Chapter 353 - 352: Wuze

Chapter 353: Chapter 352: Wuze

Hee Lingchuan smiled at his retreating back. "He’s actually not bad to me."

Steward Zhao was puzzled. ’Not bad?’ ’That man named Dong never showed his face properly, never said a kind word, and avoided Young Master Hee like the plague. That’s ’not bad’?’

Young Master Hee’s standards for "not bad" were certainly low.

"You don’t understand." Dong Rui’s mood changed in the blink of an eye. The fact that he chose to flee instead of trying to teach him a lesson meant his hostility had already weakened.

’This fellow is all alone, decisive in his actions. Quite interesting.’

Hee Lingchuan gazed back to the northwest.

More than half a month had passed since the Battle of Xia Bei on the banks of the Hanshui River, and he found himself thinking of Xiazhou and the Hee Family less and less.

Although danger had also lurked at his side in the Demon Nest, he felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. After a while, he even seemed to have grown accustomed to the stench of rot and decay that filled the swamp.

He didn’t have to go against his own heart; he really didn’t want to go back.

Wandering alone, the world felt vast and open. Most importantly, he no longer had to put on an act of a touching father-son relationship.

’Keeping up that pretense is exhausting.’

Besides, he was never given much importance in the Hee Family anyway. How much of an impact could the Eldest Young Master’s presence or absence truly have on the war in Xiazhou?

There was, of course, some karma between his original self and his father, but he had saved Hee Chunhua multiple times. He figured that made them even.

He just didn’t know how Shan Youjun, Jiao Tai, and Monkey Ling Guang were doing. He had also established quite a few businesses back in Dunyu.

’It’s a shame,’ Hee Lingchuan thought. ’I should still try to send a message back when I get the chance.’

"Young Master Hee, what is it?"

"It’s nothing." Hee Lingchuan snapped back to reality, taking a deep breath. The air still had a hint of sweet fragrance. "Let’s go."

The caravan moved forward, entering the territory of the Fu Kingdom.

There was finally a road, which made the rest of the journey much easier.

The landscape changed quickly after they left the Demon Nest Swamp. Rows of rolling hills and mountains appeared, laced with meandering streams—a standard hilly terrain.

Even the Official Road wasn’t as wide or straight as those in southern Xiazhou. Hee Lingchuan noticed a fair number of traveling merchants and commoners, yet many of the post stations and inns along the way were closed. They could travel thirty or forty li without finding a place to eat.

Finally, they managed to check into a post station before nightfall and ate hot "straw-pouch rice."

The locals would wash miscellaneous grains, beans, and peanuts, stuff them into a straw pouch, and steam them to serve to passing guests. Traveling merchants and porters ate just this, but more discerning customers like Hee Lingchuan and Steward Zhao would request that fatty meat and mushrooms be added to the rice before steaming. That was what made it truly fragrant.

Of course, it was also more expensive.

While eating, Hee Lingchuan noticed the meat wasn’t fatty enough. It was tender, but it had a peculiar gamey taste. "What kind of meat is this?"

A porter happened to be passing by and leaned in for a look. "Oh ho, field mouse."

Hee Lingchuan raised an eyebrow. He had spent more than ten days in the swamp; he had eaten just about everything. It made sense, though. This post station was in the middle of nowhere, and they weren’t raising pigs or cattle out back. Where else would they get meat?

During the meal, Steward Zhao explained that a few months ago, the Emperor’s Liquid had rained from the sky, turning the wild beasts in the mountains into Demons that attacked people everywhere. Many inns had been assaulted and no longer dared to open for business, which was why the road seemed so desolate.

The Government Office was understaffed and weak. It wasn’t until half a month ago that they finally hired people to clear out these rampaging Demons.

If something like this had happened in the Panlong Dream Realm, it would have been resolved in two or three days. Even in the Yuan Kingdom, near Woling Pass where official power was weak, it would have been dealt with in just over a month.

This showed just how weak the Fu Kingdom’s national power was.

