Chapter 40 Believers Meet

Chapter 40: The Meeting of Followers

As the system finished speaking, Chu Jiubian saw a figure fall from the mist.

It was a free fall, without the slightest struggle—truly out cold.

The golden phoenix swept in from the sky just in time, catching the person steadily.

The airflow from its flight ruffled the young man’s voluminous long hair, making him frown uncomfortably.

“Someone,” he mumbled, eyes still shut, rubbing his arms, “close the window.”

A clear phoenix cry answered him.

Wang Qichen paused his motion, then suddenly opened his eyes and sat up, not a trace of drunkenness in his eyes.

Before him were hazy clouds, and beneath him, a huge golden phoenix.

Was this… a dream?

Wang Qichen’s vigilance relaxed, and the drunkenness washed over him again, though it was slightly milder now, and his drowsiness had vanished.

He looked around—nothing but clouds, nothing particularly remarkable.

But the phoenix beneath him, with its layers of soft, smooth golden feathers, felt warm to the touch and remarkably lifelike.

His vision swayed slightly as the phoenix flapped its long wings, diving downward and breaking through the cloud cover.

Wang Qichen quickly leaned forward and clung to the phoenix, but as it swooped toward a white jade floor, he let go and leapt nimbly from its back.

He possessed some lightness skill.

With its rider gone, the phoenix changed course, soaring upward, its golden tail trailing behind, until it disappeared into the clouds.

After jumping off, Wang Qichen landed right on the back of the only chair in the entire Divine Realm.

Stumbling, he fell with a thud beneath the long table.

Chu Jiubian: “......”

He asked the system in his mind, “Wasn’t he supposed to enter in a mental state? Why is he like this?”

“Host, alcohol affects the brain and can also influence followers in a mental state.”

Great.

Chu Jiubian rubbed his temples, eyeing the white jade table.

After a moment, a hand reached up from under the table, gripping the edge.

The young man struggled to climb out and slumped into the seat.

His forehead pressed against the cool jade table, and his hazy thoughts gradually cleared.

Wang Qichen finally sat up straight, leaning back against the chair.

His eyes swept across the surroundings—the vast, pure white space, the clouds that seemed almost alive—all dreamlike and illusory.

A sweet scent of plum blossoms drifted into his nostrils. Wang Qichen looked ahead and saw red plum blossoms swaying faintly behind a veil of mist.

Suddenly, a distant dragon’s roar echoed through the air. He instinctively looked up, and his pupils contracted sharply. He immediately stood and stepped back several paces, now wide awake.

In his line of sight stood a towering, majestic divine statue, half-hidden in the shimmering mist.

The moment his gaze met it, Wang Qichen felt a crushing, terrifying pressure crash down on him, rattling him to his core and dispelling the last remnants of his drunkenness.

Chu Jiubian looked down at him, clearly seeing the doubt and wariness in his eyes.

Another wary one, as expected.

Chu Jiubian had managed to glean some information about the Wang family during this time.

Each Wang family head was selected from among its outstanding descendants, and there were three candidates for the current head, including Wang Huanzhi.

These three candidates were nearly equal in status, talent, and reputation, so the internal strife within the family had been intense.

It wasn’t until Wang Huanzhi married Yuan Zhiyi, the eldest daughter of the main branch of the Yuan family in Jinzhou and also the daughter of the Yuan family head, that he gained the upper hand.

Although the Yuan family of Jinzhou wasn’t one of the Four Great Families, they were still a renowned and scholarly clan, with hundreds of affiliated Confucian scholars.

In the previous dynasty, many members of the Yuan family held powerful positions in the court, their influence rivaling that of the Wang family. It wasn’t until Great Ning’s founding emperor came to power that many of the Yuan family’s scholars were imprisoned, and the family gradually declined.

But a starved camel is still larger than a horse—such a large family always finds opportunities to rise again.

During Emperor Wu’s reign, the Yuan family seized the opportunity to make a comeback. By the time Wang Huanzhi married Yuan Zhiyi, the Yuan family had become the second-most prominent scholarly clan in Great Ning, after the Wang family.

The marriage of these two scions was a union of powerful families, and Wang Huanzhi’s standing naturally improved, ultimately securing him the position of Wang family head.

However, Wang Huanzhi had actually been interested in Yuan Yu, the daughter of the Yuan family’s second branch. But since a daughter from the second branch couldn’t offer as much support as the daughter of the family head, he proposed to Yuan Zhiyi instead. In the second year of their marriage, she gave birth to their eldest son, Wang Qichen.

