Chapter 80: The Great Wind Rises

Grand Commandery Office.

Early that morning, He Ba Dubei dragged Li Shen gui out of bed.

“What’s the rush? Have the Liuzhen rebels attacked again?”

Li Shen gui, still half-asleep after being yanked from his golden fur blanket, frowned and yawned, struggling to suppress his drowsiness.

“Has the Grand Commandant heard of the General Who Pacifies Bandits’ recent actions?”

“What actions?”

“The General Who Pacifies Bandits has recruited five hundred men each from Huaihuo and Wuchuan, making them his elite guards.”

“I know that!”

Seeing Li Shen gui’s innocent gaze, He Ba Dubei felt a pang in his heart.

“Such military and political matters should be planned by the Grand Commandant. If men are to be recruited, it should be the Grand Commandant who recruits them. Who truly holds authority in Heng and Shuo provinces now?”

Li Shen gui remained utterly calm.

“Of course, I do!”

“Then why does the Grand Commandant allow the General Who Pacifies Bandits to act this way?”

“Military and political affairs in Heng and Shuo provinces are under my command—but I must obey my sworn brother!”

He Ba Dubei looked at him with exasperated fury.

“Why?”

“Listen to advice, and you’ll eat well!”

“Who said this nonsense?”

“My father!”

He Ba Dubei nearly choked, clutching his chest, staggering back two or three steps before regaining his balance.

“Doesn’t the Grand Commandant see anything wrong here?”

“What’s wrong? Could my father ever harm me?”

With desperate urgency, He Ba Dubei prepared one final attempt to save him.

“I’ve heard many of the Grand Commandant’s eight hundred private troops have grown close to the General Who Pacifies Bandits—they’re your personal soldiers!”

“Them? Isn’t that natural?”

“What do you mean?”

“My eight hundred private troops answer to my sworn brother too. Even when I want to take them hunting outside the city, I can’t command them!”

…

That day, the sun blazed fiercely, and the wind howled violently.

He Ba Yue waited at the entrance of the Grand Commandery Office for He Ba Dubei, but all he saw was his father stumbling out, as if he’d just been plunged into an icy tomb.

“Father, what’s wrong?”

“Go!”

“Where?”

“Anywhere!”

“What do you mean?”

He Ba Dubei looked at He Ba Yue, his icy hand brushing his son’s cheek, forcing a smile.

“Foolish boy, run!”

General Who Pacifies Bandits’ Mansion.

“General, your six thousand military households have been settled: eight hundred in Shengle, eight hundred in Baidao, twelve hundred in Yunzhong, eighteen hundred in Ma Yi, two hundred in Woyang, and the rest in Taipingzhuang in Si Province. Additionally, pastures around Shuo Province have been allocated to the Hulü, Kedi, Po Liuhan, and Du Gu clans.”

A vast map of the northern frontier hung in the mansion.

Yu Jin placed each military token onto its corresponding location on the map.

Li Shuang’s six thousand military households had once been rootless trees.

With the distribution of captured spoils and farmland, they had now grown into mighty trees, deeply rooted in the northern frontier.

After placing the final token, Yu Jin was certain: Shuo Province was Li Shuang’s, and half of Heng Province was his too.

As a scion of a prominent Xianbei clan, Yu Jin’s emotions were complex.

In recent days, Yu Jin had completed his psychological shift—he now stood firmly with Li Shuang.

“But if the court later investigates, it won’t be easy to explain.”

To the entire northern frontier, Shuo Province was but a corner.

To the entire Northern Wei, Shuo Province was a tiny, impoverished state—the very symbol of trouble.

After the capital moved, the Liuzhen garrisons had gradually become an eyesore the Luoyang elite refused to acknowledge.

Every year, the court had to pour vast sums into the north to feed these ungrateful beggars in their eyes.

If the Liuzhen rebels vanished tomorrow, that would be the Luoyang court’s greatest wish.

“No problem. When the sky falls, the tall ones hold it up.”

After Li Shuang spoke, Yu Jin fell into thought. He knew the tall one could not be Li Shen gui—it had to be Er Zhu Rong.

Er Zhu Rong’s actions in the south surpassed even Li Shuang’s.

“I’ve heard the Duke of Liang has been placing his own men across Bing Province, and the court seems ready to appoint Yuan Tianmu as Inspector of Bing Province!”

Compared to Shuo Province, Bing Province was wealthy—the very heart of Shanxi.

It could support not just tens of thousands, but hundreds of thousands.

Jin Yang, in particular, was the largest city; even Pingcheng paled beside it.

“Po Liuhan Baling is about to be defeated, yet the court can no longer control the northern generals.”

Li Shuang turned to Yu Jin.

“Si Jing, I’ve heard the court intends to appoint you as Inspector of Shuo Province—the imperial decree is imminent.”

Yu Jin felt no stir of emotion, only bowed deeply, clearly acknowledging the hierarchy.

“Your servant thanks the General for your grace!”

“No need for such formality between us!”

Li Shuang’s gaze settled on the map, fixed on Pingcheng.

Pingcheng was unique—the former capital of Northern Wei, requiring a member of the imperial clan to reside there.

On the entire northern map, only around Pingcheng were there no military tokens—strikingly empty.

Even Li Shen gui, the Grand Commandant, could not intervene.

Noticing Li Shuang’s gaze, Yu Jin warned:

“General, Pingcheng is special. Do not act rashly, or you’ll lose the forest for the trees.”

Li Shuang nodded, lost in thought, when Hou Jing entered.

“Lord, after you returned to the city, Yuwen Gong claimed urgent business and left with his sons—now he’s vanished.”

“Left so quickly?”

Li Shuang asked, surprised:

“What about He Ba Dubei?”

“After visiting the Grand Commandant yesterday, he took his family to Li Shuren’s and refused to come out. He even urged Li Shuren to return to Tongwan City immediately—they departed today, and the Grand Commandant even saw them off.”

“What kind of people are these!”

Li Shuang sighed helplessly:

“I’ve just returned, and they’re already rushing to leave. If outsiders heard this, they’d think I was threatening them!”

Hou Jing nodded in agreement.

“Indeed! They judge you by their own petty hearts. If everyone were as upright and devoted to the state as you, the realm would surely be at peace!”

Li Shuang looked at Hou Jing, deeply satisfied.

“Then let those assassins disband where they stand.”

“They cost money—just let them go?”

“A bunch of showy fools, useless in truth,” Li Shuang sighed. “It’s time to train my own loyal servants.”

“What about the women and belongings they left behind in Wuchuan?”

“I’ll hold them in trust for now. As for the women, I’ll reluctantly care for them for a while.”

“Lord, you’re so kind!”

Yu Jin stood nearby, watching the scene, opening his mouth as if to speak.

Never mind.

His conscience had hurt so often, it had grown numb.

Painful, yet satisfying.