The Emperor Zhu Youjian was in an unusually good mood when he dismissed Lu Xiangsheng.
Everything had gone smoothly. Too smoothly.
But the moment Lu Xiangsheng stepped out of the imperial study, Gao Qiqian slipped in like a shadow that had been waiting for its cue.
"Your Majesty… this matter cannot be handled carelessly."
Zhu Youjian paused, the smile on his face not yet fully gone. "Oh?"
Gao Qiqian lowered his voice, every word wrapped in quiet calculation.
"Jinzhou sits too close to the Jianzhou territory. For years, the garrison there has ignored court authority. Commanders come and go, yet every one of them turns into a wolf that refuses its leash. If Lu Xiangsheng goes there…"
He let the sentence hang just long enough.
"…what if he becomes another Yuan Chonghuan? Holding troops, building his own power, waiting for the right moment?"
The Emperor inhaled sharply.
That single thought was enough to crack open his earlier confidence.
"Yes… that is indeed a problem. What should be done?"
Gao Qiqian bowed slightly, as if reluctantly stepping forward to shoulder a burden.
"This is where your servant can ease Your Majesty's worries. I am willing to go as supervising eunuch, to personally oversee Lu Xiangsheng and ensure he makes no… unnecessary moves."
The Emperor's eyes lit up.
"If you are willing to go, then I have nothing to fear."
Gao Qiqian's lips curved faintly, but he pressed further.
"I only fear that Lu Xiangsheng may not submit to imperial authority, that he might remain stubborn and unyielding. Therefore… I dare ask Your Majesty for a Sword of Imperial Authority."
Zhu Youjian understood immediately.
"Granted. I will give you the sword, along with a sealed edict. If Lu Xiangsheng shows even the slightest sign of disloyalty, you may read the edict and execute him on the spot."
Gao Qiqian's heart surged with satisfaction.
So it is done.
With the sword in hand, how dare Lu Xiangsheng look down on me again?
---
He left the palace in high spirits, gathering a group of imperial guards. Of course, this was not some fantastical tale where palace experts possessed mystical arts. These were simply well-trained fighters, men skilled enough to kill efficiently.
Surrounded by them, Gao Qiqian also assembled several thousand pampered capital troops, the so-called young masters of the capital who had never truly seen hardship.
Then, with full confidence, he marched straight into the Tianxiong Army camp.
Lu Xiangsheng was in the middle of mobilizing troops when he saw him.
He frowned slightly. "What are you doing here?"
Gao Qiqian raised his chin, savoring the moment.
"By imperial decree, I am the supervising eunuch for this campaign. I will be going to Jinzhou… to keep watch."
He expected resistance. Perhaps even anger.
Instead, Lu Xiangsheng's expression turned… strange.
"You are coming to supervise the army?"
"Yes."
With a sharp motion, Gao Qiqian drew the Sword of Imperial Authority, letting its presence speak louder than words.
"Do you see this?"
Lu Xiangsheng stared at him for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"Fine. If you want to supervise, then supervise."
He paused, then added with a tone that made the air feel subtly off balance:
"That is… very good."
Gao Qiqian blinked.
Something about that response did not feel right.
But before he could think further, Lu Xiangsheng had already turned away.
"Mobilize. We depart."
---
The army moved.
This time, they did not take the previous inland route. Instead, they advanced along Shanhai Pass, hugging the coastline.
The sea breeze was cool, the march smooth, and the mood among the capital troops was almost cheerful.
In their minds, this was not a campaign.
It was a trip.
The Jianzhou forces had just suffered defeat. There was no reason to expect another invasion so soon. They would arrive at Jinzhou, stay comfortably for a few days, collect merit, and return home.
A perfect arrangement.
War, in their understanding, had already ended.
---
When the army reached Shanhai Pass, they encountered another force passing through.
At its head stood a familiar figure.
Gao Jie.
And guarding the pass, personally inspecting the documents, was Wu Sangui.
Wu Sangui's gaze lingered on Gao Jie with open disdain.
"You? Reinforcing Jinzhou?"
Gao Jie tilted his head. "What, someone like me is not allowed?"
Wu Sangui snorted.
He had fought bandits since his youth, cutting them down with his own hands. To him, men like Gao Jie, former rebels who had accepted amnesty, were beneath contempt.
"Jianzhou soldiers are not so easy to deal with. Your kind… do not start crying when the fighting begins."
Gao Jie blinked.
Then, without hesitation, he opened his mouth.
"Waa… waa… waa…"
Behind him, the Henan militia instantly joined in, their exaggerated wailing echoing across the pass.
It sounded like a chorus of ghosts.
Wu Sangui's face darkened. "What are you doing?"
"You told us to cry. So we are crying."
The tension snapped tight.
Just as it was about to explode, Lu Xiangsheng rushed forward.
"Enough!"
Both men stopped.
They turned and saluted.
Lu Xiangsheng's voice was steady, but firm.
"We have finally gained some advantage against the Jianzhou forces. At this critical moment, all soldiers of the Ming must unite against the enemy, not fight among ourselves."
Wu Sangui's lip curled. "Bandits who accepted amnesty… are they worthy of being called soldiers?"
Gao Jie shot him a sideways glance.
"My men are more worthy than your feudal troops."
The argument flared again.
Lu Xiangsheng's expression hardened.
"Silence. Wu Sangui, you started this. He showed you valid orders. You open the gate and let him pass. There is no need for mockery."
Wu Sangui's jaw tightened, but he said nothing more.
Lu Xiangsheng waved his hand.
The army moved forward, passing through the gate, heading toward Jinzhou.
Behind them, Wu Sangui watched in silence, then let out a cold snort.
---
Gao Qiqian deliberately slowed his pace as he passed Wu Sangui.
Lowering his voice, he said quietly:
"This Lu Xiangsheng favors wild elements like Gao Jie. A man of noble background like you should not be compared to such… things."
Wu Sangui clasped his hands. "Thank you for speaking on my behalf."
Gao Qiqian smiled inwardly.
Another piece placed.
Another connection secured.
---
Not long after, they arrived near Jinzhou.
Or rather, what used to be Jinzhou.
This land had been fought over for years, a constant battleground between Ming and Jianzhou forces. War had stripped it bare. Fields lay abandoned, villages reduced to emptiness.
It was supposed to be desolation all the way to the city.
At least, that was what Gao Qiqian expected.
But then, Something appeared ahead.
A small frontier fort.
Around a hundred soldiers guarded it, and surrounding the fort… fields.
Freshly turned soil.
Land that had just begun to breathe again.
Farmers worked in silence, rebuilding something that war had erased.
Then they saw the army.
Everything changed instantly.
Tools dropped.
Voices rose in panic.
"The army is here! The army is here! Ming soldiers!"
They ran.
Not toward safety in the open.
But into the fort, as if fleeing from disaster.
Gao Qiqian frowned deeply.
"They speak the language of the Ming. They are clearly our people. Why do they fear Ming troops as if they were Jianzhou soldiers?"
---
The wind moved across the half-reclaimed fields.
The soil was loose.
The system had already begun its work here.
And yet, the people still ran.
Because in their world,
There was no difference between armies.
Only survival.