The north wind rolled across the sky thick with snowflakes, stinging the face like needles. Zhù Qingjun dashed inside, and the warmth of the room startled a sneeze out of her.

Su Zhe looked up. Before she could ask anything, Lin Feng spoke first: “Is Yao Jingxia really leaving at this time of year?”

Zhù Qingjun held her hands over the brazier, warming and rubbing them. “Yes. The lord has already given him a letter of recommendation, and General Jin has also written a letter entrusting him to General Tang over there for looking after. He’s packing his bags today and leaves tomorrow. If he doesn’t go now, it will only get colder in a few days. The old folks say the ground here will freeze solid before long.”

Lin Feng, a toothpick dangling from his lips, said with his usual careless manner, “Avenging his father’s death — alas! If the weather were warmer, I’d want to go help.”

Su Zhe said bluntly, “With your horsemanship and archery?”

“Don’t say ‘your’ — say ‘our,'” Lin Feng corrected. “Us lot — all our riding is about the same.”

Su Zhe said, “Qingjun is better than you.”

Lin Feng looked at Zhù Qingjun and said, “Don’t push yourself too hard, either. Falling ill is no laughing matter.”

Zhù Qingjun said, “We followed along — are we supposed to do nothing? Just watch others work? Then why come at all? I’d have been better off staying in the capital, gathering street-level information for the lord! Since we’re here, we should handle whatever we’re capable of handling.”

Su Zhe said, “Exactly! Yao Jingxia has enlisted in the military again. Now that it’s cold, Grandfather seems to actually be getting more out of the northern people.”

The whole group of them, southerners arriving in the north for the first time, had thought themselves young enough to endure a northern winter — then October came and they swaddled themselves into balls. This time around, Zhù Qingjun had only caught a few sneezes; the first to fall ill had been Elder Sister Hu.

Elder Sister Hu could be considered something of a mentor to the rest of them — she had always sparred with them and kept them on their toes. Yet after two snowfalls, Elder Sister Hu fell ill first. After half a month of medicine and a mandated period of rest under Zhù Ying’s orders, she slowly began to recover. Zhù Ying then commanded those who had come from the south to temporarily avoid distant errands; in recent days, the primary duties had been assigned mainly to the northern youths.

The three of them gathered together and were quietly discussing when Lin Feng said, “But military merit is what counts most. What can we do? This damned winter won’t end! How about we discuss it with Chen the Elder and Xiang the Second and Xiang the Third?”

Su Zhe said, “I think we should first get the tasks in our own hands sorted out clearly, and then it will be right to ask Grandfather for something to do.”

Lin Feng’s face showed a brief flicker of pain. Earlier, once Zhù Ying had enough people, she had started handing out assignments. Using the pretext of “coordinating transport in the north,” she had sent her people out to continue gathering information.

First: the post road network. Second: local products and goods. Third: uncultivated land available for clearing and farming.

To open up new land, one needed to know where the wasteland was, what land was arable, where the population was dense, and where manpower was available. Working backward from there, then cross-referencing the household registries and land registers, one could confirm cases of undeclared fields and unregistered people.

Now all of that had to be compiled.

Lin Feng asked, “What are the northerners doing?”

Su Zhe said, “Look at them — out of two hundred people, they can muster eighty riders with their own armor. Even if we could afford to pay for it, we simply don’t have people of that caliber.”

Lin Feng muttered two more complaints. Zhù Qingjun said, “If you’re truly anxious, why not ask Zhuo the gentleman?”

Lin Feng said, “Him? I always feel like he’s looking at me sideways — in that cold, sly way.”

Su Zhe poured a bowl of hot milk tea and brought one over for Zhù Qingjun as well: “He doesn’t have the time or energy to cause you trouble. His mind is absolutely full of ideas. Qingjun’s suggestion is a good one! He’s even more invested than us when it comes to the northerners getting their moment.”

