By now, Mu Yan and Mu Di had finally grasped the full meaning behind the Da Ning Emperor’s decision to let them enter Chang’an ahead of schedule.

Tantai Qi’s near-explicit posture was, in essence, telling them: *this* is what you should be discussing with His Majesty once you arrive in Chang’an.

His Majesty wanted the Western Regions people to settle down and behave — only a stable situation made for good trade. But that stability shouldn’t be a promise kept solely by the Ning side.

“Grand General.”

Mu Yan and Mu Di raised their cups to toast Tantai Qi and Tantai Yajing. After drinking, he asked in a seemingly offhand manner, “I have heard that the Da Ning Emperor intends to conduct military training in Da Ning’s northwest?”

Tantai Yajing said, “Your information is mistaken.”

Mu Yan and Mu Di asked, “Is it false, then?”

Tantai Yajing replied, “It’s not that training in the northwest is being *planned*. Grand General-King Tang Pidi is already *in* the northwest.”

Mu Yan and Mu Di understood immediately.

With the Grand General-King himself present, this battle was going to be something else entirely. Tantai father and son were already considered demons in the eyes of the Western Regions people — and now came a demon king among demons. His Majesty’s resolve to fight this war could not have been clearer.

Mu Yan and Mu Di probed further: “If the Grand General-King is to train in the northwest, he may not be familiar with the terrain. Would he perhaps need me to provide a few guides?”

Tang Pidi was training troops on the northern steppe, still over a thousand li away. What sort of guides could he possibly offer that would be of any use to Tang Pidi?

But Tantai Qi found that willingness exceptionally pleasing.

“No need. Your Highness the Prince should set out for Chang’an first thing tomorrow morning. The Grand General-King’s training is in no hurry — by the time Your Highness returns, the timing should work out just right.”

Mu Yan and Mu Di nodded at once. “That would be ideal.”

—

Meanwhile, in Chang’an.

Li Chi sat cross-legged on the heated kang bed in the Eastern Warm Chamber and pointed at the game board. “I’ll give you an advantage. You go first.”

Lu Chonglou hastily replied, “How could this subject dare accept such a concession from Your Majesty? I shall simply request the first move for myself.”

Li Chi squinted at him. “You’ve been learning all the wrong things lately.”

Lu Chonglou said, “This subject thanks Your Majesty for the gracious compliment.”

Li Chi said, “Very well then. Since that’s the case, letting you go first is no great matter. I am confident I can still beat you — how about I also spot you three stones?”

Lu Chonglou said, “Having first move is already a tremendous advantage. How could I presume to also ask Your Majesty to spot me three stones?”

Li Chi said, “Then I take first move, and *you* spot me three stones?”

Lu Chonglou: “……”

And then Li Chi lost anyway. None of the stone-spotting business mattered in the least — Lu Chonglou’s skill at Go was so far beyond Li Chi’s that he had the Emperor throwing in the towel in short order.

Li Chi studied the board for a good while, then said to Lu Chonglou, “Next time let’s be clearer about the terms. You may have first move, but the condition of spotting me three stones needs revision.”

Lu Chonglou said with confidence, “Your Majesty, please do explain.”

Li Chi said, “You play one stone. I play three. You play one more. I play three more.”

Lu Chonglou: “That isn’t spotting three stones for a game — that’s spotting three stones *per move*. Your Majesty, this really isn’t quite right…”

Li Chi said, “It’s not right? Hmm… you’re correct, it isn’t. To properly spot three stones, it should be: you play one stone, I play four. *That* is spotting three stones.”

Lu Chonglou: “……”

Li Chi said with a grin, “Come now, you go first.”

Lu Chonglou said, “On second thought, perhaps we need not play at all…”

Li Chi said, “Refusing to play is defying an imperial command. Defying an imperial command earns a docked salary.”

Lu Chonglou: “……”

Unsurprisingly, under such conditions — never mind Lu Chonglou, even a grandmaster of the game would have wept tears the size of peanuts. Li Chi won, and then exhaled with great satisfaction. “You see? Under fair conditions, I still have victory firmly in hand.”

Lu Chonglou said, “Your Majesty’s idea of ‘fair’ is simply whatever Your Majesty declares to be fair.”

Li Chi said, “Is that not how it works?”

Lu Chonglou: “Absolutely!”

Li Chi said, “If you feel your skill surpasses mine and can’t stand the loss, I am happy to play another round with you.”

