As they walked, Gao Xining said, “I’ll start with officials at the Third Rank and above, since the Tingwei Office will need time to reassign personnel and make new arrangements. Once things are running smoothly, I’ll expand further down.”

Li Chi already understood why Gao Xining had decided to do this so abruptly. He felt nothing but self-reproach.

Yet this was inherently a contradictory situation.

If he had stationed Tingwei Army personnel beside every official from the very beginning, the first reaction people would most likely have had was — Prince Ning no longer trusts me.

Given the distinctive nature of the Tingwei Army’s role, that kind of worry could very well have arisen.

As they walked, Li Chi turned it over in his mind, trying to think of a way to handle it that would satisfy everyone.

Gao Xining, of course, also knew what Li Chi was thinking. Had it not been for the matter involving Mr. Yan, she wouldn’t have been in such a rush either.

Mr. Yan was a man who had truly lived up to the words of being an official who serves the people — yet he was so consumed by work that he might go a full day with only one meal, or perhaps not eat at all.

The people around him had come to see this as normal. They went about their own duties, treating it as an ordinary state of affairs, without the slightest understanding of what their responsibilities actually were.

“Is the Tingwei Army short-handed right now?”

Li Chi asked.

Gao Xining shook her head. “We are. So for the time being, we can only start with the Third Rank and above.”

“Announce it first, then begin selecting from the combat soldiers.”

Li Chi looked at Gao Xining. “You go see Mr. Yan. I’ll handle the announcement.”

Gao Xining’s footsteps paused. “One of my responsibilities is to make sure you don’t get scolded or wronged.”

Li Chi said, “My greatest responsibility is to make sure my woman doesn’t get scolded or wronged.”

Gao Xining stood where she was, looking at him. Her eyes had gone faintly, quietly red.

“Aih…”

Li Chi took her hand and kept walking. “Every day you get moved by me once — yet you still haven’t thrown yourself into my arms. If you keep holding out like this, I’m starting to run out of new ways to touch your heart.”

Gao Xining leaned close to his ear and lowered her voice. “Save the new ways for later.”

Li Chi: “Oh, come on!”

He looked at Gao Xining. “What have you been reading?!”

Gao Xining giggled, her eyes bright and sparkling. “Go ask Aunt Wu — she told me that before I get married, she’d be my marriage education teacher.”

Li Chi: “You actually went to get tutored?”

Gao Xining: “I didn’t. I didn’t go. I didn’t ask a single thing.”

Li Chi narrowed his eyes. “That’s not right. A proper young lady going to learn about such things and not sharing any of it with me — isn’t that a little selfish?”

Gao Xining: “Pfft. You’ve got Yu Jiuling by your side. What do you need to ask anyone?”

The two hadn’t yet made it out of the Tingwei Office when Mr. Yan came hurrying in.

“This absolutely cannot stand. Never mind arranging dedicated staff — even the kitchen that Ninth Sister had arranged for me and the cook she’d hired, I’ve already given the order to cancel both.”

Mr. Yan said, “If we really do start assigning people to personally serve officials, it will corrupt the spirit of governance before long. My lord, think about how Dachu fell apart. Were all those officials genuinely corrupt from the start? No — a good many of them were led astray and tempted into corruption.”

“The collapse of the Dachu court is right before our eyes. If we go down that road, the officials below will look at those above with envy, while those above will grow ever more accustomed to such privileges. That is not the right path.”

Li Chi said, “Xining’s intention was to see that you and the others were properly looked after.”

Mr. Yan quickly said, “What we can do is replace the personal guard details of all officials with Tingwei Army personnel — that’s actually quite all right, and officials will understand. But specifically assigning people to attend to officials’ personal needs is a door that must never be opened, and a trend that must never take root.”

Gao Xining looked at Li Chi. Li Chi looked back at her.

Mr. Yan said, “What if we handle it like this: I’ll set an example myself. As Yuzhou Jiedushi, I’ll convene all officials of the Fifth Rank and above to discuss this matter openly, and we’ll address it by strengthening the system of rewards and penalties for officials. That would be far better than making such arrangements.”

Li Chi nodded. “When you convene the meeting, I’ll be there too.”

He turned to Gao Xining. “Then hold off on deploying the Tingwei Army personnel for now. Start by selecting a batch of people from the combat soldiers, have them trained, and then make coordinated assignments. Don’t use the Tingwei Army name when assigning them. I’ll think of a way to handle it when the time comes.”

