The place where Liu Kun was drafting the proclamation was still a hundred li from the front lines. The western frontier garrison commanders had each sent messengers and officers to welcome Zhù Ying, report for duty, and voice their grievances, all hoping to learn her plans for the campaign. If a fight was to be had, they also hoped she would lead the troops forward to break the siege as quickly as possible.

But the order Zhù Ying gave was: “Rest for three days first, then we deliberate.”

Liu Kun buried herself in her writing and cursing. Wang Yunzhi was startled when he heard it. A hundred li from the front lines was already no great distance; if relief troops moved as fire was needed, their march had already been unhurried, and now they were going to stop at the last moment? He could not understand this at all. Quite a few others were equally baffled, but once inside the army, many relationships had to take a step back — what mattered above all else was that orders be obeyed without question. None dared to ask rashly. Seeing that the day was already growing late and tonight’s rest was a certainty regardless, they planned to make private inquiries later.

Before long, Liu Kun had finished drafting the proclamation. Zhù Ying glanced it over and said, “This will do. Send it out.”

The various officers departed to conduct their separate rounds of camp inspection.

Wang Yunzhi was not among the officers. He circled around outside, then came back to request an audience.

Zhù Ying set aside the brush she had been using to mark points on the map. “Something the matter?”

“Yes.”

“Come in and speak.”

Enormous tallow candles had been lit inside the tent, brightening the space considerably. The orange flames cast their glow across Zhù Ying’s face, making her appear all the more gentle and amiable.

Wang Yunzhi said, “My lord, I do not understand — why must we still stop to rest? I have heard the saying, ‘Strike while the iron is hot; the second blow weakens, and by the third the force is spent.’ Our departure from the capital was already irresolute, our march on the road was slow, and now we stop again? Will this not harm morale and cause us to miss our moment?”

Zhù Ying said, “Is that the proper use of that saying?”

“Hm? Is it… not?”

Zhù Ying said, “The more urgent things are, the less one can afford to act in haste. What you are quoting applies once battle has been joined. And what are we now? We are before the battle. If we are not properly prepared, what do we fight with? Do you have any idea how many years it has been since the Imperial Guards fought a real war? Their appearance is fine enough, but on the battlefield, there will be no painted lines for them to march along, no formations laid out and labeled. When shouts of slaughter ring out on all sides, the mind goes blank! After a long march, they need to rest before they go into battle.”

“But if they never face the battlefield directly, they will always be raw recruits.”

“Raw recruits are the most likely to die. Before they go into battle, we must find ways to keep them from dying needlessly.” Zhù Ying said.

Wang Yunzhi still could not quite understand. He was well-read and of reasonably good temperament. The life on this journey, while neither as refined as the capital nor as comfortable as the mission to the Southern Region, he had endured without complaint. But now he genuinely could not grasp it, and a trace of feeling crept into his voice: “Speed is the soul of a military campaign. Dragging things out is not the answer, is it?”

“This is called preparation,” Zhù Ying said.

Hearing her say this, Wang Yunzhi knew he could press no further. In the end he could only say: “I have spoken rashly, failing to understand your lordship’s arrangements. My concern is only for the western frontier. I respectfully ask for your lordship’s enlightened understanding.”

Zhù Ying gave a small nod. “Come back tomorrow, all of you. I will make arrangements.”

As long as there were arrangements to be made, that was enough. Wang Yunzhi pressed down his feelings with some effort and departed.

Zhù Ying herself did not idle. She summoned the messengers and officers sent by the garrison commanders and questioned them about conditions at the front, then worked out the specific plans — laboring until midnight.

Early the next morning, Zhù Ying beat the drums to assemble all the commanders, and together they examined the sand table as she assigned each their upcoming tasks.

Zhù Ying first asked how much they each knew about the Western Tribes’ soldiers and about the current state of the frontier. Not many knew much. Most had a general sense that the two sides were engaged in battle, with their own side holding a defensive posture while the enemy pressed an offensive. Those who knew a little more were also aware that the Western Tribes did not usually sustain campaigns for long, making this prolonged grinding quite peculiar.

Zhù Ying said, “Because even with a scorched-earth defense, they have still come away with gains. Sangui, you explain.”

Sangui was one of the officers sent by the frontier garrison. His face was weathered, his skin the color of pale earth, stained as if by the windswept sand that filled the sky. He said, “They plundered…”

Tribal soldiers were soldiers like any others — campaigns required provisions, casualties required commensurate rewards. Kun Da Chi and his forces had grown ever more experienced; even their skills at storming fortifications had sharpened. Beyond the small gains they continuously extracted from villages and settlements, they had even sacked an entire city. Now they had mustered a great army to besiege a prefecture-level city, and the consumption of grain stores inside was alarming. It was fortunate that Yao Chen Ying had given this region serious attention and had stockpiled considerable provisions — otherwise, they would already be eating one another.

