Chapter 431 - 430: You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

Chapter 431: Chapter 430: You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

Then, she laid out her plan.

Everyone who heard it subconsciously straightened their backs, Hee Lingchuan included. Yet, they all wore looks of confusion, with only General Nanke exclaiming, "Good, good! I think it’s brilliant!"

Wen Daolun couldn’t help but smile. "A truly wonderful plan, General!"

General Nanke gave a thumbs-up. "This way, we don’t have to wait for the Monarch’s orders! We can leave whenever we want. The Red General is right—we’ll reject all the choices they give us!"

Zhong Shengguang glanced at him, a hint of a smile in his eyes. "The method isn’t bad. It’s worth considering carefully."

Zhao Xianhe couldn’t resist interrupting. "Wait a minute. Didn’t the Red General insist we had to stay and guard the Wilderness, that we couldn’t return home?" ’What’s the meaning of this now?’

Ling Zhongshui, who had always been at odds with him, retorted sarcastically, "So, does Lord Zhao wish to stay or return?"

"My decision to stay or go rests entirely with the Commander-in-Chief to decide." Zhao Xianhe raised a long eyebrow, then added after a pause, "The National Capital sent me a secret order. It instructed me to volunteer to lead troops back east along the Jinxi Corridor. In return, I’d be promoted, ennobled, and granted special honors. I have already reported this matter to Lord Zhong."

Ling Zhongshui was furious. "The Monarch wants to pull the same old trick? To steal away another one of our Deputy Commanders and tens of thousands of elite soldiers?!"

The other generals were equally incensed.

The Monarch had no desire for Zhong Shengguang to return, yet he desperately wanted the elite troops, hardened in the northwestern Wilderness, to be redeployed back home to stabilize his rule. That was precisely why he had sent a secret letter to Zhao Xianhe.

As the men were all talking at once, condemning the Monarch, Zhong Shengguang tapped the table. His voice was stern. "Enough. My mind is made up."

Once those four words were spoken, everyone else fell silent. A decision made by Commander Zhong could not be swayed by anyone present.

No matter how many more questions they had, they could only swallow them.

"We will proceed according to the Red General’s strategy."

Now that he had set the course, the generals began to brainstorm, discussing the various details.

The topics were truly wide-ranging, covering matters great and small.

Hee Lingchuan listened attentively on the side, only now realizing just how much preparation was needed to wage a war.

The complexity was beyond imagination.

War was a calculation. And no matter how thorough the preparations before a war, they were never enough.

This was to say nothing of the fact that Zhong Shengguang’s decision to dispatch troops this time was a sudden one, both swift and urgent.

The time had come, once again, to test Panlong City.

By the time they had sorted through everything, more than a double-hour had passed. Zhong Shengguang downed a whole cup of hot tea to soothe his throat, then let out a breath. "In short, this is a tremendous opportunity. Now, let’s assign the tasks."

The lights in Gangge Hall did not go out until the sun had set.

After the meeting was dismissed, the officials all hurried away. Some went to make preparations, others to have dinner at home.

Everyone took the pre-expedition meal seriously, and it was usually a lavish affair.

Wen Daolun was one of those heading home for dinner. Reaching the doorway, he smiled at Hee Lingchuan. "You’ve worked hard, standing guard for us old men all day."

Hee Lingchuan shook his head. "I was deeply impressed."

He had almost no experience leading troops into battle, so listening in like this was extremely beneficial for him.

He observed Wen Daolun closely. The advisor, so heavily relied upon by Zhong Shengguang, wore a warm smile, as if he had already emerged from the grief of losing his son. Yet, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were a little deeper, his gaze a little cloudier, and a few more strands of white had appeared at his temples.

"It’s gotten so late. Is anyone at home waiting for you for dinner?"

Hee Lingchuan answered honestly, "No. I was originally planning to go to Wenxuan Pavilion, but the Red General summoned me for guard duty."

