Outside Suhong Hall was a small garden.
As the father and son passed through the garden gate, they happened to see two figures inside the hall.
Hee Chunhua tilted his head slightly, his voice a whisper. "Are these the two you saw in the middle of the street the other day?"
Hee Lingchuan also saw the guests and quickly nodded. "Yes, that’s them!"
At the ti, the two had been galloping their horses through the bustling market, nearly trampling a child, before swaggering out of the city gates to the northeast.
Hee Chunhua hadn’t been ho for the past two days, so Hee Lingchuan had no chance to report it. He hadn’t expected his father to already know.
Who could have inford him?
’Probably Uncle Hao.’
Hee Lingchuan once again experienced his father’s ticulous, all-encompassing control, whether it was over his two sons or over Black Water City.
’It’s actually a little terrifying.’
Entering the hall a mont later, Hee Chunhua looked at the two uninvited guests. "May I ask where our guests are from?"
The white-robed youth Hee Lingchuan had seen the other day was now dressed in lake-green brocade, his shoulders and lapels adorned with silk embroidery. Such formal attire was ant to show respect for their local host.
He also finally got a clear look at the man in gray.
The man was nearly sixty, tall and thin. His hair and beard were speckled with gray, but his eyes were exceptionally bright, as if they could peer straight into a person’s heart and dig out their most hidden secrets.
The young man smiled. "I am Nian Songyu, Yangwu Captain of Yue City in Xunzhou, and I have co at the behest of my father, Nian Zanli!" He then introduced his companion. "This is Sunx Fuping, a National Preceptor of the Da Yuan Kingdom!"
Even with Hee Chunhua’s extraordinary composure, he couldn’t help but be visibly shocked. "What!"
Nian Songyu was one thing; he already knew that Nian Zanli, the Xunzhou Governor, was sending soone. At most, he was surprised it was Nian Zanli’s second son.
But as for National Preceptor Sunx appearing, that was far beyond his expectations.
A National Preceptor!
The Yuan Kingdom had a total of three National Preceptors, and each one possessed unfathomable, god-like powers.
In tis of peace, they could assist the Monarch in regulating the nation’s destiny. In tis of war, they were the most terrifying superweapons, capable of deciding the outco in a single blow if the mont was right.
As the ultimate aspiration for countless Mages, this National Preceptor Sunx should have been enjoying his Sacrificial Offerings in the Capital City. What was he doing running to this barren land?
Hee Chunhua, forgetting his etiquette, stared intently for a long mont before exhaling. "It truly is National Preceptor Sunx. This subordinate has been rude!"
Sunx Fuping smiled faintly. "At the Heaven Worship Ceremony twenty years ago, I rember Ritual Director Hee attended with his third grandson—that would be you!"
"So much has changed," Hee Chunhua remarked with a touch of emotion, turning to point to his eldest son. "My son, Hee Lingchuan."
He had lived in the Capital City for over a decade and had seen this National Preceptor Sunx on many occasions. Twenty years had passed, and National Preceptor Sunx had aged, but his features were still recognizable. Hee Chunhua identified him after a second look.
Hee Lingchuan had no choice but to step forward and offer his greetings.
Nian Songyu smiled at him. "We et again so soon."
"Isn’t that the truth?" Hearing the profound aning in his words, Hee Lingchuan’s smile grew even brighter. "It seems Captain Nian and I are fated to et."
Hee Chunhua looked surprised. "What? You two have t before?"
Before Nian Songyu could speak, Hee Lingchuan rushed to explain, "You may not know, Father, but the day before yesterday, I was eating by the street when I happened to see these two distinguished guests pass by. The street was crowded, and Captain Nian even intervened to save a child, preventing him from being trampled!"
Uncle Hao, who had just stepped into the back of the hall, heard this, and his face twitched.
Hee Chunhua said, "Oh? Is that so? Captain Nian is a promising young man, and it is rare to find one so kind-hearted."
The four of them smiled together, all feigning ignorance.
But Hee Lingchuan understood perfectly. Nian Songyu’s official rank was higher than his own, and Nian Songyu’s father’s position was higher than his own father’s. The minor incident from the other day had to be brushed aside so they could get to the main topic as quickly as possible.