Lu Chonglou said, “I accept it completely. This subject is utterly prostrated in defeat. Never mind one more game — I would lose a hundred more.”

Li Chi laughed. “Your skill at Go may be nothing to speak of, but your attitude is admirable.”

Lu Chonglou: “……”

Li Chi said, “Quickly now — say ‘this subject thanks Your Majesty for the gracious compliment.'”

Lu Chonglou said, “This subject… thanks Your Majesty for the gracious compliment.”

Li Chi laughed. “What I mean to say is: at Go, I am no match for you. But at learning bad habits — you are no match for me.”

Lu Chonglou lowered his head and muttered, “Of course this subject cannot outdo Your Majesty at learning bad habits. It isn’t as though Your Majesty doesn’t know — who else would I have learned them from…?”

Li Chi said, “You must have picked them up from Yu Jiuling. If you’d learned from me, you wouldn’t have come out this poorly.”

Lu Chonglou said, “Perhaps this subject simply lacks the talent…”

Li Chi: “Are you insulting me?”

Lu Chonglou bent at the waist immediately. “This subject would not dare. This subject did nothing of the sort. How could this subject possibly have been suggesting that Your Majesty is inherently wicked?”

Li Chi sighed, “And now you are insulting me quite openly to my face…”

He rose and walked to the writing desk, calling out to Ding Qing’an, “Go and invite Master Yan. I wish to consult him about Lu Chonglou’s continued employment.”

Lu Chonglou wilted at once and bowed deeply. “This subject acknowledges his offence. This subject will never dare again.”

Li Chi glanced at him sidelong. “Too late.”

That last word had barely left his lips when Master Yan stepped in through the outer door of the Eastern Warm Chamber.

Master Yan bowed. “Your Majesty summoned this subject — what are your instructions?”

Lu Chonglou was stunned. The little eunuch Ding Qing’an hadn’t even left through the door yet, and Master Yan was already walking in. How exactly had the summons worked — by thought alone? And how had Master Yan arrived — by teleportation upon receiving the mental edict?

Only then did Lu Chonglou understand: His Majesty had dug a trap. Master Yan had been waiting outside long since.

Li Chi looked at Master Yan and said, “Lu Chonglou insulted me to my face. What crime should be assigned?”

Master Yan bowed. “Execution of the entire household.”

Lu Chonglou: “!!!!!”

Li Chi said, “Then execution of the entire household it is.”

Master Yan said, “This subject receives the command. This subject will dispatch men to raid his home immediately.”

Lu Chonglou dropped to his knees with a thud. “Whatever Your Majesty wishes this subject to do, this subject is willing! This subject has confessed. This subject will truly never dare again!”

Li Chi looked at Master Yan and asked, “The crime warrants execution of the entire household, yet his attitude in confessing has been good. What should be done?”

Master Yan said, “He may be exiled three thousand li.”

Li Chi said, “Then exile three thousand li it is.”

Lu Chonglou let out a sigh and bowed his head. “Even if Your Majesty sends this subject to the northwest frontier, I am willing.”

Li Chi: “Oh?”

Master Yan: “Oh!”

Li Chi said, “You have it so comfortably here in Chang’an as a second-rank official. Why would you want to go somewhere as harsh and bitter as the northwest frontier?”

Master Yan said, “Yes, I cannot fathom it either.”

Lu Chonglou said, “Your Majesty… let us stop playing games. This subject volunteers to escort grain and supplies to the Western Frontier and deliver them to the Grand General-King. This subject volunteers to remain in the Western Frontier for a time, managing logistics for the Grand General-King.”

Li Chi: “Then it is approved?”

Master Yan said, “Lord Lu’s loyalty is plain to see. Your Majesty should approve it — otherwise it would chill Lord Lu’s heart.”

Li Chi said, “Master Yan is right. Then it is approved.”

He sat down and asked Lu Chonglou with a smile, “What do you make of this arrangement? Speak your heart — no need to hold anything back.”

Lu Chonglou said, “In the matter of learning wickedness, even three lifetimes of study would not be enough for this subject.”

Li Chi burst out laughing, then turned to Master Yan. “Justice lies where it belongs — don’t be cursing me. That scheme was Master Yan’s idea.”

Master Yan smiled and said, “His Majesty said the battle in the northwest must be fought, and fought well — therefore the matter of logistics requires a person of both standing and capability, so that the Grand General-King may have not a single concern about his rear. His Majesty said this task could only be entrusted to you. I told His Majesty: Your Majesty, this subject has no desire to go.”

