Chapter 143

First Volume, Chapter 143: Midnight Inspection

Amidst the escort of his family, Qin Feng returned to the Qin Residence.

Lin Quqi was taking care of things at the Wuhu Restaurant; he didn't need to worry about it for now.

After a day of exertion, Qin Feng was physically and mentally exhausted, just preparing to rest properly, when he saw a dark shadow sitting in the corner of his bedroom and jumped in fright.

"Fuck, a ghost!"

The next second, Xiao Xiangxiang stepped out, head bowed, fidgeting with her sleeves, as if deeply wronged, her eyes brimming with tears—she had clearly been crying earlier.

"It's my Xiao Xiangxiang—damn, you scared me! … Wait a minute!" Qin Feng froze, then grabbed Xiao Xiangxiang by the arm and snapped, "Who bullied you? Who dares bully someone under my protection? Is there no law anymore? Tell me who it is—I'll beat him until he's crawling on the ground looking for his teeth!"

Xiao Xiangxiang bit her thin lips and whispered, "No one bullied me… I just feel useless, unable to help the Young Master at all, and feel like a burden."

Hearing this, Qin Feng immediately understood.

These past few days, Qin Feng had been rushing about, completely neglecting Xiao Xiangxiang—this girl was clearly jealous.

This was clearly a bid for favor…

Qin Feng chuckled, patting Xiao Xiangxiang's hand: "Who said you're a burden? You're extremely important to this Young Master."

Xiao Xiangxiang's eyes flickered with faint hope: "Really?"

Qin Feng patted his chest solemnly: "Of course! Who wipes my sweat daily? Who warms my bed in winter? Who fans me in summer? Who washes my clothes in autumn? Who brews me wine in spring? Throughout the Qin Residence… the Back Courtyard… the bedroom area—no one can be missing except you."

Xiao Xiangxiang's eyes flushed with shame and annoyance: "The Young Master just says nonsense to placate me—there's no one else in this bedroom area besides me. Besides, these trivial chores? Any maid could do them well. I truly can't help the Young Master at all—like today at the wine house…"

"Who said you can't help?"

Qin Feng pulled Xiao Xiangxiang into his arms and squeezed her tightly: "What are you thinking? You're a Maid now—these tasks naturally fall to you. But later, when I take you as a concubine, these heavy, dirty chores won't be yours anymore."

At these words, Xiao Xiangxiang's cheeks instantly turned crimson, and she lowered her head even further, more flustered than before; though her heart leapt with joy, she muttered softly: "I'm lowly in status—how could I possibly be worthy to fill the Young Master's bed?"

Qin Feng waved his hand: "I say you're worthy—that's enough!"

Of course, Qin Feng knew that taking a concubine wasn't something anyone could do—either one had to hold official merit or possess local prestige, approved by the authorities, to gain the right to take a concubine.

Common People who privately took concubines committed "betrayal of the wife"—it was a death sentence.

Not all feudal societies treated women as inferior.

Qin Feng now held the Golden Sash title, so he had the right to take a concubine; if he wanted Three Wives and Four Concubines, he'd need to earn some battlefield merit.

As for concubines, they were merely slightly elevated Maids—nowhere near the status of the principal wife.

But for Xiao Xiangxiang, becoming a concubine was already a dream—and she could only be taken after Qin Feng formally married his principal wife; no concubine could enter before the wife.

Xiao Xiangxiang's face flushed red, her resentment vanished, and as she let Qin Feng touch her freely, she whispered: "Young Master, what happened at the wine house today was terrifying—even the City Patrol Bureau showed up. I thought you were in danger and wished I could sprout wings and fly over."

Hearing this, Qin Feng felt a warmth in his chest, then suddenly remembered something and smacked his thigh: "Damn, I'm an idiot!"

Qin Feng dropped Xiao Xiangxiang and rushed out the door.

Xiao Xiangxiang hurried after him two steps, puzzled: "Young Master, it's so late—where are you going?"

