And So, There Must Be War

However, the men sent to search for and apprehend him had also mentioned needing to do so before Fu Shanyue returned to the post-house. The status of the Chiyan Crown Prince still gave the higher-ups some pause. After all, relations between the Chiyan Kingdom and Lingxu City had grown tense recently, and the identity of the true culprit behind the massacre of demon subjects from various realms pointed toward high-ranking figures in Lingxu City. Thus, the Demon Emperor was likely unwilling to add fuel to the fire. Yet how long could such hesitation last—or rather, how long could their patience hold out? That was hard to say. He Lingchuan knew he had to dispel Bai Ziqi's suspicions as soon as possible, even if only temporarily. Still, at least for tonight, he could enjoy a sound night's sleep. *** The realm of souls, Chipa Plateau. He Lingchuan turned aside and sneezed. Was someone talking about him behind his back, or had they sprinkled too much pepper powder on the roast mutton? "Let me do it." Shao Jian took the pepper jar from his hand, drew his knife, and scored a few more cuts into the leg of mutton. "When it comes to roasting mutton, if I claim to be second best, no one would dare claim to be first." Having spent the past decade or more wandering in exile, he had passed most of his time in the wilderness. He Lingchuan withdrew his hand and sat back down on the log, noticing a circular red signet ring on Shao Jian's ring finger. Unlike the rings worn by other merchants, the bezel was not set with precious gems or jade; instead, it was engraved with an emblem and characters. "That ring of yours is rather unusual." "This?" Shao Jian turned his hand to glance at it. "When I traveled west on business, I saw the nobility and wealthy elites there wearing signet rings like this. Whenever they needed to stamp a seal, they just balled their fist and pressed down. It was very convenient, so I had one made in the same style." He extended his finger for He Lingchuan to see. The latter observed, "Is that emblem a conch shell?" "Indeed. The very first merchant guild I founded was called the Red Conch Merchant Guild," Shao Jian said with a smile. "We did some shipping along the coastal ports." Looking at He Lingchuan, he added, "Now that the Xiji Plains have also been taken by Panlong City, if you ever get the chance, you should travel south. Life for people along the coast is completely different from our inland ways." He Lingchuan pointed deliberately at the dried goods Shao Jian had purchased. "When the time comes, we can stew delicacies from the mountains and the sea together." "Exactly." Shao Jian laughed heartily. He had made a special trip to the Chipa Plateau to buy dried red mushrooms from a specific farming household, claiming theirs were far better than what the city shops offered. What was the word for it again? Authentic. His beloved daughter loved red mushroom soup above all else and had specifically asked him to bring back plenty. For those few words alone, Shao Jian, that incorrigible doter on his daughter, was willing to ride an extra fifty li, and He Lingchuan, as his bodyguard, had no choice but to accompany him. The journey was long and dusk fell quickly, so the two simply lodged in the farmer's barn. They even bought a black goat from the owner for dinner, roasting the meat and brewing soup from the bones. The little girl's taste had not led her astray; red mushrooms and mutton soup truly went wonderfully together. Once the dried mushrooms were soaked and stewed with meat, the broth turned crystal clear and rosy red, looking exceptionally warming. Though flecked with droplets of fat on the surface, it was crisp, refreshing, and entirely free of grease, infused with the distinctive fragrance of mountain delicacies. He Lingchuan ladled a bowl of soup for Shao Jian. "How old is your daughter?" "Seven now." When Shao Jian spoke of his daughter, smiles crinkled the corners of his eyes. "Mischievous as can be, without an ounce of ladylike decorum. She already climbs trees and plays leapfrog." With that, the floodgates opened. Ten years ago, he had passed through a small town and fallen in love with a woman. They soon married, and two years later, their daughter was born. Shao Jian bore the weight of national ruin and familial vengeance, spending half his life in exile, sighing day and night. Yet after having a daughter, his world had regained its color. He even showed He Lingchuan the talisman hanging