The interruption of the wild sand season had already caused locals to exclaim at how bizarre it was. Daring individuals took the risk of venturing along the desert's edge for a few circuits and found that the usually rabid native creatures barely attacked people anymore; ordinary folk could set foot in the desert without being eaten.
Come nightfall, twisted red lights appeared in the clear desert sky, much like auroras, or like cracks shattered into the dome of this world, though whether the red light shone up from the ground or filtered in from the outside, no one knew.
After some time, the red lights formed vague silhouettes, beautiful yet abstract.
Later, it grew clearer, seeming to contain mountain ridges, buildings, rivers... like a mirage.
No one knew what was going on. In places as close as Blackwater City, people standing atop the gate tower or even on nearby hills could take in this marvelous sight.
Thus, the second part of Liu Baobao's letter concerned the new guests in Blackwater City.
Blackwater City was closest to the Panlong Desert, so anyone curious about the desert's changes chose Blackwater City as their first stop.
Departing from its usual routine alongside the Panlong Desert, it gradually welcomed unfamiliar visitors.
Among these newcomers, those riding solo claimed to be traveling peddlers, while groups of a dozen or several dozen called themselves merchant caravans.
Liu Baobao believed they were all talking nonsense.
They didn't look the part—not in the least. Liu Baobao's family ran merchant caravans; he could recognize a caravan's temperament at a single glance.
The true identities of these new guests in Blackwater City were open to question.
Liu Baobao had occasionally seen rival factions shouting curses at each other; judging by the accent, at least one side seemed to be Baling people.
As outsiders multiplied in Blackwater City, so did incidents.
Explorers venturing into the Panlong Desert grew by the day. They replenished food and water in Blackwater City, traded for mounts, and headed north.
Some returned quickly, while others never returned at all.
As a native of Blackwater City, Liu Baobao had naturally heard legends of the Panlong Ancient City and knew most people here were probably heading for the Panlong Ruins.
Yet explorers who actually found the Panlong Ruins were few and far between.
Most lost their way in the desert. Only the lucky returned dejectedly; the unlucky lost their lives.
One party of adventurers had set out ten strong, but only five returned. These five survivors drowned their sorrows in a Blackwater City tavern, claiming they had truly found the Panlong Ancient City. By day it was a desolate ruin, but come nightfall, it transformed into a bustling sleepless city teeming with people, market stalls hawking wares, and children running to and fro.
Two of the adventurers had been curious and bold enough to order food at an eatery in Panlong City.
Yet to their surprise, the food—steaming hot and pleasing to both eye and nose—tasted completely bland once it entered their mouths, carrying an indescribable bitterness.
Unable to swallow another bite, they turned to leave, only for the waiter to come demand payment.
Four dishes and a soup had been slapped with an astronomical price.
How could they be willing to pay?
The waiter bellowed, "Someone's trying to skip out on the bill!"
Hearing the commotion, over a dozen bailiffs rushed in from outside, fiercely moving to arrest them. The adventurers resisted, and a fight broke out.
Naturally, "a fight" was their own phrasing; in reality, they were likely beaten to the ground by the mob until knocked unconscious.
Throughout the ordeal, whether they offered copper coins or silver to pay, the other side refused to take it.
Later, the men were roused by the scorching daytime sun. Opening their eyes, they found themselves lying in ruins with chapped lips and severe dehydration.
Their companions, however—the five who had eaten the food from the restaurant—had long been dead as doornails.
When Liu Baobao heard about this, he went to consult the Great Shaman.
Great Shaman Zhaomandu said that the living and the dead belonged to different realms. The mistake this group made was that the living had consumed things they shouldn't have.
Still, most could consider themselves fortunate, having at least made it back alive.
Another party was even more unfortunate, entirely wiped out.
Others had seen them in the desert interior. At the time, every one of them had been jubilant, claiming they had seen the distant lights of Panlong City at night. Yet ten-odd days later, their corpses turned up at the desert's edge; causes of death included beatings, punctures, and violent trampling.
From the desert center to the edge was at least two hundred li; no one knew how their corpses had ended up all the way out there.
Yet these misfortunes failed to deter those who came after; visitors to Blackwater City only grew with each passing day.
Having finished Liu Baobao's letter, He Lingchuan had a clear picture of things.
After resting for the night and taking silverfish as its reward, the demoiselle crane took off around noon the next day, flying west on its return journey.
Two days later, another batch of collateral assets from the Yuan Kingdom finished valuation.
Perhaps having tasted the strictness and harsh scrutiny of Hu Qin and his staff, the ledgers for this batch of assets were cleanly prepared, with virtually no major issues. He Lingchuan readily signed off on the second and final loan installment—money, grain, and supplies totaling 3,740,000 taels of silver in value.
News of General Changning's great victory in the south had already spread, and with the Yuan Kingdom securing another loan of over three million, the monarch ordered a day of grand celebration across the Yuan capital. The city was as lively as during a major festival.
Before the gates of the He Manor, carriages and horses bustled in endless streams, all bearing gift-bearing entourages.
Anyone could see that this long-awaited victory would send the He family soaring to tremendous heights, their future boundless!
The most coveted rising power in the Yuan Kingdom was none other than the He family.
Under these circumstances, however, the He Manor kept its gates firmly shut, turning away all gifts.
This was He Chunhua's requirement before his departure.
Even Madam Ying remained indoors, refusing to socialize with noble ladies.
"The moment they see me, within three sentences they're trying to push the young maidens of their households onto me." She looked at her eldest son. "Chuan'er, do you want to..."
"No," He Lingchuan flatly refused. "I have no interest in common, shallow beauties."
Pretty faces were all alike.
In the blink of an eye, affairs in the Yuan capital were concluded. He Lingchuan left five Mount Rong disciples behind to continue monitoring the fund disbursements, while he prepared to head west with Qiu Hu and the others.
Shan Youjun volunteered himself, hoping to accompany He Lingchuan by his side.
Sitting in the courtyard, He Lingchuan looked at him and suddenly let out a long sigh. "The fifty taels of silver you borrowed from Sun Hongye—did you ever pay it back?"
Shan Youjun's expression changed. Never in his wildest dreams had he expected Young Master He to bring this up.
"You really aren't cut out to be a spy." He Lingchuan's eyes held only understanding. "The old man sent you to watch me. Every move I make, you're supposed to report back to him, right?"
Shan Youjun opened his mouth to argue, only to find the sharp glint in He Lingchuan's gaze seemed to pierce straight into his soul.
In that instant, he understood: further excuses were useless.
He Lingchuan had already seen through him and made up his mind.
Qiu Hu slowly strolled over from the side, his eyes locked onto Shan Youjun.
His stare made Shan Youjun feel prickles on his back.
He Lingchuan said calmly, "A wise man yields to circumstances. I don't blame you."
During the Battle of the Han River, He Lingchuan had been swept away by the floodwaters and vanished for over a year. Shan Youjun had originally been his personal guard, but back then, he had no choice but to transfer under He Chunhua.
Take someone's pay, and you put your life on the line for them.
With He Lingchuan's sudden return, Shan Youjun faced an awkward dilemma:
Moving forward, should he serve He Lingchuan, or continue obeying He Chunhua?
Chapter 799