"Originally it was only thirty percent, but now it has risen to at least fifty," National Preceptor Sun said, glancing toward the Panlong Desert. "Provided the anomalies within the desert do not exceed the intelligence I have gathered."
He Chunhua walked back, his expression gradually hardening with resolve. "Very well, I will go!"
The soldiers below the platform instantly looked upon him with even greater reverence.
The He brothers were appalled. "Father, why must it come to this!"
They moved to rush forward, but He Chunhua snapped, "Halt!" barking them back.
The commandery governor flared with mild irritation. "Tugging and pulling like this—where are your manners? Do you not see how many eyes are watching!" With that, he turned and barked an order to Zeng Feixiong: "March!"
The company of nearly three hundred men set out northward along the official post road.
Only then did He Chunhua sigh and say to his sons, "I have already wasted twenty years on the border, but you two are young. You must never be buried out here. If we succeed on this venture, your starting point will be in the Great Capital!"
Twenty years of personal experience had taught him that in a remote, desolate corner of the world, even someone with world-governing talents had nowhere to display them. Taking a single gamble to return the He family to the Great Capital made this a worthwhile bargain indeed.
"The realm is troubled and restless, whereas this place is a haven of peace," He Lingchuan could not resist speaking up. "Father, Blackwater City isn't bad at all. An illusory treasure hunt isn't worth staking your life on!"
Truly, this place was great. He liked it immensely. Sure, the sandstorms were harsh, the food was a bit coarse, and eating too much mutton and beef made one sick of it... Hey, but couldn't they avoid borrowing trouble where none existed?
If the commandery governor kicked the bucket, who would take his place? Who would keep everyone in line? The whole family's comfortable days would come to an abrupt end.
"It is only right and proper to exhaust oneself for the state. You will understand once you grow a little older." In truth, with the National Preceptor present and a royal decree at hand, there was simply no refusing it. This boy was already sixteen, yet still knew so little of the world! He Chunhua patted his eldest son on the shoulder and turned to He Yue. "While I am away, Yue'er will assist in governing the commandery affairs. You have always been steady and shrewd. If I fail to return, look after the He family well, and take care of your mother."
He Lingchuan could not help turning to Sun Fuping. "Can't we wait a little longer? We could find someone else to lead the expedition!"
"We could wait, but every official brought in would have to undergo this test." Sun Fuping pointed toward the large water vat. "An army marching to war thrives on its initial surge of momentum; delay it two or three times, and that spirit will be exhausted. When that happens, we will have no hope of contending with the Panlong Desert."
Morale was at its peak right now. If they tested it repeatedly, the soldiers would grow weary.
Besides, the army had already set out. Once an arrow left the bow, how could it turn back?
He Yue's eyes reddened. Clasping his father's hand, he pulled him to the side and lowered his voice: "Father, this is a trap they laid for you!"
"Do you think I don't know that?" He Chunhua gave a faint shake of his head. Looking at He Lingchuan, who had followed them over, he hesitated again and again before finally speaking: "Chuan'er, accompany me."
Those words struck like a thunderbolt, setting He Lingchuan's head ringing.
"What? Father, I..." *don't want to go!*
A perilous expedition where nine out of ten died—why on earth should he tag along?
Wasn't He Chunhua supposed to dote on his eldest son? Why drag him along to court death?
"From the day you were born, the Great Shaman said you were a star of good fortune, destined to turn misfortune into blessings whenever disaster struck." He Chunhua seemed to find it difficult to voice, yet he carried on regardless: "For over a decade, the He family has flourished day by day, proving his words true. With fortune and calamity unpredictable on this trek into Panlong, I... I need your luck! What's more, your martial prowess is formidable. Only with my own kin guarding my flank can I truly be at ease."
Gripping He Lingchuan's arm, he subconsciously cast a couple of glances at Sun Fuping and whispered, "I can't shake the feeling that this might also be a tremendous opportunity for our family. Chuan'er, your father's safety rests entirely on you!"
He Lingchuan felt bitter bile bubbling right up into his mouth. He wanted to refuse, but could he?
Ever since the founding of Great Yuan, the court had drilled the virtues of loyalty to sovereign and filial piety to parents into ministers and subjects alike, just like any other dynasty. For He Chunhua to worry about his own safety and have his eldest son accompany him on the journey—wouldn't that seem completely natural to everyone else?
The governor of Xunzhou had gone even further, dispatching his own son directly into peril. Compared to that, what He Chunhua was asking barely even measured up.
Besides, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, could He Lingchuan really open his mouth and say, "I won't"?
Yes, he could.
"Father, I won't—"
He Lingchuan was just about to unleash his original host's talent for unreasonable obstinacy. Unfortunately, He Chunhua knew this son far too well to give him any chance to deliberate, hesitate, or refuse. Raising his voice toward Sun Fuping, he cut him off: "National Preceptor, Chuan'er shall accompany me!"
His voice rang out loud and clear, drawing glances from the vanguard.
Well, that settled it.
It swallowed He Lingchuan's final refusal right back down his throat.
He Chunhua patted his eldest son's shoulder and sighed with emotion. "Good lad!"
He Yue stood nearby, dumbfounded. Although fathers and sons fighting side by side was hardly rare these days, his father had always favored his elder brother. Why insist on dragging him along when facing such grave danger?
His brother's face practically screamed refusal.
Nian Songyu heard it as well and waved toward He Lingchuan. "Splendid! We'll have plenty of time to get better acquainted along the way."
What else could He Lingchuan say? Staring at Nian Songyu's delighted smile, his mouth felt dry and bitter. "Fine. I'll go gather some supplies."
What had begun as seeing off an expedition had turned into seeing off his father, and now it had become seeing off himself.
One could only say that life was full of unending surprises.
Even his second brother's tearful reminders to take care on the road were suddenly aimed at him instead.
He Yue grabbed his arm and abruptly dropped his voice. "Watch out for those two."
"Do you even need to tell me that?" He Lingchuan rolled his eyes. "Uncle Hao, I leave my brother's safety to you."
Uncle Hao nodded.
Given the bad blood between him and Nian Songyu, He Chunhua had decisively excluded him from this trek against the odds into the Panlong Desert to prevent trouble from brewing.
He Lingchuan intensely envied the man's ability to stay out of it, but for now, he could only muster a strained smile and wave farewell.
Stealing another glance at He Chunhua, a sudden thought sprang into his mind:
Was it possible that this father's affection for his eldest son was not nearly as deep as the original He Lingchuan had believed?
***
The Panlong Desert had not yet entered its wild sand season, so Red Cliff Road was still teeming with travelers.
With at most a dozen or so days remaining before the final deadline, everyone was hurrying along in haste.
Before departing, He Lingchuan had switched mounts and loaded up his supplies. He was now wrapped in a white robe, with only his face left uncovered.
As the sun climbed higher, the desert grew frighteningly hot. After riding for just a quarter of an hour without any cover, He Lingchuan felt scalding hot all over, suspecting that if someone splashed water onto him, it would instantly turn to steam.
In truth, they had not yet entered the true desert. Low sea buckthorn, desert holly, and feathergrass still appeared frequently around them, along with scattered saxaul trees and purple willows.
As the sole passage into and out of Blackwater City, both sides of the road were strewn with all sorts of refuse: battered crates, discarded rags, broken bottles, and the half-rotted carcass of a jackal. He Lingchuan even spotted a small tuft of black hair fluttering in the breeze atop a clump of feathergrass—and it looked suspiciously human.
Chapter 19