Lin Jinlou's temples throbbed with bulging veins, his fury rising from his ribs like a searing hot iron brand rolling wildly in his chest, making each breath sting his ribcage. Hu Lai stared in terror as his master's handsome, masculine face gradually flushed crimson, his gaze turning vicious. An aura of formidable authority emanated from his entire being as he demanded through gritted teeth, "What's the situation now?"
Hu Lai swallowed hard and whispered, "When this subordinate rushed back, Captain Wen had already led ten men to storm inside. Someone has gone to seek reinforcements from nearby Centurion Xu..." His voice trailed off into near-inaudibility.
The unspoken implication was that they didn't know whether those inside the temple were dead or alive.
Lin Jinlou's heart sank as he cursed angrily, "I ordered you to protect the women from the residence! What the hell have you been doing?" With that, he strode off immediately.
Hearing the commotion, Lu Shaotang hurried out and called after Lin Jinlou's retreating figure, "Brother Lin, why such haste? We haven't finished drinking..."
Lin Jinlou paid him no mind, descending the stairs with thunderous footsteps that carried him away like a gust of wind.
The banquet guests exchanged uneasy glances.
Lu Shaotang's eyebrows knitted together as he leisurely stroked the ruby ring on his finger. The guards Lin Jinlou had left at the temple should have been eliminated by his men by now. Any messenger shouldn't have arrived until daybreak at the earliest, yet someone had come before the fourth watch. Had something gone wrong? Or was Lin Jinlou's departure unrelated to this matter? After a moment's contemplation, he beckoned to his trusted aide and murmured, "Go find out what's happening at Qixia Temple." The man acknowledged the order and departed.
Lu Shaotang slowly exhaled and returned to his seat at the banquet. He and Lin Jinlou shared similar temperaments—both courageous and strategically adept—and had been close playmates in their youth. But as they grew older, Lu Shaotang secretly developed a competitive spirit. Though their scholarly pursuits, martial skills, and equestrian abilities were evenly matched, Lin Jinlou seemed born to lead, naturally commanding respect as the ringleader among children and growing into a man whose call summoned hundreds. Whether intentionally or not, Lin Jinlou constantly overshadowed him. When Lu Shaotang deliberately defied Lin Jinlou's orders, the latter rallied others to isolate him. At twelve, burning with resentment, Lu Shaotang hid iron spikes under Lin Jinlou's saddle. The bastard survived by sheer luck, narrowly avoiding being kicked in the head by the horse and rolling away to safety. Later, Lin Jinlou whipped him mercilessly, pressed his foot against Lu Shaotang's head, and forced him to shout "grandfather" ten times. Gossips spread the story, shaming him for three full years. This remained the most humiliating disgrace of his life, forging an eternal enmity with Lin Jinlou.
In recent years, however, Lu Shaotang's fortunes always fell short compared to Lin Jinlou's. He watched as Lin Jinlou traded maritime goods, meddled in the salt trade, raised private troops, and established the "Lin Family Army Iron Cavalry" at a young age, winning the emperor's favor. Veteran officials praised his boundless prospects, suggesting he might even have qualified for the "Land and Naval Commander" position if not for his youth.
Lu Shaotang drained his cup with a grim expression. Nowadays, the "Land and Naval Commander" title was merely nominal—Lin Jinlou already reigned as the dominant tiger entrenched in the Jiangnan region. Even commanders two ranks his superior deferred to him, yielding ground. Yet the cunning bastard knew how to maneuver through social niceties: despite his overbearing nature, he never missed seasonal gifts or appropriate gestures of respect, thus sailing smoothly through life.In contrast, he was in a difficult position. Since his father's passing, as the saying goes, "the tea cools once the person leaves," his prestige in the military had waned compared to before. His mother had died early, and the stepmother the old marquis married afterward was wholly devoted to her own son, secretly embezzling public funds for her biological son's use. Over time, this depleted most of the family fortune, leaving him with little extra silver to use when he inherited the marquisate. Now, he had finally managed to secure the support of the second prince, rallying his father's old subordinates, and only then had he gained a firm foothold in the military. But without silver, how could he compete with Lin Jinlou? He could barely afford the customary gifts for festivals and social visits, let alone raise a private army. He refused to accept this! He was only inferior to Lin Jinlou in luck—did that mean he had to spend his entire life kowtowing to him, living like a coward with his tail between his legs?
Lu Shaotang downed a cup of wine fiercely, a sinister smile playing on his face.
This time, he had set a trap. Du Bin, one of Lin Jinlou's Personal Soldiers, originally had a younger sister who was Lin Jinlou's beloved concubine, but she had fallen out of favor after engaging in unspeakable deeds, dragging Du Bin down with her and leaving him with no prospects for advancement. That fellow was no pushover—skilled in drinking, whoring, gambling, and all vices, and bold and ruthless to boot. He had come to seek refuge with Lu Shaotang, offering his affair with the Lin family's third young lady as a pledge of loyalty. Lu Shaotang had always looked down on the Lin family's second branch, but this turned out to be a heaven-sent opportunity. He ordered Du Bin to bring clothing from smallpox patients to the Lin residence to infect the maids, thereby luring the Lin women out to perform Buddhist rites.
