After the Immortal Disappeared

The Zhan Family had also halted in Bu County, moving no further. This only made the rumors and gossip spread more rampantly.

Many people began to have regrets.

The wait always felt exceptionally long.

Four double-hours later, as the sun began to set in the west, the scout Zhan Song had sent to Dunyu finally galloped back. For the Zhan Family, it was hard to say whether the news he brought was good or bad.

"Dunyu posted notices in the middle of the night yesterday. Today, the city is decorated with lanterns and streamers everywhere, and all the restaurants were full by noon. The Song Family Troupe set up a stage in Little Jiaotian Square by the South Gate to perform an opera. I heard the State Government arranged it, and they’re set to perform for most of the day."

The scout added, "There are dozens of heads hanging on the city gate. They’re said to be the heads of Xunzhou cavalry commanders and the leaders who committed the most pillaging and murder. They’ve all been sprinkled with lime, and a large crowd has gathered to look."

"Oh, and Dunyu City is open again. The lockdown is over."

’The enemy’s heads are hanging from the city wall?’

’Dunyu has reopened?’

Zhan Song gripped the back of his chair and slowly sat down, his heart sinking into a cold abyss. "We’ve been tricked. We’ve been tricked."

His clansmen stared at him anxiously. What were they supposed to do now?

Someone asked, "Could it be fake again?"

"What kind of logic is locking down the city one day and lifting it the next?"

"The news of a great victory arrives just as we get to Bu County. How can there be such a coincidence?"

"Exactly." Zhan Song suddenly interjected. "There are no such coincidences."

Everyone was stunned. "Are you saying Chief Steward Hee didn’t win?"

"He won," Zhan Song said with a bitter smile. "But I’m afraid he concealed the news and used it to set a trap for us! After all, isn’t he the one who decides when the victory report is announced?"

The atmosphere grew heavy.

They had felt terrible when Dunyu City was in grave danger.

But now that Chief Steward Hee had crushed the enemy and beheaded their generals, they somehow felt even worse.

The two hundred-odd members of their clan had all come out. What were they supposed to do next?

’Go back to Dunyu City?’

In the past few days, they had sold everything they could and divested themselves of their properties. What was there to go back to?

Besides, of the four great families, they were the only ones who had fled. If they went back just like that, wouldn’t the other three laugh them to death?

Zhan Song’s heart felt as if it were being twisted into a knot, tight and agonizing.

This was a bitter pill to swallow, and it was a big one.

But who could he blame but himself for his lack of composure? He saw the Li Family out buying up goods and properties just yesterday. ’Could it be they had caught wind of the news ahead of time?’

After a long, melancholic silence, he finally let out a heavy breath. "We’re not going back. We’ll continue south. We still have properties in the south, and the clan members who moved earlier are all in Canglin County. The houses there are large enough for us."

There was more he left unsaid.

’Not only does the Zhan Family have properties there, but it’s also closer to the border. If Dunyu shows any sign of falling, we can just pack up and flee Xiazhou.’

The clansmen looked at one another, their heads lowered. No one objected.

But Fourth Master Zhan slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet, bellowing, "You may not be going back, but I am! I still have a score to settle with the Li Family!"

His wife and son had died at the hands of the Li Family’s private soldiers, and he was still waiting for justice. "I told you all not to leave, not to leave, but none of you believed me! And look now, you’ve made a monumental blunder. Who among you has the face to go back?"

Second Master Zhan glanced at Zhan Song’s expression and coughed lightly. "You shouldn’t say that, Fourth Brother. You’re being impulsive. We were always planning to move south and never intended to go back anyway."

Zhan Song nodded. "Let Fourth Brother go back. We can’t let the Li Family get away with this so easily."

He raised his hand and beckoned a steward over. "Take two men and accompany Fourth Master Zhan back. Take good care of his daily needs."

