Finest Servant

Chapter 286

Chapter 286 Is My Wife a Princess?

As they watched Li Tai stride away, sweeping his sleeves, no one knew quite what to say. Li Wuling spoke up, "Lin San, are you truly not considering a military career? Although I disagree with your viewpoint, I greatly admire your courage. Few dare to speak to my grandfather in such a manner."

Lin Wanrong laughed, "Speaking the truth is a sign of respect for the old general. At present, I do not wish to join the military, but life is unpredictable and circumstances often change. Who knows? One day we may become brothers in arms again."

Hu Bugui hurriedly nodded, "Exactly, exactly. General Lin's actions are always unexpected, too profound for simple folk like us to comprehend. I believe there will come a day when he surprises us all."

Hearing General Lin's refusal to re-enlist, everyone felt a sense of disappointment. But, as General Lin had said, nothing is constant in this world, and everything can change. Perhaps one day he would return.

They were all open-minded individuals. They talked about their brotherhood and shared some happy moments. Li Wuling, despite his young age, had grown up in the military and fit right in with the group; there was no barrier between them.

When Lin Wanrong asked about the situation of Hu Bugui and others after they arrived in the capital, their faces turned grave. It turned out that Xu Wei highly valued the Right Wing Army for their significant contributions. After the army returned to the capital, Marshal Xu personally recommended them to the Emperor. Hu Bugui and the others were summoned to court and received commendation, each being rewarded with command over ten thousand men.

Not only that, Xu Wei also recommended the trio to the First Marshal of Great Hua, the veteran General Li Tai. Once they rushed to the frontline to resist the northern nomads, it was certain that they would have the opportunity to achieve new merits.

Lin Wanrong nodded. Xu Wei was indeed a rare wise man, selfless and unambitious. He was adept at suppressing rebellions and reforming the officialdom, but when it came to resisting the northern nomads, he gave preference to the respected General Li Tai. Hu Bugui and the others were brave and resourceful generals. Their talents could only be fully utilized under Li Tai, fighting against the northern nomads.

After talking for a while, Hu Bugui sighed, "Speaking of resisting the northern nomads, I am confident of victory, but some harsh realities cannot be denied. The northern nomads are tall, strong, and skilled in mounted combat. Our forces, when it comes to individual combat, are somewhat lacking. However, our advantage lies in strategy and command, allowing us to defend our country beyond its borders. Yet in recent years, the court values scholars over warriors. During our nation's heyday, extravagance has become the norm, scholars are engrossed in useless poetry and painting. When it comes to real military needs, we can't find a few competent generals from the court. Worse, some nincompoops even propose ceding territory and paying tributes to appease the northern nomads, to maintain temporary peace for Great Hua. Damn it, are these people pig-brained? The northern nomads' wild ambitions are clear to all but these well-fed court officials. It's pathetic, utterly pathetic..." Here, Hu Bugui slammed the table in anger, his face flush with rage.

Upon seeing Lin Wanrong's astonishment, Du Xiuyuan realized that he was not privy to the inner workings of the court and the military affairs. Sighing, he said, "Don't blame Brother Hu for his rudeness, General Lin. A few months ago, when Marshal Xu proposed a campaign against the northern nomads in the spring, someone actually suggested ceding land for peace, which was truly disgraceful. Thankfully, Marshal Xu and Elder General Li forcefully pointed out the drawbacks of such an approach, and the Emperor finally made up his mind to wage a decisive war against the northern nomads in the spring. Unfortunately, our Great Hua has been at peace for many years, and the culture of scholarship has flourished while the military has been neglected. When it came time to mobilize the troops, there was no one in the court, save Elder General Li, who was deemed suitable for the task. With no alternative, the elderly general was called upon once again to lead the troops into battle. Isn't that heartbreaking?"

At this point, everyone sighed in regret, even the young Li Wuling shook his head incessantly.

"Civil prosperity flourishes in times of peace, and martial prowess rises in times of chaos," Lin Wanrong responded, smiling. "This is a natural law of societal development that no era can escape. But there's no need to worry. Our Great Hua has a long history and is not without talent. There are dragons hidden in the abyss, yet to be discovered. There are always talented people emerging in every era, and when a crisis arises, there will surely be heroes who stand up."

Hu Bugui nodded and said, "That's true, but when we see the elderly general having to travel thousands of miles and fight for our country at his age, we can't help but worry—General Lin, are you really not going to reconsider?"

They were still hoping for him to return to the army, Lin Wanrong noted, and he laughed, "Let's put that aside for now. Plans may not keep up with changes. Oh, by the way, is the Teacher Xu you mentioned the Miss Xu who taught astronomy and calendar?"

Du Xiuyuan seemed surprised, "Indeed, it's that Teacher Xu. Have you met her, General Lin? That's great! You're both such talented people. You could have good conversations and become close friends."