Things unfolded exactly as he had anticipated. Tonight, he planned to capture all the women of the Lin household in one fell swoop, first extorting hundreds of thousands in silver, then killing Qin Shi to force Lin Jinlou into a three-year mourning period. This would give him the chance to recruit soldiers, expand his private army, and seize the opportunity to meddle in canal and salt affairs, taking a share of the profits. One day, he would trample Lin Jinlou underfoot, make that little bastard call him "grandfather" a hundred times, and make him wish he were dead!
"My lord, what fun is there in drinking alone? Why not let this humble one keep you company with drinking games? It would be much more enjoyable." Lu Shaotang looked up and saw Yun Zhui gracefully approaching him, her delicate jade-like fingers holding a silver pot. It seemed she had been crying—her eyes were slightly red and watery, making her even more alluring. Earlier, Chu Dapeng had hinted that Yun Zhui should find another patron, and she had no choice but to excuse herself to shed a few tears. Upon returning, she noticed Lu Shaotang drinking by himself and thought to herself that this young marquis's status and appearance were first-rate. If she couldn't cling to Lin Jinlou, that great tree, Lu Shaotang was also a rare catch. So she mustered her spirits to socialize and show favor.
Lu Shaotang glanced at Yun Zhui and couldn't help but sneer. How could he possibly fancy a woman Lin Jinlou had played with? He downed another cup of wine fiercely, shoved Yun Zhui aside, stood up, and strode out the door.
Meanwhile, Lin Jinlou galloped out of the city as if riding the wind, followed by over a hundred mounted guards, kicking up clouds of dust along the way. By the fifth watch, they finally reached Qixia Temple. From afar, he could see the temple gates wide open, with lights blazing brightly inside. Lin Jinlou, frantic with worry, urged his horse into the temple compound, where chaos reigned. Dozens of officers and soldiers holding torches shouted and scurried about, while a row of monks stood against the wall. The elder ones wore solemn expressions, palms pressed together, eyes closed, murmuring prayers, while several young monks huddled together in fear, trembling and whispering. A sharp-eyed guard hurried forward to report, "General, Madam and the young ladies are now settled in the Mahavira Hall."Lin Jinlou dismounted with a dark expression and strode inside. Upon reaching the main hall, he saw a circle of guards stationed outside, with Captain Wen Rushi guarding the temple entrance. Spotting Lin Jinlou, Wen hurried forward and said, "General Lin." Noting Lin Jinlou's thunderous expression, he steeled himself and reported, "At noon today, we escorted Old Madam Lin back home. When we returned in the evening and found the temple gates closed, we stayed in the lodgings outside with the monks. Around midnight, we heard the temple bell ringing. I rushed over and discovered bandits had broken in. First Madam and Fourth Young Lady escaped their rooms and hid in the scripture depository, thus avoiding harm. But Second Madam and Third Young Lady are missing. Captain Xu has sent men in pursuit, but the bandits are highly skilled and bold, operating with clear strategy. They all escaped under cover of darkness, and those we caught left no survivors..." Choking up, he continued tearfully, "All twelve brothers stationed in the temple have been killed... their bodies are laid out over there." He pointed to the side.
Lin Jinlou paused, then walked over to examine the corpses. They were neatly arranged on the ground, each killed by a single strike, with no signs of struggle—clearly murdered in their sleep. These were his Personal Soldiers, trained by his own hand, comrades who had lived and died together. Men who had been alive just days ago were now cold corpses. Lin Jinlou felt as if his intestines were being twisted in agony.
Pursing his lips tightly, he entered the main hall. Candles burned brightly within, illuminating Qin Shi, Lin Dongxiu, and Hongjian sitting exhausted on prayer mats, their faces pale. Their hair was tied in simple knots, and they wore cloaks draped over their shoulders.
The moment Lin Dongxiu saw Lin Jinlou, she stood and rushed forward, crying out, "Elder Brother..." before breaking into sobs. Hongjian wiped her tears beside her.
Lin Jinlou strode to Qin Shi and knelt on one knee, saying, "Your unfilial son has arrived late, causing Mother to suffer such fright."
Qin Shi's eyes reddened as she nodded. "Your arrival is what matters."
"Are you injured, Mother?" Lin Jinlou asked urgently, then glanced around and frowned. "Where is Xianglan?"
Qin Shi was startled. "Xianglan hasn't been found yet?"
Lin Jinlou's heart sank. Xianglan had been staying with Qin Shi—he had assumed she escaped with the madams and young ladies.
Qin Shi recounted the night's events, adding, "If not for Xianglan, we mother and daughter might never have seen you again... She... she... surely nothing has happened to her..." Tears welled in her eyes as she spoke.