After all, he had a feeling the main topic wouldn’t be pleasant either.
Nian Songyu smiled and, as expected, didn’t bring up the matter again. "Mr. Hee, the National Preceptor and I are on an urgent mission. We traveled for three days and three nights to get here."
Hee Chunhua was very considerate. "You must both be weary from your long journey. Please, stay at the White Stone Building tonight. It’s the best guesthouse in Black Water City." With that, he turned and called a servant over to bring the two guests fresh hot tea.
Seeing that he wasn’t asking any questions, Nian Songyu had no choice but to continue, "For this mission, I’m afraid we will need Mr. Hee’s assistance."
Hee Chunhua grunted. "I am listening."
Nian Songyu’s voice grew grave. "Mr. Hee, are you aware that Woling Pass has already fallen?"
Hee Chunhua was so shocked he nearly leaped to his feet. He forgot all about his composure. "What did you say? Woling Pass has been breached?"
’Woling Pass?’ Hee Lingchuan imdiately searched his mind for the place na, but it seed his body’s original owner hadn’t paid much attention. He only knew it was sowhere in the Central Region of the Yuan Kingdom, near rivers and mountains.
"How is that possible?" Hee Chunhua said in a heavy tone. "I heard that the rebel armies from Busin and Hongchuan joined forces in the fifth month and began attacking Woling Pass. But Woling Pass occupies a strategic, defensible position. It has been repeatedly fortified over the past decade and is easy to defend but hard to attack. Moreover, the defender, Zhao Ronglu, is known as the ’Iron Barrel General.’ His troops are elite and well-supplied. How could he be so easily broken by those rebels!"
In his estimation, Woling Pass should have been able to hold out for at least a year or two without any problem. By then, the rebel scourge would have resolved itself.
"For soone as far away as Jinzhou, Mr. Hee’s understanding of the situation in the Central Region surpasses that of many nobles in the Capital City," Nian Songyu said faintly. "Unfortunately, the ’Iron Barrel General’ was wounded in his right eye during a chaotic battle and died from the injury. As soon as he died, the army’s morale collapsed, and the generals started fighting amongst themselves. The Rebel Army seized the opportunity to attack the city. Half a month ago, a traitor secretly opened the city gates and let the Rebel Army in."
Such a vital fortress had fallen without a real fight. Suhong Hall fell silent, the only sound being the deepening breaths of Hee Prefect.
"You are also aware of Woling Pass’s importance to the heartland of Central Yuan," Nian Songyu said, staring at him. "It controls the most important ferry on the Hongchuan River, Fengling Ferry. It’s the high-water season now. After several sumr downpours, the river is surging. If the Rebel Army sails downriver, they can bypass the many checkpoints on the banks and land directly downstream at Shihuan City—"
He said, word by word, "From there, it is less than fifteen *li* from the National Capital!"
Fifteen *li*. For cavalry at full speed, that was just a short ride away.
His explanation was very clear. Even Hee Lingchuan, who didn’t know much about the geography of the Yuan Kingdom, could feel the gravity of the situation. ’My family lives far away on the frontier, guarding the nation’s gate for the Emperor. But if the National Capital itself falls, what’s the fucking point of us toiling away to defend this place?’
Hee Chunhua felt as if every breath he exhaled was an icy chill. "Where is the Rebel Army now?"
"Still at Woling Pass."
Huh? The Hee father and son were both startled. The rebels had gone to all that trouble to seize Woling Pass, yet they hadn’t pressed their advantage? ’Speed is paramount in war.’
But Hee Chunhua understood in an instant. "Is there a problem with the waterway?"
"Zhao Ronglu’s Vice General, Xuu Dayou, gathered the remnants of his troops as the city fell and burned all the ships in the docks. Even though the Rebel Army captured Woling Pass, they have no boats to use. It has been rainy recently, so felling new timber and building new ships will take at least fifty days."
"In the end, the heavens have taken pity and bought us this bit of ti. Armies from all over are now rushing to Woling Pass, but the situation is not optimistic," National Preceptor Sunx Fuping added. "Whether the Da Yuan Kingdom’s reign can continue may very well depend on these fifty days."
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