Gongshu Yingying found the situation somewhat puzzling. Why was Director Zeng so fixated on Li Chi — to the point of being lenient enough that killing even a random stable hand at the courier station would count?

If Gongshu Yingying were incapable of even that, Xu Yuanqing would never have valued her when she served the Xu family, and the Cui family would never have pulled her from the fire.

In all likelihood, there simply were not many women in this world who both could kill and chose to. And in many, many situations, a woman posed a far greater threat than a man.

“So then, what is the Director’s real goal?”

Gongshu Yingying asked. “If the Director simply needed a hired killer, I doubt you would want me to infiltrate the courier station.”

Zeng Ling said, “I need a killer — but not merely one who can take a single life. When I want someone dead, I would prefer the matter handled cleanly. If you saw an ant on the floor of this room, you might think to step on it. Another man might think to pour boiling water on the nest. What I would think is: find a good insecticide and poison them all.”

Gongshu Yingying said, “But I came to find the Director because I only want to kill one person.”

“Who?”

“Tang Pidi.”

Zeng Ling was visibly caught off guard. He narrowed his eyes at her, waiting for a reason.

“Because he is beautiful.”

Gongshu Yingying said, “There are many beautiful men in this world. But there is no beautiful young man who is also as formidable as he is.”

Zeng Ling said nothing, because he knew that was not the whole story.

“He… is very difficult to kill.”

Gongshu Yingying continued, “At this point in my life, only killing someone as difficult to kill as him can restore the tension and thrill — and the satisfaction — that I felt in the beginning.”

Zeng Ling still said nothing. His sharp instincts told him there was more she was leaving out.

“My heart is in disorder.”

Gongshu Yingying glanced at Zeng Ling’s expression, saw that he did not believe these two reasons, and let out a sigh.

“I have always been a person of fixed convictions. The things I despise, the things I am drawn to — they are all very difficult to change. I once despised young men, because young men represent immaturity and shallowness — beyond being young, they have nothing of worth.”

Zeng Ling’s gaze flickered slightly. He seemed to understand now.

Gongshu Yingying, since she had already said this much, simply continued. “I have developed feelings for Tang Pidi. And so I must kill him.”

Zeng Ling said, “You have feelings for him, and so you must kill him — that is not a good reason from where I sit, and I cannot entrust something important to you on those grounds. Once a woman develops feelings, she very easily loses all restraint. Today you stand in front of me and say you want to help me — tomorrow you might have a change of heart and turn against me on Tang Pidi’s behalf.”

He smiled slightly. “Between helping me and working against me — I am not so foolish as to make that choice for you.”

Gongshu Yingying said, “The Director ought to trust me — because the fact that I have developed feelings for Tang Pidi, that I even find myself thinking of him once every day, tells me that my inner discipline is already broken. I am more frightened of losing my restraint than the Director is.”

She met his eyes and said, “I care deeply about my restraint — it is what allows me to be in full control of myself. Killing is a beautiful profession. I want to continue in it for a long time.”

Zeng Ling sat in long thought. He walked back behind his desk and settled into his chair, appearing unable to arrive at a decision easily.

The truth was, he was badly in need of certain kinds of people right now. Not fighters — his Jizhou army still numbered sixty or seventy thousand, and selecting skilled warriors from within was no great challenge. What he lacked were people of a particular sort. Sometimes the most unlikely figures could produce the most extraordinary results.

“If you don’t kill Tang Pidi, Tang Pidi will destroy you.”

Zeng Ling said after a long silence. “But in truth, it is not Tang Pidi who is destroying you — it is your own state of mind. Because Tang Pidi doesn’t even know who you are.”

Gongshu Yingying smiled — and in the smile, there was something faint and bitter.

“That is precisely why I must kill him…”

She exhaled slowly. “I developed feelings for someone who does not know I exist. That makes me feel diminished. I have never wanted to be a diminished person.”

Zeng Ling said, “I will give you an opportunity.”

Gongshu Yingying asked, “What opportunity?”

Zeng Ling said, “At this very moment, my subordinate General Jinzu should be at the Yannian Pavillion having drinks with Tang Pidi. If you can get there quickly enough, there is still time. I am not asking you to land a killing blow — just make a move against Tang Pidi, and I will believe in you.”

“I won’t make a move.”

That was Gongshu Yingying’s answer.

Zeng Ling frowned slightly. He was beginning to think this woman was less valuable than he had assumed.

Gongshu Yingying paused, then continued. “The Director may not be familiar with the trade. If you cannot guarantee a single killing strike, do not make a move at all — because not every target will give you a second chance. Especially someone like Tang Pidi. If I cannot kill him in one attempt, the next attempt will be him killing me.”

Zeng Ling said, “Then go do something that convinces me.”

Gongshu Yingying smiled. “I’ll try the approach the Director mentioned — get close to them, and see if I can become one of their own.”

She turned and walked toward the door, still talking as she went. “That sounds like it could be quite an interesting exercise. Interesting enough that I almost don’t want to be paid.”

—

The Yannian Pavilion.

Jinzu could ultimately no longer help himself and asked Li Chi directly:

“Why did you come running out like that? Did something happen at the courier station that even you couldn’t handle?”

Li Chi thought over how to answer this. If he told Jinzu that he was running away because of Yu Jiuling, Jinzu would likely not understand.

And so in that moment, Li Chi decided to change the subject.

“Let’s talk about something else instead — this one is hard to explain in a few words.”

Jinzu was clearly unsatisfied with that sort of deflection, and turned to Tang Pidi. “And you, would it also be inconvenient for you to say?”

