You Have Both Talent and Looks

No matter how furious Nian Songyu was, would he dare strike him openly here? The two glared at each other like gamecocks for a long while. He Yue stayed out of it, and only Sun Fuping spoke up to smooth things over: "How would Commandant Nian know what the servants were up to? He can ask once he returns. Young Master He, how exactly were you injured? This matter is of great consequence; do not dodge the question." He Lingchuan sighed. "Roughly fifty days ago, I went hunting on Hulu Mountain. A sand leopard ambushed me, and I fell off a cliff. After they carried me back, I lay unconscious for quite a few days before waking up." Fire nearly spat from Nian Songyu's eyes. "Why didn't you mention this yesterday?" What was this punk playing dumb for? Sun Fuping, however, focused only on the main point: "And that sand leopard?" "Dead. Carried back right along with me." He Lingchuan shrugged. "Once I woke up, I ordered people to butcher the beast. The damn thing nearly got me killed—I had to hack it to pieces. The parts we carved off were already taken to the market and sold." He gestured casually toward the east. "There's no shortage of merchants here. They're keen on demonic pelts, claws, fangs, tongues, eyeballs, inner cores, and all that, and they're willing to pay good money." "We understand what the two of you are thinking," He Yue chimed in at just the right moment. "Yesterday, upon learning that the sand leopard that ambushed my brother had been wounded by your group, my father, though offering no official stance, already dispatched men to track down the carcass's whereabouts." The barb hidden in those words was sharp indeed, though unfortunately it barely scratched the two across from them. Sun Fuping raised an eyelid. "Can Governor He truly track it down?" He Yue smiled. "He will certainly do his utmost." Give a guarantee? What a joke—naturally, he wouldn't make any such promise. Sun Fuping remained silent for a moment before speaking: "By the way, before we set out on this journey, the Grand Marshal sent word in a letter mentioning that if the capital's crisis can be resolved, Lord He's talents need no longer go to waste in such a desolate wilderness." Both He brothers were visibly moved. "You mean... no, the Grand Marshal means...?" "Transferred back to the capital and promoted by imperial memorial to Assistant Imperial Censor!" When had these slick old bureaucrats ever been so direct? He Lingchuan shot to his feet. "The Grand Marshal has a discerning eye and words of gold!" As he spoke, he stepped closer to Sun Fuping and held out a hand. Sun Fuping handed over a letter; its wax seal was unbroken. Clearly, this was something the Grand Marshal had prepared long in advance, specifically to be delivered to He Chunhua. Although promoting officials was outside the Grand Marshal's direct purview, his prestige across the court and realm was immense; bringing this to pass would be effortless for him. Sun Fuping said indifferently, "I hope Governor He does not disappoint the Grand Marshal's high expectations." He Lingchuan beamed broadly. "Of course not." He Yue also said, "We will do everything in our power to track down leads on the sand leopard. I trust there will be news soon." The two guests rose. "Then we shall await Governor He's good news." Sun Fuping was about to head out when Nian Songyu turned to appraise He Yue. "Second Young Master He, how old are you this year?" "Fourteen." "Back in Wangjin, I heard that Governor He of Qiansong Commandery had a second son who was clever and steady, but I never expected you to carry yourself with such refined elegance. Truly, hearing a hundred times does not compare to seeing once." Why was this guy suddenly assessing his little brother? What was his angle? He Lingchuan pointed to himself and cut in, "What about me? Do people outside talk about me?" Nian Songyu smiled. "They do. 