But this young man before me was said to be a scholar, and his family was even poorer than mine. Yet now, he had risen above his station, becoming a chosen one, and was about to become a high-ranking noble.
Those were nobles, with fiefdoms and secure jobs that meant their lives were tied to the fate of the nation. Why couldn't I have such good fortune?
Upon hearing this, Lin Yang smiled slightly and said, "Thank you for your praise, my parents. Fei Peng's achievements today are merely due to good fortune. How can I compare to my parents, who govern a region and bring benefits to the people?"
The so-called "old parents" were actually a term of endearment for the county magistrate, a common way of addressing him. Lin Yang's use of "old parents" to address Hu Feng showed his sincerity. Even Hu Feng couldn't help but feel pleased.
However, recalling Lin Yang's impressive record, Hu Feng did not believe that this was simply a result of good luck.
Killing Wang Kun, killing Wang Hua, privately possessing armor and crossbows, and later even wiping out entire families without hesitation—these are not things that ordinary people can do; each of these is a capital offense.
It can be said that if Lin Yang were still that ordinary scholar, he would have been finished long ago. How could he be sitting here chatting and laughing with the magistrate?
"Hehe, in any case, my dear nephew's trip to the capital will surely be a great success, like a dragon entering the sea or a fish leaping over the dragon gate. Here are some small gifts for you in advance," Hu Feng said with a smile. Then, he took out a stack of silver notes from his sleeve.
These silver notes, each worth one hundred taels, are bearer notes issued by Dafa Money House, the most prestigious money house in the land. They are payable on demand, with no deception of the young or old. The total amount is approximately ten thousand taels of silver.
Seeing this, Lin Yang couldn't help but smile. This county magistrate was indeed no ordinary person, having risen from humble beginnings, without any background or wealth, to his current position.
Ten thousand taels of silver is neither a large nor a small sum for a county magistrate managing at least one hundred thousand households and a million people. But for Lin Yang at this moment, it was a considerable fortune. This is what venture capital is all about.
Hu Feng was optimistic about Lin Yang's future, so he invested ten thousand taels of silver. He believed that if Lin Yang succeeded and became a nobleman, Hu Feng would surely reap the rewards.
Moreover, Lin Yang believed that before heading to the capital, similar venture capital investments would increase significantly. After all, there were only so many Chosen Ones truly willing to be exposed to the light of day. In short, for the Chosen Ones, as long as they didn't die, they would eventually rise to prominence.
With such a promising future, who wouldn't want a piece of the pie? Even if they fail, it's only a few thousand taels of silver. But what if they succeed? A huge profit from a small investment!
"Uncle, you're too kind. Since that's the case, thank you very much," Lin Yang said with a smile, and then directly accepted the ten thousand taels of silver. Moreover, even his elderly parents were now addressed as his more affectionate uncle. This indicated that he accepted the favor.
Seeing Lin Yang readily accept the silver notes, Hu Feng nodded and then asked, "What are your plans next, my dear nephew? Are you going directly to the capital, or what?"
"Of course, we need to find some talented people first. Uncle knows that once we arrive in the capital, we will be heading to our fiefdom. At that time, both talent and money will be issues that need to be considered."
"Living in the capital is not easy. So, just in case, I plan to find some talented people in the county or prefectural city first. If I can recruit a few retainers or guests, that would be even better," Lin Yang said with a smile.
It can be said that the legend of the Chosen Ones has been circulating in this world for ten thousand years. Every Chosen One, as long as they don't die, is almost a living legend.
Take, for example, the Twenty-Eight Generals of Yuntai who assisted Emperor Guangwu in establishing the empire. Their families were still alive at that time. They were all powerful lords with fiefdoms, even though their fiefdoms were on the frontier and not very wealthy. But the prospect of being granted land and titles was a tremendous temptation in itself.
Upon hearing this, Hu Feng couldn't help but smile. "Haha, my nephew's move is truly shrewd. I have a favor to ask of you."
"Oh, what is it?"
"It's like this, I have a good-for-nothing son, he..."
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Chapter Twenty-One: Ambitious but Frail
With a series of rhythmic and powerful hoofbeats, a large red Han army flag fluttering in the wind came first. Beneath the flag stood more than ten proud, imposing, and valiant warriors.
Ahead of these dozen or so cavalrymen was a young general in white robes. Unlike his attendants, who were simply dressed in leather armor, this young general wore a white robe that billowed in the strong wind, making him quite conspicuous.
Beneath the white robe was an even more flamboyant suit of gleaming armor. The breastplate on its chest was polished to an unparalleled shine, remaining conspicuous even from a distance under the sunlight. Needless to say, this type of gleaming armor, popular only during the Sui and Tang dynasties, appeared so early, which was inseparable from the reincarnators.
