A flying boat touched down within the army encampment outside Jidu. Princess Wancheng stepped out, followed by dozens of tall, handsome guards. Each of these guards possessed a distinct style. The one on the left looked grim and sharp, with sword-like brows and starry eyes, his hand resting on a long saber as he marched with ringing, measured strides. The one on the right, however, had a gentle smile and eyes filled with tenderness, holding a scarlet recurve bow while his thumb idly stroked the bowstring. There were also several strapping, muscular men bearing heavy shields yet treading as lightly as the wind. These guards encircled Princess Wancheng, their gazes never leaving her figure for even an instant.
Catching sight of Li Zhi coming out to greet her, Princess Wancheng asked, "Why summon me here in such a rush? Have you taken Jidu? Wonderful! Tonight we sleep in the Ji royal palace!"
Li Zhi acted as if the dozens of guards behind her did not exist. "A vast host of remnant enemies within the capital has yet to be purged, and the royal palace remains in the hands of the King of Ji. Taking it will still require some time. I asked you here because I have just breached the royal city—a feat unprecedented in history. Harnessing this karmic momentum, bolstered by the secret arts of our Academy, makes it possible to plant a lotus seed within the field of fortune and obtain an heir."
Princess Wancheng's eyes lit up. "Truly? Then the child I bear in the future will be none other than the next King of Qi?"
Wancheng was already at Scenery Command, and Li Zhi was only a step away. Both hailed from royal bloodlines, making it exceptionally difficult to conceive offspring.
At this moment, the guard standing closest to Princess Wancheng piped up, "Who knows, maybe it will be the King of Ji instead!"
Wancheng showed extraordinary leniency toward this guard who had interrupted so freely. Offering only a mild rebuke, she said, "Nonsense! The Nine Kings were established by the ancestral founders—who would dare murder one? My Lord Li originally hailed from the Southern Qi royal house; inheriting the mantle of the King of Qi is the true orthodox path."
The guard pouted and lowered his head. "How could I know so much?"
Pity welled in Princess Wancheng's heart, and she comforted him with a few gentle words before finally remembering that Li Zhi was still standing beside her. She asked, "Shall we try tonight at the front lines? By the way, I hear the King of Ji is quite the connoisseur of pleasure. Once we conquer the palace, let us have a proper bout of fun with him."
Li Zhi smiled faintly. "Whatever you wish. For now, go and rest awhile."
Li Zhi guided Wancheng into the central command headquarters. Just as a subordinate general came forward to report on the war, another of the princess's guards spoke up: "Could we listen in as well? We would like to learn a thing or two so that we might share the Military Commissioner's burdens in the future."
"This is confidential—"
Before Li Zhi could finish, Princess Wancheng cut in: "Things have already reached this point; everyone knows you are going to attack the palace. What confidentiality is there left? Besides, they are hardly outsiders."
Li Zhi's expression did not change. "The princess speaks absolute truth."
A moment later, Li Zhi convened the council in the hall. Along the right sat the army's generals, while along the left sat a row of the princess's guards. Wancheng felt a bit drowsy and retired to the rear courtyard to catch up on sleep.
The fierce generals of the Zhenshan Fief all wore looks of fury, yet none of them lashed out. The row of guards, completely oblivious, leaned in close to whisper among themselves, freely critiquing Li Zhi's military strategy.
Nearly half a month had passed since the city walls were breached. At present, the Zhenshan Army occupied only a single district of Jidu, and Sun Chao'en and Wang Zhi had contested every single house back and forth, holding them to just that one district. Yet Jidu had sixteen districts in all.
The capital's buildings were exceptionally sturdy, and Sun Chao'en had long prepared for the fall of the outer wall by erecting dividing walls within every district to seal them off from one another. The civilian quarters along the front line had all been converted into fortifications. In this manner, both sides clashed repeatedly over every inch of ground, with a single street changing hands more than a dozen times.
Faced with this impasse, none of the generals had a viable solution; they could only continue pouring in troops, locked in a battle of attrition against the State of Ji.
At that moment, one of the guards suddenly interjected, "Why not drag artillery into the city to fire point-blank? Or set a fire to burn down the city, immolating anyone who dares resist alongside it?"
The generals of the Zhenshan Fief rolled their eyes in unison. Such an indiscriminate tactic would inevitably cause catastrophic civilian casualties; if they truly fought that way, Li Zhi's reputation as a benevolent prince would be thoroughly ruined.
"An excellent idea!" Li Zhi praised approvingly, before turning right back to their original strategy.
