Start with acting, and you'll achieve immortality!

The storm that swept from the capital arrived faster than anyone had anticipated; within days, the imperial edict had reached Jiangning, just after the sun was high in the sky.

The horse's hooves clattered on the bluestone slabs of the main street. The imperial eunuch, with his fair complexion and ramrod straight back, rode on horseback, followed by two junior eunuchs, one of whom carried a yellow silk handkerchief. His gait was more disciplined than that of an opera singer.

News travels faster than a horse; one shop after another poked their heads out from the shops along the main street. Someone shouted half a sentence, "People from the capital have arrived," before the head of the shop quickly covered the rest of his mouth.

Gao Min saw this from the threshold, and the color drained from her face. She turned and ran towards the main hall, her sleeve revealing a stack of unfinished official documents.

"My lord! People from the capital...people from the capital have arrived!"

When Li Ping stood up from behind his desk, a group of people outside the hall were already kneeling, sweeping, carrying documents, and recording work. They all dropped what they were doing and prostrated themselves. The eunuch dismounted and entered, his gaze sweeping over the pile of official documents in the hall. His shrill voice was like a razor blade scraping a porcelain bowl:

"Li Ping, Prefect of Jiangning, receive the imperial decree."

Yellow silk unfolded

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Jiangning has rendered meritorious service in quelling the rebellion and has been adept at bringing peace to the people, which greatly pleases me. Therefore, Jiangning Prefect Li Ping is hereby ordered to come to the capital to meet the Emperor immediately. There must be no delay."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Li Ping remained kneeling, not moving.

Qin Shoushan knelt diagonally behind him, his calloused fingers rubbing his knees repeatedly, the sweat on his forehead brighter than the morning dew: "Sir, take it... that yellow silk is too hot to handle."

Li Ping stared at the few lines of text on the yellow silk.

The phrase "pacifying the rebellion in Jiangning"—these four words completely whitewashed the unspeakable events—the battleground, the records, the well—into a "chaos." The imperial court had crafted a beautiful narrative for him.

"Immediately," not even a day was given to him, as if they were afraid he would stay in Jiangning for a couple more days and truly make this place his own.

There's also the title of "Prefect," but the absence of the words "acting" isn't a benefit; it's also a trap.

"Your Majesty, I receive the imperial decree."

Li Ping accepted the yellow silk with both hands; the silk surface still retained the warmth from being warmed in the eunuch's arms.

The eunuch breathed a sigh of relief, took a half-step closer, and lowered his voice to a thin line: "Lord Li, the winds are strong in the capital, and His Majesty has a temper..." He swallowed the words back, leaving only a dry laugh, "When you get here, you'd better make sure your reputation shines."

Gao Min had already deftly handed over the reward money. The small cloth bag was heavy, causing the eunuch to twitch his eyebrows, weigh it in his hand, and then say nothing more.

Li Ping didn't ask that half-sentence.

You can't find out how deep the waters of the capital are; the boatmen who steer the boats are the most afraid of death, and the eunuchs are the boatmen.

The messenger left cleanly, and the hall was returned to its original state.

Pei Xing slammed a map onto the table: "In the capital, you could find a golden core if you dropped a brick. You're going alone? Do you think the pits in Jiangning can't hold you?"

"The men I brought are much cleaner than theirs," Li Ping said, placing the imperial edict on the corner of the table. "Su Wan, Qian Duo, Da Niu Er Hu, and thirty more strong men from Jiangning."

"Thirty ordinary martial artists wouldn't even be enough to fill a gap between your teeth. Do you think the capital is some kind of Xiyun County?"

"If we go too often, people can't sleep; if we bring too many people, they won't let us in."

Gao Min, who was recording the reward amount in the account book, paused with his pen: "My lord, the Ministry of Personnel just asked for our account book, and the imperial edict arrived in the city right afterward. The timing is too perfect."

Li Ping flipped the imperial edict over. "The Ministry of Personnel wants accounts, the Ministry of Justice wants people, and the Emperor wants obedient dogs. They're all trying to use the same tactics at the same time. Aren't they afraid of throwing the abacus beads at my face?"

Qin Shoushan rubbed the calluses on his hands: "Sir, what about the furnaces in Jiangning?"

"Fang Cheng is underground, Pei Xing is on the surface, and you're guarding the living," Li Ping said.

