Chapter 00120: The Old Emperor's Leftover Piece
# The Old Emperor's Leftover Piece
Chapter 120
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 120: The Old Emperor's Leftover Piece
At this moment, the wine had been warmed, and with the addition of a few slices of ginger, a rich aroma filled the air.
He Chunhua's chef cut a piece of fish weighing about five pounds, seasoned it with various spices, and placed it over the fire to roast.
Soon, the fragrance of oil and spices was released by the flames.
Lu Yao laughed, "I thought Master He had some special way of eating, but it turns out to be just roasting over fire."
"The tools aren't ideal, so we have to make do with the seasoning," the chef said as he flipped the fish and brushed it with sauce, repeating the process every ten flips.
By the time the fish was cooked, it had turned a beautiful reddish-brown color.
The fish was served to the two leaders.
Lu Yao took a bite and was surprised to find that the fish had two distinct flavors.
A piece of fish the size of his fist was divided into two halves.
One half had a crispy, fragrant skin that melted in the mouth, with the thick layer of fat beneath the skin seeping into the meat, removing any fishy taste.
The other half seemed to be coated with an unknown sauce, salty and fragrant with a hint of sweetness and a touch of sourness, making it exceptionally refreshing.
"Not bad, not bad," Lu Yao said, taking a bite of fish and a sip of wine, giving a thumbs-up.
"As expected from a family that once enjoyed the finest delicacies!"
"You flatter me," He Chunhua replied, picking up a piece of fish.
"Even at the height of my family's prosperity, we never reached the level of the Nine Ministers, let alone enjoyed such luxuries."
"The Saint Master once mentioned your name when reviewing the officials of the Great Falcon," Lu Yao said with a smile.
"He said you were a talented individual."
He Chunhua raised an eyebrow.
The "Saint Master" Lu Yao referred to was none other than the rebel leader Hong Xiangqian.
It was said that this man possessed extraordinary abilities, capable of even reviving the dead and using various divine powers on the battlefield.
This last point was particularly unusual.
It was well known that the imperial army could harness elemental energy during battles, which greatly suppressed the use of divine arts.
Throughout history, countless practitioners of divine arts had been hunted down and killed by the imperial forces.
Yet, Hong Xiangqian could use his divine powers on the battlefield without any reduction in effectiveness.
This was because he had established his own regime and could also control and allocate elemental energy.
This was likely the reason why the Falcon Court was so eager to eliminate the rebels.
If they didn't remove this threat, a second regime within the Great Falcon would grow and strengthen.
Hong Xiangqian was already dead, but even someone as fearless as Lu Yao, who would dare to stir trouble even in the underworld, still spoke of him with respect.
From this alone, He Chunhua knew that Hong Xiangqian was no ordinary man, far from the villain and fraud the court had declared him to be.
However, as an official of the court, He Chunhua had no intention of showing any admiration for him.
"I heard that your family was wiped out, and you were the only survivor. You were then exiled to Qiansong County by the old fool of an emperor when you were just over ten years old, right? Hmm, you went to Qiansong County and became a mere courier. Most people would have lived out their lives in obscurity. But you managed to seize the opportunity when foreign enemies invaded, taking advantage of the sandstorm in the desert... what was it called again?"
"Panlong."
"Ah, yes, the Panlong Desert. The sandstorm made it impassable for several months. At that time, the city was still under the control of the Anton people. You gathered a crowd and killed the Anton envoy in the streets, which must have scared the city's inhabitants. Why didn't they kill you?"
"The Anton people had occupied Heishui City for many years, and the Falcon Kingdom had never tried to take it back. The Anton people thought our country was weak and only installed a few puppets to manage Heishui City," He Chunhua said calmly.
"We killed those puppets and used the sandstorm season to deal with the remaining Anton people in the city. By the time the sandstorm season ended, Heishui City had been successfully reclaimed."
Lu Yao slammed the table and laughed, "Well done, well done! Did the governor of Jinzhou reward you heavily?"
"No," He Chunhua said, taking a bite of fish.
"I was arrested and thrown into prison. As soon as I entered the cell, I was given thirty lashes for the crime of assassinating a foreign envoy and inciting border conflicts. Fortunately, the jailer took pity on me and went easy on the beating, even sending me some medicine. The next day, half the city's residents came to petition for my release. The officials, fearing a riot, let me go."
"I told the governor of Jinzhou that the Anton people wouldn't retaliate, but he didn't believe me. However, Heishui City remained peaceful for two years, and it wasn't until the third year that the Anton people returned. The governor of Jinzhou couldn't handle the situation, and someone suggested that whoever caused the trouble should solve it. That's how I was pushed forward."
Lu Yao nodded, "You repelled the Anton people."
"Three times. After that, they didn't invade again," He Chunhua said.
"The governor of Jinzhou took credit for the victory, but my deeds had already spread to the capital, and the king knew about them. He promoted me exceptionally."
Lu Yao asked curiously, "How did you know that the Anton people would tolerate the killing of their envoy?"
"In my last year as a courier, I heard from merchants on the Red Cliff Road that the Anton king had died, and the country was in turmoil."
"That's it? That's not much evidence, is it?"
He Chunhua smiled slightly, "The Anton king's eldest son died young, and the second and fourth sons were constantly vying for power. The second son was ruthless, and the fourth son was cunning. Neither could defeat the other in a short time, so the country remained in turmoil. Given this, their conflict would likely drag on, and they wouldn't have the energy to deal with places like the Red Cliff Road and Heishui City, which were of little importance."
Lu Yao stroked his chin, "How did you win later?"
"The Anton royal family was in chaos, and eventually, the fourth son emerged victorious. But the country had been weakened for years and was in decline. Sending troops to retake Heishui City was more about saving face. After three failed attempts, they gave up," He Chunhua said with a smile.
"Now, the Anton Kingdom has a very good relationship with us."
"No wonder the Saint Master said that if someone like you were stationed in the inland areas of the Falcon Kingdom, the rebel army's northward advance wouldn't have been so smooth."
He Chunhua was slightly moved.
This was high praise, but it also underestimated the capabilities of the Falcon Kingdom's officials.
"Your family suffered an unjust calamity, and you've achieved much in the border regions, showcasing your talents. Why hasn't the court ever given you an important position?"
He Chunhua gave a bitter smile.
This was a difficult question to answer.
"The Saint Master mentioned once that you were a piece left by the old emperor for his successor, a useful piece," Lu Yao said with a laugh.
"On one hand, they kept you in Qiansong County to continue tempering your spirit. On the other hand, they left you for the next emperor to use, so you would be grateful to the new ruler who promoted you and would serve him loyally. After all, it was his father who killed your family, and it was he who gave you a chance to rise. Unfortunately, the current emperor is a fool who squandered the great gift the old man left him."
"Hmm, does the Saint Master's reasoning make sense?"
He Chunhua lowered his gaze and remained silent for a while before saying, "General Lu, I appreciate your concern for me."
"With such an emperor, why are you still serving him?" Lu Yao chuckled.
"Even Dong Haoming, who served his family for many years, has rebelled. Are you still eager to join the ranks?"
"There's still a chance to set things right," He Chunhua said before Lu Yao could argue.
"The Grand Marshal attempted a coup in the capital but failed and has now retreated to Wuzhou. The city is well-fortified and has ample supplies. The people only know the Donglai Prefecture and not the Falcon Emperor, which shows that the Grand Marshal had long prepared. If you were in his position, how would you attack?"
(End of Chapter)