At the entrance of the carriage and transport yard.

Li Chi stepped down from the carriage and looked at Gao Xining waiting at the door, making a welcoming gesture.

“Honored celestial beauty whom I cannot understand why is among mortals — do you require carriage and transport services?”

Gao Xining gave a goofy grin, then puffed out her chest: “Oh? Are you trying to court this celestial beauty? Just offering carriage services won’t be enough.”

Li Chi said: “A common, earthly man such as myself — like a frog at the bottom of a well — could a frog want to eat a swan?”

He put on a thoroughly fawning expression: “It could. It would, desperately, clinging and pestering until it got what it wanted.”

With that he grabbed Gao Xining’s hand: “Come, let the frog take you to see the beautiful sights of the mortal world.”

Gao Xining smiled and shook her head: “That won’t do.”

Li Chi asked: “Why not?”

Gao Xining said: “However sincere a frog’s heart, a frog and a swan are not matched. I am the swan — I can’t walk off with you. If I do, I’ll be violating the heavenly laws.”

Li Chi: “Mm…”

Gao Xining smiled and climbed into the carriage: “So why haven’t you called me Lady Frog yet?”

Li Chi burst out laughing.

Gao Xining was halfway up into the carriage when she looked back at Li Chi: “Come, watch me look back and smile at you — is it beautiful? Say something nice about it.”

Li Chi: “Ribbit.”

Gao Xining burst out laughing.

Then: “Ribbit.”

Out on the main street, eight hundred black-armored soldiers of the Bureau of Investigation, draped in red cloaks, were ordinarily a solemn and imposing sight — yet now every one of them had their heads tilted back, staring at the sky.

Inside the carriage.

“Ribbit ribbit ribbit?”

“Ribbit ribbit ribbit ribbit.”

In order to recruit intelligence operatives, this time Yu Jiuling, Gang Gang, and Chen Dawei would all travel with Li Chi.

Gang Gang lowered his voice and asked Yu Jiuling: “Can you understand what the Prince of Ning and the Chief of the Bureau of Investigation are saying?”

Yu Jiuling gave a slight smile and explained: “Ribbit ribbit ribbit? Have you eaten?”

“Ribbit ribbit ribbit ribbit… I want to eat you.”

Gang Gang and Chen Dawei looked at each other. Their eyes were full of admiration for Yu Jiuling.

That admiration was because Yu Jiuling was genuinely fearless — to say such a thing out loud…

The carriage window opened. Li Chi looked at Yu Jiuling: “You — get further away from here! You hear frogs croaking and you start making wild guesses… and you guess pretty damn accurately.”

The window shut. He was back inside.

Yu Jiuling covered his face with one hand.

After a moment, he said to Gang Gang and Chen Dawei: “Did you see that? As a qualified intelligence operative, there are two fundamental skills that must be mastered.”

Gang Gang asked: “What are they? I couldn’t detect any of it at all.”

Yu Jiuling raised one finger: “First — master the languages of all peoples. Whether the various peoples of the Central Plains or those beyond the passes, do your best to learn them all. Including ribbit…”

He raised a second finger: “And when you’ve mastered the languages of all peoples, you’ll be better equipped to read our king’s heart. So second — always be able to hear what is in our king’s heart.”

Gang Gang raised his thumb: “Truly worthy of General Chen.”

At that very moment the carriage window opened. A clod of earth flew out and landed squarely on Yu Jiuling’s forehead.

Yu Jiuling jumped in fright and still didn’t dodge it in time.

He raised his hand and wiped the dirt from his face, let out a quiet sigh, and said: “I believe I am, by my own measure, the one who understands our king and the Chief of the Bureau of Investigation best. But I truly did not anticipate that the Chief of the Bureau of Investigation, on an outing, would be traveling with a basket of earth clods in the carriage.”

Gao Xining poked her head out of the window: “Two baskets.”

Yu Jiuling: “Then I’ll be heading further back…”

In keeping with Li Chi’s preference, he would naturally have preferred to ride in an open carriage with no enclosed cabin — open all around, the landscape flowing past, close to nature.

But with Gao Xining along, there was more to consider. Li Chi didn’t mind, but Gao Xining was a young woman. Though they were not yet formally married, she held the status of a princess consort — and so one could hardly have her riding on a hay cart.

Inside the carriage.