Close friends? He felt more like they were mortal enemies. Hu Bugui nodded in agreement, "Teacher Xu is knowledgeable about everything from astronomy and geography to mathematics and the calendar. I didn't believe it at first, but after she and Elder General Li taught us military strategy, even the Elder General often consulted her, I was completely convinced. It's not an exaggeration to say that she's the first prodigy among women in our Great Hua."

Listening to them praise Miss Xu, Li Wuling laughed, "You don't need to tell me this. Who in the capital doesn't know about Aunt Xu’s talents?"

Aunt? Lin Wanrong was puzzled for a moment. Miss Xu was General Li's daughter? That couldn't be right; one had the surname Xu, the other Li—they were not relatives at all.

He pulled Du Xiuyuan to the side, "Brother Du, is Teacher Xu related to Elder General Li?"

Du Xiuyuan sighed, "Since you've been out of the military, it's not surprising that you're not aware of their connection. The Li and Xu families have been close friends for a long time. Miss Xu was betrothed to General Li's second son from a young age. However, as the elder general has been stationed at the frontier for many years, his son, who was with him, had not met Miss Xu before he died on the battlefield. Both of General Li's sons sacrificed their lives for the country, and it took eighteen imperial edicts from the Emperor to persuade the stubborn old general to retire to the capital."

So, it was like that, Lin Wanrong heaved a deep sigh. Miss Xu turned out to be the intended daughter-in-law of Li Tai who had not yet married into the family. No wonder when asked about her marriage, she simply chose not to respond, and no wonder despite her hair done in a married woman's bun, that Ye fellow persisted in his pursuit. A fair lady, a noble suitor. Especially for a widowed lady, this was quite understandable.

"Lin San, do you know my aunt too?" Li Wuling asked. "I feel like you two would get along well."

"Young man, a man's intuition is often mistaken," Lin Wanrong laughed heartily as he slapped Li Wuling's shoulder, prompting a round of laughter from Hu Bugui and the others.

After saying goodbye to the men at the Jinghua Academy, dusk had settled. He wasn't sure whether the Eldest Miss had returned from visiting the Madam's old friend. With nothing to do, Lin Wanrong started wandering around outside Jinghua Academy.

The Jinghua Academy was nestled against a hill, overlooking a deep lake with a lovely name, "Bi Bo Tan" [TL: Emerald Wave Lake], boasting tranquil surroundings and scenic beauty. The cool lakeside breeze grazed his face. Though it was slightly bone-chilling, it was also refreshing.

Lin Wanrong found a clean spot and sat down, leaning against a barren willow tree. The lake was misty with a vast smoky surface, which left him a bit dazzled.

When would he find Qingxuan? Was he to wait indefinitely? Until the seventh day of the seventh lunar month? But what about Qiaoqiao? She was in Jinling, day and night longing for his return. Thinking about this, he felt restless. He picked up a stone and threw it into the water. It splashed with a light 'plop', creating ripples that spread all around.

"Who's there?" A soft yet stern voice called from not far away.

Lin Wanrong looked up, startled. A silhouette stood by a tree nearby. He could vaguely make out it was a woman, her slim figure and face hidden by the robust tree trunk. It seemed the sound had startled her from her thoughts, prompting her to inquire.

‘This wasn't your private lake, making a fuss over a thrown stone?’ He was not in the mood and grumbled, "Not a human!"

Upon hearing his response, she looked at him more closely and said, "Oh, it's you!"

Seeing the delicate face from behind the tree, it turned out to be Miss Xu. Including their meeting at the temple yesterday, this was their third encounter in two days.

"We really have a knack for running into each other, eh, Miss Xu," he said, laughing. Since she'd seen him, he casually strode towards her.

Miss Xu glanced at him warily and asked incredulously, "Have you been following me?"

Following? He'd not stooped to that level for a long time. Lin Wanrong shrugged, "If I say no, would you believe me? Consider it following if you like. Now, am I here to rob you of your wealth or your virtue?"

Miss Xu frowned, "Such disrespectful talk, you really deserve a beating."

She brandished her repeating crossbow, "I've warned you yesterday, yet you haven't learned your lesson."

‘This girl, always carrying around this thing for self-defense.’ Lin Wanrong laughed, "Learned my lesson? For what? I neither steal nor rob, who do I need to repent to? But Miss Xu, you're carrying a repeating crossbow everywhere, I wonder who you're defending against. Didn't Brother Li Sheng or General Li Tai tell you that a repeating crossbow is not omnipotent?"

"You know Li Sheng?" Miss Xu asked curiously, "This crossbow is powerful and suitable for cavalry and infantry battles. What other weapon could be stronger than it? Ah..."

