The Tingwei Army set out from Jizhou, fanning out across the counties and districts. As for the River-Mountain Seal — whatever their aims may have been, this worked to Li Chi’s benefit regardless.

As for how Mu Fengliu had escaped, Li Chi had not asked Zhang Tang to pursue it further. He had not acted on it at all.

The watch assigned to guard Mu Fengliu that night all received the punishment due to them, but there was no deeper investigation.

The matter seemed to simply pass. And Jizhou city grew quiet again.

—

“Military report!”

Li Chi, in the middle of a council in the main hall, heard the call from outside and glanced toward the door. A soldier came at a quick step: “A military report from the Great General.”

Li Chi took the report and read it, and the tension in his shoulders eased.

Old Yan had returned. Affairs in Yuzhou had been handed to Master Wu for management — and Master Wu had great ability; governing local affairs was well within his capacity.

Moreover, the entire system for civilian governance already developed in Jizhou could be adapted for Yuzhou with only minor adjustments, without any significant difficulty.

“Another thirty cities taken.”

Li Chi passed the report to Yan Qingzhi.

Yan Qingzhi said: “Thirty more and the Great General will hold more than half of Yuzhou’s territory.”

He looked at Li Chi: “The new army’s training is just over a year in. Should we consider transferring them to Yuzhou? The Great General doesn’t have sufficient strength to control the full territory — and with so much ground already taken, Jingzhou will certainly respond. The court has probably already begun mobilizing. Without reinforcements, the Great General’s room to maneuver will be limited.”

Li Chi nodded: “The new army isn’t ready for true combat, but garrisoning territory is well within their capability. I’ll have all fifty thousand of the new troops transferred to Yuzhou and placed under Old Tang’s command.”

Yan Qingzhi: “All of them? That would leave Jizhou quite exposed.”

Li Chi: “Jizhou has nothing to worry about. Liu Ge is in the northwest. Xiahou in the north. Elder Brother Zhuang in the east. Old Tang in the south. All four directions are secure — keeping troops in Jizhou would serve no purpose.”

Yan Qingzhi: “Then should we send someone to the northwest to relieve Liu Ge, and have him bring fifty thousand down to Yuzhou?”

Li Chi considered for a moment, then nodded: “That works too. Lian Wuwa — Advisor Lian — is well-suited for both civil and military matters. Let him hold both roles.”

Yan Qingzhi: “He’s a fitting choice.”

He looked at Li Chi: “But expansion at this pace is straining our pool of usable officials. If we open the gates too wide in recruiting, we may fall right into the River-Mountain Seal’s trap.”

Li Chi smiled: “We can’t let that fear stop us from using any officials at all.”

Yan Qingzhi: “About that Mu Fengliu.”

He looked at Li Chi: “You haven’t asked me anything, but I’ve had some unease on my mind.”

Li Chi: “His scheme was nothing more than sowing division and suspicion. There’s nothing for you to dwell on, Advisor.”

Dean Gao, who sat nearby, said: “Yan Qingzhi and I thought back over events at the time, and the more we think, the more we feel something may truly have been off.”

He looked at Li Chi: “Back then, he wasn’t called Mu Fengliu. He went by You Youfang.”

Dean Gao then recounted the events of those years in full.

At the time, Dean Gao had grown weary of the atmosphere in the imperial capital’s officialdom and had developed a deep contempt for the eunuch Liu Chongxin’s stranglehold on power — so he had resigned and returned to Jizhou.

His ambition was to establish an academy in Jizhou. But Dean Gao had served as an official with nothing but clean hands — where would silver come from?

So upon returning to Jizhou, he had approached the city’s wealthy households and prominent families, hoping to raise funds.

Dean Gao himself was a gold seal of credibility. He was a great scholar of his age.

To be admitted under his instruction was, for the young sons of great families, akin to having another layer of gilding applied to themselves.

So the response was enthusiastic.

It was at this point that You Youfang appeared, saying he represented the Jizhou merchant community and wished to contribute to the founding of the academy.

