Xufang City was the old capital of Yanling. Four years ago, when Old Qin annexed Yanling and completely ended the tripartite standoff of the three kingdoms, the ruler of Old Qin declared himself emperor in the same year, establishing the Great Qin and moving the capital to Fengling. Beyond that, the original city plans were largely preserved, and Xufang was one such case.

The former territory of Yanling was located in the southwest of Great Qin. It was a treacherous land of many mountains, easy to defend and difficult to attack. The Twelve Peaks of Yanling in its northernmost part formed a natural, insurmountable barrier, encircling the former lands of Yanling, possessing what could be called the Fortress of Xiaohan.

Xufang was situated right in the heartland of the Twelve Peaks of Yanling, surrounded by the four peaks of Xinglan, Yuyao, Heshan, and Nanke. It lay to the north of the Qiu Jiang, a prime geographical location. Although limited by the terrain, resulting in a smaller city scale, it was exceptionally bustling, mostly with travelers who had long heard of the fame of the Twelve Peaks of Yanling and had come to tour the area.

At this moment, on the slightly crowded streets, two people were strolling along unhurriedly.

"So this is Xufang." Ting Xia's tone was full of fresh wonder. "It truly is a land of green mountains and clear waters, brimming with natural beauty."

Beside him, Chu Jin gave a perfunctory "Mm."

"Back when you were in Yanling..."

Before he could finish his question, Ting Xia caught himself, consciously stopping his words and sneaking a glance at Chu Jin. Seeing that the latter had no reaction, he breathed a sigh of relief and asked with more confidence, "Have you been to Xufang before?"

Chu Jin paused. "Stayed here for a few years."

His tone was nonchalant. Ting Xia mulled it over for a long time but couldn't discern any emotion in his words. Driven by curiosity, Ting Xia asked again, "You must have some preference, right? Do you like this place or not? If you like it, we can walk around a few more times. Who knows when we'll get to come back."

After asking, he felt increasingly pleased with how watertight his words were, managing to both probe Chu Jin's thoughts and appear exceptionally considerate.

Chu Jin glanced at him, seeing through his intentions in an instant, the smile on his lips unchanging. "Why so much nonsense? Just follow me."

Ting Xia: "..."

'Tyrant.'

The two had simple disguises on. Walking on the streets now, they no longer looked as out of place as before, appearing like young masters from wealthy families out on a trip. Although Xufang was now under the jurisdiction of Great Qin, it still retained the customs and traditions of its time in Yanling, and its people were warm and simple.

The city was crisscrossed with waterways. From time to time, small boats full of passengers would rock gently down the river, kicking up clusters of spray. The banks were crowded with enthusiastic vendors and groups of two or three laundry women. Before long, the passengers' arms would be piled high with fruits, either gifted or bought, as well as young maidens' personal sachets, scented handkerchiefs, and other such items.

Ting Xia watched, his heart itching with desire. He unconsciously stopped walking and looked at Chu Jin with eyes full of expectation.

The latter met his gaze for a second, then swept his eyes over the small boats returning laden with goods, and said dampeningly, "I'm not going."

Disappointed for a moment, Ting Xia pressed on, unwilling to give up, "Why?"

"Afraid the boat will sink." Chu Jin's reply was brief and matter-of-fact.

Ting Xia stood stunned for a few seconds before he finally understood what he meant. He was so angry he almost laughed. "How is that possible? You're too narcissistic!"

Chu Jin ignored him and continued walking without pause, leaving Ting Xia with a back that brooked no argument. Ting Xia sulked for a moment before sullenly catching up, looking back every three steps. He might as well have had the word "reluctant" written all over his face.

"Today's mission is to gather information in the city and find out about the recent situation within Xufang. Don't cause any extra trouble," Chu Jin said as they walked. "Tomorrow, we will begin preparations for the Autumn River Ritual."

The two passed by a teahouse. Chu Jin glanced inside casually, then stopped in his tracks.

A teahouse waiter standing at the entrance to attract customers saw them, his eyes lighting up. He immediately walked over, his face wreathed in smiles. "Care for some tea, you two esteemed sirs? Our Juanshui Pavilion is the largest teahouse in all of Xufang City! Today, we've even invited a storyteller who was once famous throughout Yanling to tell old tales of Xufang. These are stories you can't find anywhere else!"

Chu Jin ignored his incessant chatter, his gaze sweeping across the nearly packed main hall. He suddenly asked, "Wasn't this place originally called the Red Sleeve Pavilion?"

The waiter froze for a moment, then it dawned on him. "Hah, the Red Sleeve Pavilion was from so many years ago. The owner's entire family was killed by bandits during the chaos of war a few years back. Later, our boss bought this place and renamed it Juanshui Pavilion. But from the sound of it, you've been to Xufang before, sir?"

Chu Jin looked at the giant plaque by the door, which indeed had the large characters for Juanshui Pavilion written on it.

