I braked at the door. The guards came over. The leader of the group extended forth an arm to stop the guard who went to search my carriage. With that mug I wanted to rip off his face, he saluted me: "Lord Lin, welcome to the imperial capital. We have been expecting your arrival."
"Uhm."
All he got from me was one simple response. The military giving me grief was within prediction. The most likely thing they would do was forbid me from entering the city. They were unlikely to kill me as that would send Veirya down the spiral of murder. Our business remained between us. If they meddled in affairs beyond their duty, Veirya would be unhappy.
"So, can we inspect the interior of your carriage?"
"Help yourselves."
When the guard brushed open the curtain, the officer asked me, "May we first ask who has come with you?"
"Just me and my daughter, Leah. I had an argument with Veirya. She should be here for she has nowhere else to go. We should handle our own family affairs."
My last sentence was a hint for him to mind his own business. He laughed it off. Leah obediently got off the carriage to sit at my side. As a succubus, Leah had the ability to make others drop their guard around her. Consequently, the officer wouldn't suspect Leah even if he looked at her.
"Reporting, Officer. There is nobody else. There is, indeed, just Leah. There is nothing suspicious inside."
"Haha, do you need me to give you the carriage? You can ask me to. I know that you all think it's my mistake since you saw Veirya come to this city, so you want to get on my nerves on her behalf, correct?"
"Correct."
The officer didn't hesitate to nod. He picked up a book by the side and made a note. Then, he looked up at me with a smirk: "I am very sorry, but due to you being Lin Dongqing, Lord Lin, you cannot enter the imperial capital. You are a dangerous individual, so please turn around."
The military had no intention of mincing words with me. I thought they made me sound as if I was some overpowered character. The reason I couldn't enter the city was because Lin Dongqing was too dangerous. That was the first time in my life I was flattered.
With a nod, I snubbed the officer and rode inward. The soldiers inside immediately surrounded me with their long spears, aiming their sharp tips right at my face. Some even had their spears on my chest. Frightened, Leah hugged me around my waist and pitifully looked at the soldier next to her. The officer drew his long sword and chuckled: "You are not serious, Lord Lin? I trust that you are aware what the consequence of barging into the imperial capital is. You are a prudent man. You would know that doing so is foolish, right?"
"I think you're a prudent man, too. Who ordered you to stop me here? It was your wet-behind-the-ears officer, wasn't it? I'm here to Veirya. Has our argument got anything to do with any of you? Does Veirya know that you're stopping me here? If any mishap befalls me here, do you think Veirya will be happy? You look smart; surely you wouldn't be foolish enough to let others use you as cannon fodder, would you?"
I snickered and then continued forward despite the spears and swords trained my way. They only knew that we had an argument not what we came for. My assumption was that the officer suspected I might've come to reinstate Queen Sisi. However, given that Queen Sisi wasn't in my carriage, I must've come to make up with Veirya. To add, the order he received didn't come directly from Veirya. Her attitude was a question mark. If he laid his hands on me, Veirya would exact her vengeance on him when the time comes.
"Why did the other officer give the order and not Veirya? That was because Veirya never forbade Lord Lin from entering the city; it was the other officer who forbade his entry. He's using me as a shield. If Veirya is infuriated, I'll be the one who takes the bullet," rationalised the officer.
Without their officer's orders, the soldiers didn't dare to harm me. They continued to retreat step by step while glancing over to their officer for orders. I continued forward all the way to the wall. I pressed the tip of a spear down: "How interesting. What are you still here for? Can you still not see what your officer's stance is? This must be why you're all stuck being ordinary soldiers all your lives."
"Let him through," The officer commanded. "Lord Lin, if you could refrain from mentioning this to Lord Veirya…"
"I know. It's my family affair, after all. It's nobody else's business."
The soldiers made way. Wanting to stop me without killing me was a pipe dream. Plus, Angelina was in the city, so I could get in one way or another. Unless it was Veirya, nobody could stop me.
We continued down the path. Meanwhile, the soldiers behind us were debating something at the door. I turned into a small alley then dismounted. I packed up the interior of the carriage and then unlinked the horse and carriage, leaving behind the rest. Then， I led the horse through a section of the small and filthy alley.
"Papa, do you know the way?"
"No. I only have a rough idea…"
"Did you know that you've already gone the wrong way, Papa? Follow Leah. Leah can smell other succubi."
"All right."
I went red in the face… Be fair now. It wasn't easy to navigate all those twists and turns.
Leah took hold of my hand and led the way. Soon enough, I didn't need Leah's guidance, either, for I picked up the faint scent of perfume, the smell found on succubi. The brothel was around the corner. That building was our destination. We'd know if we were being followed if I had Leah with me, but I checked anyway for safety sake. The brothel was the safest place for us as it stood.