’It’s good to have Fourth Master back there to keep an eye on things,’ Zhan Song thought. ’He can press the State Government to handle the case justly and quickly. Even if the Zhan Family has left, we can’t let the Li Family off the hook. They must pay every last cent of the compensation they owe!’

...

「Dunyu City.」

A day ago, this place had been filled with mournful winds and cold nights. Businesses were deserted, and not even a dog dared to bark.

A day later, it was adorned with lanterns and streamers, the streets teeming with people like a weaver’s shuttle.

It was a world of ice and fire, the only difference being a single, resounding victory.

Hee Chunhua had specially arranged a banquet at the Hesu Building to "welcome the victors and wash away the dust," led by Zhao Qinghe and Wu Shaoyi.

In truth, the troops had returned triumphant the morning of the day before yesterday, but they had remained hidden in the countryside. They only made their grand return to the city today, receiving a hero’s welcome from the citizens lining the streets.

At the banquet, the generals spoke of the battles on the front lines, their faces animated with excitement.

Hee Chunhua had deliberately chosen not to use a private room, instead booking the entire second floor. This way, the commotion upstairs would travel down, and the other patrons could hear everything clearly.

As the generals’ stories reached their most exciting parts, patrons would come thumping up the stairs, insisting on toasting them.

This happened again and again, so Hee Lingchuan simply set up an open banquet on the first floor. Anyone could come and eat, so everyone could celebrate together.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, all the gossip and details from the banquet would surely spread throughout the city, embellished and exaggerated—just as the Hee father and son had hoped.

The feast lasted from noon until evening, and everyone left fully satisfied.

Hee Lingchuan grabbed Hee Chunhua. "Dad, you can’t stiff your own son! Settle the bill for today’s banquet, quickly!"

Hee Chunhua was in high spirits and a bit tipsy from the drinking. He waved his hand dismissively. "Put it on the tab. The State Government’s tab!"

Hee Lingchuan actually already knew that the force Hee Chunhua had dispatched did indeed win, but the victory had been heavily padded. The number of Xunzhou Army soldiers they had captured and defeated was nowhere near nine thousand.

In reality, the enemy only had twelve hundred men.

After Nian Zanli tore an opening in Zhao Pan’s defensive line, he had sent the bulk of his army south, hoping to seize the opportunity to capture a few more cities and expand his gains. This was the only way to establish a firm foothold; otherwise, venturing deep into enemy territory alone would be like serving themselves up on a platter.

But at the same time, he had also dispatched several cavalry units to continue south and engage in small-scale guerilla warfare, harassing towns, plundering the common folk, and searching for the official Grain Transport Team’s routes in preparation for a surprise attack.

These cavalry units were highly mobile, but each consisted of only a few hundred men.

Hee Chunhua knew the Xiazhou Army was poorly trained and combat-ineffective. In a head-on battle, he feared they would scatter at the first charge. However, fighting with superior numbers on their own turf gave them a decent chance of winning.

Before they set out, he had rehearsed countermeasures with his top generals repeatedly. Wu Shaoyi and Zhao Qinghe were also very lucky this time. With the help of the local populace in Xinhuang, Hetao, and Lu’an, they successfully ambushed two enemy units with pinpoint accuracy. The final unit actually retreated without a fight and never truly engaged them.

The Xunzhou Army’s disadvantage was not knowing that Hee Chunhua had already arrived in Dunyu. They assumed Xiazhou’s defenses were empty. Compounded by the fact that their previous raids on rural counties had met no real resistance—with garrisons collapsing at the first blow—they inevitably grew careless and overconfident.

Hee Chunhua caught them completely off guard, which is why the results were so good. But even so, his own side suffered over four hundred casualties.

When Hee Lingchuan learned the real numbers, he couldn’t help but give Hee Chunhua a thumbs-up. "As expected of you, Dad. Go big or go home. You really know how to pad the numbers!" ’A fivefold inflation!’

"How else do you think you can boost morale and fighting spirit?" Hee Chunhua gave a wry smile. "Half of it is just hype!"

