Chapter 187: Promotion

Li Lin, reeking of blood, returned home and saw Huang Qi dressed in full finery, standing at the front, with Li Yanjing and Hong Luan standing on either side behind them, followed by more than a dozen servants.

Huang Qi bowed gracefully: "Congratulations, my lord the County Commandant, on your triumphant return!"

The others followed a beat later, bowing down together: "Congratulations, my lord the County Commandant, on your triumphant return."

Li Lin was stunned for a moment, then smiled: "We are all one family; why make such a grand display! Get up quickly."

Huang Qi stood up, her eyes filled with a flowing, watery luster, brimming with admiration and love: "My husband fights and struggles outside, facing myriad perils, while we weak women enjoy peace in the rear; naturally, we must be ten thousand times grateful."

Li Lin reached out and stroked Huang Qi's head.

With a woman so sensible and grateful, a man fighting outside to protect his home and country does so willingly, feeling it is only right.

Hot water had been prepared long ago and kept warm by someone.

Upon returning home, Li Lin could immediately wash his body.

Huang Qi and Hong Luan personally scrubbed his back and massaged him.

After bathing, Li Lin went to sit in meditation within the 'Lin Yuan' minor spiritual vein.

After casting several Thunderfall Incantations, the spiritual energy within his body was almost entirely depleted.

But it must be said, the power of the Fallen Thunder Incantation driven by spiritual energy is truly formidable.

Even a Great Apparition would be injured; although the Lizard Taowu Zhenjun had been severely weakened by the Tree Immortal Lady at the time, Li Lin had only been practicing the Foundation Establishment method for a short while, and the spiritual energy within him was not abundant, yet he could still wield such power; if he practiced for a few more years... just thinking about it made him feel incredibly excited.

Li Lin sat in meditation within the minor spiritual vein for an entire night; Huang Qi and Hong Luan did not come to seek dual cultivation with him, as they understood that at such a time, Li Lin needed to restore his physical strength as much as possible.

After all, the invading enemies had not truly retreated.

Li Lin 'awoke' at dawn; he felt that eight-tenths of his spiritual power had been restored within his body, and he felt much more comfortable.

As soon as he stepped out of the house, he saw Li Yanjing standing outside.

"Have you been waiting here the whole time?"

"Yes!" Li Yanjing nodded: "The Tree Immortal Lady consumed a great deal of incense last night to hold down that Lizard Head; now she is also trying her best to recover fully, so she may not be able to help you for these few days; you must take care of yourself."

Li Lin looked up and saw that the peach tree illusion in the sky had indeed become 'fainter', so he nodded.

Afterwards, after eating breakfast, he went to the county government office.

Jiang Jili was sitting in the public hall; he had dark circles under his eyes but was clearly very excited.

Seeing Li Lin, he quickly walked over and said excitedly: "I tallied the figures last night; do you know how many enemy soldiers you killed?"

"How many?"

"Seven hundred and thirty-one heads severed!" Jiang Jili's hands trembled uncontrollably: "You also killed an enemy Taowu Zhenjun. Was our Yulin County's combat power really this strong? This merit can directly promote both of us by one rank."

Li Lin fell silent for a moment, then asked: "Have the casualty figures been tallied?"

"Seventy-eight seriously wounded, twenty-six lightly wounded, and ninety-one militia soldiers killed in action."

Li Lin sighed lightly, then asked: "Have the compensation amounts been calculated?"

"They have been calculated."

"Hand the compensation money over to me; I will deliver it to them personally."

Jiang Jili was stunned for a moment, then pressed his lips together and said: "Very well; this is what you deserve."

Li Lin narrowed his eyes; what did he mean by 'what you deserve'?

"Do you think I would embezzle this compensation?"

"Aren't you trying to win hearts and minds?" Jiang Jili looked at Li Lin with a strange expression: "But this truly is what you deserve; after all, you charged at the front last night. Without you, our Yulin County city might have fallen by now. On this point, I bow to you."

