“No such thing. How could I, the dignified Prince of Jin, do such lowly things?” Li Zhi, with cloth strips bound around both hands, categorically denied it, putting on a show of magnanimity by clapping his hands together while sitting on a rock, appearing quite bold.

“Brother, I’ve endured four years at the academy—longer than any of you have stayed here. Would I not know what kind of temperament these masters have? Whether you’re a prince or a commoner, inside the academy there’s basically no difference. Stacking sweat mountains or tear mountains is the severest punishment at the academy, second only to expulsion. Do you think these masters would deliberately punish you just because they find you disagreeable?”

Li You circled Li Zhi suspiciously. Thinking of this fellow’s numerous misdeeds, he sighed and said again: “Are you worried that those enemies will break through Yunzhong and harass Jinyang? Is that why you’re so unscrupulous in trying to stockpile supplies and military equipment?”

Li Zhi still maintained a stern face and said quietly to Li You: “Regardless of whether I made a mistake or not, I’m now accepting punishment. As long as the artificial mountain is stacked properly, no one will ever mention this matter again. Right and wrong aren’t important. Fourth Brother, can you forget about it?”

Li You said no more, but instead began teaching him how to properly bind the cloth strips on his hands so they wouldn’t hurt, how to move rocks without injuring himself, and if possible, those pandas could also be reasonably utilized.

“It’s that one with the scar on its head. As long as you give it food, it will help you move rocks. The academy only stipulates you can’t use livestock or have people help you. Pandas aren’t livestock…”

So after Li You left, when Princess Si came to bring her brother food, she was surprised to discover a plump panda huffing and puffing as it carried over a rock from the distance and delivered it before Li Zhi, then opened its mouth waiting for food. After Li Zhi placed the rock properly, he would toss half a fresh bamboo shoot into its mouth. The panda, chewing the bamboo shoot in its mouth, would turn around and continue going to the distance to help Li Zhi move rocks.

Summer bamboo shoots weren’t valuable—you could buy many with just a few copper coins. Princess Si angrily pulled the panda over, signaling that it mustn’t continue moving rocks. Her brother had made a mistake and was accepting punishment—he couldn’t take shortcuts.

Li Zhi smiled mischievously and tossed the panda another bamboo shoot. That panda immediately ran off to move rocks. Who knew which expert had trained this panda—it actually understood the principle that food needed to be exchanged through labor.

Princess Si saw this panda again using its two front paws to hold a rock, stumbling forward on its two short hind legs, seemingly determined to carry its labor through to the end.

Li Zhi took the rock and patted the panda’s head, taking a piece of cake from his food box to feed the panda. Princess Si had also walked quite a bit, her little face rosy. Perhaps because she was in good spirits at the academy, the young girl’s face actually showed some baby fat.

The two siblings and one panda sat under the pavilion eating. As Li Zhi ate, he threw down his chopsticks and said: “Little sister, I really want to go to Yunzhong. That’s where my fief and subjects are. Now Yunzhong’s situation changes three times a day. I’ve heard Wei Zheng in Yunzhong is also struggling to cope with the barbarian tribes. These years I’ve exhausted my heart and mind managing for Jinyang’s common people. Unknowingly, I’ve discovered I’ve already become one with them. Zhang Jianzhi in Yangqu and Fenzhou has conscripted fifty thousand laborers, preparing to repair Yunzhong’s Great Wall anew, especially Niupi Pass and the line from Baideng Mountain to Liangcheng. The engineering work is extremely massive.”

“Before, I thought there was no need to do this. Our Great Tang has invincible cavalry and can naturally resist enemies beyond our borders. Now I’ve discovered that no matter how powerful we are, we still cannot make all people revere us.”

“You know my nature—I only want to live peacefully and steadily, not wanting to provoke anyone. But others shouldn’t think of humiliating me either! What Master Li Gang truly wants to punish is this thought of mine. He wants me to give up through the most arduous physical punishment of stacking this artificial mountain. The old gentleman thinks I’m not qualified enough. I truly don’t have sufficient physical strength to finish stacking the artificial mountain, but with the panda helping me, I will definitely complete it.”

“Ninth Brother, are you leaving too?” Princess Si was on the verge of tears, pulling at Li Zhi’s sleeve exactly as she had in early childhood.

“Ninth Brother has grown up and should go do what I ought to do. Princess Si, after I leave, you must eat well and treat your illness properly, nurture your body until it’s robust. Then I’ll take you horseback riding. We Li family people absolutely must know how to ride horses.”

Speaking of this, he said to Princess Si with renewed concern: “If you don’t like living in the imperial palace, go live at the Yushan Palace. Stay far from the waterfall—at night it can be deafening. Only Yuchi Gong likes living there listening to the noise. Guanlan Terrace is very good. Spring has flowers, summer has mist, autumn has brilliant red leaves, winter has pristine white snow. You already prefer tranquility. Read books, play the zither, and recuperate properly there. When I return from Yunzhong, I might be able to meet your prince consort. I don’t know what kind of remarkable person Father Emperor and Mother Empress will betroth you to. I’m very curious.”

Li Zhi’s words made Princess Si’s pretty face flush red. She raised her small fist and pounded Li Zhi’s shoulder a few times. Moving slightly more vigorously, she became somewhat breathless. Li Zhi quickly helped his sister stroke her back to help her breathe more evenly.

