Chapter 199: Different from Imagination

The motorcade drove past the bustling district, finally turning onto a secluded tree-lined avenue. Tall French plane trees were planted on both sides of the road, and the deep autumn sunlight filtered through the golden leaves, casting dappled light and shadow on the ground.

The black sedan slowly entered an imposing gate. Chen Jingwen saw through the car window that the gateposts were inlaid with the three powerful characters "Lin Gong Guan". The guards at the gate, upon seeing the motorcade, immediately stood straight and saluted.

The car finally stopped in front of the main building. Feng An personally opened the car door for Chen Jingwen: "Sir Chen, please."

Chen Jingwen forced himself out of the car, looked up, and involuntarily held his breath. Before him stood an extraordinarily imposing red-brick, yellow-tile building; the façade of the three-story main floor blended Baroque ornate carvings with the flying eaves and upturned corners of Jiangnan gardens, possessing both the grandeur of Western architecture and the refined subtlety of Eastern architecture.

Looking around, the garden scenery bore the desolation of deep autumn. A few precious camellia trees remained lush and leafy, kept verdant by the gardener's meticulous care. Scattered in the flowerbeds were a few late-autumn chrysanthemums, defiantly blooming in the cold wind. In the distance, a small fountain sprayed crystal-clear water jets, which refracted into rainbow colors in the sunlight.

But what truly caught Chen Jingwen's attention were the guards stationed at the corners of the courtyard walls and the main building's entrance. They wore crisp German-style military uniforms and held submachine guns he could not name, their vigilant eyes scanning every corner. These fully armed soldiers silently proclaimed the owner's power and inviolability.

Chen Jingwen's unease grew stronger. This place was more refined than any warlord's manor he had imagined, yet also far more heavily guarded. The excellent weaponry and well-trained guards all showcased Lin Yu's strength.

"Sir Chen, Commander Lin is waiting for you in the study." Feng An made a "please" gesture, indicating he should follow.

Chen Jingwen took a deep breath and stepped forward. Each step felt like walking on a blade's edge; he did not know what awaited him. But one thing he could be certain of: this young warlord was nothing like the crude martial man he had imagined while in the capital. The very arrangement of this manor was enough to show that the other party was a figure of great skill and ambition.

They passed through a hallway carpeted with Persian rugs; Chen Jingwen noticed that the walls were hung with several famous calligraphic works, which appeared to be genuine originals. This further confirmed his judgment: the master of this place was certainly no ordinary person.

Following Feng An into the main hall, Chen Jingwen could not help but be startled again.

Underfoot was a precious hardwood floor so polished it could reflect one's face, each grain clearly visible and emitting a faint sandalwood scent. Looking up, a huge crystal chandelier hung from the three-story open hall above; its countless facets refracted the sunlight into brilliant sparkles, bathing the entire space in opulent splendor.

Besides the famous calligraphic works seen earlier in the hallway, the walls also displayed several landscape paintings by ancient masters. Although Chen Jingwen dared not call himself a connoisseur of painting and calligraphy, he had seen many genuine works in the capital; the brushwork and ink usage of these paintings all exuded the aura of authentic pieces.

Around the hall stood several pieces of antiquated redwood furniture, their patina revealing their age. Beside an exquisitely carved grand master's chair stood a screen inlaid with jade, which glowed with a warm luster in the sunlight.

A faint, barely perceptible fragrance drifted in the air—neither strong nor weak, just right. A maid in a dark blue long dress descended the stairs, saw them, gave a slight bow, then silently vanished at the end of the hallway. Her bearing and decorum were hardly those of a servant in a general's manor.

Chen Jingwen had weathered many years in official circles and had seen the mansions of numerous dignitaries in the capital. Yet the luxury of Lin Gong Guan and the sense of order that permeated every corner still far exceeded his expectations. Everything here spoke of the owner's extraordinary taste and wealth.

This did not resemble the residence of a military-born commander; instead, it was more like the manor of a clan that had been in business for generations, except with many armed guards. This contrast made Chen Jingwen even less able to fathom Lin Yu. Could a commander capable of arranging his residence so meticulously really be the crude warmonger of rumor, who knows only conquest?

"Sir Chen, this way please." Feng An's voice interrupted his thoughts, pointing to the stairs leading to the second floor: "Commander Lin is waiting for you in the study upstairs."

Chen Jingwen nodded and followed Feng An up the stairs. Each step was carpeted with thick rugs, completely muffling footsteps and adding a sense of solemn dignity. In a niche at the stairwell's turn stood an antiquated bronze artifact, its weathered form exuding the aura of age.

These details all reminded him that the opponent he was about to face was likely far more complex than he had imagined.

Feng An stopped before a carved wooden door on the second floor and gently knocked: "Commander, Assistant Minister Chen has arrived."

"Please come in." A gentle voice came from inside the room.

Chen Jingwen followed Feng An into the reception hall; bright sunlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the entire space. He instinctively straightened his back, preparing to face the rumored Lin Madman.

Yet the sight before him left him stunned.

In the spacious reception hall, there was none of the imagined brute in military uniform, with a fleshy face and fierce eyes. Instead, he saw a young man about twenty-four or twenty-five, dressed in a well-tailored dark suit, with a fresh appearance, regular features, and a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

The young man was casually seated on an extremely comfortable genuine leather sofa, holding a beautifully bound book. Sunlight streamed in from the floor-to-ceiling windows behind him, casting a soft halo over his entire figure. Had Chen Jingwen not known his identity beforehand, he would almost have taken him for a scion of a wealthy family just returned from overseas study.

Upon seeing Chen Jingwen enter, the young man closed his book and rose gracefully. His movements were elegant and natural, showing no trace of the roughness typical of a military background.

"Assistant Minister Chen, you've worked hard on your journey, please have a seat." Lin Yu smiled, making a gesturing invitation, his voice gentle and devoid of any hostility: "Feng An, serve tea to Sir Chen."

Chen Jingwen felt a momentary daze. Was this the Lin Yu who made all factions tremble at his name? Was this the ruthless, merciless Yanluo of Shen City spoken of in rumors? The courteous young man before him was utterly unlike the image he had previously imagined.

But it was precisely this great contrast that aroused in Chen Jingwen a deeper worry. Such a young man, gentle on the surface yet unfathomable beneath, might be even harder to deal with than a hot-tempered brute.