Where Immortals Once Walked

He waved a hand and said, “No matter. His Highness did his best. I know how hard it is to borrow troops. For His Highness to specially inform me, I’m already very grateful.”

He had begged people all over Lingxu City, and in the end, every request had sunk like a stone into the sea. Most had not even earned him a reply.

Fushan Yue had actually sent someone to apologize. That was already extremely courteous.

“It is simply too much of a pity.”

Nian Zanli understood the words “troops are hard to borrow” better than anyone.

For the past two months, he had worked every possible connection in Lingxu City, hoping someone could persuade the Lord Emperor to lend him several tens of thousands more elite troops.

The Battle of Han River had left both sides badly wounded.

He knew very well that whether it was Xia Province or Yuan, both had been drained of strength. Neither could withstand another proper war!

If he could borrow troops, then his next victory would be almost certain.

Unfortunately, he simply could not borrow them.

It could not be said that the Lord Emperor was unmoved by his plan to counterattack Yuan. Rather, he had no interest in it whatsoever.

Even when Nian Zanli described victory as something within easy reach.

As Beijia’s Lord Emperor, he had seen and heard far too many promises painted in empty air. And only now did Nian Zanli finally realize that Beijia truly did not have much desire to take Yuan.

This state was already absurdly vast. Its borders had not expanded in many years.

He had thrown himself at Beijia with all his heart. Before, they had simply gone with the current. But when it truly came time to exert effort, all they gave him was a cold look and left him to understand the rest himself.

He Lingchuan stroked his chin. “I’ve heard about the war in Yuan too. Last time, you seemed to be fighting in that Xia... Xia...”

“Xia Province.”

“Right, right. You were fighting in Xia Province.” He Lingchuan asked curiously, “Why does General Nian think it would be such a pity not to attack now?”

Nian Zanli answered decisively, “The timing is rare. Yuan’s western front has changed. The ruler of Yuan has altered Xia Province’s defenses and transferred Zhao Pan, who excels at defensive warfare, westward to resist the Minister of War’s army.”

He Lingchuan’s heart jolted. Even Zhao Pan has been transferred away?

But isn’t that just tearing down the eastern wall to patch the western wall?

It was akin to two pots with only one lid between them; one hole would always be left uncovered.

Thinking of the state from which the He Family came, he could only sigh inwardly.

“If I borrow troops and return now, I can coordinate perfectly with the Minister of War.”

He Lingchuan made a sound of understanding. “Things are going well on his side?”

“Exactly. I just received news from the west. The Minister of War devised a plan and killed Yuan’s General Wu Di. On Yuan’s western front, only Ke Jihai remains, and one lone pillar cannot hold up the hall.” Nian Zanli could not help striking his palm. “If I return with troops and attack Yuan from the north while the Minister of War attacks from the west, Yuan’s destruction will be close at hand.”

He Lingchuan was deeply shaken.

Wu Di’s dead!

At Woling Pass, the ones who had led the government troops in successfully suppressing the rebellion and forcing the “Divine Master” Hong Xiangqian to kill himself had been Yuan’s two great generals, Wu Di and Ke Jihai. He Lingchuan had already met Ke Jihai in Shihuan City. That man was one of Yuan’s rare talents. Presumably, Wu Di, who had been his counterpart, could not have been much worse.

Unexpectedly, he had fallen in Wu Province.

Though the Minister of War was also a veteran of countless battles and could not be compared to the rebels at Woling Pass, Yuan’s declining fortune was plain to see from this.

He Lingchuan had long heard He Chunhua analyze that the Minister of War, Dong Haoming, had plotted rebellion for many years. Wu Province was rich in soldiers and grain, a stark contrast to the Yuan army’s constant struggles at the front.

With Wu Di dead, the scales of war were about to tip.

No wonder Nian Zanli’s so desperate to borrow troops and return. His long-cherished wish is about to be fulfilled before his very eyes.

At this thought, He Lingchuan leisurely sipped his wine.

