Chapter 614: Open Punishment and Secret Promotion

Creating a fuss in public would only make them a laughingstock.

Fan Long glanced at the tray again. Fan Sheng's chest heaved as he quickly picked up a cup, gulped it down, and, holding his breath, said, "All right, let bygones be bygones."

He Lingchuan was touched. "Second Brother Fan, how magnanimous of you!" he exclaimed. He then moved to stand in front of the giant bear, personally picking up a cup of wine for it. "Third Brother?"

The giant bear, however, was quite straightforward. It took the cup with its two front paws, stretched out its tongue, and slurped twice. Seeming to like the taste, it then lifted the cup and drained it.

"Another cup," it rumbled, demanding of a maid. "This wine has a hint of honey; it's delicious!"

He Lingchuan simply picked up the wine jar and poured wine for it himself.

The giant bear drank two cups, still wanting more.

Fan Long had seen enough. He coughed. "Third Brother!"

Only then did the giant bear give up and return the cup.

He Lingchuan chuckled. "If Third Brother Fan likes this wine, he can always get more from me. The bees on the back mountain will soon produce linden honey."

Fan Bao said reluctantly, "Unfortunately, I'm leaving tomorrow."

He Lingchuan casually asked, "Oh, where are you going?"

Fan Long replied, "He and Second Brother have been assigned to the Eastern Front. They depart tomorrow."

He Lingchuan looked at Fan Sheng, who remained expressionless.

He then smiled. "Then I'll have the cook select a few jars of mead for Third Brother Fan to take with him."

Fan Bao's eyes lit up, and he smacked his lips.

Fan Sheng extended his knee and nudged the bear's ample backside. This oaf only thinks about food! Had it forgotten that a month ago someone almost chopped off its front leg?

"I appreciate the kind offer," Fan Long smiled. "However, drinking on the battlefield can lead to trouble. He needs to behave himself."

Fan Bao hung his head. But the mead from this manor is so delicious!

At this moment, Fan Long turned to Fu Shanyue and said, "I've brought twenty brothers; please arrange accommodation for them."

"It's already arranged," Fu Shanyue could only reply, feigning welcome. The Imperial Guards' deployment to Piaoxiang Manor was the Emperor's directive; how could he say no?

"For safety's sake," Fan Long smiled, "the Crown Prince and the special envoy should be accompanied by Imperial Guards when they go out. If you're unsure about the food, you can even have them taste-test the dishes first."

Fu Shanyue's expression changed. "Commander Fan, you're truly considerate." He thought: The Emperor surely wouldn't have specified such detailed instructions; otherwise, Fan Long would have already cited an imperial decree. This fellow was just using the Emperor's authority to annoy them.

With the formalities concluded, He Lingchuan turned and entered the back kitchen. Several unfriendly gazes followed him from behind until he rounded the corner.

The Soul-Capturing Mirror in his arms suddenly spoke to him: "This Nian Zanli you're dealing with, he seems to genuinely care about the Yuan Kingdom, doesn't he?"

"Oh?"

"Didn't he passionately denounce the current ills, hoping to rescue the common people from suffering?"

"When people rebel, they must find good reasons," He Lingchuan said lightly. "Not just reasons for others, but most importantly, for themselves." They must not only tell their followers that their choice is correct, but also, and most crucially, persuade themselves that their conscience is clear. Only then can their will be firm. Otherwise, how could an ordinary person withstand the pressure of public condemnation and overwhelming slander?

The mirror seemed thoughtful. "So he doesn't think that way?"

"What he thinks isn't important," He Lingchuan said coldly. "It's what he does and what consequences he brings about that matter. In the Battle of Hanhe, both sides consisted of young, able-bodied Yuan Kingdom citizens. Tens of thousands were killed or injured instantly, offering a grand gift to Beijia. The crucial point is that they don't even value him. Do you think someone like Nian Zanli can truly save the common people from suffering?"

The mirror mumbled, "Isn't that question a bit too complex? Whether Nian Zanli or the Yuan Royal Court wins, the war will end, isn't that good?"

"Originally, whether it was him or the Grand Marshal, fighting tooth and nail with the Yuan Royal Court would at most be called a rebellion!" He Lingchuan continued. "The saying 'the winner becomes king, the loser becomes a bandit,' and the changing of dynasties—those are all internal affairs of the Yuan Kingdom. But now Nian Zanli wants to bring in foreign tribes to attack his homeland. Do you know what that's called?"

"Huh?"

"That's called invasion!" He Lingchuan said, word by word. "Throughout history, those who invite foreign enemies to attack their homeland do not deserve a good end."

"Nian Zanli borrowed troops from Beijia. I ask you, if he wins, will he have to repay the debt? Will he have to pay tribute and declare himself a vassal to Beijia? Will he have to comply with every request Beijia makes?"

"Uh..." The mirror hadn't considered that much.

"That would mean plundering Yuan Kingdom's lifeblood and resources, constantly funneling them to Beijia until the people are impoverished and the resources exhausted. To put it bluntly, it would sever the roots of future generations." He Lingchuan gestured outward. "Look at how the people of Lingxu City live; even as they drain the Yuan Kingdom's resources, they live carefree lives. But what fate awaits the Yuan people?"

"This is what's called 'taking from the insufficient to benefit the abundant,' which is not the way of Heaven," he said grimly. "Now, do you still think Nian Zanli is acting in the Yuan Kingdom's best interest?"

The mirror fell silent. Its master was too sharp; it couldn't argue.