With a loud 'boom', water splashed high into the air. A large vortex slowly dispersed across the surface of the lake, filling the air with a smoky scent.

Lin Wanrong chuckled and shook his palm, "Did you see that? This is called the 'One Yang Finger', which is a hundred times more powerful than your crossbow. I have been lenient with you, not picking a fight."

Miss Xu was startled by the sudden explosion and covered her ears. Upon seeing Lin Wanrong's smug exhibition, she couldn't help but laugh, "A musket is a musket. You can't deceive me by calling it the 'One Yang Finger'!"

"You know about muskets?" Lin Wanrong was shocked. The precious object given to him by Qingxuan was not something everyone knew about. Miss Xu being able to name it struck him as profoundly surprising.

"This musket is brought in by the Westerner. A British missionary once demonstrated it in the palace years ago. I witnessed its power and have studied it. However, our Great Hua's craftsmanship is not yet capable of reproducing it..."

"British missionary?" Lin Wanrong exclaimed, stepping forward, "What's his name?"

Miss Xu stepped back, raising her crossbow, "What are you doing?"

'Damn it, do you think I'm going to harm you?' Lin Wanrong urgently asked, "Miss Xu, is this British missionary called York?"

Miss Xu looked at him in astonishment, "How do you know? Missionary York has already returned to Britain. Is the musket in your hand from him..."

'Thank heavens!' Lin Wanrong nearly broke down into tears of relief. At last, he had found someone who he could talk to, even though she was not exactly friendly to him.

He tried to maintain a friendly expression, softly asked, "Miss Xu, do you know who the missionary York gave the musket to afterward?"

"You're holding the musket and still asking to whom it was given?" Miss Xu shook her head and snorted, "You use a musket to intimidate a weak woman and still show off like this. It's nonsensical."

'You're the one being nonsensical! If you weren't aiming your arrow at me, would I have drawn my musket?' Lin Wanrong was annoyed, but his face bore an irresistible smile, "Miss Xu, you've misunderstood. This musket was given to me by a friend. Unfortunately, we parted ways and I don't know where she lives, hence my question. Do you know a Miss named Xiao Qingxuan?"

Miss Xu shook her head, "I don't know the Miss Xiao you mentioned, and I haven't heard to whom York gave the musket."

'Damn, you know nothing and yet act so aloof?' Lin Wanrong struggled to keep the smile on his face from stiffening, "Miss Xu, you said York was a missionary. Did you see him in the palace in the past?"

At last, Miss Xu nodded her agreement, leaving Lin Wanrong in a stunned silence. The palace? How was Qingxuan connected to the palace? A palace maid? Unlikely, were there any maids as beautiful as her? Could the Emperor even ignore her beauty? A concubine? Ridiculous, she was his wife, and she was still a virgin when they consummated their marriage. A concubine? Not a chance!

So, if she wasn't a maid, and she wasn't a concubine, could she possibly be—his heart pounded fiercely, nearly causing him to jump with surprise.

‘A princess? Is my wife a princess? By God, wouldn't that make me the prince consort?’ The thought was so overwhelming that he could hardly dare to contemplate it further. But when he thought of Qingxuan's peerless grace and extraordinary aura, the possibility seemed increasingly likely. If this were true, he'd owe an immense debt of gratitude to the heavens, to the Xiao family, and to the White Lotus Sect. Their combined efforts had bestowed upon him a princess for a wife. Oh, how he laughed with joy!

As he basked in his fantasy, Miss Xu watched him with confusion. The expressions on his face were a whirlwind of emotions—astonishment, joy, lasciviousness, contemplation—each more unpredictable than the last.

"San Lin, what's the matter?" Seeing his foolish behavior, Miss Xu couldn't help but furrow her brows, calling out to him.

"Oh, Miss Xu, are you speaking to me? I'm well, very well, hehe—" Snapping back to reality from his delusions, Lin Wanrong realized that his conjectures were just that. Until he found Qingxuan, everything remained uncertain.

He needed to stay humble and diligent, and so he gathered his spirits. Yet, his face still bore a smile of foolish delight, and after several bouts of laughter, he asked, "Miss Xu, you seem to know quite a bit about the palace affairs. Tell me, how many princesses does our current Emperor have?"

Miss Xu chuckled, "I wouldn't say I'm very knowledgeable. However, the information you're asking for is commonly known to all citizens of the Great Hua. How come you are the exception? Could it be that you're not from our Great Hua?"

‘I'm from Mars, is that not okay?’ Lin Wanrong gave a dry laugh. "I've just been too busy recently, and it's left my mind in a whirl. Could you please tell me how many princesses our current Emperor has, and what their ages are?"

Miss Xu scrutinized him closely, seeing his eagerness that seemed genuine. She couldn't help but feel a bit peculiar. This man was like he had popped up from the ground, oblivious even to such common knowledge.

