Chapter 1390: Uninvited Guest

Chapter 1375: Uninvited Guests

Oh well, he didn't dwell on it. During breakfast, he had another quarrel with his wife and then left for work.

Zhuo'an.

It was a bright sunny day from early morning, so hot that the soil seemed to be steaming.

"This isn't good. Didn't you say it would rain recently?" Dong Rui couldn't help but complain to He Lingchuan. "In these ground conditions, my creature cannot move."

The snail toad's ability to travel a hundred li at night depends on the ground being moist. If the surface is dry, it will stop after less than five li.

Today was the big day for action, but the weather was uncooperative.

An ill omen, indeed.

He Lingchuan smiled. "What's the hurry? The time hasn't come yet."

Seeing his calm demeanor, Dong Rui was half-convinced, half-skeptical. This fellow liked to act profound, yet he was right seven or eight times out of ten, which was really annoying!

Sure enough, before the end of the *wei* hour (2 PM), the sky suddenly darkened, and dense clouds gathered.

Several loud claps of thunder ripped across the sky, shaking the ground with their rumbling, followed by a torrential downpour.

He Lingchuan calmly said, "What did I say earlier?"

Actually, an Yangshan scout team had arrived in Zhuo'an a few days before him to gather information on hydrology, weather, and local customs. Unlike during the Heavenly Palace incident, He Lingchuan now had an entire team behind him and no longer had to fight alone or handle everything by himself.

The Yao Kingdom had frequent summer rains. Recently, there had been hot thunderstorms every afternoon for three or four consecutive days.

Today was no exception.

Dong Rui breathed a sigh of relief. "Now this is more like it."

After two days in Zhuo'an, He Lingchuan, along with Fan Shuang, had continuously visited local noble families and merchant guilds, covering eleven in a day and a half. Fan Shuang's legs were nearly worn out, and he expressed deep admiration for He Lingchuan's boundless energy.

Only He Lingchuan and Dong Rui knew that they had to go through all the necessary formalities before the official operation. So many noble scions had met him, solidifying the news that the Lord of Yangshan Island was passing through Zhuo'an.

As they spoke, Fan Shuang came to invite them. "Brother He, Brother Wei, shall we go to the front courtyard for some drinks? It'll be full if we're late."

The inn where they were staying was chosen by Fan Shuang on He Lingchuan's subtle suggestion. The front courtyard was a restaurant, and the back courtyard had guest rooms. They were connected by a covered bridge, so guests wouldn't get wet walking between them on a rainy day.

The inn was nestled by a mountain and river. In front of the restaurant was a curved river bend. The reeds by the rocky shore were taller than a person, enough to conceal over a hundred people. On rainy days, with the mist thickening, the low houses on the opposite bank disappeared from view, creating an expansive, misty landscape.

This was precisely the outdoor setting He Lingchuan needed most for his operation. The inn, built by the river, would allow him and Dong Rui to come and go without a trace.

To ensure the operation went flawlessly, he had to meticulously plan every detail.

So, these past few days, whenever it rained, the front courtyard would be packed with guests drinking and watching the rain.

Enjoying the rain while also watching pedestrians get drenched and look disheveled was quite enjoyable!

He Lingchuan calculated the time. Xue Zongwu would still need three *shichen* (six hours) to reach Mang Province, so there was still plenty of time. He stood up and said, "Let's go. We won't return until we're drunk."

Over the past few days, he had gauged Fan Shuang's alcohol tolerance; getting him drunk wouldn't be difficult.

But Dong Rui said, "You two go. I have something to attend to."

With the operation imminent, he needed to calibrate the snail toad. The creature had been a bit too active recently.

Fan Shuang and He Lingchuan then called for Commander Zhao and walked together to the front courtyard.

Along the way, the patter of rain added a unique charm.

As Fan Shuang expected, the front courtyard was bustling with people, and the hall, over 200 square meters, was almost completely full.

Only one private room was left.

Fan Shuang inquired and learned that a large merchant caravan had checked in today. With nowhere else to go in the rain, everyone was gathered here.

Mang Province was indeed bustling. All the decent inns were fully booked, so some merchant caravans simply found lodging elsewhere, such as Zhuo'an.

Fan Shuang quickly said to the innkeeper, "I'll take that private room."

It was noisy in front of the counter, but another person spoke at the same time as him, "We've booked the private room!"

With two clinks, two silver ingots were placed on the counter.

The innkeeper, not wanting to offend either party, gave a conciliatory smile. "There's only one private room left. Would you two guests like to discuss it?"

Fan Shuang turned his head and saw that the man contending for the private room was in his twenties.

"This gentleman..."

He had just opened his mouth when the other party immediately said, "Our general wants this private room. You should find somewhere else."

"General?" Fan Shuang was startled. "Which general?"

The Yao Kingdom had quite a number of generals, both official and honorary.

A person emerged from behind the man and smiled at Fan Shuang. "Brother Fan, Commander Zhao, long time no see."

He Lingchuan's gaze swept over him. What a coincidence, it was another acquaintance.

General Chongwu!

Back then, this young general of the Yao Kingdom had led his troops to hunt the Three-tailed Fox Demon, employing a well-structured encirclement technique. Had He Lingchuan not interfered, the Three-tailed Fox Demon would have been apprehended long ago.

That night, General Chongwu had been caught off guard by the newly emerged Rakshasa Evil Armor, and his army suffered considerable losses.

It wasn't until the Yangshan Merchant Guild established itself in the Yao Kingdom that He Lingchuan would occasionally hear his name. It seemed the Yao royal court was quite dissatisfied with his performance at White Peak Mountain.

To meet General Chongwu precisely at this time, and precisely here? He Lingchuan's heart sank. Sure enough, there were always unforeseen circumstances in any operation.

