Seven days later.

Black-armored cavalry came thundering down from the north, churning up a curtain of dust, riding on wind and thunder.

Fang Xidao, a bandage bound around his shoulder, was the first one in — and what he saw was a world of charred black.

In that instant, what his eyes took in looked like hell.

The gambling house had been burned to nothing. Most of the courtyard behind it had been destroyed by fire as well.

Li Chi’s face went slightly pale. He dismounted and walked forward, moving quickly into the abandoned orchard.

There he found Chen Dawei, lying on the ground. The body was still there — only somewhat swollen by now.

Before long, men who had gone to check the back courtyard found Gang Gang’s body. Fortunately, it was a separate small courtyard that had not been reached by the fire.

They carried Gang Gang’s body back and laid it beside Chen Dawei’s.

Li Chi felt as though his legs had been filled with lead — leaden and heavy. Even breathing had grown difficult.

Brothers, killed. The pain in Li Chi’s chest was like a blade driving into him again and again.

He had ridden day and night to get here, and now the agony reached its peak.

He leaned against a tree to lower himself to the ground, looking at the bodies of the two brothers, the red in his eyes growing heavier by the moment.

Just before the northern tour, he had told these two — after we return, there is a very big undertaking to entrust to you.

Gang Gang had smiled and asked at the time: “Chief, how big?”

Li Chi had said: “After this northern tour, once we’ve removed the unfit officials — you two will have to work a little harder. Patrolling the cities and counties of Jizhou as heads of the intelligence network, there are two major tasks to be done right now.”

“The first is to continue investigating officials. If you find anything wrong, the two of you have the right to deal with it on the spot.”

“The second is to keep recruiting and expand the intelligence network, so that in time we are not only watching over Jizhou, but reaching much farther afield.”

Li Chi had smiled and said: “But that isn’t the great undertaking I had in mind for the two of you in the future. The future task…”

He had looked at Gang Gang and said: “In the future, you two will seek out those who became thieves through no fault of their own — persuade them where you can, stop them where you can. The people of the Nine Gates are not lowly people — help as many as possible find their way back to a normal life…”

Gang Gang had grinned: “Then Chief, you’d better give me the title of King of Thieves. Otherwise, what thief in this world would listen to me?”

Chen Dawei had laughed: “Why should you be King of Thieves? My abilities are no smaller than yours.”

Gang Gang had given a disdainful snort: “Your abilities — weren’t they all taught by me? Hiding needles on your person, hiding a blade under your tongue — if I hadn’t taught you, would you know any of it?”

Chen Dawei had spat back: “You taught me, sure. But I use it better than you.”

Here, now.

Li Chi looked at the two bodies laid side by side on the ground, and the knife-wound of grief in his chest grew heavier and heavier.

Yu Jiuling was on his knees, one hand clasping Chen Dawei’s hand, one hand clasping Gang Gang’s, sobbing wretchedly.

At first there was sound in his crying; gradually his voice went hoarse until no sound came, yet the grief was all the more desolate for it.

“Your Highness!”

Fang Xidao dropped to his knees: “It was all my carelessness. All my fault. Please punish me heavily.”

Li Chi shook his head: “This is not your doing.”

The one who blamed himself most was Li Chi.

If he had noticed something wrong with Zhou Qixi, if he had taken it seriously, perhaps Gang Gang and Chen Dawei would not have died.

Clouds drifted across the sky, covering and uncovering the sun again and again.

The wild-grown branches of the fruit trees rustled with a quiet whispering sound in the wind.

“Mobilize people. Find them.”

Li Chi pushed off the tree and stood. His hand was white where he gripped it, the veins standing out like sinews, stark against the pallor.

“Fang Xidao — take your men and go. Chase them to the ends of the earth.”

Fang Xidao bit down and bowed his head: “Yes!”

Li Chi’s steps were heavy as he walked to the two bodies and knelt on one knee, lifting one into his arms: “Let’s go. Bring our brothers home.”

Several days later, Jizhou.

Li Chi sat on the front steps of the carriage depot, staring blankly. He had not moved for a very long time, and had not spoken for a very long time.

