Fang Linyuan didn’t even know when he had fallen asleep.

Wrapped in the soft bedding, he gradually became aware of the cold in his body dissolving into a tingling warmth, the two sensations intertwining and lulling his consciousness into a haze.

The thudding of his heart still echoed in his ears, but it was growing faint, fluctuating as if from a great distance, leading him further into slumber.

It seemed like a long dream.

The memories in the dream were blurry, but he vaguely recalled something soft and light, like clouds, gently pressing against his cheeks and hands from time to time—patiently, tenderly, warm and damp, wiping across his skin.

When he woke again, the sky was already bright.

As he sat up, he noticed the once-shut window had been opened. The morning breeze, carrying the damp scent of rain, drifted leisurely into the room.

It was an unexpectedly clear and pleasant day.

Autumn in Chongzhou was usually filled with whirling yellow dust, but last night’s heavy rain had beaten all the airborne sand to the ground. For once, the sky revealed a brilliant blue, reflecting the endless hills outside the window.

Fang Linyuan turned over and got out of bed and spotted a cup of tea placed beside it.

After a night’s rest, he happened to be feeling a bit thirsty. When he picked up the cup, he found that the tea had been left to cool to a comfortably warm temperature.

“Zhao Chu?” Fang Linyuan called out, suddenly jolted awake as if shaking off the remnants of his dream.

But the small room, where a single glance could take in everything, was already empty.

Eh? Where was Zhao Chu?

Fang Linyuan rubbed his temples, but his memories of last night were hazy at best.

He didn’t even know where Zhao Chu had slept.

Tilting his head back, he downed the tea in a single gulp, then changed into fresh robes and headed downstairs.

It was early morning, the daylight bright and clear, and the ground floor was bustling with activity. Soldiers sat in groups of twos and threes at the tables, eating their meals. Upon seeing Fang Linyuan descend, they all stood to greet him.

At the center of the hall, Heng Feizhang also rose from his seat and cupped his hands with a smile. “General, you’re awake. Did you rest well last night?”

Fang Linyuan gestured for the soldiers to sit before returning Heng Feizhang’s greeting. “Thank you for your concern, my lord. I slept very well.”

Heng Feizhang quickly stepped aside, inviting him to join their table.

Fang Linyuan didn’t refuse and walked toward the table as invited, but his gaze drifted toward the door.

The area outside the post station seemed lively. The carts and supplies from the rear courtyard had already been moved onto the main road. The merchants who had travelled with them yesterday were standing at the entrance, smiling as they chatted with the station officials.

Was Zhao Chu out there?

Fang Linyuan couldn’t help but glance outside again.

Heng Feizhang was sharp and immediately caught on. Following Fang Linyuan’s gaze, he looked toward the entrance.

“Ah, is the general looking at them?” Heng Feizhang asked.

Fang Linyuan turned back, seeing Heng Feizhang smile knowingly.

“It’s just a few merchants acting on their own accord. There’s no need for the general to be upset—I’ve already spoken to them,” Heng Feizhang said.

Fang Linyuan paused briefly, then glanced at the entrance once more.

A few attendants in simple clothing were carrying ornate chests back and forth.

In the next moment, a glimmer of gold flickered in Fang Linyuan’s peripheral vision. His eyes landed on Zhao Chu.

He had put on that golden beast mask again, which gleamed brilliantly under the sunlight. But his tall, poised figure didn’t seem vulgar at all beneath the extravagant gold; instead, it carried a strangely captivating and otherworldly air.

He was standing by the carts lined up along the trade route, and the attendants carrying the boxes appeared to be his men.

“My lord Heng, I’m stepping out for a moment,” Fang Linyuan said without hesitation, turning back to inform Heng Feizhang before heading toward Zhao Chu.

*

He had only wanted to see what Zhao Chu was up to, but the moment he stepped out of the post station, he was immediately surrounded by a group of merchants.

These were all well-known figures in the Yanzhou merchant guild—shrewd and sociable, like seasoned negotiators.