from his waist. Tied with red cord, it was a bit crude and clumsy, but it had been made by his beloved daughter's own hands. In all his travels north and south, he had never gone a day without wearing it. He Lingchuan smiled. "What is her name?" "Shao Yingying, nicknamed Yanzi. Ah, let me tell you, there is no joy in this world more genuine than domestic happiness." Shao Jian turned the mutton over again. "That's why I truly admire Brother Zhong for being able to do what ordinary men cannot." Were it him, he could never bear to sacrifice his own flesh-and-blood daughter; he would rather offer himself in her place. At this thought, he gave a heavy sigh. He Lingchuan smiled wryly. What kind of fathers didn't exist in this world? Still, he played along with Shao Jian's words. "You are remarkable as well, Mr. Shao. From now on, you'll be standing against celestial gods on your own." Shao Jian laughed heartily. "Last year, I took Yingying to the West Street temple fair in Linhe City. Yingying loves the soft rice cakes there best, and I always buy some for her whenever I return home. A fortuneteller read my palms and face, even writing a fourteen-character prophetic verse and tucking it into a small gourd: 'Wild songs and heedless wine make light of the load; never seek peace from the storm on the road.' Heh, he said my life would be adrift without anchor and unlikely to meet a good end. Once Yingying understood what it meant, she cried for several nights." He shook his head. "This is my fate, and I accept it. But I hope Yingying will live a peaceful and smooth life, and never follow in my footsteps." He Lingchuan said softly, "Then you will have to stay far away from her." Shao Jian glanced at him and said bitterly, "Yes. That is how it must be." He closed his eyes, let out a long sigh, and then changed the subject. "I can see that Brother Zhong and General Red both intend to groom you. Work hard; you have a bright future ahead of you, young man." Over the past few days of spending time together, he and He Lingchuan had gradually grown familiar with each other. "Me?" He Lingchuan smiled sheepishly. "I'm just an ordinary grunt." "Anyone who can enter Gange Hall and listen to our discussions about the Dragon-Torture Pillar is no ordinary grunt." Shao Jian sliced off a piece of mutton and handed it to him. "From what I see, you are affable to others and exercise tact in everything you do. Those are outstanding qualities." "Being affable is one too?" Only in the realm of souls did anyone praise him like that. In reality, friend and foe alike called him calculating and dark-hearted. He Lingchuan tasted the roast mutton. The outer charred crust was crisp and crunchy, and with a single bite, the meat inside proved tender and bursting with juices. Shao Jian's culinary skill was indeed miles ahead of his own. "Of course. Treat others with goodwill, make more friends and fewer enemies, and your path forward will only broaden." Shao Jian propped up the mutton on the spit, picked up his bowl, and took a sip of hot soup. "Those who achieve great things don't necessarily need sharp, unyielding edges. So long as you can achieve your goal, what harm is there in being flexible? "Back when Brother Zhong and I traveled to Lingxu City to study, I saw him debating freely with the scholars at the Taixue Academy, leaving them utterly speechless. Back then, I admired his knowledge and character immensely, feeling that he possessed towering spirit and stood above worldly folly. But ah, looking back after all these turbulent years, Brother Zhong's unbending bluntness was doomed to suffer setbacks in the imperial court. Otherwise, how would he have been packed off to the Panlong Wasteland later on? "Do not emulate him in that regard." He and He Lingchuan had both finished half their bowls of mutton soup. "As long as you harbor lofty ambitions and remain unyielding through a hundred setbacks, what harm is there in acting humble and deferential, or enduring humiliation for the greater good? They are merely means to an end. Only the ultimate outcome matters, does it not?" After having a daughter, Shao Jian's heart had softened considerably. Seeing a promising junior like He Lingchuan, he felt an appreciation for talent and couldn't help offering earnest guidance. By remaining at Shao Jian's side, He Lingchuan gained a deeper understanding of Beijia. This knowledge came from someone who had lived through it, impossible to acquire from books. Yet the man adamantly