He was wearing white, with black mourning bands stitched to his sleeves.

The brothers were attending to the funeral arrangements for Gang Gang and Chen Dawei. They had only arrived in Jizhou the day before, and the burials had to be carried out without delay.

It was already autumn. Though it was not as difficult to preserve bodies as in the height of summer, after more than ten days, the remains had already begun to distort.

“Chief.”

Yu Jiuling sat down beside Li Chi, his eyes swollen red.

“What is it?”

Li Chi asked.

“I know the timing isn’t great to bring this up. But this is what Gang Gang and Chen Dawei gave their lives investigating — it still needs to be reported to you…”

Yu Jiuling lowered his head: “We searched the gambling house and found the back courtyard, forced open the sealed doors…”

“But the gold and silver in the underground vault — most of it was fake. Only the gold and silver along both sides of the passage was real.”

As he said all this, Yu Jiuling’s hands were clenched into fists.

“Heh…”

Yu Jiuling exhaled a long breath: “Let me go, Chief.”

Li Chi shook his head: “You know how formidable those two are in a fight. If you’re not careful, I lose another brother.”

Yu Jiuling: “But… but…”

Li Chi said: “No more. I’ve already sent Elder Ye with men to reinforce Fang Xidao.”

Yu Jiuling raised his hands and pressed them over his head, fingers clutching hard at his hair. The pain couldn’t calm him.

“Tomorrow is the burial.”

Li Chi clapped a hand on Yu Jiuling’s shoulder and stood: “The day after, we continue the northern tour. Pull out Lü Wuman’s associates one by one.”

“Yes!”

Yu Jiuling nodded hard: “One by one!”

Two days later, a cavalry column of several thousand rode out from Jizhou and drove hard toward the north.

One month later, Yanshan.

Li Chi stood at the foot of the mountains, watching the distant villagers bringing in the harvest. The cool, clear autumn air of Yanshan eased the darkness in his heart somewhat.

Gao Xining walked over and stopped beside him. Wisps of hair were sticking to her forehead, damp with sweat.

Li Chi raised a hand and plucked a dried leaf from her hair, then noticed that Gao Xining had her hands tucked behind her back.

He leaned back and tilted his head to look, and saw that her hands were wrapped in strips of cloth.

“Oh, don’t look — I tried my best to hide my moments of clumsiness, and here you are craning your neck at them.”

Gao Xining said: “Just shucked a bit of corn and my hands got scraped… well, how is someone this hopeless going to take care of herself?”

Li Chi said: “Mm. Then perhaps we shouldn’t bother.”

Gao Xining sighed: “Is this because my hands are hurt and I can’t throw clods of dirt?”

She raised a hand and pointed ahead: “Do you see that? Ten thousand mu of good farmland stretching out before us — that is my inexhaustible arsenal.”

Li Chi laughed.

Gao Xining quietly let out a breath of relief.

Since Gang Gang and Chen Dawei had been killed, it had been a very long time since she had seen Li Chi smile.

More than a month, and Fang Xidao had still found no trace of them. Two days ago a message had come back — Fang Xidao had gone east and was continuing to pursue leads in the direction of Yanzhou.

“Chief.”

Yu Jiuling came running over from a distance, glanced at Gao Xining, and swallowed the words that had reached his lips.

He said nothing. But Li Chi nodded: “Understood.”

Li Chi looked at Gao Xining with a smile: “I’m going to take care of some military affairs. Don’t go shucking any more corn — I’m worried you’ll frighten all the villagers off, that you’ll find a way to swindle them.”

Gao Xining curled her lip: “The villagers don’t have much money — it would pain my conscience to swindle them. Swindling you, on the other hand, is a delight.”

Li Chi laughed and shook his head, ruffled her hair: “Go rest. I’ll be back shortly.”

Gao Xining gave a sound of acknowledgment, watching Li Chi and Yu Jiuling walk away. She breathed out a long, slow breath.

As long as they couldn’t catch those people, couldn’t avenge Gang Gang and Chen Dawei, she knew the pain in Li Chi’s heart would not ease.

