The false eunuch had been arrested, yet the First Imperial Prince was left untouched.
Exiled and demoted as he was, he remained a blood descendant of the Imperial House. Not only would Wu Yong not risk the impropriety — even the Seven Lodges Division, without Gu Yanxi present, would not move against him. They only tightened the watch around him. It was the First Imperial Prince himself who could not stand it first and went to the garrison commander’s residence.
Wu Yong had received word early and absented himself in time, retreating — naturally — to the Hua household. He had more than sufficient reason now: there was poison in his body to be cured, and since Shao Yao would not leave Hua Zhi’s side, he had no choice but to come to their door.
With him doing this under her own roof, Hua Zhi could not be bothered to expose his motives. Her heart was full of a mounting sense of crisis. She spent most of each day standing before the sand table with the map before her, simulating one terrain layout after another, yet doing nothing — simply looking, sometimes for a full two-hour period, motionless. No one knew what she was thinking.
Hua Pingyu tried to ask a few questions and was stopped by Hua Yizheng. He had already begun to sense something. Without knowing the full severity of the situation, he had already set things in motion — most visibly, he had driven the younger members of the Hua family to the military camp to practice mounted archery. Old bones and all, he refused to spare himself, carving out a half-period each day for his own drills. Just as A’Zhi had said: when trouble truly arrived, even if you could not fight, you could still run.
Gu Yanxi returned on the third night, late. Hua Zhi had already gone to sleep, but her rest had been fitful for days. She woke suddenly, for no reason she could name. Shao Yao had not wanted to disturb her, but seeing her awake had no choice but to tell her that Yan-ge had returned.
Hua Zhi quickly rose, draped a robe over her shoulders, and stepped out — and there, waiting by the door, listening for movement from within, was Yanxi.
She gestured for silence. Hua Zhi took his hand and led him toward the kitchen. The warmth of her palm was a touch on the cool side, yet for Gu Yanxi — his nerves strung taut for days — it reached the warmth straight to his core, and the tension gradually unraveled in him.
She lit the lamp. Hua Zhi rolled her sleeves back tight and said, “I will make you a bowl of noodles. Sit down and collect yourself first.”
He watched her go to the stove and attempt, somewhat clumsily, to light the fire. Gu Yanxi felt a deep, unhurried contentment settle over him. For him, a bowl of hot noodles and a cup of hot tea on his return from days of travel — this was the finest welcome imaginable.
Even with the most pressing matter wound around his mind, he did not want to raise it yet. He was reluctant to break this warmth that filled every corner of the room.
One bowl of noodles, a few dishes of pickled vegetables — for Gu Yanxi, who had not eaten properly in days, not a scrap remained. He looked at A’Zhi sitting quietly to one side, and calmly said what his journey had revealed: “As you suspected — the Chaoli people and the grassland tribes are in league.”
So it was confirmed. Hua Zhi felt as though the second shoe had finally dropped.
“The Seven Lodges Division’s scouts beyond the passes missed this — not through any dereliction on their part. The arrangement has been conducted with extreme concealment. Furthermore, the two sides do not fully trust each other, and have not yet concluded all their negotiations. For now they merely extend occasional convenience to one another.”
“As with the time the grassland tribes cooperated in the Second Imperial Prince’s affair — they were in reality cooperating with the Chaoli people?”
“More or less.”
Hua Zhi pressed her fingers lightly to her forehead and let out a soft sigh. “I kept reassuring myself that the Chaoli people could not have embedded too many people within the Daqing Dynasty — but look, just among those you have already uncovered, there are already several. Wu Yong’s concubine confirmed, the false eunuch beside the First Imperial Prince confirmed as well. The Daqing Dynasty is so vast — who knows how many more of their people are out there.”
She gave a wry smile. “Better to be a dog in times of peace than a person in times of war. Yanxi, I am genuinely frightened that war may come.”
