Chapter 818: Reconnecting with Old Friends

With his belt fastened, he straightened his lapels, looking vibrant and energetic once more. "That matter is settled," he announced, "we'll depart for Blackwater City now."

He looked radiant, exuding the demeanor of a great general. The dishevelled and dejected air of last night was nowhere to be seen.

"Yes," Zhao Qinghe responded, though he wondered, *How much was this great general keeping to himself?*

The sounds of weeping from the general's tent last night spread like wildfire. It was said that the commander-in-chief had cried his eyes out on his family's memorial day, and those in the know shared the tragic story of how the He family had almost been wiped out years ago.

Upon hearing this, all the soldiers were deeply moved.

General He's entire family had suffered a great injustice; anyone else would have long lost heart. Yet, he continued to tirelessly fight for the nation, saving the collapsing Great Yan Dynasty.

To repay grievances with integrity—that was the mark of a true man. Everyone admired him.

Catching the tail end of May, He Lingchuan arrived at Blackwater City.

Yan Capital was already sweltering, but the wind in Blackwater City still carried a slight coolness.

He Lingchuan walked through the familiar city gate and took a deep breath.

Yes, it was that rugged, wild scent: wind and sand mingled with the smell of decaying wood and old dust.

Dry and wild, yet comforting.

He Chunhua had not yet arrived at Blackwater City, so He Lingchuan first took Qiu Hu and his group to settle down at an inn.

In the evening, he went out for a stroll by himself.

Compared to when he had left, Blackwater City hadn't changed much; he saw only old streets, old alleys, and old people.

A frontier town like this, unless it experienced major upheaval, could remain the same for decades.

He Lingchuan bought a scallion pancake he used to enjoy, then leisurely entered the Southern City Office.

He had barely taken two steps when the gatekeeper came over to block him: "Out, out! No eating allowed here!"

This was a place for official business! A greasy smell wafting around was simply undignified!

He Lingchuan took a bite of his pancake, turned, and smiled: "Wang Xiaoshuan, what did you say?"

The man froze, his mouth responding faster than his brain: "Young... Young Master?"

"It's been over a year; why are you still guarding the gate here?"

That was a sharp jab, and Wang Xiaoshuan flinched. "Young Master, didn't you go... to..."

He Lingchuan smiled pleasantly: "Yes, is Situ Han in?"

"Ah, he's inside."

"Tell him to go to Cai's Wonton Stall; I'll wait for him there." He Lingchuan tossed him a few small silver coins and walked away.

Cai's wontons were quite famous in Blackwater City, known for their thin wrappers, generous fillings, and honest ingredients.

The stall owner still recognized He Lingchuan and beamed, serving him two exceptionally large bowls.

While the wontons in the bowls were still plump and round, Situ Han arrived.

"Young Master!"

He Lingchuan took one look at his uniform and knew: "So, you've become a supervisor? Come, sit!"

Situ Han was originally a bandit leader from Mangshan. When He Chunhua entered the Panlong Desert to search for ruins, he directly incorporated the entire bandit group of over thirty people. Later, the Blackwater City army fought against the spirits in the Panlong Ruins and battled Nian Songyu and Grand Master Sun in the Panlong Illusion. They participated in these conflicts, received commendations upon returning to the city, and were officially enlisted.

He Lingchuan had originally thought they wouldn't adapt and would soon return to their old ways.

To his surprise, Situ Han and the others had actually done quite well here, even getting promoted.

Indeed, official employment held a certain magic; stability trumped everything.

He Lingchuan also noticed Situ Han's hands pressed against the sides of his trousers, revealing a newfound formality in both his expression and movements.

The former Mangshan bandits, who used to devour meat, share wine by the bowl, and divide gold by the scale, were nothing like this.

Just two years in official service had taught them hierarchy and deference.

Situ Han indeed sat down formally and asked He Lingchuan: "Young Master, did you come directly from the capital?"

"Where else would I come from?" Blackwater City residents were ill-informed; Situ Han still didn't know He Lingchuan had once fallen into the water, assuming he had stayed in Xiazhou until recently moving to Yan Capital with He Chunhua. He Lingchuan scooped a spoonful of soup and blew on it to cool. "My father suppressed the rebellion in the south, winning a great victory. He'll be here in a few days."

Situ Han was first surprised, then overjoyed: "They won?"

"If we'd lost, I wouldn't have the time to come," He Lingchuan chuckled. "You know about the southern conflict too?"

"Ah, rumors are everywhere in the city," Situ Han sighed. "One moment they say the northwest lost, the next they say the south lost again. Everyone's quite dejected." He glanced left and right, then lowered his voice. "A few of my brothers are also asking me if we should go back to Hongya Road if the situation takes a turn for the worse."

"What did you tell them?"

Situ Han let out a long sigh and said earnestly: "We are all people with merits and careers now; we can't go back."

He Lingchuan smiled without a word.

He didn't believe a word of it; they all sounded more convincing than a song.

Situ Han then asked, "By the way, how's Maotao doing? He's smarter than all of us; Master He must have appreciated him, right?"

When He Chunhua was transferred to Xiazhou back then, the other Mangshan bandits were unwilling to leave their homes; only Maotao stubbornly insisted on going with him.

He Lingchuan's smile vanished instantly.

After He Lingchuan finished describing the battles in Xiazhou, Situ Han also remained silent for a while before saying, "Maotao, that lad, well, he achieved his aspirations! I don't think he would regret it."

Just listening, he could feel the thrilling intensity of the battles.

He Lingchuan pulled a cloth package from his bosom and handed it to him. "He was from Mangshan," he said. "I couldn't bring back his remains, so I can only send his memorial tablet back to his hometown. Please erect a cenotaph for him, clear weeds twice a year, and burn paper money twice a year. Make sure there's a good variety of paper offerings—paper figures, paper horses, paper houses. Can you do that?"

The cloth package contained Maotao's memorial tablet. Situ Han took it, nodding repeatedly. "Certainly, certainly," he said. "Maotao liked big eyes. I'll burn paper figures according to that standard."

He Lingchuan smiled and handed him another pouch.

Situ Han opened it and saw several gold bars inside, totaling about thirty taels.

This was equivalent to over three hundred thousand coins. Situ Han quickly pushed it back. "Maotao is my brother; it's only right for me to build a tomb for him..."

"Take it."

"Oh." He Lingchuan's brow furrowed, and Situ Han was inexplicably startled, immediately abandoning the thought of refusing. The Young Master was different from before, composed and steady. Was it because he had been on battlefields and experienced life-and-death struggles?

As a former bandit, he was skilled at reading people. If he were to encounter a person like He Lingchuan on the road, he would absolutely not want to provoke him.

"Young Master, you are truly benevolent."

He Lingchuan shook his head. "It's not benevolence; I feel guilty. Maotao came with me because he wanted a better life."

"How many of us, who live by the blade every day, can truly meet a peaceful end?" Situ Han sighed. "Everything is fate, Young Master, you don't need to blame yourself. Isn't there an old saying, 'A clay pot is bound to break by the well'?"

He Lingchuan's brow twitched slightly, and he immediately recalled the Water Spirit Shrine by Immortal Spirit Lake.

Maotao had drawn a fortune stick there, and the prophecy was precisely this saying!

The old turtle demon was indeed somewhat accurate.

He Lingchuan changed the subject. "You received the letter I sent via the Demoiselle Crane, right?"

"Received!" Situ Han nodded repeatedly. "As you requested, I've already investigated all new residents who moved to Blackwater City within the past eight months, by checking the household registers!"