Where Immortals Once Walked

Of course, he had no need to chase trends. He was the trendsetter.

The state preceptor’s camp was guarded by armored attendants, but the sandbar was impossibly crowded today. Outside the security perimeter, people pressed together shoulder to shoulder. For He Lingchuan, slipping into the crowd was the best cover he could ask for.

A moment later, Li Qingge arrived.

Today she wore a fiery-red cloak with a white fur collar. Her lips were as bright as flame, and a vivid coral hairpin gleamed in her dark, cloudlike coiffure[1]. She was such a graceful beauty, yet she walked with an air of arrogance and command.

Nian Zanli came as well, dressed in violet-blue brocade, striding over with broad steps.

The two kept a distance of three meters from each other, both cold-faced and silent.

A guard entered the tent to report their request.

Before long, someone emerged from within.

He wore a white jade crown and maple-red robes. His long brows and phoenix eyes were elegant, his posture straight and tall.

The instant he appeared, even the autumn wind blowing through the grove seemed to slow.

The surrounding crowd stirred.

“The state preceptor! State Preceptor Shuang Ye has come out!”

Beijia was rich beyond measure and powerful for an age, but it had only four state preceptors. In the eyes of most commoners, the state preceptors, who oversaw Beijia’s origin energy lived in seclusion, were mysterious and noble. Only at a grand event like the Grass Sea Festival could ordinary people be fortunate enough to even glimpse one.

He Lingchuan also stared closely.

So this is the famous State Preceptor Shuang Ye, Xi Yunhe’s patron behind the scenes?

Among the four, his age was second only to State Preceptor Qing Yang’s, yet he looked even younger. Outwardly, he appeared to be no older than twenty-five or twenty-six. He was refined and handsome, like a silver jade plant[2] in the wind.

He Lingchuan still remembered that he was a monster who merely appeared human. Greater monsters generally lived longer than cultivators, so State Preceptor Shuang Ye’s youthful appearance was not surprising.

But what kind of monster is a “Dusu,” and why can it look no different from a human?

State Preceptor Shuang Ye spoke, his voice clear as jade chimes striking together, “General Nian, I trust you’ve been well?”

From this greeting, it seems that Nian Zanli hasn’t seen State Preceptor Shuang Ye in a long time. He Lingchuan’s gaze flickered. Looks like for the past two months, Nian Zanli had been repeatedly turned away. State Preceptor Shuang Ye hasn’t even been willing to grant him an audience.

Nian Zanli stopped and cupped his fists. “State Preceptor, I hope you are well!”

Li Qingge also gave State Preceptor Shuang Ye a graceful curtsy. “Li Qingge of Songyang Mansion greets State Preceptor Shuang Ye.”

“So you are the master of Songyang Mansion?” State Preceptor Shuang Ye murmured, looking between the two of them as if he understood.

Li Qingge’s red lips parted lightly. “We have come uninvited because we wish to ask the State Preceptor to act as witness.”

Nian Zanli added, “And to verify authenticity.”

State Preceptor Shuang Ye smiled. “Witness? I think you want me to act as guarantor.” He pointed back into the tent. “Come in.”

With that attitude, he clearly knew what the matter was about. Seeing this, Nian Zanli relaxed considerably.

As State Preceptor Shuang Ye turned, he glanced toward the crowd.

His eyes were frosty and sharp, bright enough that people dared not meet them, though his expression seemed half-smiling. He Lingchuan felt as though those eyes had found him at once.

Their gazes touched briefly, then each looked away.

State Preceptor Shuang Ye turned and strode back into the tent, while He Lingchuan smiled wryly.

That look from Shuang Ye had been meaningful, almost carrying a trace of approval.

This really is... sigh.

Nian Zanli and Li Qingge followed him inside.

He Lingchuan circulated true energy to his ears, trying to pick out a few words amid the surrounding noise.

However, he could not hear anything.

Clearly, a barrier had been set up within.

He Lingchuan glanced at Old Shan. The latter’s wandering, uncertain eyes betrayed his anxiety.

“I’d say that there’s about a ninety percent chance that it’ll be a success.” He Lingchuan patted Old Shan’s shoulder. “No need to worry.”