At this time, with the help of elders like Wang Zhang and advisors plotting for him, Wang Huanzhi’s position as family head was firmly secured.

Once a person gains power, their desires grow, and they want more and more.

Thus, he began considering taking Yuan Yu, the daughter of the Yuan family’s second branch, into his household as an honored concubine.

The specifics remained unknown to outsiders, but in the end, when Wang Qichen was three years old, Wang Huanzhi indeed brought Yuan Yu into the household as an honored concubine.

Yuan Yu, a daughter of a prestigious family, willingly becoming a concubine—this was something no one had expected.

But it was a settled matter. In the second year after entering the household, Yuan Yu gave birth to a second son, Wang Wenyao, and two years after that, a third son, Wang Wenfu.

Because of her gentle, kindly nature, which was more approachable and likable than Yuan Zhiyi’s distant and cold demeanor, everyone in the Wang family—from the elderly matrons to the servants—spoke highly of Yuan Yu.

For a time, Yuan Yu’s reputation for virtue spread throughout the capital, eclipsing even that of the primary wife, Yuan Zhiyi.

Amid all this, people suddenly heard that Yuan Zhiyi, the primary wife and Wang Qichen’s mother, had succumbed to illness.

The illness came suddenly, and Wang Qichen, only five years old at the time, lost his mother at a young age.

The wife of the previous Wang family head, now the Wang Matriarch, took pity on the child without a mother and brought him to her side to raise personally.

By familial seniority, the Wang Matriarch was Wang Huanzhi’s aunt, so her decision to raise Wang Qichen was somewhat irregular. But the Wang Matriarch held significant authority in the Wang family, and once she made a decision, others could hardly oppose her.

Thus, the matter was settled.

Wang Huanzhi had initially been unwilling to send Wang Qichen away, likely fearing that the young heir, with the Wang Matriarch’s support, might grow up to undermine his authority as family head.

But the strategist Wang Zhang evidently persuaded him, because not long after, Wang Huanzhi agreed to the arrangement. Subsequently, the Wang family, known for its reputation for “propriety,” held another Confucian scholarly debate.

They, along with the Yuan family and other literati families, engaged in debates on the topic of "whether a concubine could be elevated to the status of the principal wife."

After nearly three days and three sessions of debate, the final conclusion was reduced to a single sentence: "If a concubine upholds propriety and has merit, she may inherit the principal wife's status upon the principal wife's death."

Yuan Yu had been married into the Wang family for several years, always adhering to her duties without a single fault—this was her virtue. She had given birth to two children—this was her merit.

Thus, this esteemed concubine became the legitimate principal wife overnight. From then on, many instances of concubines being elevated to principal wives occurred, and people gradually came to accept this concept, slowly forgetting how this "propriety" had originated in the first place.

And who had started it?

But Wang Qichen would not forget.

After hearing this sensational backstory from Xiao Xiangzi, Chu Jiubian felt that Wang Qichen's mother's death was suspicious and likely related to that stepmother.

The fractured relationship between the Wang father and son clearly had deeper underlying causes.

As for why Yuan Zhiyi's parents, as the heads of the Yuan family, did not investigate their daughter's death, it was likely out of consideration for family interests.

They had undoubtedly weighed the importance of family harmony against that of a deceased daughter.

Moreover, the only bloodline left by their daughter was only five years old at the time, utterly defenseless. The Yuan family was not as powerful as the Wang family, so for the child's sake, they had to play dumb despite knowing better.

But revenge is a dish best served cold. Now that Wang Qichen had grown up, the long-buried matters should gradually be uncovered to reveal the truth.

Thus, Chu Jiubian speculated that, aside from some Wang family members loyal to Old Lady Wang, Wang Qichen's behind-the-scenes support network likely included the main branch of the Yuan family.

They were surely waiting for an opportunity—an opportunity to take down Wang Huanzhi and his faction.

This was Wang Qichen's primary objective, and it happened to align perfectly with Chu Jiubian's future goal of dismantling the Four Great Families, so their interests were absolutely consistent.

However, Chu Jiubian did not plan to use this point to recruit Wang Qichen for now. He still needed to conceal his identity as the Ninth Young Master and engage with his followers only as the "High Priest."

As he observed Wang Qichen, the latter was also looking up at him.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, and Wang Qichen suddenly curved his lips into a smile, once again becoming the rather irresponsible young master of the Wang family.

"And who might you be?" he asked.

