The Xu Family Mansion.

Xu Yuanqing sat in his study, his face an iron mask. Shortly after returning, word reached him that every team he had dispatched was utterly destroyed — the men sent to the transport company, those sent to Yun Zhai Teahouse, those sent to kill Xiahou Zuo’s mother. Not a single man had come back.

His concern wasn’t that his men might betray the Xu family. What worried him was whether Shi Su and Yao Busheng had fallen into Li Chi’s hands alive.

The men who had acted in the city were not Xu family men — they were figures from the underworld, recruited by Shi Su and Yuan Qianshou. Those two knew the criminal networks of Jizhou City intimately. The recruited men themselves had no idea they were acting for the Xu family, and therefore had no possible way to know they were ultimately serving the Young Lord Yang Zhuo.

As for the team that had gone to kill Li Chi — same story. The bulk of them were Shi Su, Yuan Qianshou, and Zhong Dashu’s people. Those three, though dependent on the Xu family, had long been told by Xu Yuanqing that they could recruit men freely, but were absolutely never to reveal that the Xu family was the power behind the curtain.

Xu Yuanqing had seen Yuan Qianshou break free, and Gongshu Yingying had returned with him. Only Yao Busheng’s whereabouts were unknown, and Shi Su had not been able to withdraw.

Even if the Xu family’s involvement were exposed, their strength was such that he wouldn’t fear a Li Chi. But what concerned him was that the Old Master might conclude he lacked ability — that he couldn’t shoulder the Xu family’s future.

On the surface, every one of his generation’s rivals had long since given up, deciding they couldn’t even outlast the Old Master, let alone hope for the position of family head. But the moment the Old Master declared Xu Yuanqing no longer eligible to inherit, all those dormant ambitions would stir again.

Xu Yuanqing could not allow that to happen. The most pressing matter now was finding out whether Yao Busheng and Shi Su had been taken alive.

If they had, they could hold on for a while — they knew the Xu family would send someone to rescue them, that the family would never allow the truth to come out. But how long they could hold was another question.

“My lord.”

Gongshu Yingying’s voice came quietly. “Should we find a way to get information now? If those two are in Li Chi’s hands, they may not hold long. I’m not worried about Yao Busheng — for all that he’s a lone thief with no particular loyalty, he has a certain pride that’ll keep him from talking easily. It’s Shi Su who concerns me. He’s always claimed undying loyalty to you — but a man who once betrayed his own sect to flee would hardly be worth calling principled.”

Xu Yuanqing nodded. “I know. I simply hadn’t anticipated how many skilled fighters Li Chi had around him. Especially that last man to appear — his ability was beyond measure. With someone like that still at the transport company, we have no one suitable to go deal with those two right now.”

Gongshu Yingying said, “Let me try. They never saw my face. I can find a way to gather intelligence. Women are better suited for this kind of thing — we attract less suspicion.”

“No.”

Xu Yuanqing looked at her and said, “I won’t let you take that risk. And it isn’t what you’re best at.”

Gongshu Yingying smiled. “Can’t bear to lose me, my lord?”

Xu Yuanqing let out a short sound and said nothing.

After a moment, Xu Yuanqing said, “If there’s no other way, I’ll have to call on the person we have planted beside the military governor.”

Gongshu Yingying said, “That’s a last resort. Better to hold back if we can.”

She thought for a moment. “I know some of the lower two sects in Jizhou City. Small-time thieves and con-men, mostly — but right now they could be exactly what’s needed.”

Xu Yuanqing nodded. “That’s something. The lower two sects — one for thieving, one for trickery — we can send them to the transport company first to gather information.”

“I’ll go arrange it now.”

Gongshu Yingying rose. “Wait for my word, my lord.”

Xu Yuanqing nodded. His worry now was how to explain things to the Old Master if he was summoned.

—

Meanwhile, at the Prince Yu estate.

Xiahou Zuo glanced around. He didn’t know this place particularly well — he rarely came to the estate. He had no fondness for its layers of wealth and splendor; to him, they concealed too much cold emptiness.

Prince Yu, having heard that Military Governor Zeng Ling had brought Xiahou back, came rushing from the rear courtyard at a near-jog. He had been training there, and his clothes were still soaked through with sweat, not yet cooled.

“Zuo’er, you’ve come back.”

When Prince Yu saw Xiahou Zuo, his eyes lit up.

Xiahou Zuo stood, dipped in a bow without the slightest breach of courtesy, and called out, “Father.”

Prince Yu responded and came quickly to stand before him, looking him up and down with concern. “You’ve gotten darker again. I haven’t seen you in so long. The northern frontier is hard — you must have suffered quite a bit.”

Xiahou Zuo replied politely, “Father need not worry. I’ve been living well on the frontier.”

Prince Yu said, “Last time I heard you were at Daizhou Pass — I rode out in a hurry to meet you, but you’d already gone. And this time you returned and didn’t come straight to the estate…”

“If Father has something to say,” Xiahou Zuo said, “please speak.”

His manner was different from before. In the past he had always been cool and distant with Prince Yu, barely willing to exchange more than a few words. Now he appeared almost proper — yet it was precisely this correctness and formality that made Prince Yu keenly sense they had grown even further apart.

“I… I know you’re blaming me.”

