Chapter 798: Sudden Departure

"Excellent!" Steward Wu said gravely. "Mr. Sun was quite insightful and offered many strategies to the Master, who praised him endlessly. After Mr. Sun resigned and left, the Master even sighed, saying that talented people are hard to find."

He swallowed. "Once, I also heard the Master say that Generals Wu and Ke, who were fighting on the northwest front, didn't use Mr. Sun's strategies, which is why the war fell into a passive state. One wrong move led to a cascade of errors."

He Lingchuan recalled that Sun Hongye had once offered strategies to Ke Jihai on how to capture Gucheng and Luyun Lake on the Wuzhou front. Gucheng, with its high walls and deep moats, was the first formidable obstacle the official army encountered when entering Wuzhou. At that time, Sun Hongye's suggestion was to abandon Gucheng, attack Baoguan to the west instead, and then blow up the Qingtian Embankment! This was a clever plan, but also a ruthless one, as destroying the embankment would inevitably flood countless fields and homes, affecting at least a hundred thousand civilians in the affected townships and counties.

War, truly, presents such dilemmas. Neither Ke Jihai nor Wu Di dared to use this plan. Although Gucheng was later captured, the official army paid a huge price, suffering heavy casualties and taking four more months than Sun Hongye's strategy would have. Over 130 days, the consumption of men, horses, and provisions by Wu and Ke's armies reached astonishing figures. The Grand Marshal, with these four months of ample time, also made many arrangements, which made subsequent battles incredibly difficult for Wu and Ke's armies. It can be said that the Battle of Gucheng had a far-reaching impact; even today, the decline of the official army is inextricably linked to it. The Grand Marshal not only recaptured Gucheng but also advanced more than a hundred *li* south. He Chunhua would always sigh with regret whenever he spoke of this crucial battle.

"So, from Sun Hongye's arrival in Yuandu until his departure, was there anything unusual during that time?"

"Unusual?" Steward Wu frowned and thought for a long time before shaking his head. "I didn't notice anything."

"Alright." He Lingchuan patted his shoulder. "Thank you for your trouble."

Seeing him walk out, Steward Wu asked, "Where are you going, Young Master? I'll arrange a carriage."

He Lingchuan smiled, "No need, I'll just walk around."

Steward Wu watched him leave, and only after a while did he return to his own tasks.

The next person He Lingchuan found was Shan Youjun. As soon as he entered the He residence, He Lingchuan caught him and asked, "Where did Sun Hongye live?"

"Huh?" Shan Youjun paused. "Sun... hasn't he already left?"

"Where did he live before he left?" He Lingchuan asked impatiently. "It couldn't have been Shihuan City, could it?" Sun Hongye once had a small house in Shihuan City, which he sold last year before heading north to Xiazhou with He Lingchuan.

"I've been there," Shan Youjun replied, as quick-witted as ever. "I'll take you."

He Lingchuan casually remarked, "You seem quite familiar with him."

"Not at all," Shan Youjun chuckled. "We both work under Lord He; after seeing each other for a year or so, we've at least become acquainted."

"So he didn't tell you why he suddenly left?"

Shan Youjun paused, then shook his head. "No, he didn't say. I only found out he had left two days after he was gone."

He led He Lingchuan out of the He residence. They didn't take a carriage but walked east for seven or eight hundred paces, turned down two alleys, and then stopped in front of a house. "Here we are," he said.

Shan Youjun knocked, and a middle-aged stout man answered the door. He was the landlord; Sun Hongye had rented the house from him.

"Oh, the tenant named Sun?" Hearing their explanation, the stout landlord seemed a little displeased. "That fellow was dishonest. He clearly agreed to a minimum six-month lease before moving in, but then he wanted to leave after just eleven days! So I didn't refund his deposit."

He Lingchuan handed over a piece of broken silver. "May I see his living quarters?"

The landlord was straightforward. He took the silver and opened the wooden door diagonally opposite. "It's right here. Feel free to look around."

He Lingchuan and Shan Youjun entered, seeing a small, single-entry courtyard. The structure was very simple: the courtyard was less than fifty square meters, with three and a half rooms—a bedroom, a living room, a kitchen, and half a room used as a woodshed. The house was clean, and there was hardly any grease or smoke on the kitchen stove. The courtyard hadn't found a new tenant yet, so it remained as Sun Hongye had left it. The landlord looked like a lazy person; he himself said he hadn't cleaned it again. The space was so small, one could walk across it in a few steps.

He Lingchuan meticulously examined every corner. At the same time, he asked the landlord, "Did you see Sun Hongye in the days before he left?"

"He always left early and returned late. In those eleven days, he barely spoke ten sentences to me in total. Besides, I run my own business, so I'm not often home myself."

He Lingchuan asked as he looked around, "Did he leave any message?"

"No." The landlord sneezed. "He just said he was leaving, and then he left."

"Just like that?"

"Yes, exactly. He came with his bag, knocked on my door, and said he was moving out right away." The landlord recalled, "I told him the rent and deposit wouldn't be refunded, and he just said it was fine, then left without looking back."

"Did he seem very rushed?"

"Very rushed, like he had ghosts chasing him." The landlord rubbed his nose. "It was so cold that day, but he was sweating on his nose."

He Lingchuan nodded. "Thank you very much." With that, he left with Shan Youjun.

On the way back, Shan Youjun asked him, "Young Master, is anything amiss?"

"Sun Hongye checked out and left on his own, but his departure was very sudden," He Lingchuan mused. "Did he discover something?"

"Discover?" Shan Youjun was puzzled. "We just arrived in Yuandu; what could he have discovered?"

"Where has he been all these days?"

"Ah, that would be a question for Steward Wu."

He Lingchuan glanced at him. "In the residence, or among the Support Army, did he not have any close friends?"

"He got along well with everyone, but as for particularly close friends... hmm, it seems he didn't have any," Shan Youjun thought. "Should I go back and inquire?"

"Yes, I'll leave it to you."

Before He Lingchuan even entered the residence, a servant rushed out to report: "Young Master, Lord Wang has arrived!"

Lord Wang, the Minister of Receptions, had personally come to the He residence. He Chunhua was already out on official business, so Madam Ying received him. Usually, when the Minister of Receptions met with foreign envoys, the envoys would come to him. This time, however, he had actually come in person. Madam Ying was dignified in her bearing and adept at handling situations. Upon seeing He Lingchuan, her face lit up with a beaming smile, and her eyes sparkled with pride.

"Chuan'er, His Majesty wishes to see you."

Strictly speaking, based solely on his status as the Envoy of Rongshan, He Lingchuan wouldn't be able to meet the Sovereign of Yuan. It was similar to when he held the status of the Envoy of Chiyan; he couldn't meet the Emperor of Beijia. When they summoned him to Xu Mountain for condolences, it was for other purposes, and once the Divine Judgment concluded, they immediately sent him back, so he never saw the Emperor's face from beginning to end. The fact that the Sovereign of Yuan had now summoned He Lingchuan for an audience in the palace clearly showed the importance placed on the funds. That was why Lord Wang had personally come to invite He Lingchuan.

As he walked out, Madam Ying quietly reminded her eldest son, "Chuan'er, remember your manners when you meet His Majesty."

He Lingchuan gave a faint smile. "I know, Mother."