Finest Servant

Chapter 492 The Master of Artillery

Gao Qiu nodded, "Do I even need you to tell me? I've searched every nook and cranny of this place—the small bridges, flowing streams, pavilions, and towers. I've even sent dozens of skilled men to explore beneath the lake. Unfortunately, despite the vast waters, we found nothing. As for other areas within the estate, there's not much left to do except dig up the ground three feet deep."

Upon hearing this, Lin Wanrong let out a sigh and felt a great sense of disappointment. Had he guessed wrong? Was Prince Cheng not hiding here at all? But what about the two royal guards who had mysteriously vanished?

Before him, the lake shimmered in the sunlight, and a few agile water birds skimmed the surface as they flew swiftly. It was a picturesque scene, but Lin Wanrong couldn't shake off his gloom. They walked along the pavilion and soon arrived at a tower not far from the lake's edge. Standing in shallow water, the tower was exquisitely designed, with carved railings, flying eaves, and golden bricks and tiles. The walls were adorned with various engravings of golden dragons, creating a spectacle of opulence.

"A mountain is not high if it houses a fairy; a body of water is not deep if it contains a dragon—what arrogance," Gao Qiu grumbled, halting his wheelchair in the middle of the pavilion. He looked around discontentedly.

"What were you just saying?" Lin Wanrong asked, intrigued.

"Look, Brother Lin, over there." Gao Qiu pointed at the pillars on either side, where large golden characters were engraved in a majestic, flamboyant style—exactly the lines of the poem Gao Qiu had just muttered.

"Who wrote this poem, Brother Gao?" Lin Wanrong was curious. "It seems like beautiful things transcend worlds. When I was in Hangzhou, I encountered a verse from Su Dongpo, and today I see this timeless line. Could it be true that beauty is universal?" He felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity.

Gao Qiu chuckled, "Some guy with the last name Liu from a few dynasties ago wrote it. Something about praising a lousy house. Poetry is not my forte, Brother Lin. If you want to know more, I can find a scholar to explain it to you."

"What lousy house? It's called 'Inscription of My Humble Home'!" Lin Wanrong found this amusing, yet it was already quite an achievement for Gao Qiu to remember those lines.

Gao Qiu grinned, "Look at these characters; they're probably penned by the Prince himself. Given the arrogance, you can't tell me he doesn't have ulterior motives."

"A mountain is not high if it houses a fairy; a body of water is not deep if it contains a dragon—" Lin Wanrong seemed not to hear him. He stared at the golden characters and muttered, "Water is not deep if it contains a dragon, if it contains a dragon—Ah, my brilliant Brother Gao!"

Lin Wanrong was ecstatic, slapping Gao Qiu on the back, startling him, "What's gotten into you, Brother Lin?"

"What a line—'A body of water is not deep if it contains a dragon'! Brother Gao, you are the smartest man in the world; I admire you!" Lin Wanrong was beside himself, his face glowing and his demeanor exhilarated.

Gao Qiu was bewildered, "Brother Lin, don't flatter me. I'm hardly the smartest in front of you—second place, maybe. Did you figure something out?"

Lin Wanrong snorted and said, "Brother Gao, based on your experience, was this lake in the royal mansion naturally formed, or was it dug out by human effort later?"

"I'd have to consult the mansion's records for that," Gao Qiu replied with an air of seriousness. He waved his hand to summon a guard and gave him a few instructions. In a short while, the guard returned with a small book. Gao Qiu flipped through a few pages and said, "According to the records, this site was personally chosen by the late emperor. The lake already existed when the mansion was built—"

"So, it's natural?" Lord Lin frowned slightly. "Did I guess wrong again?"

"However," Gao Qiu continued reading, "the records state that the royal mansion underwent significant renovations about a decade ago. The lake's area was nearly doubled—"

"Really?" Lin Wanrong's face lit up. He snatched the book from Gao Qiu's hands. "Let me see, let me see."

The dense, traditional characters made his head ache, but Lord Lin persevered and read each one. Just as Gao Qiu had said, the mansion had been renovated a decade ago, and the lake had been expanded by more than double. This matched almost perfectly with what he had expected. Lin Wanrong laughed heartily and tossed the book back to Gao Qiu. "Brother Gao, say no more. If this case is solved, the greatest credit goes to you. Now, do me a favor—drain this lake within a day, and leave not a single drop."

Gao Qiu drew a sharp breath and said with a worried face, "Brother Lin, how can I possibly drain so much water in just one day? Where would it go?"

Indeed, where could it go? Lord Lin pondered, even if he were to mobilize all his troops to dig canals, a day wouldn't be enough.

"It's difficult, so difficult," Lord Lin sighed twice. As the sun set and a cold breeze began to blow over the lake, he shivered involuntarily, unable to think of a solution.

"My Dear—" Just when he was lost in thought, a soft call broke the silence. He looked up to see Xiao Qingxuan, dressed in a simple gown, her eyes like a painting, standing quietly beside him. Her slightly protruding belly was elegantly concealed under her white dress, exuding an indescribable harmony and beauty.