The country was very small, less than a tenth the size of the Yuan Kingdom, even smaller than the Xiazhou territory Hee Chunhua managed. According to the map, its borders were long and narrow like a blade, and its terrain was mostly mountains and hills—a classic case of "seven parts mountain, two parts water, one part farmland." The little arable land it had wasn’t very fertile either.

But it was precisely because the land was so poor, with nothing much to offer—the vast mountains only produced some miscellaneous ores—that the surrounding nations had no motivation to invade it. After all, there was little profit in conquering the land, and they would have to station troops, manage the population, and feed them. It was too much trouble for a territory you couldn’t even squeeze any profit out of.

Looked at this way, the Fu Kingdom’s external environment was surprisingly stable.

Incidentally, the Fu Kingdom bordered the Demon Nest Swamp to its west, the Northern Demon Kingdom to its northwest, and eight small countries to its east and northeast.

These countries were about the same size as the Fu Kingdom; the largest was only twice its size, so it was a case of the pot calling the kettle black. There were occasional frictions, but since no one had the ability to swallow their neighbors, a basic state of equilibrium was maintained.

The Northern Demon Kingdom, for its part, seemed to look down on them and couldn’t be bothered to send troops to clean them up.

Shortly after daybreak, the caravan finally reached Wuze County, where the Gan Family resided.

This was also the liveliest county in the Fu Kingdom. It was built in a valley, and the main street was actually paved with flagstones. The market was bustling, warehouses were everywhere, and restaurants and inns lined the streets. Peddlers were often seen weaving through the alleys, hawking smuggled goods from foreign lands.

Besides the crowded, low-slung houses, Hee Lingchuan also saw many large mansions occupying their own private sections of the city.

The scale of this county was equivalent to two or three ordinary cities.

Hee Lingchuan was curious what the Fu Kingdom People did for a living. They seemed to be doing quite well, shattering the stereotype that "impoverished mountains and treacherous waters breed unruly people."

Steward Zhao explained that a tree moved will die, while a person moved will thrive. Since they couldn’t live off the mountains or the water, their only option was to go out into the world. Fortunately, the Fu Kingdom was connected to Beiga in the west, the eight kingdoms in the east, and had a large lake to the north, making it a crucial hub for trade.

The Northern Demon Kingdom, in particular, had a penchant for certain foreign specialties, and its demand alone was enough to create a prosperous trade route.

Thus, the Fu Kingdom produced merchants, and Wuze County, located at the crossroads connecting east, west, and north, was perfectly positioned to take advantage. After Master Gan made his fortune, he moved his entire family here, and his business had been booming ever since.

The caravan went to the warehouse on its own, while Steward Zhao led Hee Lingchuan toward the Gan Residence.

Rich people loved to build big houses, and the Gan Family was no exception. Its grounds were even larger than the Shuyu Hee’s house. The high wall directly in front of them belonged to the Gan’s Mansion. Hee Lingchuan could see a continuous stretch of black rooftops, suggesting there were many buildings inside.

However, the two of them dismounted here, and Steward Zhao surprisingly led him into a small alley behind the mansion.

Hee Lingchuan frowned, assuming the steward was taking him to the back door of the Gan Residence—a rather rude way to treat a distinguished guest on his first visit.

But then, seeing that no one was around, Steward Zhao suddenly turned and bowed deeply to him.

"Young Master Hee, what I said in the swamp was not entirely truthful. It was for the sake of self-preservation. I beg you, sir, to be magnanimous and not hold it against me!"

"What is it?"

"The truth is, the head of the family is Master Gan. My claim that the old madam of the Gan Family is in charge was... that was just an expedient lie for Second Madam Zhu." Steward Zhao gave a bitter smile. "The Gan Family’s old madam, Master Gan’s own mother, is surnamed Mao. She spent the first half of her life in the countryside, and for the past few years in Wuze County, she’s never gone anywhere else or had anything to do with business."

If he had told the whole truth back in the swamp, wouldn’t the furious Spider Queen have eaten him?

