Li Chi stood at the window thinking carefully for a long while, then let out a slow breath. “Send word to the intelligence operatives in Yanzhou — have them all take off their Daoist robes. For now, no further moves.”

Yu Jiuling was taken aback. “Would Cao Lie move that quickly? He’s been working from the shadows after all.”

Li Chi said: “He’s no longer in the shadows. Mei Wujiu is dead — the command over the Yanzhou Shanhai Army has fallen to Mu Fengliu, and what’s in Mu Fengliu’s hands is in Cao Lie’s hands.”

Yu Jiuling said: “But we sent so many people, laid out so much groundwork…”

Li Chi said: “Ninth Sister, remember this — when our people are in danger, pull them back first. Affairs can proceed slowly, but lives cannot wait.”

Yu Jiuling was moved by those words. He nodded vigorously. “I understand. I’ll send a message to Yanzhou immediately and have everyone go into hiding.”

Li Chi said: “Pull them all back to Dragon’s Head Pass.”

Yu Jiuling replied in acknowledgment, then turned and ran out.

Li Chi’s mind turned to the sort of person Cao Lie was — a man who could go anywhere, change any environment, and remain exactly the same: the one who could make clouds and overturning seas.

Gao Xining walked to Li Chi’s side and said softly: “How about coming out for a walk with me? Spring has arrived — many new merchants have come to Jizhou City, and there are all manner of interesting things for sale.”

Li Chi smiled and nodded. “All right, let’s have a stroll.”

The two of them walked out of the Prince Ning’s Residence side by side, wandering down the main street, looking here and there.

Gao Xining said as they walked: “I know what you’re thinking. You’re regretting that you let Cao Lie go back then.”

Li Chi smiled. “He’s probably regretting it just as much as I am.”

Back in Youzhou, Li Chi had had the chance to kill Cao Lie, and Cao Lie had had the chance to kill Li Chi.

At the time, Li Chi had the upper hand — but it was Cao Lie’s territory, so ultimately neither could say for certain who would have killed whom. Perhaps fifty-fifty.

What Cao Lie hadn’t foreseen was that the man he’d let live would one day become his greatest obstacle. And for Li Chi, it was the same.

“It isn’t so terribly difficult, really.”

Gao Xining smiled. “He has fallen from a position of great privilege and been reduced to scheming in Yanzhou just to have some foothold. Whereas you have only gone upward. He is walking downhill.”

Li Chi said: “A blessed home has a worthy wife.”

Gao Xining coughed a few times. “Nonsense. We’re not even married yet.”

Li Chi sighed. “Hmm… shall we go find Little Zhang Zhenren, beat him up a little, and force him to tell us when it’s acceptable for us to get married?”

Gao Xining laughed. “Master and my grandfather would probably not believe us.”

Li Chi said: “What kind of business is this… just because of something Little Zhang Zhenren said, the two of us can’t even get married.”

Gao Xining gave a quiet sigh, lowering her voice, her tone full of resignation. “Can’t get married… and that other thing isn’t allowed either.”

Li Chi immediately said: “Please elaborate on exactly what that other thing is?”

Gao Xining’s face went red. “Shameless!”

Li Chi sighed. “I suspect Little Zhang Zhenren made it all up.”

Gao Xining asked: “Why would he make up something like that?”

Li Chi said: “Probably because they all thought I didn’t have enough ambition. Back in the early days, I really had no desire to go and contend for the world.”

Gao Xining suddenly grasped the implications. “So my grandfather and Master bribed Little Zhang Zhenren!”

Li Chi said: “Bribed may not be the right word — those two are too stingy for that… Or perhaps he got beaten by those two old men first — they forced him into it. It was all to stop us from consummating the relationship. Those two old men — conspiring together — so we couldn’t share a marriage bed — and fabricated this monstrous lie!”

Gao Xining said: “Exactly! Let’s go right now and confront my grandfather and Master about this.”

Li Chi was momentarily stunned. “You’d actually go and confront them? Do you have that kind of nerve?”

Gao Xining said: “You lead the charge.”

