Rebellion

"Young Master!"

Xin Yi had his hands behind his head, lying on a haystack, basking in the sun. Hearing the voice calling him, he merely stretched out a hand and waved it in mid-air, indicating his presence. His hand was still wrapped in gauze, making it quite conspicuous as it swayed in the air.

"Huzi is calling for dinner." Meng Chen patted the bits of straw off his robe and said, "It's time for your medicine change too."

Xin Yi flipped over and jumped down, shaking off the debris from his shoulders, and walked back with Meng Chen.

This pasture raised Rouhui horses, and several dogs were running loose. Seeing Xin Yi about to leave, they immediately affectionately crowded around him, all jostling for position, waiting to be fed.

"Greedy!" Meng Chen patted one of the dogs on the head and said, "If you want meat, go out and get it yourself."

The dog stuck out its tongue, wagging its tail relentlessly, unsure if it understood or not.

Meng Chen chuckled in exasperation, "'Young Master' is all you see, just waiting for rabbit meat." He then turned to Xin Yi and said, "Once we leave in a couple of days, they'll have to behave."

Xin Yi also laughed, "They really should train more; they couldn't even stop Chiye last night." As he spoke, he leaned down and scratched one of the dogs under the chin, "'Watch the field well.'" Chiye was now running freely, and these dogs stubbornly refused to go near it, let alone stop it.

Speaking of rabbit meat, Xu Qingniang really did roast some rabbit meat this afternoon. Xin Yi and Meng Chen followed the scent into the courtyard. Xu Hu hadn't returned from his patrol yet, but Xu Qingniang had already prepared everything and was waiting.

"Young Master and Old Brother Meng, please eat first." The bells on Xu Qingniang's waist jingled. Ever since Xin Yi saved her, she had been making even more varied dishes. "Huzi doesn't know when he'll be back, so I warmed a portion for him and left it on the stove. You two eat first."

Xin Yi and Meng Chen didn't stand on ceremony; they had long been salivating at the aroma of the roast meat. The three chatted a bit while eating, and before long, Xu Hu also returned. After everyone finished eating, with nothing else to do at noon, Xin Yi had his medicine changed and then felt drowsy, staying in his room.

They couldn't stay in Rouhui for many more days; Jingdu had already sent people to urge them. Xin Yi decided to leave the day after tomorrow, heading from Rouhui to Lijin, bypassing the Prince of Yan's Manor, and going directly through Xiajin and Dezhou back to Jingdu. Beiyang and Shanyin were quite far apart, and he had no reason to take such a large detour, so he had to give up on that for now.

Just as he was drowsy, Xu Hu suddenly pounded on the door, startling Xin Yi and giving him a headache. Opening the door, he saw Xu Hu exclaim anxiously, "Young Master, that person is dead!"

Xin Yi's sleepy face changed, and he said he'd go take a look.

Of the people who abducted Xu Qingniang that day, only the leader was left alive; the rest had vanished without a trace. But even though this man had fallen into enemy hands, he remained unyielding, not saying a word, not confessing anything.

The person was in the Rouhui prison. By the time Xin Yi arrived, the body had already been carried out. Meng Chen squatted down, lifted the cloth, and, pinching the man's jaw, said solemnly to Xin Yi, "He bit his tongue to commit suicide."

"Not too early, not too late, but at this exact moment." Xin Yi frowned, "Who was on guard last night?"

Xu Hu said, "I was guarding the door; no one else came in, and no messages were passed. This morning he still seemed somewhat spirited. When I came to check on him again after lunch, he was already dead."

Xin Yi's eyelids began to twitch. He inexplicably felt that something was wrong, but couldn't pinpoint what. A premonition-like feeling swelled in his chest; he felt something was about to happen.

"Uncle Meng." He suddenly turned around, "Prepare water, we're leaving now!"

Meng Chen was startled and followed him. Xu Hu also chased after him, asking, "Is Young Master returning to Jingdu?"

"Jingdu is useless." Xin Yi quickly exited the prison and said, "First, to Lijin."

Chiye would come out at a whistle, and Xu Qingniang had prepared water and food bundles. Even without knowing why they had to leave immediately, Meng Chen didn't question it for a moment.

Xin Yi hurried towards Lijin, constantly urging his horse onward, the unease in his chest still troubling him.

The Great Yuan man died.

