Chapter 134 Harvest

‘Damn it, why did Xiao Yuruo bring all this up out of the blue, threatening to ruin my relationship with Qiaoqiao? I was wondering how she managed to suddenly become close with Qiaoqiao, but it turns out she had ulterior motives. Was it all because of the little prank I pulled on her? She really holds a grudge.’

Thinking of Xiao Qingxuan, Lin Wanrong felt somewhat responsible. After Qiaoqiao fell ill that day, he hadn't found the time to tell her about Qingxuan, and now, unexpectedly, Xiao Yuruo was the one who had spilled the beans.

Seeing Qiaoqiao's tears falling more and more heavily, Lin Wanrong's heart ached again. He embraced her and said, "Silly girl, it's not that I didn't want to tell you, it's just that there's too much to explain. It would take days and nights to tell you everything. The Eldest Miss wasn't wrong. Qingxuan is my wife, but didn't you come into my life even earlier?"

Qiaoqiao lifted her head, puzzled, and asked, "When did I join your life?"

Lin Wanrong pointed to his heart and said, "You entered this door first."

Qiaoqiao was both delighted and heartbroken. She couldn't help but blush at his sweet words.

But Lin Wanrong continued, "Qiaoqiao, do you remember, that day in the restaurant, I swore an oath to heaven, making a vow that if I ever betrayed you, I would..."

Qiaoqiao covered his mouth, her tears falling, and said, "Big Brother, don't say any more. Qiaoqiao understands her mistake."

"Qiaoqiao, you and Qingxuan are the most important people to me in this world. That oath I made was when I took you as my wife. What happened with Qingxuan came after that. Technically speaking, she should be calling you elder sister," Lin Wanrong said, grabbing Qiaoqiao's hand.

Qiaoqiao blushed, then said softly, "Sister Qingxuan is older than me. It is only right that I call her elder sister."

"Haha, it's all the same, it's all the same," said Lin Wanrong, obviously pleased with himself. He was pondering whether he should take advantage of the situation to tell Qiaoqiao about Yushuang, when Qiaoqiao suddenly said, "Big Brother, I heard that you and the Second Miss from the Xiao family also..."

‘Damn it, did Xiao Yuruo tell her that too? Had the girl lost her mind? Wasn't she always adamant about keeping the Second Miss and me apart? What was she trying to achieve by telling Qiaoqiao all this?’

Lin Wanrong felt utterly perplexed by Xiao Yuruo's actions. One minute, she was saying that he should stay away from her sister, and the next, she was spilling the beans to Qiaoqiao herself. What was she playing at? Regardless, he decided to take the opportunity to tell Qiaoqiao about Yushuang. It was always better to communicate more.

So he briefly recounted his experiences with Qingxuan and Yushuang. Qiaoqiao listened with deep sighs, then said quietly, "Big Brother, Sister Qingxuan is talented and deeply loves you. The Second Miss even risked her life for you. You must not betray them."

Lin Wanrong grunted in acknowledgment. With tears streaming down her face, Qiaoqiao whispered, "Sister Qingxuan and the Second Miss are both from noble and wealthy families, born into high society, and are very capable. Qiaoqiao, with her humble life, dares not compare herself to them. Big brother, I'll be content to serve as your maid by your side for the rest of my life."

Hearing this, Lin Wanrong felt both heartache and anger. What was Xiao Yuruo thinking, telling Qiaoqiao all these things for no reason? She was really causing him trouble.

Lin Wanrong hurriedly held the young girl close, saying, "Qiaoqiao, don't you know me yet? Wealth, social status, it's all nonsense. I'm nothing myself. It's you, this little girl, that I like, not your status. Why should you care about such things? How about this: when Qingxuan and Yushuang join us, you can be in charge of them."

With a blush covering her face, Qiaoqiao quickly shook her head and replied, "No, no, big brother, I can't do that. It would be better if they are in charge of me. I promise I'll listen to my elder sisters."

Lin Wanrong chuckled to himself. He knew the little girl would respond that way. He was really falling for this girl.

"Don't worry, you're my little treasure. No one but me can control you," Lin Wanrong whispered in Qiaoqiao's ear. This simple phrase made the young girl willingly surrender, nestling happily in big brother's arms.

Leaving Qiaoqiao at the restaurant, Lin Wanrong let out a long breath. Pacifying this little girl was far from easy, even more laborious than fighting with the bandits from the White Lotus Cult.

