Finest Servant

Chapter 424 A Timeless Stratagem

"Kill, kill, kill her?" Lin Wanrong's mind thundered, and his face drained of all color, stammering, "Old man, what do you mean by this? She is Madame Xiao's own daughter. How could you lay a hand on her?!"

The Emperor spoke calmly, "It's true that she's Miss Guo's daughter, but what of it? When I want to kill someone, do I need to ask whose daughter she is? Lin San, why are you so naive?"

Seeing the Emperor so tyrannical, and thinking of the Eldest Miss's beautiful face, Lin Wanrong's blood boiled, his eyes glowing red, "Naive? So what? I don't kill indiscriminately, especially the descendants of old friends. Eldest Miss Xiao is beautiful, virtuous, gentle, and kind. What crime has she committed that you would draw your butcher's knife?"

The Old Emperor laughed heartily, "Beautiful, virtuous, gentle, and kind? If anyone else said that, I would believe it! But coming from your mouth, it's the biggest joke in the world! You and Miss Xiao bicker constantly, like sworn enemies. Who doesn't know that?" His expression turned cold, he sneered, "Moreover, how do you know she hasn't committed a crime? In my opinion, her biggest mistake is consorting with you, Lin San! Be honest with me. Besides the two women in your house and the two from the Xiao family, who else is close to you? I'll kill them one by one!"

Lin Wanrong's back was dripping with cold sweat. ‘What did this old fellow mean? He wants to kill all my loved ones?’ Thinking of the Eldest Miss, his eyes turned red, and he said coldly, "If you want to kill, then kill. All the women in this world are my loved ones."

The Old Emperor smirked, "Don't think I don't know with whom you are intimate. I know everything, Lin San. It's not that I'm cruel, but you are simply too greedy, and this disaster all falls upon you."

"Me?" Lin Wanrong pointed to his nose, "Are you mistaken? It's clearly you who want to kill, so how is it my fault?"

The Emperor slammed the table, angrily shouting, "In my presence, you still dare to talk back? You are the most shameless in the world. Let me ask you, do you know who Qin Xian'er is to me?"

"You know she's my princess!" The Emperor sneered, "Let me ask you again, what is Qingxuan to me?"

‘The Eldest Miss is gone; I fear nothing,’ thought Lin Wanrong, slapping the table filled with petitions, and yelled, "She's Princess Chuyun, my main wife! Both of them are my wives, so what? I specifically marry princesses!"

The Old Emperor was taken aback; in a thousand years, no one had dared to slap a table in his presence. Only Lin San, this obstinate fellow, feared neither heaven nor earth.

"You dare to act so recklessly in my study? Are you not afraid I'll exterminate your entire clan?" The Emperor's eyebrows knitted together as he laughed coldly.

‘Intimidate me? If you can find my nine clans, you can execute them as you wish!’ Lin Wanrong chuckled slyly, "Old Man, take a good look. The Lin San standing in front of you is not one to be cowed. I respect you, not because you're the Emperor, but because you're the father of Xian'er and Qingxuan, my father-in-law. As for the rest, even if you were the Jade Emperor himself, it has nothing to do with me."

"How generous of you to remember Xian'er and Qingxuan's identities. Nishang and Chuyun are my most beloved daughters, the unparalleled princesses of the Great Hua. With extraordinary beauty and noble status, any man who obtains one is considered the dragon among men. You have both my daughters, yet you're still not content. Flitting around, consorting with women everywhere; what do you take my Nishang and Chuyun for? Vegetables in your pot to be steamed and boiled at will?! If people find out that you have my two princesses but are still gallivanting about, where will the dignity of my royal family stand? How will Nishang and Chuyun face the gossip of the world?" The Emperor's eyebrows flickered as he pointed at Lin Wanrong, furious, "I tell you, for my children, I can endure for years, never allowing anyone to bully them. Since Nishang and Chuyun are devoted to you, that's your good fortune. They may bully you, but you may not bully them. Those common women you're entangled with, thinking to be on par with my princesses, are just deluded. If you want to marry, you can only marry the two princesses! Miss Guo's daughter, what about her? If anyone threatens my princesses, I'll kill them, no mercy! Think it through!"

