In full view of the crowd, making a scene would only turn them into a laughingstock.
Fan Long cast another glance at the tray. Fan Sheng's chest heaved. He hastily seized a cup and drained it in a single gulp, holding back his anger as he choked out, "Fine. The past is wiped clean."
He Lingchuan looked moved. "Second Brother Fan is magnanimous indeed!" Then he stepped before the giant bear, personally taking a cup of wine to offer it. "Third Brother?"
The giant bear was quite eager. Cupping the vessel in both forepaws, it extended its long tongue to smack its lips twice. Seeming to find the flavor rather good, it lifted the cup and swallowed it dry.
"Another one," it rumbled at the maidservant. This wine had a hint of honey to it—delicious!
He Lingchuan simply took up the wine flagon and poured another serving himself.
The giant bear downed two cups, yet still seemed unsatisfied.
Unable to watch any longer, Fan Long cleared his throat. "Third Brother!"
Only then did the giant bear give up and hand back the cup.
He Lingchuan said with a smile, "If Third Brother Fan enjoys this wine, just come by whenever you want some. The bees on the mountain behind us will soon produce linden honey."
Fan Bao said reluctantly, "Too bad I have to leave tomorrow."
He Lingchuan asked casually, "Oh? Where to?"
Fan Long replied, "He and Second Brother have been assigned to the eastern front. They set out tomorrow."
He Lingchuan glanced at Fan Sheng, who remained entirely expressionless.
He smiled immediately. "In that case, I'll have the cook select a few jars of honey wine for Third Brother Fan to take along."
Fan Bao's eyes sparkled at this, and he smacked his lips.
Fan Sheng nudged its plump rear with his knee. This blockhead thought of nothing but food! Barely a month ago, this person had nearly hacked off its foreleg, and it had already forgotten?
"We appreciate the sentiment," Fan Long said with a smile. "However, drinking dulls the senses on the battlefield. He had best behave himself."
Fan Bao hung his head.
Still, the honey wine at this villa is so good.
Fan Long then turned to Fu Shanyue. "I've brought twenty brothers with me. Please arrange quarters for them."
"They have already been prepared." Fu Shanyue was forced to play the gracious host. The Tongxin Guard taking up residence at Pianxiang Villa was the Demon Emperor's command—could he dare say no?
"For the sake of security, whenever the Crown Prince and Special Envoy go out, Tongxin Guards must accompany you," Fan Long said with a smile. "And if you ever feel uneasy about your food, you can even have them test each dish first."
Fu Shanyue looked touched. "Grand Commander Fan is truly thoughtful."
Motherfucker. The Demon Emperor certainly wouldn't have micromanaged down to such petty details, or Fan Long would have already recited an imperial edict. The bastard was merely using the imperial command as a pretext to make them thoroughly uncomfortable.
Having weathered the pleasantries, He Lingchuan turned and walked straight into the rear kitchen.
Several unfriendly gazes followed him until he disappeared around the corner.
Inside his breast pocket, the soul-snatching mirror suddenly spoke up: "This Nian Zanli you're planning to deal with... he seems to care quite a lot about the Yuan Kingdom, doesn't he?"
"Oh?"
"Didn't he bitterly lament the nation's afflictions and wish to deliver the common folk from misery?"
"Whenever a man sets out to rebel, he must find a suitable justification," He Lingchuan said casually. "Not just to show others, but most importantly, to convince himself."
You had to tell your followers that their choice was just, but far more crucial was convincing yourself that your conscience was clear, so that your resolve would never waver. Otherwise, how could an ordinary man withstand the crushing weight of universal condemnation?
The mirror pondered this. "So he doesn't truly believe that?"
"What he thinks doesn't matter," He Lingchuan said coldly. "What matters is what he does and what consequences he brings about. At the Battle of the Han River, both sides were the young and strong of the Yuan Kingdom, yet tens of thousands fell dead or wounded in a heartbeat, presenting a magnificent gift to Beijia on a silver platter. And the kicker? Beijia doesn't even take him seriously. Do you honestly believe a man like Nian Zanli can deliver the people from misery?"
