Chu Jiubian walked through the palace gates. Just as he was about to grab his umbrella, another hand snatched it before he could.

He paused, turning his head to look at the person who had come up beside him.

“ ? ” Chu Jiubian frowned slightly.

Qin Xiao had already opened the umbrella, and said casually: “I’ll see you off.”

Chu Jiubian gave him a long look. His brow finally relaxed, and he let out a soft chuckle.

He stepped out of the connecting corridor with Qin Xiao keeping pace beside him, the larger part of the umbrella tilted over his head.

They walked at a leisurely pace, and although they were under the same umbrella, their shoulders were a fist’s distance apart, with neither of them crossing the line.

They traveled in silence until they reached Yaotai Residence. Chu Jiubian stopped and turned to Qin Xiao, asking: “Are you going to help me wash up?”

“Do you need me to?” Qin Xiao asked instead of answering.

“No.”

Qin Xiao just smiled and said: “See you tomorrow then.”

Chu Jiubian nodded, then turned and made his way toward the main house without looking back. Xiao Xiangzi and the others saw him when he arrived at the door, and they all busied themselves preparing water for him to wash up.

He went to his bedroom, where the servants were industriously arranging a tub of water for him.

Chu Jiubian had the habit of bathing every day, which Xiao Xiangzi and the others had long known.

“Young Master, your hand is injured. Would you like my help washing?” Xiao Xiangzi asked worriedly.

“No need. You can wait in the outer room.”

“Yes.” They all withdrew.

Chu Jiubian paced to the window and pushed it open.

Although this window didn’t face the gate directly, he could still see the entrance.

There was no one there.

Chu Jiubian closed the window and walked to the clothing rack.

He took off his official robes and tossed them on top, keeping only his trousers as he sat down in front of the mirror.

He didn’t need to comb his hair or wear any hair ornaments, so there were only two combs and some body lotion sitting on his dressing table.

However, the lotion was rather oily, and Chu Jiubian hadn’t used it before.

He looked at himself in the bronze mirror. Although it wasn’t as good as a modern mirror, it still clearly reflected his delicate face and flawless body.

He raised his left hand, lightly tracing his fingertips across the thin skin of his chest.

There were no visible traces anymore, but he could still feel some unevenness under his fingertips in the places that had been covered in scars.

A sharp pain shot through his index finger, and Chu Jiubian watched as a deep red stain slowly crept down the chest of the person in the mirror.

He blinked softly and drew his finger away, then wiped the blood with his palm, smearing it everywhere.

Chu Jiubian stared at the blood on his fingertip and palm with a frown. Then he got up, went to the bathtub and took off his trousers, and got inside.

The blood on his chest washed away in the water, leaving no traces behind.

But a drop of bright red blood slowly dripped from his index finger where his hand was resting on the edge of the tub.

Chu Jiubian lowered his head and submerged his face in the water, his long silver hair fanning out across his thin back.

“System,” he asked in his mind, “Do you have any medication for mental illness?”

On the rooftop, a man stood silently for some time with an umbrella in his hand, then turned around and vanished in the blink of an eye.

*

*

The council chamber.

Qin Chaoyang had just sent all of the memorials that required a response to the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, where Eunuch Hong’s people would help write replies to the local officials.

With Chu Jiubian around before, memorials would usually be approved on the same day.

However, these memorials had been piling up ever since the two of them had gone to provide disaster relief. With Chu Jiubian’s hand injured, it would be quite difficult for Qin Xiao to handle them all alone – he might not be able to finish them even if he worked through the night.

After tidying up, he went outside and looked out at the courtyard to calculate the time.

Qin Xiao had gone to see Chu Jiubian off, and had been gone for half a shichen.

From Yangxin Hall to Yaotai Residence, given His Lordship’s pace, he should have returned long ago even if he had encountered a delay.

In an instant, he snapped his head toward the roof.

Then he turned to look into the council hall and, sure enough, found someone standing next to the dim oil lamp.

Qin Chaoyang entered the hall: “My Lord, will you continue reviewing memorials?”

Qin Xiao folded the umbrella and placed it on the table. Rainwater flowed from its tip and rapidly soaked one of the table’s legs.

“Any news?” Qin Xiao asked.

Qin Chaoyang understood at once, and replied with his eyes lowered: “No information was found about the young master, but the High Priest of the Northern Desert seems to have some sort of connection with him. However, the common people were unaware of the details. It is even unknown whether the High Priest is a fabrication created by Jiang Shuoye, so it is impossible to be certain.”

