What to Reward Him Covertly

"Report! Report! Report!"

The soldier shouted loudly even while he was still a distance away.

The sound of his voice carried through the crowd and reached Wang Ming's ears.

"General Wang Ming, we... we found him."

"Found him?" Wang Ming was pleasantly surprised. "You found Lin Zixiao?"

"Yes, yes, General Wang Ming, General Lin has been found. Everyone is currently working together to transport him back."

The joy on Wang Ming's face grew even thicker.

They had finally found Lin Zixiao.

However, his heart suddenly skipped a beat, feeling that something was slightly off.

Lin Zixiao had fallen off the cliff so long ago. Everyone had expended an unknown amount of effort and energy, yet they hadn't found a single trace of him.

Yet he, Wang Ming, had only just arrived today.

How long had they been searching since he got here? And they already found him?

So to say, the thing that others had failed to do despite their utmost efforts, he managed to achieve right after arriving?

Wasn't that a bit strange?

Before this thought could even settle, another thought flashed through Wang Ming's mind like lightning. He couldn't help but blurt out, "Transport him back?"

"What do you mean by transport?"

"What happened to Lin Zixiao?"

The soldier quickly reported, "General Wang Ming, General Lin Zixiao is heavily injured and has no breath left. We don't know if he can be saved, so the men are carrying him back."

"Let's go take a look."

Wang Ming hurried ahead and soon arrived at the temporarily erected tent.

With just one glance at Lin Zixiao, Wang Ming was certain.

He couldn't be saved.

Or rather, there was absolutely no need to save him.

This was already a dead man.

After all, Wang Ming had seen too many people hovering between life and death. He understood Lin Zixiao's condition all too well. Back when the Empress, Xiao Mingzhao, was on the brink of death, she hadn't looked this terrible.

And the reality matched Wang Ming's judgment.

After tossing and turning the body for a long while out of obligation, the military doctor stood up and reported, "General, I am truly incompetent. I cannot save General Lin's life. I..."

"It's fine, it's fine!" Wang Ming patted the military doctor's shoulder and said, "Life and death are determined by fate, as are wealth and honor. This isn't something you can decide, so don't feel too guilty."

Having comforted the doctor, Wang Ming breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

He naturally knew that Lin Zixiao was still of some use to Ren Tianye, but this usefulness was not irreplaceable. On the contrary, for Lin Zixiao to just die like this brought them more benefits than harm!

Right now, this was the best possible outcome.

But while Wang Ming thought this way, many of Lin Zixiao's personal guards in the army did not.

Each of them was overwhelmed with grief, their eyes completely red.

"There are bloodstains on Commander Lin's head; he was clearly murdered. We must find this person and avenge our commander."

"Yes, avenge the commander! I will slaughter his entire household, kill his whole family, and make him serve the general like a beast of burden on the road to the underworld!"

"Brothers, follow me! We will follow the blood trail. We will definitely find the culprit!"

...

Many of Lin Zixiao's personal guards were filled with righteous indignation.

One by one, they grabbed their weapons and prepared to march out.

But none of them made it outside.

Because Wang Ming stood like a mountain, blocking their path.

"Insolent!"

Wang Ming's face darkened as well. "Lin Zixiao had already submitted to the imperial court; he was a man of the court. You are Lin Zixiao's subordinates, which means you are also men of the court."

"The imperial court has its own laws and regulations!"

"How can you be allowed to act so recklessly?"

"Do you still have any respect for the imperial court?"

"Do you still have any respect for the Duke?"

It had to be said that after experiencing so many things, Wang Ming increasingly possessed the demeanor of a great general. His personal aura was no longer what it used to be.

Moreover, he was widely recognized as the trusted confidant of Duke Ren Tianye.

These personal guards simply did not dare to cross him.

They all stopped in their tracks in unison.

Wang Ming then continued, "Besides, Lin Zixiao fell off a cliff and died due to a lack of medical treatment. This is something everyone knows. The so-called bloodstains you mentioned were almost certainly caused by him tumbling down the cliff and hitting the rocks."

"Just because of this, you want to slaughter the local villagers."

"Such behavior will absolutely not be tolerated by the imperial court!"

As soon as these words came out, it completely finalized the nature of Lin Zixiao's death. Those personal guards instantly wilted like frostbitten eggplants, losing all their previous aggressive momentum.

After all, what Wang Ming said was not unreasonable.

"Alright, now that Lin Zixiao has been found, the matter here is concluded. Immediately build a coffin for Lin Zixiao, and our army... will return to the capital at once!"

Once the military order was given, and considering most of the soldiers were brought from the capital, Lin Zixiao's men couldn't make any waves. They could only let things be and go with the flow.

But Wang Ming hadn't truly let the matter go.

He deliberately sought out the military doctor and questioned him in detail. Upon learning that Lin Zixiao might indeed have been murdered, he immediately summoned two soldiers who were absolutely loyal to both him and Ren Tianye.

"You two, go investigate what exactly happened."

"If Lin Zixiao was really murdered, find that person."

