After the Immortal Disappeared

Chapter 458: Chapter 457: The Reprimand Order

With that said, he went back inside.

The cup on the ground vanished in a flash, as though something had dragged it beneath the earth.

The corner of the courtyard was just as it had been.

***

Hee Lingchuan blinked, staring at the hole in the roof. It took him a long moment to realize he was in the Soul Village.

The starry sky was just as brilliant here in the Soul Village as it was in the real world.

He sat up and stretched.

The Broken Blade Squad, like the rest of the Panlong Army, had already left the Xiji Capital City. They had arrived at the easternmost city of the former Xiji Kingdom, only a step away from the border.

With a population of over ninety thousand, it was Xiji’s fourth-largest city and could just about accommodate the Panlong Army’s need for a garrison. Of course, Xiji had already fallen. At Zhong Shengguang’s request, the Red General had renamed the city Yuheng City.

”The Jade Balance Star is the brightest of the Beidou Star. Every night, it lights the way home for the soldiers of Panlong City.”

The army spent two days regrouping here, ready to advance east at a moment’s notice.

He had barely finished stretching when Willow’s voice called from outside, ”Hey, come on out for dumplings, you lazy bums!”

Hee Lingchuan rolled over, sprang to his feet, and headed outside. Door Panel, who had been snoring against the corner of the wall, was out the door even faster than him.

A large cauldron was set up in the clearing outside. Plump, white dumplings tumbled in the boiling water. A few had burst, coating the broth with a shimmering layer of oil.

One look at the pot was enough to tell that Willow’s cooking skills were about on par with Hee Lingchuan’s. Door Panel sat down and ladled out a few dumplings. He praised Willow’s cooking even as he hissed from the scalding heat.

’A man had to praise his own woman.’

No matter how thick-skinned she was, Willow still blushed a little. ”The ones I wrapped kept breaking. These good ones were all made by Old Liuu.”

All the ones with their guts spilling out were the ones she’d wrapped.

Old Liuu was nearby. He was a man in his fifties, tan and wiry with a slightly stooped back. A kerchief was tied around his forehead, and he fit Hee Lingchuan’s image of a simple, hardworking laborer to a T.

He brought over two more trays of uncooked dumplings and set them by the pot, grinning until his eyes were slits. ”Eat up, there’s plenty!”

”Thank you for all your work, Old Liuu.”

Hee Lingchuan had just sat down when Old Liuu ladled him a bowl of dumplings. The bowl he gave to Willow, however, was filled to the point of overflowing.

The Broken Blade Squad sat down and dug in.

Ordinarily, army rations were extremely simple: just large, filling portions of turnip and dough-drop soup, unleavened buns, and a bit of jerky and pickles.

However, the local Xiluo folk had heard of their arrival and came flocking, leading pigs and herding sheep, carrying pastries and prepared meals, endlessly giving gifts to the Panlong Army.

So, the Panlong Army had been treated to several special meals. Tonight, the unleavened buns were replaced with dumplings, which even came in two flavors: pork with scallions, and carrot with egg.

Willow and Aluo had gone to help make the dumplings that afternoon. When the finished products were served, each one was as big as half a palm—plump and dense, gushing with savory juices at the first bite.

Old Liuu, who had trekked over twenty li to deliver meat and vegetables, was a man from Rongshan. He had taken an immediate liking to Willow and insisted on making her his goddaughter. The squad later learned that he had come to Xiji from the Panlong Wasteland long ago. His wife and only daughter had died in the Rongshan riots a few years prior.

No one had the heart to refuse his kindness.

For the past two days, Yuheng City had been filled with cheerful voices and laughter.

Despite being on the front lines.

To the east lay another small kingdom, Jintao.

The kingdom, however, had been terrified by the Panlong Army’s swift conquest of Xiji. They had now amassed troops on the border in a standoff with the Panlong Army.

If Hee Lingchuan were to climb a tree right now, he could even see the glow of fires across the border.

That was the army of Jintao.

Word was that Jintao had mobilized its entire population, preparing to defend the kingdom at any cost.

With the two sides staring each other down like this, a conflict could spark at any moment.

Hee Lingchuan understood that the Panlong Army had conquered Xiji as if marching into an undefended land for one reason alone: speed. Before their enemy could react, they had already crossed the mountains of Xiji and stormed the indefensible plains.

’In my opinion, Jintao is now wary and well-prepared. It’s also a mountainous region. For the Panlong Army to win another swift victory with minimal casualties, as they had before, would be a tall order.’

It was safe to say that the Panlong Army’s eastward journey home would only now face its first true obstacle.

Zhong Shengguang and the other commanders likely understood this better than anyone.

’It all depended on their next move.’

Hee Lingchuan sat up. The light from the campfires and the sound of voices still filled the air nearby.

Thanks to their recent great victory, the army’s morale was soaring.

He heard one of the soldiers saying, ”Last year, I was with my uncle going through Dragon Throat Pass. A petty officer there saw we were from Panlong City and made us unload all six hundred-plus pieces of cargo from our cart for a contraband inspection! We got into a little scuffle, and he even spat at us. Heh heh, and what do you know? I bumped into him on the street yesterday!”

”So what’d you do to him?”

”I followed him home and told him his neighbors had reported him for secretly hoarding weapons!” the man laughed. ”He was so scared he nearly dropped to his knees. I made him haul out his belongings, one by one, for me to inspect. And hey, you won’t believe it, but I actually found two Long Sabers! After that, his whole family knelt before me!”

Laughter erupted all around.

Hee Lingchuan knew it was other squads from the Panlong Army.

