Chapter 613: Trouble is Coming Your Way

He waved his hand and said, “It’s alright, Your Highness did your best. I know it’s hard to borrow troops, and I’m very grateful that you went out of your way to inform me.”

He had asked people everywhere in Lingxu City for help, but his requests had all fallen on deaf ears, with most not even receiving a reply.

Furthermore, Fushan Yue had someone apologize to him, which was incredibly polite.

“It’s just, it’s such a pity.”

The words “troops are hard to borrow” resonated deeply with Nian Zanli.

Over the past two months, he had been pulling strings all over Lingxu City, hoping someone could persuade the Emperor to lend him tens of thousands more elite soldiers.

The Battle of Han River had resulted in heavy losses for both sides.

He knew very well that both Xiazhou and the Yi Kingdom had been severely weakened and could not withstand another proper war!

As long as he could borrow troops, Nian Zanli was almost certain to win his next battle.

What a shame, he just couldn’t borrow them!

The Emperor wasn’t exactly indifferent to his plan to counterattack the Yi Kingdom; he was simply uninterested.

Even though Nian Zanli described it as easily attainable.

As the Beijia Emperor, he had seen and heard many grand promises. Nian Zanli now finally realized that Beijia genuinely had little interest in conquering the Yi Kingdom.

The kingdom itself was absurdly large, and its borders hadn't expanded for many years.

When he eagerly offered his services, others had merely gone along with it previously. But when it came to actually exerting effort, they would give him a cold stare, leaving him to understand the hint.

He Lingchuan stroked his chin. “I’ve also heard of the Yi Kingdom war. Last time, you seemed to be in that Xia, Xia…”

“Xiazhou.”

“Right, right, you were fighting in Xiazhou.” He Lingchuan asked, curious, “Why does General Nian think it’s a pity not to attack now?”

Nian Zanli decisively said, “The timing is rare. There have been changes on the Yi Kingdom’s western front. The Yi King replaced Xiazhou’s defenses, transferring Zhao Pan, who excels at defensive warfare, to the west to resist the Grand Marshal’s army.”

He Lingchuan’s heart skipped a beat. Zhao Pan had been transferred?

But wasn’t that just robbing Peter to pay Paul?

Two pots with only one lid—one hole was bound to remain uncovered.

Thinking of the country his He family came from, he could only sigh inwardly.

“If I borrow troops and return now, I can perfectly coordinate with the Grand Marshal.”

He Lingchuan said, “Oh, so things are going well on his side?”

“Precisely. I just received news from the west: the Grand Marshal designed a plan and eliminated Wu Di, a prominent general of the Yi Kingdom. The Yi Kingdom’s western front now only has Ke Jihai, who cannot hold out alone.” Nian Zanli couldn’t help but clap his hands. “If I lead troops back and attack from the north while the Grand Marshal attacks from the west, the Yi Kingdom’s demise will be imminent.”

He Lingchuan was greatly shaken.

Wu Di was dead!

It was Wu Di and Ke Jihai, these two Yi Kingdom generals, who had led the imperial army at Woling Pass to successfully suppress the rebellion and force “Saint Master” Hong Xiangqian to commit suicide. He Lingchuan had already met Ke Jihai in Shihuan City, and he was a rare talent in the Yi Kingdom. Wu Di, his partner, must have been equally capable.

He hadn’t expected Wu Di to fall in Wuzhou.

Although the Grand Marshal was also a seasoned veteran, far superior to the rebels at Woling Pass, Wu Di’s death also highlighted the decline in the Yi Kingdom’s fortunes.

He Lingchuan had long heard He Chunhua’s analysis that Grand Marshal Dong Haoming had been secretly plotting rebellion for a long time. Wuzhou’s well-trained troops and abundant supplies stood in stark contrast to the Yi army’s struggles on the front lines.

With Wu Di’s death, the scales of war were about to tip.

No wonder Nian Zanli was so eager to borrow troops and return; his long-cherished wish was on the verge of being realized.