The carriage continued northward, but even after half an hour, it seemed they were no closer to their destination. Without Qiaoqiao's company, Lin Wanrong had much less patience. He turned to the coachman and asked, "What's your honorable surname, my friend?" The coachman was the expert who had been guarding Luo Yuan last night. If Luo Min could entrust Luo Yuan to him, it meant that the man was highly skilled.

The man replied, "Young Master Lin, my name is Gao Shou."

Gao Shou? The man declared himself a 'High Hand'? Someone more shameless than me? That was indeed a rarity.

Lin Wanrong chuckled, "I know you're highly skilled, brother, but I was asking for your name, so I can address you properly in the future."

The man laughed, "Young Master Lin, I haven't lied. My surname is Gao, and my name is Shou, like 'head' in 'decapitated head'. My parents bestowed this name upon me, and I can't change it. I hope it hasn't made you laugh."

Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, "This is indeed interesting. Brother Gao Shou, you indeed are a 'High Hand', but your parents are truly masters among masters."

Well, weren't they? Naming their son like that, taking advantage of others from the moment he was born. His father should be called 'High Master'.

Gao Shou laughed, "I've been living for over thirty years and have been a 'High Hand' for just as long. Even if I were to lose my life tomorrow, it would be worth it."

Their conversation elicited hearty laughter from both men. Lin Wanrong had taken a liking to this forthright Gao Shou, who also happened to be a formidable martial artist. With that, he exited the carriage and squeezed his way next to Gao Shou, taking a seat on the coach-box. "Brother Gao, it's dull being in the carriage alone, so I thought I'd come and chat with you."

Seeing Lin Wanrong's openness and boldness, Gao Shou found him to be much to his liking, despite his lowly status as a servant. He laughed heartily, "As long as Young Master Lin doesn't disdain my rough manners, I'm more than pleased to welcome your company."

Observing the carriage proceeding steadily onward, Lin Wanrong asked, "Brother Gao, where are we heading?"

Gao Shou replied, "Governor Luo has requested your presence in Xiaguan, to the north of the city."

"Xiaguan? What does Governor Luo want me to do there?" Lin Wanrong asked curiously. That place was not close by, so what was he needed there for?

"I'm not quite sure about that. Perhaps Young Master could ask Governor Luo himself later," Gao Shou laughed.

Lin Wanrong knew that Gao Shou either wouldn't tell him or simply didn't know, so he didn't inquire further. He saw how skilled Gao Shou was in handling the horse-drawn carriage, which led him to remark, "Brother Gao, not only are your martial arts skills impressive, but your horsemanship is also quite remarkable. If I'm not mistaken, you aren't a local of Jinling, are you?"

It was blatantly obvious. Even a deaf person would have recognized from Gao Shou's distinct northern accent that he was from the North.

Gao Shou nodded, "To be frank with you, Young Master, my ancestral home is Cangzhou in Hebei."

"Cangzhou? Excellent place, renowned for martial arts. No wonder, Brother Gao, you possess such extraordinary skills," Lin Wanrong flattered him subtly. Gao Shou seemed pleased to hear this. In his past life, Cangzhou was indeed known as a martial arts hub, though he didn't know whether things had changed in this world.

Gao Shou responded cheerfully, "Young Master Lin, you're familiar with Cangzhou?"

Lin Wanrong nodded, "Of course I've heard of such a famous place. The northern folk are known for their martial spirit and horse riding skills. Seeing Brother Gao's mastery of both martial arts and horsemanship, superior even to the elite cavalry of the Jiangsu Commander-in-chief's troops, I immediately knew you were from the North."

With a contemptuous laugh, Gao Shou said, "The Jiangsu troops? How can those weaklings be compared with us northerners? Commander Cheng De of Jiangsu is a complete fool. If it weren't for his connections at court, he would've been dismissed long ago."

In conducting his affairs, Lin Wanrong never settled for a loss. After engaging in conversation with Gao Shou and flattering him a bit, if he didn't manage to extract some valuable information, it would have been a waste.

Upon hearing Gao Shou's statement, Lin Wanrong gave a sly smile. Without pressing further, he feigned curiosity, "Brother Gao, why would you say that? When I saw the Jiangsu troops, their weapons were gleaming, they carried themselves with dignity, and their might was indeed impressive."

