Chapter 188: I Am a Fair Man

The position of Military Supervisor of Troops is typically held only by state-level military officers, at least rank eight or higher.

Now that Li Lin has received this post, it means he is a rank-eight military officer.

Li Lin merely smiled, showing no great emotional reaction.

Receiving this rank during wartime also means bearing heavy obligations and responsibilities.

In other words, Huang Yan no longer trusts the local officials of Jincheng.

He would rather break protocol and promote Li Lin than entrust power again to “strangers.”

Li Lin returned home and told Huang Qing about the matter.

Most women, upon hearing Li Lin had been promoted, would be delighted.

But Huang Qing only frowned, then sighed helplessly: “Father really is unreasonable—why appoint you to this position now? It’s just adding trouble for you!”

As a daughter of a prominent family, she understood the current situation perfectly.

Emergency promotions never bring good things.

“It’s fine. After all, he’s my father-in-law—I’ll help him with this.”

Huang Qing sighed, leaning gently against Li Lin’s shoulder: “Husband, since marrying you, I’ve brought nothing to this household—only added you more trouble.”

“Don’t say that. Without you, how could your father have entrusted me with such a vital post as County Constable?”

Huang Qing whispered: “But my husband doesn’t need these empty titles… Even without Father’s help, you’d still become a towering man, renowned throughout the land.”

Having been Li Lin’s wife for several months, she had come to understand: Li Lin was highly capable—extremely capable.

Whether it was alchemy, the strange spirit-stone house, or even dual-cultivation techniques, all were things ordinary people could never access.

Not to mention Li Lin walked the path of “cultivation.”

To marry such a man was heaven’s mercy upon her.

Even without the Huang family’s influence, he would eventually rise—only a little slower.

Therefore… in her view, her father’s promotion of Li Lin was essentially a “burden” placed upon him.

Li Lin smiled and stroked her hair: “It’s fine. In times like these, just before chaos arrives, having military strength is a kind of security.”

Seeing that Li Lin truly meant it, Huang Qing finally relaxed.

She knew well that Li Lin was not a man obsessed with power.

Then she asked, somewhat troubled: “Chaos?”

Yes—chaos!

The rebel forces have already seized Yue Commandery; Jincheng and Guicheng now lie within their sights.

Jincheng has already been breached once. Though losses seemed minor and the enemy withdrew, the plummeting morale and the people’s distrust of the government were very real.

This is also why Li Lin has been cracking down hard on public order—it’s an indirect reason.

When the people’s spirit is low and morale collapses, negative incidents naturally follow.

If left unchecked, over time this will lead to major problems.

For these three days, the Tree Immortal Lady had not appeared, but seeing the peach tree illusion in the sky gradually becoming clearer again, Li Lin sighed in relief.

It seemed the Lady was unharmed—her body had already recovered.

On this same day, three thousand fu soldiers appeared beneath the walls of Yulin County.

These were the troops Huang Yan had sent to Li Lin’s command.

Li Lin went to receive them with his appointment document and military tally.

He also brought five hundred militia.

The militia halted thirty zhang from the camp.

Li Lin dismounted and walked forward to the camp gate himself.

The three thousand fu soldiers had already set up camp; guards stood atop the simple wooden palisade. Seeing someone approach, one sounded a sharp whistle inward.

Soon after, the camp gate opened, and out stepped a middle-aged man with a long beard, clad in bright armor, a red-tasseled long sword at his waist.

He moved with the bearing of a dragon and tiger—imposing and commanding.

Li Lin bowed first and smiled: “I am Li Lin, County Constable of Yulin and Military Supervisor of Troops, here to take command of the Southern Route fu soldiers of Jincheng.”

The man, seeing Li Lin’s red cloth official robe and his youthful, handsome face, immediately frowned.

He then returned the bow: “I am Deputy Military Supervisor of the Southern Route… May I see your credentials?”

Li Lin presented his appointment document and military tally.

The man examined them, confirmed their authenticity, then said reluctantly: “Underling Xu Xingchang, at your service, my lord.”

Li Lin nodded, dismounted, and smiled: “Deputy Supervisor Xu, we both serve under Governor Huang—we should cultivate closer ties.”

“Of course, of course,” Xu Xingchang replied flatly. “I look forward to your future guidance, my lord.”

Li Lin saw that the man did not truly respect him.

It was natural—he had been eyeing the position of Supervisor for years, expecting to succeed the previous incumbent.

But before he could even celebrate, a young man had been parachuted in.

Since ancient times, in every field, people resent such sudden outsiders.

Li Lin paid it no mind—the man’s attitude was merely cool, not hostile.

He continued smiling: “Then sound the war drums—I shall inspect the troops.”

“Inspecting the troops” meant the commander reviewed the soldiers on the platform, verified their numbers, and checked equipment readiness.

This was preparation for war.

Xu Xingchang paused, then nodded.

He gestured for Li Lin to proceed.

A camp of three thousand men—even hastily built—was far larger than one of five hundred.

As Li Lin entered the camp, the great drum began to beat.

The drumbeats echoed as soldiers formed into six units, five hundred men each.

Five hundred men was precisely the maximum force a Commandant could lead.

Within each five hundred, the troops were divided into shield, spear, bow, and cavalry units.

One could say, only an army with cavalry was truly complete.

Five hundred militia were not the same as five hundred fu soldiers.

Li Lin now sat upon the command platform.

The tiger-skin chair beneath him felt powerful.

Below him stretched a sea of dark heads, gleaming armor, and weapons—he waited silently.

The soldiers had not yet fully assembled.

After a while, the last group of armored troops emerged from their tents.

They stood at the front, forming two lines.

These were the elite soldiers!

The most formidable vanguard of the entire army.

At that moment, a Commandant stepped forward, bowed, and reported: “Report, Supervisor: Southern Route fu soldiers of Jincheng, all three thousand present.”

Li Lin observed briefly, then confirmed: all three thousand were indeed assembled.

He said nothing, but extended his hand.

Someone beside him handed him a roster—the troop list.

Li Lin flipped through it casually, then asked: “Where is the grain ledger?”

Several Commandants looked uneasy, all glancing toward the Deputy Supervisor.

Li Lin followed their gaze and smiled.

Xu Xingchang had been slightly annoyed, but at Li Lin’s smile, he suddenly shivered—unconsciously, a sense of dread rose within him.

He nodded to the Commandants.

Soon after, a ledger was placed before Li Lin.

Li Lin did not open it—only glanced at it and said: “This ledger is quite new.”

The surrounding Commandants broke into cold sweat.

He flipped through it idly, then smiled: “Interesting.”

The ledger was crudely kept, but obvious at a glance: it was falsified.

If it truly recorded so much grain, the ledger would have been thick with years of entries.

More importantly, Li Lin saw the errors at a single glance.

Many numbers were miscalculated—all understated.

Xu Xingchang lowered his head, saying nothing.

The other Commandants remained silent too.

Li Lin stood, looked down at the three thousand troops, and shouted: “I am your new Supervisor, also serving as County Constable of Yulin. I don’t understand politics—but I understand how to be a man. I value fairness above all. Here, I guarantee: every one of you will receive your full pay and full compensation. If you don’t believe me, ask the militia I brought!”

The entire parade ground fell silent—but the soldiers, meeting Li Lin’s gaze, their eyes shone brightly.

The Commandants’ expressions turned strange.

And Xu Xingchang’s… was grim.

Deeply dark.

(End of Chapter)