Youzhou. The Grand General’s residence.

Luo Jing carried a bowl of medicinal broth carefully to the bedside and looked at Luo Geng lying there, unable to rise, his expression full of distress.

One imperial decree had reduced his father to this. It looked like nothing more than the Emperor venting his displeasure, but it was in truth a scheme designed to strike at the heart — and to kill by slow degrees.

Luo Jing knew his father well: proud to the bone, with a temper that turned on a hair, and nothing he hated more than being looked down upon and belittled. And the Emperor knew it too.

That decree was aimed squarely at breaking his father’s spirit. First, all of Luo Geng’s previously promised rewards were rescinded — his rank untouched, allowed to continue serving to atone for his offense.

Then it declared that Luo Geng was to take his direction from Jizhou Regional Governor Pan Nuo in all military matters, and that anything pertaining to military affairs must be reported to Pan Nuo and receive Pan Nuo’s approval before being carried out.

A man like Luo Geng — campaigns stretching across decades, a name known throughout the land — was now to report to a young junior officer whose name had never appeared in any roster of fame.

How was Luo Geng supposed to swallow that?

When he received the decree, Luo Geng had still been holding himself rigid, receiving the proclamation with no expression on his face. The moment the eunuch envoy left, he could hold himself together no longer. He was cursing from horseback — the more he cursed, the more furious he became — until in a fit of rage he spat blood and fell from his horse.

After returning to Youzhou, Luo Jing urgently called in renowned physicians to treat his father. The physician who examined him said that with proper rest and care, there could be a gradual recovery — but he was absolutely not to be provoked again. Otherwise, the consequences would be unthinkable.

How would Luo Jing dare let anything further enrage his father? He told him only things that were pleasant to hear; anything concerning the state of affairs, he dared not mention a single word of.

“Father.”

Luo Jing set down the medicine bowl and came forward to help Luo Geng sit up: “It’s time to take the medicine.”

Luo Geng gave a faint shake of his head: “Leave it for a moment. Let it cool a little first.”

He turned his head and looked at Luo Jing: “Is there any military intelligence from Jizhou?”

Luo Jing replied: “Nothing to report. Everything looks to be at peace on the surface. Pan Nuo likely would not dare move troops rashly — not yet. He needs time to win over the Yuzhou forces, which won’t happen easily. So he will probably hold firm and not move, getting the Yuzhou army settled first before thinking about anything else.”

Luo Geng said: “Do not underestimate Pan Nuo. The Emperor chose him, Prince Wu recommended him — there must be some exceptional ability there. Send more men to Jizhou in turn. Find out everything there is to know about this person.”

Luo Jing said: “Noted. I’ll have it arranged tomorrow.”

Luo Geng drew a deep breath, was silent for a moment, then said: “This young Emperor has a vicious mind. With methods like his, thinking he can play both sides and rule over a chaotic world — in fact he will only push people to desperation. Unless I am mistaken, the remaining regional governors — those who dared not rebel before — are now close to the breaking point.”

He thought for a moment and said: “Send men to Yanzhou. Deliver a letter to Yanzhou Regional Governor Zhou Shiren. I served alongside him once, and I seem to recall his birthday falls next month. Send someone with a gift.”

Luo Jing said: “Father defeated him before and took at least ten thousand of his men. A gift from us would likely be met with hostility.”

“The times have changed. Zhou Shiren isn’t a fool.”

Luo Geng said: “Send someone in my name with a gift. He will understand my meaning. Of all the places in the northeast, Yanzhou is closest to the far northeast — and if he wishes to make a move, he must pass through Youzhou. With me here, I control the road he needs. He would be happy to make peace with me; it is only a question of face. Send him a gift, and he will be glad of it.”

Luo Jing turned this over in his mind: “Father — are you aligning with Yanzhou to counter Jizhou?”

Luo Geng nodded: “Zhou Shiren lost last time because he underestimated his opponent and pressed forward too rashly. He was beaten easily because of it. But his forces now likely number two hundred thousand. If he had no grand ambitions, why would he have expanded his forces like this? The one man in the northern reaches that Zhou Shiren fears is me. Let him know of my goodwill — let him see that I will let him through if he advances on Jizhou. He has no reason not to make peace.”