Hee Lingchuan sensed something was wrong. "What exactly is the situation?"

Only then did Steward Zhao reveal the truth. The Gan Family had originally been ordinary townspeople. It was only when a capable and daring patriarch like Master Gan emerged that they started doing business. Especially after they established a connection with the Spider Demon in the Demon Nest Swamp, the family’s fortunes rose steadily.

The trouble was that Master Gan was too capable, and still in the prime of his life. The rest of the family had simply been enjoying the fruits of his success.

Hee Lingchuan understood immediately. The Gan Family was like a smaller, simpler version of the Dunyu Li Family. The patriarch’s death had instantly triggered a succession crisis.

"Then what about the promises you made me in the swamp on behalf of the Gan Family?" Hee Lingchuan had no interest in other people’s family drama. "My identity and travel permit?"

"Yes, yes, of course. I must first go to the Gan Family to report the death," Steward Zhao said, scratching his head. "The Gan Residence will surely be filled with the sound of wailing soon. Why don’t you rest at the tavern up ahead for a while? Once the Gans’ emotions have settled, I will make the introductions for you."

Hee Lingchuan didn’t object. After all, he had no desire to watch the Gan family wail and cry their eyes out in front of him.

So, Steward Zhao directed him to a nearby tavern, apologized, and hurried off toward the Gan Residence.

Hee Lingchuan moved to a secluded table by the window. He poured his own drinks and spent the better part of the afternoon drinking wine.

...

「About an hour after the Gan Family caravan returned to Wuze County.」

A young servant slipped out the back door of the Gan Family’s warehouse. He twisted and turned through four alleys, and only when he was sure no one was watching did he slip through the back door of a shop.

The sun was past its zenith, men and horses were taking their midday rest, and not even a dog was barking.

A man was sleeping on a bamboo chair in the back hall, a thick blanket draped over him and a straw hat covering his face to block the light. The servant approached and said softly, "Big Boss, there’s news from the Gan Family."

Hearing the words "Gan Family," the man lifted the hat and yawned. "What is it?"

He looked to be under forty, with a slightly dark complexion.

"The Gan Family caravan finally returned from the Demon Nest Swamp. Boss Gan is dead."

The Big Boss was instantly awake. "What did you say? Gan Qing is dead?"

"Who’s dead?" Another man, who looked very much like the Big Boss, walked out from the back of the hall.

"Second Boss, you’re back too?" The servant repeated himself. "I heard from the men in the Gan caravan that Gan Qing was ambushed and killed outside the Demon Nest Swamp. A group of bandits impersonated him and took the caravan into the swamp."

"Is that so?" The Big Boss and Second Boss both clicked their tongues in amazement. "What were those bandits after? Are they trying to switch to a career in commerce?"

The Demon Nest Swamp was the main camp of Cannibal Demons. Besides the Gan Family, who could pass through, it was hard to imagine anyone else being foolish enough to venture inside.

"No, no, the whole thing is very bizarre!" Even the servant telling the story was getting carried away. "Those bandits were sent by a Snake Demon from the Demon Nest Swamp. They were supposed to impersonate the Gan Family caravan to enter the Spider Queen’s territory and steal a treasure."

What kind of strange plot was this? "Did they get it?"

"No, they failed right at the finish line. The entire group of bandits was wiped out."

"That sounds like the Spider Queen," both men said. "So how did the Gan Family caravan get back?" Few of the Giant Demons in the swamp were good-tempered.

"They returned, with every cart intact. Not only did they come back fully loaded, but they also brought an extra person with them." The servant continued to relay the intelligence. "A teenager, about seventeen or eighteen. According to the caravan hands, this boy could move freely in the Spider Queen’s lair. He even foiled the bandits’ attempt to steal the treasure from the Demon Nest. When the Spider Queen returned from battling other Demons, she flew into a rage and chased after the boy for some reason, but they made up not long after. The Spider Queen even gave him a lot of gifts."

The Second Boss couldn’t help but interrupt, "Is this person even human?"