Finest Servant

Chapter 494 The Discovery at the Bottom of the Lake

"So it was actually 6,000 taels," Gao Qiu patted his own head, his face flushed with shame. "Look at my memory, how could I have mistakenly calculated an excess of more than 20,000 taels? Truly disgraceful. Brother Lin, you are a paragon of nobility and integrity, a role model for us all."

Qin Xian'er couldn't take it anymore. She glared at Gao Qiu and snapped, "Commander Gao, are you pretending I don't exist? We clearly spent only 2,000 taels, so why did you report 6,000 taels to my father? Do you not value your life?"

Cold sweat streamed down Gao Qiu's face. Not daring to talk back to the princess, he looked to Lord Lin for support.

Unexpectedly, Lin Wanrong laughed heartily. "Xian'er, how can you call this embezzlement? Commander Gao is not that kind of person! The truth is, we did throw 2,000 taels into the lake, but that's just the visible expense. There are other hidden costs, like transportation and overtime pay for Commander Gao’s men—those things also cost money."

Hearing his ridiculous explanation, Qin Xian'er burst into laughter. "Don't lie to me. All those transportation and labor costs are already covered by the military provisions, which my father has already provided. They have nothing to do with the 6,000 taels."

"Brilliant!" Lin Wanrong gave her a thumbs-up. "But consider this, Xian'er. What's a mere 6,000 taels compared to eliminating treasonous scum? This is a case of spending a little to achieve a lot. If it ensures the peace and security of the empire, not to mention 6,000 taels—even 60,000 or 600,000 taels would be acceptable. And look at me—" He waved his arms theatrically, pointing to the heavy bandages on his leg. "Your husband here is a disabled man who selflessly labors for the Emperor day and night. This small labor fee doesn't even cover my medical expenses!"

Moved by his words, Qin Xian'er lowered her head in shame and gripped his hand tightly. "You're right, my husband. You're so committed that you don't even take care of yourself. Taking a bit more money is justified. After all, my father’s money will eventually be yours anyway. Commander Gao, as you said, report 30,000 taels. After deducting expenses, the rest will serve as my husband’s hardship fee."

Gao Qiu quickly agreed, utterly impressed by Brother Lin’s ability to manage his wife.

"That's unacceptable," Lin Wanrong said, his tone turning serious. "Xian'er, as the saying goes, the world has its own righteous ways, and one should act with conscience. What belongs to me, I won't be shortchanged a single cent; what doesn't, I won’t take. Commander Gao, only report 6,000 taels, not a cent more. After deducting expenses, distribute another 2,000 taels among your men. The remaining 2,000 may be insufficient, but it should barely cover my medical costs. Ah, is kindness a fault? If so, I am willing to err again and again!"

He shook his head in sorrow. Touched, Qin Xian'er held his hand tightly. "My husband, you truly are the best person in the world. Don't worry, my father's money will all be yours someday."

Lord Lin hummed twice, and Gao Qiu leaned into his ear, whispering, "Are you really only reporting six thousand taels? Brother Lin, this isn't like you. How about I arrange for someone to renovate the garden at your residence, add that to the bill, and round it up to ten thousand taels?"

"Are you a fool?!" Lord Lin shot Gao Qiu an annoyed glance while Qin Xian'er wasn't paying attention. "One must be savvy. Considering the nature of what we're doing, do you really think the Emperor will believe us if we report ten thousand taels? Wait for a big occasion. The next time we fight the nomads, you can report a small fortune of a hundred thousand taels and recoup everything!"

Gao Qiu felt a cold sweat running down his back. He was utterly convinced by Lord Lin, thinking to himself, ‘No wonder Brother Lin has the princess tightly wrapped around his finger.’

The mist gradually dispersed, revealing a radiant sun that cast a faint golden glow over the water's surface. The warm morning sun made everyone feel comfortable and relaxed. Divers, filled with vigor, surfaced from time to time, reporting they had found treasures of gold and silver. Of course, there were those less fortunate who searched underwater without finding anything. Watching others collect silver and jade made their frustration grow, driving them to work even harder. Spurred by this, the atmosphere at the site was incredibly heated.

