"Mhm mhm!"
Although Ye Liuyun’s words sounded kind of arrogant,
Shu Fan couldn’t help but feel this inexplicable trust.
It was as if Ye Liuyun really could pull it off, just like that.
...
In the next few days, after getting some good rest in Nanmu City, they soon set out again, heading back to the Imperial City.
"As expected of Nanmu City!"
On the way back.
Si Nan looked totally refreshed, his face glowing with satisfaction; obviously, he’d had a great time here in Nanmu City.
"Hehehe!"
Glancing at Ye Liuyun by his side,
Si Nan suddenly thought of something, grinned slyly, and rode his horse over to Ye Liuyun, saying,
"Sir, it’s a pity you didn’t see the courtesans in the brothels here in Nanmu City, they’re really no less stunning than the ones at the Imperial Music Bureau!"
Though the quality of other girls was a bit lower, the head courtesans really were about the same.
That dance... Si Nan’s eyeballs nearly popped out watching it.
Ye Liuyun just laughed it off, not bothered in the slightest.
Courtesan? As if any of them could outshine Shu Fan?
"Well, if you like her so much, never thought of just paying to buy her out?"
After all, after this Yunkong Temple operation, they’d raked in a good sum—even if Si Nan had to split with others, there was still easily enough to buy out a courtesan.
"Uh!"
Hearing Ye Liuyun put it like that,
Si Nan looked a little embarrassed and shook his head.
"Redeeming her... forget it!"
It’s fine to just enjoy the show.
If it came to actually forking over that much cash to bring one home, Si Nan really couldn’t bear it.
"I see you’re just being stingy and refusing to spend money!"
Off to the side, Shi Sheng gave Si Nan a disdainful look after hearing this.
"..."
If someone else said that, Si Nan wouldn’t care at all.
But looking at Shi Sheng’s serious expression,
Si Nan couldn’t hold it in.
"You’re the last person who gets to say that."
Has this guy forgotten who always footed the bill each time we hit the brothel? Now you wanna lecture me?
"Tch!"
Shi Sheng didn’t seem affected in the slightest,
just shot Si Nan a sidelong glance as usual.
And so, chatting and joking all the way, they quickly reached the Imperial City—Nanmu City really wasn’t far, and a day’s trip was enough to get there.
When they got back to the Embroidered Uniform Guard,
Ye Liuyun first told his men to rest, and then had Si Nan write up the case for the file.
This was business as usual for the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Every time a case was wrapped, they had to record all the details.
Back in the day, Ye Liuyun would’ve handled this personally,
but now, with more time on the job and a promotion under his belt, he couldn’t be bothered to do everything himself anymore.
If something could be handed off, why do it himself?
"You know what should and should not go into the report, right?"
This Yunkong Temple case, obviously, couldn’t be detailed fully—like all the money they scored there, that definitely couldn’t go in the official record.
What, you want it all confiscated?
"Don’t worry, sir, I know the drill!"
Hearing Ye Liuyun’s reminder,
Si Nan’s face was full of knowing understanding.
Clearly, he knew exactly what his boss meant.
"Good!"
Ye Liuyun always found Si Nan’s quick wits reliable enough.
He nodded and didn’t say anything else.
...
Once he got home,
Sheng Lanzhi was out front with Xing’Er, admiring the flowers. When she saw Ye Liuyun return, both of them greeted him at once.
"Sir!"
"Welcome home, sir!"
Seeing Ye Liuyun back safe and sound,
Sheng Lanzhi and Xing’Er both broke into smiles. Though, the only one truly happy just because Ye Liuyun was safe was probably Xing’Er.
"Didn’t even get a chance to congratulate you on becoming Lord Thousand Households, sir!"
Sheng Lanzhi beamed as she offered a congratulation to Ye Liuyun.
When Sheng Lanzhi first heard the news about Ye Liuyun’s promotion, she was surprised for days.
After all, even when her own father was alive, Ye Liuyun never managed to attain Lord Thousand Households.
That rank already meant entry to the center of power in the Great Qian Dynasty—you were eligible to attend the morning court, though Ye Liuyun never bothered to show up.
Sheng Lanzhi honestly hadn’t expected this—
that after her father’s death, Ye Liuyun would end up as Lord Thousand Households anyway.
Whatever he did to get there,
a promotion is a promotion.
It just made Sheng Lanzhi more certain she hadn’t gambled wrong on Ye Liuyun as her life’s support.
"It’s just Lord Thousand Households, nothing to celebrate!"
Ye Liuyun just waved her off, not taking it seriously.
If you must congratulate me, wait until I become Governor.
Ye Liuyun already had his eye on Qi Yuanliang’s Southern Governor seat—but he’d only just made Lord Thousand Households. Grab that Governor chair too fast, and people would talk.
As expected.
Need to break through to Grandmaster as soon as possible.
"By the way!"
At that moment, Sheng Lanzhi remembered something and said to Ye Liuyun,
"Yesterday, someone from Flawless Pavilion sent word that what you wanted has been found. Whenever you have time, you can go collect it."
"No surprise it’s Flawless Pavilion—they’re fast!"
Sheng Lanzhi’s words made Ye Liuyun’s eyes light up.
Before heading to Nanmu City, he’d especially visited Xie Ling’Er at Flawless Pavilion and asked her to find him a top-tier, utterly yang-type cultivation technique. Flawless Pavilion always had connections for matters like this.
Ye Liuyun didn’t mind the price—so long as they found it, he was happy.
He’d expected it would take longer,