By asking "who," he indicated that he wasn't prepared to acknowledge Chu Jiubian as a deity, or perhaps he had realized this was a dream and thus had no reservations.

Chu Jiubian also gave a silent smile and said, "I am the High Priest."

As expected, he saw Wang Qichen's expression change as he asked, "The High Priest of the Northern Desert?"

Jiang Shuoye had spread the title of "High Priest" far and wide to help Chu Jiubian cultivate followers, and almost everyone knew of it, including those in the capital.

So Chu Jiubian was certain that just dropping this title would make Wang Qichen think of the Northern Desert.

And indeed, it did.

However, in response to Wang Qichen's question, Chu Jiubian neither affirmed nor denied it.

A deity, at times, needs to maintain some mystery. Many things cannot be stated explicitly; it's more compelling to let followers speculate on their own.

Seeing his silence, Wang Qichen's demeanor shifted subtly, and he asked another question: "Why did you choose me?"

"The system selected you; our fates are intertwined."

But Chu Jiubian obviously couldn’t say that, so he replied, "It is fate."

Fate?

Wang Qichen narrowed his eyes.

Previously, the Northern Desert Army had spread word that a deity had appeared in a dream and bestowed upon Jiang Shuoye the designs for stirrups and saddles, but Wang Qichen did not believe it.

He also couldn’t guess the purpose behind Jiang Shuoye spinning such a tale.

But now that this High Priest had come to Wang Qichen, Wang Qichen, despite his disbelief, found himself wavering.

Was what he was experiencing now a dream or reality?

Was it a drunken hallucination, or was there truly a "deity visiting dreams"?

If this High Priest was truly an immortal...

Previously, he had given the Northern Desert Army stirrups and saddles. Now that he had sought out Wang Qichen, what did he intend to do? What would he give him?

Nothing in life comes free. What would he have to give in return?

His thoughts racing, Wang Qichen considered numerous possibilities in that moment.

Suddenly, the clear, ethereal voice spoke again: "You and I are fated. I bestow this upon you."

With these words, two thin sheets of paper appeared on the long white jade table.

Wang Qichen paused for a moment before taking two steps forward to the table.

He first studied the two sheets of paper, then carefully picked them up.

The moment he held them, his heart leaped. He couldn’t help but carefully feel the paper, rubbing it and leaning in for a closer look.

The Wang family's most profitable business was "paper sales." Even ordinary paper was so expensive that common families could hardly afford it, let alone the priceless Langya Gold Paper, a single sheet worth a gold ingot.

But the two sheets in his hands now were snow-white, remarkably thin yet durable, with no roughness to the touch. Instead, they were smooth and fine, vastly superior to Langya Gold Paper.

Was this really paper?

Or was this the paper used by immortals?

Wang Qichen's heart raced, and the mental scales weighing whether the High Priest was human or divine began to tilt.

He steadied himself, forcing himself to overlook the quality of the paper itself and focus instead on its content.

And at first glance, he was shocked once again.

The characters on the paper were square and standardized, each one perfectly uniform.

Every two identical characters looked exactly the same, with no difference at all, as if, as if...

He didn’t know how to describe it.

If Chu Jiubian knew what he was thinking, he would have said, "like copy and paste."

But Wang Qichen soon understood why the characters were like this, for one of the sheets bore the words "movable type printing" along with explanations and methods.

He examined it carefully, growing more and more amazed.

He hurriedly turned to the content on the other sheet, and upon reading it, his hands trembled slightly.

It was actually the papermaking technique!

The Wang family's most profitable business was "selling paper." Even an ordinary sheet of paper was unaffordable for ordinary people.

Naturally, the high price of paper was not only due to the Wang family's desire for profit but also because the cost of papermaking was genuinely high.

Whether it was the labor and resources expended, the long production cycle, or the high demand for paper among powerful families, all contributed to the persistently high price of paper.

Yet the papermaking method described on these sheets was simple and efficient. The quality of paper produced, while not as exceptional as the two sheets Wang Qichen now held, was still far superior to Langya Gold Paper.

Various thoughts flashed through Wang Qichen's mind.

One of the most critical reasons noble families had always maintained greater wealth and power was their control over knowledge.

They practiced a policy of keeping the masses in ignorance, manipulating the thoughts of the uninformed masses. They hoarded and concealed classical texts and literary works, refusing to share or disseminate them. They also used the high price of paper to discourage ordinary people, denying them the opportunity to read and learn.

All of this was due to the limited scope and media for spreading knowledge.

