Finest Servant Chapter 537 (Patreon)

Chapter 537 Medical Treatment

Old Gao sneered, his eyes lecherous and sleazy. Lin Wanrong glanced down at his hand and found himself holding a piece of bright red, soft silk, adorned with round lace. Folded, it was no larger than his palm. A faint fragrance emanated from it. It was as soft as water, as fiery as a flame—reminiscent of the blushing cheeks of the Turkic girl, Yujia. He could even sense a faint warmth from it.

Seeing their commander holding such a vibrant dudou, the soldiers of the Great Hua couldn't help but suppress their laughter. Their expressions were as ambiguous as they could be. Yueya’er, the Turkic girl, was even more furious. Her face flushed, fists clenched, teeth grinding loudly. Her eyes, fiery as they were, remained locked on him.

Lin Wanrong appeared unfazed. He chuckled, "Ah, what a large red handkerchief! I can hardly hold it with both hands! I've been in need of a face towel; this handkerchief is mine now—"

"Sen dildi it!" Yueya’er barked, her eyes brimming with tears. She snatched the dudou back from his hand, tore it in half with a swift motion, and threw it on the ground. She stomped on it mercilessly with her riding boots, muttering something under her breath.

Lin Wanrong blinked. "What is she saying, Brother Hu? Why did she take away my handkerchief?"

Admiring Lin Wanrong's thick skin, Hu Bugui chuckled, "No worries, she's just a spirited Turkic girl. She said that you've touched her belongings, likening it to a mad dog biting a flower on the prairie. She curses your imminent demise."

Though Old Hu had translated it gently, Lin Wanrong caught the drift instantly. ‘So, she wants me to drop dead, huh?’ He laughed heartily, "No harm done. A slap is a sign of love, a kick even more so. I've never been afraid of young ladies yelling at me. The more they scold, the happier I am. Ahem, after my thorough testing, it appears Miss Yujia is indeed familiar with these herbs. She probably can provide medical treatment. Brother Hu, tell her we'd like to propose an honest trade."

Ignoring some content in his speech, Hu Bugui translated. Yueya snorted disdainfully, "The proverb of the grassland says, 'The glorious moon will never shine upon a greedy pack of wolves.' I, Yujia, will never deal with someone as despicable and depraved as you—"

Before she could finish, the leader of the bandits drew his sword and slashed at a fine horse from the caravan. Blood splattered as the horse let out a mournful cry and slowly collapsed into a pool of its own blood.

The bandit leader, who was just joking around moments ago, now had a face as dark as ink. He blew on his long blade slowly, blood droplets falling off the edge, a ghastly sight to behold.

Yueya's expression changed drastically. She glanced back at her "vulnerable" tribe members. Tears welled up in her eyes, and finally, she nodded slowly, "What trade do you propose?"

Lin Wanrong instantly beamed, "Smart girl! Rest assured, I'm a fair man. Even if you desire me and aim for some illicit trade, it won't happen—my chastity belongs to my wife alone. So here's the deal: if you can heal one of my men, I'll spare one of your tribespeople in return. What do you say?"

"This person is truly shameless." Yueya’er was incensed. "You despicable Great Hua man, do you think I'm a three-year-old? I saved one of your wounded soldiers, and you release only one of my people? Do you think I'm that easy to fool? You dishonest merchant!"

Lin Wanrong burst into laughter. "Hold on, if this is a trade, then there's room for negotiation. How many people are you willing to treat in exchange for how many I release?"

Yueya’er snorted, "Unless you release all of my people, I will not help you save anyone."

Lin Wanrong chuckled coldly, his eyes fixed on her. "Young lady, let's be reasonable. Don't assume that you can bully me because you think I'm naive. You only saved one, yet you want me to release so many? It's clear who the dishonest merchant is here. My final offer: I'll release ten, you save one."

Gritting her teeth, Yueya remained silent, her eyes filled with disdain.

