Huang Rong from The Return of the Condor Heroes: Brother Jing, let's get a divorce.

Yang Guo didn't rush down the steps; he stood at the highest point and looked at Liu Cunhou for a long time.

This man wasn't short, but his shoulders slumped forward and his neck stretched out, giving him the posture of someone who had been bowing and scraping before superiors for years. His mustache was meticulously trimmed, his eighth-rank green robe was faded from washing, and the black gauze finial on his official hat was slightly crooked.

They don't seem to be here to cause trouble.

Yang Guo turned and winked at Li Zhiqing. Li Zhiqing understood and called out to the constables, "Gentlemen, please rest in the guest hall first. The headmaster will invite Magistrate Liu up the mountain to speak with us."

The three constables breathed a sigh of relief and followed the two disciples to the side hall.

Liu Cunhou adjusted his black hat and walked up the stone steps. He stopped three steps away from Yang Guo, cupped his hands, and bowed again.

"Master Yang is a young and promising man, and I have long admired him."

"You're too kind." Yang Guo stepped aside to let him pass. "Let's talk inside."

The two entered the council hall. Lu Wushuang followed behind and went to make tea.

Yang Guo sat in the main seat, while Liu Cunhou sat on the lower seat, his back straight, and handed over the visiting card.

Yang Guo took it, opened it, and glanced at it. The invitation was in the official letter format of Huxian County, with respectful wording. The gist of it was that Huxian County Magistrate Zhao Yuanlang invited the leader of the Quanzhen Sect to the county office for a meeting to discuss important matters.

Yang Guo placed the name card on the table.

"County Magistrate Liu, you said it's related to the Mongols. What exactly is it? Tell me first."

Liu Cunhou looked around. Lu Wushuang came over with a tea tray and placed the teacups in front of the two of them. Liu Cunhou stared at Lu Wushuang for a moment, then hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but didn't.

"She's my person, so you can say whatever you want to her face." Yang Guo picked up his teacup and took a sip.

Liu Cunhou hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice.

"Master Rongbing. Half a month ago, an envoy of Ögedei Khan of the Mongols passed through Guanzhong and stayed in Chang'an for three days. Before leaving, he left a message saying that the Mongol army was about to launch a southern expedition, and all the prefectures and counties in Guanzhong must levy grain and laborers in advance. Huxian County was also assigned a quota of three thousand shi of grain and two hundred able-bodied men."

Yang Guo put down his teacup, his brows twitching slightly.

"What does this have to do with the Quanzhen Sect?"

"What Magistrate Zhao means is..." Liu Cunhou swallowed hard. "In several villages and towns at the foot of Zhongnan Mountain, there are many tenant farmers under the Quanzhen Sect. When it comes to collecting grain and people, we can't avoid Quanzhen Sect's territory. Magistrate Zhao is afraid that if he doesn't handle it well, he will offend your sect, so he wants to talk to the sect leader first."

Yang Guo leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers on the armrest a few times.

This was said politely, but the meaning was clear. The Mongols wanted grain and men, and the county government couldn't withstand the pressure, so they wanted to drag the Quanzhen Sect into it. They had to give either grain or men; one had to be handed over.

"Three thousand bushels of grain and two hundred able-bodied men," Yang Guo repeated. "How much does Magistrate Zhao intend to allocate to the Quanzhen Sect?"

Liu Cunhou rubbed his fingers together.

"Magistrate Zhao said that the Quanzhen Sect is an orthodox sect of Taoism, so naturally they cannot be taxed like ordinary people. He only wants to ask the sect leader to help appease the tenant farmers in the villages at the foot of the mountain and prevent them from causing trouble. In addition, if it is convenient for your sect... could you provide some grain and fodder?"

"How much will you sponsor?"

"Five hundred stones."

Yang Guo almost dropped the teacup.

Five hundred shi of grain. How much rations does the Quanzhen Sect's three hundred or so members need for half a month? Wang Tieniu took stock yesterday; the rice, flour, and cooking oil combined amounted to less than one hundred shi. If they give out five hundred shi, how will the entire sect starve?

