In a tea house not far from Youzhou’s General’s Manor, a scholar surnamed Wang had no sooner stepped inside than he spotted a scholar surnamed Li standing at the window, watching in the direction of the General’s Manor.

“A pack of sycophants.”

He went over, his face full of indignation.

“I truly cannot understand — has every scholar in this realm become like this? Or is it only the readers of Youzhou who have grown so spineless.”

He sighed heavily.

The Li scholar sighed: “Brother Wang is right. I was just watching them myself — surrounding the General’s Manor, fired up and impassioned. In my heart I was thinking, these men are models for the rest of us — but then in the blink of an eye…”

The Wang scholar said: “I imagine that Prince Ning’s people offered some kind of terms, and these men immediately changed their tune. Shameful — truly shameful.”

Just then, a scholar surnamed Liu came in from outside. Seeing those two, he hurried over and cupped his fists in greeting.

“Brother Wang, Brother Li.”

The two returned the salute: “Brother Liu.”

The Liu scholar said: “Have the two of you heard?”

The Li scholar asked: “Heard what?”

The Liu scholar said: “I just came from over there. I ran into a number of old classmates — all standing in line at the General’s Manor gate.”

The Wang scholar gave a cold snort: “Every one of those people has received favors from Elder Xu at some point.”

The Liu scholar said: “Hmm — true enough, but you also have to look at the circumstances. I just heard them tell me — Prince Ning is opening channels for recommendation, drawing in talent from all directions. Anyone who goes in and presents a policy essay — or a scholarly argument — receives a gift of ten taels of silver.”

At this, the two others exchanged a glance. In both pairs of eyes: nothing but pure contempt.

The Li scholar said: “Ten taels of silver to stop the mouths of all those critics? This Prince Ning seems to be expecting rather a lot.”

“Exactly!”

The Wang scholar said: “Warriors take pride in their courage. Scholars take pride in their principles. Ten taels of silver — hah.”

The Liu scholar said: “From what I understand, it’s not just the ten taels. Anyone whose policy essay is read by Prince Ning — or anyone he speaks with and finds promising — will be retained in office, with salaries at double the rate of the imperial court.”

The two exchanged another glance.

The Li scholar narrowed his eyes: “Brother Liu — you’re not thinking of going, are you?”

The Wang scholar said: “Brother Liu — do not do something that would make the rest of us look down on you.”

The Liu scholar shook his head: “If there were a chance to put one’s abilities to use, to give expression to a lifetime of ambitions…”

The Li scholar gave a harrumph: “I’m not going, and I have no wish to witness this. I’ll take my leave.”

He cupped his fists, face cold, and strode away.

The Wang scholar sighed: “It’s that business of Prince Ning that’s ruined the mood of the three of us. I’m going too, Brother Liu — until next time.”

He too turned and walked away.

The Liu scholar sighed, then thought about the strategies for governing the realm he had been turning over in his mind all these years. He bit down, turned, and walked out the door to join the queue outside the General’s Manor.

One quarter-hour later.

Three men met in the queue.

The Liu scholar: “You…”

The Li scholar: “You… I only came to see whether this Prince Ning would go back on his word. If he goes in and doesn’t give the ten taels, that’s grounds to condemn him to his face!”

The Wang scholar: “Right, right, exactly what I was thinking.”

Inside the General’s Manor.

Li Chi tilted his head and asked Yu Jiuling: “Has Xu Jinqing and the rest of them left the city?”

Yu Jiuling, standing at Li Chi’s back, replied in a low voice: “They were given a few days to pack their things. They’re leaving today — probably at the city gates by now.”

Li Chi gave a sound of acknowledgment: “All arranged?”

Yu Jiuling grinned: “Chief, rest easy. All arranged. Some operatives will be traveling with them — these are all people who were expelled from Jizhou by Prince Ning. Wherever they end up, no one will be suspicious. Our operatives will be able to go to ground right there in that locality.”

Li Chi gave a nod: “Well done. Tell me — what reward are you after?”

Yu Jiuling: “I want…”

Li Chi said: “Good, noted.”

Yu Jiuling: “Ugh!”

Li Chi said: “As if I don’t know your thoughts.”