After chatting for a while, he had already discovered that this General Nian was locked in a death struggle with Yuan. One side would not rest until the other was dead. Even if borrowing troops failed this time, he would try every possible method to counterattack Yuan in the future.

His obsession ran deep.

This kind of opponent, willing to pay any price, was exactly what the frail Yuan feared most.

Before today, He Lingchuan had still been thinking about how to prevent Nian Zanli from truly getting troops in the end.

But now, he wanted the life of this General Nian before him.

Father and son might as well both die by his hand!

If Nian Songyu walked slowly enough along the road to the Yellow Springs, he might still be able to wait for his father to travel with him.

Yet He Lingchuan had long since learned to keep joy and anger from showing on his face. Even as killing intent grew silently in his heart, he could still lightly pat the low table, his face full of righteous sincerity. “Good, good. Then on behalf of His Highness, I wish you swift victory, General, and another great merit for our Beijia.”

Nian Zanli said solemnly, “May it be so.”

The two drank and exchanged a few more laughing remarks.

After thinking for a while, He Lingchuan finally could not resist asking a question that had puzzled him for a long time, “Forgive my boldness.”

Nian Zanli poured wine. “Please ask.”

“General Nian was born in Yuan. Why are you so devoted to attacking Yuan?” He Lingchuan carefully observed his expression. “Is there some deep hatred behind it?”

“Yuan?” Nian Zanli gave two dry chuckles. “The old ruler was stubborn and arrogant. The new ruler is mediocre and incompetent. The state has existed for only some sixty-odd years, yet corruption runs rampant through the royal court. You can’t find two good officials in the whole place. Orders change from morning to evening, and there is no national credibility to speak of. They only know how to ride on the heads of commoners and flaunt their power. Outside the secondary capital, Shihuan City, people are already selling sons and daughters. The common people have no way to live, and every few days someone rises in rebellion.” He spoke all this in one breath, then gave a mournful sigh. “Tell me, what need is there for such a state to continue existing?”

He Lingchuan clapped lightly. “So General Nian is devoted to the people and hopes the people of Yuan may yet have some fortune, and eventually welcome a good ruler.”

Nian Zanli liked hearing this. The smile on his face became two parts more genuine.

Just then, someone on the shore began waving repeatedly. He Lingchuan noticed with a glance and said, “We should head back.”

After they came ashore, He Lingchuan personally saw Nian Zanli off.

Li Qingge had originally hoped that he would interact more with Nian Zanli and look for a chance to retrieve the bamboo tube. But He Lingchuan was not following her script. He now had a better method.

As they passed by Fushan Yue, the man was speaking with other nobles. Seeing He Lingchuan, he said, “Your trouble has arrived.”

“???”

Nian Zanli said to Fushan Yue, “Your Highness, I’ll visit again in a few days.”

Fushan Yue gave him an elegant smile. “Good. I’ll await your honored arrival.” Then he gave He Lingchuan a look.

Nian Zanli tactfully said to He Lingchuan, “Young Master He, no need to see me farther. I’ll wander a little more.”

“Very well. General Nian, forgive me.”

He said he would “wander a little more,” but in truth, Nian Zanli strode straight toward the path down the mountain.

He Lingchuan knew the man had no real desire to remain here socializing.

Fushan Yue also watched Nian Zanli’s retreating while asking He Lingchuan, “What were you talking about with him? You even took him boating on the lake.”

“He was still asking about borrowing troops. I declined on your behalf.”

Fushan Yue made a sound of understanding, not caring much about Nian Zanli.

He looked behind He Lingchuan. “There. Trouble is walking toward you.”

Trouble?

He Lingchuan turned and indeed saw several people pushing through the crowd toward them, their presence different from the rest.

Other guests were all smiles and harmony. These men came with a forceful, aggressive air, as if looking for a fight.

Oh, and there was a bear.

That was right. Trouble had indeed arrived, because at first glance, he recognized Tongxin Guard’s deputy commander, Fan Sheng, and the giant bear Fan Bao.

