Wang Yue's Allegiance

Thinking of this, Wang Yue bowed his head to the ground before Yuan Shu and sincerely said:

"I heard from my good friend Xu Shao that you are the Chaos Wolf of troubled times, and I have long wanted to serve you.

What I did just now was merely a test. Please forgive me, my lord.

Now, I understand that you love the people as your own children and have the ambition to bring order to the world.

I, Wang Yue, am willing to serve you as my lord, to go through fire and water for you, and to never turn back, even if it costs me my life!"

As soon as Wang Yue finished speaking, Yuan Shu heard the system notification:

"Ding! Talent Wang Yue has pledged loyalty to the host. Current loyalty: 80 (Utterly Devoted)

Loyalty Talent Level: Epic."

Hearing the system prompt, Yuan Shu was overjoyed. Who wouldn't want such a peerless expert under their command?

At last, he had an absolute master of martial arts by his side.

Moreover, Wang Yue had already reached 80 loyalty points upon pledging allegiance—this was definitely reliable.

Yuan Shu stepped forward, warmly grasping Wang Yue's hand, and said:

"With Master Wang's help, how could our great cause not succeed? Rest assured, Master Wang, when I achieve my grand ambition, you will not be denied the rank of nobility!"

Hearing Yuan Shu's promise, Wang Yue was also delighted.

Why had he chosen to follow Yuan Shu?

Was it not because Yuan Shu had a chance to claim the world, and he could rise in status alongside him?

Now that Yuan Shu had made a promise—whether or not it would be fulfilled in the future, at least there was hope.

Yuan Shu then said to Wang Yue, "Master Wang, I want to secretly train a personal guard. Could you assist me with that?"

Since Wang Yue had already sworn allegiance, he quickly adapted to his new role. After some thought, he replied:

"My lord, I have a group of warriors under my command. Each of them is highly skilled, and with some training, they could be of great use."

Hearing this, Yuan Shu was overjoyed. Not only did he gain Wang Yue, but he also received a group of elite fighters—what a deal!

"That's fantastic, Master Wang! How many men are in this group?"

If there were more than two hundred, he could complete his main quest very soon.

Wang Yue replied, "About one hundred. I can definitely train them into a force absolutely loyal to you, my lord."

Upon hearing there were only a hundred, Yuan Shu felt a little disappointed. It seemed he couldn't rely on Wang Yue's men to complete the task.

But then again, where in the world could one find so many top-tier fighters? The fact that Wang Yue had gathered this group was already impressive.

Since these hundred elite warriors were invaluable, Yuan Shu said to Wang Yue:

"Master Wang, may I meet these warriors?"

"If my lord wishes to see them, it would be their honor. I can arrange it at any time."

Wang Yue understood that Yuan Shu wanted to win the loyalty of these warriors, but he didn't mind. Instead, he saw it as a sign of Yuan Shu's regard for him.

Suddenly remembering something, Yuan Shu said to Wang Yue:

"Oh, right, Master Wang. That disciple of yours, Shi A—I've had a great time interacting with him..."

Wang Yue immediately understood and said, "If my lord appreciates him, then it is his fortune. From now on, he shall serve my lord."

Wang Yue thought to himself, So the lord is asking me for a man? But if my most prized disciple becomes his close aide, wouldn't that bring me even closer to the lord? This is a great benefit!

Yuan Shu was also very pleased—this man wasn't just a martial arts master but also highly perceptive.

Having such a subordinate could be summed up in one word: Satisfying!

Three days later, in the Cai Residence courtyard.

After finishing an hour of compulsory lessons, Yuan Shu once again went to visit little Cai Wenji, increasing her favorability toward him.

As usual, they sat at a stone table in the courtyard, chatting. At the little girl's persistent request, Yuan Shu would tell her interesting stories whenever he had the time.

Cai Wenji's fondness for Yuan Shu grew by the day.

"Senior brother, Yan'er practices the qin at home every day. It's so boring! Can you take Yan'er out to play?" Cai Wenji asked while circling around Yuan Shu.

Yuan Shu scratched his head and said, "Well… you'll have to ask Master. I have no objections."

He thought to himself, I've been playing the role of a good boy for too long. The noble youths of Luoyang are starting to forget my reputation.

Plus, there's still that two-million-spending mission I haven't completed yet. I need to start grinding it. Otherwise, when will I ever grow stronger?

Taking little Cai Wenji out for some fun wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Cai Wenji pouted and huffed, "Hmph! He'll definitely agree. If he dares refuse, I'll pull his beard!"

Just as she finished speaking, they suddenly heard a warm, affectionate voice:

"Who wants to pull Father's beard?"

Yuan Shu looked up and saw that it was Cai Yong, who had just finished teaching Zhou Yi. The two of them had walked out of the study. 

Seeing Cai Yong, Cai Wenji skipped over to his side, hugged him, and said coquettishly: 

"Father, I haven't gone out to play for a long time. Can you let Senior Brother Yuan Shu take me out to play?" 

Cai Yong was clearly powerless against Cai Wenji's coquettish plea. He looked at Yuan Shu and asked: 

"My dear disciple, will this cause you any trouble?" 

Yuan Shu smiled at Cai Yong and said: 

"Master, Little Junior Sister is smart and adorable. Having her around brightens my mood. How could she possibly be any trouble to me?" 

Hearing this, Cai Yong nodded in satisfaction and said: 

"Alright, then take Yan'er out for a stroll, but be sure to pay attention to safety." 

With someone helping to take care of the child, Cai Yong could also relax a little. 

Seeing that Cai Yong had agreed, Cai Wenji happily spun around him, shouting: "Thank you, Father! Father is the best!" 

Zhou Yi, standing to the side, said gently to Cai Yong: "Master, I will accompany Senior Brother as well." 

Cai Yong nodded and said: "Alright, with you accompanying them, I can be at ease." 

Cai Wenji was a spoiled little girl, and although Yuan Shu was a genius, he was also known in Luoyang as a notorious troublemaker—arrogant and domineering. 

If the two of them were to roam the streets together, to be honest, Cai Yong would really be uneasy about it. 

But it was different with Zhou Yi there. This disciple was truly reliable. 

Zhou Yi was calm, wise, and incredibly dependable. Entrusting things to him always brought peace of mind. 

Cai Wenji happily followed Yuan Shu out of the Cai residence. When she saw Yuan Shu's extravagant carriage, she was astonished and exclaimed: 

"Senior Brother, is this your carriage? It looks so beautiful, kind of like the crystal carriage in your stories!" 

This carriage had been built by Yuan Shu's predecessor at great expense to showcase his status. It was the pinnacle of luxury. 

Children naturally liked pretty things. One look, and she was already in love with it. 

Yuan Shu patted Cai Wenji's little head and said: "This carriage is now yours, Little Junior Sister. From now on, it will be your exclusive ride. Isn't that great?" 

Cai Wenji's eyes sparkled. "Senior Brother, is this carriage really mine?" 

Yuan Shu laughed. "Of course it is. Would I lie to you?" 

Giving a carriage to Cai Wenji wasn't a big deal, and it just so happened that he could buy an even better one to progress his squanderer task. 

And so, Little Cai Wenji happily sat in the luxurious carriage, parading through the streets with Yuan Shu. 

Yuan Shu, however, did not get in the carriage, as Zhou Yi was still walking alongside them. He had to be considerate of his good junior brother's feelings.