Yu Jiuling instantly brightened: “Many thanks, Chief.”

Li Chi said: “Don’t mention it.”

He drew a slip of paper from his sleeve — folded into a neat rectangle — and handed it to Yu Jiuling. Keeping his voice low, he said: “Good spot. Personally tested. Excellent.”

Yu Jiuling quickly took the slip of paper and tucked it away in his sleeve, then asked curiously: “Chief — how did you end up going yourself?”

Li Chi said: “All this rushing about on the road — my whole body was aching. So I found a place to get a little relief…”

Yu Jiuling said: “Then… then I’ll head there now, shall I?”

Li Chi nodded: “Go. Take the back gate — don’t go through the front where everyone can see you. That wouldn’t look right.”

“Yes yes yes!”

Yu Jiuling rose and trotted off to the back courtyard, changed his clothes, pocketed his money, and went out the door with great cheer.

About two quarters of an hour later, Yu Jiuling found the place on Li Chi’s slip of paper. It wasn’t far at all — if he hadn’t taken a wrong turn, it would have been a single quarter-hour’s walk.

The place was tucked away nicely. From the outside it looked entirely unremarkable — no gaudy lanterns or flashy decorations.

Yu Jiuling thought: the chief really knows how to find these places. Hidden in plain sight, like a great man dwelling among the common masses. No wonder Prince Ning’s people had never tracked it down.

So the chief had… quite the flair for it.

He stepped inside, and a young girl came forward to greet him. She was pretty in a fresh, lively way. Yu Jiuling knew at once he’d come to the right place.

The place appeared simple but carried a tasteful, understated air — rustic furnishings, a sense of returning to nature.

“Welcome, honored guest — please come in.”

The girl smiled warmly and made a welcoming gesture.

Once inside, the proprietor came forward as well: “Guest — here for some relaxation?”

Yu Jiuling nodded like a woodpecker: “Yes, yes — relaxation, relaxation.”

The proprietor said: “We offer options at three, five, ten, and fifteen taels. Which would you prefer?”

Yu Jiuling said: “Which one is best?”

The proprietor smiled: “Naturally, the dearer, the better. There’s a reason for the price.”

Yu Jiuling squinted: “What makes it dear?”

The proprietor replied: “Some have seasoned experience. Others offer exotic flair from distant lands.”

Yu Jiuling’s eyes slowly widened: “Exotic flair from distant lands — I’ll take the exotic!”

A moment later, Yu Jiuling was led to a private room. The room was simply furnished — just a bed.

Yu Jiuling thought: well, that’s refreshingly direct.

The young girl who had shown him in smiled and said: “Honored guest, please lie down on the bed. The one arranged for you will arrive shortly.”

Yu Jiuling called back at once: “Very good.”

He threw himself onto the bed without a second thought.

Shortly, he heard footsteps. Yu Jiuling thought — I wonder what exotic flair this will be. Golden hair and blue eyes? Fair-skinned and fiery?

He turned his head — and saw a bare-chested, middle-aged man with muscles like knotted rope come in. A cloth band was tied around his head; more bands wrapped both arms.

Not only powerfully built — but bald as well.

The moment he stepped through the door he pressed both palms together and bowed: “Sawadika.”

Yu Jiuling: “What in the — where on earth did you come from?”

The man said: “I am from Siam. As our country is small and little known, let me mention that our neighbors are Qiuli and Tiaoguo. Has the guest perhaps heard of them?”

Yu Jiuling: “What are you here for!”

The man said: “Ancient massage technique. Loosens the sinews, promotes circulation.”

Yu Jiuling: “…So this is the appetizer before the main event? Admittedly creative… Not without its charms.”

The man said: “Honored guest, please turn over and lie on your front.”

Yu Jiuling: “Hm?”

Moments later, the room resounded with agonized screams.

“It’s breaking it’s breaking it’s breaking — good lord, good lord, oh gods — my bones are going to snap — AAAAAH — MOTHER—”

Back at the General’s Manor.

Li Chi was in the middle of a conversation with a scholar, when a personal guard came hurrying in from outside.

“Your Highness — military report from Yuzhou.”

