After Chu Xu killed Pei Lang, he looked around — the girl in the white skirt, pure as a celestial being, had vanished.

Chu Xu was not in any hurry to give chase. He stood there and began to laugh.

Because it was a very interesting situation, and the more he thought about it, the more interesting it seemed.

If the young man in brocade had truly wished it, the first to die should indeed have been Changsun Wuyou.

But the man had not acted, and the four pursuers he sent were clearly not here to silence anyone permanently.

So after only a moment’s thought, Chu Xu turned and walked back toward the front courtyard.

He actually dared to go back.

—

Inside Yuzhou City. The Military Commissioner’s Residence.

Li Chi glanced at Tang Pidi: “How have you gotten so ugly?”

Tang Pidi’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Li Chi said: “You have, genuinely, gotten ugly.”

Tang Pidi let out a slow breath: “You traveled all the way from Jizhou to Yuzhou, walked that entire distance, just to tell me I’ve gotten ugly?”

Li Chi said: “Two things.”

Tang Pidi said: “I thought you would have prepared some repulsive, fawning, sycophantic yet thoroughly heartwarming flattery. I did not expect you would say I’ve gotten ugly.”

Li Chi said: “I looked through many books before coming, and found that every word ever written about flattery could not do you justice.”

Gao Xining: “Ugh!”

Her bright, beautiful eyes looked at Li Chi as if to say: if only you ever used any of this when actually courting someone, you wouldn’t still be in the situation you’re in.

Tang Pidi said: “And yet I have gotten ugly.”

Li Chi said: “That is the truth… days upon days of battle — the sun has darkened your complexion, the wind has roughened your skin, the rain has tangled your hair. And all of this was for the sake of the rest of us. How could you let yourself get ugly? You, of all people — how could you not take better care of yourself? Outrageous!”

Gao Xining: “Ugh!”

Tang Pidi: “Should I make some slight token acknowledgment at this point?”

Li Chi said: “Have we reached the part about money yet?”

Tang Pidi: “…”

Li Chi said: “Have those words of mine not moved you enough to reach the part about money?”

Tang Pidi let out a long breath and looked at Gao Xining: “When Prince Ning was in Jizhou, who did he spend most of his time around?”

Gao Xining said: “Yu Jiuling.”

Tang Pidi: “That explains it.”

Yu Jiuling said: “Elder Brother Ning, you really… you really aren’t much of a big brother like this.”

Gao Xining said: “Can you honestly say you bear no responsibility for how he’s turned out?”

Li Chi looked at Gao Xining and said seriously: “Your share of the responsibility is actually larger.”

Yu Jiuling: “Vindicated at last!”

Tang Pidi laughed and rose, walking to the map and pointing: “We have taken half of Yuzhou. The rest is not beyond taking — it simply cannot be taken yet.”

Li Chi nodded: “The troops cannot sustain the advance. Even if we took it, we couldn’t hold it. The capital side could send armies down at any moment, so having our forces too spread out is dangerous.”

Tang Pidi said: “Thank you for explaining that for me.”

Li Chi: “Don’t mention it. Has that not brought us to the part about money yet?”

Tang Pidi said: “The money… the treasury here after taking Yuzhou was indeed fairly well-stocked. Approximately over a million taels in reserve, plus contributions and military provisioning donations from Yuzhou, brings the total to somewhere around five hundred thousand taels.”

Li Chi’s eyes gradually widened, light beginning to shine out of them.

Tang Pidi said: “I spent it.”

Li Chi’s eyes widened further, and the light in them became daggers.

Tang Pidi said: “Rewarding the army took eight-tenths of it. The remaining two-tenths went toward military supplies — but it barely made a dent in what is needed. That two-tenths was a drop in the ocean. So…”

Li Chi immediately stood: “Yu Jiuling, get the carriage ready. We’re going back to Jizhou tonight.”

Tang Pidi said: “You were the one who brought up money. How much did you bring this time?”

Li Chi turned to Gao Xining: “Actually, I started regretting this trip halfway here. I should never have come…”

Gao Xining said: “You were already regretting it halfway, so why not turn back halfway?”

Li Chi said: “Blame my calculations. This fellow loses money on every single campaign, every single time, and I thought — surely it can’t keep happening. By sheer probability, he ought to come out ahead at least once…”

Tang Pidi said: “Look at you. Always letting your mind wander like that — it’s so hard on yourself.”

Li Chi said: “If the food here isn’t good, and I mean good enough that I feel it compensates for this kind of suffering, I won’t give you a single copper coin.”

Tang Pidi: “I hear you brought Cao Lie back?”

Li Chi nodded: “Yes. Why?”

Tang Pidi said: “You brought Cao Lie back, and you expect me to pay for your meal — have you no conscience at all? Not even a trace of shame?”

Li Chi: “???”

Gao Xining and Yu Jiuling said in perfect unison to Li Chi: “Everything that has become of him is entirely your fault. You cannot escape responsibility.”

Li Chi: “I never imagined — even I would know what it feels like to be abandoned by everyone.”

Tang Pidi said: “Two things. Note them down.”

Li Chi: “Go ahead.”

Then: “Hmm? I am Prince Ning, I only just arrived, could you not at least show some —”

Tang Pidi said: “First: Cao Lie’s family’s holdings, all those connected to military manufacturing — take control of them as quickly as possible. I expect that’s why you brought Cao Lie back, so I won’t say more about it.”

Li Chi: “Agreed.”

Tang Pidi said: “Second: there is still a shortfall of at least four million taels. Finding the money is your task. Don’t let it drag on too long.”

Li Chi: “…”

Tang Pidi said: “I’m done. You may go find Cao Lie for the meal now.”

Li Chi: “Right…”

He rose and headed out. Tang Pidi followed behind.

