Finest Servant Chapter 665 (Patreon)

Chapter 665 Willingness

"Oh, my silly little sister," An Biru silently shook her head, gently steadying the young girl's shoulders as she helped her up. "What's wrong with liking someone? You braved even the heartbreak poison for him, yet why can't you boldly declare your feelings?!"

Ah Lin Ge was the Holy Maiden's lover; how could she compete with her for him? Yilian sadly shook her head, then suddenly felt perplexed. Blushing, she glanced at An Biru and asked softly, "Holy Maiden, I clearly took the heartbreak poison. How did you manage to revive me?"

The Miao village, nestled close to the great mountains, encountered a myriad of bizarre poisons and potent medicines. The so-called heartbreak poison was a concoction of five extremely toxic ingredients. Only the one who administered the poison knew its composition, making it nearly impossible to find a cure—hence the name.

An Biru caressed the young girl's hair and gazed at her with a smile. "If it were truly the heartbreak poison, I indeed couldn't have cured it. Alas, in your sorrow, you didn't even realize that someone had switched the medicine. Look, the five toxic ingredients you wanted are all here with me!"

She carefully took out a medicine pouch from her bosom and unwrapped it, revealing several kinds of dried, highly toxic herbs inside. Yilian glanced at them; they were exactly the ingredients she had used to create the heartbreak poison, yet she had no idea how they had ended up in An Biru's hands.

Overwhelmed by her sorrow, all her grievances surged to her heart. "Holy Maiden—" Yilian cried out, flinging herself into her arms, breaking down in tears.

Ever since she met Ah Lin Ge, she had been walking on the edge of happiness and pain, loving him but never daring to speak out. By the time she mustered the courage, Ah Lin Ge had already become another's lover. Was there anything more painful in life?

"Silly girl," An Biru gently patted her shoulder and sighed softly, "Now you understand, don't you? When you like someone, you should boldly express it. Be brave and fight for it. That's the courage of a Miao girl! Hiding away will only lead to giving up your happiness."

"Mhm!" Hearing the Holy Maiden's personal advice, Yilian felt both sad and joyful as she nodded vigorously in her embrace, then suddenly realized something was amiss. If Ah Lin Ge was the Holy Maiden's lover, why was she encouraging her to fight for him?

The girl quickly looked up, shyly gazing at her, "Holy Maiden, Ah Lin Ge is your lover—how can I—"

An Biru's face flushed slightly, and she chuckled, patting Yilian's charming cheek, "Such a foolish little girl, so endearing. No wonder Ah Lin Ge likes you so much!"

Yilian slowly shook her head, her expression turning somber, "Ah Lin Ge doesn't like me!"

"Whether he likes you or not isn't something to be said with words, but felt with the heart," the Holy Maiden gently shook her head. "How he treats you, haven't you felt it?"

The girl thought for a moment. Ever since she entered the mountains with Ah Lin Ge, although he was carefree and jovial, the care and pity he showed in his silent moments were evident. Yilian slowly bowed her head, her face flushing as she spoke weakly, "I... I don't know!"

An Biru didn't elaborate, instead laughing softly as she took Yilian's hand. "Little sister, remember this. Liking someone doesn't mean you should always be gentle. Sometimes you need to be tough with him, to make him aware of your presence. That way, he'll fear losing you and think of you even more! Even if he doesn't appreciate your worth now, he'll come to realize it later and will care for you even more! Just like me and your Ah Lin Ge—"

As she spoke, she couldn't help but giggle lightly, her eyebrows softening, her voice trailing off to a whisper.

Yilian blinked and nodded gently. "I understand now! No wonder Ah Lin Ge fears the Holy Maiden so much. It's because you love him so deeply!"

"Pooh! Who loves him!" Yilian was a smart girl. An Biru's playful teasing immediately made her blush, shyly and playfully chiding back. Yilian, even as a woman herself, was mesmerized by her radiant beauty. "Holy Maiden, you are so beautiful!"

An Biru chuckled lightly, holding her hand tightly. "Your sweet words are so charming, little sister! Don't worry, you'll be as beautiful as me one day!"

After chatting with the Holy Maiden and seeing her friendly smile, Yilian felt as comfortable as if she were with an older sister from next door.