Why die at this particular moment? If it wasn't an instruction given after imprisonment, then he must have received news earlier. Great Yuan wanted to eliminate all evidence, cleaning itself up at this seemingly ordinary time, unless it feared being implicated in something that Jingdu would discover prematurely. Chagatai had only just married the princess and become Great Lan's son-in-law; not even a year had passed. Why was he in such a hurry?

Who was coercing and enticing him?

Or was someone making the first move, forcing him to also mobilize his pieces?

Chiye ran all night. In the morning, the two rested briefly, then started running again. It wasn't until the afternoon of the next day that they reached Lijin.

The moment Xin Yi saw Ji Baiyue, he first asked, "What movements have there been in Jiangtang recently?"

Ji Baiyue was slightly surprised, "Prince of Tang's side? Autumn is approaching, and he needs to monitor the grain harvest. Recently, I heard that last year's levee breach caused this year's harvest to be worse than previous years, so he bought three boatloads of grain from Xuhang."

Xuhang?

The sudden playback of the annual meeting's explosion flashed before his eyes.

Xin Yi said, "No matter how good Xuhang's harvest is, it can't fill Jiangtang's granaries. Where did Yan Jueshu get the grain from?" He exchanged glances with Meng Chen and Ji Baiyue, suddenly recalling Wu Yu's mention of the Xuhang business.

"Wu Yu only sells grain to him." Seeing Xin Yi's troubled expression, Ji Baiyue feared he disliked Wu Yu's illicit private business. "Xiajin currently has the most land, but fewer people. If the grain is left to rot in the granaries, the imperial court won't provide subsidies. It can only be sold off, which can also provide some money for the people below."

"Does Yan Jueshu do business with Shangjin?"

"He does." Ji Baiyue frowned, "Although this person comes from the Hanlin Academy and is an official, the businesses he handles are diverse. He even dares to get involved in official salt."

Yan Jueshu, Jiangtang, Shangjin, Great Yuan.

A clear line of connection could be drawn on a map, revealing the scheme. Yan Jueshu, taking advantage of the needs of the Crown Prince, Prince of Tang, and Chagatai, resold goods among the three parties. He used money to open up the Shangjin trade route for the Crown Prince, secretly dealt in gunpowder with the Prince of Tang, and finally profited immensely from Great Yuan through the trade route. He also bought surplus grain from various places at high prices and hoarded it, as if fearing the world wouldn't descend into chaos. He likely just waited for the three parties to erupt in conflict, so he could then make tens of millions more from military provisions and equipment!

To sow chaos in the world with money, and then drive the world with money—this person was truly terrifying and formidable.

Xin Yi held his teacup, silent for a few moments, the unease in his heart intensifying. What the Prince of Tang was plotting almost slipped out.

However, just then, a message rapidly delivered from outside exceeded Xin Yi's expectations.

As dusk fell, the messenger knelt on the ground and said urgently.

"Young Master, General, Sun Baiping of Dezhou has rebelled!"

The scar on Ji Baiyue's brow bone twitched. He exclaimed in shock, "Sun Baiping?"

Sun Baiping dared to rebel!

Dezhou was located near Xiajin, which was so poor it only had empty land. It was a small area with few people, and Sun Baiping himself was a coward; normally, when he came to Jingdu, he wouldn't even dare to let out a fart while standing in a crowd. How dare he rebel? How could he rebel?! Dezhou's local troops were no more than ten thousand; Xiajin could crush him in his cradle if it merely showed its head. How dared he rebel?

Was he instigated, or coerced?

Jiangtang and Xuhang were like fish bones stuck in Xin Yi's throat, making him unable to swallow. His thoughts had been entirely focused on these two places, but now he was told that Dezhou was rebelling. The feeling he had at that moment was subtle, yet the taut string within him tightened even more. He even began to speculate if this was a prelude by the Prince of Tang, or a diversion created by Yan Jueshu.

"Prince of Pingding has two more messages for the Young Master!" The person on the ground looked up, his gaze burning, "The Young Master can return to Jingdu immediately; His Highness awaits the Young Master's return home in Jingdu. The Young Master can also stay in Beiyang, immediately gather the Beiyang Army from the Three Jins to stand ready. In two days, the enfeoffment will arrive!"

Ji Baiyue suddenly stood up, "Enfeoffment..." He looked at Xin Yi, "Prince of Yan!"

This title was like a fire, erupting violently in his chest, sending a gripping tremor through his fingertips. Xin Yi bit his lip, recalling Bai Jiu's hand pressed on his shoulder, telling him repeatedly.

'Don't lose your head.'