Gao Xining made a sound of agreement. “I’ll follow your lead.”

They talked with Mr. Yan for quite some time. Mr. Yan was deeply moved inwardly — moved by what Yu Jiuling had done, moved by what Gao Xining had tried to do.

Li Chi — his student. That young boy who had entered the Four Pages Academy so poor he couldn’t even afford the school uniform.

By now he had become the sovereign of a great domain, and yet he had not changed in the slightest. He was still that same student.

He was still that same young man.

After Mr. Yan had gone back to the yamen, Li Chi went to find Yu Jiuling.

Yu Jiuling was in the middle of training with the personal guard troops. When he saw Li Chi arrive, he came jogging over with a grin.

“Chief.”

His face always wore that eternal sunshine-bright smile.

Li Chi smiled and asked, “Got kicked?”

Yu Jiuling chuckled. “So what, my big brother kicked me — so what? My big brother could kick me flying and I’d be fine. Besides, I’m not stupid. It looked like my big brother was getting justice for that officer, but really, my big brother was sticking up for me.”

Li Chi said, “I’ll kick her back for you later. Get justice on your behalf.”

Yu Jiuling said, “Chief, can we not just talk big? If you’re going to talk big, at least pick something within the realm of possibility.”

Li Chi: “…”

Yu Jiuling was still chuckling. “I’m really fine, like I just said — I’m not stupid.”

Li Chi said, “Later on, your big brother is going to build a new unit — dedicated to protecting Mr. Yan and the others. The people will be chosen from the combat soldiers. This unit will fall under your command too.”

Yu Jiuling said, “I don’t want it. I’ll stay right here in your personal guard camp. I’m not going anywhere.”

Li Chi said, “It’ll be a nominal appointment, but you’ll be in charge.”

Yu Jiuling thought about it. “That I could do. Does it come with double pay?”

Li Chi said, “By ‘double’ you mean double, or double-‘fly’?”

Yu Jiuling burst out laughing.

Li Chi said, “Your pay goes up three times.”

Yu Jiuling: “No way!”

He looked at Li Chi and broke into a wide grin. “Three times?”

Li Chi said, “Three times. And also… from now on, your bills at the pleasure houses can go on account.”

Yu Jiuling’s eyes went wide. “What?!”

Li Chi said, “It’s fixed though. You can only pick one.”

Yu Jiuling: “Ha ha ha ha ha! Chief, long may you reign, ten thousand years! But… just give me the cash. Chief, I’d rather not take that last part. Can you convert it to silver for me?”

Li Chi said, “That doesn’t sound like you.”

Yu Jiuling drew a slow breath, and when he spoke his voice was a little lower. “That night, when I was coming home from the guard camp — it was already the middle of the night. When I walked in, I saw my wife holding our child, sitting there, asleep. On the table were the meals she’d kept warm for me. She was sitting there, swaying back and forth like she was about to topple over at any moment — but she didn’t fall, because she was holding our child in her arms…”

Yu Jiuling looked at Li Chi. “Right then, in that moment, I thought to myself — Yu Jiuling, you really are a miserable bastard. Truly. A complete bastard.”

Li Chi raised his hand and patted Yu Jiuling on the shoulder. “I understand.”

Yu Jiuling let out another long, forceful breath. “A man who’s already married with children can’t keep living like a man with nothing to lose.”

Li Chi slung his arm around Yu Jiuling’s shoulders, and the two walked forward together.

Li Chi said, “You know how stingy I am. Converting things to cash isn’t really something I do — so forget about it.”

Yu Jiuling: “Ugh…”

Li Chi said, “But here’s what we can do — move to a new place. When you first chose a residence, you picked one that was run-down and cramped. Back then you told me, ‘Chief, I haven’t done anything to deserve more, and we can’t give people reason to talk.’ Back then, Ninth Sister… from now on, we don’t need to worry about giving people reason to talk. If anyone brings it up, you tell them — my brother gave this to me. Not Prince Ning. My brother.”

Yu Jiuling froze.

—

The next day, Mr. Yan convened all officials of the Fifth Rank and above who were currently in Yuzhou City.

The main hall of the Jiedushi yamen was filled to capacity, everyone waiting for Mr. Yan to speak.

