Chapter 734: Whether This Heart Remains the Same

Chapter 734: Does This Heart Remain the Same?

The Qiao family was the one Zhao Changhe and Yue Hongling had encountered beyond the Great Wall. At the time, too many matters pressed upon them, and they never returned to settle the score; later, they nearly forgot entirely.

The headman of Huangsha Market, Guigui, knew of this affair, and what Guigui knew, Zhuque would come to know as well. Thus, when Zhuque set out this time, she naturally chose that family as her first target. Before the reordering of the Chaotic World Ranking, it had become difficult for anyone’s battles to be announced; one could hardly track news through shifts in the ranking. Yet the jianghu had its own "rumors on the wind," and such a momentous event was easy enough to learn of.

It sounded as though Zhuque had once again cut a dashing and fearsome figure, but Zhao Changhe furrowed his brow instead: "Why would her slaughter of such a Shanxi merchant clan cause the Dharmic Aspect of the Imperial Realm to blaze across the southern skies..."

A thought suddenly struck him: even if the Chaotic World Ranking did not announce it, Blind Girl must have witnessed it. Could he perhaps curry favor with her, so that she might secretly inform him of distant events in the future...

Li Shentong found his expression rather amusing. Damn it, that was an Imperial Realm cultivator, on par with me—maybe even stronger than me. Look at you, fretting like a father worried sick over some fledgling girl out in the world.

He said leisurely, "Since a Dharmic Aspect of the Imperial Realm manifested, it means some demon god must have been present at the scene. Yet the world only speaks of the Qiao family’s destruction, which means Zhuque won. What are you worried about?"

"Worried she might be hurt. Damn it, how does going after a Shanxi merchant also lead to an Imperial Realm opponent?"

"In this age, it’s no surprise that some undead demon god might pop up anywhere. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have sent Zhuque for this task—any of the Twenty-Eight Mansions would have sufficed. The reason you sent Zhuque was precisely because you anticipated many unforeseen complications."

"...I suppose so."

Li Shentong found it amusing and poured a bowl of wine for both him and Yue Hongling: "Zhuque has roamed the world for over a decade, with more experience in jianghu and battle than the two of you combined. Worrying about someone like her is less pressing than worrying about yourself—like whether coming here to me might get you harmed. No matter how strong you are, this is our home ground. You’re deep in peril now, and you don’t even feel it."

Zhao Changhe said, "That’s why I said I came as a friend of Situ Xiao. As a senior in the jianghu, Lord Li always has some face to save."

Li Shentong laughed heartily: "Even if you came as an envoy, we wouldn’t harm a messenger. The one who most disregards rules and harms messengers in this world seems to be you, Zhao Changhe."

Zhao Changhe: "..."

Li Shentong sipped his wine leisurely: "If you want to talk jianghu matters, I’ll talk jianghu with you. Go on, what do you want to discuss?"

Zhao Changhe said, "Does Lord Li know that Xuexiao has broken through to the Imperial Realm?"

Li Shentong paused, then shook his head: "I didn’t know, but it’s no surprise he could break through."

"If I remember correctly, before Lord Li rose up, your greatest fear was him lurking in the shadows. Originally, the Ba and Shu regions were his covert domain; many aristocratic families and officials there were infiltrated by the Bashan Sword Hut. He himself hid as a senior advisor beside Zhai Muzhi, wielding deeper control over Ba and Shu than you do now. Lord Li committed many massacres, and I suspect a large part of that was to uproot the Tingxue Tower."

Li Shentong thought to himself, you’re actually discussing jianghu matters, and quite important ones at that. Though these so-called jianghu matters fundamentally stem from control over Ba and Shu, the two are inseparable.

Zhao Changhe leaned back in his chair, sipping wine lazily: "The jianghu is but a corner of the realm; it cannot be separated, Lord Li. Just as when you raised your arm and called out, the Divine Sovereign Sect became a righteous army. Sects, guilds, violent organizations—they can transform at any time. The key is only strength."

Li Shentong nodded: "True. I once thought the jianghu had nothing to do with the world, but now I deeply understand it’s all the same thing. The difference is only strength."

He paused, tapping the table with his finger: "Some of my killings were indeed aimed at eradicating the Tingxue Tower. But not all of them. Situ Xiao should have told you that a large portion weren’t committed by us. And those we did kill were scoundrels with clear evidence of crimes—they deserved death."