Li Chi looked around the four sides, felt around beneath the seat — nothing. Then he reached his hand into Gao Xining’s clothing and rummaged around.

Gao Xining dodged and laughed: “Stop looking. I really don’t have any more. Just brought two.”

Li Chi said: “That won’t do. An opportunity this good can’t be let go so easily. I’d better have a good thorough search — who knows, there might be two more.”

Gao Xining narrowed her eyes slightly: “I suspect you’re taking liberties.”

Li Chi said: “No need to suspect.”

Gao Xining: “What comes around goes around — now it’s my turn.”

Li Chi: “Hm?”

A moment later, outside the carriage.

Yu Jiuling saw the window open, reflexively ducked his neck in — then saw the Prince of Ning push his head out, looking thoroughly disheveled.

Before he could even call for help, he watched the Prince of Ning get yanked back inside in an instant.

Yu Jiuling sighed: “Our king works hard.”

Inside the carriage, the two of them had been roughhousing and laughing — and suddenly went quiet. They looked at each other. The atmosphere shifted, becoming something a little… charged.

Three parts this, three parts that, and three more parts of something else.

Li Chi looked into Gao Xining’s eyes. Gao Xining looked into his.

After a moment, Li Chi swallowed. His throat bobbed visibly.

Gao Xining let out a low sound, and pulled Li Chi toward her by the neck: “What are you waiting for?!”

She bent forward, and kissed him.

Li Chi’s four limbs went completely rigid.

—

At the same moment, south of Nanping River.

The Ning Army was arrayed in formation across open land. Before them, Tang Pidi sat upright and motionless on his horse, looking calmly at what lay ahead.

Before him was a county town. It was here that Prince Wu Yang Jiju had defeated Luo Jing’s army.

Outside this nameless little county, Luo Jing’s forces had been very nearly entirely annihilated.

Now, ahead of them, the gates of that same county stood wide open. The county magistrate and a file of officials, clutching official seals and other items, were filing out.

Their faces were pale. They trembled as they came to stand before Tang Pidi. The county magistrate was first to kneel.

“This official, Wang Liangdong, pays respects to the Supreme Commander. This official, on behalf of all the people of the city, respectfully welcomes the Supreme Commander’s entry.”

Behind him, every official, along with the local gentry who had come along, all knelt to the ground.

Tang Pidi raised his hand and pointed: “Take the seals.”

His aides went forward and received the official seals.

Tang Pidi urged his horse forward: “Enter the city.”

The cavalry moved past those kneeling officials and gentry without a glance. The army moved forward, vast and powerful.

Not long after, inside the county town.

Tang Pidi looked at his assembled commanders, then gave a command: “Bring me the map.”

An aide came immediately, and two men spread a map open in front of Tang Pidi.

Tang Pidi walked to the map and pointed with his horse-whip: “This location is Ao Yuan County, two hundred and twenty li from here.”

He looked at Gao Zhen: “I’m giving you one army. How long will it take you to take Ao Yuan?”

Gao Zhen bowed: “Reporting to the Supreme Commander — when the troops arrive, it falls.”

Tang Pidi nodded: “From Ao Yuan County, to the east, to the south — draw a half-circle with a radius of three hundred li. Within ten days, clear all remaining enemy forces. Any difficulty?”

Gao Zhen said: “Seven days is enough.”

Tang Pidi gave a sound of agreement, and the horse-whip pointed once more to the map: “This location is Deng City — one of the major cities in Yuzhou. Estimated troop strength of several thousand to over ten thousand. Dantai — take your forces to Deng City.”

Dantai Yajing bowed to receive the order.

“Understood.”

Tang Pidi said: “Call out to the city when you arrive — surrender and no one dies. Resist and the city will be razed.”

“Yes!”

Dantai Yajing answered once more.

Tang Pidi looked at Luo Jing: “Four hundred and sixty li south of here is Feng City — one of Yuzhou’s major cities. Take the vanguard army there. No need to rush the siege. Wait until the other forces have secured the surrounding areas and converge on Feng City.”

Tang Pidi’s whip swept a wide circle on the map: “The entire northern border of Yuzhou — within two months, it must all be taken.”

“Hu!”

Tang Pidi said: “All units disperse and fight your own battles. Report back at Feng City in one month. If you lose, don’t bother coming — go back to Jizhou yourselves and take your punishment before the Prince of Ning.”

“Hu!”