22: Chapter 22

Lin Bufan watched him walk away, greeted Uncle Xiang, and then stepped out as well.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed.

On this day, Lin Bufan was chatting and laughing with Huo Xianer in the pavilion when Adjutant Zhang arrived again.

Lin Bufan greeted him:

"Adjutant Zhang, what instructions does Fo Ye have for me this time?"

Adjutant Zhang didn't waste any words and directly took out an appointment letter to hand over.

"This is what Mr. Lin requested."

"An appointment signed personally by the Provincial Government's military governor."

Lin Bufan took it and scanned it. Seeing the official seal of the Provincial Government on it, he nodded with satisfaction.

"Please thank Fo Ye for me."

"Please pass on a message for me: as soon as the medicinal ingredients arrive, I will immediately start making the hemostatic powder."

The two exchanged a few polite words, and Adjutant Zhang took his leave.

It was finally in his hands.

Although it was only a Security Regiment, a smile still appeared on Lin Bufan's face.

For Lin Bufan, this was merely the first step forward.

Given his current situation, a Security Regiment with a quota of one thousand men was likely the limit of what he could hold in the short term.

It was neither too much nor too little, just enough to make those harborers of ulterior motives feel uneasy.

Moreover, holding a thousand men in his hands, combined with the foundation of the Huo Family, Lin Bufan could finally manage to stand firm.

Most importantly, once the chaotic times arrived, having guns in his hands meant people would listen when he spoke, allowing him to protect the things he truly cared about.

"It's just a tiny Security Regiment, look at how happy you are…"

Huo Xianer saw Lin Bufan's expression and couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.

In her eyes, this Security Regiment couldn't even be considered a ragtag army and wasn't worth mentioning.

"What I care about isn't the Security Regiment itself, but the signboard…"

How could Lin Bufan not understand that the piece of appointment paper was, to put it plainly, a piece of waste paper.

But with this waste paper, he could legitimately recruit people and build a team, and no one could find fault with it!

"Since you have a plan in mind, husband, then go right ahead."

"Xianer will definitely stand on your side."

As soon as Huo Xianer said this, a surge of spirit ignited in Lin Bufan's eyes.

The appointment letter was already in his hand.

Next was recruiting soldiers and buying horses, waiting for Cox Hendry to deliver the equipment!

However, the only thing giving Lin Bufan a headache was that, aside from Feng Yuxiu, he really couldn't find anyone capable of managing the Security Regiment.

With Feng Yuxiu's skills, he was more than qualified to be an instructor.

But he was just a martial arts fanatic; to put it bluntly, he was a stubborn brute!

"It seems that for this Security Regiment matter, I still need to let Huo Qingxian lend a hand…"

"Once I find a suitable person later, I'll hand this mess over…"

Lin Bufan calculated in his mind, then turned his head to greet Huo Xianer:

"Xianer, since we're idle anyway, let's go find Huo Qingxian and chat."

Upon hearing this, Huo Xianer immediately guessed what he was planning.

But she didn't expose him, only nodded and said: "It just so happens I've been missing Sister Qingxian a bit."

The two hit it off immediately, and without further delay, they headed straight for Huo Qingxian's residence.

Seeing Lin Bufan and Huo Xianer arrive together, Huo Qingxian, who was practicing her Breathing Technique and trying hard to suppress the aura on her body, immediately stopped her movements.

Meanwhile, as soon as Huo Xianer saw Huo Qingxian's appearance, her eyes widened instantly.

"Sister Qingxian, did you, did you eat some kind of miraculous elixir…"

"How come it's only been a few days, and you look like a completely different person…"

As soon as Huo Xianer finished speaking, Huo Qingxian's gaze immediately shifted to Lin Bufan beside her.

She thought for a moment and asked: "Besides this person next to you, who else has this ability…"

"Husband…"

Thinking that all the changes in herself were because of Lin Bufan, and recalling the transformations she had undergone during this period, Huo Xianer suddenly understood in her heart.

"You two came over together, what's the matter again?"

As the saying goes, one doesn't visit without a reason. The moment she saw the two appear, Huo Qingxian already had an idea.

Lin Bufan didn't waste words; he directly pulled the appointment letter from his bosom and handed it over.

Huo Qingxian took it and scanned it, and the expression on her face changed immediately.

Compared to Huo Xianer, she knew much better how heavy the weight of this appointment letter was.

In the entire Nine Gates, among all the various forces, besides Great Buddha Zhang, it wasn't as if no one else had considered this idea.

Especially after the Qing Dynasty collapsed and the Republic of China era began, warlord forces emerged everywhere.

The local families in Changsha, including the Huo Family, had all tried to get a hand in it.

But in the end, none succeeded; not a single family could pull it off.

Instead, it was the outsider Zhang Qishan who sat in the position of Changsha garrison officer, holding the military power of the entire city.

He forcibly suppressed all the local snakes and became the head of the Nine Gates!

Huo Qingxian never expected that something the various forces and families of the Nine Gates couldn't touch previously had been so easily secured by Lin Bufan.

"Changsha has Zhang Qishan guarding it, and the Nine Gates forces control both the black and white paths…"

"On the surface, it seems stable, but the situation outside the city is not optimistic at all…"

"The situation will only get tighter in the future; who knows when a fight might break out…"

"With this force in our hands, if anything really happens, we can advance or retreat freely."

Watching the way Lin Bufan spoke, Huo Xianer and Huo Qingxian exchanged a quiet glance.

A glimmer of expectation flashed in both their eyes simultaneously.