'A gilded exterior.'" Everyone knew the real punchline lay in the unspoken second half of the idiom—*a rotten interior*—yet He Lingchuan puffed with self-satisfaction. "You've got an eye! Good eye!" He Yue gave a light cough. "Brother, see our guests out." Before He Lingchuan could turn, Nian Songyu suddenly spoke up: "The inn where the National Preceptor and I have been staying is cramped and wretched. Governor He's estate, on the other hand, bears the grand style of the Great Capital, with spacious courtyards and plenty of rooms. Would it be possible to host two more guests?" Both He brothers and Sun Fuping were taken aback. "Naturally, it is..." acceptable. The He residence had plenty of spare rooms. He Yue quickly notified Madam Ying, and separate guest quarters were arranged for the two distinguished visitors. Servants hurried off to the inn and brought back their luggage, officially moving them in. After a bout of hustle and bustle, the two guests were properly settled. Once the servants dispersed, Nian Songyu glanced at the closed courtyard gate. "The leopard really did fall into their hands. Not a single word from that He family can be trusted; the leopard's carcass might even still be in this very house." "Even if it is, it's been properly hidden away." Sun Fuping met his sinister gaze. "Don't tell me you're thinking of hopping the wall to kill them and seize the treasure? That won't work; we have to think about the plans that follow. The Grand Marshal foresaw this correctly—He Chunhua was bound to seize the advantage and haggle." Had He Chunhua simply bowed and complied, Sun Fuping would never have produced the letter prepared by the Grand Marshal. Nian Songyu sneered. "A mere frontier governor, a piddling official, dares to open his mouth so wide?" "At a critical juncture like this, he just might. The Grand Marshal has praised him several times; this man isn't like ordinary, mediocre officials." Nian Songyu muttered venomously, "A shame this isn't Wangjin City!" Wangjin was the provincial seat of Xunzhou, his home turf. Sun Fuping shook his head. "The real business comes first. What these petty officials want is nothing more than promotion and wealth. They're not hard to handle." "Though an Assistant Imperial Censor is only rank five-b, the post oversees and censures officials—a lucrative assignment everyone drools over. In the past, I might have been envious." Nian Songyu let out a mocking sneer. "As for now, though..." Sun Fuping's face darkened. "Mind your tongue!" *** In the blink of an eye, night fell. He Chunhua had not yet returned; he was genuinely busy. The diplomatic mission from the Baling Kingdom had already arrived in Blackwater City, and the local officials were responsible for hosting them. During that time, He Lingchuan had made a trip to the government office to personally deliver the Grand Marshal's letter into his father's hands. He Chunhua, who usually presented himself as mild and composed, couldn't stop himself from slamming the desk, leaping to his feet, and roaring with laughter toward the sky. More than twenty years! He had endured decades of wind and sand on the frontier, and at last he was returning to the familiar Great Capital! The place that had raised him, the seat of the He family's former glory. He Chunhua even retrieved his private stash of fine liquor, fetched two cups, and grabbed his eldest son to drink three toasts with him, exhilarated beyond words. Only then did He Lingchuan learn that his father had secretly stashed away fine wine at the official residence—wine better than anything he had ever tasted. After three cups, he was sent back home. By now, the sky was pitch-black and the dinner hour was long past. The He residence was quiet, just as it usually was. Knowing no one at home would hold dinner for him, He Lingchuan planned to head to the kitchen to find some pastries to fill his stomach. The family cook always kept a bowl of treats hidden in a low cabinet. Today it should be honeyed apple crisps; if he went and pilfered them, she wouldn't object either. He walked past his younger brother's courtyard. At this hour, He Yue would usually be studying by candlelight or poring over documents under the lamp; he rarely wandered about the residence. Yet He Lingchuan just happened to hear two voices drifting out of the bamboo grove. Two men. One was He Yue: "...I don't believe that's necessary, Commandant Nian!" *Commandant Nian?* He Lingchuan crept closer on tiptoe. Sure enough, the other person was Nian Songyu. He Lingchuan noticed the flushed redness high on his cheeks—he had clearly put away quite a bit of liquor. "Why isn't it necessary? The Great Capital is packed with noble clans, and those high officials look down their noses at everyone. Even if your father gets promoted and returns, he'll only be a rank five-b. Just how long do you think you'll have to wait to make your mark?" Leaning in, he chuckled, "You have both talent and looks. If you also had my father's recommendation..."