Finest Servant

Chapter 177

Chapter 177 Better to Cross the King of Hell than Cross Brother San (Part 1)

"Lin San, you dare?" exclaimed Tao Wanying in a mix of shock and anger. Despite her defiance, she couldn't help but step back in haste.

Ever since she was humiliated by Lin San in the heart of Jinling City, she had developed a certain sense of fear for Lin Wanrong. On top of that, it was this same Lin San who had caused her brother to lose his shop and his dignity at the Sunshine and Rain Restaurant in Hangzhou, and even injured his finger. It was in her burning rage that she dared to confront him.

"You should know, I am a wicked man; there's nothing I wouldn't dare to do," Lin Wanrong replied with a laugh. He found her words lacking in substance. He chuckled smugly, pressing forward toward Tao Wanying.

In terms of fighting, Tao Wanying was never a match for Lin Wanrong, especially under such dire circumstances. She cried out in fear but nonetheless held onto her brother Tao Dongcheng's hands tightly, unwilling to let go. In her fear, she had forgotten all about her elegant martial arts skills and had reverted back to being a terrified little girl.

Looking at her coldly, Lin Wanrong asked, "Miss Tao, are you surrendering, or do you want me to force you?"

Having experienced his might, Tao Wanying knew escape was impossible today. She gritted her teeth and said, "Lin San, I will stay, but you must let my brother go."

Even though Tao Wanying was fraught with faults, she refused to abandon her kin in a crisis. This admirable trait left a somewhat positive impression on Lin Wanrong.

Laughing heartily, Lin Wanrong said, "Miss Tao, do you think you're in a position to negotiate? How amusing. Wasn't it the Tao family that ambushed us today? How come it's your turn to plead with me now?"

Tao Wanying bit her lip and remained silent. Lin Wanrong took a few steps forward, lifted her chin, and with a frivolous touch to her face, he teased, "Miss Tao, aside from your figure, it's hard to say what other parts of you are attractive."

With an exclamation, Tao Wanying recoiled, her eyes welling up with anger and shame. "Lin San, if you dare to bully me, I will haunt you even in death."

"Bully you?" Lin Wanrong laughed, "Forgive me for being blunt, Miss Tao, but even if I were blindfolded by pig fat and the lights were out, I wouldn't lay a finger on you."

"Go to hell!" Tao Wanying blushed and shouted in shame and fury.

"Whether I live or die has nothing to do with you. But you, clinging to me so desperately, could it be that you've taken a fancy to me? Damn, I must be cursed to be sought after by a madwoman like you. I must burn incense when I return to ward off evil spirits," Lin Wanrong teased.

Humiliated beyond endurance, Tao Wanying, disregarding the gap in their strengths, screamed and charged at him.

Her movements were without form in her fury. Seeing her approach, Lin Wanrong neatly chopped his hand on the back of her neck, causing her to faint and collapse limply.

"Lin San, did you kill her?" An anxious voice came from behind. Turning, Lin Wanrong saw Eldest Miss Xiao had arrived.

"Do I look like an executioner?" Lin Wanrong responded with a bitter smile. "Miss Xiao, is your impression of me really so poor?"

Eldest Miss Xiao was relieved to know that he hadn't killed anyone. She glared at him, remarking, "Even if you're not an executioner, taking advantage of others like you did makes you a rogue, a shameless person."

Gao Qiu approached with a smile, "I apologize for my late arrival, causing Miss Xiao and Young Master Lin to be startled."

Xiao Yuruo thanked him, "I appreciate your timely assistance, Mister Gao."

Lin Wanrong also expressed his gratitude, "Where's the need for such formality, Brother Gao? We are more than grateful for your rescue. Had we known you were watching over us, our journey would have been much less tense."

Gao Qiu responded, "Young Master Lin, you're quite skilled yourself. The stone you threw was precise, your technique and strength first-rate. Even if I hadn't come, you could have handled the situation alone. Before I left, Minister Xu repeatedly instructed me to protect everyone discreetly, not to alarm anyone. Were it not for the boldness of the bandits, I would have escorted everyone to Jinling without revealing myself."

Having dealt with the band of bandits from the Tao family, the dilemma was how to handle the Tao siblings before them.

Miss Xiao pondered for a moment before saying, "Tao Dongcheng and Miss Wanying should be treated separately. Tao Dongcheng, having made multiple attempts on our lives, is undoubtedly guilty. Wanying, although complicit in sheltering Dongcheng, was ultimately motivated by sibling affection. Moreover, she hasn't committed any grave crimes, so we shouldn't pressure her unduly. In my opinion, we should apprehend them and bring them before the law. I don't believe anyone would dare shield them then."

Hearing this, Lin Wanrong's brows furrowed in thought. She was indeed naive. Report to the authorities? Was this a matter to be dealt with in that manner? Women tended to lack political sensitivity - it was a natural limitation, something that couldn't be rushed.

He sighed and replied, "Miss Xiao, I agree that we should treat the Tao siblings differently. But as for turning them in, I'm afraid that's going to be difficult. Have you taken a good look at where we are?"

Eldest Miss Xiao answered, "We're at the border between Jiangsu and Zhejiang, is there a problem?"

Lin Wanrong questioned, "To whom would you turn them over, Jiangsu or Zhejiang?"