Li Chi said: “You leading the charge means I’m the one holding the battle flag for your grandfather and Master. I know exactly what you’re like…”

Gao Xining began to laugh. “If they really did fabricate it, then it ought to be tested at some point. And to test it, there must be a sacrifice. And for that sacrifice…”

Li Chi sighed. “What exactly did I see in you…”

Gao Xining burst out laughing. “You saw that I’m willing to sacrifice you.”

Seeing that Li Chi’s mood had lifted considerably, her own spirits rose along with it.

Back in the Prince Ning’s Residence, she had of course been able to see how low Li Chi’s mood had fallen after Cao Lie had broken his plan. So she had suggested that he come out for a stroll — and now, looking at him, he was clearly much better.

Li Chi said: “How about this — we try a different approach, and see once and for all whether it’s all made up or true?”

Gao Xining’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You’re actually talking about wanting to take advantage of me so openly now?”

Li Chi grinned. “I’m just blowing hot air. As if I’d ever dare with those rules they laid down for me.”

He lifted a small silk pouch from around his neck and pointed at it. “Grandfather and Master told me — if I ever had improper thoughts toward you, I should open this pouch and take a look.”

Gao Xining was immediately curious. “Let me see what’s inside.”

Li Chi said: “It would be better not to look — it’s not terribly pleasant.”

Gao Xining held out her hand. “Let me see — just how unpleasant is it?”

Li Chi opened the pouch and took out a small slip of paper — not large, with only six characters written on it in total.

【We are watching you.】

Gao Xining burst out laughing. “Then why didn’t grandfather and Master give me one of these too?”

Li Chi sighed. “Probably because they’ve always believed I’m the one who’d do something untoward first.”

Gao Xining threw her head back and laughed. “They could never have imagined — I’m the real scoundrel! Ha ha ha ha…”

Li Chi immediately covered Gao Xining’s mouth with his hand. “Keep your voice down — we’re on the main street.”

Gao Xining looked around and noticed quite a few passersby with their heads turned, watching them — some with puzzled expressions, some visibly startled.

Those who looked puzzled had probably only caught a glimpse and were wondering what they were shouting about. Those who had actually heard what Gao Xining shouted were the startled ones.

Li Chi sighed. “It’s gotten to the point where even if I just want to give you a little kiss, the moment I lower my head I’m looking straight at this pouch — and then I feel like there are two old men standing behind me, staring at me with their eyes wide open.”

Gao Xining laughed again.

She pointed. “Right behind you, looking.”

Li Chi sighed. “Like I’d fall for that…”

He was saying this even as he turned to look, and the words weren’t even finished before his head had already turned around — of course there was no sign of Master or the Gao Academy Head.

Li Chi huffed. “You just like to trick me…”

He was still talking as he turned back, and as he did, Gao Xining stood on tiptoe and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

Gao Xining landed and turned away, strolling forward with her hands clasped behind her back. “I’ve already marked you in full public view, in front of all these witnesses. Everyone here understands — you’re my person. There’s no escaping now.”

Li Chi’s eyes went wide. “You dared kiss me right out in the open in broad daylight?”

Gao Xining: “Just did. What of it?”

Li Chi: “Do you dare do it again!”

Gao Xining strolled on ahead, laughing, hands still clasped behind her back, her ponytail swinging back and forth.

The transport yard.

Changmei the Daoist sat watching the Divine Hawk and Little Dog play about, a smile at the corners of his mouth.

Just then, the Gao Academy Head came in from outside, carrying some cooked food and a jug of wine.

As he walked he gave the things in his hands a little wave toward Changmei the Daoist, also smiling.

The two old men settled into the stone chairs on either side of the courtyard table, arranged the food and dried fruits, and poured the wine.

Before they’d even had a sip, Little Zhang Zhenren came in looking rather pale.

“Two elder seniors.”

Little Zhang Zhenren bowed. Changmei the Daoist smiled. “Did you smell the wine and food and come running?”

Little Zhang Zhenren sighed. “No… I’ve come to the two seniors to air a grievance.”

The Gao Academy Head asked with a smile: “What grievance?”

Little Zhang Zhenren said: “Last night I dreamed of my Master. He said he’d counted on his fingers and determined that I’d done something terrible while here in Jizhou.”