Zhao Changhe said, "So, has the Tingxue Tower been uprooted now?"

Li Shentong shook his head: "It’s impossible to eliminate completely... I’m not even sure how many hidden agents of the Tingxue Tower remain among our officials. There’s a big problem: you know their sword-slave method makes the victim unaware they are a slave. This concealment runs too deep for us to discern. I won’t hide this from you—it’s indeed a hidden danger in Ba and Shu, especially now that Xuexiao has also broken through to the Imperial Realm. He’s in the shadows, and we truly don’t know what he plans."

Zhao Changhe said, "What if I could help you root them out?"

Li Shentong paused, squinting at him without speaking.

Situ Xiao interjected at the right moment: "Hey, are you helping us clear out hidden dangers? Isn’t that aiding the enemy?"

Zhao Changhe chuckled: "Privately, it helps my brother; publicly, it secures the peace of Ba and Shu. What enemy is there to aid?"

Situ Xiao pursed his lips, glanced at his master, and fell silent.

Li Shentong said, "You mean you don’t need anything in exchange?"

Zhao Changhe said, "No need."

The master and disciple glanced at Yue Hongling again. She was busy eating meat and drinking wine, saying nothing the whole time, as if Zhao Changhe’s words were only natural.

Both fell silent for a moment, then Li Shentong finally said, "Perhaps you also want to deal with Xuexiao... but one thing at a time. Li does not accept favors without cause. Prince Zhao may make one request."

Zhao Changhe said, "Since Lord Li says so, I’ll make one."

Li Shentong nodded, already prepared for him to raise the matter of advancing into Hanzhong. Anyone who wasn’t a fool knew that Zhao Changhe’s main purpose in coming to Ba and Shu was to form an alliance to strike at Guanlong.

In truth, this didn’t need Zhao Changhe to bring up. Any ruler unwilling to settle for partial peace would naturally want to expand outward. It was well known that Ba and Shu were a plain nestled among mountains, ideal for holding out. But if one remained content with that, watching the Central Plains unify, competing in recovery, sooner or later one mine couldn’t match ten—only death awaited.

Ba and Shu generally had two routes outward: either toward Jingxiang or up to Hanzhong. Geostrategically, Hanzhong was often more important; taking the Guanlong region would replicate many historical patterns, as seen in the Qin and Han dynasties. Thus, long ago, Li Shentong had attempted to take Hanzhong, but failed and soon withdrew due to the alliance’s dragon-slaying campaign.

Now, with Li Shentong deeply hating Li Gongsi for inviting the enemy through the pass, he would naturally want to attack Hanzhong again, waiting only for the right moment.

In other words, even if Zhao Changhe didn’t propose an alliance to strike the Li family, Li Shentong would do it himself. Of course, he would assess the situation; more likely, he’d wait for the new Han dynasty and the Li family to clash before swooping in, rather than coordinating. But since Zhao Changhe brought it up, coordination was reasonable and nothing to refuse.

Zhao Changhe took a sip of wine and said slowly, "On my journey here, I saw that the people of Ba and Shu have received some grain, money, and clothing for the winter—a righteous act by Lord Li, which moves me deeply. But I’m not sure if they’ve been allotted land. If so, I’ll say no more; if not, I hope Lord Li will distribute it and set proper rules... Don’t let the new powers fall back into the old patterns, rendering everything we’ve done meaningless."

Li Shentong was stunned: "This is your request?"

"Yes." Zhao Changhe said, "I do have some selfish motives. The Han dynasty’s approach to resolving land annexation by aristocratic families has been very gradual, with many lingering issues... Passing through here, I saw that smashing the old order and reshaping it makes things easier. Just now, with Lu Jianzhang and others courting death, the capital region also has a bit of that smashed-and-reshaped feel. And with Old Cui now cooperating, it’s the best time... If Ba and Shu can do it well, the experience or template could be pushed to the Central Plains, making things easier for Chichi and Wanzhuang."

You call this selfish motives?

Li Shentong was silent for a long time, then slowly said, "We have distributed land, but the matter is extremely complex. Everything relies on grassroots officials, and it’s easy for deception to occur. I’ve heard that in many places, implementation has been unsatisfactory."

