High summer.

Returning to the Yan Mountains, when Li Chi looked up and saw that great banner of the character *Ning* rippling in the wind, he could not help but let a smile rise to his lips.

That character seemed like the light of morning sun, or the softness of spring wind — it always left him feeling at ease from head to heart.

What a wonderful character that was.

*Ning* truly held within it countless beautiful meanings, especially because the one who bore it was so beautiful — fair-skinned, lovely, and long-legged, the beautiful kind…

Truthfully speaking, at Li Chi’s present age, getting married wasn’t all that early. His master Changmei the Daoist had talked with him about it several times.

It wasn’t that Li Chi didn’t want to get married. And Gao Xining — she wasn’t opposed to it either. It was simply that she felt it was still too soon. With so many brothers by Li Chi’s side relying on him, getting married too early might give people the impression that he had lost his drive.

When the convoy arrived at the Yan Mountains, the Youzhou cavalry escort turned back at once. Li Chi had Yu Jiuling distribute travel money to the men — that was only proper.

The old assembly hall had been burned to the ground in the past. The one built in its place was not as grand as the original, and it no longer went by the name “Assembly Hall” either.

Above the door hung a plaque, which Li Chi had carved and inscribed himself during his leisure hours.

Two characters.

*Cause Trouble.*

To any outsider who saw this, it would likely seem odd, ridiculous, or coarse and unrefined.

But to those of the Ning Army, the words *Cause Trouble* were truly the most beautiful thing imaginable — nothing lovelier existed in the world.

The Trouble-Making Hall. Everyone gathered and reunited with Li Chi. Li Chi had all the goods he’d brought piled up in the hall, feeling ever so slightly smug and ever so slightly pleased with himself.

Just as the distribution was underway, scouts sent to the northwest returned with news of a discovery. Li Chi immediately stepped out with Tang Pidi and the others.

The young women continued sorting through the gifts they each liked. Outside the hall, Li Chi and the others settled into a pavilion.

The returning scout was Zhen Gen, the youngest martial brother from the Hang Knife Sect. He had repeatedly insisted on joining the scouting corps, pestering Li Chi about it multiple times, until Li Chi finally relented and had him assigned there. The scouting corps now numbered several hundred, with Yu Jiuling as its commander and Zhen Gen as Yu Jiuling’s deputy.

“Chief.”

Zhen Gen took the cup of tea Li Chi handed him, drank a mouthful, and said: “We’ve found him. After being defeated by us at Linbing County, Fang Yüzhou and his disciples fled further and further west, until they ended up in the area around Gujing County — at least seven or eight hundred li from here.”

Li Chi said: “You tracked them all the way out that far?”

Zhen Gen grinned: “We followed the trail, making inquiries as we went. By the time we found traces of those people, we realized just how far out we’d come.”

He continued: “Fang Yüzhou is up to his old tricks — preaching in Gujing County, still under the name of the Eastern Mound Dao. This time he’s styling himself a Divine Messenger, and has elevated one of his disciples to the title of Divine Son.”

Li Chi sighed: “He’s actually produced another Divine Son. I shudder to think what else this man might generate if he goes on living long enough.”

Yu Jiuling said: “A Divine Grandson. Divine Great-Grandson. Divine Great-Great-Grandson. Divine Drooping Grandson.”

Zhen Gen laughed: “They’re running the same old con. Yet somehow, plenty of ordinary folk still believe it. Not long after arriving in Gujing County, this Fang Yüzhou already had quite a following of disciples, accepting offerings from the local populace. Even the Gujing County magistrate and his staff have joined the Eastern Mound Dao.”

Tang Pidi said: “Each getting what they want from it.”

Li Chi said: “I’m thinking of going there in person.”

Tang Pidi said: “It’s quite a distance.”

Li Chi glanced over at Dantai Qi, who sat nearby, and lowered his voice: “Although Dantai has never raised it himself, I can see he longs to go back. Especially recently — he often seems restless, and when we meet, he seems on the verge of saying something but holds back. I suspect he wants to go home, but can’t bring himself to leave, since we need him here right now.”

