Chapter 28: Still Too Green

The Lin family resided on the southern edge of Iron Ox Town. As one of the most prominent clans in the area, their estate was naturally extraordinary. Qin Feiyang had visited many times before and approached the grand gates with practiced ease.

Today, the Lin residence was festooned with lanterns and banners, brimming with festive cheer. The two Lin family servants standing guard on either side of the entrance wore broad smiles. However, the moment they caught sight of Qin Feiyang approaching, their faces drained of color as if they had seen a ghost.

“Where is Lin Baili?” Qin Feiyang’s gaze swept over them, cold and indifferent. “Did he not say this morning he would personally greet me here? Where is he now?”

In the past, these two had often mocked and belittled him, emboldened by their master's power. Naturally, Qin Feiyang saw no reason to be cordial.

“Young Master Lin is inside, entertaining the guests,” one of them stammered hastily. In truth, Lin Baili had only just returned and was still changing his clothes.

“I have always despised those who break their word. Since he lacks sincerity, I see no reason to enter,” Qin Feiyang said, turning to leave.

“Young Master Qin, we’re only servants—please don’t make things difficult for us,” they pleaded, blocking his path. “Yes, yes, I’ll go inform Young Master Lin at once.”

Had this been before, they would have already shown their displeasure. Now, they dared not.

Yet Qin Feiyang’s expression only grew colder. “Step aside!” His words were like frost, and a palpable, awe-inspiring aura radiated from him. The two servants trembled, body and soul.

Just then, a gentle chuckle sounded. Lin Baili strode out from within the residence, dressed in a brand new violet robe. He stood atop the steps outside the main doors, bowing with a graceful smile. “Brother Qin, my apologies. I was so busy I nearly forgot about you. If I have been remiss in my duties, I beg your forgiveness.”

“Is that so?” Qin Feiyang’s lips curled into a faint smile. “For a moment, I thought you were simply too important to remember such things.”

“How could that be? The moment I remembered, I came out right away to greet you. Brother Qin, it was my negligence that led to this oversight. Please, do not trouble the servants any further—they have a difficult job in the Lin household,” Lin Baili sighed.

The two servants nodded repeatedly, their hearts full of gratitude. What a good master this Young Lord Lin was! In contrast, Qin Feiyang seemed arrogant and overbearing, his behavior the very image of a petty man drunk on power.

A sharp glint flashed in Qin Feiyang’s eyes. As a prince of the Great Qin Empire, he had seen every type of person—how could he not see through Lin Baili’s double-edged words?

“If you want to play games, then I will play along to the end,” Qin Feiyang thought coolly. Looking at Lin Baili, he nodded. “You’re right. These men toil tirelessly for your family, yet their monthly pay is pitiful. Why not be generous and give them a raise?”

The two servants exchanged glances, a sense of grievance rising in their hearts. Qin Feiyang spoke the truth. They gave their all for the Lin family, but in the eyes of others, they were nothing more than the Lin household’s watchdogs. Yet their monthly wage amounted to only five Body Tempering Pills. The balance between effort and reward was laughably skewed.

Worse yet, that miserly steward always found excuses to dock their pay; at best, they received three pills per month. The Lin family had never truly regarded them as people.

Lin Baili’s body stiffened at these words, the smile on his face growing strained. He had thought Qin Feiyang was all brawn and no brains, but now realized his opponent was not only shrewd but had just turned the tables on him.

A pay raise? Such a move would harm the family’s interests—how could he possibly agree?

“What’s wrong?” Qin Feiyang pressed. “Is Young Master Lin unwilling to raise their wages? If so, I truly pity them.”

Lin Baili’s face twitched, feeling as though he had stumbled into a trap of his own making.

Seeing this, Qin Feiyang’s eyes flashed with mockery as he continued, “Why so silent, Young Master Lin? Or is this beyond your authority? If so, just pretend I never said anything.”

Lin Baili’s face contorted even more, regret surging within him. Had he known Qin Feiyang would be this difficult, he would never have tried to provoke him. He had dug his own pit and jumped in. Especially with the faint, knowing amusement in Qin Feiyang’s gaze, Lin Baili found himself growing inexplicably angry.

“Who says I can’t make such decisions?” he snapped. “From now on, all Lin family servants will have their wages doubled!”

The two servants immediately fell to their knees, tears of gratitude streaming down their faces. A raise—double, no less! That meant ten Body Tempering Pills each month from now on. This was truly a blessing.

But it also meant that in this contest of wits, Lin Baili had suffered a complete defeat.

“Qin Feiyang, you bastard, don’t get smug—the real drama is yet to come,” Lin Baili thought coldly, though on the surface he remained affable, leading Qin Feiyang toward the reception hall. The two servants looked after Qin Feiyang with heartfelt thanks.

