Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

Xiao Chen woke up the next morning from the cold.

The roof of the courthouse was drafty, and even the broken door couldn't keep out the cold.

He wrapped the fur coat he had gotten from the herdsman tighter around himself, got up, and went into the courtyard.

As dawn broke, the veterans were already busy—some were sweeping snow, some were chopping wood, and a few with some skills were polishing their rusted knives and spears.

Uncle Fu brought over a bowl of hot porridge, still made from moldy grains, but with an extra handful of beans he'd found in the cellar, making it smell a bit better.

"Your Highness, drink it while it's hot."

Xiao Chen took the bowl, squatted on the steps, and drank while watching the veterans work.

The porridge was thin, but it was hot, and it finally warmed me up a bit after I ate it.

"What's going on in the city?" he asked.

Uncle Fu lowered his voice: "Last night, a few people were peeking around outside the mansion, but Wang Dashan chased them away. This morning before dawn, several more groups came, but they all kept their distance and didn't come any closer."

Xiao Chen nodded.

Hanyuan City is not large, and it's impossible to keep the sudden arrival of more than three hundred people a secret.

Scarface Liu definitely knows, but it's unclear what he'll do.

Just then, a commotion arose outside the door.

"Get out of my way! I want to see the Prince!"

"Who dares to make a scene in front of the Prince's mansion!"

"A prince? Ha! In this Cold Abyss City, I am the king!"

Xiao Chen put down his bowl, got up, and walked towards the door.

Outside the mansion gate, a dozen or so men blocked the street.

The leader was a burly man in his thirties with a scar on his face that ran diagonally from his brow bone to the corner of his mouth, resembling a centipede lying there.

He wore a wolf-skin cloak, which he left open, revealing the thick black fur on his chest.

A knife was tucked at his waist, its scabbard inlaid with several fake gems that gleamed cheaply in the morning light.

Wang Dashan, along with several veterans, blocked the entrance, and tensions were high between the two sides.

"What happened?" Xiao Chen asked.

Wang Dashan turned around and whispered, "Your Highness, this is Scarface Liu."

Scarface Liu sized Xiao Chen up and down, then grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth: "Oh, this is the new Prince? He looks quite young. What, tired of the capital, coming to experience life in this poor place?"

The men behind him burst into laughter.

Xiao Chen didn't reply, he just looked at him.

His gaze was so calm that it made Scarface Liu feel uneasy.

He stopped smiling and took two steps forward: "Your Highness, I've come today to give you a heads-up."

"explain."

"Hanyuan is not like the capital."

Scarface Liu's voice turned cold, "It's cold outside, the ground is hard, and people are even harder. You, a prince with delicate skin, staying here could easily... lead to trouble."

"Oh?" Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"There are many."

Scarface Liu counted on his fingers, "People freeze to death in winter, starve to death in spring, suffer from plagues in summer, and face bandits in autumn. Oh, and there are also the barbarians from the grasslands who come to 'borrow' things every now and then. If they can't borrow anything, they kill people."

He leaned closer and lowered his voice: "How many times can your three hundred old, weak, and disabled soldiers die?"

Xiao Chen remained calm: "Are you finished?"

Scarface Liu was stunned.

He had anticipated many possible reactions—fear, anger, even begging for mercy.

I never imagined this would happen; it felt like punching cotton.

"Please leave now that you've finished speaking." Xiao Chen turned to leave.

"etc!"

Scarface Liu stopped him, "I'm here today for another matter."

He pulled a small booklet from his pocket and tossed it over: "This is a list of all the merchants and residents of Hanyuan City, along with the amount of their monthly allowance."

Since the Prince is new here and doesn't know the rules, let me help you.

"We'll split the money we collect 20/80—you get 20%, I get 80%."

Wang Dashan flew into a rage: "Insolence! A prince is an official title bestowed by the imperial court, the lord of a city. How dare you, a mere thug, come and collect money?"

The men behind Scarface Liu drew their knives.