Her mind whirred at this reminder. Tao Dongcheng was cunning indeed. Their choice to strike at the border between two provinces was intentional, taking advantage of the ambiguity of jurisdiction. In case of an incident, both provinces could easily pass the buck. Given (Tao Dongchengs father) Tao Yu's standing in Suzhou and his influence, it wouldn't be easy to resolve this matter in either province. Not to mention, only the Xiao family witnessed the robbery, making it difficult to prove in court. She realized that her initial idea was naive.

Seeing Lin San's faint smile, Eldest Miss Xiao thought, 'So, he had a plan all along and deliberately made me look foolish.' She snorted and shot him a reproachful glance, then fell silent.

Gao Qiu pulled Lin Wanrong aside and whispered, "Young Master Lin, how do you propose we handle this?"

Lin Wanrong smirked, rubbing his neck, and said slyly, "This place is surrounded by dense forest and tall mountains"

Gao Qiu, startled, cut him off, "Young Master, you mustn't"

Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, "Why? Did Minister Xu leave any instructions before he left?"

Gao Qiu hurriedly said, "The Tao siblings being here would undoubtedly have been noticed by some. If we were to end them here and now, the trouble that the Xiao family would attract would be immense."

Lin Wanrong thought to himself, The trouble we've attracted is already far from small. After all, our relations with the Tao family have already deteriorated beyond repair, what's a dead pig to fear from boiling water?

"If the Tao siblings were to die, Tao Yu and his allies would surely retaliate desperately, resulting in a bloodbath in Jinling. Minister Xu had a message for you, Young Master Lin. If there is trouble in Jinling, the Xiao family will certainly be the first to bear the brunt. Please consider your actions carefully," Gao Qiu pleaded, folding his hands in front of him.

Xu Wei, deeply immersed in the political field for many years, had a clear understanding of power struggles. If Tao Yu and Cheng De were to join forces and flex their power, while the crafty Luo Min might manage, but the Xiao family, given their standing, would inevitably bear the brunt. The only way for the Xiao family to survive was either to maintain the current equilibrium or help Luo Min completely bring down Cheng De. This was something Lin Wanrong understood very well.

Lin Wanrong laughed heartily and slapped Gao Qiu's shoulder, "Brother Gao, I was just joking with you. Do you think I'm that cruel?"

Recalling Lin Wanrong's interrogation methods that morning, Gao Qiu shivered. Although Lin Wanrong himself wasn't cruel, his tactics were the cruelest in the world.

"However, as you know, I'm not one to easily tolerate being bullied. Tao Dongcheng has repeatedly used underhanded tricks against our Xiao family. If I don't retaliate, I'd be letting myself down. Don't you agree, Brother Gao?" Lin Wanrong asked.

"Of course, a real man must return grievances and avenge wrongs," Gao Qiu replied.

Lin Wanrong nodded and asked, "I like to hear that. Brother Gao, in your opinion, when is a man happiest?"

After a moment's thought, Gao Qiu replied, "Visiting a brothel."

Stunned, Lin Wanrong thought, 'Old Gao has no ambition, he's just the type to frequent brothels.' He chuckled, "Brother Gao, your insight is indeed profound. Now, what would be the best way to ensure a man can't visit brothels or enjoy women for the rest of his life?"

"Castrate him?" Gao Qiu blurted out, then recoiled in shock at his own words. 'Was Young Master Lin planning to castrate Young Master Tao?' He quickly added, "Young Master Lin, that's not right. It's practically the same as killing him."

Lin Wanrong laughed, "Brother Gao, where are your thoughts going? I'm someone who can't even bear to kill a chicken, let alone engage in such bloody business as castration. If I were to do something, it would be much more subtle. You, Brother Gao, are a martial arts master. Is there a technique that can cut off a certain part of him without him noticing immediately, only to gradually realize over time, rendering him impotent for life?"

Gao Qiu hesitated and said, "There are some methods, but they're somewhat sinister."

Gao Qiu was somewhat helpless. Encountering this astonishing Young Master Lin, anyone who dared to match his cunning was simply courting death. He could only nod in agreement to employ a certain technique.

Lin Wanrong dragged Tao Dongcheng over, tossing him onto the ground. Gao Qiu said, "The pain caused by this technique is quite severe. I'm afraid it might rouse Young Master Tao to consciousness."

"That's easily solved." Lin Wanrong smiled, producing from his pocket a dose of knockout drug that had been gifted to him by Xiao Qingxuan. Fortunately, the drug had been wrapped in parchment and hadn't gotten wet when he'd fallen into the water the day before.

Gao Qiu, who had roamed the Jianghu for many years, recognized the substance at a glance. He wondered about Lin Wanrong's origins. He carried such valuable items with him that he seemed more like a thief than Tao Dongcheng did.

Lin Wanrong instructed Si De to bring a water bottle and a small bowl, poured clear water into it, and sprinkled half a bag of the knockout drug in. Being his first time employing such methods, he wasn't sure how much to use. Gao Qiu was secretly shocked; this dosage could knock out a bull. Once Tao Dongcheng drank it, he wouldn't wake up for at least three days.

Lin Wanrong found a twig on the ground, stirred the mixture nonchalantly, and said, "Done. This is a top-notch potion, an essential for wanderers and playboys of the Jianghu. I wouldn't typically use it so freely."

Gao Qiu used a technique to open Tao Dongcheng's throat, and Lin Wanrong poured down the bubbling brew into Tao Dongcheng's throat, laughing, "Alright, Brother Gao, you may begin."

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