Luo Jing’s general’s quarters were located in the eastern district of Jizhou City — a large compound of three successive courtyards, personally selected by Zeng Ling for Luo Jing when he first arrived.

The compound’s front courtyard was separated from the Little Jing River by just one road. The river ran smooth and placid, with delicate scenery lining both banks. Across the river was the famous Peach Blossom Garden of Jizhou City.

When Luo Jing had come, he brought with him his Tiger-Leopard Cavalry. Though the force numbered only three thousand, the ferocity of these light cavalry had already struck fear into both the Qingzhou and Yuzhou armies.

In the southern campaign, the Jizhou Army had suffered defeat after defeat, and the rebel forces in particular collapsed at the first contact. Only the Tiger-Leopard Cavalry remained undefeated wherever they went.

On the retreat from that defeat, when the Jizhou forces were pulling back north and being relentlessly pursued by the Qingzhou Army, Luo Jing spotted that the pursuing column had become stretched and disjointed — like a kite with a broken string — and petitioned to lead a counterattack.

Prince Yu had looked down on him and thought him arrogant, so he permitted only Luo Jing’s own three thousand Tiger-Leopard Cavalry to go. After all, even if they died, these were Youzhou’s soldiers and had never been under Prince Yu’s command.

But with just those three thousand, Luo Jing drove the pursuing force back over ten li in a single sweep. The main Qingzhou army behind them, fearing an ambush, didn’t dare advance.

Luo Jing’s name spread far and wide from that point on. Everyone knew that young Youzhou General Luo Jing was formidable beyond measure — a fitting holder of the title of foremost warrior of the northern frontier.

After returning to Jizhou, Luo Jing settled into his compound. He kept three hundred personal guard soldiers in the compound itself; the rest of his force was quartered in the Jizhou Army’s main camp.

With time on his hands, Luo Jing sparred with his soldiers in the rear courtyard of the compound each day — his own version of leisure.

Now in the rear courtyard’s open space, Luo Jing wore only a single layer of clothing, no armor, bare-handed, with over a dozen of his most formidable guard soldiers surrounding him.

“If any of you can take me down, ten taels of gold per man.”

Luo Jing said this with a grin.

His men looked at one another, then gave a shout and charged in together — every one of them visibly tense.

Luo Jing made no effort to strike back hard, simply sending his men flying one by one. In an instant it was like watching men and horses overturned in every direction.

His speed was extraordinary and his precision unerring — he grabbed one and threw one down, and no one could hold their ground before him for even a single move.

Two of the guard soldiers lunged at him from the sides, each grabbing one of Luo Jing’s legs, throwing all their weight into trying to flip him backward.

Luo Jing laughed, dropped his weight, and planted into a horse stance. The two of them strained with all their strength and Luo Jing’s stance didn’t waver in the slightest.

He reached down, got a grip on each man’s belt with one hand, and casually flung them both away.

“Winning ten taels of gold from me isn’t that easy.”

Luo Jing waved his hand. “Again — my soldiers don’t get to give up this easily. Come again, come again!”

Those who had been thrown down picked themselves up and charged at Luo Jing once more with a shout.

Just then, one of the gate guards came running in. Seeing that Luo Jing was in the middle of a sparring game, he didn’t dare interrupt, and waited until Luo Jing had thrown down all ten-odd men yet again before stepping forward to speak.

“Young General, Master Ye requests an audience.”

“Master Ye has come?”

Luo Jing took a towel from one of his men, wiped his brow, and smiled. “Must be the Commissioner with something to say. You all carry on training — no slacking.”

With that he walked forward, wiping sweat from his brow. This three-courtyard compound — the rear courtyard was for training and where the soldiers were quartered, the middle courtyard was Luo Jing’s own residence, and the front courtyard also housed soldiers.

By the time he reached the middle courtyard, Ye Zhangzhu was already waiting in the yard. Seeing Luo Jing approach, he came forward smiling with a cupped-fist salute: “Greetings to the General.”

Luo Jing waved him off. “Must we be so formal between us? Has the Commissioner sent you with some message?”

“The General guesses correctly.”

Ye Zhangzhu moved close and lowered his voice. “After I returned from drinking with the General the other night, I told Commissioner Zeng about the encounter with the Young Lord’s retainer. The Commissioner was furious and wishes to seek justice for the General.”