Of all the southern people Zhù Ying had brought along, the attendants were of course from the south — but they would inevitably be categorized as “servants” and not counted. Even among the officials, though there were a dozen or so people from Wuzhou, they were far outnumbered by the two hundred or so northerners.

Su Zhe and the others were fine; they considered themselves Zhù Ying’s “family and close relations.” But Zhuo Jue felt uneasy.

Lin Feng flung down his brush and said, “All right! Let’s go find him!”

Zhù Qingjun glanced at his desk. Lin Feng dutifully went and gathered all his things, then called in his attendant: “Keep an eye on all of this. Don’t let anyone outside come in and look.”

The three of them went together to Zhù Ying’s main hall.

Zhù Ying was also busy. The autumn harvest was complete and the autumn taxes mostly collected; she had turned her attention to the matter of transport. The first task was shipping surplus grain from the southern prefectures and counties to the north to support the northern cities. For this purpose, she had come in person to Prefect Wang’s location in the far north and established her field office here.

With her here, the southern prefectures had to send her the grain she requested — and if the amounts were short, they had to come explain themselves to her in person.

This went very smoothly.

The other matter was Marquis Zheng’s requirements. With winter arriving, the transport of military supplies did indeed require assistance from the local administration. Marquis Zheng had sent a trusted aide and an assistant general to see Zhù Ying — they had not asked for money or grain, but they needed some manpower to help with the transport. The men were staying at the post house and waiting for a reply at once.

Jin Liang, standing nearby, said in a low voice, “I made inquiries with them — the Marquis has just won a battle. They are now preparing against a barbarian counterattack.”

Zhù Ying said, “That is good news. First detach two thousand men. It is likely there will be more requests after this.”

Jin Liang said, “As long as the supply lines hold, the fighting can go well.”

Zhù Ying said, “Zhù Wen, please go ask Steward Bao to come.”

Zhù Wen lifted the thick curtain hanging over the door. A gust of cold air slipped in. The warmth of the brazier seemed to waver for a moment. Shortly, the warmth wavered a second time as Steward Bao followed Zhù Wen inside.

Bao Yijia was thirty-eight years old, a man who might well be called a worthy and distinguished man of the north. As a young man, he had gone to the capital as a tribute candidate and been given a minor post in an outlying region. After only a few years, his father died, and he returned home to observe the mourning period. When the mourning ended, no new post materialized, and he had remained idle at home ever since — until Zhù Ying arrived and swept through the north in her broad search. Prefect Yuan had sent him along. Zhù Ying gave him the role of field office steward to begin with.

Bao Yijia was quite courteous to Zhù Ying: “My lord.”

Zhù Ying said, “Come — there is something that I think only you can do well.”

Bao Yijia asked, “What matter might that be?”

Zhù Ying said, “We need to detach two thousand men to transport fodder for the army. In this bitter cold, a moment’s inattention and men can be lost, so someone responsible must go along to manage them. It is also a good opportunity: since Yao Jingxia has been pressing to enlist in the military, let him go along with you to the front. You can keep an eye on each other. We are there to help, so we must help to the fullest extent. But army camps can have rough customs and a somewhat short-tempered atmosphere — we cannot let the common people be mistreated.”

Bao Yijia had been given a major task. His heart leapt with delight. “Your subordinate understands. Only two thousand men — I fear I may not be up to the task.”

Zhù Ying said, “Is that modesty or uncertainty?” Jin Liang, standing to one side, gave a cough.

Bao Yijia’s face flushed slightly. “Modesty.”

“Very well. One round of modesty before me is enough. From here on, we speak plainly. I think you can do it, and even if you can’t, you will have to.”

She handed Bao Yijia a document and then another sealed letter for him to present personally to Marquis Zheng.

Zhù Ying said, “From among these northern youths, you may select ten more to go with you.”

Bao Yijia let out a breath of relief. “Yes!”

Zhù Ying continued, “When you arrive at the military front, do not provoke trouble, but do not be pushed around either. Anything you cannot handle yourself, don’t try to endure it in silence — send word back to me and I will go and negotiate.”