The mirror sputtered. Wasn't this question a bit beyond its depth? "Whether Nian Zanli wins or the Yuan Royal Court wins, the war will end. Isn't that a good thing?"
"Originally, whether it was him or the Grand Marshal fighting tooth and nail against the Yuan Royal Court, at most it could be called a rebellion! The victor is crowned king and the loser branded a traitor; dynastic succession is an internal affair of the Yuan Kingdom," He Lingchuan continued. "Now, however, Nian Zanli wants to bring in foreign invaders to conquer his homeland. Do you know what that is called?"
"What?"
"That is called an invasion!" He Lingchuan said, enunciating every word. "Throughout history, has anyone who invited foreign enemies to attack their motherland ever deserved a good end?"
"Nian Zanli borrows troops from Beijia. Let me ask you: if he wins, won't he have to repay the debt? Won't he have to bow as a vassal and offer tribute to Beijia? Won't he have to submit to whatever Beijia demands?"
"Uh..." The mirror hadn't thought that far ahead.
"That would mean bleeding the Yuan Kingdom's marrow and riches dry, funneling them ceaselessly into Beijia until the treasury is empty and the people destitute. To put it bluntly, he would be severing the very roots of future generations." He Lingchuan pointed outside. "Look at how the people of Lingxu City live. Whether they suck the blood of the Yuan Kingdom or not, the singing continues and the dancing never stops. But what would become of the Yuan people?"
"'To take from the deficient to enrich the abundant—this is not the Way of Heaven,'" he said grimly. "Now, do you still believe Nian Zanli has the Yuan Kingdom's best interests at heart?"
The mirror fell utterly silent.
Its master's tongue was too sharp; it stood no chance in an argument.
What came to He Lingchuan's mind, however, was the great war between Immortals and Fiends three thousand years ago. In the face of the Heavenly Fiends' invasion, why had the immortals fought back with such unyielding resolve, rather than letting it be? Because the Heavenly Fiends brought nothing to the mortal realm but plunder—endless, insatiable plunder. That spiritual energy, those resources, had originally belonged to every living being in the world.
The more the Heavenly Fiends took, the less remained for the mortal realm. What was left—be it immortal or demon—would be forced into a vicious internal struggle, fighting tooth and claw over the dwindling scraps.
The losers were wiped out, while only the victors were left to gnaw on table leavings.
The harder one strove, the greater the agony.
Cease to strive, and face extinction.
Heh.
Once the banquet drew to a close and the guests dispersed, Fu Shanyue came looking for He Lingchuan.
"The guests have all gone, but the Tongxin Guard hasn't."
"I know. I saw them." The Tongxin Guard had already settled into Pianxiang Villa; wherever He Lingchuan walked, he would often see their figures drifting past.
These were all eyes and ears planted by Fan Long, and Fu Shanyue had been forced to arrange quarters for them. Just thinking about it soured his mood.
"These bastards will snoop around everywhere and report back to their master," Fu Shanyue grunted. "We need to give them a harsh warning, make sure they don't get too comfortable."
"By the way, I've already uncovered how the higher-ups disciplined the Fan brothers: six months' docked salary, demotion by half a rank, and dispatch to the eastern front."
"Disciplined?" He Lingchuan was unfamiliar with the political climate of Lingxu City and didn't know whether this was considered light or severe.
"Yeah, disciplined! The Fan brothers were supposed to be on official duty in Qingding City, yet they took it upon themselves to run off to Baishaqu to help Cen Boqing deal with you. Dereliction of duty, aiding a major felon, obstructing the Special Envoy of Chiyan—and what they meddled in was the elixir of immortality case, which even gave Bai Ziqi a massive headache! With all those offenses combined, they ought to have faced severe punishment."
Fu Shanyue sneered. "Docking six months' pay? Isn't that just a joke? Do the Fan brothers lack those two coins?"
"And demoted by half a rank? Their immediate superior is still their own elder brother—what difference does that make?"
He Lingchuan asked, "So sending them to the eastern front is a punitive reassignment?"
"If they earn battlefield merits, their faults are wiped away through service, and everyone is pleased." Fu Shanyue wore a dark expression; he certainly wasn't pleased. In his eyes, every one of these penalties was merely a slap on the wrist.