The Gao Academy Head said: “Then you probably really did do something terrible. As you think by day, so you dream by night — your master was right.”

Little Zhang Zhenren said: “The only terrible thing I’ve done since arriving in Jizhou was at the instigation of the two seniors here…”

He hadn’t even finished speaking before the Gao Academy Head waved a hand. “You can’t say it like that — why would we ever encourage you to do something terrible?”

Changmei the Daoist said with a smile: “That matter… truly can’t be blamed on you, nor on us. The hexagram reading genuinely indicated as much — we just added a few embellishments.”

Little Zhang Zhenren said earnestly: “The hexagram only said it was not auspicious to marry too early. It didn’t say…”

The Gao Academy Head immediately cut in: “Nonsense — if they can’t marry, then how could they possibly… ahem, well, you understand.”

Changmei the Daoist said: “Exactly!”

After saying this he seemed to hesitate somewhat, and looked toward the Gao Academy Head. “Actually…”

The Gao Academy Head: “Shut your mouth!”

Changmei the Daoist: “Oh…”

The Gao Academy Head said: “You must be thinking there’s nothing wrong with it — after all, Chi’er is a man, and for a man that’s not being taken advantage of, that’s called having the better end of the deal.”

Changmei the Daoist sighed: “Can you not see it? Ning’er is the one who thinks she got the worse end of the deal…”

The Gao Academy Head: “I said shut your mouth!”

Changmei the Daoist let out a small laugh. “Alright, alright, elder brother — as you say. Whatever the case, Chi’er’s resolve has definitely changed quite a bit on account of this, so it can’t be counted as a bad thing.”

He looked at Little Zhang Zhenren. “You know that Chi’er is the Human Emperor. Yes?”

Little Zhang Zhenren: “Yes…”

Changmei the Daoist continued: “So your actions spurred Chi’er toward contending for the realm, and Chi’er’s contention for the realm is to save the common people and build a better nation for the Central Plains… can you really call that a bad thing?”

Little Zhang Zhenren thought it over, and it did seem to make sense.

He sighed and said: “But in my dream last night, my Master scolded me, saying I talk nonsense all day long.”

Changmei the Daoist said: “Next time you dream of your Master, tell him to come scold me.”

Just then, outside the transport yard, a carriage drew to a halt. Several Daoist priests dismounted and respectfully opened the carriage door, then produced a small stool and set it in place.

The occupant stepped down from the carriage using the stool, and the several priests immediately crowded forward to assist.

Little Zhang Zhenren glanced back — and immediately his eyes went wide. “Good lord… Master!”

Outside, the Dragon and Tiger Mountain’s elderly Zhenren, Zhang Mingling — white of hair and beard from crown to chin — peered into the transport yard and happened to meet Little Zhang Zhenren’s eyes as he turned.

Old Zhang Zhenren immediately broke into a smile. Warm and kindly, it was.

While Little Zhang Zhenren’s face had gone noticeably pale, and he was murmuring under his breath: “It’s over… this time it’s really over.”

Changmei the Daoist quickly asked: “What do you mean by that?”

Little Zhang Zhenren said: “You don’t know my Master — you don’t understand why he’s come down the mountain. He must have missed me…”

Changmei the Daoist asked: “Isn’t that a good thing?”

Little Zhang Zhenren looked mournfully up at the sky. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

Then he plastered a smile across his face and trotted forward at a small jog. “Master! Master — how have you come here, Master! I’ve missed you so much, Master!”

The two old men watched his wildly exaggerated performance.

Old Zhang Zhenren reached out a hand. A Daoist priest immediately produced something and passed it to him.

It was a slingshot.

Not a large one — the sort of thing that normally only made sense for shooting something the size of a peanut. Yet Old Zhang Zhenren had loaded a full egg onto it.

As Old Zhang Zhenren took aim, Little Zhang Zhenren’s face turned green.

He immediately cried out: “Watch out!”

Changmei the Daoist and the Gao Academy Head exchanged a glance, thinking to themselves: this child must have been scared out of his wits. He’s the one about to get hit — what is he shouting “watch out” for?

With a sharp crack — the egg struck Changmei the Daoist squarely on the forehead.

Little Zhang Zhenren: “He… can’t aim very well…”