After finishing breakfast, a fair amount of silver was indeed brought up, but the item they were supposed to find still remained elusive.

"I can't stand this anymore!" Gao Qiu shoved the last bun into his mouth, ripped off his coat, and was about to dive in. "What if they're so focused on the silver that they forget what they're really supposed to be doing? I'll go down and see."

Enjoying a gentle shoulder massage from Xian'er, Lord Lin sighed contentedly. Shaking his head, he chuckled, "Brother Gao, you better stay put. With your dog-paddling skills, I'm afraid you'll achieve nothing, and I'll end up holding a memorial service for you."

"What should we do then?" Gao Qiu lamented. "How long are we supposed to wait like this? The Emperor only gave us two days. We need to report back to him tomorrow morning."

"Don't worry, someone is even more anxious than us," Lord Lin gave a mysterious smile, then suddenly exclaimed, "Where's Lord Chen? Why isn't he here?"

"No idea! Probably went back to write a memorial to the Emperor."

"Writing a memorial, huh? Well, let him go ahead then," Lord Lin said, unconcerned.

As the two men were conversing, a diver surfaced in the middle of the lake, holding something in his hand and excitedly waving his arm, "My Lord, I've found it! I've found the treasure!"

In the morning light, the object glittered with a dazzling gold. It was a large golden ring, of excellent quality and considerable weight, as large as two adult palms.

Gao Qiu lowered his voice and said to Lord Lin, "This team worked all morning and didn't even touch a mud egg. Now, it seems their luck has turned. Damn it, I remember throwing a gold needle into this area myself. How come they haven't found it yet?"

‘You old rascal!’ Lord Lin shook his head disapprovingly and chuckled, "Brother Gao, these fellows are really serving you well. You throw in a gold needle, and they pick up a golden ring for you."

"A gold ring? I've never thrown a gold ring into the water. How could they have found one?" Gao Qiu exclaimed in astonishment.

Lin Wanrong looked puzzled for a moment, but then his face suddenly brightened. "My good man, bring it over quickly!" he waved frantically at the man who had found the ring.

Once the man swam over and handed the gold ring to Lin Wanrong, he examined it closely. The ring was dazzlingly brilliant and of fine quality; traces of friction were visible on its band.

"Where did you find this?" Lin Wanrong hastily inquired.

The man respectfully replied, "Sir, I spotted it in a crevice between some chaotic rocks underwater. The ring was pinned down by several large stones. I've passed that area dozens of times, and had it not been for a glint of gold, I would have completely missed it. The ring was embedded in a large stone, which was quite heavy. I had a hard time extracting it, so I brought it directly to you, sir."

Embedded in a stone? Lin Wanrong and Gao Qiu exchanged glances, both eyes filled with excitement. "Can you find that place again? Take me there immediately," Gao Qiu commanded.

The location was in the middle of the lake, requiring a small boat to get there. Qin Xian'er carefully helped Lin Wanrong onto the boat, and they rowed towards the center of the lake. Once there, Lin Wanrong took a bamboo pole and slowly lowered it into the water. The pole didn't hit the bottom, indicating the great depth of the lake.

"Brother Gao, get some of the men who are good swimmers to go down with you," Lin Wanrong murmured. "Let's see what exactly is beneath that stone!"

"Understood," Gao Qiu signaled, and a group of well-prepared soldiers, all skilled in swimming, plunged into the water. In an instant, they were gone, leaving only ripples behind. Gao Qiu, despite his lack of swimming skills, called for assistance and followed suit.

When the surface of the lake finally calmed, Lin Wanrong stared intently at the gently rippling green water, his fists clenched.

Seeing his serious expression, Qin Xian'er suddenly giggled, "Husband, do you remember the time you accompanied the Eldest Miss boating on West Lake in Hangzhou?"