"Qingxuan, what brings you here?" Seeing Miss Xiao enveloped in the dim glow of twilight, her face tinged with a light blush and her delicate body frail as a willow, Lin Wanrong grew anxious and grabbed her hand tightly. "The wind is strong here; don't catch a cold, especially for the sake of our son!"

"I'm not as fragile as you make it sound," she replied as a guard brought over a cushioned stool for her to sit beside him. She then took out a white porcelain jar from her small basket and chided, "Don't forget, I beat you soundly back in Jinling."

"Yes, yes, soundly indeed," Lin Wanrong chuckled at the memory, and Xiao Qingxuan's face flushed charmingly.

"This is freshly cooked pear and fritillary soup. It contains premium thousand-year-old ginseng, good for invigorating the blood and clearing heat. Have some," she said, handing him the porcelain bowl. The handle was still warm. It turned out that she had a small stove in her basket, keeping the bowl warm all the way here.

Lin Wanrong gulped down several mouthfuls of the pear and ginseng soup, so overwhelmed with gratitude that he hardly noticed the scalding heat.

Xiao Qingxuan quickly took out a pristine white silk handkerchief and delicately wiped away the soup from the corners of his mouth. "You fool, no one's competing with you for it. Why are you in such a rush?"

Lin Wanrong chuckled awkwardly, draining the last of the soup from the bowl and smacking his lips in contentment. Xiao Qingxuan found it amusing and lightly tapped him on the nose, saying, "You really are a bull devouring peonies. This soup took a lot of effort to make. Madam Xiao spent two hours teaching Qiaoqiao how to perfect it, and it simmered for a whole day to attain this flavor. You've squandered it."

"But isn't the point of cooking it for me to eat?" Lin Wanrong replied with a laugh. "Madam Xiao is very thoughtful to have taught all these culinary skills to Qiaoqiao."

Xiao Qingxuan sighed softly, shaking her head. "She did this because she's going back to Jinling. She's concerned about your recovery, so she taught all her culinary skills to Qiaoqiao. She even instructed her in many finer points of taking care of people, details I wouldn't even have thought of. Madam Xiao's sense of gratitude is quite profound."

"Of course, of course, after all, it was a life I risked to save her," Lin Wanrong said with a hearty laugh, not showing the least bit of shame. "By the way, when is Madam Xiao leaving?"

"The departure is set for the morning after next. We couldn't persuade her otherwise. Madam Xiao is truly a woman of indomitable spirit! The Eldest Miss definitely inherits her disposition," Xiao Qingxuan said, a hint of regret in her voice.

‘So she’s leaving the day after tomorrow, and Madam Xiao didn’t even notify me! Did I save the wrong person?’ Lin Wanrong grunted and fell silent, feeling slightly irked.

Seeing his lowered spirits, Xiao Qingxuan tightened her grip on his hand and softly said, "All feasts must end, and if Madam Xiao wishes to return to Jinling, we can't hold her back. How about we go to Jinling to visit once you return from the northern campaign? Would you like that?"

"Of course, I'd love to," Lin Wanrong quickly nodded, boasting, "Jinling is where I started to make my name, and it's also where I conquered you—"

"Conquered? What nonsense! You brat!" Xiao Qingxuan playfully scolded, her face turning pink. She was both annoyed and amused.

"My Dear, I heard from Commander Gao that you intend to drain this lake?" Their sweet moment over, Xiao Qingxuan shifted to a more serious tone.

Lin Wanrong hummed in agreement, letting out a sigh of frustration. "It's easier to shake the heavens than to drain a dike. How could draining such a large body of water be simple?"

Xiao Qingxuan was silent for a moment before breaking into a mysterious smile. "Why would you want to drain such a beautiful lake? I find it quite pleasing to look at."

"Ah, so Qingxuan likes it too," Lin Wanrong responded earnestly, nodding his head. "That settles it. Tomorrow, we'll have a large swimming pool built in our backyard. You and your sisters can swim whenever you like—wear less clothing to reduce water resistance and increase my motivation—"

"Ugh, you!" Xiao Qingxuan's face flushed crimson. "What do you think about all day? Your mind wanders so much, no wonder you're becoming increasingly foolish!"

"Foolish? How am I foolish?" Master Lin protested.

"Still denying it?" Qingxuan said with a smile, "Only you would think of such a clumsy way to drain the water. Haven't you ever heard of the idiom 'a bird startled by the mere twang of a bow'?"

"A bird startled by the mere twang of a bow?" A flash of insight crossed Master Lin's mind. With a swift peck on Miss Xiao's rosy cheek, he exclaimed, "Ah, how could I overlook such a method? People say that beauty and brains don't go hand in hand, but you, Qingxuan, you're different. Your wit is as remarkable as your beauty; I'm absolutely smitten!"

"What nonsense are you talking about?!" Flustered by her husband's cheeky compliments, Qingxuan covered her cheeks with both hands. Luckily, they were alone; if anyone had heard such intimate dialogue, she would have wanted to crawl into a hole.

