Chapter 1342

Before Fan Shuang could say another sentence, two cold dishes arrived first, one of them bright red in color, looking appetizing.

"What is this?"

"Drunken lees chicken. It's made from lees." He Lingchuan first gave him a piece, "I brought a few chefs from Yangshan over, and Zhuyin Restaurant has just launched this new dish. Fan brother, you came just in time to help me taste-test."

His enthusiasm is something few can withstand. Fan Shuang ate several dishes in a daze before exclaiming: "Truly delicious!"

He Lingchuan turned and told the attendant to watch the tea, then in the next second said: "Fan brother, oh Fan brother, when will those hundred fine steeds set out? I've been longing for them."

Fan Shuang joked: "Is it easy to race horses on that island?"

The Chigu horses He Lingchuan bought from Yaoguo are not draft or transport nags, but steeds fit for battlefield charges. What would an island lord want with so many fine horses? He Lingchuan smiled: "My island also has valleys and grasslands."

This extravagance hit Fan Shuang full in the face, making him lean back: "Just joking, I was only joking. Today I bring good news: my king has already taken aim, and within three days he can deliver a hundred Chigu horses, aged between three and ten, all strong-bodied, with even, lustrous coats, no old, weak, or disabled."

He Lingchuan rejoiced: "Your country is truly generous!"

Chigu horses fully mature at five, with well-developed organs and evenly built muscles; at just past ten they pass their peak, but as warhorses they can serve at least until thirteen or fourteen. This precious war resource, Yaoguo has always strictly controlled its export. He Lingchuan originally thought just being able to buy some would be good enough, even accepting some old or sick horses, but little did he know Yaoguo actually produced the finest, strongest specimens.

But after his joy, he immediately sensed something wrong. Why would Yaoguo suddenly show him favor? Fan Shuang's implication was that releasing these hundred fine young horses was done in obedience to the Yaowang's edict.

"A few days ago, I was summoned by the king, and I also mentioned He brother's past deeds. The king greatly appreciated it, praising your integrity and saying cooperation with Yangshan can be more reassuring."

Fan Shuang's words also carried a little ulterior motive, making it seem as if he had voluntarily brought up He brother when seeing the king, which is how He Lingchuan gained the Yaowang's favor.

He Lingchuan was moved, and immediately congratulated him: "Congratulations, Fan brother, on having seen the king's countenance; from now on your prospects will rise high."

Yaoguo's minor officials are countless, and among them those who can see the Yaowang are few. Fan Shuang humbly said: "It's just being summoned, answering a few questions."

But his uncontainable joy could not be hidden.

He Lingchuan seized on the key word in Fan Shuang's speech. The Yaowang heard He Lingchuan's past deeds and even praised his integrity?

How much could Fan Shuang know of He Lingchuan's deeds? Nothing more than the Lingxu City and the Immortal Medicine case.

The Yaowang would not praise a foreign merchant for no reason; so what does "integrity" refer to—He Lingchuan's thorough investigation of the Immortal Medicine case, his fearlessness before power? Hmm, the resistance He Lingchuan faced in investigating the Immortal Medicine case first came from the son-in-law of the Lingxu Grand Minister of Agriculture, Qin Bocqing. But though Qin Bocqing made things difficult for the Chiyan officials, the Yaowang, so far away, would likely not notice him.

To say the Yaowang's "power" refers to Qin Bocqing—he probably doesn't carry enough weight.

So, is it Qingyang?

Coincidentally, Qingyang is currently serving as Grand Supervisor in Yaoguo.

In the Panlong world, He Lingchuan had heard of the supervisors and envoys sent by the Beijia, how they browbeat vassal states. The king of Xiluo was pointed at by the Wang Supervisor and publicly cursed until his skin was torn, receiving not a shred of respect.

If this is Beijia's longstanding tradition and custom, then when the Yaowang faces the Qingyang Supervisor, he might not feel too comfortable either.

So why, at this moment, does the Yaowang suddenly summon Fan Shuang, asking about He Lingchuan's past investigation of the Immortal Medicine case? What deep meaning lies behind it?

He Lingchuan felt there was room for maneuver here.

So he took a bite of venison, shifted the topic: "All those past events in Lingxu City feel like another lifetime. I don't know where the Qingyang National Preceptor is now. After I left Lingxu City, I only knew she was removed from her post as National Preceptor."

Fan Shuang lightly coughed: "She is no longer National Preceptor, but rather my country's Grand Supervisor."

"Grand Supervisor?" He Lingchuan looked astonished, his voice rising three degrees: "She serves as Grand Supervisor in your land?!"

The soul-capturing mirror in his arms couldn't bear to watch: "Master, your acting is getting more and more exaggerated."

Fan Shuang sheepishly: "Yes, yes."

"How did this come about?" He Lingchuan first couldn't believe it, then realized, letting out a long oh: "The Qingyang state, the National Supervisor—quite a method, defeated but not destroyed, instead finding a good position ten thousand li away."

"Back when handling cases, I could already tell her feelings for the Beijia Emperor were truly deep." He looked at Fan Shuang with sympathy: "Before, did Beijia ever send a Supervisor here?"

This question made Fan Shuang uncomfortable, yet he had to answer, his chopsticks suspended in midair: "Never before. This is…… the first time."

As a subject of Yaoguo, he felt uneasy about this in his heart.

