The Other Side of Lingxu City

The box was exquisite, marked on its surface with a maple leaf insignia—likely the personal seal of National Preceptor Shuangye. He Lingchuan opened the box to find a wax-sealed white pill resting inside. "National Preceptor Shuangye handed it to me personally. He only finished refining it three days ago," Fu Shanyue said with a grin. "Swallow it now, and in a little while, you'll be up and running around." A sovereign's word was his bond; an elixir the Demon Emperor bestowed upon Fu Shanyue on such an occasion was surely neither counterfeit nor harmful. He Lingchuan stowed the box away. "Swallowing it right now would be a waste. I'll save it for a life-or-death pinch down the road." A flicker of curiosity stirred within him. "Beijia has four National Preceptors. What are their relations like?" "Of Beijia's National Preceptors, two are human and two are great demons. This ancient system has remained unchanged for over five hundred years," Fu Shanyue replied. "So the preceptors of the Qing and Xia Palaces get along better, while those of the Qiu and Dong Palaces interact more frequently." He Lingchuan nodded and asked a crucial question: "Then what about National Preceptor Qingyang and National Preceptor Shuangye?" Fu Shanyue looked at him quizzically. "Why do you ask about that?" "Our investigation has already led straight to National Preceptor Qingyang. Shouldn't we understand them a little better?" Those words carried deep implications, leaving Fu Shanyue in thought for quite a while. "The two don't get along particularly well," he said, taking a sip of wine. "National Preceptor Qingyang has the most seniority and the greatest experience in channeling origin power. National Preceptor Shuangye comes next; he enjoys the greatest trust of the celestial gods and has served as envoy to foreign nations more than any other preceptor. I've heard he shares close personal friendships with several foreign monarchs, such as those of the Baling Kingdom, Jing Kingdom, and so forth." He Lingchuan asked in astonishment, "That's allowed? The Emperor isn't displeased?" A National Preceptor of Lingxu City was exchanging flirtatious glances with foreign sovereigns, and the Demon Emperor just turned a blind eye? "What's so astonishing about that?" Fu Shanyue chuckled. "Would National Preceptor Shuangye dare rebel? Besides, who's to say this isn't done with the approval of the celestial gods?" Who could say? Immediately after, however, he lowered his voice. "As for the late emperor, he relied far more on National Preceptor Qingyang." ... After lunch, He Lingchuan changed into coarse cloth clothes to disguise himself as a servant. Driving an ox cart loaded with refuse and scraps, he slipped out the back door alongside the chubby cook. For an estate of this size to function, it required at least a dozen servants to handle everything from weeding and watering flowers to buying groceries, cooking, and various odd chores. Labor in Lingxu City was very expensive. Madam Ying's estate in Dunyu, the capital of Xiazhou, also required daily hired help, yet the average labor cost there was less than thirty percent of this place's. And from now on, the one paying their wages was He Lingchuan. Alas. He had only just moved into the Panshan Residence, and few people knew, but he strove for caution in all his actions. Once certain he was not being watched, he parted ways with the servant at a fork in the road, turned into a carriage rental agency, and hired a donkey cart to head for the Nanli District. The bighorn rock sheep was currently lounging in the Panshan Residence's backyard, sneaking bites of dew-covered grass. Its appearance was far too conspicuous and ill-suited for He Lingchuan's trip today. Fortunately, the Panshan Residence sat on the edge of the main city; heading south led straight into the Nanli District. Even so, the donkey cart ambled along unhurriedly for two hours, stopping along the way to 'refuel' with three carrots. He Lingchuan's destination was a small hill called Fengchi Mountain, which looked like a phoenix spreading its wings from afar. Of course, there were few tall mountains within the bounds of Lingxu City; they were almost all low peaks crouching close to the ground. The donkey cart clopped its way up the winding mountain road, a sea of verdant greenery stretching out in every direction, dominated mostly by ancient banyans. It passed several grand villa estates along the way, all with gates firmly shut. Brooks gurgled, and the sunset's afterglow filtered through dense foliage and long hanging banyan aerial roots, casting dappled shadows across towering walls. All was quiet, serene, and untouched by strife. On Fengchi Mountain, there were only ten households. Yet this was not He Lingchuan's final destination either. The donkey cart was merely taking a shortcut. Descending the mountain along a side fork, it soon crossed over to the foot of Fengchi Mountain on the opposite side. The main road was still broad and flat, but once they turned into a small side path by the marketplace and traveled two or three li, billowing dust and a rank, fishy stench assaulted the senses. This lakeside town was very small, serving primarily as a distribution hub for catches from nearby lakes and rivers. As a result, the fishy stench was virtually pickled into every pillar and every patch of ground, impossible to wash clean no matter how much one scrubbed. He Lingchuan alighted from the cart here. To a place like this, high officials and noble lords would never come once in their lives, and even ordinary commoners would pinch their noses when passing by. Yet He Lingchuan did not even bat an eyelid. Walking over to the dock, he sought out the oldest fisherman, handing over two plugs of chewing tobacco and a leaf. "I'm looking for Old Ge." The old man was dark and gaunt, withered as though dehydrated. He had been sitting on a campstool on a fishing raft, staring blankly at the water's surface. He Lingchuan watched him for a good while and found that the old man didn't even move an eyeball, looking like a wooden carving. Upon hearing He Lingchuan's words, his movements in taking the chewing tobacco were remarkably swift; he immediately peeled off a piece, popped it into his mouth, and began chewing. Of course, he also cast two glances at the leaf, made a 'follow me' gesture, and