Heaven... Is as Unpredictable as the Weather

"I imagine Commander Zhong would be glad to see them return as well," Sun Fuling remarked as she annotated the last few characters. "Now that Weicheng has been reclaimed, someone needs to defend the city, and someone needs to farm the land. In another three months, spring will arrive and the snow will thaw. Outside Weicheng lie fertile fields; what a waste it would be to leave them barren." In the Panlong Wasteland, grain had always been a serious problem. "Will the Baling army try to take Weicheng back?" He Lingchuan already knew the answer. Yes, they would. "They will," Sun Fuling said indifferently. "So long as the Baling Kingdom's desire to destroy us remains alive, they will surely attack Weicheng again." He Lingchuan could not help letting out a long sigh, only for Sun Fuling to add in a leisurely tone, "Such is the world we live in. Between a good death and a wretched life, you always have to choose one." She carefully blew on the wet ink to dry it. "There, I'm finished annotating. Let us begin our first lesson." By the brazier, the sparrowhawk immediately buried its head into the feathers on its back. Time to sleep. The sunlight falling across the window lattice grew increasingly slanted and hazy. Sun Fuling taught with great earnestness, but He Lingchuan found his mind wandering. They were sitting very close, and from this angle, her jawline was exquisitely sculpted, the bead of her upper lip perfectly formed. Though her complexion was pale, the bridge of her nose was sharp and straight, and her almond eyes were remarkably bright and lively. How did that old saying go—two beads of black mercury resting in white mercury? Other beauties possessed limpid, autumn-water eyes brimming with dewy softness and tender sentiment. Sun Fuling, however, had light in hers, flashing like cold stars in the night, commanding and arresting. How could a young woman have eyes like that if she hadn't lived through things? Even knowing she was Sun Jiayuan's sister, He Lingchuan felt his curiosity about her deepen. "Did you understand that?" Sun Fuling noticed his distraction and waved her brush twice before his eyes. "Y-yes, I understand." He Lingchuan forced down the urge to yawn. This lesson had gone on for two full shichen! How on earth did she manage to talk nonstop for four hours while barely drinking a drop of water? A professional through and through. The sparrowhawk beside them was already snoring, making him thoroughly envious. He had managed to concentrate during the first two hours, but by the second half, the characters seemed to crawl up off the paper and wriggle into a swarm of tadpoles inside his head. Seeing his guilty expression, Sun Fuling stood up. "Let's stop here for today. If I say any more, you won't remember it anyway." "Yes, yes! Thank you for your hard work, Teacher Sun!" He Lingchuan scrambled to his feet and discreetly stretched his stiff lower back. "I'm heading back. Get some rest early." Sun Fuling nodded to him and started toward the door. She had kindly helped him, so shouldn't he offer some token of appreciation? He Lingchuan's gaze swept over the oilpaper packet of roast chicken on the stove, and he suddenly remembered the new treasures he had acquired. "Please wait a moment!" He went to a flowerpot and fetched a candy snail. After leaving the warm, damp cave beneath Yan Mountain, it had frozen solid in the frigid air. He Lingchuan used a toothpick to pry out the snail meat, rinsed the shell clean, and handed it to Sun Fuling. "I don't have much to my name, so please accept this as my tuition fee." "A candy shell?" Sun Fuling took it and held it up to the light, her voice brightening. "Are you truly giving this to me? These are quite valuable—enough to cover six months of tuition!" She actually recognized it. The one He Lingchuan had given her had a grass-green whorl at the center, followed by a ring of pure black, while the outermost ring was a vivid, gradient apple red—a work of pure, natural beauty. Depending on what candy snails ate, and sometimes even the order in which they fed, they grew shells of diverse and dazzling colors. He Lingchuan spread his hands. "A treasured sword for a hero, fine powder for a beauty." Sun Fuling tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The light in her eyes shone even brighter, and her tone softened. "Thank you for such a generous gift. I like it very much." The two exchanged farewells, and Sun Fuling headed home clutching the candy shell. He Lingchuan could not help marveling at the hold pretty baubles had over women. Even someone with a personality as cool and detached as Sun Fuling couldn't take her eyes off a candy snail shell. He looked at the remaining snails and sighed. If only he could find a cave where these creatures grew in the real world; then he would have an endless stream of wealth. When he returned to the kitchen, he noticed the packet of roast chicken on the stove was gone, and the sparrowhawk by the brazier had vanished as well. *** The following morning, the people of Dunyu woke to two major pieces of news. The first was that three more people had died at the Zhan residence during the night. Strictly speaking, it was three and a half. Two had been severely injured the day before and had clung to life until dawn before finally succumbing. The remaining "one and a half" was the most tragic: Fourth Master Zhan's pregnant wife was gone. Fourth Master Zhan was already fifty years old. Four years ago, he had taken a second wife who was thirty-two years his junior. It was only natural that an older husband would dote on his young wife. Yesterday, when the Li clan's private soldiers stormed into the Zhan residence, they knocked down his wife, who was seven months pregnant. Her belly struck an ornamental rockery with tremendous force, and she immediately began bleeding beneath her skirt, losing consciousness on the spot. The physician summoned by the authorities had rushed to treat her at once, but to no avail. She lingered until midnight before dying, taking the child with her. It had been a baby boy. Fourth Master Zhan had nearly gone mad with grief. Anyone who heard the news gasped in pity, shaking their heads with a sigh. Still, infant mortality was high in these times; there were always one or two out of every ten who died young. Moreover, as one of Dunyu's four prominent families, the Zhan clan did not have the cleanest reputation. Whenever common folk discussed the matter, they invariably added, "The elders lack virtue, so the retribution falls on the descendants," treating it as mere idle gossip over tea. The second piece