But now, he held in his hands the papermaking and printing techniques.

If the classical texts hidden away in the storehouses of powerful families could be printed repeatedly on inexpensive paper, paper's lightweight quality, unlike bulky bamboo slips, would ensure that this knowledge could spread farther and wider.

Once this became common practice, ordinary people would be able to read books.

Learning to read and understand principles, even without entering government service, would allow people to understand their purpose in this world.

They would know right from wrong, be less easily swayed or exploited, and not live their entire lives unaware that they were merely insignificant specks of dust on someone else's chessboard.

The High Priest aimed to "open the people's minds"!

In a short time, Wang Qichen had grasped the implications, and the shock lingered in his heart.

He couldn't help but recall the previous introduction of stirrups and saddles in the Northern Desert.

The emergence of these two items had greatly strengthened the Northern Desert Army. With their increased power, the Northern Desert people they protected would be safer.

So everything the High Priest had done was for the common people, for all under heaven!

After what felt like a long time, Wang Qichen finally forced himself to calm down and turned his gaze back to the vast, sacred apparition of the High Priest.

This time, there was a trace of reverence in his eyes that even he himself hadn't noticed.

He did not refuse the two treasures bestowed by the deity.

"Thank you, High Priest."

He knelt down and kowtowed three times respectfully, his posture as elegant as a painting.

Chu Jiubian was pleased with his attitude and guided the mist to lift him up.

Wang Qichen stood upright and added, "Is there anything the High Priest needs me to do? I'll do everything in my power."

In accepting these two sheets, he also had personal motives.

The Wang family's papermaking technique was considered unrivaled in Great Ning, and the method for producing Langya Gold Paper was known only to each successive family head.

If he could privately produce even better paper and anonymously expand the business,

once the family elders discovered the venture belonged to him, Wang Qichen's status within the Wang family would rise significantly.

At that point, he would no longer need to pretend to be a trash to deal with Wang Huanzhi.

He could openly and rightfully compete with him for the position of "family head."

This was Wang Qichen's transparent personal ambition, and the High Priest could not possibly fail to see it.

So he calmly accepted the two sheets of paper, intending to repay the High Priest in other ways.

Frankly speaking, this mindset resembled a transaction more than submission.

Chu Jiubian wouldn't let him keep thinking that way forever, but for now, there was indeed something he needed him to do.

"The people in the capital are benighted; I want them to see what is true." Chu Jiubian spoke succinctly, "Can you accomplish this?"

The people in the capital?

The truth?

Wang Qichen immediately thought of the rumors circulating in the capital that very day about Qin Xiao's brutality.

Those rumors swept crucial details under the rug, portraying the younger generation of the Lu and Wang families as pitiful, innocent mere children while concealing the real reasons for their executions, focusing instead on vividly depicting Qin Xiao's heavy-handed tactics.

Wang Qichen knew this well. He wouldn't let a fool like Wang Wenfu die with his reputation intact.

Even without the High Priest bringing it up, he would have found a way to shift public opinion and expose Wang Wenfu's wrongdoings.

Moreover, half the reason he drank so much today was to celebrate Wang Wenfu's death and Wang Huanzhi's and Yuan Yu's suffering, while the other half was spent discussing with others how to turn public opinion around, which led him to drink excessively and got carried away.

They already had a plan; by tomorrow morning, the rumors about Qin Xiao would be completely reversed.

As for Wang Wenfu, even in death, he would be vilified for a long time.

"This matter was already on my mind. Please assign me another task, High Priest, Your Eminence." He said frankly.

Indeed worthy of the system's rigorous selection—his moral character was reliable.

However...

Chu Jiubian looked at his Faith Points, which still hadn't increased at all, and realized that although Wang Qichen believed he was a deity, he did not yet have faith in him.

This meant the intimidation and awe weren't enough, making Wang Qichen unwilling to commit fully to him.

It seemed a more potent approach was needed.

Chu Jiubian asked the system inwardly, "Can you summon Jiang Shuoye or Situ Zhaoling?"

"Host, believer Situ Zhaoling is currently studying a waterwheel with her younger brother and cannot be summoned. Jiang Shuoye is in the process of falling asleep and has been summoned for you."

"Summoning successful."

As soon as the words fell, another figure emerged from the mist.

Wang Qichen turned abruptly but only caught a glimpse of a figure vanishing into the mist.

Then, he heard faint, almost imperceptible footsteps slowly approaching from within the mist.

