Early the next morning, the people of the General’s Residence had already swept the courtyard clean and thrown the gates wide to receive guests.

Every year on this day, it wasn’t only the envoys of the various Western Regions nations who came — representatives of the city’s elders and common folk came as well.

That a frontier general could command such reverence said much about the place Dantai Qi held in the hearts of the western border’s people.

And every year at this time, Dantai Qi received every class of visitor without distinction — whether Western Regions envoys, local officials, or gentry and common citizens, all were treated the same.

The previous night, the Residence had been on strict alert, fearing someone might attempt to infiltrate and rescue the captured Shenshe assassin — but the night passed without incident.

About two li from the General’s Residence, the Maoli Kingdom’s delegation was making its way slowly forward.

Inside the carriage, Sanding, First Warrior of the Maoli Kingdom — normally imperious and overbearing — now sat with an expression of unconcealed unease.

Because the person sitting across from him genuinely frightened him. This was someone from the Black Wu Empire — Black Wu imperial royalty at that.

When Dachu was at its most powerful, its Western Regions neighbors dared not invade, and the great majority of neighboring states had to bow in submission.

Yet even at its most powerful, Dachu had never gained much of an advantage in its wars against Black Wu. For hundreds of years, Black Wu had invaded from the north without cease, and Dachu had resisted without cease.

One could not deny that while successive Dachu emperors had fancied themselves the hegemon of the Central Plains, none had ever genuinely shaken Black Wu’s dominant position.

These smaller Western Regions nations had always maintained their wariness toward Dachu — they feared it too, at times — because they understood the Central Plains people well.

The Central Plains people had always lived by the principle: *if you don’t come at me, I won’t come at you.* Cases of proactively going out to provoke neighboring states were rare.

Black Wu people were different. If you didn’t go after the Dachu people, the Dachu people wouldn’t think to come after you. If you didn’t go after the Black Wu people — Black Wu people were always thinking about how to come after you.

And their ways of fighting were different too. Dachu people, fancying themselves a celestial empire of sagely virtue, mostly believed in winning people over through reason. Even when the Dachu army held the advantage, it would seek to negotiate from that position of strength. Since Dachu’s founding, it was rare for any neighboring small state to simply be destroyed outright.

Black Wu people, on the other hand, had always aspired to dominate the entire world under heaven. The reason they had always sought to invade southward into Dachu wasn’t that they had no interest in those smaller nations — it was that they wanted to eliminate the strongest opponent first.

Once Black Wu destroyed Dachu, would those small nations even require a military campaign?

But the Central Plains people had always been tenacious. Though they rarely struck at Black Wu first, the countless southern invasions Black Wu had launched over hundreds of years had all been held off stubbornly by the Central Plains people.

Every generation of Black Wu Khagan-Emperors had harbored the grand ambition of watering their horses at the southern rivers — and every generation of Black Wu Khagan-Emperors had done nothing but chase that dream.

The Maoli Kingdom’s people dared harbor thoughts of attacking the Central Plains while Dachu was weakened — but they would never dare provoke Black Wu.

So no matter how overbearing Sanding was, before Kuokedi Xiuluoluo he was like a rabbit terrified by tigers and wolves, not daring even to breathe too loudly.

This was probably the habit of untold years: Dachu would fight you, but with restraint, and they would never carry out the massacre of a city or the annihilation of a people. Black Wu would fight you, and most of the time they would kill city by city, killing until the survivors had no choice but to be slaves.

“You don’t need to be so afraid.”

Xiuluoluo glanced at Sanding and smiled lightly. “Dantai Qi, fearsome as he is, is nothing more than a border general, isolated and without support. He’s been cut off long since.”

Xiuluoluo said slowly, “You should know — our Black Wu Empire has always aimed to swallow and annihilate Dachu of the Central Plains, and now the moment is at its ripest.”

“The choice you are making now is the right choice. If you wait any longer, by the time our Black Wu armies march south into the Central Plains, you won’t even have time to pledge your allegiance.”

“So what I’m offering you now is an opportunity.”