Luo Jing said: “I’ll make the arrangements at once, and have the gift delivered to him through the night. Father, what should we prepare as a gift?”

Luo Geng said: “What you prepare matters little. The finest gift is simply letting him know: if he moves into the pass, I, Luo Geng, will not stand in his way.”

—

Jizhou City.

Li Chi and the others were always finding ways to slip out, but the three thousand elite Jizhou soldiers under Liu Ge’s command were harder to bring out. Fortunately, their provisions were sufficient and they were safe. There was nothing to do but wait steadily.

Bringing out several thousand at once would draw attention even from a fool. But a few at a time, a few at a time, spread across many trips — eventually, suspicion would fade.

Li Chi and Tang Pidi took turns going out to gather intelligence, and everything that had transpired outside the vault had reached their ears.

Yu Chaozong’s condition seemed to have improved somewhat, though he still could not leave his bed. He could only lie there, recovering.

Li Chi and the others discussed the situation. Whether or not they returned to Yanshan Camp, they needed to find a way to let those in the camp know that Chief Yu Chaozong was still alive.

Only that way would Yanshan Camp avoid internal collapse. There were still two or three ten-thousand-strong forces in the stronghold, and whoever returned there first would find that seizing hold of those two or three ten-thousand-man forces would mean holding their ticket into the game going forward.

Yu Chaozong judged that Golden Armor and Xilizi would certainly be unwilling to yield to each other — but Second Brother Zhuang Wudi should also have returned to the stronghold by now, so things were probably not yet in complete disarray.

But Zhuang Wudi was in the most dangerous position of all.

Besides, neither Zhuang Wudi nor Xilizi actually had the capacity to contend with Golden Armor for supremacy. Xilizi had brought back only a few thousand men. Zhuang Wudi had come back alone, without a single soldier. The two or three tens of thousands garrisoning the stronghold were all Golden Armor’s people.

In a situation like this, would Golden Armor surrender command to anyone else?

“I’m worried about Second Brother Zhuang.”

Li Chi said: “So I think we should split up and handle things separately.”

He looked at Tang Pidi: “You take some people out of the city and go to the steppe to see Bö’örchu. Talk to him and arrange to start procuring warhorses. We’ll be able to make purchases whenever we need them.”

Tang Pidi nodded: “Leave that to me.”

Li Chi said: “I also need to go to the stronghold myself. I don’t care whose stronghold it is — I care only whether Second Brother Zhuang is safe or not.”

Tang Pidi considered, then said: “Getting through the city gates will be under heavy scrutiny right now. Neither of us can take many people with us. Seeing Bö’örchu is manageable on my own, but you going back to Yanshan Camp — how will you manage without people around you?”

Li Chi said: “A few people is enough. Ninth Sister will come with me, plus Zhang Yuxu and Peng Shiqii. The four of us — we could pass for wandering jianghu travelers without any disguise. There won’t be trouble.”

Tang Pidi was still uneasy. He wanted to have Dantai Qi come along too — but someone looking like Dantai Qi could not possibly be passed off as a jianghu traveler. And someone also needed to hold things down on the home front. In the end, after going back and forth over it, Mister Ye himself decided to accompany Li Chi on the trip. That settled the others’ worries somewhat.

The guards in Jizhou City right now — Regional Governor Pan Nuo did not fully trust any of them. These were Yuzhou soldiers, and he had not yet fully won them over. So he was using his people with great care.

The next morning, Li Chi and the others came out of the vault, dressed as jianghu wanderers, and went out through the city gates. They dared not bring warhorses — those were too conspicuous. They would figure out horses once they were outside.

The five of them split into two groups: Li Chi, Zhang Yuxu, and Peng Shiqi together; Mister Ye and Yu Jiuling together.

Peng Shiqi was glancing left and right, his face somewhat pale. He was genuinely a little frightened.

Zhang Yuxu immediately mocked him: “You were talking yourself up so boldly before we came out, and now here you are with that wretched look on your face.”

