Finest Servant

Chapter 345

Chapter 345 The Greatest Mistake

With a booming sound, Lord Lin felt as if his head was no longer clear. ‘Granting the fairy to me? This must be a joke.’ Fairy Ning was elegant and pure, like a celestial being exiled to the mortal world. Even glancing at her was a sin. How could the Emperor grant her to him?

He looked towards Ning Yuxi, and saw the fairy’s face calm and peaceful. Her exceptionally beautiful cheeks adorned with a faint smile, she looked utterly composed, as if she hadn't heard the Emperor's words at all.

"Your Majesty, you must be jesting with me," Lin Wanrong chuckled, testing the waters. "This Fairy Ning, with her incomparable beauty and outstanding martial arts, is like a deity. Granting her to me, heh heh—" He leered, eyeing Fairy Ning up and down. Dressed in a white robe and gown, her figure perfectly poised, she resembled a pure and sacred white lotus flower.

Ning Yuxi glanced at him, seeing the lascivious gleam in his sly eyes, and snorted lightly without speaking.

"Hahaha—" the Emperor roared with laughter. "Grant the fairy to you? You surely dare to dream, young man. I may rule over the people of the world, but I do not rule over Fairy Ning."

"What did Your Majesty mean by what you said just now?" Lin Wanrong asked, puzzled.

The Emperor didn't answer his question but slowly handed over a gold medallion he had retrieved from Lord Lin to Ning Yuxi. Fairy Ning said calmly, "Have you considered it carefully? This is the last gold medallion, and the last of the three promises ‘Jade Virtue Fairy Hall’ made to you."

The Emperor gently caressed the gold medallion in his hand, a trace of longing in his eyes. "Twenty years. I have kept this last medallion all these years, and today it finally has a use." He turned his head and looked at Lin Wanrong, nodding, "Lin San, come here."

Lin Wanrong hurried over, and the old Emperor grasped his hand. "Years ago, to ascend the throne, I collaborated with ‘Jade Virtue Fairy Hall,’ promising them generous terms. In return, they were to fulfill three conditions for me, as represented by these three gold medallions in my possession."

"Your Majesty, do you mean this one?" Lin Wanrong exclaimed in wonder. No wonder the medallion seemed so unusual; it turned out to be a token of agreement between the Emperor and Jade Virtue Fairy Hall. The Jade Virtue Fairy Hall had always prided itself on purity, keeping away from worldly affairs. To lower itself to assist the old Emperor in ascending the throne, the benefits must have been significant.

"Indeed, this is it." The Emperor smiled, "The first two conditions were fulfilled by Fairy Ning's master years ago. Only the last one remained unused."

Lin Wanrong shook his head, sighing, "Your Majesty, forgive my insolence as your younger subject. Such a precious item, how could you just throw it away? Last time at the Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou, you so casually gave it to me. If I had sold it for silver, wouldn't you have suffered a great loss?"

The Emperor laughed heartily, "I trust my judgment; the medallion has returned to me, hasn't it?" He handed the gold medallion to Ning Yuxi. The fairy gracefully took it in hand, nodding slightly, "This is the final condition. After this matter is settled, ‘Jade Virtue Fairy Hall’ and the Imperial Palace will owe each other nothing. I hope Your Majesty will keep your promise and not bring up the past again."

A faint glimmer of moisture shone in the old Emperor's eyes, and after a long silence, he heaved a sigh, "Fairy Ning, I beg a favor of you."

Fairy Ning nodded slightly, and the Emperor continued in a quiet voice, "I hope that you can treat my child kindly. In this life, the one I have wronged the most is her." A fierce glint flashed in the old Emperor's eyes, and he turned and spoke loudly, "Lin San, you reveal your sharp edges, attracting envy easily. I will do a good deed, and grant Fairy Ning to you as your bodyguard. Are you willing?"

‘Sweat, after talking so much, it turns out that she was to protect me. This old man was deliberately teasing me.’

"Old man, there are many kinds of bodyguards. For example, gatekeepers, courtyard protectors, and there's one kind called a personal guard. That is, when I sit, she stands; when I sleep, she accompanies me. I wonder to what extent can this golden token let Fairy Ning guard me?" Lin Wanrong glanced at Ning Yuxi, and chuckled lasciviously.

"I will guard your life with all my might." Fairy Ning's eyebrows slightly furrowed, her disgust for this lascivious man unspeakable.

Lin Wanrong pretended not to notice the revulsion on her face, and tittered, "Is that so? Then please stay away from me, Fairy. I have many wives, many activities. If you accidentally see something you shouldn't, I would suffer a great loss."

Fairy Ning gave a faint smile, disdainfully glanced at him, and closed her eyes, ignoring him. Lin Wanrong's biggest flaw was not fearing one’s words, but fearing one’s silence. As Fairy Ning shut her mouth and said nothing, he was at a loss, feeling entirely disappointed, and turned to the Emperor, "Old man, if you grant the Fairy to me, what about your safety?"

"My safety will be looked after by those in the palace, don't worry about it," the Emperor calmly replied, his face expressionless. "Lin San, do you know why I treat you this way?"

"How would I know if you don't tell me?" Lin Wanrong said helplessly.

