Reinforcements

Reform meant conflict, and conflict meant death. Everything unfolding right now—whether the barbarian war that had claimed countless lives, the dark undercurrents churning across the three northern provinces, or these commoners who died in the dead of night with no one to care—was merely a prelude. So long as none among the sects, the imperial family, and the Prime Minister’s Manor was willing to back down, the future was destined to be drenched in blood. Looked at through that lens, the deaths happening now truly seemed insignificant. And yet... “You’ve got it wrong.” Listening to Li Junqing’s teasing inquiry, Xu Yuan slowly cast his gaze down below the gate tower. He watched the bustling common folk scuttling about just to scrape together a few copper coins, and his voice was very soft. “Junqing, why do you think those two elders set out on this path in the first place?” Li Junqing narrowed his eyes, then chuckled. “To sweep across the realm and bring universal peace to all under heaven.” Xu Yuan smiled faintly and shook his head. “You’re speaking of their ultimate ideal. What I just asked was the reason that gave rise to it.” Saying so, Xu Yuan glanced back at the Third Prince, who was slumping without a shred of proper posture, and asked, “Isn’t it precisely because of these humble commoners at the bottom? Isn’t it because they wanted a world free from demonic scourges and human calamities—a peaceful age where ordinary people could live and work in contentment? “Sacrifice is indeed necessary on this road. But growing accustomed to sacrifice doesn’t mean one should become numb to it.” A flicker of complex emotion crossed Li Junqing’s eyes before vanishing. He shook his head with a light laugh. “Then this prince truly hopes you can hold fast to that original heart of yours.” Xu Yuan took a deep breath and sat down heavily beside Li Junqing, grinning. “I’ve strayed a bit far. I was indeed angry earlier, but not because of the commoner’s death itself—rather, the inaction of this county’s officials gave me a sense of powerlessness.” Li Junqing’s expression turned somewhat peculiar. “The highest official in a county is nothing more than a seventh-rank magistrate, yet he can make the Third Young Master feel powerless?” Xu Yuan turned to meet the Third Prince’s gaze and asked, “A single magistrate wouldn’t, but how many magistrates are there across Great Yan?” “...” Li Junqing fell silent. Xu Yuan said nothing more for a moment either. He thought back to the terrified gaze of that street vendor earlier. The idea of ‘Stand up, kneeling is forbidden’ naturally clashed with a feudal dynasty, but Xu Yuan felt that people shouldn’t be living in such sheer terror. That was a fear born of having zero protection over one’s life—the terror of knowing one could be beaten to death at any moment on a whim. From a single grain of sand, one could see the whole world. If one continued tracing the root cause of that scene, the reality uncovered was terrifying to contemplate. The laws of Great Yan were crumbling. And the root of that collapse lay in the thousands upon thousands of grassroots officials across the Great Yan Dynasty. It truly did leave one feeling powerless. Sitting atop the gate tower and watching the morning sun slowly crest the eastern horizon, Xu Yuan sighed softly. “I always assumed that with cultivators dispatched by the court to inspect them, these grassroots magistrates wouldn’t dare pay mere lip service to the laws. Now it seems I took things too much for granted.” Li Junqing gave a dry laugh and sprawled flat on the gate tower, resting his hands behind his head. He casually remarked, “A pampered young master like you has never had to deal with common mud-feet. The problem with grassroots administration these days doesn’t actually lie with the magistrates; it lies with the local gentry within the cities. “In directing the imperial merchant guild, this prince often has to deal with these locals. Through intermarriage, affiliated businesses, and a whole slew of methods, they’ve operated in a single region for generations, even dozens of generations. Their roots run deep. “Aside from the magistrates parachuted in by the imperial court, virtually all the petty clerks and functionaries are monopolized by them. Most magistrates are forced to cooperate with them just to push through any administrative orders. And once they taste the sweetness of cooperation, they almost always end up wallowing in the same mire. “The same goes for the cultivator inspectors dispatched by the court. After all, cultivation costs silver, too.” “...” Listening carefully to Li Junqing’s cynical remarks, a hint of surprise surfaced in Xu Yuan’s eyes. In his previous view, compared to the sects that held military might, these grassroots gentry were nothing more than pigs waiting to be slaughtered. In an extraordinary world where the imperial family held supreme legitimacy, wiping out a few secular clans was effortless. Yet as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he dismissed it. He suddenly understood what Li Junqing meant. Humans were creatures of desire. Killing these people was easy, but new ones would sprout up soon enough. At the present stage, this was not the primary contradiction. As long as these grassroots officials remained reasonably obedient within the broader picture and didn't blatantly defy the imperial court’s decrees, such sordid behavior fell within the scope of the court’s tacit tolerance. Thinking this through, Xu Yuan let out a soft breath. Glancing at Xu Yuan’s expression, Li Junqing asked with a grin, “Changtian, what do you plan to do?” Xu Yuan turned his head, the corners of his lips curving up as he countered, “What do you think I’ll do?” Li Junqing stroked his chin and grinned. “Knowing your temperament, you probably won’t stomach this sort of thing.” “Indeed.” Xu Yuan nodded, bracing his hands on his knees as he stood up. “Since I’ve seen it, I can’t simply look away.” Li Junqing pushed himself up into a sitting position as well, asking with keen interest, “How are you going to handle it?” “Lou Ji already went to the county yamen just now.” “...” Li Junqing went mute. Mourning silently for a fleeting moment on behalf of the gentry and officials of Huizhou County, Li Junqing stood up to leave the gate tower. “In that case, this prince will take his leave first.” Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow. “Where are you going?” Li Junqing looked back. “You’re here to clean up local corruption, but this prince has no such grand ideals. Now that I’m here, I might as well go experience the local customs and charms.” With that, Li Junqing gave a wicked chuckle and leaped off the tower. Li Junqing was lying. He had no intention of visiting the red-light district to experience the local customs as he had claimed. Once out of Xu Yuan’s line of sight, he simply began wandering aimlessly through Huizhou County. Huizhou County was typical of small county seats in the Northern Border. With the night’s superficial glamour washed away, everything had returned to mundane quiet. Brick-and-timber buildings lined both sides of the streets. The bustling morning market was gradually filling with vegetable farmers and peddlers coming into town. Occasionally, a luxurious carriage would roll past, carrying the lingering scent of rouge and powder—likely belonging to some young master who had just spent the night in a brothel. Strolling down the street, watching the various commoners around him and soaking in the earthy atmosphere of everyday life, Li Junqing’s idle gaze reflected his lingering thoughts on the conversation just held. He had never truly pondered what he and Xu Changtian had discussed atop the gate tower. After all, this was how statecraft was described in the books he had read, how the instructors at the Imperial Academy had taught him, and the very reality he had encountered after taking charge of the merchant guild. Officials shielding one another and colluding with the local gentry—this was the bedrock of Great Yan’s local governance. It had its dark underbelly, but it kept the machinery running. It had been so for a thousand years; it had been so a century ago; it was so now; and in all likelihood, it would remain so in the future. Yet after that exchange, Li Junqing found himself unable to fathom what that Third Young Master was truly after. That kid... The things he pursued in his heart seemed even more far-reaching than what his Imperial Father and the Prime Minister sought to achieve. At this thought, Li Junqing halted his steps. He looked up at the sky, where the morning mist was being scattered by the warm sun, his eyes tinged with complex emotion. Staring blankly at the heavens for several breaths, Li Junqing let out a soft sigh, though the corners of his lips soon curled up again. He found it impractical, but a slacker like him had no right to lecture anyone else. Though he wasn’t optimistic, he still hoped that kid could hold onto that original aspiration. “Your Highness...” As the thought crossed his mind, a voice as delicate as an orchid interrupted his reverie, sounding beside his ear. Hearing the voice, Li Junqing’s expression didn't shift in the slightest, nor did he reply. He simply continued forward along the market street, bypassed several of the most bustling blocks, and turned into a narrow alley. The long, slender alley was paved with blue bricks and completely deserted, flanked on both sides by the high walls of interconnected courtyard residences. Proceeding several dozen yards deeper and turning past a few intersections, Li Junqing stopped before the closed red wooden gate set in a gray-brick wall. Pushing the gate open, he entered a courtyard overgrown with flowers and grass, where a woman of voluptuous figure was already waiting for him. The moment she saw Li Junqing, the alluring woman curtsied in greeting. “Your Highness, you’ve arrived.” Li Junqing stepped into the courtyard and cast an eye around. “You only arrived yesterday, didn’t you? Where did you get this courtyard?” The alluring woman glanced toward the inner chambers and said softly, “Borrowed it from someone for the time being.” Li Junqing raised an eyebrow, glancing toward the inner rooms. Sensing two unconscious mortals inside, he shook his head gently. “Remember to keep it confidential.” The alluring woman narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly and nodded. “Understood.” “Don’t take any lives.” “...” The woman fell silent. Walking over to a stone table in the courtyard, Li Junqing sat down and patted his lap with a smile. “Come here. It’s been a while since this prince last saw you, and I missed you a bit.” A glimmer flashed across the woman’s eyes, a faint blush rising on her cheeks. She stepped forward gracefully, draped her arms around Li Junqing’s neck, and settled her supple hips onto his lap. Li Junqing naturally slipped an arm around her slender waist and asked with a smile, “The information I gave you earlier—how has your investigation gone?” The alluring woman hesitated slightly upon hearing this, lowering her voice. “That Third Young Master Xu’s arrival here seems to stem from having run into some trouble.” “Oh?” A soft murmur of curiosity sounded in the quiet courtyard, though there was little surprise in Li Junqing’s eyes. Given the traveling speed of the black eagle pavilion, they could have flown straight back to Di'an City without resting. Yet Xu Yuan had chosen to stop in Huizhou County. He wouldn’t believe it if there weren’t something fishy going on. With that thought, his grip tightened slightly as he frowned. “An assassination?” “Most likely,” the alluring woman replied, suppressing a shiver at his wandering hand. “Moreover, the assailant’s cultivation is likely exceptionally high.” Hearing this, Li Junqing couldn’t help but let out a sigh. “Tsk, they really came... Do you know which faction it is?” The alluring woman stayed silent for a brief moment before answering in a soft voice, “That remains unknown. However, following the trail of clues Your Highness left behind, this concubine sensed near Pingye Mound that the Saintess of the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion departed recently...”