Chapter 30: The Estate

"Commander, Chen... your deputy requests an audience."

Outside the tent, Zhang Qi, who was on guard duty, spoke with a hint of hesitation.

Qin Jue rose and moved behind the desk to the side, speaking calmly, "Let him in."

A moment later, Chen Xi entered the tent, his expression complex. He cupped his hands in a salute: "Commander!"

Qin Jue lifted his gaze to look at him, asking, "Are you worried that my choosing you hides some ulterior motive?"

Chen Xi’s heart skipped a beat. A flicker of panic—the look of a man who had been seen through—crossed his face, and his posture became even more deferential.

Ever since the unit had been reorganized, Chen Xi had been plunged into deep confusion. After all, who would appoint a former enemy as their own deputy? The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became, fearing this was a conspiracy directed at him. That was why, after much hesitation, he had finally steeled himself to seek an audience with Qin Jue.

"Commander, it was my ignorance that offended you previously. Please do not hold it against me; from now on, I shall follow your lead in everything," Chen Xi said, his voice trembling slightly. In his heart, he believed Qin Jue intended to kill him, and that this was merely a way to build him up before the fall.

Seeing this, Qin Jue said with profound meaning, "Not everyone is so small-minded."

Chen Xi’s body shuddered, and he lowered his head even further.

Then, Qin Jue’s voice sounded again. "Let the past remain in the past. Since I have chosen you, I trust you." He paused for a moment before continuing, "Of course... if you disappoint me, I trust the consequences need not be stated."

Chen Xi looked up abruptly, his expression filled with astonishment. He... he seemed to have guessed wrong!

The next moment, Chen Xi hurriedly dropped to one knee, cupping his hands. "Commander! I will certainly not let you down!" His ringing voice was laced with excitement, and his eyes were filled with gratitude.

Chen Xi was now completely certain that there was no conspiracy behind his appointment and promotion. Given the man’s current status, if he truly wanted to dispose of him, there would be no need to say these things at all.

"You may go," Qin Jue nodded slightly.

The primary reason he used Chen Xi was that he valued the man’s martial talent. As a genius among the original recruits, Chen Xi had the highest potential in the entire unit; if cultivated, he could become a great asset in the future. Moreover, for someone like him, as long as he was utilized correctly, he would never dare to betray him, and in the end, he might even be moved to tears of gratitude.

As for the previous conflict, Qin Jue had long since forgotten it. Who would remember such insignificant people and events?

Chen Xi acknowledged the order and departed respectfully. After he had left, Qin Jue called Zhang Qi into the tent.

"There are some medicinal herbs here; take some and make sure to digest them well," Qin Jue said.

The blood-strengthening herbs rewarded by the military were all intended to assist first-realm warriors in their cultivation. For Qin Jue, who had already mastered the basics of his techniques, they were of no further use. Rather than letting them go to waste, it was better to leave them to loyal subordinates like Zhang Qi.

Zhang Qi, in particular, was someone he had personally selected and was his most trusted subordinate. Yet, his realm was only at the first stage, which was far too low. With the help of these herbs, he could slowly catch up in his cultivation and avoid being a liability.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Qi’s eyes widened like copper bells, filled with shock. His lips trembled as he stammered, "Com... Commander, such precious herbs... what virtue or ability do I have to enjoy these?"

As a warrior, he knew all too well the importance of these blood-strengthening herbs. Thus, he felt he was completely unworthy of such treatment.

Seeing this, Qin Jue furrowed his brow and said sternly, "If I tell you to use them, then use them. Do you expect me to protect you when we go to the battlefield in the future?"

Zhang Qi froze, his eyes filled with shame. Then, he dropped to both knees with a thud, clenching his fists above his head. With tears glistening in his eyes, he declared loudly, "With the Commander being so generous, even if I were to work like an ox or a horse, I could never repay even a fraction of your kindness! From this day forward, I, Zhang Qi, am willing to devote my life and blood to you, and go through fire and water for your sake!"

Having said this, he bowed his head to the ground, striking it three times with a loud thud to demonstrate his loyalty.

"Get up. Once you have chosen them, go and train diligently," Qin Jue waved his hand.