"Is that so? That means you’re highly regarded." Wen Daolun patted his arm. "Keep up the good work. I have high hopes for you, young man."

Only the most trusted personal guards of Zhong Shengguang and the Red General were qualified to stand watch at a closed-door meeting of this level.

Otherwise, if even a single secret from this room were to get out, it would cause a major disturbance.

Just then, Zhao Xianhe walked over and called for Wen Daolun to leave with him. The latter said to Hee Lingchuan, "I’ll be going now."

Zhao Xianhe’s gaze also swept past Hee Lingchuan, not lingering for a moment.

After Wen Daolun left, Hee Lingchuan’s gaze naturally fell upon Zhong Shengguang and the Red General as they walked past.

After experiencing the Illusion at the Yuanl Kingdom ruins, he felt that Zhong Shengguang was shrouded in even more mystery, and his relationship with the Divine Mitian was baffling.

’Where has Commander Zhong hidden the Grand Square Pot now?’

’Are the consequences of all offerings to the Deities this complicated?’

Sensing his gaze, the Red General suddenly asked, "What are you looking at?"

Even through her mask, Hee Lingchuan could feel her eyes fixed on him. The people in Gangge Hall had almost all left, so he answered directly:

"If we proceed according to your plan, and the Monarch still issues the Relocation Command, what do we do then?"

At his words, Zhong Shengguang and the Red General exchanged a look. They knew he had grasped the line of thinking.

The Red General seemed to chuckle. "What’s so bad about relocating?"

"It won’t be easy to completely open the path back east," Hee Lingchuan said bluntly. "Otherwise, we could have returned long ago. Why wait until now?"

Zhong Shengguang stared at him. "You think the Red General’s proposal is improper?"

"What if it doesn’t go as well as we hope?"

"The worst-case scenario is simply returning empty-handed. Why is that unacceptable?" Zhong Shengguang smiled. "Do you think we’ve never lost a battle?"

"A military campaign is ever-changing; one must never demand perfection." He said, word by word, "There’s no such perfect thing in this world."

Hee Lingchuan lowered his head. "I stand corrected."

"Go home. Spend time with your family tonight," Zhong Shengguang said. "We’ll be departing soon. This battle is crucial."

"Yes, sir."

The sky was already dark when he left Gangge Hall. Wenxuan Pavilion was closed, so Hee Lingchuan could only head back with his two books tucked under his arm.

On the way, he took a detour to South Gate Square to check on the Juluo Tree.

The small tree was growing well, a vibrant, oily green. A nest of sparrows had appeared in its canopy, and a new branch had sprouted from its trunk.

Compared to its abrupt appearance, its current behavior was all too ordinary, as if it were no different from a common tree.

’What would the Grand Square Pot want with a Juluo Tree?’ Hee Lingchuan could never figure it out.

Since he was already here, he decided to have a hearty dinner at the Frost River Tavern. The place was as boisterous as ever, with people laughing and talking freely, completely unaware that a new, great battle was about to begin.

And this time, it was Panlong City that would be starting it.

While he was there, a few comrades-in-arms came over for a drink, one of whom was Duan Xinyu, who had explored the Flesh Fortress with him.

Duan Xinyu was now married. His new bride was the very same girl who had been angered by Hee Lingchuan’s comment that she was "either stupid or dense."

Duan Xinyu’s married life was quite blissful. His lovely young wife would grind her teeth whenever Hee Lingchuan’s name was mentioned, which secretly delighted him. Therefore, he was extremely enthusiastic upon seeing Hee Lingchuan, grabbing him and thanking him profusely.

He toasted a few cups, and then others toasted a few more, forcing Hee Lingchuan’s dinner to extend for two double-hours.

After all, he knew very well that after the next long-range raid, some of these people might not be around anymore.

When he returned home, he had just pushed open the gate when he saw light spilling over the low wall:

The lights next door were on.

’Sunx Fuling is back?’

