Where Immortals Once Walked

After that, she laid out a carefully considered plan.

Everyone listening straightened unconsciously, including He Lingchuan, but blank looks spread across their faces. Only General Nanke slapped his thigh and shouted, “Good, good! I think it’s excellent!”

Wen Daolun could not help but laugh. “General, this strategy is truly ingenious!”

General Nanke raised his thumb high. “With this, we don’t have to wait for that damned wimp of a monarch to issue orders anymore. We can leave whenever we want. The Red General is right, of the choices they’re offering us, we’ll take none of them!”

Zhong Shengguang glanced at him, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “It’s definitely a decent idea, and one worth thinking through carefully.”

Zhao Xianhe could not help but interject, “Hold on a moment. Didn’t the Red General insist that we’re bound to stay in the wastelands and can’t return home? What does this mean, then?”

Ling Zhongshui had never gotten along with him, and now he seized the chance to sneer and take a jab at the other party, “So, Lord Zhao, do you want to stay, or do you want to go back?”

“My going or staying will be decided entirely by Commander Zhong,” Zhao Xianhe replied coolly, one of his long eyebrows lifting slightly. After a brief pause, he added, “The capital secretly sent me a sealed order, instructing me to volunteer to lead troops eastward through the Jinxi Corridor. If I return successfully, I’ll be promoted and rewarded with high honors. I’ve already reported this to Lord Zhong.”

Ling Zhongshui flew into a rage. “The monarch wants to repeat the same old trick. Strip away another deputy commander along with tens of thousands of elite troops?!”

The other generals erupted in anger as well.

The ruler clearly had no intention of letting Zhong Shengguang return, yet he still wanted to recall the hardened, battle-tested troops forged in the northwestern wastelands to stabilize his own rule back home. That was why he had sent the secret letter to Zhao Xianhe.

Amidst the overlapping shouts of condemnation, Zhong Shengguang rapped his knuckles against the table and said sternly, “Enough, I’ve made my decision.”

Once those last four words fell, the room went silent. When Commander Zhong decided something, no one present could sway him.

No matter how many doubts they had, everyone could only swallow them.

“We’ll proceed according to the Red General’s plan.”

With the overall direction set, the generals immediately gathered around it, brainstorming and hammering out details.

There were countless matters to consider. They had to deliberate on everything, down to the smallest details.

Listening intently, He Lingchuan finally realized just how much preparation was required before waging a war.

It was far more complicated than he originally thought.

War was, at its core, a ledger. Also, no matter how thorough the preparations were, they were never enough.

This was especially since Zhong Shengguang’s decision to mobilize this time had been made on the fly.

Once again, the moment of reckoning had arrived for Panlong City.

By the time they had sorted everything out, more than two hours had already passed. Zhong Shengguang downed a full cup of hot tea to moisten his throat, then let out a breath. “In short, this is an enormous opportunity. Next, let’s assign tasks.”

It was not until the sun sank in the west that the lamps in the Hall of War were finally extinguished.

After the meeting, the officials hurried off, some to make preparations, others to return home for dinner.

The meal before setting out on campaign was something everyone took seriously; most would make it especially lavish.

Wen Daolun was among those going home to eat. As he reached the doorway, he smiled at He Lingchuan. “You’ve worked hard today, standing around with us old men for so long.”

He Lingchuan shook his head and said, “It was eye-opening.”

He had almost no firsthand experience commanding troops, and this kind of observation was immensely valuable.

He studied Wen Daolun closely. This trusted strategist of Zhong Shengguang smiled kindly, as though he had already emerged from the grief of losing his son. Only the deeper lines at the corners of his eyes, the slight cloudiness in his gaze, and a few extra strands of white at his temples betrayed the passage of time.

Wen Daolun then asked, “At this hour, is there anyone at home waiting to eat with you?”

He Lingchuan answered honestly, “No. I was planning to go to the Literature Pavilion, but the Red General summoned me to stand guard here.”

“Oh, is that so? That means you’re highly valued.” Wen Daolun patted his arm. “Work hard, young man, I have high hopes for you.”

Only the personal guards most trusted by Zhong Shengguang and the Red General were qualified to stand watch at a closed-door meeting of this level.

Otherwise, even a single leaked word would stir up a storm.

At this moment, Zhao Xianhe walked over and called Wen Daolun to leave together. Wen Daolun immediately said to He Lingchuan, “I’ll be off, then.”

Zhao Xianhe’s gaze swept briefly over He Lingchuan, but his gaze did not linger.

After Wen Daolun left, He Lingchuan’s eyes naturally followed Zhong Shengguang and the Red General as they passed behind him.

After witnessing the illusion or phantom at the ruins of the State of Yuān, he felt that Zhong Shengguang was shrouded in even more mystery, and his relationship with the god Mitian was increasingly hard to decipher.

So, where exactly has Commander Zhong hidden the Generous Pot?

Do all rites of divine recompense lead to consequences this complex?

Sensing his stare, the Red General suddenly asked, “What are you looking at?”

Even through her mask, He Lingchuan could feel her gaze lock onto him. By now, the Hall of War was almost empty, so he answered directly, “If we follow your plan, and the monarch still issues a resettlement decree, what then?”

Zhong Shengguang and the Red General exchanged a look. They both knew that he had grasped the core of the issue.

The Red General seemed to chuckle softly before saying, “What’s wrong with resettlement?”

“Completely reopening the eastern route won’t be easy,” He Lingchuan said bluntly. “Otherwise, we’d have gone back long ago. Why wait until now?”

Zhong Shengguang fixed his eyes on him. “Do you find the Red General’s proposal flawed?”