“And Jiang Shuoye himself is even more tight-lipped. Apart from the fact that the High Priest is an immortal who enters dreams to impart knowledge, he hasn’t revealed anything else.”

Qin Xiao sat down and picked up an ink stick, then began to unhurriedly grind ink.

His features were hidden in shadow, making it impossible to determine his expression.

Qin Chaoyang looked up at him and said in a low voice: “Why doesn’t My Lord ask the young master directly?”

They were now in the same boat, and his lord and the young master had obviously developed a basic level of trust. They had even embraced each other on the palace road the night before.

Since they were already so close, if Qin Xiao directly asked about Chu Jiubian’s relationship with the High Priest, the other party might not continue to keep it secret.

Having ground the ink, Qin Xiao dipped his brush in it and began to review memorials.

Qin Chaoyang said nothing more, and simply concealed himself in the shadows.

He was ignorant when it came to sentiment, and he imagined that even his lord possessed little knowledge in that regard.

*

*

Yaotai Residence.

After Chu Jiubian finished bathing, he told Xiao Xiangzi and the others to retire early, then went to bed himself.

Now that the flooding was over and there was nothing else to worry about, he could get back to his work.

“System, send Situ Zhaoling to the Divine Realm.”

[Believer Situ Zhaoling has been detected as summonable. Summoning in progress.]

[Summoning successful.]

Chu Jiubian opened his eyes and found himself already seated on the divine throne.

A phoenix cried out in the distance, and a girl dressed in traditional Nanjiang attire swooped in on the back of one of the golden birds, looking radiant.

Upon landing, Situ Zhaoling quickly bowed to Chu Jiubian: “This subordinate greets the High Priest.”

“Please sit,” said Chu Jiubian.

Situ Zhaoling was surprised to find six chairs lined up behind the long table: “Why are there so many chairs? Are they for the High Priest’s followers?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, does that mean I’ll get the chance to meet them?”

“En.”

Chu Jiubian didn’t say much, but Situ Zhaoling was capable of talking a lot on her own, so the atmosphere wasn’t awkward at all. On the contrary, it made the Divine Realm, with only the two of them inside it, seem rather lively.

Looking at the six chairs, Situ Zhaoling didn’t dare imagine which “chosen one” she would be, and asked: “Where shall I sit, High Priest?”

With a thought, Chu Jiubian made the third chair from the right undergo a gradual change, transforming from white jade to a light purple, with swaying hyacinths faintly visible within it.

“Wow, it’s so beautiful!” Situ Zhaoling immediately stepped forward and stroked the faintly-scented chair. She liked it so much!

Her favorite color was light purple, but weaving and dyeing techniques were underdeveloped in this era, and there was no fabric of this color in the entirety of Great Ning, so she had to settle for dark purple dresses instead.

Otherwise, she would definitely have her whole family wear this color. They would look so beautiful when they went out!

She sat down on the chair and found it to be softer and more comfortable than it had been previously.

“Thank you, High Priest.” She smiled as she gazed up at the giant silhouette of the god.

Chu Jiubian had met with this girl several times, and she was always dressed in purple. It seemed his guess about her favorite color was correct.

“Do you like this color?” Chu Jiubian asked, feigning ignorance.

Situ Zhaoling nodded vigorously: “This subordinate likes it very much! Many thanks, High Priest!”

Chu Jiubian just smiled and said: “I have something I need you to do.”

“Please command me, High Priest. This subordinate is willing to offer her life in sacrifice.”

With a wave of Chu Jiubian’s hand, a book landed on the table in front of Situ Zhaoling.

He had long noticed that the people of the Great Ning Dynasty wore clothing in monotonous colors. Not to mention the common people, even the wealthy and powerful only wore black and white, or the same few colors over and over again. 

Red, green, blue, and purple, all in dark shades.

Gold was reserved for royalty, and others were unable to wear it no matter how much they might want to.

Thus, Chu Jiubian had long wanted to introduce superior dyeing techniques to this era – not aimed at common linen, but at silk.

The vast majority of silk products in Great Ning came from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions. The Imperial Court had even set up a dedicated textile bureau to manage the silk business in those areas.

However, Jiangsu and Zhejiang lay within the fiefdom of Zuiliang-wang Bai Liyan. The textile bureau was ostensibly a business belonging to the Imperial Court, but this prince actually took 40% to 50% of the profits.

This wasn’t good for Chu Jiubian, nor for the Imperial Court.

Nanjiang was also very suitable for silkworm-rearing and silk-reeling, and most of the silk in the southern parts of Great Ning was produced there.

