Though Shu was surrounded by mountains on all sides, the area around Jinzhou Prefecture was flat fertile plains. Leaving through the east gate and crossing the field ridges, one reached the garrison posts under the jurisdiction of the Sichuan Regional Military Commission.

The garrison bordered the lower reaches of the Funan River. Because Zhu Yushen had led his great army into Shu, military tents stretched for several li along the riverbank.

Around noon, Provincial Administration Commissioner Ma Lu emerged from Zhu Yushen’s tent and ran into Vice Commissioner Zhang of the Governor’s Office, who was waiting outside for orders. Looking around twice and seeing no one paying attention to them, he said quietly, “Lord Zhang, what do you think His Majesty means by all this?”

Yesterday morning, though Zhu Yushen had arrived in Jinzhou, he hadn’t lodged at Qinxin Garden, which temporarily served as the traveling palace. Instead, he left through the east city gate to camp with his accompanying officers and soldiers outside the Commission. That was one thing. Before dawn today, he summoned prefecture-level officials from throughout Shu and personally issued an imperial decree establishing the recovered Annan as Jiaozhi Province, creating the thirteenth Yunnan-Guizhou Circuit, and establishing the Southwest Grand Military Commission in the Shu region.

Even earlier, the Left Military Governor’s Office had personally dispatched people to spread the joyous news of recovering Annan by eight-hundred-li express. In Jinzhou Prefecture alone, commoners had already flooded the streets in celebration.

But what puzzled Provincial Commissioner Ma Lu wasn’t this—it was the establishment of the thirteenth circuit and the Southwest Grand Military Commission.

These two actions were tantamount to reorganizing the military and political map of Great Sui’s southwestern region. The magnitude of change was simply terrifying.

Vice Commissioner Zhang said, “His Majesty’s sacred heart is difficult to fathom. How could we presume to speculate at will?”

“True enough.” Seeing him speaking in official platitudes, Ma Lu could only cast out bait. “But I heard that the day before yesterday at the Yunlai Inn, you encountered—” he pointed upward, “that person and Lord Su, Su Shiyu?”

Vice Commissioner Zhang kept his mouth sealed. There were no walls without cracks in this world. For Ma Lu, the esteemed Provincial Commissioner of Jinzhou Prefecture, to hear of this matter only after nearly two days was actually quite slow.

Ma Lu lowered his voice even more. “I heard that Lord Su had nearly left the pass yesterday when pursuing soldiers intercepted him halfway up Jianmen Mountain and brought him back. Lord Su said that His Majesty was resting in the carriage and no one was permitted to disturb him. Not until this morning when they returned to Jinzhou Prefecture did someone bold enough disregard Lord Su’s obstruction and forcibly lift the carriage curtain—only to discover that sitting in the carriage wasn’t that His Majesty at all, but Lord Su’s guard, surnamed Tan. The Regional Military Commission was immediately alarmed. Commander Tian personally led troops out of Shu to pursue them. However—”

He paused here. “Lord Zhang, I keep feeling something’s not quite right about this matter. Combined with His Majesty’s order this morning to station three hundred thousand troops at the Southwest Grand Military Commission, I’m wondering—could it be that establishing the Southwest Grand Military Commission is just a pretense, and these three hundred thousand troops are actually aimed at His Majesty Jin’an?”

Vice Commissioner Zhang had been listening to Ma Lu’s initially coherent account, but at this sudden sharp turn at the end, he nearly choked. That the late emperor was still alive was already a secret that couldn’t be proclaimed. To dispatch three hundred thousand troops to block Zhu Jin’an—was this to ensure everyone under heaven didn’t know about it?

He glanced at Ma Lu. Very well, this Provincial Commissioner was truly a useless fool. No wonder he had worked alongside Jinzhou Prefect Zhang Zhengcai for many years without noticing Zhang Zhengcai using the new policy to seize fields for profit.

Vice Commissioner Zhang thus smiled. “Lord Ma’s words are somewhat absurd. The military resources and materials required to establish a Grand Military Commission are immeasurable. How could it be treated as child’s play?”

Ma Lu was startled, hearing the disdain in his words, and explained, “Lord Zhang is right. It’s just that the situation in Shu is complex, and this official was momentarily confused, wasn’t he? Just last night, even the National Uncle, Lord Shen—”

Before he could finish, over there, Zhu Yushen’s tent flap lifted again. Liu Chaoming and Shu Wenlan successively withdrew from Zhu Yushen’s tent.

The group of officials waiting outside, seeing the Grand Secretary and the Vice Minister, hastily paid their respects. Censor Li Qiong stepped forward first, asked Liu Chaoming something, then turned back to Ma Lu and Vice Commissioner Zhang, saying, “Vice Commissioner, you are from the Governor’s Office—remain here temporarily to await His Majesty’s imperial command. Lord Ma, now that Prefect Zhang has been suspended, Jinzhou Prefecture cannot be without someone for a single day. Lord Liu requests that you immediately return to Jinzhou Prefecture to preside over matters.”

Both immediately agreed, bowing down. Only after Li Qiong went to the other lords to give detailed instructions did they straighten up. Ma Lu sighed, “I’m in trouble now. I have to return to the prefecture office.”

Vice Commissioner Zhang was puzzled. “How are you in trouble?”