Bao Yijia said, “I will not bring disgrace upon this mission!”

Zhù Ying said, “Don’t look so stiff. I had people prepare winter garments last month. You’ll take two thousand sets of winter clothing with you as a gift to Marquis Zheng. Tell him that times are difficult in the north right now and this is all that could be scraped together — please ask the Marquis not to think poorly of it.”

Bao Yijia’s mouth fell slightly open. He had known nothing of this.

Zhù Ying smiled. “One must give people reason to treat you well — you can’t arrive empty-handed.”

Bao Yijia bowed low. “Yes.”

“Set out tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

Bao Yijia left in a great hurry. Jin Liang said, “Sending him? Is he not a local official?” Jin Liang was well acquainted with many things in the military: when civilian laborers were conscripted from a region, they were generally rounded up by the local administration and led to their destination by a local official, who also managed them.

“He is different from the ordinary northern youths. Those young fellows have never held a post; he is an experienced official. And he is from the north, so he will certainly care deeply about his homeland. Besides, local people are needed for local work!” said Zhù Ying.

Jin Liang said, “Then why bother with all those youths? Just send them down and be done with it?”

Zhù Ying laughed. “It’s not that simple. They have to finish doing their work for me first!”

Jin Liang laughed along.

The following day, Zhù Ying saw off Yao Jingxia and Bao Yijia.

Yao Jingxia was still dressed in mourning, his eyes red throughout. He gave Zhù Ying a fist-and-palm salute: “Once this student has avenged his father’s death, if there is still life remaining, I will return to serve my lord!”

Zhù Ying said, “Say something auspicious.”

Yao Jingxia choked. Zhù Ying said to Bao Yijia, “Keep an eye on him along the way.”

“Yes.”

“Go on.”

They needed to go out and gather the civilian laborers assembled from the counties at the prefectural city, then lead those laborers to Marquis Zheng’s main camp.

Zhù Ying turned back to the field office. In addition to the transport matters, she also had to arrange the spring land clearing and to negotiate with the Ministry of Personnel by official dispatch regarding the northern officials. Because they did not need to rush to personally escort grain and provisions, the four prefectural heads need not hurry off to the capital. They were all waiting for Zhù Ying to write them a document so they could take it to the Ministry of Personnel to handle their annual reviews. For this reason, orders Zhù Ying gave now were being executed quite smoothly at every location.

Back in her room, Su Zhe and Zhù Qingjun followed closely at her heels. Zhù Ying looked at Su Zhe, then looked at Zhù Qingjun. Su Zhe offered a sweet smile and came to help Zhù Ying remove her cloak. She was not tall, but Zhù Ying was statuesque, and Su Zhe raised her arms to undo the clasp, then walked around Zhù Ying, pulling the cloak downward.

Zhù Qingjun, a bit taller than Su Zhe, came to help as well.

Zhù Ying took a big step forward, and the cloak slid off. She smiled and said, “Little shorties — you must want something.”

Su Zhe was not pleased: “What’s wrong with being short?”

Zhù Ying smiled and walked inside. Zhù Qingjun, holding the cloak, nudged Su Zhe with her elbow. Su Zhe turned and saw Lin Feng and Zhuo Jue. She gestured to Zhuo Jue. Zhù Qingjun hung up the cloak, said, “We’re going back to compile the tallies,” and walked out side by side with Su Zhe.

Passing Zhuo Jue, she said, “She’s in good spirits.”

Zhuo Jue gave a nod and fell into step behind them.

Su Zhe and Zhù Qingjun did not follow. Instead they huddled together with Lin Feng. Without warning, all three of them received a knock on the head. Zhù Qingjun swung her hand back and left three scratch marks on Chen Fang’s hand: “Chen the gentleman?”

Chen Fang blew on his hand. “You three — scheming again? And nudging Zhuo Jue forward, too? He doesn’t need you to tell him; he’d go and speak to Uncle himself. You think you’re so clever!”

