Yuan Wuxian felt a boundless humiliation. *How had the world turned upside down so fast?* A few years ago, some garrison general from Jizhou would never have dared put on such a display in front of him. He could have ground a man like that into the dirt without a second thought.

In this moment, he felt he understood something of what it was like to be a daughter married far from home — dependent on others, subject to others’ moods. Without their connection to the capital, without Liu Chongxin to back them up, they were nothing.

Never mind Prince Yu preparing to raise an army — even without that, Jizhou was Prince Yu’s domain. The garrison army was Prince Yu’s own force. The Bureau’s people in Jizhou had become unwelcome guests, reliant on others’ goodwill.

“General Xiahou, General Liu,” Yuan Wuxian said, forcing himself to bend at the waist and speak with an ingratiating smile. “Is there perhaps some misunderstanding here? This was merely a routine inspection — we have no intention of targeting anyone in particular…”

Liu Ge asked: “Do you know whose carriage company this is?”

Yuan Wuxian’s stomach dropped. *How to answer? Yes, I knew? No, I didn’t?*

*Yes* — then why come here? *No* — then let me tell you.

He knew this game well. He’d played it himself often enough.

“Truly a misunderstanding,” Yuan Wuxian said. “We will leave immediately. I’ve taken note — the Yongning Tongyuan Carriage Company. We won’t come back.”

Liu Ge said: “You go right ahead and leave. I’m simply conducting my scheduled nighttime maneuvers.”

Yuan Wuxian looked around. Garrison troops sealed every direction — not a gap anywhere. A bird trying to fly out would be shot down by arrows. Even his men knew this now: standing here, surrounded, they tasted for the first time something of what it meant to be truly hated.

For years, the Bureau’s agents had terrorized everyone without restraint. On the streets, ordinary citizens feared the sight of Bureau men more than they feared ghosts. Ghosts didn’t necessarily harm people — Bureau men always did. And it wasn’t merely those who had done something wrong. Looking at someone the wrong way was enough cause to be destroyed.

Not just in Jizhou — across all of Great Chu, the number of people killed by the Bureau every year was beyond counting. These men had never given a moment’s thought to right or wrong. They treated cruelty as entertainment.

But now they were afraid.

“You’re all quite cold-blooded,” Liu Ge remarked from his chair, eyeing them with dispassion. “Your Hundred-Commander is in the state he’s in, and none of you feel anything about it. If that weren’t the case, when I mentioned just now that begging would get you results, someone would have spoken up. None of you did. The only explanation is that you’re glad he’s taking a beating.”

Yuan Wuxian knelt there barely able to hold himself upright. His lips had been split and were dripping blood, long threads of red hanging from his chin.

Liu Ge sighed. “Look at the men you’ve brought — they’re secretly cheering for your beating, Commander Yuan. Your subordinates aren’t particularly loyal.”

Yuan Wuxian swayed where he knelt. Had it not been for men holding him in place, he would have already collapsed. He could no longer speak. He wasn’t even certain where his own mouth was anymore.

“Allow me to discipline these disloyal subordinates for you,” Liu Ge said. He called out to his soldiers: “You all saw how Commander Yuan was treated, yes? I want every single Bureau agent given the same, measure for measure. If any of them come away lighter than the Commander, that would be unfair.”

“Yes, sir!”

The garrison soldiers surged forward, seizing the Bureau agents. The sounds that erupted from outside the carriage company resembled a sudden downpour — dense, overlapping, uninterrupted.

Liu Ge had been in a fine mood all evening — though whether he had emerged from the Three Moon River House in the winning column was debatable, he had felt some satisfaction. But the moment he stepped out of the carriage and saw this swarm of Bureau men, his good mood evaporated entirely.

So in his view, the whole trip to the Three Moon River House had been wasted — even though it had cost him nothing.

*Pleasure followed immediately by displeasure* — well then, time to get the pleasure back.

The garrison soldiers, years of accumulated grievance finally finding an outlet, threw themselves into their work with no restraint whatsoever. Bureau men weeping, howling, crying out — all of it spilled into the night air.

There were those who, following the example set on Yuan Wuxian, stripped off the Bureau agents’ shoes and used them across their faces. Others simply used scabbards.