At the same time, the Western Tribes were picking off soft targets, steadily nibbling away at the smaller nearby fortifications. Of course, they had paid a price for this. The western frontier had long experience with them — these two sides were old acquaintances — and knew their tactics well enough. The garrison had not simply turtled up inside the city walls; there had been sorties, counterattacks, and pursuits as well.

On the whole, the Western Tribes’ losses and gains roughly balanced each other out. But for the western frontier, the situation was entirely different — because the war was being fought on western frontier soil. Under the devastation of war, whoever won, it was the local people who lost.

Sangui appealed earnestly to Zhù Ying: “My lord, please rescue the common people from this suffering without delay. If you send your forces now, we can coordinate a strike from both within and without. We can relieve the siege on the city and drive back the tribal chief. Otherwise, even if the walls hold, people will soon be trading children to eat.”

The younger officers listening showed expressions of righteous fury, and one after another they called for battle.

Zhù Ying said, “What is all this clamor? If everyone throws themselves forward at once without coordination, you will be trampling each other before the enemy even arrives. The western frontier troops are exhausted from prolonged fighting; the Imperial Guards have no experience. We will use the Imperial Guards first — start by stirring their fighting spirit! Lin Feng, go and draw the elite soldiers from each battalion. Sangui, you lead the way. Do not go to the prefecture city yet — first go and find a small detachment of tribal soldiers…”

Tribal soldiers regularly dispersed in small groups to plunder. Those were what Zhù Ying had her eye on first. Strike hard, hit something small, let the soldiers get a feel for combat and take a few blows. With Lin Feng’s experience and Sangui’s knowledge of the terrain, with well-prepared elites in superior numbers, they could guarantee a victory in the first engagement. But without battle experience, they were certain to take a beating too — which would keep them from growing overconfident.

Lin Feng asked no questions. He accepted the order and went.

The younger officers felt the engagement was too small, but since it was the first battle, they all clamored to volunteer, each claiming his own troops were the best-trained. Zhù Ying selected five of them, each bringing a few hundred of their men to join the force.

“The rest of you, observe.”

The battle was lively indeed.

From the start of the raid on the tribal soldiers, Sangui was already a little dissatisfied. These reinforcements looked spirited enough, yet they lacked a certain quality. There was a difference in bearing between those who had been on a battlefield and killed men and those who had never fought with real blades. Among Lin Feng’s indigenous troops, about half had that quality; the other half smelled just as fresh. The Imperial Guards were even more so. However undeniable their training — they were not at all slovenly — it showed.

During the actual assault on the tribal soldiers, only that same half of the indigenous troops showed real experience. The newcomers either charged recklessly or hesitated. And these fools had forgotten something — a raid does require shouting and battle cries to create a fearsome impression and unsettle the enemy, but timing matters enormously. The fools shouted too early, and gave the enemy warning.

Sangui was nearly beside himself with exasperation.

On the tribal side, the sight of so many men coming at them had been startling at first. In the past, small groups of their own had been surrounded and cut down in situations like this, but they were reluctant to abandon the plunder they had already gathered. Hesitating, the two sides clashed. The tribal soldiers were slightly at a disadvantage and began to be pushed back — but very quickly, they discovered the enemy’s hands were not so hard either.

In that case, they need not hold back!

On this side, Lin Feng and Sangui, both experienced, steadied the line and organized a counterattack. The two sides ended up fighting a see-sawing engagement in what had begun as a small skirmish, fierce beyond all expectation. Yet among those observing, about half could not follow what was happening at all — because when the two sides were locked in close combat, it was not a clean line with the enemy to the east and their own forces to the west, but an interlocking tangle of teeth. Those who could identify where the dividing line was had already passed half the test.

Zhù Ying simply called Zhù Tong by name and asked her to provide commentary.

Zhù Ying said to Wang Yunzhi, “They have no experience. That is why haste is not possible.”

Wang Yunzhi’s face and neck flushed red. “It was my ignorance.”

Zhù Ying said, “You’ve seen it now and you understand. Isn’t that enough? I have witnessed this kind of thing many times. You will come to understand it too, once you have seen it more.”

Then she led everyone back to camp, and waited for Lin Feng and the others to return with their spoils before beginning her assessment. The spoils were first sorted: anything seized from the common people was to be returned. Enemy captures could be kept and divided.

Those who had performed meritorious service were handsomely rewarded. Those who had committed offenses were punished.

