Just as the System finished speaking, Chu Jiubian saw a figure plummet from the clouds.

It was a freefall, without any sign of a struggle or even a reaction. He was really out of it.

Just then, a phoenix flew down from the sky and smoothly caught the falling figure.

The airflow of its flight ruffled the young man’s long, fluffy hair, and caused his brow to furrow in discomfort.

“Someone come,” he mumbled, rubbing his arms without even opening his eyes. “Close the window.”

In response, there was a clear, crisp phoenix cry.

Wang Qichen stopped rubbing his arms. He abruptly sat up and opened his eyes, which contained no hint of drunkenness.

Before him lay wisps of clouds and mist, and beneath him was a colossal golden phoenix.

Was this…..a dream?

Wang Qichen relaxed his guard. The intoxication returned, but a bit less than before, and he was no longer sleepy.

He looked around, but saw nothing but mist. There was nothing unusual.

The phoenix beneath him, however, had layers of soft, smooth golden feathers. They even felt warm to the touch – it was incredibly lifelike.

His vision rocked as the phoenix flapped its long wings and swooped down from the clouds.

Wang Qichen immediately hunched down and clutched the phoenix tightly. Just as it was about to crash into the jade-white ground, he let go of the phoenix and jumped off its back lightly.

This required some skill in qinggong.

Once the human dismounted from its back, the phoenix flew upward with its long tail trailing behind it, vanishing into the clouds.

When Wang Qichen leaped off the phoenix, he happened to land on the back of the only chair in the entire Divine Realm.

Then he stumbled and fell to the ground with a thud underneath the long table.

Chu Jiubian: “……”

He asked the System: “Why is he like this?”

[Host, this Believer is affected by alcohol, which can affect a Believer’s state of mind.]

With an aching head, Chu Jiubian stared at the long white jade table.

Two breaths later, a hand reached up from underneath and gripped the surface of the table.

The young man struggled out and sat down in the chair.

With his forehead pressed against the cool jade surface, his chaotic mind gradually cleared.

Wang Qichen then straightened up and leaned back.

He swept his gaze around. The empty, pure white space and the clouds that seemed almost alive…..it was all like a dream.

The refreshing fragrance of plum blossoms wafted to Wang Qichen’s nose. Looking ahead, he saw plum blossoms swaying faintly in the hazy mist.

Suddenly, the distant roar of a dragon rang out, and he looked up reflexively. His pupils contracted, and he immediately stood up and took a few steps back, now fully awake.

As far as the eye could see, there was a towering, magnificent figure of a god hidden behind the mist.

The moment their eyes met, Wang Qichen felt an overwhelming, terrifying pressure sweep over him. He trembled with fear, and the last vestiges of drunkenness dissipated completely.

Chu Jiubian gazed down at him from on high, noting the suspicion and wariness in the other’s eyes.

As expected – another one with a strong sense of vigilance.

Recently, Chu Jiubian had been attempting to procure information about the Wang family.

Each head of the Wang family was selected from among the family’s most outstanding members, and there had been three candidates in the recent past, including Wang Huanzhi.

And these three candidates were similar in terms of background, talent, and reputation, so there was also intense infighting among the family at present.

It wasn’t until Wang Huanzhi married Yuan Zhiyi, the eldest daughter of the Jinzhou Yuan family and also the daughter of the Yuan family head, that he was able to stand out from the crowd.

Although the Jinzhou Yuan family wasn’t as prominent as the four great families, it was still a distinguished clan with a long tradition of scholarship, with hundreds of renowned scholars and officials under its command.

During the previous dynasty, many members of the Yuan family held great power in the court, with their influence being comparable to that of the Wang family. It wasn’t until the founding emperor of the Great Ning Dynasty came to power that many members of the Yuan family were convicted of crimes and imprisoned, after which the family gradually faded into obscurity.

But even a starving camel was bigger than a horse. A family of such power would always find a way to rise again.

During the reign of Emperor Wuzong, the Yuan family rose to prominence once more. By the time Wang Huanzhi married Yuan Zhiyi, the Yuan clan had become the second most prestigious scholarly family in Great Ning, trailing the Wang family.

The marriage of these two families’ children created a powerful alliance, which naturally boosted Wang Huanzhi’s competitiveness and ultimately led him to secure the position of family head.

However, Wang Huanzhi’s original choice had actually been Yuan Yu, a di daughter of the second branch of the Yuan family. But a daughter from the second branch would never be as beneficial as the daughter of the family head, so he proposed to Yuan Zhiyi. The following year, they had their first son, Wang Qichen.

