General Ke had truly fleeced them all.

Despite many of them being unwilling, none of the nobles could slip their way out of contributing to the war effort. After all, who knew if this was not, in fact, the will of the royal palace itself?

With the donations pledged, Ke Jihai’s gloom lifted at once. He rose, clasped his fists, and bowed deeply to all four sides. “On behalf of the soldiers at the front lines, I thank you, lords, for your generosity!”

Once these tens of millions of kilograms of grain and supplies reached the front, the army would be able to hold out that much longer.

Of course, the nobles answered with words of courtesy. But then Ke Jihai immediately turned to the officer behind him: “Record every lord’s contribution to the last hundred kilo! Should there be any mistake, the blame lies with you.”

The He brothers exchanged a glance and saw the same flicker of amusement in each other’s eyes. Ke Jihai clearly feared that some of these nobles would make empty promises and later renege on them. That he went so far only proved his iron resolve in securing provisions.

He Chunhua spoke up as well, “Since fate has placed us here together, my He Family shall also donate—”

But before he could finish, Ke Jihai cut him off, “Donate, donate—what nonsense! You’ll be sent to Xia Province soon enough, where you’ll need to raise troops and buy horses of your own. Do you think the silver in your purse is bottomless? Don’t forget, Nian Zanli, your old rival, still sits in the north! The battles there will be no easier than Wu Province.” He flatly refused to accept any of He Chunhua’s grain.

With no choice, He Chunhua dropped the matter and returned to his seat with his two sons.

The host smoothed things over quickly, shifting the mood. Soon, the strings and flutes rose in lively harmony, and dancers stepped onto the stage. The crowd’s attention turned as the hall filled with music and song.

This was, after all, the second capital, under the Son of Heaven’s very feet. These courtesans and singers were leagues more graceful than the entertainers of Heishui City. Their movements were softer, their voices were sweeter, and their very glances were filled with charm.

He Lingchuan watched, entranced. Beside him, He Yue jabbed him with an elbow. “Hey, look over at General Ke.”

Ke Jihai had downed a few cups of wine when a young man approached from the back to pay respects. The two began to talk. Or rather, the youth spoke endlessly, while Ke Jihai listened with his winecup in hand, frowning now and then as he asked a pointed question.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Ke Jihai ordered a drink brought for the youth.

The young man took one sip and immediately choked, coughing for a long while.

The banquet served only mild, sweet wine, suitable even for ladies. But Ke Jihai, long used to strong liquor, had already had the servants swap it out for the hard stuff.

Seeing the youth sputter, Ke Jihai chuckled and mouthed a phrase. He Lingchuan, lip-reading, made it out clearly: “Still wet behind the ears.”

The youth looked to be just past twenty, with a square face, tanned skin, and a sturdy, honest countenance. But his eyes were round and bright. Unlike the silken finery all around, his robe, though of decent cloth, was already faded from many washings, with even a small patch near the hem.

He looked entirely out of place in Luming Garden.

After a while, the youth handed Ke Jihai a slim booklet, and then he bowed and withdrew.

Ke Jihai did not even open it. He passed it straight to the officer behind him.

After another hour had passed, Ke Jihai finally rose, toasted Zhu Xiyan, and then made his way out.

It was clear now that his main purpose in attending this night’s banquet had been to wring coin and grain for the front lines. With his goal achieved, he was off.

Just then, Madame Ying leaned close to her husband and whispered, one hand on her stomach, “I feel some pains.”

“Shall we go to the dressing room?”

“No need, it’s just a dull ache. It’s been on and off for a while.” She looked embarrassed. “Perhaps these rich dishes don’t sit well with me.”

The banquet had spared no expense in procuring fowl of the skies, fish of the rivers, and beasts of the land, all of which were laid out in splendor. But Ying Hongchan, long accustomed to the simple fare of the borderlands, found this medley of flavors too heavy to stomach.

“You…” He Chunhua muttered helplessly. He stood up, offered thanks to their hosts, and took his wife and sons to withdraw early.

Outside the hall, Fixer Liu was perched cross-legged, drinking with two small dishes at his side.

A man like him, of course, had no place in the banquet hall.

Spotting the He Family emerge, he quickly greeted them and hurried off to ready the carriage.

Night had already deepened. Half the lights of the city below were already extinguished, and from the heavens above, the first snow came fluttering down.

The carriage wheels crunched over the fresh snow.

When He Lingchuan looked down the mountain again, the sight no longer drew sighs of admiration. Instead, he recalled the glittering nightscape of Shihuan City he had just seen. Lovely as it was, the darkness beyond the city walls pressed close. The farther out one looked, the sparser the lights. It was hardly befitting a place beneath the Son of Heaven’s very eyes.

He turned to ask Fixer Liu, “Is the countryside around Shihuan City not heavily populated?”

“There are plenty of people, of course!” Fixer Liu replied. “There are five counties and thirteen townships. If they’re not farming, they’re living off Shihuan City one way or another.”

This great, bustling city thrived, and the surrounding commoners and villagers survived only by toiling in its service.

“Then why so few lights?”

“They work all day, and what’s left to do at night but fall straight into bed?” Fixer Liu chuckled. “Besides, candles are expensive; what’s the point of wasting them?”

He Lingchuan immediately recalled Zhu Xiyan’s words earlier that evening.

He Yue murmured, “Compared to what we’ve seen on our journey, the commoners around Shihuan City live far better lives. At least they have food in their bellies, enough to survive.”

From Heishui City to here, they had truly seen how bitter life was for the masses. He Yue’s seven or eight years of poring over books could not compare to the lessons of these past twenty or thirty days. The experience was shocking, unbelievable, and sobering all at once.