Luo Jing laughed. “The Commissioner doesn’t even dare leave his own gates — and he wants to seek justice for me?”

There was quite a bit of dissatisfaction in those words.

“I spent yesterday persuading the Commissioner,” said Ye Zhangzhu. “The Commissioner knows well that to simply sit and await destruction like this would mean not just his own life and death, but the lives of countless people throughout the Jizhou Army. So the Commissioner has decided to meet with the General personally and discuss a plan of action.”

Luo Jing’s eyes lit up. “The Commissioner has finally come to his senses. If he just allows this humiliation to continue, it will only embolden those father and son further.”

“Tonight,” said Ye Zhangzhu, “the Commissioner will be at Twin Stars Tower waiting for the General to discuss important matters — and to give you a chance to relax as well.”

Luo Jing broke into a laugh and laughed for a good while before saying: “I, Luo Jing, have no appetite for women. But if the Commissioner wishes to enjoy himself, I’ll keep him company. What time is it arranged for tonight? I’ll go early and wait for him.”

“The General need only wait in the compound. When night falls, the Commissioner will send a carriage to collect you.”

Ye Zhangzhu said: “If the General will agree to come, I’ll go back and tell Commissioner Zeng, then head over to Twin Stars Tower to make the arrangements.”

Luo Jing gave a nod. “You go ahead. When the carriage comes, I’ll step out.”

Ye Zhangzhu gave another bow and took his leave.

Luo Jing walked toward the rear courtyard, intending to resume his training, but had only gone a few steps when he stopped. He stood in thought for a moment, then instructed the guard soldiers at his side: “Tonight everyone is to be armored and on standby awaiting my order. If I send someone back, ride hard to reinforce immediately.”

His guard commander, Luo Zhijie, asked with some concern: “Is the General expecting something to happen?”

Luo Jing said: “Prince Yu and his son are fixed on killing the Commissioner. If he goes out tonight to meet with me, there’s every chance he’ll be watched. The distance from here to Twin Stars Tower isn’t great — be ready to move at any time. Also, send word to our troops in the Jizhou Army main camp: no one removes armor tonight.”

“Yes!”

Luo Zhijie acknowledged the order and went at once to pass the instructions.

Across the river in Peach Blossom Garden, Yang Zhuo’s retainer Zheng Liucheng crouched behind a tree, a far-sight tube raised to his eye, trained on Luo Jing’s compound.

“Keep your eyes fixed on it. The moment Luo Jing comes out, report back to His Highness immediately.”

“Yes!”

His handful of men all acknowledged and locked their gaze on Luo Jing’s compound. Zheng Liucheng knew tonight’s target was Luo Jing, and thought to himself: no matter how capable Luo Jing was, could he fight off several hundred men?

But most of the Young Lord’s compound retainers didn’t actually know who tonight’s target was. All they knew was that someone had the audacity to interfere with the Young Lord’s girl at Twin Stars Tower, and they were going to beat that unlucky fool.

The moment Luo Jing came out of his compound, Zheng Liucheng would send someone to report back — and then the Young Lord would lead his retainers in a great show of force to Twin Stars Tower to beat someone.

—

Commissioner’s mansion.

Zeng Ling looked toward Jinzu coming to the door and gave a nod. “Come in.”

Jinzu entered with a look of apology on his face and bowed. “Commissioner, the task you gave me — I was unable to complete it.”

Zeng Ling looked at him, thought for a moment, and asked: “Couldn’t find anything?”

Jinzu said: “I pulled the entry and exit registers from three of the city gates. A few people seemed suspicious — they entered at dawn, stayed in Jizhou City for only about an hour, then left again. If it was these individuals, they must have dropped the letter outside the Commissioner’s gates and immediately left the city.”

Zeng Ling smiled: “So this person who wants to scheme against Li Chi is both cowardly and malicious.”

Jinzu asked: “Should I notify Li Chi?”

“No need to trouble over not catching the person,” said Zeng Ling. “Don’t tell Li Chi yet. After Li Chi’s matter is settled, I’ll give him this letter — a courtesy in return for a courtesy. Whether or not we have that messenger is just a question of gilding the lily.”

