Wen Xu handed Lan Qiao's corpse over to the guards behind him for disposal. "If we impose martial law, wouldn't that be like hanging a lantern in broad daylight? Besides, without an evil formation to trap it, the Dragon Vein flows freely. Look again now—down there is nothing but ordinary mud, stones, and rubble."
That was good. That was good.
"Then... this place is so open. Shall I build you a prince's residence here?" Zhou Jia suddenly asked.
Wen Xu smiled faintly, then gave him the salute of a scholar. "Brother, I'm leaving Shengjing City."
Though he had expected it long ago, a heavy rain still fell in Zhou Jia's heart. They should have been the closest of brothers, yet because of all those schemes and calculations, this was how things had ended. "All right. You won't be coming back?"
"Mhm, I won't." Wen Xu took two pouches from his sleeve, each containing protective talismans. "They're gifts for my nephew and niece. Though I've never met them, I imagine you'll mention me to them. This way, they won't think I'm stingy, that I didn't even bring them a gift."
Zhou Jia said, "...What about mine?" That magical artifact had just been left behind at the Dragon Vein. What a loss.
"You are the Son of Heaven. The nation's fortune and the heavens themselves protect you." What use did he have for protective talismans?
"It's different."
So Wen Xu added another two pouches. "There's no need for a prince's residence. If you're willing, could you build an incense temple for my adoptive father? It needn't be here. Lu River Town in Jade Isle Commandery will do."
"Very well. I will personally oversee it and entrust it to no one else." He also wanted to go see it himself—to see the place