Qin Feng kept walking, waving his hand: "To the City Patrol Bureau—don't wait for me. Qin Xiaofu, where the hell are you? Get out here and accompany this Young Master on official business—and bring Shu Feng along."

Tomorrow was the Qingyi Ceremony. Though he'd already spoken with Xu Mo, the number of expedition slots was limited—it would be a brutal struggle.

At this moment, Xu Mo was pacing back and forth in the City Patrol Bureau, hands behind his back, utterly agitated, muttering: "I don't know if Qin Feng will even show up—what time is it already? Tomorrow's Qingyi Ceremony, the Formation Combat round can be brute-forced, but how do I handle the Military Strategy and Response rounds? Sigh… But today's events at the Wuhu Restaurant left Qin Feng mentally drained—he should rest…"

Just as Xu Mo was agonizing over it, his subordinate reported that Qin Feng was requesting an audience.

Xu Mo's gloom vanished instantly; he rushed out three steps at a time: "Brother Qin, you've finally come!"

Qin Feng grinned carelessly, exchanged a few brief pleasantries, then ordered the soldiers Xu Mo had already gathered to assemble before him.

Three hundred in total.

Two hundred City Patrol Bureau soldiers, one hundred Elite Soldiers selected from the Ministry of War.

These men were all skilled, standing in neat formation, eyes sharp and alert, fixed on Qin Feng.

Qin Feng was satisfied. He paced back and forth twice, hands behind his back, then asked casually: "Are there any Noble Youth here?"

As soon as he spoke, two men stepped forward.

"Reporting, Young Master Qin—I am the son of the Wei Martial School Lieutenant, Qin Li."

"I am the son of the Imperial Guard Vice General, Zhang Lin."

Qin Feng nodded, his face glowing with a warm, gentle smile: "It's late. You two go back and rest—you don't need to join tonight's training."

The two froze, then beamed with joy, bowed deeply to Qin Feng, and marched out proudly.

Xu Mo frowned slightly, puzzled: "Brother Qin, why this favoritism? These two may be Noble Youth, but they don't deserve such special treatment."

Qin Feng, hands behind his back, grinned: "Favoritism? Favoritism my ass! These days, Noble Youth are all ancestors—impossible to handle. They only bring corruption into the ranks. Look—they left without hesitation the moment you told them to go. Would any normal soldier do that? Make up an excuse to excuse these two, then replace them with two others—no Noble Youth allowed."

Times change, and the quality of Noble Youth varies.

In the past, the more prestigious the family, the more they were expected to charge into battle and earn glory for their clan.

Now, Shedynasty is rotten inside, court struggles never cease, and Jingzhong's Noble Youth have no ambition whatsoever—how can they compare to the descendants of noble generals?

Originally, the soldiers resented Qin Feng's decision but dared not speak up; after hearing his words, their gaze toward him instantly turned fiery.

The doctrine of Officials Protecting Each Other meant nothing to Qin Feng.

Serving alongside a man like Qin Feng was undoubtedly their luck… Thinking this, their morale surged.

Under everyone's gaze, Qin Feng plopped onto a chair, legs crossed, showing zero general's bearing—more like a thug.

Qin Feng didn't care—he did whatever felt comfortable, slouching back with a grin: "All of you are commoners. Getting a post in the City Patrol Bureau? You probably got in through back doors or connections. Those who made it purely by skill? Probably rare as phoenix feathers."

"Wanting to climb higher? Nothing shameful about that."

"But I'll say this plainly: anyone who slacks off with me—forget tomorrow's Qingyi Ceremony—this City Patrol Bureau post will be stripped from you!"

Qin Feng chewed a grape, eyes gleaming as he stared at them, grinning: "Anyone who disagrees? Step forward."

Seeing Qin Feng so brazen, the soldiers stood tall and straight, listening silently—no one responded.

