"I am truly wronged!"
Ji Huan probably hadn't expected the Seventh Prince to skip the stage of mutual probing and directly overturn the table. He spoke urgently, "Your Highness, please hear my detailed explanation."
Qu Dubian said, "Either it's colluding with bandits, or it's testing this prince."
"I have come by imperial decree. In the matter of suppressing bandits, to deceive me, to test me, is approximately equal to deceiving His Majesty, testing His Majesty..." He paused briefly, "Lord Ji, this is a capital offense."
Qu Dubian leisurely stood up, walked over to Ji Huan who was bowing with hands clasped, leaned in to look at his face, and lowered his voice.
"Colluding with bandits, or deceiving the sovereign and testing him, which one are you?"
Ji Huan stammered, "Your subject, your subject..."
Qu Dubian circled him once, "Think carefully before you speak."
Ji Huan held it in for a moment, "Your subject is stupid!"
Qu Dubian: "..."
"Pfft!"
Assistant Prefect Deng couldn't hold back. Realizing he had laughed out loud, he quickly pinched his mouth to control the curve of his lips.
"Yes, your subject is just too stupid," Ji Huan only stammered for a moment before quickly settling on his reason, "Although I am in Qingzhou, where have I ever truly interacted with a prince? The capital is where the great Zhou's nobles gather, Qingzhou naturally cannot compare."
"Upon your arrival, I pondered day and night, thinking about how to make you and Commander Zuo feel at home, wanting you to speak well of Qingzhou before His Majesty. Who would have thought, I didn't do this well, didn't prepare that, and instead offended you. Ah, look at how this matter was handled!"
His expression was filled with immense chagrin, showing no sign of pretense.
Qu Dubian stood before him. After a moment, he suddenly smiled, as if nothing had happened, and personally reached out to support Ji Huan.
"Lord Ji, your words are too severe."
A flicker of surprise passed swiftly through Ji Huan's eyes.
Qu Dubian pretended not to see his astonishment. "I will not hold tonight's matter against you, but I also ask Lord Ji to remember, the position of Provincial Governor is not one a fool can hold."
"Tomorrow, I wish to see a normal Governor's Yamen, not a group of fools on a stage." He swept his gaze around. "Do you all understand?"
Assistant Prefect Deng: "Understood."
Adjutant Zhang: "Understood."
Only then did Qu Dubian nod, clapped his hands, and said, "Alright, that's enough for now."
He left. Xi Zixing also brushed the dust off the hem of his robe and followed behind him.
Zuo Tianlang walked at the back, shaken by the Seventh Prince's demeanor just now, as if he had become a different person—he had actually felt an indescribable aura of intimidation from the usually sickly and indolent Seventh Prince.
Before his departure, the Emperor had even instructed him to take care of the Seventh Prince, but perhaps even His Majesty himself did not know the Seventh Prince had this side to him.
After they left.
In the small courtyard, Ji Huan finally straightened his back. He patted his chest, let out a long sigh of relief, a smile hanging on his face.
Assistant Prefect Deng walked over and said helplessly, "You had to go and test him, nearly played yourself into a corner, didn't you?"
Ji Huan: "Two provincial military commanders, what does that concept entail? If he were truly reckless and stirred things up here, losing troops and generals would be the least of it. The lives of soldiers are worth my testing."
"You know about the Seventh Prince testing medicine at the Xiang River," Assistant Prefect Deng shook his head. "His character is certainly not in question. What's unclear is only his capability. Now that you've tested him, what's your conclusion?"
Ji Huan chuckled: "The way he scared me just now shows he can command the troops under Adjutant Zhang's command."
"What about tomorrow?"
Ji Huan said seriously: "Open the yamen normally. Bring the bandit suppression records to the Seventh Prince. Adjutant Zhang, mobilize the elite troops under your command and escort the Seventh Prince to Bai County. Don't try to fool him with old slickers."
"Yes."
Qu Dubian's room.
After closing the door, he glanced speechlessly at Xi Zixing.