Ma Lu said, “Vice Commissioner Zhang, think about it. Who is currently waiting at the prefecture office for summons? Lord Su. What kind of figure was Lord Su in the court back then? When I return, I’ll inevitably have to deal with him. But he’s currently a criminal minister. If I’m too courteous, it won’t conform to regulations. If I show no consideration, I fear offending him. If it’s just sitting down to talk, that’s fine, but I’m afraid of encountering problems. Tell me, this Zhang Zhengcai—why wasn’t he suspended earlier or later, but precisely suspended at this time?”

Vice Commissioner Zhang snorted through his nose. “He encountered Lords Liu and Su, two famously impartial enforcers of the law. Being suspended is getting off lightly. When the time comes to investigate his crimes, whether he can keep his head is still up for debate.”

He then pointed ahead with his sleeves folded. “You’re also worrying unnecessarily about other people’s business. See? Lord Liu and Lord Shu’s attendants have already started making arrangements. They’ll probably return to the prefecture office before long. Even if something really happens with Lord Su, with these two lords present, when would it be your turn to handle it? If you’re truly worried, I’ll give you a tip: whenever there’s a situation, go directly to Lord Shu and ask him to make the decision.”

Ma Lu asked, “Why not seek Lord Liu?” After all, he was both regent and Grand Secretary, with the highest official rank in the entire realm.

Vice Commissioner Zhang glanced at him and pointed out, “Lord Shu is more amiable.”

After Liu Chaoming emerged from Zhu Yushen’s tent, he first went to see several officials transferred from Yunnan-Guizhou. Now that a circuit was to be established in Yunnan-Guizhou, though the administrative arrangements were complete, coordination still needed adjustment because a Grand Military Commission was being established simultaneously.

Only after these matters were finished did Li Qiong come over to request, “My lord, the carriage has been prepared.”

Liu Chaoming nodded once and walked toward the camp exit with Li Qiong.

All the officials, seeing the Grand Secretary approaching, retreated one after another. Li Qiong reported, “My lord, Lord Su has already arrived at Jinzhou Prefecture. All along the way, he claimed His Majesty Jin’an was resting in the carriage, blocking people from lifting the curtain. Not until this morning did the prefecture office people discover His Majesty was missing. Commander Tian You of the Regional Military Commission was immediately alarmed and personally led people out through Jianmen Pass to pursue them.”

Hearing this, Liu Chaoming’s brow furrowed. “And Shen Qingyue?”

“Lord Shen arrived at Jinzhou Prefecture before Lord Su, last night. Because His Majesty was discussing matters with you and Lord Shu, he said it was inconvenient to disturb and went to sit at the Regional Military Commission office. He only came over just now.”

Liu Chaoming’s steps paused. His eyes flickered with shifting depths. After a while, he stepped forward again and said lightly, “A risky military maneuver. The timing was calculated quite well.”

Li Qiong didn’t understand, only asking, “My lord, should we also send people to search for His Majesty Jin’an?”

“No need.” Liu Chaoming said, “Tian You has already personally sent Zhu Nanxian away.”

Hearing this, Li Qiong finally had a rough guess in his heart. He invited Liu Chaoming onto the carriage. After traveling several li, he picked a more pressing matter to report, “My lord, Lord Wei has followed your orders and recalled the Embroidered Uniform Guards scattered throughout Shu. They’re now at the prefecture office awaiting orders.”

Liu Chaoming made an acknowledging sound.

Li Qiong continued, “Actually, His Majesty also knows about this matter. To this day, he hasn’t held you accountable for the Embroidered Uniform Guard matter—he probably understands your painstaking efforts.”

He only hoped that Zhu Yushen could turn a blind eye.

Liu Chaoming didn’t respond.

Li Qiong continued, “Early this morning, before this official came to the camp, Lord Su had just arrived at the prefecture office. She also saw Lord Wei and the Embroidered Uniform Guards then. She originally said there was something she wanted to ask this official and Lord Wei to help with, but later seemed to find it difficult and gave up.”

Hearing these words, Liu Chaoming’s eyes flickered slightly.

Su Shiyu was the type who, even facing the greatest difficulties, if she could resolve them herself, would never rely on others.

“Did she say what it was?”

“She didn’t mention it.” Li Qiong said, “However, this official knows Lord Su’s nature. For her to entrust something to others, it could never be a small matter. So I kept an eye out and inquired with the accompanying people. Guard Tan, who has followed Lord Su for years, said that actually some incident occurred along the road—the townspeople of Cuiwei Town got into an argument with that county magistrate surnamed Yao, and it’s said they even came to blows.”

Liu Chaoming was somewhat surprised. “Only this matter?”

Li Qiong nodded. “Yes. I heard it was quite serious at the time. This official originally wanted to inquire more clearly, but Lord Su called Guard Tan over, and this official was rushing to the camp, so I didn’t pursue it further. Later, the more I thought about it, the more something seemed wrong. I feared something might happen, which is why I asked you to make the decision, my lord. You see things more clearly than this official in all matters. I hope this official is making a mountain out of a molehill.”

Liu Chaoming also felt uneasy, but he didn’t understand Cuiwei Town and found it difficult to judge a case without foundation.

After pondering for a while, he only asked, “The carriage is going to the Regional Military Commission?”

Li Qiong said, “Yes.”

Liu Chaoming lifted the carriage curtain. “Change course. Go to the Jinzhou Prefecture office.”