Chapter 104: Two Words—Hell and Heaven

Two campfires blazed, their flames casting flickering shadows. The scouts sat on the other side—some dozing, others whispering quietly among themselves.

The sergeant leading them sat diagonally across from Yang Xuan, his dark face etched with newfound respect.

“Yang Mingfu travels without a single squad of soldiers. Truly bold,” he remarked.

Bold? Yang Xuan thought of the mere thirty or so soldiers left in the city. If he’d brought an entire squad, Qian Mo would be nothing more than an empty title. Should any trouble arise in the city, those once ruthless criminals would turn Taiping City into a hellscape.

The most miserable county magistrate in the world—Yang Xuan felt confidently assured that he ranked second, and no one dared claim first.

After tending to their wounds, the old thief and Wang Lao’er adjusted their internal energies, slowly using their breath to clear the blockages in their meridians.

Before dawn, the sky still held a faint gloom. The morning breeze cut across their faces like tiny knives, sharp and biting.

The grass on the ground had grown increasingly withered and yellow; even the nourishing dew could not restore its vitality.

Horse hooves trampled the earth, crushing the brittle grass beneath them.

The scouts split into two groups: one pressed onward to scout ahead, while the other guarded Yang Xuan and his two companions as they journeyed toward Lin’an.

Within Lin’an City, the autumn wind swept through fallen leaves, causing passersby to draw their collars tighter around their necks.

Inside Feng Shengtang’s hall, two women clad in sheer silk danced delicately. Their pale skin showed the chill of the season, while a musician plucked a guqin beside them.

Jiang Zhen’s wife, Zhang Wuniang, hurried in clutching a letter.

Feng Shengtang applauded, signaling the end of the performance, and the guests took their leave.

Taking the letter, Feng Shengtang read the arranged code aloud.

“Purchasing over a hundred head of cattle and sheep?” he chuckled. “This young county magistrate is quite proactive.”

Zhang Wuniang smiled wryly. “He’s so poor—barely a fraction of what you have, sir.”

Laughter filled the room.

Meanwhile, Yang Xuan entered Lin’an City. The old thief looked weary, one hand still bandaged and immobile, while Wang Lao’er, who had coughed up blood earlier, was recovering steadily.

“Old thief, I’ll steal your meat later,” Wang Lao’er teased.

“Cough! Be careful, or I’ll sneak into your room at night and take all your dried meat,” the old thief shot back.

“I pity you, so I’ll share a piece,” Wang Lao’er said, pulling out some dried meat and handing it over.

Wang Lao’er’s right hand was injured and bandaged, but he instinctively reached out with it to accept the gift.

“Ouch!”

Yang Xuan shook his head and entered the county office, seeking out the gatekeeper.

He handed over five wen coins. “Find a place for my two brothers to rest.”

The gatekeeper raised an eyebrow. Money’s power remained constant through the ages. “Consider it done.”

Once inside, a junior clerk led Yang Xuan to the main hall.

Liu Qing and Lu Qiang were present.

After greetings, Liu Qing asked, “I hear you were ambushed on the road?”

“Yes.”

Lu Qiang inquired, “Why?”

Yang Xuan couldn’t admit to trying to negotiate with the Washe tribe for several carts of medicinal herbs. He answered, “I believe it was Deng Hu.”

“Deng Hu…” Lu Qiang nodded. “He may well be a dog kept by the Washe tribe.”

“The Washe and other tribes are currently difficult to confront directly, so they send Deng Hu to raid us—those wolves harbor wild ambitions!” Liu Qing said coldly.

Yang Xuan wondered if these two had been misled. “Fortunately, my companions fought fiercely, and the scouts arrived just in time, allowing Wa Hai to escape.”

His blade had only grazed Wa Hai’s skin; the real damage came from Wang Lao’er’s slap, which visibly slowed Wa Hai’s movements.

Wang Lao’er was young, diligent in his daily cultivation, and utterly focused.

The more single-minded one is, the greater the achievement—this applied not only to many professions but especially to cultivation.

Yang Xuan found himself eager to see what Wang Lao’er would become in a few years.

“Despicable dog-slave!” Liu Qing coughed, then said coldly, “These so-called experts may seem invincible, but once an army forms ranks, they become mere targets. No one in this world is truly invincible under blades and spears.”

Yang Xuan knew this firsthand. During his first battle formation clash, the back of his head tingled numb with fear. Were it not for bringing Cao Ying and the others, he feared he would have died in regret, his head displayed as Deng Hu’s trophy.

In battle formations, individual valor counts, but with crossbows and bows at range, and spears like a forest up close, even if you break through three layers of defense with confidence, the soldiers will show you what coordinated encirclement means.