Xi Zixing finally laughed out loud, "Heavens, I've never seen you smash a cup before. Feels like you're even funnier when you're scaring people than when you're telling jokes."
The three of them—himself, the Seventh Prince, and Xia Fuyang—if not having grown up together, had at least been friends for ten years and were familiar with each other's temperaments.
He had started laughing when Qu Dubian began his reprimand.
Qu Dubian: "Go on, go on, examinee, go back to your room and study. You're an eyesore."
Xi Zixing: "Ji Huan is probably too accustomed to official circles, very slick. He wanted to play Tai Chi with you, testing back and forth, but you directly overturned the table. He probably hasn't seen someone like you in a long time."
Qu Dubian: "He has time, but I only have a year."
"If he understands plain speech, things should be back to normal tomorrow. You go back and sleep early, help me screen information tomorrow."
Although Xi Zixing was sometimes a bit odd, his mind was sharp.
"Alright," he looked up, "Huh? Where's Young Eunuch Yuan?"
Qu Dubian: "He has matters to attend to."
Xi Zixing tactfully didn't ask further and left on his own.
Qu Dubian sat in the room waiting for a while before Ye Xiaoyuan returned from outside the Governor's office.
He pushed the door open and gently closed it behind him.
"Your Highness."
Qu Dubian: "Did you get the information?"
"Yes," Ye Xiaoyuan took out a thin booklet the size of half a palm from his sleeve.
Qu Dubian opened it to look.
This was information gathered by the covert network within Qingzhou regarding Provincial Governor Ji Huan's life story, achievements, style of handling affairs, etc., compiled together to help him understand Ji Huan more comprehensively.
To see whether he was loyal or treacherous.
"Emphasizes agriculture and sericulture, promotes fishery benefits... quite a few policies for nurturing the people. Seems like a practical doer. Some reforms too, just not ruthless enough, couldn't persist, most were abandoned."
In short, he probably wasn't someone who couldn't tell what was important.
Qu Dubian finished reading and closed the booklet.
"Banban, did you see Liu Liu?"
Ye Xiaoyuan: "Didn't see him, but he left this for Your Highness." Smiling, he took out a small jar of jade-like powder from his sleeve. Opening it, it indeed contained several cone-shaped incense sticks.
Inside the small jar was also a note the size of a fingernail, which read: [Encountered a small village on the road. An elder made this. Smelling it brought joy, bought it to gift to you.]
Liu Liu traveled everywhere establishing the covert network. In his leisure time, he was rather like a wandering knight, visiting remote corners. Whenever he found something good, he would send it over.
Qu Dubian felt like he had raised a hardworking, traveling frog version of Liu Liu.
He sniffed it. "Huh?"
"The ingredients are quite simple, but the scent is very unique."
It had a leisurely feeling of green mountains and flowing water in the wilds.
Ye Xiaoyuan: "Then we'll burn this tonight."
"Good!"
The next day.
Qu Dubian woke up early.
After tidying up and pushing the door open, he saw Ji Huan in full official robes, face solemn, standing at the door. In his hands, he personally held a wooden tray bearing three thick volumes of bandit suppression records.
"Your subject reflected on my faults yesterday, could hardly sleep all night, and have already sincerely reformed. Adjutant Zhang has already mustered two thousand elite troops. Whenever Your Highness wishes, we can depart at any time!"
Qu Dubian smiled: "Quite efficient."
A world of difference from yesterday's slow, unhurried demeanor.
Ji Huan cleared his throat lightly: "Does Your Highness need to have a meal?"
Qu Dubian: "We'll eat on the road. I want to see the soldiers."
"Yes."
Ji Huan took him to the Qingzhou military camp.
On the troop inspection platform at the camp stood only Adjutant Zhang. When Qu Dubian came up from the side, he didn't have too great a concept of what two thousand elite troops meant.
Only when standing on the reviewing platform and looking down did he feel that two thousand men were truly a considerable number.
Adjutant Zhang saluted with fists clasped: "Your Highness the Seventh Prince, during this bandit suppression campaign, we subordinates are at your command!"