"The Emperor has two princesses. The elder one is in her forties, and the younger one is just twenty."

Certainly, the one in her forties couldn't be his wife. Could Qingxuan be the younger princess? There was a two-decade age gap between the two sisters, the Emperor had quite the timing.

Seeing through his confusion, Miss Xu explained, considering his ignorance about royal lineage, "Our current Emperor is devoted to his people and has worked tirelessly. Over his lifetime, he has only married five concubines, all before he ascended the throne. Between the two princesses, a prince was born but unfortunately died in an accident twenty years ago while the Emperor was still the crown prince. A princess was born afterward, but the grief of losing his son was so great that the Emperor didn't have any more children for the next two decades."

So that's how it was! The Emperor had ascended the throne in his thirties, the prime of his life. How could he not have more children? Could his fertility have been compromised due to his tireless efforts? This was suspicious!

Lin Wanrong was full of puzzlement. ‘If I were the Emperor in my thirties, brimming with vigor, I could have fathered at least eighty, if not a hundred children in twenty years!’

"Miss Xu, may I ask, has the younger princess been betrothed?" Lin Wanrong asked, a bit sheepishly.

"Why are you asking this? Could it be that you wish to—" Miss Xu chuckled, "The second princess is a simple soul, leading a quiet life. She's hardly seen in public even once in a year. Even my father only saw her when she was a child. As for whether she is betrothed, I really don't know. Perhaps, you could inquire about it yourself."

The last sentence had a mocking undertone, but Lin Wanrong pretended not to hear it. "A simple soul, leading a quiet life." This reminded him of Qingxuan. However, based solely on that, could he conclude that his wife was a princess? It seemed he might need to visit the palace to "exchange some words" with the second princess.

Seeing Lin Wanrong deep in thought, Miss Xu asked, "Do you have any more questions?"

"Not really. Thank you for answering my doubts, Teacher Xu. If I get the chance, I'd like to take you out for a meal," Lin Wanrong said, chuckling.

Miss Xu shook her head slightly. "But you haven't answered my question. How do you know Li Sheng? Are you acquainted with Hu Bugui and Du Xiuyuan?"

"I suppose you could say that. After all, we're all from the same walk of life."

Miss Xu nodded slightly. "I see. So you're the General Lin they often mention!"

"I'm hardly worthy of such a title. I'm just an insignificant servant in the Xiao family, trying to make a living," Lin Wanrong said with a grin.

Miss Xu looked him up and down, saying seriously, "So it was you at the lantern riddle guessing event that day? And the one who explained the planted seeds and washed hands in hot oil? I heard about you from my father and originally admired you. But after seeing what you did yesterday, it's hard for me to have a good impression. Using a pseudonym for evil deeds and your real name for good ones... It's hypocritical."

‘Real name? Does she think Lin San is my real name? Interesting!’ He laughed heartily, "Miss Xu, your words confuse me. According to you, if I hadn't committed those evil deeds yesterday, would you have developed some favorable impressions of me?"

Miss Xu was taken aback. She hadn't expected an offhand comment to provide such an opportunity for him to find fault. This Lin San had quite a swift reaction.

"Miss, you've likely been around too many modest gentlemen to be accustomed to a rogue like me. Whether it's a good impression or a bad one, they are all feelings. Just remember them. Besides, I never considered myself a good person - does being good grant long life?"

At these specious words, Miss Xu was at a loss for how to rebut. Lin Wanrong slipped the musket he'd been hiding behind his back back into his bosom, grinning, "By the way, you mentioned your esteemed father. May I ask who he is and how he came to recognize me?"

"He's just a scholar, and it's not necessary to mention his name. When you meet him, you will know," said Miss Xu indifferently.

Just a scholar? A man surnamed Xu? Lin Wanrong's expression changed, surprised. "Are you the young lady of the Xu family?" Damn it, had his brain been kicked by a pig? A Xu, standing out so remarkably and familiar with Lin San's affairs, who else could it be but the Xu family's daughter?

His lack of manners frustrated Miss Xu internally, but she did not lose her temper. She merely nodded in confirmation.

Grinning, Lin Wanrong looked at her and said, "My, my, the young lady of the Xu family has grown up? I didn't recognize you! How old are you now? It's indeed a small world. Had I known this, we could have sheltered from the rain together yesterday and gotten acquainted—"

Even the patient Miss Xu could not help feeling her anger surge at his words. Seeing her clenched fist, he pretended not to notice, and chuckled, "By the way, your father and your Aunt Su owe me for playing the role of matchmaker for them. So, Miss Xu, what's your name—"

Seeing his audacity, Miss Xu gritted her teeth in frustration. Yet when he mentioned her father and aunt, she couldn't ignore him. Grinding her teeth, she spat out, "My name is Xu Zhiqing!"

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