Li Chi laughed. “I said: if Master Yan does not wish to go, then who else could do it? Master Yan said Lu Chonglou could go — and would handle things with perfect competence.”

Master Yan said, “His Majesty asked me: but what if Lu Chonglou doesn’t wish to go either?”

Li Chi said, “Master Yan replied: then just trap him.”

Lu Chonglou said, “This subject thanks His Majesty for the deep honour. This subject thanks Master Yan for the warm regard…”

Li Chi said, “You show such gratitude — I am truly gratified. Now, if you have any conditions, you may raise them before me. If I find I cannot agree to whatever you name, you can simply find a way to overcome it yourself.”

Lu Chonglou: “……”

Master Yan reached into his sleeve and produced two silver ingots. “The court will provide every support you are entitled to. I personally sponsor you an additional twenty taels of silver.”

Lu Chonglou: “……”

He was not, of course, a fool. He understood perfectly well that a matter of escorting grain and supplies to the northwest required no senior official of his rank. A first-rank official at the second grade, the Minister of Personnel, personally going to manage a supply run — it was the kind of thing that made people’s eyes go wide. Any official of the fourth or fifth grade could handle such a task, and would do it nearly as well.

So when His Majesty had begun laying his trap just now, Lu Chonglou had already discerned his intent.

His Majesty’s reasoning behind this arrangement had three parts.

First: Xu Ji would soon be returning. By sending Lu Chonglou to the northwest temporarily, His Majesty was *protecting* him.

Second: the direct road to the Western Frontier had been under construction for over a year, and there were rumours that officials overseeing it had embezzled funds and deliberately delayed progress. His Majesty therefore needed a senior official of sufficient weight to go and investigate — Lu Chonglou, at the second grade, had the authority and the ability, and the Emperor trusted him.

Third: this western campaign held little real suspense. With Tantai Qi and Tantai Yajing present, the outcome was already nine parts certain. With the Grand General-King in the field as well — even if he was still a thousand li off — once the fighting began in earnest, the Grand General-King’s forces would certainly be at Liangzhou.

His Majesty’s intention was to let Lu Chonglou accumulate some merit. Though he already held a respectable position in court, he had little in the way of visible accomplishments. One trip to the Western Frontier, a great victory, and the return — there would be something worth writing down.

His Majesty clearly intended to entrust Lu Chonglou with great responsibilities in the future. But compared to Xu Ji, Lu Chonglou’s credentials were still too shallow. He had only begun following His Majesty from Daxing City onward, and while he had contributed many crucial ideas since, most of those ideas had aligned with what His Majesty already intended to do — even without his suggestions, they would have been carried out.

In that regard, he truly fell far short of Xu Ji.

To say nothing of the incident where a hundred thousand civilians frightened off an enemy army — though everyone now knew it was not Xu Ji’s own brilliant scheme, that story was plainly before them all, and the majority still credited it as Xu Ji’s achievement.

As for this trip to the Western Frontier — could there be any shortage of merit there? Who was stationed in the Western Frontier? Tang Pidi, Tantai Yajing, Tantai Qi — all of them His Majesty’s own people. Whatever accomplishments they attributed to Lu Chonglou while he was there was simply a matter of what they chose to write.

Thinking on all of this, Lu Chonglou felt moved.

Then he watched as His Majesty walked over and pocketed half the twenty taels Master Yan had produced.

Li Chi tucked the ten taels into his own sleeve with great seriousness and said, “Master Yan, how could you go to such personal expense? Lu Chonglou’s trip to the Western Frontier is official business — all necessary funds come from the court. You should not be spending your own money. Do take back half. A token amount for him is quite sufficient.”

Before the words were even finished, he had already pocketed those ten taels.

Lu Chonglou’s first thought was: *Your Majesty, Cao Lie has returned, hasn’t he? Is this really necessary?*

Before he knew it, Li Chi had already read that thought in Lu Chonglou’s eyes — and so he gave Lu Chonglou a long, meaningful look in return.

In that look, Lu Chonglou read: *Whether or not Cao Lie has returned — what does that have to do with me pocketing your ten taels?*

Meanwhile, Master Yan stared at the remaining ten taels, growing increasingly awkward. He looked at the silver, then at Lu Chonglou, then at Li Chi — his expression plainly saying: *Your Majesty… that was my silver you pocketed.*

—