The low-key prince summons trainees from the Imperial Household Department at the start of the game.

Eagle Master arrived in Nanchang Prefecture on the sixth day of the third month.

He didn't go through the city gate, but instead went ashore on the Gan River, taking a grain transport boat. The boat captain was a secret agent of the Li family in Jiujiang.

He wore a drab old robe, and his gray hair was casually tied back with a hemp rope.

He looked no different from any other wandering swordsman.

But when those eyes, deep-set in their sockets, occasionally lift up to glance around, they unconsciously remind one of an old wolf roaming the winter grasslands.

Li Shaoyuan met with Elder Ying alone in a secret room in the backyard of Wangjiang Tower.

He briefly explained the current situation, without concealing the fact that Scarface had made a mistake.

He also did not conceal the fact that the impeachment memorial in court was rejected by the cabinet and that the emperor publicly said, "I have been paying attention."

Old Eagle sat in his chair, holding a cup of hot wine personally poured by Li Shaoyuan. After listening, he remained silent for a long time.

"Young Master's judgment is correct." His voice was hoarse and deep, carrying the rough texture honed by the winds and sands of the North. "Duan Xi cannot be saved."

"The emperor's words were meant for everyone to hear; Xu Jie is his man, or at least someone he tacitly approves of."

"No one can touch those whom the emperor wants to protect."

"The problem now is not how to protect Duan Xi, but how we can continue to stand firm in Jiangxi after Duan Xi falls."

"Salt and iron are the lifeblood of the imperial court; whoever touches them will die. This is an ironclad rule."

"The Li family cannot directly touch salt and iron, or at least not openly."

"But we can touch the upstream and downstream of the salt and iron industry."

"Salt needs to be transported, iron needs to be transported, and transporting salt and iron requires docks, warehouses, mule and horse teams, and boats."

"The Li family doesn't deal in salt and iron; they only handle the transportation and storage of salt and iron. Nobody can find fault with that."

Li Shaoyuan's fingers slowly traced the rim of his wine glass, his eyes gradually brightening as he replied, "Elder Ying is right."

"The Li family did not touch the salt and iron itself, but only the transportation and storage of salt and iron, including the canal wharf, warehouses, and mule caravans."

"This doesn't count as interfering with the imperial monopoly, and no one can find fault with it. But whoever controls transportation and storage controls the lifeline of salt and iron circulation."

"To make this happen, the Li family alone is not enough; we need to bring in the largest shipping companies and mule caravans in Jiangxi."

"Let them invest, let them share the profits, let them feel that this is their own business."

"Whether Duan Xi falls from power or Xu Jie becomes too powerful in the future, no one will dare to touch this line easily, because touching this line means touching the rice bowl of half of the Jiangxi merchants."

Eagle nodded approvingly.

Li Shaoyuan stood up and paced a few steps in the secret room. He suddenly stopped, turned around, and said, "There is one more thing that requires Elder Ying's help."

"Duan Xi's biggest fear now is not that Xu Jie will continue to investigate, but that he has become a pawn to be discarded."

"I need to show Duan Xi that the Li family still has enough power to deter Xu Jie. With Elder Ying here, it's a good opportunity to make a name for ourselves."

"We don't need to actually take action. We just need to let Duan Xi and Xu Jie know that the experts from the Jinyang Li family have arrived in Nanchang Prefecture."

"Once this news gets out, Duan Xi will feel that he still has a powerful backer, and Xu Jie and his protectors will also reconsider whether they want to continue fighting to the death."

The old eagle drank the remaining wine in his cup in one gulp and stood up.

A sharp glint flashed in those deep-set eyes under the candlelight.

"Understood, young master. Rest assured, by this time tomorrow, the entire Nanchang Prefecture will know that Elder Ying has arrived."

The following morning, in the office of the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner on the back street of the Nanchang Prefectural Government, Xu Jie was reviewing case files at his desk as usual.

A few sparrows chirped in the old locust tree outside the window, and the morning light shone through the window onto the desk.

When he turned to a newly delivered case file of a land dispute in Nanchang Prefecture, his fingers suddenly stopped.

A piece of eagle feather, grayish-brown with slightly whitish edges, was pressed onto the cover of the case file.

He made no fuss, simply picked up the feather gently and placed it on the corner of the desk, then continued reviewing the case files.

On the same day, Duan Xi saw the same thing in the duty room.

A dead sparrow had been placed in the brush washer on his desk at some point. Its feathers were intact and there were no external injuries, as if it had flown in on its own and then died there quietly.

Duan Xi stared at the sparrow for a long time, a fine layer of cold sweat beading on his forehead.

He certainly knew whose handiwork it was.

The seventh-rank peak guest elder that Li Shaoyuan mentioned has arrived.

He can make a sparrow die silently in his brush washer, and he can make a person die silently anywhere.

Duan Xi wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, picked up his teacup to take a sip to calm his nerves, but found that his hands were trembling slightly.

That evening, Li Shaoyuan received two replies.

A document from Duan Xi invited him to a private meeting at Wangjiang Tower the next day.

A message from a waiter at Wangjianglou said that this morning a customer in gray placed an eagle feather on the windowsill of a private room on the third floor.

When the waiter went to clean up, the person was already gone, without even leaving a footprint.