Qin Feng stretched lazily, speaking casually: "It's late—I won't waste your time. From now on, all three hundred of you are Xu Mo's core. Work hard. Your pay and bonuses are separate—none of you will be shortchanged. If you earn battlefield merit, you'll have a chance to rise above your station! I don't care about connections or influence—I, Qin Feng, always promote talent. The capable stay; the incapable, get out!"

The soldiers had all heard of Qin Feng's deeds in Jingdu. Though his reputation was sharply divided, one thing was undeniable: serving under Qin Feng, even a lowly servant, could make you rich beyond measure.

For example, beside Qin Feng was Qin Xiaofu, his face beaming with obsequious smiles.

The guards clenched their fists, their eyes growing more excited, shouting in unison: "Rest assured, Young Master—we will not disgrace your high expectations!"

Everything that needed to be said had been said; now came the main matter.

Qin Feng casually pointed at one of the guards: "You. Kneel."

The guard hesitated, confused but slowly lowered himself to his knees.

Qin Feng grew displeased, snapping: "Too slow! Get up."

This time, the guard learned his lesson—he sprang to his feet the moment Qin Feng gave the order.

No one understood what Qin Feng was up to; all eyes were filled with utter bewilderment.

Qin Feng offered no explanation, instead pointing at another guard: "Lie down and roll on the ground."

The guard stared blankly.

Qin Feng sighed in exasperation, growling: "Qin Xiaofu. Roll."

The instant Qin Feng gave the order, Qin Xiaofu was already on the ground, rolling back and forth several times.

"Stand up."

Qin Xiaofu leapt up as if electrocuted.

"Grab your right foot with your left hand, pinch your ear with your right hand, and hop in place."

In the next instant, Qin Xiaofu was hopping in place exactly as Qin Feng commanded—with no delay whatsoever.

"Enough."

Qin Xiaofu instantly returned to his original posture.

This spectacle left every guard—including Xu Mo—stunned, mouths agape.

Qin Feng ignored the reactions of the others, gazing at Qin Xiaofu with great satisfaction: "Why did I make you do those crazy things?"

Qin Xiaofu shook his head, bewildered: "I don't know…"

Qin Feng asked again: "Then why did you do it?"

Qin Xiaofu's eyes turned sharply serious: "No matter what Master orders me to do, I will obey without question. The reason is not my concern."

Damn, this level of awareness—I must give him a raise when we get back!

Qin Feng turned to the stunned guards: "You only need to remember: obey, obey, and obey again! Whatever I order, do it instantly—no hesitation. The reason? Not your business. Obedience is a soldier's sacred duty. If you lack even this basic quality, go home and till the soil!"

The crowd awoke from their daze, faces flushing with shame. Though they had known since enlistment that soldiers must obey,

this sluggish obedience was worlds apart from the lightning-fast obedience Qin Feng demanded.

This seemingly refined man was stricter than any general or colonel.

The guards dared not slacken another moment; they all focused intently.

Qin Feng turned and barked at Xu Mo: "Xu Brother, you have only one night. Make them understand what 'orders must be obeyed' means! Make them react instinctively—the moment the order is given, they must act, without a single second's hesitation!"

Xu Mo was both astonished and thrilled—astonished that Qin Feng, a mere scholar, understood military matters so deeply; thrilled that with Qin Feng's help, tomorrow's Qingyi Ceremony was all but assured.

Xu Mo thumped his chest, voice resounding: "Rest easy—I'll drill them until they drop."

Qin Feng picked up a grape, tossed it into the air, and caught it neatly in his mouth—the arc flawless. Just this one trick must have taken a wastrel years to master.

As he chewed the grape contentedly, Qin Feng mumbled: "Don't exaggerate. Rest when needed. Preserve your strength—tomorrow's battle awaits them."

Saying this, Qin Feng had Qin Xiaofu bring paper and ink, scribbled a list, and handed it to Xu Mo: "These are the supplies needed tomorrow. Have someone prepare them."

