Chapter 787: Father's Arrangement

In any case, facing an elder brother who now understood the situation and considered the broader picture, He Yue felt he could speak freely and openly. If even Abbot Xue of Rongshan Sect trusted his elder brother, surely he could too.

He Lingchuan was unconcerned. "How long has the He family been back in Yuandu?" he asked. "The Lord is simply too impatient."

"It's no wonder the Lord is anxious," He Yue replied. "Over the past three or four months, the southern rebels have expanded from one front to four. It seems the more they try to suppress them, the more chaotic it becomes. And with the provisions and supplies for the northwest front still indispensable, the Lord has fallen ill twice."

He Lingchuan asked his younger brother, "In your opinion, when will Father head south?"

He Lingchuan thought, *Ha, no wonder Father had just spoken so righteously, telling him to handle things impartially and conduct a fair inspection.*

He Yue pondered for a moment. "It's hard to say," he began. "Even if all the funds and provisions are ready, the army hasn't finished its reorganization. Our core force is the support army brought from Blackwater City; after nearly a year of training in Xiazhou, their numbers only reach fifteen hundred. This many men are far from enough to suppress the rebellion. But Father doesn't think highly of the local garrisons and the soldiers from the military prefectures; he says he wants to personally oversee their training."

"That training is necessary," He Lingchuan agreed. He still remembered his journey from Blackwater City to Xiazhou last year; along the way, he had seen too much government incompetence and military laxity. When local officials couldn't even issue salaries and the army couldn't issue rations, who would fight earnestly and proactively?

Furthermore, Yuanguo's deep-seated problems weren't recent. He Chunhua himself had been a prefect for many years and was well aware of the country's situation. Even if the funds and provisions from Rongshan Sect arrived, He Lingchuan estimated he wouldn't easily deploy.

A gentleman does not fight unless he is certain of victory.

He Chunhua cherished his past military achievements and cared for his soldiers; He Lingchuan saw no problem with this. As for whether he could withstand the pressure from the Yuan imperial court, that would depend on He Chunhua's own diplomatic skill.

He Lingchuan thought for a moment, then added, "Father must have made quite a few new friends in court, right?"

"How do you know?"

"It stands to reason," He Lingchuan replied. "Otherwise, why would our family have been transferred back from the northern front so quickly?"

"Indeed," He Yue confirmed. "The very next afternoon after Father arrived in Yuandu, he went to visit the Grand Minister of Agriculture." He Yue thought, *Hearing the notes, one understands the melody. Big Brother is insightful now.*

He Yue wondered, *Had his elder brother always been like this, or had wandering outside led to a sudden enlightenment?*

"Furthermore, Imperial Advisor Yan and Father are on very good terms," He Yue added.

"Imperial Advisor Yan?" He Lingchuan repeated. He had heard Li Qingge mention when he was in Beijia that Yuanguo had already selected a new Imperial Advisor to fill Sun Fuping's vacant position. "His name is Yan Lixin?"

This person established his own Daoist sect in his early twenties and became the leader of the Southeast Daoist Alliance at thirty-one—a true prodigy. Now, at only thirty-eight, he has been promoted to Grand Imperial Advisor of Yuan. He is also the youngest Imperial Advisor in Yuan history.

Interestingly, He Chunhua and Yan Lixin are close in age. When the former was exiled to Blackwater City, the latter was only a boy of thirteen or fourteen. They shouldn't have had much profound interaction back then, so how could they now be "on very good terms"?

He Yue continued, "Father knew him since childhood. Later, when he was the Governor of Xiazhou, he often corresponded with Dunyu, and his exchanges with Imperial Advisor Yan were the most frequent. Two days ago, Mother even sent me to the Yan residence with a few boxes of pastries."

Given this, and with He Chunhua's way of doing things, it's highly likely he secretly helped Yan Lixin in his bid for Imperial Advisor. Political investments carry extremely high risks; it's a high-stakes game that ordinary people cannot participate in. But if one bets correctly, the returns are exceptionally rich.