"With this victory as a foundation, they’ll be a little bolder the next time they face the Xunzhou Army." Grand Steward Hee’s eyes held a mix of joy and worry.

The joy came from how this great victory had laid a solid foundation for his authority in Dunyu. The balance of power and status between him and the great Noble Families had undergone a subtle shift.

A great weight had been half-lifted from Hee Chunhua’s heart. With this victory, he could smoothly push forward many of his subsequent policies.

The worry was also clear: the Xiazhou Army’s fundamental weakness had been thoroughly exposed. His plans for conscription and training had to be implemented as soon as possible.

But regardless, the most difficult period since their arrival in Dunyu was now over.

That night, Hee Lingchuan entered the Dream Realm again. But Meng Shan, who had just finished thrashing a few opponents, hung up a "no challenge" sign. His reason was that he was tired from fighting and needed to rest for a few days.

Last time, Hee Lingchuan had nearly crushed his throat.

Although Meng Shan had still ended up grabbing him by the neck and forcing a disconnection, Meng Shan didn’t receive the same special treatment from the Dream Realm as Hee Lingchuan did. His injuries wouldn’t heal by the next day, so he needed a few days to recover.

Now, Hee Lingchuan could last more than a quarter of an hour against him.

Logically, the rules of Yuewu Hall were actually more advantageous for Meng Shan. The Sharpness of weapons was ineffective here, giving blunt instruments and immense strength a clear advantage. Meng Shan had tough skin, thick muscles, and Infinite Strength. No matter what bladed or piercing weapon Hee Lingchuan used—a saber, spear, or staff—the damage he could inflict was limited.

Moreover, it was a place for direct confrontation, so tactics like sneak attacks and ambushes were basically useless.

But even so, the length of time Hee Lingchuan could hold out was steadily increasing.

Although he didn’t have enough military merits to exchange for new Divine Techniques, he had spent so much time in Yuewu Hall that he had learned from the strengths of others and equipped another extremely useful piece of military hardware:

The Sleeve Arrow.

As the name implied, this device was hidden inside one’s sleeve and could strike an enemy within thirty-four paces with a flick of the wrist. The Sleeve Arrows provided by Yuewu Hall, with both the arrows and the case made of wood, were not very durable or high-quality. Even so, when Hee Lingchuan used it to ambush Meng Shan, he nearly poked out his opponent’s eye.

After returning to reality, he immediately sought out Li Fubo to custom-order a Sleeve Arrow. The case would be made of brass, the arrowheads would be mixed with a bit of Refined Gold, and it would fire two bolts in succession.

At the same time, the shaft of each arrow had to be inscribed with two Talismans, which meant adding two Arrays. One was "Wind Control," to negate the influence of wind and prevent the bolt from being blown off course. The other was "Elite," to increase the arrowhead’s penetration. After all, the power of a Sleeve Arrow was inherently weaker than a longbow and needed extra enhancement.

One set included a case, six short bolts, and they could also be coated in poison.

He also asked Li Fubo to combine a Hooked Rope with the Sleeve Arrow, meaning the back of the bolt needed to be able to connect to a rope for emergencies.

Just to build this one gadget, another three hundred taels of silver were gone.

That was as much as half a shopfront. Custom orders from a Songyang Prefecture expert were just that expensive, and this was even with a 50% "friends and family" discount.

Li Fubo gave him a big thumbs-up, trying to soothe the financial trauma his customer was feeling. "This thing is practical, Eldest Young Master has a good eye. It’s a must-have for many of our regulars in Songyang Prefecture. After they use them up, they come right back to us for refills."

Hee Lingchuan couldn’t even be bothered to roll his eyes. ’If it’s so useful, why didn’t you recommend it to me sooner?’

It wasn’t that he hadn’t considered another famous hidden weapon he’d read about, the renowned "Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needle." But after Li Fubo told him the cost—especially since the dozens of special pins it fired couldn’t all be recovered—he instantly dismissed the idea.

’Who on earth came up with such a money-burning device!’