Li Chi went to find Zhuang Wudi first, telling him that he and Yu Jiuling were heading back to Jizhou. Now that they were leaving, Li Chi felt considerably less worried than he had before.

Though he hadn’t managed to kill Bi Datong, Bi Datong’s claws had been practically stripped bare by Li Chi. Those who remained would not dare to act rashly in the near term.

Bi Datong had had half his soul frightened away by these events. The fact that he could still hold himself back from fleeing spoke volumes about his mental fortitude — far beyond the average person.

Of course, he wasn’t running because he hadn’t given up. He still wanted to rise above others, still wanted to become a great general, still wanted to be a founding duke in some future kingdom. But he had probably never imagined making himself emperor.

Zhuang Wudi knew Li Chi would ultimately have to leave, so he didn’t try to talk him out of it. Together they went to see Yu Chaozong.

Yu Chaozong was still in the mourning tent, looking somewhat adrift. It wasn’t that he’d been frightened to that state — rather, so many deaths in the camp had left him grief-stricken.

Especially the deaths of the Third and the Fourth, which had struck him particularly hard.

When he heard that Li Chi was leaving, Yu Chaozong felt he couldn’t in good conscience keep them any longer. So many things had happened in the camp, and hidden dangers seemed to lurk everywhere — keeping them here might mean putting them in harm’s way.

One look at Bi Datong’s earlier behavior made it clear that Bi Datong harbored thoughts of killing Li Chi.

“Leaving?”

Second-in-command Bi Datong had been staying close to Yu Chaozong’s side, and hearing that Li Chi was leaving, he immediately frowned and said: “The situation in the camp hasn’t been sorted out yet. Our honored guests would do well to stay a few more days. If you encounter danger on the way down, it would be Yanshan Camp’s fault.”

Li Chi smiled and said: “All right.”

He looked at Yu Jiuling and said: “You go to Qianlie County and find my master and the others. The goods Prince Yu tasked us to procure can’t be delayed. Once everything is purchased, head straight back to Jizhou. Tell the Prince that the second-in-command and I hit it off so well at first sight that he’s said he wants to keep me here in Yanshan Camp permanently.”

Bi Datong’s expression shifted. He still suspected that this man called Li Chi had been behind all the deaths. But he didn’t dare to be openly aggressive, so this crafty old schemer turned to Yu Chaozong and said: “Chief, this is your call to make. Our honored guest from Prince Yu’s Estate was frightened during his stay here — if he goes back and mentions it to the Prince, the Prince may well hold us responsible.”

Yu Chaozong said: “In that case, why don’t you go to Jizhou City along with Brother Li and the others, seek an audience with Prince Yu, and explain the situation yourself — that would be better coming from you directly.”

Li Chi clapped his hands: “Brilliant! Chief Yu thinks of everything. Otherwise, when we brothers leave here, people might say we’re bad luck.”

He then looked at Bi Datong: “The very first night we arrived, when we were drinking together, I said that once Second-in-command gets to Jizhou City, I’ll arrange everything. Who would have thought it would come true so soon.”

Bi Datong’s mouth twitched. Go to Jizhou City?

He didn’t dare.

Even though he had been in contact with Prince Yu’s people for so long, he still didn’t dare to go. He was afraid of dying in Jizhou City — just like the Fifth: a man gone without even a ripple on the surface to mark it.

If he wanted to submit to Prince Yu, he would have to go with his camp’s forces behind him. If he went alone, what would the Prince care about him?

Without troops as his bargaining chip, he’d be nothing but small fry in Prince Yu’s eyes.

“Perhaps… we can discuss this another time.”

Bi Datong thought it over and said: “There are so many matters in the camp — I can’t leave all the work to the chief. Though I truly would like to call on the Prince in Jizhou City, all things considered, better to wait until these affairs are settled before going.”

Li Chi said: “No, no, no, Second-in-command — when you’ve been dealing with the people from Prince Yu’s Estate all this time, how do you know some of them haven’t been changing the Prince’s words to suit themselves?”

He leaned forward, lowering his voice: “You know how people who work for officials operate — which one of them isn’t skimming off the top? The terms the Prince offered you were generous, but the people you’ve actually been meeting may not have passed them on so generously. If they were generous, what would they take for themselves?”