Xiuluoluo said, “I come under orders of the Khagan-Emperor to meet with the rulers of the Western Regions nations — to forge an alliance. Once the Western Regions coalition army breaks through Dachu’s western frontier, and joins forces with our Black Wu army in the Central Plains, the Khagan-Emperor is willing to grant you all the Dachu territory your armies seize.”

“And furthermore — should the fighting grow fierce, the Black Wu army will send a detachment directly to reinforce you. Since we are discussing an alliance, I will naturally give you our most sincere terms.”

Xiuluoluo looked at Sanding and smiled. “So I think highly of your plan. As long as this matter is handled well, the Khagan-Emperor will naturally grant his approval — and after Dachu is destroyed, the Maoli Kingdom stands to gain the most.”

“Yes, yes, yes…”

Sanding hastily bowed his head. “When I return, I will introduce the General to His Majesty — I am only an envoy…”

He didn’t dare finish the sentence, because Xiuluoluo’s gaze had turned gradually cold — which made him shut his mouth at once.

“Very well — it’s true you don’t have the authority to decide.”

Xiuluoluo said, “But since you have a plan to kill Dantai Qi, and now have my assistance as well, there is no room for failure.”

Sanding instinctively raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his brow, nodding repeatedly. “Yes — everything will be done as the General instructs.”

“Ha ha ha ha…”

Xiuluoluo reached out and clapped Sanding on the shoulder. “You — you look like a warrior, so why are you such a coward?”

He leaned back, as if speaking to himself. “This relatively harsh land in Dachu’s northwest is still more fertile than where you come from. We are both military men… and a military man’s first objective isn’t to hold territory — it’s to expand it.”

—

The General’s Residence.

Dantai Yajing watched the guests who had already begun entering the residence, his brow slightly furrowed.

“Too many guests — and most of them are envoys who’ve come from far away, many of whom I’m not familiar with or have never met before.”

Dantai Yajing said to Li Chi, “So this matter of security is genuinely difficult.”

Li Chi asked, “How many guards may each envoy bring?”

“Five.”

Dantai Yajing answered. “No more than five.”

Li Chi made a sound of acknowledgment. In that case, the number of people entering the residence wouldn’t be unmanageably large.

“Most of them aren’t worth worrying about — keep a close eye on the Maoli Kingdom envoys.”

Dantai Yajing instructed the Residence guards, “Increase the patrol rounds by at least double as well. Yuemai has said that Feiyun Crossing assassins come and go without a trace — secluded and hidden spots must be checked carefully.”

His people immediately acknowledged the order.

Li Chi looked at Dantai Yajing. “Have Tang Pidi stay here in the front courtyard with you. We’ll distribute two-thirds of our people to assist the Residence guards. I’ll take the rest to the rear courtyard.”

Dantai Yajing clasped his hands. “Many thanks.”

Li Chi smiled. “If you thank me, I won’t feel like you’re being polite — if you really want to be polite, give me money instead.”

Dantai Yajing curled his lip.

Just then, one of the Residence’s people came quickly and murmured to Dantai Yajing, “Young General, we have just received a report: last night, a number of the envoys staying at the relay station gathered together to drink, but not inside anyone’s quarters — out in the courtyard. Our people couldn’t get close, so we couldn’t find out what they were discussing.”

Dantai Yajing nodded, his expression growing more grave.

This was a very unusual matter. The nations gathered here were mostly at odds with one another. These Western Regions states, though none were particularly large, weren’t poor either — many were in fact quite prosperous. A great many places couldn’t support large-scale agriculture, yet were rich in mineral deposits, and even a small state could be made powerful by a single gold mine.

Since everyone was roughly evenly matched, no one had particular reason to fear anyone else — and they were in constant conflict with one another.

For them to suddenly sit down together — even if it truly was nothing more than eating and drinking — was flatly abnormal.

“Give the order quickly.”

Li Chi suddenly said to Dantai Yajing, “No envoy’s carriages or horses are to be permitted into the rear courtyard. Have them all wait outside the Residence gates.”

Dantai Yajing said, “Quite a few have already come inside — they’re all parked in the rear courtyard now.”

Li Chi said, “I’ll go right now and get all the carriages out.”

