Enlistment

Opportunity favors only the prepared. Seeing his thorough preparation, the King had grown even more pleased, and proceeded to ask how many troops and how much time he would need. He Chunhua sighed. "The moment I answered, His Majesty's smile began to fade." He Lingchuan looked displeased. "Did the King honestly think we could just stroll up north and retake Xunzhou without breaking a sweat?" "A swift, decisive victory is probably every ruler's dream." He Yue shook his head. "Fighting on two fronts is simply too demanding. Just dealing with Dong Haoming in the west is already straining the royal court to its limit. Now that the northern front is in dire straits as well, they can ill afford any shortage of troops, coin, or grain." In the end, it all came down to cost. What He Yue cared about most was: "Did His Majesty agree to Father's request for troops?" He Chunhua shook his head. "The figure I submitted was unacceptable to him. His Majesty slashed it down to thirty percent." He Lingchuan asked in disbelief, "You can haggle over that? Is the royal court no different from a vegetable market?" He Chunhua let out a long sigh. "The moment that was brought up, His Majesty flew into a rage, saying none of us appreciated how difficult it is to come by money and grain, or how harsh life is for the common people. I had no choice but to lower the number again and again, while His Majesty pressed down further and further." He Lingchuan gave a cold sneer. "Thirty percent? Heh, how are men and horses supposed to fight on empty bellies?" "They say thirty percent, but we'll be lucky if fifteen percent actually makes it to our destination." He Chunhua smiled coldly. "There's embezzlement at every level in between." He knew that game all too well. "Can a war even be fought like that?" "I am now the Chief Administrator of Xiazhou. Once I arrive, I have a job to do." Curiously, He Chunhua did not look terribly disappointed. "No matter. I foresaw His Majesty's reaction long ago, so the numbers I submitted... were somewhat generous to begin with." He Lingchuan raised an eyebrow. The old man certainly knew what he was doing. "Besides, regional forces are mostly supported by the local region anyway, and we may even have demon troops at our disposal. Whatever subsidy the court provides is merely the cherry on top. Heh, if the Governor of Xunzhou on the opposite side can pull it off, then so can I." Having said that, He Chunhua took out an embroidered pouch and handed it to He Lingchuan. "To commend your valor in fending off the enemy, His Majesty has appointed you as a Youyun Cavalry Commandant, ranking equivalent to the lower sixth rank." Madam Ying and He Yue gasped in surprise. He Lingchuan was overjoyed. Tearing open the embroidered pouch, he watched a Yuan coin tumble out into his palm. He caught it, turned it over a couple of times, and tossed it into the air. "From this day forward, I'm an official too!" He Yue could not help correcting him. "Eldest Brother, that is merely an honorary title, not a substantive post." He Lingchuan shot him a glare. "Once I enter the military, won't I get a real post soon enough?" He Chunhua stood by with a knowing smile, keeping his thoughts to himself. Weighing the newly acquired Yuan coin in his hand, He Lingchuan asked, "Didn't His Majesty bestow any other reward? Gold, silver, or jewels would do just fine." "The state treasury is empty, and you didn't win merit on a battlefield." He Chunhua scolded him with a chuckle. "You should be glad to receive an honorary rank at all, and you still want rewards?" "I saved Grand General Ke! Surely that's even more important than killing enemies on a battlefield?" Ignoring his eldest son's grumbling, He Chunhua changed the subject. "What happened here in Shihuan today?" The two sons took turns recounting the day's events. Upon hearing that the head artisan of the middle kilns from Songyang Mansion would accompany the Auxiliary Army north for the time being, He Chunhua slapped his thigh hard and repeatedly praised the news. "Once we arrive in Xiazhou, we must immediately forge weapons and stockpile grain. Having such an expert advising us from the sidelines is the best thing we could hope for!" He Lingchuan feigned sheepishness. "Father, you don't blame me for giving away the purple-gold pestle, do you?" He Chunhua beamed. "Though the precious pestle is a spirit artifact, no one in our household could use