175: Chapter 176 Plotting Against Huacheng

Chief of Internal Affairs Sun Qian heard this, slowly nodded, and the expression in his eyes sank.

That was right.

Business was business.

But the current situation was no longer just about business.

If The Four Cities really had deeper intentions toward Flower City, then Heyang's stance at this moment would carry a completely different significance.

Zhao Yi, holding the ledger, nodded repeatedly at his side.

"We should go."

"We must go."

"And the sooner, the better."

"If we go late, it will look like we have a guilty conscience."

Several department heads also voiced their agreement.

"That's right."

"Since we've taken a stand, we should stand firm."

"We can't let Flower City guess what we mean on their own."

Sha Chenghu stood to the side. Hearing this, his already tense shoulders and back suddenly straightened even further.

It seemed he had been waiting for these words.

Once the voices of the others died down, he immediately stepped forward and cupped his hands in a salute.

"City Lord."

City Lord Qin Fang looked up at him.

Sha Chenghu said in a deep voice:

"I will go on this trip."

He didn't say any polite phrases like "requesting the honor," and his voice wasn't loud, but his decisiveness was palpable.

It was simply: I'm going.

No need to pick anyone else.

The few people in the Council Hall subconsciously looked toward him upon hearing this.

Chief of Internal Affairs Sun Qian frowned slightly, seemingly wanting to say that Sha Chenghu's temperament was too blunt and might not be tactful enough.

But on second thought, this trip wasn't about smooth-talking; it was about delivering an attitude, conveying a message, and declaring a position.

When it came to that, Sha Chenghu was actually quite suitable.

That man, although his brain occasionally turned a bit slowly, had one good quality.

Whichever side he stood on, that was where he stayed.

He wouldn't be fickle.

City Lord Qin Fang looked at Sha Chenghu, was silent for two breaths, and then nodded.

"Good."

"You will go."

"Depart tomorrow morning."

Sha Chenghu's eyes lit up, and he cupped his hands even deeper.

"This subordinate accepts the order!"

This response was extremely heavy, ringing slightly in the ears of everyone in the Council Hall.

City Lord Qin Fang looked at him, his tone softening slightly.

"Remember."

"When you arrive at Flower City, deliver the message first."

"As for other things, don't rush to make decisions for anyone, nor do you need to pledge loyalty for anyone."

"You only need to let City Lord Zhou know which side Heyang has chosen, and that will be enough."

Sha Chenghu listened attentively and nodded heavily.

"This subordinate understands."

City Lord Qin Fang gave a hum of acknowledgment and swept his gaze over everyone's faces once more.

This time, the last trace of subtle probing in his eyes was completely gone.

In the entire hall, their positions were set.

The path was set as well.

Outside the window, the sky had already darkened.

The wind blew in from the door of the Council Hall, causing the candlelight to flicker gently, and the shadows of the people on the wall swayed slightly before steadying again.

City Lord Qin Fang raised his hand and slowly gathered his sleeves. His voice was not loud, but it fell extremely clearly.

"If The Four Cities truly intend to act."

"Then this step will come sooner or later."

"But since we have already chosen Flower City, from now on, there are some things we can no longer pretend not to see."

Everyone in the hall remained silent upon hearing this.

But the expression on each person's face sank bit by bit.

They knew.

From this moment on, Heyang was no longer just a buyer for Flower City.

At the very least, not just that.

The next morning.

At the first light of dawn, Sha Chenghu left Heyang.

He didn't take many people, only two personal attendants and three fast horses, galloping along the road to Flower City.

The horse hooves crushed the morning frost, kicking up a series of rapid and dull sounds, quickly leaving Heyang far behind.

He rode very urgently along the way.

It wasn't because he was afraid of being late.

It was because he felt like a stone was constantly pressing on his heart.

He still remembered the scene in the Council Hall of the City Lord's mansion from a few days ago clearly. Especially those last few words from City Lord Qin Fang; they fell into his ears like nails, each one driven in very deep.

If The Four Cities truly intend to act.

Then this step will come sooner or later.

And this trip he was making to Flower City was not to deliver a casual message, but an attitude and a warning.

Sha Chenghu had never been a person with delicate thoughts.

But precisely because of this, he knew better what he should do at such a time.

Faster.

A little faster.

The wind whooshed into his collar. He gripped the reins, his eyes fixed firmly on the road ahead that was being illuminated bit by bit by the morning light, not even bothering to look at the wilderness on both sides.

But the closer he got to Flower City, the more complex the tension in his heart became.

The first time he saw Flower City, he had mistaken that group of Bronze-level Mercenaries for criminals who had held the City Lord hostage, nearly slamming the city gates shut.

Later, when he thought back on that scene, he felt his face heat up.

And this time, he was going to report news.