The smile on Princess Si’s face disappeared. She said faintly: “I won’t marry. I’ll just accompany Father Emperor and Mother Empress.”

“It’s mainly that in this world there’s no man who can make my little sister admire him. If you won’t marry, you won’t marry.” Li Zhi smiled to comfort his sister. Sun Simiao had said long ago that Princess Si’s constitution wasn’t suitable for marriage. This was a wound in Li Zhi’s heart.

Princess Si, carrying her basket and accompanied by her maidservants, returned to the women’s academy. Li Zhi patted the snoring panda, preparing to start work. He needed to finish stacking the artificial mountain early—this old man still had to go to Daizhou, to Yunzhong, to meet those savages who came from the mountain forests!

He Shao liquidated all his assets, bringing large amounts of cash drafts as he prepared to go to Yumen Pass. Those with the most confidence in the Great Tang’s military strength were not the Emperor, nor the military men, but precisely this group of merchants. Only they truly understood clearly how terrifying the Great Tang army’s equipment was. A true Guanzhong militiaman—his full set of equipment’s value absolutely wouldn’t be less than one hundred silver coins. As for those elite troops, this price had to be doubled. This was just armor and swords, not counting war horses or large military equipment.

Moreover, the sons of Guanzhong had always been able to endure bitter combat. As long as they didn’t encounter too disparate battle conditions, generally they could withdraw intact. Examples of one hundred cavalry breaking ten thousand men were frequently seen in Great Tang military documents.

This was a good opportunity to get rich, a good opportunity to rearrange commercial layouts. Although the Western Region was a barren land, there were vast oases and snow mountains there. He Shao learned at the first moment the news that the Daoist school was preparing to develop the Great Snow Mountain Divine Palace. They purchased an empty privilege from Yun Ye’s hands and spent ten thousand gold coins. One could imagine how luxurious and magnificent the Snow Mountain Divine Palace, built by pooling the strength of Daoist schools throughout the realm, would be.

This was all money! The Daoist school had plenty of money. If he closed this deal, he would be assured of food and clothing for the rest of his life.

Yun Ye’s letter stated clearly that this time the Daoist school had placed heavy stakes. Whoever dared obstruct their construction of the divine palace would meet an extremely miserable end. Since there was no way to stop it, he absolutely had to get a piece of the action. He wouldn’t compete with the old Daoists for the snow mountain peak, but building a town at the foot of the snow mountain would likely make great wealth. When believers from all over the world made pilgrimages to the Great Snow Mountain, they would always need a place to lodge. Moreover, not everyone could have the opportunity to ascend the snow mountain for a look. The Daoist school would grasp this measure extremely well.

Li Jing was at Yumen Pass, Yun Zheng was in Beiting—who else had a better opportunity than himself? Thinking that he would once again walk his path to prosperity, He Shao was so excited he couldn’t restrain himself. This time he brought his three sons—all of them plump. Wanting to inherit the family business without suffering hardship was completely a pipe dream.

Tianshan, Kunlun Mountains—these were all places where immortals dwelt. To be able to conduct business comparable to immortals, He Shao felt his life would not be in vain.

Purchasing soldiers’ war spoils was an old business. Bringing along a few expert appraisers could do it well. Using postal relay to remit money back home was no longer novel. He Shao’s civilian network had already reached the county level. As for prosperous places, it had long ago reached villages and hamlets. Especially in Guanzhong, military sons mailing things home was a very normal habit. What He Shao was most proud of was that his subordinates had once transported four delicate beauties from the shipping point all the way safely to the destination, guaranteeing that no other man along the way had touched them with a single finger.

He Shao’s camel trains, horse teams, wagon convoys, and hot air balloon teams were all prepared and ready. Now the only thing he needed to wait for was for the Great Tang army to begin its counterattack. As soon as the counterattack began, He Shao would plunge headlong into the vast desert without a moment’s hesitation, following behind the great army like a vulture picking up any scraps the great army didn’t need.

He had this experience—after tigers ate, what remained could always fill a vulture’s belly, just like what he did in hot air balloon transportation. Li Tai always hoped his airship could fly through the air like an arrow. Zhangsun Wuji always hoped his hot air balloon could soar swiftly and nimbly in the sky.

He Shao didn’t think this way. He believed his hot air balloons didn’t need to fly very fast, nor very high, nor need to be very fast. In his view, as long as they could transport goods from location A to location B faster than wagons and more conveniently than wagons, that was enough.

So on the official roads, you could see very low-flying hot air balloons with goods hanging below, pulled by four or five horses, slowly flying along the official road. You could also see that on ships loaded to the brim, there was still a hot air balloon flying above, also loaded with goods, going downstream with the large ship. The benefits of this thing were too numerous—crossing rivers didn’t require boats, crossing mountains didn’t require changing horses and carts. It was extremely convenient.

Li Tai summoned He Shao to Prince Wei’s mansion and gave him a severe beating, thinking this practice was truly too disgraceful. Zhangsun Wuji also dismissed He Shao’s methods with a laugh. Half a year later, he couldn’t laugh anymore, because he discovered that He Shao’s hot air balloons had already occupied a position in the freight business.