Hua Bailin nodded with a fierce determination. “If I lose, I’ll win it back!”

After losing, he would spend some time studying books on military strategy, devising ways to counter and defeat Hua Zhi, and then win back what he had lost. Then Hua Zhi would defeat him again using a different formation, and he would go back to his books to find a way to break through and win once more. The siblings had always been like this when it came to such matters, and neither of them ever grew tired of it.

The weather was perfect, a gentle breeze blowing, and the westward-sinking sun felt wonderfully warm upon the skin. Hua Zhi decided not to move from her spot. She stepped forward and mapped out the terrain on the sand table — mountains, rivers, gorges, plains, and other landforms — then tilted her chin at her younger brother. “Choose!”

Hua Bailin did not weigh which side held the advantage. He walked straight toward the left side, the one closer to him, his entire being radiating battle-readiness.

The two of them had never needed a referee. Hua Zhi walked to the opposite side, and when she saw Liu Xiang place the red and blue marker flags representing both sides beside them, she declared: “Come, let’s battle!”

The Sixth Imperial Prince’s hand clenched tight, then slowly released. He looked toward his elder brother Yanxi, and saw the same gravity reflected in his eyes — clearly, they had both thought of the same thing. If, if only this could be applied to the military, he could not even begin to imagine the benefits it would bring to the Great Qing dynasty!

He watched without blinking as the two of them advanced and retreated, shifted left and broke right in an orderly, deliberate rhythm. He watched as Bailin pressed forward step by step, pushing past the center line into enemy territory under heavy resistance. Just when everyone thought Bailin was about to win, they suddenly noticed that one of Elder Sister Hua’s forces had, at some unknown point, already penetrated deep into the heart of enemy territory. Bailin could not pull back in time — his soldiers were still midway when the fortress had already changed hands, and he was caught in a pincer attack from two directions with no way out.

The defeat had come so swiftly that Hua Bailin was left in a daze.

“Your vigilance dropped. When two nations go to war, the enemy’s commanding general will never be a man without skill. Even the most incompetent ruler would not hand his kingdom over with both hands. Did you not sense that you were advancing far too smoothly? Why did it not occur to you that the enemy might be luring the tiger away from its mountain? Or worse — drawing you to advance alone into enemy territory so they could shut the gate and beat the dog?”

Hua Bailin hung his head in shame so deeply it nearly touched his lap. He had wanted too badly to win.

“Again.”

This time, Hua Bailin played steadily and methodically. He was nowhere near as eager as he had been in the first round — he had visibly settled down. Even so, he only managed to hold on a little longer than before.

“Come back to break through in three days.”

“Yes, Elder Sister.” Hua Bailin’s eyes never left the sand table. He was trying to work out the move his elder sister had made — he could not understand why it had been placed there.

“A’Jian.”

The Sixth Imperial Prince looked up hurriedly. Hua Zhi simply pretended not to see the shock in his eyes. “Are you interested?”

The Sixth Imperial Prince nodded vigorously without a moment’s hesitation.

Hua Zhi smiled. “It’s still early. The two of you review the match here. Bailin, teach him the rules. Sui’an is welcome to learn as well, if he’s interested.”

Yang Sui’an gazed long and hard at this cousin of his who seemed capable of anything. He did not believe that someone with Cousin’s intelligence could fail to see the uses of this thing. Yet she was sharing it with them so freely and openly, holding nothing back. How much inner confidence must one possess to act with such ease?

Gu Yanxi suddenly spoke. “I would like to learn as well.”

Hua Zhi turned to face the man she was betrothed to. She was not the least bit surprised that he would be interested. “Bailin, explain it in detail.”

Shao Yao immediately bounced over. “Huahua, Huahua, Huahua, Huahua — me too, me too!”

Hua Zhi gave her head a light push. “Did I stop you?”

Shao Yao giggled and rubbed up against Huahua before taking her place beside the sand table. Her eyes held a blazing fervor that Hua Zhi had never seen in them before. She remembered — she had once wanted to become a female general. The moment she understood the purpose of this thing, she immediately grasped the immense role it could play.