'Don't be impatient.'

"This is a beginning." The voice, seemingly still echoing in his ear, 'You can walk back, step by step.'

"Mobilize the troops of the Three Jins." In just a few moments, Xin Yi looked up again and said calmly, "Assemble the Beiyang Army."

This was just the beginning; the path had already appeared amidst the misty mountains. He had once thought he would never be able to tread it, until Bai Jiu helped him up, allowing him to choose either a flat main road or a perilous thorny path. No matter which day it was, this person was waiting for him to return home.

The Prince of Ping was dead, but there were still people alive.

Xin Yi took a step, firmly planting his foot on the step.

The sky had darkened, and the starlight was faint.

"I've made my choice."

He murmured softly, unsure who he was speaking to.

The fire leaped to his fingertips, but Bai Jiu seemed to feel nothing. The newly arrived letter had turned to ash. He rubbed the dust from his fingertips and said casually to Old Qu on the side, "Let's have sweet potatoes for dinner tonight."

Old Qu squinted with a smile, "You've been having them for several days now."

Bai Jiu wiped his fingers clean on a handkerchief and smiled, "'I just like this taste.'"

Old Qu chuckled, "Our Young Master likes this taste too."

"He's still growing; what doesn't he like to eat?" Bai Jiu leaned against the soft cushion, casually flipping through the files Xin Yi used to read. "But I like him just the way he is; whatever he likes, I'll give him." Old Qu gathered up the ashes that had just burned. Then, he heard his lord suddenly change the subject and say, "Sun Baiping's granddaughter married well."

Old Qu smiled, "Indeed, she's Lord Yan's nineteenth concubine, quite prominent."

"Nineteenth concubine." Bai Jiu turned a page and saw his Young Master's annotation at the bottom of the file, where "Nonsense" was meticulously written. He immediately burst into laughter, saying, "Yan Jueshu, this person, is indeed too nonsensical."

He wanted both the world's wealth and the world's power.

Too greedy, even dogs couldn't stand it.

When stray dogs are starving, they'll snatch anything. If you want to deal with one, you have to beat it soundly until it tucks its tail and runs away. But if you don't beat it hard enough, you'll inevitably be bitten by it.

Yan Jueshu dreamed of several vicious dogs chasing and biting him. When he awoke, the soft curtains carried a powdery fragrance, and he could still feel the warm, soft, jade-like body lying beside him. He sat up; the man with disheveled hair was still very young.

He had a captivating and alluring face. If he were a little thinner, he would be the spitting image of a charming, graceful girl. It was just that this 'girl's' preferences weren't quite right; the entire room was filled with glittering gold. He loved gold, and only gold.

Even his wives and concubines had to be plump, like gold ingots, to catch his eye.

His nineteenth concubine on one side was sleeping soundly, and no one paid him any attention even after he had been awake for a long time. The disgusting image of the drooling dog was still in his mind. A surge of anger blocked his chest; unable to sleep, he pushed aside the person lying next to him, got out of bed, put on his clothes, and poured himself some water to drink.

What to do when you can't sleep?

Count money, of course.

Yan Jueshu hugged out the money box he kept in this room. It was full of money; gold, silver, and copper were all thrown together, and he didn't dislike any of them. He just hugged the box and counted with satisfaction. He was exceptionally good at accounting and counting, rarely making mistakes. A ledger would pass before his eyes, and he would remember it perfectly; he'd even know if a single copper coin was missing.

But he simply enjoyed counting them one by one, tirelessly, never growing bored.

There was one strange thing, though: for someone who loved gold so much, the object around his neck wasn't gold, but a piece of agate, mottled with various colors, and worthless. He would only be happy if he was counting money while also clutching this agate.

He kept counting until dawn. Then, someone outside brought a letter saying that Lord Xie Jingsheng of Qingping had sent him a gift. He ordered it brought up to see. Before he could even drink his tea, he saw a servant leading a fierce, menacing large dog rushing over.

The lingering effect of last night's dream was still present. His hand trembled, scalding his hand with tea. Servants on the side immediately cried out and started wiping it, but only he let out a cold laugh, pushed away the bothersome concubine, and stared fixedly at the dog.

'Did Bai Jiu think a mere dog could scare him? Forget about Beiyang or Jingdu dogs; even the one on the dragon throne, he regarded as a drowning dog!'

"Send three more boatloads of goods to Jiangtang." Yan Jueshu wiped his reddened, scalded hand and sneered, "Send the good stuff."