Maiqie seemed entirely unbothered by Gui Yuanshu’s words. He smiled and looked at him. “What Chief Officer Gui is saying is: if I don’t cooperate, I’ll have no way out afterward?”

He smiled. “Does my lord know — I have a moniker in the jianghu that’s somewhat well-regarded. They call me the Master of Three Appetites.”

Gui Yuanshu nodded. “Appetite for women, for money, and for violence.”

Maiqie said, “How gratifying that Chief Officer Gui still remembers. So knowing what kind of man I am — what exactly do you think I’m afraid of?”

Gui Yuanshu said, “Did I ever say the life you’d be trading was your own?”

He smiled. “I’ve been dealing with men like you from the start. You think you’re the only ‘Master of Three Appetites’ I’ve ever met? Every one of you wears that same appetite — for women, money, and a fight.”

Maiqie said, “I have no family, no heirs. I enjoy women but form no attachments. Who exactly are you threatening, Chief Officer Gui?”

Gui Yuanshu said, “You have two or three hundred brothers under you.”

Maiqie’s expression shifted. “Chief Officer Gui, you’re supposed to be a man of principle. This isn’t the way a man of principle operates.”

Gui Yuanshu said, “Ha. Would a man of principle be sitting here talking with you?”

Maiqie fell silent.

Gui Yuanshu looked at Fang Xidao, seated beside him. “This is a Chief Officer of the Judicial Guard. Have you heard of the Judicial Guard?”

Maiqie said, “For a lowlife like me to have a Chief Officer of the Judicial Guard personally pay a visit — I suppose I should consider it a privilege of three lifetimes.”

Fang Xidao said nothing. He simply sat there quietly, but his expression seemed to say: *One lifetime is enough when the Judicial Guard comes calling. Three lifetimes isn’t luck — it’s a death sentence.*

Gui Yuanshu said, “All these years, the people who threatened you most were the ones wearing official robes. You never learned.”

Maiqie said, “And yet officials have been dying left and right these years, while I’m still alive and well.”

Gui Yuanshu said, “I’ve worn official robes through the Great Chu court and now under the King of Ning. Do you think I’ll end up dead faster than you?”

After a long silence, Maiqie asked, “What exactly do you want me to do?”

Gui Yuanshu said, “Simple. Two things. First: find out whether a child under one year old has recently appeared inside the Wu Prince’s residence. Second: keep watch on the Wu Prince’s residence and let me know when the Princess Consort plans to leave Daxing City.”

Maiqie scoffed. “You want me to antagonize the Princess Consort. I’d rather antagonize you — antagonize her now and I die now. Antagonize you and I die later.”

Gui Yuanshu rose to leave with a smile. “Think it over. I’ve shown you the road. Whether you walk it is up to you. But one last thing worth noting: after the King of Ning enters Daxing City, your gambling den won’t be able to stay open regardless — even if you do this for me now. But if your brothers can all walk away alive, at least you’d have a way to take care of them.”

He looked at Fang Xidao. “Let’s go.”

Maiqie rose after them. “Chief Officer Gui — you think people of principle like you can just come and go as you please from a place like mine?”

Fang Xidao turned back. His wrist moved — and there was the sound of a sword leaving its sheath.

But when they looked, the sword was still in its scabbard, his hand still on the hilt, as though he hadn’t moved at all.

That wasn’t a sword being drawn. It was the sound of a blade leaving and entering its sheath — the two sounds so near-simultaneous they blurred into one, simply too fast to distinguish.

Maiqie looked down. A hole had appeared at the center of his chest — though it had only pierced his clothing.

Gui Yuanshu said with a smile, “The Judicial Guard has never been a talkative institution. They deal in deeds, not words. I’m the opposite — I talk a great deal, but still know when to stop.”

Then he and Fang Xidao left the Daxing City jail. Once outside, Fang Xidao asked, “Why use a man like him?”

Gui Yuanshu answered, “He’s rotten, but he’s loyal to his brothers. More importantly — he runs a gambling den, and back when I was still serving at the Court of Justice, I knew there were people from the Wu Prince’s residence gambling here.”

Just then, Maiqie jogged up from behind and called out to Gui Yuanshu: “How do I find you?”

Gui Yuanshu said, “If you have something, hang a red lantern outside the door. I’ll come to you.”

The two of them made their way back. Partway there, Gui Yuanshu couldn’t resist asking, “That sword strike just now — it was beautiful. The distance and the force, perfectly calculated. And at that speed.”

Fang Xidao smiled slightly. “That sort of thing isn’t hard. You know your sword. You know the length of your own arm. When you rise, step back slightly, control the distance — it’s simple enough to avoid hurting him. Maybe you don’t even graze his clothes.”

Gui Yuanshu said, “And if the calculation slips just a little, and you don’t even touch the cloth?”

Fang Xidao said, “Wouldn’t that still give him a fright?”

Gui Yuanshu stared at him.

Fang Xidao kept walking as he said, “The Judicial Guard is also an institution that values things making sense.”

When they returned to Yibin Residence of the Ministry of Rites, the sky hadn’t yet brightened. They entered the rear courtyard and found Li Chi sitting in front of a small brazier, tending a pot of congee.

Li Chi gestured at two small stools set out in front of him. “I figured you’d be back around now. I’ve made some congee and toasted a few buns. Eat before you sleep.”

The two sat down across from Li Chi, and something warm crept into the corners of their mouths — a small, quiet happiness.

Was this truly such a great gesture that it should move people?