Li Shaoyuan folded the letter and put it in his sleeve. Standing by the window, he looked at the Gan River in the night and a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.

The following afternoon, Duan Xi arrived at the appointment on time.

In just a few days, this provincial inspector, who had been navigating the political landscape of Jiangxi for over a decade, appeared to have aged ten years.

There was much more white hair at his temples than before, his eye sockets were sunken, his eyes were bloodshot, and even his steps were more unsteady than usual.

As soon as he entered the room, he grabbed Li Shaoyuan's hand, his voice hoarse and urgent: "Young Master Li, I've heard all the news from the capital."

"The impeachment petition was rejected by the cabinet. His Majesty then said in public, 'Young Master Li, tell me honestly, is Xu Jie one of His Majesty's men?'"

"Have I been opposing His Majesty from the very beginning?"

Li Shaoyuan helped him sit down in a chair, then personally poured him a cup of hot tea and handed it to him, patting the back of his hand: "Lord Duan, there's no use in being anxious."

"Your Majesty's words were indeed meant to protect Xu Jie, but Your Majesty was protecting Xu Jie's power to investigate cases, not protecting Xu Jie for life."

"Xu Jie is currently investigating land disputes and salt and iron tax accounts. These two cases involve too many people, not just you."

"His Majesty ordered him to investigate in order to give an explanation to the court. After the Runzhou official ship case, His Majesty needs to rectify the local officialdom, and you just happened to walk into the line of fire."

"But His Majesty didn't say he wanted to kill you. Think about it, if His Majesty wanted to kill you, he would have simply issued an edict to dismiss you and interrogate you. Why would he have to make Xu Jie investigate step by step?"

"His Majesty's meaning is very clear: he wants the case, not heads. If you hand over the case that you are supposed to handle and admit your mistakes, His Majesty will naturally leave you a way out."

Duan Xi raised his head and stared blankly at Li Shaoyuan.

He had thought he had nowhere to go, but Li Shaoyuan's words gave him a glimmer of hope.

He remained silent for a long time, then gave a bitter laugh: "Young Master Li, I served as the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner in Jiangxi for more than ten years, and I have offended quite a few people."

"In the past, I would have had the confidence to deal with them, but now, I can't even do anything to the expert next to Xu Jie."

"Young Master Li, your subordinate, Eagle Elder, has arrived. I know that if Eagle Elder is willing to make a move, I will still have a chance to survive."

Li Shaoyuan had been waiting for these words. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly said, "Lord Duan, in the current situation, a head-on confrontation is not the solution."

"But you served as the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner in Jiangxi for more than ten years. Xu Jie couldn't possibly investigate everything you held in your hands."

"While Xu Jie is distracted by his impeachment, there are a few things we can do immediately."

"First, at the canal wharf, have your brother-in-law sign long-term transport contracts with the largest canal transport companies in Nanchang Prefecture, subcontracting the private transport rights of Jiangxi's official salt and iron transport to private entities."

"The Li family's fleet in the north can allocate some berths to the grain transport companies in Jiangxi, so that everyone can make money together."

"Secondly, for warehouses and storage facilities, two warehouses will be built in Ganzhou and two in Jiujiang. The project will be initiated in the name of Nanchang Prefecture and approved by the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner."

"The Li family provided capital investment before the warehouse was built, and will have priority to use it after its completion."

"Third, mule and horse caravans. The Li family has a batch of retired warhorses that can be sold at low prices to mule and horse caravans in Jiangxi, on the condition that the salt and iron goods they transport must take priority to the routes designated by the Li family."

"These three things are all legal and compliant. You are doing practical things for the local business community in Jiangxi. No one can find fault with you."

Duan Xi's eyes gradually brightened, but he was, after all, a veteran of the officialdom.

He could certainly understand the underlying meaning in Li Shaoyuan's words.

These three things, on the surface, were practical matters done for the local Jiangxi merchants, but in reality, each one helped the Li family to establish a deeper foothold in Jiangxi.

But at this point, he had no other choice.

The things Li Shaoyuan asked him to do were at least outwardly acceptable.

Even if Xu Jie investigates him in the future, these decisions are official matters of the Provincial Surveillance Commission, not Duan Xi's personal matters.

He nodded slowly and said in a hoarse voice, "Alright, I will have someone take care of these three things in the next day or two."

"Young Master Li, the biggest mistake I've ever made in my life is not befriending you sooner."

Li Shaoyuan smiled and personally filled his teacup, his tone gentle yet firm: "What are you saying, Lord Duan?"

"Now that we're in the same boat, we should naturally support each other. Come, have some tea. Now that we've finished discussing the business, let's talk about the specific plans."

He picked up the teapot to refill Duan Xi's tea, a faint smile playing on his lips amidst the aroma of the tea.

Duan Xi thought he was finding a way out for himself, but in fact he was paving the way for the Li family.

Even if Duan Xi falls from grace in the future, these cooperation agreements will still be valid.

Even if a new provincial inspector is appointed, the legal documents signed by the predecessor cannot be easily overturned.

He used Duan Xi's power to pave the way for the Li family.

Duan Xi thought he was a chess player, but in reality, he was just a piece on the chessboard that would be removed sooner or later.