I. On the Yan Province Border, Pursuit and an "Encounter"

  The fifteenth day of the second month. Dawn. The border of Dongjun, Yan Province.

  Li Yan crouched beneath a gnarled tree, chewing idly on a stalk of grass, watching the dust rising from the official road in the distance. He sighed. "Brother Ma, I tell you, our fates must be cursed. Everywhere we go, someone chases us."

  Ma Jiu wasn't beside him—he had stayed in Cao Cao's camp to tend Wu Kuang. Li Yan's companions now were only the seven heavy jade tokens in his robe and a lame old horse.

  The horse he'd bought from a farmhouse by the roadside for three ounces of silver. The farmer had sworn, "This horse may be old, but it can do a hundred li a day, no problem!" Yet after barely twenty li, it had gone lame.

  Li Yan was beginning to suspect the farmer's previous profession had been selling crutches.

  The dust on the official road drew nearer, resolving into seven or eight horsemen, all in black armor, Liang Province troops. The leading captain held a portrait, checking it against every passerby.

  "Search thoroughly! The Chancellor's orders: capture the wanderer Li Yan, reward a thousand gold, promotion to captain!"

  Li Yan spat out the grass stalk and touched the tokens in his robe. A thousand gold? Captain? Dong Zhuo thought highly of him.

  He rose, dusted himself off, and led the lame horse toward the woods. But after a few steps, a shout came from behind: "Halt! You there!"

  Li Yan's heart lurched, but he put on an ingratiating smile as he turned and bowed. "Honored soldier, you call me?"

  Three Liang Province soldiers rode over and looked him up and down. Their leader, a squad leader, asked: "What's your name? Where from? Where bound?"

  "This humble one's name is Wang Ergou, from Luoyang, going to Yan Province to seek shelter with relatives." Li Yan produced a travel permit from his robe—a false identity prepared by Shopkeeper Sun before his death, so authentic-looking it could fool anyone.

  The squad leader examined the permit, then glanced at the portrait. He frowned. "Your age... matches the portrait. Turn around!"

  Li Yan obediently turned. The portrait must have listed some distinctive feature, though he didn't know what.

  "Back of your neck," the squad leader said abruptly. "Pull down your collar."

  Li Yan's heart sank. There was a scar on the back of his neck from falling out of a tree as a child. If they saw that, he'd never explain it away.

  He slowly pulled down his collar, his right hand inching toward the short knife at his waist. If it came to it, he'd have to fight.

  At that moment, hoofbeats suddenly sounded from the other side of the woods!

  Another cavalry unit, about twenty strong, but wearing not the black armor of Liang Province—brown leather armor, the gear of Yan Province local troops. Their leader was a one-eyed giant with a panther's head and circular eyes, his voice arriving before he did: "Who dares to interrogate travelers on Yan Province soil?!"

  The Liang Province squad leader's face changed, but he forced himself to speak: "We act on orders of Chancellor Dong, pursuing a wanted criminal!"

  "Chancellor Dong?" The one-eyed giant reined in, smiling coldly. "This is Yan Province, not Luoyang. If you want to question people here, have your Governor Han Fu send an official communication!"

  "You—"

  "You what!" The giant waved a hand. "Surround them!"

  More than twenty Yan Province troops immediately fanned out, encircling the eight Liang Province soldiers. Outnumbered, the Liang troops dared not move.

  Taking advantage of the confusion, Li Yan backed away, intending to slip into the woods. But the one-eyed giant's eyes were sharp: "That brother, don't be in such a hurry."

  Li Yan froze, then turned back with an ingratiating smile. "Honored soldier, this humble one is just passing through..."

  "Just passing through?" The giant rode over and stared at him for a long moment. Then he laughed. "Li Yan, Righteous Man Li, am I right?"

  Li Yan groaned inwardly, but kept up the pretense. "Honored soldier mistakes me for someone else. This humble one is called Wang Ergou..."

  "Wang Ergou?" The giant roared with laughter. "General Wu Kuang in our camp talks about you every day. And before he died, didn't Shopkeeper Sun tell you there'd be someone waiting for you in Yan Province?"

  Li Yan was dumbfounded.

  The giant dismounted and clasped his hands in salute. "I am Xiahou Dun, courtesy name Yuanrang, currently Cavalry Commandant under Commandant Cao. By my lord's orders, I am here to receive Righteous Man Li."

  Xiahou Dun? That fierce general under Cao Cao?

  Li Yan's mind raced. Shopkeeper Sun had indeed mentioned "old friends" in Yan Province he could turn to. But he hadn't said those old friends were Cao Cao's people!

  "General Xiahou," Li Yan probed, "how did you recognize me?"

  Xiahou Dun pointed at his feet. "Your boots. The left heel is worn down much more than the right. That's the mark of a man who wields his blade with his right hand and pivots on his left leg. General Wu Kuang mentioned that your martial arts favor the right, but your lightness techniques use the left leg as an axis."

  Li Yan looked down at his own boots and had to admit respect. With observational skills like that, the man would make a fine detective—a waste he'd chosen soldiering.

  The Liang Province soldiers were not happy. "Xiahou Dun! This man is a wanted criminal under Chancellor Dong's orders! You dare shield him?!"

