Chapter 828: Old Home, New Guest

## Chapter 820: Old Home, New Guests

He yawned: "Otherwise, we should be in the desert by now."

Various factions were already lurking in Blackwater City, creating turbulent undercurrents. The Antong people's sudden intervention was completely unexpected to him.

"What do we do then?" The mirror couldn't discern how anxious he was.

"What can we do? We'll just go with the flow," He Lingchuan said, rolling over. "The water's already murky; we might as well stir it up even more."

In the blink of an eye, two days passed.

For over forty hours, the two sides engaged in skirmishes. Blackwater City held its gates tight, refusing to send out troops no matter how the enemy provoked or hurled insults.

Because He Chunhua's arrival was sudden, the assassins who killed Governor Hu couldn't escape the city. The Antong people, unaware that Blackwater City had a new commander, even sent several loud-mouthed soldiers to curse Governor Hu and his ancestors mercilessly.

He Chunhua strolled along the city walls, smiling, showing no sign of stress.

Incidentally, the assassins who attacked Governor Hu were also apprehended. With Blackwater City under lockdown, finding a few outsiders wasn't difficult, especially with Zhou Peng's help in identification.

He Chunhua specifically arranged for them to be publicly punished at the market entrance.

Sometimes, killing to establish authority is very necessary.

When those heads fell, the common people immediately felt much more at ease:

They didn't really care whether it was revenge for their former official, Governor Hu.

However, Lord He's swift and composed handling of the case demonstrated his ability to control the overall situation and live up to the trust of the city's inhabitants.

On the morning of the third day, Zhao Qinghe came to report: "There aren't enough arrows in the armory."

In a city siege, arrows are consumed the quickest. Even with the city's workshops working overtime to produce them, they couldn't keep up.

Not to mention, raw materials were also running low.

The Antong people had changed their tactics. The surprise attack failed, the direct assault failed, and now they were simply besieging the city.

Time was on their side; Blackwater City's military and civilian supplies would only dwindle.

The people of Blackwater City would have to sally out and fight sooner or later, or they would be stifled within the city.

"If only we could hold out for two more days," He Chunhua sighed softly.

He was dismayed when he saw the inventory list of Blackwater City's supplies.

When he had left office, Blackwater City might not have been exceptionally rich, but its granaries were full, and its military was robust.

How could the stores be so depleted in just a year and a half?

"Alright, let's start tonight. Chuan'er, we'll split up to persuade those cultivators."

He Lingchuan nodded: "Father, who will you go to?"

"We'll begin with the Jianyang Sect," He Chunhua said, already having a plan. "Zhao Qinghe has confirmed that all eleven members of the Jianyang Sect are at the Red Cedar Inn. This sect has a good relationship with Dayuan, so persuading them shouldn't be hard."

"Then I'll start with our old house."

"Our old house?" He Chunhua was startled. "Who moved in there?"

He knew, of course, that the old house had been sold, but he had never cared who the new occupants were.

"On my first day back, I specifically went to check it out. A group of outsiders lives there; they seem haughty and impeccably clean, and their cultivation appears strong," He Lingchuan said. "I heard they've been there for several months."

The words "impeccably clean" were not said without reason.

Blackwater City borders the Coiling Dragon Desert, experiencing strong winds or sandstorms year-round. Leaves are always covered in a thick layer of dust. Why would someone who prefers things impeccably clean choose to live here?

Unless they had another purpose.

And fastidiousness is not something ordinary people can afford to be.

Those few words hinted at the occupants' high status. An astute listener would immediately make the connection.

"Several months?" He Chunhua indeed frowned. "Have you looked into their background?"

"I asked the neighbors. I heard they run a carriage and horse station, but the business is as sluggish as the horses in their stable. Yet, they are generous with their money, often giving out rewards, and their food, clothing, and daily necessities are all quite refined."

Arriving in Blackwater City several months early to lie low, and even setting up a business as a cover, was different from the methods of other factions. Hmm, did they know about the impending anomaly in the Coiling Dragon Desert in advance? He Chunhua immediately changed his mind: "Alright, I'll go meet them myself."

He Lingchuan had no objection: "I'll go with you, Father."

The objective was achieved.

Qiu Hu and others naturally followed. He Chunhua also instructed Zhao Qinghe to gather an additional two hundred people to accompany them.

A quarter of an hour later, the group stood before the He family's old residence.

The grand residence, once meticulously maintained by the He couple, looked much the same as it had over a year ago, except for a missing roof tile at the entrance that no one had repaired. The two large trees at the gate were overgrown, their dense branches blocking the light to the side rooms.

In the past, every two or three years, Madam Ying would have someone trim the branches and shape them nicely.

After the He family moved out, its new owners weren't as particular.

The He family had lived there for over ten years; He Lingchuan felt a touch of sentimentality revisiting the old place, but He Chunhua remained expressionless as he personally rapped the door knocker.

Soon, someone answered from within: "Who is it?"

"General Changning, Administrator of Yazhou," He Chunhua said clearly. "I have something to discuss with your master."

The footsteps inside noticeably paused, then quickly moved away.

Before long, the large door creaked open. The doorkeeper poked his head out, looked at He Chunhua, then at the large, well-equipped group behind him, before pushing the door wide open: "Please come in."

The group stepped over the threshold and, led by the doorkeeper, headed deeper into the residence.

The He family was intimately familiar with the layout inside. After a year and a half, several of Madam Ying's favorite plant varieties in the garden were gone. The remaining plants, while not overgrown, were neither meticulously maintained nor neatly arranged.

Clearly, they had not received careful tending.

Entering the main hall, several people were already waiting. The leader, a man over forty, had a long beard, a pale complexion, and his eyes were half-closed.

The doorkeeper introduced: "This is President Zhang of our merchant association."

"Merchant association, my foot," the He father and son muttered inwardly. He Chunhua's smile remained impeccable as he cupped his hands in greeting: "President Zhang."

The other party returned the greeting without even bending at the waist: "Administrator He."

Clearly, they knew of He Chunhua's reputation. Blackwater City had been under siege for two days; even the dullest person would be aware of what was happening outside, including Governor Hu's assassination and that Administrator He now held full authority over Blackwater City.

Even so, they had not come out to greet him, instead waiting for He Chunhua to enter the courtyard and pay his respects. Such arrogance made Zhao Qinghe and the others frown inwardly.

He Chunhua, however, didn't mind it, not one bit.

When nobles from Lingxu City traveled, they often looked down on others with disdain. Guests from the Heavenly Palace were even more arrogant, regarding everyone else as beneath them. For Zhang Lianhai to even return the greeting was already showing He Chunhua considerable respect.

The Soul-Stealing Mirror in He Lingchuan's arms suddenly spoke: "There are quite a few people behind the hall."

Were they an ambush party?

A shudder went through He Lingchuan.

He Chunhua began his polite conversation: "Mr. Zhang, are you accustomed to living in the city?"