Lin Wanrong nodded, "You mean the time you cut the red thread? Hehe, how could I forget? But let's be clear, Xian'er, it wasn't me accompanying her; it was Xu Wei who wanted to meet his old lover and invited us onto the boat under the guise of having floral wine. Don't mix up the story."

Xian'er laughed teasingly, "What about that time on Weishan Lake? Did you enjoy accompanying me or my Master?"

"W-what do you mean? Sis-Sister An and I, we didn't—” Lord Lin found himself stuttering as Qin Xian'er seemed to imply something.

"Husband, why are you sweating so much?" Qin Xian'er cooed, seductively wiping the sweat from his face with her sleeve. "I know you were just fooling around with my Master. There are no little secrets between you two, right?"

"Ah, well, little secrets—" Lord Lin was lost for words, especially given the difference in the atmosphere from the night before.

Qin Xian'er sighed softly, "Husband, are you thinking of my Master?"

"I want to—Ah, no, that's not what I mean—I do miss her, just a little!" Lord Lin felt a chill run through him under Miss Qin's penetrating gaze, and he had no choice but to lower his head.

Miss Qin's voice seemed to float from far away, ethereal and elusive. "What exactly do you miss about her? The times she hit you, teased you, mocked you?"

The question was profound, and Lin Wanrong didn't know how to answer. Seeing his silence, Miss Qin, both shy and annoyed, lightly tapped his forehead with her delicate finger. "You always go mute when you're supposed to speak. No wonder my Master scolds you—"

"Sister An scolded me? What did she say?" Lord Lin immediately perked up at the mention.

Miss Qin looked amused and rolled her eyes at him. "I won't tell you. All desire, no courage. Look at you!"

"All desire, no courage?" Lin Wanrong sighed, "Xian'er, once all the chaos surrounding me has settled, I will take you and Sister An to visit Weishan Lake again and relive those warm moments."

Miss Qin nodded and smiled. "Wherever you go, I will follow. But persuading Master is another matter altogether. You know her temperament."

"Yes, yes," Lin Wanrong wiped the sweat from his forehead, finding hidden meanings in Xian'er's words that he wanted to ponder further.

As he was lost in thought, he suddenly heard splashing noises. Several heads emerged from the water, belonging to the soldiers who had gone underwater for the investigation. Gao Qiu appeared last, his face flushed from lack of air. "Damn it, I almost suffocated!"

‘You can barely swim; I'd be surprised if you didn't,’ Lin Wanrong laughed. "Brother Gao, what did you find down there?"

Gao Qiu wiped water from his cheeks and spat out some mud. "The stone with the gold ring weighs around 800 pounds; we couldn't move it. However, we made another discovery—there are two characters carved on the stone!"

"Stop beating around the bush, Brother Gao! What are the characters?" Lord Lin was so anxious he felt like jumping.

"Dragon—Palace," Gao Qiu enunciated slowly, grinding his teeth.

"Dragon Palace? Are you sure you didn’t misread it?" Lin Wanrong asked nervously.

"With my swimming skills, how could I see clearly?" Gao Qiu chuckled self-deprecatingly. "But these gentlemen here are like dragons in water; they saw it with their own eyes, it can't be fake."

Lord Lin's eyes sharpened as he looked at the men, who quickly nodded in agreement.

This is it! Lin Wanrong slapped his palm with delight. "A Dragon Palace indeed! Brother Gao, send the news immediately. Tell everyone that we've found a Dragon Palace in the lake behind the royal mansion. Spread the word as far and as quickly as possible—let everyone know, even the deaf should hear of it."

Gao Qiu nodded; he was no stranger to the art of rumor-mongering under Lord Lin's tutelage.

"Additionally," Lord Lin said with a sinister smile, "prepare a hundred pounds of explosives and place them right at the entrance of this Dragon Palace. Damn it, I'll set this Dragon Palace on fire. Let's see how long this fake Dragon King can remain untroubled."

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