Chapter 217: Li Old Master's Regrettable Deeds

Just from the grain accounts, it was clear that his work after taking over Xia State would not be easy. Supporting the front line was a mission Xia State could not refuse. With the front line in crisis, He Chunhua would have to scrape together people, horses, and grain, even if he had to dig three feet deep.

“Old Master Zhu wrote that the Governor had just arrived in Xia State and would now need to raise an army?”

“Yes, and quickly.” He Chunhua had only brought three hundred men from Blackwater City. On the way, he had absorbed Wu Shaoyi’s unit, which brought his total force to six hundred. Such a small force was insufficient for war; he would immediately need to recruit soldiers and acquire horses upon reaching Xia State.

In the early days of the Great Kite Dynasty, local officials did not have the authority to recruit soldiers; all troops were centrally dispatched. However, nowadays, the royal court was often preoccupied, and uprisings were common throughout the regions. Consequently, it tacitly allowed high-ranking local officials to privately raise armies and secure their own provisions. In Thousand Pine County, He Chunhua had already mastered the process of building a fully organized army from scratch. Upon arriving in Xia State, he intended to fully apply his expertise.

“Then Governor He needs to know that Dunyu and the seven surrounding counties are controlled by four major families, whose relationships are intertwined and deeply rooted. They essentially control the lifelines of the capital, and other prominent families follow their lead. Among them, the Li and Shu families have been established here since the eighth year of the Great Kite Dynasty’s founding, and even possess their own private armies. The previous two governors of Xia State cultivated good relationships with them.” Steward Qian’s attitude was sincere: “Without their support, it will be very difficult for you to conduct affairs in Xia State.”

He Chunhua raised an eyebrow: “Are these four families permanent fixtures, while Xia State governors come and go?”

Steward Qian found it difficult to respond. He went to open the door and brought in several thick ledgers. “These are the materials you requested on Dunyu and the four families—population, assets, and network connections. I have tried my best to collect them, but they may not be comprehensive. There are some hidden dealings that I am unable to know about.”

“Good. First, tell me, who is currently in charge of military affairs in Dunyu on my behalf?”

“The Military Registrar, Peng Ju'an,” Steward Qian replied, his memory excellent. “He commands sixteen or seventeen hundred soldiers.”

“Where does he live?”

“Qingyang Township, about ten li from Dunyu.”

He Chunhua nodded and asked again, “Has the news of my arrival in Xia State spread yet?”

“Everyone knows the new governor is coming, but the exact time of your arrival in Dunyu isn’t clear,” Steward Qian said truthfully. “However, since you’ve stayed here for two days, I believe the news has already spread far and wide. Ruxian County also has properties and personnel belonging to the four families.”

“That’s right, I’ve been to the Ruxian County Yamen these past two days.” He Chunhua let out a breath. “Thank you. You are very reliable. I will ask Old Master Zhu to give you a special commendation.”

Steward Qian’s face lit up, then he added: “Furthermore, recently in Xia State, not only are common people fleeing due to famine, but wealthy gentry are also slipping away to the south. The difference is that some common people are willing to flee north into Xun State, while the rich can only retreat south. Among the four major families, the Xie and Zhan families have recently been selling off their property and dismissing their servants. According to their household staff, their masters are preparing to withdraw.”

Mo Zhejingxuan shook his head: “If they take the lead in leaving, public morale will likely become even more unstable.”

“Indeed. The Governor has taken on this mission in a time of crisis, which is incredibly difficult. I wish you good fortune.” Steward Qian bowed to He Chunhua and withdrew.

He Lingchuan stretched, pointing at the ledgers. “Dad, reading isn’t my strong suit.”

“You don’t need to read them,” He Chunhua said to everyone present. “The situation in Dunyu is largely as Steward Qian described, with very little discrepancy from the intelligence I’ve gathered. Our long journey is nearing its end. Now let’s discuss our strategy for entering Dunyu.”

As a result, the resting hall remained closed for over an hour. Old Mo came in once to add charcoal, once to deliver food, and once to refill the oil lamp. When the meeting concluded, He Chunhua, looking refreshed, told his subordinates: “Unless there are unforeseen circumstances, proceed according to these plans.”

Everyone solemnly replied, “Yes,” and then departed.

After all the non-essential personnel, including the He brothers, had left, Butler Old Mo surprisingly brought Steward Qian back in. Only these three remained in the room.

Steward Qian, who had just been napping in the back to relieve the fatigue of the journey, saw Old Mo hand him a ten-tael silver ingot. Governor He said gently, “This task isn’t easy; you’ve worked hard.”

“I wouldn’t dare accept it!” Despite his words, Steward Qian accepted the large silver ingot.

“Let me confirm again: is Li Zhao still the spokesperson for the Li family in Dunyu?” He Chunhua frowned. “Is he Secretary Li’s second uncle?”

“Yes, his paternal second uncle,” Steward Qian replied. “If you can get through to him, the Li family won’t be a problem.”

“He might be the biggest problem,” He Chunhua pondered. “If I’m not mistaken, he’s almost seventy, isn’t he?”

“He just celebrated his seventieth birthday a few days ago,” Steward Qian chuckled. “Locals say that Old Master Li Zhao is the true power in Dunyu. Although the Li family’s businesses are open for younger generations to manage, major decisions still require Old Master Li’s involvement.” He gave a thumbs-up. “In Dunyu, no matter how big the trouble, if the highly respected Old Master Li steps forward, it will be resolved.”

