Chapter 80 – What a Great Ambition

The next day at noon, in the Commandant’s Residence of Licheng.

Over two hundred Jinyiwei in brocade uniforms sat astride their horses outside the gates.

The guards on duty stiffened when they saw the man at the head of the troop, his light-blue flying-fish robe signifying a high-ranking officer. They quickly stepped forward to salute.

“Greetings, Lord!”

Kan Chaoyan dismounted with ease.

“Are Lord Wei and Lord Pang inside?”

The guard answered, “Yes, sir. I’ll inform them right away.”

“No need. I’ll find them myself.”

Ignoring the guard’s attempt to stop him, Kan Chaoyan strode through the gates with his two hundred captains following behind, their boots echoing heavily through the courtyard. They marched straight toward Lord Wei’s study, leaving the watching servants in stunned silence.

The guards outside the study went pale at the sight of Kan Chaoyan.

“Lord Wei, Lord Pang! Lord Kan has arrived!”

Inside came the sounds of sudden commotion, quick footsteps and a chair scraping, but the noise soon died down.

Moments later, the door opened and the two men emerged.

“Kan Chaoyan,” Lord Wei said with a strained smile, “what wind has blown you all the way to Licheng?”

Kan Chaoyan laughed heartily. “It’s the bandit wind from your Jiangnan mountains that blew me here!”

“Bandits?” Lord Wei blinked. “You’ve gone to exterminate the Canglong Mountain bandits again?”

Lord Pang frowned slightly. “Why weren’t we informed? Did you succeed?”

【If you two knew ahead of time, you’d have leaked the news again. Half of Lord Kan’s failed operations in the past were because of you.】

The Jinyiwei: “!!!!”

So the Jiangnan guards had been leaking information to the bandits all along?

Kan Chaoyan’s expression shifted briefly before he composed himself with a smile.

“His Majesty gave a sudden decree to suppress the bandits. We barely had time to muster men before departing, there was no chance to notify you. This time, we won completely. Without losing a single man, we wiped out all the bandits of Canglong Mountain. Heaven truly favored us.”

【Ha! If Heaven favored you, you wouldn’t have failed before. Would it kill you to admit that I helped?】

【Thankfully I’m not the type to hog credit, but don’t forget to send my reward later!】

【Speaking of rewards… I just remembered the Canglong Mountain treasure! I forgot to grab a few trinkets. All because Captain Liu distracted me! Such a loss.】

【Now I’m upset. Maybe when we return to the capital, I’ll sneak into the treasury and take a few pieces to soothe myself.】

Captain Liu: “…”

The Jinyiwei: “…”

Lord Wei and Lord Pang exchanged looks of surprise. “You wiped them out without a single casualty? How?”

Kan Chaoyan smiled. “We had the help of a master.”

“A master? Who?”

【The master is me, Lord Mu, hehe~】

【A tiny ninth-rank official defeating all the bandit chiefs, aren’t you fourth-rank officials ashamed?】

The Jinyiwei: “…”

Very ashamed.

That many of them combined couldn’t compare to one little girl.

“No comment,” Kan Chaoyan said smoothly. “I came all this way to visit you two. Won’t you at least invite me in for tea?”

Lord Wei and Lord Pang shared another glance. “It’s already noon; tea can wait. Let’s go straight to a restaurant.”

【Oh, the way they looked at each other, so guilty. There’s definitely something fishy here.】

【They don’t dare let Old Kan in. There’s someone, or something, inside.】

Mu Nanjin extended her spiritual sense to peer inside.

【Well, well! Two people hiding in there, one in official robes, one in civilian clothes. Judging from his aura, the latter isn’t ordinary.】

【Sigh, why are officials’ robes always embroidered with flowers, birds, or beasts? I can’t even tell his rank!】

【The Emperor should just stitch “First Rank,” “Second Rank,” or “Third Rank” right on the robe. Would make life so much easier!】

【Hmm, what bird is that anyway? Wait, is that… a chicken? Or maybe a duck? The embroidery’s awful!】

Jinyiwei: “…”

Pretty sure there were no chickens or ducks on official robes.