Yang Guo didn't show it on his face, but took a sip of tea from his teacup.

"Magistrate Liu, the Quanzhen Sect is a place for cultivating Taoism, not a granary. Where do you think I'm going to conjure up five hundred bushels of grain?"

Liu Cunhou looked troubled.

"I know I'm putting the sect leader in a difficult position. But Magistrate Zhao said that if the Mongol mission can't be completed, the higher-ups will blame us, and the entire population of Huxian will suffer. The Quanzhen Sect has been based in Zhongnan Mountain for sixty years, sharing the fate of the people of Huxian..."

"Alright," Yang Guo waved his hand, interrupting the official pleasantries. "Is there anything else Magistrate Zhao hasn't said?"

Liu Cunhou's eyes darted around.

"The Master is wise. Magistrate Zhao did indeed bring up another matter."

"explain."

Before the Mongol envoy left, he specifically asked about the Quanzhen Sect in Zhongnan Mountain. He asked how many disciples the Quanzhen Sect had, who its leader was, and whether it had any secret dealings with the Song court.

Yang Guo's fingers stopped.

The Mongols were investigating the Quanzhen School.

This is not as simple as requisitioning grain.

Lu Wushuang stood by the door, gripping the teapot tightly in her hand.

Yang Guo remained silent for a moment, then stood up, walked to the table, picked up the name card, and flipped through it.

"Magistrate Zhao sent you here to probe the Quanzhen Sect's strength, right?"

Liu Cunhou's face turned pale for a moment.

"Master, please understand, I was merely following orders..."

"I don't blame you." Yang Guo tossed the name card back onto the table, his tone softening. "Go back and tell Magistrate Zhao that the Quanzhen Sect is open to discussing the matter of provisions. But I have two conditions."

Liu Cunhou quickly perked up his ears.

"First, tell me exactly what Magistrate Zhao said in response to the questions the Mongol envoy asked. Second, if the Huxian government has any news about the Mongols' movements in Guanzhong, send a message to the Quanzhen Sect immediately. If you do these two things, I'll find a way to handle the grain supply for him."

Liu Cunhou was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting Yang Guo to make such a request.

The county magistrate sent him to collect grain and, incidentally, to investigate the Quanzhen Sect's strengths and weaknesses. However, the sect leader turned him into an intelligence agent.

Liu Cunhou's mind raced for a moment, then he gritted his teeth.

"The first point is something I can decide. Magistrate Zhao told the Mongol envoy that the Quanzhen Sect is a closed-door sect that cultivates Taoism and does not concern itself with worldly affairs. It has only about a hundred disciples, and the new sect leader is a young man with no background."

Yang Guo nodded. Magistrate Zhao was a clever man to report the Quanzhen Sect in such a negative light.

"Secondly, I must return and consult Magistrate Zhao."

"Alright. Go back and tell Magistrate Zhao that I will personally visit Hu County within three days. We will discuss the matter of the grain supplies in person."

Liu Cunhou stood up, cupped his hands in farewell, and took his leave. He glanced back at Yang Guo, who was sitting in the armchair, at the door, his lips moved slightly, but he said nothing before quickly leaving the council hall.

The constables carried the sedan chair down the mountain and left.

Lu Wushuang closed the hall door and ran to Yang Guo.

"Master, the Mongols are investigating us. This is a serious matter, isn't it?"

Yang Guo folded the name card and stuffed it into his sleeve, then walked to the organizational chart and stood there.

With the Mongol invasion imminent, Guanzhong would bear the brunt. The Quanzhen Sect, caught between the Mongols and the Song court, was powerless to gain traction. Since the Golden Wheel Monk's previous sneak attack had failed, the Mongols had now resorted to official methods: investigating his background before deciding whether to win him over or eliminate him.

Five hundred bushels of grain is a small matter; the real issue is that the Mongols have their eyes on the Quanzhen School.