Losses

Before a figure like National Preceptor Wang, a single wrong word could expose his strategic intentions. The mirror snorted. "Even if you didn't mention it, do you think people wouldn't guess your rapacious ambitions? You've come all this way out here to establish a foothold!" "True enough. Those who are meant to figure it out will figure it out eventually. I'll swallow National Preceptor Wang's warning for now; at least for the next year or six months, I'll have to show consideration for his face." A faint smile tugged at the corner of He Lingchuan's mouth again. "After all, he did do me a huge favor." The mirror said gleefully, "That's right! With a word from his golden mouth, he's bringing you so much business. In the future, you'll be able to rake in money just sitting back." The more the Yangshan Archipelago developed and grew, the fatter He Lingchuan's purse would become, the stronger his military would grow, and the deeper his foundations would run. Not to mention, he had gotten several magic artifacts from Wang Xingyi for free. "Business?" He Lingchuan chuckled. "Business is nothing more than a bonus at best! With National Preceptor Wang stepping in like this, the game between me and National Preceptor Shuangye is much easier to play!" "Huh?" The mirror grew even more bewildered. "You're playing a game with National Preceptor Shuangye? When did that start?" "From the moment Yu Zecheng set foot on the island to visit me. From the moment he joined forces with the Bailong people to scheme against me and scheme against Zhu Erniang," He Lingchuan said leisurely. "Why do you think I planned ten steps ahead for every step I took over the past few days, exercising such careful control? Did you think it was just to fight two low-level skirmishes? Was I unable to handle the Bailong people, or was I unable to deal with Yu Zecheng?" "The battle itself was never an issue. The problem lies in the consequences triggered by the battle." He Lingchuan sighed. "Gods fear causes; mortals fear effects. Having planted a bitter cause while hoping to reap a sweet fruit, I naturally have to expend a great deal of thought." "What does that have to do with playing a game?" "Yu Zecheng pushed the Bailong people forward as chess pieces, thinking he was the player." He Lingchuan stretched his legs onto a bamboo stool, settling into a more comfortable posture. "Yet he doesn't realize that in this clash, he too is merely a piece. The one sitting across from me playing this game was never him—it was National Preceptor Shuangye!" From the very beginning, his plan had been aimed straight at National Preceptor Shuangye. What he gambled on was National Preceptor Shuangye's attitude. What he sought to draw out was National Preceptor Shuangye's move. The mirror only half understood. "Since you're playing against National Preceptor Shuangye, who won and who lost?" "The game isn't over yet. All I can say is that for now, I haven't lost." "Still not over?" the mirror couldn't help asking. "Then when will it be finished?" "When National Preceptor Shuangye gives his response." He Lingchuan closed his eyes again. "All my pieces have already been played; there is no chance to take back any moves. Once this matter is reported to National Preceptor Shuangye, his response will be the endgame." The battle surrounding Zhu Erniang had ended on the surface, but in the shadows, it was far from over! Do all that is humanly possible, then leave the rest to fate. It did not feel good to have success or failure rest in another's hands, but who asked him to be far from strong enough? "Even though I laid out my pieces as best as I could, I was still extraordinarily worried, because National Preceptor Shuangye is an unfathomable man; it's impossible for me to accurately predict his true reaction. But now, National Preceptor Wang Xingyi's assist might just work in my favor." The mirror didn't understand. "What exactly would a sweet fruit be?" "For us right now, the best outcome is a draw." The mirror wanted to ask more, only to find that this fellow had already fallen fast asleep. During these past chaotic few days, he had put down the rebellion of the Moqi uncle and nephew and subdued six hundred Bailong people; he had defeated Yu Zecheng and the Beijia squad, fulfilling his promise to the Burrow Spider Queen; he had maintained order in the Yangshan Archipelago on the night of the hurricane and the Emperor's Flowing Dew, safeguarding the lives of travelers and residents; he had passed the scrutiny of the Mou Kingdom's National Preceptor, drawing closer to Lingshan; he had successfully gotten National Preceptor Wang to send letters to both territories, and was on the verge of securing unrestricted travel and trade rights in Blade Harbor and Bailie; and on top of all that, he had to worry whether National Preceptor Shuangye would receive and accept the signal he had sent via the Yu Zecheng incident. He was truly exhausted. *** Two days later, within the borders of Bailie. Lu Zhensheng had just emerged from seclusion. When the hurricane ravaged Bailie, he and his eldest son had been rushing about on inspection. Although Lu Qinglin had sent a letter in advance warning them, and Bailie had made preparations, no one had expected that Emperor's Flowing Dew would actually descend amidst the storm! A coincidence seen once in a millennium. The destructiveness was far from a simple matter of one plus one! Lu Zhensheng had remained busy until the wind and rain began to subside, at which point he spared a little time to return home and refine the spiritual dew; otherwise, it would expire and become useless. Today, his eldest son, Lu Qing'an, returned, arriving just as his father emerged from seclusion. Fatigue was written between his brows, yet opposite him, Lu Zhensheng had a glowing complexion and a vigorous stride. "Father, did you make a breakthrough?" Finally, some good news. "Indeed. I've made great progress with the Essence Nourishing Technique." Lu Zhensheng poured his eldest son a cup of hot tea himself. Now that his cultivation session was complete, his attention returned to his territory. "How are things outside?" "I've just returned from the Qu River. The river breached its dykes and washed away two villages, sweeping over two hundred people away. Search and rescue is underway right now." Lu Qing'an was parched; he took the cup and downed it in a few gulps. "The way I see it, the floodwaters probably won't recede for another two days." Bailie had plenty of experience dealing with hurricanes, but having experience did not mean escaping damage. Even by the judgment of coastal dwellers, the sheer power of this hurricane was a once-in-fifty-years event. On the second day after the hurricane, his father had entered seclusion, leaving him alone to clean up the mess—and he had been cleaning it up for three days straight! He had been so busy that blisters had broken out at the corners of his mouth, leaving him no time to care for anything else. "The losses from other places haven't been compiled yet, but it's not looking good. In Qucheng alone, over one hundred and sixty homes and shops were damaged, over seven hundred and seventy people were injured, around two hundred died, and about thirty are missing." Lu Qing'an pressed his temples. "To think Emperor's Flowing Dew would come together with a hurricane! Over a hundred people got into a massive brawl on Yuannan Street, every one of them like rabid dogs. Then a nearby building collapsed in the wind, crushing a whole crowd to death when it came down. Others went mad with bloodshot eyes and broke into homes to set fires; fanned by the gales, the flames swept through seventeen or eighteen shops in a row! "The roof of Qucheng's South Gate Tower was damaged by the wind as well, and pieces falling down crushed several soldiers... I've already dispatched men to repair it." The towering gate tower was the thoroughfare through which the common folk passed, and it also represented the dignity of the city. "Also, I heard four rooms in Third Uncle's house were damaged by the winds, and he's looking for artisans to repair them as well." The main estate of the Lu Clan was protected by a windbreak formation, so it was completely unharmed. "Fortunately, the autumn grain had already been harvested in a rush before the hurricane arrived. However, water seeped into two granaries in the West Field District, ruining nearly a hundred dan of grain. Other losses are still being tallied." After he finished speaking, father and son fell silent. The night the hurricane struck had been an outright nightmare. They had clearly prepared for the hurricane, and they had prepared for Emperor's Flowing Dew, but with the two compounding each other, why had it still ended up in complete chaos? The respectable folk and city guards alike seemed to have lost their minds; no amount of guidance or shouted orders did any good. Even if the hurricane were to blow the roof down the very next second, they would still dare to charge forward just to snatch a single drop of Emperor's Flowing Dew.