She watched his retreating figure, and only one thought came to her.

Her Li Chi’s heart — however cold and hard it became — was the work of his enemies.

So whatever became of Li Chi’s enemies in the future — no one else could be blamed.

Li Chi and Yu Jiuling mounted and rode hard out of the village with their personal guard.

Not long after, an open expanse in Yanshan Gorge.

A great dark mass of Ning Army cavalry stood assembled there, armor rising like a forest of blades.

The moment Li Chi and Yu Jiuling arrived, every rider raised their right hand in military salute.

Li Chi dismounted and strode forward.

In the open ground, dozens of men knelt.

Tingwei Army Qianban Du Yan bowed: “Your Highness — we have fully investigated the three nearby counties. Every one of these men has ties to Shanhe Seal.”

Li Chi asked: “Are you certain?”

Du Yan said: “Certain. They have all given confessions, and every man has admitted to taking considerable silver from Shanhe Seal.”

Li Chi gave a sound of acknowledgment, then stepped forward. The kneeling officials, seeing Li Chi approach, all lowered their heads.

Li Chi found a large rock and sat down on it, his gaze moving over the assembled men: “When I was young, traveling the jianghu with my master, I encountered many corrupt officials.”

“My master told me that the common people don’t ask for much from those in office. To expect that every official would be perfectly upright?”

“It isn’t like that… the common people’s view is that an official taking a little here and pocketing a little there — that’s not surprising. But they must still do things for the people.”

“As long as they work conscientiously, solve the people’s troubles and difficulties, and do the work of governing properly — the people will hold no hatred.”

He looked at those officials: “Tell me — are the common people forgiving, or are they not?”

Those men, kneeling with their heads bowed, dared not answer.

Li Chi gave a quiet sigh.

“My master also said that in truth, the common people are the easiest to win over. As long as one genuinely works on their behalf, eating, taking, greed, pocketing — all of these things the people can pretend not to see…”

His gaze swept over them.

“I’ll give you a chance to live. Those who can meet two conditions of mine, I will not kill.”

Li Chi held up his hand: “First — come and tell me one by one: in the nearly three years of your service, what have you done for the people? If what you say is genuine, you may no longer be an official, but your life I will spare.”

“Second — anyone who can give me information on those who bribed you, I will also reduce the severity of your punishment depending on what you provide.”

He pointed to the one kneeling at the very front: “You — speak first.”

After roughly a quarter-hour, Li Chi looked at the official who had been stumbling and fumbling for words, and his brow creased: “Kill him.”

A personal guard stepped forward immediately, dragged the official to the side, and with a single stroke sent his head rolling — in plain view of the other officials.

Li Chi looked at the second official: “Now you speak.”

After a moment, Li Chi nodded: “He did some genuine work. Release him, let him keep the silver, and have him take his whole family and leave Jizhou — never to return.”

After roughly one full watch, more than half of the dozens of officials had been executed.

“Your Highness, Your Highness — I’m willing to talk, I’ll confess everything!”

One official, his face the color of ash with terror, crawled and scrambled forward: “I know their whereabouts — I know.”

A faint light appeared in Li Chi’s eyes.

The official, kneeling there, stumbled over his words: “I met that man called Lü Wuman in person — he came to the county office to see me himself, and he mentioned something to me during that meeting.”

“What was it?”

The official said: “He told me that officials throughout the various prefectures and counties, countless numbers of them, were under his surveillance — and that anyone who failed to comply would be dealt with by his people.”

He raised his head and looked at Li Chi, swallowing a nervous mouthful of saliva.

“I thought to myself at the time — if I ever offended them, what could I do to escape… I turned it over and over in my mind, thinking about how they could possibly keep watch over officials across all the prefectures and counties.”

He paused, then looked at Li Chi and said: “I thought — their people are probably placed among the constables and militia forces in each prefecture and county…”

Li Chi’s brow furrowed slightly.

“There’s more, there’s more.”

Seeing Li Chi’s frown, the official gave a frightened shudder.

“I also suspected — wherever commerce is flourishing, they will certainly have money-lending establishments.”

—