Wang Qichen frowned slightly as he watched, and before long, he indeed saw a tall figure emerge from the mist.

The other person noticed him immediately, his sharp eyes locking directly onto him.

Their eyes met, and both froze in surprise.

Jiang Shuoye was the first to regain his composure. Suppressing his inner shock, he walked to stand side by side with Wang Qichen and bowed toward the High Priest.

Chu Jiubian responded indifferently with a noncommittal hum and then fell silent, watching the two young men below with amused curiosity.

These two had likely never met before—would they feel awkward now?

As it turned out, the atmosphere was indeed somewhat awkward.

Wang Qichen’s alluring peach-blossom eyes discreetly assessed the man beside him—tall, robust, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, his imposing figure accentuated by a black martial attire that exuded a formidable, battle-hardened presence.

He must be a general.

Sensing his scrutinizing gaze, Jiang Shuoye turned to look at him and then offered a respectful cupped-hand salute, saying, "I am Jiang Shuoye. May I ask for your esteemed name, young master?"

"So it’s the General of the Swift Wind," Wang Qichen replied with a slight smile, returning the salute. "I am Wang Qichen. I have long admired your reputation, General. It is an honor to finally meet you today."

"I, too, have long heard of your esteemed name, young master," Jiang Shuoye said stiffly.

The flamboyant young master of the Wang family was indeed someone whose reputation preceded him.

Wang Qichen held his gaze for two breath-counts before lowering his eyes.

Jiang Shuoye reacted similarly.

Outwardly, each maintained perfect composure, but the shock in their hearts needed no elaboration.

The High Priest could actually bring together two individuals from the capital and the northern frontier—truly nothing short of miraculous.

Chu Jiubian, watching his Faith Points suddenly surge by three points, knew it was Wang Qichen’s contribution.

Nowadays, his Faith Points increased slowly; only the faith of these followers he'd personally drawn forth could give his points a significant boost.

And the fact that Wang Qichen could contribute Faith Points indicated that Chu Jiubian had made the right move.

He had previously considered many ways to make Wang Qichen quickly believe in him, but in the end, he chose the simplest and most direct method.

Having a deity appear in one's dream was one thing, but meeting another stranger in that dream was an entirely different matter.

So, Chu Jiubian directly placed Jiang Shuoye, who was far away in the northern frontier, right in front of Wang Qichen—he was certain the other could not remain composed.

It seemed this move had worked well; hadn’t Wang Qichen’s composure already shattered?

"If there is nothing else, you may go," Chu Jiubian said.

Wang Qichen knew the remark was directed at him, so he bowed and saluted, saying, "Your subordinate takes his leave."

Before being completely enveloped by the white mist, he glanced at Jiang Shuoye once more, just as their eyes met.

The white mist passed by like wind, and the youth, whose almost ethereal beauty that seemed neither wholly masculine nor feminine, had already vanished without a trace.

This was the first time Jiang Shuoye had seen how a follower disappears, and also the first time he learned that besides himself, the High Priest had other followers.

But given the High Priest’s abilities, it was only to be expected that he had many believers.

Only that Wang Qichen—a notorious pleasure-seeking young master—might prove more hindrance than help to the High Priest.

Jiang Shuoye didn’t linger on the thought for long; he trusted the High Priest had his own considerations.

These past few days, he hadn't been sitting around either. Now that he had the chance to meet the High Priest, he took the opportunity to report on his progress in ironworking and steel production.

"I have gathered a group of blacksmiths willing to sign indentured contracts and built a small steelmaking workshop..."

Unlike Situ Zhaoling, who loved to share, he wrapped up his recent work in just a few words.

"Good work," Chu Jiubian praised before asking, "What's on your mind?"

The hesitation in Jiang Shuoye's eyes was plain to see—Chu Jiubian could hardly miss it.

Jiang Shuoye thought to himself that nothing got past the High Priest and said, "There is indeed something I wish to ask the High Priest to clarify."

This matter had been bugging him for several days. He was very curious but hadn't had the chance to ask.

Now that the High Priest had inquired, he didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "High Priest, do you know of a high official in the capital named 'Chu Jiubian'?"

Chu Jiubian: "..."

He'd been expecting this day to come. Fortunately, he was prepared.

"All deities have counterpart deities, representing the will of the divine," he said, his usually cold tone with a slight shift. "I coexist with the Holy Star Lord."

Holy Star Lord?

Was this the true identity of that "Ninth Young Master"?

So, this person was indeed connected to the High Priest.

