondering it, it was somewhat acceptable.
Chief Lin didn’t even pay attention to him, the Ninth Prince, so a mere Imperial Censor was normal.
But he caught the key point.
Grand Tutor.
“Why would the Grand Tutor want to deal with Master Lin?” the Ninth Prince asked, quite puzzled. The Grand Tutor always stayed in the Imperial City, so how would he get involved with Chief Lin?
The stall owner explained the situation with the Mingwang Cult.
The Ninth Prince nodded repeatedly. So the Mingwang Cult was supported by the Grand Tutor. This made him somewhat solemn. He had to tell his eldest brother about this. The Grand Tutor was supporting a cult, and it was an evil cult.
However, he had no one with him at the moment and couldn’t send a message.
This was rather difficult.
After chatting with the stall owner for a while longer, the Ninth Prince found out Lin Fan’s specific residence and then hurried there.
Lin Residence.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Lin Fan stood amidst the equipment, enduring the impact of the wooden stakes, practicing the Guiyi Body Refining Method. He hadn’t slept much these past few days, only resting for an hour or two at most. The rest of the time was mostly spent cultivating.
【 Guiyi Body Refining Method Proficiency +1】
He had no other thoughts now.
The only thing he thought about the most was mutual destruction.
Damn it.
It was impossible for him to back down.
If they wanted a confrontation, they would have one.
No matter if it was the Grand Tutor or anyone else, even if there were thousands of soldiers, he wouldn’t be afraid. If they couldn’t kill him, could they stop him from running?
Of course, he wouldn’t run.
There were many people who followed him. If he ran, they would be the ones to suffer.
At this moment, Wu Yong and Qian Tao were squatting in a corner, looking at Brother Lin who was cultivating. They exchanged quiet words.
“Wu Yong, don’t you think… Brother Lin has been cultivating exceptionally hard these past few days, almost like he’s fighting for his life?” Qian Tao whispered.
Wu Yong nodded with a solemn expression, “Yes, I feel like Brother Lin… may have already prepared for the worst.”
Qian Tao: “What worst-case scenario?”
“That is, Brother Lin will truly kill his way to the Imperial City and beat the Grand Tutor to death.”
Qian Tao: “……”
“Don’t look at me like that. I’m serious. Brother Lin gives me that impression.”
Among those who followed Brother Lin, who didn’t know how terrifying Brother Lin’s strength was? It was truly unimaginable, beyond what a human could possess.
Just as the two were whispering, there was a knock on the door.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Wu Yong got up, walked to the main door, and opened it. “Who are you looking for?”
“May I ask if Lord Lin is here?” the Ninth Prince asked.
“Yes.”
Wu Yong sized up the Ninth Prince. The other person was neatly dressed, fair-skinned, and carrying a gift box. It was clear he wasn’t there to cause trouble.
Who would bring a gift if they were there to cause trouble?
As the Ninth Prince followed Wu Yong into the courtyard, he heard muffled thuds. He wondered what the sound was, but when he looked at the courtyard, he was completely stunned.
He saw Lin Fan standing amidst strange equipment, pulling a rope, allowing wooden stakes to impact his body.
This kind of scene was something the Ninth Prince had never witnessed.
Even without personally experiencing it, he could feel how terrifying the force of the impact was.
Wu Yong looked at the stunned Ninth Prince.
He said nothing.
He could understand; anyone who saw this would be bewildered.
After a moment.
Lin Fan stopped cultivating. Wu Yong hurried forward, picked up a cloth, and handed it to Lin Fan. “Brother Lin, someone is looking for you.”
Lin Fan wiped his body and looked at the visitor. He seemed somewhat familiar. He suddenly remembered that this was the young man who had his clothes stripped by bandits in Wulong Valley.
To this day, he still didn’t know the other person’s name.
Lin Fan walked over with a smile, “Why have you come to Anzhou?”
“Benefactor, I’ve finally found you.” the Ninth Prince said quickly.
Lin Fan waved his hand. “Don’t call me benefactor. I am the Head of the Public Security Bureau, and suppressing bandits is my duty. Come, let’s have some tea.”