“What if it falls short?”

“At worst, we return empty-handed. Why is that unacceptable?” Zhong Shengguang smiled. “Do you think we’ve never lost a battle?” He then said slowly and deliberately, “There’s no fixed form in warfare. The greatest taboo is demanding perfection. There’s no such thing as a flawless outcome under heaven.”

He Lingchuan lowered his head. “I’ve learned a great deal.”

“Go back, spend more time with your family or friends tonight.” Zhong Shengguang then said, “We’ll be setting out soon. This campaign is critical.”

“Yes, sir.”

By the time He Lingchuan left the Hall of War, night had already fallen. The Literature Pavilion was closed, so he tucked the two borrowed books under his arm and headed back.

On the way, he detoured to South Gate Square to check on the juluo tree.

The sapling was growing well, lush and green. A nest of sparrows had appeared in its canopy, and a new branch had sprouted from the trunk.

Compared to its abrupt appearance back then, it now seemed utterly ordinary, no different from any other tree.

What does the Generous Pot want with a juluo tree, anyway?

He Lingchuan could not quite figure it out.

Since he was already there, he went to the Frost River Inn and treated himself to a hearty dinner. The place was still bustling with noise and laughter, no one aware that a new great war was about to begin.

And this time, it would be Panlong City that struck first.

A few comrades also came by to drink, one of them being Duan Xinyu, who had once explored the blood-and-flesh fortress with He Lingchuan.

Duan Xinyu was now married. His new bride was none other than the young woman He Lingchuan had once infuriated with the remark, “either stupid or slow.”[1]

Married life suited Duan Xinyu well. Every time his wife mentioned He Lingchuan, she ground her teeth in fury, which secretly delighted him. As a result, he greeted He Lingchuan with exceptional warmth, grabbing him and thanking him profusely.

He toasted a few cups, then others followed suit. In the end, He Lingchuan’s meal dragged on for a full four hours.

After all, he knew very well that after the coming campaign, some of these people might no longer be around.

When he returned home and pushed open the door, he immediately noticed light spilling over the low wall.

The neighbor’s place was lit.

Sun Fuling’s back?

He Lingchuan hurriedly washed his face, rinsed his mouth, and smoothed down his wind-tousled hair. Only then did he lean over the low wall and tap on the tiles.

“Is Instructor Sun at home?”

“She’s not.”

“...”

With a creak, the door opened. Sun Fuling stepped out, dressed in white, her long hair loose and still slightly damp.

She looked up at He Lingchuan. Moonlight bathed her delicate features like polished jade, making them look particularly soft and luminous.

He Lingchuan was instantly reminded of the moonlit night at the ruins of the State of Yuān. It was just as radiant and just as hazy.

“What is it?” Sun Fuling asked after waiting for him to say something for a while.

“I thought you wouldn’t be back tonight.”

“I was supposed to be on duty at Shumin State Academy, but an order from the commander came this evening, ordering the academy to close temporarily, so I came home. Is there another war coming? Every time there’s a major campaign, the students are sent back to reunite with their families.”

He Lingchuan nodded.

“Then when are you leaving?”

“Soon. Maybe tomorrow, maybe in a couple of days.” He scratched his head. “It depends on Commander Zhong’s orders.”

Silence fell between them.

After a long moment, Sun Fuling murmured, “Oh, so soon?”

“Yeah.” He Lingchuan stared straight at her. “Will you see me off?”

He pointed at a wine jar in the corner of the courtyard. Sun Fuling shook her head. “You smell strongly of alcohol already. Drink too much, and you won’t be able to get up tomorrow. Let’s have tea instead.”

She went inside, fetched tea leaves and an iron kettle, then hopped over the wall directly.

“This was a gift from one of my students. Her family grows tea in the Chipa White Garden. It’s the first spring harvest of the year.”

He Lingchuan moved the brazier into the yard and set water to boil.

“You must’ve heard plenty of rumors in the city about the resettlement decree these past few days.”

“Of course, everyone’s talking about it.” Sun Fuling replied as she sat down. “I never imagined the ruler would risk accepting foreign aid. Things clearly haven’t reached the point of no return yet.”

“Haven’t they?”

“No, there are still at least two loyalist armies near the capital, plus the royal guards,” she said calmly. “They boast about being invincible, but if that’s true, why haven’t they been deployed yet?”

“It is the state capital, after all. Those forces have to defend it. They can’t just go out and campaign freely.”

“They haven’t fought a real war in twenty or thirty years. Who knows if they can still fight at all?”

He Lingchuan knew that many residents of Panlong City, including her, felt bitter disappointment toward their mother state. He quickly changed the subject, chatting about lighter, everyday matters instead.

Sun Fuling shared stories from Shumin State Academy.

As they talked, the night grew deeper.

The street lectures had ended long ago. Outside, the road was quiet, with no footsteps passing for a long time.

Just then, strange sounds came from the neighboring house.

The city dwellings were small, and the soundproofing was poor. The noises carried over without the slightest restraint.

He Lingchuan was reminded of the vocal performance he had once heard in Shihuan City, it had not even been this intense. The neighbor’s bed was clearly of poor quality, creaking and groaning at the top of its lungs.

Sun Fuling’s smile slowly faded.

Creak, creak.

The two of them looked at each other in silence, not knowing what to say.

Creak, creak.

Why tonight of all nights? He Lingchuan listened closely. Still, it seems that neighbor of mine has some impressive stamina, certainly not what his short, unimpressive appearance suggests.

You really should never judge a person by their appearance.

1. This was in Chapter 326. ☜