Come nightfall, Princess Wancheng woke and ordered dinner brought to her bedchamber. When the soldier bearing the food arrived at the door, two guards clad in sheer gauze emerged from the chamber to take the meal inside. Afterward, Princess Wancheng's laughter echoed throughout the night.
Li Zhi also stayed awake all night, reviewing official documents and managing military affairs in his own tent. Daily casualties currently numbered in the thousands, and both sides had long since entered the meat-grinder phase; the Ji army's losses were substantial as well. Li Zhi had already dispatched envoys three times to urge surrender, only for the King of Ji to sever their ears before sending them back.
Suddenly, a gentle glow illuminated the tent, and Master Gu appeared out of thin air before Li Zhi. Li Zhi hastily rose to salute him. As he began to drop to his knees, Master Gu caught him, bidding him not to stand on ceremony.
Master Gu then produced a red pill and handed it to Li Zhi, saying, "Have Wancheng ingest this pill, and you shall plant the precious embryo. However, the medicinal properties of this pill are ferocious; it will draw upon her full life force to nurture the child. Given enough time, she is bound to notice something amiss."
Li Zhi accepted the red pill. "This disciple knows what must be done."
Master Gu nodded, then added, "I heard that you applied to the Academy for additional military funds this time, totaling thirty million taels?"
"Yes."
"How much did you actually receive?"
Li Zhi hesitated, then shook his head, unwilling to speak.
Master Gu snorted. "Scheming like this before me? Do you think I wouldn't know even if you stayed silent? The Academy actually disbursed thirty million taels, but by the time it reached your hands, only six million remained. It was six million, wasn't it?"
Li Zhi finally nodded.
Master Gu said, "That your subordinate officers did not embezzle or skim anything off the top is quite remarkable. It seems your leadership over these past years has indeed been stellar; I did not misjudge you."
Li Zhi replied, "Refraining from corruption is the basic duty of an official, all the more so when it comes to military funds. If military funds are stolen, more brothers die on the battlefield. The officers under my command all understand this truth."
Master Gu gave a mocking chuckle. "A truth even simple martial men understand, yet those stuffed with the books of sages fail to grasp it! In ordinary times they look down on martial men, yet when trouble arises, they prove inferior to even a soldier! All those sage classics went straight into the bellies of dogs!"
Li Zhi found it awkward to respond to such remarks.
Master Gu harbored no such reservations. He said, "I originally intended to borrow another sage treasure for you to crush the enemy, but Duke Yansheng refused to lend it. Heh, he too wishes for you to fight more slowly, so that a few more men will die!"
Li Zhi kept his eyes fixed on the tips of his feet, offering no comment.
Master Gu continued, "He refused to lend his, but that does not mean I have none—mine simply isn't quite as handy as his. This relic of the Sage of Mind, the Gewu Ruler, is temporarily entrusted to you. With it, the grand formation guarding the royal palace ought to fall."
"Thank you, Master!" Li Zhi extended both hands to receive the utterly plain and unassuming wooden ruler.
Master Gu produced another stack of Qingming Bank deposit certificates and handed them to Li Zhi, saying, "Here are fifteen million Qingyuan, my personal savings, to help bolster your military funds. This is all I have; there is no more."
Li Zhi was genuinely taken aback. "I cannot possibly accept this!"
Master Gu's expression darkened. "He who achieves great things does not bicker over trifles. If I give it to you, take it; it is far better than relying on Southern Qi's aid. If you wish to break free from the chessboard, you must not become too deeply entwined with Southern Qi."
"This disciple will heed your teachings!"
Seeing Li Zhi's earnest demeanor, Master Gu's expression softened. "Though the blood of Qi's Li lineage runs in your veins, since ancient times in royal households, descendants have been nothing more than disposable tools to be discarded after use. The examples in the history books are as vast as the sea; there is no need for me to instruct you on this. Very well, it is time for me to go. Return to your tasks."
Once Master Gu's figure vanished, Li Zhi pondered for a moment, then retrieved a jar of fine wine he had hoarded for a long time. He dropped the red pill into the wine, resealed the jar, and carried it with him to find Wancheng.
Wancheng was right in the middle of her revels when Li Zhi arrived unannounced and demanded that all the male attendants leave, which left her rather displeased. Yet seeing Li Zhi's resolute demeanor, she reluctantly dismissed them, her face undeniably clouded with irritation.
Soon enough, however, she discovered that Li Zhi was surprisingly fierce tonight. Once her passions were stirred, she accepted the cup of wine Li Zhi offered, downing more than half in a single gulp. Then she poured the remaining wine over Li Zhi's body, using him as her vessel to drink the rest slowly away.
Chapter 1358