Master Sun had a fine seat: a large birchwood desk by the window. At the corner sat a potted orchid, though sadly, in late autumn, it bore not a single bud.
He Lingchuan reached out and lifted the orchid down. "Make way!"
Sun Fuling crossed her arms, intending to see what sort of antics he was up to, but then watched as he produced tiny figurines one after another from his storage ring. Each was exquisitely crafted; the peach blossom petals on their hairpins were no larger than sesame seeds, yet their delicate folds were clearly defined.
Not only were there figurines, but also miniature landscape backdrops featuring pavilions, terraces, and woodlands.
Once he finished arranging them, it formed a complete diorama of over a dozen attractive little figures enjoying a spring outing, taking up half the desk.
"Oh, there's more!" He tinkered for another moment, and a tiny well in the backdrop began billowing white smoke, cloaking the miniature woods in an ethereal mist.
Dry ice—hardly difficult to come by.
Sun Fuling covered her mouth with one hand, her eyes filled with surprise. "Where did you get all this?"
"Figurines from Beijia, shipped across the sea to Baisha Bay. Over in Beijia, some people make a whole hobby of this—entire rooms dedicated to dioramas..." Ahem, straying off topic. He Lingchuan watched the expression on her face. "Well? Do you like it?"
Her cheeks slowly flushed pink, though she muttered, "It's for children..."
Just then, two female instructors walked past. Seeing the diorama, they gasped, "Wow, how pretty!"
"A single one of those must cost a fortune. What's the occasion today? Master Sun, you're so blessed!" On his very first day in Yuheng City, Commander He had made a point of strolling all across the academy with Master Sun, ensuring adults and children alike took notice. Who didn't know they were a couple by now?
The two instructors were perceptive enough to exchange brief pleasantries with He Lingchuan and quickly take their leave, not wishing to get in the way.
Left alone across the desk, Sun Fuling instinctively picked up a little figurine and caressed it gently. "Where did you get this? Don't tell me you bought it with money."
"If I didn't buy it, did I rob someone?" He pointed to his own nose. "Do I look like some street hooligan to you?"
Sun Fuling chuckled. "You look like a gang boss to me—bullying good folk and dominating the markets."
The present He Lingchuan certainly had the power to do just that.
Taking her hand, he slowly pulled her to his side and said solemnly, "I can terrorize men and women alike, too. I beg the master to sacrifice herself and reform me." With that, he leaned in close.
Sun Fuling slapped a hand over his mouth and whispered, "People are watching outside the window!"
Catching movement out of the corner of his eye, He Lingchuan indeed spotted several little tykes clinging to the windowsill, grinning cheekily at them.
"Let's go eat." Sun Fuling pushed him away gently. "I'm hungry."
"Aren't you worried the figurines will be stolen?" The dolls sat right out in the open on the desk, and children were constantly coming and going.
Sun Fuling replied casually, "They wouldn't dare."
He Lingchuan gave her a thumbs-up. "How imperious of you, Master!"
"Hush." Sun Fuling rolled her eyes at him. "Confess honestly: where did you get them?"
"From a river bandit fence's den."
Sun Fuling was surprised. "Right here inside Yuheng City?"
"Yes, right on Putiao Street."
"Those fellows have some nerve." Sun Fuling tugged him toward the academy exit. "By the way, when I passed by the government office this morning, I saw Mr. Wen storm out in a rage. I greeted him, but he didn't even hear me. What happened?"
Wen Daolun had always been a refined gentleman; it was rare to see him lose his composure like that.
He Lingchuan gave a slight cough. "Mr. Wen and I had... a difference of opinion. Nothing serious."
Sun Fuling cast him a sidelong glance. "What kind of outrageous scheme are you cooking up this time?"
"Not really," He Lingchuan chuckled. "We just disagree on how to handle the bandit crisis in Longchuan."
During their meeting this morning, he had laid out his ideas to Wen Daolun.
Both sides agreed that dealing with the Longchuan river bandits required dividing and conquering them. After all, the bandits were a mixed bunch; local Longchuan folk made up the majority, while the outside Xiji puppet troops were only a minority, and the two factions already held divergent attitudes toward the Yuheng City Army.
However, He Lingchuan demanded taking conciliation toward the water bandits a step further. Once he finished explaining his plan, it was met with fierce opposition from Wen Daolun.
"Preposterous!" Wen Daolun was typically mild-tempered, but upon hearing the plan, he shook his head repeatedly. "They have slaughtered soldiers of our Yuheng City Army! If you make sweeping concessions to these bandits, Commander He, are you not afraid of sparking fury among our troops and the common folk?"
"Unusual ailments call for unorthodox remedies, and now is not the time for slow, gentle simmering," He Lingchuan stood firm. "With Jintao and Beijia stirring up trouble behind their backs, conventional methods won't do. While Longchuan is in internal turmoil, we must act quickly to win them over."
What he had decided to do required authorization from Wen Daolun.
Communication between Yuheng City's civil and military leaders was indispensable.
In the end, Wen Daolun said, "I will report this to Commander Zhong and let him decide."
Even he couldn't make up his mind.
When it came to major military and political affairs, Sun Fuling did not pry rashly. She merely asked He Lingchuan, "Do you already have a lead on resolving the Longchuan river bandit problem?"
"I have a rough plan, but its effectiveness remains to be seen."
"You said Beijia is involved too. Must be very complicated?"
"Complexity has its advantages."
"Oh?" Sun Fuling's curiosity was piqued. "What advantage could there be in complexity?"
He Lingchuan looked at her with a grin. "If I tell you, what advantage is there in it for me?"
Courtesy demanded reciprocity, right? After all, he had already presented his gift.
Sun Fuling said displeasedly, "Holding out on me, are you?"
"It's not that grand an idea, but..."
But what? He went silent again.
Sun Fuling knew he wouldn't cast the hawk till he saw the hare.
The two walked past a tall wall flanked by an artfully contorted rockery, fronted by several jujube trees that had nearly shed all their leaves. Checking left and right to see that no one was around, Sun Fuling yanked him behind the rockery.
Two orioles flew over with chirps and twitters, intending to snap off a few twigs, but were distracted by the sounds behind the rockery.
They tilted their heads to peer inside, only for a pebble to fly out and strike a tree trunk with a dull thud.
Startled, the birds flew away with indignant chattering.
Before long, Sun Fuling emerged first. From her sleek hair to her garments, everything was tidy and in order, save for her pale, pretty face, which had turned rosy red.
He Lingchuan strolled out behind her with hands clasped behind his back, strutting with an exceptionally good mood.
"Why sneak around like that?" Was he unfit to be seen? Besides, looking at her from his angle, Miss Sun's eyes were glistening and watery; anyone with half a brain could tell something had happened, couldn't they?
Trying to conceal it only made it more obvious!
Sun Fuling glared at him. "This is an academy!"
You knew very well this was an academy with plenty of brats running about, yet you still... He Lingchuan put on an expression of sudden realization. "Ah, the master's modesty!"
Sun Fuling reached around to his ribs, pinched hard, and twisted a full hundred and eighty degrees left and right.
"Hiss—!" The master's grip was getting stronger by the day.
"And your answer?" Sun Fuling looked up at him with a blooming smile, yet He Lingchuan clearly read the murderous aura underneath.
He didn't dare play coy any longer. "The more complex people's hearts are, the harder the team is to lead. The more complex the situation—"
"Mm?"
"—the easier teammates are to sell out," He Lingchuan smiled. "If Fu Shanlie takes the initiative and subjugates the Longchuan river bandits first, that will be Yuheng City's true headache."
Chapter 860