He was going in the name of Heyang to tell Flower City which side they had chosen.

Thinking of this, Sha Chenghu pressed his lips together firmly, raised his horse whip, and increased his speed even more.

Meanwhile, in the same morning light, another person was also walking toward Flower City step by step.

He was a middle-aged man in his forties.

His figure was thin, wearing an old scholar's robe that had been washed until it was faded, the hem stained with dust, and the edges of his shoes were badly worn, as if he had walked a very long distance.

He carried a small, old bundle on his back, and his shoulders were slightly slumped, as if he had been pressed down by something for years and had never been able to truly stand straight.

When he raised his head and saw the gates of Flower City, his footsteps faltered for a moment.

It wasn't shock.

It was more like he couldn't quite believe it.

The distant city walls did not appear cold or grim; the city gates were open, and there was already a flow of people entering and leaving in the morning.

Those carrying burdens, those pushing carts, those chatting and laughing—busy and bustling, yet not chaotic.

The sun had only just risen, and the entire city already exuded a steaming, vibrant Life Qi.

The middle-aged man stood in place, gazed for a moment, moved his lips, and softly spat out two words.

"How good…"

The voice was very light, as if speaking to himself.

He walked a few more steps forward.

After entering the city, the scene before his eyes became clearer.

The streets were wide and tidy, and the stalls along the road were arranged without crowding or disorder.

There were those selling hot cakes, those selling vegetables, those selling cloth and sundries, and those carrying burdens while calling out as they walked.

Pedestrians came and went on the street, the expressions on their faces relaxed; even when bargaining, there was little of that tension and hostility in their tones.

The middle-aged man walked and watched along the way, becoming somewhat entranced.

He saw a woman selling vegetables smilingly stuff half a melon into a child's hands, saying, "Take it, stop hanging around here, or your mother will come looking for me again later."

He also saw two young men on the side of the street carrying a basket of something and running past in a hurry; while running, they didn't forget to curse at each other, and after cursing, they laughed together.

That kind of laughter was not the laughter of trying to please someone.

It was the kind of laughter that only comes when people are truly living well.

The middle-aged man's steps slowly slowed down.

He watched all this, watching and watching, his eyes becoming somewhat glazed.

After another moment, he seemed to finally come back to his senses and said softly once more:

"...How good."

Walking further ahead, a Flower City City Guard was walking toward him.

The middle-aged man stiffened almost reflexively.

His body was faster than his brain.

He subconsciously shrank to the side, his hands suddenly raised to protect his head, his shoulders hunching in, as if preparing to welcome the stick or scolding that would fall the next moment.

This was an instinct carved into his bones over many years.

If you were slow to dodge, you would be scolded.

If you blocked the way, you would be beaten.

If you saw soldiers or officials, you should stay even further away.

But the next moment, the expected thing did not happen.

When the City Guard was about to bump into him, he just naturally stepped aside half a step and walked past him.

He didn't even frown, nor did he spare him another glance.

It was as if making way for pedestrians on the road was simply the most normal thing in the world.

The middle-aged man still maintained the posture of covering his head, but he was frozen in place.

He stiffened for two breaths before slowly lowering his hands, turning his head to watch the back of the City Guard as he walked away, his throat moving.

"...How good."

This third time, it was even lower than the previous two.

So low that it seemed to be squeezed out from the deepest part of his chest.

He stood in place for a while before continuing to walk forward.

This time his steps were even slower, as if every step was taken with extra caution, fearing that the scene before him was just a dream he had made up because he was too thirsty and tired on the road.

Walking a bit further, a tea stall on the side of the street came into view.

The wooden shed wasn't large, with a few tables neatly arranged, water boiling on the stove, and white steam rising in puffs.

The stall owner was a man in his fifties, holding a long-spouted copper kettle and pouring tea into bowls; looking up, he happened to see him standing outside in a daze.

"Sir."

The stall owner greeted him with a smile.

"Looking at you, covered in dust, it seems you've come from afar?"

The middle-aged man was brought back to his senses by this call. His lips moved, as if he wanted to answer, but he didn't know how to answer, and in the end, he only nodded slightly.

The stall owner became even more enthusiastic.

"That's perfect, come in and rest your feet."

"Have a bowl of tea to moisten your throat."

The middle-aged man was indeed thirsty.

His throat was dry and painful, and his lips were chapped.

But as he took half a step forward, his peripheral vision caught sight of the wooden sign standing next to the tea stall.

It had the price written on it.

It wasn't expensive.

But he still subconsciously stopped, his hand tightening around the pocket at his waist.

The money in there wasn't much.

Not only was it not much, it had to be saved for later use.

The stall owner saw his hesitation at a glance and immediately waved his hand with a smile.

"The first bowl is free."

The middle-aged man was stunned.