Only a little over a quarter of an hour later, the tent flap lifted, and Li Qingge and Nian Zanli emerged one after the other.

The gloom between Nian Zanli’s brows had completely vanished. He looked up and let out a long breath, and even his steps were much lighter as he left.

Li Qingge’s eyes were even brighter, the corners of her lips slightly raised. Every glance and turn of hers was full of charm.

He Lingchuan understood at once.

The deal had succeeded. She had finally obtained what she wanted.

Li Qingge’s gaze swept across the crowd and found him instantly. But in public, it was not convenient to communicate. She smiled as if casually, then turned toward her carriage.

The little squirrel on He Lingchuan’s shoulder darted away.

He stood in place for a while. Seeing that State Preceptor Shuang Ye did not come out again, he turned to leave.

Li Qingge’s carriage was parked halfway up the hill, not near Songyang Mansion’s working post.

In Lingxu City, she could not use her marquis title. Her primary identity here was as a merchant, and only secondarily as the head of a Daoist sect, so she would not sit in the front row of the sandbar.

Although there were still people all around, this place was at least less conspicuous than the sandbar, with woods to provide cover.

When He Lingchuan passed by, she already had visitors, and the two parties were talking pleasantly.

He did not stop. He walked past and joined the line at a small vendor about thirty meters away to buy a coarse-grain pancake.

The Grass Sea was usually vast and empty, with more birds than people, but today Lingxu City residents had filled every hollow and slope. The business opportunity was endless, so how could small vendors not come?

There were four or five pancake stalls here, but only this one had a long line. Needless to say, it had to be good.

He Lingchuan waited for the time it took to burn a stick of incense before he finally got his chance to choose whether to add meat or egg. Naturally, at a moment like this, he boldly chose both.

Only after tasting it did he realize that the soul of this pancake lay entirely in the sauce. There were two kinds, sweet-and-sour and sour-spicy. The sour juice was pressed from fermented wild fruits and had a unique flavor. Mixed with several unknown seasonings, it became the vendor’s secret recipe.

However, the sauce was pale green. He Lingchuan studied it for a while and decided eating it probably would not upset his stomach.

He had only taken two bites when the squirrel Little Qiao leaped down from some tree onto his shoulder and pointed at the nearby vendor. “That one!”

That stall sold dried nuts.

He Lingchuan bought it 300 grams of strange-flavored broad beans. As the squirrel crunched away, it said, “The master of Songyang Mansion told me to pass on a message. Everything is settled. She got the bamboo tube back and verified it.”

He Lingchuan exhaled. Whether it was relief or because the pancake was too spicy, even he was not sure.

Exchanging the token for the bamboo tube seemed simple and smooth on the surface. Inside State Preceptor Shuang Ye’s tent, it had taken only a quarter of an hour.

But behind the scenes, how much work had He Lingchuan done to mediate this?

If it had been easy, why had Li Qingge been unable to solve it herself?

Nian Zanli was suspicious and overly cautious. Without State Preceptor Shuang Ye’s strong guarantee, how could he possibly hand over the bamboo tube?

“The token was given to the other party too?”

“Yes. They exchanged them. With State Preceptor Shuang Ye acting as guarantor, the other side didn’t bargain much. State Preceptor Shuang Ye also told him that the token can only be used by him.”

He Lingchuan understood. The troop-dispatch token State Preceptor Shuang Ye had given was limited to Nian Zanli alone. The State of Baling would only recognize him, and only Nian Zanli himself could mobilize those tens of thousands of troops.

“That’s only proper.” Borrowing soldiers was not like borrowing salt. How could it be done casually?

“State Preceptor Shuang Ye also asked Her Lordship to pass you a message. He says you should handle your matter as soon as possible.”

He Lingchuan nodded.

State Preceptor Shuang Ye had kept his word. He had traded tens of thousands of foreign troops for Li Qingge’s life-saving treasure. That was a major move, and it showed how desperately he wanted to topple State Preceptor Qing Yang.

Now, it was He Lingchuan’s turn to fulfill his promise.

State Preceptor Shuang Ye’s patience was limited. He would not let He Lingchuan drag things out forever.