  Xiahou Dun's one eye glared. "I obey only Commandant Cao's orders. If you want him, tell Dong Zhuo to come to Yan Province himself and ask!"

  He waved a hand; the Yan Province troops drew their blades. Seeing they were outmatched, the Liang soldiers retreated, grinding their teeth.

  Li Yan breathed a sigh of relief and clasped his hands. "Thank you, General Xiahou, for the rescue."

  "Think nothing of it." Xiahou Dun clapped him on the shoulder. "Come. My lord and Lady Cui are waiting for you in camp."

  Lady Cui?

  Cui Yan?

  Li Yan's heartbeat quickened.

  II. Reunion at the Camp, the Tea Still Warm

  Cao Cao's camp was pitched in a valley ten li north of Dongjun city. Built against the mountains, easy to defend, difficult to attack—clearly the work of someone versed in military strategy.

  Li Yan followed Xiahou Dun into the camp, observing as they went. There were about two thousand soldiers, not lavishly equipped, but disciplined and well-trained. Better than He Jin's Northern Army, more impressive than Yuan Shao's Western Garden troops.

  Before the main command tent, Xiahou Dun stopped. "Righteous Man Li, wait here a moment while I announce you."

  Li Yan stood outside the tent, his thoughts in turmoil. When he saw Cui Yan, what would he say? "Long time no see, glad you're alive"? Or "I recognized your orchid-scented seal"?

  As he pondered, the tent flap lifted and someone stepped out.

  Moon-white inner robe, pale blue silk draped over her shoulders. Her hair was simply coiled, her face unpainted. Still that cool demeanor, but with a touch more weariness around her eyes.

  Cui Yan.

  She saw Li Yan, paused for a fraction of a second, then continued toward him. She stopped three paces away and looked him up and down.

  Li Yan felt a little unnerved under her gaze, but he grinned. "Lady Cui, still well, I trust?"

  Cui Yan didn't smile. Instead, she frowned. "You're wounded?"

  "Ah? No, I'm not."

  "Left shoulder. Your clothes are torn, and there's blood." She stepped closer. "An arrow wound? When did that happen?"

  Li Yan looked down. It was true. Last night at the Hall of Benevolent Healing, one of the Four Seas Hall's crossbow bolts had grazed him. He hadn't even noticed.

  "Just a scratch. Nothing serious."

  "A scratch untreated can fester." Cui Yan turned. "Qingwu, fetch the wound-healing powder and clean cloth."

  "Yes, Young Mistress."

  Qingwu, standing nearby, hurried off. Only then did Cui Yan look back at Li Yan, her expression complex. "Shopkeeper Sun... truly dead?"

  Li Yan's smile faded. "Dead. To save me. He blew up his refuge and took the Four Seas Hall men with him."

  Cui Yan was silent a moment, then said softly, "Come into the tent. Commandant Cao is waiting."

  Inside the main tent, Cao Cao sat before a table studying a map. When Li Yan entered, he rose with a smile. "Righteous Man Li, I have long heard of your name. I've been told you single-handedly navigated the dragon's den in Luoyang, exposed the military equipment case, and rescued General Wu Kuang from peril. Truly a hero of our age."

  The words were flattering, but Li Yan noticed Cao Cao's eyes never stopped moving—taking in his wound, his weapons, the bulge in his robe (the jade tokens).

  "Commandant Cao flatters me." Li Yan clasped his hands. "I am but a wanderer of the Jianghu, unworthy of the name 'hero.' You, Commandant, are the true hero, organizing troops and protecting the people here in Yan Province."

  They exchanged pleasantries and took their seats. Cui Yan sat below Cao Cao. Qingwu brought tea and wound-healing powder.

  Cao Cao got straight to the point. "I have heard that you, Righteous Man, possess the relics of Dou Wu, matters of great import to the realm. Now Dong Zhuo has usurped power, deposed the emperor, and burned Luoyang; the whole world is in turmoil. I, Cao, wish to purge the court of malign influences and raise troops against Dong Zhuo. I would borrow the jade tokens to establish the legitimacy of our cause."

  Here it comes. Li Yan sneered inwardly, but kept up a pretense of ignorance. "Jade tokens? What jade tokens? I have only a few broken pieces of jade on me, keepsakes from Shopkeeper Sun. Nothing of value."

  "Oh?" Cao Cao smiled enigmatically. "Does the Righteous Man know that these 'broken pieces of jade' can open the tomb of Emperor Shun of Han and retrieve the late emperor's secret edict? And that they can also summon a three-thousand-man army, the 'Martial Guard Remnant Army'?"

  Li Yan's hand jerked, spilling half his tea.

  How did he know?

  Cui Yan seized the moment. "Commandant, Righteous Man Li has traveled far and his wounds are not yet healed. The matter of the jade tokens is weighty; perhaps we should discuss it later? The urgent task now is to let him meet General Wu Kuang and have a military physician tend to his injuries."

  Cao Cao glanced at her and nodded. "Lady Cui speaks wisely. Yuanrang, take Righteous Man Li to see General Wu Kuang, and summon the physician."

  "Yes, my lord."

  Li Yan rose and followed Xiahou Dun out of the tent. Before leaving, he glanced back at Cui Yan.

  She gave a slight nod.

  The message was clear: keep your mouth shut and follow my lead.