At last, the young scholar understood the old saying: whether dynasties rise or fall, the common people always suffer.

Even Fixer Liu’s grin faltered at those words. He gulped hard before saying, “Ten days ago, the royal court issued another edict. It’s another tax hike. That’s the second time this year. No wonder everything’s gone up in price.”

No money, no grain, no pay, and so the burden was squeezed from the people.

Squeeze too hard, and soon enough, there would be another Hong Xiangqian. Or a second. Or a third.

The topic could go no further.

The wheels of the carriage rattled on. He Lingchuan lifted the curtain and peered ahead. “That’s General Ke’s carriage up there, just twenty meters ahead.”

The snowfall seemed to be growing heavier.

He Yue asked softly, “Do you think Lord Zhu knew about General Ke’s trip here to Shihuan City to demand funds in advance, or was he just improvising?”

He Lingchuan gave a short laugh. “The nobles here are fat with wealth. They can pledge millions of kilograms of grain without batting an eye. That’s just pocket change to them.”

He Chunhua nodded. “General Ke didn’t get much out of the royal court. I suspect someone advised him to turn to Shihuan City for supplies instead.”

He Yue muttered, “For a grand general of the front lines to be forced to rush back to the capital, hat in hand for grain and pay, this is simply a spectacle for the ages.” His words carried a note of youthful indignation.

He had long known that state affairs were rotten, but seeing it firsthand still left a bitter taste.

He Lingchuan reached over and ruffled his hair. “You’re still too young.”

But He Chunhua only shook his head. “Rations are just a pretext. I believe General Ke has another purpose in returning to the capital.”

He Yue’s face changed. “Do you mean that he has plans of trea—”

Before he could finish the last word, He Chunhua cut him off sharply. “Nonsense! I suspect he’s come back to plead on behalf of Lord Fu Ju.”

“Fu Ju…” He Lingchuan’s I-know-nothing skill activated at once. “And who’s that?”

He Yue explained, “Lord Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary Fu, once the General of the Roving Cavalry. I recall that he fought several campaigns in the south and west, but age and illness forced him into retirement. His sons still serve in court, though none have achieved much distinction.”

He Lingchuan frowned. “He’s already retired, isn’t he? What could that old man have done so wrong that General Ke would rush back just to plead for him?”

He Yue was equally puzzled.

“I only heard the news after arriving in Shihuan,” He Chunhua said. In the past few days, he had mingled with officials both high and low, gathering a trove of intelligence and gossip. “Someone has secretly denounced Fu Ju, accusing him of being close to the former Minister of War, Dong Haoming, and of secretly conducting trade with Wu Province.”

The two brothers exchanged glances, a chill running down their backs.

At such a time, being accused of collusion with Dong Haoming was nothing less than a death sentence.

“Did the king believe it?”

“If he didn’t, why would General Ke be in such a frantic rush back to the capital? Fu Ju once fought alongside him on the battlefield and even saved his life more than once. Their bond runs deep.” He Chunhua sighed and looked at his sons. “And do you know? The Fu Family may not hold lofty posts, but their wealth is staggering. Among all the capital’s households, they rank in the top six. The Fu Family produced a famous general who earned great merit by Founder Yuan’s side, receiving vast rewards. His descendants may have lacked in martial valor or bureaucratic distinction, but in business, they excelled. Over the generations, they built up more than a dozen enterprises, their fortune only ever growing larger. When Fu Ju served as General of the Roving Cavalry, he was forbidden to trade, but he placed everything under the names of his close kin. It’s said that nearly a third of the apothecaries in the capital are theirs. Moreover, at least six whole streets of the western region of the capital are theirs. In a place where land is worth its weight in gold, just imagine how wealthy they must be.”

He Lingchuan propped his chin on his hand. “But can they be richer than the king himself?”

He Chunhua only smiled silently.

Compete in wealth, and envy will follow. Outshine even the monarch, and…

He Yue’s eyes flickered. Why had their father suddenly brought up the Fu Family’s fortune?

He Chunhua continued, “The late emperor once punished the Fu Family, confiscating a great sum after their younger kin grew arrogant in wealth and bullied the commoners. Many thought the blow would cripple them. Yet within a few years, they bounced back. After that, though, they kept their heads low.”

He Yue tilted his head. “With such staggering wealth, can’t the Fu Family sustain the entire war long enough for us to defeat Dong Haoming?”

He Chunhua murmured, “It’s hard to say.”

That phrase was his refrain. However, both brothers knew the words he left unsaid were: “Why not try?”

Fixer Liu was still in the carriage, so He Chunhua did not speak too plainly. But the two sons understood well enough.

The Fu Family was too rich for their own good. They had produced no powerful minister of state, and the state was desperate for coin to fund its wars.

Whether Fu Ju had truly conspired with rebels hardly mattered. The family might have thought that by lying low they would escape calamity, but to bear a treasure is to invite guilt; that was an eternal, unshakable truth.

He Lingchuan chuckled. “Don’t we have a saying in Qiansong Commandery? The rich who lack arms are penned up like fattened pigs.”

When the blade of power came whetting its edge, what use was vast wealth? Would the wealthy but weak not still be led meekly to slaughter?

He Chunhua’s voice dropped low as he said, “The Minister of War failed in his regicide and fled back to Wu Province. He may live free now, but countless officials and merchants within the court were dragged down with him. They say the executioner’s blade at the marketplace grew dull from overuse, and the confiscated wealth was so vast that the large warehouses behind Pinghe Temple were filled until they were overflowing. It took more than two months to sort and tally it all.”