Jinzu asked curiously: “Commissioner, does Li Chi truly dare move to kill Young Lord Yang Zhuo?”

Zeng Ling smiled: “Someone like him would certainly not move himself. If he’d wanted to act, why wait three days? Don’t forget — he is someone who fought Luo Jing to a draw.”

Jinzu nodded. “And with Tang Pidi and the others helping him, Tang Pidi’s martial skills likely surpass even Li Chi’s.”

Zeng Ling gave a sound of agreement. “Just watch. Let’s see what tricks this young man can produce, and see for ourselves what this person Xiahou praised so highly is truly worth — what he can scheme, and who he can scheme.”

—

Night fell.

A carriage drew up outside the gates of Luo Jing’s compound. The driver went to the gate and told the guards he had been sent by the Commissioner to collect General Luo.

The soldiers went in immediately to report. Luo Jing had been waiting, issued his final instructions, then went out and got in the carriage, bringing only a handful of attendants.

The driver steered the carriage toward Twin Stars Tower. On the far bank of the Little Jing River, the moment Zheng Liucheng saw this, he immediately sent someone racing back with the news.

By this time, Young Lord Yang Zhuo had already positioned himself with several hundred men in ambush around Twin Stars Tower.

On the roof of Twin Stars Tower, Li Chi and Tang Pidi sat watching. They had been there for a long time — lying on the rooftop through the daylight hours, whispering quietly back and forth. This autumn weather was the finest of the season, with a mild breeze — lying up here to rest was reasonably comfortable.

Young Lord Yang Zhuo had brought his several hundred men in batches, and both men had already seen them arrive. Now they were simply waiting for Luo Jing to walk into the trap.

Before long, a carriage turned into the broad street. The driver, seeing pedestrians ahead, shook the bell on the carriage — the bell’s tone was precisely the signal agreed upon with Li Chi.

Li Chi and Tang Pidi immediately looked down, saw the carriage had arrived, exchanged a glance, and both smiled. Because the driver handling the reins was none other than Yu Jiuling.

The carriage pulled up a short distance from Twin Stars Tower. Zheng Liucheng’s men were already waiting — one of them pointed to a man standing beside Young Lord Yang Zhuo. “That’s the carriage.”

Yang Zhuo gave a cold snort, pointed, and said: “Go — beat them. Break that arrogant wretch’s legs if you can.”

The men behind him pulled dark kerchiefs over their faces and charged out howling.

Men poured from several of the surrounding alleyways as well, where more of the Young Lord’s retainers had been lying in wait. In moments, several hundred men had the carriage completely surrounded.

Yu Jiuling’s heart was hammering. Truly hammering.

But at this moment he forced himself to look composed and bellowed: “Who are you people to surround General Luo’s carriage?!”

The retainers all froze. They had been about to make their move, but at the sudden sound of “General Luo” they all hesitated.

In this Jizhou City, was there any other “General Luo”?

If it truly was that General Luo — weren’t they about to be in serious trouble? They’d thought they were here to beat one unlucky fool, and now it seemed they might be several hundred unlucky fools.

Yu Jiuling raged on: “Is there no law in this Jizhou City?! If you don’t disperse now, don’t blame me for what happens next!”

In truth he didn’t dare make a move either.

Luo Jing stepped out of the carriage, his expression dark.

He swept a glance across the assembled men. Every person his gaze landed on stepped back — no one dared come forward.

One look was enough to make several hundred men retreat. Such was Luo Jing’s presence.

Most of these retainers were shrewd operators. One of their basic survival skills was recognizing faces — knowing the prominent figures of Jizhou City so they never accidentally offended anyone. A good number of them recognized Luo Jing, and were even less inclined to act. Luo Jing’s formidable reputation was something every one of them clearly understood.

At this moment, Li Chi on the rooftop raised his bow, drew it, aimed at Luo Jing’s position, and suddenly let go. The arrow cut through the air like a shooting star.

An instant later, with a thud, the arrow buried itself in the side of the carriage. The fletching was still trembling.

Luo Jing glanced sideways at the arrow, the corners of his eyes lifting slightly.

From somewhere behind the crowd, Zhuang Wudi shouted: “By the Young Lord’s order — execute the traitor Luo Jing! Everyone charge!”