Fan Shuang immediately went forward to greet him. "General, all is well. Ah, what a small world!"

"I came from Xiaozhi Province, escorting some gifts to the capital, and this torrential rain forced us in here." General Chongwu then greeted Commander Zhao, before his gaze finally swept over He Lingchuan. "And this is...?"

"This is He Xiao of the Yangshan Merchant Guild; we all call him Island Lord He." Fan Shuang enthusiastically introduced them. "Brother He, this is General Chongwu, the youngest great general in our Yao Kingdom! He returned from his studies in Lingxu City three years before I did."

Since being appointed as a foreign envoy by the Yao King, Fan Shuang's eloquence had become even more adept. With that remark, he drew himself closer to General Chongwu.

They were both returned students, and had even connected in Lingxu City.

General Chongwu was not as arrogant as Xue Zongwu. They greeted each other with smiles, very courteously.

He Lingchuan recalled that he was the son of the Bixia clan head. Back then in Lingxu City, his status was likely lower than that of a well-established official's son like Fan Shuang.

General Chongwu then said, "With the strong wind and heavy rain, there's nowhere else to go. How about we share a table?"

Hearing this, Fan Shuang looked at He Lingchuan, who nodded with a smile. "That sounds wonderful. I was just about to seek General Chongwu's advice."

So, the group reserved the last private room.

The private room was in a corner on the inn's first floor. It would usually be quite quiet, but unfortunately, today, even with the door closed, the commotion from outside could still be heard.

He Lingchuan personally rolled up the bamboo blinds facing the river bend. Between the sky and the ground, only a curtain of rain remained, like countless needles and shuttles weaving a tapestry of pearls and jade.

The scent of green grass and damp earth also wafted in with the wind.

Everyone clapped and exclaimed, "Good rain, good rain!"

Enjoying the rain like this was truly delightful. Occasionally, a few drops of water would drift onto them, adding to the charm.

On a rainy day, one couldn't just drink; appetizers were also necessary. Fan Shuang called a waiter and ordered six or seven dishes for drinking in one breath. "My treat, my treat! Nobody argue with me! General, the signature dish here is 'Fiery Nine-Part Stir-fry'; you must try it!"

General Chongwu laughed upon hearing this. "When did you arrive that you can even introduce me to their signature dish?"

"The day before yesterday." Fan Shuang shook his head. "We originally planned to go through Mang Province, but we heard the inns there were fully booked with no place to stay. Brother He also wanted to visit Zhuo'an to establish business connections, so here we are."

General Chongwu's gaze turned to He Lingchuan. "Today is the first time I've met Island Lord He, but somehow, I feel like I've seen you before."

He Lingchuan touched his nose. He secretly thought that this fellow's "feeling" was indeed accurate. He had indeed met him before, but at that time, he was wearing a mask and riding on the back of a bat demon puppet, instigating Ah Xun, who was wearing Rakshasa armor, to fight General Chongwu.

His smile was like a spring breeze. "Upon first meeting General Chongwu, I also feel a sense of affinity. Ah, this word 'affinity' is truly wonderful beyond words. Some people remain strangers despite growing old together, while others become instant friends."

"Well said, 'instant friends' indeed!" General Chongwu raised a cup of wine to him. "Seeing is believing. Before, I only heard that Island Lord He was a successful, immensely wealthy merchant, abundant in both money and provisions; meeting you today, I find you to be a figure of remarkable charisma."

"You flatter me, General." Just then, the steaming 'Fiery Nine-Part Stir-fry' was brought to the table, and He Lingchuan conveniently picked up a piece with his chopsticks.

The so-called 'Nine-Part Stir-fry' refers to nine parts of a beef, including the tip of the tongue, beef stomach, tripe, heart tip, kidney, and aortic artery. Though it was just stir-fried, each part required a different cooking time. If the chef didn't handle it well, some ingredients would be overcooked.

Everyone ate a few pieces and praised it.

Crispy, tender, fresh, aromatic, and spicy—all five flavors were present.

The Soul-Capturing Mirror in his embrace let out an "Oh!" of realization. "That's right, this fellow is the son of the Bixia clan head! You funded the allied forces to attack Bixia, so he's definitely not pleased with you. Oh dear, he's going to cause trouble today!"

He Lingchuan subtly shook his head. Did this slow-witted mirror just remember this connection?

But General Chongwu showed no hostility at all. Instead, he said with enthusiasm, "Speaking of the Yangshan Archipelago, I passed through there twice on my return from Lingxu City, and even stayed a night at a supply station on the island seven years ago. Ah, it's unforgettable for life."

He Lingchuan also recalled that before he bought the Yangshan Archipelago, two of its islands had supply stations, but their conditions were primitive. Renee's family's station was decent, at least clean and tidy, but the other one was simply...

"The General must have suffered." He couldn't help but laugh. "You're welcome to visit the Yangshan Archipelago again; it's completely different now."

General Chongwu nodded repeatedly. "Indeed, indeed. I heard it has changed greatly, and I must find an opportunity to visit again."

"He 'heard'!" the Soul-Capturing Mirror shrieked. "He's definitely asking about you!"

Fan Shuang added from the side, "The Yangshan Archipelago is located on the Golden Waterway. After being managed by Island Lord He for these past few years, it is now the busiest port west of the Yao Kingdom. The Mou Kingdom, Beijia, and even the Ya Kingdom all have large merchant caravans using that shipping route."

"I recall that the Yangshan Archipelago was originally shrouded in malevolent aura, making it difficult for living creatures to approach." General Chongwu asked curiously, "How did Island Lord He manage to develop the entire island?"

He Lingchuan smiled mysteriously. "I have some ancestral secret techniques that can deal with malevolent aura."