Where Immortals Once Walked

“Mother might be a bit strict, but it’s because she wants us to succeed and eventually return to the capital to make something of ourselves.”

He Lingchuan burst out laughing. “Oh, come on. She wants you to go study in the capital and make a name for yourself. What’s that got to do with me?”

Hearing how his words brimmed with bitterness, He Yue frowned. “Big Brother, why must you belittle yourself like that? Have you never considered what you might do if our family manages to return to the capital?”

“Consider what I’d do if we return to the state capital?” He Lingchuan stroked his chin. “Never!”

The former He Lingchuan had never looked that far ahead, and the current He Lingchuan certainly had not made any such plans himself either.

To outsiders, Qiansong Commandery was a remote and bitter posting, but both the current and former He Lingchuan truly found it quite comfortable. Here, the He Family reigned like kings. They could live large and do as they pleased. But in Yuan’s royal capital? They would be nobodies.

Whether it be in heritage, wealth, connections, or even sheer ability to spend, the He Family could not even hold a candle to the large families and forces that had already long since become well-established in the capital.

So why bother? It was much better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix.

He Yue reminded him, “This has always been Father’s long-cherished wish. We swore an oath to fulfill it at the family shrine.” Those who lack long-term planning are bound to suffer short-term crises. And with an attitude like his, is it any wonder that Mother finds you hard to love?

“I know, I know.” He Lingchuan gave him a casual pat on the shoulder. “You handle the books, I handle the blade, put us together, and we’re a perfect civil-military combo. Someday if we make it to the capital and someone gives you trouble, I’ll cripple them in the shadows.”

“You’re impossible...” He Yue could only sigh. There’s no arguing with someone this incorrigible.

Still, if he thought about it optimistically, his big brother’s wild behavior in Heishui City had always been out in the open. It at least appeared that he understood that in the capital, if he were to carry out any mischief, he would have to do so in secret.

Hm, I guess that’s at least some sort of progress.

They ran into Uncle Hao on the way, who gave He Lingchuan a subtle look and fell in step beside him.

Did something happen?

Once they reached the side hall and sat down, Uncle Hao took up watch by the door, making sure no one came within fifty meters.

He Yue picked out a tea set, touching the cold porcelain as he asked, “Are State Preceptor Sun and the Provincial Governor of Xun Province’s son stirring up trouble?”

He Lingchuan yawned, clearly uninterested. “Those two? They’re not even the biggest problem. The real mastermind is the King’s father-in-law.”

“The Minister of War?” He Yue’s expression changed drastically. “You can’t possibly mean... Dong Haoming?”

“Mm-hm. How many royal in-laws does Yuan even have?” He Lingchuan mulled it over. Father told me not to tell Mother anything, but he didn’t say anything about He Yue.

This guy’s been helping Father with prefectural affairs since he was nine. There’s no point hiding something this big from him, especially when it seems like Father will soon dispatch men into the desert. He Yue would find out then anyway.

And so, he did not hold back, laying out the purpose of State Preceptor Sun and Nian Songyu’s visit from start to finish.

He Yue listened intently, occasionally asking a question or two, though he mostly kept busy boiling water.

Since his brother was too lazy to lift a finger, he had no choice but to prepare the tea himself.

By the time the water was hot and the tea steeped, He Lingchuan’s throat was dry from talking. He grabbed a cup and downed two big gulps.

“So, Little Two, what’s your take on this?”

“The Minister of War wants to use us as his pawns, but Father will likely agree regardless. Our opposition won’t matter,” He Yue replied coolly. “Given his age and experience, he still has a real shot at returning to the capital.”

Both sons were nearing adulthood, and He Chunhua himself was not even thirty-five yet. He was still in his prime and full of vigor. He had already spent the best twenty years of his life exiled in the border of Yuan. How could he bear to keep being ignored, to remain buried in obscurity?

“Luckily, the whereabouts of Zhong Shengguang’s keepsake are still unknown. Give it a few more fruitless weeks, and they won’t be able to set foot in the Panlong Desert either.”

He Lingchuan gave a light cough. “Actually... the keepsake’s already been found.”

“What?” He Yue was startled, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. “And how would you know that?”

“It’s right here.” He Lingchuan patted his chest and drawled, “It all goes back to when I was seriously injured, over a month ago...”

This time, he tried to keep the explanation short and sweet.

“Nian Songyu said he went looking for the leopard monster, but conveniently left out the part where they wiped out the entire tribe,” He Yue muttered, his brow tightly furrowed. “And what exactly was the Provincial Governor of Xun Province thinking, sending him along in the first place?”

“Apparently, to assist State Preceptor Sun,” He Lingchuan said, rubbing his chin. “Looks like it won’t be long before Father comes asking me for that sand leopard keepsake.”

He Yue gave him a pointed reminder, “The Red and White Society is still holding those two guards from Donglai Mansion. Now that you know what they were after, what’s your plan for them?”

“What else? Let them go, of course.”

“Let them go?” He Yue looked at him in surprise. “I thought you’d want to silence them for good.”

After all, the best way not to offend Donglai Mansion was to make sure they never knew they’d been offended in the first place.

“No need, is there?” He Lingchuan scratched his head. “They’re just a couple of second-rate guards. Would Donglai Mansion even care?”

“You’re probably right,” He Yue thought. Still, missing personnel were always a potential liability. If the Red and White Society slipped up, the whole thing might leak. And if their father did decide to help them retrieve the Generous Pot, this would be a good chance to show some goodwill. That way, they would not get blindsided when it came time to divvy up rewards. In the end, they were just two guards, so they were hardly worth fussing over. Donglai Mansion needed their help right now and was unlikely to make trouble.

He Lingchuan caught the look his brother was giving him and grew uneasy. “What’s that expression for?”

Compared to before, it really seems like Big Brother has changed... and yet hasn’t. He Yue snapped out of his thoughts. “There are a lot of unknowns in this business. And even with the keepsake, venturing into the Panlong Desert is still practically suicidal. Let them take the risk, but you and Father must stay out of it.”

“Got it.”

Just then, Uncle Hao came in with a report: someone from the Red and White Society had arrived.

He Lingchuan went to meet them in the garden.

From the study window, He Yue watched as his brother sauntered over to a bench, crossed one leg over the other, and asked, “Are those two still alive?”

“Still breathing,” said the same Red and White Society gang member who had previously passed him the tip. “What are your instructions, Young Master?”

“Take them out, clean them up.”

“Clean up?” The man caught the implication immediately. “Should we cremate them or dissolve them in acid?”

“I said clean up, not kill!” What on earth is up with these guys’ minds? “Their backers are on the way. We’ll probably have to release them in a day or two—alive!”

The man let out a surprised “Ah?” then asked, “Release them?”

“What, are they missing any limbs or parts?” He Lingchuan frowned. That would be a major problem. If the two guards were handed back to Donglai Mansion all battered and broken, it would not be seen as goodwill but as an insult.

“They’re intact, intact! But, well...”

He Lingchuan’s heart sank. These guys are always causing trouble. “But what?”

The man coughed. “One of them tried to escape yesterday. During recapture, we, uh, accidentally sliced off half his butt. You know how Chen Laoqi gets... He’s a bit heavy-handed.”

“I know? How the hell am I supposed to know that?” He Lingchuan’s eyes bulged. “I thought they just had upset stomachs and a few extra mosquito bites! If word of this gets out, it won’t be about that guy’s butt getting sliced off but Donglai Mansion’s face being smeared!”

Back in the study, He Yue had covered his face with one hand. It seems that I was just mistaken. Big Brother hasn’t changed in the slightest.