Scarface Liu waved his hand, signaling them to put away their knives, and then put on a smile again: "General Wang, don't be in a hurry."

I'm not here to collect money from the Prince; I'm here to... collect money for the Prince.

Look, you're new here and don't know anyone, so you can't collect the money.

"I'll collect the money for you, and you can sit back and collect your share. Isn't that a great deal?"

He looked at Xiao Chen: "What does the Prince think?"

Xiao Chen took the booklet and flipped through it.

The booklet was filled with names, addresses, and amounts of money owed.

The highest monthly payment was one tael of silver, and the lowest was fifty coins.

In a place like Hanyuan, one tael of silver is enough for a family of three to eat for three months.

"Is this money protection money?" he asked.

"Oh, what a remark the Prince has made."

Scarface Liu rubbed his hands together. "It's 'commission.' Think about it, I have a hundred or so brothers under my command, patrolling the city every day, guarding against bandits and brigands. How hard do they work? It's not unreasonable to ask for a little extra pay, is it?"

"What if the common people can't afford to pay?"

"Can't afford it?"

Scarface Liu laughed, "Then offer something as collateral."

Grain, firewood, furs—anything goes.

"We really have nothing... but we still have children, right? Selling them to the interior is one way to survive."

He spoke casually, as if he were talking about what to eat today.

Xiao Chen closed the booklet and handed it back to him.

"I cannot accept this money."

Scarface Liu's face darkened: "Is the Prince showing no respect?"

"It's not that I'm being disrespectful."

Xiao Chen looked at him and said, "I am a prince appointed by the imperial court, and Hanyuan City is my fiefdom."

The people here are my subjects.

"If you make them pay you money, then am I the prince, or are you the prince?"

These words were spoken softly, but their meaning was profound.

The scar on Scarface Liu's face twitched.

He stared at Xiao Chen for a long time, then suddenly laughed: "Good, good, as expected of a prince, you speak with such confidence."

He put away the booklet, took two steps back, and clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Since the Prince says so, then I, Liu, will not interfere further. However..."

He paused, his voice turning cold: "Hanyuan City has its own rules."

This rule has been in place for three years, and no one has dared to break it.

"If the Prince wants to change the rules, he'll have to ask Liu's men if they agree."

The men behind him all drew their knives in unison.

The blade gleamed.

Wang Dashan and several veterans also drew their knives and stood in front of Xiao Chen.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

The few people who were peeking around on the street were frightened and shrank back, closing their doors tightly.

Xiao Chen smiled.

He pushed Wang Dashan aside and walked up to Scarface Liu, the two of them only three steps apart.

"Master Liu," he suddenly changed his form of address.

Scarface Liu was stunned.

"You've been in Hanyuan for three years and collected your allowance for three years."

Xiao Chen's voice wasn't loud, but everyone could hear him clearly: "In the past three years, the population of Hanyuan City has dropped from five thousand to two thousand."

Countless people froze to death, starved to death, or sold their children.

You claim to protect the people, yet their lives are getting worse under your protection. This protection is far too expensive.

Scarface Liu's face turned ashen: "What do you mean by that, Prince?"

"What I mean is,"

Xiao Chen said, word by word, "From today onwards, I will set the rules for Hanyuan City."

"you--"

"Let me finish."

Xiao Chen interrupted him, "You have two choices. The first..."

First, take your people and leave Hanyuan City.

I won't dwell on the past.

Scarface Liu sneered, "And second place?"

"second,"

Xiao Chen looked at him and said, "Stay."

But you have to follow my rules—hand over all your weapons, dismiss your men, and go back to farming or working.

The fees collected in the past, if they can be refunded, will be refunded; if they cannot be refunded, they will be paid in kind.

Scarface Liu, as if hearing the biggest joke in the world, threw his head back and laughed loudly: "Hahaha! Your Highness, have you gone mad from staying in the capital? You want me to disband my men? You want me to refund the money? Who do you think you are? Do you really think these three hundred old, weak, and crippled soldiers can scare me?"