What He Lingchuan thought of, however, was the war between Immortals and Demons three thousand years ago. Facing the invasion of the Sky Demons, why did the Immortals have to retaliate so resolutely? Why couldn't they just let it be? Because the Sky Demons only plundered the mortal realm, ceaselessly and endlessly. That spiritual energy and those resources originally belonged to all living beings in the world. The more the Sky Demons took, the less was left for the world. The remaining Immortals and demons alike would have to begin fiercely competing for these limited resources. Those who lost would be utterly annihilated; only the winners would get to feast on scraps. The harder they tried, the more painful it became. If they didn't try, they would perish.

After the banquet concluded and the guests dispersed, Fu Shanyue came to find He Lingchuan.

"All the guests are gone, but the Imperial Guards haven't left."

"I know. I saw them." The Imperial Guards had already settled into Piaoxiang Manor. No matter where He Lingchuan went, he would often see their figures passing by. These were all Fan Long's spies, and Fu Shanyue had no choice but to arrange accommodations for them. The thought irked him.

"These fellows will spy everywhere and report back to their master," Fu Shanyue snorted. "We need to put them in their place; we can't let them have too easy a time."

"By the way, I've already found out about the punishment given to the Fan Sheng and Fan Bao brothers by higher-ups: a half-year salary cut, a demotion by half a rank, and deployment to the Eastern Front."

"Punishment?" He Lingchuan didn't understand the situation in Lingxu and didn't know if this was considered light or severe.

"Yes, punishment! The Fan brothers were originally assigned to Qingding City for official business, but they unauthorizedly went to Baishaque to help Cen Boqing deal with you. Leaving their posts without permission, assisting a major criminal, obstructing the Chiyan special envoy's investigation—and, mind you, he was involved in the Immortal Elixir case, which even Bai Ziqi found thorny. Originally, with multiple offenses combined, they should have received severe punishment." Fu Shanyue sneered, "A half-year salary cut? That's just a joke, isn't it? Do the Fan brothers really lack that bit of money?"

"A demotion by half a rank, and their direct superior is still their own elder brother—what's the big deal?"

He Lingchuan asked him, "So, being sent to the Eastern Front is a disciplinary deployment?"

"If they can perform meritorious service, it counts as atonement, and everyone will be happy." Fu Shanyue's face was grim; he certainly wasn't happy. In his opinion, these punishments were all too light.

"Before the Emperor ascended to the throne, the Fan brothers were already his direct subordinates. Now they guard the southern gate of Lingxu City for him, so it's clear that at least Fan Long is deeply trusted," He Lingchuan chuckled. "For a nobody who merely holds the title of 'Chiyan Special Envoy,' the Emperor has no reason to severely punish his beloved generals."

However, a special envoy represents the Chiyan Kingdom. Fu Shanyue knew He Lingchuan was intentionally downplaying this and let out a breath. "By the way, do you or do you not want to join Chiyan? My father won't last more than a few more years; the throne is mine for sure. If you come and help me, you won't have to put up with this nonsense anymore."

"During this journey, I've found that I'm not really compatible with Beijia," He Lingchuan smiled. "Once matters here are concluded, I will leave."

"Hey, hey, the Immortal Elixir case was just an exception! Who told us to hit Lingxu City where it hurts?" Has this kid been scared off by Lingxu City? "Actually, so many officials throughout Chiyan don't have to deal with Lingxu City their entire lives. Once you return to Chiyan, won't things be stable and improving, and everything controllable?"

He Lingchuan smiled. "We'll see."

Fu Shanyue scoffed. Did "We'll see" mean "no chance"?

After nightfall, Old Shan returned, bringing He Lingchuan an oiled paper package. He opened it. Inside were a teacup and a few strands of graying hair.

"Are these Zai Fuqua's?"

"Yes, this is the cup he used for tea at the Marquis's exhibition; the rim should have his saliva on it," Old Shan said. "The hair strands were personally collected by the Marquis; there's no mistake."

"Excellent!" He Lingchuan clapped his hands. "With these two items, plus his birth details, it will be enough. Please thank the Marquis for me, and arrange for me to meet her soon. Tell her that the matter she entrusted me with has made progress." He needed to reciprocate the favor and report the progress promptly.

"Understood."

"Hmm, wait," He Lingchuan said, rubbing his chin. "Now that the Imperial Guards are stationed at Piaoxiang Manor, they're watching me even more closely than Fu Shanyue. If you keep running back and forth between me and the Marquis, it's easy to arouse suspicion."

Old Shan paused. He Lingchuan had moved from Panshan Residence to here, where he was surrounded by unfamiliar faces, which indeed wasn't conducive to his covert work.

He Lingchuan waved his hand, and a small squirrel hopped in from the windowsill, perching on his shoulder. This time, he offered it a few fragrant roasted hazelnuts: "Xiao Qiao, help me deliver two messages: one to the Songyang Prefecture branch, and the other to this address." He recited the other address to the squirrel. "Quietly find someone named Dong; don't let anyone else spot you. The person named Dong has an incredibly ugly face, or wears a face covering, making them very easy to recognize."

This squirrel was named Xiao Qiao.

After hearing He Lingchuan's message, it chirped twice, turned, and jumped back onto the tree, disappearing into the forest shadows within two bounds. Piaoxiang Manor was covered in trees, and who knew how many squirrels were hidden there. The Imperial Guards wanted to track Xiao Qiao from here? Let them try.

Zai Fuqua had drunk too much. His steps were unsteady, and he felt dizzy in a carriage, so he simply decided to stay in the lower city tonight. A retired Lingxu City official with his extensive social connections usually had a residence in the lower city as well.

His young and beautiful concubine, whom he had taken in just last year, was the same age as his granddaughter, yet she was well-behaved and understanding. Seeing him return tonight, stumbling and red-faced, she quickly prepared a sweet and sour plum soup to sober him up. After two bowls, Zai Fuqua suddenly vomited a large amount of wine. His concubine was terrified. However, he felt much better after vomiting; the stuffiness in his chest eased, and he could fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.