Xiao Li swept his gaze over Zhang Huai twice, his expression unchanged, and said: “Your Excellency jests. That day’s rescue was merely righting a wrong I happened upon. I, Xiao, am but a crude man, and am currently seeking a livelihood myself. If Your Excellency wishes to seek advancement, you’d best seek opportunities elsewhere.”

Just as he turned to leave, Zhang Huai’s determined voice suddenly came from behind: “Is benefactor’s journey here for Tongzhou?”

The killing intent on Xiao Li’s body suddenly became severe. Seeing this, Zhang Huai was about to say something more, but only felt his throat suddenly tighten. By the time he reacted, his entire person had already been dragged by the throat into the dark alley beside them.

The market was bustling with people coming and going, extremely lively. No one noticed this sudden turn of events.

“Who sent you?” The hand that Xiao Li used to lock Zhang Huai’s throat—the muscles of his elbow and forearm bulged slightly from the exerted force. His eyes beneath the bamboo hat were cold and severe.

Zhang Huai forcefully pried at Xiao Li’s hand. His face and neck had already turned completely red, and he said with difficulty: “No one sent me. I wish to follow benefactor, which is why I’ve been inquiring about benefactor’s news and searching all the way here…”

Xiao Li clearly didn’t believe this explanation. His powerful long fingers tightened, and Zhang Huai’s suffocation intensified further. His eyes were already beginning to roll back.

Xiao Li questioned coldly: “How did you know I was here?”

Zhang Huai intermittently spoke with difficulty: “Benefactor killed… killed soldiers. Jinzhou will… will definitely dispatch… dispatch troops to investigate. I inquired about where the soldiers were… were attacked, and searched… searched my way here…”

This explanation could indeed account for why he was able to find this place. When Zhang Huai’s eyes had already become somewhat bloodshot from suffocation, Xiao Li released the hand strangling his throat.

After Zhang Huai clutched his neck through a bout of heart-wrenching coughing, he continued explaining while gasping for breath: “The soldiers’ last attack occurred yesterday, not far from Jinzhou City. I surmised that if benefactor wanted to enter the city to gather information, you would certainly come to this market, so I told stories and read fortunes here, hoping to encounter benefactor again…”

Xiao Li interrupted him: “Weren’t you going to Pingzhou? Why did you suddenly change your mind?”

Zhang Huai endured the burning pain on his neck and looked at Xiao Li with a brilliant smile: “Benefactor has forgotten—this humble scholar knows how to read fortunes. That day after being saved by benefactor, when benefactor gave me directions to Pingzhou, this humble scholar cast a divination for myself. Going to Pingzhou showed an ordinary fortune, but following benefactor was half auspicious and half ominous.”

A peculiar light ignited in his eyes: “This humble scholar has been wandering all this way seeking a wise lord. Naturally I’m unwilling to be among the mediocre masses. Pingzhou may be a good destination, but under Princess Hanyang, there are already wise scholars like clouds. If this humble scholar goes there, I fear there will be few opportunities to distinguish myself. Therefore, this humble scholar wants to take a gamble—follow benefactor and see where that half auspicious, half ominous fortune in the divination comes from.”

Xiao Li’s expression remained calm, waiting for him to continue. The brilliance in Zhang Huai’s eyes intensified as he said: “Pei Song is driving large numbers of refugees to Jinzhou, and his troops stationed at Mozhou also seem to have movements. This humble scholar surmises that he must have set the battlefield against the allied forces of Old Liang and Chen Kingdom at Jinzhou. That benefactor came here alone and has already killed many Jinzhou soldiers shows you’re clearly not here to pledge allegiance to Pei Song.”

He looked at Xiao Li and continued to smoothly present his deductions: “The valiant general Han Qi who guards this place is Pei Song’s right-hand man. But even if benefactor killed him, you still couldn’t command the tens of thousands of soldiers stationed here. Pei Song need only give an order to dispatch another fierce general to take over. Therefore, this humble scholar speculates that from the beginning, benefactor’s objective was not Jinzhou, but Tongzhou, which borders Jinzhou.”

Xiao Li said: “There is no connection between the two.”