Li Chi raised his head at once: “Report.”

The guard glanced at the scholar sitting opposite Li Chi. Li Chi said: “Go ahead.”

The guard bowed: “The Grand General sent a military report from Yuzhou. As of the date of this dispatch — four out of ten parts of the territory under Yuzhou’s administration have already been taken by the Grand General. In the past several months, more than a hundred cities have fallen in succession.”

Several months, more than a hundred cities?

That meant almost all the time was spent just getting from one place to the next.

The scholar sitting there was also clearly stunned.

What he didn’t know was that in some places, Tang Pidi had never even led his army in personally — the surrender flags had already gone up by themselves.

The guard continued: “As of the day the dispatch was sent, the Grand General had already reached the gates of Yuzhou city.”

Li Chi let out a slow breath and smiled: “Understood. I’ll write a personal letter to the Grand General shortly.”

Li Chi looked toward the scholar: “Please, go on.”

The scholar opened his mouth — and for a moment found he couldn’t remember what he had been about to say.

What he wanted far more to know was: who was this Grand General under Prince Ning’s command, who could take more than a hundred cities of Yuzhou in just a few months?

At that very moment, in Yuzhou.

Fifteen *li* outside the city, there was a pavilion on the roadside — the kind of roadside rest pavilion always found on roads leading out of a city. There was really only ever one name for this kind of pavilion.

A Farewell Pavilion.

Seeing someone off to the fifteen-*li* mark was considered a mark of deep friendship.

But the two people now sitting in the pavilion — one was not there to see someone off, and the other was not about to leave.

Young Lord Cao Lie sat there, looking at this great general of the Ning Army seated before him, thinking: how could someone of such bearing and presence not be in service to the court?

This man’s skill in commanding troops — there was no one in all of Yuzhou who didn’t know of it by now.

Wherever his forces moved, not a single adversary could stand.

The might of the Ning Army, built up across just these past few months, had already spread across the breadth of Yuzhou. Every person knew the Ning Army fought brilliantly. Every person knew the Grand General’s name.

“Grand General.”

Cao Lie raised his teacup in a gesture: “Please.”

Tang Pidi raised his cup: “My thanks to Young Lord Cao for his hospitality.”

Cao Lie took a sip of tea, then said with some embarrassment: “I should not be receiving the Grand General in such a modest place — but I also could not simply invite the Grand General into the city.”

Tang Pidi smiled.

Cao Lie said: “Grand General should know my meaning.”

Tang Pidi smiled: “Young Lord Cao, whatever you wish to say — say it plainly.”

Cao Lie sighed: “My father has been in the capital for many years. When he heard the Grand General’s forces were driving straight for Yuzhou, he sent a man galloping back day and night, essentially urging me to flee at once. The only problem — the Grand General moved so quickly I never had a chance to run. By the time your army had already closed the encirclement around Yuzhou.”

Tang Pidi said: “My Prince has said — if he should encounter Young Lord Cao, he sends his regards on His Highness’s behalf. And if Young Lord Cao has any requests, he may speak to me directly.”

Cao Lie let out another long sigh: “Before I came out the city gate, I was already thinking — Prince Ning will probably show me some consideration. Should I or shouldn’t I use that to ask for protection?”

Tang Pidi said: “Young Lord Cao’s meaning is—?”

Cao Lie said: “The position of the Cao family in Yuzhou city — and throughout all of Yuzhou — the Grand General should have heard something of it.”

Tang Pidi said: “Indeed I have.”

Cao Lie said: “So — how to deal with the Cao family — Prince Ning will surely have given it some thought. Knowing his character, he would understand that Yuzhou cannot resist the Grand General’s forces.”

Tang Pidi said: “Young Lord Cao feels that Prince Ning would say—?”

Cao Lie thought it over: “Open the gates and surrender. Spare my entire clan?”

Tang Pidi sighed: “It seems Young Lord Cao still does not understand our Prince.”

Cao Lie asked: “Then what were Prince Ning’s words?”

Tang Pidi sat up straight and looked at Cao Lie: “My Prince said — if he couldn’t manage to run in time, ask him for money.”

Cao Lie: “????????”