Chapter 189: Enlistment

Opportunity favors the prepared mind.

Seeing his confidence, the king was even more pleased. He then began to ask how many troops and how much time he would need.

He Chunhua sighed, "After I answered, the king's smile faded."

He Lingchuan looked displeased. "Does the king think we can retake Xunzhou easily once we go north?"

"A quick victory, that's probably every monarch's wish," He Yue said, shaking his head. "Fighting on two fronts is too much pressure. The Royal Court is already struggling just to attack Dong Haoming in the west, and now the northern front is tense; troops, money, and provisions—none can be lacking."

Ultimately, it came down to cost.

He Yue's concern was, "Did the king agree to Father's troop request?"

He Chunhua shook his head. "The number I submitted was rejected; the king cut it down to thirty percent."

He Lingchuan asked, surprised, "Can you still bargain for this? Is the Royal Court like a marketplace?"

He Chunhua let out a long sigh. "When I brought it up, the king lost his temper, saying we didn't appreciate how hard-won money and provisions were, nor the hardships of the common people. I could only lower the figure again and again, while the king pressed for even further reductions."

He Lingchuan sneered, "Thirty percent, huh. How can troops fight on empty stomachs?"

"They say thirty percent, but if one and a half percent actually reach the destination, that's good," He Chunhua said with a cold smile. "There's corruption at every level along the way." He knew this system all too well.

"So, can the war still be fought?"

"Your father is already the Governor-General of Xiazhou; once we arrive, we must act." He Chunhua didn't seem particularly disappointed. "No matter, I had already anticipated the king's reaction. The number I submitted... was a bit generous."

He Lingchuan raised an eyebrow. "Good for you, Dad."

"Besides, local troops will mostly be supported by the local area anyway. Perhaps there will even be demon soldiers available. The Royal Court's small subsidy is just icing on the cake. Ha, if the Governor of Xunzhou can manage it, of course I can too."

At this point, He Chunhua took out a brocade pouch and handed it to He Lingchuan. "To commend your bravery in fending off enemies, the king has conferred upon you the title of Youyun Cavalry Knight, equivalent to a sixth-rank official."

Madam Ying and He Yue exclaimed in surprise. Overjoyed, He Lingchuan took the brocade pouch and tore it open, seeing a Yuan coin fall out.

He picked it up, played with it for a moment, then tossed it into the air. "From now on, I'm an official too!"

He Yue couldn't help but correct him. "Brother, this isn't an official post with duties."

He Lingchuan glared at him. "Won't I have an actual post once I join the army?"

He Chunhua smiled, but said nothing.

He Lingchuan, weighing the newly acquired Yuan coin, asked, "Didn't the king bestow anything else? Gold, silver, or jewels would be fine too."

"The national treasury is empty, and you didn't earn this through military achievements on the battlefield," He Chunhua said with a chiding laugh. "It's good enough that you received an honor. Do you still want rewards?"

"I saved General Ke. Isn't that more important than killing enemies on the battlefield?"

Ignoring his eldest son's grumbling, He Chunhua changed the subject. "What happened here in Shihuan today?"

His two sons each explained.

Upon hearing that the Chief Smelter of Songyang Prefecture would temporarily accompany the supporting army north, He Chunhua slapped his thigh emphatically, repeating "Excellent!" several times. "We'll begin casting weapons and stockpiling provisions as soon as we arrive in Xiazhou. Having such an expert guide us would be absolutely perfect!"

He Lingchuan feigned innocence. "Dad, you don't blame me for handing over the Violet Gold Pestle, do you?"

He Chunhua smiled broadly. "Although the precious pestle is a spiritual artifact, no one in our family can use it. Trading something we can't use for a master craftsman is an incredibly worthwhile deal. Why would your father blame you?"

He Lingchuan then mentioned Li Fubo's request. He Chunhua shook his head. "Bamboo tubes? Sun Fuping didn't leave many belongings behind, and there are no bamboo tubes among them at all."

"Are you sure? Do you want to double-check?"

"Don't you trust me?" He Chunhua asked with a faint smile. "Shall I take everything out and let you examine them one by one?"

He Lingchuan gave a dry laugh. "No need for that. Dad, you're much more meticulous than I am. If you say it's not there, it's definitely not there."

"Brother, you just said that the mustard seed boat was borrowed by Sun Fuping from Marquis Songyang?" He Yue, being more perceptive, mused, "Even now, Master Li can openly claim his lord was a friend of Sun Fuping?"

For the past two months, all the bloodshed around the capital has been the king rigorously apprehending and punishing 'accomplices' of the rebels, hasn't it? Isn't Marquis Songyang afraid?

He Lingchuan quietly ate his rice. "How would I know? Before arriving in Shihuan, he hadn't even heard of Songyang Prefecture."

He Chunhua pondered for a moment. "Marquis Songyang, with both a noble title and being the head of a major clan, is a very special existence in our Yuan Kingdom. He cannot be judged by ordinary standards."

He then added, "The king's face is full of ferocity; I fear only bloodshed will appease his wrath. I believe the capital will be turbulent again in the coming days, so it's best we depart as soon as possible. Hmm, once things here are settled, we'll leave the day after tomorrow, to avoid accusations of lingering in the capital and forming factions."

He knew clearly in his heart that the king summoning him overnight was, firstly, to show his regard, and secondly, to encourage the newly appointed Governor-General of Xiazhou to perform well and share the nation's burdens—this was benevolence. However, if he repeatedly suffered defeats or failed to achieve results in the north, the king's response would be thunderous wrath.

All of it was divine favor.

