Chapter 87: Sun Fuping's Curtain Call

By the time He Chunhua arrived with people, He Lingchuan had already jumped onto the bird's back and left involuntarily, not seeing how this famous former National Teacher ended his life. The last person to deal with Sun Fuping was He Chunhua.

Ever since he saw He Chunhua take out Sun Fuping's posthumous book, He Lingchuan had wanted to know what he had missed.

"National Teacher Sun really wasn't a lamp that saved oil; his magic power was already exhausted, and it is said that his cultivation was also strongly suppressed by the illusion, and even so, he killed seven of our people." Zeng Feixiong talked about the fallen brothers with some sadness. "If it weren't for the fierce spirits of the Great Wind Army, we really couldn't have killed him."

"I heard the Great Wind Army also suffered losses."

"Yes, they were fearless, not caring about life or death like us living people. The time spent surrounding National Teacher Sun was at most a quarter of an hour, and they lost... lost... lost..."

Zeng Feixiong started to slur his words.

He Lingchuan grabbed a slice of mother-benefit fruit and stuffed it into his mouth.

This thing was called mother-benefit fruit locally, but it was actually a lemon.

Zeng Feixiong chewed the lemon, and the sourness rushed to his forehead, making his whole chin numb.

But the effect was surprisingly good; he shuddered and became a bit clearer.

"How many did the Great Wind Army lose?"

"Maybe thirty or forty? They went one after another, catching National Teacher Sun off guard." Zeng Feixiong recalled. "In the end, National Teacher Sun was stabbed through the throat by that commander, but his cultivation was profound, so he didn't die immediately, and he... he said a few words to the County Magistrate."

The point was coming. He Lingchuan pressed, "You heard it?"

"Ah, the voice was very small, but when the County Magistrate walked over, I was guarding by his side."

Walked over? The old man took the initiative to approach the dying Sun Fuping? He was such a shrewd person; how could he not know that the counterattack of a poisonous snake before death was the most fierce? What if Sun Fuping still had a backup plan?

So, what words were so important that they had to be said before the person died? "National Teacher Sun said..." Actually, Sun Fuping had been stripped of his title of National Teacher after rebelling, but Zeng Feixiong was used to calling him that, and his head was dull now, so he couldn't change it. "Uh, anyway, he said he had reason to betray the country and didn't regret dying; that was probably the meaning."

Sun Fuping said quite a few words at the time, but he couldn't remember them all.

He Lingchuan: "..." He had fed him too much wine.

"He said his actions were all for the good of the Great Yuan, and then said quite a few bad things about the King." Zeng Feixiong, even half-drunk and half-awake, didn't repeat the original sentences that would lead to beheading.

He Lingchuan didn't want to hear them either, just remembered He Yue's words.

Could this country still be good, and what method could make it good? Was it appropriate to use the most extreme methods like the Grand Marshal and Sun Fuping?

Afterward, he shook his head; let the people with ambition and knowledge worry about that; what did it have to do with him?

"That's it?" He Lingchuan was a bit disappointed.

"Oh, there's more. He asked County Magistrate He, 'Your whole family was killed by the old muddled Emperor; why are you still working for the Imperial family?'" Zeng Feixiong frowned and recalled. "County Magistrate didn't answer, and he continued, 'Unless you have other plans!'"

He Lingchuan raised his eyebrows. "What did the old man say?"

"County Magistrate scolded National Teacher Sun for talking nonsense, saying he wasn't that selfless either, and that this trip into Panlong City was the 'other plan,' not just to help the Grand Marshal."

"Then County Magistrate leaned close to Sun Fuping and whispered; I didn't hear it, but immediately after, Sun Fuping laughed, laughing so hard that blood bubbled from his throat and he couldn't stop."

"He said to County Magistrate, 'It's useless; once it's done, you can't regret it, otherwise you'll suffer backlash and your family will be destroyed.' And something about 'planting beans gets beans, there's a cause for every effect.'" Zeng Feixiong said hatefully, "I don't know what he was laughing so happily about, but he died halfway through laughing."

"Later, County Magistrate searched everything on him and rushed back to the South City Gate to find you."

So that was it.

He Lingchuan didn't ask any more questions and drank and ate with him until he was half-drunk himself, before spending money to have someone send Zeng Feixiong back.

Uncle Hao was sitting in the lobby downstairs, and seeing him walk out, he escorted him back to the He Manor.

On the way back to his residence, He Lingchuan actually ran into He Chunhua.

It was late at night, and the County Magistrate was still wearing the clothes he had worn when he went out in the morning. He looked like he had just returned home, but he was in high spirits, forming a sharp contrast with his eldest son's staggering.

"Truly fooling around, not doing anything serious all day!" He Chunhua held his nose and asked, "Where did you go?"

He Lingchuan just laughed "hehe."

Uncle Hao said, "Young Master, Liu Baobao, and Zeng Feixiong went to the Acacia Tower and drank seven jars of old wine."

He Lingchuan suddenly interrupted: "Old man, have you ever done anything to let us down?"

He Chunhua frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"Do I have any brothers lost outside? No, better to have a younger sister!"

He Chunhua kept a straight face but didn't argue with a drunkard. He turned to Uncle Hao. "Send him back, and feed him two bowls of hangover soup before he sleeps, otherwise he'll have a headache when he wakes up tomorrow."

"Yes."

Uncle Hao helped He Lingchuan away. He Chunhua watched their backs, suddenly sighed a long sigh, and his waist didn't look as straight anymore.

He Lingchuan was indeed a bit drunk, and after finishing the hangover soup, he lay on the bed and slept, not thinking much.

He didn't wake up until noon the next day.

No dreams all night, slept very well.

He Lingchuan patted the broken saber on the wall; this guy didn't take the opportunity to make trouble for him last night, very well-behaved.

That evening, he ran into He Yue. "Have you heard of Du Feng, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Treasury?"

He Yue was in a hurry to go to the toilet, but He Lingchuan blocked his way, and no matter how he went around, he couldn't get past. "You haven't heard of him? He assists the Minister of the Court of Imperial Treasury, managing storage, receipts, and payments, as well as the markets in the capital and Shihan City. His rank isn't high, but his power isn't small."

"I heard he and our family are old acquaintances?"

"Family friends," He Yue said lightly. "Father and he have occasional dealings; I've even written letters on his behalf."

He Lingchuan gave a long "Oh." This information was not small, indicating that there was indeed still contact between He Chunhua and Du Feng, but it had already become very faint. It wasn't necessarily that the old friend had changed or that the world was cold; the He family had been ordered to be executed by the old Emperor, and the Du family wished they could prove their innocence; how could they dare to have too deep a relationship with He Chunhua, this lone survivor of the family?

"Having letters back and forth is already not bad." He patted He Yue's shoulder; the kid was only fourteen, and no matter how smart he was, he lacked worldly wisdom. "With that position, Vice Minister Du has to be cautious in his dealings with people."

"It is necessary to be cautious..." He Yue finally couldn't hold it anymore. "Can you move aside?"

He Lingchuan acted as if he hadn't heard. "Then do you know who the Du family's old lady, that is, Du Feng's grandmother, is?"

He Yue spoke at a fast speed: "Old Lady He Suqiong, she has a wide network in the capital, and it is said that she is also charitable, likes listening to operas and music, and holds garden parties and tours."

"Go ahead." He Lingchuan saw his face turning blue from holding it in, and only then stepped aside to let him pass.

He Yue scurried away like a rabbit.

Tonight (August 2nd), we might witness history again; it really is a once-in-a-century—

Let us wait and see together.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 88 =====