Mr. Yan hadn’t yet gotten to the main point, because Prince Ning hadn’t arrived yet.

He chatted idly with the officials. The hall filled now and then with waves of laughter — and then, at that moment, Li Chi stepped in from outside. Everyone immediately rose to their feet and bowed in unison. “We pay our respects to our lord.”

Li Chi smiled. “Everyone, please rise. Sit comfortably.”

After everyone was seated, Li Chi took a seat beside Mr. Yan. “Let Mr. Yan speak. I’m here to listen.”

Mr. Yan then told the gathering what had happened the day before. Hearing it, the hearts of everyone present were stirred.

Mr. Yan said, “Our lord wished to ensure we would not suffer any hardship, and wanted to arrange dedicated staff to see to our needs. But I found that improper. The realm has not yet been won. If we start thinking about how to enjoy ourselves now, then in the future, the suffering the common people bear will be even greater than what was inflicted upon them by the Dachu court.”

He looked around at the gathered officials. “So you may blame me — the benefits our lord arranged for you were turned away by me.”

Everyone offered a few words in reply.

Li Chi rose. “Let me speak, Mr. Yan.”

Mr. Yan bowed and returned to his seat.

Li Chi smiled slightly and said, “Mr. Yan just told you that General Yu Jiuling arranged a cook and a small kitchen for him, and he turned it all away.”

“So let me now say this: I have made new arrangements, and they stand. None of you will have the same provision — not yet. And that includes myself. Only Mr. Yan has this.”

Mr. Yan’s expression changed at once. He wanted to stop Li Chi from continuing, but there was no stopping him now.

Li Chi said, “Do any of you know how Mr. Yan spends each day?”

All the officials nodded. Everyone knew just how relentlessly Mr. Yan worked.

Li Chi said, “Since you all know, then let me continue… Mr. Yan is the first, but not the only one. Whoever works for the people as Mr. Yan does — eyes always fixed on the lives of the common folk, putting the needs of the people before all else — I will make the same arrangements for them. Never mind a small kitchen with a cook…”

Li Chi looked out at the assembled officials. “Whoever can do this, I, Li Chi, will personally wait on them hand and foot!”

He let a brief pause settle, then continued, “Let these words stand today. From this point forward, whether here in Yuzhou City or in the various localities — the first criterion for evaluating any official is the condition of the people under their care. Within the bounds of lawful conduct, wherever the lives of the people improve the most, wherever things get better and better — I will do everything in my power to reward that person. When that time comes, you may come to me and set your own terms. As long as it is within my ability to provide, anything goes.”

He turned back to look at Mr. Yan. “But today, the second thing I must announce is that Mr. Yan is to be docked one year’s stipend.”

Mr. Yan was momentarily stunned.

Li Chi said, “If any official at any level hereafter follows Mr. Yan’s example and gets so caught up in work that they can’t find time to eat — I will dock their pay too. I will dock you until you cry. Do you hear me?”

“We hear you!”

Li Chi said, “Work must be done. Meals must be eaten. Bodies must be kept well. We are all going to see this through together — to see what kind of realm and what kind of life for the common people we can build, and to see what kind of central domain we can forge here in the heartland.”

A whole room of officials bowed in response — and not one of them felt the slightest resentment. If anything, they felt a flicker of something like joy.

Li Chi smiled and said, “I came in late just now. Do you know why?”

Without waiting for anyone to answer, Li Chi went on. “Mr. Yan has gathered you all here, which is a rare occasion to have so many people together at once. So today, let’s just give everyone the afternoon off. I had people set up several dozen cooking pots in the rear courtyard and had plenty of ingredients and meat brought in. Today, everyone cooks with their own hands. Whoever has a signature dish makes that dish, and we all cook together and eat together. I’m not providing the wine though.”

All at once, the reactions in the room were wonderfully varied.

Li Chi rolled up his sleeves. “Come on — I’m making the main dish today. Everyone follow me to the rear courtyard.”

“Yes, sir!”

Those officials — they were suddenly alive with excitement. And Mr. Yan, watching Li Chi, felt his eyes grow a little moist.

This was his student.

Li Chi glanced back at Mr. Yan. In his eyes, Mr. Yan saw it — Li Chi was saying: *I’ll move heaven and earth to make sure you’re treated differently. Because you are my Mr. Yan.*

—