  III. Wu Kuang's Warning, the Secret of the Jade Tokens

  Wu Kuang was housed in a separate tent in the wounded soldiers' section. When Li Yan entered, he found him sitting up in bed, drinking medicine. Pale, but in good spirits.

  "Brother Li!" Wu Kuang's eyes lit up at the sight of him. "You're alive! Thank heaven!"

  "General Wu." Li Yan sat down. "How are your wounds?"

  "I'll live." Wu Kuang smiled bitterly. "General Xiahou summoned the best physicians from the city. The arrow wound has been treated; another half month of rest and I'll be on my feet." He lowered his voice. "Brother Li, that man Cao Cao... you need to be careful."

  "What do you mean?"

  Wu Kuang looked around to ensure they were alone before speaking. "These past few days in camp, I've observed how he runs his army and administers affairs. He certainly has great talent. But his mind runs too deep. He employs people based on ability, not virtue. Look at his strategists—Xi Zhicai, Cheng Yu—both are men who would stop at nothing to achieve their goals. Today he treats you well because of the jade tokens. If someday you become useless..."

  He didn't finish, but the meaning was clear.

  Li Yan nodded. "I understand. By the way, where's Ma Jiu?"

  "Brother Ma went into the city to buy medicinal herbs. He'll be back this evening." Wu Kuang paused. "Brother Li, what do you plan to do with the jade tokens?"

  "I don't know." Li Yan spoke frankly. "Before he died, Shopkeeper Sun told me the tokens could open Emperor Shun's tomb, which contains the late emperor's secret edict. But he said the edict names Prince Bian as the successor—not Prince Xie, whom Dong Zhuo wants to put on the throne."

  Wu Kuang's eyes widened. "Prince Bian? Grand General He Jin's nephew?"

  "Yes. So He Jin died without ever knowing that his nephew was the late emperor's chosen heir." Li Yan sighed. "Now Prince Bian has been deposed by Dong Zhuo; his life hangs in the balance. Even if we retrieve the edict, what use is it?"

  "Not necessarily." A voice came from outside the tent. It was Cui Yan.

  Li Yan turned to see her lift the tent flap and enter, carrying a bowl of medicine. "General Wu, time to change your dressing."

  She walked to the bedside and expertly undid Wu Kuang's bandages, cleaned the wound, and applied fresh medicine. Her movements were practiced, not like a noble lady, but like someone who had tended the wounded for years.

  Only after finishing did she turn to Li Yan. "The edict may be useless now, but that doesn't mean it will always be so. Prince Bian may be deposed, but as long as he lives, he is the rightful heir. Dong Zhuo's installation of Prince Xie is illegitimate. When the regional lords rise against him, this edict will provide the moral authority."

  Li Yan frowned. "You want me to give the tokens to Cao Cao?"

  "Whether you give them or not depends on what you can get in return." Cui Yan washed her hands and sat down by the table. "Cao Cao wants the tokens now, but what he needs even more is you."

  "Me?"

  "You exposed the military equipment case; you have a name in Luoyang. You rescued General Wu Kuang; you have a reputation for righteousness in the army. You've escaped from Dong Zhuo and the Four Seas Hall multiple times; you've proven your ability." Cui Yan analyzed coolly. "Cao Cao is recruiting talent right now. Men like you, he won't kill, and he won't push too hard."

  "So?"

  "So you can negotiate terms with him." Cui Yan said. "You can hand over the tokens, but in exchange for three things: one, safety for you, Wu Kuang, and Ma Jiu; two, an official status so you're no longer hunted; three..."

  She paused. "Three, I want you to stay in Yan Province and help me with something."

  Li Yan laughed. "Lady Cui, I could hear the beads of your abacus clicking all the way back in Luoyang."

  "Tit for tat." Cui Yan smiled—the first time she'd smiled today. "You help me, I help you. We use each other. Haven't we agreed on that from the start?"

  Li Yan looked at her, remembering their first encounter at the Ghost Market when she'd said, "Each takes what they need." Back then, she had been frighteningly calm. Now... she seemed even more so.

  But also more real.

  "What do you want me to do?"

  "Help me uncover the Four Seas Hall's bases in Yan Province." Cui Yan's eyes turned cold. "Wei Zi, the head of the Four Seas Hall, is Cao Cao's man, but Cao Cao doesn't fully trust him. I need to know how many people the Four Seas Hall has in Yan Province and what they're up to."

  "You want to bring down Wei Zi?"

  "Not bring down—control." Cui Yan's voice was soft. "In chaotic times, intelligence is life. I want to hold that web, the Four Seas Hall, in my hands."

  Li Yan stared at her for a long moment. Finally, he sighed. "Lady Cui, you are truly a... very unusual woman."

  "Unusual enough to be frightening?"

  "Unusual enough that..." Li Yan grinned, "I feel like cooperating with you shouldn't be a losing proposition."

  Footsteps sounded outside, followed by Xiahou Dun's voice: "Righteous Man Li, my lord invites you to the main tent for a discussion."

  If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  Li Yan stood and walked to the tent entrance. Then he turned. "Lady Cui, that offer to treat me to tea—does it still stand?"

  Cui Yan blinked, then nodded. "The tea is kept warm."

  "Then when this is all over, I'll come drink it." Li Yan pushed through the flap and was gone.