At that time, with elders and strategists such as Wang Zhang aiding him, Wang Huanzhi’s position as family head was cemented in place.

Once someone gained power, their ambition would become insatiable.

Therefore, he also considered taking Yuan Yu, the second branch daughter, into his family.

This secret wasn’t known to outsiders, but when Wang Qichen was three years old, Wang Huanzhi did indeed bring Yuan Yu back to his manor as a concubine.

Nobody had expected that Yuan Yu, the di daughter of a prestigious family, would willingly become a concubine.

But this fact was already set in stone, and the second year after entering the family, Yuan Yu gave birth to the second son, Wang Wenyao. Then, the following year, she gave birth to the third son, Wang Wenfu.

Because of her kind and gentle nature, she was more approachable and likeable than Yuan Zhiyi, who was haughty and aloof. Therefore, everyone from the elders and old madams of the Wang family to the servants and maids solely praised Yuan Yu.

In no time, Yuan Yu’s reputation for virtue spread throughout the capital, overshadowing even the Madam, Yuan Zhiyi.

It was under these circumstances that everyone suddenly heard that the Madam, Wang Qichen’s mother Yuan Zhiyi, had passed away.

The illness had come on quickly, and the five-year-old Wang Qichen lost his mother at a very young age.

The wife of the previous family head, who was now an old madam, felt sorry for the helpless child and took him under her wing to care for him personally.

According to seniority, Old Madam Wang was Wang Huanzhi’s aunt, so it really wasn’t reasonable for her to raise Wang Qichen. However, Old Madam Wang wielded considerable influence within the Wang family, and once she made a decision, there was no arguing with her.

And so the matter was settled.

Wang Huanzhi was initially reluctant to send Wang Qichen to her. He seemed to be afraid that this five-year-old young master would grow up and, with Old Madam Wang’s help, threaten his authority as the family head.

But strategist Wang Zhang spoke to him, and soon after, Wang Huanzhi agreed to the matter. Then the Wang family, which was famous for its ‘etiquette,’ held another debate among great Confucian scholars.

They debated with the Yuan clan and other scholarly families about whether a concubine could be promoted to the position of a legitimate wife.

After nearly three days and three rounds of debate, the final result was just one sentence: “A concubine who has performed the proper duties may inherit the title of ‘legitimate wife’ upon the death of the first wife.”

Yuan Yu had been married into the Wang family for many years and had always been dutiful, never making a single mistake. This was evidence of her virtue, and giving birth to two sons was considered to be meritorious.

Thus, this concubine became the rightful first wife overnight, and thereafter there were many instances of concubines being elevated to that position. People gradually accepted this concept, and eventually forgot where this piece of ‘etiquette’ had come from in the first place.

But Wang Qichen did not forget.

After Chu Jiubian heard this melodramatic story from Xiao Xiangzi, he felt that the death of Wang Qichen’s mother was suspicious, and that the stepmother might have had something to do with it.

The discord between the Wang father and son clearly had deeper underlying reasons. 

As for why Yuan Zhiyi’s parents, the heads of the family, didn’t investigate the cause of their daughter’s death, perhaps it was for the sake of the family’s interests.

They must have weighed the relative importance of family harmony against a daughter who was already dead.

And at that time, the only bloodline left of their daughter was only five years old and had no ability to protect himself. The Yuan family was not as powerful as the Wang family, so for the sake of the child, they looked the other way.

However, revenge could never come too late. Now that Wang Qichen had grown up, the dusty past should be wiped away to reveal the truth. 

Chu Jiubian guessed that the public opinion group behind Wang Qichen, apart from a portion of the Wang family loyal to Old Madam Wang, consisted of the main branch of the Yuan family.

They must be waiting for an opportunity – an opportunity to crush Wang Huanzhi and his associates to death.

This was Wang Qichen’s greatest desire, and coincidentally, Chu Jiubian also intended to eliminate the four great families in the future, so their interests were totally aligned.

However, Chu Jiubian didn’t intend to use this to win over Wang Qichen for the time being. He still needed to keep his identity as Jiu-gongzi a secret, and interact with his Believers solely as the “High Priest.”

As he sized up Wang Qichen, the other party stared up at him.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, and Wang Qichen suddenly smiled, transforming back into the unreliable young master of the Wang family.

“Who are you, ah, Your Mightiness?” he asked.