Prince Yu said, “About Yili coming back — I truly didn’t know. The day she came to the estate, she was wearing a veil and I didn’t recognize her…”

“I don’t blame Father.”

Prince Yu sighed and sat. “When do you go back to the northern frontier?”

“Tomorrow or the day after.”

In truth, he had already set out the day before. But it had only been a performance for Li Chi’s benefit — he hadn’t gone far at all, spending the night outside the city before quietly returning. He had been in Li Chi’s small courtyard the whole time, watching over his mother. Changmei the Daoist had impersonated her as a decoy; he himself had remained at his mother’s side to protect her.

After hearing that Li Chi was injured, he rushed to the transport company and stayed an hour before leaving. He had barely stepped outside when Military Governor Zeng Ling’s men found him.

Prince Yu was silent for a moment. “Can you not go?”

Xiahou Zuo shook his head. “Perhaps not.”

Prince Yu spoke earnestly. “Hear me out. I know you want no part in what I’m doing — you feel our paths are different, and that’s alright. I won’t pressure you.”

“But you know as well as I do that things have reached a point of no return. Marching is inevitable, sooner or later. Removing the treacherous, restoring order to the court, reviving Dachu — these are my ideals. I am not saying your ideals are wrong. And you cannot say mine are.”

Xiahou Zuo gave a slight nod. In some sense, his father’s ideals could not be called wrong. His methods might not be clean — but he wanted to save Dachu, and believed that if he could take the throne, he could revive a dynasty on its last breath.

Prince Yu continued. “I’m not asking you to march with me. You don’t want to attack the capital — then don’t. From childhood I’ve never forced you into anything. I only want you to stay and hold Jizhou. If you’re here, your mother will naturally be well looked after…”

He paused and looked at Xiahou Zuo, knowing the words that followed needed no spelling out.

Xiahou Zuo did pause.

The implication was plain: if he didn’t stay, Prince Yu would have no choice but to leave Yang Zhuo in Jizhou. Once Prince Yu marched south, Yang Zhuo would be unchecked in the city, and his mother would be in danger. A thousand precautions might still not be enough.

So Xiahou Zuo asked, “If I stay — will Father take Yang Zhuo with him?”

Prince Yu answered at once, “If you agree to stay, I’ll take all your brothers along. You know I… I won’t permit them to harm you. Cannot, and will not…”

“I know,” Xiahou Zuo said.

“What authority would you give me?”

“If you hold Jizhou,” Prince Yu said, “all troops left in the city fall under your command. Anyone who defies you, you may execute on your authority. Administrative affairs — I know you have no interest in those — just leave them to the Jizhou civil officials. You need only lead the soldiers and hold the city.”

Xiahou Zuo weighed it carefully, then asked, “When does Father march? I still need to make a trip back to the frontier to give General Liu there a proper handover.”

“Why go yourself?”

Prince Yu said, “I need only send a letter to the frontier.”

Xiahou Zuo was quiet for a moment. “Very well. I’ll stay. But I have one condition.”

Prince Yu quickly said, “Name it.”

Xiahou Zuo said, “Leave Liu Ge behind. In the ordinary course of things, he’ll command the troops day-to-day. I won’t come to the estate, and I won’t come to the barracks. If matters arise that require it, I’ll ensure Jizhou doesn’t fall.”

“No problem!”

Prince Yu exhaled with visible relief. Xiahou Zuo’s ability — he knew it well. Far beyond Yang Zhuo by ten times over. He would have agreed to leaving not just Liu Ge but several more officers if asked.

“I’ll take my leave then.”

Xiahou Zuo turned and walked out.

Prince Yu opened his mouth — he wanted to say, stay and eat with me — but Xiahou Zuo didn’t even glance back, striding out the door.

Even with Xiahou Zuo’s cold manner, Prince Yu felt a deep satisfaction. He thought: in the end, the boy still remembers the bond between father and son. Blood is blood, after all.

He gave his instruction: “Go and invite the military governor.”

The attendant outside the door immediately answered and hurried to fetch Zeng Ling, who was already somewhere in the estate, having stepped back from the recent conversation since his presence there wouldn’t have been appropriate.

A short while later, Zeng Ling came in at a quick step. One look at Prince Yu’s face told him everything. He smiled and said, “Congratulations, Your Highness. Nothing more to worry about at the rear.”

Prince Yu laughed out loud. “You’ve got sharp eyes — one glance and you knew.”

“Your Highness’s joy has reached the corners of your eyes,” Zeng Ling said. “It’s clear Xiahou has agreed to hold Jizhou.”

Prince Yu said, “On your way out, leave Liu Ge for Xiahou. And select five hundred elite soldiers as his personal guard — tell them they take orders from Xiahou alone.”

Zeng Ling bowed. “As you command.”

He straightened and smiled. “Before the march, Xiahou agreeing to stay is wonderful news — a good omen. It shows that Heaven’s mandate rests with Your Highness, and this campaign will sweep all before it.”

“Ha ha ha ha…”

Prince Yu laughed until the creases at the corners of his eyes opened like flowers. “That really is a good omen. With Zuo’er holding Jizhou — who could take it from him? Oh, one more thing — go now and bring Luo Jing to me. I want to speak with him in person. I’m going to make him the vanguard general of the army!”

—