“Thank you, sir.” The Ninth Prince acted very respectfully.
From the bottom of his heart, he wanted to cling to Lin Fan’s leg.
On the way to Anzhou, he had thought of countless methods with the aim of staying by his side, but so far, he hadn’t come up with anything practical.
Lin Fan picked up the teapot and poured tea for the Ninth Prince. The Ninth Prince immediately acted as if he were extremely honored and maintained a smiling face throughout.
“By the way, what’s your name?” Lin Fan asked.
“Huang Xiaojiu.”
“Haha, Xiaojiu, don’t tell me you’re the ninth son of your parents.”
The Ninth Prince gave an awkward laugh. He was indeed the ninth son and the one who was most looked down upon and considered the most useless.
Lin Fan said, “I remember you were traveling for leisure, right? When you come to Anzhou, you can visit the famous scenic spots. As for public security, you can rest assured, you won’t encounter any danger.”
At this moment, the Ninth Prince was thinking about how to stay. As for scenery, he had absolutely no interest.
Suddenly.
The Ninth Prince stood up, his gaze fixed on Lin Fan. Lin Fan, sensing Huang Xiaojiu’s gaze, also looked at him with confusion, unsure of what the other person intended to do.
Suddenly.
An astonishing scene unfolded.
*Plop*!
The Ninth Prince’s knees suddenly buckled, and he knelt before Lin Fan.
“What are you doing?” Lin Fan asked in surprise, not understanding the other person’s intentions.
Wu Yong and Qian Tao were also stunned.
They were at a loss for what to do with this display.
Huang Xiaojiu slowly raised his head, his face full of sincerity. “Lord Lin, I truly admire you. Ever since you rescued me from Wulong Valley, my mind has been filled with your valiant and divine image.”
“I have been bullied since I was young and have always wanted someone to protect me.”
“I’m not afraid of losing face. I want to follow Lord Lin, even if it’s just to be a small follower, I am willing. I beg Lord Lin to take me in.”
“Please.”
Huang Xiaojiu pleaded desperately.
Lin Fan’s mouth hung slightly open, looking at Huang Xiaojiu with astonishment. He had considered many possibilities, but never that the request would be this.
Wu Yong and Qian Tao exchanged glances.
Holy cow!
He’s here to latch onto Master, but Master himself is in trouble lately. If we tell him about this later, he might be scared half to death.
“Get up,” Lin Fan said.
“Lord Lin, I, Xiaojiu, am sincere. As long as Lord Lin is willing to take me in, I can kneel to death right here.”
The Ninth Prince had no other thought; he was determined to cling to him.
Lin Fan said, “Do you know that I’ve gotten myself into big trouble recently? If you follow me, you will be implicated.”
The Ninth Prince said, “Sir, I know. I heard from others that you have offended the Grand Tutor, but I am not afraid. Even if I die tomorrow, as long as I can be by your side, I will have no regrets.”
Wu Yong said with a smile, “Don’t boast. Don’t run faster than anyone else when trouble comes.”
Qian Tao said, “This trouble is no small matter. Our Brother Lin himself might not be sure if he can resolve it. If you follow Brother Lin, you’ll be like us, very likely to become a wanted criminal.”
The Ninth Prince looked at Wu Yong and Qian Tao. Having navigated the Imperial Palace for many years, he could tell at a glance that these two were definitely Lin’s confidants.
“Brothers, don’t look down on me. I am sincerely willing to follow Lord Lin. Even if I am wanted, I am willing to go through fire and water for Lord Lin.”
Brothers?
Wu Yong and Qian Tao exchanged glances.
There was a smile in their eyes.
They had never been called “brothers” before.
To be honest, they felt quite favorably towards this Huang Xiaojiu.
Wu Yong said, “Brother Lin, judging by his demeanor, he is determined. Why not keep him? Let him clean the courtyard. After all, we are busy most of the time and don’t have time to clean.”
Lin Fan pondered.
