38: Pie in the sky

It all matched up! Everything matched up!

No wonder he could be ennobled as a Lord; it turns out he didn't just connect with the Great General, but even before that, he had ties with the Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial!

"To my two elder brothers, I will speak frankly and openly!"

"Brother Fan, I guarantee your promotion upon the completion of your five-year term. For the person behind me, this is trivial!"

"At the same time, you must also protect my brother's safety!"

Fan Changling, City Lord hesitated for a moment, not speaking, and Lin Yue did not press him. For a time, the only sound in the room was a pin dropping.

As a drop of sweat fell, Fan Changling, City Lord finally made up his mind!

"This subordinate will take the liberty of calling you Brother Lin!"

"Brother Lin, how likely is it that what you said about five years from now will succeed?"

Lin Yue smiled slightly and said, "Ten layers!"

Lin Yue seemed very relaxed.

Heh heh, let alone five years, historically, Great Qin would fall in just a few years!

At that time, you might not even want the official position of Great Qin!

For now, he could only use Han Tan's influence!

Inside the room, only Fan Changling, City Lord's faint breathing remained.

After a long period of contemplation, he suddenly slammed the table!

"I'll do it!"

Fan Changling, City Lord gasped, grimacing and shaking his hand, enduring the pain as he said, "Lord, this subordinate will do it!"

Lin Yue suppressed the excitement in his heart, his expression unchanged, and smiled slightly, "Brother Fan, from now on, you and I are as close as brothers."

"Lord..."

"Hey, Old Brother Fan, are you not recognizing me as your younger brother?" Lin Yue interrupted Fan Changling, City Lord.

Fan Changling, City Lord's face showed joy as he cupped his hands and said.

"Brother Lin, my life and fortune are entrusted to you!"

"Alas, we are one family, so let's not speak like strangers. Whether it succeeds or not still depends on you, Old Brother Fan!"

"My brother will do his utmost!" Fan Changling, City Lord said solemnly!

For a moment, the two seemed like close brothers.

But one person was left out.

"Lord, this subordinate, this subordinate..."

Chen Dubao, Commandant asked, bracing himself.

The two looked over at the same time, and Chen Dubao, Commandant became even more tongue-tied.

"What is the level of the Military Marquis's martial arts?" Lin Yue asked.

"This subordinate is unlearned and unskilled, barely at the Mid-Level Military General realm." Chen Dubao, Commandant felt somewhat ashamed.

"Military Marquis Chen, don't be offended, after all, my brothers in the palace cannot interfere with the local military, so..." Lin Yue paused, looking at Chen Dubao, Commandant.

"Military Marquis Chen's martial arts are strong, and serving as this Military Marquis is more than enough." Fan Changling, City Lord said.

After all, they had just secured one of the four unbreakable bonds of life. If they were to share some ill-gotten gains together, then within Crane Wild City, everyone would be of one mind, making things even more secure!

Lin Yue pretended to ponder, and Chen Dubao, Commandant felt a little uneasy at this moment.

The three of them were clearly together, but suddenly two of them became close, and he was left out, clearly intending to exclude him!

He didn't dare to report it upwards. Not to mention whether he could link the Mountain Bandit to the Lord, if Great General General Meng Tian wanted to protect him, or if news came from the palace, he would fall into an abyss of no return!

He didn't dare to gamble. Moreover, to him, Lin Yue was not just a simple Lord, but a stepping stone for him to advance!

"I dare not make the same promise to you as I did to Old Brother Fan."

"But I have a gift for you."

Lin Yue said, seven parts truth and three parts falsehood. A mix of truth and falsehood made it seem more real!

"What gift?" Chen Dubao, Commandant asked subconsciously, then immediately regretted it. How could he be so impatient? How could those words just come out!

"Military merits!"

"Military merits?" Fan Changling, City Lord and Chen Dubao, Commandant both exclaimed!

"Brother Lin, you can't just give that away!" Fan Changling, City Lord exclaimed.

Great Qin valued military merits the most. Killing innocents to claim merit was virtually nonexistent; every head had to be individually verified by the military's chief clerk. If the numbers didn't match, it was a matter of losing one's head!

The two of them were now ants on the same rope; they would prosper or suffer together. He was worried that Lin Yue, having suddenly become wealthy, might not know the gravity of the situation and ruin his future!

"Yes, military merits!"

"Since I and you two are brothers, then my brother is also your brother. As brothers, giving brothers some help within our means, isn't that what good brothers do!" Lin Yue said.

Chen Dubao, Commandant was utterly confused, not understanding why.

Blockhead! Lin Yue cursed inwardly!

"One hundred heads every month!"

"The people are on the mountain; you can kill or dismember them as you wish!"

Chen Dubao, Commandant's expression stiffened. He calculated carefully: one hundred heads a month, twelve months a year, a total of... Suddenly, he was patted. He saw Fan Changling, City Lord say to him, "Why aren't you thanking Brother Lin quickly!"

"This subordinate thanks Brother Lin, oh no, thanks Lord!" Chen Dubao, Commandant said!

"Just call me Brother Lin." Lin Yue smiled.

These twelve hundred people each year were his own merits. In five years, it would be six thousand people. By the time Fan Changling, City Lord was promoted, he too could move up, and it was even possible for him to become a Military Marquis by then!

"Lord, this subordinate is not good with words. I will only say one thing. That is, whatever the Lord commands, this subordinate will obey without question!"

"Old Brother Chen, there's no need for that. It's just that I have another brother here." Lin Yue smiled.

Fan Changling, City Lord secretly snorted. Just a moment ago, there was only one Mountain Bandit brother, and now there's another brother!

How many forces did he intend to embed!

However, he simply stopped thinking about it. As long as he was promoted in five years, it wouldn't matter to him how chaotic Crane Wild City became. In these times, who didn't have a few backers!

"You say it, I'll do it!" Chen Dubao, Commandant didn't think much and said directly.

"He has a dream of being in the military!"

"Let him come to me, I'll give him a Squad Leader position!" Chen Dubao, Commandant said without thinking. In the battle for Crane Wild City, the defenders were almost completely wiped out. Now, the entire Military Camp was filled with his own people, so this kind of thing was trivial to him.

Lin Yue shook his head.

"Lord, honestly, my brother, a Squad Leader commands five hundred men. Anything larger is a Military Marquis!" Chen Dubao, Commandant showed a troubled expression. There were only so many official hats; if he promised one, there would be one less.

"If I give him a Military Marquis position, that wouldn't be helping him, but harming him!

The military is built by fighting with swords and spears. Without merit or martial arts, the subordinates wouldn't be convinced either!" Chen Dubao, Commandant explained earnestly.

"That's also acceptable." Lin Yue smiled, acknowledging his words.

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room relaxed, and all three men smiled.

"I will be returning to the Military Camp soon. I don't know when I will be back next."

Lin Yue said, then pushed open the door and called Jiang Gan in.

"During this time, if you two have any questions, you can find him. He will answer them for you." Lin Yue introduced Jiang Gan to the two.

"Gan, greetings to the two sirs." Jiang Gan's expression was normal as he said with a smile.

"Please rise quickly. The Lord's subordinates are truly full of talent!" Fan Changling, City Lord looked at the handsome Jiang Gan and couldn't help but praise him.

"Not at all, not at all. I'm going to the Military Camp to exchange for some equipment. You two chat." Lin Yue smiled.

"Lord, wait, allow this subordinate to take you." Chen Dubao, Commandant said with a smile.

"Good, I trouble the Military Marquis."

"Not at all, Lord, please!"