Chapter 53: Where Exactly Does Zhong Shengguang Live?

"Damn it, what is he thinking?" He Lingchuan rubbed his face.

Perhaps driven by anxiety and dread, a sudden flash of inspiration struck his mind.

Perhaps they needed to return to the original dilemma faced by Nian and Sun: where exactly was the Zhong residence?

Why was the illusion containing the Great Fanghu specifically set during this period of history? Panlong City clearly possessed countless other glorious fragments.

The only clue they could follow—or rather, the only clue the Baliing expedition could follow—was Zhong Shengguang.

The remains of the Baliing people were discarded in the cellar of the Chen residence, which suggested that the expedition's original intention was the same as theirs: to seek clues at the Zhong residence.

But they found nothing there... was that true?

In other words, as long as they found the Zhong residence, they could find the remaining members of the Baliing expedition.

He Lingchuan struggled to recall every legend, storytelling session, and historical anecdote he had ever heard regarding Panlong City, the Dafeng Army, and the Zhong clan.

Almost every historical fragment was related to Zhong Shengguang. What kind of clue might be hidden within them?

In this version of Panlong City, that beautiful gray-brick mansion still belonged to the Chen family, not Zhong Shengguang. Assuming Zhong Shengguang purchased the mansion from the Chen family later, where would he be living during this specific period?

At this time, he was still a Deputy Commander, arriving in Panlong City from central Xiluo to take up his post by royal decree.

As an outsider, he would have no residence in Panlong City and would have to find a place to stay.

Would he be at an inn?

He Lingchuan shook his head, dismissing the thought.

Only bachelors stayed at inns. He had read in several plays that Deputy Commander Zhong was newlywed and took office the very next month.

The man surnamed Zhong spent the latter half of his life here and eventually had children; he couldn't have fathered them all by himself.

Therefore, he must have come with his family, making an inn impossible.

Those places were dirty, noisy, and smelly, with walls as thin as paper; if a couple made even a little noise at night, the guests in the next room would hear everything clearly.

Where would Zhong Shengguang arrange for his family to stay?

He Lingchuan jumped down from the roof ridge. "Grand Preceptor, did we just pass the government office?"

"Yes, why?" Sun Fuping asked. "I already inspected the government office before you entered the city." But there were no useful clues there.

"The Chen residence—I mean, the later Zhong residence—is a distance away from the government office. But at this time, Zhong Shengguang had to enter and exit the office every day; he might have settled nearby. He had a family."

Sun Fuping was a shrewd man and understood immediately. "You're right! I only searched the office but didn't look closely at the surroundings!"

The two immediately turned around and ran back the way they came.

Regardless of the city, government offices always occupied prime locations for feng shui, and Panlong City was no exception.

Before long, the two spotted a cluster of plain gray buildings by the river. In terms of grandeur and facade, they were far inferior to the tavern thirty yards away.

"This is it."

The government does not maintain its offices; they only call for repairs when something breaks. Thus, government offices were generally not magnificent, being at most neat and solemn.

But their geographical location was excellent.

He Lingchuan scrambled up the nearest tall tavern in a few quick moves and scanned the area.

He heard Sun Fuping shouting from below, "To the north is the wetland; no one can live there."

"To the west is the marketplace, with shops." Shops were generally a storefront in the front and a courtyard in the back, with people living behind the business; small merchants weren't very particular. "I don't think Zhong Shengguang would live there either."

The environment in the West Market was poor. Since Zhong Shengguang was newlywed and held an official position, he would most likely find a better place for his wife.

Looking further south, he found several rows of houses facing the government office across the water. Each set was of similar size, mostly small one- or two-courtyard residences, likely built collectively. Though they weren't grand estates, living by the water would be quiet and pleasant.

"To the south!" He pointed south. "Those are official residences!"

Official residences were the dwellings of government officials, usually connected to the government office in a large complex. He Lingchuan had understood this when he saw official residences in Blackwater City—it was essentially a government compound or collective dormitory!

However, Panlong City's location was unique; with water in front of and behind the government office, the space was too small, so the residences were built on the opposite bank.

When appointed to a different location, accommodation was necessary. Regulations varied from country to country.

For instance, the Great Yuan Kingdom required officials appointed from elsewhere to live in official residences and forbade them from purchasing private property. However, the Qiansong Prefecture was extremely remote, and the Yuan Kingdom was currently beset by internal and external troubles, leaving no time to strictly enforce such regulations. High-ranking officials like He Chunhua, who purchased fertile lands and beautiful estates abroad, were actually quite numerous.

As for Zhong Shengguang, it went without saying. Once the Panlong Wasteland became an enclave, he became its highest authority. Even Xiluo did not know that the Panlong Wasteland was still its territory, so no one dared to question Zhong Shengguang's actions there.

But during these peaceful days in the Panlong Wasteland, he was not yet a powerful Commander; he should have been living in the official residences!

Sun Fuping also realized this, and his eyes lit up. "Let's go!"

There were over forty official residences, but since they had a specific target, finding it wasn't difficult.

Soon, Sun Fuping issued a command from one of the residences in the second-to-last row, summoning the others to come quickly!

***

When the group arrived, they found Sun Fuping and He Lingchuan standing in the small courtyard of an official residence.

In the courtyard stood a mound, with a wooden plank serving as a tombstone.

Even Nian Songyu could not read the text on it.

Sun Fuping read aloud to the group, "Tomb of the Loyal Friend Yu Qingyuan. This is the Baliing script."

Mao Tao was overjoyed. "We found it, we found it! Uh, found... another Baliing person?"

"But not the last Baliing person to die, otherwise, who would have buried him?" He Lingchuan pinched the soil. "What was special about this person that they deserved a proper burial?"

This expedition was ruthless enough to eat their own. Other consumed members were merely discarded in cellars, so why did this deceased person merit a burial in the earth?

One must remember that this was an illusion; nothing here was truly real. The courtyard was like this, and the soil was like this.

By the end, the Baliing expedition had to resort to cannibalism to survive and must have been completely exhausted. Why would they bother to expend the energy to dig soil and build a grave for something so illusory?

Nian Songyu, however, was observing the tombstone. He even reached out to wipe it, then brought it to his nose to sniff.

"This ink was mixed with blood. They ran out of water." Without water, ink cannot be diluted, so they had to use blood.

"Dig it up!" They had to see for themselves.

With a nod from Sun Fuping, He Lingchuan and Mao Tao began the laborious task of excavating the grave. Fortunately, there were some farm tools in the courtyard; it was unknown if they were the ones used by the Baliing team back then.

While the two worked feverishly, Nian Songyu supervised from the side, but Sun Fuping simply stared at the sky, lost in thought.

Soon, the occupant of the tomb was revealed to the light of day.

Mao Tao wiped the mud from his face. "We dug it up. *Sigh*, it's just bones."

"It's been buried for decades; it would be strange if it weren't bones." He Lingchuan used a shovel to clear the soil, revealing most of the skeletal remains.