Not only because the Hua family stood on the front lines — but because she herself had come from an era of peace. Without needing to turn back through the records of history, other nations presently engulfed in conflict had already shown her what sufferings descended on ordinary people when a country fell into chaos. There would be no savior. With the little she possessed, she could barely protect herself, let alone those she loved. She had only to think of what those disasters would mean for Bailin, and she could not sleep.
“We still have time.” Gu Yanxi took hold of her cool hands. “It will not come to that.”
Hua Zhi managed a faint smile. “Mm. It will not. Go and rest — for now, at least, they cannot reach us, and there is no need for urgency this very moment.”
“Very well.”
At first light the next morning, Wu Yong was summoned to the house. Gu Yanxi also asked Hua Yizheng to attend. With Shao Yao standing guard at the door, the four of them closed it behind them and held council.
“The Chaoli people and the grassland tribes are in league.”
The first sentence landed like a weight on both Wu Yong and Hua Yizheng. Before either could speak, Gu Yanxi continued, “I have already dispatched people to investigate the situation at Shouya Pass. But General Wu, you should be well aware — the eastern armies cannot be deployed northward. The founding emperor decreed that the soldiers at Shouya Pass may only be increased, never reduced, under any circumstances.”
“This official is well aware.” Wu Yong’s mouth turned bitter. “Yet the Shizi should equally know that the men under my command are not enough to hold off a combined assault by the Chaoli people and the grassland tribes.”
Gu Yanxi’s eyes moved to Hua Zhi with a trace of apology. Hua Zhi immediately understood what he intended to do. “This official will lend you his support.”
“Does the Shizi mean that the Seven Lodges Division will remain and help this official repel the enemy?”
Gu Yanxi shook his head. “Some time ago, A’Zhi drew inspiration from the Celestial Master’s elixir-refining methods and produced a formula. The intent was to use the substance for opening mountain paths and diverting waterways. After research and experimentation by Wu Xing of the Seven Lodges Division, it has been found applicable to far more purposes. I have already sent word for Wu Xing to make his way here with all speed.”
Wu Yong glanced at Hua Zhi. “I have witnessed the Celestial Master’s furnace exploding during refining. If it is that substance, with respect, this official does not believe it capable of posing any threat to the Chaoli people.”
“Wu Xing has made improvements to it. As for its power — you shall see when the time comes.” Gu Yanxi had been watching A’Zhi closely the whole while, and when she showed no sign of displeasure, he felt some of the tension leave him. He knew she disliked seeing the black powder turned to use in war — yet even in her dislike, she understood why he would make this choice.
Neither of them wanted war. But they had to resist the invasion.
“This substance must under no circumstances fall into the hands of those with ill intent. When the time comes, you will need to select a group of men you trust absolutely for Wu Xing to direct. Not a breath of this must leak out before it is deployed.”
Wu Yong had some understanding of the elixir arts and did not believe the substance could be so formidable — yet he equally believed the Shizi was not one to speak idly, and a measure of anticipation stirred in his heart. He gave his full assent.
“Elder Master Hua, there is one matter I must trouble you with.”
Hua Yizheng clasped his hands in salute. “Shizi, please speak.”
“Conduct a thorough survey of every person exiled to Yinshan Pass.” Gu Yanxi turned again to Wu Yong. “If time permits, I would relocate all of them out of Yinshan Pass entirely — to turn it into a purely military stronghold. For now, however, I cannot risk large-scale movement. The alternative is to divide Yinshan Pass into an inner and an outer district: exiled persons to be moved to the inner district, the outer to serve as the military encampment. In addition, I will petition the Emperor for permission to find a means of transferring fifty thousand soldiers to Yinshan Pass.”
“This official wishes to ask the Shizi — will these fifty thousand fall under my command, or will another officer be sent to cooperate with me?”
“They will be merged into your forces and commanded by you.”
Wu Yong clasped his hands and bowed. “This official thanks the Shizi for his consideration.”