Chapter 56: Where Exactly Does Zhong Shengguang Live

What on earth was he thinking? He Lingchuan rubbed his face.

Perhaps fueled by his worries, a sudden thought sparked in his mind.

Perhaps they needed to go back to the question that had initially troubled Nian and Sun: Where exactly was the Zhong Residence?

Why was the illusion containing the Great Square Pot specifically from this period of history? Dragon Coil City clearly had countless glorious periods.

The only clue they, or rather the only clue the Baling exploration team, could follow up on was Zhong Shengguang.

The bones of the Baling people were abandoned in the Chen Residence’s cellar, indicating that the exploration team’s original intention, like their own, was also to go to the Zhong Residence to find clues.

But they found nothing there... Or did they?

In other words, as long as they found the Zhong Residence, they would be able to find the remaining members of the Baling exploration team.

He Lingchuan tried hard to recall every legend, folk tale, and historical anecdote he had heard about Dragon Coil City, the Great Wind Army, and the Zhong clan.

Almost every historical account was related to Zhong Shengguang; what clue could be hidden within them?

In this Dragon Coil City, that beautiful grey-brick mansion still belonged to the Chen clan, not Zhong Shengguang. Assuming Zhong Shengguang acquired the mansion from the Chen family later, where would he be living at this time?

At this time, he was still a deputy commander, having arrived in Dragon Coil City from central Xiluo Kingdom to take up his post by royal decree.

As an outsider, he had no residence in Dragon Coil City and needed to find a place to stay.

Would he be staying at a posthouse?

He Lingchuan shook his head, dismissing the idea.

Only bachelors stayed at posthouses. He had read in several plays that Deputy Commander Zhong was newly married and took up his post the following month.

The Zhong family spent the rest of their lives here, later having children, which he couldn't have had by himself.

Therefore, he came with his family. It was impossible for him to stay at a posthouse.

Such places were dirty, noisy, and smelly, with walls as thin as paper. If a couple engaged in any intimacy at night, guests next door would hear everything clearly.

Where would Zhong Shengguang arrange for his family to stay?

He Lingchuan jumped down from the rooftop ridge. “Grand Master,” he called, “did we just pass the government office?”

“Yes, why?” Sun Fuping replied. “I already checked the government office before you entered the city. But there were no useful clues there.”

“The Chen Residence—I mean, what later became the Zhong Residence—is some distance from the government office. But Zhong Shengguang at this time would be going in and out of the government office daily, so he might have settled nearby. He has a family.”

Sun Fuping, being a clever man, immediately understood. “You’re right!” he exclaimed. “I only searched the office, but I didn’t look closely at the surroundings!”

The two immediately changed direction and ran back the way they came.

Government offices in any city always occupied auspicious locations according to feng shui, and Dragon Coil City was no exception.

Before long, the two saw a cluster of simple grey buildings by the river. In terms of grandeur and facade, they were far less impressive than the restaurant thirty yards away.

“This is it.”

Officials didn't typically renovate government offices; they only patched them up when they were broken. Thus, government offices were generally not lavishly decorated, but at best neat and solemn.

But its location was truly excellent.

He Lingchuan quickly climbed to the top of the nearest tallest restaurant and surveyed the surroundings.

Sun Fuping heard him call from above: “To the north are wetlands; nobody can live there.”

“To the west is the market, with shops.” Shops usually had a storefront in front and living quarters in the back, and small business owners weren't particularly fussy. “I don’t think Zhong Shengguang would live there either.”

The environment in the West Market wasn't good. Zhong Shengguang was, after all, newly married and an official, so he would most likely find a better place for his wife.

Looking further south, he saw several rows of houses across the water from the government office. Each unit was of a similar size, mostly small courtyards with one or two compounds, likely built uniformly. Though not grand mansions, being by the water, they should be quiet and comfortable places to live.

“To the south!” He pointed south. “Those are official residences!”

Official residences were the dwellings for government officials, usually connected to the government offices, forming a sizable complex. He Lingchuan had understood this when he saw the official residences in Blackwater City: they were essentially government compounds or collective dormitories!

However, Dragon Coil City's location was special. With water on both sides of the government office, the area was too small, so the official residences were built on the opposite bank.

Officials appointed to posts in other locations naturally had housing needs. Relevant regulations varied among different countries.

For instance, the Great Kite Kingdom required officials posted elsewhere to live in official residences and forbade them from privately purchasing homes. However, Qiansong Prefecture was truly remote, and at that time, the Kite Kingdom was plagued by internal and external troubles, with no time to enforce regulations. Thus, countless officials, big and small, like He Chunhua, acquired land and beautiful homes elsewhere.

As for Zhong Shengguang, it went without saying. After Dragon Coil Wilderness became an exclave, he was the supreme authority there. The Xiluo Kingdom didn't even know that Dragon Coil Wilderness was still its territory, and no one dared to question Zhong Shengguang's actions there.

But during these peaceful and uneventful days in Dragon Coil Wilderness, he was not yet the 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 with their lead, finding it wasn't difficult.

Soon, Sun Fuping released a signal arrow from an official residence in the second-to-last row, summoning the others to come quickly!

When the others arrived, they found Sun Fuping and He Lingchuan standing in the small courtyard of one of the official residences.

In the courtyard stood a grave mound, with a wooden board serving as a tombstone at its head.

Even Nian Songyu couldn't understand the writing on it.

Sun Fuping read it aloud to everyone: “Tomb of Loyal Friend Yu Qingyuan. This is Baling script.”

Maotao was overjoyed. “We found it, we found it! Uh, we found... another Baling person?”

“But not the last Baling person to die, otherwise who would have buried him?” He Lingchuan picked up some soil. “What was so special about this person that he deserved to be buried?”

This exploration team was so ruthless they even ate their own members. Other devoured team members were merely discarded in the cellar, so why did this deceased person merit an earth burial?

One must remember this was an illusion; nothing here was truly real. The small courtyard was not real, nor was the soil.

The Baling exploration team had resorted to cannibalism to survive until the end; they must have been utterly exhausted. Why would they still expend effort digging earth and piling up a grave to do something so utterly futile?

Nian Songyu, however, was observing the grave marker. He even reached out to wipe it, then brought it to his nose and sniffed.

“This ink was mixed with blood; they had no water left.” Without water, ink couldn't be dissolved, so they had to use blood.

“Dig it up!” They had to find out what was inside.

At a gesture from Sun Fuping, He Lingchuan and Maotao reluctantly began to dig up the grave. Fortunately, there were some farm tools in the courtyard, though it was unclear if the Baling team had used them.

The two were working intensely, while Nian Songyu supervised. Sun Fuping, however, was gazing up at the sky, lost in thought.

Soon, the occupant of the grave saw the light of day once more.

Maotao wiped mud from his face. “We dug it up, phew, it’s still just bones.”

“It’s been buried for decades; it’d be strange if it weren’t just bones,” He Lingchuan said, using his shovel to clear away the soil and reveal most of a skeleton.