“Chen Ji, the world should not be like this.”

Chen Ji hadn’t expected those words to come from Mr. Feng.

In the darkness, he turned to look at the scholar in the green robe beside him, whose temples were also streaked with a touch of white. He then looked in the direction Mr. Feng was pointing, where only endless night lay, and even the starlight was dim.

Mr. Feng lowered his arm, looked into the distance, and said calmly, “Don’t you find it absurd? The Grand Secretaries in court disregard the lives of the border troops. Aren’t they afraid that if the border army collapses, their own lives will also be at risk?”

Chen Ji murmured, “I truly don’t understand, sir.”

Mr. Feng clasped his hands behind his back and walked forward. “When I first learned of those absurd events, I thought I had misheard. In the 22nd year of Jianing, the Jizhou border army waited endlessly for provisions and pay, and city merchants were forbidden from selling them grain. Two Jizhou infantrymen, driven by hunger, stole two chickens from a collateral branch of the Qi family in Jizhou. These two were also pathetic; they had just killed the chickens and set water to boil, but before they could even eat, they were caught red-handed by the Qi family’s servants… Do you know what happened to those two border infantrymen?”

Chen Ji remained silent.

Mr. Feng said expressionlessly, “The Qi family made them pay with their lives for the chickens. When the Jizhou border army heard about this, they mutinied that very night. It took the imperial court a full six months to quell the rebellion, and the Jizhou commander’s entire clan was exterminated.”

Chen Ji was startled. “Paid with their lives for chickens?”

Mr. Feng continued, “Do you know the reason behind this absurdity?”

Chen Ji shook his head. “I don’t know, sir.”

Mr. Feng slowly explained, “Actually, it was because someone had recommended the Jizhou commander for promotion to Minister of War, blocking certain people’s career paths.”

He added, “Qing Wentao, the commander of the Guyuan border army, guarded the frontier for fourteen years, only to end up accused of colluding with the enemy and treason, and then executed by slow slicing. Do you know why?”

Hearing Qing Wentao’s name, Chen Ji’s heart stirred slightly. “I don’t know, sir.”

Mr. Feng smiled. “It was simply because General Wentao opened trade routes and supported the border army, causing many merchants to abandon their old routes and instead travel through Guyuan. This immediately reduced smuggling trade in Dongying and Qidong by twenty percent, displeasing many people. So, someone fabricated evidence of General Wentao’s collusion with the enemy and sent him to the execution grounds.”

Chen Ji probed, “Who were these displeased people?”

Mr. Feng casually explained, “Dongying Port belongs to the Chen family, and Qidong Port belongs to the Xu family. Who do you think was displeased? What’s interesting is that when General Wentao got into trouble, Grand Secretary Hu remained silent. But after General Wentao died, the Hu family desperately protected this northwest trade route.”

Wait.

Chen Ji suddenly fell deep in thought. General Wentao’s framing, his sworn sister’s disappearance, Third Master Hu’s resignation, the former innkeeper and staff of Dragon Gate Inn being hanged at the memorial archway, and the assassination of the Chen family’s Minister of Revenue—this series of events seemed to subtly connect.

At this moment, Mr. Feng said indifferently, “Chen Ji, if you turn to any page of history, you will only find the stark words ‘self-interest’ within. Only when you can see these two words in every single event will you truly understand how things work.”

Chen Ji bowed respectfully. “I am but a humble ‘Sea Eastern Green Falcon,’ and perhaps it’s better to be a bit confused. Whatever you need me to do, sir, I will do it without hesitation, even if it means going through fire and water.”

Hearing such a high-sounding reply, Mr. Feng chuckled and turned to look at Chen Ji.

He pointed vaguely twice with his finger. “Oh, you, when did you learn such flattery? You’ve only just joined the Secret Intelligence Agency and are already promoted to ‘Sea Eastern Green Falcon.’ Becoming one of the Twelve Zodiacs is only a matter of time. It’s beneficial for you to understand some things sooner rather than later.”

Chen Ji asked calmly, “What kind of merit do I need to achieve, sir, to be promoted to one of the Twelve Zodiacs?”

Mr. Feng said meaningfully, “When the time is right, you will naturally know.”

Mr. Feng continued walking towards the city wall. Chen Ji followed behind him, asking curiously, “Sir, are the noble families truly unafraid of the consequences if the Jing Dynasty invades the south? If the border army collapses, how can they survive, like hair without skin?”

Mr. Feng replied with a smile, “Why would they care about such things? They believe that even if the dynasty changes, they can still live in luxury by simply serving a new master. Apart from the Zhu family, no one worries about who rules this land. But by destroying the Heavenly Strategies Army today, we have ensured that the Jing Dynasty will not dare to provoke border conflicts for five years. With these five years, we can then free our hands to restore our homeland…”

As he spoke, Mr. Feng’s expression became unexpectedly invigorated. He pointed towards the black iron curtain on the distant horizon. “Five years from now, when the Jing Dynasty advances south, I will don my armor, march north, and water my horses in the North Sea!”

For some reason,

only at this moment, as Chen Ji looked at Mr. Feng before him, did he finally feel that the man was truly alive, not just a powerful and cold political entity.

