Chapter 35: An Unconventional Trial

Jin Jun’s remark immediately piqued Lin Qian’s interest. While Jin Jun might not possess the peerless martial talent of Ran Min, he was still an impressive specimen. He could draw an eighty-stone heavy bow despite having almost no formal training, and his physique—broad-shouldered, thick-waisted, and sturdy-legged—was that of a natural-born fighter. Furthermore, there was a sharp, piercing intelligence in his eyes. He was quick-witted and had a foundation in martial arts.

Suddenly, the perfect role and position for Jin Jun clicked into place in Lin Qian’s mind.

Lin Qian deliberately kept a cold expression. "I have already arranged your position. Follow me to the City Lord’s Mansion later!"

Hearing Lin Qian’s cold, stern tone, Jin Jun felt a natural surge of trepidation. Yet, not daring to defy him, he could only nod.

"You don't need to test your archery skills anymore. Being a mere archer would be a waste of your talents, and besides, you wouldn't want to be trapped in such a role for the rest of your life, would you?" Lin Qian added slowly.

In truth, the earlier scene was a test; Lin Qian wanted to observe Jin Jun's reactions. If a person wore their heart on their sleeve, they were unsuited for the work he had in mind. But seeing Jin Jun remain as calm as if Mount Tai were collapsing before him, displaying a shrewd and composed nature, Lin Qian felt immediately reassured. It was an unexpected windfall to have unearthed two talents from this brawl.

As for Zhao Qianying, Lin Qian had no intention of wasting such potential either. Zhao was somewhat conventional in his manner, but his martial prowess was on par with Jin Jun’s. He was destined to be a future pillar of the military; with proper cultivation, his achievements would be boundless.

"After the lashes are dealt, come with me. Start now!"

"Crack! Snap!"

The whip in Ying Zhao’s hand was merciless, tearing through clothes and flaying skin with almost every strike. The ground was stained crimson. Everyone involved in the brawl was punished, save for one: Ran Min.

Upon returning to the City Lord’s Mansion, Lin Qian deliberately left Jin Jun waiting in the flower hall while he retreated into the inner residence. After finishing his afternoon meal and attending to his official duties, the old steward came to report: "Master, that young man has been standing in the flower hall for two hours."

Only two hours? That was far from enough. To test a person’s character, such a duration revealed nothing.

"Leave him be. Everyone is to treat him as if he does not exist. Do not speak to him, and no matter what he asks, do not answer."

"Understood." The old steward knew that Lin Qian never acted without reason; there was surely a purpose behind this. He nodded and withdrew.

Before long, Ning Lan and the other children returned from their outing. They had intended to watch the excitement, but Lin Qian’s arrival at the fields had brought the incident to a swift end. Finding it dull, the children had taken horses from the stables to gallop about, only returning by dusk.

Hearing the commotion in the front courtyard, Lin Qian’s face darkened, and he stepped out with his hands behind his back. The children were laughing and chatting until they saw Lin Qian standing there; Ning Lan immediately stuck out his tongue.

"Brother... Brother-in-law... I..."

Lin Qian was not bothered by the title "brother-in-law." In this world, if anyone truly cared for him, it was undoubtedly Ye Huang. Thus, hearing the term was quite agreeable to him.

"So, the young masters went out for a ride, but did you even consider whether the horses had been fed?"

Ning Lan glanced at the boys who had accompanied him on their wild romp and scratched his head. Lin Qian frowned, immediately sensing what the boy intended. Ning Lan wanted to shoulder the blame himself; in that regard, he was exactly like his sister, Ye Huang.

However, Lin Qian had not stepped out just to scold them. His gaze was filled with a stern authority. The boys stood silent as cicadas in autumn. They all lived in the City Lord’s Mansion, the children of local gentry and commoners, with no high-ranking family status or powerful backers to rely on.

They looked at one another until the tallest boy, built like a young bull, stepped forward. "I was the one who wanted to see the commotion; Ning Lan only accompanied me. If the City Lord must punish someone, punish me!"

"Oh?"

This was the core of Lin Qian’s test. He wanted to see if the boys would step up to shoulder the burden for Ning Lan. It turned out that Ning Lan’s eye for people was quite good. The boys he had brought into the mansion were all sturdy and significantly stronger than their peers. And this boy in the center was indeed promising martial material; with proper training, he could become a great general capable of leading others.

"Anyone else?" Lin Qian raised an eyebrow.

The next second, a boy dressed in simple yet spotlessly clean clothes, carrying the air of a scholar, stepped out. He had a resolute face and bright eyes, his every movement radiating integrity.

"We all agreed to go see the excitement. Spring Peace City hasn't seen such a sight in a long time; it wasn't just Ning Lan’s idea!"

It must be said that in a situation where an elder is assigning blame, ordinary children would usually just admit their fault. Since someone had already stepped forward to take the blame, there was no need for a second person to follow. Yet this boy, Guan Yi, stepped forward and implicated everyone.

Seeing the panicked looks of the others, Guan Yi looked at them with disdain. "What? Afraid? You were all happy enough to go gallivanting, but now that it's time to face the consequences, you want to distance yourselves?" He declared, "We all went together, and we face this together!"

Hearing this, the corners of Lin Qian’s mouth curled slightly.

Indeed, encouraged by his words, the children began to speak up in a chorus. "It was me! I wanted to go!"

"Yes, count me in! We are brothers—if we are to be punished, we will be punished together!"

"Whoever tries to avoid punishment, I’ll beat them myself!"

That final remark completely broke Lin Qian’s composure, shaking him deeply. It was the truest manifestation of the saying: "Loyalty and courage are often found among the humble."

"Since you have all decided to accept the punishment, then I shall punish you all. Let this be a lesson. Now, everyone: turn left and head to the flower hall to face the wall!"