But more importantly… who leaked news of his departure from the city?

Liu Qing noticed Yang Xuan’s momentary distraction, assuming it was due to injury, and sighed. Then he stiffened his expression. “Someone from Chang’an is here, seeking information about the other side. You must answer truthfully.”

Lu Qiang warned, “Don’t take it lightly.”

Liu Qing pressed his hand down. “Go ahead.”

This was an implicit show of support for Yang Xuan.

Who could command such respect from these two?

When a man in dark clothes entered, Yang Xuan was surprised—someone from the Mirror Bureau?

The man knelt upright, his back straight.

“I am from the Mirror Bureau, sent to investigate the northern border. Today, you will answer questions truthfully, or face the emperor’s wrath.”

Yang Xuan nodded.

The man asked, “Is Taiping stable?”

“No, it is not.”

“Why?”

“The horse bandits and tribes on the other side are stirring.”

“What is your advice?”

“Could a large army be dispatched to guard the Chen Prefecture frontier?”

The man took notes carefully, then rose.

“I will bring this news back to Chang’an.”

He then summoned a courier horse, changing mounts rapidly without changing riders, rushing toward Chang’an.

At that moment, leaves fluttered through Chang’an’s bustling streets, the autumn colors charming and vivid.

Wang Shou stood beneath a roof eave, listening to his subordinates’ reports.

“…Liu Qing advises that Chen Prefecture lacks funds, forcing them to watch the tribes run rampant through autumn and winter. The Ministry of Revenue is requested to allocate more resources. The county magistrate of Taiping, Yang Xuan, suggests dispatching a large army to guard the Chen Prefecture frontier.”

Wang Shou took the papers into his office, picked up a brush, and copied them anew. At Yang Xuan’s suggestion, he altered two words.

“Could it be…” he wrote.

“No, it must be,” he corrected.

“Could” indicates a query, a request for approval. Could a county magistrate dare command the emperor?

The difference between those two words was the boundary between heaven and hell.

“Yang Xuan was once the Wang family’s dog,” Wang Shou said, rubbing near his eye patch. “We’re glad the empress’s days are hard, but the noble consort and her brother are quietly gathering their own forces. The palace is lively, and so is the outside world—we’re just adding fuel to the fire.”

Behind him, a soft voice whispered, “Gatekeeper, be careful not to be discovered by His Majesty.”

Wang Shou’s gaze darkened. “I have no children or family left. What else is there? Only loyalty to His Majesty. Beyond loyalty, I have feelings—joy, anger, sorrow, happiness… His Majesty has no time for such trivialities.”

Later, he entered the palace.

Han Shitou stood outside the hall.

Wang Shou asked, “Is His Majesty present?”

Han Shitou nodded.

“Second Lord, take a look at this.” The noble consort’s voice came from inside—sweet yet innocent.

Wang Shou knew entering now would only spoil the mood, risking a scolding from the displeased emperor. He looked at Han Shitou with a hint of caution and handed over the papers.

“These are the latest reports from the Mirror Bureau.”

Han Shitou accepted them and entered.

Inside, the emperor was playing with a small cat the noble consort had raised.

“Your Majesty!”

Han Shitou bowed slightly. “News from the Mirror Bureau.”

The emperor did not look up, gently stroking the cat. “Read.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“…Chen Prefecture Governor Liu Qing advises that Chen Prefecture lacks funds, so they must watch the tribes run rampant through autumn and winter. The Ministry of Revenue requests additional funds.”

Han Shitou paused.

The emperor said calmly, “Chen Prefecture is a wild and uncivilized land. Every year they complain, but the empire’s coffers are strained everywhere. The Ministry of Revenue is overwhelmed; this matter need not be discussed.”

“Understood.” Han Shitou continued, “Taiping County Magistrate Yang Xuan suggests dispatching a large army to guard the Chen Prefecture frontier.”

The emperor smiled. “That is ignorance, but also heartfelt zeal. Hongyan, this Yang Xuan is your man, isn’t he?”

The noble consort looked up, coquettishly. “I have no men. Second Lord speaks nonsense. But this young man is indeed passionate. Others won’t go to Chen Prefecture, yet he goes without hesitation.”

The emperor smiled again, and the two resumed playing with the cat.

Han Shitou turned and left, his eyes deepening in the autumn sunlight outside.

Servants and palace maids passing by softened their steps, quietly avoiding the powerful figure.

After a long moment,

Han Shitou clenched his right hand.

The sheets of paper were crushed into a tight ball.

“Two words: heaven and hell.”