Peng Shiqi countered without missing a beat: “A jianghu traveler who doesn’t talk himself up — can you really call him a proper jianghu traveler?”

Zhang Yuxu found he could not argue with that.

Getting out of the city turned out to be easier than expected. Li Chi tried slipping the gate guards some silver, and without even checking them, the soldiers waved them through.

These Yuzhou soldiers were far from home, and most of their officers were dead or gone. Right now they were just getting through the days — muddling along. If someone offered silver, why bother with anything else?

Once outside, Peng Shiqi let out a long breath of relief.

Zhang Yuxu said: “Look at the state you’re in. What were you even scared of?”

Peng Shiqi said: “I was scared they’d search me.”

Zhang Yuxu said: “What have you got on you that’s prohibited? We didn’t even bring weapons. What are you scared of?”

Peng Shiqi said with great sincerity: “I was scared that if they searched me, they’d put their hands on me. Put their hands on me and they’d notice something. Notice something, and they’d feel inadequate. Feel inadequate, and they’d probably hit me.”

Li Chi, listening nearby, worked through the logic in Peng Shiqi’s words in sequence, then looked at Zhang Yuxu with an expression of gentle bewilderment: “Do you follow that?”

Zhang Yuxu sighed: “He’s saying that his name is seventeen, meaning the length—”

Li Chi thought about this for a moment, then asked: “And so?”

Zhang Yuxu looked at Li Chi: “Seventeen — doesn’t that deserve a beating?”

Li Chi said: “It’s on the small side, but still within the normal range, isn’t it?”

Zhang Yuxu stopped, walked on with his head down, and wanted nothing more to do with either of them.

Peng Shiqi also stopped, walked on with his head down, and wanted nothing more to do with either of them.

Li Chi smiled to himself.

Behind them, Yu Jiuling and Mister Ye had also made it out — and not just out, but with a bit of a haul.

When they caught up with Li Chi, he was rather surprised. Everyone had gone through without weapons for fear of trouble — but Yu Jiuling and Mister Ye had come out carrying arms. And not a few.

“Where did these come from?”

Li Chi asked, curious.

Yu Jiuling said: “When the soldiers at the gate asked where we were going, I said there was nothing to eat at home, and nothing to buy in the city either, so I thought I’d go out and try my luck — maybe catch some game.”

“Then the unit commander laughed and said, you two are going out there empty-handed — what game can you possibly catch?”

“I said we don’t have any weapons. Same as food — want to buy some and can’t find any.”

“The unit commander looked me up and down and said, if you have money, money is useful. If you have money, you can buy anything.”

Yu Jiuling said: “Clever as I am, I caught on immediately. So I lowered my voice and asked him: there are some women to be had?”

Li Chi made a sound, and the water he had just drunk came spraying out.

Yu Jiuling said: “That’s right, just like that — the unit commander was drinking water too at the time. He sprayed too. You two spray water exactly the same way.”

He went on with a grin: “That fellow looked at me with an expression like he was watching a complete fool.”

Li Chi said: “I imagine there was no *like* about it in his eyes.”

Yu Jiuling said: “I was just testing the waters. Clever as I am, the test told me they were also looking to sell things. So I paid up and bought all the weapons off them.”

Li Chi, on hearing this, gave a quiet sigh.

These were Dachu’s regular troops — and now they were selling their own weapons for a handful of coins.

The Yuzhou soldiers who had fought through several battles of life and death must be weary to the bone by now.

“They weren’t afraid of being punished for it?”

“They said no. Said they’d just go collect more from the armory. No one’s managing anything closely right now. That regional governor is apparently being very lenient with them — probably trying to win their loyalty.”

On hearing this, Li Chi had a sudden understanding. It was not winning loyalty at all. That regional governor was deliberately creating a pretext.

If all the officers were not yet dead, how could he sleep soundly?

Thinking this, Li Chi felt a faint melancholy. Those battle-hardened soldiers — by now, probably not a one of them wanted to fight anymore.

Those who manipulate human hearts will, in the end, find human hearts manipulating them.