Chapter 865: I Am Your Patron
Though Bai Xue remained silent, she listened with utmost attention. She had always suspected that Yang Haoran had other motives for bringing her into the Spirit Police, but he had never admitted it, nor had he ever uttered a single word about it to her. Thus, even with her suspicions, she had no way to confirm them.
Now, Yang Haoran's words proved her suspicions correct. She understood his intentions, but what she hadn't anticipated was that Yang Haoran's ambition encompassed the entirety of Lecheng.
Under these circumstances, Bai Xue naturally did not interrupt Yang Haoran. She made no sound, no expression of surprise or emotion; she simply listened in silence.
"What I just said, you can view it as a reminder from me, or of course, as a threat. How you interpret it is entirely up to you. Heh heh, now that I've stated my resolve in this matter and the consequences of refusing me, let me tell you about the benefits once you agree to my proposal."
Yang Haoran spoke with a smile, but Zhu Rong, who had been frowning, now interrupted him.
"Before you talk about benefits, why don't you tell me why you sought me out? Since you have the intention and confidence to control the Administrative Courtyard, wouldn't it be more convenient to simply kill me?"
Though Zhu Rong had interrupted him, Yang Haoran was not angered; instead, he responded with a smile.
"Because I believe you are a person of talent. You mentioned before that if you were to become Lecheng's Administrative Chief of the Administrative Courtyard, you would perform better than the previous one. While I wouldn't claim to be absolutely certain of this, I do have considerable confidence in you. That's why I'm willing to take a gamble on you. After all, it would be such a waste to simply kill someone of your caliber. No matter what, I had to try and see if I could persuade you."
Yang Haoran explained with a smile. His words first elevated Zhu Rong, making her aware that Yang Haoran greatly admired her—specifically, her abilities. Then, he sharply brought her back down, reminding her that even if he couldn't have her, he could still find capable individuals to replace her. His plan wouldn't be halted simply by her absence.
"It seems Emissary Yang noticed me quite some time ago. Otherwise, I, Zhu Rong, wouldn't have the honor of being a part of your plans. I suppose I should be happy then."
Despite her words, Zhu Rong's brows were tightly furrowed, and her voice was low. She showed no trace of happiness; instead, her tone was laced with sarcasm.
She constantly reminded herself internally that in this situation, she should listen more and speak less, and quickly quell her negative emotions to regain her composure. Yet, for some reason, she found it incredibly difficult to do so. Not only were her negative emotions not suppressed, but she couldn't even control her own mouth.
She had never been like this before. No matter the circumstances, she had always been able to keep her emotions hidden, but facing Yang Haoran today, she was an exception.
When she first entered the study to meet Yang Haoran, the pressure in her heart was equally immense, but back then, she could still control her emotions and maintain a poker face. Yet, for reasons unknown, she now found it impossible to calm her mind.
She desperately wanted to understand what was happening, why she was so uncharacteristically agitated today. Unfortunately, no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't comprehend it. All she could do was repeatedly tell herself to be calm and rational, but the effect was minimal.
"Deputy Administrative Chief Zhu, you truly should be happy, but not because I 'took a fancy to you. ' Rather, you should be happy for your own capabilities. No one is willing to waste their time on an idiot. The fact that I'm willing to invest effort in you means your abilities are indeed very strong. You can not only be pleased with your competence but even a little proud, that's perfectly fine."
Yang Haoran's words jolted Zhu Rong, who was still in a state of confusion, back to reality. Yang Haoran's voice wasn't loud, but it completely drowned out the constant self-reproach in her mind.
With her mind already in disarray, Zhu Rong simply stopped suppressing her emotions and no longer tried to control her words. Although she didn't know why she was making this decision, it was simply what she wanted to do.
"If I truly possessed such great ability, I wouldn't still be a Deputy Administrative Chief. Emissary Yang, I'm afraid you've misjudged me."
Zhu Rong spoke. No longer concealing her emotions, she inadvertently conveyed a sense of despondency as she uttered those words.
"Deputy Administrative Chief Zhu, there's no need to belittle yourself. Based on my understanding, your family background isn't particularly good. Your ancestors have been ordinary commoners for generations. The fact that you've come this far is entirely due to your own capabilities. Not only did your family not offer you any help, they even caused you quite a bit of trouble, holding you back significantly. Yet, despite all that, you still managed to secure the position of Lecheng's Deputy Administrative Chief at the age of twenty-three. Without exceptional ability, how could you have achieved that?"
"You're different from that young man Sun Yu. Sun Yu's family background is infinitely better than yours. His parents and relatives not only didn't cause him any trouble but provided him with immense support, which is why he successfully became Lecheng's Deputy Administrative Chief. Even then, he only ascended to that position shortly before the world fell into chaos. Compared to you, he falls far short."
"If your family circumstances had been a little better, or if your relatives and even your parents hadn't caused you so much trouble back then, I'm sure you would have climbed to the position of Administrative Chief years ago. However, despite all those difficulties, the fact that you've remained in the Deputy Administrative Chief position for so many years is also a direct testament to your capabilities."
Yang Haoran's words were solely encouraging and complimentary, devoid of any criticism or threat.
After listening to Yang Haoran's words, a wry smile appeared on Zhu Rong's face.
"Heh heh, Emissary Yang, to be so well-informed about my affairs, you've certainly put a lot of thought into this."
Yang Haoran chuckled, then slowly began to speak.
"Without putting in effort, how can one achieve their goals? Based on my understanding of you, I believe what you lack is a platform, and a patron who recognizes your talent. With both of these, your rapid rise to prominence will be just around the corner. Now, a platform lies before you, and I am the patron who recognizes your talent. It's up to you whether you're willing to accept me as your patron, and whether you're willing to step onto this platform I've prepared for you."
Zhu Rong's face was contemplative. After a moment of silence, she finally responded to Yang Haoran.
"Emissary Yang, haven't you still got benefits to tell me about? I want to see if you are truly the patron you claim to be."
Zhu Rong didn't immediately agree, nor did she immediately refuse. No longer deliberately suppressing her inner emotions, she seemed considerably more at ease.
"Heh heh, as for the benefits. . . if you're willing to follow me, I will ensure you successfully become Lecheng's Administrative Chief within the shortest possible time, clearing all obstacles for you. Should anyone dare to stand in the way and obstruct, I will first reason with them. If reason fails, then I will kill them."
"Once you become Lecheng's Administrative Chief, the entire Lecheng official administration will still be under your command. Should I have any ideas or plans, I will discuss them with you; I will not use my status to pressure you. If I violate this, you are free to leave me at any time. And I, I will absolutely not harm a single hair on your head. But if I don't violate it, and you betray me, then I can only say I'm sorry."
"Should the Administrative Courtyard encounter external enemies, I will exhaust every method and deploy all available forces to resist them, preserving the Administrative Courtyard as much as possible. If you personally face danger, I will spare no expense to protect you. If necessary, I might even relinquish control of Lecheng's Administrative Courtyard. That is to say, if it truly comes to that, I, Yang Haoran, would rather abandon Lecheng itself than abandon you. I will find you a new place where you can exercise your talents, allowing you to start anew."
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