Once they had surrounded him, Fang Linyuan could hardly take a step forward and had no choice but to listen to their eager explanations, their faces all wearing fawning smiles.

After listening for a while, he understood their intentions.

They were afraid he would hold Zhao Chu accountable.

The merchants explained that Master Zhu had risen early that morning and personally led his men to buy tanned pelts from the local hunters. Since Yanzhou was even colder and they would be staying there for some time, Master Zhu had intended to use these pelts to pad the carriage seats, so the officials would be more comfortable during their journey.

“Master Zhu prepared them for all of us. They’re nothing extravagant, so we hope the general won’t take offence,” the merchants said with smiles.

Hearing this, Fang Linyuan turned his head to look at Zhao Chu.

A moment ago, Zhao Chu had been standing beside his carriage. Through the lifted curtain, Fang Linyuan thought he caught a glimpse of the pelts inside his own vehicle—different from those in the others.

The other carriages were lined with deer and roe pelts, but his seemed to be covered with a seamless layer of fox fur, as soft as drifting clouds at first glance.

At this moment, the curtain had already been lowered. Fang Linyuan could no longer see clearly—he could only watch as that so-called "Young Master Zhu" walked toward him with a steady and composed pace, then bowed slightly in greeting.

"General."

Fang Linyuan caught sight of the eyes beneath his mask.

Those eyes gazed at him, carrying a subtle hint of a smile—soft and warm, like sudden sunlight breaking across a barren plain.

…Where was this "Young Master Zhu" with a scheming mind, currying favour with officials while travelling? This was clearly Zhao Chu, using the pretence of flattery as an excuse to line his carriage with warm pelts.

Fang Linyuan wondered if his fever from the previous night hadn’t completely subsided, as his ears still felt slightly hot.

He looked at Zhao Chu but didn’t immediately speak. Zhao Chu, however, remained perfectly composed. He even bowed slightly and said, "I have a frail constitution and fear the cold, yet I did not wish to overstep my bounds, so I took it upon myself to purchase these. I hope the general will not hold it against me."

His tone was measured, neither servile nor overbearing.

General Fang had always been known for his fairness and integrity—when faced with such a shrewd and tactful merchant, he ought to reprimand him.

But right now, with Fang Linyuan meeting Zhao Chu's gaze directly, how could he possibly say anything harsh?

…Especially when he already knew that Zhao Chu had just been scolded by his own subordinates for this very act.

For a moment, Fang Linyuan found himself at a loss for words.

The people around them watched as General Fang stared coldly at Young Master Zhu, expressionless, eyes sharp as a blade. No one could tell what the general was thinking, so they all fell silent, not daring to speak further.

Meanwhile, Fang Linyuan saw Zhao Chu blink slowly, his long lashes sweeping down.

Those overly beautiful eyes seemed almost to speak, as if Zhao Chu's gentle, even voice was quietly urging him: ‘General, you should be scolding me now.’

Fang Linyuan could not bear to look at him any longer.

Thus, the ever-stern General Fang finally averted his gaze, letting Young Master Zhu off the hook.

"…Do not let this happen again."

With just that short remark, he turned and walked back into the post station.

*

Soon, it was time to set out.

After breakfast, the group boarded their carriages one after another.

As soon as Fang Linyuan sat down inside, he was immediately enveloped in a sea of soft fur.

It was truly warm… And as the carriage slowly started moving, even the bumps in the road felt smoother than they had the day before.

Unable to resist, Fang Linyuan reached out and ran his hand over the seat beside him.

It was indeed fox fur—smooth and glossy, carrying the distinct scent of leather.

Then, his fingers brushed against something small and smooth.

Following the touch, he discovered a folded note hidden within the fur. If he hadn't reached out just now, he would never have noticed it.

Unfolding it, he saw a line of neatly written script—unmistakably familiar handwriting.

[After illness, one is prone to cold and dryness. Drink plenty of water.]

It was Zhao Chu’s writing.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Fang Linyuan noticed something tucked into the corner of the carriage—an ornate bronze flask, the kind that could be hung from a saddle.