"Young Master Lin," Gao Shou began, "to outsiders, it's spectacle; to professionals, it's strategy. Cheng De, that fool, flaunts his power here in the south, all thanks to Prince Cheng's support. His three battalions are notoriously incompetent. Even the court officials and palace eunuchs in the capital are aware. I don't mean to belittle these southern soldiers, but while we can't compete with the scholars here in terms of poetry and verse, when it comes to battlefield prowess, these southern infantry and cavalry can only scare away petty thieves. If they were sent to the north to defend against the ferocious nomads, I fear they would collapse within moments. We brothers have a saying, 'Better to be a wandering spirit in the north than a scholarly soldier in the south.' That's the essence of it."

Prince Cheng? Was this the backer behind Cheng De? Lin Wanrong recalled hearing about Prince Cheng from Luo Yuan, who mentioned some past unsavory business related to the imperial succession. He hadn't expected Cheng De's backer to be him.

‘Damn, old Luo, you cunning fox,’ Lin Wanrong thought, ‘the man behind Cheng De is one of the most powerful princes in the empire. Who's backing you? Just don't get me into trouble.’

This Gao Shou, whose name implied "high hand", was in fact quite out of his depth before Lin Wanrong, unknowingly revealing all he knew and considering him a close friend. Lin Wanrong inwardly chuckled. Few could match him when it came to his tactics in courting women or making friends.

Though Lin Wanrong didn't fully agree with Gao Shou's regional prejudices, he had to admit there was some truth to it. The saying "Scholars in the south, warriors in the north" was conventional wisdom; the fighting strength of southern soldiers indeed fell short compared to their northern counterparts. It was no surprise that Qingxuan had been so emotional when they first met.

Lin Wanrong laughed and said, "Regardless of age or region, we're all compatriots of the same land, fighting the barbarians is our collective duty. There's no need for a distinction between north and south."

Gao Shou laughed heartily, "Young Master Lin, your words are spot on. I really admire you. Living here in Jinling City, you're nothing like these southern scholars. Bold and capable, no wonder Governor Luo values you so much."

Lin Wanrong gave a nonchalant smile and casually said, "Then you can consider me a northerner. By the way, Brother Gao, during your time serving in the capital, were most of your colleagues from the north or the south?"

"Back when I was in the palace, northerners were in the majority. Most of the guards there were..." He paused, suddenly realizing, "Young Master Lin, you..."

Finally, he wasn't too na?ve. Young Master Lin had been subtly prying for information, leading him on a roundabout interrogation. He gave a wry smile, "Young Master Lin, as a northerner, I'm somewhat familiar with battles, but when it comes to strategy and cunning, I'm far behind you."

Lin Wanrong didn't seem to mind Gao Shou's sarcasm at all, chuckling as he slapped his shoulder, "Brother Gao, don't mind it. I've known for a while that you are a guard to the Emperor. Between Governor Luo and me, what can't we discuss? Don't you agree?"

This was pure trickery. Lin Wanrong's words were fraught with hidden traps, slyly setting up Luo Min. Gao Shou had fallen into them countless times without realizing it. If Luo Min were present and heard Lin Wanrong's words, he would surely have jumped up in indignation, cursing this cunning fox.

Believing that Luo Min had already informed Lin Wanrong of his position, Gao Shou admitted, "Young Master Lin is indeed remarkable. In the past, I was one of the Emperor's personal guards. When Governor Luo came to Jinling, the Emperor sent us to accompany him."

Lin Wanrong let out a long sigh. It seemed that Luo Yuan's words today were not false. The old Luo Min really was deeply favored by the Emperor. ‘However, even if you're a powerful minister, you're still no match for Prince Cheng, old Luo. You must stand firm.’

From then on, Lin Wanrong ceased his scheming and conversed openly with Gao Shou. Both men had seen much of the world and knew a great deal. Lin Wanrong was an eloquent speaker, easily chatting about culture, geography, and scenic landscapes. This made Gao Shou admire him even more. This Young Master Lin, not only skilled in crafty tactics, but also evidently had experience and wisdom. He was worth befriending.

Although the carriage ride was long, Lin Wanrong felt it was not in vain. He gained a deeper understanding of the backgrounds of Luo Min and Cheng De, which was quite rewarding.

He was still deep in thought when Gao Shou next to him said, "Young Master Lin, we've arrived."

Lin Wanrong quickly lifted his head, and before he had a chance to look around, he heard a clear voice, "Brother Lin, you've arrived!"

He looked toward the voice and saw a beautiful woman standing not far away. She wore a pale yellow dress, her figure slender and elegant, standing there like a fairy beyond the mortal realm. She wore a gentle smile, looking peacefully at him. The sight was strikingly familiar - it was Luo Ning, the most talented woman in Jinling.