"Tell him to let this matter rot in his heart."

"For such a capable person, don't reward him openly, but give him some reward in secret."

The two personal guards understood. Taking advantage of the army's busyness, they quietly slipped away.

Wang Ming quickly packed up and led the army back. Furthermore, he sent a guard ahead to the Duke Ren's Mansion to deliver a letter to Ren Tianye.

At this moment in the Duke Ren's Mansion, Ren Tianye was receiving an old acquaintance.

Having not seen him for several months, the wrinkles on Su Hong's face were deeper than before, and his eyes were faintly bloodshot. Clearly, just as Sun Xiang, who was stationed in Shanhe City, had said, Su Hong was deeply overworked.

In fact, it wasn't just from overwork, but also from anxiety.

Rushing madly all the way from the Northern Frontier to the capital, it would be a miracle if he was in good condition.

Ren Tianye sighed in his heart and said, "Get up, Su Hong. Stop kneeling."

"Duke!" Su Hong still didn't stand up. Instead, he kowtowed heavily three times and said, "It is a misfortune for my Su family of the Northern Frontier. I have failed in teaching the younger generation. I raised two nieces who are ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth, bold and reckless."

"They act wildly and recklessly, each causing catastrophic disasters."

"All of this is my, Su Hong's, crime of failing to discipline them and having poor family upbringing."

"Today, I have come specifically to accept my punishment."

"I, Su Hong, will submit to the General's handling. I absolutely dare not utter a single word of complaint."

As soon as these words were spoken, Su Jin, who was beside him, also kowtowed heavily.

"Duke, as the elder brother, your subordinate failed to restrain the sisters in the family. My lax discipline has led to this disaster, and I also bear heavy responsibility."

"Your subordinate is willing to accept punishment together with Second Uncle."

"Absolutely no complaints!"

Both of them had faces full of trepidation, and their resolve to plead guilty was firm.

Ren Tianye didn't plan to hold it against them.

After all, they really couldn't be blamed for this matter.

Furthermore, what these two had done was already quite commendable.

Most importantly of all... he really hadn't suffered any losses!

He had even gained an army of two hundred thousand, as well as the ten thousand-strong Divine Machine Camp he had dreamed of. From this perspective, Su Li wasn't at fault; she had actually rendered a great merit!

Of course, Ren Tianye wouldn't openly commend such a merit.

Heaven knows what kind of chaos would ensue if he dared to commend her.

But he also wouldn't hold the Su Mansion of the Northern Frontier, a great contributor, accountable because of this, nor would he cast them aside.

Who was reliable, who could get things done, and what kind of abilities everyone had, he was still very clear about.

He then said, "Alright, stand up."

"Since the two of you have sincerely apologized for this matter, I will not pursue it too harshly. However, I have important matters to attend to at present, and I can give you both a chance to redeem yourselves."

"I wonder, are you two willing?"

Su Hong breathed a massive sigh of relief.

On the way here, he had already learned of the situation. He knew that the trouble Su Li had stirred up, despite sounding like a massive commotion, hadn't actually caused too much damage. He judged that given the Duke's temperament, he likely wouldn't make things too difficult for them.

As expected, things turned out just as he had thought.

After relaxing a bit, he felt a profound sense of fortune.

He had truly been incredibly lucky back then to board the Duke's great ship. To be able to follow such a master, even if he had to work like a horse or an ox, this life would not be in vain.

He immediately said, "Your Grace, this humble one is willing."

"I will lay down my life and serve you without hesitation, even if it means dying ten thousand times."

Su Jin didn't think as deeply as Su Hong, but his face also revealed joy as he said, "Your Grace, this subordinate is also willing. This subordinate is willing to fight to the death for Your Grace."

"Good!" Ren Tianye stood up, his gaze deep as he looked toward the south. "Right now, the major affairs in the capital are about to be settled. But in the southern city of Yunjing, undercurrents are surging and disasters are brewing. Yet, the Great Yu imperial court is incompetent, and Empress Xiao Mingzhao is foolish, knowing very little about Yunjing."

"Once I have settled the matters in the capital, I will head south."

"I need two vanguards."

"One for commerce, to stockpile military supplies."

"One to act as a spy, to investigate the situation."

"Do you two dare to take on this heavy responsibility?"

Su Hong immediately said, "Your Grace, this humble one is willing to go south to engage in commerce and stockpile the necessities for the grand army's southern expedition."

Su Jin also said, "Your Grace, this subordinate once served as the Vice Envoy of the Demon Suppression Bureau and is quite proficient in espionage. I am willing to go south and gather intelligence on everything for Your Grace."

"Good." Ren Tianye nodded in satisfaction and said, "Then the two of you go and prepare. Naturally, there will be people there to receive you. Do not disappoint me."

Pausing for a moment, Ren Tianye thought of something and added, "Su Hong, since you are here and Su Li is in the backyard, you should go see her. Just... try not to let your heart ache too much when you do."

Su Hong hurriedly and repeatedly said he wouldn't dare.

...