Then the battle was reviewed and discussed. Those who had fought today rested; the others broke camp and prepared for the next engagement — which would again be a small-scale engagement. There was no immediate massing of the whole army to press on to the enemy’s main camp.

——

The tribal chief’s main camp had already received word that Zhù Ying was coming. The name “Zhù Ying” was not unfamiliar to them — they had crossed blades before, and afterward there had been ongoing dealings with the Southern Region.

Kun Da Chi said, “Everyone says she’s been made Chancellor again, and it turns out to be true. The emperor and ministers in the east have no sense — they didn’t want her before, now they’ve called her back, and she comes to fight at her age! Ha! Don’t panic. I know this person. She has never been one to charge ahead herself. She has always been cautious — she will not seek a decisive battle right away.”

He also issued orders to intensify the assault on the city, aiming to breach and loot the prefecture city before Zhù Ying could launch her offensive, then retreat swiftly and leave her with nothing for her trouble.

If she gave chase, there would be an ambush waiting in the rear column. Let’s see who outfights whom.

In the last war, Kun Da Chi believed he had never fought at full strength — at the time, he had other objectives. He had not expected that it would end up building Zhù Ying’s reputation. This time, Zhù Ying would have no such luck.

Kun Da Chi had launched this campaign entirely because the opportunity had seemed too good to pass up. A Hu envoy had reached an agreement with him: once the deed was done, the western frontier would be his to dispose of as he pleased. In any case, the imperial court would have no hand free to deal with him, and the Hu would not contest it with him. The Qi Prince had also tacitly approved his actions. He had also asked the Hu what they stood to gain from all this. The Hu envoy had simply smirked — of course they wanted women, children, and wealth.

Word from the tribal side: the emperor had indeed died, and his two sons were fighting over the throne. The struggle for succession was something Kun Da Chi knew well, and he considered this a genuine opportunity. So he found himself a pretext — his people being sold into slavery — and launched his attack.

The mutual selling of slaves across borders was common enough; even when states wished to stop it, some always slipped through. And in border territories, people were naturally mixed and difficult to account for.

Because the gains were great enough, Kun Da Chi, for all his years, had personally assembled a great army, which was why the tribal forces had been able to sustain their campaign for so long.

When he heard that Zhù Ying had arrived and was only fighting small engagements, Kun Da Chi said, “You see? This woman is exactly like this! Just as I expected — a woman fighting a war, how unsatisfying! It’s time she learned what a man’s way of fighting looks like!”

This prompted a round of bizarre laughter throughout the great tent.

When the laughter died down, they pressed harder on the city.

Inside the prefecture city, the siege had dragged on for quite some time. Fortunately, this was the western frontier, hardened by long experience — morale had not yet collapsed into despair, though the prefect and garrison commander were running rather short on temper. There were old-timers in the city who had said that Zhù Ying “in the old days” had always been considerate of the people — but considerate or not, where was she? Why hadn’t she shown up?

There were those who suspected that perhaps age had made her timid.

The catapults outside the walls hurled stones in over the top, and no one could say how many roof tiles had been shattered. Kun Da Chi personally directed the great army. His words were casual, but his heart harbored a degree of urgency. After all, Zhù Ying’s reputation for steadiness might mean he would come away with fewer gains. Better to grab what he could while he could.

Over seven days, three engagements were fought. The city walls had been damaged in places, and people were hauling stones from inside the city up to reinforce them for defense. The attackers, meanwhile, were repairing their siege machinery in preparation for the next assault.

The next day, both sides fought again — another inconclusive exchange of attack and defense.

At first, the garrison commander counted the days, but in the midst of the blinding confusion of battle he lost track and had to ask those around him before he knew how many days had passed.

On this particular day, the garrison commander had one arm in a sling around his neck, cursing Zhù Ying in his heart and Kun Da Chi with his mouth, giving commands between expletives: “Idiots! Don’t shoot yet, wait until they’re close! Who can aim at this range? After all this time, I still have to explain this?!”

From below the walls, horns sounded, and the tribal forces attacked again. The garrison commander cursed some more: “Can’t you be a proper set of savages? What are you doing constructing siege engines?”

While the deadlock held, in the distance, a great column of soldiers came advancing in silence, their mouths stuffed to prevent sound. Wang Yunzhi was a little excited. He wanted to speak, then felt embarrassed, so he poked the person next to him instead and hissed out a few syllables through his teeth: “Brother Shi…”

Shi Junya thought to himself: please, you are older than I am.

Zhù Ying watched the battle, and only when both sides were fully locked in a stalemate did she say, “Beat the drums!”

