Wuxia: Drinking with Spring Breeze

"Of course, if you wish to be a Head of a Thousand Households like Shen, who awaits real achievements, that is another matter altogether!"

This indeed was a conversation that could only happen behind closed doors.

Yang Ge, as if chewing over his words, asked, "How so?"

After a long moment of contemplation, Fang Ke answered, "I can’t say for sure, Shen... his heart harbors mountains and rivers, he never needs orders from superiors on what to do and what needs to be done; he has it all accounted for in his mind!"

"To say something that might make you laugh, I have followed Shen here and there for more than two years, yet it seems I have never fully understood how Shen acts."

"The cases that his lordship has handled, in my eyes, are mostly thankless, dirty, and exhausting tasks."

"If done well, no one displays his merits; if botched, plenty are there to kick him when he’s down."

"While others hide away as if their parents had given them too few legs, his lordship always steps forward with his neck outstretched!"

"Many times, we nearly didn’t make it back..."

"Yet his lordship always embraced the challenge eagerly, rushing towards it whenever arises!"

"To speak heart-to-heart, when others get promoted, their brothers below them can’t help but be envious!"

"But when Shen gets promoted, his brothers genuinely respect and accept it wholeheartedly!"

"You are the same!"

"Other brothers might not know of the great things you’ve accomplished, but I do!"

"With the great deeds you’ve done, if I were in your place, even with ten heads to risk, I couldn’t tackle those who wear human skins but lack human hearts!"

"Sometimes I wonder, maybe this is why you and Shen could become friends!"

These flatteries had been wandering in his mind for some days now.

He truly felt that these two brothers were very much alike.

Only...

One acts with mild yet resolute manner.

The other acts boldly yet with kindness.

’Friends, eh?’

Yang Ge pondered over this word and after a long while, he lightly smiled.

Without thinking deeply, he just regarded Shen Fa as a foe, the kind that never brings good news upon meeting.

But on further reflection, he and Shen Fa might indeed be considered friends... toxic friends are still friends, aren’t they?

Take, for instance, the recently concluded case of the three major grain merchants hoarding scandalously.

He strived to pass the knife handle towards the capital, yet he never managed the unpredictable clouds and waves there.

It was because he firmly believed that Shen Fa would understand his intentions, would catch the knife handle he passed over.

In fact, Shen Fa did not disappoint him...

Although Shen Fa never mentioned to him the pressures he endured in the capital,

Yang Ge could figure out with his toes how difficult it must have been for him to bring this case to the royal court.

Even Fang Ke knows that the three major grain houses are the money bags of countless corrupt officials; cutting off someone’s financial path is akin to killing their parents, could Shen Fa not know that?

Yang Ge may always remember his words, "I want to be that kind of person."

"I understand!"

He smiled and nodded, "What you mean to say is that, in the position of a Head of a Thousand Households, if one wishes to idle away time, they can do so, but if they wish to achieve something, that is also possible, right?"

The lower limit is very low, but the upper limit is very high.

This is his understanding of the position of a Head of a Thousand Households in the Embroidered Uniform Guards.

Fang Ke bowed, "Sir, your insight is piercing, clear as day; my admiration for you is like..."

"Stop it!"

Yang Ge waved his hand, "Are you out of words, lad?"

Fang Ke:...

Both bosses don’t accept flattery, what to do? Waiting online, quite urgent...

Yang Ge: "The matter of the three major grain houses, you also contributed; within my powers..."

He picked up the just acquired "Handbook for a Thousand Households" and perused it closely.

Listening to this, Fang Ke felt like his heart was being scratched by a cat’s claw, and he couldn’t help but softly remind him, "Sir, from the overall flag and below, you can decide with a single word, but since you are newly appointed, promoting a batch that are handy would be expected, just recommend them to the Xiang Family house, the house won’t brush off your face..."

"Sounds troublesome!"

Yang Ge closed the manual in his hand, pretended and said thoughtfully, "Let’s discuss this later then!"

Fang Ke’s face fell, and he bitterly bowed and said, "I obey the command."

"Hahaha..."

Yang Ge laughed out loud, "Alright, stop pretending; who are you performing for? I will recommend you to the Xiang Family to be tested as a deputy Head of a Hundred, and you’ll be in charge of the selection and construction work of the upper-right office building!"

"How you handle it, I don’t care!"

"Just remember, one must not oppress others, two must not disturb the public, and three must not go over budget."

"If handled well, I’ll consider removing that ’test’ from your title."

"If not, just go back and honestly continue as your general flag."

Overjoyed, Fang Ke immediately bowed deeply in gratitude, the words of thanks spilling out as if they cost him nothing, "Sir, the nurturing and support you have shown me, I will always remember in my heart, and never dare to forget. Whether it’s charging into battle, diving into fire, or as trivial as leading horses and holding swords, Fang Ke will never shirk from death!"

Yang Ge gestured with a wave of his hand, "Okay, let’s avoid these life-and-death talks, brother. I only have one demand for working with me: one must stay alive, the work must be well done, and furthermore, you should take some time to ponder your martial arts; achieving Inner Strength and sitting as a Head of a Hundred still somehow lacks conviction!"

At that moment, Fang Ke felt himself overflowing with energy, excited to the point of almost babbling, "Sir, this isn’t mere flattery, our old Fang Family has been in the Embroidered Uniform Guards since Emperor Taizu’s era, diligently enduring through five generations, and only yielded a seventh-rank general flag for my father. Until my generation, it finally produced a sixth-rank—" he said, greatly elevating the prestige of the Fang Family...