He reached over, picked it up, and unscrewed the lid. A faint aroma of loquat syrup drifted out—the perfect remedy for soothing the throat and warming the body.

Zhao Chu…

How did he always manage to pull off these little tricks?

He had clearly never boarded this carriage, yet these things had mysteriously appeared inside, as if conjured out of thin air. Unseen, unnoticed, yet surrounding him—just like the fox fur beneath him, wrapping him in a warmth both soft and inescapable.

Fang Linyuan said nothing. He simply raised a hand and rubbed his own ears.

Why did his fever keep flaring up? He was sure it had gone down earlier, and yet now, his skin was burning all over again.

*

In the days that followed, they travelled under fair weather. Passing through several large towns, they replenished supplies and took brief rests in each city, making the journey relatively easy.

Two days later, their grand procession entered Yanzhou’s borders.

Yanzhou was one of the northernmost provinces of the Daxuan Empire.

The climate here was perpetually cold and dry—even in summer, the heat was never oppressive. Now that autumn had set in, the wind outside was piercingly chill. The vast, endless mountains were covered in dense brambles and shrubs, with the occasional red or yellow wild fruit dotting the branches.

When Fang Linyuan was young, he had visited Yanzhou once before. At that time, his elder brother, Fang Linze, was stationed there as the commanding general. When taking him out of the city, his brother had once led him to pick and eat those very same fruits.

Fang Linyuan knew they were called shazao—desert dates (NT: Balanites aegyptiaca, edible but bitter date-like fruits). They didn’t have much moisture, with a sandy yet glutinous texture that slightly pricked the tongue, but they were exceptionally sweet.

Outside the window, the desert date trees were growing denser. It was clear they were about to reach Yanzhou Prefecture.

Fang Linyuan pushed open the carriage window.

According to their itinerary, they would part ways with Zhao Chu’s merchant caravan outside Yanzhou City. The caravan would enter the city to distribute relief grain, while Fang Linyuan and his group would head straight to the Yanzhou military camp, located in the northern outskirts of the city.

He had merely intended to glance ahead at the road, but as he lifted his gaze, he caught sight of a vast gathering outside Yanzhou Prefecture—many people had come to a halt there.

Judging by the colour of their clothing, they appeared to be government officials. But at this time, the officials were not supposed to be here.

A slight crease formed between Fang Linyuan’s brows as he focused his gaze forward.

His eyes were sharp, and in an instant, he recognized the man leading the group—the one on horseback, clad in armour of a rank that marked him as a Piaoqi General (NT: litt. ‘Swift Cavalry General’; a senior military commander). There was only one person in Yanzhou who could wear such armour: the region’s supreme commander, Tan Ji.

And he was precisely the one they had come north to investigate.

Why was he here? The itinerary of the imperial commissioner’s procession had not been disclosed to the Yanzhou authorities.

Fang Linyuan was well aware that the matter of suppressing bandits in Chongzhou had been reported back to the capital, and after several rounds of deliberation, the emperor had decreed the dispatch of the imperial commissioner. With so many channels of communication involved, it was impossible to keep the mission completely secret. The officials and military leaders of Yanzhou would undoubtedly have been informed and made their own preparations accordingly.

However, without any formal notice, to brazenly leave the city and await their arrival—this was not a defensive manoeuvrer, but a blatant show of power.

This action openly displayed their utter confidence, as if proclaiming to the imperial commissioner that they had full knowledge of his movements, that the situation was completely within their control, and that he was welcome to investigate as he pleased.

The crease between Fang Linyuan’s brows deepened. He held the curtain of the carriage with one hand.

As the procession slowly advanced, he got a clearer look at the figures surrounding Tan Ji.

Beside him, a man wearing a dark green round-collared official robe, the attire of a third-rank civil officer, was unmistakably Jiang Huaqing, the governor of Yanzhou. Behind them, the ranks of local officials and soldiers stood in formation—this was not a mere reception, but a display of power.

Seeing this, Fang Linyuan lowered the carriage curtain.