"It's been a while since we've, you know," Master Lin snuggled into her embrace, pressing against her soft bosom, "Let me feel you—oh, even bigger than Ning'er's—"

Before she knew it, a few pinches from him left her weak, her face flushed like fire. Seeing her husband act like a child, playing around in her arms, Xiao Qingxuan felt her heart soften. Being with him always brought new joys and made her irresistibly happy.

"What are you trying to do? Haven't you had enough fun with Ning'er today?" She struggled as he started unbuttoning her top. Although she indulged him, she knew his nature. If she allowed his mischief, he'd never recover from his injuries.

Master Lin was a man with many wives, but none he respected more than Xiao Qingxuan. Withdrawing his hand, he chuckled, "I wasn't being mischievous. It's just natural attraction, the highest level of mutual love. Every moment with you is the happiest time in the world—"

Xiao Qingxuan felt overwhelmed. She had been tempted by his sweet talk more than once or twice and always found it delightful. If things continued this way, she feared she would follow in Ning'er's footsteps.

"Stop it, you flatterer," her voice softened against her will, "Hurry and get your work done, then come home. Your wives are waiting for you."

"Yes, yes." Master Lin found her as enchanting as a fairy. Her stunning beauty turned him weak, and he nodded his agreement, wishing he could fall into her soft bosom and never wake up.

"Master Lin, Master Lin, the princess has left!" Noticing Master Lin gazing lustfully at the direction in which Xiao Qingxuan had disappeared, saliva dribbling down his chin, Commander Gao couldn't bear it and rushed over to shake him.

"Oh, really?" Master Lin wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, his face a bit embarrassed. ‘I must be getting worse with age, drooling over my own wife. But then again, Qingxuan does have a devilish figure; she could hold her own against Sister An and Fairy Ning.’

Seeing Master Lin drifting off again, Commander Gao urgently added, "Master Lin, wake up, have you thought of a solution?!"

"A solution? Ah," Lord Lin's expression turned serious. "Brother GAo, go issue a notice for me."

"A notice? What kind of notice?"

Lord Lin chuckled. "Say that last night, there was a great fire. In the pond behind the royal palace, a large stash of hidden jewels was found. Following the principle of 'acquired from the people, used for the people,' and with the Emperor's grace, we are openly seeking skilled divers to excavate the jewels. Three-tenths of the find will be given as a reward to those who contribute."

"Huh?" Gao Qiu was dumbfounded. "Brother Lin, once this notice is issued, won't the secret of this lake become common knowledge?"

"So be it. Let everyone get rich together," Lord Lin said, grinning sinisterly. "Also, make it clear that the digging is to take place only tomorrow. Any attempts after that will be invalid."

"And what if someone actually finds something but decides to embezzle it?" Gao Qiu was very thorough in his considerations.

"Embezzle?" Lord Lin chuckled. "I hope they do! I'd like them to turn over every inch of the lakebed for me. The more gold and silver found, the better."

"I get it! This is driven by self-interest!" Gao Qiu's eyes lit up, and he gave a sincere thumbs-up. "Lord Lin, among all the people in the world, you are the most cunning— I'll go take care of it right away!"

"Hold on, hold on—" As Gao Qiu was about to leave, Lin Wanrong laughed. "Don't rush. I haven't finished yet. Gather our brothers and have them divert some water. If they find silver in the lake, it will be theirs. We can't show favoritism, can we? Also, bring a few cannons—"

"Cannons? What for?" Gao Qiu was shocked.

"Nothing much," Lord Lin said with a faint smile. "In our free time, we can fire a few shots at the lake, perhaps to hunt some waterfowl."

"Hunting waterfowl with cannons?" Gao Qiu was completely convinced. With many men under his command and a knack for efficiency, it didn't take long before hundreds of notices were posted and new cannons were brought in.

Imperial Censor Chen Biqing arrived upon hearing the news and was taken aback by the four cannons lined up, their dark barrels shimmering ominously.

"Lord Lin, what are you doing?" Although Chen Biqing held a high position, he had never seen such a spectacle.

"Are you asking me?" Lin Wanrong replied with a smile. "Oh, I noticed that our brothers have been working hard, so I thought I'd shoot some waterfowl to add to their meals. Lord Chen, do you prefer them grilled or roasted?"

"Lord Lin, this is the royal mansion!" Chen Biqing was so furious that his beard trembled. "How can you act so recklessly? Is there no law left?"

Lord Lin remained composed, cranked the cannon a few times, and shook his head. "You're overthinking it, Lord Chen. Does shooting a couple of wild birds at the royal mansion really break the law?"

Lord Lin personally took aim to shoot the birds, making Gao Qiu break out in a cold sweat. If something were to happen to Lord Lin, Gao Qiu knew he would be irrevocably doomed. "Be careful, Lord Lin," he advised nervously.

"Don't worry; I'm an expert cannoneer!" [It has a modern double meaning, master of sex] Just as Lord Lin's words left his lips, a loud boom resounded, and a massive wave surged in the distant water.

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