Chapter 42: The Appointment

The position of Deputy Thousand-户 had long been within Wang Lu’s grasp. With the official appointment now in hand, Wang Lu had taken a major step forward, becoming one of the Deputy Thousand-户 officers of the Northern Imperial Guard Bureau.

Although the title still bore the prefix "Deputy," the fact that "Thousand-户" was now attached meant that shedding that prefix was merely a matter of time. For others, this might be a long process, but for Wang Lu, it would not take long at all. In the treacherous storms ahead, he was destined to achieve an unprecedented rate of promotion.

When Lu Wenzhao departed, Wang Lu personally escorted him to the entrance and offered a well-intentioned warning: "Those scoundrels dared to strike at Eunuch Guo; there is no guarantee they won't target you, Deputy Thousand-户 Lu. You came here without a single guard, which is simply too risky. Let me arrange an escort for your return to the battalion office."

"Oh, no need, no need. I appreciate your concern, Deputy Thousand-户 Wang. Unlike Eunuch Guo, I am a man of martial arts. If they truly come for me, I would actually be pleased—it would be like waiting for a rabbit to strike a tree. If they do attack, it will confirm that someone is indeed targeting us, and at the very least, I will know what these people are after," Lu Wenzhao said with firm conviction. "You needn't worry too much; I have everything under control."

Lu Wenzhao’s reaction made one thing immediately clear to Wang Lu: Lu must have brought secret guards with him, and was merely feigning vulnerability to lure his enemies into a trap.

After Lu Wenzhao left, Wang Lu watched him until his figure disappeared into the distance before turning back toward the Hundred-户 office. However, before heading inside, he made a subtle gesture in a specific direction.

As soon as he stepped into the office, Lin Guoer rushed up to him. "Congratulations, my lord! Congratulations on your promotion to Deputy Thousand-户!"

Lin Guoer, who usually appeared fierce and ruthless to officials and commoners alike, was now all flattery.

"That's enough. Don't make a spectacle of yourself. Get up," Wang Lu said indifferently.

Once Lin Guoer rose, he pleaded, "Now that you are a Deputy Thousand-户, you will be able to recruit your own men. You must take me with you!"

"Take you with me? To what end? To lose face? Look at the state of you!" Wang Lu replied without sparing his feelings.

Yet, Lin Guoer possessed the thick skin to brush off such rebuffs, continuing to shower Wang Lu with praise and painting grand visions of their future. Wang Lu had intended to bring him along to the Thousand-户 office anyway, so after a brief exchange, he relented.

"You can come with me, but you must be twelve times more careful than before. It is far more complex there, and there are more people. Once you go, you cannot afford to make a single mistake," Wang Lu cautioned.

Lin Guoer understood the weight of these words and felt a pang of embarrassment, recalling how his own overconfidence had led to Wang Lu being interrogated by Eunuch Guo and Lu Wenzhao at the Thousand-户 office. Although Wang Lu had not mentioned being held at blade-point, Lin Guoer knew that the situation had been dire, especially since the surveillance team had been severely beaten; as their superior, Wang Lu must have endured significant pressure.

Soon, the others in the Hundred-户 office learned of Wang Lu’s promotion. A steady stream of men came to his quarters to pay their respects and offer congratulations. While the process was formulaic, it provided Wang Lu with the perfect opportunity to speak with each of them privately.

The three small-flag officers he had personally trained were all confirmed to follow him. In addition, there was the young man from Lin Guoer's team who had been tortured after his cover was blown while tailing Guo Zhen. These men alone occupied a significant portion of his quota. He then selected a few others with decent swordsmanship and character, instructing them to prepare for their new careers at the Thousand-户 office.

By securing capable men and gaining their loyalty, Wang Lu’s private faction began to take true shape. Though still in its infancy, he believed they would grow rapidly.

Among his four flag officers, one had been with him from the very beginning, and Wang Lu treated him differently. Alone in the room, Wang Lu said, "I have the authority to recommend a successor. I will recommend you to the higher-ups, though whether it succeeds depends on you—I cannot guarantee it."

The flag officer, Xue Jing, looked at Wang Lu with gratitude, dropped to his knees, and said, "For years, you have treated me like a brother, and I have long regarded you as my own kin. As for the position of Hundred-户, I dare not hope for it; I only wish to stay by your side and serve you."

"Heh, it is good that you have such loyalty, but I would feel more at ease if you succeeded me here. Besides, once I am at the Thousand-户 office, I will be a deputy; I need someone on the outside to support me. You must understand that it is more beneficial for me if you stay and take this position rather than following me." Wang Lu did not mind being blunt.

Those he interviewed privately were mostly old comrades who had shared life-or-death situations—or, more accurately, situations where Wang Lu had saved their lives.

Xue Jing nodded earnestly. "I will follow your orders. However, maneuvering for the Hundred-户 position requires a significant amount of silver. I hope you can grant me two days to gather the funds to present to you."

Wang Lu was slightly surprised and smiled. "I appreciate your dedication. Don't worry about the silver; take three days, and I will cover the initial costs for you."

Afterward, Wang Lu continued to arrange the affairs of the Hundred-户 office until mid-afternoon, when he finally found a moment of respite. Just then, Lin Guoer entered and bowed. "My lord, a man claiming to be a small-flag officer from the Southern Imperial Guard Bureau is here to see you."

"Let him in," Wang Lu nodded.

A moment later, a stranger was brought in. Wang Lu had an excellent memory and immediately recognized him as the subordinate who had been recording in the Ledger of Impermanence when Pei Lun went to Yong'an Temple to interrogate Master Jinghai.

"Greetings, Hundred-户 Wang," the man said as he entered.

Lin Guoer frowned. "Our lord is now a Deputy Thousand-户!"

"Greetings, Deputy Thousand-户," the officer corrected himself obediently.

Seeing the man’s hesitation, Wang Lu waved for Lin Guoer to leave. He then looked at the officer and said, "Speak. What did Pei Lun send you here for?"

"My lord, Lu Wenzhao met with Ling Yunkai and Shen Lian at the Thousand-户 office today and ordered them to hunt down a Donglin partisan named Beizhai."

The corners of Wang Lu’s mouth curled slightly. "I see. Anything else?"

"My lord said there are a few secret guards around Lu Wenzhao. He isn't sure if Lu has grown suspicious of you, so he asked me to give you a warning."

Wang Lu smiled. "I was already aware of that."