He smiled: “Over these past years, Second-in-command, you must have spent no small amount. Who’s to say a single tael of silver ever actually reached the Prince? If that’s the case, isn’t that a terrible loss? Better this way — come back to Jizhou with me. I’ll introduce you, you can speak with the Prince directly, and cut out all those middlemen.”

Bi Datong listened to Li Chi’s earnest tone, and for a moment, he genuinely felt his heart stirring. He thought about all the silver he’d actually sent out over this past year and more — what if those go-betweens really had pocketed it all? The Prince might not even know what he’d been asking for.

But just as he was almost about to agree, he suddenly came to his senses. This man named Li was being too sincere — which meant he was probably trying to lure him out and kill him on the way.

So he immediately shook his head: “With so many of our leaders having met with misfortune in the camp, it’s better if I go to Jizhou City to seek an audience with the Prince another time. When the time comes, I’ll still need Brother Li to help introduce me.”

Li Chi said: “Naturally — we’re all brothers… But if I go to the Prince empty-handed, it’s a bit awkward…”

The second-in-command’s heart tightened.

He thought: why did I say that extra sentence just now?

If this man named Li had simply said he was leaving and he’d kept his mouth shut, there wouldn’t be this impossible situation to navigate.

The man had left without incident, and that would have been the end of it. Fewer complications, fewer troubles.

Now Li Chi was asking for something in return. If he gave it, the man named Li might just pocket it himself. And if he didn’t give it — if this man really was someone with the Prince’s ear, one word from him and Prince Yu might decide to eliminate Bi Datong.

So give it or not?

Li Chi said: “Second-in-command — do you not trust me?”

“Of course that’s not it! I’m just thinking about what gift would be appropriate to present to the Prince.”

Li Chi said, as a matter of obvious common sense: “Hard currency is the most practical.”

Bi Datong cursed himself once or twice in his heart, then cursed this surnamed Li little rascal seven or eight dozen times.

In the end, he decided to hand over some benefits. Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine chances of losing — but the loss would only be some silver. And the one chance of winning — if this man truly could put in a good word for him before Prince Yu — would make future matters easier to manage.

With that thought settled, he turned and gave instructions to his subordinates: “Go to my camp and bring two chests of silver.”

Then he looked at Li Chi and said: “Brother Li, consider this a New Year’s gift of mountain goods for the Prince.”

Li Chi nodded: “I understand. Don’t worry.”

And so Li Chi left Yanshan Camp with two chests of silver — which delighted Yu Jiuling enormously. Yu Jiuling thought: who could have imagined there would be an unexpected windfall?

“When did you start working out how to fleece Bi Datong of his silver?”

Yu Jiuling asked.

Li Chi smiled: “From the moment he decided not to come down the mountain with me.”

Yu Jiuling said: “A spur-of-the-moment scheme. You really are a crafty little demon.”

Li Chi said: “It was a fallback plan — I had no other choice. If he’d actually had the nerve to come down the mountain to Jizhou with me, I would genuinely have had the nerve to kill him. But he didn’t dare, so all I could do was squeeze some silver out of him.”

Yu Jiuling said: “If Prince Yu finds out about this, it won’t look good. Xiahou has left Jizhou, and Prince Yu has no particular feelings toward you — as far as he’s concerned, you’re a nobody. But if he learns you’ve wrecked his plans, odds are he’ll have you killed.”

Li Chi said: “Prince Yu won’t move so quickly. So he won’t be personally receiving a bunch of mountain bandits any time soon — it’s bad for his reputation… Originally, Prince Yu had been picking up his pace, but in the past six months, Prince Wu has pacified almost every rebel force in Jizhou apart from Yanshan Camp.”

“That’s beyond Prince Yu’s control, and as long as Prince Wu hasn’t been recalled to the capital by the court, Prince Yu wouldn’t dare to directly confront Prince Wu. For one thing, he couldn’t win. For another, he genuinely wouldn’t dare.”

