Chapter 345: Becoming a New Person

Thus, by any measure, Liang Qu's year-end merit was a sure thing.

The only question was whether he could successfully advance this merit, due two months from now.

Li Li Shoufu knew Liang Qu had an unusual relationship with Xu Xu Yue, making the proposal feasible—but whether it would succeed, he could not guarantee.

"Good idea. I'll go ask."

Liang Qu sprang to his feet and rushed to the command tent to find Xu Xu Yue, only to find him gone.

The guard at the entrance apologized: "Commandant Wei, Commandant Xu, and Assistant Commander Ran are all accompanying the imperial envoy on an inspection tour of the three counties—they're not at camp."

Liang Qu asked: "Did Commandant Xu say when he'll return?"

"They left yesterday afternoon. According to plan, they'll be gone at least three days."

Liang Qu considered: three days wasn't too long.

In Great Shun, a county's territory was vast; excluding specific counties like Huaiyin County under Huaiyin Prefecture, boundaries were generally drawn by the distance a mid-tier martial artist could run in one day and night in a fixed direction.

Chasing rumors and running around would take at least a day—exhausting and inefficient. Better to stay at camp and wait for Xu Xu Yue's return.

"When Commandant Xu returns, remember to inform me the next day."

"Master Liang, rest assured—when Commandant Xu returns, I'll immediately—uh…" the guard repeated, "the next day?"

"Yes, the next day. It's not urgent. Commandant Xu has been traveling tirelessly with the imperial envoy—there's no rush."

"Understood, sir."

Several days later, the envoy team officially returned to camp, organizing documents and replenishing supplies.

The next day, Liang Qu rose early and rushed to find Xu Xu Yue, who was sorting documents, and made his request.

"Advance merit... you kid."

Xu Xu Yue, pen in hand, smiled wryly.

He wasn't new to duty; subordinates often came begging for early salary advances due to family emergencies—but he'd never heard of anyone asking to advance merit.

To anyone else, Xu Xu Yue would've thrown them out, scolding them for absurd fantasies—but Liang Qu's reasoning held weight: this year's year-end evaluation would indeed grant him a surefire major merit.

Liang Qu chuckled: "The Dawn Bug and Withered Wind Narcissus together require five major merits. If I can't gather them, I'll have to abandon them for alternatives—maybe even swap both, and the results won't be guaranteed. My two martial arts might not break through at all."

Xu Xu Yue pondered long, then laughed and shook his head.

"Fine! Who else but you got the Emperor's direct order? Those who build bridges and dig canals deserve special treatment."

"Go write the application form. I'll submit it. If it succeeds, no reply needed—I'll hand you the items. If it fails, I can't help either."

Liang Qu beamed: "Thank you, Brother Xu Yuelong."

"No problem." Xu Xu Yue leaned back in his chair, squinting with a grin. "I heard from Xiang Fang Su that you got the Emperor's order and promised to host a crab banquet?"

"The biggest one is reserved for you!"

"Hahaha! Back in the capital, I never really tasted them. Governor Zhang of Huaiyin Prefecture said, 'It's not that Huai-Yang river crabs are better—it's just that life's better lived in Huai Prefecture.' Huai-Yang marsh crabs are famed across the land. Do any of them weigh over a catty?"

"Yes! Crabs are cold-natured, so the poor eat little, but the rich eat often. In past years, nearby counties held Crab King contests."

"Not to mention, Langyun Pavilion in Pingyang County once sold a female treasure crab weighing just over a catty for 188 taels! But its actual effect was even worse than an eighteen-tael Red Blood Carp."

Xu Xu Yue whistled: "A treasure crab for over a hundred taels? They really know how to live."

"Huai-Yang is wealthy—there are always wealthy patrons willing to spend."

…

October 10th.

The envoy team prepared to depart camp, heading first to Southern Zhili, then returning to the capital to report.

At the camp gate, everyone came to see them off. The two librarians from the Scripture Hall, Si Si Tianye and Si Si Shenfu, bade Liang Qu farewell.

"Master Liang, rest assured—we will not fail our mission. By month's end next month, we'll deliver the 'Blue Dragon Killing Scripture' into your hands."

"If you can complete the True Art, please mention our names briefly—we'd be deeply grateful."

The cross-level subsidy system caused nearly thirty percent of those exchanging merits to choose merit supplementation, swapping for higher-grade incomplete martial arts.

If completed, the original merit returned—and the librarians who facilitated it gained rewards.

The more supplemented, the higher the martial art's rank, the greater the reward.