of big news was that the Xunzhou army had broken through Baichegang, tearing open a massive breach in General Zhao Pan's defensive line. In years past, when Yuan Gaozu launched his campaign against Xiazhou, his righteous cause attracted widespread support. The gentry and prominent clans around Dunyu had dispatched provisions and armor in endless streams, so that carts and horses traveled across that ridge by the hundreds, giving it the name Hundred-Cart Ridge—Baichegang. Now, however, the Yuan Kingdom's military clearly lacked the glory of yesteryear. Starved of provisions and winter clothing, their morale in shambles, they had lost this crucial pass to Xunzhou. The fall of Baichegang was a stinging slap from Nian Zanli to the Yuan court. More importantly, the terrain south of Baichegang was flat with no natural barriers to defend. The Xunzhou forces could use this breakthrough to march south. When the news broke, the entire city of Dunyu was shaken. From Baichegang to Dunyu, the straight-line distance was a mere four hundred li. What made it worse was that by taking the official highway from there, the enemy's advance could be even faster. For the first time, the dark clouds of war hung so tangibly over Dunyu, looming in the hearts of its people. Consequently, the citizens' attention to the war far eclipsed their interest in the case of the three and a half lives lost in the Zhan clan. Over breakfast, Madam Ying relayed the news regarding the Zhan clan to He Chunhua, who could not resist lightly tapping the table. "Heaven..." He had nearly said "Heaven helps me!" but caught sight of Madam Ying's startled look. The words on the tip of his tongue took a sharp turn: "...is as unpredictable as the weather." Yet the expression on his face had visibly lightened. The deaths in the Zhan clan would naturally escalate the feud, which meant he wouldn't need to employ his contingency of more aggressive measures. Not long after, Butler Lao Mo arrived to report on the military situation to the north. He Chunhua took a long, deep breath upon hearing it. Just as he was growing drowsy, someone had handed him a pillow; he could hardly believe his good fortune. To him, these two major events were a double blessing. What looked like mortal peril to others appeared to him as an extraordinary opportunity. His eldest son truly was a lucky star. Facing the rising morning sun, He Chunhua could not help feeling ambitious and full of resolve. A brand-new chapter belonging entirely to him was finally about to begin. Sure enough, just after he finished breakfast, the Zhan clan head, Zhan Song, paid a visit with several cartloads of generous gifts. With reddened eyes, he submitted additional charges against the Li clan, pleading for the Governor-General to uphold justice. Because the trial regarding the Li clan's private soldiers could only formally open two days later once the suspects surrendered themselves, the Zhan clan's present demand was for the harshest and most severe punishment possible when the time came! He Chunhua assumed an expression of sorrow and sympathy, assuring him that he would never let the culprits escape unpunished. Then came the main event. Zhan Song was an experienced operator who knew that asking for a favor—especially when seeking the prosecution of Dunyu's foremost tyrant, the Li clan—meant facing the highest level of difficulty. His clan would have to bleed a little. Reaching into his robes, he produced a draft and placed it on the table. "Knowing the mountain harbored a tiger, Lord He chose to advance regardless. The Zhan clan is deeply moved and wishes to donate this draft to the prefecture. With this note, the authorities may collect five thousand dan of grain from the Zhan family warehouses." One dan equaled one hundred and twenty jin, making five thousand dan roughly six hundred thousand jin of grain—enough to provide slight relief to the pressing crisis on the frontline. He Chunhua smiled faintly. "The Zhan clan is far too courteous." He kept his demeanor restrained, and the Zhan clan head understood immediately: he considered it too little. Zhao Pan had over thirty thousand soldiers under his command. Even if they didn't fight and simply remained stationary, five thousand dan would only last ten days. "If Heaven has eyes and justice is served for my Zhan clan, we are willing to donate another five thousand dan." He Chunhua rose to his feet. "The net of Heaven has large meshes, but lets nothing through. The Zhan clan need only await good news." Only now had he made a definitive commitment. Zhan Song breathed a slight sigh of relief, bowed, and took his leave. In the past, he would never have believed the authorities could discipline the Li clan. But this newly appointed Governor-General He had reportedly guarded the western border and suppressed bandits with outstanding administrative achievements before rising rapidly on the merit of executing Sun Fuping, unentangled with the high officials at court. Stepping out of the He residence, the Zhan clan head looked up at the sky and sighed softly. Never before had he longed so desperately for the authorities to handle a case with impartiality. Naturally, his movements were observed by scouts stationed nearby, who swiftly relayed the report back to the Li clan. As for the conversation between the Chief Administrator of Xiazhou and the Zhan clan head, He Chunhua did not even need to spread it deliberately; within about two shichen, it reached the ears of the Li brothers. Li Rong sneered repeatedly. "Ten thousand dan? The Zhan clan thinks a mere ten thousand dan of grain can condemn us to death?" Yet despite his words, his face was pale as paper. He had barely closed his eyes over the past two days. The grounds of the Li residence were level throughout, yet from last night until now, he had stumbled at least three times, nearly tumbling to the ground. Just then, a servant rushed in to announce, "The Sixth Young Master has returned." Li Rong sprang to his feet. "Quick! Bring him in at once!" *** Though the Beginning of Spring had long passed, the lake outside Dunyu remained frozen under two feet of ice. He Lingchuan fully embraced the style of a high-ranking official's heir. Instead of carrying a birdcage and strolling with a songbird, he perched a monkey and walked a wolf. Dressed in fine silks and an ornate cap, with Maotao and four or five guards trailing behind him, he first went to Dunyu's finest tavern for an extravagant banquet, then headed to Xiangyun Court to listen to songs. Wherever he went, he made a grand display. When it came to prices, Dunyu was considerably more expensive than Blackwater City.