headed toward the shore. The banyan leaf He Lingchuan showed him was unusual, edged with gold on both sides of the green blade. This was naturally formed, and Old Ge used it as his calling card. Naturally, no one would bother forging such a thing. The old fisherman led He Lingchuan into town. His left leg was lame and his left shoulder slumped, making his movements awkward and uncoordinated. They seemed to have just received a dozen or more boatloads of catch, leaving the whole town bustling. Bustling yet quiet, as though the people here had little fondness for speaking. When the old fisherman led He Lingchuan past, the folk merely raised their eyes for a glance before continuing with the work in their hands. The glistening silver scales and vigorous, thrashing fish of every sort formed a stark contrast with the dilapidated town. How many people knew that before these delicacies of the lakes were sorted and served on the banquet tables of wealthy, noble clans, they first passed through the thick-jointed, heavily calloused hands of fishermen? On the outskirts of town stood a low, small stone-shell house. Only upon drawing closer could one see that the outer walls were not stone, but tamped together from clam shells and other mollusks. Yet the house was relatively neat, the courtyard free of clutter and devoid of the town's fishy stench. "Old Ge," He Lingchuan called out. In the nearby tree canopy and on the low cliff behind, several figures immediately stirred. There were humans, shanxiao, and other demons. It seemed the monkey had quite a few subordinates under him. A shadow flickered within the house, and the gibbon emerged. "Ah, isn't this Mr. He?" With a wave of its arm, the snooping figures all retreated. He Lingchuan smiled. "You still recognize me?" "Of course!" Old Ge grinned from ear to ear, revealing a mouthful of large yellow teeth. "You are the Chiyan special envoy who came here pursuing the elixir of immortality case. I heard the guesthouse was bombed last night. You're all right, I hope?" This old monkey was indeed remarkably well-informed. He Lingchuan shook his head. Old Ge glanced at the old fisherman. "You didn't take the main road? You came by the lake?" "That's right. To save time." Coming by the main road, one wouldn't see the squalor and clamor of the town; arriving like this made him look rather low-class. Mumbling inwardly, Old Ge waved his hand at the old man, who turned woodenly and limped away. "Why are you staying here?" Hadn't this ape made plenty of money? "The largest lake in Nanli District is right here, and I've been staying here for decades," Old Ge bared his teeth. "Too lazy to move." "I see quite a few people living in town who aren't in the fish business." There were many dilapidated houses in town, all occupied; some didn't even have a roof over their heads and lived in shelters cobbled together from tattered tarpaulins. "Those are all penniless wretches from out of town. Thinking Lingxu City was paved with gold, every one of them wanted to strike it rich, only to realize after arriving that they were daydreaming," Old Ge chuckled slyly. "Year in and year out, they don't have two copper coins to rub together. If they didn't live in the shacks here, they'd have to sleep on the street." Land in Lingxu City was expensive; rents naturally couldn't be cheap. In a place teeming with wealthy nobles at every turn, the lives of the poor were only that much harder. He Lingchuan asked him, "You said I should come find you if I needed anything?" "Yes, yes!" Old Ge beamed. "Just say the word. Convenient matters, inconvenient matters—I can handle them all!" "What about finding someone?" The gibbon thumped its chest with loud thuds. "No problem at all! Please, come inside!" It ushered He Lingchuan into the shell house. Once inside, the gibbon puffed out its chest, its demeanor completely shifting. "Who are you looking for? Dead or alive?" This place was kept quite clean as well. The surface of the wooden table was polished to a lustrous patina, and upon it sat a blue porcelain vase holding a small bouquet of wildflowers. This was likely a reception area where appearances had to be maintained, because through the crack of a slightly ajar door in the back, he caught sight of a massive pile of clutter in the inner room. Sensing He Lingchuan's gaze, the old ape extended a long arm and hastily pulled shut the door leading to the back. "They were still alive yesterday; now, maybe not," He Lingchuan retracted his gaze. "You already know about yesterday's bombing at the guesthouse." "Ah, I heard about it this morning." Old Ge scratched his head. "Nothing like that has happened in over a hundred years." "The room that was bombed was my guest room." Old Ge's movements paused, as if processing the information, before he asked, "You want me to find the culprit?" "What culprit?" He Lingchuan replied without blinking. "I want you to help me find two people. Both are short, dark-skinned, lean and withered, with red-rimmed eyes. One has large, bulging eyes like a frog; the other constantly sniffs his nose. Both have scaly peeling on their arms and a faint fishy smell about them." He thought a moment longer. "Their features share a slight resemblance; they're very likely brothers." Old Ge said the moment he heard that, "Likely scrape a living by the water." "That's why I came to you." He Lingchuan produced a silver ingot. "I want to know their names, their addresses, and where they usually hang around. Can you do it?" "This job has its risks," Old Ge mused. "Anyone daring to bomb the guesthouse must be utterly ruthless!" He Lingchuan produced another ingot of silver. "With no names, I'll have to send out quite a few more hands to search." Three silver ingots. Old Ge's eyebrows unfurled in delight. "Afterward, they might even seek retaliation!" He Lingchuan offered no more, instead drawing back the silver he had displayed. "Not taking it? I'll find someone else." "Hey, hey, wait!" Old Ge hastily snatched the silver from his grasp. "I'll take it, I'll take it! Mr. He is generous indeed! I'll have news for you in three days!" "Too long. Two days." "Fine, fine," Old Ge grinned. "Pardon my poor hospitality. Would you like something to drink? Fruit juice?" Reaching behind him, he casually retrieved a small lidless pot from a cabinet, rooted out a wooden cup, and poured it full.