He Lingchuan needed only to glance, without uttering a word, and a golden jujube was delicately placed into his mouth. Stretching languidly, he sighed inwardly with contentment. Having taken over the original body for over a month, aside from the initial awakening to a body riddled with wounds, his days in Heishui City have been nothing short of blissful.
Situated at the utmost northwestern corner of the Yan Kingdom, Heishui City lies merely ten miles from the border, serving as the formidable gateway for the Great Yan. Although ostensibly prestigious, its geographical position doomed it to lack the emperor's fond gaze, especially since the area had been peaceful without warfare in recent years. However, the silver lining was its remoteness from imperial oversight.
Within his small dominion, the He family reigned supreme, much like emperors of their own soil. As the eldest son of the magistrate, He Lingchuan wielded power to summon the wind and call upon the rain in Heishui City and throughout Qiansong County. His standard of living in terms of dining, entertainment, and daily income was described in three words: only the finest.
The table laden with exquisite delicacies, the playthings in his hands, and his daily income might not encompass all the world's wonders but were luxuries many inland magnates could hardly dream of. He Lingchuan's original self had grown up in such a carefree environment until the age of sixteen. His verdict on his predecessor was simple: a temperamental nature coupled with a dash of arrogance.
This character, always full of youthful vigor, indulged in falconry and hunting, which eventually led to a grave accident on Hulu Mountain. Though his body has since recovered, the new soul inhabiting it has no intention of revisiting such pastimes.
Over the past month, He Lingchuan often found his thoughts drifting back to the cliffside encounter. The demonic leopard that attacked him seemed to have been grievously wounded beforehand. Could the assailant possibly track him down to Heishui City? Yet, as time trickled by, both inside and outside the city walls remained tranquil.
Beneath the facade of a splendid life, undercurrents seemed to swirl, leaving him, a man only destined to possess good fortune, feeling somewhat uneasy amidst the fragrance of privileges.
He Lingchuan sipped his lukewarm wine, feeling slightly suffocated, and gestured for Uncle Hao to open the window. With the window flung open, a cool breeze swept in, causing those on the second floor to shiver involuntarily. Papers on the neighboring box's table were whisked away, two of which were small-denomination banknotes, sparking a scramble below.
Ignoring the commotion downstairs, Liu Baobao tightened his clothes. He Lingchuan inhaled deeply, dispelling the minor gloom. Just as the play downstairs concluded, he led the applause, exclaiming, "Excellent! Reward them!" With that, he casually removed a jade ornament from his waist to be given as a tip.
With a leading figure setting the precedent, the atmosphere reached its zenith, and the audience below followed suit in generosity.
Outside the window lay Heishui City's main street, bustling sounds wafting in with the breeze. He Lingchuan glanced out to see the streets teeming, more crowded than ever. The thrice-expanded main street, now wide enough for eight standard carriages to travel abreast, was packed without a gap in sight. "Such lively scenes, aren't they?"
Uncle Hao, standing beside He Lingchuan, responded, "We've entered August. Merchants are hurrying to pass through before the closure of the Hongya Trade Route, aiming to transport the last batch of goods before winter."
This was the bodyguard assigned by the He family patriarch to protect his beloved son from further accidents. He Lingchuan nodded in acknowledgment.
Perched on the edge of the Panlong Desert, Heishui City might seem desolate but served as a critical passageway connecting the western countries with the Great Yan, renowned as an essential checkpoint on the famed Hongya Route.
Desert merchants faced dangers from unpredictable weather and frequent bandits, with the Panlong Desert recognized as particularly perilous. Countless predecessors had forged a relatively safe passage through the Panlong Desert, known as the Hongya Trade Route.
However, the heart of the Panlong Desert transforms come September, rendering even the Hongya Trade Route unsafe. Thus, experienced merchants timed their crossings carefully, allowing them to profit handsomely by hiking prices during the route's closure.
In its busiest season, while elsewhere celebrated the year's end, Heishui City thrived in the present moment. Wealthy merchants flocked, boosting all trades. The streets echoed with vendors' calls, and the inns' troughs had no vacancies. Surely, the taxes collected these two months were