Thinking of this, He Lingchuan slowly took a sip of his wine.

After a few more exchanges, he realized that General Nian was completely at odds with the Yi Kingdom, a conflict to the death.

Even if he failed to borrow troops this time, he would find ways to counterattack the Yi Kingdom in the future.

His obsession was profound.

This kind of ruthless opponent was precisely what the weakened Yi Kingdom feared most.

Before today, He Lingchuan had been thinking about how to ultimately prevent Nian Zanli from actually acquiring the borrowed troops.

But now, he wanted General Nian’s life.

Let both father and son die by his hand!

Nian Songyu could walk slower on the path to the underworld; perhaps he could wait for his father to join him.

However, He Lingchuan had long mastered the art of concealing his emotions. Even as murderous intent arose within him, he calmly tapped the low table and said with a righteous expression, “Good, good. Then, on behalf of His Highness, I wish you swift success and commend you for your future extraordinary contributions to our Beijia.”

Nian Zanli said in a deep voice, “I hope so.”

The two drank wine and chatted for a few more moments.

He Lingchuan thought for a moment, finally unable to resist asking a long-held question:

“May I ask a personal question?”

Nian Zanli poured wine. “Please do.”

“General Nian, you hail from the Yi Kingdom, so why are you so determined to attack it?” He Lingchuan carefully observed his expression. “Is there some deep-seated hatred?”

“The Yi Kingdom?” Nian Zanli chuckled twice. “The old king was arrogant and self-important, and the new king is incompetent. The kingdom has only existed for just over sixty years, yet its royal court is rampant with corruption; you can barely find two honest officials. Orders change overnight, and there’s no national credibility whatsoever—they only know how to ride roughshod over the common people. Outside the auxiliary capital, Shihuan City, people are selling their children and daughters, leading to widespread misery, and rebellions break out every few days.”

He spoke all this in one breath, then let out a long sigh. “Tell me, what need is there for such a regime to continue existing?”

He Lingchuan clapped his hands. “So, General, you are truly dedicated to the people, hoping that the Yi people will still have some good fortune and eventually welcome a benevolent ruler.”

Nian Zanli liked hearing this, and the smile on his face became genuinely warmer.

At that moment, someone on the shore repeatedly waved. He Lingchuan glanced over and immediately said, “It’s time to head back.”

After docking, He Lingchuan personally saw Nian Zanli off.

Li Qingge had originally hoped he would interact more with Nian Zanli to find an opportunity to retrieve the bamboo tube. However, He Lingchuan wasn’t following her script; he now had a better method.

Passing by Fushan Yue on the way, the fellow was talking with other nobles. Seeing He Lingchuan, he said, “Your trouble has arrived.”

Nian Zanli, meanwhile, said to Fushan Yue, “Your Highness, I will visit again in a few days.”

Fushan Yue returned an elegant smile. “Very well, I look forward to your visit.” Then he winked at He Lingchuan.

Nian Zanli, understanding the hint, said to He Lingchuan, “Young Master He, you may stop here. I’ll stroll around a bit more.”

“Alright, General Nian, please excuse me then.”

Although he said “stroll around a bit more,” Nian Zanli was actually striding quickly down the mountain.

He Lingchuan knew Nian Zanli had no desire to stay and socialize.

Fushan Yue also watched Nian Zanli’s retreating figure, then asked He Lingchuan, “What were you just talking about with him, to the point of going boating together?”

“He was still inquiring about borrowing troops, and I politely declined on your behalf.”

Fushan Yue merely said “Oh” and didn’t seem to care much about Nian Zanli.

He looked behind He Lingchuan. “Look, trouble is walking your way.”

Trouble?

He Lingchuan turned his head and indeed saw several people approaching through the crowd, their demeanor distinct.

While other guests were amicable, these individuals had an aggressive aura, as if looking for trouble.

Oh, and there was a bear.