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
The two thousand soldiers chorused: "Greetings, Your Highness!"
Qu Dubian: "Good. The troops are assembled. We march for Bai County."
"Yes!"
The two thousand soldiers followed behind in a mighty procession.
Qu Dubian, for once, rode in a carriage. He was having his morning meal while analyzing the bandit suppression records provided by Ji Huan together with Xi Zixing.
The banditry began two months after the floods and plague in the three prefectures.
At that time, the authorities did not pay it much heed, only dispatching local county offices to deal with the bandits. But even when they won and destroyed a bandit lair, new strongholds would quickly emerge. As refugees from the three prefectures increased, the bandits' numbers also grew, roaming the border between Qingzhou and Jizhou.
Later, the banditry grew increasingly severe. The Provincial Governor began to exert force in suppression, yet they either escaped, or the terrain was unfavorable for attack, or even after victories, the captured bandits would weep bitterly and vow to reform. After being punished by the authorities and released, they would turn around and become bandits again.
It seemed endless, impossible to eradicate.
And Bai County, located precisely at the border of the two provinces, suffered the most severe banditry.
Xi Zixing: "There are records of captured bandits. Some are people from the three prefectures who lost their families, others are locals. They mixed together and formed a force."
Qu Dubian: "Even a ragtag outfit needs someone to pull it together," he pointed at the suppression records. "Look, starting six months ago, this gang has never been captured by the authorities again. They've been toying with the officials like monkeys."
"Hmm... That's right. On Jing'an Mountain, closest to Bai County, is likely the largest bandit force, called the Black Butcher Stronghold. Our movements are significant; they'll know as soon as we enter Bai County's territory."
"That doesn't matter. They've been suppressed so many times; they should be used to it."
Qu Dubian: "Help me transcribe the list of bandits from the records. See who has been captured more than twice."
Xi Zixing: "Alright."
He glanced at Qu Dubian, who was completely absorbed in reviewing the records, and after a moment, gave a silent, light laugh.
As Qu Dubian flipped through the pages, his expression suddenly turned strange.
Xi Zixing: "?"
"What is it?"
Qu Dubian suppressed that bit of odd feeling: "It's nothing."
In his mind, the simulator's reminder sounded again:
[Yu Ruo's Favorability +1]
[Yu Ruo's Favorability +1]
Qu Dubian: "..."
Is this guy secretly thinking about him? What's gotten into him!
Bai County.
Black Butcher Stronghold.
The stronghold was built against the mountain, with quite comprehensive facilities.
The Big Boss and Second Boss had just returned laden with spoils from neighboring Jizhou, shouting for the brothers to eat and the wounded to get bandaged.
The Third Boss was a new addition half a year ago. His frame was scholarly and frail, but his wit and strategies were peerless, quickly earning the admiration of everyone in the stronghold.
However, after returning, the Third Boss didn't join them for drinking and feasting, heading straight to his own room instead.
Everyone was used to it, as the Third Boss had never liked overly noisy gatherings.
At this moment, the frail Third Boss was in his room reading a secret letter.
He read in a low voice: "The Seventh Prince presented weapons at court, overpowering the factions of the First and Second Princes, secured the position of Regional Commander of the two provinces, and is leading troops to Bai County to suppress bandits..."
He read this brief message several times.
Gu Xin asked softly: "Your Highness? Is the information incorrect?"
The Third Boss looked up. It was Yu Ruo in disguise.
His eyes were extremely bright. "Not incorrect. It's too correct."
This is exactly how it should be.
His intuition was always right. Someone like Qu Dubian, if he decided to compete, should startle the world with a single brilliant feat.
Finally, he's stopped hiding. Yu Ruo had thought this guy might hide his entire life, his sharp edges never seen by the world.
He was sent here to nurture the Great Zhou's banditry, and the Seventh Prince was sent to suppress it.
Yu Ruo stood in front of the window in an excellent mood, the corners of his mouth curved upwards.
"Then let us contend. Let's see if the banditry can be pacified. Let's see between us, who is stronger, who is weaker, who loses and who wins."