His face was unreadable. His gaze lingered on the plaque for a moment before he finally said, "Two pots of your best tea."

The waiter immediately beamed with joy. "Right away, esteemed sirs, please come in—we have private booths on the second floor."

"No need," Chu Jin said. "We'll stay in the main hall."

The two chose a secluded corner. From this angle, they could see the expressions and movements of all the patrons in the main hall, which was also conducive to gathering information.

At the table across from them were two scholars, reeking of pedantic scholarly airs. Ting Xia found their conversation uninteresting and listlessly finished a whole pot of tea. After finally enduring until the two scholars paid and left, it wasn't long before two men dressed as travelers sat down at the adjacent table. The very first thing they said made Ting Xia's ears prick up in alert. "Hey, have you heard? In a few days, Xufang is holding a painted boat tour on the river, right on the Qiu Jiang next to us."

His companion said, "A river tour? Isn't that quite common?"

"It's different. This time, the scale is massive." The man's expression was slightly exaggerated. "Several of the big shots from up top are coming, especially that one who's been in the limelight recently! I heard this whole thing was his idea."

Hearing this, Ting Xia couldn't bear to look and turned his head back. Across from him, "that one who's been in the limelight" was unhurriedly taking a sip of his cooled tea, remaining noncommittal.

The two speakers didn't notice their expressions and continued their enthusiastic discussion.

"What do you mean by that? Why would he choose this tiny little Xufang City?"

Hearing his companion's question, the man seemed to perk up. He leaned in conspiratorially and lowered his voice. "I heard a rumor from someone else that he's secretly colluding with the Yanling rebels, dreaming of restoring Yanling! Don't be fooled by the fact that he holds power in Great Qin now. In the future, it's hard to say whether this world will be named Chu or Xiao!"

Though his voice was low, Chu Jin and Ting Xia were both top-tier experts, so they had no trouble hearing him. The moment he heard the last sentence, Ting Xia's face changed, and he subconsciously looked at Chu Jin's expression.

The latter was holding a teacup. His gaze lingered for a moment on the tea leaves floating up and down, and then he suddenly smiled.

Ting Xia read a hint of cold killing intent in that smile, but it vanished in a flash, as if it were just his imagination. Even so, Ting Xia subconsciously sat up a little straighter and very consciously poured Chu Jin more tea.

This fleeting moment of killing intent naturally didn't affect the two men at the next table, who continued their conversation, oblivious.

"How is that possible?" his companion asked, his face a mixture of shock and doubt. "No matter what, he's still the Former Crown Prince of Old Qin, the legitimate son of the current emperor. Helping an enemy state? Is he insane?"

The man said in surprise, "You mean you haven't heard?"

"What?"

"His connection with Yanling!" The man grew slightly agitated. "When he was still the Former Crown Prince of Old Qin, he spent a full three years in Yanling as a..."

With a sharp crack, the storyteller's gavel struck, and the lingering echo drowned out the rest of his sentence.

The main hall fell silent for a moment, and then everyone turned to look at the source of the sound. On the previously empty storytelling stage, a person had appeared at some point. He was dressed in blue robes, holding a paper fan with a large character for "Liu" written on its surface.

Someone nearby whispered, "It's actually the famous orator Liu Chengyin."

This comment drew nods of approval from others. "It's been years since I've heard him speak. We're really in luck today."

The famous orator Liu Chengyin was over sixty years old, but once he stood on the storytelling stage, he was full of vigor, his voice as resonant as a great bell. "Esteemed patrons, it has been over forty years since this humble Liu entered this profession. You may not know, but my ancestral home is right here in Xufang. After wandering through this city a few times, I've recalled some old stories. Today, I shall recount a few old tales of Xufang for all of you to hear."

As soon as he said this, thunderous applause erupted from below the stage. It was clear that this Liu Chengyin had quite a reputation in the world of storytelling.

Ting Xia's interest was piqued. He glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw Chu Jin slowly pouring a cup of tea, looking absentminded.

Liu Chengyin was very pleased with the audience's reception. With a snap, he folded his fan shut and said with a serious expression, "In that case, this humble Liu shall begin with the founding of Xufang City."

"You all know that Xufang is an ancient city of Yanling with a history of a hundred years. But do you know how the name 'Xufang' came to be?"

Someone in the audience asked doubtfully, "Isn't it because there's a naturally formed stone platform outside Xufang City called the Xufang Platform?"

Liu Chengyin laughed, clapped his hands, and shook his head. "Yes, and no. Both this city and the stone platform were named after a single person."

Under the curious gazes of the crowd, he slowly began his tale. "Legend has it that several hundred years ago, there were only two states in the world: the State of Bi and the State of Zhu. To fight over farmland and cities, the two states were in constant conflict, a standoff that lasted for more than ten years."