Zhao Changhe said, "Set up an inspection and patrol system. Want me to help you organize people from the former Demon Suppression Bureau? They have plenty of experience in inspections, and they’re also very adept at official paperwork—unlike you, who are blind in the dark and easily deceived."

Li Shentong stared at him with a strange expression for a long while: "Are you treating this place as the Han’s Shu Commandery?"

"I treat it as nothing, because Ba and Shu belong to the people." Zhao Changhe said, "The question is, Lord Li, why did you raise an army? And today, does this heart remain the same?"

Li Shentong and Situ Xiao exchanged a silent glance.

Governing a region was not as simple as they had imagined. For example, the Divine Sovereign Sect had once naively believed they could let the people pay no taxes and everyone would have a good life, only to find it was a dream—without taxes, nothing could be done. They had plenty of grain and money from looting the wealthy, perhaps even more than the court, but what use was that? What about next year? The year after?

The early slogan of "no taxes" had been swallowed back; they were now studying tax systems, many details copied from the new Han dynasty, which they found more reasonable than the old Great Xia’s, such as requiring both officials and commoners to pay taxes.

This was just one example; there were many others. Does this heart remain the same? Hard to say.

Well, looking at tax systems and official structures, calling this place the Han’s Shu Commandery wasn’t far off—almost identical, except without the Demon Suppression Bureau.

Saying "only discuss jianghu" and ending up here—was it still jianghu? Not necessarily not, because it was the people’s Ba and Shu. What was jianghu if not this?

If this was chivalry, it was the great chivalry.

Zhao Changhe’s bowl was empty; he picked up the jug and refilled it himself, continuing, "Actually, seeing the situation in Ba and Shu has stirred many thoughts and touched some emotions... Things I never said in the capital, because the circumstances are different. For instance, I have some basic cultivation techniques here. Could Lord Li distribute them on my behalf?"

Li Shentong asked seriously, "What does this mean?"

"Let everyone practice martial arts... let everyone read." Zhao Changhe said, "If Lord Li agrees, I can also have literacy materials sent from the capital..."

Li Shentong was silent for a long time, then slowly said, "Ba and Shu have them. No need to send."

"Are there teachers?"

"...Yes. This is Ba and Shu, not the Miao frontier."

"Does Lord Li mean you’re willing to do it?"

Li Shentong said, "You’re giving me trouble. Even if I’m willing, I don’t have the leisure to handle such matters."

Zhao Changhe said, "When the barbarians are driven out and the world is at peace, I’ll come do it myself—how about that? I’m not joking. I’m very interested."

"Are you treating this place as the Han’s Shu Commandery?"

"If the world is at peace, there will be no need for a Prince Zhao. I’ll resign and come do this."

If the world is at peace, would there still be a need for Li Shentong?

Whether Li Shentong thought of himself or not, at this moment, the master and disciple watched Zhao Changhe casually eating meat and drinking wine, and for a long time, they didn’t know what to say.

From start to finish, the conversation between the two sides had gone against everyone’s preconceptions, leaving the master and disciple’s minds buzzing, and leaving the Divine Sovereign Sect’s high-ranking members and Ba-Shu officials who had been eavesdropping nearby utterly dumbfounded.

The core point was: does your heart remain the same? If so, then all this should be welcomed and coordinated—it was all for the people. Where was the struggle for power?

A faint smile touched Yue Hongling’s lips. Zhao Changhe had never discussed these things with her, but she felt they were only natural. She knew this was Zhao Changhe’s true intent, utterly devoid of any strategic scheming.

Others were lost in thought, but Zhao Changhe ate and drank as if no one else were there, wiping his mouth with satisfaction after his fill, then leaning back in his chair and drawling, "Actually, when I said we'd only talk about the martial world, I didn't mean this—it was something else."

"Something else?" Li Shentong said woodenly. "Speak."

"Whether you attack Hanzhong or not is your affair. If you don't, you'll just stew in those endless mountains, and I don't need to spell out the consequences." Zhao Changhe said, "Of course, you might choose to attack our Great Han instead—say, by striking at Jingxiang... If you do, your rear will be in jeopardy."

This was precisely what the fellow should have said upon arriving in Bashu. Li Shentong, hearing it, felt a sense of relief—you should have said this long ago... He replied, "We know about the upheaval in Miaojiang. Is this your threat, King Zhao?"