The funds he brought in were exceptionally substantial — enough that Dean Gao no longer needed to exhaust himself running from door to door piecing together contributions.

More to the point: those from prominent families, for all their willingness to contribute, came with all manner of conditions.

You Youfang came with none. He had spoken with sincere feeling — saying he only hoped to open a path for the children of merchants, and that the academy should not serve only the great houses.

And so Dean Gao agreed, and accepted the silver.

In the first few years after the academy was built, You Youfang came by frequently — sitting in on lectures, befriending many of the instructors. Even Yan Qingzhi, in those days, had known him.

A few years after the academy opened, news spread that You Youfang’s business had collapsed and he had gone bankrupt.

Dean Gao and the others had made repeated inquiries and searches for him, but never received any word.

Dean Gao said: “At the time, we had agreed — the academy would not operate for profit, but if any profit arose, it should by rights go to him. He refused absolutely, saying only that he hoped to foster more talented people.”

He looked at Li Chi: “Now, of course, we realize — that, too, was part of the River-Mountain Seal’s long-laid design. To use the academy to cultivate talent for themselves.”

Yan Qingzhi sighed: “If the River-Mountain Seal has been quietly contacting academy graduates over these decades, it’s difficult to imagine how many of them are now River-Mountain Seal members.”

Dean Gao: “This is what troubles me. These graduates went out after leaving the academy, most taking positions in local governance, with some serving at court.”

Li Chi: “Which is why the River-Mountain Seal had the confidence to claim it could sway the court’s affairs and even influence the imperial succession.”

He paused, then said: “Set this aside for now. Let Zhang Tang continue to work through the intelligence and root out whoever he can. Our immediate priority is still the campaign in Yuzhou.”

He thought for a moment, then said: “Just now I mentioned having Liu Ge lead the troops to Yuzhou — hold that. I’ll go myself.”

Yan Qingzhi was surprised: “You’re going in person?”

Li Chi: “Has anyone noticed — the River-Mountain Seal showed itself right when we began preparing to advance into Yuzhou?”

Yan Qingzhi’s eyes brightened: “Your Highness is saying the River-Mountain Seal’s roots are in Yuzhou.”

Li Chi: “Before we had built up enough strength, the River-Mountain Seal had no interest in me. But once they realized I had both the capability and the intent to push into Yuzhou, they began to surface.”

He looked at Yan Qingzhi: “So I’d like to go to Yuzhou and take a look.”

Yan Qingzhi nodded: “With you there in person, the soldiers’ morale will certainly be lifted.”

After the council concluded, Li Chi began preparations for the march south.

The civil governance of Jizhou required none of his attention — it was all running smoothly and well within established patterns.

For this expedition, Li Chi called up fifty thousand from the new army. Gao Xining would bring a portion of the Tingwei Army along.

Several of the more senior Thousand-Supervisors would remain on garrison duty. The four younger Thousand-Supervisors were all to march south.

Early Cloud Interval, still recovering from his wounds, would also come — his injury was to his leg, and he could ride in a carriage for the whole journey without difficulty.

Beyond the Tingwei Army, Yu Jiuling — as chief of intelligence operations — would naturally accompany the march.

What surprised everyone was that Cao Lie, who had been in Jizhou for not yet three months, was also required to come south.

—

After preparations lasting over ten days, the fifty-thousand-strong army set out.

Inside a carriage, Li Chi sat cross-legged, deep in thought. Cao Lie sat across from him, watching.

Li Chi glanced up: “If you have something to say, say it.”

Cao Lie asked: “You’re Prince Ning now. Sitting in a carriage like this — does it feel even the tiniest bit inappropriate?”

Li Chi: “Where did you pick up an expression like ‘tiniest bit’?”

Cao Lie laughed.

Diudiu — the name was genuinely amusing.

He found himself thinking that Li Diudiu suited the man better than Li Chi.

“You’re taking me south with you.”

Cao Lie smiled: “That probably means you want me to help with something.”

Li Chi: “You’re overthinking it. I just want to bring someone who’ll buy me meals.”

