Chapter 803: Suspicious Points

"He asked me how much we ordered. I told him the He family had placed a three-month order for meat: eight catties of pork, ten catties of beef, and ten catties of lamb per month. Additionally, the He family's steward also wanted to buy some live livestock to be sent to their rural farm for breeding. So I introduced him to Li Laoliu, the one in the corner directly opposite," he pointed across the street, "—his family raises their own animals. The He family's steward then ordered various types of livestock from him. After hearing this, the man named Sun bought two catties of lamb and two lamb kidneys for himself and then left."

It was indeed very simple.

He Lingchuan thanked him and left.

Regardless of where the gentry lived, be it in Yuran or Beijia, land and farms were essential assets. Their produce not only supplied the household's annual needs but, more importantly, could be sold in the market for profit.

The He family had moved from Xiazhou to Yurandu. While selling off their assets in the north, they were also acquiring new land and farms near Yurandu, which was standard practice for newly established elites in the capital.

Steward Zhao Er, having just arrived in Yurandu, was unfamiliar with the area. It was perfectly normal for him to ask Butcher Wang for connections to buy breeding pigs and sheep for the estate's livestock reproduction.

Shan Youjun followed behind him, asking, "Young Master, is something amiss?"

"No," He Lingchuan replied as he exited the cattle and sheep market, noting the dirt on the soles of his shoes. "Let's go back for dinner. Don't spread anything you heard here."

Shan Youjun immediately responded, "Understood. No one else will know."

Had Sun Hongye asked about anything else here? He Lingchuan dismissed these thoughts and went home for dinner.

He Chunhua had already returned and was animated at the dinner table, saying that the Yuran King was very interested in his proposal.

He Yue asked, "Father, do you think His Majesty will agree?"

"Of course," He Chunhua smiled, "His Majesty was delighted and thought it was an excellent idea, both cost-effective and a quick way to secure military funds."

After years of observation, he had come to understand the Yuran King's temperament. As long as the King believed he was getting a good deal, he would make decisions quickly.

However, it's hard to have it all. In matters of state, those who try to have their cake and eat it too often end up paying a higher price.

In the evening, He Lingchuan summoned Qiu Hu to his courtyard and asked, "Are you getting accustomed to life here?"

"Nothing I can't get used to," Qiu Hu replied. "I can live well with fine food and clothes, or I can survive on sand and chaff. It's just a bit boring to be full all day with nowhere to go."

Other Rongshan disciples enjoyed wandering through Yurandu, immersing themselves in worldly pleasures. He, however, had no interest.

As for actuarial science or bookkeeping, he was even less inclined.

His favorite and most skilled activity was fighting and killing.

He Lingchuan smiled, "Then I'll assign you an outdoor mission."

Qiu Hu didn't hesitate: "Please tell me."

The next morning, He Lingchuan encountered another familiar face:

Wu Shaoyi.

This fellow had just returned from out of town. Upon hearing that the He family's Young Master had returned to the manor, he rushed over to pay his respects and also to collect some medicinal herbs from the steward.

He Lingchuan noticed he had lost a considerable amount of weight. He, who used to be a stout man capable of fighting Lu Yao to a standstill, was now two sizes smaller, having lost at least a quarter of his body weight, and his temples had turned white.

When Wu Shaoyi coughed, an unnatural flush appeared on his cheeks.

Years ago, he had forcibly extended his life using the Art of Transplantation. This was the price he had to pay to survive.

"How is your illness?"

"Originally, I only had two years left. Lord He took me to see the Grand Shaman Zhaomandu," Wu Shaoyi said with a smile. "The Grand Shaman prescribed some secret medicines for me, which are said to forcibly extend my life by about ten more months, but the last two months will be very painful. I came today to collect the herbs Lord He ordered for me."

This man's life was on a countdown. Even the eloquent He Lingchuan was momentarily at a loss for how to comfort him.

Wu Shaoyi, on the other hand, was quite philosophical: "I've already decided that I won't endure the last two months. This life was picked up by sheer luck; to have lived three more years is already a blessing from Heaven. What more could I ask for?"

He Lingchuan changed the subject, asking about Zeng Feixiong and others.

It turned out that Zeng Feixiong had gone to the main camp west of Shihuan City to train troops for He Chunhua, and Uncle Hao was also not in Yurandu.

As for Wu Shaoyi, he was still to accompany He Chunhua south to suppress the rebellion.

Yes, although He Chunhua played hard to get with the Yuran King, he knew deep down that he would ultimately be responsible for quelling the rebellion.

Wu Shaoyi was ill and couldn't charge into battle, but he was highly experienced in warfare. Not only could he devise strategies, but he also had a better grasp of the "rebel bandits'" psychology than others—after all, he used to be a prominent general under "Holy Master" Hong Xiangqian before He Chunhua recruited him.

Therefore, He Chunhua still needed to keep him by his side.

Wu Shaoyi sighed, "After the war in the south is over, Lord He has promised to let me return to Yurandu to retire and live out my remaining peaceful years."

He Lingchuan smiled, "Whether those days will be peaceful, I'm afraid it's not up to us."

Wu Shaoyi lightly clapped his hands in agreement: "Young Master is absolutely right. There are rebellions in the south, and Dong Haoming in the northwest. Alas! The people of Yuran don't know when they can expect peace."

"I think my father is confident about suppressing this rebellion in the south," He Lingchuan said with a smile. "Don't say there's no path ahead; a turning point might just be a thought away."

His mindset differed from Wu Shaoyi's. The latter was in the twilight of his life, only able to go with the flow, but He Lingchuan remained optimistic no matter what.

Anyone who survived the Battle of Mount Xu and escaped Lingxu City alive had good reason to be optimistic.

The two chatted about old times, and then He Lingchuan's mind stirred: "By the way, do you know where Sun Hongye went?"

"Sun Hongye?" Wu Shaoyi looked bewildered. "He left?"

His information wasn't even as up-to-date as He Lingchuan's.

He Lingchuan felt helpless.

However, Wu Shaoyi continued, "Young Master can ask Shan Youjun; he and Sun Hongye have a good relationship."

"Hmm?" He Lingchuan was a little surprised. "They get along?"

Why hadn't Shan Youjun mentioned it?

"They're similar in age and both work for Lord He, and neither has close relatives or friends around, so it's not surprising they'd become close," Wu Shaoyi recalled. "I remember seeing them having drinks at the Songhua Tower in Dunyu a while ago. Shan Youjun even borrowed fifty taels of silver from Sun Hongye."

Fifty taels? For a guest official on a fixed salary, that was no small sum.

The fact that Sun Hongye was willing to lend fifty thousand large coins to Shan Youjun itself indicated a good friendship between them.

He Lingchuan murmured in understanding and changed the subject.

At that moment, a servant announced that a distinguished guest from the royal court had arrived!

Wu Shaoyi, understanding the situation, stood up, took his leave, and departed.

The Soul-Capturing Mirror immediately exclaimed, "That Shan Youjun clearly said he wasn't familiar with Sun Hongye! He lied!"

Their relationship was good enough for him to ask for a loan, huh!

Had he even paid that money back yet?

He Lingchuan grunted in acknowledgment.

Why did Shan Youjun lie? Was he aware of something and afraid of getting into trouble, or was he somehow connected to Sun Hongye's disappearance?