"Yilian, your Ah Lin Ge clearly likes you but dares not express it. Do you know why?" An Biru suddenly became serious, staring intently at Yilian.

These words captivated the young girl completely. She eagerly grasped the Holy Maiden's sleeve. "Why? Please teach me, Holy Maiden!"

An Biru sighed deeply. "Women like us from the Miao tribe are seen as ordinary in the eyes of others, like clouds in the sky—beautiful today but gone tomorrow. Like a fleeting breeze, refreshing but quick to come and go, destined to be just passing visitors. How can we make ourselves unforgettable?"

Yilian's expression darkened. The Holy Maiden was right. For someone like Ah Lin Ge, surrounded by extraordinary women, what was she, a lone Miao girl, worth?

Tears welled up in the girl's eyes as she clutched An Biru's hand earnestly. "Holy Maiden, I love Ah Lin Ge and would willingly die for him! What should I do? Please teach Yilian!"

"We Miao women must be brave, resolute, independent, and strong. Being capable and not reliant on men for our existence is the only way to earn their respect and make them never forget us!"

The Holy Maiden smiled gently, her cheeks flushing as she spoke softly, "My relationship with your Ah Lin Ge started just like this! Back then, he was even more despicable and shameless. The first time he saw me, he couldn't take his eyes off, making moves and trying to take advantage. After I severely dealt with him a few times, he started behaving. Think about it, if I hadn't been capable, wouldn't he have taken advantage of me—"

The Holy Maiden's cheeks turned redder, unable to continue.

Yilian listened in astonishment. Was Ah Lin Ge really such a bad person before? Why didn't it seem like that now? The Holy Maiden always talked about disciplining him, but in the end, hadn't she allowed Ah Lin Ge to have all the advantages?

An Biru's gaze was tender, yet her voice carried an indescribable firmness. As a woman of the Miao tribe, self-respect and strength were essential—lessons she had learned during her many years of wandering.

The young girl, Yilian, shook her head silently, sighing despondently. "I'm just a humble Miao girl with none of your abilities, Holy Maiden. Once Ah Lin Ge leaves the village, he'll quickly forget about me."

"That's why you need to become someone capable, to make him remember you firmly," the Holy Maiden giggled, leaning in to whisper something into Yilian's ear.

"What?!" Yilian's face turned bright red, and she exclaimed, "How can I do that? I don't have such abilities!"

"Why can't you?" The Holy Maiden's expression turned serious as she firmly grasped Yilian's hand. "Little sister, have confidence in yourself! You are intelligent, kind, steadfast, and talented, and you love our Miao village deeply. Every mi cai and mi duo admires you, and even Uncle Hannong and the other elders are fond of you! With such support, what are you afraid of? Besides, no one is born knowing everything. What you don't know, you can learn. I was once your age and learned everything step by step! You can certainly bring blessings to our Miao tribe; I believe in you!"

Yilian shook her head in shock. "Holy Maiden, I fear I can't do it—"

Seeing the girl's face turn pale with fear, the Holy Maiden quickly pressed down on her shoulders. "How will you know if you don't try? Think about it. Xuzhou is the place your Ah Lin Ge cares about most. If you take on this responsibility, he will think of you every day for the rest of his life! How could he forget you then?"

Ah Lin Ge thinking of her forever? Yilian's heart thudded wildly, her hands trembling, tears suddenly streaming down. "But what about when I miss Ah Lin Ge?!"

"Oh, silly girl!" the Holy Maiden sighed, chuckling as she whispered a few more words in her ear.

Yilian's ears turned red. "Holy Maiden, are you serious?!"

"Of course," An Biru laughed softly, her demeanor incredibly charming as she held Yilian's shoulders. "If you manage our Miao villages well, in a year or two, I assure you your wish will come true! Hehe, that little rascal can't escape from the palm of my hand. When the time comes, this Master Sister will give him a beautiful red apple. Let's see if he eats it or not!"

Yilian's face flushed, her chest heaving with emotion. After hesitating for a long moment, she suddenly clenched her teeth, her eyes firming with determination. "Holy Maiden, I'm willing!"

An Biru nodded silently, sighing lightly as she patted her hand. "Little sister, you've taken on a hard task."