"Even before the Demon Emperor ascended the throne, the Fan brothers were already part of his core retinue, and now they guard the southern gateway of Lingxu City on his behalf. It's obvious that Fan Long, at least, enjoys tremendous trust," He Lingchuan said with a chuckle. "Over an ordinary civilian donning the title of 'Chiyan Special Envoy', the Emperor has no reason to punish his favored generals severely."
Yet the Special Envoy represented the Chiyan Kingdom. Fu Shanyue knew He Lingchuan was deliberately downplaying that fact, and let out a sigh. "By the way, do you really have no interest in joining Chiyan? The old man back home won't last more than a few more years, and the throne is practically mine. Come help me, and you'll never have to take this kind of bullshit again."
"Throughout this journey, I've come to realize that Beijia and I simply don't suit each other," He Lingchuan replied with a smile. "Once matters here are settled, I shall take my leave."
"Hey, the elixir of immortality case was just an anomaly. Who told us to thrust our blade straight into Lingxu City's windpipe?" Had this kid been frightened off by the darkness of Lingxu City? "Truth be told, countless officials throughout Chiyan go their entire lives without ever having to deal with Lingxu City. Once we're back in Chiyan, won't everything be stable, improving, and completely within our grasp?"
He Lingchuan merely smiled. "We'll see."
Fu Shanyue let out a scoff. Did "we'll see" just mean "not a chance"?
After night fell, Old Shan returned and brought He Lingchuan an oiled paper packet.
When unfolded, inside lay a teacup and a few salt-and-pepper strands of hair.
"These are Zaifu Kua's?"
"Yes. This was the cup he drank tea from at the exhibition hosted by the Viscountess; there should be traces of his saliva along the rim," Old Shan said. "The hair was retrieved by the Viscountess herself. There can be no mistake."
"Excellent!" He Lingchuan clapped his hands together. "With these two items, plus his Eight Characters of birth, it will be more than enough. Thank the Viscountess on my behalf, and arrange a meeting with her in the near future. Tell her there has been progress on the matter she entrusted to me."
One good turn deserved another; he had to report his progress in a timely fashion.
"Yes, my lord."
"Wait, hold on." He Lingchuan rubbed his chin. "Now that the Tongxin Guard has moved into Pianxiang Villa, they're watching me even more closely than Fu Shanyue. If you constantly run back and forth between me and the Viscountess, it will easily arouse suspicion."
Old Shan started. He Lingchuan's move from the Panshan Residence to this place meant unfamiliar faces were everywhere, which was indeed disadvantageous to his clandestine work.
He Lingchuan beckoned with his hand. A small squirrel hopped through the window and settled on his shoulder.
This time, he offered it a few fragrant roasted hazelnuts.
"Xiao Qiao, deliver two messages for me. One goes to the Songyang Mansion branch, and the other to this address."
He recited the other address to the squirrel. "Find someone surnamed Dong quietly, without letting anyone else notice. This Dong has an extraordinarily hideous face, or wears a veil—very easy to recognize."
This squirrel was named Xiao Qiao.
Having heard He Lingchuan's verbal message, it gave two chirps, wheeled around, and leaped back onto the tree branches, vanishing into the shadows of the woods in two bounds.
Pianxiang Villa's mountain was blanketed with trees, harboring who knew how many squirrels. The Tongxin Guard thought they could track Xiao Qiao here? They could keep dreaming.
Zaifu Kua had drunk far too much wine. His steps floated and riding in a carriage made him nauseated, so he decided to spend the night in the Lower City.
A retired official of Lingxu City with wide connections like him generally maintained a residence in the Lower City as well.
The concubine he had purchased just last year was young and pretty, the same age as his granddaughter, yet gentle and attentive. Seeing him return staggering with a flushed face tonight, she quickly brewed a sweet-and-sour plum soup to sober him up.
After downing two bowls, Zaifu Kua suddenly vomited up a great deal of wine, thoroughly frightening the girl.
Once he had vomited it all out, however, he felt much better. The suffocating tightness in his chest eased somewhat, and he fell asleep the instant his head hit the pillow.
Chapter 603