Zhang Huai smiled, however, and said: “The seventeen counties under Tongzhou’s jurisdiction, when Emperor Liang was in power, already refused to accept the court’s designation of Tongcheng as the main provincial city and acted on their own. After Pei Song usurped power, Tongcheng was the first to become a fence-sitter and defect, then was tricked by Princess Hanyang, provoking Pei Song to dispatch troops for a punitive expedition. The other counties all look down on Tongcheng’s conduct. Among them are mountain bandits who occupy counties and become kings, and commoners who have revolted. Various forces are a mixed bag of good and bad. To be able to focus on dealing with the allied forces of Old Liang and Chen Kingdom advancing north, Pei Song is now doing everything possible to win over these counties to submit. The death of Jinzhou’s defending general won’t affect Jinzhou’s overall situation, but it can interrupt Pei Song’s momentum in winning over the various counties of Tongzhou. And if this scattered sand that is Tongzhou can be gathered together, it becomes a sharp thorn growing from the Great Liang’s heartland. If benefactor has the reputation of having killed a famous Jinzhou general, there’s no worry about being unable to establish a foothold in Tongzhou.”

Xiao Li’s knuckles rested at his elbow. His folded-arm posture allowed him to clearly feel the outline of the dagger hidden in his sleeve. He said coldly: “These are all just your speculations.”

The smile at the corner of Zhang Huai’s mouth deepened as he said: “But this humble scholar feels that with just these speculations, it should already be enough.”

Xiao Li lifted his eyelids: “You think too highly of my capabilities. I don’t have the ability to kill that man surnamed Han.”

He turned to walk toward the alley exit. Seeing this, Zhang Huai hurriedly followed, saying: “That benefactor has reservations about this humble scholar is reasonable, but this humble scholar truly has a single-minded desire to follow benefactor and is willing to dedicate myself body and soul to benefactor…”

Unexpectedly, Xiao Li walking ahead suddenly stopped. If Zhang Huai hadn’t braked his steps in time, he almost would have crashed into his back.

Xiao Li turned his head slightly. His gaze was cold and indifferent, the contours from his nose bridge to his jaw sharp and defined. He said: “Even if I were to go to Tongzhou, you don’t even know what I plan to do next—yet you dare to speak of following me?”

Zhang Huai perceived that Xiao Li’s words already contained the intention to accept him. His emotions stirred as he said: “This humble scholar has naturally thought about it. Benefactor’s nature is proud, with a bearing that refuses to submit to others. When this humble scholar asked about Pingzhou’s circumstances earlier, benefactor spoke no ill words. This humble scholar surmises that benefactor should have no aversion toward Old Liang, but simply is unwilling to be an ordinary person, which is why you want to carve out another world for yourself. If benefactor occupies Tongzhou, then surrenders when the allied forces of Chen and Liang advance north, you will naturally be honored as an important minister by Princess Hanyang. This humble scholar, following benefactor to work for Old Liang, won’t be considered an obscure nobody afterward either.”

He turned his words, staring at Xiao Li and said: “Even if benefactor is unwilling to pledge allegiance to another lord and has ambitions to compete for supremacy, this humble scholar is also willing to follow benefactor and take that gamble.”

No emotion could be seen on Xiao Li’s face: “I observe that you have an excellent tongue and exceptional analytical thinking. With such talents, you could make a name for yourself wherever you go. If you worry that going to Pingzhou won’t give you connections to be entrusted with important responsibilities, I can write you a letter of recommendation.”

Hearing these words, Zhang Huai instead smiled: “This humble scholar was wondering earlier—with benefactor’s capabilities, you actually haven’t served in Pingzhou. I feared that all those beautiful tales about meritocracy there were false. Now it seems that in Pingzhou, benefactor should also be a figure whose name can be called out. Benefactor’s kind intention, this humble scholar appreciates it. Although this humble scholar and benefactor are strangers who have never met before, after today’s conversation, this humble scholar also knows that benefactor has the spirit of mountains and rivers in your heart. Please allow this humble scholar to follow by your side.”

Having said this, he bowed to Xiao Li once more.

Xiao Li looked at Zhang Huai and frowned, about to say something more when he suddenly heard bird calls. Looking up, he saw several white-feathered sparrows flying across the sky.