The Ninth Prince said, “Thank you, brother, for speaking up for me. I am very diligent. My personal best record is using a cloth to scrub three rooms until the floor was spotless and dust-free.”
He had actually done such things before.
When he was young, he was bullied by his elder brothers and several half-siblings and was forced to scrub three great halls on his knees.
Qian Tao said, “Yes, Brother Lin, why not let him stay? We were planning to find someone to clean the house anyway. I think this person is quite honest, not the slippery-tongued type.”
The Ninth Prince said, “Thank you, brother. I am very honest.”
Qian Tao, called “brother” like this, felt an indescribable surge of emotion.
This kid is a talent.
Lin Fan thought for a moment, “Alright, since you really want to stay, then let’s try. But you need to think clearly. Follow me and work hard, and no one will be able to bully you. But if you really get wanted, don’t regret it.”
“Thank you, Sir Lin.” The Ninth Prince was so excited he wanted to cry.
When he came from Zhuoming Prefecture to Anzhou, he intended to build connections and ideally become friends.
After seeing his domineering figure sweeping away bandits in Wulong Valley.
His idea completely changed.
Friends were too distant.
He had to become a follower, a confidant. If he were bullied in the future, it wouldn’t just be his own face on the line.
“Alright, can you get up now?” Lin Fan said.
Huang Xiaojiu stood up with a chuckle.
Lin Fan said, “You familiarize yourself with the environment here first. We have to go to the Public Security Bureau to handle matters.”
“Yes.”
Huang Xiaojiu nodded his head.
After Lin Fan and his group left, Huang Xiaojiu looked around, excitedly waving his fist, showing great enthusiasm. He now had to write a letter to Battalion Commander Song and Mr. Yang back in Zhuoming Prefecture.
To tell them not to come looking for him and to manage Zhuoming Prefecture well, leaving all matters to them.
Just as Huang Xiaojiu was about to find a place to put down his bundle and go out to handle things, he bumped into Ning Yu.
When Ning Yu saw the Ninth Prince, her eyes widened sharply, as if she had seen a ghost. “What are you doing here?”
The Ninth Prince, seeing who it was, also trembled in fear. “Sister Ning.”
“Your grandma’s leg, my sister!” Ning Yu didn’t say another word and lunged forward, kicking the Ninth Prince to the ground. “You’re really audacious! Don’t you know that your Auntie Ning’s master is Chief Lin? You actually dared to send people to pressure me, are you looking for a beating?”
The Ninth Prince’s face fell. “Sister Ning, I truly didn’t know! If I had known, even if you gave me ten times the courage, I wouldn’t have dared to let Battalion Commander Song come here.”
The Ninth Prince was both fearful and intimidated by Ning Yu, having had a psychological shadow since childhood. Of course, he was also very grateful to Ning Yu. When he was bullied as a child, if Ning Yu happened to be in the Imperial Palace and saw him being bullied, she would stand up for him.
Thinking back, she had indeed intervened several times.
Therefore, since childhood, he felt that Sister Ning was a hero among women.
“Wait, why are you here? Who allowed you in?” Ning Yu asked.
The Ninth Prince said, “Sister Ning, Sir Lin asked me to stay. I’ll be working under Sir Lin from now on. I clean the entire mansion, and my name is now Huang Xiaojiu.”
“My master doesn’t know who you are?”
“No.”
“What were you thinking, coming here to work instead of staying in Zhuoming Prefecture?”
“Sister Ning, I admire Sir Lin too much! I just want to cling to this powerful figure, and from now on, no one will dare to bully me.” The Ninth Prince said excitedly.
Ning Yu looked at the Ninth Prince with a complex expression. “I really don’t understand what you’re thinking. As a Prince, only a few people can bully you. You still want no one to be able to bully you. Are you trying to become the Emperor?”
The Ninth Prince repeatedly waved his hands. “Sister, don’t talk nonsense. With my situation, how could I possibly have the qualifications to be Emperor? You don’t know, when I was in the Imperial City, those officials didn’t take me seriously at all. They treated me like air. Even their young masters could point fingers at me. You tell me, this Ninth Prince title is worse than not having one.”