And for just this moment, somehow, the phrase *reaping what you sow* felt true.

—

Then, from the distance, came the sound of approaching hoofbeats. The outer cordon of garrison troops began parting — and down the street came a mounted escort surrounding a single carriage.

The carriage drew to a gentle stop before the carriage company gate. It had barely halted when Xu Shengyu leapt out first, holding the curtain aside with a bow as he helped the Military Commissioner Zeng Ling step down.

Liu Ge saw the Commissioner arrive and immediately rose from his chair, striding forward with a proper bow. “Your subordinate pays respects to the Commissioner.”

Zeng Ling surveyed the chaotic scene, then took in Xu Shengyu’s expression — which had reached new depths of ugliness. He cleared his throat. “Everyone stand down.”

The garrison soldiers stepped back and fell into formation.

Zeng Ling put on a suitably stern face. “What is the meaning of this? Bureau men and garrison troops are colleagues — how does this come to blows? This is a disgrace.”

*Blows?* Hearing that word, Xu Shengyu’s expression sank even further.

Liu Ge quickly replied: “Reporting to the Commissioner — your subordinate was leading his unit in nighttime maneuvers when we encountered Hundred-Commander Yuan and his Bureau contingent. For reasons unclear — perhaps the Hundred-Commander had been drinking, or perhaps he had some momentary lapse — he ordered his men to block the troops’ advance, obstruct our formation, and then threatened to take your subordinate into custody.”

Zeng Ling widened his eyes. “How can that be?” He looked at Xu Shengyu. “Is this something you arranged?”

Xu Shengyu said quickly: “This was not your subordinate’s arrangement. I had only heard that Yuan Wuxian had gone on a routine inspection — I did not anticipate any confrontation with General Liu’s unit. The Bureau maintains strict discipline; we do not condone intoxicated misconduct.”

Liu Ge said: “If the Commissioner feels my account is one-sided, please ask Master Xu’s men directly. I am not preventing them from speaking. This is before the Commissioner — let each party say their piece.”

Xu Shengyu pointed at his agents, voice rising: “General Liu — you expect them to say anything?!”

The agents were barely recognizable. Speech was beyond most of them; even faint groans had grown feeble.

“I am not stopping them,” Liu Ge said mildly. “I state my case, they state theirs. Am I supposed to tell them what to say?”

Xu Shengyu’s face went hard. “General Liu, don’t you think you have gone somewhat too far?”

“Enough — all of you!” Zeng Ling said, his brow furrowed. “You are all servants of the court. Bureau men have legitimate reason for nighttime inspections; garrison troops have nighttime drill schedules. A minor conflict should not come to this. Do you want the people of Jizhou laughing at you?”

“Yes, sir!”

Liu Ge bowed. “The Commissioner’s rebuke is just. Your subordinate acknowledges his error.”

Zeng Ling looked at Xu Shengyu. “You see? He has acknowledged his error.”

Xu Shengyu stared. “Commissioner?”

Zeng Ling surveyed the miserable state of the Bureau agents, exhaled slowly, and said: “Of course, merely acknowledging an error is insufficient. Look at the damage your men caused — from what I can observe, it seems the Bureau agents came off somewhat the worse.”

*Somewhat the worse?*

Xu Shengyu stared at Zeng Ling. Zeng Ling smiled gently. “I cannot show partiality toward my own garrison men. Starting a brawl is wrong, whatever the cause. Liu Ge — you and your men will face appropriate disciplinary measures when you return.”

Liu Ge bowed his head. “Commissioner, your subordinate does not dispute it. Wrong is wrong. Your subordinate accepts whatever punishment the Commissioner sees fit.”

Zeng Ling smiled approvingly and turned to Xu Shengyu. “You see — their attitude is quite acceptable.”

Xu Shengyu: “…”

Zeng Ling, noting the man’s expression, added a few more words. “And will someone not offer Master Xu an apology?”

Liu Ge turned to face Xu Shengyu. “A great deal of offense was given tonight. My apologies to Master Xu.”

Zeng Ling said: “He has apologized.”

Xu Shengyu forced a smile onto his face, suppressing what roiled beneath. He bowed. “The Commissioner’s handling is just and thorough. Your subordinate is duly impressed.”