"So, you're forcing me to use extreme measures." Lin Wanrong hummed. "Fine, if you won't play fair, let's play dirty. Brother Gao, start executing! I'd like to see how many it takes before she gives in."

Gao Qiu responded and walked menacingly toward the Turkic merchants, brandishing his large blade. His intimidating appearance had served him well in the palace, and no one dared to defy him now. The merchants retreated in fear.

Seeing the menacing look on his face, Yueya’er realized she had no way out. "If you kill my people, I swear by the god of the grasslands that I will not save anyone for you."

"Such a terrifying threat! How scared I am!" Lin Wanrong sneered. "If she's not willing to negotiate—Brother Gao, what are you waiting for? Do it!"

Gao Qiu let out a furious yell and lifted his blade, ready to strike down on the Turkic merchants.

Yueya’er closed her eyes briefly, two silent tears fell. "Fine, you win. Release half of my people, and I will treat your wounded."

Gao Qiu's blade stopped abruptly above the head of one of the Turkic men; he grinned triumphantly.

"Half? That's a lot!" Lin Wanrong frowned, clearly displeased.

Yueya’er's pale blue eyes shot fire as she clenched her fists and shouted, "You detestable Great Hua man, what exactly do you want? If I can't even save half of my people, I'd rather die with them under your bloody blade!"

"Fine," Lin Wanrong sighed reluctantly. "Half it is. I've never seen a bandit as kind-hearted as myself. But let me make this clear: my brother is still unconscious from an arrow wound." His eyes flashed menacingly as he continued, "If you can't save him, don't blame me for being ruthless. I'll make sure every one of your people joins him in death."

His eyes were filled with a murderous intent so fierce that it resembled a ravenous wolf prowling the plains. Even the towering and courageous Turkic men felt a sense of dread creeping into their hearts.

Unfazed by his intimidating presence, Yujia looked at him disdainfully. "As long as the man is not dead, I am confident that I can save him! I hope you will keep your word and release my people soon."

Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, "Don't you worry, Miss Yujia. I am renowned as the most upright and compassionate man in all of Great Hua. And I'm not just saying that. To prove my sincerity, I'll release one of your people right now—the one with the broken legs. Hey you, yes, you! You can go now. Brother Gao, give him a crutch! Life's tough for all of us, you know."

The Turkic merchant had suffered severe injuries to both of his legs at the hands of the Great Hua soldiers during the recent charge. Upon hearing that he was to be released first, he felt an overwhelming mixture of urgency and anger. 'If I could walk, you'd be the first I'd come for, you dark-faced rogue,' he thought. Infuriated, he slumped backward and fainted on the spot.

"Ah, so he fainted from excitement? Truly lacking in national spirit," Lin Wanrong remarked disdainfully. He turned to Yujia and leered, "Compared to you, my Yujia, he falls far short—ah, look at those curves! How old are you? Do you keep such a figure from drinking milk? Do you own the cows that produce it? I'd like to own one too—"

Gao Qiu shuddered as he listened to Lin Wanrong's ramblings, finally grasping the boundless depths of both knowledge and depravity.

Yujia's face flushed red, her teeth clenched tightly. With a swift motion, she stepped into the carriage. The curtain she lowered struck General Lin squarely on the nose.

"Thinks she's so high and mighty!" Lin Wanrong muttered, touching his nose. Gao Qiu leaned in with a sly grin, "Brother Lin, your insight is unparalleled. A Turkic woman who raises cows—that's something else!"

‘What a buffoon,’ Lin Wanrong shot him a disapproving look. "Brother Gao, if you want to be like me, you must be upright and have a purpose. Don't be entangled in base pleasures. Remember, as the saying goes: 'Where there is a will, there is a way; where there's desire, it's boundless.' You should really understand this deep philosophy."

Gao Qiu let out a prolonged "Oh," as if coming to a revelation.

All of the hundred-plus nomads were bound, Yujia included. At first, the nomad named Heliye struggled, but after Yujia whispered something to him, he settled down.

