The mere Jingu Guards are nothing to fear

The Jingu Guards are not ordinary troops.

They can be considered a combination of the Mansion Guards and the Imperial Guards, responsible for patrolling and guarding day and night within the Imperial City and Chang'an City.

In general, their responsibilities are equivalent to those of future urban management officers, but with much higher status.

Hou Junji asked softly, "Do you know where they are heading?"

The private soldier replied, "They are heading outside the city."

Outside the city?

Not towards the Imperial City?

Hou Junji chuckled softly, "No worries. That kid seems to know some influential figures. They must have been invited by him to prevent being intercepted by your men again."

"He's quite clever..."

"We don't need to bother about him. Just keep an eye on him. The Jingu Guards are not troops that he, a mere merchant, can mobilize."

"If he can manage to mobilize them once, he can do it again, can't he?"

"If he encounters his own people delivering goods, then intercept them again."

The private soldier frowned and whispered, "Sir, what if he joins forces with someone else, like the Duke of Lu..."

Hou Junji waved his hand, "I really hope he does."

Hou Junji's words were sincere.

Nobles were all of one family.

As long as Lin Shen was willing to compromise with the noble class, with his status, he could have a share of the pie.

The act of monopolizing resources had always been looked down upon by the noble class.

The private soldier nodded, about to leave.

Hou Junji added, "By the way, send someone to have a good talk with that kid..."

The private soldier saluted.

In Ruyi Supermarket.

Lin Shen lay on a rattan chair, reading a book.

Chen San had just returned from the clinic, wrapped in several layers of gauze but still efficiently serving customers.

He was waiting for someone from the Hou family to arrive.

With such a big commotion caused by the Jingu Guards, the common people of Chang'an City might not understand its significance yet, but he didn't believe that Hou Junji didn't understand.

Whether to compromise or continue to oppose him, Hou Junji would have to give an explanation.

By nightfall, when the supermarket was about to close.

Someone from the Hou family arrived.

It was a man dressed in brocade, dressed as a steward.

"Hello, Mr. Lin. I am the chief steward of the Duke of Lu's Mansion. On behalf of the Duke, I have a message for you."

The chief steward is the term for a steward in the Tang Dynasty.

Lin Shen nodded slightly, not getting up from his reclining chair, just gesturing lightly, "Go ahead."

The steward squinted slightly, "I represent the Duke of Lu. Shouldn't you get up and talk to me?"

Lin Shen frowned, waving his hand, "If you want to talk, talk. If you don't, then leave. Chen San, escort the guest out."

Chen San stepped out from behind the shelves, cracking his knuckles, walking towards the steward.

The steward's face darkened.

A mere merchant was so arrogant.

No manners!

But he didn't dare to say it.

From Lin Shen's attitude, he could sense that as long as he acted arrogantly again, this merchant would definitely throw him out.

With a cold snort, the steward raised his voice, "The Duke of Lu asks me to tell you that a merchant should act like a merchant, and a lowborn should have the self-awareness of being lowborn."

"Today, you have some ability to mobilize the Jingu Guards, but how long do you think you can keep them under your command?"

"The Jingu Guards cannot protect you every moment. If one day they refuse to follow your orders, something like today might happen again."

"As long as you are willing to surrender to Duke Hou, you can ensure the safety of your business, expand throughout Chang'an, and even the entire Tang Dynasty..."

Lin Shen sneered and waved his hand, "I thought your master had some brains, but it turns out he's just a monkey."

The steward's face turned cold, rebuking, "You dare speak such nonsense!"

With a snap, Lin Shen closed the book in his hand, saying coldly, "I'm saying that your master is like a monkey. How dare a mere Duke speak so arrogantly to me?"

The steward looked at Lin Shen with incredulity, "Do you know what the title 'Duke' represents?"

In today's Tang Dynasty, there were no kings from other families.

Of course, this excluded those foreign kings who were vassal states of the Tang Dynasty, possessing relatively independent regimes.

"Duke" was the highest title among the Tang nobility.

The titles used in the Tang Dynasty were mostly the names of vassal states from the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.

Among them, "Qi, Chu, Yan, Han, Zhao, Wei, Qin" were the most prestigious.

The Duke of Lu was not among the top tier, but in today's Tang Dynasty, there were no dukes bestowed with the titles of the seven states.

Hou Junji could be considered superior to many.

Lin Shen shook his head, chuckling softly, "Do you think I wouldn't know? Go back and tell your master that if he is willing to come personally tonight, humbly apologize to me and make amends, I might overlook this matter."

"But if he doesn't come tonight, Hou Junji won't have the face to meet me again. He won't be able to enter my mansion in the future, nor will he be able to cross my threshold. We'll become irreconcilable enemies."

The steward was trembling with anger, pointing at Lin Shen, "You, you... What are you saying?"

Lin Shen waved his hand, "Chen San, escort the guest out."

The steward snorted heavily and left in a huff.

There weren't many customers in the supermarket.

But there were still a few.

They looked at Lin Shen with incredulous eyes.

They couldn't understand how a mere merchant had the audacity to declare enmity with a Duke.

One by one, they put down what they were holding, bowed to Lin Shen, and left without buying anything.

The goods sold in Ruyi Supermarket might only affect their quality of life slightly.

But if they offended Duke Hou...

That petty guy.

They might even lose their lives.

No one would believe that Lin Shen had the ability to antagonize a Duke.

Are you out of your mind?

Chen San, loyal as he was to Lin Shen, couldn't help but tremble a bit at this moment, his voice sounding like it had been processed through a sound synthesizer, almost like electronic music, "B-Boss, you mean the one who robbed our goods today was Duke Hou?"

Lin Shen nodded.

Chen San was about to cry, "Boss, that's Duke Hou!"

"He's very petty. I heard that he once sent a sixth-rank official to a desolate place in Lingnan just because he insulted him..."

"It's not good to go against him!"

Lin Shen waved his hand, saying softly, "I know what I'm doing. It's not to the extent of courting disaster."

"You guys focus on running the supermarket well."

"Today, I'm giving Hou Junji face for Li Shimin's sake. I'm giving him a chance. But in the future, if he wants to make amends, there won't be such an opportunity."

Chen San looked at Lin Shen in astonishment.

The name of the emperor was always taboo.

In the Tang Dynasty, even eating carp was considered a crime.

To openly mention the name of the current emperor like this, if it were heard by the Jingu Guards or other unscrupulous individuals, they would undoubtedly receive a severe punishment.

Was their boss really such an audacious person?