Chapter 256: Returning to the Old Trade

Hong Chenglüe’s eyes changed, gradually revealing a mix of sudden realization and indignation.

“So it was you!” he said coldly. “Just for this, I should kill you!”

As soon as his killing intent arose, the surrounding air temperature dropped by several degrees. Wu Qing took a step back to avoid the sharpness, but did not plead for mercy.

Because he knew Hong Chenglüe kept his word.

Sure enough, Hong Chenglüe’s killing intent quickly subsided. He continued to ask him, “Why did you seek out my brother and incite him to his death?”

Wu Qing quickly waved his hand. “Lord Hong’s conviction is among the top three strongest I have ever witnessed. How could I possibly incite him? He firmly believed that the King’s Court of Yuan was beyond repair and rotten. Only by completely overthrowing it and rebuilding a new nation would it benefit countless common people. My master merely lent him a little assistance.”

“His death has nothing to do with you either?”

“The rebel army was invincible and everything was going well. Unexpectedly, Mr. Hong suddenly lost the battle and died. My master was also deeply shocked.”

“Is that so?” Hong Chenglüe shook the letter in his hand. “Does your master know why the deity my brother worshipped suddenly disappeared?”

“This…” Wu Qing was startled. “This is the first time I’ve heard of it.”

“Mr. Hong… General Hong!” He took a step forward and said solemnly, “My master wishes to invite you to return to public service!”

“No.” Hong Chenglüe seemed to have anticipated this request. “I swore a blood oath never to use my supernatural abilities again, nor to lead armies and kill people!”

Otherwise, what would all the suffering he had endured over the years, and his wife’s suffering alongside him for so long, count for?

“Forgive my frankness,” Wu Qing said, “Although you swore an oath to Heaven at that time, Heaven did not bless the mother and child with safety. Your oath may not have taken effect.”

Hong Chenglüe remained silent.

His wife had a difficult labor, struggling for two days without giving birth. He knew his past killings were too numerous. Coupled with the tense political situation, he felt powerless. So he simply resigned his post and made an oath, hoping for a happy outcome. Yet, Heaven showed no mercy, and his son was still lost. Although his wife’s life was saved, she sustained fundamental damage, her vitality depleted, and her meridians withered. A few years later, she gradually became paralyzed. He sought out renowned doctors, but they all said it was incurable.

From this perspective, Wu Qing seemed not to have been wrong.

You asked for its help, but it did not respond. Was there still a promise between you?

“Furthermore, if the entity you prayed to back then was not Heaven, but a Celestial God…” Perhaps your wish could have come true?

Hong Chenglüe said calmly, “Silence. I do not involve myself with spirits or deities!”

Wu Qing lowered his head slightly. “I heard Lord Hong lament more than once that if you were willing to work together with him, with his strategy and your military prowess, there would be few rivals in the world, and the transformation of the nation could be achieved.” He then pointed to the box on the table. “Lord Hong also said that although you are skilled in martial arts, when it comes to material wealth, you are destined to lose it. If you wish to continue living in reclusion, as long as you don’t use it carelessly, this money should be enough to live out the rest of your life comfortably.”

Hong Chenglüe gave a slight bitter smile. In the end, it was indeed his brother who understood him best.

“However…” Wu Qing looked at the corpses on the ground. “This place is no longer suitable for you to stay.” Killing an official was no minor crime anywhere.

Hong Chenglüe nodded. This place could not be stayed in for long.

“I know a little about physiognomy and aura reading. Forgive my frankness, Mr. Hong, your glabella is dark, and ill fortune clings to you. You must have been very unlucky during these years of retirement, haven’t you?” Wu Qing was cautious. “You have relinquished your official position and no longer have the protection of Yuan power. The karma from your past killings and the hidden curses of others may all be coming to bear upon you.” He pointed to the box. “Furthermore, your fortune flows like water, like a river diminishing daily. Even if you receive this money, you won’t be able to keep it; it will dissipate in a short while.”

How could Hong Chenglüe not know?

The last time he retired, he wasn’t short of money. But his houses either caught fire or were hit by floods, forcing him to move. He finally settled in a new county town, acquiring property and buying land. However, the bank where he deposited his money proved unreliable. Despite its great reputation and numerous branches, it suddenly collapsed. He became one of the victims, losing more than half of his money.

Logically, the remaining real estate should have been fine, right? No, at that time he was in Lingzhou, and the properties he acquired were naturally also in Lingzhou. But later, Lingzhou was captured by the Northern Demon Kingdom, and his land deeds became worthless paper…

After arriving in Bailu Town, he even went into business partnerships, but whatever he invested in, he lost, and the losses accumulated, to the point where he had almost lost everything.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t considered engaging in illicit, no-capital businesses during dark nights. But any money he acquired would mysteriously dissipate…

Who said capable people are capable everywhere? Who said buying property could preserve value and make money? He really wanted to chop off the fraudsters’ heads with one strike!

Even immense wealth couldn’t withstand such destruction.

He also knew he was secretly cursed. He had tried to get rid of it several times, but it would return after being dispelled. Later, he became reluctant to waste more money on it.

Only then did Wu Qing pull out a jade bottle from his embrace and place it on the table. “This is a Red Jade Pill, refined by my master using his own essence blood. Each pill is to be taken in three doses. Even ordinary people can use it to relax tendons, clear meridians, and unblock obstructions. Take it once every ten days, for ten consecutive times, and chronic ailments may be cured.”