If he still failed to perceive the underlying threat, then his twenty-some years of life would have been in vain.

The dynamics between the local civil officials and the military commander of Yanzhou were already clear to him.

If Tan Ji had managed to embezzle military provisions without a trace, it could only have been through collaboration with local officials. The entire operation—swapping, smuggling, and covering up evidence—must have been a result of their collusion.

Yet to display such blatant wolf-and-hyena collusion (NT: Chinese idiom meaning shameless collaboration for evil purposes) outside the city, openly warning an imperial commissioner, showed that these two factions had entrenched themselves like  local snakes (NT: implies deep-rooted, corrupt control). They were certain that they could send the commissioner back empty-handed.

Perhaps they were even confident that there would be no consequences for them.

Fang Linyuan remained impassive until the procession gradually came to a halt.

The curtain of his carriage was lifted from the outside. As he stepped out, he saw Tan Ji and Jiang Huaqing standing in front of the carriage, leading their subordinates and soldiers in a synchronized bow.

“We humbly greet the imperial commissioner! Greetings, General Fang!”

Fang Linyuan tilted his head slightly, his gaze landing on Heng Feizhang, who was stepping down from his carriage not far away.

Heng Feizhang’s expression was equally grave, and when he met Fang Linyuan’s gaze, his eyes darkened further.

Clearly, he too had not expected that their first welcome to Yanzhou would be such an overt act of intimidation.

Fang Linyuan slowly withdrew his gaze.

How fitting. After years on the battlefield, the very first lesson he had learned was how to deal with such power plays. He stood before the assembled officials and soldiers, clasped his hands behind his back, and maintained an expression of perfect composure.

He even allowed himself an ambiguous smile.

Then, he simply stood there, gazing at them in silence, leaving them hanging.

Only when the soldiers and merchants behind him had fully disembarked from their carriages did he finally speak. “You all need not be so formal,” he said with a smile. “The gentlemen have been waiting outside the city for quite some time.”

His expression was calm, as though the long silence just now had never existed.

Jiang Huaqing and Tan Ji both straightened up.

Fang Linyuan’s gaze subtly swept over the two of them.

Jiang Huaqing appeared to be in his forties or fifties. He was not tall, thin, and somewhat emaciated. Standing beside Tan Ji, he looked especially frail. When he straightened up, his shoulders and back stiffened, yet he still wore a friendly, smiling expression, which gave him a kind appearance.

As for Tan Ji, he had a rough and rugged face. He was tall and robust, dressed in the armour of a general, his broad shoulders and thick belly adding to his imposing presence.

When Fang Linyuan’s gaze landed on him, he chuckled twice, then cupped his fists and greeted, “General Fang, it’s an honour.”

Fang Linyuan did not respond to his words but instead smiled and looked toward Jiang Huaqing. “Master Jiang, I didn’t know you were also here,” he said, turning his gaze to Heng Feizhang with a smile. “Originally, Heng and I were planning to head straight to the military camp.”

Heng Feizhang immediately understood his meaning, smiling as he spoke to Jiang Huaqing, “Master Jiang, you’re indeed very well-informed. But both General Fang and I were unwilling to make such a big show of things. To receive us in such a grand manner outside the city... it makes us feel quite embarrassed.”

The two in front of them were officials living off the emperor’s rations, so of course, they could hear the underlying meaning in their words.

Jiang Huaqing’s smile didn’t falter, and with a natural expression, he replied, “Oh, it’s no trouble at all. I heard that several merchants were bringing donated grain and supplies, which have truly alleviated Yanzhou’s pressing needs. I simply couldn’t sit idly by. I thought it best to come and greet both the general and the gentlemen, helping to bring the much-needed supplies back for the people suffering in the city.”

With that, he turned and flashed a friendly smile at several merchants nearby. The merchants, upon seeing this, were all frightened and immediately bowed deeply to Jiang Huaqing.

But the one at the forefront, with the golden beast mask, remained calm and unfazed.

Jiang Huaqing casually sized him up and asked, “This merchant here is quite remarkable, may I ask who this is?”