it. Trading something useless for a master craftsman is a bargain beyond compare. Why would I blame you?" When He Lingchuan relayed Li Fubo's inquiry, He Chunhua shook his head. "A bamboo cylinder? Sun Fuping didn't leave behind many relics, and there certainly wasn't any bamboo cylinder among them." "Are you certain? Do you want to double-check?" "You don't trust me?" He Chunhua asked with a faint, wry smile. "Do you want me to bring everything out so you can inspect them one by one?" He Lingchuan gave a dry laugh. "No need for that. Father is far more meticulous than I am. If you say it isn't there, it definitely isn't." "Eldest Brother, did you just say that the walnut boat—erm, the Mustard Seed Boat—was borrowed by Sun Fuping from the Marquis of Songyang?" He Yue possessed a sharp, attentive mind. "Under the current circumstances, can this Master Li still openly claim that his marquis is a friend of Sun Fuping?" Over the past two months, hadn't all the bloody purges around the capital been driven by the King's relentless crackdown on the rebel's "confederates"? Was the Marquis of Songyang not afraid? He Lingchuan quietly shoveled rice into his mouth. "How should I know?" Before arriving in Shihuan, he had never even heard of Songyang Mansion. He Chunhua pondered for a moment. "The Marquis of Songyang holds both a noble title and the leadership of a sect. In our Yuan Kingdom, he occupies a very peculiar standing that cannot be judged by ordinary standards." He then added, "His Majesty's face was dark with hostility. I fear nothing short of bloodshed will appease the sovereign's wrath. By my estimation, the capital will be thrown into turmoil again in the coming days. It would be best for us to set out as soon as possible. Once matters here are settled, we leave the day after tomorrow, lest people accuse me of lingering in the capital to form factions." Deep down, he understood clearly: the King's late-night audience was partly to demonstrate favor and partly to urge the newly appointed Chief Administrator of Xiazhou to perform diligently and relieve the state's burdens. That was the sovereign's soothing dew. But should he suffer repeated defeats in the north or fail to produce results, what rained down upon him would be thunderous wrath. Both, after all, were deemed royal favor. *** With a soft creak, the door swung open. Hu Min hobbled in, just in time to see He Lingchuan's arrow strike the target. "Oho, not bad! Huge improvement. You're only—" He grinned, holding up two fingers to measure, "only two inches off the bullseye." He Lingchuan's face fell. A miss by an inch was as good as a miss by a mile, let alone two inches. For stationary target practice, such an error was disgraceful for an archer. "It's good enough. I remember a few days ago, when you threw flying daggers for the first time, you missed the target completely." He Lingchuan lowered his bow, entered the room, and poured him a cup of water. "What wind blew you over here?" Hu Min's leg injury had not yet healed, so he had been recuperating at home. Usually, He Lingchuan would visit him, yet today Hu Min had dragged himself over. "I've got bad news." Hu Min took the cup and gulped down a mouthful. "Your application to join the Gale Army was rejected. Boss Xiao passed down word from above: you need to gain more experience and rack up military merits before applying again." He Lingchuan felt a twinge of disappointment, though the outcome was well within his expectations. Ever since he began entering the Panlong dreamscape through the broken saber, he had known he was being constantly watched. Otherwise, the dreamscape would not adapt to his real-world experiences. For instance, when he encountered the once-in-decades descent of Emperor's Flowing Dew west of Woling Pass, the Panlong dreamscape that very night had immediately presented past events concerning Emperor's Flowing Dew. It was clearly showing him how to concoct Emperor's Flowing Powder without wasting such celestial treasure. Could the ruler of this dreamscape be the Dafang Pot itself? After all, during the fierce struggle against Sun Fuping and his companion last year, he and He Chunhua had relied on the Dafang Pot to weaken their opponents' power to rock bottom, allowing them to seize victory. What if Zhong Shengguang, who had transformed into the black dragon, wasn't actually dead? Or what if the controlling will behind the Dafang Pot belonged to someone