The Emperor spoke sternly, his momentum irresistible, as though even the heavens would tremble.

‘How many wives I marry is none of your business, you old man. You consider yourself of noble blood and reject common women, but do you dare tell your daughters not to marry me? Let's see who dies first!’ Lin Wanrong's forehead was beaded with cold sweat as he gritted his teeth, "Think what? Eldest Miss has been harmed by you. What's the use of thinking clearly? If you have the guts, kill me too! Let Qingxuan's child in her belly have no father, and his son have no grandfather! Let him know that it's not his father who failed his grandfather, but his grandfather who killed his father!"

His mouth was sharp, and this tongue-twisting statement left the Emperor somewhat dizzy and almost amused. Fearing that Lin San would detect something amiss, he quickly hid his smile and snorted, "I am not heartless either. If you promise never to see them again, I might consider sparing your various insignificant loves, including your Eldest Miss—"

"Wh-Wh-What do you mean?" Lin Wanrong stammered again, but this time it was with incredulous joy, his words tripping over themselves, "You didn't kill, kill her?"

"I said I would kill her," the Emperor smiled, "but did I say she was dead?"

‘This old man, playing word games with me?’ Learning that Eldest Miss was still alive, Lin Wanrong's mind became much more agile, his thoughts whirring as he grinned, "Old Man, I knew you wouldn't kill Eldest Miss. She's Miss Guo's own daughter, after all; you can kill anyone, but not her!"

"Stop wasting words with me!" Seeing Lin Wanrong's habitual mischievous smile, the old Emperor's face became stern: "Just because I'm not killing Miss Xiao now, doesn't mean I won't in the future. I'll give you three days to think carefully. Do you want my princesses, or those common wildflowers of yours? As for Miss Xiao, I have invited her to be a guest at a certain place. After three days, if I do not hear the answer I wish for, think about the consequences yourself!"

"What, you've kidnapped Eldest Miss?" Lin Wanrong exclaimed in shock. "Old man, as the law's maker, you should uphold its dignity. How can you knowingly break the law?"

"Knowingly break the law?" The Emperor laughed loudly. "Within the Great Hua, my word is the ultimate law. There is no violation of that. Don't jest. The fate of your beloved ones depends solely on you. Consider your choices well!"

For all of Lin Wanrong's wit and agility, he was at a loss in this situation, and he could only shake his head and sigh. The Emperor observed him with a faint smile, his eyes revealing a trace of satisfaction. Suddenly, he asked, "Is Qingxuan doing well in your house?"

Lin Wanrong didn't even look up, responding grumpily, "Thanks for asking. She's doing much more comfortably than I am."

"That's good!" The Emperor nodded slightly, sighing, "What you did yesterday was reckless. Did you think that by bringing cannons to the mountain and blasting the archway, you would have complete control? Foolish, truly foolish!"

"Foolish?" Lin Wanrong chuckled repeatedly, his face full of disdain. This old man's words were unreasonable. Had he not arrived in time yesterday, Qingxuan would have already become a nun.

"Do you disagree?" The Emperor read his expression and knew his thoughts, saying helplessly, "You underestimate the Jade Virtue Fairy Hall. Standing for a hundred years, it's not something you can destroy with a few shots. Their students are spread all over, and they are all from scholarly families. If you provoke them, one call could drown you in a sea of condemnation. Not even I could save you!"

Lin Wanrong smirked, "Is it that serious? Aren't I standing here just fine?"