Su Zhe said quietly, “Well… it’s not that we couldn’t say it ourselves, it’s just… hmm…”

Chen Fang said, “It’s just that Zhuo Jue standing there in person is already a reason in itself, right?”

Lin Feng’s eyes went wide. “Elder Brother Chen — you saw through it?”

Chen Fang said, “The way you three looked — who couldn’t see through it? Let’s make a bet: whatever Zhuo Jue is going to say, I’m certain it will work.”

Su Zhe said, “No bet. If Elder Brother Chen says so, he must have reason to be confident.”

“How come he calls me ‘Elder Brother’ and now you’re calling me ‘Elder Brother’ too? Shouldn’t you be calling me ‘Uncle’?”

Su Zhe made a face at him: “Let’s not get caught up in small details.”

The group exchanged a few more words and then each returned to their tasks.

Inside the room, Xiang An had just poured a cup of freshly boiled milk tea when she noticed the light dim. She looked over and saw Zhuo Jue: “Gentleman Zhuo.”

Zhuo Jue nodded in greeting and exchanged pleasantries. Zhù Ying was drinking her tea and had finished half the cup. She said, “You’re here?” She gestured for Xiang An to pour Zhuo Jue a cup as well.

Zhuo Jue bowed, accepted the tea and thanked Xiang An, then said to Zhù Ying, “My lord, Steward Bao and Yao Jingxia and the others have now departed for the military front. Will Yao Jingxia be coming back?”

“I promised him he would.”

Zhuo Jue said, “With that being the case, the number of people at your lord’s disposal here has decreased. An ordinary official would not need to personally administer examinations for local scholars at all — and by now might have already returned to the capital. But my lord is not an ordinary person. You hold the world in your heart and have many things yet to accomplish, and for that you need people. “

Zhù Ying said, “But we have them, don’t we? Ten more or ten fewer, it’s all the same.”

Zhuo Jue said, “Not quite. They are all new. When your subordinate was still at the county school, I heard Administrator Gu speak of you often, my lord — and Administrator Gu himself was kept at your side and trained for several years before attaining his current level of shrewd capability. These scholars still need considerable seasoning before they can be truly useful. Yet my lord is in such pressing need of people right now. What if…”

“Yes?”

“Would my lord not be better served by relying more on people already familiar to you?” Zhuo Jue said what he had come to say. “County Magistrate Gu is your student — would he not be far more reliable?”

Zhù Ying said, “Gu recommended you, and now you are returning the favor.”

Zhuo Jue said, “I would not presume. As your subordinate, I now serve you, my lord, and your interests are my first concern. At this moment, although the four prefectural heads accept your commands, they each harbor their own calculations. On one hand they still have their annual performance reviews to contend with; on the other, they are watching your conduct with cool, evaluating eyes. A man who has risen to the position of prefect — even if his governance of the people leaves something to be desired — surely does not lack for political astuteness.”

Zhù Ying nodded. “Hmm. That makes sense. I’ve been thinking along those same lines.”

Zhuo Jue also took the opportunity to add, “When you are in the north, the southerners are still the most useful to you, my lord! The moment you arrived, they must have been rolling up their sleeves in eager readiness, waiting for your orders. The southerners have followed you the longest. And it is already somewhat easier for northern scholars to enter officialdom than for southerners. These people have their own family elders, their own mentors and fellow students… The southerners have only you.”

Zhù Ying said, “That goes too far. The court appoints on the basis of talent. How could I be their only hope?”

Zhuo Jue said, “A recommendation requires acquaintance. Where would we southerners go to meet such distinguished people? Only you, my lord, have taken us to heart — offering us charcoal in the snow.”

Zhù Ying smiled but did not take up the thread. Instead she said, “Go call Chen Fang over for me.”

“Yes.”

When Zhuo Jue went to find Chen Fang, Su Zhe and the others were also there. Lin Feng asked, “Well? Did it work?”