From this perspective, He Chunhua's judgment in choosing allies is undoubtedly far superior to Hong Cheng's. He Lingchuan asked, curious, "Why did Mother send you to the Yan residence with pastries?"

Sending only pastries as a gift was too light. Yan Lixin was a newly appointed Imperial Advisor; people would be sending him the most precious gifts. Lady Ying wouldn't be so unaware of this fact. Moreover, why would it be Lady Ying who asked for the gift to be sent?

"The eldest daughter of the Yan residence loves our cook's hawthorn pastries, just like you, Big Brother." He Yue couldn't help but rub his neck. "While you were away, Miss Yan... became my fiancée."

"Huh?" He Lingchuan stopped dead. "You have a fiancée?! And Miss Yan's age?"

Sending pastries wasn't a grand gift, but it showed intimacy.

He Yue said, blushing, "She'll be fourteen next year. Imperial Advisor Yan dotes on his daughter and wants her to marry at fifteen."

"This kid is still growing, and he already has a fiancée!" He Lingchuan couldn't help but exclaim, noting he had only been away for half a year. "Mother must be beaming with joy; she always hoped to find you a young lady from a distinguished family in Yuandu. By the way, what's Miss Yan like?"

"She's very beautiful, and her family has an excellent reputation." He Yue's face was as red as a monkey's bottom. "And she's very, very good to me."

Marriages of alliance are one of the most common ways to consolidate status and power. If the young couple can develop genuine affection on top of that, it's a win-win situation, and as an elder brother, He Lingchuan would certainly be happy to see it.

"When can you arrange for me to meet her?"

He Yue stammered a few times and changed the subject. "The current situation is unstable; who can predict what will happen in the future?"

He Lingchuan patted his shoulder. "Be optimistic. At least the problem on the northern front has been temporarily resolved. Nian Zanli isn't coming back. One of the three major troubles is gone."

Without Nian Zanli's cooperation, the Grand Marshal in the Northwest would face increased resistance in fighting his way back to Yuandu.

"Oh, Nian Zanli's arrest is truly great news!" He Yue said, brightening up at the mention. "Father was so happy he couldn't sleep for days, constantly saying 'as if by divine aid.' As soon as you returned, I felt that the He family's luck had turned."

He Lingchuan said softly, "Father has already been granted a marquisate and is a general with military authority. His achievements already surpass those of the He family's ancestors."

But he knew He Chunhua wouldn't stop there. With his current experience, it wasn't hard to see that Father had even greater ambitions. In an era of great contention, those who wish to achieve great things are not limited to just a few individuals like Nian Zanli and Dong Haoming.

Just by observing He Chunhua sending his second son to work under the Grand Minister of Agriculture and finding a new Imperial Advisor to be He Yue's future father-in-law, it was clear his plans were progressing steadily and methodically. He Lingchuan didn't know how many other secret maneuvers he had. Some people were naturally skilled at intrigue and strategic planning.

If He Chunhua won just two more battles, his prestige would not only soar, but he would also have advocates in court. Therefore, He Chunhua was extremely cautious about heading south to suppress the rebellion, precisely because he didn't want to squander the advantage and prestige he had painstakingly built up. He was entrusted with high hopes by Da Yuan; therefore, the final outcome of the battle must live up to those expectations. Otherwise, the excellent situation he had painstakingly cultivated might go to waste.

He Yue then sighed, "Oh, by the way, have you heard about the great chaos in Lingxu City? I never expected that even a powerful place like Beijia could have its nest raided. Big Brother, you've been away for almost a year; things outside have really changed dramatically."

Several months had passed since He Lingchuan's great disturbance. Such significant news always spreads quickly, and for Lingxu City, it was a case of bad news traveling far and wide. Even ordinary citizens in Yuanguo were talking about it with relish.