“Impressive.” He Chunhua said calmly, “Does ‘no matter how big the trouble’ include a granary fire?”

“I heard that after this incident, Old Master Li was furious. In the end, the grain official and two unfortunate scapegoats from the government were sent to the capital. I heard they have been tried and are awaiting execution after autumn.”

“Sending them away means they are confident those people won’t speak,” He Chunhua nodded. “Right, there’s also Secretary Li in the capital. I truly hope they show such capability when facing Nian Zanli’s army.”

Steward Qian sighed, “When it comes to warfare, they are not competent.”

“In other words, Li Zhao is the backbone and anchor of the entire Li family.”

“Precisely.”

He Chunhua smiled: “How is Old Master Li’s health?”

“He’s robust, his eyesight is good, and his back isn’t stooped. He has always taken good care of himself,” Steward Qian said with a wry smile. “I think he’ll live longer than me.”

“Good. Then I need you to do two more things.” He Chunhua held up a finger. “First, find out if Old Master Li has ever committed a grave misdeed—something that would keep him awake at night and remain unforgettable for life.”

“Keep him awake at night and remain unforgettable for life?” Steward Qian tried hard to recall. “Hmm—it seems there really is something!”

He Chunhua reminded him: “Old foxes are cunning. He’s probably done many unethical things, but most of them wouldn’t bother him. A person who commits many bad deeds might not care about them.”

“The first matter I heard from an old resident of Dunyu. When Old Master Li was in his forties, his third son insisted on marrying a commoner. Somehow, Li Zhao ended up having an affair with his son’s betrothed, and she became pregnant. There was no other choice; the future daughter-in-law became his seventh concubine.” Talking about such matters, Steward Qian couldn’t help but wink. “Not long after, the concubine suddenly died of illness. She was seven months pregnant at the time, resulting in two lives lost.”

“Gradually, rumors spread in the marketplace that the concubine hadn’t died of illness because the child in her womb wasn’t Old Master Li’s. Old Master Li, unable to tolerate this humiliation, had her dragged away and buried alive. Publicly, it was announced that she had died of illness and was given a grand funeral. Before she died, the woman shrieked, cursing Old Master Li to a miserable end.”

He Chunhua’s brow remained furrowed. “That’s quite vivid. How credible is it?”

“A few days later, wild dogs dragged a female corpse out of the mass grave. It had marks of being bound, and there was sand and dirt in her throat, suggesting she was buried alive,” Steward Qian added. “From a timing perspective, it matches.”

He Chunhua grunted. “Anything else?”

“Old Master Li originally had a twin brother. They were very close and inseparable. When they were around ten years old, they were playing in a river one summer when a flash flood suddenly erupted. Both were in mortal danger, with only a small tree in the water providing a precarious refuge. Old Master Li seized the opportunity—or rather, snatched it away—by stepping on his brother’s shoulders to jump up, and was rescued onto the bank by adults. The tree then broke, and his brother was swept away.”

He Chunhua was cautious: “Where did you hear this? Li Zhao himself is seventy; how many people still alive would know about these things?” The average life expectancy in the Great Kite Dynasty was only thirty-three years, and a commoner living to fifty was considered extremely fortunate.

“This was revealed by Old Master Li’s third son. Yes, the son whose betrothed was taken from him was feeling depressed and spoke about it while drinking with someone, also stating that the entire clan knew and it was no secret.”

“Good!” He Chunhua casually placed a gold ingot on the table. “I need to trouble you to do one more thing for me. Upon its completion, there will be another ingot as a reward.”

Steward Qian quickly said, “You are the Zhu family’s benefactor and honored guest. It is my duty to serve you with all my might!” Zhu Xiyan was certain He Chunhua could establish a new order in Xia State, and thus instructed Steward Qian in his letter to cooperate fully.

He Chunhua then quietly stated his request.

Steward Qian was startled upon hearing it.

“Can you do it?”

“I will do my best to try. Please wait patiently for a few days, Governor.”

The next day, the supporting army did not continue north as planned, because Governor He had fallen ill. Upon hearing that the esteemed traveler was unwell, the Ruxian County Magistrate rushed to pay a visit. He Chunhua, with a sallow complexion, received guests while lying in bed, explaining that he was exhausted from the journey and had caught a cold, needing a few days to rest. The Ruxian County Magistrate, of course, readily agreed and sent staff to provide the most considerate and attentive service.

He Lingchuan and others heard that He Chunhua had sent scouts to Dunyu again, and that it would take some time for them to return. They never fought unprepared. It was only a few days; what was there to wait for? During the day, He Lingchuan either practiced the Meridian Method or strolled through the county town with his medicine ape and rock wolf, making quite a spectacle. At night, he continued to enter the Dragon Coil Dream, where he trained in martial arts, served as a patrol guard, earned military merits, and received people’s praise. Large-scale battles like the one in Ghostneedle Stone Forest were rare; his days in the dream realm were also methodical. Sun Fuling from next door was still not home, and no one knew where she had gone.

On the evening of the fourth day, guests arrived at the Li family mansion in Dunyu City. The visitor was Shu Qian, the second younger brother of the Shu family head. He exchanged pleasantries with the Li family patriarch, presented his visiting gifts, and brushed the remaining snow from his neck. “I apologize for disturbing you, Old Master. My elder brother sent me to convey a message: the newly appointed Governor of Xia State, He Chunhua, has fallen ill at the post station in Ruxian County.”