“General, you flatter me,” Lin Feng replied calmly and respectfully.
“May I ask your name, young man?” Yan Nantian asked.
“Lin Feng,” Lin Feng cupped his fists.
“Could we speak privately for a moment?”
Yan Nantian extended his right hand slightly and gestured toward Lin Feng.
“After you, General,” Lin Feng replied politely.
The four of them sat down at the nearby tea stall.
Due to the previous commotion and their presence, all the other patrons had already fled, leaving only the owner of the stall. Now, only the four of them remained seated.
Outside the stall, County Magistrate Liu Hong, Decurion Zhang Tianlang, the entire group of yamen runners, and even the now-silent and no-longer-arrogant Young Master Liu Long stood watching from a distance. None of them dared to leave casually.
At this point, anyone who couldn’t recognize that Yan Nantian was truly the General Who Guards the North would have to be a complete fool.
After placing a pot of hot tea on the table, the tea stall owner quickly stepped away, sensibly avoiding interrupting the important guests.
The next moment, He Caiwei rose quietly and poured the tea herself. The stream of tea was smooth and precise, not spilling a single drop.
Her graceful movements carried a quiet elegance. Though not a concubine offering wine, it wasn’t far off.
Yan Nantian looked at Lin Feng and spoke directly, “You must have a military background. Perhaps you’re still in the army?”
Upon hearing this, Lin Feng instinctively tensed. He hadn’t expected the General to have such sharp insight.
After a moment of thought, Lin Feng stood up, preparing to identify himself.
However, Yan Nantian waved his hand and said casually, “We’re not in the army right now, so we can skip the formalities. I’ll get straight to the point—are you willing to become one of my personal guards?”
“I will personally train you. When the time comes, I might even appoint you as a commander.”
The invitation from the General Who Guards the North was nothing short of tempting.
But after a quick moment of reflection, Lin Feng regained his calm and asked, “If I really become one of your personal guards, will I still be able to fight at the frontlines?” Visit novelping(.)com for the full chapter.
That, for Lin Feng, was the most critical issue.
Hearing this, Yan Nantian raised his thick brows slightly, then shook his head and said, “I’m afraid not. A personal guard’s duty is to protect me.”
The moment he heard that, Lin Feng’s earlier hesitation disappeared.
His Slaughter System required killing to grow stronger, to earn Slaughter Points and advance in cultivation.
Whether it was improving his physique, comprehension, or anything else, it was all closely tied to Slaughter Points.
And without killing, where would the points come from?
…
“I’m afraid I’ll have to decline the General’s kind offer today,” Lin Feng cupped his fists and apologized sincerely.
The moment he said that, Yan Nantian, Ye Kai, and He Caiwei were all stunned.
Ye Kai frowned, clearly displeased. “Kid, the General made this offer because he sees potential in you. Don’t be ungrateful.”
His expression darkened slightly as he leaned forward, eyes fixed on Lin Feng. “Do you know how many people in the vast northern frontier dream of becoming a personal guard to the General, yet never get the chance?”
“My husband turned him down? Isn’t it an honor to serve as the General’s personal guard?” He Caiwei didn’t quite understand. Her almond-shaped eyes turned to look at Lin Feng.
But now that she was his wife, she would respect his every decision.
“Ye Kai’s right. No one in the northern frontier has ever refused me before. You’re the first!” Yan Nantian laughed heartily, then slammed the table with a loud bang. “Good! Since you have such grand ambitions, I won’t force you.”
“One day, when you become a general, I’ll be sure to toast you with fine wine!”
As he finished speaking, Yan Nantian lifted his teacup as a substitute for wine, offering an early toast to Lin Feng’s future as a general.
“Thank you, General!” Lin Feng quickly rose and returned the gesture with his own cup of tea.
After finishing the tea, just as Yan Nantian was about to leave, he paused, then took a square jade pendant from inside his robe.
The pendant was a deep emerald green, and on its surface was a single large character—“Yan”—carved with flowing, powerful strokes.
“This is my token. If you change your mind one day, come find me.”
Ye Kai followed suit. But as he passed by Lin Feng, he suddenly leaned in and whispered coldly, “Kid, you’ll regret this.”
“There are countless people in the army who dream of serving beside the General but never get the chance.”
“Right now, the opportunity was right in front of you, but you gave it up yourself. One day, you’ll understand how rare this moment really was!”
Lin Feng cupped his fists but didn’t say a word.
After all, the other party had acted with good intentions—and had even helped him earlier.
Seeing that Yan Nantian was about to leave, County Magistrate Liu Hong hurried forward, wearing a flattering smile. “General, since you’re already in Fengshui County, why not rest for a while at my humble residence?”
“You’ve traveled a long way—why not enjoy a meal and experience some of Fengshui’s local hospitality?”
“No need!” Yan Nantian didn’t even look back as he mounted his horse.
From atop his horse, he cast a sidelong glance at Liu Hong and pointed at Lin Feng. “If I find out you’ve given that young man any trouble after I leave, I’ll personally report it to His Majesty!”
With a cold snort, Yan Nantian didn’t wait for Liu Hong’s response. He pressed his legs to the horse’s sides and rode off in style.
Left behind, Liu Hong didn’t dare show a hint of anger. He kept his fake smile and bowed repeatedly, calling out, “Safe travels, General!”
Only after Yan Nantian and Ye Kai had completely disappeared did Liu Hong’s forced smile slowly fade, replaced by a deep gloom.
He was still the fatherly official of this county. If not for the General’s intimidating reputation, did they really think he had no backing?
Just as Liu Hong finally let out a breath of relief, his son Liu Long hobbled forward with the help of his attendants. His face was full of resentment as he shouted, “Father! My arm is broken—are we really going to let this go?”
“Fool! If you hadn’t abused your power today, how could things have escalated like this?”
Liu Hong shouted angrily, raising his hand and slapping his precious son across the face without hesitation.
Pa!
The crisp sound of the slap left Liu Long stunned. “Father… you hit me? You’ve never been willing to hit me before…”
“Men!”
Liu Hong ignored his son’s disbelief and immediately ordered, “Take the Young Master back and lock him up for reflection. Without my permission, no one is allowed to let him out!”