—

In the front courtyard, standing in an inconspicuous spot, Tang Pidi leaned against a corridor pillar with a plate of refreshments, watching the scene. He looked completely at ease, occasionally taking a bite of a pastry — but every person passing by was within his line of sight.

Just the previous night, Dantai Yajing had sought them out and sincerely requested their help protecting his father.

After Yuemai gave a thorough account of Feiyun Crossing, Li Chi and the others increasingly suspected that Feiyun Crossing’s targets were not limited to Dike Huaqing alone.

Given the sincerity of Dantai Yajing’s request, Li Chi and Tang Pidi would naturally give their full attention.

Not far from Tang Pidi, Dike Huaqing — dressed as a Residence handmaiden — kept close behind Yu Jiuling and murmured, “Wherever you go, I go.”

Yu Jiuling — dressed as a Residence servant — put on a serious face. “You follow me? You’ll only get in my way. Find a corner and stay put. Don’t you know those people came for you? If they spot you, then what?”

Dike Huaqing said, “But I… feel safer with you.”

“Stop this nonsense!”

Yu Jiuling said with great authority, “I’m here to handle serious business — to root those people out before they make a move. That’s the only way to keep you safe. If you follow me around and they recognize you, what happens if they hurt you?”

Dike Huaqing paused, then asked quietly, “So it isn’t that you think I’m in the way — it’s that you’re worried about me?”

Yu Jiuling said, “Of course. Do I have to spell it out? I’m a grown man — how could I say something like that aloud?”

“Oh!”

Dike Huaqing nodded vigorously. “Then I’ll do what you say. I’ll go and hide somewhere. You be careful.”

Yu Jiuling said, “Under heaven, there isn’t a person who could hurt me. Even you couldn’t manage it — how would anyone else do it so easily?”

Hearing Yu Jiuling’s words, Tang Pidi — not far away — choked on a pastry, got it stuck in his throat, and had to urgently signal someone to bring him a pot of water.

“Off you go.”

Yu Jiuling waved a hand. “Don’t follow me anymore.”

“Alright!”

Dike Huaqing sounded off again and quickly retreated to one of the side rooms. Outside the room and in, her bodyguards were stationed. Yuemai stood at the door with an expression of utter helplessness.

Even he — who had watched the princess grow up — couldn’t quite fathom what had come over this girl.

This young man named Yu Jiuling — why did the princess trust him so completely? As though he were invincible under heaven…

And what was even more bewildering was that the princess was normally willful and difficult. When had she ever been so obedient?

Yu Jiuling spoke to her without much gentleness, and would criticize her at the drop of a hat — and the princess somehow responded to every word.

So in a moment of irresistible curiosity, Yuemai felt a little awkward walking over to Tang Pidi’s side.

He gave a sheepish smile, hadn’t even asked anything yet — but Tang Pidi already knew what he was after.

Tang Pidi took a sip of water and said, “Don’t ask. The only answer is: witchcraft.”

“Ah?”

Yuemai started. “Witch… witchcraft?”

Tang Pidi pointed toward Dantai Yajing. “That fellow over there — is he handsome?”

Yuemai nodded. “The Young General is strikingly handsome, rarely matched in the world.”

Tang Pidi pointed at Yu Jiuling. “And him?”

Yuemai looked very carefully for a good long while, and finally nodded with resignation. “Perhaps… it really is a witchcraft problem.”

Tang Pidi nodded to himself, thinking: *as the princess’s attendant, you naturally can’t come out and say your princess is blind.*

Just as that thought formed, Yuemai appeared to murmur it to himself.

“Though she might also just be blind…”

Tang Pidi: “Ah!”

Yuemai looked over toward Dantai Yajing’s side again, growing even more baffled.

Because when the old Emperor had visited Liangzhou City, he had at one point considered arranging a match between Dike Huaqing and Dantai Yajing. The old Emperor had met Dantai Yajing and been immensely pleased.

He had even commissioned a portrait to be sent back for Dike Huaqing to see. When Dike Huaqing had finished looking at it, she gave exactly two words of commentary.

*So ugly.*

—