【Ugh, I’m so dumb. I should’ve just checked the gossip column instead of staring at embroidery.】

【Ohhh, it’s the Prefect of Licheng and a confidant of Prince Sheng! Trying to buy off the local guards, are they?】

【So easy to be corrupt when the Emperor’s far away!】

Jinyiwei: “…”

Kan Chaoyan’s eyes gleamed. “Perfect timing, I’m starving. Which restaurant are you treating me to?”

Lord Wei blurted, “Of course, the most expensive one!”

Kan Chaoyan teased, “Wei Min, you’ve struck it rich lately? To treat me so generously?”

【He’s rich from taking bribes, obviously.】

Lord Pang shot Lord Wei a warning look.

Wei coughed lightly. “You rarely visit. Lord Pang and I simply wish to host you properly. But mind you, when we come to the capital, you’ll have to treat us to the most expensive restaurant.”

Kan Chaoyan laughed. “Of course! When you come to the capital, I’ll go bankrupt if I must, but you’ll dine at the finest place there.”

Lord Wei threw an arm over his shoulder. “Good! I’ll hold you to that. Come on, let’s go.”

Lord Pang hesitated. “I have a few matters to handle first. You two go ahead. I’ll follow shortly.”

【He’s worried the surviving bandits might expose his bribery and wants to silence them first.】

Kan Chaoyan paused mid-step.

Lord Wei frowned. “What’s wrong?”

【Heh, good thing I’m prepared. Let’s see whose plan wins.】

Kan Chaoyan smiled. “I just remembered, my men haven’t eaten either. I should see to their meals first.”

“No need,” Wei said. “My men will take care of them. Captain Kong, take the Jinyiwei to the mess hall.”

“Yes, sir.”

Captain Kong gestured politely. “This way, please.”

The guards followed him toward the rear courtyard, but Mu Nanjin pouted inwardly.

【Didn’t you promise to let me taste all the Jiangnan delicacies? What’s this about eating in a canteen?!】

【So perfunctory! I want to eat at the most expensive restaurant too. Better sneak off before they notice.】

Before she could slip away,

“Mu Nanjin!” Captain Liu called sharply.

【Ugh, that man must have eyes on the back of his head! He always knows what I’m up to. Annoying!】

Mu Nanjin froze mid-step and turned with a sulky face. “What is it?”

Captain Liu asked mildly, “Tired? If not, want to stroll around the streets with me?”

【Did he take the wrong medicine? Since when is he so gentle and understanding? But I like it, hehe.】

Captain Liu: “…”

“Not tired,” Mu Nanjin replied. She looked at the others. After traveling so far, they all looked weary. “Let me treat everyone to the most expensive”

The guards’ eyes lit up instantly. “Yes!”

【Didn’t even let me finish before agreeing. Typical men, always ruled by appetite.】

The guards: “…”

Captain Liu raised a brow. “The most expensive what exactly?”

“The most expensive brothel, of course, to drink flower wine!”

Jinyiwei: “…”

Captain Kong: “…”

“Wait,” Captain Liu rubbed his forehead. “You’re a young lady. You can’t go to a brothel!”

【I just want to see if the brothels here have anything worth learning. Once I’m back, I’ll reform mine and make it flourish!】

The guards: “…”

What a great ambition.

Mu Nanjin blinked. “So, are you coming or not?”

Captain Liu reminded her, “It’s noon. Brothels aren’t open yet.”

“Oh.”

Mu Nanjin nodded. “Then we’ll go to the most expensive restaurant.”

Afraid she’d change her mind, Captain Liu quickly said to Captain Kong, “Please, lead the way.”

“This…” Captain Kong hesitated. “The priciest restaurant in Licheng costs at least a hundred taels just to dine, and no dish costs less than ten taels. With this many of us, the bill will be no less than ten thousand.”

All the guards turned to Mu Nanjin.

【Time to flaunt my wealth!】

Captain Liu winced on her behalf. “Mu Nanjin, maybe forget it? Ten thousand taels is a lot.”