The Panlong Army was garrisoned in Yuheng West City. This district was full of stately courtyard manors, the homes of the wealthy, which the Panlong Army had temporarily requisitioned for their encampment to avoid disturbing the city’s common folk.

The Red General had even issued a special proclamation: as long as one was a law-abiding citizen, their life in Yuheng City would be protected.

Of course, the subtext was that the Panlong Army reserved the right to define the term ”law-abiding citizen.”

Over the past several days, the major cities had returned to normal life and operations under the Panlong Army’s watch. Shops reopened for business, and foot traffic in the market districts gradually increased.

The cities began to get back on track, as if the war of conquest that had raged for the better part of a month had never even happened.

In fact, because the Panlong Army had conquered the cities so quickly, the only place that offered stubborn resistance had been the Royal Palace. Even the Capital City’s infrastructure and daily life had suffered minimal damage and were relatively easy to restore.

Once the Panlong Army finished resting and resupplying in Yuheng City, they would set out to continue their journey east. The Red General had already dispatched several groups of Scouts to reconnoiter Jintao’s military intelligence.

This was the hot topic of discussion throughout the army these last few days. A great victory won at a small cost had filled everyone with anticipation for the journey back to their homeland.

War was never simple, but Hee Lingchuan knew the truth was far more complex.

After finishing his dumplings and soup, Hee Lingchuan climbed back onto the roof and began to play his Xun.

A mouse scurrying across the rafters stumbled at the sound.

As a beginner, he was still terribly out of tune and rhythm.

Hu Min rolled his eyes and said to Door Panel, ”Here he goes again. The Cap hasn’t given us a break these past few nights.”

Door Panel whispered back, ”He’s better on the flute.”

A poorly played Xun sounds like a ghostly wail, which was actually quite fitting for a battlefield where people died every day.

After the fighting, the killing, and patching up wounds, whenever Hee Lingchuan had a spare moment, he’d practice his instrument, claiming under the grand pretext that ”military life needed the spice of music.”

There was no helping it; Master Sunx was going to test him when he got back.

Other squads wanted to complain, but when they got close enough to see it was Broken Blade making that ghostly wail—er, playing the Xun—they would turn on their heel and head back.

War heroes always got special privileges.

Fortunately, Broken Blade didn’t get to torture them for too long tonight. A series of military whistles suddenly rang out from the front:

”Fall in, fall in! Important military briefing to be read!”

’Important military briefing?’ The crowd dropped what they were doing and hurried to assemble in the city’s western square.

The area had once been filled with buildings, but more than half were destroyed during the street-to-street fighting when the city fell. The Panlong Army had simply ordered the ruins to be razed, creating a new square large enough to hold several thousand soldiers.

Soon, several thousand soldiers were in position. The light of countless torches filled the sky. Everyone stood ramrod straight, and the entire square was utterly silent.

The Red General emerged, dressed in full armor, with another person in tow.

This man’s clothing was different from the styles of both Panlong City and the Original Xiji.

In the flickering torchlight, his expression was deeply unsettled.

The Red General raised her voice to introduce him. ”This is the Envoy from the Capital City. He came to us first and must then carry the message on to Panlong City!” She then turned to the Envoy. ”Come, please read the Monarch’s decree out loud!”

The Envoy, hearing her last words, looked utterly stunned. ”Ah? General, this decree is for you and Commander Zhong alone.”

”Oh?” The Red General held out her hand. ”Then give it to me.”

The Envoy was deeply offended. ”You are to kneel to receive it!”

The Red General’s hand shot out and snatched the decree. Before the Envoy could even react, she had unfurled it and begun to read aloud.

It turned out that the decree the Monarch had sent the Envoy to deliver day and night was an edict of reprimand. It rebuked Zhong Shengguang for mobilizing troops without authorization and damaging diplomatic relations. It stated that marching through the Xiji Kingdom did not glorify the might of the Xiluo Kingdom, but rather harassed a neighbor and created powerful enemies on all sides. He had failed to comprehend the paternal heart of his sovereign and had plunged his motherland into the chaos of war.

Furthermore, it stated that Xiluo had never issued a Relocation Command to Panlong City. Therefore:

”’The Panlong Army is hereby ordered to return west at once to guard our borders! You are not to trample the lands of a friendly nation!’ That was the last line.” The Red General spread her hands. ”That’s all of it.”

A commotion erupted below the platform. Everyone’s eyes went wide. Even the soldiers of the notoriously disciplined Great Wind Army couldn’t help but exchange stunned glances.

How could this be! They were trying to return home, and the Monarch was reprimanding them for it!

Their campaign had been swift and invincible, yet their motherland was ashamed, not proud!

The Monarch wanted them to go back!

Back to an environment where they were surrounded by enemies, isolated and helpless.

Willow whispered, ”No way... Is that for real?”

Door Panel’s voice was grim. ”Sons of bitches. They won’t let us come home!”

Similar grumbles spread rapidly through the ranks, the soldiers no longer caring for military decorum.

Up on the platform, the Xiluo Envoy couldn’t stand the furious gazes directed at him and kept wiping sweat from his brow. ”This is a breach of protocol! General, you have overstepped your authority!”

’Seeing her in person was worse than any rumor. This Red General was even more arrogant than he’d been told! To read the Monarch’s private decree directly to a bunch of common grunts!’

’This was a top-secret military matter, an affair of state! The Monarch had specifically commanded that when he delivered the decree, Zhong Shengguang was to dismiss all others so that no third person could be present.’

’Just wonderful. Now several thousand pairs of ears had heard it all!’

’These grunts were all simple-minded fools! What could they possibly understand of national strategy?’

’He would report this exactly as it happened when he returned! He had to!’

The Red General ignored him, instead addressing the soldiers below the platform. ”Did you all hear that clearly?”