"Xufang was the name of a woman from that time. Her mother was from the State of Zhu, and her father was from the State of Bi. After the war between the two states began, her father was conscripted into the army, and Xufang fled with her mother to a small mountain village in the State of Zhu—" Liu Chengyin pointed to the ground beneath his feet. "Right here."

"Unfortunately, the good times did not last. After a few years of peace, the army of the State of Bi reached this place. To protect the village, Xufang, a mere woman, actually led a group of men to launch a night raid, slaying the enemy general in his tent. When the commander of the State of Zhu heard of this, he intended to support her, so he took her on as his deputy commander, responsible for defending the city."

"Unexpectedly, in order to interfere with Xufang's judgment, the State of Bi killed her father and hung his head on the city walls. Xufang was overcome with grief, and in that moment, her army was defeated and the city gates were lost."

At this point, Liu Chengyin heaved a heavy sigh. The audience below had long been holding their breath, completely immersed in the story. Seeing this, they hurriedly asked, "And then?"

"With Xufang's defeat, the State of Zhu was greatly shaken. People with ulterior motives seized the opportunity to spread rumors, saying that Xufang did not abide by women's virtues or observe filial piety, and was a disgrace to the State of Zhu. The State of Bi also continuously applied pressure, repeatedly demanding that the State of Zhu punish Xufang. Just like that, Xufang fell from a heroine of her generation to a discarded pawn. How tragic, how lamentable."

Liu Chengyin shook his head, his voice filled with sorrow. "After being abandoned by both states, Xufang, with a single sword in hand, walked to the front of the village where she once lived and took her own life on the stone platform—that is the Xufang Platform."

Speaking of this, his emotions suddenly became agitated.

"After Xufang died, twelve mountain peaks erupted from the ground between the State of Bi and the State of Zhu overnight! Stretching endlessly, they formed an insurmountable barrier that reached straight into the clouds, completely encircling the homeland she had once fought for. For over a hundred years, no one has been able to break through this barrier!"

The audience was speechless. After a long moment, someone finally asked, "Are those the Twelve Peaks of Yanling?"

Liu Chengyin nodded. "Precisely."

"And Xufang City was also named after this legendary woman, Xufang!"

The crowd was silent for a moment, then erupted in an uproar.

Ting Xia was also captivated by the story. He thought to himself that this famous orator was truly something special; his telling had stirred his heart, and he couldn't help but feel indignant and regretful over the fate of this remarkable woman, Xufang.

His heart felt heavy. He gulped down some tea and, just like the other patrons, let out a long sigh.

Chu Jin looked over. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Ting Xia said sullenly. "I just feel... those people from the State of Zhu and the State of Bi were too inhuman."

Chu Jin's hand, reaching for his teacup, paused. His gaze fell into the ginger-yellow tea. The calm surface dimly reflected his own image, but with a slight movement of his fingers, ripples spread out in circles, shattering the reflection.

"Is that so?" he murmured to himself. "You think so too?"

Ting Xia didn't hear clearly. "What?"

Chu Jin didn't answer right away. His head was slightly lowered, his features veiled in shadow, his expression indistinct. After a moment, he suddenly broke into a smile. A trace of amusement rippled from the depths of his eyes like lake water, spreading dazzlingly to the corners of his lips and brows, radiant and endless.

"I said..." He smiled radiantly. "With just that sentence you spoke, I could take your life."

Ting Xia froze on the spot. Meeting his gaze, a chill shot straight up his spine to the top of his head.

Only then did he snap to his senses. The person he was facing was the moody and unpredictable Prince Regent of Great Qin, a superior who had walked out of political strife, mountains of corpses, and seas of fire, a cold-blooded official who had once executed three ministers in a single day at court. No matter how much he acted like an ordinary person, there was ultimately a distinction between the high and the low. With just a flick of his finger, he could crush a living person to death.

Seeing Ting Xia stunned into silence, Chu Jin picked up his tea and said in a low voice, "Good and evil are not so easily spoken of in this world. You think Xufang was good, but in the eyes of the people of the State of Bi, she was a demon who took human lives. You think the State of Bi was evil, but when it comes to conquering other nations, is Great Qin not just another State of Bi?"

"Can I interpret what you just said as you cursing the nation that raised you and instead turning around to pity Yanling?"

Ting Xia's pupils contracted. A cold sweat broke out over him in delayed realization.

"If Great Qin had not been victorious, the ones who would have died would be you and I." The Prince Regent's gaze was heavy. "Remember your position."

Ting Xia's throat bobbed. After a long while, he finally managed a hoarse, "Yes."

"However..." Chu Jin changed the subject, a hint of interest appearing on his face. "This Xufang he spoke of does remind me of someone else."

"Who?"

Ting Xia saw him deep in thought for a moment before his expression cleared, and he coolly uttered a few words—

"Shen Mengzhi."