Xu Mo glanced at the list and frowned: "The rest is manageable, but the Heavy Armor… it's strictly controlled by the Ministry of War. Unauthorized use is treated as Rebellion."

Qin Feng rolled his eyes, exasperated: "Are you stupid? I won't say I can command the whole Ministry, but in the Ministry of War, my word carries weight."

Xu Mo slapped his forehead—how could he have forgotten that? He immediately agreed without hesitation.

Before leaving, Qin Feng remembered something else, quickly sketched several Small Flags on the paper, and handed them to Xu Mo: "Memorize these Flag Signals. You'll need them tomorrow."

"Flag Signals?" Xu Mo frowned. Liang did have communication methods—mostly Beacon Fire and Kites. For Small-Scale Operations, War Drums were standard.

Using flags to issue commands? He'd never heard of such a thing.

Qin Feng didn't bother explaining—he simply ordered Xu Mo to memorize them, then walked off without looking back.

Beacon Fire and Kites? Only useful in large-scale battles. War Drums may be fast, but on a noisy Battlefield, distinguishing Drum Beats is unreliable.

Flag Signals are the most direct method—the lowest-latency command system currently imaginable. But they only work in limited areas. Perfect for tomorrow's Qingyi Ceremony.

Qin Feng returned home near midnight. Xiao Xiangxiang was still waiting for him. His heart warmed; he grinned wickedly as he stepped closer to her.

Like a wolf pouncing on a rabbit, he lunged forward…

…

The next morning, the ShiZhen grounds buzzed with activity.

Outside the grounds, crowds overflowed—countless citizens had come to witness the Qingyi Ceremony. Though barred from entering, someone always quickly "broadcast" the proceedings inside.

Especially during the First Pass Formation Combat, a Sand Table would display a Battlefield Simulation.

For the idle citizens of Jingdu, the Qingyi Ceremony was a rare grand event.

Moreover, the Liang Emperor valued sharing joy with the people, and since the Qingyi Ceremony was a War Preparatory Oath meant to display Liang Kingdom's might, public support was essential—making it one of the few official events where civilians were allowed to gather.

Outside the grounds, it was as lively as a market fair.

Especially near the Sand Table, the Chiguo crowd was thickest.

Liu Hongyan had secured a prime spot, bringing her entire family to cheer for Qin Feng—even the usually aloof Jing Qianying and the overly refined Shen Qingci, who had no interest in violence, had come.

Qin Xiaofu strutted like a lord, boasting loudly to other servants: "You're nothing. Servants are servants—you can't compare to me. I'm my Master's confidant. Hehehe, how much do you get for Yuefu? Five hundred copper coins? One Liang Silver? I get this much!"

Qin Xiaofu held up five fingers. The other servants' eyes sparkled with envy; they all rushed to beg for connections to join the Qin Family.

Xiao Xiangxiang stood at a distance, too timid to approach.

Liu Hongyan's heart stirred; she called out casually: "Girl, come closer. How can you see the Battlefield Simulation from so far? You're Qin Feng's dearest—let him think we treat you poorly, and that brat will start whining again."

Xiao Xiangxiang's cheeks flushed red; she shuffled over nervously, murmuring: "Maid… I can see fine from here."

Liu Hongyan smiled but said nothing; who in the Qin Residence didn't know Xiao Xiangxiang's relationship with that brat Qin Feng? It had long been rumored that Xiao Xiangxiang had already been designated as a concubine.

At that moment, a sarcastic voice came from nearby.

"Hehe, can a maid walk side by side with a young lady? The Qin Family still has no manners, as always."

Liu Hongyan furrowed her brows and turned toward the voice, seeing a woman seated in the opposite Cool Pavilion, her age similar to Liu Hongyan's, yet radiating unbearable arrogance.

The circle of Beijing's elite maidens was small; Liu Hongyan recognized her at once—this woman was Gao Song's cousin and the niece of the Grand Commandant, Gao Yulan.

Sitting with her was another woman, the Yi Nu of the Minister of Revenue, Li Ninghui…