Tang Pidi looked pained. “It’s not that it’s inconvenient — it’s just… difficult to describe.”

He thought for a moment and cast around for an analogy. “General, have you ever had a friend who was truly and spectacularly absurd? Let me put it this way — say I give you two words: horse, and girl. What’s the first thing that comes to mind?”

Jinzu thought it over carefully, then ventured tentatively: “Giddyup?”

Li Chi sprayed a mouthful of wine across the table.

“Excellent,” Tang Pidi said, and slowly lowered his head, already regretting having come to drink with Jinzu tonight.

Jinzu grew all the more curious. “Well what else would it be?”

Tang Pidi said, “Quite right. That’s exactly it.”

Li Chi said, “Wine. Let’s drink.”

Jinzu had originally intended to make some casual conversation and then ease his way into the real topic. The exchange had been a bit bewildering, but at least the atmosphere had warmed up nicely.

So he felt the moment was more or less right, and with a quiet sigh, tossed out an opening line. “You are all people who share the same vision, men who are brothers in arms — spending every day like this, it must be a fine and happy life. Unlike me, I… ah!”

Under ordinary circumstances, a normal person would follow that kind of bait with: *General, what’s the matter? Did something trouble you? Why not talk about it — perhaps we can find some way to help?*

But Tang Pidi picked up the thread and went somewhere else entirely.

Tang Pidi said, “You really don’t understand what it’s like on our side — things at the courier station are not as easy and comfortable as they appear.”

With that, rather than following Jinzu’s lead, he left Jinzu no choice but to follow his.

Jinzu said, “It looks very good from where I stand. What’s wrong? Have you run into some trouble? Why not say it plainly — perhaps I can be of some help. I know I’m only a minor official, but in Jizhou city, most things are within my reach.”

Tang Pidi glanced at Li Chi. Li Chi sighed as well.

After a moment, Li Chi said with a mournful air, “It’s hard enough that business is slow — but now it seems even our lives may be in danger. The General knows: sooner or later the Qingzhou and Yuzhou armies will come to attack Jizhou again, and because of… *ahem*… because of the matter with General Luo Jing, it seems that Youzhou’s Luo Geng won’t let this pass easily either.”

Jinzu had not expected the conversation to come full circle like this — a genuine surprise, like suddenly finding a new path where none seemed to exist.

He immediately said, “I think you’re worrying unnecessarily. Jizhou still has tens of thousands of strong troops, and you know as well as I do how formidable this city’s defenses are. Even if Luo Geng, Cui Yanlai, and Liu Li all three came to attack together — how easy could it possibly be to breach the walls of Jizhou?”

He smiled and added, “If that is what concerns you, you need not concern yourself. I have some confidence in our ability to hold this city.”

Li Chi said, “Words are easy enough — but the men under me are restless and unsettled. These past few days they’ve been urging me to leave Jizhou. But all my businesses are here in the city — if I walk away, everything I’ve built over these years is a wasted effort… I simply can’t bear to give it up.”

Jinzu was momentarily at a loss. He wasn’t sure whether Li Chi meant this or not. If he meant it sincerely — well, that would resolve one of the Viceroy’s concerns right there. The Viceroy was half hoping Li Chi would leave on his own. If he didn’t, then more forceful measures were going to become necessary.

As it stood, the Viceroy had not yet given up on trying to win Li Chi over. If he could secure the support of Yu Chaozong and the Yanshan Camp, not only would holding Jizhou be no problem — driving back the combined forces of Cui Yanlai and Liu Li would be entirely within reach.

The Yanshan Camp commanded over a hundred thousand troops, well equipped and well supplied. With Yu Chaozong’s backing, the Viceroy could rest easy.

So Jinzu probed carefully. “With your standing and your connections, there is no reason to agonize over this. Whether you go or stay is your own choice. If you go — I know who you are, and you could simply return to the Yanshan Camp and live free and easy. If you stay — you need only represent the Yanshan Camp and form an alliance with the Viceroy, and the Viceroy would give everything he has to ensure your safety.”

Li Chi sighed. “That may be true — but the men under me have no stomach for wading into troubled waters. All they want is what you said: to go home and live free and easy.”

Jinzu said, “Then go. No need to tie yourself in knots over it. Go back and recover your peace of mind, and return once the situation around Jizhou is resolved.”

These words were genuinely spoken from the perspective of a friend.

If Jinzu were looking at it strictly from the Viceroy’s position, the correct thing would be to urge Li Chi with everything he had to stand alongside the Viceroy.

“I want to go back now too.”

Li Chi leaned in closer and lowered his voice. “General, could you do something for me? If one day we were to disappear without warning — without anyone knowing — could you speak to the Viceroy and ask him to look after my properties?”

Jinzu was quiet for a moment, then nodded. “If you mean to leave, I will see that your business holdings are kept safe.”

Li Chi clasped his hands in thanks, then asked, “If I wanted to take the General with me — would you come?”

Jinzu’s expression shifted.

After a moment, he shook his head. “I cannot go. There are things a man of principle does not do. The Viceroy has shown me profound kindness and taken care of me generously. I must stay.”

He looked at Li Chi, and then at Tang Pidi, and for a long while let out a slow, heavy breath — one could only imagine the weight of feeling pressing down on him.

“When the heart is troubled, a lifted cup can ease it…”

“When injustice blocks the road, a drawn sword can clear it…”

“When all under heaven is wrong, only the clash of arms can set it right…”

Jinzu spoke quietly, as though to himself.

“When the debt of gratitude cannot be repaid — only death can settle it.”