  Cui Yan sat in the tent, staring at the swaying canvas. A faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

  Qingwu whispered, "Young Mistress, are you really going to tell Commandant Cao about the jade tokens?"

  "I'm not telling him; I'm trading with him." Cui Yan rose. "Prepare paper and brush. I need to write Commandant Cao a 'proposal for cooperation.' Oh, and light the brazier. Warm a pot of Biluochun tea."

  "Drink it now?"

  "Waiting for someone to come and drink it."

  IV. Night Attack on the Camp, Fighting Side by Side

  Inside the main tent, Cao Cao had been in conference with Xi Zhicai and Cheng Yu. When Li Yan entered, they fell silent.

  "Righteous Man Li, please sit." Cao Cao gestured. "How are your wounds?"

  "Much better, thanks to your concern." Li Yan sat, alert. Opposite him, three pairs of eyes fixed on him like a hunter watching prey.

  Xi Zhicai spoke first. "I understand that in Luoyang, you cooperated with Lady Cui. May I ask your assessment of her?"

  Li Yan's heart tightened. They were probing his relationship with Cui Yan.

  "Lady Cui is exceptionally intelligent. I hold her in high regard," he answered vaguely.

  "Is that all?" Cheng Yu pressed. "Lady Cui is a legitimate daughter of the Qinghe Cui clan, of noble birth. You, a wanderer of the Jianghu, were able to cooperate with her. You must have exceptional qualities."

  The words carried an edge. Ostensibly praise, they actually highlighted the difference in status, implying he was "unworthy."

  Li Yan smiled. "Master Cheng is right. I'm nothing but a Jianghu ruffian. Lady Cui was willing to cooperate with me not because I have any exceptional qualities, but because she needed a blade—a blade that fears no death and has no personal ties to anyone."

  The bluntness caught Cheng Yu off guard.

  Cao Cao, however, burst out laughing. "Excellent! Well said! In chaotic times, the most needed are those willing to be blades. Righteous Man Li, I'd like to hire you as my blade—I can offer you the rank of Commandant. What do you say?"

  Commandant? Li Yan sneered inwardly. He Jin had been Grand General, and he'd died like a dog. Jian Shuo had been Commandant of the Western Garden Army, and he'd been cut down. What was a Commandant worth?

  But he put on a grateful expression. "You honor me, Commandant. I am deeply grateful. But I'm too used to the free life of the Jianghu to submit to military discipline. Besides... I'm still carrying a lot of trouble."

  "Oh? What trouble?"

  "The jade tokens." Li Yan took the seven tokens from his robe and laid them on the table. "Before he died, Shopkeeper Sun told me these objects are of great importance. I lack the ability to protect them. Today I present them to you, Commandant, in exchange only for your protection of me and my friends."

  A gleam flashed in Cao Cao's eyes. He reached out and picked up one token, examining it closely.

  Xi Zhicai and Cheng Yu crowded in to look as well.

  "These are Dou Wu's jade tokens?" Cheng Yu asked. "Rumor has it that when assembled, the ten tokens form a map leading to Emperor Shun's tomb and the secret edict. Righteous Man Li, where are the other three?"

  "I don't know." Li Yan shook his head. "Shopkeeper Sun only had these seven. The other three may be with the Four Seas Hall, or... with another member of the imperial clan."

  He deliberately didn't mention Liu Yu, to gauge Cao Cao's reaction.

  Cao Cao frowned. "The imperial clan? Which member?"

  "I don't know." Li Yan played dumb. "But Shopkeeper Sun mentioned that among the court officials who had dealings with Dou Wu back then, one was of imperial descent. I suspect the tokens may be with him."

  The tent fell silent.

  Cao Cao set down the token and looked at Li Yan. "Righteous Man Li, you're offering the tokens in exchange for safety alone?"

  "And a sum of money." Li Yan grinned. "I've been poor all my life. I'd like to enjoy a few days of the good life."

  Xi Zhicai and Cheng Yu exchanged glances, contempt flickering in their eyes. So this was just a money-grubbing Jianghu type.

  But Cao Cao laughed. "Money is a trifle. I can give you a thousand gold and a residence in Dongjun. However... I have one request."

  "Please speak, Commandant."

  "May I borrow the map from the jade tokens?" Cao Cao said. "I'm not coveting the secret edict; I just want to verify the rumors. If there truly is a secret edict, when the time comes to attack Dong Zhuo, it would provide the moral authority."

  Li Yan saw right through him: Borrow? Would he ever return it?

  But he nodded. "Fine. But the map requires all ten tokens to assemble. With only seven, the map will be incomplete."

  "No matter. Even a partial map is worth seeing."

  Li Yan assembled the seven tokens on the table. The patterns connected, forming part of a map—the outline of the Mang Hills was visible, along with a winding line that should mark the entrance to a hidden passage. But with three missing, the crucial parts were obscured.

  Cao Cao stared at the map for a long time, then abruptly asked, "Righteous Man Li, would you be willing to guide us? I'd like to send men to the Mang Hills to investigate."

  "Now?" Li Yan frowned. "Dong Zhuo's men are still hunting me. Leaving the city now would be too dangerous."

  "I'll send troops to escort you."

  "Still not advisable." Li Yan shook his head. "I promised Shopkeeper Sun I wouldn't act rashly regarding the jade tokens. And wherever the secret edict is hidden, there are bound to be traps and mechanisms. If we go in unprepared, we'll only invite casualties."