Chen Ji suddenly asked, “Since history only speaks of ‘self-interest,’ what do you, sir, hope to gain from doing all these things?”

Mr. Feng looked into the distance. “Me…”

He didn’t answer, perhaps unwilling to, or perhaps genuinely unable to at that moment.

After a long silence, Mr. Feng smiled. “People like me are never recorded in history books.”

Chen Ji was slightly taken aback; he hadn’t expected such an answer.

Even stranger, why would he tell Chen Ji all of this?

Chen Ji changed the subject. “What do you need me to do, sir?”

Mr. Feng thought for a moment. “Since you’ve gained the Crown Prince’s trust, continue working with him. With that status, I presume the Chen family will also regard you highly. Within a year, I want a complete list of all goods the Chen family smuggles to the Jing Dynasty, and ideally, their ledgers.”

Chen Ji murmured, “Sir, the Crown Prince was used as bait this time. He likely now has a mortal enmity with the Directorate of Ceremonial.”

Mr. Feng let out a laugh. “What’s there to fear? He’s just the Crown Prince.”

Chen Ji stiffened. Mr. Feng actually held the Crown Prince in such low regard. Where did this confidence come from?

Mr. Feng smiled and said, “Do you really think I can decide the fate of a country’s heir apparent? In this Ning Dynasty, only one person can make that decision.”

The Ning Emperor.

But the Crown Prince had made no major mistakes in the past. Why would the Ning Emperor want to kill a Crown Prince he himself had appointed?

Mr. Feng said casually, “His Majesty is a practitioner of the Dao, seeking eternal life and lasting rule. How could an emperor seeking eternal life need a Crown Prince?”

Chen Ji was astonished. He knew that many emperors pursued immortality, but even third-rank officials were at odds with the path of civil officials. How could the Ning Emperor seek eternal life?

However, this world was bizarre, and he wasn’t sure if the Ning Emperor truly had a way to achieve immortality.

By now, the city wall was close at hand.

Chen Ji looked up and saw a strong, solitary figure gazing into the distance from atop the ruins of the collapsed city gate tower.

Mr. Feng waved his hand at him. “I haven’t forgotten what you want. Go on, do your work well, and once the dust settles, you will get your answer.”

Chen Ji bowed and stepped back, watching Mr. Feng ascend the highest point of the brick and stone ruins to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Hu Junxian.

Once Chen Ji was out of earshot, Mr. Feng asked softly, “Do you still blame the Prince?”

Hu Junxian gazed into the night; the fires at the Heavenly Strategies Army camp were gradually dying down. “No, I don’t. You underestimate my breadth of mind, Hu Junxian. I never blamed him in the first place.”

Mr. Feng smiled broadly. “The Prince chose you for Guyuan back then because he believed you were most suitable for this place. It seems he was not mistaken.”

Hu Junxian said indifferently, “It’s not about suitability. It was simply easier to deceive the Jing Dynasty if I crippled my own cultivation after receiving the imperial edict. But after acting for so many years, I’ve truly come to somewhat hate this Ning Dynasty.”

Mr. Feng glanced at Hu Junxian. “What are your plans now? Return to the capital. It’s not too late to resume the path of civil officials. With your talent, you might still be able to touch the threshold of the Divine Dao realm.”

Standing on the ruins, Hu Junxian asked casually, “If I leave, who will look after Guyuan?”

Mr. Feng replied, “Wang Daosheng will replace you. No one is more suitable than him.”

Hu Junxian realized, “No wonder the imperial edict for his promotion to Minister of War was blocked. So, this was the plan.”

Mr. Feng smiled. “How about it? After you return, you’ll be given an honorary fourth-rank position in the Imperial Guard, granted three hundred mu of fertile land, bestowed a python robe and jade belt, and permitted to carry a sword in the palace. His Majesty promised this before I left the capital.”

Hu Junxian fell silent.

He looked at this land that he had wanted to abandon day and night, then suddenly said, “In this vast empire, petty officials are inherited by local gentry, high officials by noble families, and the throne by the Zhu family. Only the border army and Guyuan have no one willing to inherit them… I won’t leave. Let me stay here and be a stone. Wang Daosheng has great talent; don’t let him waste his time in Guyuan like I did.”

Mr. Feng’s expression became solemn. “Are you serious?”

Hu Junxian answered indirectly, “Eight years of playing this chess game, and today, at the end game, I still feel a touch of reluctance to let go. Go back and tell His Majesty that if he truly wishes to compensate me, Hu, then he should fulfill what he promised. That would also resolve Prince Jing’s dying wish.”

As his voice faded, a sliver of sunlight pierced the distant night, and the long night was finally about to pass.

Mr. Feng slowly pulled up his sleeves and bowed deeply to Hu Junxian. “A man of such national character, General, you are truly the backbone of our dynasty. Guyuan, I leave it to you.”

With that, he turned his back to the rising sun and walked down the city wall.

On the ruins of the city wall, only Hu Junxian remained, watching the sun slowly rise.

“National hero, my foot,” he scoffed with a self-deprecating smile, bending down to pick up a broken piece of brick, weighing it in his hand.

Then he threw it into the distance.