His brow furrowed slightly. He withdrew his gaze and said to Zhang Huai: “Leave the city and go west. Wait for me at a place called Ma Family Village. After I handle some private matters, I’ll find you.”

Zhang Huai watched Xiao Li’s tall figure walking out of the dark alley. Subconsciously, he also raised his head to look at the sky, chasing after the traces of those white-feathered sparrows.

—

The noon sunlight was scorching hot. A swallow-feather arrow struck right in the center of the target under the blazing sun. The arrow tail trembled, startling the sparrows in the trees to flap their wings and fly away.

Tongque held out a handkerchief for Wen Yu to wipe her sweat, saying with a smile: “This servant only learned today that the Princess is also skilled in archery.”

Wen Yu handed the specially made mulberry wood bow in her hands to Tongque and accepted the handkerchief to wipe the sweat on her face, saying: “In the past, the Emperor Father and Empress Mother indulged me, allowing me to sit in on many of Imperial Brother’s lessons. Among the Six Arts of a gentleman, archery was also slightly involved, though I’m not proficient.”

Military bows and arrows were rarely able to be drawn by scholars, so when martial instructors taught archery at the academy, students mostly used training bows with reduced arm strength requirements. Those from well-off families would have another bow custom-made to match their own arm strength, which could maximize injury prevention and also allow better control of force techniques.

This bow of Wen Yu’s had only recently been crafted by military craftsmen.

Seeing that Wen Yu had finished wiping her sweat, Tongque handed her a cup of plum water cooled in well water, saying: “The Princess labors day and night over government affairs. In the long run, this will inevitably harm your health. When you have leisure to practice archery, it can also strengthen your body.”

Her words had just fallen when a maid hurriedly walked over, curtsied respectfully and said: “Princess, the two envoys from Chen Kingdom request an audience.”

Wen Yu’s eyebrow arched slightly, as if she had long anticipated this. She said: “Let them come over.”

When Jiang Yu and Fang Mingda arrived in the courtyard, Wen Yu had already nocked another arrow on the bowstring. She was rarely dressed in riding attire, her long hair tied high. Her usual dignified and beautiful demeanor seemed to have all transformed into this heroic bearing. The gaze concentrated at the arrow tip was cold and sharp. When the arrow on the string flew out and struck the bullseye dozens of meters away, Fang Mingda, following behind Jiang Yu, felt his heart leap violently as well.

On this sun-scorched day that cracked the earth, his back was nevertheless faintly chilled.

Fang Mingda inconspicuously raised his sleeve to wipe his sweat. The Great Liang princess a few steps away—no, now she should be called an imperial daughter—no matter what kind of world-stunning appearance she possessed, in his view, she had long been no different from a flood or fierce beast.

Seeing the arrow Wen Yu shot, Jiang Yu also slightly raised his eyes. He spoke with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes: “The Princess truly has elegant interests.”

Wen Yu was noncommittal, only saying: “Having leisure time, loosening my muscles and bones.”

Jiang Yu had already crossed swords with Wen Yu many times and knew the other party was no pushover. He had no more inclination to beat around the bush and got straight to the point: “The one million five hundred thousand shi of grain sent by our Chen Kingdom cannot possibly have any discrepancy. There must be some misunderstanding in this.”

Wen Yu rotated the ivory thumb ring on her thumb used to draw the bowstring and took out another arrow from the quiver, saying: “This palace has naturally seen your Chen’s sincerity, but the grain that entered the pass is genuinely short by two hundred thousand shi. This palace also needs to give the people and ministers an explanation.”

Fang Mingda wanted to speak, but Jiang Yu beat him to it. Under his gathered arrow sleeves, the muscles of his forearm were tensed tightly, clearly angered: “Two hundred thousand shi of grain is not a small amount. If there were losses, the grain transport officials wouldn’t have been completely unaware along the way. This general humbly requests to personally go count the grain.”

Wen Yu was concentrating on aiming at the target. Upon hearing this, she only cast a faint glance backward and said: “Commander Jiang has such dedication. In that case, the matter of counting the grain shall be conducted by Commander Jiang together with the registrar under my command.”