However, Huo Qingxian soon curled her lips and looked at Lin Bufan with a smile:

"Alright, you've said so much, just say it straight: how do you want me to help you."

Lin Bufan wasn't polite either; he met Huo Qingxian's gaze and smiled:

"Hehe… I really do need to ask for your help, Qingxian…"

"Recruiting people is easy, and I have a candidate for training, which is Feng Yuxiu."

After saying this, Lin Bufan glanced at Huo Qingxian and added: "However, I haven't found anyone who can manage the Security Regiment for the time being."

"I'll have to trouble you to put some heart into this matter."

"I knew there wouldn't be any good news when you came."

After hearing this, Huo Qingxian rolled her eyes directly.

But after thinking about it, she spoke up: "I can help you find someone; let's get the Security Regiment set up first."

Lin Bufan was right just now; a mere Security Regiment didn't amount to much.

But if they could really hold such a force in their hands, whether for Lin Bufan or for the Huo Family, if they really encountered any emergencies, they would at least be able to advance or retreat freely.

Seeing Huo Qingxian nod, Lin Bufan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The matter of the Security Regiment was settled.

Next, Lin Bufan began teaching Huo Qingxian how to practice the Breathing Technique, how to control the power of her bloodline, and how to restrain the aura on her body.

Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, it was dark.

Huo Qingxian waved her hand: "It's already dark; do you two plan on lingering here?"

Before Lin Bufan could speak, Huo Xianer spoke first: "How about I go back first and let my husband stay to keep you company, Sister?"

As soon as these words were out, Huo Qingxian's expression changed immediately.

She quickly waved her hand: "No, no, no, I'm not feeling well these past few days."

Huo Xianer pursed her lips and smiled, then took Lin Bufan and took her leave.

Only a day later, Huo Qingxian found someone who could temporarily manage the Security Regiment.

Upon Lin Bufan's order, this person cooperated with Feng Yuxiu, and it only took three days to recruit the full one thousand men for the Security Regiment.

The number of people was even higher than the quota.

However, Lin Bufan didn't drive away the extra people.

He planned to let Feng Yuxiu train these people first, then keep the strong and eliminate the weak, retaining only one thousand men.

As for the barracks, Lin Bufan chose a piece of wasteland under the Huo Family's name.

That place was on the edge of Changsha, so it wouldn't affect the order inside the city.

The space was large enough, and if anything really happened, they could quickly assemble and react.

It was perfectly suitable to be used as the barracks for the Security Regiment.

Just as the big deal between Lin Bufan and Fo Ye was finalized and the Security Regiment was officially established.

The hemostatic powder business between the Security Regiment and the Third Branch had just gotten on the right track, but the other families of the Nine Gates were secretly in an uproar.

A broken Security Regiment didn't seem to have much weight, but in the eyes of these Nine Gates forces, it was like a stone thrown into a pond.

You must know, previously in the entire Nine Gates, only Zhang Qishan had troops in his hands and managed the public affairs of Changsha.

All the Nine Gates families were making a living under his nose.

Now, a Lin Bufan had suddenly popped up; although his Security Regiment couldn't even be considered a ragtag army, his status had suddenly flipped.

From now on, Lin Bufan was the military/official, and the families of the Nine Gates had become the thieves!

If he used his status to pressure people, who would dare to speak up?

This group of people had no choice but to run to Zhang Qishan one by one to complain.

Zhang Qishan had to say this and that to finally appease them.

Lin Bufan did have a Security Regiment in his hands, but all expenses for the regiment had to come out of his own pocket.

The situation in Changsha was still decided by Zhang Qishan; Lin Bufan couldn't interfere at all.

Furthermore, nominally, Zhang Qishan, as the garrison officer, was still Lin Bufan's direct superior.

Whatever little tricks the Nine Gates families were playing behind his back, Lin Bufan didn't take them to heart at all.

These days, besides accompanying Huo Xianer to check on the situation of her pregnancy, he would spend time with Huo Qingxian, or otherwise bury himself in cultivation, waiting for news from Cox Hendry.

After waiting for nearly a month, that Cox Hendry who had left Changsha finally returned.

As soon as he entered the city, without a word, he headed straight for Lin Bufan's place.

Lin Bufan was in the mansion teaching Huo Xianer the Breathing Technique, when Uncle Xiang came running over in a hurry.

"Master, Son-in-law…"

"Uncle Xiang, sit down and speak. What's the matter that's so urgent? Have some tea first."

Lin Bufan stopped what he was doing and poured a cup of tea for Uncle Xiang.

Uncle Xiang took the cup and quickly spoke: "Son-in-law, that foreigner who went to the hall with you last time said he has urgent matters to discuss with you and is waiting at the hall right now."

A sharp glint flashed in Lin Bufan's eyes: "Cox Hendry is back."

The Security Regiment under his command had been training for nearly a month and finally looked like something.

It was just that the equipment hadn't arrived, so they couldn't continue training; everything was waiting for Cox Hendry to deliver the gear.

After waiting so long, this foreign devil had finally shown his face.

Lin Bufan had looked calm on the surface during these days, but in his heart, he had actually been keeping a string tightened.

Now he could finally set his mind completely at ease.

"Xianer, you rest first; I'm going out for a bit."

After telling Huo Xianer, Lin Bufan took Uncle Xiang and headed straight for the hall.

"Mr. Lin, you've finally arrived."

Cox Hendry was waiting with a teacup, and as soon as he saw Lin Bufan appear, he immediately stood up to welcome him.

"One month; you really didn't take a day more or a day less, returning after exactly one month."

Lin Bufan walked up, shook hands with Cox Hendry, and couldn't help but mutter.