Fang Linyuan turned his head to look. Before he could speak, Zhao Chu raised his hand, offering a slight bow toward Jiang Huaqing. “I am Zhu Yan,” he said. “Greetings, Master Jiang.”

“Oh, it’s Young Master Zhu!” Jiang Huaqing exclaimed in surprise. “I’ve heard so much about you in the capital. Truly, it’s better to see you in person than hear of you a hundred times.”

Zhao Chu smiled faintly. “You honor me, Master Jiang,” he said. “I’m delivering the grain into the city today under General Fang’s orders. If I’ve made any mistakes, I hope Master Jiang will excuse me.”

“...Orders?” Jiang Huaqing paused, looking toward Fang Linyuan.

Fang Linyuan hadn’t actually given any such orders, but at the mention of them, he hesitated for a moment before turning to look at Zhao Chu.

However, Zhao Chu had already answered his unspoken question. “Master Jiang need not worry,” Zhao Chu said, slightly tilting his head and looking at Fang Linyuan. “General Fang has given strict orders to supervise the distribution of the disaster relief grain. If there’s even the slightest mistake, I’ll be held responsible.”

Fang Linyuan immediately understood. Jiang Huaqing’s presence here meant that Yanzhou City was harbouring corruption, and it wasn’t any better than the Yanzhou military.

But the imperial decree in Fang Linyuan’s hands only authorized him to oversee the Yanzhou army. If his authority were extended into Yanzhou City, it would be overstepping his bounds, providing others with an excuse to accuse him.

The merchants delivering the grain into the city were different, though.

They were generous in their donations and had cleared the way with the emperor. Delivering grain to the city and personally overseeing its distribution was entirely reasonable.

Clearly, Zhao Chu had used this to secure his position inside Yanzhou City, relieving any potential concerns for Fang Linyuan.

In that moment, Fang Linyuan’s mind raced, understanding the entire situation.

No wonder Zhao Chu had said he had other plans and was bringing so many supplies with such great fanfare. He had clearly known that there were issues within Yanzhou City and had set up this perfectly legitimate excuse to intervene.

Their eyes met, and Fang Linyuan understood everything.

Meanwhile, Jiang Huaqing had glanced at Fang Linyuan, seemingly surprised that such a bold merchant would dare to act so freely. He then turned his gaze back to Fang Linyuan.

Fang Linyuan, turning slightly, smiled at him.

The young, handsome general, with his naturally commanding and clear-cut features, had an air about him that made him seem like a divine warrior, born to rid the world of evil.

“Yes,” he said. “I’ve already entrusted the distribution of the disaster relief to them. Master Jiang can rest assured.”

At this, Fang Linyuan looked at Jiang Huaqing and smiled even more widely. His eyes curved, and in the purity of his righteous expression, there was a subtle, almost imperceptible hint of a fox’s slyness.

“After all,” he continued with a smile, “I’m someone who cannot tolerate any sand in my eyes. Whether it’s the soldiers under my command or the merchants I’ve brought with me—whoever dares to act out of line under my watch will not escape my notice.”

He then smiled, turning his head slightly. “Master Zhu is surely the most aware of this.”

Jiang Huaqing followed his gaze and saw the merchant with the golden beast mask, his face expressionless. At the mention of Fang Linyuan’s words, the merchant merely nodded respectfully and then looked back at Jiang Huaqing. “General, you can rest assured. I will follow your orders,” the merchant said.

The golden beast’s sharp fangs glittered in the sunlight, and for a moment, Jiang Huaqing felt as though those menacing fangs were pressed against his throat.

His breath hitched for a moment.

Turning his head, he saw Fang Linyuan and Heng Feizhang standing there, both with gentle smiles, exuding an air of refined grace.

Jiang Huaqing gritted his teeth. The impeccable smile on his face finally faltered slightly. “...I understand,” he said, his smile now somewhat forced.

 

--

The author has something to say:

Zhao Chu: Well, I’m just General Fang’s loyal dog (proudly).

 

Translator : DarNan