The Emperor glanced at Fairy Ning, and Ning Yuxi nodded slightly, "The promise of 'Jade Virtue Fairy Hall' will certainly be kept. Please rest assured, Your Majesty."

She turned and walked towards the door, only to see Lin Wanrong making a face at her, gesturing a shooting motion with his hand, his eyes filled with an indescribable expression, half-smiling yet not quite.

After Fairy Ning left the room, the ever-silent old Emperor's eyes suddenly sparkled, and a fierce killing intent flashed across his face, "Lin San, Ning Yuxi is the top martial artist in the world. Are you afraid of her?"

"Old man, you are mistaken. I, Lin San, fear cats and dogs, but never women," Lin Wanrong giggled, speaking without concern.

"Excellent, excellent." The killing intent in the Emperor's eyes intensified. "Once you have used her up, deploy Divine Machine Unit with all cannons firing, and uproot that 'Jade Virtue Fairy Hall' entirely."

"Uproot?" Lin Wanrong frowned. "Old man, are you worried that—"

The old Emperor glanced at him lightly, "Under heaven, all lands are royal soil. Along its shores, all are royal subjects. I am the Emperor of Great Hua, and I will not allow a 'Jade Virtue Fairy Hall' to exist independently of my realm. Do you understand?"

Lin Wanrong nodded but said nothing. Though Fairy Ning appeared as elegant as a fairy, she was solely devoted to defending the so-called 'Jade Virtue Fairy Hall,' even daring to stand on equal footing with the Emperor. If you didn't wipe her out, who would you wipe out? Bombarding the Jade Virtue Fairy Hall was unnecessary; if he, Lord Lin, bombarded Fairy Ning, everything would be settled. He chuckled lewdly a few times, wiping the saliva from the corner of his mouth, and said, "Old man, you've had Fairy Ning protect me, but what exactly do you want me to do? Is it very dangerous?"

"Not particularly dangerous," the Emperor replied, patting his shoulder. "I just want you to help me deal with someone."

"Deal with someone?" Lin Wanrong's mind raced, understanding that this person must not be simple if the Emperor was taking great pains. Could it be—his face turned pale as he cried, "Prince Cheng?"

"I didn't say that; you did," the Emperor said, eyes slightly closed.

Cold sweat flowed down Lin Wanrong's body. What kind of character was Prince Cheng? Even the cunning and crafty old Emperor had battled with him for over twenty years without success. Sending him now, wasn't it just to make him cannon fodder?

"Emperor, Emperor," Master Lin stammered, "Can I return Fairy Ning to you? I don't want her anymore."

The Emperor's eyes flashed like a tiger's, as he glanced at him, "What's the matter, you're scared? You fear him, yet you don't fear me? Bring someone—"

Eunuch Gao was waiting outside the door and hurriedly said, "Your servant is here!"

"Dong Qiaoqiao, Luo Ning, Xiao Yuruo, Xiao Yushuang," the Emperor stared at Lord Lin, his eyes flickering with a fierce and murderous light as he pronounced each name, "Gao Ping, send fast horses to invite these ladies here. I wish to speak with them—"

"Hold on!" Lin Wanrong waved his hand, his face changing with various shades of displeasure, "Your Majesty, are you trying to force me?"

"Lin San, you're an intelligent man. In this world, what isn't done under coercion?" The Emperor patted his shoulder, his face breaking into a sly smile, "If you handle this matter well, I won't treat you unfairly. You'll receive what you can't even dream of."

Looking at the Emperor's sinister smile, recalling their conversation moments ago—how warm and harmonious it was—Lin Wanrong shook his head and sighed, "Old man, the greatest mistake I've made is treating the Emperor as a friend!"

"You understand now? Very good, very good!" The Emperor slowly nodded, then loudly commanded, "Gao Ping, prepare the carriage to return to the palace."

"By your command!" Eunuch Gao ran off to arrange the imperial carriage. The Emperor was about to leave, pulling open the door latch, but suddenly turned back, smiling, "By the way, Lin San, my dear subject, I heard that tonight, Goryeo, the Turks, and even Prince Cheng have arranged feasts and all have invited you. Is this true?"

‘That old man, knowing everything yet still asking me,’ Lin Wanrong snorted and replied irritably, "No, I've declined all of them. Tonight, I'll be at home sleeping with my wife."

"You'll first have to protect your wives. This mansion is big enough, and you have more wives than I can count on my ten fingers." The Emperor said with a slight smile, "Lin San, remember this: I'm not making things difficult for you; I'm teaching you. Take care of yourself."

The old Emperor pushed the door open and left. Eunuch Gao hurriedly assisted him onto the small sedan, and the imperial carriage slowly moved away, gradually disappearing from sight.

"Lord Lin, the Emperor is really good to you," Xu Zhiqing said, standing beside Madam Xiao with a smile.

"Yes, the Emperor is indeed very good to me," Lin Wanrong replied with a forced smile, glancing at her, and spoke menacingly, "Maybe I'll plead with him tomorrow, and perhaps he might even grant me Miss Xu's hand in marriage."

"You—" Xu Zhiqing's face turned red, and she was about to argue with him, but Lin Wanrong waved his hand, his face dark, and said, "Miss Xu, I don't have time to tease you today. Qiaoqiao, my darling, come and embrace your big brother; he's been injured."

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