"That's because you were lucky, coincidentally finding a flaw in the sacred relic," the Emperor paced back and forth, smiling wryly, "That was the only right thing you did in your foolishness yesterday, undermining their foundation and leaving the scholars speechless. I could then exert my influence. You're truly lawless, daring even to tamper with sacred relics. Those scholars lost because they don't have your shameless tactics. But your move was extremely risky. Without proper preparation or understanding of the Jade Virtue Fairy Hall, you dared to rush up the mountain to rescue someone on mere passion. When I call you foolish, am I wrong?"

The Emperor's earnest advice seemed reasonable, but Lin Wanrong did not agree, "Old man, planning before action is an ideal notion. If I had plotted like you yesterday, Qingxuan would probably have already become a nun. Strategy is important, but time waits for no one. When it's time to act, you must act, holding to the words steady, accurate, and ruthless, to ensure no great loss."

Hearing Lin San's logical explanation, the Old Emperor pondered for a moment, looked at him, and nodded, saying, "A fine understanding of stability, accuracy, and ruthlessness you have there, you indeed have mastered the essence of these three qualities."

‘What's so fine about it? You even want to interfere with me marrying a few wives,’ Lin Wanrong snorted, not responding to him. The Emperor gave a faint smile, patting his shoulder, and said, "Every effect has a cause; the world may not be as superficial as you see it. Think about it more deeply." Seeing Lin Wanrong's bewildered look, a gentle light flashed across the Emperor's face, disappearing in an instant, his expression returning to normal. He asked indifferently, "Lin San, how old are you this year?"

"Eighteen!" Lin Wanrong lied without blinking an eye.

The old Emperor burst into laughter at this, saying, "You mischievous boy, daring to deceive me! Judging by your conduct, I'm afraid you are more like twenty-eight."

Lin Wanrong gave a forced laugh, "To maintain my youthful mindset, I always consider myself eighteen. Old man, why do you ask? You're not trying to match our horoscopes, are you?"

"I'll take you for eighteen then." The old emperor smiled for a moment, his face gradually darkening, "Twenty years is but a brief moment. When I think back to the years I spent learning statecraft with my father, it seems like yesterday. In the blink of an eye, I am at this age, with little time left."

Lin Wanrong felt a sudden jolt in his heart. The old man was so fickle; one moment he was threatening and beating him, the next he was sentimental. What was he up to?

"Death does not frighten me. But there are two things that have always been stuck in my heart, causing me sleepless nights. Even in death, I would feel shame before my ancestors. Do you know what they are?" The Emperor said, glancing at him.

"I don't know," Lin Wanrong hurriedly waved his hands, "This matter has nothing to do with me."

The Emperor gave a dark smile, "You have married two of my princesses, and no one in the world can match your wealth and glory. How can you say this has nothing to do with you? The two things I worry about most after my death are, firstly, the fate of the two princesses. Since they are both fond of you, I have nothing to say. The second is the lack of a successor to my vast empire. This is the greatest regret of my life."

Lin Wanrong's heart thumped, the old man brought the topic back here, what did he mean? He chuckled a few times, saying insincerely, "Well, there's still Prince Cheng. He has a son, after all. We're all family, so you can just choose one to adopt—"

"Prince Cheng?!" The Emperor sneered, his teeth clenched, "He must be dreaming of this, but he doesn't know that my lack of heirs is his doing. How can I entrust this vast land to the hands of a wolf?"

"Well, that's going to be a problem then," Lin Wanrong spread his hands, helplessly saying, "Not everyone can be an Emperor. You can't just pick someone off the street."

This topic was indeed somewhat disrespectful. Lin Wanrong, being fearless due to his ignorance, and the Emperor deliberately luring him, paused slightly and said, "Being an Emperor may not be as bad as you imagine. All under heaven is the Emperor's land, and all within its borders are the Emperor's subjects. When all the people in the world bow at your feet, and life and death are within your control, what kind of feeling is that? Have you ever thought about it?"

