Chapter 96

In order to secure this marriage for his son, Wu Sangui truly discarded all his dignity...

Without mentioning the fact that he put aside his airs as the head of a powerful vassal state, he warmly greeted Wei Xiaobao, a young man who could have been his grandson, with a fawning demeanor. Lin Sha could already see the dissatisfaction and anger in the eyes of the Yunnan army's top generals.

Indeed, there were undercurrents of unrest within the Yunnan army, and Old Wu's behavior was a bit over the top.

After a round of polite conversation, Wu Sangui and Wei Xiaobao rode side by side, leading the way to guide the princess into the city.

The people of Kunming, hearing that the princess was marrying the heir of the Pingxi King, crowded the streets, eager to witness the spectacle. The city was festooned with lanterns and banners, and the sound of gongs and firecrackers echoed throughout.

Wei Xiaobao and Wu Sangui rode into the city, basking in the bows and greetings of the people, feeling quite pleased with themselves.

The procession was extremely lively, and Wu Sangui personally escorted the princess to the Xi'an Fu Garden in Kunming. This was the former residence of the Ming dynasty's Duke of Guizhou, the Mu family, known for its grand pavilions and beautiful gardens. After receiving the news of the princess's marriage, Wu Sangui had it extensively renovated, making it look brand new.

After settling the princess, Wu Sangui and his son paid their respects through a curtain, then accompanied Wei Xiaobao and the other high-ranking Yunnan army officials to the Pingxi King's palace. Lin Sha, a rising star, was also among them.

On the way to the Pingxi King's palace, Lin Sha could only smile wryly, having barely managed to calm down the agitated Fang Yi and Mu Jianping. After all, the princess was staying at the former residence of the Mu family!

The Pingxi King's palace was located on Wuhua Mountain, originally the imperial palace of the Ming Yongli Emperor, covering several miles. Wu Sangui had continuously added pavilions and halls over the years, making it as grand as the imperial palace. The hall was already set with a lavish banquet, and all the civil and military officials under the Pingxi King were present to accompany the guests. Wei Xiaobao, as the imperial envoy, naturally sat at the head of the table.

Lin Sha, sitting at the end of the table, enjoyed the palace's delicacies without reservation while inwardly shaking his head: no wonder Old Wu's reputation was so bad; this was clearly a blatant act of undermining the Ming dynasty!

The former residence was the hereditary stronghold of the Ming dynasty's Yunnan province, and the palace was the former residence of the last Ming emperor who resisted the Qing. How could the loyalists and scholars dedicated to restoring the Ming view this?

Next, Lin Sha was truly amazed by Wei Xiaobao's rambling and disjointed speech, which left Old Wu embarrassed, his face alternating between red and black. The civil and military officials below were all dumbfounded. This fellow showed no shame for his illiteracy and spoke in a 'street vernacular' that required careful interpretation.

Lin Sha was truly impressed by the Kangxi Emperor, who, through Wei Xiaobao's 'nonsense,' not only reprimanded Old Wu but also left everyone feeling frustrated and speechless.

He was an imperial envoy and a favorite of the Kangxi Emperor, a high-ranking official of the second rank, and a young man not yet fully grown. Arguing with him would be meaningless, wouldn't it?

The grand welcoming banquet concluded in a very subtle and strange atmosphere.

Lin Sha intended to leave, but unexpectedly, Old Wu assigned him to be responsible for the security of the imperial envoy's quarters and to serve as Wei Xiaobao's guide, ensuring that the envoy was well taken care of.

Though reluctant, Lin Sha later thought it would be a good opportunity to spar with Jiunan, so he accepted the task and exchanged some pleasantries with Wei Xiaobao.

Following the world's protagonist Wei Xiaobao indeed meant there was never a lack of excitement.

First, Wu Yingxiong openly bribed, offering 200,000 taels of silver in a single stroke!

What a waste of money!

What puzzled Lin Sha the most was how the silver bills circulated.

It seemed that there were no money shops in Yunnan province, and he had never seen such bills before. Could they already be in circulation in the capital?

It was no wonder Wei Xiaobao had reached his current status; his generosity was unmatched. He casually handed Lin Sha 5,000 taels of silver, saying that everyone should get a share.

Despite knowing that Wei Xiaobao had ulterior motives, Lin Sha still accepted this 'favor' and took the large sum of money without hesitation!

Next, Old Wu showed off his military might, and Wei Xiaobao, without hesitation, lavished praise on the Yunnan army, belittling his own accompanying cavalry as a bunch of ragtag soldiers, which made Old Wu extremely pleased.

Then, Old Wu, taking advantage of the moment, tried to discuss the princess's marriage with Wei Xiaobao, but Wei Xiaobao refused, citing the importance and haste of the matter. Seeing Old Wu's frustrated expression, Lin Sha couldn't help but laugh. Old Wu didn't know that his son had been cuckolded; if he did, would he immediately rebel?

Since Lin Sha was only an outer guard and not always by Wei Xiaobao's side, he was unaware of the subsequent 'good deeds'—the Heaven and Earth Society's rescue of Yang Yizhi from the Black Pit and the arrival of Galdan's envoy from Mongolia.

When these people left, they did not escape Lin Sha's subordinates' notice, but since they were dressed as cavalry officers, Lin Sha's men, responsible for outer security, did not stop them, only sending elite scouts to follow them from a distance. They later learned about the incident.

Wei Xiaobao was indeed bold; he had just rescued Yang Yizhi from the Black Pit and then kidnapped Galdan's envoy. Lin Sha could no longer stand it and requested an audience.

When he met Wei Xiaobao, the young man's eyes were red, and his mood was poor. The circle of skilled men around him exuded a formidable aura. Lin Sha chuckled, not taking it seriously, and bluntly warned Wei Xiaobao not to be too arrogant, reminding him that this was Yunnan, not the capital where he could do as he pleased.

Wei Xiaobao's face immediately changed, and several of his guards rushed forward, attacking Lin Sha without a word.

"Ha ha, what a warm welcome, Lord Wei!"

Lin Sha's face turned cold, and he stepped forward, delivering a powerful punch that sent the most aggressive attacker flying. Then, with a swift kick, he sent another flying. Using both his fists and feet, he created a loud explosion, and in just a few moments, he had knocked several men to the ground, where they howled in pain.

At this point, Wei Xiaobao shouted for them to stop. Lin Sha did not press his advantage, standing where he was with a nonchalant expression, looking disdainfully at the Heaven and Earth Society's skilled men. "If you want to play with fists, you've picked the wrong person!"

Then, he turned to the surprised Wei Xiaobao and smiled. "I don't care what you do, Lord Wei, but it's best to be more restrained. You may not fear trouble, but I'm worried about being implicated. That's all I have to say. Whether you listen or not is up to you. Goodbye!"

He bowed and turned to leave, glancing intentionally at the screen in the next room with a half-smile before departing.