"I have no intention of threatening anyone. I do these things merely as a precaution—one must be wary, that's all." Zhao Changhe said, "I told you, whether you attack Hanzhong is your business. As for me, I don't need reinforcements at all. As long as you don't cause me trouble, I can settle Guanlong in one battle."

"Is that so..." Li Shentong smiled, offering no argument.

The Han army was stretched thin, short on food and supplies, dealing with both the Northern Hu and the Li family—how could it be as easy as Zhao Changhe claimed? Let him boast if he wished.

But then Zhao Changhe continued, "If I need to ally with Bashu for anything, it's only to borrow one person. This is a matter of martial arts, naturally a matter of the jianghu."

Li Shentong laughed. "Borrow who? Situ?"

Zhao Changhe shook his head, pointing at Li Shentong. "Borrow the Sect Leader Li."

Li Shentong twitched the corner of his mouth, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"There are no noteworthy experts in Guanlong—perhaps the Kunlun gods and demons... but you might know them better than I. Kunlun is chaotic, and they have little interest in worldly conquest, so our main focus should be on the Northern Hu." Zhao Changhe said, "For leading troops in battle, I trust General Huangfu's skill. Whether holding Yanmen or counterattacking beyond the frontier, that's General Huangfu's affair, not ours. As for me, I am a martial artist. My opponents are Bo'e, Tiemuer, the Vulture and the Hunting Fang... and the Eternal Heaven God."

Li Shentong's eyes finally turned serious.

Zhao Changhe continued, "The Northern Hu have many strong warriors, far beyond Guanlong. Tiemuer and Bo'e rank first and second on the Heavenly List, both at the Imperial Realm. From the look of Bo'e, I'd say he's already past the early stage of the first level of the Imperial Realm. Just because Xia Longyuan fought them easily doesn't mean we can—this is a life-or-death battle with our heads on the line. I have no certainty of defeating him, let alone facing the Eternal Heaven God. I need help."

With that, he stood up and said earnestly, "I have Zhuque and Xuanwu, Hongling and Wanzhuang—but it's not enough. I need the Heavenly List of the Divine Land to join me in this great endeavor. In the Imperial Ancestral Temple, I saw your fury against the Hu, Sect Leader Li... That's why, when you broke through to the Imperial Realm, I was not alarmed but delighted. Would you be willing to set aside our factional strife and ride with me to the Han Sea, so that the Hu dare not look south, and grant the Divine Land a century of peace?"

Li Shentong nearly blurted out "It has long been my wish," but choked it back. After a long moment, he exhaled a turbid breath and said slowly, "Situ... arrange a guest courtyard. Entertain King Zhao and Lady Yue for a rest."

Situ Xiao rose and bowed. "Yes."

On the way to the guest courtyard, Situ Xiao looked left and right, then whispered pleadingly, "Old Zhao..."

"Huh?"

"Borrow one more person—I want to go too."

Zhao Changhe didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

In the banquet hall, Li Shentong paced back and forth. Elder Shi and other high-ranking members of the Divine Flame Sect slowly entered from the side hall, exchanging silent glances for a long while.

After some time, Li Shentong finally said, "What do you think? How much of Zhao Changhe's words are false, and how much true?"

In theory, there was a possibility that it was all a bluff from start to finish. If Li Shentong, naive as a fool, followed Zhao Changhe north alone and was killed on his turf, Bashu would be finished.

Even if it were true, Li Shentong could still choose not to go. Going would be strange—just as Zhao Changhe had so naturally treated this place as the Han's Shu Commandery, were they still enemies? What was their rebellion for?

Watching the Han fight the Northern Hu and Guanlong to the death and then swooping in to pick the fruits was the best plan. The Miaojiang threat, though real, could be defended against.

But if that were the case, Li Shentong would no longer be Li Shentong... The Divine Flame Sect would be reviled by all, like a rat crossing the street, beaten by everyone.

The members of the Divine Flame Sect exchanged uneasy glances for a long while. Elder Shi said bitterly, "I don't know. If these words are Zhao Changhe's scheming, then he's a real bastard, roasting us over the fire of public opinion."

Li Shentong pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "In other words, we only need to see if these words are deliberately spread to know whether he's sincere."

Everyone's spirits lifted. "Exactly."

Li Shentong glanced sidelong at his fellow disciples and suddenly asked, "And if it is true?"

Elder Shi was silent for a long time, then finally said, "If it is true, then among the heroes of this world, there is only this man."