However, he didn't fully understand the concept of a "counterpart deity." He could only interpret it as the High Priest and the Holy Star Lord having a coexisting relationship with some kind of inseparable connection, though they were not the same deity.

Of course, this "Holy Star Lord" was completely made up by Chu Jiubian.

In Great Ning, there were only two "deities" at the moment—one was the "Chu Jiubian" who dropped from the sky, and the other was the "High Priest" from Jiang Shuoye’s dreams. Anyone would connect these two identities.

Moreover, everything the High Priest was doing now would eventually be discovered as moves to help "Chu Jiubian."

Others might realize it later, but his clever followers would undoubtedly piece together the connection between these two identities early on.

Given that, it was better to directly tell them that the two identities were related.

But they couldn’t be the same person.

Moreover, between these two identities, there needed to be a pecking order, and "Chu Jiubian" had to hold the higher position.

Not for any other reason—it was for the system.

Chu Jiubian wasn’t sure when he would complete the system’s tasks. Once the system was gone, the Divine Realm would vanish as well.

But he couldn’t sever his connection with his followers. Even if the "High Priest" identity became unusable, he still needed to maintain their absolute loyalty under the identity of "Chu Jiubian."

Only if "Chu Jiubian" held a higher status than the High Priest would everything make sense.

However, he couldn’t just lay all this out plainly for everyone—that would kill his mystique.

So, for now, he intentionally spoke cryptically, leaving plenty to Jiang Shuoye's imagination.

"If there is nothing else, that'll be all," he said.

Jiang Shuoye bowed respectfully. "I'll take my leave."

Early the next morning, Jiang Shuoye sent a reply to Qi Zhili.

The High Priest's words seemed to imply that the Ninth Young Master was not only a deity but also a particularly powerful one, with a close relationship to the High Priest.

Perhaps the High Priest had come to this realm precisely to protect Chu Jiubian, who was undergoing a mortal trial here.

After his mind had wandered to some strange scenarios, Jiang Shuoye’s letter naturally reflected some of these thoughts.

Then, he had the letter dispatched to the capital.

On September 12th, the day Chu Jiubian had predicted a large-scale heavy rain in the northern regions, the downpour arrived right on schedule before dawn.

A servant hurried from outside the residence into the rear courtyard, where he found the Deputy Censor-in-chief Qi Zhili brewing tea while enjoying the rain.

"Sir, word from the northern frontier."

Qi Zhili reached out and took it.

He had previously written to Jiang Shuoye about Chu Jiubian’s various "miracles" in the capital but had received no reply until now.

It had finally arrived.

He unfolded the letter, quickly read through the opening pleasantries before reaching the main point.

" 'Chifeng' knows that his cousin is upright and incorruptible, but Senior Tutor Chu is indeed a deity. Cousin must not offend him and should instead support and serve the deity."

Qi Zhili was initially baffled—since when had his strict and principled cousin become so...

Ah, forget it.

He took out a flint striker and burned the letter.

Watching the flames gradually reduce the paper to ashes, Qi Zhili thought about his cousin’s words and let out a quiet laugh.

Serve Chu Jiubian? In the capital, plenty of people were scrambling to win his favor—would it even be his turn to serve?

He stood up and walked to the edge of the long pavilion, gazing at the continuous rain.

Lightning flashed repeatedly across the sky, accompanied by rumbles of thunder, startling a sparrow that flapped its wings and flew across several spacious courtyards before settling among the branches of a large tree.

Under the tree, an attendant hurried past under an umbrella, his long boots splashing mud from the puddles.

He made his way toward the inner courtyard, the servant finally stopped outside the study in the main courtyard, knocked lightly on the door three times, and said respectfully, "Sir, the message has arrived by carrier pigeon."

"Enter."

Minister Su Sheng was seated across from his strategist, Fan He, engaged in a game of Go. Only when the servant handed him the slip of paper did Su Sheng look up from the board.

The servant bowed and exited the room, leaving the two alone once more.

The window next to the couch was open, facing the newly planted begonias in the rear courtyard.

Amid the steady sound of rain and muffled thunder, Su Sheng handed the note to Fan He after reading it and turned his gaze outside.

"This rain comes at quite an opportune time," he remarked softly, almost sighing.

Fan He burned the letter and said, "Such is fate. Even heaven is helping our prince."

The letter fell onto the table, its charred pages faintly revealing words like "Hexi County" and "embankment" before Fan He brushed them aside, reducing them entirely to ashes.