Chapter 124 Supplementing the Royal Guard

Old Zhang and Old Zhou helped the old horse, which was almost limp, up to the room above.

"What exactly did that guy surnamed Zhang say to Old Ma last night? Why did he get so drunk?"

"It can't be a nice thing to say, otherwise he wouldn't be so worried."

The three men carried Old Ma onto the table in the room, then called the waiter to bring two heaters to light before closing the door.

Lin Changning took a towel from the basin, wet it, and slapped it on Old Ma's face. The cold water jolted Old Ma awake. After opening his eyes and regaining his senses for a moment, he saw Old Zhang and asked in confusion, "Old Zhang?"

Old Zhang sighed and sat down beside him: "Awake? What did that guy surnamed Zhang say to you last night? He didn't even go home, and he's been drinking alone and standing in the cold wind all night. What's wrong?"

Old Zhou remained silent, sitting opposite Old Ma and waiting for his explanation. Old Ma roughly wiped his face with a towel and mumbled, "That guy surnamed Zhang wants to take Third Sister as his concubine..."

Old Zhang glared and said, "His grandma is shameless. She should take a piss and look at herself in the mirror to see what kind of person she is."

Old Zhou poured himself a cup of hot tea to warm his hands: "Didn't we say we'd send Third Sister away in a few days? Was it really necessary to get so drunk?"

Lin Changning looked at Old Ma curiously. Old Ma covered his face, his voice tinged with helpless sobs: "I can't send her away. That son of a bitch threatened me with Da Lang and Er Lang. If I don't send San Niang over, he..."

Lin Changning suddenly looked up, anger flashing in his eyes. Old Zhang slammed his hand on the table and cursed, "Is there no law anymore! He says he'll take someone as a concubine, and that's it? Does he think we're all fish on a chopping board?!"

Old Zhou's brow furrowed with worry: "Old Ma, what are you thinking? Are you really going to send your daughter over there?"

Old Ma covered his face, his broken voice spilling out from between his fingers: "Both my children are my flesh and blood. We are military households. My two children couldn't escape. It's all my fault for being a coward. I'm spineless. Today I really want to kill that bastard, but I don't dare. I'm worried about implicating my family."

Lin Changning looked at the sobbing Old Ma and sighed, "Old Ma, if you send Third Sister over there, she won't have any chance of survival."

Old Zhang nudged Lin Changning with his elbow: "Changping, stop saying hurtful things."

Lin Changning frowned: "Why not call him the Crown Prince? Perhaps he can get some connections."

A glimmer of hope flashed in Lao Ma's eyes as he suddenly looked at Lin Changning: "Yes, yes, ask the commander again. Perhaps the commander still has a way."

Lin Changning stood up and nodded: "I will go find the Crown Prince."

After saying that, he turned and went out the door, preparing to go to the Thousand Household Office. Since moving out of the garrison last time, Qi Rong and Qi An'an had been living in the Thousand Household Office. Recently, they would go back after their shifts, presumably because they did not want to see Zhang Bo.

Lin Changning rubbed his hands together and covered his ears as he jogged towards the garrison. It was very cold, and the sooner he got someone there, the less he would suffer from the cold. After showing his waist tag to the soldiers at the gate and getting in smoothly, Lin Changning found his way to Qi Rong's residence. He saw Qi Ming on night duty at the gate and waved to him: "Is the young master here?"

Qi Ming leaned against the wall and greeted them, "A rare guest indeed, coming so late? The young master is inside, please allow me to announce your arrival."

Lin Changning nodded and stood at the door, stamping his feet to try to warm himself up. Qi Ming was about to push the door open when he heard Qi Rong's voice from inside: "Is that Liu Lang? It's cold outside, come in and warm up."

Qi Ming stepped aside to help Lin Changning open the door and gestured with his head: "Come in."

Lin Changning entered the room with a smile, and before closing the door, he casually stuffed a handful of spiced peanuts into Qi Ming's hand and whispered, "Eat these while on duty at night, they'll taste really good."