Asking who he was – this person didn’t intend to treat Chu Jiubian as a god. Or perhaps he had already realized he was in a dream, and therefore had no reservations.

Chu Jiubian laughed silently, then said: “I am the High Priest.”

He noticed Wang Qichen’s expression change the moment he finished speaking. “The High Priest from the Northern Desert?” he asked.

In order to help Chu Jiubian collect faith, Jiang Shuoye had spread the name of the “High Priest” to almost everyone, so those in the capital naturally knew it as well.

Chu Jiubian had been certain that if he mentioned this name, Wang Qichen would associate it with the Northern Desert.

This was indeed the case.

However, Chu Jiubian didn’t give Wang Qichen’s question a yes or a no.

Sometimes, gods needed to be a little mysterious. Many things could not be said explicitly, plus, it was more interesting when Believers made their own guesses.

When he was silent, Wang Qichen’s attitude subtly changed. He asked: “Why did you choose me?”

You were drawn here by the System. We were destined to meet.

But Chu Jiubian obviously couldn’t say that, so he said: “It is fate.”

Fate?

Wang Qichen’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The Mobei Army had spread rumors that an immortal had appeared in their dreams and given them the methods for making stirrups and saddles. But Wang Qichen didn’t believe it.

He just couldn’t figure out why Jiang Shuoye would make up such a lie.

But now that the High Priest had actually approached him, even the skeptical Wang Qichen was beginning to waver.

Was everything he was experiencing now a dream, or was it reality?

Was it all a drunken hallucination, or had an immortal actually entered his dreams?

If this High Priest was actually an immortal…..

The other party had previously given stirrups and saddles to the Mobei Army, so what was his purpose in contacting Wang Qichen now? Was he going to give him something?

There was no such thing as gold falling from the sky, so what would he have to give in return?

His thoughts raced, flying through Wang Qichen’s head in an instant.

Suddenly, that clear, cold, distant voice spoke again: “We were fated to meet. This is a gift for you.”

After he spoke, two thin sheets of paper appeared on the white jade table.

Wang Qichen hesitated for a moment, then took a couple of steps toward the table.

He first examined the two pieces of paper before gingerly picking them up.

The moment he picked up the paper, his heart skipped a beat, and he couldn’t help but carefully stroke the pages and lean in to examine them.

The Wang family’s most profitable business was selling paper. Even ordinary paper was so expensive that most people couldn’t afford it, let alone rare and precious “Langya Gold Paper,” a single sheet of which was worth a gold ingot.

But the two sheets of paper in his hands were as white as snow, thin and supple. They didn’t feel rough to the touch at all. On the contrary, they were smooth and delicate, far superior to Langya Gold Paper.

Was this actually paper?

Or perhaps it should be said that it was paper used by immortals.

Wang Qichen’s heart was speeding slightly, and the scale in his mind began to tip regarding whether this High Priest was a human or a god.

He calmed down and forced himself to overlook the quality of the paper itself, focusing instead on its content.

And upon reading it, he was shocked once again.

The characters on this paper were perfectly square, each one so perfectly standard that it was almost unbelievable.

Each identical character looked exactly the same, without any differences, as if…..as if…..

He didn’t know how to describe it.

If Chu Jiubian knew what he was thinking he would tell him, “It’s just copy and paste.”

However, Wang Qichen quickly understood why the characters were written that way. Because one of the sheets of paper had “Moveable Type Printing” written on it, along with the related description and method.

He read it more intently, and the more he read, the more fantastical it seemed.

He hurriedly looked at the contents of the other paper, and his hands trembled even more as he read it.

It was a papermaking technique!

The Wang family’s most profitable business was selling paper, but ordinary sheets of paper were too expensive for most people to afford.

Of course, paper was expensive not just because the Wang family wanted to make a profit, but also because the cost of making paper was indeed high.

The high price of paper was due to the manpower and resources required, the time it took to make it, and the high demand for paper by wealthy families.

However, this papermaking method was simple, efficient, and produced high-quality paper. Although it wouldn’t be as good as the paper Wang Qichen had in his hands, it was still several times better than Langya Gold Paper.

Wang Qichen’s mind raced.

Wealthy and powerful families had always been able to retain wealth and influence for one important reason – controlling people’s thoughts.

They pursued a policy of keeping the common people ignorant, controlling their thoughts, hiding all of the classic texts and writings and refusing to share or circulate them. They also used the high price of paper to discourage the common people from reading and writing.