Not really. But it made every subordinate feel it: that they mattered. That each of them, individually, was cared for.

“My lord.”

Gui Yuanshu said, “If we confirm that the young prince is inside the Wu Prince’s residence — should we act?”

Li Chi shook his head. “We won’t act.”

Fang Xidao thought for a moment and said, “The Princess Consort doesn’t actually want to bring the young prince along when she leaves — because doing so would put her own son in danger. That’s why she pretended to be ill when the Emperor first came to see her. She didn’t want to be involved.”

It was only human. The Princess Consort wanted to send her son out of Daxing City quietly, without entangling Yang Zhenting in all of this.

But the Emperor’s act of entrusting the child to her had dragged Yang Zhenting right back in.

Think about it: if the Emperor truly intended to take everyone down with him in his final act, then no matter who won in the end, they would not simply leave his child alone. Even if Li Chi personally had no intention of harming such a small child, those under him could hardly be expected to do nothing.

Even if they didn’t kill the prince — capturing and keeping the child was far safer than letting him roam free.

So how could the Princess Consort possibly agree? The moment she accepted this child, her own son would never stop being hunted.

Gui Yuanshu said, “We won’t act — but as long as Yang Jing knows we know where the young prince is, he’ll think twice about his schemes.”

Li Chi gave a quiet sound of agreement. “We won’t act, but Han Feibao’s people might. Because we’ve been looking into this, and Han Feibao’s people surely have as well. Most critically — there are already problems among the Princess Consort’s own people.”

His voice dropped. “Why won’t Yang Jing simply believe me when I say I have no desire to wipe out his entire line, or to harm a child that young?”

Gui Yuanshu said, “Because Yang Jing knows: if he were in our lord’s position, he would.”

Li Chi saw the congee was ready. He personally ladled out a bowl for both Gui Yuanshu and Fang Xidao. The two immediately reached out with both hands to receive them.

Li Chi said, “There’s no need to make this complicated. Eat your fill, then sleep. By the time you wake up, I’ll have already met with Yu Wenli. Then we’ll discuss what to do.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The two answered in unison, bent their heads, and drank their congee.

—

**Ministry of Rites compound.**

Yu Peien stood before a bronze mirror, studying himself. His robe was well-tailored, the fabric comfortable, and this put him in a pleasant mood.

“Is Teacher going out?”

Qi Lianshan entered and asked, seeing Yu Peien adjusting his clothing.

Yu Peien nodded. “Several days have already passed. Today I’m going into the palace to see that young Emperor and press him to arrange a second meeting with Xiahou Zhuo.”

Qi Lianshan asked curiously, “Teacher still hasn’t said — how do we intend to act? I’d like to prepare in advance.”

Yu Peien was about to speak when someone rushed in from outside: “Teacher Tailai — a message has come out from the Wu Prince’s residence.”

The man handed Yu Peien a slip of paper. He took it, read it, and his brow furrowed.

“No wonder the Emperor’s behavior has seemed off…”

Yu Peien passed the paper to Qi Lianshan. “The Emperor has placed his only son inside the Wu Prince’s residence. Barring the unexpected, he intends for the Princess Consort to take the young prince out of Daxing City. The child was brought into the residence and the Princess Consort immediately ordered a total information lockdown — our people only found a chance to get this message out today.”

Qi Lianshan snorted. “So he’s decided to stake everything on one throw?”

Yu Peien said, “It appears we both want Xiahou Zhuo dead — and so does the Emperor. And the Emperor wants us dead too. He’s not afraid of antagonizing both sides at once. He only fears that when the fighting starts, it won’t be fierce enough.”

He paused. “I underestimated the Emperor. I didn’t expect him to have such resolute determination.”

Qi Lianshan asked, “Teacher, how do we respond?”

Yu Peien said, “We have a man inside the Wu Prince’s residence. Take Ye Huasheng with you and handle this. No matter what it takes, that child must be in our hands.”

The Princess Consort had been running her business empire for years — a business that vast couldn’t have existed without ties to the old Cao family network. Placing people inside the Princess Consort’s organization required almost no planning at all, and cost next to nothing.

Penetrating Li Chi’s inner circle had demanded enormous sacrifice — a Mountain River Seal, a Cloud Mist Map. The Princess Consort’s organization was incomparably easier to infiltrate.

Qi Lianshan said, “Once we take the child, the Princess Consort won’t stay quiet. That woman already has nothing left to lose — when she loses her mind…”

Yu Peien smiled. “Does she not also have a child?”

He finished adjusting his clothes and walked out. “I’ll go press the Emperor to act. You go handle the business now. We know where her son Yang Zhenting is — send word outside the city. Have them move and bring Yang Zhenting to Daxing City.”

Qi Lianshan bowed. “Understood.”

Yu Peien said, “Also: have someone arrange a meeting with Yu Wenli on my behalf. I want to invite him for drinks tonight.”

He kept walking as he said, “If all goes as expected, it will be time for that Xiahou Zhuo to go meet Yu Wenli.”

Qi Lianshan followed behind him, hesitated a moment, then couldn’t help asking one more question.

“Teacher — should the child be kept alive at all costs, or does it not matter either way?”

Yu Peien said, “We just need the Emperor to know the child is in our hands. Whether alive or dead makes little real difference. Though if possible — keep him alive.”

“Yes!”

Qi Lianshan answered and turned to find Ye Huasheng.

Yu Peien walked on, turning something over in his mind…

*My little Emperor — you really should have listened.*

—