Cao Lie: “You’ve already taken more than half of Yuzhou. Do you still need me to buy you dinner?”

Li Chi slowly narrowed his eyes and looked at him.

Then smiled: “Fair point. Eating in the yamen, eating with the army — that doesn’t cost me anything. That is my money, naturally. But if I bring you along, wherever we go to eat, you’re the one paying.”

Cao Lie stared at Li Chi with an expression full of questions.

He still couldn’t work out — why did so many people willingly follow and serve this man?

Li Chi — petty, stingy, greedy, and unscrupulous.

“Your Cao family has so many businesses.”

Li Chi said: “I’m also thinking about whether I can work out some deals along the way.”

Cao Lie suddenly registered something: “So among those traveling with us this time, there is also the proprietor of Shen Medical Hall — Shen Rushan.”

Li Chi: “The Cao family’s pharmaceutical businesses in Yuzhou can be priced and sold to the Shen Medical Hall.”

Cao Lie frowned: “What if the Cao family refuses?”

Li Chi: “Then build from scratch.”

Cao Lie let out a cold snort: “If I don’t agree, you could certainly build the Shen Medical Hall yourself — and then use lower prices and better service to gradually drive my family’s pharmaceutical trade into the ground.”

Li Chi: “And what does that tell you about where the fault lies?”

Cao Lie was silent for a moment.

Then he asked: “How do you say things like that with such complete confidence?”

Li Chi: “Why shouldn’t I? The Cao family runs big operations across every sector — but runs none of them well. Were it not for Prince Wu’s backing, I imagine half the Cao businesses would have gone under by now.”

Cao Lie fell quiet.

Li Chi was, in truth, not wrong.

The Cao family ran their businesses with a perpetual air of superiority. Even if Cao Lie didn’t oversee things directly, he knew what his people were like.

Even the lowest shop assistant working for the Cao family considered himself above others, simply because he worked for the Caos.

That kind of attitude, without a powerful patron behind it, couldn’t last.

After a long silence, Cao Lie asked: “What were you sitting there thinking about for so long just now?”

He didn’t want to keep discussing the Cao family’s businesses.

Li Chi answered: “I was thinking about how to absorb your family’s businesses.”

Cao Lie’s eyes slowly widened: “How… do you say things like that with such complete confidence?”

Li Chi: “That question sounds familiar.”

Cao Lie stared at Li Chi, a growing edge of anger in his gaze: “You’re going to Yuzhou not just to send reinforcements to Tang Pidi — you’re planning to swallow the Cao family’s businesses whole in one go?”

Li Chi: “One swallow isn’t enough. So — two.”

Cao Lie: “I—!”

Li Chi: “Don’t get excited. Calm down.”

Cao Lie: “You’re scheming against my family’s businesses right in front of me, and you want me to calm down?!”

Li Chi: “I’m doing this for your benefit.”

Cao Lie: “Doing this for my benefit?!”

Li Chi: “You can’t beat me.”

Cao Lie: “…”

Li Chi explained patiently: “Think about it — am I not doing this for your benefit? If you keep getting angry, you might try to hit me. If you hit me, you’ll get hit back. And once I hit you, you’ll get angrier and want to hit me again, which means you’ll get hit again…”

Cao Lie: “I thank you.”

Li Chi: “No need to be so formal about it.”

Cao Lie: “You just want to aggravate me to death?”

Li Chi: “Go think it over on your own. Come talk to me when you’ve sorted it out.”

Cao Lie shot him a vicious glare, and then — about half an hour later — Cao Lie suddenly understood something. A realization struck him.

He asked: “You want to absorb every one of the Cao family’s military-related businesses?”

He counted on his fingers: “The pharmaceutical operations, the weapons workshops — everything touching on military affairs, taken directly.”

Li Chi looked at Cao Lie: “Did I say ‘taken directly’?”

Cao Lie: “Then what? Surely you’re not actually going to buy it?”

Li Chi said with perfect seriousness: “My meaning is — did I say that? If I didn’t, then that’s because I forgot just now. So yes: I’m taking it directly.”

Cao Lie bit down on his teeth.