She knew that as long as she was interested, Huahua would never stand in her way. She also knew that if she were to suggest using this in the Great Qing dynasty’s military, Huahua would simply smile and agree. But it was precisely because she knew this that she could not bring herself to say it.

She knew. Huahua did not like the Emperor, who had caused her family to be separated and unable to reunite.

Hua Zhi raised a hand to shield her eyes against the sun and looked up at the sky. The light made her squint. It was already late in the fourth month. In three more days, they would set out.

Listening to Bailin explain the rules of the sand table exercise in his young, clear voice, Hua Zhi turned and returned to the study.

Gu Yanxi did not keep Hua Zhi waiting long. After working out the rules, he stepped up to the sand table himself and played a round against Bailin. He defeated Bailin — who fancied himself a veteran — swiftly and overwhelmingly, then walked into the study.

Hua Zhi tilted her head and looked at him. “You look like you enjoyed yourself.”

“If this were offered up to the throne, the Hua Family’s situation would improve.”

“Would it bring my family home?”

Gu Yanxi’s words caught in his throat. They both knew that was impossible.

Hua Zhi let out a scornful laugh. “Then why should I offer it up?”

“Yet you let me — let Little Six — know of it. You must know we won’t do nothing with this.”

“And so?”

Gu Yanxi looked at her quietly. He could tell that A’Zhi was displeased — not because of the sand table, and not because of what he had said.

Being regarded so steadily by the man she was betrothed to, Hua Zhi found it impossible to keep redirecting her irritation at him. She tucked a loose strand of hair back and said, “Even if you were to offer it up, would you conceal that it came from my hand? You would not. There is a difference between direct and indirect. If I were to do it myself — would the Emperor reward me or not? And if he did, how would he reward a daughter of a convicted official? The better I perform, the more I embarrass the Emperor. Given that man’s temperament, I fear he would not only refuse to let my family return — he would come to detest me all the more.”

“Then what is troubling you?”

Hua Zhi was momentarily startled. She was indeed in a poor mood. In this world with no trains, no flying machines, and no four-wheeled carriages, the fastest way to travel was on horseback. Riding for leisure was exhilarating enough, but the moment she thought about how for the next several months she would be bouncing up and down on horseback all the way south and then north again, she simply could not summon any enthusiasm.

Wait — it seemed she had never actually told the man she was betrothed to that she was about to leave on a long journey?

Although she had only made up her mind these past couple of days, she and Yanxi had been meeting every day. Not mentioning it to him even a little in advance did seem somewhat inconsiderate…

With that thought, the little knot of irritation in her chest dissolved with a soft pop, replaced by a flicker of guilt.

She looked away, concealing her feelings behind her usual composed expression. “I plan to travel south.”

Gu Yanxi was surprised. “Not north?”

“I need to go to Jingzhou before heading north.” Hua Zhi explained the reason for her southern journey, then paused and added by way of explanation, “It was only decided these past couple of days. Please don’t hold it against me for not telling you sooner.”

Gu Yanxi hadn’t even thought to take it that way. He furrowed his brow. “Must you leave in three days?”

“I need to give myself some time.” Based on her experience from the last trip, she would need a period to recuperate after returning.

“I, however, must travel to Yuzhou. I leave tomorrow.”

“…” So neither of them had told the other in advance. They were even.

Hua Zhi smoothed her feelings and asked, “You’re no longer needed to serve as regent at court?”

“For the time being, occasionally is still acceptable, but if it goes on too long it will violate protocol.”

This stretch had already been rather long, Hua Zhi thought to herself. “How long will you need to be away? I wonder who will return first — you or me.”

“About half a month for the round trip. Push a little harder and I can make it back in twelve days. Perhaps you could wait for me…”

“Yanxi, you are only courting me — you are not responsible for the entire Hua Family. Nor do I wish to depend too heavily on you. Some things I must do myself.” If the person she relied upon were someday no longer by her side, what would she do then?