Tang Pidi worked out the distances mentally — the map was stored in his head. A brief moment of recall and the image came clear. Gujing County was already not far from Liangzhou City — only about a hundred or so li away. This journey could deal with Fang Yüzhou and his charlatans, and at the same time let Dantai return home.

Dantai was different from the others — his father was still expecting him back. The Dantai family had guarded Western Liang for generations, Dantai Qi was an only son, and a heavy burden awaited him.

“Fair enough.”

Tang Pidi said: “Bring eight hundred of the Tribunal Army.”

“No need for that many — it’ll just cause complications.”

Li Chi said: “One hundred men from me will suffice.”

Tang Pidi: “Hmm?”

Li Chi: “Right, right, fine — whatever you say.”

This great chief, remaining meekly in his subordinate role.

Since the matter was settled, the next question was picking the personnel. Everyone wanted to get out and see some of the world, but naturally they couldn’t all leave — there was plenty of work to be done at home. Tang Pidi needed to drill the troops and oversee continued recruitment, and the autumn grain had just been sown, so there was no shortage of work in the fields either.

And so the final decision was: Li Chi would set out with eight hundred of the Tribunal Army. Gao Xining would naturally come with him.

If Gao Xining was going, Miss Ruoling would certainly follow. And if Miss Ruoling was going, Mister Yan would of course be going too.

There was also Dantai Qi, Yu Jiuling, Zhen Gen, and Zhang Yuxu, the heir of the Dragon Tiger Mountain Dao lineage.

This Fang Yüzhou was a renegade from the Dragon Tiger Mountain Dao, so Zhang Yuxu was absolutely going — even if Li Chi tried to stop him, he would find his own way there.

Three days later the preparations were complete. Each rider with two horses, they left the Ning Army stronghold and swept off toward the northwest.

At the same time, in the northern steppes.

Within a small tribal encampment, Kuokedi Xiluo was calculating his plans for another southward push.

Although the Eastern Mound Dao had been defeated at Linbing County, he had identified an opportunity worth exploiting.

The common people of Chu seemed particularly credulous when it came to matters of gods and spirits. The Eastern Mound Dao had failed, but he could perfectly well invent a Western Mound Dao, a Northern Mound Dao, or any Dao he liked.

This was far simpler than directly assembling an army to destabilize the Central Plains, and would develop far more quickly as well.

And so he had specifically dispatched someone to report the matter back and request instructions from the Black Wu Khan. He had failed in his previous attempt — yet the Khan, Kuokedi Dashi, a man of notoriously rigid and ferocious temperament, had not held it against him.

On the contrary, he found Xiluo’s approach likely to bear fruit.

Not only had he issued no punishment, he had sent additional men. They would arrive within a few days to rendezvous with Xiluo.

“General.”

Xiluo’s subordinate, Kanluoshi, came to him and said: “It has been confirmed. That man Fang Yüzhou, along with his disciple Juhe, has fled to the northwest of Chu — nearly at the border.”

Xiluo nodded: “This man’s martial skill and wit are both useful, and he knows the Central Plains environment and the nature of Central Plains people well. The Chu people, though feeble and fickle, are not so easy to find among those who can truly serve our purposes.”

“The people of the Central Plains have always had a peculiar trait…”

Xiluo said: “They all loathe the Chu court, and so those who rebel against it are everywhere. Yet if you ask them to submit directly to Black Wu — very few would ever agree.”

Kanluoshi said: “Only because our great army has not yet arrived. When the Black Wu cavalry rides across the Central Plains, won’t those people simply kneel to receive us?”

Xiluo smiled: “True enough. Once the reinforcements the Khan is sending arrive, we’ll go find this Fang Yüzhou… The northwest offers much to work with.”

Kanluoshi immediately understood: “Ally with the Western Regions peoples?”

Xiluo smiled and said: “The Western Regions peoples harbor the same appetite for the Central Plains as our Black Wu Empire — only they are too fragmented. Small kingdoms everywhere, never united, perpetually warring with one another…”

He paused to organize his thoughts.

“The man in Liangzhou City — Dantai Qi — is sharp. He exploits the fractures among the many Western Regions kingdoms, constantly stirring them against each other. The more fiercely those kingdoms fight, the more pleased he is.”