And all of this was due to the limited scope of how knowledge was disseminated.

But now, he possessed the methods for papermaking and printing.

If the books stored in the archives of these noble families were repeatedly printed on cheap paper, the thinness and lightness of the paper, unlike bamboo slips, would ensure that knowledge from these classic texts could be transmitted further and to a wider audience.

When this became the norm, common people would have access to education.

Even if one couldn’t become an official, being literate and understanding Confucian principles would allow them to understand their purpose and meaning in life.

Knowing right from wrong made one less easily swayed or manipulated, and prevented one from dying without realizing that they were just an insignificant speck of dust on someone else’s chessboard.

The High Priest wanted to enlighten the common people!

Wang Qichen quickly grasped the implications, and shock lingered in his heart.

He couldn’t help but think of the stirrups and saddles he had seen from the Northern Desert.

The appearance of these two items greatly increased the strength of the Mobei Army, and with that increased strength, the common people of the Northern Desert under their protection were safer.

Therefore, everything the High Priest did was for the common people, for all living beings under heaven!

After an unknown amount of time, Wang Qichen forcibly composed himself and looked again toward the enormous, sacred phantom of the High Priest.

This time, a hint of respect that he himself was unaware of appeared in his eyes.

He did not refuse the two treasures bestowed upon him by the god: “Many thanks, High Priest.”

He knelt down and kowtowed thrice with perfect decorum, his demeanor as graceful as a painting.

Chu Jiubian was very satisfied with his attitude, and used the clouds to help him up.

Wang Qichen straightened up, then said: “Is there anything the High Priest needs done down there? I will spare no effort.”

He accepted the two pieces of paper, but he still had selfish motives.

The Wang family’s papermaking technique was considered the pinnacle in Great Ning, and the method of making Langya Gold Paper was only known to each successive head of the family.

If he could secretly produce superior paper and anonymously expand the business…..

Once the clan elders realized that the business belonged to him, Wang Qichen’s status in the family would rise accordingly.

At that time, he would no longer have to pretend to be a waste in order to deal with Wang Huanzhi.

He would be able to compete with him for the position of family head fair and square.

This was Wang Qichen’s obvious selfish motive, and the High Priest could not possibly be unaware of it.

So he would readily accept these two pieces of paper and repay the High Priest in other ways.

His intention, to put it bluntly, was to make a transaction rather than submit to the High Priest.

Chu Jiubian wouldn’t allow him to continue with that mindset, but for now, he did have something he needed the other party to do.

“The common people of the capital are ignorant and foolish. I wish for them to see the truth.” Chu Jiubian didn’t overexplain. “Are you capable of doing this?”

The common people in the capital?

Wang Qichen immediately thought of the rumors circulating in the capital today about Qin Xiao’s barbarity.

Those rumors downplayed the seriousness of the matter, painting the Lu and Wang sons as pitiful, naive children. The reason for their deaths was concealed, and Qin Xiao’s ruthless methods were described in detail.

Wang Qichen knew the details, and he would not allow that fool Wang Wenfu to die innocent.

Therefore, even if the High Priest hadn’t mentioned it, he would have found a way to change public opinion and make Wang Wenfu’s mistakes public.

Half of the wine he drank today was to celebrate the death of Wang Wenfu and the suffering of Wang Huanzhi and Yuan Yu. The other half was consumed while discussing with someone how to change public opinion, which led to him getting drunk on a whim.

They already had a plan in place: before noon tomorrow, the rumors about Qin Xiao would be completely reversed.

On the contrary, Wang Wenfu would be cursed and scorned even after his death.

“This has been my plan all along. Asking the High Priest to instruct me in other matters.” He was very straightforward.

As expected of someone who was rigorously selected by the System, he was a trustworthy character.

However…..

Chu Jiubian glanced at his Faith Points, which hadn’t increased at all, and knew that although Wang Qichen had come to believe in his divine identity, he didn’t actually worship him.

That meant that intimidation and shock were not enough to make the other party willing to be deeply involved with him.

It seemed he would have to take drastic measures.

Chu Jiubian mentally asked the System: “Can you summon Jiang Shuoye or Situ Zhaoling?”

[Host, Situ Zhaoling is currently studying waterwheels with her younger brother and cannot be summoned. Jiang Shuoye is on the verge of sleep, and has already been summoned.]

[Summoning successful.]

As soon as it finished speaking, another figure fell from the clouds.