...

In the following days, with the unit newly formed, Qin Jue personally led the men in training to deepen their coordination. With Xiao Wushan acting as the instructor and Qin Jue offering advice from time to time, the group made significant progress, transforming from a loose, disorganized troop into one that marched with uniform precision and powerful, rhythmic steps.

That day, while Qin Jue was leading the troops, Wu Mi sent someone to deliver a message. The residence that had been awarded to him was ready, and he was to go and confirm it today.

After handing the troops over to Xiao Wushan, Qin Jue left the military camp alone.

Outside, Dongchuan City remained prosperous and bustling, even more so than before. As their strength grew, the Qingfeng Stronghold had completely occupied the city and begun to handle its daily administration. As for the original masters, the Qin family, they had hurriedly moved out of their ancestral lands and headed to Liu City on the very day the Qingfeng Stronghold returned from Lishan.

Liu City was to the north of Dongchuan City; one only needed to pass through a dense forest to see the outline of the city, and the two were not far apart. When he first heard the news, Qin Jue only felt a sense of regret. Now that he had been promoted to Military Marquis, he finally had the strength to avenge his past grievances. To think that the Qin family would abandon their ancestral home and flee was truly unexpected.

However...

Sooner or later, he would personally head to Liu City!

Lost in thought, Qin Jue arrived at his destination and saw his residence. The estate was located in a prosperous area in the west of the city. The vermilion gates were tall and imposing, and on the plaque atop the gate, the gold-leafed characters for "Qin Mansion" were written with vigorous, eye-catching strokes.

The walls were high, stretching for several yards, and the glazed tiles on the wall tops shimmered with iridescent colors under the sunlight, exquisite and magnificent. The stone lions in front of the gate crouched on both sides with majestic, awe-inspiring expressions, their eyes wide with rage, looking remarkably lifelike.

Such a grand residence must have belonged to some great family in the past. As for now, he presumed the owners had fled, which was why it had been used to reward Qin Jue.

Qin Jue walked forward. The servants at the gate saw a man in military uniform with an extraordinary bearing approaching and immediately stepped forward, asking tentatively, "Is the Lord... Military Marquis Qin?"

Qin Jue nodded.

The servants were delighted and hurried to salute, their tone respectful: "Welcome home, Master!"

Shortly after, a servant hurried into the residence to announce his arrival. Before long, an elderly man who appeared to be the steward rushed out with a group of maids and servants. Seeing Qin Jue, they knelt and kowtowed: "Master, you have finally arrived!"

The others followed suit, bowing and scraping.

Seeing this large group of people, Qin Jue raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected the military to have even equipped him with a full staff.

"What is your name?" Qin Jue looked at the old man.

The old man hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Master, this humble one is named Cui Fuyou, and I was the original steward of this residence."

The masters of the house had fled, but these servants had been abandoned. Fortunately, the Qingfeng Stronghold had not made things difficult for them and allowed them all to remain in the mansion. In this day and age, to still have such a stable and prosperous place to live was, for these commoners, a great blessing. Thus, upon seeing Qin Jue’s arrival, their eyes were filled with awe and gratitude.

Qin Jue nodded and walked through the main gate.

Inside, the residence was kept immaculately clean. The corridors on both sides were built from fine timber, with red lanterns hanging under the eaves, stretching all the way to the various rooms. In front lay an outer courtyard, where ancient rockeries were arranged with tasteful precision. Clear, murmuring water flowed from the crevices in the stones, gathering in the small pond below, where a school of koi swam, causing ripples to spread across the surface.

Following the bluestone path into the inner courtyard, one could see the main hall of the residence, which was grand and impressive. This house was even larger and more luxurious than Qin Jue had imagined. While it might not compare to the Qin family's estate, compared to the outside world, it was truly a paradise on earth.

This was only natural. In the Great Zhou Dynasty, the noble clans controlled two-thirds of the wealth—even more than the imperial family. Even for an ordinary wealthy family, the accumulated wealth behind the scenes far exceeded what others could imagine.

Qin Jue waved his hand, dismissing the servants behind him and leaving only Cui Fuyou to follow him inside.