"Why are you back so early? It is only noon!" Chu Ting’er looked at her son with doubt. Ling Tian usually went out for a full day; now that Ling Tian is home early, Chu Ting’er found it surprising. Don’t tell me he was chased home by the ladies? But it doesn’t seem that case; if he were to be chased out, he would probably go elsewhere to play right?

Chu Ting’er was certain she understood her son very well. She then thought, "Don’t tell me he already has someone he likes? He is home so early to report it to me?" Thinking about this, she could not help but ask with an excited expression, "How did things go today?"

Ling Tian then laughed bitterly, "This child went today and had a good chat with the ladies. But this child was afraid that mother would be worried and came home early."

"Cheh!" Chu Ting’er snorted at her son’s reply, "Good chat? You had a good chat with the ladies? Afraid that I’m worried? Come home early? Since you are afraid that I would be worried, why did you rush to your own courtyard the moment you arrive home instead of coming to find me?"

Ling Tian was already used to such an att.i.tude from his mother, "There were too many ladies and this child can only remember a few. I think there was the young miss of General Shen and daughter of Minister Wei. As for the rest, this child cannot remember them already."

"Young miss of General Shen? Daughter of Minister Wei?" Chu Ting’er mumbled for a short while. Then, she flew into a rage, "b.a.s.t.a.r.d! These two ladies are talented ladies who are famous in the capital! They are proficient in all zither, chess, painting, calligraphy, poetry and singing. Your mother has also heard of them before! You will have a good chat with them?! What kind of a joke are you cracking? I remember that when you last met Rou’er, she immediately touched her horse whip. She will have a good chat with you?!"

Ling Tian laughed bitterly, "It is indeed the both of them, this child is not lying." At the same time, he thought to himself, "I did indeed meet the both of them. It is just that one did not know my ident.i.ty while the other was almost frightened to death by me."

Chu Ting’er shouted, "Still trying to lie! It will be a miracle if I were to believe you! Say, just what unsightly thing did you do again? That’s why you rushed home?"

Ling Tian then replied bitterly, "Don’t tell me mother things that this child is someone who will only cause trouble?"

Chu Ting’er glared at him, "What think? You are! Speak, what trouble did you cause?"

Ling Tian almost fainted, "If mother does not believe, there will be two ladies who will visit this child in the next few days for sure. At that time, mother can just ask them."

"Two ladies who will visit you? Tian’er, did I hear something wrongly?" Chu Ting’er asked with a look of incredulity and a trace of surprise. She thought to herself, "These two ladies are both talented and extremely beautiful. It would be a wonderful thing if they take fancy to my son." She then asked, "When are they coming? I will have to prepare a gift for them and host them well."

Ling Tian rolled both of his eyes as he thought to himself, "I’m only 15, isn’t mother being too hasty? Giving them a gift so soon? Do you know the one who I want you to give something to is definitely not these two la.s.s." He then replied, "This… we did not decide on a time. They will come when they are free!"

Chu Ting’er erupted with anger as she heard that, "I knew that you were lying to me! What does ‘when they are free’ means? If I have to wait for them to come visit this unfilial son of mine, my hair would probably turn white and they still would not come for a visit!"

Ling Tian’s head drooped down in speechlessness.

Chu Ting’er then began to scold him again; but after seeing that he did not seem to be afraid at all, she lost the mood to scold him and commanded him to go back to his courtyard. But, she gave a long sigh and instructed him to go to the banquet for the next two days as well. These three days of gathering must definitely not be missed. If Ling Tian were to miss these few days, seeing these ladies again would be more difficult than flying to the heavens.

As though he was freed from torture, Ling Tian ran back to his own courtyard and saw Ling Chen receive him with a concealed smile. As Ling Tian saw that, he knew that she must have been eavesdropping for sure. He also could not be bothered to teach her a lesson and instructed hastily, "Send out the news, command those four who are in charge of collecting news, Liu, Qi, Ba, Jiu and Feng, Yun, Lei, Dian, Chi to wait at the Ling Family Courtyard. We will go there immediately after lunch!"

Ling Chen replied without delay, "Yes!" she then went back to the room to send out the news with a sparrow.

Liu, Qi, Ba and Jiu who Ling Tian called out were the elites which Ling Tian picked out back then. They were all orphans without a name or surname. Ling Tian then used numbers as their name, Ling Liu, Ling Qi, Ling Ba and Ling Jiu. These four people are now in charge of the east, south, west and north, the information of the four directions. [1]

As for the channels of the information and manpower, Ling Tian only gave them the method and ignored everything else. The way Ling Tian put it was: If everything can only work if I do it personally, what do I need you guys for? Apart from pa.s.sing on news, do not find me for anything else. If you run into trouble, do not come and find me either. Just do as you deem fit!

Under such a high pressure environment, the four of them grew up extremely swiftly. In just a few years, they already had a decent sized information net. Apart from helping Ling Tian scout for information, they also sold information to organizations for a quick buck. After Ling Tian handed them a sum to start the information net, he demanded that they must be self sufficient. These few years, they were all rather accomplished. Apart from being able to sustain themselves, they were even able to take out a large amount of silver to aid the training in the courtyard. This was something which Ling Tian had never expected.

As for Feng, Yun, Lei, Dian and Chi, they were chosen at the same time as well. They names were Ling Yun, Ling Feng, Ling Lei, Ling Dian and Ling Chi! After Ling Tian trained them up well, he handed them all over to Ling Jian. Presently, the power under Ling Tian which was able to shock the world is the most mysterious a.s.sa.s.sination organization in the world: The First Pavilion. The main characters of The First Pavilion were these five people together with Ling Jian. Especially the youngest Ling Chi, the speed at which he improves is almost able to catch up to Ling Jian! Now that Ling Jian was sent to the north, everything would be instructed to them. [2]

After lunch, Ling Tian did not bring any followers apart from Ling Chen and sprinted towards the Ling Family Courtyard on horses. As the city guards saw that it was the young master of the Ling family, how would they dare to say anything. They had already opened the city gates wide when Ling Tian was far away.

After casually throwing some banknotes, the both of them did not stop and sprinted out of the city. After a short hour, they could already see the Ling Family Courtyard.

The walls of the Ling Family Courtyard were completely built from azurite stone and was four hundred feet high! It stood proud and tall in the middle of the willow forest. This was the first opinion which Ling Tian made when they were building the Ling Family Courtyard. The reason was to prevent people from spying into the premises. Duke Ling and Old Madam Ling had came to the Ling Family Courtyard before as well. The first time they came, Duke Ling had felt the large ambition hidden within the high walls. At that time, Duke Ling only gave a long sigh and did not say anything else. He only instructed Ling Xiao to set up a military camp beside the Ling Family Courtyard with 5,000 people inside. The purpose of the military camp was not to spy on the courtyard, but for their sound of training to cover the similar voice coming from the courtyard.

Ling Xiao had also came here a few times before. But every time he came, Ling Chen had long informed the courtyard and Ling Xiao was only able to see the splendid and magnificent houses in the courtyard. He just could not get used to seeing that and felt that it was the action of a silkpants! From then on, he decided not to visit anymore since he would only anger himself. Ling Tian would naturally be glad if he does not visit as it fits perfectly into his plan.

[1]: Liu means Six, Qi means Seven, Ba means Eight and Jiu means Nine.

[2]: Feng means Wind, Yun means Cloud, Lei means Thunder, Dian means Lightning, Chi means Late.