Many who exchanged incomplete texts weren't acting blindly, so the two librarians held great hopes for Liang Qu.

"Rest assured, if I can complete it, I won't let a single major merit go to waste."

Major merits in Great Shun were highly valuable.

Liang Qu had always walked two paths: he ate from the Great Marsh and from Great Shun, each feeding the other—fast and steady.

"Master Liang, your righteousness!"

They praised him a few more times, mounted their green horses, gave a simple farewell, and followed the envoy team away.

The camp grew quiet, and the crowd dispersed.

"Finally over. I'm exhausted."

Ke Ko Wenbin stretched wide.

Xiang Fang Su crossed his arms: "Now that it's done, can we go home? Let the new county magistrate finish the rest."

Xu Xu Yue stared at the nearby Qiu Gong Dyke.

The floodwaters in Huazhu County had receded; most refugees were resettled; relief efforts proceeded orderly—no major or urgent matters remained.

"Alright. I'll make a list later. Those on it stay; everyone else, head home quickly."

Cheers erupted throughout the camp.

Unconsciously, they'd been in Huazhu County for nearly two months. No matter how comfortable the tents, they still paled beside a real home.

Liang Qu couldn't help thinking of the Western Army's constant travels—wondering when his senior brother would return.

Afternoon.

The sky was clear and bright. Soldiers carried the list and pasted it on the notice board, drawing a crowd of officials and soldiers who packed the wooden board, jostling and bustling.

Those whose names were on it hung their heads in disappointment; those without names nervously checked and rechecked two or three times before bursting into cheers.

Liang Qu didn't go to look—he knew his name wasn't on it; the list had already circulated internally before posting.

Chest of coins, Dragon Fubo, Yuanmu Bow, Black Iron Bow, quiver, assorted small items piled up.

Liang Qu placed them one by one into a wooden chest; weapons he kept, everything else he had the river clerks load onto the barge.

Camp stable.

Chishan leapt eagerly out of the enclosure.

All horses in the camp stable were cared for uniformly by soldiers—fed, washed together—no special individual treatment. Chishan's quality of life had dropped several levels; he'd long been impatient.

In the stall, Xiang Fang Su was also preparing to leave. He led out his black horse and called out.

"Liang Ashui, how are you going back? Horse or boat? We're planning to stop by Jiangling County to see their Eighteen-Stage Waterfall, stay two days—want to come?"

"You go ahead. I'll take the boat. I need to get back first and catch crabs—wait any longer and it'll be November."

"Hahaha, good! Then we'll wait to eat crab when we get back!"

"Farewell!"

"Farewell!"

On the Heishuihe, Chishan stepped onto the gangplank and boarded the barge.

Liang Qu stood on shore, flipping through papers, skimming them over, then patted Lu Lu Xinqing on the shoulder.

"Well written. Improve it. Strive to become a new person—maybe someday you'll get your sentence reduced."

Lu Lu Xinqing nodded quickly.

"Master, your mercy spared my life—it's a rebirth. I'm endlessly grateful. But…"

"But what?"

"Five hundred characters of reflection every day is too hard. I can barely read—I never attended academy. For days, I've been writing until midnight just to fall asleep."

Lu Lu Xinqing's face was full of worry, and his prominent dark circles made his words utterly believable.

A perfectly capable martial artist, now looking utterly drained, straining every ounce of brainpower daily to write reflections, with no rest—relying entirely on others to borrow books for him.

Just thinking of it made wrinkles form at Lu Lu Xinqing's eyes.

"True enough." Not everyone had an education. Liang Qu listened reasonably to the people's feedback: "I'll reduce it by two hundred. Three hundred characters daily. No less."

The heavy stone on his back lightened by forty percent. Lu Lu Xinqing was ecstatic, nearly dancing with joy.

"Master, you're a bodhisattva! A bodhisattva!"

From his arrest after the dike breach to today, over a month of clear weather had passed. For the first time, Lu Lu Xinqing felt sunlight on his shoulders.

Refreshed and invigorated!

"Alright. Take care of yourself."

"Master, take care!"

Liang Qu boarded the barge and left the harbor.

The low hills on both banks receded until the Qiu Gong Dyke vanished from view.

Bai Awei detached from his wrist, spread his wings, and flew to perch on the bow, his four-leaf wings fluttering in the wind.

In the Heishuihe, giant crocodiles, crab monsters, and other beasts surfaced one after another, all gazing at Liang Qu.

Liang Qu understood their meaning: these beasts and Bai Awei had absorbed similar amounts of essence—only slight differences.

A brand-new evolution!