Xinyuan.

A group of people sat gathered in Yu Jiuling’s room, discussing the matter of Master Yan and Miss Ruoling’s marriage. Yu Jiuling lay there grinning foolishly.

He was among the most enthusiastic instigators of the whole affair, carrying on as though if Master Yan didn’t go and take Miss Ruoling as his wife that very instant, lightning would strike him down from the heavens tomorrow.

In his imagination, Yu Jiuling stood in the sky with a bolt of lightning in one hand, thumb raised like a marksman, taking careful aim at Master Yan.

Master Yan — a man of such towering talent that he could navigate the most complicated situations with ease — could only sit there now, grinning like a fool.

“Youth waits for no one,” said the Long-Browed Daoist with great seriousness. “How much of her youth can the young lady afford to spend waiting for you?”

Gao Xining said, “Even you know about this, Shifu?”

The Long-Browed Daoist thought for a moment, bowed his head, and said, “You all carry on — I’ll rest for a bit.”

The moment he stepped back, Elder Director Gao and Old Daoist Zhang, who had also been talking enthusiastically, were forced to do the same.

Yu Jiuling chuckled, “The Daoist is right — youth waits for no one.”

Miss Ruoling sat to one side, her cheeks flushed red. Wanting to rescue Master Yan from the teasing, she offered a rather feeble defense: “I’m still young, you know.”

Yu Jiuling said, “When I said youth waits for no one, I was talking about Master Yan.”

Master Yan wanted to argue, but on reflection, he was the one person least able to argue right now. If he said anything, Miss Ruoling might think he didn’t want to marry her — so he had no choice but to nod repeatedly.

It had been a long time since Yu Jiuling had gotten the better of Master Yan like this, reducing him to speechlessness. Yu Jiuling was so delighted he forgot all about the pain in his leg.

“I’ve had a look,” said Young Daoist Zhang, counting on his fingers. “The ninth day of next month is an auspicious day, free of all taboos.” He glanced at his master, Old Daoist Zhang. “Did I read that right, Shifu?”

Old Daoist Zhang said, “With the Human Emperor presiding, what day isn’t an auspicious one?”

Everyone looked at Old Daoist Zhang, each thinking: I never expected you, with those thick honest eyebrows, to be capable of such a grand piece of flattery.

Li Chi sat there grinning foolishly.

Gao Xining said, “Since the Human Emperor is so capable, why not pick an auspicious day for us too?”

Li Chi: “…”

Just then, a personal guard entered from outside: “My Lord, a military dispatch has arrived from the Great General.”

Li Chi took the report, opened it, and laughed. “The Great General wins battle after battle. Han Feibao’s forces have been nearly annihilated — though Han Feibao himself is lucky to be alive. With his Geling Army almost entirely wiped out, he somehow fought his way through the encirclement.”

After listening, Xiahou Zhuo said, “Yang Jing has gone to Shu Prefecture, and Han Feibao’s army has been destroyed, so Han Feibao will likely retreat toward Shu Prefecture as well, then send word to Yong Prefecture to muster what’s left of his forces.”

Li Chi nodded. “They’ll gather their last strength in Shu Prefecture, using the pretext of supporting Yang Jing, building up their power there and waiting for a chance to strike back.”

Xiahou Zhuo said, “I’ll go interrogate Yu Wenli — he may know something useful.”

Gao Xining said, “Zhang Tang is already handling that.”

Xiahou Zhuo laughed when he heard this. “In that case, we just wait for word.”

Master Yan said, “After the Great General takes Yue Prefecture, he should advance on Shu. Shu is a sealed, self-contained land — famously called the Heavenly Granary. If Yang Jing is given three to five years, he could claim to have a million soldiers again. The actual number wouldn’t hold up to scrutiny, but the loyalists of Chu outside Shu would echo the boast, and it would still be a headache. So the attack on Shu should come sooner rather than later.”

Li Chi nodded. “I’ll mention this when I write back to Old Tang.”

Just then, Deputy Chief Censor Zhang Tang entered from outside and bowed in salute.

“Did he confess?” Gao Xining asked.

Zhang Tang said, “No torture was needed. Yu Wenli has a small soul — one good scare and he told us everything.”

“He says there is an iron mine in Shu Prefecture, discovered twenty years ago but never reported to the Chu court.”

Li Chi nodded slowly. “That’s why Pei Qi and the others are so confident. If all their resources are self-sufficient, and they can hold Shu, they think they still have a future.”

Xiahou Zhuo said, “Shall we all go and have a little fun?”

Li Chi looked at Gao Xining. Gao Xining said, “Why are you looking at me? Look at those three elders over there.”

The resentment in her voice caused all three elders to lower their heads deeply once more.

Gao Xining said, “Ask those three whether they can go — and while you’re at it, ask for me too…”

But that bit of boldness immediately deflated on its own.

—

Meanwhile, at the border of Yang Prefecture and Yue Prefecture.

Hundreds of thousands of Ning Army troops were encamped here, awaiting Great General Tang Pidi’s next orders.

Before Tang Pidi lay two choices: march south to defeat the Marquis of Guan Ting and take Yue Prefecture, or march west, pass through Liang Prefecture, and attack Shu.

“Great General!”

Cheng Wujie came in from outside holding a letter, walking and talking at once. “The Marquis of Guan Ting has sent a messenger with a letter for the Great General.”

Tang Pidi opened the letter and read it, then frowned slightly.

