He was in the Ming Dynasty, and his adoptive father was Governor Cao.

Xiao Ting sat up straight, listening to him continue.

Cao Guangxian poured himself a glass of wine and sighed softly, "The situation is critical right now. Now that you've come to your senses, there are some things I should tell you frankly. My seat here is blocking the way for many people."

Xiao Ting knew a little bit.

Being the eunuch in charge of pearl harvesting was an extremely lucrative position, as pearls were a form of hard currency in the South China Sea, and many people coveted this post.

If Cao Guangxian were to blend in with the crowd, he would live a very comfortable life; but if he were to dedicate himself to public service, he would certainly face no shortage of trouble!

"You're right. These pirates and sea bandits aren't enough for Wang Tong to gamble his future on; the Yan faction is behind him. Gao Liang, the supervisor of the department, is a man of Chen Hong, the chief scribe of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and Chen Hong is at odds with us. As for those pirates, the Angry Dragon Gang and the Shangshui Alliance are natural enemies of our Pearl-Collecting Department!"

He looked up into Xiao Ting's eyes and said, word by word, "They can't touch our family, so they went to great lengths to target you. Tying you up will force us to make concessions; killing you will throw us into disarray. It's a highly profitable deal. If you were in their shoes, would you do it?"

Of course I'll do it.

If he were one of those people outside, he would also pick on the original owner of this body, who is full of flaws and easy prey!

Xiao Ting sighed; the current situation was indeed dangerous.

According to my memory, it is now the thirty-second year of Tianfu, and Emperor Tianfu, Zhu Hongjun, is on the throne.

This emperor was fond of alchemy and Taoist practices, much like the Jiajing Emperor. What was even more similar was that he had a Grand Secretary named Yan Guozhang, who held immense power and whose followers and former officials were spread throughout the country, and were known as the "Yan Party."

The Yan faction and the eunuch faction were the two legs by which Emperor Tianfu controlled the Ming Dynasty.

But they were not of one mind.

The eunuch faction plundered primarily for the emperor's benefit; the Yan faction plundered primarily for their own enrichment.

Cao Guangxian, as the garrison eunuch, was uncompromising. Whether it was smuggling pearls or transporting rare underwater treasures, Yan's faction could not get involved and could only watch helplessly as large sums of money flowed into the emperor's private treasury.

How can I not be anxious?

Replacing the eunuch in charge is what everyone needs.

"So, your godfather is giving you three paths; it's up to you to choose."

"The first path is the safest."

Cao Guangxian held up one finger: "You will stay in the Pearl Digging Bureau and not come out. I will arrange the most reliable guards to watch over you. You will have no shortage of food, clothing and other necessities. As long as you do not leave this door, even if there are mountains of knives and seas of fire outside, they will not be able to harm you in the slightest."

Of course, the price is freedom.

"The second path is the most obscure."

He raised his second finger: "We'll find someone to disguise you and change your identity. You can live quietly near Lianzhou. You can live carefully, like an ordinary person, but remember, you can't reveal the slightest flaw, and you absolutely cannot associate with old acquaintances. Once it's exposed, you'll be killed instantly."

"The third path is the most dangerous and the most difficult."

Cao Guangxian sighed, but before he could explain, Xiao Ting laughed and simply said, "I choose three!"

I didn't come here to suffer.

Forced into confinement and forced to live in anonymity—it was out of the question.

So what if someone reached out to me?

Just chop it up!

"..."

Cao Guangxian looked at him for a long time, then nodded and said, "Your godfather brought you to Lingnan out of necessity; it would have been more dangerous for you to stay in the capital. Now that things have come to this, there's no use in hiding; we can only face the challenge head-on. I'm very pleased that you have this intention."

He clapped his hands.

A man in his mid-thirties walked in, wearing a loose-fitting barbarian's robe. He didn't have a knife at his waist, but instead had a shiny wine gourd hanging from it. He was good-looking, but he was still hungover and his eyes were blurry. He didn't look at anyone as soon as he entered, but tilted his head back and took a swig of wine.

"belch--"

A loud burp rang out clearly in the quiet room.

Xiao Ting thought to himself, "This person... must be a master, otherwise Old Cao would definitely have taught him a lesson!"