If even Fan Sheng’s walking behind, then the man strolling leisurely at the front with hands clasped behind his back should be—

He Lingchuan sighed inwardly. What is meant to come will come.

Fushan Yue smiled. “Come, come. Let me introduce you. This is Commander Fan Long of the Tongxin Guard. As for Fan Sheng and Fan Bao, you’ve already met.” Then he pointed at He Lingchuan and said to the newcomers, “This is Chiyan’s special envoy, He Xiao.”

Fan Long was tall and finely built, with a lean face. He looked nothing like the square-faced Fan Sheng.

Were they really born from the same mother? He Lingchuan muttered inwardly, though outwardly he cupped his fists and smiled. “Lord Fan, I’ve long admired your name!”

“So you’re He Xiao?” Fan Long smiled too, though the smile did not reach his eyes, and his gaze remained sharp and cold. “We finally meet.”

This is the man who turned my two younger brothers and the Tongxin Guard into Lingxu City’s laughingstock?

He Lingchuan, however, felt that the way the giant bear Fan Bao looked at him was not as fierce and violent as he had imagined. Instead, the bear actually avoided his gaze, unwilling to meet his eyes.

Monsters really are honest.

“We were all just doing official business. We’ll still need to cooperate later,” Fushan Yue said. As the host, he still had to perform his duty as mediator. “In my view, why not meet with a smile and let old grudges disappear?”

He himself had no direct conflict with the Fan brothers. Back when he heard Fan Sheng had lost to He Lingchuan, he had merely felt unspeakably delighted.

The Fan brothers were arrogant. In the past, they had paid little attention to him, the unfavored eldest son of Chiyan.

“Of course.” Fan Long’s gaze never left He Lingchuan. “It is rare to meet such a fine young talent. We should grow closer in the future.”

His eyes were like a tiger’s. Ordinary people might have been stared into terror, their legs shaking. But how firm was He Lingchuan’s will? Besides, he spent every day beside a true tiger like Jiao Yu and had long since become immune to being watched like prey. At this moment, he met Fan Long’s gaze and cupped his fists with a smile. “In the future, I’ll have to ask Commander Fan for much guidance!”

This little fellow has guts. Fan Long gave a faint sneer. “Don’t worry. There will be plenty of opportunities.”

Fan Sheng’s gaze toward He Lingchuan was even more complicated. His gaze was a mix of anger, unwillingness, and doubt.

After all, he had lost to He Lingchuan, and in such an ugly way!

After returning to Lingxu City, under others’ mockery and pointing fingers, he had nearly been unable to lift his head.

Yet He Lingchuan chose this moment to summon a maid, pour three cups of fine wine, and take one for himself.

“Second Brother Fan, I offended you greatly in Baishajue. I was risking my life for official business and had no choice but to exert all my strength. I hope that you can forgive me.”

In truth, the moment the Fan brothers appeared and approached He Lingchuan and Fushan Yue, the nearby guests had immediately gathered to watch.

Seeing enemies meet on a narrow road, how could they not widen their eyes and see what sparks might fly between the two sides?

If things became explosive enough, perhaps this would be tomorrow’s top gossip and conversation topic on the floating islands.

Fan Sheng’s face looked ugly. He did not accept the wine. He only stared at He Lingchuan without speaking.

“Then I’ll drink first as a sign of respect.” He Lingchuan did not mind at all. He tipped his head back and drained the cup in one go.

Who told him to be the winner? No matter how low he set his posture, others would only say he was modest, magnanimous, and unwilling to lower himself to Fan Sheng’s level.

Now the pressure fell on Fan Sheng’s side. The rough man’s face reddened.

It was forced red with anger.

Several hundred pairs of eyes were watching, all waiting to see how he would react. Fan Long turned his head to look at him and said in a deep voice, “Second Brother!”

The warning in his tone was heavy. Before coming here, he had repeatedly admonished his two younger brothers, telling them that they were not allowed to cause trouble.