Ning Yu didn’t refute what he said.
The situation was indeed as he described.
“So, you’re hiding this from my master now?”
“Sister, please be kind and help me. Don’t expose me. I’m really afraid that if Sir Lin finds out I’m the Ninth Prince, he’ll have an opinion of me. After all, I provoked things first, and I haven’t even salvaged my image yet.” The Ninth Prince clasped his hands together and pleaded.
Ning Yu looked at the Ninth Prince. To be honest, she felt some sympathy for him. The struggle within the Imperial Court was severe, with the First Prince and the Second Prince fiercely competing. Both were very intelligent, highly capable, and deeply favored by the Emperor.
As for the Ninth Prince, he had been insignificant since childhood.
His imperial consort passed away from illness when the Ninth Prince was still young.
He was also without support.
“Alright, I promise to keep it a secret for you. You’d better behave. If I find out you have ulterior motives, don’t blame me for being harsh.” Ning Yu warned.
The Ninth Prince repeatedly waved his hands. “No ulterior motives at all, absolutely none.”
……
Evening!
Lin Fan and his group returned. As they approached the entrance, the door opened, and they saw Huang Xiaojiu smiling broadly as he came out to greet them.
“Sir Lin, you’re back.”
“Four older brothers are also back.”
“And this older sister.”
Lin Fan, Wu Yong, and Qian Tao were unfazed.
However, Yang Ming and Xu Ming were stunned. “What… who is this?”
He called them “brothers” right off the bat.
The person being addressed felt quite embarrassed.
Ning Yu was amused by the Ninth Prince’s address.
You are a Prince.
It’s one thing to show respect to my master, but you’re even calling others “brother.”
Lin Fan said, “Huang Xiaojiu, we just recruited him today. He’ll be part of our household from now on. When we’re not here, he’ll guard the house for us.”
Huang Xiaojiu said with a smile, “Sir Lin, the food is all prepared.”
“Oh! You can cook too?” Lin Fan asked in surprise.
Huang Xiaojiu chuckled, “A little, a little.”
They arrived at the dining hall.
Lin Fan and the others were immediately captivated by the spread of dishes before them.
“My goodness, you’re saying you cooked this?” Wu Yong’s eyes widened, utterly dumbfounded. These dishes were simply too exquisite.
Huang Xiaojiu chuckled, “Brother Wu, I don’t have many skills, but my greatest skill is cooking. I learned these when I had nothing else to do in the past.”
“This dish is called ‘Exquisite Peony Fish,’ where the fish slices are arranged in the shape of a peony, steamed, and then dipped in vinegar and garlic sauce. It tastes very good.”
“This is ‘Snowflake Crisp,’ which I made with my own hands this afternoon. It should taste good too.”
“And…”
Huang Xiaojiu introduced them one by one, as if reciting a family treasure.
Wu Yong and Qian Tao gave Huang Xiaojiu a thumbs-up, deeply inhaling the aroma and finding it truly delicious.
Hiring him was truly worth the money.
Ning Yu recognized these dishes instantly. They were all imperial cuisine from the palace. Of course, she also knew why Huang Xiaojiu could cook. In his childhood, to avoid being bullied, he would often go to the imperial kitchen and get along well with the chefs there, learning to cook from them.
Over time, he had honed his culinary skills.
“Everyone sit down and taste it,” Lin Fan said with a smile. He hadn’t expected to recruit such a surprise. If the food tasted good, he’d have him deliver meals to the Public Security Bureau in the future.
Huang Xiaojiu stood by, ready to serve at any moment.
Ning Yu looked at Huang Xiaojiu’s constrained demeanor. It seemed to remind her of his past experiences of being bullied. Whenever those princes and princesses gathered, he would be made to stand and serve.
Even his own elder brother allowed others to bully him in this way.
“Your name is Huang Xiaojiu, right?”
“Sister, yes.”
“Sit down and eat with us. My master doesn’t have many strict rules.”
Huang Xiaojiu repeatedly waved his hands.
Lin Fan said, “Sit down, don’t stand.”
“Yes.”