Lin Jinlou clenched his fists, forced a few words of comfort to Qin Shi, then turned to arrange carriages to escort Qin Shi and the others back to the residence. He also dispatched orders to mobilize five hundred elite soldiers for an extensive search of the temple and its surroundings. Soon after, Wen Rushi brought a young monk who claimed to have seen a beautiful woman in monastic robes matching Xianglan's description. Though the young monk's account was disjointed, Lin Jinlou felt slightly reassured—until he checked the bushes outside the temple where Xianglan was said to have hidden and found them empty. His face fell once more.
Before departing, Qin Shi lifted the carriage curtain and said to Lin Jinlou, "Perhaps it's too dark, and Xianglan, being a timid girl, has found somewhere to hide. When day breaks, have the men call out across the mountain. She may emerge once she hears the commotion."Lin Dongxiu looked at Lin Jinlou as if wanting to speak but ultimately closed her mouth. Qin Shi lowered the carriage curtain, and the carriage creaked away under the escort of several dozen guards.
Once the carriage had traveled into the distance, Lin Jinlou's expression darkened. He rubbed his face vigorously. The nearby mountains and forests had been thoroughly searched, yet not only was Xianglan nowhere to be found, but Second Madam and Lin Dongling seemed to have vanished into thin air as well. As dawn approached, Lin Jinlou felt as though a heavy stone weighed on his heart. That such a commotion could occur right under his nose—his female relatives kidnapped by bandits—and in the end, it was Xianglan, a delicate woman, who protected his mother and sister, felt like a resounding slap across his face. Furious and enraged, he wished he could roar at the sky or smash his fist through a wall.
Just then, a guard on horseback rushed in, dismounted, and knelt on one knee to report, "General, news from the estate: Second Madam and Third Miss have returned safely. Du Bin, the guard, bravely subdued the enemies, eliminating all the bandits, and rescued Second Madam and Third Miss, escorting them back to the estate."
Lin Jinlou took a step forward and asked, "Only Second Madam and Third Miss?"
The guard replied, "And Second Madam's maid, named Shanhu, I believe. Only those three."
Lin Jinlou closed his eyes, suppressing the rising agitation within him. Accustomed to having everything under control, he was usually calm and sharp-witted, rarely losing his composure even when faced with formidable enemies. Yet this incident had left him feeling unsettled. He took a deep breath, scooped up a handful of cold well water, and splashed it on his face to clear his mind. Closing his eyes, he pondered carefully. Xianglan was just a frail girl, usually struggling to move even a heavy flowerpot, timid as a mouse—a few harsh words from him would make her eyes well up with tears. In the pitch-dark mountains, where could she be? Still missing, had she been discovered and kidnapped by the bandits halfway? She was so beautiful... Lin Jinlou dared not dwell on it further. He shouted, "Wen Rushi!"
Wen Rushi hurried over, bowing and keeping his head low. Lin Jinlou said with a grim expression, "Find Guo Renjie. Tell him to mobilize his men from all branches to search for her. Pay close attention to the transactions of human traffickers and brothels these past few days. Detain any beautiful young women involved in buying or selling." Wen Rushi promptly acknowledged the order.
Guo Renjie was a notorious gangster in Jinling City, always seeking opportunities to curry favor with Lin Jinlou. Though Lin Jinlou, with his lofty pride, naturally looked down on him, Guo held significant influence in the underworld, commanding numerous ruffians and thugs. Even brothels and gambling dens showed him respect. In this matter, he was indispensable.
Lin Jinlou added, "Increase surveillance on official roads and ferry crossings. If any suspicious beautiful women are found, detain them immediately and await further instructions." Wen Rushi acknowledged again.
Lin Jinlou said, "Keep this matter tightly sealed. Anyone spreading rumors about the Lin family's women being kidnapped will face military punishment."
Wen Rushi repeatedly assented and withdrew with a bow.
Immediately after, Lin Jinlou personally led his men to conduct another thorough search of Qixia Mountain and nearby villages, going door to door, but still found nothing. For the entire day, Lin Jinlou failed to locate Xianglan. As the sun set and night fell, his anxiety and restlessness grew. In a fit of rage, he swung his blade and severed a bamboo stalk as thick as a bowl.At that moment, Guo Renjie personally rode over on horseback, kneeling before Lin Jinlou with a smile on his face. "General Lin, the mission has been accomplished. My men indeed found the two young ladies, who had been sold to different brothels. Both claimed to be maidservants of the Lin family, though they were utterly terrified. What would you like to do about this matter, General?"
Lin Jinlou felt a sudden buzzing in his head and hurriedly asked, "Where are they now?"
Guo Renjie replied, "I've already brought them out and settled them in an elegant room with fine food and drink. Then I came straight to report the good news to you!"
Lin Jinlou immediately mounted his horse and led his soldiers to follow Guo Renjie. Earlier, he had mentally gone through all his sworn enemies, gritting his teeth with a cold laugh. It was clear this was a direct challenge targeting him, Lin Jinlou. Over the years he had made numerous enemies, but only two or three would dare attempt something like this. He desperately hoped one of the two maidservants would be Xianglan. Otherwise, if anything happened to her with no one claiming responsibility for this crime, he wouldn't be blamed for going mad—he'd sink his teeth into whoever he caught and show those beasts what he was truly capable of when enraged.
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