  The reasoning was sound; Cao Cao couldn't argue.

  At that moment, Xiahou Dun's urgent voice came from outside: "My lord! Enemy approach!"

  "Enter!"

  Xiahou Dun burst in, covered in dust. "Scouts report five hundred Liang Province cavalry heading straight for our camp, led by Li Jue! Also, suspicious figures have been spotted inside the camp—looks like Four Seas Hall men!"

  Cao Cao's expression darkened. "Li Jue dares to come to Yan Province? And the Four Seas Hall... where is Wei Zi?"

  "Master Wei left camp this afternoon, saying he was going to the city to buy medicinal herbs. He hasn't returned."

  "Good, good." Cao Cao smiled coldly. "So, Wei Zi. Issue orders: full alert! Yuanrang, take two hundred cavalry and engage Li Jue head-on. Zhongkang (Xu Chu), take the personal guards and search the camp for infiltrators!"

  "Yes, my lord!"

  Tension crackled in the air.

  Li Yan groaned inwardly. Fighting again? Can't I have a moment's peace?

  Cao Cao turned to him. "Righteous Man Li, I'm afraid you'll have to take cover. The Four Seas Hall is after you. It's too dangerous for you to keep the tokens on you. I have a secret chamber where you'll be safe."

  Before Li Yan could reply, Cui Yan's voice came from outside: "That won't be necessary."

  She entered, followed by Qingwu, who carried a tea tray with a pot and two cups.

  "Commandant, the Four Seas Hall and the Liang Province troops are attacking simultaneously—it must be a coordinated plan. Sending Righteous Man Li off alone now would only increase the danger." Cui Yan spoke calmly. "Better he stay with me. My tent has guards; they can protect him."

  Cao Cao looked at her. "Lady Cui wishes to protect him?"

  "Yes." Cui Yan nodded. "Righteous Man Li has shown kindness to my clan. I cannot stand idly by. Besides, if the tokens are lost, it would be a blow to you as well."

  Her reasoning was sound. Cao Cao considered for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. I'll trouble you, Lady Cui. Zhongkang, assign a squad of personal guards to Lady Cui's tent."

  "Yes, my lord!"

  Li Yan followed Cui Yan out of the main tent, his mind racing. What is this woman really up to?

  V. Night Attack, Fighting Side by Side

  Night fell. Torches blazed throughout the camp.

  Li Yan sat in Cui Yan's tent, watching Qingwu arrange the tea things. He was on edge. Outside, the sounds of hoofbeats, shouted commands, and clashing weapons filled the air—battle was imminent.

  "Lady Cui," he couldn't help asking, "do you really think this place is safe?"

  "It's not safe." Cui Yan was organizing documents, not looking up. "But it's safer than Cao Cao's secret chamber."

  "Why?"

  "Because only Cao Cao knows where his secret chamber is." Cui Yan set down her brush. "If you go in there, your life is entirely in his hands. Here, at least I can see you, and you can see me."

  Li Yan paused, then laughed. "Makes sense."

  Qingwu finished brewing the tea and brought it over. Cui Yan took a cup and handed it to Li Yan. "Try it. Biluochun. It's been kept warm."

  Li Yan accepted it and took a sip. The tea was clear and fragrant, with a lingering sweetness.

  "Good tea," he said. "Pity the timing's not ideal."

  "In chaotic times, there's never a good time for tea." Cui Yan took a sip herself. "But tea must be drunk, and life must go on."

  Suddenly, shouts of battle erupted from the direction of the camp gate—very close!

  Li Yan set down his cup and gripped his blade. "They're here."

  Cui Yan rose and went to the tent flap, lifting it a crack to peer out. Flames were rising near the gate; the Liang Province cavalry had already broken through! Xiahou Dun's troops were fighting desperately, but they were outnumbered.

  Worse, several fires had broken out simultaneously inside the camp—arson by the infiltrators!

  "Qingwu, pack the important documents into the chest." Cui Yan's voice was calm. "Righteous Man Li, you..."

  She turned. Li Yan was no longer in the tent.

  Outside, Li Yan crouched behind a grain cart, assessing the situation. The Liang Province assault was fierce, but the Cao troops resisted stubbornly; they were at a stalemate. Meanwhile, the infiltrators—about a dozen men—were creeping toward the main command tent.

  Their target was clearly the jade tokens, or Li Yan himself.

  Li Yan followed them stealthily. The infiltrators wore Cao army uniforms, but their furtive movements marked them as irregulars. Their leader was a tall, thin man Li Yan remembered—one of the Four Seas Hall men who had attacked him at the Hall of Benevolent Healing.

  "Split up and search!" the tall man whispered. "The chief's orders: bring him back alive, or bring back his corpse!"

  The men fanned out. Li Yan fixed his attention on the tall man, waiting until he reached a secluded corner. Then he struck.

  His short knife pressed against the man's throat from behind. "Don't move."

  The man stiffened. "Li Yan?"

  "Clever." Li Yan smiled coldly. "Wei Zi sent you? How did he know I was in the Cao camp?"

  "You... let go first..."

  "Answer my question." Li Yan pressed the blade.

