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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter Fifty-Nine: Daughter's Attitude
Zhu Chui sensed the situation was turning sour and quickly stood up to smooth things over. "Indeed, indeed. How can the tea be so cold? It's impossible to drink. General Wu, you should sit down quickly and not be disrespectful in front of the General."
War Maniac, furious, had veins bulging on his forehead. After letting out a low growl, he suddenly turned and strode out. As he walked, his black cloak billowed behind him. Reaching the door, he huffed in anger and lamented, "A woman as a general is a mistake for the nation! All my efforts to slay enemies are in vain!"
Before anyone could react, War Maniac slammed the door behind him with a loud bang.
The people in the hall exchanged glances, unsure of what to say.
Zhu Chui was the first to regain his composure. He stood up and bowed. "Please do not blame him, General. He is just that kind of person—reckless and lacking in manners. Even the Governor has reprimanded him multiple times. Considering his loyalty and desire to fight bravely on the battlefield, I ask for your understanding on his behalf. This General apologizes for him."
Tang Jiner replied calmly, "General Zhu, you are mistaken. I see General Wu as resolute and straightforward, with a heart devoted to the country and its people. He is a rare military leader for our Tang Empire. What fault does he have? On the contrary, I greatly admire General Wu's spirit."
"Your broad-mindedness is like towering mountains and vast seas; it truly makes us men feel ashamed. However, regardless of this, I must report General Wu's rashness today to the Governor. I believe that once General Wu regains his senses, he will feel deeply ashamed and will come to apologize another day."
Zhu Chui repeatedly expressed his apologies while Tang Jiner indicated she bore no ill will. With their discussion reaching an impasse, they exchanged a few more polite words before Zhu Chui took his leave. Before departing, he did not forget to advise her one last time: "I hope you will reconsider. The Governor cannot be delayed much longer; now is the best opportunity."
"I will think it over carefully. Safe travels, General Zhu; I won't see you off."
"Do not trouble yourself, General." Zhu Chui bowed as he exited.
After Zhu Chui left, Tang Jiner sat lazily in her chair, showing signs of fatigue on her face. It seemed that their earlier conversation had drained her quite a bit.
Lin Feng stood quietly beside Tang Jiner, observing her weariness; there was no longer any thought of seeking retribution.
After a long while, Tang Jiner finally spoke wearily, "I don't know what those soldiers are thinking. Thank you for what you did just now, Lin."
The way she addressed him shifted from Lin Feng or Lord Lin to simply Lin, making their relationship seem much closer all at once.
"Lin Feng said, 'I don't deserve such praise; this is merely my duty.'
'You're being foolish. War Maniac was just trying to intimidate; he wouldn't dare lay a hand on me. However, he has no qualms about you. That man is reckless and full of bravado. It's better that you didn't confront him; if he were to injure you out of spite, it would be a pointless loss. Don't do something so foolish again in the future.'
'My lord, when I rushed out just now, I had no regrets whatsoever.'
Tang Jiner smiled slightly. Although she complained, at a critical moment, a frail scholar had stepped forward without hesitation to defend her, which brought her a small sense of satisfaction.
'Lin, you heard what they said earlier. What do you think?'
'Although War Maniac is rude and unruly, his words reveal that he is brave and straightforward, with a heart full of loyalty. It seems he genuinely wants to fight against the Demon Clan.'
Tang Jiner chuckled lightly and said, 'Lin, you're still too young and inexperienced to read people. Throughout history, the greatest treachery often masquerades as loyalty; it's not something that can be discerned from appearances alone.'
'Your teachings are wise. You have seen countless people, far beyond what I can comprehend.'
'Stop with the flattery. The only reason I refuse to go into battle is that I don't trust them.'
Lin Feng pondered for a moment and replied, 'Although I have my grievances with them as well, the truth must be told. Zhu Chui is cunning and calculating; it's hard to see through his intentions. As for War Maniac, his character is straightforward and direct. Especially with what he said when he stormed out earlier, it's clear he genuinely wants to fight against the enemy. As for Commander, only by defeating the Demon Army can he maintain his hold on the border and continue as a warlord.'
'War Maniac?'
When Tang Jiner spoke those two words, a look of disgust crossed her face. 'Does he even have the audacity to claim loyalty to his country? I scoff at his ancestors! The deeds he's done are worse than those of beasts. Thankfully, I know his true nature; otherwise, I might have been deceived by him and Zhu Chui's little act today.'
'Oh? How so?' Lin Feng asked.
'Two years ago, the Li Family Caravan encountered bandits at Pan River. All three hundred seventeen members of the caravan—escorts, martial artists, guards, and drivers—were killed, and several carts filled with jewels and treasures were looted.'"
"Three years ago, the largest merchant in Dongping County, the Hu Family Caravan, was attacked. All four hundred sixty-two members of the team were killed, leaving no survivors, and over a hundred carts of goods were stolen."