And as news spread from one servant to another, the entire Lin household was soon abuzz with gossip. The word even reached the family head.

“We have several hundred servants in the Lin family. If everyone’s pay is doubled, how many Body Tempering Pills will that cost us each month? This is sheer madness!” the patriarch fumed, turning to the steward at his side. “Go fetch Baili. I want to know why he made this decision.”

Lin Yong hesitated, then said softly, “Patriarch, Young Master Baili is entertaining guests right now. It may not be appropriate to summon him. Besides, he was sent here by the main branch—we, as a mere offshoot, cannot afford to offend him.”

“Still, I must get to the bottom of this. We can’t just lose so many pills for no reason,” the patriarch insisted.

Lin Yong nodded in agreement. “All right, I will fetch him. But you must keep your temper—after all, we still rely on the main branch for Yi Yi’s future.”

“I understand,” the patriarch replied, taking a deep breath to suppress his anger. Lin Yong then hurried away.

Meanwhile, in a corridor, Qin Feiyang looked everywhere with undisguised curiosity. Lin Baili, brows deeply knit, urged him on impatiently, “Brother Qin, these flowers and shrubs are everywhere—you can see them on any mountainside. What’s so interesting? Hurry up, the Third Hall Master and the others are waiting.”

Since entering the Lin residence, Qin Feiyang had shown no hurry to reach the reception hall. Instead, he wandered as if he were a bumpkin who had never seen the world, pausing here and there to gawk, which greatly irritated Lin Baili.

Qin Feiyang chuckled, “These flowers and plants may be ordinary, but every time I see them, I am amazed by their beauty. Just looking at them is a pleasure—something a pampered playboy like you could never understand.”

Lin Baili’s brow furrowed, a flicker of anger in his eyes. He was sensitive to the term “pampered playboy.”

“Very well, I’ll admire them another time. Let’s go to the reception hall,” Qin Feiyang relented.

Lin Baili snorted and strode ahead in silence.

“You’re far too green to play mind games with me,” Qin Feiyang thought, following unhurriedly, a trace of disdain flickering in his eyes as he watched Lin Baili’s back.

The reception hall was lavishly decorated—gilded, resplendent, adorned with carved beams and painted rafters. Jewels and jade of the highest quality were displayed in profusion, imbuing the entire room with an air of opulence.

The Third Hall Master, the Master of the Martial Hall, the head of the Zhao family, and a dignified, beautiful woman sat around a tea table, chatting as they sipped their tea. Four youths stood behind them—two boys and two girls, all about fifteen or sixteen, the boys handsome and the girls lovely, each with an extraordinary bearing.

“My apologies for keeping you waiting,” Lin Baili said with a graceful laugh as he entered, earning the admiration of the assembled dignitaries.

As for Qin Feiyang, he merely glanced around before seating himself alone, speaking to no one and seeming out of place.

The elegant lady smiled, “Baili, I didn’t expect you to be so considerate to your servants.”

Lin Baili looked puzzled.

She continued, “Word of your decision to raise the servants’ wages has already reached us. We all admire your generosity and style.”

Lin Baili replied with a lofty smile, “In my eyes, they are not servants but family. How could I treat them poorly?” His words sounded noble, but inwardly he burned with rage, wishing he could kill Qin Feiyang.

“Utter hypocrisy,” Qin Feiyang thought, casting a look of undisguised contempt.

At that moment, Lin Yong entered the hall, greeted the guests politely, and whispered a few words into Lin Baili’s ear. Lin Baili frowned almost imperceptibly, then rose with a smile. “Please excuse me—I have a private matter to attend to. Make yourselves at home.”

The four nodded in understanding.

Once Lin Baili and the steward had left, the elegant lady turned to Qin Feiyang with a smile. “Young man, who would have guessed how well you could hide your talents? If not for what happened this morning, we might never have known you were a martial genius.”

Qin Feiyang replied with a faint smile, “This paltry ability of mine is hardly worth the attention of the Pavilion Mistress.”

This woman was Luo Qianxue, master of the Treasure Pavilion. Though a woman, her skill and power rivaled those of the Third Hall Master and the Martial Hall Master.

Luo Qianxue shook her head, laughing. “When both the Martial Hall and the Pill Hall are vying for you, there’s no need for modesty!”

The Martial Hall Master joined in, “Qin Feiyang, will you reconsider?”

The Third Hall Master promptly added, “Join my Pill Hall, and I promise you an unlimited future.”

Yet Qin Feiyang only smiled, a hint of disdain on his lips. The Third Hall Master and Martial Hall Master were not offended, but the two youths behind them frowned, thinking Qin Feiyang was excessively arrogant.

Meanwhile, the Zhao family head, Luo Qianxue, and the two young ladies behind them exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming with interest.

This Qin Feiyang, they thought, is quite intriguing.