He Lingchuan said to the squirrel, “Go back and tell the master of Songyang Mansion that since the bamboo tube is now in her hand, she should begin the next step as soon as possible.”

The squirrel leaped onto a high branch and vanished in a flash.

This grove was its free passage.

Previously, Li Qingge had been extremely cautious when facing Nian Zanli, afraid he would crush the gu insect.

Now that the bamboo tube was back in her hands and her life was no longer at risk, she could act freely.

Nian Zanli had already obtained State Preceptor Shuang Ye’s token. He Lingchuan had to ensure that he could not borrow those troops. Otherwise, Yuan would face disaster.

Their major advantage right now was that Nian Zanli’s army remained in Xun Province. He only had a few personal guards at his side.

This was Lingxu City. Strictly speaking, both Nian Zanli and He Lingchuan were strangers alone in a foreign land, without any home-field advantage.

In fact, Nian Zanli was doing worse here than He Lingchuan.

That was one of the circumstances He Lingchuan could use.

* * *

Nian Zanli strode back to his own tent, his face practically glowing.

As soon as several advisers saw his expression, they cupped their hands one after another. “Congratulations, General, on successfully borrowing troops!”

Nian Zanli burst into laughter, but he still said, “It’s too early for congratulations. Save them for when I take He Chunhua’s head!”

Only one adviser looked uneasy and could not bring himself to smile.

When the others noticed, one of them said, “Lü Huansheng, do you have some objection?”

Nian Zanli’s smile faded, and he looked over as well.

Lü Huansheng immediately said, “General, borrowing elite troops is naturally an enormously favorable matter. Yuan’s foolish ruler lacks virtue and is unworthy of his throne! It’s just, it’s just...” He glanced at the others and lowered his voice. “The conditions set by State Preceptor Shuang Ye are truly harsh. An annual tribute of 200,000 taels of silver, 100,000 bolts of silk, 180 kilograms of profound crystals, and 300 fine horses from the northwest pasturelands every year.”

At this, everyone’s smiles quietly disappeared.

State Preceptor Shuang Ye had acted as guarantor for Songyang Mansion, yet he had also taken his own share of benefits.

He knew that Nian Zanli had no choice but to borrow these troops.

“I calculated it. This tribute is nearly five percent of Yuan’s income in a normal year!” Lü Huansheng counted on his fingers. “Yuan has too few horse pastures and too few good horses, so to give away so many every year... Even State Preceptor Qing Yang’s asking price wasn’t this high!”

That final sentence made Nian Zanli’s expression sink at once.

He had nearly emptied his family fortune sending gifts to State Preceptor Qing Yang, only to exchange them for a chance at having her persuade the Lord Emperor. In the end, that effort had failed.

State Preceptor Shuang Ye had likewise demanded an exorbitant price in his letter, and when Nian Zanli had first seen it, he had felt suffocated.

However, State Preceptor Shuang Ye could actually get the matter done.

One adviser saw his expression and immediately spoke up, “The war comes first. Everything else can wait. How could borrowing troops come without cost? Besides, these conditions aren’t only State Preceptor Shuang Ye’s. They also include what the Baling people are demanding.”

They were borrowing troops from the State of Baling through State Preceptor Shuang Ye, so both sides had to be paid off.

Lü Huansheng shook his head. “State Preceptor Shuang Ye and the Baling people want benefits. Once Beijia learns of this, won’t Beijia also want a share?”

Yuan was already such a thin sheep. Could it withstand being sheared by three forces in turn?

Nian Zanli said coldly, “So you mean I should return the troops and not fight this war at all?”

Lü Huansheng hesitated. “Zhao Pan has already been transferred by that foolish ruler to the northwest to resist the Minister of War. Your subordinate still holds the same view. With only our Xun Province army, we can take Xia Province before next spring without issue. After that, we can rest and reorganize for half a year, then march south after the autumn harvest and point our banners straight at Yuan’s capital. That is not impossible!”

1. For those who don’t know, this is a hairstyle. ☜

2. I’m taking the raws literally here, but anyway, this specific plant is also known as Chinese Jade or Money Tree. ☜