His laughter stopped, and his eyes turned fierce: "Let me tell you, in Hanyuan City, I, Scarface Liu, call the shots."

It was true in the past, it is true now, and it will be true in the future.

If you know what's good for you, you can stay in this city lord's mansion and become his puppet prince, and you'll even get a share of the money every month.

If they don't know what's good for them...

He drew the knife from his waist, pointing the tip at Xiao Chen's nose.

"The mass graves outside the city won't make a difference with just one more person like you."

The tip of the knife was only an inch away from Xiao Chen's nose.

Wang Dashan's eyes turned red, and he was about to rush forward, but Xiao Chen raised his hand to stop him.

Xiao Chen stared at the tip of the knife for a long time, then reached out and gently pried it open with two fingers.

"Master Liu,"

His voice remained calm. "Do you know where the last person who pointed a knife at me is now?"

Scarface Liu was taken aback.

"In Yingchou Gorge, the grass on the grave mounds probably hasn't grown yet."

After Xiao Chen finished speaking, he turned and walked back, saying, "See the guest out."

Scarface Liu stood there, stunned.

He had certainly heard about what happened at Eagle's Sorrow Gorge—of the thirty skilled men, not one had returned.

But he always thought it was a rumor, something the prince made up to bolster his reputation.

But looking at Xiao Chen now, he doesn't seem to be lying.

"Brother, what should we do?" one of the subordinates asked in a low voice.

Scarface Liu stared at Xiao Chen's retreating figure, his jaw clenched.

He really wanted to take action right now and chop this arrogant brat up.

But look at those veterans—though old and weak, each one has a fierce look in their eyes, and their hands holding knives are as steady as a rock.

Looking at the three hundred men, although most of them were wounded, they were all veterans who had seen blood.

If a real fight breaks out, we might not necessarily gain the upper hand.

"Let's go," Scarface Liu uttered through gritted teeth.

He turned and left with his men.

When he reached the street corner, he turned back and glanced at the city lord's mansion, his eyes as sinister as a venomous snake.

Standing before the mansion gate, Wang Dashan breathed a sigh of relief: "Your Highness, you were too reckless just now. What if he had really made a move..."

"He won't."

Xiao Chen said, "If he dared to make a move, he would have done it just now. The reason he didn't is because he doesn't know our strengths and weaknesses."

"Now..."

"Now,"

Xiao Chen looked in the direction where Scarface Liu had disappeared. "He knows our situation now—three hundred old, weak, and disabled soldiers, a dilapidated city, and a group of starving people."

He paused, then added, "So he'll make his move very soon."

Wang Dashan's heart skipped a beat: "Then we..."

"Prepare for war."

Xiao Chen turned and went back to the manor. "Have everyone prepare. Scarface Liu only has about a hundred men under his command. If a real fight breaks out, we might not lose."

"yes!"

The veterans immediately sprang into action.

Some were sharpening knives, others were repairing walls, and obstacles were being set up around the mansion.

Xiao Chen walked into the courtroom, spread out the map, and took out the household registration book.

He marked several points on the map—potential strongholds of Scarface Liu: the gambling den in the west of the city, the brothel in the south, and the warehouse in the east.

There's also Black Wind Stronghold, thirty miles outside the city, which is Scarface Liu's greatest asset.

"Wang Dashan".

"Your humble servant is here."

"Send a few quick-thinking men to keep an eye on these places. Report back immediately if Scarface Liu makes any move."

"yes!"

"Zhao Tie".

"Your Highness."

"Your injuries haven't healed, but your mind is still sharp. Think about it, if we were Scarface Liu, how would we fight this battle?"

Zhao Tie lay on the stretcher, frowning in thought: "He will... test the waters first."

Send a small group to harass us and test our strength.

If we can hold him off, he'll seek outside help—the bandits of Black Wind Stronghold, or… the grassland people.

Xiao Chen nodded: "That's what I thought too."

He drew a circle around the two points, "Black Wind Village" and "Grassland".