Jiang Yu had lived for over twenty years and had never suffered such indignity. Anger had clearly surfaced on his handsome face, but in the end it was barely suppressed by his remaining rationality. He clasped his fists coldly toward Wen Yu and said: “This general thanks the Princess. This general takes his leave.”

His tall stature and long legs meant that when he strode away, Fang Mingda had to jog with his body of fat bouncing to keep up with his pace.

Wen Yu continued aiming at the target with a calm expression. Tongque looked at Jiang Yu’s furious departing back with some worry and said: “Princess, if you anger the Chen Kingdom envoys like this, this servant worries that on the road leaving the pass to go to the royal court…”

Wen Yu’s voice was clear and deep: “Tongque, do you know that sometimes yielding blindly cannot bring about desired results?”

The sunlight shone on the arrow shaft, refracting a cold, sharp golden gleam. That point of light reflected in her eyes, the coldness intensifying.

The arrow left the string, transforming into a streak of light that heavily nailed into the bullseye dozens of meters away.

Wen Yu put away her bow and looked at the sparrows startled into flight from the trees and the azure blue sky, slowly saying: “All matters in this world are nothing more than going with the flow of circumstances. That Chen Kingdom currently acts humble and subservient—it’s not that they’re so sincere, it’s just that the current situation favors me.”

—

Jiang Yu strode rapidly through the covered corridor, his face gloomy. The hand gripping the hilt of the sword at his waist had bulging veins. His robe hem fluttered from being churned up by the floating heat waves steamed out by the hot air.

Fang Mingda jogged along behind him, using his sleeve to wipe the sweat heated out on his face while observing Jiang Yu’s expression, saying in a low, indignant voice: “Too much! Too much! This Hanyang truly doesn’t put us in her eyes at all. That she disregards this minor official is one thing, but Commander Jiang, you are the Empress Dowager’s own nephew…”

Jiang Yu suddenly halted and coldly shot him a glance. Fang Mingda immediately fell silent.

Jiang Yu looked at the bluestone pavement outside the corridor that was bright and scorching under the blazing sun, from which one could feel the oppressive heat even from far away. He reluctantly suppressed his anger and said: “I’ve been sparring with Pingzhou’s martial generals in the military camp, winning many matches in succession, yet still couldn’t force out that young general surnamed Xiao. That Hanyang is making an issue of the grain supplies at this time to send me away.”

Fang Mingda had an agile mind. His squinting eyes rolled around once, and he instantly understood the stakes behind this.

When Pingzhou’s generals sparred with Jiang Yu and kept losing, it was Pingzhou’s military camp that lost face.

Although Fan Yuan as the general defending the pass had not yet crossed hands with Jiang Yu, whether speaking from military rank or age, Jiang Yu was a junior. That a sparring match would require the commanding general to personally step in to have a chance of winning—even if Fan Yuan won the match, it would still be Pingzhou that lost face.

In the current situation, using important matters to send away Jiang Yu who had been continuously provocative in the military was the best strategy.

Fang Mingda was secretly alarmed at the brilliance of Wen Yu’s scheme, but his face still showed an appearance of uncontrollable rage as he said indignantly: “What a sinister and underhanded method!”

Jiang Yu paid no attention to Fang Mingda’s pretentious cursing and looked toward the horizon, saying: “That young general surnamed Xiao hasn’t appeared for many days. He must not be within Pingzhou’s borders. Where he’s gone truly makes this commander curious.”

Fang Mingda, however, was clearly worried about another matter. He looked at Jiang Yu several times. After hesitating repeatedly, he still said carefully: “The Great Liang imperial daughter is not someone to be trifled with. You’ve offended her much before, such that until now she hasn’t given you a good face. This can’t continue. The Empress Dowager ordered you to personally come to escort the bride precisely because she fears that after she arrives at the royal court and discovers that the King…”

“Lord Fang, be cautious with your words.”

The look Jiang Yu gave Fang Mingda became instantly cold and harsh in that moment.

Fang Mingda didn’t dare defy him too harshly and only nodded, saying: “Commander Jiang should know, that is the Empress Dowager’s intention.”