Chapter 53: Where Does Zhong Shengquan Actually Live?

Perhaps guided by fear, a flash of inspiration suddenly appeared in his mind.

Perhaps, he still had to return to the question that Nian and Sun had been struggling with from the beginning: Where exactly is the Zhong mansion?

Why is the illusion containing the Great Fang Hu exactly this period of history? Panlongcheng clearly has countless glorious fragments.

The only clue they could follow, or rather the only clue the Baling exploration team could follow, was Zhong Shengquan.

The bones of the Baling people were abandoned in the Chen mansion cellar, indicating that the exploration team's original intention was the same as their own, also thinking of going to the Zhong mansion to find clues.

But they found nothing there... really?

That is to say, as long as they find the Zhong mansion, they can find the remaining members of the Baling exploration team.

He Lingchuan tried hard to recall every legend, storytelling, and allusion about Panlongcheng, the Great Wind Army, and the Zhong clan he had ever heard.

Almost every historical fragment is related to Zhong Shengquan. What clues could be hidden here? In this Panlongcheng, that beautiful gray-brick mansion is still the Chen mansion, not Zhong Shengquan's. Assuming Zhong Shengquan bought the mansion from the Chen family later, where would he live at this time?

At this time, he was still the deputy commander, having come to Panlongcheng to take office from the central part of the Western Luo Nation by royal decree.

As a visitor from another town, he had no residence in Panlongcheng and had to find a place to stay.

Would he be at the post station? He Lingchuan shook his head and vetoed it himself.

Only bachelors live in post stations. He had seen in several scripts that Deputy Commander Zhong was newly married and took office the following month.

The one surnamed Zhong spent the second half of his life here, and later had children, which he couldn't have done by himself.

Therefore, he brought his family with him and couldn't have lived in the post station.

That kind of place was dirty, noisy, and smelly, with walls as thin as paper. If the couple clapped their hands at night, the guests next door could hear it clearly.

Where would Zhong Shengquan arrange for his family?

He Lingchuan jumped off the roof ridge: "State Preceptor, did we pass by the government office just now?"

"Yes, why?" Sun Fuping said. "I had already checked the government office before you entered the city." But there were no useful clues there.

"The Chen mansion, I mean the later Zhong mansion, is some distance from the government office. But Zhong Shengquan at this time had to enter and leave the government office every day. He might settle down nearby. He has family."

Sun Fuping was also a shrewd person and understood immediately: "You're right! I only searched the government office but didn't look closely at the surroundings!"

Immediately, the two turned around and ran back the way they came.

Any government office in any city would firmly occupy the best feng shui location, and Panlongcheng was no exception.

Before long, the two saw a row of plain gray buildings by the river. In terms of style and facade, they were far inferior to the tavern thirty zhang away.

"Just here?"

Officials don't repair government offices; they only find people to make small repairs when they break. So government offices are generally not magnificent, at most neat and solemn.

But its geographical location is truly good.

He Lingchuan climbed up the tallest tavern nearby in a few quick steps and looked around.

Sun Fuping heard him shouting from above: "The north is wetlands, no one can live there."

"The market in the west has shops." Shops are generally front-store-back-courtyard, with business in the front and living in the back. Small business people aren't very particular. "I don't think Zhong Shengquan lives there either."

The environment in the West Market is not good. After all, Zhong Shengquan is newly married and is an official, so he would likely find a better place for his wife.

He looked south again and found several rows of houses separated from the government office by water. Each set was similar in size, mostly small courtyards of one or two courtyards, which should have been built uniformly. Although they weren't large mansions, living by the water should be quiet and leisurely.

"South!" He pointed south. "Those are official residences!"

Official residences are the dwellings of officials, generally connected to the government office and forming a large area. He Lingchuan understood when he saw the official residences in Black Water City; isn't this just a government compound or a collective dormitory!

But Panlongcheng's location is special, with water in front and behind the government office, and the place is too small, so the official residences were built on the opposite bank.

Being assigned to office in another place would create a need for accommodation. The relevant regulations of various countries vary in strictness.

For example, the Great Yuan Nation requires officials assigned to other places to live in official residences and not allowed to buy houses privately. However, Qiansong County is truly remote, and the Yuan Nation at this time is beset by troubles both internally and externally, with no time to enforce regulations. In fact, there are countless officials like He Chunhua who buy good fields and mansions outside.

As for Zhong Shengquan, it goes without saying. After the Panlong Wasteland became an enclave, he was the highest authority here. The Western Luo Nation didn't even know the Panlong Wasteland was still its own territory, and no one dared to question Zhong Shengquan's actions here.

But in these peaceful days on the Panlong Wasteland, he was not yet the powerful commander, and he should live in the official residence! Sun Fuping also figured this out, his eyes lighting up: "Let's go!"

There are over forty sets of official residences, but the two had a target, so it wasn't troublesome to find them.

Soon, Sun Fuping released a command arrow in the official residence in the second-to-last row, summoning others to come quickly!

When everyone arrived, they found Sun Fuping and He Lingchuan standing in the courtyard of an official residence.

In the courtyard stood a grave, with a wooden board erected as a tombstone.

Even Nian Songyu couldn't understand the text on it.

Sun Fuping read to everyone: "Tomb of loyal friend Yu Qingyuan; this is Baling script."

Mao Tao was overjoyed: "We found it, found it! Uh, found... another Baling person?"

"But not the last Baling person to die, otherwise who would bury him?" He Lingchuan pinched the soil. "What is special about this person, worthy of being laid to rest?"

This is an illusion; everything is not real. The courtyard is like this, the soil is like this.

The Baling exploration team was so ruthless they even ate their own people; other team members who were eaten were just abandoned in the cellar, so why was this deceased person worthy of burial?

Nian Songyu, however, was observing the tombstone, even reaching out to wipe it, then sniffing it under his nose.

"This ink was mixed with blood; they had no water." Without water, the ink wouldn't dissolve, so they could only use blood.

"Dig it up!" Must investigate thoroughly.

Sun Fuping moved his mouth, and He Lingchuan and Mao Tao had to dig the grave. Fortunately, there were some farm tools in the courtyard, and it was unknown if they were used by the Baling team back then.

The two were working hard here, Nian Songyu was supervising the work on the side, while Sun Fuping looked up at the sky, not knowing what he was dazed about.

Soon, the tomb owner saw the light of day again.

Mao Tao wiped the mud off his face: "Dug it up, phew, still white bones."

"It's been buried for decades; it would be strange if it didn't become white bones." He Lingchuan used a shovel to dig away the mud, revealing most of the skeleton.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 54 =====