Chapter 00257: Returning to Old Business
# Returning to Old Business
Chapter 257
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 257: Returning to Old Business
Hong Chenglue's gaze slowly shifted, as if he had suddenly understood something but was also filled with righteous indignation.
"It turns out it was you!" he said coldly.
"Just based on this, I should kill you!"
The killing intent emanating from him caused the temperature in the surroundings to drop several degrees.
Wu Qing took a step back, avoiding his sharp edge, but did not plead for mercy.
He knew that Hong Chenglue was a man of his word.
Indeed, Hong Chenglue's killing aura soon retracted, and he continued to ask him, "Why did you seek my brother and instigate him to seek death?"
Wu Qing hurriedly waved his hands, "Lord Hong, your resolve is one of the strongest I have ever encountered among the people I've met. How could I possibly instigate him? He firmly believes that the Yuan Wang Court is beyond redemption and that only by completely overthrowing it and establishing a new nation can the common people find blessing. My master merely lent him a bit of support."
"And his death has nothing to do with you?"
"The righteous army was flourishing, moving smoothly along its path. Who knew that Mr. Hong would suddenly suffer defeat and perish? My master was also deeply shocked."
"Really?" Hong Chenglue shook the letter in his hand.
"Does your master know why the deity my brother prayed to suddenly disappeared?"
"This…" Wu Qing was taken aback, "This is the first time I've heard of it."
"Mr. Hong… General Hong!" He stepped forward earnestly and said, "My master wishes to invite you to rise again!"
"I'm not going," Hong Chenglue replied as if he had long anticipated this request.
"I have sworn a blood oath never to use magical powers again and never to lead an army to kill!"
Otherwise, all the suffering he endured over the years and the hardships his wife endured alongside him would mean nothing!
"Forgive me for speaking bluntly, but although you swore such an oath before heaven, heaven did not bless the safety of you and your child. Your vow may not take effect."
Hong Chenglue fell silent.
His wife suffered a difficult childbirth, laboring for two days without success.
He knew he had accumulated too much blood on his hands, and coupled with the tense situation, he could not help but to give up his official position and make a vow hoping for a happy outcome.
Who knew that heaven would not show mercy; his son was still lost.
Although his wife survived, she was left with grave injuries, her vital energy depleting and her meridians failing, gradually paralyzing her over the years.
He sought the best doctors but they all said it was beyond treatment.
From this perspective, it seemed that Wu Qing was not entirely wrong.
When you plead with it, it does not respond.
Are there still promises left between you?
"Moreover, if the object of your original prayer was not the heavens but the divine beings…" Perhaps it could be realized?
Hong Chenglue said faintly, "Shut up, I have no dealings with gods and spirits!"
Wu Qing lowered his head slightly.
"I have heard Lord Hong express more than once that if you were willing to work together with him, he would strategize while you commanded the armies. There would be few rivals in the world, and the situation of the nation could be changed."
He pointed to the box on the table and said, "Lord Hong has also mentioned that although you are skilled in combat, with regards to these external matters, you only have the fate of scattering wealth. If you wish to continue living in seclusion, as long as you do not recklessly use it, this money should be enough for you to pass the rest of your days."
Hong Chenglue smiled bitterly.
In the end, it was still his brother who understood him best.
"However…" Wu Qing glanced at the corpse on the ground.
"It is not appropriate for you to stay here any longer."
Killing officers was no small crime anywhere.
Hong Chenglue nodded.
He could not linger here.
"I can read faces and observe aura. Forgive my bluntness, but I must say, Mr. Hong, your brow is dark, and you are shrouded in misfortune. These past few years of retreat must have been unsatisfactory, right?" Wu Qing spoke cautiously.
"Since you've relinquished your official identity and no longer have your primordial power’s protection, the killing karma you have accumulated, as well as the curses cast upon you by others, will likely come back to haunt you."
He pointed at the box.
"Assessing your fortune like water, it seems to be waning. Even if you obtain this money, you cannot hold onto it, and it may eventually be entirely scattered."
Hong Chenglue was well aware of this.
The last time he withdrew, he was certainly not lacking money, yet his house was either engulfed in flames or struck by flood, forcing him to move.
After settling down in the new county, he bought properties and farmland, but then the bank where he kept his savings, which had a great reputation and numerous branches, suddenly went bankrupt, leaving him as a victim with half of his money gone.
Normally, the remaining real estate should be fine, right? Wrong.
At that time, he was in Lingzhou, where he had bought the properties, but Lingzhou later fell to the northern demon country, and the land deeds in his hands became worthless paper…
After arriving in Bailu Town, he even partnered with others in business, but every investment led to losses; the more he invested, the more he lost, and now he was almost down to his last shirt.
He had thought about engaging in illicit activities under the cover of night, but the money he managed to obtain always seemed to inexplicably vanish…
Who said that capable people could make a name for themselves anywhere? Who said buying houses and land could maintain value and turn a profit? He truly wanted to slit the throats of the fraudsters!
Having a wealth of millions could not withstand such ruin.
He also knew he had been secretly cursed by someone, repelling it a few times, but each time it came back, and he became too lazy to spend money on unnecessary exorcisms.
It was then that Wu Qing pulled out a jade vial from his bosom and placed it on the table.
"This is a blood-gathered red jade pill refined by my master. Each pill can be taken in three doses, and even ordinary people can benefit from it, clearing their meridians and promoting blood flow. Take it once every ten days for ten doses, and chronic ailments may be resolved."