【Didn’t I work this hard to earn silver so I could spend freely when needed? Money shouldn’t tie my hands.】

Mu Nanjin said firmly, “We’re going.”

The guards cheered, “Let’s go!”

Captain Liu sighed to Captain Kong. “Please lead the way.”

“Alright,” Captain Kong said after thinking. “The ‘Happy Abode’ isn’t far, and there’s no space to tie so many horses. Shall we walk?”

“Good idea,” Captain Liu agreed.

【I love shopping!】

Mu Nanjin had never truly shopped since coming to the past, so once on the street, she was determined to buy to her heart’s content.

Soon Captain Liu understood what she meant by “boring when there are too few people,”

Because when there were too few, there was no one left to carry her purchases.

She bought anything that caught her eye, hairpins, jewelry, dresses, robes, whether they fit or not, whether she’d wear them or not.

Captain Liu asked helplessly, “Mu Nanjin, will you even use all this? You’ve bought enough hairpins to wear a new one every day for a year.”

“They’re for the girls and young men at my establishment.”

【The joy lies in the buying, not the owning. I spend for happiness!】

【Besides, my money comes from the people, naturally it should go back to the people.】

Captain Liu sighed in envy. “You’re a generous boss. They’re lucky to have you.”

Mu Nanjin glanced at him. “Want to work for me? I’d be generous with you too.”

Captain Liu twitched his lips. “No, thanks.”

Mu Nanjin ignored him and happily darted to another stall.

The vendors adored her, but the two hundred Jinyiwei following close behind terrified them.

These were all sixth-rank guards; their aura was far more oppressive than that of lower ranks.

The vendors spoke carefully, afraid that one wrong word would have them sliced open by those blades.

One bold shopkeeper finally asked, “Miss, are you… here to arrest someone?”

“Arrest?” Mu Nanjin blinked. “Arrest who?”

A guard quickly explained, “Don’t be alarmed. We’re only here to help her carry things.”

He even softened his tone to be reassuring.

The shopkeeper let out a breath of relief. “Oh, good, good.”

Still, wasn’t this a bit too much manpower just to carry purchases?

In all his years in Licheng, he’d never seen anyone shop with two hundred Jinyiwei in tow.

Even the local commandant wouldn’t dare do that.

Captain Kong whispered to Captain Liu, “Who is this girl? Why do your men spoil her like this? She’s not a princess, is she?”

Captain Liu countered, “You really haven’t heard of her?”

“No, should I have?”

“You’ve heard of the only female imperial guard, right?”

Captain Kong’s eyes widened. “She’s the female guard?!”

Of course he’d heard of her, the one-of-a-kind woman in the Jinyiwei, said to have no special background.

He’d thought the Jinyiwei, who usually looked down on everyone, would ostracize her.

But instead, they all doted on her. Not a single complaint, even after following her all day.

He didn’t realize that none of them dared to complain.

With her money, power, and knowledge of everyone’s secrets, crossing Mu Nanjin was suicide.

A short half-li walk took them a full half hour, but at last, they arrived at Happy Abode.

The restaurant owner rushed out, bowing low. “Greetings, my lords! Are you here on business or to dine?”

Captain Kong said, “To dine. Prepare a few private rooms.”

“At once!” The owner beamed, ushering them inside.

The diners in the main hall froze as the Jinyiwei poured in.

The tension was palpable; every guest inside was a martial artist, armed and wary.

Captain Liu glanced around. “Do martial artists always gather in Licheng like this?”

“Only this year,” Captain Kong explained. “The Martial Alliance Conference is being held near Licheng, so they’ve all come.”

【The more martial artists the better, makes things lively!】

【When they start fighting, I’m joining in too!】

【If they ask which sect I belong to, I’ll say ‘the Jinyiwei,’ backed by the entire court. Their faces will be priceless, hehe!】

The guards: “…”

Captain Liu: “…”

He’d better keep an eye on her.

But then again, could anyone really keep her in check?