Chapter 8: A Toast to Celebrations Before Great Events

Wang Lu sneered inwardly. He was now one hundred percent certain that Guo Zhen’s intentions were malicious; otherwise, he would never have asked him such a question. This was bordering on humiliation.

However, it was clear that Guo Zhen was not humiliating Wang Lu merely for the sake of it. He intended to break Wang Lu’s self-esteem to test his stance and determine if he could be made to serve him—or the person behind him.

A fool. Guo Zhen could not have imagined that the very next day, after recruiting for his master, he would be silenced by that same master. It is fine to be a dog, but you must choose your master wisely; otherwise, when the cunning rabbit is caught, the hunting dog is cooked. That end is far worse than just muddling through life.

Fortune favors the bold. With turmoil brewing in the capital, Wang Lu had prepared himself to snatch victory from the jaws of danger. Therefore, his stance was clear: he would never be a dog. If he were to be anything, he would be a man. This was not just for the sake of dignity, but more importantly, for his own interests.

Serving Prince Xin would inevitably lead to a bad end. During the Chongzhen era, there were many loyal generals and capable ministers, yet their fates were all tragic. Furthermore, Prince Xin was excessively suspicious. He had finished accumulating his strength and was preparing to make his move for the throne. Even if Wang Lu joined now, he would not earn any great merit; instead, he would likely be silenced after being ordered to perform some unspeakable, dirty deeds.

More importantly, once Prince Xin ascended the throne, the Imperial Guard, to which Wang Lu belonged, would be disbanded. If Wang Lu joined Prince Xin’s faction as a subordinate, he would have no way to change the Prince’s mindset.

Still, he had already prepared an exit strategy. If the plan failed, he would flee and conclude the main quest, even if the rewards were heavily discounted. Thinking of this, a smile of quiet confidence played on Wang Lu’s lips.

Realizing his reaction, he quickly composed himself, cupped his hands, and said, "I have a bond with the Eunuch, and Battalion Commander Lu has looked after me very well over these years. If it were anyone else asking me to give my life for them, I would have to think about it. But if the two of you have a request, I will never hold back this brute strength of mine!"

Wang Lu’s tone was resolute, deeply moving Guo Zhen. However, Lu Wenzhao asked with a smile, "Eunuch Guo asked who you would give your life for. Isn't that response a bit beside the point?"

"Not at all," Wang Lu shook his head. "That, in fact, is my answer."

Guo Zhen seemed not to understand, still smiling as he said, "Brother Wang Lu has learned to speak in riddles. Hahaha, have you been visiting temples lately?"

Wang Lu smiled slightly. "I, Wang Lu, will never give my life for anyone. I only live for myself. In this world, everyone else is 'someone else'; only you are yourself."

"Well, that makes even less sense to me. Battalion Commander Lu, do you understand?" Guo Zhen laughed.

Lu Wenzhao did not laugh. He narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "I once told you that we needed to find a new way to live. At the time, you said that one needed power to truly change their way of life. But have you ever considered that we nearly died back then, and to have survived is already a blessing from heaven? If we only live for ourselves, how can we face the brothers who died? How can we face the common people of the world?"

These words were grand and righteous, the kind that could easily be used to manipulate others into throwing their lives away.

Faced with such a question from the moral high ground, Wang Lu maintained his earnest expression, adding a hint of mockery: "I didn’t know that was what you meant by a 'new way of life,' Battalion Commander. Your greatness needs no elaboration, but I am merely an ordinary man. All I want is for myself and those around me to live well. As for the common people—let alone my inability to consider them, the key issue is: what right do I have to consider them? That is the concern of the Emperor and the high-ranking ministers."

"I am an Imperial Guard. My job is to help the Emperor purge the country of treacherous officials. More precisely, I am merely a blade; a blade should not have thoughts of its own."

"And the talk of power I once shared now seems a bit childish to me."

"When I returned to the capital, full of ambition, thinking that since I had killed three Jin soldiers, I would at least receive some reward, I was only given the position of a junior officer and hadn't even seen a single tael of silver. If it weren't for the family assets left by my father, and the care provided by Eunuch Guo and Battalion Commander Lu, it would have been difficult for me to even be promoted to a commander, let alone a deputy battalion commander."

Wang Lu sighed. "I have finally understood: what is power? Power is the qualification to get things done. And the qualification to care for the common people of the world belongs only to the Emperor and the ministers. As for us... at least, I dare not harbor such thoughts."

When he finished, the atmosphere became heavy. The room was deathly quiet.

"Hahaha, Brother Wang Lu has a point. Battalion Commander Lu, I think sometimes you don't see things as clearly as Wang Lu does." Guo Zhen suddenly burst into laughter. "One needs qualifications to act, and power is the qualification to act. These words perfectly capture the essence of power. I think you should stop giving Brother Wang Lu these grand, empty speeches. Let’s drink!"

Lu Wenzhao paused, noticing Guo Zhen giving him a slight shake of the head. He forced a laugh and said, "Heh, as you say, Eunuch."

With that, led by Guo Zhen, the three continued to drink. The wine consumed by the ancients was primarily yellow wine, and what Lu Wenzhao provided was from the Jiangzhe region.

The Ming Dynasty had two centers: the North in Beijing and the South in Nanjing. Every year, Nanjing transported supplies to Beijing, and most of the grain and exquisite artifacts came that way. Otherwise, Beijing could not have supported so many princes and nobles.

Although Wang Lu was no connoisseur, the yellow wine was sweet without being cloying, with a rich fragrance—clearly a top-tier vintage. This was one of the benefits Lu Wenzhao had gained after defecting to Prince Xin.

Wang Lu rose slightly to pour the wine, playing the part perfectly. In front of these two, even if Wang Lu had saved their lives, he had to keep a low profile. Kindness must be remembered by the recipient; if the savior constantly brings it up and positions themselves as a benefactor, the only outcome is being discarded like a worn-out tool. Wang Lu understood these principles.

As the drinking reached its peak, Guo Zhen, his face flushed, suddenly asked, "You don't visit brothels, and you don't take a wife. Don't tell me you want to be like me and enter the palace as a close servant to the Emperor?"

Wang Lu froze, his face reddening. "I... I don't have the money."

"Hahaha!" Lu Wenzhao and Guo Zhen both laughed heartily.

*Clang.*

Guo Zhen tossed down an ingot of silver and said in an unquestionable tone, "Take it. Go visit a brothel."

Wang Lu was stunned.

"What? You don't want the money of a eunuch like me? You think it's dirty?" Guo Zhen asked, his face darkening.

"No, Eunuch, you remind me very much of an old friend!"

"Oh? And who is this friend? Do I know him?" Guo Zhen asked curiously.

"He is no longer in this world."

Guo Zhen, assuming Wang Lu meant his friend had passed away, sighed, "My condolences."

Wang Lu, however, was thinking of his best friend from before he transmigrated—the one who took him to internet cafes in middle school, taught him billiards in high school, and took him for massages in college.

Wang Lu grabbed the silver, weighed it in his hand, and without further explanation, simply said, "Thank you for the reward, Eunuch! I will certainly make good use of it."

"No, you must make good use of it on your 'little brother'," Guo Zhen teased.

Wang Lu gave a shy laugh, and the sound of good-natured laughter filled the battalion office once more, as if the earlier confrontation had never happened.