"So we have to get there before him."

He looked at Zhao Tie, "What do we lack most right now?"

"People, food, weapons."

"right."

Xiao Chen pointed to a spot on the map. "So, we need to find food first."

"Where to look?"

Xiao Chen pointed outside the city: "White Water River."

"river?"

"It's winter now, and the river is frozen over. But there are fish under the ice."

Xiao Chen said, "Moreover, Old Man Han said that there is gold dust in the Baishui River. Although it is not much, it is enough to exchange for grain."

Wang Dashan's eyes lit up: "Your Highness means..."

"Send fifty men to the White Water River. Half will fish through the ice, and the other half will pan for gold. The fish will be used to nourish the wounded and the elderly. The gold will be used to exchange for food in nearby villages."

"But the nearby villages are poor too..."

"Even if we're poor, it's still better than Han Yuan."

Xiao Chen said, "Besides, we're not going to take it for free. We'll buy it with gold, a fair trade."

Zhao Tie shook his head: "Your Highness, this method is good, but it's too slow. By the time we find the gold and exchange it for grain, Scarface Liu will probably already be knocking on our door."

"So there's a second step."

Xiao Chen knocked on the "Black Wind Stronghold" sign. "Scarface Liu's grain must be hidden in the city. Find his granary and rob it."

Wang Dashan gasped, "What if this gets discovered...?"

"Then let's fight."

Xiao Chen's voice turned cold. "We're short of food, and so is he."

Winter is only halfway over; whoever has food will survive. If he has no food, his men will scatter.

Therefore, his granaries must be very well guarded.

He paused, then looked at Zhao Tie: "Uncle Zhao, if you were Scarface Liu, where would you hide the grain?"

Zhao Tie closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then suddenly opened them: "Cellations. And more than one."

"A cunning rabbit has three burrows; he must have kept them separate. Even if one is found, he won't lose them all."

"right."

Xiao Chen drew several circles on the map. "The gambling den, the brothel, and the warehouse—these three places definitely have cellars. But the largest granary should be located in…"

His pen stopped at one spot.

"Outside the city?"

"Yes, outside the city."

Xiao Chen said, "There are too many people and too many eyes in the city, so it's impossible to hide a large amount of grain."

Moreover, if a fire breaks out in the city, the granaries will be destroyed.

Therefore, he would definitely hide most of the grain outside the city, in a safe and secluded place.

"Where could it be?"

Xiao Chen did not answer.

He walked out of the courtroom, stood in the courtyard, and looked into the distance.

That's the direction of the White Water River; across the river is grassland, and further away are rolling mountains.

"Is Amu back?" he asked.

"not yet."

Just then, Amu ran in from outside, gesturing with his signature hand gesture.

"What did he say?" Xiao Chen asked Uncle Fu—Uncle Fu had known Amu for a long time and could understand his sign language.

Uncle Fu translated: "Amu said that he found an abandoned brick kiln in the west of the city, and there were signs of human activity inside. He also saw several people carrying grain out of the kiln and heading north."

Xiao Chen's eyes lit up: "North? Is it towards Black Wind Stronghold?"

Amu nodded.

"It seems the granary is located in that brick kiln."

Xiao Chen looked at Wang Dashan, "Take twenty men and go scout ahead under cover of darkness. Remember, it's just scouting; don't alert them."

"yes!"

Wang Dashan accepted the order and left.

Xiao Chen returned to the courtroom and sat back down in that broken chair.

Outside, the cold wind howled.

Inside the house, the charcoal fire was about to go out.

But a fire was burning in his heart.

Scarface Liu, Black Wind Stronghold, grassland cavalry, lacking food and manpower...

This game of chess is difficult.

But he has to get off.

And we must win.

Because if you lose, you die.

Not only will he die, but the three hundred veterans will also die, and the two thousand people of Hanyuan City will also die.

He picked up the "Frost Abyss" sword and gently stroked its scabbard.

The knife is cold.

But his heart was warm.