Zhù Tong charged forward on horseback at the head of the column: “Kill!”

Wang Yunzhi and Shi Junya both wanted to charge, but Zhù Ying shouted them back: “Don’t go stirring up more trouble right now! In a moment you’ll come with me to clear the field!”

Sangui had already been unable to restrain himself: “My lord! Let me go too!” He rushed forward right behind her, and as he ran he shouted that the relief army had arrived — shouting it in two languages.

The two forces became entangled with each other, and those without experience could no longer tell who was who.

Half a day later, the setting sun bled red across the sky. Kun Da Chi cast one regretful glance at the banner bearing the character “Zhù” and gave the order to pull back twenty li and make camp.

——

The prefect and garrison commander led their people out to welcome them. The common people who had hastily tidied their homes also crowded out in a great mass to watch the relief army.

The garrison commander was no longer cursing. He smiled and gave his thanks, with a burst of flattery polished to a gleaming finish: “Worthy of the Chancellor’s name — people here have been saying since before our arrival that thirty years ago, your lordship’s might shook the western frontier. Now that you’ve come, we are saved!”

Zhù Ying said, “It is also the dedication of the soldiers and the common heart of the people. Enough pleasantries — let us establish our camp first.”

The prefect was startled: “You are not entering the city?”

Zhù Ying said, “I certainly intend to go comfort the people, but your city cannot hold the whole army. Going forward, more reinforcements will be arriving. I need to remain in command at the main camp.”

At once she set about marking out the encampment, assigning positions to the various army units, attending to the wounded, and a host of other tasks. Only when dusk was settling did Zhù Ying enter the city to hold a council with the prefect and garrison commander.

First, the two of them briefed her on the situation. The city had held out this long at no small cost and was in urgent need of resupply. Not only common people, but also officials had fallen in great numbers, as had men of fighting age. They hoped to drive the Western Tribes away as soon as possible so that production could begin to recover.

Zhù Ying said, “I have already ordered the prefects and governors of the various prefectures and counties to come and see me. We will discuss those matters after they arrive. For now, several immediate concerns—”

Local wounded soldiers would be rotated to rest, with veteran soldiers taking charge of her new recruits. She then assigned tasks to the prefect: to comfort the people of the city, take stock of household registrations, losses, and remaining supplies, so that goods could be distributed according to need. Before the other relief forces converged, there could be no mishaps.

The prefect’s beard had gone untrimmed for two months and was a tangled mess. He stroked it absently and said, “I fear it will be difficult to calculate all at once.”

“Jiang Zhen, Zhao Ji, Xiao Fu… Wang Yunzhi, stop standing there watching — come and work! Shi Junya, you go with Lin Feng and Zhù Tong to make rounds of the camp.”

That same evening, Zhù Tong and Lin Feng led troops in a raid on the enemy camp — a swift charge, a fire set, and they were gone before the enemy could react! Kun Da Chi had just said Zhù Ying was a cautious person, yet here she was barely arrived and already striking him twice across the face. His face stinging with fury, he sent troops in pursuit.

By then Zhù Tong and her people had long since fled. The pursuing soldiers could only follow the distant glow of the flames and think: we’ll never catch them. We’ll turn around at the city walls and go back. We’ll just say they were afraid and ran.

But at that moment a sudden whistle rang out from nowhere, and then arrows came flying from all four directions at once.

Kun Da Chi had taken a third blow.

This actually calmed him down. He gave the order to pull back another twenty li, then sent out scouts. He was a man of long military experience himself, and had no intention of leaving easily. He had besieged this city for a long time and was nearly through the walls!

He also had another thought — you have all come here to defend this place, which means elsewhere it is unguarded. Perhaps he should go and have a look.

The tribal forces withdrew, and the city erupted in cheers. Zhù Ying sent out scouts and, learning that the enemy had not gone far, issued orders to keep a close watch on them. She then asked the garrison commander, “Among your prisoners, are there any who belong to the forces of Kun Da Chi’s princes?”

The garrison commander shook his head: “No.” There had been very few prisoners — generally they were killed on the spot.

In the end, it was among the Imperial Guards’ prisoners that a few were found. Lin Feng spoke with them and confirmed they were followers of Kun Da Chi’s eldest son.

Zhù Ying ordered them released, on the condition that they carry a letter back to their homeland and deliver it to the eldest prince.

The letter was again drafted by Liu Kun, in both languages, its meaning sharper than a blade: Your father’s retreat is now cut off — nothing else need be done. Without food, his great army will starve. I want him to die — that goes without saying — and his death would benefit you as well. The nobles and powerful men who follow him would be finished, leaving you to take command and be free of their constraints. By the way, let me tell you a story: this is precisely what your father once did to your uncle. And you have younger brothers, don’t you? Your father has kept one close by his side, hasn’t he? If your father were to die on the battlefield, what do you suppose would happen?