Lin Wanrong gave a dry laugh, thinking to himself, ‘I have too many wives; I'm so busy with the things I love to do every day, who has the time to think about what it feels like to be an Emperor!’

Seeing that he seemed unmoved, the Emperor mysteriously smiled and said nonchalantly, “Of course, that's just one aspect. As for the other benefits, I won't list them all—for example, an Emperor can have three palaces, six courtyards, and seventy-two concubines. Whoever you want to marry as a wife, no one dares to oppose!”

Lin Wanrong's heart skipped a beat. The Emperor, his father-in-law, really knew his mind. After all that talk, only this part attracted him. He narrowed his eyes and whispered, “Then Eldest Miss wouldn't be—”

Speaking of women really energized him. This youngster truly had the potential to be a foolish ruler. The Emperor snorted and angrily said, “My two princesses are national beauties. Are they not enough to tie you down? If you dare to associate with Eldest Miss Xiao or some Palace Lady Seo, I will—” He lightly brushed his long sleeve, making a gesture of beheading. Lin Wanrong quickly swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue.

“Summon Li Tai, Xu Wei!” the Emperor called towards the door.

Waiting outside, Gao Ping quickly sang, “Summon Li Tai, Xu Wei!”

Seeing that the Emperor had summoned others, Lin Wanrong was about to leave, but he heard the emperor say, “You stay here; I have important matters to discuss with you all. These political matters are tedious, and patience is needed. You should learn well.”

Lin Wanrong had no interest in learning about politics; he was only thinking that Eldest Miss was still in his father-in-law's hands. If he were not careful, and she were killed, everything would be over. He could only laugh awkwardly and stay.

Xu Wei and Li Tai entered the room and were about to bow, but the Emperor raised his hand, “No need for formalities, Minister Xu and General Li. Come, have a seat!”

A young eunuch brought over cushioned stools, and Xu Wei and Li Tai sat down, thanking the Emperor. The Emperor handed Xu Wei a letter, “Minister Xu, look at this; it's the news transmitted from Goryeo by carrier pigeon!”

Goryeo? Lin Wanrong was also startled, calculating the time, from the meeting with Seo Jang Geum until now, it was only three days. Goryeo's response was indeed fast.

Xu Wei took the letter and read it closely, exclaiming, “The King of Goryeo rejected Lord Lin's proposal?”

“What, what?” Lin Wanrong couldn't hold back and snatched the letter from Xu Wei's hands, “Let me see, let me see!”

It was a confidential letter, and Xu Wei's expression was troubled, uncertain if he should let him see. The Emperor waved his hand, “Let Lin San see it. The situation in Goryeo is probably not as simple as we imagine!”

Lin Wanrong glanced at the letter, ignoring the plethora of formal language; the general meaning was clear enough. It was the King of Goryeo's decision to fight the Dongyin to the end, and once again requested assistance from Great Hua to save their ally. As for the great idea proposed by Lin Wanrong, it was not mentioned at all.

Li Tai snorted, “This King of Goryeo is indeed insincere, only wanting Great Hua to contribute money and effort. Lord Lin's proposal of ‘one country, two systems’ is not mentioned at all. To have my sons risk their lives for him—where in the world could he find such a bargain?”

Xu Wei thought for a moment, frowning, “The Dongyin threat is imminent, yet Goryeo refuses our proposal at this time. Is there some change in circumstances? Or have they reached some agreement with the Dongyin? If that's the case, it's very bad indeed! Lord Lin, what do you think?”

The proposal was Lin Wanrong's idea, and at the time, he spoke eloquently in court, mesmerizing everyone present. Now, it had been rejected outright, and embarrassment was inevitable. Lin Wanrong laughed it off and asked, “Your Majesty, is the delegation from Goryeo still in the capital?”

“The Dongyin are invading. Yi Seung-Jae has already been ordered to return to Goryeo, leaving behind only a few maids and servants,” the Emperor said indifferently.

