Chapter 731: Living Reward

“Well said, Master!” He Lingchuan cupped his hands. “I’ve learned a great deal.”

“Don’t be silly, it was just idle talk. Now, treat me to dinner!”

So he brought Master Sun to Jade Pivot City to settle down, and they had dinner together.

The city’s population had visibly grown. The streets were filled with snacks from Panlong City, and even Fuling paste was available. Although Jade Pivot City was a frontier outpost, goods transported from White Sand Bay in the south had to transit here if they were bound for Jinmu or Xiluo. He Lingchuan once again realized the crucial importance of Jade Pivot City’s position as a place of significant profit.

If the bandits in Long River were not eliminated, the southern trade routes would frequently be disturbed, merchants would be unwilling to come, and both Jade Pivot City and Panlong City would be affected. This was likely the intention of certain forces.

The small restaurants in Jade Pivot City served food roughly; the portions were surprisingly large, but there was more vegetable than meat, and nothing was particularly refined. Their main draw was affordability. He Lingchuan, with the beauty by his side, smiling softly and whispering, felt that this was the life he desired, even if the food was not luxurious. Thinking back to the constant dangers in Lingxu City, he felt as if it had happened in another life.

They would stay at an inn tonight. The inn had only recently been renovated, and there was a noticeable difference in color between the new and old wood. He Lingchuan walked her to her door, as usual. Their eyes met.

Even in the dim light, Sun Fuling’s eyes remained bright: “Is there anything else?”

All that needed to be said had been discussed at dinner. He Lingchuan cleared his throat. “No, nothing. You’ve had a long day; you should get some rest.” Their two rooms were next to each other. Just as he was about to open his door, Sun Fuling suddenly moved closer, grasped his shoulders, and turned him back around.

Before he could react, Sun Fuling stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. It was light and quick, like a dragonfly touching the water. He Lingchuan wanted to wrap his arms around her, but as soon as his fingertips moved, she pulled back. She retreated even faster than she had approached.

“I’m glad you came!” Her face slightly flushed, she left him with that cryptic remark and pushed open her door. *Creak*. He Lingchuan was left alone in the hallway.

Master Sun’s red lips were so soft! He was momentarily stunned, his heart pounding a few extra beats. *Heh, heh.* Indeed, survival brings its own rewards.

The smell of wood and lacquer in the air seemed to intensify. Two more guests came up from downstairs and, seeing him standing in the hallway, grinning foolishly at the door, one of them muttered, “Is this guy crazy? What bad luck!” Hearing this, He Lingchuan’s face darkened, and he glared at them.

His razor-sharp gaze made the two men shudder, and they quickly retreated into their room. He Lingchuan slowly exhaled, finally calming himself, when he suddenly remembered that he had been “attacked” again. It seemed that whether Master Sun kissed him or stabbed him, he still couldn’t escape. “Ugh…” he sighed sincerely, “this makes no sense at all.”

Early the next morning, He Lingchuan found Deputy General Chao Qian, who was busy as a top, at the government office. Chao Qian was also from the Great Wind Army. After General Hong captured Jade Pivot City, he stayed to guard it. Previously, he had served as Commander Xiao’s deputy in Jade Pivot City, making him quite familiar with the local customs, people, military affairs, and governance.

As soon as Registrar Cao introduced He Lingchuan, Chao Qian immediately straightened his back and saluted respectfully. He Lingchuan could see at a glance that the respect was heartfelt and not just a formality. This puzzled him, as he and Chao Qian had never met before.

He didn’t know that “Broken Blade” was already a celebrated war hero throughout Panlong City, and his legend was spreading not only among the military but also across the wilderness.“No need, it’s a bother.” He Lingchuan waved his hand and smiled, “What are you busy with?”

“Oh, this is the recruitment list from recent days.” Chao Qian shook the register in his hand and quickly entered work report mode. “Following instructions from Panlong City, we’ve established the Jade Pivot Army. The first batch was organized and put into training two months ago, but the numbers are small, so we’re now recruiting a second batch. The initial core personnel and officers are drawn from the Great Wind Army and battle-experienced Panlong City Guards, while a large number of new recruits are also being enlisted.”

“Are people from the other side causing trouble?”“Yes, over the past two months, Jinmu people have crossed the Yin River five times, raiding, stealing, and setting fires in the villages and towns of Jade Pivot City. When we negotiated with the other side, Jinmu claimed these were private actions and had nothing to do with them.”

“Have you caught anyone?”“We’ve caught them twice. They claimed to be Jinmu refugees driven over by their officials. However, some were recognized as Long River river pirates. This is just them shifting blame. The Panlong City Army can’t be stationed in Jade Pivot City indefinitely. We need to recruit as many people as possible and train them during the winter; otherwise, by late February when spring arrives, it will be the busy farming season.”

“How many people have been recruited?”“As of yesterday, we’ve recruited 1,100 soldiers: 700 from Xiluo, and about 400 from Xiji, or rather, Changhou,” Chao Qian said. “Oh, and there are also more than ten monsters, which aren’t included in these numbers.”

Upon hearing this, He Lingchuan immediately said, “That’s quite a lot of people. Are they all conscripted?”“The number of applicants was more than three times that. Some Xiluo people traveled from remote villages, insisting on joining the army. We screened out many, but over 300 Changhou people volunteered to sign up,” Chao Qian laughed. “They all came inspired by the reputation of the Great Wind Army. Since they couldn’t join the Great Wind Army, settling for the next best thing was acceptable.”

“Were they screened according to the Panlong City Guard’s requirements?”“Yes.” Panlong City’s recruitment standards had long been established, with only minor adjustments over the years.

“That’s too high,” He Lingchuan shook his head. “Lower it appropriately. The Jade Pivot Army doesn’t need to be as strict as the Panlong Army in its early stages. Quality comes after quantity.”“Yes, Commander.” As He Lingchuan was the commander, Chao Qian would not contradict him.

“What happened to Jade Pivot City’s original army?”“As per General Hong’s request, they were disbanded and redistributed to various places, armies, and units for reorganization and retraining. Fewer than 200 people were left here in Jade Pivot City.”

Captured soldiers are usually handled this way to prevent them from forming factions and causing trouble. Therefore, Jade Pivot City’s current security and stability mainly relied on military support from Panlong City. This was not a long-term solution. He Lingchuan needed to establish the Jade Pivot Army and get them into practical training and combat as soon as possible. They had to build their own strength.

“Alright, proceed as planned.” He was not the only one working in the army from top to bottom; as a commander, he only needed to give orders. “Tell me about the Long River bandits. Have you had any dealings with them?” Wen Daolun oversaw the big picture, and his understanding of Long River was likely not as deep as that of the officers who pursued the bandits.

“They are slippery. Overall, they are much smarter than the bandits in the Panlong Wilderness. They generally avoid direct confrontation with us, and at the slightest sign of trouble, they hide back in Long River. That place is truly a nest of vipers!” Chao Qian said, “We disguised ourselves as merchant caravans three times and managed to lure out two groups of bandits. Since then, they’ve become even more cautious and won’t attack unless they’re certain.”

He Lingchuan focused on the key point: “Where do they get their certainty?”“They have informants in places like Jade Pivot City and White Sand Bay. They even have their people hidden within merchant guilds and caravans.”