It was just that there was no comprehensive management plan, and the region hadn’t developed industrial chains like in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. They also lacked sufficient technology, so not only was the silk of poorer quality than that of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, but the output and price also remained low.

The book Chu Jiubian gave to Situ Zhaoling not only contained methods for dyeing silk with other colors, but also methods for improving the quality and quantity of the silk produced.

It even gave a clear explanation of how to form an industrial chain.

If Situ Zhaoling did as instructed, he would be able to establish a reputation for Nanjiang silk.

Situ Zhaoling picked up the book and began to turn the pages.

She read very quickly as she flipped through the book, and very soon, she had skimmed most of the important content. Her heart was pounding.

If everything contained in this book could be achieved, then the silk fabrics of Nanjiang would surely become even more eye-catching than even those of Jiangsu and Zhejiang!

There was even a color chart in this book. She couldn’t begin to imagine how beautiful those colors would be when made into fabric and tailored into dresses.

Not to mention a woman like her, even men were sure to love it.

Situ Zhaoling knew very well how extravagantly the wealthy and powerful spent money when it came to these silken fabrics, so what she saw in this book was actually an endless expanse of silver!

They would centralize management of all of the silk workshops in Nanjiang, create different departments, and assign them different functions. This would make things much more efficient. 

The next step was to expand its scale, increase production, and at the same time, make improvements to quality using the methods in this book.

Then a separate textile workshop would be established, specifically for mixing and dyeing…..

Situ Zhaoling had basically envisioned the entire industry chain, and the clinking and clattering of coins ringing in her ears made her feel somewhat dizzy.

At the same time, she also knew what the High Priest wanted her to do.

She stood up and bowed deferentially, saying: “This subordinate will definitely live up to your expectations and bring you lots and lots of money.”

Although she was usually a bit loud and impulsive, and not very mature in her actions, she was still adept at reading people – so she didn’t ask the High Priest what he needed the money for. Just being obedient was enough.

This Believer’s circumspection put Chu Jiubian in a good mood.

After expressing her loyalty, Situ Zhaoling then said anxiously: “High Priest, our Nanjiang does possess its own caravans, so selling goods in the southwest and northwest is relatively easy. But transporting goods from Nanjiang to Northern Zhili or the Jiangnan region would take an extremely long time, and might delay your important business.”

“It won’t be a problem, just go and get started,” Chu Jiubian said.

In fact, Situ Zhaoling had indeed raised a large problem.

The Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions had canals that allowed for silk to be directly transported northward, but the Nanjiang region was very remote, making the sale of silk in the north very difficult.

But this didn’t pose a problem for Chu Jiubian.

Items could be traded in the Divine Realm. He could easily have Situ Zhaoling bring the Nanjiang silk into the Divine Realm, then have Wang Qichen, his noble young master from the capital, help with selling it.

This also saved on transportation costs, making it basically pure profit.

Chu Jiubian would set aside a portion of the money for Nanjiang, and send the rest to Jiang Shuoye.

Even after Wang Qichen started up his mass-production paper mill, he would keep a portion of the profits for Wang Qichen and give the rest to Jiang Shuoye.

In this dog-eat-dog world, strengthening one’s military power was the true key to survival.

Qin Xiao was able to protect Bai Lihong’s throne even though he had nobody in the court – wasn’t this because of the soldiers and generals under his command?

Chu Jiubian currently possessed 80,000 Mobei Army troops and the fierce General Jiang Shuoye, but it wasn’t enough.

As far as he knew, Huguang-wang alone had 100,000 soldiers, at least on the surface, and who knew how many hidden in the dark.

Other vassals kings, along with the militarily strong Lu and Qiu families, may only have a few  thousand troops on the surface, but they secretly maintained an unknown number of private soldiers.

Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao were currently on the same side, but as their methods became more radical, these other forces would grow increasingly restless.

They might just end up banding together.

The unification of these forces should not be underestimated.

And after they eventually defeated and scattered these forces, Chu Jiubian would inevitably be forced to confront Qin Xiao. At that time, he would need to possess enough power and military strength to protect himself.

In short, Jiang Shuoye’s steel mill must be expanded quickly to produce stronger and sharper weapons as soon as possible. The more, the better.

So Chu Jiubian needed money, and Situ Zhaoling and Wang Qichen both needed to make a profit quickly.

“This is also a gift for you. Try to cultivate it.” Chu Jiubian gave her some cotton seeds and planting methods.

However, the cultivation of this crop required repeated trials, and the growth requirements varied from location to location, so it would take a long time to figure out.