Zeng Ling said: “My people, I will take back and discipline. Your people, you take back and keep in order. We are all working for the Prince now — let there be no further injury to goodwill between us. Is that understood?”

He let his eyes linger once more on the sorry spectacle of the Bureau agents, feeling — if he was honest with himself — that having people beaten this thoroughly was… rather satisfying.

He instructed Liu Ge: “Our side caused damage. Compensation is owed.”

Liu Ge glanced back at his men. “What did we damage?”

His subordinate answered: “Their shoes.”

Liu Ge considered. “Then I’ll cover it out of my own pocket. New shoes for every Bureau brother here.”

Zeng Ling burst out laughing. “Very well — that settles it. Everyone go home. No more incidents. If the Prince were to hear of this, you’d all catch a scolding. I’m burying this matter. No one is to speak of it again.”

“Yes, sir!”

Liu Ge and Xu Shengyu bowed in unison. As they straightened, their eyes met for a fraction of a second — each probably imagining what it would be like to kill the other on the spot.

“The night grows late and I am weary,” Zeng Ling said, turning to leave. “Does Master Xu have anything further?”

Xu Shengyu hastily said: “Nothing further. I see you out, Commissioner.”

Liu Ge called back over his shoulder: “Make a path for our Bureau brothers — and make it wide. Their faces are swollen; a narrow gap won’t fit them through. Also — those of you who took people’s shoes during the scuffle — return them. What are you holding onto them for?”

He walked away.

Xu Shengyu stood where he was, something burning in his eyes.

—

In the carriage company’s inner courtyard, Xiahou Zuo looked at Li Chi. “No trouble on your end?”

Li Chi shook his head. “None.”

Xiahou Zuo gave a short nod. “Good. The Xu family has their eye on you now. Xu Shengyu is the Bureau’s Thousand-Commander here — the Bureau fields close to a thousand men in Jizhou. What Liu Ge did tonight was meant to send a message: some doors you don’t knock on.”

Li Chi said: “I understand General Liu’s intent.”

Xiahou Zuo said: “Earlier tonight, when I was at the Three Moon River House, Xu Yuanqing happened to be there as well — and he was asking about Master Songming’s seal.”

Li Chi said: “Could you say again the few words you glossed over just now?”

Xiahou Zuo looked up at the sky. “The Three Moon River House.”

Li Chi: “Sounds like a fine place.”

Xiahou Zuo: “What’s fine about it.”

Li Chi said: “Three months of the year usually brings spring floods. Three months, the river—”

Xiahou Zuo: “You’re shameless.”

Li Chi: “Thank you.”

Xiahou Zuo shot him a look, then couldn’t hold back a laugh. “It’s… quite something.”

Li Chi made a sound of appreciation. It was the first time he had seen Xiahou Zuo look so dreamily satisfied — even more so than the first time he had heard Xiahou Zuo say he was going off to “attend to important matters.”

—

Half an hour later. The Surveillance Bureau.

Xu Shengyu heard his subordinate’s report and his face changed at once. He slapped the table with a crack. “Has Liu Ge gone mad?” he shouted. “Does he actually think that anyone — anyone — can push the Bureau around now?!”

He ordered: “Get the men assembled. Full arms. Come with me.”

“Yes, sir!”

The man who had brought the news had been seething the whole way back — and now, hearing the Commander speak of taking men out, he immediately perked up. Bureau agents were accustomed to having their way. Being on the receiving end like this was an experience none of them were used to.

Many of them, deep down, still couldn’t accept that their era of impunity was over.

“Hold.”

Xu Shengyu fell quiet for a moment, then issued a counter-order: “Tell the men — no one leaves the compound without my direct order. Anyone who goes out without authorization will be dealt with harshly.”

“Commander?!”

The messenger stared at Xu Shengyu in disbelief.

“Prepare the carriage,” Xu Shengyu said. “And bring me the red coral tree I acquired recently — and several jars of my finest tea. I am going to call on the Military Commissioner.”

He walked out issuing instructions, and paused to add: “Bring me a fresh change of clothes. I need to change.”

Once dressed, he strode out the door, his thoughts moving quickly ahead of him — *Let us hope the Commissioner will still receive callers at this hour.*

—