"This truly is…… alas!" He Lingchuan shook his head, letting out a long sigh: "Fan brother reminds me, henceforth I must not set foot in Yaoguo territory."

"You say this, He brother—are you worried about your personal safety in my country?"

"Shouldn't I be?" He Lingchuan glanced askance at him: "Back when investigating the Immortal Medicine case, I offended Qingyang and nearly got blown up by her people in the relay station."

"That was Lingxu City, where she could act with impunity! Now—" he downed a mouthful of wine, heart still trembling: "I'd better not appear under her eyelids."

"He brother, you manage the Yangshan Merchant Guild and involve yourself in the Seven Nations' war against Chixia. Whether willing or not, you have already entered the Qingyang Supervisor's sight." Fan Shuang hurriedly spoke, shattering his plan to hide in a turtle shell: "Don't blame me for speaking plainly—if the Yangshan Merchant Guild wants to develop on the Jinjin Plains, you cannot avoid my country, cannot avoid the Qingyang Supervisor."

"This……" He Lingchuan's face showed difficulty.

Fan Shuang couldn't help but provoke him: "He brother, back then Lingxu City was a dragon pool and tiger's den, yet you stormed through unchanged; now on the Jinjin Plains, why do you have misgivings?"

"Back then I was still young……" He Lingchuan coughed: "Back then I had the Chiyan Crown Prince as my backing, so I wasn't exactly charging into the dragon pool alone."

Fan Shuang hearing these two words "dragon pool" always felt there was a hidden meaning: isn't the Beijia's demon emperor a dragon?

Fan Shuang casually said: "In Lingxu City, did He brother have a high person protecting him from behind, otherwise how could he have escaped safely?"

The Yaowang had said before, He Lingchuan must have some noble person aiding him from behind.

To emerge from that great vortex at Lingxu City, to survive under Qingyang's eyelids—what immense power must that so-called "noble person" possess?

"Ah?" He Lingchuan hastily waved his hands, denying three times in one breath: "No, no, no, Fan brother, where does this come from?"

But the more he denied, the more Fan Shuang believed there was still a hidden truth.

"I was still thinking things have passed two years. But if He brother finds it difficult, then don't speak of it."

"Alas, it's not that I don't want to speak, it's truly that there's nothing inside." He Lingchuan then said: "The Chiyan Crown Prince protected me with all his might, the Emperor was that sagely, again saying Qingyang National Preceptor made a great mistake, was firmly held by the enemy at the seventh inch, unable to turn over. You say, how much of this could this small person like me influence? Back then clouds surged and winds rolled—when a great wave came, my little boat capsized."

Fan Shuang let out a long oh: "He brother saying this, I now understand!"

"A moment's carelessness and being firmly held by the enemy at the seventh inch"? That is the Qingyang National Preceptor! What kind of opponent could have the qualification to press down on that old poison snake's seventh inch and still prevail? If it were Fan Shuang himself going up, he probably wouldn't even touch the opponent's seventh inch before being sealed by poison blood.

It should be the Shuoye National Preceptor! Besides Qingyang's old rival, who has such power? He Gao compared himself to a small boat—then who is the great wave? Not just Qingyang alone, otherwise he would have sunk long ago.

Upon hearing this news, he felt great joy in his heart.

He Lingchuan saw him smiling with eyes crinkled, and knew he was secretly guessing Shuoye National Preceptor—he had even hinted this clearly himself.

This was just right—Fan Shuang had studied in Lingxu City for years, was no political novice, and the more He Lingchuan denied, the more Fan Shuang would fill in the blanks himself.

He Ling guided him toward thinking of Shuoye, and of course it was correct.

When the Immortal Medicine case was brewing in Lingxu City, Qingyang and Shuoye National Preceptors had mutual attack and defense. Their frequent clashes with Shuoye greatly distracted Qingyang's attention, leaving her little thought to spare for He Lingchuan.

After all, her true rival was Shuoye, not some minor He-surnamed figure.

After Little Fushan arrived at the Yangshan Islands and then frankly told He Lingchuan, the reason the longevity medicine case progressed so swiftly in Lingxu City was indeed due to the support of the State Preceptor of Shuangye behind Chiyan State.

He just never mentioned it to He Lingchuan at that time.

Thus He Lingchuan seized this opportunity to forcibly credit the State Preceptor of Shuangye again.

The best part is, he not only never mentioned the name of Shuangye, but even denied receiving help from a noble patron back then, yet Fan Shuang had already concluded that he had a great tree behind him—the State Preceptor of Shuangye—and would bring this message back to the Yaowang.

He Lingchuan then brought up several major merchant guilds of Beijia, all closely cooperating with Yangshan, and over drinks and food, he boasted incessantly, barely able to conceal his pride as he said: "But then again, it's also thanks to the care of…… Beijia that the visitor flow to my Yangshan Islands has at least thirty percent coming from Beijia."

This was an exaggeration. But so what? Who in business doesn't blow their own horn?

Fan Shuang didn't mind, because He Lingchuan then revealed another important piece of information: even now, he still receives special patronage from Lingxu City.

Otherwise, how could a mere island lord of a remote place obtain so many large orders from Beijia and such heavy traffic? Among all the desolate seas under heaven, why should only the Yangshan Islands flourish and develop in just a few years? In other words, up to now, He Lingchuan and the State Preceptor of Shuangye have maintained contact.

The State Preceptor of Shuangye remains the noble patron behind He Lingchuan.

(End of Chapter)