“So this time when we go — if we can bring those Western Regions kingdoms to their senses and form them into a coalition, I don’t believe one Dantai Qi can hold back a joint force of several hundred thousand men.”

Kanluoshi said: “By all accounts the Western Liang Iron Army is unrivaled. One wonders which is stronger — them or our Black Wu Blood Hooves.”

“Go and see for yourself.”

Xiluo said: “If we can eliminate Dantai Qi, and then draw the Western Regions peoples into the Central Plains… ha ha ha ha — when the Khan’s great army sweeps south, how will the Chu people stop us?”

Liangzhou.

As the westernmost frontier city of Great Chu in the northwest, and indeed the most northwesterly frontier city of the entire Central Plains throughout history, this place had seen countless great battles.

But since the Dantai family had taken up the garrison here, not even the most arrogant and aggressive of Western Regions peoples had dared trouble the border.

Dantai Qi was the third generation to guard Liangzhou, and his name had spread far and wide.

What struck people as a pity, however, was that the Dantai line had been one of solitary sons for generations — the third generation had only Dantai Qi, and the fourth had only Dantai Qiujing.

In Liangzhou, the Dantai family was the immovable pillar, the mountain that steadied the world. As long as the Dantai banner still flew from the city wall, the people inside the city felt a boundless sense of security.

In the General’s mansion.

Dantai Qi, a man in his full middle years, looked over the list of tribute gifts on the table and could not help but smile: “Every year at this time, the rulers of each kingdom are afraid of falling behind the others. That alone is enough to make them quarrel among themselves.”

His subordinate General Helian Lian laughed: “Does the Great General want to play another round this year?”

“Play.”

Dantai Qi said: “Why wouldn’t I play? This is too enjoyable.”

He smiled: “Tell the man we have stationed beside the Yoochi Kingdom’s emperor to inform him that the Jin Que Kingdom’s emperor has deliberately found out what Yoochi is sending as a birthday tribute, has deliberately procured items of identical quality but superior grade, and is sending them with a two-day head start. The convoy is already on its way.”

“Ha ha ha ha.”

Helian Lian burst out laughing.

This scheme was sure to drive the Yoochi Kingdom’s emperor half to death with fury.

This entire situation had been engineered from the start by Dantai Qi himself.

He had first had someone find a way to let the Yoochi emperor know what he wanted for his birthday celebration this year. The Yoochi emperor, upon hearing this, would naturally take it to heart and immediately set about procuring the items — these were not extraordinarily rare treasures, and not very difficult to acquire.

Dantai Qi then had someone find a way to inform the Jin Que Kingdom’s emperor of the same, and additionally let him know that Yoochi was also acquiring the same items — whoever delivered theirs to the Great General first would naturally stand in higher favor.

These small kingdoms were all of roughly equal strength — at most they could scrape together twenty or thirty thousand troops between them.

Dantai Qi was like the undeclared leader of a league with no formal alliances. Liangzhou’s army was unbeatable in battle, and whichever kingdom curried favor with Dantai Qi best had Liangzhou on their side — which left the other side badly shaken.

Yoochi and Jin Que had long been at odds. Their relationship had originally been quite cordial, but after years of Dantai Qi’s untiring “mediation,” they had finally become bitter enemies.

Dantai Qi looked at Helian Lian: “Tell our man to say that I also find Jin Que’s conduct rather distasteful.”

Helian Lian smiled: “Once the Wushan Kingdom gets wind of this, they’ll send troops to intercept Jin Que’s tribute convoy.”

Dantai Qi said: “I don’t enjoy watching people kill and brawl — it lacks any sense of harmony. You must remember to remind me to go mediate once the fighting breaks out.”

Helian Lian burst out laughing again.

After a moment, Dantai Qi asked: “You were sent to inquire about Qiujing’s whereabouts — any news?”

The smile left Helian Lian’s face. He bowed: “This subordinate is incompetent — I have not yet been able to locate the Young General.”

Dantai Qi nodded, his expression growing slightly somber.

Though he said nothing more, his heart ached. Every year on his birthday his son had been by his side. This year, suddenly, there was no one — how could any father feel at ease?

—