  "Someone... someone in the Cao camp is one of us." The man trembled. "The chief arranged it long ago. Li Yan, you can't escape. Hand over the tokens and we might spare your life..."

  Before he could finish, a dagger slid from his sleeve and he stabbed backward at Li Yan!

  Li Yan was ready. He dodged, simultaneously driving his knee into the man's lower back. The man screamed and fell, his dagger clattering away.

  "Talk. What's Wei Zi's connection to Dong Zhuo?" Li Yan put his foot on the man's hand.

  "Dong Zhuo... promised the chief the position of Inspector of Bing Province after the deed is done..." The man was sweating with pain. "On the surface, the chief serves Cao Cao, but secretly... secretly he's in touch with Dong Zhuo..."

  Just as Li Yan suspected! Wei Zi was playing both sides, keeping his options open.

  He knocked the man unconscious and dragged him under the grain cart. He was about to return to Cui Yan when sounds of fighting came from the direction of her tent!

  No!

  Li Yan sprinted. Three Four Seas Hall assassins were attacking Cui Yan's guards. Only five guards remained; two had already fallen. Cui Yan stood at the tent entrance, a short sword in her hand, protecting Qingwu behind her.

  One assassin broke through and swung his blade at Cui Yan!

  Li Yan had no time to think. He hurled his short knife.

  Clang!

  The blade deflected the assassin's sword. Li Yan charged, punched the assassin in the face, seized his blade, and swung—

  The assassin fell.

  The remaining two attacked together. Li Yan shielded Cui Yan, his knife flashing, forcing one back. But the other circled around and thrust at Cui Yan!

  Instead of dodging, Cui Yan stepped forward and drove her short sword precisely into the assassin's wrist! At the same time, she twisted aside, avoiding the blade. The movement was clean and efficient.

  Li Yan stared: This woman knows martial arts?

  No time to ponder. He finished off the last assassin. Of the five guards, three were dead, two badly wounded. Qingwu was pale with terror, but still clutching the document chest.

  "Are you all right?" Li Yan asked Cui Yan.

  Cui Yan shook her head, wiping blood from her short sword. "You can throw a knife?"

  "A little." Li Yan retrieved his own blade. "You know swordplay?"

  "Family tradition." Cui Yan's reply was brief. "My grandfather said in chaotic times, a woman must be able to protect herself."

  Hoofbeats sounded in the distance. Xu Chu and his personal guard had arrived. The Four Seas Hall infiltrators were rounded up, the fires inside the camp extinguished.

  But the battle at the gate continued. Li Jue's Liang Province cavalry fought fiercely. Xiahou Dun, though brave, was outnumbered and gradually being pushed back.

  Cao Cao himself took the field, leading the central army to reinforce the gate. The fighting there rose to a crescendo.

  Li Yan watched the battle for a moment, then said, "Lady Cui, take Qingwu and hide. I'm going to help."

  "Help?" Cui Yan grabbed his arm. "That's a battle between armies. What can one man do?"

  "Kill as many as I can." Li Yan grinned. "Besides, if Cao Cao loses, we're all dead. Helping him is helping ourselves."

  He ran toward the gate.

  Cui Yan watched his figure disappear into the flames. She bit her lip, then said to Qingwu, "Stay here. I'm going to find Commandant Cao."

  "Young Mistress!"

  "Do as I say." Cui Yan gripped her short sword and walked toward the gate.

  VI. Blades Flash, Life and Death in an Instant

  At the gate, the battle raged.

  The Liang Province cavalry came and went like the wind. The Cao army, mostly infantry, struggled to hold. Xiahou Dun charged back and forth, covered in blood. Cao Cao directed operations behind his personal guard, but the line had been breached in several places.

  Li Yan reached the edge of the battlefield. He didn't charge blindly into the melee. Instead, he assessed the situation and spotted the commander of the Liang forces—a captain in black armor, not Li Jue, who was commanding from the rear.

  Kill the leader and the army will scatter.

  He circled to the flank, climbed onto a burning grain cart. From his vantage point, he saw the black-armored captain clearly, exposed as he directed a cavalry charge.

  Li Yan took a small cloth bag from his robe—the last of the lime powder from Shopkeeper Sun. He gauged the distance, took a deep breath, and leaped!

  As he fell through the air, he hurled the bag.

  Bang!

  The lime powder exploded among the cavalry, a cloud of white. Horses reared, panicking. The black-armored captain roared: "What's happening?!"

  Li Yan hit the ground, rolled, and lunged at the captain's horse. His short knife slashed into its belly.

  The horse screamed and reared. The captain was thrown. Li Yan pounced, knife at his throat. "Order your men to stand down!"

  The captain gritted his teeth. "Who are you?!"

  "Your executioner." Li Yan pressed the blade; blood beaded.

  The captain's courage broke. He shouted, "Halt! All halt!"

  The Liang Province assault faltered. Xiahou Dun seized the moment, leading a counterattack that drove the cavalry back out of the camp.

  Li Jue, watching from the rear, was furious. "Useless! Charge! Charge!"

  But by now, Cao Cao had reorganized his formation. Archers were in place; volleys of arrows rained down. The Liang cavalry's charge stalled, casualties mounting.

  Li Yan, still holding the captain hostage, retreated slowly toward the Cao lines. Suddenly, a stray arrow flew from the side!