With this medicine for three months, perhaps his wife could walk again? Hong Chenglüe was moved, realizing then that the other party had saved their trump card for last. To persuade someone, one usually appeals to both emotion and reason. Wu Qing simply offered two favors, knowing that reason alone wouldn’t convince him.

“Alright then, we’ll go with you.” Hong Chenglüe sighed deeply, no longer struggling. “We’ll have to find a way to slip out of town.”

Wu Qing smiled. “The carriage is already prepared and waiting outside the door. At this time, every household is worried about themselves; no one will pay attention to us. The merchant caravan departs this afternoon and can take us out of Bailu Town.”

Hong Chenglüe inexplicably recalled the three beheaded youths. Although the new provincial governor had just taken office and had a prominent reputation, he understood that from a small place like Haotian Township to the large prefecture of Xiazhou, fundamental change was impossible, no matter who held the position.

In fact, the entire Yuan Kingdom was the same.

Otherwise, why would his elder brother, Hong Xiangqian, have gone through fire and water?

Having nothing else to take anyway, he picked up his bundle, embraced his wife, and boarded the carriage.

Wu Qing locked the courtyard gate for him.

An old woman walked by not far away, her eyes full of curiosity. “Mr. Hong, where are you going?”

Hong Chenglüe returned a smile but said nothing. The carriage curtains were drawn down, blocking the view of others.

This old woman always liked to wander into his house and casually take things.

Soon, the carriage reached the alley entrance. Hong Chenglüe cast one last look back; the cluttered alley grew smaller and smaller in his vision. This was the home where he had lived for six years in the common streets and alleys. It offered no comfort of “great reclusion in the city,” only the unspeakable pain of ordinary people, severely worn down by life.

From now on, he would bid farewell to such a wasted existence.

Wu Qing handed him a letter of appointment and a scale-shaped token.

The token was thick; it was unclear whether it imitated a turtle shell or a snake scale. Its edges had tiny serrations. When flipped over, it had just a few words, blood-red:

Beijia.

General Qingwu.

Biting his index finger to stamp the letter of appointment, and then grasping the token, Hong Chenglüe’s body suddenly emanated a strong yellow light!

Thankfully, he was inside the carriage, so no bystanders saw it.

Yuan Power.

He closed his eyes, quietly feeling the long-absent Yuan power.

And at the very moment the yellow light ignited, all the bad luck, curses, and misfortune that had clung to him were swept away!

Even before Hong Chenglüe opened his eyes, he felt his body and mind instantly lighten, and his mind cleared.

The troubles that had plagued him for years were easily dispelled.

Wu Qing clapped his hands and smiled. “Congratulations, General Hong! All past misfortunes have been removed, and you can now display your great talents once more!”

Hong Chenglüe also sighed inwardly. The wondrous uses of Yuan power were indeed profound. No matter how great one’s supernatural abilities or how unmatched one’s martial prowess, one still needed to seek an official position in the royal court.

Having experienced its benefits, how could one easily abandon it?

His wife grasped his arm, very uneasy. “Are you going back to your old ways?”

Hong Chenglüe looked at her and said seriously, “You must get well, you must stand up!” If he didn’t go back, he wouldn’t get the remaining Red Jade Pills.

“But that divination said, it said you would eventually…”

“Die in war?” Hong Chenglüe smiled slightly, and a light returned to his eyes. “A’jin, I’ve had enough of living in reclusion. You and I both know that the only thing I’m truly good at is taking enemy heads with a blade or spear in my hand.”

As he spoke, his aura gradually emerged, as if a sleeping lion had just awakened, baring its fangs.

From that moment on, he seemed like a different person.

“As long as you’ve thought it through.” His wife, A’jin, didn’t know how to dissuade him and sighed deeply. She then turned to ask Wu Qing, “Where are we going?”

“Thirty li north of Bailu Town, there’s a Wujia Village.” Wu Qing was also very respectful towards her. “Three groups of people will meet there, and many are waiting to meet General Hong.”

Soon, their carriage joined a merchant caravan and headed north.

Another piece of good news came from the north:

Zhao Pan led his army to recapture Songlin Pass within Xiazhou Prefecture.

The Xunzhou army invaded Xiazhou, constantly trying to capture cities and territories to establish a foothold. Zhao Pan’s move destroyed one of their important strongholds, pushing the Xunzhou army back over twenty li to the north.

Among other factors, Xiazhou’s timely delivery of military supplies to the front lines was also one of the important reasons for the victory. With front-line soldiers not having to endure hunger, their morale naturally rose.

In fact, according to the grain officer who returned to Dunyu, as soon as the provisions arrived at the front, the main camp erupted in cheers.

Xiazhou Prefecture naturally shared this good news with the people of Dunyu immediately.

With two successive victories, the people of Dunyu were invigorated, and the city gradually became stable. All trades and industries also returned to normal.

This was of great benefit to He Lingchuan, because Ding Zuodong had already begun to lease out the shops he had acquired recently at ten percent below market price.

He had originally specialized in acquiring prosperous shops in good locations. Naturally, they became popular once the market improved. According to his report to He Lingchuan, Young Master He now owned the following properties: nearly one hundred *mu* of fertile land, twenty-seven shops, one fishery, two self-operated restaurants, one pharmacy, one long-established oil business, one trading company, and six warehouses of various sizes.

Two months ago, He Lingchuan would have had to spend at least twice as much to acquire these high-quality assets.

Of course, all these properties were handed over to Ding Zuodong for operation.