The miscellaneous writings barely record any details; they don’t even mention soul techniques, mostly because this talisman master was particularly skilled in soul-calming talismans—so he ended up being noted in various articles containing soul-related information.
While reading, Shen Hao almost missed it, but something felt off to him, so he went back and looked again, confirming he’d found something useful.
Aside from that, the Library in the Commander’s Office had nothing else relevant.
Frankly, it all looks like a segment of unverifiable anecdotes, just like those so-called "travelogues" that are pure fantasy—no illustrations, all made up.
But the content of this essay isn’t entirely baseless, nor is it all empty words; at least, there’s one real place: Weak Water.
Weak Water is located in the Jingdong Region; it’s the largest freshwater river there, sustaining countless living things along its route, and it’s also the region’s most important waterway.
As a busy water route, the Weak Water Basin naturally has a dense population.
The more people, the more happenings—and thus, more written accounts compared to sparsely populated areas. That’s just common sense, and this is now Shen Hao’s leverage as he keeps digging. For example, the essay he found in the Library was most likely casually logged by an Xuanqing Guard from the Weak Water area.
For dinner, Shen Hao didn’t just make do at the Commander’s Office mess hall; instead, he went to a lane near the Teleportation Array.
The little restaurant called "No Loss" was still open, with the aroma of food drifting out as usual. The salty chicken scent in particular made Shen Hao unconsciously swallow a mouthful of saliva.
Swallowing saliva right along with Shen Hao were the three guards who’d been following him.
Everyone was craving.
This past half-year in the army, the food wasn’t even about flavor; just having meat and veggies to fill up was already a top-tier treatment. Who would dare ask for taste?
After coming back, it had been a rush—right after passing Zhuo Huo Pass, they used the Teleportation Array to reach the Imperial City, didn’t even go home, and immediately got thrown into the big case of Prince Qian’s murder. The two meals in between were settled in the mess hall; way better than in the military, but still far from what you’d call "fine cuisine."
Shen Hao isn’t exactly a glutton, but after so long without anything tasty, he’s hungry for it. Same goes for his three guards. Their mouths have gone dry as a bone; how could they resist the smell of good food?
"My lord, you haven’t come in ages! Please, inside!"
The chubby shop assistant actually remembered Shen Hao and greeted him enthusiastically as he ushered the whole group in.
Supper hour had already passed, so only a few customers remained. Shen Hao found a table near the door, sat down, and the three guards joined him—they were clearly dead set on feasting tonight.
"Four salty chickens. The rest, just give us your best dishes. We’re all men, hearty appetites, don’t worry about us finishing. As for the booze? No need to serve us, we’ve brought our own."
"Right away, my lord. Please wait."
Shen Hao wasn’t stingy—he pulled out four two-jin jars of Wuliangye from his Storage Bag, one for himself and the other three for his guards.
The four had been dry for half a year; now, they all popped their jars open together, inhaled the rich fragrance, and took a hefty swig. The smooth liquor pouring down their throats felt like precious rain after drought, instantly relieving their pent-up tension.
"Phew!"
The four exhaled after their swig, all smiles. Comfortable!
The shop assistant moved quickly. Salty chicken might need a wait, but the braised beef didn’t—he brought out a massive plate, each piece cut to the size of a child’s fist, five jin in total, meant to go with their drinks. There was also a plate of steaming hot pancakes.
Every mouthful of beef paired with a gulp of liquor—Shen Hao finally appeased the craving gnawing at his stomach.
But after just a little while, several strong presences suddenly appeared outside. Shen Hao and his three guards turned to look at the entrance; first in came several warriors dressed in luxurious attire, with a palm-sized waist token standing out brightly.
"Rice Field Three Spear Pattern? Royal Guard!" Shen Hao’s group immediately recognized them. So, an imperial prince is coming in for a meal?
The shop assistant and owner were at first stunned, then quickly switched to beaming smiles—they must have guessed who was coming in.
Because they wore Xuanqing Guard uniforms, the newcomers—the Royal Guards—didn’t come to chase them out, but the diners at the next table quietly paid their bill, packed up the leftovers, and bowed out.
Shen Hao was suddenly struck by a premonition: in a place like this, imperial princes wouldn’t even know this spot exists, let alone drop by for a midnight snack. The only prince who would come here, Shen Hao thought, might just be the one he knew?
That thought had barely passed when a familiar voice rang out from outside, and Yang Shu walked in with a broad smile.
"Yo! What a coincidence! Bumped into you again, Lord Shen, how have you been?"
Sure enough, it was Prince Ling Shu. Though it’s been ages since they met, Prince Ling’s looks and demeanor were almost unchanged; if there’s anything different, it’s that he no longer dressed as casually as before—instead, he wore a meticulously styled, ornate brocade robe fit for a prince. Even with his friendly smile, the noble aura clung to him.
With a prince present, Shen Hao and his three had to stand. They rose and bowed, and the guards waved a hand, using True Qi like a rag to clean up their bone scraps, then packed up the half-finished liquor into the Storage Bag and swiftly stepped aside.
"Shen Hao greets Prince Ling. Many thanks for your concern, Your Highness; thanks to your well wishes, I’ve been quite well."
"Sit and talk." He invited Shen Hao to sit, then glanced at the assistant: "The usual." Then he brought out his own wine cup and a jar of two-year-old Wuliangye, pouring for himself.
He downed three cups in a row before continuing: "I heard you went with the army to the Barbarian Race, and you did pretty well—your name’s mentioned several times for military merit in the reports. So, you just got back?"
"Yes, just returned yesterday." Facing Prince Ling, Shen Hao kept his words to a minimum. This prince, whose reputation has been bad, is suddenly proving a dark horse—quite powerful, looking to surpass others. Not someone you can afford to offend, but best keep your distance too.
"Heh, let me guess—Lord Pang was so eager to pull you back from the front lines, it must be to investigate my second brother’s case, right? Tsk tsk, looks like Lord Pang really trusts you—at the critical moment, it’s still you he relies on."
Shen Hao: "..." What can he say? He couldn’t exactly say "no comment," so silence was his answer. He wondered whether he should make an excuse to leave?
Seeing Shen Hao not respond, Prince Ling continued: "Why hide it? My second brother died strangely; Father ordered the Ministry of Justice to lead, Xuanqing Guard to assist, but there’s still no result... So, how’s the investigation coming?"