  He twisted instinctively. The arrow grazed his ear. In that instant's distraction, the captain broke free and swung his blade.

  Li Yan couldn't dodge in time. The blade slashed across his left shoulder—another wound atop the old one.

  He grunted, struck back with his knife, forcing the captain to retreat. The two of them fought amid the chaos of battle, blades flashing, life hanging by a thread.

  The captain was skilled, his technique ruthless. Li Yan, wounded, slowed, gradually lost the advantage.

  Just as he was about to be cut again, a figure rushed in. A short sword stabbed toward the captain's back!

  Cui Yan!

  The captain turned to parry, but Li Yan seized the opening and drove his knife into the captain's ribs.

  The captain crumpled and died.

  Li Yan gasped for breath, staring at Cui Yan. "You... how did you get here?"

  "To see if you were dead." Her words were sharp, but her eyes were worried. "How's your wound?"

  "I'll live." Li Yan grinned, though the pain twisted his smile.

  Li Jue, seeing the attack fail and his losses mount, finally ordered a retreat. The Liang Province cavalry withdrew like a receding tide, leaving behind a field of corpses and burning camp.

  Cao Cao rode over and looked at Li Yan and Cui Yan, his expression complex. "My thanks to you both."

  Li Yan waved a hand and collapsed to the ground. Blood loss and exhaustion made his head swim.

  Cui Yan knelt and tore a strip from her own skirt to bandage his wound. Her movements were gentle, but Li Yan still winced.

  "Bear with it," Cui Yan said. "If the wound isn't properly treated, it will fester."

  "Lady Cui," Li Yan looked at her earnest profile, "where did you learn to dress wounds?"

  "My mother." She paused. "Before she died, she was the daughter of a physician."

  Li Yan fell silent. In chaotic times, everyone had a story.

  When the bandaging was done, Cao Cao invited them back to the main tent. The battle had cost the Cao army over three hundred casualties; the Liang forces had suffered similarly. But the Four Seas Hall infiltrators had been rooted out, and Wei Zi's betrayal exposed—a silver lining.

  "Wei Zi got away." Cao Cao's face was dark. "As soon as the attack began, he vanished. The Four Seas Hall's bases in Yan Province were emptied beforehand."

  Cui Yan frowned. "The man is cunning. He must have prepared for this. What does the Commandant intend to do?"

  "Proclaim him wanted." Cao Cao's voice was cold. "Issue orders to every commandery and county: capture Wei Zi. As for the Four Seas Hall..." He looked at Cui Yan. "Lady Cui, would you be willing to take it over?"

  Cui Yan's eyes lit up. "You mean..."

  "That intelligence network must not be wasted." Cao Cao said. "But it needs someone reliable at the helm. You, Lady Cui, are exceptionally intelligent, and as a woman, less likely to arouse suspicion. I would like you to rebuild the Four Seas Hall as our eyes and ears."

  Li Yan silently applauded: Cao Cao's move is brilliant. He gets rid of a traitor, recruits Cui Yan, and acquires an intelligence network in one stroke.

  Cui Yan considered for a moment, then nodded. "I am willing to try. But I have two conditions."

  "Name them."

  "First, the Four Seas Hall operates independently, answering only to you, Commandant, and不受 other generals' interference."

  "Agreed."

  "Second." Cui Yan glanced at Li Yan. "I want Righteous Man Li to assist me."

  Li Yan blinked. "Me?"

  "Yes." Cui Yan said. "Rebuilding the Four Seas Hall requires manpower. Righteous Man Li has extensive Jianghu experience and an unfamiliar face—suitable for external operations."

  Cao Cao looked at Li Yan. "What do you say, Righteous Man?"

  Li Yan's mind raced. Agree, and he'd officially be part of Cao Cao's faction—hard to extricate himself later. Refuse, and he might be dealt with now.

  He looked at Cui Yan. Her gaze was calm, but deep within, he thought he saw a flicker of expectation.

  "I..." Li Yan took a deep breath. "I can help, but I won't join the army. I remain a man of the Jianghu, doing Jianghu business."

  Cao Cao laughed. "Excellent! Then I invite you, Righteous Man, to serve as an adviser and assist Lady Cui. A monthly stipend of a hundred gold, how does that sound?"

  A hundred gold? Li Yan's eyes gleamed. "Deal!"

  VII. Parting at the Pavilion, Tea Still Warm

  The sixteenth day of the second month. The hour of the dragon. A roadside pavilion on the Yan Province border.

  The morning after the rain, the air was fresh. Outside the pavilion, a few horses grazed. Inside, Li Yan and Cui Yan sat facing each other across a stone table. Between them, a pot of tea and two cups.

  "You're really leaving?" Li Yan asked.

  "Yes." Cui Yan poured tea. "There are some family matters to attend to in Xu Province. And rebuilding the Four Seas Hall requires establishing bases in various places. Xu Province is a hub between north and south; it's important."

  Li Yan took his cup. "When will we meet again, I wonder?"

  "If we want to meet, we will." Cui Yan looked at him. "And you? Still going north to You Province? To find Lu Zhi?"

  "Yes." Li Yan nodded. "Shopkeeper Sun said the last three jade tokens might be with Liu Yu. Liu Yu is Governor of You Province. Lu Zhi is there. I'm hoping he can help me make inquiries."