With a creak, Hu Min pushed the door open, just as he saw He Lingchuan shoot an arrow into the target.

"Oh, not bad, great improvement! It's only—" He grinned, measuring with his finger, "—only two inches from the bullseye."

He Lingchuan's expression fell.

A miss by a hair's breadth is a miss by a thousand miles, let alone two inches? Such an error in static shooting was absurd for an archer.

"It's good, I remember the first time you threw a dagger a few days ago, you missed the target completely."

He Lingchuan put down his bow and went inside to pour him a cup of water. "What brings you here?"

Hu Min's leg injury hadn't fully healed, and he had been resting at home. Usually, He Lingchuan would visit him, but today Hu Min had made his own way over.

"Bad news," Hu Min said, taking the cup and gulping down some water. "Your application to join the Great Wind Army was not approved. Commander Xiao conveyed the higher-ups' message: you need more experience and military merits before applying again."

He Lingchuan was somewhat disappointed, but this result was within his expectations.

Ever since he entered the Coiling Dragon Dreamscape via the Broken Blade, he had known he was being watched. Otherwise, the Coiling Dragon Dreamscape wouldn't adjust itself according to his real-life experiences. For example, when he encountered the once-in-decades Imperial Dewfall in Wuling Pass West, the Coiling Dragon Dreamscape that very night immediately featured stories of the Imperial Dewfall, clearly intending to show him how to refine Imperial Dew Powder without wasting precious resources.

Perhaps the master of this dreamscape was the Grand Square Pot itself?

After all, last year, when he and He Chunhua fought Sun Fuping and his companion, they had used the Grand Square Pot to weaken their opponents' power to its lowest point, seizing the opportunity to win.

What if Zhong Shengguang, who transformed into a black dragon, wasn't actually dead?

What if the controlling will of the Grand Square Pot belonged to someone else?

At least He Lingchuan could be certain of one thing: this will had repeatedly summoned him into the dream, and it must have a purpose. His first entry into the dreamscape resulted in an arrow to the throat, and his second death experience was still vivid in his memory. Judging by this display of dominance, the other party probably wouldn't let him live too comfortably in Dream City.

Seeing his silence, Hu Min patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Only those holding the rank of squad leader or higher are eligible to apply for the Great Wind Army. This rule is actually a form of protection, as the Great Wind Army's missions are always the most arduous and dangerous; even seasoned veterans can easily fall."

A squad leader commands fifty men.

In other words, He Lingchuan would first have to become the leader of fifty men before he could even apply to join the Great Wind Army.

Absurd.

"Starting from scratch is fine too; I have so much to learn." He Lingchuan adjusted his mindset. "However, without fighting and accumulating merits, I won't even have ten subordinates."

"All able-bodied young men in Coiling Dragon City must enlist. Ordinary Coiling Dragon City soldiers rotate, spending half the year farming and half the year serving."

He Lingchuan shook his head. "I'm not farming. How precious are the opportunities in the dream? It would be too much of a waste to use them for farming."

"Me too," Hu Min chuckled. "Then for full-time soldiers, only patrols, city guards, and logistics are left. You can choose one of the three."

"The most frequent combat must be with the patrols, right?"

"Of course," Hu Min added. "Patrols are divided into two types: Red Scarf Patrols operate in the Red Scarf Plateau, while Roving Patrols primarily move through the Coiling Dragon Desert, surveying the outer reaches of Coiling Dragon City. These two often swap roles."

Without hesitation, He Lingchuan said, "I want to enlist in the patrols."

He was about to accompany his father on the campaign in Yuan North, against General Nian Zanli of the North-Suppressing Army, and the Northern Demon Kingdom behind him.

Nian Zanli held a grudge against him for the death of his son and would certainly not let the father and son off easily. What He Lingchuan needed to do was improve himself as quickly as possible within the limited time.

Relying on mountains, mountains may crumble; relying on others, they may flee. Only self-reliance is truly dependable.

Therefore, he needed to go to the front lines of combat, to temper his Dao heart and battle techniques through blood and fire.

Every experience within the dreamscape would be a valuable asset to him.

"Then come with me; I'll take you to the Patrol Office to sign up." Hu Min turned and walked out. Although he still limped slightly, he was much better than when he first got injured, his cane tapping rhythmically as he walked quickly.

In another seven or eight days, he would be able to move with ease again.

The two men got into a donkey cart and headed toward the Patrol Office.

The trip went smoothly. After registering, He Lingchuan immediately took the on-site assessment, which covered situational awareness and martial arts techniques. With several experiences of life-and-death situations, he easily passed the tests and, without any complications, became a proud Red Scarf Patrol.

After all, Coiling Dragon City had been at war for many years and always welcomed new recruits.

"Congratulations, from now on you'll be defending our home and city." Hu Min clapped for him. "Just don't kick the bucket before you get into the Great Wind Army." The word 'kick the bucket' was a slang term he had learned from He Lingchuan.

"We should go to the Heavenly Frost Restaurant to celebrate, but Commander Xiao is about to give a lecture at the Hall of Asking Immortals. Will you attend?"

He Lingchuan, hearing this, naturally nodded. "Yes!"

Although the name 'Hall of Asking Immortals' sounded grand, its chosen location was far from conventional. It wasn't a magnificent palace or a solemn main hall, but a giant sinkhole!

He Lingchuan was somewhat surprised the first time he entered the Hall of Asking Immortals.

A 'Heavenly Pit,' as the name suggested, was like a giant hole dug through a mountain by celestial beings, open to the sunny sky above and connecting to an underground river below. The pit was wide and irregularly shaped.