Chu Jiubian steadied his mindset and decided to take it one step at a time.

With no further business, Chu Jiubian had the System send Situ Zhaoling away.

Just as he was about to depart as well, the System said: [Host, this System has preserved the conversation between Jiang Shuoye and Wang Qichen. Would you like to view it?]

Only then did Chu Jiubian remember this event.

When he was in Hexi Prefecture before, he’d left the Divine Realm before the two of them because Qin Xiao had come to find him, and the System had recorded the content of their conversation.

“Let’s see it,” said Chu Jiubian.

He actually thought that the two of them wouldn’t have much to say to each other, and would likely exchange a few awkward pleasantries before leaving.

The character cards of these two appeared before his eyes, then merged together to become a large screen.

Chu Jiubian saw the two of them sitting in their seats, with an empty chair between them.

Because the High Priest had left in a hurry and hadn’t told them to leave, they sat there in awkward silence for some time.

Jiang Shuoye sat tall and straight, his expression stern, and did nothing at all.

Wang Qichen sent him a sideways glance, then looked up at the enormous silhouette of the god.

“High Priest? Are you still there?” he asked.

His response was the low, distant roar of a dragon.

Jiang Shuoye said: “The High Priest must have something to take care of. Please be patient.”

He was a prudent person and had sensed Chu Jiubian’s departure from the Divine Realm long ago, but since he hadn’t been given any instructions, he simply waited.

Wang Qichen looked over at him: “Has this happened before?”

“No.”

“Then why don’t you seem concerned at all?” Wang Qichen raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps the High Priest had a last minute meeting with another god. There’s no reason for us to wait here like fools, is there?”

Jiang Shuoye glanced up at the silhouette of the god, somewhat hesitant.

“Then let’s wait another quarter shichen,” he said.

Wang Qichen: “Alright. But how will we get out afterward?”

“I don’t know.”

The System detected the keywords “get out” and sent them out immediately. Otherwise, these two simple-minded people might have really waited for a quarter of a shichen.

It seemed he would need to make some things clear the next time he saw these two. If such a situation happened again, they should just leave rather than waiting around like idiots.

“Right, how many card draws do I have now?” Chu Jiubian asked.

[Host, your accumulated points now allow you to draw three more cards.]

Chu Jiubian had previously drawn an extra duplicate card.

His points would continue to increase, and he would soon have the opportunity to draw an additional card, so he might as well draw these three now.

Chu Jiubian needed people who could participate in the Imperial Examinations and enter the Imperial Academy, so it would be best to draw cards related to the scholarly arts or craftsmanship.

“I’ll draw a card,” Chu Jiubian said.

[Okay, Host. A card deck has been prepared for you, please draw one. (You can only draw one card at a time.)]

Last time, Chu Jiubian had drawn two in one go. One was a duplicate, and one was Wang Qichen.

The System had learned well.

Chu Jiubian tried to haggle with it, but this time, the System knew that Chu Jiubian was set on his purchase and maintained a firm attitude, not budging an inch.

“Fine, I’ll just draw one.” Chu Jiubian was left with no choice, and drew one card.

“……”

This was already his third “wealth” card!

The System shuffled the cards, of which there were now six.

Chu Jiubian was genuinely afraid of drawing a fourth wealth card, and rubbed his hands together before making the next selection.

Great, now it was a “Charisma” card.

Another one he had already drawn.

Could he be this unlucky?

Chu Jiubian closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself, silently chanting, new card, new card, before drawing the last one.

The card was flipped over, and a flash of golden light revealed the words written on it: [Connections].

It was actually a [Connections] card!

Chu Jiubian was delighted; this was a keyword he hadn’t considered before.

Her surmised that this network of connections wasn’t the same as Wang Qichen’s, which included his large clan. This was likely to include connections between a variety of people.

If that was the case, wouldn’t it be much easier for Chu Jiubian to place his own people in the Imperial Academy?

Couldn’t he just have the Believer on this card make the arrangements?

This was a godsend. The System really was going easy on him.

Chu Jiubian said: “Let’s see who we have here.”

[Suitable Believer cards have been preserved for Host. Please select one to summon.]

The keyword cards vanished, only to be replaced by two Believer cards.

Why were there so few candidates this time?

Chu Jiubian had a bad feeling about this – like he would once again only have one card he could choose.

When the first card was revealed, his pupils immediately contracted.

As expected, the Regent who was haunting him like a ghost was once again in the selection pool.

