Before Tang Jinnian left, Ye Beizhi handed him a finely crafted token from the Storm Listening Pavilion. Ye Beizhi instructed him to look out for any information regarding the Transcendence Stone and to relay that information to the Pavilion.
"We’ll see," Tang Jinnian replied, exhaling a puff of smoke. His expression was inscrutable through a veil of drifting smoke.
Tang Jinnian still accepted the token before he left.
He left with Rao Shuang, heading eastward. His home was by the sea.
"I heard that before you practiced martial arts..." Rao Shuang fidgeting hesitantly. "You were... a carpenter?"
Tang Jinnian didn’t seem offended. Twirling his pipe, he replied, "I still am."
Rao Shuang blinked her large eyes. "You know that’s not what I meant. I mean... an ordinary carpenter."
"I know," Tang Jinnian replied simply. He didn’t seem to mind the conversation today. "My family has been shipbuilders by the sea for four generations—ordinary people. I still am. Is there a problem with that?"
"No, no..." Rao Shuang felt uneasy under Tang Jinnian’s gaze and lowered her head, not daring to meet his eyes.
In the teahouse, Ye Beizhi, Chi Nanwei, and Fang Dingwu were the only ones who remained.
"Flowerless Butterfly... what did she just say to you?" Ye Beizhi suddenly asked Chi Nanwei.
Chi Nanwei’s cheeks flushed as she turned her head to the side. "She didn't say anything..."
Ye Beizhi raised an eyebrow. "I saw the two of you..."
"Ah—Don't ask me!" Chi Nanwei’s face turned an even deeper shade of red, like a ripe apple. She shot to her feet, seemingly afraid that Ye Beizhi would notice her embarrassment, and turned her back to him. "Why are you asking so much about women’s matters?"
Ye Beizhi touched his nose, his expression slightly awkward.
Fang Dingwu reached for the wine pot to pour himself another cup of yellow wine, only to find it empty. He put the pot down and fidgeted with the empty cup in his hand with a wistful expression on his face.
"When I was an armed escort, I met so many people that I stopped believing in things like fate. But thanks to Young Master Tang and Young Master Xue, I managed to keep this old life of mine.
"It’s then I realized that people really are connected by unseen threads... Young Master Baili, Young Master Xue, and even that outwardly cold but inwardly warm Young Master Tang—all of them are truly righteous men..."
Ye Beizhi glanced at Fang Dingwu and said flatly, "They didn’t settle the bill... Xue Qiming stole a jar of wine as he left."
Fang Dingwu froze, his unfinished words of praise stuck in his throat, unable to come out.
After a long pause, Fang Dingwu finally muttered, "The jianghu is ruthless indeed..."
An urgent message from the capital traveled eight hundred miles north before it finally reached the Liangzhou Prefecture.
Ever since Qi Zongbi had used the imperial golden decree to seize command of the troops, Ying Gutong had given him the cold shoulder. Even after entering Liangzhou Prefecture, the former Marshal of the Three Armies had opted to stay at the military camp rather than stay with Qi at the Command Post.
One day, while Ying Gutong was training soldiers on the drill field, a guard suddenly reported that Marshal Ying was required at the Command Post to receive an imperial decree.
Ying Gutong was stunned at first but then overjoyed. He secretly hoped that the court had finally grown weary of Qi Zongbi’s behavior and was ready to return command of the troops to him.
Ying Gutong didn’t even bother to change his clothes. He called for a horse and rushed off toward the Command Post immediately.
The military camp wasn’t far from the Command Post. Riding as fast as his horse could take him, Ying Gutong arrived within the time it takes to burn an incense stick. From a distance, he could see a crowd gathered at the bureau’s gates. It seemed that every official from the city was present.
Standing alone at the entrance was an Eastern Depot chief clad in brown robes and white boots.
Ying Gutong dismounted, adjusted his attire, and strode confidently toward the bureau. Noticing that Qi Zongbi’s expression seemed off, he became even more certain of his earlier suspicions and couldn’t help but smirk inwardly—what comes around goes around, he thought vindictively, Qi Zongbi’s arrogant and erratic behavior had finally caught up to him.
The Eastern Depot chief had spotted Ying Gutong approaching from afar. When Marshal Ying drew near, the chief spoke with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
"Marshal Ying, you truly keep yourself busy. You’ve made this humble servant wait quite a while."
Ying Gutong smiled faintly. "Apologies, Eunuch. May I ask... when will the decree be read?" As he spoke, he cast a cold glance at Qi Zongbi.
Qi Zongbi saw everything and, observing Ying Gutong’s demeanor, closed his eyes and shook his head slightly, sighing inwardly.
Ignoring their petty gestures, the Depot chief dusted off his sleeves, took out a bright yellow imperial decree from his robe, and proclaimed loudly, "Marshal Ying Gutong, External Prime Minister Qi Zongbi—receive the imperial decree."
All the officials present knelt down immediately.
The Depot chief glanced at the crowd kneeling on the ground and, satisfied, nodded before he annouced, "His Majesty has decreed that the war in Liangzhou concerns the safety of the Dynasty. Ying Gutong, proven to be brave and resourceful, is hereby given an important assignment.
"He is to proceed immediately to Jianxing Pass to lead the border troops and suppress the Oirat raiders. En route, he must transfer military command to Qi Yanzhu at Xuanyang Prefecture without fail.
"Qi Zongbi, skilled in strategy, will remain in Liangzhou Prefecture to oversee operations and assist Qi Yanzhu in defeating the Bei Qiang army."
Ying Gutong collapsed to the ground.
Qi Zongbi glanced at Ying Gutong, sighed deeply, and raised his hand. "I accept the decree."
The chief from the Eastern Depot handed Qi Zongbi the decree with both hands and coldly turned toward Ying Gutong, who was still sprawled on the ground. "Marshal Ying, hurry back to pack your things. How much longer are you planning to wait before leaving?"
"This is impossible!" Ying Gutong suddenly struggled to his feet, his tiger-like eyes wide as he stared at the imperial decree in Qi Zongbi’s hand. "His Majesty can’t transfer me! This is impossible—" With that, he lunged at Qi Zongbi, snatching the decree and frantically flipping it open.
Qi Zongbi had no desire to fight with him and let the desperate former Grand Marshal take the decree. Qi Zongbi stood aside and watched coldly.
After a moment, the decree slipped quietly from Ying Gutong’s hands, and a nearby official hastily caught it with fumbling hands.
Ying Gutong muttered, "This is impossible... Qi Yanzhu... how could it be him?"
By now, no one seemed to care about him anymore. Even the officials kept their distance, afraid of being dragged into his mess.
Those familiar with court politics knew all too well that Ying Gutong had lost his favor. Although he still bore the title of Marshal, it was only a matter of time before he was stripped of it.
The Depot chief smiled at Qi Zongbi and said, "Prime Minister Qi, my task here is complete. I’ll now return to the capital to report back."
Qi Zongbi cupped his hands courteously. "Eunuch, you’ve worked hard. Since you must return to make your report, I won’t keep you."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the Depot chief mounted his horse and rode off.
As the crowd dispersed, Ying Gutong remained standing before the Command Post, dazed and defeated.
Qi Zongbi approached him and said slowly, "I overestimated you. I got wind of this yesterday and assumed you had too. To my surprise... you knew nothing, yet came here looking so smug regardless.
"Ying Gutong, the court has always been this way... Now, no one even bothered to give you a heads-up. That alone should show you how miserably you’ve failed as Marshal."
Qi Zongbi didn’t wait for a response and walked away.