else entirely? At the very least, He Lingchuan was certain of one thing: this will had summoned him into the dream again and again because it had an agenda. The very first time he entered the dream, an arrow had pierced his throat; that second brush with death was still vivid in his memory. Judging from that brutal welcome, the other party had no intention of letting him enjoy an easy life in this dream city. Seeing his silence, Hu Min patted his shoulder consolingly. "Only squad leaders and above are eligible to apply for the Gale Army. This rule is actually a form of protection. After all, the Gale Army's missions are always the most arduous and perilous. Even seasoned veterans can easily meet their end." A squad leader commanded fifty men. In other words, He Lingchuan had to become the leader of fifty men before he even had the right to apply for the Gale Army. Absurd. "Starting from the bottom isn't bad either; I still have too much to learn." He Lingchuan adjusted his mindset. "Still, without fighting battles and earning merits, I don't even have ten subordinates under me." "All able-bodied men in Panlong City must enlist. Ordinary Panlong soldiers alternate—half a year farming, half a year on duty." He Lingchuan shook his head. "I'm not farming." The opportunities to enter this dream were far too precious to waste on tilling fields. "Same here," Hu Min chuckled. "Then your only options for full-time service are the Patrol Guards, the City Garrison, or Logistics. You can pick one of the three." "The ones who see combat most frequently should be the Patrol Guards, right?" "Naturally." Hu Min elaborated, "The Patrol Guards are split into two groups: the Red Scarf Patrol Guards operate on the Chipa Plateau, while the Roaming Patrol Guards mainly move through the Panlong Desert, patrolling the outer perimeters of Panlong City. The two often rotate duties." Without hesitation, He Lingchuan said, "I want to enlist in the Patrol Guards." He would soon accompany his father to fight in northern Yuan. His opponent would be General Pacifying the North, Nian Zanli, and the northern demon kingdom backing him. Nian Zanli bore a blood feud against him over a dead son and would never spare father or son. What He Lingchuan had to do was improve himself as quickly as possible within his limited time. Mountains could crumble, and people could run; only relying on oneself was truly dependable. Therefore, he needed to go to the front lines of combat, using blood and fire to temper his martial mindset and combat skills. Every single experience within this dream would become an invaluable asset. "Then follow me. I'll take you to the Patrol Office to sign up." Hu Min turned to head out. Though he still limped slightly, he was far better off than when he had first been wounded. His crutch tapped briskly against the ground, carrying him forward at a rapid pace. In another seven or eight days, he would be walking swiftly on his own two feet again. The two boarded a donkey cart and headed toward the Patrol Office. The journey went smoothly. After registering, He Lingchuan took the on-site assessment, which tested situational adaptability, martial arts, and footwork. Having survived several life-and-death encounters, he cleared the trials with ease. Without any unexpected hitches, he proudly became a Red Scarf Patrol Guard. After all, with Panlong City locked in years of warfare, new recruits were welcomed at all times. "Congratulations! From now on, you're defending our homes and protecting our city." Hu Min clapped for him. "Just don't croak before you make it into the Gale Army." He had picked up the slang word "croak" directly from He Lingchuan. "We ought to head to Tianshuang Restaurant to celebrate, but Boss Xiao is about to deliver a lecture at the Hall of Immortal Inquiries. Want to go support him?" Hearing that, He Lingchuan naturally nodded. "Let's go!" Although the Hall of Immortal Inquiries sounded grand and lofty, its location was rather unorthodox. It was neither a jade tower nor a grand ceremonial hall, but an enormous sinkhole! When He Lingchuan first entered the Hall of Immortal Inquiries, he had been equally astonished. As the name suggested, this natural pit looked as though celestial beings had gouged a colossal hole right through the mountain. Above, it opened to the brilliant sun; below, it connected to an underground river. Its diameter was vast, and its shape entirely irregular.