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Su Qi'an hurriedly left the room, weaving through several corridors before exiting through the back door of Chunfeng Court. His expression remained calm, but beads of sweat dotted his forehead. He patted his chest, relieved that he had left quickly. If he had stayed any longer, things might have taken a turn for the worse.
"It seems I should visit Chunfeng Court less often in the future," Su Qi'an thought to himself.
After getting his bearings and identifying the direction of his inn, Su Qi'an had only walked a short distance when a familiar voice called out from behind.
"Ah, Young Master Su! There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you. Did you have a good ti back there?"
Su Qi'an turned to see none other than Captain Wang. Judging by his deanor, he had been searching for Su Qi'an for a while.
Ignoring Captain Wang's teasing, Su Qi'an asked, "What brings you looking for , Captain? Is there sothing urgent?"
Captain Wang waved his hand dismissively and said lightly, "Oh, it’s nothing serious. Just that soone wants to et you." He then leaned in closer and whispered, "It’s soone important."
Su Qi'an understood imdiately. For Captain Wang to be so serious, the person in question must be a high-ranking official in Lingbei County. It made sense. Su Qi'an's success in Lingbei County was partly due to his own talents and partly because of the support of influential figures behind the scenes.
When Su Qi'an first arrived in Lingbei County, he hadn’t been summoned imdiately. Instead, the officials had waited until after the county exams, not only to avoid suspicion but also to gauge Su Qi'an's abilities. Now that the ti was right, it was only natural for them to et. To be honest, Su Qi'an was also quite curious about this mysterious benefactor.
"Lead the way, Captain," Su Qi'an said.
"Right this way, Young Master Su," Captain Wang replied cheerfully.
Although it was nightti, the streets were bustling with activity. Captain Wang didn’t take the main road this ti but instead led Su Qi'an through a series of narrow alleys. The winding paths were quiet and secluded, but with Captain Wang guiding the way, they encountered no trouble.
After walking through the dark alleys for about fifteen minutes, they reached a dead end with a small door in the wall. Captain Wang pushed the door open, and Su Qi'an followed him inside. Beyond the door was a hidden world—a ticulously arranged garden with artificial hills, pavilions, and winding corridors. A small bridge crossed a gently flowing stream, and the area was surrounded by lush flowers and plants, creating a serene and tranquil atmosphere.
"This must also be part of the Lingbei County governnt offices, but it’s a far cry from what I saw last ti," Su Qi'an remarked, impressed.
They walked through the corridors and along a gravel path until they reached a spacious hall. Inside, the flickering light of candles illuminated the room, where several people were already waiting.
Captain Wang stopped about ten ters from the hall and gestured for Su Qi'an to proceed. Su Qi'an nodded and stepped forward. As he entered, he quickly scanned the room. There were only four people inside, but the aura they exuded was enough to make anyone hesitate.
These were important figures, and Su Qi'an recognized a few of them. On the left stood Liu, the county magistrate’s advisor. Seated in the center, dressed in official robes, was Fang Jingzhi, the magistrate of Lingbei County. To the right was a young man with sharp eyebrows and a commanding presence, and beside him stood a masked man who remained silent.
"It’s you?" Su Qi'an exclaid as soon as he entered, imdiately recognizing the masked man.
The masked man was none other than the assailant who had attacked Su Qi'an back in Dongshan Village. Seeing that Su Qi'an had recognized him, the man removed his mask and stepped forward, clasping his hands in greeting.
"Haha, it’s been a while, Young Master Su. I never expected you to make such a na for yourself in Lingbei County in such a short ti. I’m truly impressed."
Su Qi'an returned the gesture with a slight nod, his eyes shifting to the young man with the sharp eyebrows.
At that mont, Magistrate Fang stood up and greeted Su Qi'an with a smile. "Ah, it’s a blessing for Lingbei County to have a talent like Young Master Su. Co, co, let introduce you. This is Marquis Xie Cang of Lingdong, and beside him is his bodyguard, Tong Zhan. It seems you two have t before, so I won’t bother with further introductions."
Hearing Magistrate Fang’s introduction, Su Qi'an was visibly shaken. He had suspected that his mysterious benefactor held a high position, but he hadn’t expected it to be a marquis. Moreover, Xie Cang was remarkably young, which spoke volus about his capabilities.
It also made sense that soone with such a highly skilled bodyguard would be no ordinary figure. Su Qi'an wasn’t foolish. After the introductions, he first politely bowed to Magistrate Fang and then turned to Xie Cang.
"Your humble servant, Su Qi'an, is unworthy of such generous assistance from Marquis Xie. I am deeply grateful for your kindness. I also extend my thanks to Magistrate Fang for your support. I am truly indebted to you both."