Hee Lingchuan quickly washed his face with fresh water, rinsed his mouth, and smoothed down his wind-tousled hair before leaning over the low wall and tapping on the roof tiles.

"Is Master Sunx home?"

"No."

"..."

CREAK. Sunx Fuling pushed her door open and stepped out, dressed in white robes, her beautiful long hair half-damp and cascading down her back.

She tilted her head up to look at Hee Lingchuan. The moonlight shone on her lovely face, making it glow like polished jade, hazy and brilliant.

Hee Lingchuan immediately recalled the Moonlight from that night at the Yuanl Kingdom ruins; it too had been just as radiant and full-haloed.

"What is it?" Sunx Fuling asked, having waited for him for a while.

"I thought you wouldn’t be here tonight."

"I was supposed to be on duty at Shumin Academy tonight, but an order from the Commander-in-Chief arrived this evening, requiring the Academy Palace to take a temporary holiday, so I came back." Sunx Fuling sighed. "Is there going to be another war? Every time before a major battle, the students are sent home to be with their families."

Hee Lingchuan nodded.

"Then when are you leaving?"

"Soon. Maybe tomorrow, or in two days." Hee Lingchuan scratched his head. "It depends on when Commander Zhong gives the order."

Silence fell over the wall.

After a long moment, Sunx Fuling finally murmured, "Oh. So soon?"

"Yeah." Hee Lingchuan stared intently at her. "How about a farewell drink for me?"

He pointed to the wine jar in the corner of the courtyard. Sunx Fuling shook her head. "You reek of alcohol. If you drink too much, you won’t be able to get up tomorrow. Let’s have tea instead of wine."

As she spoke, she went back inside to fetch tea leaves and an iron kettle, then hopped right over the wall.

"A student gave me this. Her family are tea farmers in Chipa White Garden. She gave me the first batch of spring tea harvested from the garden this year."

Hee Lingchuan moved a stove into the courtyard, set a pot of water on it, and began to boil tea.

"You must have heard the rumors about the Relocation Command going around the city these past few days, right?"

"Yes, everyone’s talking about it." Sunx Fuling sat down. "I never expected the Monarch to risk accepting aid from a foreign country. It’s not like he’s at the end of his rope yet."

"He isn’t?"

"Not yet. Near the Capital City, there are at least two loyal armies, plus the Imperial Forest Guard." Sunx Fuling said lightly, "They’re touted as having peerless combat strength, but I don’t think they’re all that. Otherwise, why haven’t they been deployed?"

"It is the National Capital, after all. Those forces have to defend the capital’s fortress. They probably can’t be sent out to actively engage the enemy, right?"

"Those armies haven’t fought a real war in twenty or thirty years. Who knows if they can still fight at all."

Hee Lingchuan knew that the residents of Panlong, herself included, held a frustrated disappointment toward their home country—hating it for its lack of resolve. He quickly changed the subject, picking some amusing anecdotes to share.

Sunx Fuling also shared stories about daily life at Shumin Academy.

As they chatted, the night deepened.

The public lectures in the streets had ended long ago. The road outside was quiet; it had been a long time since any footsteps had passed by.

Just then, a strange noise came from the neighbor’s house.

The common folk’s bungalows were too small and the soundproofing was terrible, so the noise reached their ears without the slightest bit of muffling.

Hee Lingchuan recalled the vocal mimicry performance he had heard in Shihuan City; it hadn’t seemed this intense. The neighbor’s bed wasn’t of very good quality either, squeaking and creaking as if its life depended on it.

Sunx Fuling’s smile slowly faded.

CREAK... SQUEAK...

The two of them looked at each other, speechless, not knowing what to say.

CREAK... SQUEAK...

’Why did they have to pick tonight?’ Hee Lingchuan listened for a few more moments. ’The guy next door’s got some serious stamina. Doesn’t seem as short and unimpressive as he looks.’

’You really can’t judge a book by its cover.’