In the past, I always used to do everything myself, but now I've suddenly jumped into a life where the food just appears and the clothes are handed to me. Still, Shen Hao didn't think there was anything to get used to. Who can't get used to enjoying themselves? Where's all that fussiness come from!
The cook is a middle-aged widow—really efficient, too. She gets to the residence before dawn every day to work. Buying groceries and cooking are all her, and her skills aren't bad at all. At least the home-cooked dishes taste really authentic.
As for Xia Nu, she's mainly in charge of Shen Hao's daily chores, things like changing and washing clothes and drawing water for washing up or bathing—basically a maid.
But today, this little maid's pretty face is bright red, and she doesn't even dare look at Shen Hao, who's sitting upright in his chair having breakfast.
She's feeling embarrassed.
When Shen Hao got back last night it was already late, and when he came into the room he saw Xia Nu sprawled out fast asleep on his bed, her limbs in every direction. She'd even pulled the quilt tight around herself. That sight left Shen Hao stunned for several seconds.
He had to tug on this silly girl's pointy ears a few times just to wake her up.
A fox slave girl, actually falling asleep in her master's bed? If this were a cold-blooded household, she'd have been beaten to death for sure. You've gotta admit, this little chick's got some nerve!
"Uh, um… Master, I was waiting for you for so long last night that I just… just fell asleep without realizing it. I-I know I was wrong..."
Shen Hao put down his bowl, glanced at the blushing, somewhat nervous Xia Nu, and reflexively reached out to pinch her pointy ear again. He didn't use any force, just softly rolled the ear between his fingers. He noticed that as soon as he did this, Xia Nu would tremble all over—quite a funny sight.
"Try pulling this stunt again and I'll whip you. Got it?"
"Mm mm, Xia Nu gets it, I-I got it. It's ticklish!"
Shen Hao let go, leaned back in his chair, stopped Xia Nu as she was about to clear the bowls, and asked, "That girl you mentioned before, named Lin Xin'Er—is she still at the brokerage?"
"Huh? Oh! Master still remembers? She should still be there. Before I was brought here, I remember Ms. Xin'Er was learning the Qiang Xuan Dance. She said it would take at least two months to learn."
"Qiang Xuan Dance? The brokerage teaches that sort of thing?"
"Yeah, not just dancing, there's a lot to learn!"
"You learned too?"
"Me? Uh-huh."
"Qiang Xuan Dance?"
"No, it was… it was Charming Dance."
Shen Hao was stunned again. Charming Dance? He knew about that—it was technically dancing, sure, but really it's used for seducing men. He hadn't expected Xia Nu to have learned that at the brokerage!
"So why's Lin Xin'Er learning Qiang Xuan Dance?"
"Because she's pretty! The Dentist Steward always said Lin Xin'Er was a once-in-a-decade talent, couldn't just waste her. She needed to learn the best stuff, since they'd be sending her to a big mansion one day."
A good seed? A 'good seed' in the eyes of the Dentist Steward?
Suddenly Shen Hao understood why this Lin Xin'Er Xia Nu mentioned could keep breaking the brokerage's rules and still get by without a scratch. Turns out the brokerage people "couldn't bear" to waste such a fine specimen.
He'd heard before that the brokerage sometimes groomed top grade slaves for the big shots in the court. Looks like it was true after all.
"Sounds like you and Lin Xin'Er were close?"
"Yeah, we lived in the same room."
"Did she ever talk to you about her family?"
"She did, every time she'd end up crying a mess. Really pitiful."
"Do you still remember? Tell me about it."
"Um, she said her home's pretty far from Li City, it's called… called Yun something?"
"Yunyang."
"Right, right, Yunyang. Her dad was some high official at the Yunyang Government Office. She had several younger siblings, and some stepmoms too… Then her family got framed, some were beheaded, some sold off, the whole family was ruined in the blink of an eye…"
What Xia Nu said was pretty much the same as what Shen Hao had seen in the case files.
"Did she ever tell you who set her family up?"
"Um… I think so. It was… oh right, Zhang Kui! Lin Xin'Er even cursed that Zhang Kui, wished he'd die badly!"
Zhang Kui?
A totally unfamiliar name to Shen Hao. Still, it's good to have a name—it can be looked up gradually.
"Alright, if you remember anything else Lin Xin'Er said to you, tell me when I get home tonight."
"Mm mm, take care, Master."
...
When he reached the Public Office, Shen Hao took out the "Yunyang Smuggling of Forbidden Materials Case" files and checked them carefully again. He still found not a single word about "Zhang Kui."
He got a handyman from outside to bring Wang Jian in.
"Go look into Lin Haokun's background, including his history and any enemies or grudges he's got. Don't go through standard channels, especially not the old Xuanqing Guard routes. Work around it from the local side, and make absolutely sure no word leaks out."
"You think there might be spies from their side in the Garrison?"
"Not 'might'; there definitely are. We don't have the ability to build our own intel network yet, but we're not stupid enough to blow our cover either. Be careful."
"Understood, General Flag, don't worry. I have a few local friends in Yunyang. We've got good ties and they're trustworthy. I'll have them investigate discreetly for me."
"Good, make it quick."
After Wang Jian left, Shen Hao was preparing to go over the files again when—bang—the office door was flung open.
"Well, well! You really managed to borrow them all?"
The person who barged in was the Chief of the Jia Flag, Li Bing. He came in without a glance at Shen Hao, just clicked his tongue at the stacks of files in the room, face gloomy with a mocking edge.
"Chief Li, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Shen Hao sat in his chair and didn't get up, wearing a faint smile. He'd already guessed Li Bing would come looking for him—he was even arriving a bit later than Shen Hao expected.
"Shen Hao, who would've thought? You were just a little scumbag before, and now, in the blink of an eye, you're a General Flag? Feeling like you're on my level now?"
Seeing Shen Hao still sitting upright, Li Bing shot him a dark look, heavy with menace.
"Aren't I? Chief Li is a Senior Seventh Grade Flag Officer; so am I. Or do you feel I'm a rank below you? Heh, if that's the case, then there's no need to be so polite, is there?"
"Hmph, Shen Hao, sharp words won't help you. Do you have any idea you're courting disaster?"
"If you've got something to say, Chief Li, just say it. How exactly am I courting disaster?"
"Case files are Garrison secrets—they can be reviewed but not borrowed. Your office is stuffed with them—if anything goes wrong, can you take responsibility?"
"Ha! Lord Hundred Households gave permission, so no need for you to worry, Chief Li. If there's nothing else, please leave. I've got plenty of official work and no time to chat idly with you."
Li Bing's face instantly went stormy. He never imagined that Shen Hao, only a few days into his General Flag post, would show him no respect at all!
"Shen Hao! Are you really this clueless about how things work?"
"Chief Li, I know what you're really after. Yes, these files are all from your Jia Flag. But it doesn't mean I'm targeting your side—it's just routine work as part of the Black Banner Battalion's responsibilities. Once Jia Flag's review is done, the other flags will follow up in order.
As for whether I'm being clueless, Chief Li, I honestly don't care. I get paid to do my job, not to massage your ego.
Please see yourself out."