  "And after you inquire?" Cui Yan asked. "Assemble all ten tokens, open Emperor Shun's tomb, retrieve the secret edict? And then? Restore Prince Bian? Or..." She trailed off.

  Li Yan smiled. "To be honest, I don't know. I don't want the edict, and I don't want the tokens. But as long as I have them, it's like carrying a brazier—wherever I go, I'm burned. I need to find a way to get rid of them."

  "How?"

  "Haven't figured that out yet." Li Yan drank his tea. "Maybe I'll give them to whoever they belong to. Maybe I'll destroy them. Or maybe... hide them somewhere no one will ever find them."

  Cui Yan was silent a moment. Then she took a jade ring from her sleeve and placed it on the table.

  The ring was celadon white, finely carved with cloud patterns, and in the center, the character "Yan."

  "This is a token of the Cui clan." Cui Yan said. "With this ring, you can mobilize our family's shops and banks in various places, obtain intelligence and aid. You may find it useful on your journey north."

  Li Yan picked up the ring. It was warm to the touch. "Such a precious thing—you're giving it to me?"

  "Lending it to you." Cui Yan turned her face away. "You have to return it."

  Li Yan smiled and carefully tucked away the ring. Then he took a small cloth bag from his robe—Shopkeeper Sun's medicine pouch. Inside, besides medicinal herbs, was a rubbing of a jade token.

  "This is for you." He pushed it across the table. "Shopkeeper Sun left it for me. It contains some life-saving medicines and... a rubbing of one of the tokens. I'm leaving you a copy of the map from the seven tokens. If it's ever useful, maybe it will help."

  Cui Yan took it, holding it in her palm. "Thank you."

  They fell silent. Only the wind rustling through the pavilion, the chime on the eaves tinkling softly.

  In the distance, Qingwu and Cao Hong were waiting. It was time for Cui Yan to depart.

  Li Yan spoke suddenly. "Lady Cui, you still owe me a cup of tea."

  Cui Yan blinked. "Aren't we drinking it now?"

  "This is farewell tea." Li Yan looked at her. "You said the tea is kept warm, waiting for me to return. Does that offer still stand?"

  Cui Yan looked at him. Something flickered in her eyes. Then, slowly, she nodded. "It stands. Whenever you come to Yan Province, the tea will be warm."

  Li Yan smiled. There was relief in his smile, and a hint of sadness.

  He stood and clasped his hands. "Then it's settled. We use each other, and we witness each other. Let us see, in the end, to what path this chaotic world returns."

  Cui Yan also rose and returned the salute. "Take care."

  "You too."

  They turned and walked toward their respective horses.

  Li Yan mounted and looked back one last time. Cui Yan stood at the edge of the pavilion, her moon-white robes lifting gently in the morning breeze, like an orchid blooming in a time of chaos.

  He turned his horse and galloped away.

  He did not look back.

  Cui Yan watched until his figure vanished at the end of the road. After a long time, she said softly, "Qingwu, let's go."

  "Young Mistress," Qingwu whispered, "aren't you... sad?"

  "Sad?" Cui Yan gazed north. "In chaotic times, to live, to meet again—that is fortune enough. Sadness... is a luxury."

  She mounted the carriage. The curtain fell, cutting off the view.

  Wheels turned. Southward.

  One south, one north. Two directions.

  In the torrent of chaos, two lines that had just converged parted again.

  But the threads remained, held in each other's hands.

  VIII. Epilogue · Beacon Fires Illuminate the Night

  End of the second month. The realm divided into three.

  Luoyang, Deyang Hall. Dong Zhuo drank wine with a palace maid in his lap; below, officials trembled. The young emperor Liu Bian had been deposed, reduced to Prince of Hongnong. Prince of Chenliu Liu Xie had been installed as Emperor Xian. The Southern Palace blazed, the fire still unquenched after half a month.

  Yan Province, Dongjun military camp. Cao Cao drilled his troops, sword in hand. Behind him, a great banner read: "ATTACK DONG ZHUO." The proclamation had been issued; few in the realm had responded, but ambition burned in his eyes.

  Ji Province, Ye City mansion. Yuan Shao feasted renowned scholars, discoursing on plans to attack Dong Zhuo. Han Fu sat uneasily, knowing his position as Governor was already precarious.

  You Province, Ji City walls. Li Yan stood in the snow, gazing south at the beacon smoke. Beside him, Lu Zhi, his hair and beard white: "The jade tokens are with Liu Yu, but he is unwilling to involve himself in the conflict. Righteous Man Li, what will you do?"

  Li Yan touched the jade ring in his robe and smiled. "Wait."

  "Wait for what?"

  "For the right time."

  Xu Province, a merchant ship on the river. Cui Yan leaned against the railing, the medicine pouch in her hand. River wind brushed her face. She gazed north and murmured to herself, "The tea is warm. I await your return."

  The river flowed east. Chaos surged like the tide.

  And in this tide, a man sold straw sandals, another pushed a cart, another sold meat—in a Zhuo Commandery market, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei had not yet met.

  A map slowly unfurled:

  Luoyang ablaze, banners first raised in Yan Province, snow blanketing You Province, merchant ships crowding the Xu River.

  Beacon fires lit the night. The realm remained unsettled.

  The wind had risen from the tips of the duckweed. The journey of the shared chariot had just begun.