Chapter 22: I'll Keep This Secret from You for a Lifetime

Hokusai folded the letter neatly and handed it over with both hands. "It's written," he said.

Wang Lu reached out to take it. In the distance, Jinghai’s figure had already appeared, the timing perfect.

“You figure out how to explain things to Jinghai yourself. It’s none of my business,” Wang Lu said.

“No need to trouble yourself, sir. Didn’t you already ask him for the silver just now?” Hokusai replied.

Having finished the letter, Hokusai felt a stirring in his heart.

Writing a letter to his sister as her elder sibling—this was a scene that only appeared in dreams.

Wang Lu nodded, picked up the dagger from the table.

A beautiful flourish of swordplay flashed as Wang Lu held the dagger firmly, looking at the astonished Hokusai with a smile. "Holding a knife like this makes it much harder for anyone to snatch it away, and it looks better too."

With that, Wang Lu handed the hilt to Hokusai.

Hokusai accepted it absentmindedly, hiding it behind his back, growing curious about this man.

A Jinyiwei under Wei’s eunuchs who could precisely track down someone who usually hid from sight, and instead of taking credit, helped him find his sister. The so-called cooperation he forced upon him so far was just to write a letter.

How to put it—this man felt less like a Jinyiwei and more like someone searching for family on behalf of a sister.

It was a pity he had just admitted to being a Jinyiwei.

Wang Lu gazed as Jinghai approached from afar and suddenly said, "By the way, I’m a person with very little sense of security. You’ve survived so long under Wei Zhongxian’s manhunt, surely you have many good friends like Master Jinghai. If I find someone following me, I’ll make sure your sister dies before me."

Hokusai was slightly annoyed. "Didn’t I already promise you I wouldn’t tell anyone? If you don’t trust me, why bother cooperating? You might as well just kidnap me directly and do whatever you want."

Heh, Wang Lu wanted to do just that, but if he did, would Hokusai willingly become his pawn to deal with Prince Xin?

Different people required different approaches.

For those steadfast and unyielding, threaten their families; for those who love pleasure, tempt them with silver; for the cowardly, a little intimidation would suffice.

Wang Lu had never done this before crossing into this world, but years of watching TV and eight years as a Jinyiwei had given him his own insights.

Wang Lu glanced sideways, smiled, and said, "Didn’t I say? I have no sense of security."

Hokusai was stumped, glared at Wang Lu, and fell silent.

Jinghai came up to the pavilion, eyeing Wang Lu and Hokusai suspiciously.

"Where’s the silver?" Wang Lu asked first.

"Here!" Jinghai said angrily, tossing the silver toward Wang Lu.

Wang Lu caught three ingots—two large, one small.

Blowing on the silver with a smile, Wang Lu felt satisfied.

A hundred-household captain earned seven taels a month; fifty taels was more than half a year’s income—no small sum.

Converted roughly to modern currency, it was about thirty to forty thousand yuan.

"Don’t come here again. Yong’an Temple does not welcome you!" Jinghai said decisively.

The Jinghai who had been caught red-handed was a different man from the suspicious Jinghai—one timid with stubbornness, the other stubborn with timidity.

Wang Lu laughed suddenly, casually looking at Jinghai. "I’ll keep your secret for life. I’ll come back in a month, fifty taels again, not a cent less."

"You, you, you—" Jinghai pointed at Wang Lu, furious.

Wang Lu pushed Jinghai’s finger aside impatiently. "Don’t point so recklessly—you’re a monk! Count how many precepts you’ve broken since I arrived."

Jinghai, mocked, dared not retort and stared at Wang Lu.

Wang Lu smiled faintly, stuffed the silver into his pocket, and pointed to the incense on the table. "Remember to light this for the Buddha. Don’t waste it."

With that, Wang Lu turned nonchalantly and vanished into the woods in a few strides.

After Wang Lu’s figure disappeared, the anger on Jinghai’s face vanished, and he exhaled long. "So he’s just after money. Since he said he’ll come back for more, I guess he won’t report this to Wei’s eunuchs."

Jinghai was self-righteously speculating, unaware that Wang Lu’s promise to return in a month was just idle talk. The real aim was to avoid alarming Prince Xin and keep him hesitant.

Wang Lu wanted evidence against Prince Xin. If he spooked him so he dared not proceed with his plan, Wang Lu’s own plan wouldn’t entirely fail, but its effect would be greatly diminished.

"Sir, you should leave now. It’s best if we don’t meet again for a while. This is for your own safety. I hope you won’t take offense," Hokusai said, looking into the distance without a word.

Hokusai’s mind flashed back to Wang Lu’s confident, spirited expression a moment ago. Though unclear, that aura was something he had never seen in this world.

It was a kind of detachment, a calmness in the face of catastrophe.

Even Lord Ming had never possessed such poise.

"Miss, holding a knife like this is more elegant."

…

Wang Lu wasted no small effort descending the mountain along the path.

Back home, he washed the dirt from his face, changed into a gleaming black flying fish uniform, donned a wrapped brown hat, and, resplendent as a Jinyiwei captain, left for the Northern District Pacification Office.

Word had already reached the office by the time Wang Lu entered the courtyard.

As the highest-ranking officer in the Hundred-Household Office, Wang Lu naturally had the freedom to come and go as he pleased, as long as his superiors didn’t notice.

Even if they did, it wouldn’t matter. As long as the money was delivered and he hadn’t provoked anyone, no one would make things difficult.

Everyone tacitly understood this.

At the door, five subordinates lined up in formation.

"Greetings, Captain."

Wang Lu snorted. "Just by looking at you, I know there’s trouble. Speak—what’s happened?"

They all looked at Ling Guo’er, who bit her lip and said, "Our man was discovered and sent back by Lord Guo’s men last night."

"Come inside," Wang Lu said calmly.

Once inside, someone closed the door instinctively.

"You five are the most trusted around me, which is why I have you at my side. But you’ve disappointed me greatly."

Wang Lu’s calm tone made a chief banner and four junior banners fall silent in fear.

"Did he say anything he shouldn’t have?" Wang Lu asked Ling Guo’er.

She shook her head. "Don’t know. He hasn’t woken up yet. The doctor says he might not survive."

"Injured so badly?" Wang Lu frowned slightly, then sighed. "If he was tortured so cruelly, he probably said nothing. Take good care of him—don’t let anyone near before he wakes."

"But, sir, I’m supposed to stand night duty for Yueqian tonight," Ling Guo’er hesitated.

"Then have Yueqian take care of him. The previous arrangements stand."

The Zhongyuan Festival was still quite lively at this time, with many setting off water lanterns and firecrackers at night. Most wanted to rest and attend to their own matters.

Not everyone was like Wang Lu or Shen Lian, living alone.

This was also the source of Ling Guo’er’s frustration.

"Everything must be done without error, understood?" Wang Lu said, hands behind his back.

"Yes, sir!"

The five saluted in unison, none daring to show disrespect.

Wang Lu stepped out, looked up at the sky—it was just past noon.

Guo Zhen had probably already gone to the teahouse by now.

A smile crept onto Wang Lu’s lips as he strode confidently out of the Hundred-Household Office.

"Captain looks to be in a good mood," the gatekeeper watched Wang Lu’s retreating figure, clicking his tongue.