Five thousand cavalrymen, along with the hundreds of captives, rode hastily to the south. Lin Wanrong was exceptionally cautious; he sent scouts hundreds of miles ahead. Despite traveling for several hours, there was still no sign of the Turkic cavalry. The vast plains seemed to stand still, as if the only remaining force was this isolated army of Great Hua rebels.

Judging by the time that had passed, even if the Turkic cavalry were as slow as snails, they should have heard the news about Bayanhot by now. Yet, there was no sign of them. This strange circumstance left everyone feeling anxious and on edge.

"General, are we truly planning to pass through Wuyuan and return to Helan Mountain?" Hu Bugui patted his war horse's flank vigorously to catch up with Lin Wanrong. Wiping the sweat from his cheeks, he asked the question that weighed on his mind.

Three hundred thousand nomads besieged the Helan Mountain gorge, their iron hooves trampling across hundreds of miles of land along Wuyuan. Dreaming of breaking through this encirclement and reaching Helan Mountain was pure fantasy.

"So, what do you suggest we do?" Lin Wanrong retorted, instead of answering Hu Bugui's question. "Should we climb back along the mountain ranges we came through?"

The eastern side of Helan Mountain was high, while the western side was lower. When they had crossed it, they had moved from east to west, downhill all the way. The treacherous journey had taken its toll on their soldiers. Retracing their steps was not an option; the towering peaks were insurmountable. Had it not been for these natural barriers, the nomads would have already crossed Helan Mountain to attack Xingqing Prefecture.

Hu Bugui knew they couldn't go back the way they'd come. But marching five thousand surviving soldiers into the midst of three hundred thousand enemies was a suicide mission, even under Lin Wanrong's calculated and ingenious leadership.

After some pondering, Hu Bugui let go of his concerns. ‘If it's my fate to die on these vast plains, then that would be the greatest honor for a soldier of the Great Hua.’

"General, there's something I'd like to bring to your attention," Hu Bugui lowered his voice, glancing at the carriage in the middle of their column. "The identity of this Yujia seems far from ordinary."

"Oh?" Lin Wanrong laughed. "How extraordinary could it be?"

"With all due respect," Hu Bugui said gravely, "the man named Heliye who accompanies him is a nomad of enormous strength. It took Old Gao immense effort just to subdue him. I don't know Heliye's reputation, but having such a formidable Turkic warrior by her side raises questions about Yujia's true identity."

Lin Wanrong grinned lecherously. "Could it be a Turkic princess? If so, we've struck gold! Even if I can't be her Golden Saber groom, I'll certainly turn her Golden Saber green! Ha!"

"Do you really think capturing a Turkic princess would be that simple?" Hu Bugui was stunned by Lin Wanrong's lecherous bravado. "Moreover, why would a Turkic princess be mingling with a merchant convoy? This isn't some romantic adventure novel."

Hu Bugui had a point. Lin Wanrong nodded, growing increasingly curious about the identity of this Turkic girl, Yujia.

"You're right, Brother Hu," he slapped Hu Bugui on the shoulder, grunting approvingly. "It looks like I'll have to employ my irresistible charm for some intense interrogation. Prepare the wolf's-tooth mace, and bring along Yueya'er. With me taking action, we'll see whether she takes off her clothes or not—"

Hu Bugui looked at him with disbelief, prompting Lin Wanrong to widen his eyes. "What are you staring at me for? Ah, you must have misheard. I was saying, we'll see if she confesses or not! How could you misinterpret that? One must always maintain pure thoughts!"

"Yes, yes," Hu Bugui wiped the sweat from his face, pointing at the carriage in the center. "Yujia is in that carriage. Just a moment ago, Old Gao had someone carry Little Li into it. I heard she's about to use her magic to heal him."

Ah? Lin Wanrong was greatly surprised and immediately spurred his horse to rush over. As he lifted the curtain, he saw the Turkic young woman wielding a sharp dagger, poised to stab into Li Wuling's chest.