[Ning-wang Qin Xiao, courtesy name Fengqi, age 25. You think he’s just a powerful minister sitting high in the halls of power? Not so – he has the strongest network of connections. With him on your side, you will control the majority of the jianghu!  (Not recommended ! ! !)]

Chu Jiubian had the belated realization that he had never known Qin Xiao’s courtesy name.

So it was Qin Fengqi?

And what did the card mean by “the majority of the jianghu?” How did Qin Xiao know people in the martial arts world?

Chu Jiubian’s questions were resolved in less than two breaths, because he found the answer on the second card.

[Qin Chuan, courtesy name Mingce. Leader of the Wulin Alliance, age 23. As the second legitimate son of the Qin family who has never been publicly acknowledged, he operates in the shadows while Ning-wang Qin Xiao operates in the open. One holds a high position in the Imperial Court, while the other lives in seclusion in the jianghu. With him, you will hold a large portion of the jianghu’s power, as well as an intelligence network spanning the entire nation. (Recommended!)]

Chu Jiubian instantly felt a chill run down his spine.

No wonder Qin Xiao always received news so rapidly. It turned out that his younger brother was a martial arts leader famous throughout the land! 

No wonder!

Chu Jiubian had previously heard Xiao Xiangzi mention the “leader of the Wulin Alliance” while gossiping. At that time, he had thought it fortunate that such figures from the jianghu didn’t serve in the Imperial Court. Otherwise, they would become objects of contention among various forces.

But now, he realized that the world of the jianghu was already taking part in this power struggle, and stood behind Qin Xiao.

That world-renowned Grand Marshal Qin was indeed a master strategist.

He had raised up both of his grandsons to become outstanding individuals.

Qin Xiao possessed exceptional political acumen and ruthless methods, so Grand Marshal Qin had kept him in the capital and made him known to the public, instructing him to act as a dissolute dandy in order to lower everyone’s guard and further protect the Qin family.

If someone were to attempt to harm the Qin family, Qin Xaio’s prowess would allow him to protect its members even after death.

And even if he failed to protect them, there was still Qin Chuan on the outside. As a direct descendent of the Qin family, he would be able to preserve their bloodline.

Whether or not Grand Marshal Qin had foreseen this situation, once Qin Xiao and Bai Lihong came to power, Qin Chuan became their most valuable intelligence network and backup plan.

Chu Jiubian couldn’t help but think of the late Empress Qin Feng.

These three siblings, plus Bai Lihong, seemed to have inherited Grand Marshal Qin’s talents. Each of them could be a “protagonist” in their own right.

Were all of them main characters?

Something flashed through Chu Jiubian’s mind, but he was too slow to grasp it.

[Would Host like to summon Believer Qin Chuan?]

“No need.” Chu Jiubian firmly declined.

Qin Chuan and Qin Xiao shared a connection, and given the intellect and talent of Qin Xiao and Qin Feng, it could be deduced that Qin Chuan must also be very capable.

Upon seeing the High Priest, such a person would inevitably associate him with Chu Jiubian.

It was too dangerous. 

Chu Jiubian had no intention of exposing his identity to Qin Chuan for the time being.

However, his “connections” skill was vital, and Chu Jiubian needed an intelligence network. That way, even if Qin Xiao kept something from him, he could still get the information from Qin Chuan.

The only prerequisite was that Qin Chuan must trust and believe in him completely.

Furthermore, he must not be led to believe that the High Priest would harm Qin Xiao. Otherwise, even with his identity as a god, he wouldn’t be able to compare to the blood relationship between brothers.

He needed to make preparations to reveal that the High Priest and Qin Xiao shared the same goals. Only in this way would Qin Chuan trust him completely.

[Host, someone is knocking at your door.]

Chu Jiubian immediately withdrew from the Divine Realm and sat up in bed.

Sure enough, there was a knock on the door. Chu Jiubian instantly knew that it was Qin Xiao.

At this hour, he hoped nothing terrible had happened again!

Chu Jiubian quickly got up and put on his shoes, then went to the outer room. As soon as he opened the door, a surge of damp coldness rushed inside.

Ignoring the chill, he asked with a frown: “What’s the matter?”

Qin Xiao sent him a glance and stepped forward.

Chu Jiubian automatically stepped back, only to see the man enter and close the door behind him.

Chu Jiubian: “ ? ”

Qin Xiao grasped his wrist and examined his hand. Sure enough, the bandages on his finger were gone and the wound was openly exposed, with dried blood between the nail and flesh.

Qin Xiao was silent for a moment or two before asking: “Doesn’t it hurt?”

---

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Chapter 51 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 53