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the slightly ajar wooden box on the side shelf of the hall.

Shen Zhu's clothes were still lying inside, and the list said "missing." The compensation was given according to the death penalty. Li Ping glanced at it twice, then looked away and didn't say anything more.

The selection of personnel was decided before evening.

Da Niu and Er Hu stood in the backyard, listening to Gao Min read out the list. One nodded, the other shook his head. Only after Er Hu finished shaking his head did he remember to ask, "Brother, can we go to Beijing and smash people up now?"

Da Niu ignored him and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Li Ping: "Sir, Er Hu may be slow-witted, but his iron rod is obedient."

"As long as you can fight," Li Ping said, looking at Erhu. "As long as you can fight, once we get to the capital, shut your mouth, keep your hand on the stick, and if I don't give the order, anyone who moves will go back to Xiyun to farm." "Sir, if you blink, should I fight or not?"

As night fell, the main hall of the prefectural governor's mansion became empty.

With most of the lamp oil burned and the flame kept low, Li Ping sat behind his desk, read the imperial edict three more times from beginning to end, and then tossed it onto the table.

After the seal was broken, his Qi Sea was as clear as a newly dug well, with spiritual energy flowing freely. Even walking felt lighter. Fang Cheng was right; the cultivation technique had recognized him as its master. Li Ping closed his eyes and circulated his Qi through the body once. The earth element between his fingertips felt slightly warm, much more obedient than when he was in the well. He opened his eyes and memorized this change.

I'll take advantage of the two weeks on the road to replenish the qi, blood, and spiritual energy I've previously depleted.

On the road, it's time to sharpen the knife.

Footsteps sounded outside the door, very light, stopping exactly three steps away.

The door opened a crack, and Su Wan stood in the lamplight: "I'm leaving."

"The wind is strong, perfect for traveling," Li Ping said.

Su Wan didn't ask any further questions.

The capital city is not the end, but the next Jiangning. This doesn't need to be said aloud.

"Can you wield a sword with your left hand?"

Su Wan raised her left arm. "Killing is even easier for me."

"That's good." Li Ping walked to the window and watched the lights of Jiangning City go out one by one. "The blood of Jiangning has finally cooled down."

Li Ping said, "Only when it's quiet can we see who's been watching us from the shadows."

Suddenly, a loud banging was heard outside the courtyard gate, and a hoarse, strained shout came from behind the wall:

"Sir! Open the door quickly! Where are you going again? I'm exhausted!"

Gao Min threw on her clothes and ran out. The door latch was only half-open when Qian Duo squeezed in, his shoes worn through, boots covered in mud, a bulging bundle on his back. He shouted as he entered:

"My lord! You never take me with you when you go out, but this time, you've even managed to snag the prefect's seal!"

Li Ping didn't even turn his head: "It's perfect timing, we're heading north tomorrow morning, I'll catch up."

Qian Duo stood in the courtyard, travel-worn, and paused for a moment before grinning, "Alright!"

"Two cartloads of medicinal herbs, three boxes of account books, and all the banknotes are sewn into my crotch!" He put the bundle on the steps, plopped down, and panted. "Two good horses died from exhaustion. This account will have to be paid for with public funds."

"It will be deducted from your next month's wages, double the amount."

"Alright," Qian Duo replied, then added, "Sir, Xi Yun has been handed over to Shi Gan. The shops, granaries, and street patrols are all in good hands. He asked me to pass on a message that if you forget about Xi Yun after you go to the capital, he will send his grandson and the account books over with you."

Li Ping smiled, a rare occurrence for him: "Would he be willing to give it up?"

He said that since he had the account books anyway, if you dared to default on the debt, he would lead people to the capital to collect it.

Su Wan leaned against the door, watching Qian Duo slumped on the steps, panting heavily, a faint smile flashing in her eyes.

The last light in Jiangning City went out.

Night fell, and the city finally fell silent, as quiet as a riverbed after the water had receded: the mud was still wet, the footprints were still fresh, but the water had gone.

Li Ping stood by the window, his fingertips tracing the edge of the yellow silk.

He knew that a bigger game awaited him.

Li Ping blew out the lamp on the table, pushed open the window, and the night wind already carried a frosty chill. "Tomorrow morning, I'll leave the city and meet those immortals in the capital."