Let me offer you one more piece of advice: if you are a filial child, bring this letter to your father. He will certainly be most fond of you for it. Every father — even one who has slaughtered his own brothers — is supremely confident that his sons will obey him without a second thought.

The letter and the men were sent off.

The contents of the letter were unknown to the others. All they knew was that the battlefield fell into a strange stillness.

The restless young officers gathered together again to seek out Zhù Ying and request battle. Leading them was Jin Biao’s son, Jin Dahai. This young man, owing to his family’s ties, often said a few foolish things in Zhù Ying’s presence without restraint. He had read more books than his father Jin Biao, but as it turned out he had no particular gift for them and had taken the path of an inherited military post.

Jin Dahai was just approaching the entrance of the tent when he heard Zhù Ying’s voice inside saying, “Everyone says I fight in an unsatisfying way — too complicated, too clever. What do they know?! In matters of state and war, there are no satisfying shortcuts!

One must learn coordination and not rely on the valor of soldiers alone. When people speak of military commanders, they always set them against civil officials as opposites — but it is not that way. Civil and military should be one body, working in concert; when they do, the effect is extraordinary. Of course, civil officials and military commanders each have their own interests, but a person of true vision should not fix their eyes on only one point.

To win a battle, neither side can be lacking. All of you should copy out the Art of War for me — that work… you should find it quite manageable to copy.”

Jin Dahai did not entirely understand, but he grasped that charging forward to capture the tribal chief personally was out of the question. He slunk away.

Zhù Ying was not actually speaking to him. It was Zhù Qingxue and Zhao Ji who had come to report to her that some people were getting restless and itching to act. Wang Yunzhi and others were present too, which was why Zhù Ying had offered these reflections.

Zhù Ying also felt a mild sense of frustration. If the Marquis Zheng or the Marquis Leng had been here, none of this would have needed explanation. But these younger and middle-aged men — this kind of understanding was simply lacking in them. Some had read too little, and some actively avoided books, barely able to recognize characters; for them, absorbing a lesson like this was all the more difficult.

People like Wang Yunzhi and Shi Junya understood the principles well enough, but they were civil officials, not quite rooted in practical reality, and found it hard to speak on equal terms with military commanders, especially lower-ranking officers. The moment they opened their mouths, those officers found them affected and ignorant of hardship; they maintained polite faces on the surface but tuned out their lecturing entirely.

Then there were some who had famous generals as ancestors and currently held military posts — half-and-half, caught between two worlds, and so genuinely inferior to either side.

Zhù Ying could only teach as much as could be taught.

But she could not let the soldiers sit idle indefinitely either. She issued orders for her own troops to hold the front line and face the tribal forces directly, while the nearby reinforcements camped behind her, which would prevent the enemy from striking while the newly arrived forces had not yet found their footing.

Only when all the troops had assembled did Zhù Ying redeploy her formations.

Then she had Liu Kun write another proclamation to Kun Da Chi, reproving him bluntly: How is it you again? Did we not agree to make peace? Why have you come back? Are you asking for a beating?

All you think about is exploiting other people’s losses when their father has just died — have you considered that you also have sons? How old are you exactly?

Every father believes he holds sufficient authority that his sons will obey him without question, with never a disloyal thought. But I hear that every father hopes his sons will be just like him. Think carefully about what you did in your own time — if your sons all take after you, especially if they take after you most faithfully…

Kun Da Chi was livid and shot back his own insults: You — a woman with no husband and no sons — should mind your own affairs before speaking of other people’s fathers and sons! You have no heirs either!

Zhù Ying replied directly: I have the Southern Region. You are about to have nothing at all. Your sons may not obey you — but Qingjun bears the Zhù name and answers only to me.

While she made her preparations here, Kun Da Chi was not idle either — he also reorganized his forces, and both sides settled into a standoff. First there were small skirmishes, more than ten engagements of various sizes, with mixed results. Zhù Ying began concentrating her forces and gradually clearing out the tribal soldiers who had infiltrated across the border, while the tribal forces stopped operating in small detachments and consolidated around Kun Da Chi.

At last, in the eleventh month, the two sides fought a great battle.

Kun Da Chi divided his forces into three columns, no longer pressing against the city walls — his sole aim was to annihilate the fresh army outside. But Zhù Ying’s new recruits had become seasoned veterans by now. They held firm against the enemy’s assault while Zhù Ying kept her center division in place as bait. Zhù Tong and Lin Feng were in ambush; the Imperial Guards and western frontier forces formed the two flanks.