Wang Qichen whipped his head around, but only managed to briefly glimpse a falling figure.

Then, he heard faint footsteps steadily approaching through the clouds and mist.

Wang Qichen frowned slightly as he stared forward, and sure enough, a tall figure emerged from the haze.

The other person noticed him immediately, staring straight at him with sharp eyes.

Their eyes met, and both of them froze.

Jiang Shuoye was the first to return to his senses. Suppressing his shock, he paced forward to a spot next to Wang Qichen and bowed in the direction of the High Priest.

Chu Jiubian gave a mild reply to his greeting, then remained silent, watching the two young men below with great interest.

These two had probably never met before. He wondered if it would be awkward for them.

As it turned out, the atmosphere was indeed a bit abnormal.

Wang Qichen’s captivating peach blossom eyes subtly observed the man beside him. The man was tall and robust, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and his black outfit accentuated his menacing aura.

He must be a general.

Sensing his almost tangible gaze, Jiang Shuoye turned his head to look at him, then said with a respectful bow: “This one is called Jiang Shuoye. May I ask your esteemed name, Young Master?”

“So it’s General Chifeng.” Wang Qichen smiled slightly and returned the bow. “This one is called Wang Qichen. I have long admired your name, General. I am honored to meet you today.”

“I have long admired your name, Young Master,” Jiang Shuoye said dryly.

He had certainly heard a lot about the dandy young master of the Wang family.

Wang Qichen stared at him for two breaths before lowering his eyes.

Jiang Shuoye reacted similarly.

He appeared calm on the surface, but the shock he felt inside was indescribable.

The High Priest was able to let people from the Northern Desert and from the capital meet. This was truly a divine feat.

Chu Jiubian watched his Faith Points suddenly surge by three points, and knew that it was Wang Qichen who had contributed them.

His Faith Value was increasingly slowly now, and only the faith of these Believers he summoned could make the points grow by leaps and bounds.

The fact that Wang Qichen had contributed Faith Points showed that Chu Jiubian had played his hand well.

He had considered many ways to quickly convince Wang Qichen, but in the end, he chose the simplest and most direct one.

Being pulled into a dream by a deity was a completely different concept from meeting another stranger in a dream.

Therefore, Chu Jiubian had directly placed Jiang Shuoye, who was far away in the Northern Desert, in front of Wang Qichen, and didn’t believe that the other party would be able to remain calm.

His move seemed to have worked well; hadn’t Wang Qichen’s state of mind collapsed?

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

Knowing that he was the one being addressed, Wang Qichen bowed and said: “This subordinate will take his leave.”

Before the white mist completely enveloped him, he glanced at Jiang Shuoye again. Their eyes met.

The white mist passed by like the wind, and the youth, with his striking androgynous beauty, vanished without a trace.

This was the first time Jiang Shuoye had ever seen how a Believer left, and also his first time finding out that the High Priest had Believers other than himself.

However, given the High Priest’s abilities, it would be no exaggeration to say that he could have as many Believers as he wanted.

As for that dandy Wang Qichen, he wondered how he could possibly be of any help to the High Priest.

Jiang Shuoye didn’t dwell on it for long. He trusted that the High Priest must have his reasons.

He had not been idle these past few days. Now that he was in front of the High Priest, he took the opportunity to report on his progress regarding the blacksmithing and steelmaking.

“This subordinate has located a group of blacksmiths who are willing to sign a life-binding contract and build a small steel mill…..”

Unlike Situ Zhaoling, he was a man of few words, and quickly and succinctly explained his recent work.

“Well done,” Chu Jiubian praised. Then he asked, “What is troubling you?”

The conflicted look in Jiang Shuoye’s eyes was clear. It would have been difficult for Chu Jiubian not to notice it.

Realizing that nothing could be hidden from the High Priest, Jiang Shuoye said: “There is indeed a matter that this subordinate would like for the High Priest to clarify.”

This matter had been on his mind for several days. He was very curious about it, but hadn’t had an opportunity to ask.

Now that the High Priest had inquired, he didn’t mince his words: “Does the High Priest know of a high-ranking official in the capital named Chu Jiubian?”

Chu Jiubian: “……”

He had known this day would come. Fortunately, he had made preparations.

“Every deity has an accompanying deity who represents his will.” His usually cool tone now carried a minor fluctuation. “I was born with, and coexist alongside, the Sacred Star Sovereign.”

Sacred Star Sovereign?

Was this the true identity of that Jiu-gongzi?

