All Hee Lingchuan had to do was flick his eyes, not even speak, and a golden-threaded jujube would be brought to his lips.

He stretched and sighed to himself, ’This is the life.’

It had been over a month since he took over this body. Aside from the terrible agony of waking up covered in bloody wounds, his days in Black Water City could only be described as blissful.

Jinzhou was situated in the northwesternmost corner of the Yuan Kingdom, and Black Water City, less than ten li from the border, served as Da Yuan’s gatekeeper. It sounded prestigious in name, but its location meant Jinzhou was destined to be far from the Monarch’s favor—especially since it had been peaceful, with no wars in recent years.

But the upside was that the mountains were high and the emperor was far away.

The Hee Family were the undisputed rulers of their own little corner of the world. And as the Governor’s eldest son, Hee Lingchuan could have anything he wanted in Black Water City, and indeed, the whole of Qiansong County.

The standard for his food, clothing, and accommodations could be summed up in three words:

The very best.

The delicacies on his table, the curios in his hands, his daily allowance... while perhaps not a collection of the world’s rarest treasures, they were luxuries many wealthy merchants from the heartlands could only dream of.

The original Hee Lingchuan had grown to the age of sixteen in this carefree environment.

How should he put it? Hee Lingchuan’s assessment of his predecessor was that he was ill-tempered and naturally a bit arrogant.

The lad had been full of youthful bravado, fond of hunting with his hawk and hounds—otherwise, he wouldn’t have met with such a grave accident on Gourd Mountain.

Though this body had now healed, its new owner had no intention of reviving that particular hobby.

Over the past month, Hee Lingchuan often found himself recalling the encounter on the cliff. The Leopard Demon that attacked him had seemed heavily injured even before their fight. ’Will the one who wounded it track it to Black Water City?’ But as time trickled by, everything within and without the city walls remained placid.

Beneath the veneer of this wonderful life, there always seemed to be a churning undercurrent. It made him, a former miserable wage slave who was supposed to be grateful for any scrap of good fortune, feel a little insecure as he reveled in the sweet scent of privilege.

Hee Lingchuan took a few sips of warm wine. Suddenly feeling a bit stuffy, he gestured for Uncle Hao to open a window.

The moment the window opened, a chilly gust of air WHOOSHED in. The patrons on the second floor couldn’t help but shiver. Papers on a table in the adjacent private box were swept off and fluttered downstairs. Two of them were small-denomination silver notes, which immediately sparked a scramble on the floor below.

No one paid any mind to the commotion. Liu Baobao simply pulled his robes tighter.

Hee Lingchuan took a deep breath, chasing away his melancholy thoughts. Just as he did, the performance on the stage below concluded. He led the applause, exclaiming with delight, "Bravo! A reward!" With that, he casually unfastened the Jade Pendant from his waist and had a servant take it down to the performers.

With their most generous patron setting the example, the atmosphere reached a fever pitch, and the audience below began opening their own purses to contribute.

Outside was the main street of Black Water City. With the window open, the clamor of the crowd drifted in on the wind. Hee Lingchuan glanced down to see the street teeming with a ceaseless flow of horses and carriages. The main thoroughfare, which had been widened three times to accommodate eight standard carriages abreast, now didn’t have a single two-foot-square patch of empty space.

"It’s gotten this lively?"

Uncle Hao, standing right beside Hee Lingchuan, heard him and explained, "We’re well into the eighth month now. Traveling merchants are rushing to pass through before the Red Cliff Trade Route closes, trying to move their last shipment of goods before winter."

He was the master bodyguard Patriarch Hee had assigned to his beloved son after the Gourd Mountain incident, to prevent any further mishaps.

Hee Lingchuan nodded.

Black Water City sat on the edge of the Panlong Desert. It looked desolate, but it was a crucial artery connecting Da Yuan to the Western Countries. This was because it served as a vital waypoint on the famous Red Cliff Road.

Commerce in the desert had always been perilous—fickle weather and frequent bandit attacks were the norm, and the Panlong Desert was a prime example of such dangers. It had taken the blood, sweat, and lives of countless pioneers to carve out a relatively safe passage through it: the Red Cliff Trade Road.

However, the heart of the Panlong Desert would transform drastically in the ninth month, rendering even the Red Cliff Trade Road unsafe. Therefore, experienced merchants had to time their passage perfectly, getting through early. That way, during the months the route was closed, they could raise their prices and make a killing.

While the busiest time of year for most places was the new year, for Black Water City, it was right now.

’The big-spending merchants have all arrived,’ he thought. ’Every business is booming, the streets are filled with the endless cries of vendors, and there isn’t a single spot left at the post stations’ watering troughs. The tax revenue for Black Water City these next two months must be quite impressive, eh?’

As the thought crossed his mind, Hee Lingchuan snapped back to reality, amused that he was actually worrying about his father’s work.

Just then, someone from downstairs requested an audience with the Eldest Young Master of the Hee Mansion.

The man was a messenger from a local gang known as the Red and White Dao. After coming upstairs, he bowed but remained silent, merely glancing left and right.

Hee Lingchuan waved his hand, and the servants immediately retreated thirty feet away. Liu Baobao, ever perceptive, found a casual excuse to wander off to another private box.

Only Uncle Hao remained, unmoving.

"Speak. What is it?"

The man had been sent by his Temple Master. He explained that a moment ago, two travel-worn strangers had entered Zhuzhi Tavern to ask about something.

In a major hub like Black Water City, travelers from every corner of the map were as numerous as fish in a river. The best places to gather information were naturally the local taverns, teahouses, and the Red Hall. In that, the two strangers were not mistaken.

But they were clearly unfamiliar with the local... ecosystem.

An organization like the Red and White Dao, despite constantly lamenting how "it’s hard for the brothers to earn a living," had actually monopolized one of the most profitable businesses in town: the liquor trade.

As luck would have it, the pair had walked right into a tavern frequented by members of the Red and White Dao.

"Tracking an injured Sand Leopard?" Hearing this, Hee Lingchuan felt his heart clench. "And they specified it was near Black Water City?"

’The trouble I was waiting for has finally arrived.’

"That’s right." The gang member glanced at him and quickly looked down. A vein was throbbing on the Eldest Young Master’s temple, and he looked absolutely furious. "Those two have out-of-town accents. Our boys said they sound like Yuandong People. The barkeep told them that Sand Leopards live on West Mountain, which is a long way from here. They didn’t argue, just said that anyone with a lead should come find them. Whether the target is dead or alive, there’s a heavy reward."