Zhuo Jue said, “It seems to be somewhere between yes and no. Though it is also true that under the current situation in the north, it would be well to employ more local people.” He sighed.

Lin Feng said, “Elder Brother Chen, your guess was wrong — Foster-father didn’t agree.”

Chen Fang’s hand was itching to knock him again. “What did you expect the lord to say? Listen to what’s being said, not just the words.”

Zhuo Jue said, “Gentleman Chen, my lord requests your presence.”

“Me? Oh — right away.”

Chen Fang gave Lin Feng one final knock on the head after all, then strode quickly off to see Zhù Ying.

He did not mention the young troublemakers’ scheming, but simply asked Zhù Ying what arrangements she had in mind. Zhù Ying handed him a memorial and said, “If I don’t send this out soon, those four will band together and eat me alive. You will return to the capital together with them. I’ll send Xiang Le to accompany you, and along the way you’ll escort a few criminal officials under custody.”

This memorial described in detail the situation in the north over the recent period, while also providing mitigation for the four prefectures. With this document, the four prefectural heads could smoothly handle their current year’s performance reviews at the Ministry. It documented each prefecture’s income and expenditures and demonstrated that although they had not transported surplus money or grain to the center, the four prefectures were not entirely without contribution — things like border area reconstruction, disaster response — all had been handled locally by the four prefectures on their own.

Although they had not sent a share of labor services to the central government, they had repaired sections of damaged post roads and helped transport military supplies.

Those two contributions had been made without stretching a hand out to the central government.

The middle portion covered what Zhù Ying had done during this period, as well as the cooperation of the northern people, and also mentioned the hardships endured by those who had accompanied her.

The latter half was devoted to certain individuals who had brought misfortune on themselves.

Some had refused to come forward and confess, believing that however perceptive Zhù Ying might be, she could not possibly investigate every single person — unluckily, they were still found out by Zhù Ying. When Zhù Ying made arrests, she asked not which faction you belonged to — Wang or Zheng — but only what you had done. Several people were detained, creating vacancies. Zhù Ying also petitioned for new appointments, while nominating candidates of her own. One prefect surnamed Han she was personally escorting to the capital under custody; she recommended Gu Tong to come and serve as assistant prefect, taking temporary charge of the prefecture’s affairs, with the position of prefect to remain unfilled for now.

Chen Fang laughed and said, “Why must it be me for this trip? Zhuo Jue could also go, or Xiang Le could do it. I would be better off staying here and helping mediate things.”

Zhù Ying said, “It is precisely to mediate in the capital that I need you to go. No one else can handle this.”

“Yes.”

Zhù Ying handed him another memorial. “This one is about the barbarians. When you return — if the Council of State asks about it, tell them that I believe I cannot leave just yet for the time being. Marquis Zheng has just won a battle, and a barbarian counterattack is imminent. I need to stay a while and help coordinate the local side for Marquis Zheng.”

Chen Fang smiled. “Even if you didn’t bring it up, the court would most likely think along those same lines. Even Marquis Zheng would never have thought you would send winter garments to him. This kind of thing — I would never have thought of it either. Yet another thing I’ve learned.”

Zhù Ying said, “It is nothing much, really. One only hopes he drives the barbarians back soon and that both sides can live in peace. Sustained fighting on this scale consumes enormous resources — it is not a good thing.”

Chen Fang stopped smiling. “Quite right.”

“I have already sent word to the prefectural heads asking them to come. Have a brief meeting with them and then set out.”

“Yes.”

The prefectural heads had all been waiting for this memorial from Zhù Ying, and the moment word arrived, they came at once.

Prefect Wang was the host, and he met briefly with the other three first. He said, “Did you all hear someone was taken in today?”

Prefect Zhang asked, “Who?”

Prefect Yang thought to himself: What rotten luck — it’s supposed to be ‘lenient treatment for those who confess,’ yet the accounting has not stopped these past two months. And somehow all throughout the north they call her ‘benevolent,’ things like ‘cherishes the people as her own children,’ ‘magnanimous toward others,’ ‘keenly perceptive of hidden truths.’