Midway through the battle, snow began to fall. In the end, when half a foot of snow had accumulated, both sides finally disengaged. Kun Da Chi had gained nothing and had lost considerable numbers of troops. The weather had also turned bitterly cold and his soldiers lacked warm clothing and food, while Zhù Ying’s side was well-provisioned. This infuriated Kun Da Chi to the point of swearing that when he returned home, he would execute the border officers who had sold thick furs to Zhù Ying.

Then came peace negotiations.

The envoys went back and forth many times. On Kun Da Chi’s side, all responsibility was shifted onto the Hu envoy: We had an alliance agreement. A friend’s family was in trouble, so I came to help. The Hu envoy said the Qi Prince was the elder son and that he naturally had to support him. I only recently learned that your Empress Dowager says the Qi Prince is actually the one in the wrong. In that case, of course I listen to the elder.

On Zhù Ying’s side, she continued to berate Kun Da Chi for perfidy: Count up for yourself how many times you have gone back on your word!

The exchanges continued. In the end, Kun Da Chi’s side said: Very well — perhaps I should simply stay here with you and wait to see what becomes of the Qi Prince and the Hu. Keep your great army on guard against me.

Both sides yielded ground. Kun Da Chi demanded that the Southern Region not join the court in a joint attack on the Western Tribes; Zhù Ying demanded that Kun Da Chi continue to acknowledge the court’s authority as a vassal, submit a memorial of apology, and hand the Hu envoy over to her.

Both sides wrangled further, and as the New Year approached, Kun Da Chi grew impatient and finally agreed.

Yet Zhù Ying did not immediately petition the court for permission to withdraw. Instead she remained personally in command, watching as Kun Da Chi’s great army slowly retreated. Only early in the following year, when word came that Kun Da Chi’s own household had erupted into internal strife, did she lead her forces back to the capital.

——

All told, nearly a year had passed. Zhù Ying had finally returned!

Chen Fang let out a long breath of relief as well. In recent times, the position of Minister of Revenue had been truly unfit for a human being to hold — two military campaigns burning through money, not even counting the state’s ordinary income and expenditure. At last, this particular drain of funds could stop.

Zhù Ying, however, would not allow him too much ease. Returning with her was a list of death benefits and rewards. Whatever Zhù Ying did, she never treated those below her harshly — those who had committed offenses were certainly punished, but those who had performed meritorious service received corresponding promotions and rewards without fail. If the court did not agree, she would argue on behalf of those under her.

Zhù Ying went directly before the Emperor, presenting him with the list. “Your Majesty, these are the young people about your age. These ones are somewhat older, steady and mature, and currently in their prime. In the days ahead, both defending the borders and protecting the people will require their efforts.”

The Emperor appeared increasingly gaunt and haggard. He said listlessly, “It is not that I am unwilling, but the north is not yet pacified…”

“It is precisely for this reason that we must set an example for the north, to let them know the court will not fail its meritorious soldiers. Furthermore, these men’s fathers and elder brothers were all my old associates who entrusted them to me. I ask myself — how old am I? How long can I look after them? It would be better to release them early. Your Majesty, these men were only brought back into service last year, with clean records. I would like to transfer them into your care.”

The Emperor’s heart beat rapidly; the color in his face grew deeper and deeper, and he broke into violent coughing. “Cough, cough!”

Chen Fang had to admit it — standing in opposition to Zhù Ying was genuinely miserable.

The Emperor agreed. The Chancellor agreed. But where was the money to come from?

Chen Fang went to the Council of State and sat down on the floor, refusing to get up. “You must give me a solution.”

Zhù Ying crouched down beside him and said, “The palace is spending too much money.”

“Hiss—”

Zhù Ying murmured in his ear, “Let me find someone to have them denounce the two palaces and the Emperor for their extravagance on behalf of the Qi Prince. Won’t the money be saved then?” All those grand celebrations the palace had been planning — skip them, every one! And what need was there for so many palace maids and eunuchs? Trim the numbers, save the money.

While she was at it, Zhù Ying also glanced at Shi Jixing. The Court of Judicial Review could stand to have a few fat hogs dragged out and slaughtered as well.

That would certainly do!

Chen Fang also kept his voice low: “Who?”

Zhù Ying thought to herself: Liu Kun, of course. Who else do I have around me?

Chen Fang got up from the floor and muttered, “These are all clever tricks, temporary fixes. What truly needs to be done is to increase revenue — suppress land mergers, re-register the population, and only then will the state genuinely recover.” As he said it, he actually seemed genuinely distressed.