Cao Guangxian remained calm and pointed to the newcomer, saying to Xiao Ting, "His name is Fan Xiping. From today onwards, he will be transferred to your command and will work under you."

Fan Xiping then seemed to have just noticed Cao Guangxian and Xiao Ting, and casually cupped his hands in greeting.

Cao Guangxian continued, "He only has a drink or two occasionally, which is harmless. Don't ask him to do errands, deliver messages, patrol, or stand guard."

Xiao Ting immediately understood.

Cao Guangxian was clearly telling him: this person is of great use, not just an ordinary, obedient lackey.

To receive such arrangements from him, this person is no ordinary individual.

"I see."

Xiao Ting nodded and bowed respectfully to Fan Xiping: "I will rely on Brother Fan in the future."

Fan Xiping, still with his usual lazy demeanor, returned the greeting and said with a smile, "You're too kind, Commander. I'm just trying to make a living."

Then, Cao Guangxian's expression turned serious, and he said to Xiao Ting, "Since you have chosen the third path, you must truly shoulder the responsibility of 'Hundred-Household Commander of Law and Justice.' If you want your men to look at you differently, obey your orders, and even risk their lives for you in critical moments, it's not about the title of 'adopted son' or our family's prestige."

His gaze was intense, and his words were earnest: "It depends on your methods and your sense of propriety. You need to let them know that following you means they have a future and a way to survive. Otherwise, if their hearts are scattered and they all have their own agendas, you will be all alone. In this place surrounded by tigers and wolves, a lone wolf... won't survive long."

"To gain help from others, you must first fulfill your own responsibilities. Collective wisdom and effort never come from nothing. Ting'er, do you understand this principle?"

Xiao Ting stood solemnly, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "I will forever remember my godfather's teachings!"

"That's good."

Cao Guangxian stood up, his gaze gentle: "Although the Nujiao Gang suffered a heavy blow this time, its foundation remains. The reason why this gang of thieves has been repeatedly suppressed is that their lair is located in the islands and caves around Guantou Ridge and Baihutou. The terrain is treacherous, the waterways are intricate, and there are hidden traps. Large ships cannot enter, and small ships are easy to capsize. In addition, there are many informants in the prefectural city. If there is any disturbance, they will disappear like eels in the sea, and their traces will be hard to find."

"Although we used an iron fist to sweep away his twelve hideouts and arrest over a thousand people, most of the leaders had already fled back to their sea strongholds upon hearing the news. Those currently imprisoned in the dungeons are mostly peripheral henchmen. Uncovering the remaining spies, secret passages, and even the distribution map of the Fury Dragon Gang's strongholds in the city... this is your duty as the 'Hundred-Household Commander of Law Enforcement.' How to do it and what methods to use are all up to you."

He paused, then added meaningfully, "Those people... whether they live or die, whether they confess or not, is entirely up to you. We just want the results."

Xiao Ting's heart stirred.

Full authority to decide... whether to live or die...

These pirates deserved to die; he needed some dead people to test his [Bright Soul Hand] technique.

"Don't worry, Godfather."

Xiao Ting replied solemnly, "Since this matter falls within the duties of a centurion, I, Xiao Ting, will naturally have no choice but to do my utmost to dig out the remaining villains and live up to my adoptive father's expectations!"

Cao Guangxian looked at his calmer eyes and tone, and nodded in satisfaction: "Good. The men I've given you have been replaced. They're patrolling the sea for you now and will be back in a few days. Fan Xiping will also be with you. Don't hesitate to use him when needed."

He took one last look at Fan Xiping, then turned and left the bedroom.

With only the two of them left in the room, the atmosphere became much more relaxed.

Fan Xiping tilted his head back and took another gulp, then handed the gourd to Xiao Ting and said with a smile, "Would you like to try some, Commander? This is a new beer from Zuiyuelou, improved according to an ancient recipe, called 'Drunken Life, Dreamy Death.' It has a rather unique flavor."

Xiao Ting instinctively wanted to wave his hand to refuse, "You drink it yourself, I'm injured..."

He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence.

He abruptly looked up, startled, and said, "What did you just say... what kind of wine? Say it again!"