Prefect Zhang said listlessly, “The Han Kun from my jurisdiction.”

“What?”

Prefect Zhang said, “He harbored wishful thinking and went over to confess.”

Prefect Yuan said, “But isn’t that a good thing? How was he then arrested?”

Prefect Wang curled his lip. “He only confessed to accepting a few bribes. But then he was asked to his face: What about the business of covering up deaths? You tell me — does this Imperial Envoy truly have a heavenly eye? She knew about that too?”

Prefect Yang shot him a sideways glance and thought: Who do you think you’re performing for? Those two hundred local insiders are no mere decoration.

Prefect Zhang said, “A bribe is not a major matter. Given the current circumstances, even covering up deaths — if one had self-corrected and rectified it — could receive lenient treatment. But as the saying goes: deceiving me? She can let it go. Only then she says: can I? Tsk! Did you see what was written in the official document she sent me: ‘stubbornly unrepentant, persisting in his delusions, brazenly attempting to deceive the Imperial Envoy, betraying His Majesty’s magnanimous clemency — a man courting his own destruction.'”

Prefect Yuan said, “As long as the Imperial Envoy is a sensible person, the rest of us had better quickly go pay our respects and return to the capital at the earliest opportunity.”

Prefect Yang said, “Precisely. Leave the north in her hands for the time being — any problems that arise are now her problems.”

Prefect Yuan said, “This year it is your Vice Prefect’s turn, isn’t it?”

Prefect Yang choked. Prefect Wang laughed. “What a coincidence — all of us are going in person this year.” And so Prefect Yang alone was left behind in the north to accompany Zhù Ying through the New Year.

Prefect Yang was deeply displeased. He accompanied the three of them to see Zhù Ying. Zhù Ying not only had the memorial ready but also had instructions: “I have a letter here — have Eldest Young Master Chen accompany the several of you to Steward Yao’s residence. Go see him first; things may go more smoothly.”

The three prefectural heads could not help but break into smiles.

As for Chen Fang accompanying them all to the capital, that need not be said. The north was somewhat closer to the capital than Wuzhou, and just as the group was nearing the capital, word came to Zhù Ying here of glad tidings from Marquis Zheng — he had won a battle.

Marquis Zheng sent Tang Shan over. Jin Liang received him, and the two men walked arm in arm to stand before Zhù Ying. Tang Shan presented Marquis Zheng’s letter and said with a smile, “The Marquis says that the two thousand sets of winter garments my lord sent proved enormously useful. A share of this merit belongs to my lord.”

Zhù Ying said, “For an army of that size, only two thousand sets of winter garments — I dare not accept the merit the Marquis bestows.”

Tang Shan said, “I knew you’d be modest about it. And then there was the coordination of grain and fodder transport, the reinforcement of defensive works — without you, none of it would have gone so smoothly.”

Jin Liang said, “We’re all on the same side here — no need to be so formal!”

Tang Shan said, “No, no, no formality at all — so this, my lord, you also need not be modest about!”

Zhù Ying looked at the list Tang Shan had passed to her and asked, “What is this?”

“The lads captured a few things as well.”

Zhù Ying looked at the list. It read: a number of cattle and sheep, various hides and furs, and also… slaves? Grain?

Zhù Ying asked, “There’s grain here? Will the army not keep it?”

Tang Shan laughed. “Of course there’s grain! Those barbarians have their farmers as well, and their small towns. When you hammer through the city gates and raid the granaries! This portion is reserved for you.” Soldiers on campaign abroad never turned over the entirety of their spoils; a portion was always kept back.

Zhù Ying said, “Then I accept the gift with gratitude. Elder Brother Jin, accompany General Tang for a couple of cups.”

“Gladly.”

Zhù Ying looked over the list and called Zhuo Jue: “First enter these items into the records, then allocate the grain and provisions to replenish the border city stockpiles.”