A Change of Regimes

"Stop overthinking it. As long as the intelligence is practical and useful, that's what matters." He Lingchuan patted his shoulder and pointed to the page detailing Xun City's four gates. "The records on this page match what I've gathered recently, so we can judge them to be authentic." If Consort Mei truly was the mastermind, judging by the thoroughness and meticulous care she had shown, the intelligence she sent should be largely genuine. Jin Bai nodded. He produced another slip of paper. "A message from National Preceptor Wang, also for you." He Lingchuan took it and unfolded it. Sure enough, it was Wang Xingyi's handwriting, bearing only a few brief lines. The gist was thanking him for finding the whereabouts of the Bright Lantern Cup and for serving as envoy to Bo Kingdom, noting that the Emperor was greatly pleased. Evidently, Lingshan was very pleased with his performance. For facing Nangong Yan's ambush during his temporary appointment as Mou's envoy, Mou Kingdom would double his remuneration as consolation. Usually, clients only offered evaluations once a mission was concluded. Thus, National Preceptor Wang was subtly indicating that the case was closed— That was the subtext He Lingchuan read between the lines. He sighed softly to himself. By now, over seven hundred men from various factions had gathered at the Xiaoyao Sect, all members of Daoist orders rallied by Lingshan. Once the operation commenced, they would march out from the Xiaoyao Sect. The remaining seven-hundred-plus men would arrive by sea, landing on the desolate beach beside Julu Port and marching straight toward Xun City. Bo Kingdom was tiny, possessing little strategic depth. For a large force hastening from Julu Port to Xun City, a swift march would take no more than a single day. Divided into two wings, they would launch a pincer attack on Xun City from both flanks. He Lingchuan had also learned that while the Xiaoyao Sect provided the staging ground and supplies this time, they would not send disciples to join the actual assault. Sure enough, the Xiaoyao Sect still strictly maintained its century-old stance of not meddling in the disputes of other nations. Yet in He Lingchuan's eyes, Sect Leader Li's choice was somewhat rigid. The plan to invade Bo Kingdom had been debated and formulated within the Xiaoyao Sect; one of the main attacking forces was setting out directly from its grounds. After this battle, would anyone truly still believe the Xiaoyao Sect was neutral? Sometimes, playing it safe was wise. At other times, seizing the right moment to enter the fray showed true wisdom. The founding patriarch of the Xiaoyao Sect, Wang Gesheng, had surely seized his chance with swift, decisive precision in his day to establish a foundation lasting a century. Three days later, Xun City was in dire crisis. The allied forces mustered by Mou Kingdom advanced all the way to the outskirts of Xun City without meeting any decent resistance. Upon hearing that Mou Kingdom's grand army was at the city gates, local officials and garrisons either abandoned their posts and fled or surrendered their cities outright. Only two towns put up stubborn resistance, but both fell swiftly. As they closed in on Xun City, the allied forces split into several detachments to wipe out several garrison camps along its perimeter, eliminating the King of Bo's reinforcements before launching their assault on the capital itself. These troops had originally been under Nangong Yan's command; with his death, their combat power and morale plummeted drastically. Without evil spirits controlling them, even the elite vanguard was no longer fearless. With operatives planted inside Xun City by the rebel faction collaborating from within, the city soon fell. The old King of Bo donned his armor and took to the field in person. Born a bandit in the wilds, he had fought his way up through military exploits to become a high minister of the previous dynasty. This time, proving hale and hearty despite his years, he repelled two allied detachments in succession, giving Bo's troops a brief boost in morale. However, Jin Bai possessed detailed intelligence on the palace and knew that a section of the north wall was built on loose soil. Although it appeared normal on the surface, groundwater had eroded its foundation over the years, leaving it unstable. Thus, the allied forces breached through this point, stormed into the palace grounds, and set fire to the tallest and most magnificent tower within! Jin Bai seized the opportunity to retrieve the Heart Lamp from the Second Prince of Bo's palace, finally fulfilling his mission. Flames roared into the sky, piercing straight through the clouds. The Bo soldiers fighting outside looked back mid-battle only to see their home base sacked. Panic instantly seized their ranks, and they broke into total rout. Powerless to turn the tide, the old King of Bo could only flee with his elite guard. Yet the allied forces pursued closely on his heels, finally intercepting and slaying him at Mount Wan! The throne the old King of Bo had usurped over a decade ago had in the end been snatched away by others. His death was a proclamation sent by Mou Kingdom, thousands of li away, to every power in the region: The majesty of a great empire brooks no challenge! In a mere three days, Bo Kingdom's heavens had been overturned! Immediately after, Jin Bai brought forth the Mou Emperor's decree, installing You Enguang, former leader of the rebel faction, onto the throne as the new master of this land under the dynastic name "Peng." A new nation was born. Though it happened so swiftly as to seem farcical, such upheaval was commonplace on the Shanjin Plain. For the common folk, however, the upheaval was felt down to their very bones. Fortunately, this war of overthrow had ended quickly. Livelihoods, commerce, and architecture suffered minimal destruction, and even Xun City remained largely intact. Having accomplished their mission, the foreign allied forces disbanded and departed, leaving the territory to the new king. Jin Bai departed this den of strife with the Heart Lamp, boarding a ship back to Mou Kingdom. In a matter of days, the winds had shifted and the clouds roiled. Spectators watched wide-eyed, but before they could even take it all in, everything seemed to be over. ... Before leaving the Xiaoyao Sect, aside from bidding Sect Leader Li farewell, He Lingchuan made a special point of visiting Elder Wu. He wanted to verify something. Elder Wu had spent two days gathering medicinal herbs with his disciples and had just returned from Baimao Mountain, a few cockleburs still clinging to his greaves. He picked away the weeds from his clothing while chatting with the two, appearing quite relaxed. He Lingchuan tossed out a few witty remarks. Just as Elder Wu was chuckling heartily, a wanted poster suddenly thrust into view before his eyes. The portrait on the bounty stared right back into his face. Elder Wu's smile froze. At the same time, He Lingchuan asked, "Does the elder recognize her?" Elder Wu took the bounty and gave it a few glances. "A wanted imperial criminal? Who... who might this be?" He added, "I haven't been to Bo Kingdom in ages. How could I possibly know her?" "Oh," He Lingchuan said mildly, putting the poster away. "Just asking casually." Even after the two had walked several hundred paces away, Elder Wu was still staring unblinkingly at their retreating backs. Only after they cleared the Xiaoyao Sect's mountain gate did Dong Rui remark, "The moment that Wu fellow saw the portrait, his face turned pale. He's definitely guilty of something." Elder Wu recognized Consort Mei. Dong Rui asked, "You still want to track down the mastermind, don't you?" He knew this kid wouldn't let an investigation drop so easily. "Yes." "Hey, Mou Kingdom doesn't even want to pursue it anymore. Why chase after her? There's no reward to claim." "I have something to ask her. Something very important." He Lingchuan stopped there, and Dong Rui waited in vain for further explanation. But Dong Rui was a smart man; seeing that He Lingchuan wouldn't say more, he didn't press further. From the moment they first met, he had known He Lingchuan was a man full of secrets. He Lingchuan had his own calculations. This "Consort Mei" was someone he had to find, because for him, the most important task remained unfinished— Whether in the Panlong World or in reality, he still hadn't unraveled the secret of the Bright Lantern Cup, for those in the know were far too few. Why on earth did General Red and Mou Kingdom need it? Consort Mei knew the Bright Lantern Cup could cure the Second Prince of Bo's ailment; did she know something more besides? She was the final lead. He Lingchuan had to get his answers from her.