Without the threat of death and after confirming that the Warden in front of him would not make a move again to kill him, Chen Chao became the most astute businessman in the world.
The Warden looked at him and was quite unhappy. How could he have imagined that things would develop until this present situation? According to what he had in mind, even if the youth in front of him had an incredibly strong heart, he would also listen to him obediently after he knocked him down and would go represent the Warden Office and do some things for the Great Liang Dynasty. But, he really did not expect that after experiencing so much, the youth's head was actually still not muddled. At this point, he could actually still make demands, like the sharpest fishmonger in South City.
But, this was also very in line with the style of those impoverished families.
"Your Excellency, what this lowly official will be doing is going to be a job that puts my life on the line. It's for the Great Liang Dynasty's face. Shouldn't you give some things to soothe my heart?"
Chen Chao had a look of anticipation.
The Warden sneered and said, "If you get a good ranking, you'll naturally be rewarded."
The Warden naturally knew what Chen Chao was thinking. If Chen Chao behaved docile enough and showed him enough respect, then it would not be a big deal to give him some things at this moment too.
But at this moment, this boy was using this kind of method to extort him. It really made him unhappy. But no matter how displeased he was, Chen Chao had cornered him. If he did not agree, he could fully believe that Chen Chao would become an official of the Heavenly Imperial Institution right away. Then, he would yield brilliant results at the Myriad Willow Convention and make him regret it for more than ten years.
Only when the Warden saw that Chen Chao was silent, did he say expressionlessly, "If I were younger, why would I need you?"
Chen Chao had a fake smile, "But, Your Excellency is no longer young now."
"You're a martial artist, what you lack is spirit medicines to temper your muscles and bones. The Warden Office has these things, I'll give you a year's supply."
The Warden could not be bothered to talk any more nonsense. He was a martial artist, not a fishmonger at the south of the city. Hence, he stated his price very straightforwardly.
Chen Chao said in disbelief, "Your Excellency, such an important matter is actually only worth a year's spirit medicines to you?"
After saying this, Chen Chao did not wait for the Warden to speak and continued, "Since Your Excellency is like this, then I'll go and ask the Heavenly Imperial Institution right away if they have better terms and conditions."
The Warden said angrily, "If you can't get into the top five, I feel that even a year's supply is too much. Do you think that the Warden Office's spirit medicines are ordinary goods?"
Chen Chao smiled and did not retort. Clasping his hands in salute, he said, "This lowly official will take my leave."
After saying this, Chen Chao turned around and walked away without any indecisiveness.
"Get back here!" The Warden shouted angrily, "How about two years? I'll also give you a quality saber."
The Warden looked at Chen Chao's broken saber and was quite dissatisfied.
Chen Chao pressed the handle of his saber. It was not that he wanted to draw his saber at any time and chop off this Warden's head, but a subconscious action. However, when he realized where he was currently at, he retracted his hand sulkily and said, "I have very deep feelings for this saber, so there's no need to change it. However, if Your Excellency wants to gift something, gift something else."
The Warden's expression was a little ugly. At this moment, this Great Liang Dynasty's top military official's killing intent gradually arose.
The Warden said directly, "Say it. You don't even fancy two years' worth of spirit medicines, what the hell are your terms? I can't be bothered to talk nonsense with you."
"Since that's the case, this lowly official will put forward a very small request. I presume that with Your Excellency's status, that trivial matter will be a single hair from nine oxen..."
Seeing that the Warden's expression became uglier and uglier, Chen Chao hurriedly said, "Three years' worth of tempering spirit medicines. I want the best and give them to me now. If I win first place by luck, then can Your Excellency provide me all the spirit medicines to supply me until Nepenthe Realm?"
As a martial artist, Chen Chao's greatest pain was tempering his body's muscles and bones. Not only was it rather painful each time, the skygold currency he spent was like a fantasy number. If he relied on himself, Chen Chao also did not know where he should look to find these things to fill the gaps.
"You're really making an exorbitant demand. You want to get first place? Do you think that it's a few children playing house?"
The Warden mocked, "With just the likes of you?"
Chen Chao asked, "Isn't there an upper limit on the cultivation realm for the young cultivators taking part in this Myriad Willow Convention?"
The Warden snorted coldly and said, "There's only an upper age limit: as long as one is 18."
Chen Chao sucked in a cold breath and asked, "Since that's the case, what if you lie about your age?"
The Warden had a stomach full of pent-up anger. At this moment, he could finally unleash it. He looked at Chen Chao and said with a cold smile, "Do you think that cultivators of the world are all blind and deaf? They can't even determine this?"
Chen Chao was somewhat embarrassed as he gave an awkward laugh and said, "Even if it's under 18, there will definitely be people among the foreign cultivators who have stepped into the fourth-realm."
The Warden looked at Chen Chao like he was looking at an idiot. This made Chen Chao very unhappy, but he could not flare up.
Chen Chao muttered, "It's just one cultivation realm apart, it's also not that I can't try my luck."