Yes, trouble had indeed arrived, because at first glance, he recognized Fan Sheng, the deputy commander of the Alliance Guard, and the giant bear Fan Bao.

Even Fan Sheng was walking behind them, so the person leisurely strolling at the very front, hands clasped behind his back, must be—

He Lingchuan sighed inwardly; what was bound to come couldn’t be avoided.

Fushan Yue smiled and said, “Come, come, let me introduce you. This is Fan Long, Commander of the Alliance Guard. You’ve already met Fan Sheng and Fan Bao.”

He then pointed at He Lingchuan and said to the newcomers, “This is He Xiao, my special envoy for handling cases from Chiyan.”

Fan Long was very tall, with a strong build and a lean face, completely unlike the square-faced Fan Sheng.

“Were they really born of the same mother?” He Lingchuan muttered inwardly, but outwardly he clasped his hands and smiled, “Lord Fan, I’ve long admired you!”

“You are He Xiao?” Fan Long also smiled, though the mirth didn’t reach his eyes, keeping his gaze sharp. “We finally meet.”

Was this the person who had made his two younger brothers and the Alliance Guard a laughingstock in Lingxu City?

He Lingchuan, however, felt that the giant bear Fan Bao’s gaze wasn’t as fierce or violent as he had imagined. Instead, Fan Bao avoided his eyes, unwilling to meet his gaze directly.

Monsters are indeed more honest.

“Everyone is here for official business, and we’ll need to cooperate later.” As the host, Fushan Yue felt obligated to play the peacemaker. “How about we let bygones be bygones with a smile?”

He himself had no direct conflict with the Fan brothers, but he had been secretly delighted when he first heard that Fan Sheng had lost to He Lingchuan.

The Fan brothers were arrogant and had previously ignored him, the eldest son of Chiyan who was out of favor.

“Of course.” Fan Long’s gaze never left He Lingchuan. “It’s rare to meet such a remarkable young talent; we should certainly get to know each other better in the future.”

His gaze was like a tiger’s, enough to make ordinary people tremble with fear. But He Lingchuan’s will was incredibly firm, and having spent every day with a real tiger like Jiao Yu, he was immune to such “tiger-like glares.” He clasped his hands and smiled back, “I look forward to learning much from Commander Fan in the future!”

“This young fellow has a lot of nerve,” Fan Long sneered. “Don’t worry, there will be plenty of opportunities.”

Fan Sheng’s gaze toward He Lingchuan was even more complex and hard to describe, containing anger, resentment, and doubt.

After all, he had lost to He Lingchuan, and so miserably!

After returning to Lingxu City, he could barely lift his head amidst the ridicule and pointing fingers of others.

He Lingchuan, however, beckoned a maidservant, had her pour three cups of fine wine onto her tray, and took one for himself:

“Second Brother Fan, I apologize for any offense caused in Baisha Que. I was fighting for official business and had to give it my all. Please forgive me, Second Brother.”

In truth, as soon as the Fan brothers appeared and approached He Lingchuan and Fushan Yue, the surrounding guests immediately gathered to watch the spectacle.

Indeed, adversaries are bound to meet. Wouldn’t everyone widen their eyes to see what kind of sparks would fly between them?

If it was explosive enough, it might even become the top gossip and talking point on the Floating Island tomorrow.

Fan Sheng’s face was grim. He didn’t take the wine, only staring at He Lingchuan without a word.

“Then I’ll drink this first as a token of respect.” He Lingchuan didn’t mind at all, tilting his head back and downing the drink.

After all, he was the victor. No matter how humble he appeared, others would only say he was modest, magnanimous, and above bickering with Fan Sheng.

Now the pressure was on Fan Sheng, and the rugged man’s face turned red.

He was flushed red with anger.

Hundreds of eyes were fixed on him, waiting to see his reaction. Fan Long turned to glance at him and said in a deep voice:

“Second Brother!”

The warning was unmistakable. Before coming, he had repeatedly warned his two younger brothers not to cause a scene.