He Lingchuan's neighbor, Xiao Pang's father, had also been dispatched on official duty to Yuheng City—the administration simply couldn't keep up with all the bookkeeping.
A mountain of accounts meant a vast multitude of affairs.
"Why expand Yuheng City? I would have thought Panlong City cared more about the former capital of Xiji." He Lingchuan calculated the two locations in his mind. "Is it because Yuheng City sits right on the border, separated from the Kingdom of Jintao by just a river?"
"The former capital of Xiji lies farther west, yet out on the plains. If Panlong City wants to guard the gateway to the western mountains, it need only hold Dragon Throat Pass. As for Yuheng City, just as you said, it is a border fortress. But the way I see it, Commander Zhong's focus in developing Yuheng City isn't actually on guarding against Jintao."
"Oh?" He Lingchuan had not entered this place in a long time and did not know what changes had taken place in Panlong City's new territory to the east. "Tell me about it."
"The two instructors who returned from Yuheng City these past few days both said that the Kingdom of Xiji has actually suffered heavily from banditry. Even Yuheng City has been raided by bandits from the south."
He Lingchuan was surprised. "Bandits raiding a military garrison town? Unheard of."
Back when he was the young master in Blackwater City, though sand bandits frequently prowled Red Cliff Road, they only robbed merchants and travelers without harassing border towns, fleeing at the first sight of government troops.
Bandits, after all, were generally loosely organized; it was difficult for them to form a respectable regional armed regime to wrestle with the authorities.
Thus, the sand bandits of Red Cliff Road had an old saying: commoners—or bandits—don't fight the authorities.
"Southeastern Xiji seems quite unusual. Desperate bandits run rampant, and government troops can do little against them," Sun Fuling said with a smile. "These fierce bandits even threaten the southern trade route. I heard that when Xiji built its official highway, it took the long way around just to avoid them, yet they continued to plunder the southern route anyway."
He Lingchuan nodded. "When I went to buy things on Yunzhen Island, chubby Bai kept making excuses to raise prices, claiming bandits were running wild along the southern road and goods couldn't be transported through."
Besides the ghost shadow cicada sloughs, quite a few delicious fruits had gone up in price with every single purchase!
"Now that Xiji belongs to Panlong City, I wonder what Commander Zhong plans to do about these fierce bandits."
He Lingchuan thought for a moment. "Commander Xiao, who was previously stationed in Yuheng City, was reassigned back. I wonder who will be sent there next."
Sun Fuling hummed an acknowledgment, resting her elbow on the wooden armrest and propping her elegant head in her hand as she tilted her chin toward the sky. "It's been a long time since we had such fine weather."
Overhead was an ink-blue sky, a glittering river of stars resting like diamonds upon black velvet.
He Lingchuan's gaze shifted from her sleek, sculpted jawline to the night sky. He glanced casually, then froze.
"Huh?" He couldn't help pointing. "When did that star light up?!"
Thanks to his missions in the real world, he could now pick out the positions of the Big Dipper's nine stars in the night sky at a single glance.
Yet right beside the Tianshu Star glittered a bright star whose brilliance far surpassed the nine!
"When did an extra star appear?" Sun Fuling was also observing closely. "I don't think I've ever seen it before."
But He Lingchuan knew—that was the Tianluo Star!
Didn't the Tianluo Star only appear when there was an anomaly with the Dafang Pot? Why was it glittering tonight?
Could Zhong Shengguang or General Red have activated the Dafang Pot?
No, cautious as they were, they would never do so lightly unless fully prepared.
Then, the most likely possibility was...
The Dragon-Torture Pillar?
Shao Jian had been gone for a while. Had people begun to use the Dragon-Torture Pillars he distributed?
Thoughts flashed rapidly through He Lingchuan's mind.
The Dafang Pot had always answered his most urgent needs. In the real world, he needed to deal with the formation eye of the Spirit Gathering Grand Formation—could Panlong City be providing corresponding assistance?
"In the academy, or anywhere in Panlong City, is there any master adept in celestial phenomena?"
"Celestial phenomena?" Sun Fuling replied without hesitation, "Yes, Headmaster Xu."
Xu Shichu? He Lingchuan had attended his public lecture on ancient demon immortals, which had mentioned Juju. So Headmaster Xu's knowledge ranged that broadly?
As if reading his mind, Sun Fuling said, "The headmaster is vastly learned and versatile, mastering everything from astronomy to calendrical calculations."
"What about divination?"
"...Well, as for that, we all feel Master Wen Daolun is a cut above, but the headmaster doesn't think so." She shot He Lingchuan a sidelong glance and chided softly, "Nitpicking my phrasing, are you?"
The moment her eyes widened at him, He Lingchuan quickly said, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."
He hastily steered back to business: "I'd like to seek out Headmaster Xu to ask a few questions."
"Personnel transfers in the academy have been frequent, and they have to organize the grand examinations. Headmaster Xu has been run off his feet lately."
He Lingchuan clasped his hands to her repeatedly. "Master Sun, please help me out. With your vast capabilities, you're bound to secure an appointment for me."
Sun Fuling smiled, shallow dimples appearing on her cheeks. "If I go through great pains to set up a meeting for you, what's in it for me?"
She heavily emphasized "great pains."
When he first met Master Sun, she hadn't seemed like this, had she?
Just who had she picked up these bad habits from?
"Then... at your beck and call?" He Lingchuan patted his arm and declared magnanimously, "A strapping lad like me—use me however you like."
He wouldn't dare say such things to Li Qingge, but Master Sun was a proper, decent person; she certainly wouldn't take "use me however you like" the wrong way, right?
Sun Fuling glanced at him with a look that made him feel a twinge of guilt.