The Warden sneered and said, "Pretty big airs. If you really get first place, you'll be an unprecedented individual in my Great Liang Dynasty's 200 over years of history. At that time, what's the harm in giving you those things that you want?"
In reality, if Chen Chao takes first place, he would definitely become a true genius of the Great Liang Dynasty. Forget about these things, even if he had even more ridiculous requests, they might even satisfy him.
Chen Chao spread his hands, "Since that's the case, many thanks, Your Excellency."
This was demanding for things.
"You're really a little shameless. But I... don't dislike you."
The Warden looked at this youth who could make him suffer a loss at a mere Divine Trove Realm. The anger in his eyes faded and some appreciation appeared. Just this style of not following the rules made him feel that Chen Chao was much better than those youngsters that the Warden Office was grooming with their best effort.
Many young people were too fearful of the so-called rules, making them lack a lot of creativity instead.
This might be one of the reasons why the Great Liang Dynasty's cultivators were inferior to the foreign cultivators.
The Warden said somewhat absentmindedly, "If you're not a descendant of those impoverished families, that would be good."
Chen Chao looked at this heroic man in front of him and was silent for a long time. For some time, he did not know what he should say. But in the end, he still shook his head and said softly, "I'm not."
It was already not his first time saying something like this. But very clearly, no one would believe him.
The Warden smiled and turned to look at him and said, "Stay for a meal."
Chen Chao said seriously, "Better to take the things first."
……
……
At dusk, the horizon was a little red. That was the sunset glow.
The steward sent Chen Chao outside the door and watched him get on the horse carriage and enter the cabin.
The horse carriage slowly left the Warden office. Inside the cabin, Song Lian let down the curtains and said rather emotionally, "You're the first person that could stay in the Warden Office for so long."
Chen Chao retracted his gaze after Song Lian let down the curtains. Hearing him say so at this moment, he also said rather emotionally, "You definitely don't know the horror of that study room."
Song Lian stared at Chen Chao for a bit, it was also unknown what he was thinking about. But, he just took a waist token out of his bosom and passed it to Chen Chao, saying, "From today onwards, you're a member of my Divine Capital's Left Guard."
Chen Chao took that waist token and discovered to his shock that there were actually several large characters engraved on it.
Deputy Commander of the Divine Capital's Left Guard.
Chen Chao felt somewhat incredulous.
The commander of the Left Guard was primary fourth-grade. If he became a deputy commander, he would be secondary fourth-grade.
Song Lian smiled coldly and said, "What's so surprising? You can't be a warden now and you're also going to take part in the Myriad Willow Convention on behalf of my Warden Office. How can you not have an identity?"
Although Chen Chao knew long ago that his final outcome would be to return to the warden faction, he indeed did not expect that he could directly become the deputy commander of the Left Guard from a measly little local area warden.
This speed of promotion was seriously ridiculous.
"The official positions of the warden faction is decided by a word from Lord Warden in the first place. If he's willing, you can immediately become the commander of the Right Guard right now."
"Why isn't it the Left Guard?"
"You want to sit on Your Father's seat?"
"No... I was just asking."
A moment later, Chen Chao said rather worriedly, "Am I going to become your subordinate from now on and go to that whatever Left Guard to be a petty official?"
Song Lian laughed coldly, "If you feel that it's interesting like that, I can do a roll call every day."
Chen Chao was silent.
Song Lian glanced at him before saying, "It's just a fake position that's for show. You can't mobilize my Left Guard's people too. Don't get any ideas that you shouldn't have. But, I really got you a courtyard, take it as your official residence. It's just that looking at you, you don't seem like you'll want to go and take a look."
Song Lian chuckled, "Of course, I understand that you, kiddo, have a beauty to accompany you. Why would you be willing to live alone? It's fine, I'll keep the key for you and hire two women to tidy the place up for you. I also don't know if you'll get to stay in it. Maybe you'll climb up the career ladder rapidly and that courtyard will be left empty. At that time, I'll give it to someone else. Either way..."
Chen Chao deeply felt that way too and said with a nod, "Apart from the imperial city, where could be safer than the academy?"
Song Lian muttered to himself, "Not just that, right? It's likely because you can't find a prettier girl in the entire Divine Capital than the mistress of that small courtyard by the lake."
Chen Chao chuckled.
He was just thinking of those spirit medicines that he obtained earlier in the Warden Office. He had not tempered his body for a long time too and should also temper it.
But at present, the situation in the Divine Capital was so complicated. He indeed did not want to leave that small courtyard.
Song Lian suddenly said solemnly, "Kid, you took my money, shouldn't you be ready to do something?"
Chen Chao was taken aback. He immediately remembered something and said with a bitter smile, "I didn't expect that you're actually so urgent."
He was talking about what happened in the cabin before they came.
Song Lian said as a matter of course, "Life is short, I'm someone who is halfway buried in the ground already. Why wouldn't it be urgent at my age?"
Chen Chao closed his eyes in pain and thought to himself that what this warden said was filled with a beastly nature.
How offensive to the ear!