"In the past decade, there have been eighteen similar incidents of murder and robbery throughout Dongping County. General Qiu devoted great effort to uncovering the bandit leader and finally had some leads. Unfortunately, he was killed before he could capture the culprit."
"They have indeed witnessed the capabilities of my Imperial Guard Headquarters."
"The Border Troops' Class A Bandit robbery? Could they really commit such heinous acts?"
"The caravans that were robbed often carried treasures that aided in cultivation; they were not merely after wealth. Moreover, these losses are hardly significant."
"To achieve merit and promotion, the War Maniac would not hesitate to slaughter villages and create a false impression of demon raids. He would present the heads of my Tang Empire's innocent citizens as those of the Demon Race to claim credit. Such a grave crime deserves the annihilation of nine clans."
Tang Jiner arrived at this place and saw the teacups used by the War Maniac and Zhu Chui. A look of extreme disgust crossed her face as she said, "Someone, take these two cups away and smash them."
Lin Feng knew that the War Maniac was no good person, but he never expected him to commit such bloody acts as slaughtering innocent villagers to frame them as demons. Human hearts are indeed treacherous; it is not easy to emerge unscathed.
"Since you know about the War Maniac's evil deeds, why not capture him and execute him?"
"I do not yet have sufficient evidence. Furthermore, Jiang Wannian is deliberately shielding him; whoever investigates will meet their demise. Several disciples from Solitary Moon City in the Fate Realization Realm died because of this matter."
"I see." Lin Feng suddenly felt a surge of hatred in his heart, his eyes flashing with ferocity. Although he had little connection with his brothers from Solitary Moon City and was hardly familiar with them, he felt an inexplicable emotion towards the Sword Saint and Solitary Moon City.
Regaining his composure, Lin Feng asked, "Why are those two so insistent on urging you to go into battle?"
"Honestly, I don't know," Tang Jiner replied after taking a moment to savor her tea. "Since I despise them so much, I will not agree to anything they propose."
"The General is exceptionally intelligent and decisive."
Tang Jiner felt a bit pleased and said, "Forget about those unhappy things. By the way, Lin, you came to see me today. Is there something important? Oh, I remember now, you just got promoted. Are you here to show your gratitude? Hehe, Lin, you really are a thoughtful person."
"What did you bring today? Silver or some other gifts? Hurry up and show me."
Seeing Tang Jiner's sudden change in demeanor, Lin Feng felt a bit taken aback. He thought to himself: This girl tried to undermine me behind my back and now wants to take advantage of me?
The superior expects a gift, and the subordinate cannot refuse. The problem was that Lin Feng truly had not prepared anything. Fortunately, when he let the Liu Family go that day, he had acquired quite a bit of wealth.
Lin Feng took out the items from his storage bag but had not yet handed them over to Tang Jiner when she waved her hand and said, "Forget about the money. Next time, bring something more thoughtful."
"Alright, this General will remember that," Lin Feng replied.
Tang Jiner nodded and asked, "Is there anything else important? How is the formation of the Armored Warriors going? Have you encountered any troubles?"
"Well, there have been a few minor issues," Lin Feng briefly recounted the disturbances.
After hearing this, Tang Jiner's expression changed dramatically; she became much colder. She said with an icy tone, "Lin Feng, write down the names of those troublemakers and their instigators. With battle approaching, how dare they disregard my words and challenge my authority? They are asking for death."
"Please don't be angry, my Lord. This matter has already been resolved by me. With battle imminent, it's best not to have internal conflicts," Lin Feng replied.
"Oh? With no connections at all, how did you resolve it?" Tang Jiner looked at Lin Feng with some interest.
Lin Feng then briefly explained how Sima Shangshan had helped him.
After listening, Tang Jiner surprisingly laughed and said, "Hehe, Li is not bad at all. You handled it well; you didn't embarrass me. By the way, that Sima Shangshan is quite cold and rarely praises anyone. He came back and praised you several times in front of me. When I asked for details, he was reluctant to say more. I was busy at the time and didn't press him further."
"Sima is indeed a rare gentleman," Lin Feng said sincerely.
"How exactly is this person?"
"Sima's appearance is quite remarkable, truly one in a million. His cultivation is also unfathomable. More importantly, he comes from a noble background but carries none of the arrogance that often accompanies it. He adheres strictly to military discipline and possesses an elegant demeanor. In short, I believe that in terms of character, morality, and talent, he could be the best friend and the most trustworthy superior."
"Is that so? Then... what about as a husband?"
Lin Feng suddenly sensed that Tang Jiner's gaze and expression were somewhat off. Her eyes were a bit anxious, her face slightly flushed, and she tightly clenched her delicate fists. The usually proud woman now dared not meet Lin Feng's eyes.
A perfect superior who commands respect suddenly revealed the demeanor of a delicate daughter.
"Is this really the same proud girl?"
Lin Feng blinked repeatedly, trying to determine if he was seeing things.
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