Wang Shuliang had been watching it all. While the two of them had been whispering to each other, he had observed the proprieties and heard nothing. Now, hearing Chen Fang’s lament, he said, “Now that is what a true official looks like! A pity that the efforts to suppress land mergers have been interrupted so many times. With the chaos in the north still unsettled, we must wait until the north reports victory before taking that matter in hand.”

Zhù Ying said, “Even then, preparations must come first. Does the court intend to walk in and suppress land mergers with nothing but a single sheet of paper?”

“Of course preparations are needed, of course,” Chen Fang said, “and we will need people to do it!”

This touched Wang Shuliang’s sorest point. He and Shi Jixing had made a start, but the talent had not yet been cultivated. He asked Zhù Ying, “What ideas might you have?”

Zhù Ying spread both hands open.

Before her departure south all those years ago, she had made her preparations — but a pity, thirty years had passed since. Even those hoe handles had likely rotted away by now.

“During the nearly a year in the western frontier, there were a few promising individuals — but they are nowhere near sufficient for what is needed there. That region is devastated and has suffered repeated warfare; it cannot be lightly abandoned. They are better left there to be of use. As for the rest — put your efforts into it.”

Wang Shuliang stamped his foot in frustration. “I blame myself for not being resolute enough in my younger years, for not daring to take on responsibility.”

Zhù Ying said, “It has already begun — let us not speak of the past…”

The three were still in conversation when someone came running, pale-faced, to find Chen Fang. Chen Meng was critically ill; Madam Chen was asking Zhù Ying to come as well.

Wang Shuliang said, “In that case, go quickly! Leave the ministry’s affairs for now.”

Chen Fang clasped his hands in a bow and turned to leave, tripped on his own feet, and fell! Zhù Ying caught him in time, but had underestimated his weight and only managed to keep his face from hitting the floor directly.

Zhù Ying said, “I’ll see him there.”

Wang Shuliang nodded.

Chen Fang in this state was a danger on horseback. Zhù Ying called a carriage and bundled him into it, and together they returned to the Chen family residence. Madam Chen was at the bedside. Hearing that her son had arrived, she immediately asked, “Is the Chancellor here?”

Zhù Ying said, “I’m here.”

Madam Chen gestured for her son to go see his father, then drew close to Zhù Ying and whispered, “This old wretch looks like he has lost his senses — his eyes are glassy. He absolutely insists on seeing you, says there is something he must ask. If he rambles, please do not take any of it to heart.”

Zhù Ying nodded. Chen Fang then came to ask Zhù Ying to go in and speak. Both mother and son were quite puzzled — what would Chen Meng want to say? If he intended to entrust his sons and grandchildren to someone’s care, that had already been done, and need not be repeated; Zhù Ying was also a person of genuine integrity.

Zhù Ying stood at Chen Meng’s bedside and leaned down. Chen Meng’s hand reached out and groped blindly in the air. With great effort, he rasped, “In the end… which one was it?”

Chen Fang thought to himself: the Crown Prince? Already established. The next Chancellor? Who would it be?

Madam Chen’s brow was still tightly knitted when she heard Zhù Ying say, “Whichever one it was — they are living very well.”

Madam Chen’s face went white as ash; her legs gave way beneath her. Chen Fang lunged forward again to support her: “Mother, what is wrong?”

Chen Meng stared rigidly at the canopy above him. His head fell to one side. He was dead.

Zhù Ying let out a quiet sigh. “First son, submit the memorial. Sister-in-law, call back your second son and the others.”

Madam Chen said, “What? What! Oh.”

Chen Fang had to go write the memorial. Zhù Ying walked out with him, saying, “The Office of Foreign Reception — I will put in a word for you there. As for your mourning leave, do not hesitate. While I am still in the Council of State, I will keep watch over things for your family for three years. I will be watching when you return to your post.”

Chen Fang clasped his hands in a bow. “Many, many thanks, Honored… Aunt…”

He suddenly stopped himself and asked, “Just now, my father’s words — were they related to an ‘aunt’? He always had us pay our respects to two aunts, and my mother knew as well? I…”

“You need not ask her about it — she may not wish to bring the matter up. Go ask the Feng family instead. In those days, one of their loyal servants had quite a reputation.”

“I understand…”

——

There was still Chen Meng’s matter for Zhù Ying to attend to, but this was relatively straightforward — she submitted her own condolence gifts and arrangements and had the Office of Foreign Reception put in the proper care. With the position of Minister of Revenue now vacant, Wang Shuliang asked Zhù Ying to keep an eye on the Ministry in the interim. Now Zhù Ying could cut palace expenses herself, without needing Chen Fang’s cooperation.