“Let’s not talk about Yi Seung-Jae.” Lin Wanrong waved his hand dismissively. “What I want to ask about is someone else. A little palace maid, named Seo Jang Geum!”

“Seo Jang Geum?” Xu Wei exclaimed, surprised. “Little brother Lin, how did you come to ask about her? From the sound of it, this little palace maid seems to be more important than Yi Seung-Jae?”

Lin Wanrong nodded and smiled, “Mr. Xu is correct. Yi Seung-Jae is merely a facade put up by the Goryeo delegation, utterly useless. The real key player should be this little palace maid. As long as she remains in the capital, things might not be as bad as we imagine!”

“The key player is Seo Jang Geum? Little brother Lin, how do you know? Why would Goryeo send a little palace maid to take charge?” Xu Wei asked, puzzled.

‘I am her ‘Wanrong Oppa,’ of course, I know.’ Thinking of Seo Jang Geum's soft and jade-like skin, Lin Wanrong felt a little itch in his heart, and lewdly laughed, “This little palace maid is delicate and elegant, and her figure is not bad either. We’ve had some intercourse, ah, no, I mean, exchanges. From her speech and demeanor, I can tell that Yi Seung-Jae is nothing but a puppet. The real decision-maker is Miss Jang Geum. As for her specific identity, I don’t know yet, but she must be extraordinary.”

Xu Wei and Li Tai looked at each other, puzzled by how certain Little brother Lin was. They wondered to what extent he and Miss Jang Geum had “exchanged.”

Lin San's prowess with women was such that even a princess had fallen for him, so the Emperor naturally didn't doubt his words. He nodded and said, “Seo Jang Geum is still in the capital, and she even visited the Grand Prime Minister Temple for sightseeing yesterday.”

The Emperor's craftiness was unquestionable, and Seo Jang Geum's every move would not escape his eyes. That Jang Geum was touring around was puzzling to Lin Wanrong.

“Sightseeing?” Xu Wei shook his head. “With the Dongyin so close, if she holds an extraordinary position in Goryeo, how could she be so carefree? It doesn’t make sense, it doesn’t make sense!”

Lin Wanrong suddenly clapped his hands, his face lighting up with joy. “It does make sense, it does make sense, the more relaxed she is, the more it makes sense.”

“What do you mean?” Li Tai asked.

Lin Wanrong laughed a few times and said, “Your Majesty, since you received this letter, Seo Jang Geum must know about it too, right?”

The Emperor nodded and said calmly, “Two carrier pigeons flew into the Goryeo delegation's residence last night, so she probably knows about this news as well. Lin San, just say what you have to say, don’t beat around the bush.”

Even the Emperor had grown impatient, so Lin Wanrong laughed and said, “There’s no hurry. As long as Seo Jang Geum is in the capital, it means that Goryeo hasn't refused our Great Hua’s proposal. On the contrary, they are likely in painful struggle—”

“How can you tell?” Li Tai waved the letter in his hand. “The King of Goryeo didn’t mention our Great Hua's proposal at all!”

“Not mentioning it is true,” Lin Wanrong said with an easy smile, “But they haven't refused either. This is the time to test endurance. As long as Goryeo can hold on, so can our Great Hua.”

Li Tai shook his head, “If it is as you predict, that's well and good, but if Goryeo has indeed reached an agreement with the Dongyin, and at the same time our Great Hua is on the brink of war with the nomads, a single misstep could put us in a significant disadvantage. It's a risk we cannot take!”

“The old general speaks wisely,” Lin Wanrong nodded, his face becoming unusually solemn. “For the safety of Great Hua, for the happiness of tens of thousands of our compatriots, I've decided to use a once-in-a-millennium strategy on Seo Jang Geum!”

“What once-in-a-millennium strategy?” the Emperor asked with a smile.

“The—Handsome—Man—Scheme!” Lin Wanrong declared, his face filled with tragic determination.

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