With that, Su Qi'an bowed respectfully to both Magistrate Fang and Marquis Xie.
Magistrate Fang was pleased with Su Qi'an's response. This young man was not only talented but also wise and humble. Unlike others who might have been overwheld by the presence of a marquis and neglected the local magistrate, Su Qi'an had shown proper respect to both. This further solidified Magistrate Fang’s decision to support him.
Marquis Xie nodded and gestured for Su Qi'an to rise. "There’s no need for such formalities, Young Master Su. Your talents are undeniable, and eting you today has only confird my high expectations. If you don’t mind, you may address as Brother Xie."
This statent surprised not only Su Qi'an but also Magistrate Fang. It was clear that Marquis Xie’s words were sincere, not re politeness. For a marquis to offer such familiarity upon their first eting was a testant to how highly he regarded Su Qi'an.
Su Qi'an nodded and replied, "Since Marquis Xie has offered, I will gladly accept. Brother Xie, if there’s anything you need from , please don’t hesitate to ask. I will do my best to assist."
Marquis Xie laughed heartily. "I appreciate your straightforwardness, Young Master Su. To be honest, I’ve co here on behalf of the imperial court to recruit talented individuals to join on a military campaign."
"A military campaign?" Su Qi'an asked, raising an eyebrow.
Marquis Xie didn’t elaborate imdiately but instead glanced at Magistrate Fang, who took over the explanation.
"Young Master Su, with your intelligence, you must have noticed the unrest in the various counties and prefectures."
Su Qi'an nodded.
Magistrate Fang continued, "The Great Liang Empire has stood for 300 years, but we face threats from foreign tribes at our borders and bandits and rebels within our lands. It’s a ti of both internal and external strife."
"Marquis Xie has co to Lingbei County to seek talented individuals, and you, Young Master Su, are precisely the kind of person he is looking for."
"While the local authorities can maintain order within the counties, the real threat lies in the northern invasion by the Rong tribe. Marquis Xie has been tasked with leading a campaign against them and hopes you will join him."
Magistrate Fang’s explanation made Su Qi'an realize the gravity of the situation. For a dynasty to maintain stability, external threats often posed a greater danger than internal ones. The fact that Magistrate Fang was sharing such classified military information with Su Qi'an indicated that he was now considered a trusted ally.
However, Su Qi'an couldn’t help but frown. "May I ask, Brother Xie and Magistrate Fang, when is this campaign scheduled to begin?"
"In one month," Marquis Xie replied.
"One month?" Su Qi'an murmured, his expression showing clear hesitation.
It wasn’t that Su Qi'an was afraid of danger. As a citizen of Great Liang, he felt a responsibility to defend his holand against foreign invaders. However, the timing was incredibly tight.
According to Su Qi'an's original plan, he intended to stay in Lingbei County for seven days to await the results of the county exams. Whether he passed or failed, he wanted to provide an explanation to his wife, Qin Ziyin. After that, he planned to return to Dongshan Village and spend two to three months improving the village’s defenses. He was confident that, with his efforts, the village would be able to repel any future bandit attacks.
But Marquis Xie’s request had thrown a wrench into his plans. While Su Qi'an was grateful for the marquis’s recognition, his priority was the safety of his wife and the villagers. If forced to choose, he would prioritize their well-being over joining the campaign.
Marquis Xie noticed Su Qi'an's hesitation and assud it was due to the risks involved. After all, asking soone to join a military campaign with the possibility of losing their life, without any guarantee of reward, was a tall order.
To reassure Su Qi'an, Marquis Xie quickly added, "Young Master Su, if you join on this campaign, I promise you won’t go unrewarded. Once we’ve secured the border, I will ensure you are granted the title of earl."
This promise even made Magistrate Fang’s eyes widen. Although the title of earl didn’t co with actual power, it was still a highly prestigious honor. An earl could command respect even from a prefect, and the title was sothing many, including Magistrate Fang, dread of attaining.
However, such a generous offer also hinted at the dangers of the upcoming campaign. The greater the reward, the greater the risk.
Su Qi'an, however, waved his hand dismissively. "Brother Xie, you misunderstand. I’m not motivated by wealth or titles. It’s just that my current plans conflict with the tiline of your campaign."
Su Qi'an then explained his plans, emphasizing his commitnt to protecting Dongshan Village from bandits while omitting the details of training the villagers.
After listening to Su Qi'an's explanation, Marquis Xie nodded in understanding and smiled. "Ah, so that’s your concern. Magistrate Fang, since you’re here, how about lending so troops? After the exam results are announced, we can take care of the Dongshan bandits together. What do you say?"
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