IDWBE -Chapter 65 I Advise You to Be Good

His grandmother wasn’t around, and he hadn’t developed a cannon yet. What if he accidentally drew the attention of the Grandmaster from Jizhao Nunnery?

Even if the master didn’t mean him harm, being constantly on edge was never a good thing.

He didn’t like doing things he couldn’t be sure of. In the martial world, the most important thing was stability!

Shan Yin straightened his back, tidied his sleeves, and cupped his hands. “Your Highness, I am currently a seventh-rank practitioner!”

“Seventh-rank?” Lin Yi looked at him coldly. “So what? Is that supposed to be impressive?”

Shan Yin froze.

Seventh-rank!

Wherever he went, people would welcome him warmly!

If he sought refuge, which family wouldn’t be overjoyed?

If he was willing, any family would even marry their daughters to him!

Before, he didn’t want to go because he was Shan Yin, a man determined to become the top martial scholar.

Now, he couldn’t go because no family would be foolish enough to offend Jizhao Nunnery for him.

Even if some reckless fool offered to step forward, it wouldn’t matter—Jizhao Nunnery wasn’t something ordinary people could handle.

“Look at them,” Lin Yi pointed behind him at Mingyue and Zixia. “They’re both seventh-rank. Why would anyone care about your lousy seventh-rank? I appreciate your intentions, but it’s lunchtime—hurry home and eat. Don’t starve yourself; it’s bad for your health.”

Anyway, the money in his hands wouldn’t be going anywhere else.

“Lunchtime?”

Shan Yin had no concept of the term, but after hearing the rest, he roughly understood, and forced himself to say, “I… am not hungry!”

Lin Yi waved his hand. “Hungry or not, I am. Sun Yi, see them out.”

“Your Highness,” Shan Yin quickly said, “please hear me out! I am willing to serve Your Highness like a loyal dog or horse, obeying your every command!”

He had already sold himself—there was no way Lin Yi could refuse, right?

It was a last-resort solution.

He was being chased by Ye Jinyu and couldn’t return home.

His father would protect him from harm, so Ye Jinyu wouldn’t dare act recklessly—but if conflict escalated, the feud between Shan Yin and Ye Jinyu would become a conflict between Dongyang Island and Jizhao Nunnery.

He could not, for his own sake, bring disaster to his entire clan.

Right now, the only person who could protect him seemed to be this young prince in front of him.

After all, there was a eunuch here capable of taking down a seventh-rank master with a single needle, and a woman whose swing of her sleeve left an eighth-rank Ye Jinyu powerless!

Especially that ageless woman—she was even an old acquaintance of Jizhao Nunnery’s Sister Jingyi.

Add in the prince’s status, and surely Jizhao Nunnery would think twice before acting recklessly.

Lin Yi stood, stretched lazily, and glanced at him. “You greedy fool! Want to freeload at my mansion?”

He had already endured Tian Shiyou and his brothers—there was no way he could tolerate Shan Yin too.

“Your Highness,” Shan Yin smiled, “rest assured, I will not freeload. I can pay!”

He could never have imagined a day where he’d serve someone like a beast of burden and have to smile while paying for it!

The most infuriating part—he was being looked down on!

Seventh-rank!

When did this become so worthless?

“How much?” Lin Yi asked directly. “My mansion isn’t like the outside world. Three meals a day, meat and vegetables, well-balanced and nutritious—anyone who eats will say it’s good.”

“Your Highness, would this work?” Shan Yin held up a finger cautiously.

“Don’t make me guess. Be straightforward. None of this stingy nonsense—act like a man.”

Lin Yi always bossed others around—no one else had that privilege.

“One thousand taels?” Shan Yin asked tentatively.

“Sun Yi, what are you standing there for? See them out!” Lin Yi snapped.

“Two thousand!” Shan Yin hurriedly corrected himself.

“Hmph, don’t forget, you came here to escape danger. I’m saving your life!”

Lin Yi scowled. “So your life is worth two thousand taels? If you don’t care about yourself, why should I?”

“Three thousand taels, Your Highness,” Shan Yin said grimly, “my abilities are limited.”

“Three thousand a month—fine,” Lin Yi tapped his chin, finally nodding. “Alright, it’s settled.”

“One month?”

Shan Yin’s jaw nearly dropped.

Blood stuck in his throat; he wanted to spit, but feared angering Lin Yi.

How could life be this humiliating?

Lin Yi didn’t care whether he was happy or not. His eyes scanned the small figure behind Shan Yin, a man with a scar running from eye to forehead, giving him a feral look.

“Also fleeing from danger?”

“Your Highness, his name is Jiang Chou,” Shan Yin forced a smile. “He helped me on the road when Ye Jinyu was chasing me. Thanks to him, I survived to see Your Highness. He’s seventh-rank too!”

“Jiang Chou?” Lin Yi smiled. “Fine, let him stay too. I won’t provide extra meals.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Shan Yin finally exhaled.

If Lin Yi had asked for more money, he really couldn’t handle it!

The Shan family was wealthy, but his monthly allowance had a limit. If expenses exceeded it, he had to borrow from bandit dens or work for others to earn pocket money.

It hadn’t been easy before—and now he was being hunted. Life had gotten even worse.

“Women really hold grudges,” Lin Yi laughed. “Back in Dazhu Town, wasn’t this woman being chased by the Xiyi Sect? How did she even have time for you?”

Shan Yin sighed. “Your Highness, you don’t know. The Xiyi Sect is a demon sect, far in Chuanzhou. Even if she wanted to seek me out, she couldn’t arrive quickly. It was just bad luck. I was on my way back to Dongyang Island when I ran into her. She won’t leave me alone. Your Highness, isn’t this excessive?”

“It’s not bad luck. There’s only one official road, and only a few inns and posts. If you’re heading in the same direction, the chance of running into each other is naturally high.”

“Your Highness speaks wisely.”

“Fine, that’s settled. Since you’re idle and planning to take the martial scholar exams, you must be skilled with bow and horse. Go be the training instructor for my guards.”

Lin Yi didn’t give him a chance to respond and went back to fishing.

Sun Yi gestured for Shan Yin to stay quiet and follow him.

After a winding path, they stopped at a row of rooms and saw Tian Shiyou sitting on the steps, picking his toes and scratching lice with his two brothers.

Their eyes met—and sparks flew.

Tian Shiyou drew his knife first.

“You Shan guy!” Tian Shiyou ground his teeth.

“Tian brother, you’re no match for me. Let’s keep it civil,” Shan Yin said cheerfully. “It’s just borrowing some money; I’ll pay you back later.”

Seeing Tian Shiyou, he actually felt a genuine sense of relief.

“I advise you two to be good,”

Sun Yi clasped his hands behind his back, imitating Lin Yi, squinting his eyes with a grin. “This is the He Mansion.”

With a clang, Tian Shiyou put away his knife.