Li Lin was stunned for a moment, then said: "I was not thinking of winning hearts and minds; I simply felt that since they were brought to the battlefield by me, and died in action, I bear a share of the responsibility to ensure the compensation is not a single coin short, and reaches their relatives' hands."

Jiang Jili looked at Li Lin, very puzzled, finding it somewhat incredible.

Only then did he see Li Lin's eyes, which were like a lake.

Then he laughed heartily: "Yes, that is it, that is it; this is the most powerful art of charming hearts and minds!"

Li Lin thought Jiang Jili was somewhat mad and had no desire to pay him any attention.

Next, Li Lin led the government office Runners, using wooden carts to carry boxes of copper coins, and went one by one to the addresses on the list of the fallen.

Notifying the families of their relatives' deaths, hearing those mournful cries, and then distributing the compensation.

The entire day, Li Lin's mood was spent in gloom.

At dusk, Li Lin returned to the county government office.

Then, unexpectedly, he saw Xiao Chunzhu.

"My lord the County Commandant!" Xiao Chunzhu clasped his hands, his face full of joy.

"Did I not tell you to stay in Jincheng? Why have you run back? The journey must have been very dangerous."

Xiao Chunzhu smiled: "The main force of the enemy army was repelled by Prefect Huang this morning."

"So quickly!"

"The Huang family of Jingcheng..." Xiao Chunzhu looked at Li Lin with envy: "That is one of the few great aristocratic families, with extremely deep foundations."

And for Li Lin to marry a woman from the Huang family was a blessing.

Even if she were a concubine-born daughter, it was still a blessing.

"And then you came back?"

"Yes." Xiao Chunzhu smiled: "Prefect Huang sent me back; he asked me to come and check the situation, and if necessary, to take the County Commandant and Lady away to live in Jincheng."

"Can you protect the two of us by yourself?"

"This humble one certainly cannot, but actually, when I came, several experts were following behind me; seeing that there was no danger here, they have already returned."

Li Lin was deeply moved; it seemed Huang Yan still valued family bonds.

Even in such circumstances, he was still thinking of protecting his daughter, and incidentally protecting himself as well.

"County Commandant, the remnants of the enemy's wandering soldiers should be cleared out from Jincheng by tomorrow," Xiao Chunzhu continued: "The Prefect also said that if you have no business here, please lead troops to Beiliu County in four days' time."

"What for?"

"See how things stand; after that, you decide the specifics. This is the token. In about three days, a force of three thousand troops will arrive from Jincheng to take your orders."

Xiao Chunzhu handed a tally to Li Lin.

The envy in his eyes became even more obvious.

Li Lin took it and looked, discovering it was a plaque for the 'Military Commissioner'; he immediately understood.

It seemed his father-in-law was about to start sharpening his blade.

And he himself was a blade his father-in-law trusted greatly.

Xiao Chunzhu bowed and then withdrew.

Li Lin put away the tally, returned to the military office, and looked at the case files piled like a mountain, feeling quite a headache.

Because most of the local militia had been fighting outside last night, and the government office Runners were stationed on the city walls, some villains took this opportunity to secretly cause trouble in the city.

Among them, more than ten people were murdered, and many women were assaulted.

After reading a few files, Li Lin summoned all the constables: "Hand over all these case files to you for handling. Remember... anyone who committed crimes last night shall have their punishment increased by one degree!"

Those who dare to cause trouble in the rear during wartime must receive heavier punishment.

All the constables clasped their fists and agreed.

Li Lin continued, "But I require you to have sufficient physical evidence before convicting; do not create wrongful cases. Do you understand?"

The constables lowered their heads and agreed.

Immediately after, the constables led the government office Runners out, scattering to gather evidence and solve the cases.

In just one night, they captured quite a few people and brought them back.

And on the second day, as soon as Li Lin arrived at the county government office, Jiang Jili came to his door.

His expression remained excited, but when he looked at Li Lin, envy appeared in his eyes: "I never thought you would be promoted to Military Commissioner of the Southern Route of Jincheng Commandery."

(End of this chapter)