Lin Changning entered the room and saw Qi Rong and Qi An'an, one big and one small, getting off the bed. Qi An'an, still rubbing her sleepy eyes, shook her little paws and yawned to greet her: "Sixth Brother~"

Lin Changning hesitated to approach, watching Qi Rong get out of bed wearing his clothes. He poured Qi Rong a glass of warm water and gestured, "Sit down, Liu Lang, have some water to warm up." Lin Changning nodded without ceremony, sat down, and looked at Qi Rong's handsome face, which was slightly flushed from the warmth of the room, and hesitated, "Second Brother, would it be convenient for you to come out with me?"

Qi Rong was a little puzzled, but he still nodded, stood up, and prepared to put on his clothes: "Is it urgent?"

Lin Changning pursed his lips, his expression somewhat grim: "Tonight, that man surnamed Zhang approached Old Ma, demanding that Third Sister become his concubine, or he would harm Old Ma and his two sons."

Qi Rong frowned, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes: "He threatened Lao Ma?"

"Hmm." Lin Changning nodded in response, watched Qi Rong get dressed, and took a sip of water from her teacup.

"Old Ma is crying his eyes out and is at the Qu family tavern. Old Zhang and Old Zhou are with him, so I came to find you and asked you for some advice, Second Brother."

Qi Rong nodded, quickly dressed, grabbed a cloak, and was about to leave. Qi An'an was now awake and wanted to get out of bed with her eyes open. Qi Rong glared at her and said, "You stay home and continue sleeping. I have important business to attend to."

Qi An'an pouted, said "oh," and obediently crawled back into bed. Lin Changning was about to go out when Qi Rong turned around, pulled off a purple cloak, and threw it to Lin Changning: "Put this on before you go out, or your face will turn red from the cold."

Lin Changning, whose face was covered by the cloak, caught the cloak that had slipped off and put it on: "Thank you, Second Brother."

The two opened the door and hurried towards the tavern. Qi Rong pondered for a moment and asked, "What does Old Ma think?"

Lin Changning pursed his lips: "He probably wants to get Third Sister..." Lin Changning couldn't finish his sentence. Both his sons were his flesh and blood, and Old Ma was also in a dilemma. He wanted to protect his daughter, but he couldn't just watch his son die. There were many tricks in the garrison. Both of his sons were in the army. If the man surnamed Zhang really wanted to, it wouldn't be difficult for him to find a mistake or two and take someone's life.

However, if she sent her daughter over, Ma San Niang's fierce nature would probably prevent her from surviving the night.

Qi Rong nodded to indicate that he understood: "Actually, there are other ways, so it doesn't have to be a choice between the two."

Lin Changning asked in confusion, "What does Second Brother mean?"

Qi Rong smiled and shook his head, saying, "Sixth Brother is muddle-headed. If you're smart, you know to come to me for advice. But if you're muddle-headed, you've forgotten who I am. Both of his sons are in the garrison. More than half of my personal guards have died in battle, and I haven't been able to replace them. It's still possible to pick a few from the border troops to fill the positions of my personal guards."

Lin Changning hesitated: "Won't this be very troublesome?"

Qi Rong shook his head and pulled his cloak tighter around himself: "Fortunately, my personal guards were all selected by the King of Chu from the military examinations held in his fiefdom. Besides the military examinations, they were also selected from the sons of noble families, but that option definitely won't work. However, the last option works: selecting them from hereditary military officers."

Old Ma, being a commander of a thousand men, had two sons who just met the requirements. All he needed to do was submit a letter to the Ministry of War with their information, and the court's appointments would be issued in two months at most. If they couldn't wait, he could simply take them away. Once the letter was sent, the Zhang family couldn't do anything about it. Not only Old Ma's sons, but all of you whose descendants were in the garrison could be transferred to my personal guard.”

Lin Changning exhaled a puff of hot air: "Old Zhang and they can do it, so I don't need to."

After saying that, he spread his hands and shrugged: "I'm still a junior."