refused to mention the Yuan Kingdom. Several times, He Lingchuan deliberately or casually steered the conversation in that direction, only to be diverted every time. That name was like a curse and a taboo to him, off-limits to everyone. He Lingchuan could only choose relatively safe topics, such as: "Mr. Wu, what kind of temperament does the Demon Emperor have? Does he truly take orders from celestial gods?" "The current Demon Emperor possesses grand vision and formidable talent. Throughout his two centuries on the throne, Beijia has never fallen." He Lingchuan poked at the fire. "Merely keeping Beijia from falling qualifies as having grand vision and formidable talent?" Right now, in the seventeenth year of the Panlong calendar, the second Demon Emperor of Beijia was still on the throne. By the era He Lingchuan hailed from, this emperor was already referred to by the people of Beijia as the 'Late Emperor.' "Across such vast territory, amidst such complex national conditions, and burdened with centuries of accumulating corruption and inertia," Shao Jian sliced off another piece of mutton, chewing it slowly, "governing a nation is harder than scaling the azure heavens. Keeping it too big to fall is already a feat of immense difficulty. Look at the human kingdoms on its borders—lasting no more than a hundred years at best, or a mere seven or eight at worst, before dynasties are overthrown or annexed." Yet his intention was hardly to praise the murderer of his people, so his tone shifted: "Even so, these so-called Demon Emperors, demon kings, and so-called National Preceptors are all murderers—and traitors to the mortal realm!" He Lingchuan's gaze flickered. "Traitors?" "The ancestors of the Demon Emperor were mighty demon immortals who fearlessly and resolutely resisted the celestial gods' invasion, charging forward even if it meant sacrificing their lives for the Dao," Shao Jian said coldly. "Who could have foreseen that over two thousand years later, their descendants would turn their coats and defect to the enemy, willingly lowering themselves to become foot soldiers for celestial gods and butchering common mortals on their behalf?! "If that isn't a traitor, what is? They have thrown away every shred of their ancestors' honor!" The final sentence came out with bitter fury. He Lingchuan was momentarily silent. How long was two thousand years? Even the blue seas could turn into mulberry fields, let alone the vicissitudes of worldly affairs. What was more, over six hundred years ago, Beijia's founding Demon Emperor had faced a situation where the demon race was feeble, crowded by humans to the point of having no room left to survive, and had been forced to seek outside aid. By then, the primary conflict had shifted to one between humans and demons. How could the Demon Emperor of that era have fought side by side with the immortals again like his ancient forebears? He Lingchuan inquired further: "Lady Mitian said that the gods have been continuously draining the nightmare energy of this world. When I listened to lectures at the Hall of Immortal Inquiries, I also heard that the mortal realm and the divine realm exist in an inverse balance—the more nightmare energy they drain away, the more it leads to the depletion of spiritual energy in our world. Do the Demon Emperor and demon kings of Beijia know about this?" Shao Jian was greatly surprised. "The Hall of Immortal Inquiries actually teaches that?" He too had attended lectures at the Hall of Immortal Inquiries and knew they were open classes. Did Panlong City actually share such secrets openly with its citizens? "They did, they did." He Lingchuan didn't even bat an eye as he lied, even throwing in a sincere smile. "The upper echelons of Beijia naturally know." Firelight danced in Shao Jian's eyes. "The resources of the divine realm are already depleted, and the gods must draw survival energy from the mortal realm. Once the primordial essence residing within all living beings spills outward, it turns into nightmare energy! Demons and humans contain abundant nightmare energy, and humans in particular are vast in number, making them the best source of nightmare energy. "However, as humans age naturally, nightmare energy steadily disperses and returns to the world. And so—" So Tianshengzi's deduction was indeed correct. He Lingchuan murmured, "And so, there must be war?" "Only through war can the lives of young, strong men and women be swiftly harvested—just like cutting the freshest chives."