"...No money?"

"No."

The stall owner set the bowl on the table, lifted the kettle spout, and steaming hot tea poured in.

"Guests from afar are guests. Come in and sit first, we can talk after you've had your drink."

These words were said lightly and easily.

But falling into the middle-aged man's ears, it was as if something had suddenly gently bumped into him.

Guests from afar are guests.

These four words—he hadn't heard them for many years.

He stood in place, opening his lips as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he didn't say anything.

He just lowered his head, slowly walked into the tea stall, and sat down at a table on the very edge.

The tea bowl was quickly handed to him.

The middle-aged man took it with both hands, first lowering his head to smell it, and his eyes lit up slightly.

Immediately after, not caring about being refined or not, he held the tea bowl and gulped it down.

The tea was scalding hot.

It rolled down his throat, burning his nose tip until it was slightly red.

But he seemed not to notice at all, drinking the entire bowl in one go, until the last drop was poured into his mouth, and only then did he exhale heavily.

Once that breath came out, his whole person seemed to come back to life a little.

Immediately, he put down the empty bowl, looked at the stall owner, and suddenly praised loudly:

"How good!"

This sound was louder than the previous three times.

The stall owner was stunned for a moment, then laughed heartily.

"My tea, how could it be that good?"

People sitting at the tables nearby were also amused by this shout.

Someone turned to look at him, and seeing his expression was very serious and didn't seem like mere politeness, they laughed even more openly.

"Sir, you must have been extremely thirsty, right?"

"It's not that the tea is good, it's that our Flower City's water is good!"

"Don't brag nonsense, if Nuan Nuan hears you later, I'm afraid she'll say you're stealing the credit from her Granary."

"Hahahaha..."

Several people spoke one after another, their laughter scattering into the morning steam of the tea, appearing exceptionally relaxed.

The middle-aged man listened to this laughter, paused, and then followed suit with a very faint, yet very genuine smile.

That smile fell on his dusty face, appearing indescribably stiff.

It was as if it had been a very, very long time since he had smiled like this.

At the same time.

On the road outside Flower City, Sha Chenghu's horse finally saw the silhouette of the familiar city.

He pulled the reins sharply, the horse's speed slowed slightly, and he looked ahead.

The city gates were open.

The flow of people was as usual.

Flower City under the morning light was as stable as if nothing had happened, and as if nothing would happen.

But he knew very clearly in his heart.

Some winds, they never wait until they are blowing right in front of your eyes to be considered to have arrived.

He took a deep breath, squeezed his horse's belly again, and with his two personal attendants, headed straight for that city.

And beside the tea stall in the city, that middle-aged man who had just finished a bowl of tea was holding the empty bowl, watching the bustling streets, his eyes slowly welling up with a very faint moisture.

He looked down at the tea bowl in his hand, and after a long while, said softly once more:

"It's truly good."

Minister Wang Fugui was rushing toward the City Lord's mansion.

He usually walked fast, but today he was obviously faster, his robe hem flapping about, as if wind had grown under his feet.

The people he met on the way hadn't even had time to call out to him before he had already swept past them, only leaving behind the words:

"We'll talk later, we'll talk later!"

When he arrived at the City Lord's mansion, before he had even entered the door, he heard Lei Lie's voice inside.

"...The strategist always says there is no evidence, and it's not the time."

"But I feel, no matter what, we must report this to the City Lord—"

Minister Wang Fugui stopped his steps, then immediately stepped inside.

In the Council Hall, everyone had actually gathered.

Zhou Yun sat at the head, Strategist Zhu Ge sat to the side, Wan'er was also there, and Lei Lie was frowning halfway through his sentence, turning his head subconsciously after hearing the commotion.

Minister Wang Fugui swept his gaze over, was stunned for half a second, and then his eyes lit up.

"Since everyone is here, that's even better."

He said, walking forward quickly, not even bothering to catch his breath, and cupped his hands toward Zhou Yun.

"City Lord."

Zhou Yun looked up at him.

"What is it?"

The smile on Minister Wang Fugui's face had already faded, and his expression was rarely serious.

"General Sha Chenghu from Heyang has just arrived."

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the few people in the room shifted simultaneously.

Lei Lie had originally been holding back a breath because of Strategist Zhu Ge's words about "not being the time," and now, upon hearing the three words "Sha Chenghu," his brows knitted even tighter.

"Sha Chenghu?"

"What is he here for?"

Minister Wang Fugui did not immediately answer Lei Lie's question, but instead looked at Zhou Yun, his tone sinking slightly.

"He brought an important piece of news."

He paused here.

The room became quiet instantly.

Zhou Yun did not urge him, just looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

Minister Wang Fugui slowly exhaled, then continued:

"The Four Cities have a tendency to unite and plot against Flower City!"