At the same time, a horizontal sword was tucked into his waistband, and a bow and arrows hung from his saddle. In his hand, he held a twelve-foot-long red spear with a beautiful red tassel, and he rode a tall, white horse. The contrast between the two made him appear even more heroic.
Needless to say, this extremely flamboyant fellow is none other than Hu Yong, the troublesome son of Magistrate Hu.
Seeing this, Lin Yang was speechless. So flashy, riding a white horse, wearing such bright armor, and holding such a vivid red-tasseled spear, he really didn't know what death meant.
Suddenly, Lin Yang felt a toothache. He immediately said with a bitter face, "Um, Uncle, has this person been listening to too many storytelling performances? When others ride white horses and carry silver spears, wearing bright armor, it means they are of extraordinary strength, either fourth or fifth rank. That's why they deliberately dress like that so that everyone can see them, in order to boost their own morale and suppress the enemy's."
"However, this person's strength is only at the first level of perfection, which is just the perfection of skin refining, yet he is dressed like this. It wouldn't take many people, just a few skilled archers, to take his life. He's so conspicuous, he can't escape even if he wants to."
After saying that, Lin Yang felt a headache coming on. He could always assess the man's strength, personality, and luck later. If he really wasn't suitable, even if it meant offending the county magistrate, he wouldn't take such a person as a follower—wouldn't that be a trap?
Upon hearing this, Hu Feng couldn't help but smile wryly. He was aware of the problems Lin Yang had mentioned. But after all, he was his son, and he couldn't bear to discipline him.
At this moment, Hu Yong had already arrived in front of Lin Yang. Under his control, the white warhorse reared up. The entire horse was almost standing on two legs. Then, with a thud, its front hooves landed heavily on the ground. The impact seemed to shake the ground beneath its feet.
That was a decent move, at least the horsemanship wasn't bad, but if you're thinking of using it as a show of force, Lin Yang can only say you're overthinking it.
They were now very close. Hu Yong opened his eyes wide and scrutinized Lin Yang as if there were flowers on his face.
"So what if you're some kind of chosen one? It's not a big deal, is it?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Yang began to scrutinize Hu Yong more closely. He looked quite inexperienced, probably only thirteen or fourteen years old this year, truly a young man. He had only recently outgrown childhood; if this were in later times, he would still be in the rebellious phase of adolescence.
Therefore, Lin Yang could tolerate the child's nonsense. However, although he was very young, he was incredibly strong. Despite being only thirteen or fourteen years old, he was already seven feet tall, and his muscles were explosive.
Upon closer inspection, even his fingers were smooth as jade, without a single callus. Lin Yang knew this was a sign of perfected skin training. This meant that although the boy was young, his foundation was very solid. At least, he hadn't cheated or slacked off, which was enough for a young man.
"Not bad, so young, yet such a solid foundation. Not arrogant or impatient, it's just that your cultivation technique is a bit lacking, and you lack practical combat experience. I bet you haven't even seen blood yet," Lin Yang said, speaking with the air of someone who's been there, full of advice.
However, the more Hu Yong talked, the angrier he became, his face turning completely black. It's likely that if his father, Hu Feng, hadn't been standing nearby, he would have immediately shot Lin Yang.
Seeing this, Lin Yang couldn't help but nod. Not bad, his temper is passable. Although he was very angry, he managed to hold back and didn't explode on the spot. If his fate and luck weren't too bad, it wouldn't be a bad idea to nurture him properly. Thinking this, Lin Yang began to examine Hu Yong's luck.
"His destiny is a third-tier yellow destiny, which means that he will not encounter any major problems before he grows into a third-tier expert in the future."
"His luck is second-tier red, but it's only light red. That's understandable, after all, his father is just a county magistrate, and his family isn't a prominent clan. To have light red luck is already the result of his own efforts."
"This shows that even without any extraordinary encounters, he can smoothly grow into a second-tier expert. In a small county town, a second-tier expert is already considered a top-tier master."
Thinking about it this way, Lin Yang felt that this young man still had a lot of potential. With just a little manipulation, a combination of kindness and severity, to help him break through to the second stage and teach him a set of techniques, he could directly take him as a disciple. Then, when the master was in trouble, wouldn't it be only natural for the disciple to serve him?
"Nephew, your foundation is solid, it's just a pity. If you had been born into a prominent family, you might have already broken through to the second tier by now," Lin Yang said, shaking his head.
Upon hearing this, Hu Yong suddenly shouted, "So what if I wasn't born into a prestigious family? Does that mean there's no chance for a poor family to rise above others? Even if there isn't, I, Hu Yong, will forge my own path."