Yet she soon bit her lip. "In a few days, I also have to deliver a batch of books to Yuheng City to be typeset and printed for use as teaching materials, and set the examination questions for next spring while I'm at it. Will you accompany me?"
He Lingchuan looked at her sideways. "You compile both the teaching materials and the exam questions? Master Sun, just what official rank do you hold in the academy?"
He had thought Sun Fuling was merely an ordinary instructor in the official academy, teaching lessons and managing youngsters. Now it seemed there was far more to it.
Indeed, thinking back, she was the academy headmaster's direct disciple and well acquainted with Wen Daolun—both figures at the very top of Panlong City.
So how could she possibly be just a simple schoolteacher?
"You finally remembered to ask today?" Sun Fuling gave a soft huff. "I am an Erudite of the academy."
"Oh!" He Lingchuan was somewhat startled. "So it is Official Sun! My respects!"
An "Erudite" here was not merely an academic degree, but a bona fide academic official who not only imparted knowledge and taught, but also oversaw books, canons, and regulations.
This was a post with a government stipend. No wonder the firewood and charcoal in Master Sun's house piled up in the corner faster than she could burn it, eventually all being sent to his place, and she could buy wine, meat, and snacks on a whim. Turns out she drew a handsome salary!
"Brigade Commander He is too polite." The donkey cart entered the South City Square. Instead of heading straight to the academy, it turned toward the marketplace first, following Sun Fuling's directions.
"When you ask someone for a favor, you shouldn't go empty-handed," Sun Fuling instructed him. "Go to the seventh shop and buy some cloud-slice cakes. Don't get their signature sesame flavor—get the peanut paste instead. Also buy a jin of butterfly pastries, caramel aphid sugar flavor.
"Then, opposite chubby Bai's shop, buy two tins of tea brought up from Xincheng in the south. Now that the southern trade route has opened, Headmaster Xu has recently become obsessed with aged citrus tea."
He Lingchuan bought everything one by one and climbed back into the cart.
Only then did the donkey cart pull up directly in front of the academy gates.
Ahead lay the academy's main entrance. Its red walls and gray tiles bore their age, the corners of the bricks faded to a whitish tint. The four massive pillars in front were each as thick as four men could encircle with joined arms, looking sturdy and grand, though fresh lacquer could not conceal their weathered history.
Embedded in the walls on either side of the gate were brick carvings: a flood dragon's head on one side and a divine bird on the other, both vividly rendered.
"This place has stood for over three hundred years, founded well before the Xiluo Kingdom," Sun Fuling said, patting one of the pillars. "After Commander Zhong took over Panlong City, he set about expanding it, preserving the academy's old main gate, historic buildings, and many ancient trees. Every year when new students enter through the main gate for the first time, they must pass by these 'Dao-Seeking Pillars.'"
Seeking the Dao?
Beneath the gate's tiered eaves and bracket sets, only the plaque was brand new: "Shumin Academy," inscribed in gold characters on a blue background, magnificent and imposing.
He Lingchuan had passed by the southern part of the city countless times and had even visited the adjacent government offices twice, yet he had never stepped inside Shumin Academy. Perhaps because he had studied for over a decade in his past life, his subconscious simply shrank from entering a school again.
Now, trailing behind Master Sun, he obediently stepped over the high threshold.
Much like most schools he had seen before, behind the main gates lay an expansive courtyard paved with exceptionally level bluestone, dotted with centuries-old towering trees.
In the middle of the courtyard sat a square pond where koi carp were so fat they could barely swim.
With dusk falling, He Lingchuan also saw several young men sweeping the courtyard with bamboo brooms. Within the academy grounds, that rustling sound was particularly pleasant to hear.
"I thought there would only be children in the academy." How were there so many sturdy young lads?
Several even stole glances at Master Sun, but after He Lingchuan glared at them with a piercing stare, they went back to sweeping obediently.
"All ages are represented. The oldest student I've taught was seventy-two," Sun Fuling said, walking briskly toward the inner courtyards. "In his seventeen years in office, Commander Zhong has consistently encouraged commoners to study and cultivate diligently. Therefore, the students are mostly youths and adults in their prime, who quickly put their learning into practice."
Land in Panlong City was precious, yet the academy covered forty mu, an area matching two government office compounds combined, showing just how much Zhong Shengguang valued it.
The entire academy was divided into four major courtyards, laid out with great precision.
Many teachers and students passed by, all greeting Sun Fuling.
Master Sun's popularity in the academy was truly excellent.
Once inside the academy, the outside clamor and rush seemed to vanish without a trace, replaced by the fresh fragrance of green grass and foliage drifting around them. Walking along such paths with a fair lady by his side, He Lingchuan felt his mind settle into peace, his worries in the real world tossed aside.
He started a conversation: "The capital of the Beijia Kingdom also has an ancient spiritual tree called the 'Dao-Seeking Tree.'"
"The one on Mount Xu?" Sun Fuling had clearly heard of it. "I heard it was originally the guardian tree of the Dahuan Sect. Having weathered unprecedented cataclysms, it even helped the Dahuan Sect defeat celestial gods. Who would have thought that when the northern demon kingdom occupied Mount Xu, they didn't chop it down?"
"They were going to chop it down at first. It's said the mountain spirit and the Jeweled Tree King pleaded on its behalf, so the Demon Emperor spared it. Now it's one of Mount Xu's grand sights."
"You even know that?" Sun Fuling praised him with a smile. "Looks like you haven't put your books down. I was worried that with your heavy duties, you wouldn't have time for anything else."
He Lingchuan gave a rueful smile. "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you survive." In truth, every time he entered Panlong City, two new books would appear by his bedside. Needless to say, that was Master Sun's handiwork.
Chapter 636