So the other party was connected to the High Priest after all.

However, he didn’t completely understand the “companion deity” aspect. He just understood that the High Priest and the Sovereign had some sort of unbreakable connection, but were not the same god.

This so-called “sovereign” was, of course, something Chu Jiubian had made up himself.

There were currently only two “gods” in Great Ning – Chu Jiubian, who fell from heaven, and the High Priest in Jiang Shuoye’s dreams. Anyone would associate them together.

Plus, what the High Priest was doing now would eventually be discovered as being for the purpose of helping Chu Jiubian.

Others might discover this later on, but his intelligent Believers would certainly identify the connection between them much sooner.

Since that was the case, he might as well just inform them directly.

But they could not be seen as the same person.

Furthermore, there must be a hierarchy between these two identities, and “Chu Jiubian” must be in the higher position.

This was entirely because of the System.

Chu Jiubian was unsure when he would complete the System’s mission. When the System left, the Divine Realm would also be gone.

But even if he could no longer use his “High Priest” identity, he couldn’t sever the connection between himself and his Believers. He also wanted to maintain their absolute loyalty as “Chu Jiubian.”

Only when “Chu Jiubian” was of higher status than the “High Priest” would everything work in an orderly manner.

But he couldn’t just lay all of that out in front of everyone. That would be beneath his dignity.

So he deliberately spoke in vague, cryptic words, giving Jiang Shuoye just enough room for imagination.

“If there is nothing urgent, you may go,” he said.

Jiang Shuoye bowed deeply and said: “This subordinate takes his leave.”

The next morning, Jiang Shuoye wrote a reply to Qi Zhili.

The High Priest’s words implied that not only was Chu Jiubian a god, but he was also a very powerful one, and had a close relationship with the High Priest.

Perhaps the High Priest had come to the mortal realm to aid Chu Jiubian, who had descended in order to undergo a tribulation.

Jiang Shuoye improvised some strange scenarios in his mind, and also mentioned some of them when writing his message.

Then, he commanded someone to send the letter to the capital.

The twelfth day of the seventh month was when Chu Jiubian had predicted a large-scale rainstorm in the north.

As expected, the heavy rain arrived before dawn.

A servant hastened inside to the back courtyard and found Imperial Censor Qi Zhili brewing tea as he enjoyed the rain.

“My Lord, there is a message from the Northern Desert.”

Qi Zhili reached out and took it.

He had previously written to Jiang Shuoye about Chu Jiubian’s various “miracles,” but hadn’t received a reply since.

It was finally here.

He opened the letter, quickly scanning the opening sentences before focusing on the important part.

[Chifeng knows that his cousin is an upright and incorruptible person, but Grand Tutor Chu is indeed a god. You must not offend him, Cousin. You must serve and support this deity.]

Qi Zhili was initially bewildered; when had his rigid and upright cousin become like this…..

Never mind.

He took out a tinderbox and burned the letter.

As the flames gradually smoldered into ashes, Qi Zhili thought of what his cousin had written in his letter and let out a quiet laugh.

What was this talk about serving Chu Jiubian? There were plenty of people in the capital who were eager to curry favor with him, so why should Qi Zhili have to serve him?

He got up and walked to the pavilion, gazing out at the unending rain.

Flashes of white light streaked across the sky, followed by rumbles of thunder. A bird was startled into flight, and flapped its wings over several spacious courtyards before finally landing among the branches of a large tree.

A servant holding an umbrella walked briskly under the tree, boots splashing up muddy water.

Making his way to the inner courtyard, the servant finally stopped outside a study. He raised his hand and gave three light knocks, saying respectfully: “My Lord, a carrier pigeon has arrived.”

“Enter.”

Minister of Revenue Su Sheng was playing chess with Advisor Fan He, and only when the servant delivered the note to him did he avert his eyes from the chessboard.

The servant bowed and left the room, leaving just the two of them inside.

The side window was open, facing the newly-planted begonias in the front courtyard.

Amidst the continuous rain and rumbling thunder, Su Sheng handed the note to Fan He when he was finished reading it and gazed out the window.

“This rain came at just the right time,” he said softly, as if in admiration.

Fang He burned the letter and said: “It is fate. Even heaven is on the prince’s side.”

The letter crumbled to the table, and the words “Hexi Prefecture” and “dam” were visible on the charred pages. When it was completely reduced to ashes, Fan He lightly swept them away.

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Chapter 39 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 41