For the moment, only one major matter remained: the Qi Prince.

Zhù Ying had no intention of going north personally. With Chen Fang on mourning leave, she could not leave now either — and besides, Yao Chen Ying had been in the north long enough to gradually stabilize the situation. For her to go there now would be to steal his credit, which would not do. Better to handle things from the rear: dispatching Yao Jingxia and his people north would also be fulfilling an old wish of his…

Having organized all these matters in her mind, she returned to the Council of State. Shi Jixing had also gotten wind of things and arrived; the three of them put their heads together and reorganized the affairs of the court.

Shi Jixing had no objection to slaughtering a few fat hogs, so the three quickly aligned their approach, drew up memorials, and put their proposals before the Emperor once more. Wang Shuliang held the brush. Zhù Ying said, “By the way — your children and younger relatives, I will be making free use of them. If the Ministry of Revenue needs minding, I must have hands to help. If they go home complaining that all they do is a copyist’s work, or that they calculate accounts day in and day out — you are not to take their side.”

Both men said, “Of course not, of course not. You have full authority to put them through their paces.”

Chen Meng’s passing had left all three of them with a touch of sorrow, and yet speaking of affairs of state as they were, their mood could not honestly be called poor. Wang Shuliang finished writing the memorial: “Both of you, come have a look. If there are no mistakes, let us sign. Then we can deliberate further — I was thinking of the old days, when my father and the two former Chancellors Shi and Chen once worked to nurture talent for the state. The blessing of even gaining one son worthy of passing on what they built would be immense. Ought we not to follow in the footsteps of our predecessors? Even if we only find a few officials of Jiang Zheng’s caliber…”

Shi Jixing also agreed it was well. Zhù Ying said, “If you have made up your minds, I naturally concur.”

The three exchanged a glance and smiled. Then, from deep within the palace, a vague commotion reached them — the Grand Empress Dowager was dead.

Well now, that saves another sum of money as well — no need to denounce her after all. Zhù Ying thought to herself.

The three hurried to see the Emperor and found his eyes red with tears, looking as though he had no wish to economize on his grandmother’s funeral.

Shi Jixing said to the Emperor, “Chen Meng has also passed away. Chen Fang is on mourning leave, and the Ministry of Revenue currently has no one in charge. We have deliberated and propose that Zi Zhang take temporary charge.”

The Emperor looked toward Zhù Ying, his voice thick with feeling. “As for the Grand Empress Dowager’s funeral rites…”

Zhù Ying cut him off. “Did the Grand Empress Dowager leave any final words?”

“She told me to govern diligently and love the people, to be an enlightened ruler. To treat my brothers well, and to be filial to my mother…”

“Were any of these written down?”

“By the time she spoke she was barely breathing — how could she have had the strength to write?”

Zhù Ying said, “In that case, perhaps she had not yet finished speaking. Consider this: a person lives out their whole life, and at the end it is the younger generations they think of — they must be settled and secure, continuing on in an unbroken line. First is the family she married into, second the family of her birth. Every virtuous consort has always restrained her own relatives, ever fearing they would break the law after her death, that the law would show no leniency. Although she did not mention her own natal family, you should attend to that yourself. The late elder lady was troubled by the Qi Prince’s lack of filial piety and his harm to his own brothers — was she not? Please summon Madam Yue to the palace. She is of the Yue clan; it would be perfectly reasonable to say the Grand Empress Dowager asked her to transcribe her final words. If this is rendered into a proper written document to glorify the Grand Empress Dowager’s virtue, would that not demonstrate Your Majesty’s filial heart?”

The Emperor stopped weeping!

In the end, the Grand Empress Dowager’s funeral rites were also conducted “with frugality” — written explicitly into her own final decree.

——

Zhù Ying had calculated it: this single saving alone would be enough to make the rewards for the meritorious soldiers generous, without having to squeeze funds from elsewhere.

That evening it was Wang Shuliang’s turn to keep vigil at the palace. Zhù Ying returned home in good spirits and received another piece of welcome news.

The news came from the Southern Region. Since Zhù Ying had been appointed Chancellor, the number of people making their way to the Southern Region had increased, and their caliber was noticeably higher.

In particular, the number of women had increased as well.

Liu Ao was in the process of preparing for a new round of civil examinations.

Zhù Ying showed the letter to Liu Kun and said, “Are you busy?”

“Still managing,” Liu Kun said modestly.

“Then take the afternoon off. Go and sit with Madam Yue for a while. Relax a little. What comes next, we will be very busy — too busy for you to rest.”