This Marquis of Guan Ting — he was becoming harder and harder to read.

In the letter, the Marquis said he had heard the Great General’s forces had arrived at the border of Yue Prefecture, and he wished to come in good faith to discuss a matter of importance. If the Great General was willing, he would wait at Fenghou Pavilion, roughly fifty li from the Ning Army camp.

Tang Pidi walked to the map. Fenghou Pavilion was at the foot of Xuelu Mountain — indeed, about fifty li away.

The Marquis of Guan Ting requesting a meeting at this juncture — he was genuinely bold, not fearing that Tang Pidi might simply swallow him whole.

“Great General, shall we go?” Cheng Wujie asked. “If we do, let me take some troops ahead to scout — make sure it’s not a trap.”

Tang Pidi laughed. “How does he dare?”

Cheng Wujie laughed too. By all logic, the Marquis shouldn’t dare — Tang Pidi hadn’t even gone looking for a fight with him yet. If this were a trap, it would be as good as shouting at the Great General: Come at me — do you dare?

“The meeting is set for tomorrow at noon. We’ll go,” said Tang Pidi, setting the letter aside. “You take one battalion of personal guards.”

The next morning, after breakfast, Tang Pidi tidied himself up and rode out with Cheng Wujie and a cavalry battalion toward Xuelu Mountain. Fifty li of not-so-easy terrain — even on horseback, it would take half a day.

The mountain was called Xuelu — Snow Ridge — yet in this southern land, it had likely never once seen snow since the mountain first rose from the earth.

As the column arrived at the foot of the mountain, they could already see flags flying in the distance. The Marquis of Guan Ting had brought men — understandable enough. He was meeting the Ning Army’s Great General, Tang Pidi. Even if his soldiers couldn’t do much, at least they steadied the nerves.

When the Marquis saw Tang Pidi arrive, he immediately rose from his seat in the pavilion and strode forward to meet him.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the two men entered the pavilion and sat down.

“What did the Marquis wish to discuss?” Tang Pidi was not one to waste time, so he asked directly.

The Marquis poured a cup of tea for Tang Pidi with a manner of exceptional humility and courtesy.

“Great General, I have come to ask a favor.”

Tang Pidi asked, “What business could you possibly have with me?”

The Marquis held out his hand: “Give it to me.”

His attendant presented a wooden box with both hands. The Marquis opened it and withdrew two items.

“This,” he said, offering the first to Tang Pidi with both hands, “is a detailed map of Yue Prefecture — all thirty-nine circuits and six hundred and seventy-two counties. It is far more complete than any official Chu court map.”

He then offered the second item. “This is a complete list of every great clan and wealthy household in Yue Prefecture, along with a map showing the location of every granary in the prefecture.”

Tang Pidi was puzzled. Was the Marquis surrendering outright?

The Marquis said, “I am willing to deliver Yue Prefecture to the King of Ning. But I ask that the Great General speak on my behalf to His Highness. I will lead my forces south, out of Yue Prefecture. If I succeed in carving out something of my own someday, I would be willing to swear fealty to the King of Ning as a vassal.”

Tang Pidi finally understood. The Marquis of Guan Ting had laid it all out without a shred of concealment.

This man — from the very beginning, his composure had been almost uncanny.

He had been a puppet figure, much like Yang Xuanji — perhaps even more so. And yet all he wanted was to leave the chaos behind. If there was no need to fight, he would not fight. If he could put as much distance between himself and trouble as possible, he would.

What he meant was: I will leave the Central Plains, take my forces south to fight in the frontier. If I carve out a territory and become emperor there, I will still be a vassal to the King of Ning.

If the Marquis himself hadn’t said this to Tang Pidi’s face, no one could have believed it coming from anyone else.

“Why?” Tang Pidi couldn’t help but ask.

The Marquis said, “The tide of the age cannot be reversed. I don’t want to be a supporting character in someone else’s story — especially not the kind who dies just to make the hero look better.”

Tang Pidi nodded.

The Marquis said, “If I go to the southern frontier and build something from nothing, I become the hero of that story. A small kingdom is still a kingdom — and I would be its ruler.”

Tang Pidi nodded again.

“So I ask the Great General to plead my case to the King of Ning.”

Tang Pidi said, “If the Marquis truly intends to open up the southern frontier, you may take whatever grain and supplies you need from Yue Prefecture. I won’t question it. If you also need weapons and armor, I can allocate a portion for you.”

The Marquis rose and clasped his fists: “Thank you, Great General, for this generosity.”

Tang Pidi said, “The southern frontier is no easy place to conquer. With your ability, if the day comes when the southern campaign proves too difficult and you cannot establish yourself — you are welcome to come back to me. I will keep a place for you.”

Because of those words, the Marquis bowed again in salute: “I will carry the Great General’s words in my heart. If the day comes when I cannot carve out a place for myself, I will return to serve under the Great General’s banner.”

He then rose and said, “I won’t take any more of the Great General’s time. Farewell.”

Tang Pidi cupped his fists: “May the Marquis have a smooth journey and victories ahead.”

The Marquis gave a firm nod, then led his forces away.

Cheng Wujie couldn’t help but ask: “That man — is he out of his mind, or frighteningly clever?”

Tang Pidi smiled. “What do you think?”

Cheng Wujie said, “Whether he’s out of his mind or frighteningly clever, I deeply admire him. He is a remarkable figure.”

—