Li Chi continued: “And court affairs have also been forcing Prince Yu to slow his pace… Over a year ago, Xiahou mentioned that news had come from the capital — our current Emperor had fallen gravely ill and might pass at any time. That’s why Prince Yu had been moving faster.”

“But who could have expected — our Emperor actually pulled through, and apparently after that severe illness, his health actually improved. Word is he’s back to his nocturnal revels.”

Li Chi looked at Yu Jiuling: “As long as the Emperor doesn’t die, the eunuch Liu Chongxin will remain in favor, will remain all-powerful at court, and Prince Yu won’t dare to revolt — because the Emperor would declare him a traitor.”

Yu Jiuling nodded: “I understand. Once the Emperor dies, Liu Chongxin will help the Crown Prince successfully ascend the throne. Then the Crown Prince’s first target will be Liu Chongxin himself.”

Li Chi said: “That assassin called Yao Wuhen has been in the capital for over a year now. Heaven only knows what Prince Yu has him arranged there to do.”

What Li Chi didn’t know was: if not for Xiahou Zuo’s insistence, Prince Yu might have pressured Li Chi into going to the capital as well. A young assassin of such exceptional martial ability was a rare find.

Few people would be on high guard against a mere youth. And compared to Yao Wuhen, Li Chi was actually a greater threat — and of greater use.

But Xiahou Zuo had quarreled fiercely with his father over it, and Prince Yu had ultimately given up on the idea.

There had even been a period when, in order to coerce Li Chi, Prince Yu had considered having the Long-Browed Daoist brought to reside permanently in the estate.

The Long-Browed Daoist was Li Chi’s vulnerability. Once he was held captive in the estate, Li Chi would become a blade in Prince Yu’s hand.

But with Xiahou Zuo present, the matter had quietly come to nothing.

Now Xiahou Zuo had gone to the northern frontier, but Prince Yu had slowed his plans for revolt — and had no immediate use for Li Chi.

Besides, Li Chi’s current build and physique had already caused him to lose the advantage he’d held over a year ago as a uniquely useful piece.

Many things Li Chi didn’t know had been quietly resolved by Xiahou Zuo working in the shadows.

Yu Jiuling said: “The grand eunuch Liu Chongxin remains in high favor and grows more and more overbearing. Even the Crown Prince can’t do without him. The way things look now, even if the Crown Prince ascends the throne someday, he’ll still be nothing but Liu Chongxin’s puppet.”

“Not so…”

Li Chi looked at Yu Jiuling: “That Crown Prince is no ordinary person. Xiahou said the Crown Prince is a remarkable talent with great ambitions in his heart. If I’m not mistaken — the moment the Emperor dies and Liu Chongxin successfully helps the Crown Prince to the throne, the first person the Crown Prince will kill is Liu Chongxin.”

Yu Jiuling was taken aback.

Li Chi let out a long sigh and said: “Xiahou also said — a person like the Crown Prince, had he been born fifty years earlier, Dachu might not have become what it is today.”

Yu Jiuling nodded: “The Dachu of today — no one can save it anymore.”

They talked as they went, making their way down the mountain in the carriage, and it was actually a rather pleasant and carefree journey.

Yu Jiuling suddenly asked: “So what do you think — if Yanshan Camp doesn’t submit to Prince Yu, can they accomplish great things on their own?”

Li Chi shook his head: “Difficult.”

He looked at Yu Jiuling: “Prince Yu can proclaim himself Emperor, and the great families won’t care. Because Prince Yu can’t do without them — and whether it’s one member of the Yang family or another sitting on the throne, it makes no difference to them.”

“But Chief Yu is different. All the rebel leaders are different. They’re people the great families can’t so easily control.”

Li Chi sighed: “All across Dachu, large and small rebel forces must already number well over a thousand. Why has not one of them dared to proclaim himself Emperor?”

Yu Jiuling said: “Whoever proclaims himself Emperor, dies first.”

He looked at Li Chi: “What about Chief Yu?”

Li Chi said: “He…”

Li Chi hesitated to answer. Because in Yu Chaozong’s eyes, he had seen something different. Yu Chaozong’s reluctance to submit to Prince Yu wasn’t only about fear of being used as cannon fodder. It was something else…

Li Chi let out a long slow breath.