The girl threw herself into her arms, tears streaming down. "I just hope Ah Lin Ge comes back to glance at me once. That would be enough for my entire life!"

"Don't worry, what your elder sister has promised, she will accomplish!" The Holy Maiden smiled irresistibly. "Just be careful, when your wish comes true and you're in the bridal chamber, you might find me, your elder sister, a nuisance!"

"Ah, Elder Sister—" Yilian lightly chided, her face flushing as she threw herself into her arms, both embarrassed and laughing, causing a commotion.

"Achoo, Achoo—" Early in the morning, Ah Lin Ge in the main hall kept sneezing non-stop. Old Gao, pulling Si De to his side, whispered, "Has Brother Lin been up to mischief these past few days?"

"No," Si De replied, startled at first, then remembered something and whispered mysteriously, "Of course, except for the matter concerning Miss Yilian."

No wonder he caught a cold—karma indeed! Gao Qiu couldn't help but smirk secretly when he heard Lin Wanrong calling from afar. "Brother Gao, Brother Gao—"

Gao Qiu hurried over and saw Lin Wanrong with bloodshot eyes and a haggard face, evidently having spent a sleepless night.

‘Serves you right for teasing that young girl,’ Gao Qiu thought to himself, but maintained a serious facade. "Brother Lin, what is it?"

"Brother Gao," Lin Wanrong patted his shoulder, speaking softly, "Could you please visit Wulian Peak again and see Elder Hannong? It would be best if you could find my Master Sister and ask her—how is Yilian doing?"

He hesitated, then shook his head resignedly. Gao Qiu acknowledged with a grunt and was about to leave when he heard two clear voices at the door: "This soldier, Zhang Qun (Cheng Zili), pays respects to General Lin!"

"Please come in, brothers!" Lin Wanrong, suddenly energized, personally drew back the curtain and welcomed the two generals from Luzhou inside.

Upon seeing Lin Wanrong's haggard appearance, Cheng Zili immediately expressed concern. "General Lin, did you not rest well last night?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Lin Wanrong replied with an awkward smile. "Just slept awkwardly last night. Brothers, how is the investigation into Nie Yuanqing's estate going?"

Zhang Qun took out a list from his robe and respectfully handed it over. "Reporting to General Lin, after a night's search, we found a total of ten thousand taels of gold, over one hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver and silver notes in Nie Yuanqing's residence, along with countless gold and silver jewelry, antiques, paintings, pearls, and jades."

Lin Wanrong took the list and glanced over it briefly. Each entry was recorded clearly and precisely. Calculating it all, Nie Yuanqing had embezzled more than three hundred thousand taels during his tenure in Xuzhou.

Three hundred thousand taels! Lin Wanrong slammed the table in rage, seething with fury.

Last time, Luo Min lost three hundred thousand taels of military pay in Shandong, almost costing him his life. Yet, in a small place like Xuzhou, the embezzlement was even more. Fighting the Turks cost no more than ten thousand silver a day; these three hundred thousand taels were enough for a month's provisions for the entire army fighting the Turks.

Xuzhou was already economically backward and impoverished. Nie Yuanqing, like a vampire, greedily exploited every resource, sucking the marrow of the land. How could the common people live a good life under such conditions?

"Besides that, Nie Yuanqing also oppressed the people, seized land, and forcefully took young women. We've recorded over thirty such cases!"

Lin Wanrong slammed his palm on the table, his face as dark as charcoal. "Has this Nie confessed to all his crimes?"

"We have almost sorted it out, a few more silver hiding places are yet to be identified by him," Cheng Zili quickly bowed and reported.

Lin Wanrong gritted his teeth and paced a few steps. "This scoundrel, not flaying him alive would hardly appease public anger or quell the resentment of the people! Brother Zhang, Brother Cheng, you must publish these accounts exactly as they are to the people of Xuzhou, without missing a single item. Post these notices in every county and village, ensuring that everyone knows. No one is to tear down these notices for half a year! Also, make it clear to our fellow villagers that the three hundred thousand taels embezzled by Nie Yuanqing will be returned in full to Xuzhou and all fellow villagers. That's a promise from Ah Lin Ge!"