Could this pill allow his wife to walk after three months of taking it? Hong Chenglue was moved, realizing that the opponent had kept the trump card until the end.
Convincing someone had to appeal to both emotion and reason, and Wu Qing simply threw out two favors, knowing that logic couldn't convince him.
"Alright, we will follow you."
Hong Chenglue sighed deeply, no longer resisting.
"We need to find a way to sneak out of the town."
Wu Qing smiled, "The carriage is already prepared, waiting outside. At this moment, every household is in fear, and no one will pay us any mind. The merchant caravan sets off this afternoon and can take us away from Bailu Town."
Hong Chenglue suddenly recalled the three youths who had been beheaded.
Though the new Zhou official had just taken office and his reputation was loud, he understood that from the smallest village to the largest city, there was fundamentally no significant change, regardless of who held that position.
In truth, the entirety of the Yuan Kingdom was the same.
Otherwise, why would his brother Hong Xiangqian risk life and death?
After all, without any possessions, he picked up his burden, carried his wife, and boarded the carriage.
Wu Qing locked the door to the courtyard behind him.
Not far away, an old woman walked past, her eyes full of curiosity.
"Mr. Hong, where are you going?"
Hong Chenglue smiled back but did not speak, lowering the curtains of the carriage to block others' view.
This old woman often liked to come to his house to stroll around and take things casually.
Soon, the carriage reached the end of the alley.
Hong Chenglue took one last glance back, the disordered alley shrinking in his view.
This was his home for six years in the bustling streets, devoid of the comfort of 'great concealment in a city,' only the pain of a common person, deeply ground down by life’s trials.
From now on, he must say goodbye to this kind of stagnation.
Wu Qing handed him a document of authority and a plate shaped like a scale.
The plate was thick, though it was unclear whether it was modeled after a turtle shell or a snake skin; its edge had tiny serrations, and when turned over, there were only a few words inscribed in bright red:
Beijia.
General Qingwu.
After biting his fingertip to stamp the document, he took the plate, and suddenly, a strong yellow light erupted from his body!
Fortunately, he was in the carriage, and no outsiders could see it.
Primordial power.
He closed his eyes, silently feeling the long-lost primordial power.
In that moment when the yellow light lit up, all the misfortune, curses, and bad luck accumulated on him were swept away!
Before Hong Chenglue even opened his eyes, he felt an immediate sense of lightness, like his mind was clear.
The troubles that had plagued him for years were effortlessly dispelled.
Wu Qing clapped his hands and laughed, "Congratulations, General Hong, your ill fortune is entirely removed, and you can now showcase your great talents!"
Hong Chenglue also sighed inwardly.
The wondrous use of primordial power was such that no matter how extraordinary your magical abilities or unmatched your valor, one still needed to come to the royal court to seek a position.
Having experienced its benefits, how could he easily give it up?
His wife grasped his arm, feeling quite uneasy.
"Are you really going to return to your old occupation?"
Hong Chenglue looked at her firmly and said, "You must recover and stand up!" If he didn’t return, he wouldn’t be able to get the remaining red jade pills.
"But that prophecy says that you… you will ultimately…"
"Die in warfare?" Hong Chenglue smiled slightly, his eyes regaining their light.
"A Jin, I’ve had enough of the days in seclusion. You and I both know that the only thing I excel at is claiming the lives of enemies with my blades."
As he spoke these words, an aura around him gradually began to emerge, as if a sleeping lion had awakened, revealing its fangs.
From this moment on, he seemed to have transformed into another person.
"As long as you have thought it through," his wife A Jin sighed long, unsure how to advise him, she turned to Wu Qing and asked, "Where are we headed?"
"Thirty miles north of Bailu Town, there is Wu Family Village," Wu Qing replied, showing her respect, "Three teams of horsemen will meet there, and many are waiting for an audience with General Hong."
Soon, their carriage merged into a merchant caravan and headed north.
￥￥￥￥￥
News from the north brought joy:
Zhao Pan led troops to reclaim Songlin Pass within the territory of Xiazhou.
The forces from Xunzhou had invaded Xiazhou and were consistently attempting to attack cities and secure their foothold, but Zhao Pan's actions shattered one of their crucial strongholds, pushing the Xunzhou forces back over twenty miles.
Among this, the timely transportation of military resources from Xiazhou to the frontline was also one of the key reasons for the victory.
The frontline soldiers did not have to suffer hunger, naturally improving morale.
In fact, according to descriptions from the grain transportation officials returning to Dunyu, as soon as the supplies arrived at the frontline, there was a chorus of cheers in the camp.
Naturally, Xiazhou's government immediately shared this joyful news with the people of Dunyu.
With victories in the two battles, the spirits of the Dunyu people were lifted, and the city was gradually stabilizing, allowing all walks of life to return to normal.
This was greatly beneficial for He Lingchuan, as Ding Zuodong had already sub-leased the shops he had recently acquired at ten percent below market price.
He originally specialized in purchasing shops in prime locations, and when the market improved, his properties would naturally be in demand.
According to his report to He Lingchuan, the properties under He Shao's name now included:
Close to a hundred acres of good farmland, twenty-seven shops, one fishery, two self-operated restaurants, one pharmacy, one time-honored oil shop, one commercial firm, and six warehouses of various sizes.
Two months ago, He Lingchuan would have to spend at least double to buy these high-quality assets.
Of course, all these properties were managed by Ding Zuodong.
(End of chapter)