Li Chi said: “What are you doing?”

Tang Pidi said: “Cao Lie won’t mind one more person. You haven’t been to find him in the past two days, so he owes you two meals. Today he owes me one too — that still leaves him owing you. Don’t forget to collect.”

Li Chi said: “I’m humbling myself to cadge a meal. On what grounds do you come along?”

Tang Pidi bowed deeply: “This subject is deeply grateful that our lord is willing to humble himself for our sakes and cadge a meal.”

Gao Xining and Yu Jiuling bowed together: “Our lord’s wisdom is boundless.”

Li Chi let out a long sigh toward the sky.

“I suppose I really can’t escape my share of responsibility for how you’ve all turned out. A mistake of my own making — I’ll bear the consequences myself…”

Then Li Chi said cheerfully: “Fortunately, we’re going for a free meal. Happy things are always more plentiful than worrying ones.”

The four of them walked out of the main hall with the unhurried stride of people entirely unbothered by dignity.

—

Cao Garden.

It was the most famous garden in Yuzhou. Stop any person at random on the street and ask them: what is the most famous garden in Yuzhou? They would answer Cao Garden without hesitation, and with a kind of calm, faint pride entirely unconnected to any personal stake.

In truth, ordinary Yuzhou citizens had never once set foot inside Cao Garden.

Cao Garden was the Cao family estate, encompassing nearly a thousand acres. No one had ever accused the Cao family of overstepping propriety for it — because the family had produced not only a Princess Consort of the Wu King, but also one of the late Emperor’s most beloved consorts.

The late Emperor seldom left the capital. For the greater part of his reign he remained in the palace — and though he cared little for governance, he was, in a certain sense, quite industrious: he had invented numerous little games and played them with his consorts to his heart’s content.

In all his years on the throne, he left the capital on tour just five times. Four of those times were to Yuzhou. Three of those times he lodged at Cao Garden.

The first time he came, he had not lodged at Cao Garden — because Cao Garden did not yet exist.

That favored consort had said: Your Majesty loves Yuzhou so dearly — why not have a garden built here, so every visit you might stay in comfort?

The Cao family immediately declared they would build a great garden in Yuzhou for the Emperor’s use, and would not take a single copper coin from the imperial treasury.

The old Emperor had likely thought: now here is an excellent arrangement.

And so the Cao family spent nine years building Cao Garden. The old Emperor then came three more times.

After that, he came no more — not because he no longer wished to, but because the favored Cao consort had fallen gravely ill and died.

The old Emperor feared being haunted by memories — though in truth he had not thought of her overmuch while in the palace.

Now, every senior member of the Cao family of any standing was waiting at the gate of Cao Garden to receive their visitors.

Seeing Prince Ning’s carriages approaching from a distance, the Cao family members hurried forward and bowed in unison.

Cao Lie stood at the very front, representing the Cao family in his father’s absence.

Inside the carriage.

Li Chi looked at the people before him and said in an exceedingly solemn tone: “Though we are here cadging a meal, we are at least all people of standing. Don’t eat too much once we’re in there — that would be unbecoming.”

Tang Pidi, Gao Xining, Yu Jiuling stared at Li Chi.

All three were likely wondering: when Li Chi cautions others not to eat too much, does he feel even the faintest flicker of self-awareness in his heart?

From appearances, he did not.

Li Chi said: “Especially you, Ninth Sister — you have absolutely no table manners.”

Yu Jiuling said: “My lord, do you want to know what sustains my loyalty?”

Li Chi said: “That phrasing carries a hint of discontent… I still remember who it was, just before we left Jizhou, who discussed with me certain industries in Yuzhou worth looking into.”

Yu Jiuling immediately sat up straight and said with the utmost sincerity: “My lord teaches me wisely. No table manners, eating too much, not being picky — wolfish and ravenous — this is truly my greatest failing.”

Tang Pidi said: “And this is how a person gets warped.”

Gao Xining said: “So — which industries?”

Li Chi turned to look out the window.

Yu Jiuling said: “And this is how a person gets warped.”

—

An hour later. Cao Garden. The rear water pavilions and garden terraces.

The entire rear garden gave one feeling and one feeling only: god, what obscene extravagance.

Even the timbers used for the garden walkways were of the finest quality.

A stone table and stool set visible at random was worth a considerable fortune.

The Cao family members watching Li Chi look here and there couldn’t help but feel a certain disdain.

Probably thinking: this kind of upstart, even with a princely title — so what? What an uncouth display — embarrassing to watch.

They had no idea what Li Chi was actually thinking.

That stone table and stool set over there — the materials alone were clearly precious; by cost, they could equip at least a hundred Ning Army soldiers.

And those garden rocks over there — shaped like a roaring lion, formed by nature — if sold, could probably equip a thousand Ning Army soldiers.

The Cao family watched Li Chi’s reactions and laughed at his lack of refinement.

Li Chi watched these objects and calculated how to strip them out.

That group wore smiles; he wore a smile too. Everyone appeared thoroughly pleased.

If there was one person among the Cao family members who was not smiling, it was only Cao Lie.

Because he had probably figured out what Li Chi was thinking.

Which gave him a headache.

And he was already regretting having let Li Chi come to Cao Garden for the meal.

At this moment, the single thought in Cao Lie’s mind was:

Well…

Protect what can be protected.

As he thought this, he looked toward Li Chi, and saw Li Chi smiling at him.

The moment Cao Lie saw that perfectly harmless smile, his chest clenched.

He had a feeling something terrible was coming.

Seeing Cao Lie’s face suddenly cloud over with gloom, Li Chi’s smile grew more radiant.

Seeing those Cao family members, all wearing poorly-concealed expressions of contempt, Li Chi’s delight doubled.

Ah… life. It always had so many beautiful things in it.