Tu Kui City lies to the east of Fengri City. Like Li City, it’s one of the larger cities, radiating its influence over a dozen surrounding towns, and is also one of the locations for the four Hundred Households Stations under Fengri City’s jurisdiction.

After Liu Kuan decided to side with Shen Hao in Fengri City, he actually felt some regret. He never expected things to develop into what they’re like now.

Since when did the Xuanqing Guard have two clearly divided lines? Wasn’t it always united before?

It all started after the formation of the Black Banner Battalion. And the speed of change—absolutely inconceivable.

Those two idiots who wanted to collude in private—Liu Kuan used to sneer at them, thinking, "Could the adults up at Thousand Households Station really be coerced by those below them? What a joke!" But looking at it now, it’s not coercion at all; it’s outright oppression.

The newly appointed Households Officer, Wu Changhe, actually had friction with the equally new Black Banner Battalion Hundred Households Officer, Shen Hao—maybe even getting ready for a covert power struggle. Can you believe it?

Anyway, Liu Kuan didn’t believe it before, but now he has no choice but to believe it.

Because, following Shen Hao’s orders, he tested the waters with his other superior, the Hundred Households of the Guard in Tu Kui City. The man didn’t even hesitate before saying outright that he could step in to shield Liu Kuan from pressure coming from the Thousand Households Station’s Black Banner Battalion. In other words, he was saying: "Just go ahead and do it bravely. If anything happens, I’ll cover for you!" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Combined with the earlier intel from those two idiots, now three out of the four subordinate Hundred Households Stations in Fengri City have sided against Shen Hao—at least regarding control of the Black Banner Battalion.

They just couldn’t stand by and watch a juicy profit get snatched away right under their noses.

Driven by interests—can’t really call it right or wrong.

This was something Liu Kuan hadn’t anticipated, and it’s also put him in a dilemma now.

He had just finished his shift and reached his doorstep when the house steward handed him an invitation, saying someone delivered it that afternoon, claiming to be a friend from Fengri City. Liu Kuan became cautious. He casually replied to the steward, took the invitation to his study, opened it, and saw: "Parted only yesterday, I miss you much. If you’re free tomorrow, let’s have a few drinks together. A banquet is waiting to honor you at Shuiyun Building."

Liu Kuan had many friends in Fengri City, but not many he’d "just parted from the day before." He guessed this was likely someone sent by Shen Hao to contact him.

The following night, in a private room at Shuiyun Building, Liu Kuan saw a man with a thick face full of scars and dark skin.

"Little one pays his respects, Liu Zongqi. Lord Shen often mentions you, saying you’re a top talent in Tu Kui City’s Guard. Seeing you today, your reputation is truly well deserved."

"...You’re not with the Xuanqing Guard?"

"Heh, little one with this crafty look? The Xuanqing Guard would never take someone like me in. I just follow Lord Shen for a bite to eat." As the man finished, seeing Liu Kuan’s cold stare, he finally remembered to pull out a letter from his chest and hand it over.

The letter was brief—a basic introduction of the man before him. It was written by Shen Hao himself, bearing his waist token’s signature.

Seeing the letter, Liu Kuan finally smiled and sat down. He flicked his finger, summoning a spark that burned the letter to ashes. That was confirmation of the visitor’s identity.

"These are the things Lord Shen wants. Take them to him. Also, if you need to contact me from now on, just come to my house directly. I’ll say you’re a distant relative of mine." While speaking, Liu Kuan placed a copper rod on the table.

"Alright, I understand."

Without so much as a drink or a bite to eat, Liu Kuan handed over the goods and left.

The man in the room didn’t linger either. He grabbed the copper rod, settled the bill, and headed straight for the city’s teleportation array to go to Hao City.

...

A new wine shop had opened in Hao City—"Zhang Family Five Spirits"—right on the busiest market street. The shop followed the same rules as the one in Li City: only twenty jars per day, each jar costing one hundred taels of silver.

The wine was brewed by the Zhang Family’s Wine Shop in Li City; the Hao City branch only handled sales, not brewing, and took a twenty percent cut. The shopkeeper was a middle-aged man named Gou Xu—lean but fierce looking, with some cultivation, a loose cultivator.

At the back yard, which had its own separate entrance, Shopkeeper Gou Xu was on alert, keeping a keen eye on his surroundings. In the inner room sat two people: Feilong and a dark-skinned man.

"Brother Feilong, I met the man and got the goods." The man put the copper rod in front of Feilong. He was the same one who had met Liu Kuan in Tu Kui City.

The copper rod looked ordinary, just locked, with no inscription or mark.

"Good. You’ll stay in Hao City for now. Don’t show your face at the black market—just focus on keeping in touch with Liu Kuan. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong. All right, I’m going—just wait for orders quietly."

"I understand."

Feilong took the goods and slipped out through the back of the courtyard, still wearing that black gauze conical hat. No one would guess this was Feilong, the newest rising star of the black market.

Feilong went straight to the teleportation array, personally delivering the copper rod to Shen Hao.

"So? Has there been any movement on the task I gave you last time?"

"Yes. I’ve got a few hands ready. We’re planning to use Pingshun City as our entry point. We might need some skilled men from Chen Zongqi’s side when the time comes."

"Fine. I’ll notify Chen Tianwen. Also, focus on the Zhang Family’s Wine Shop business—the twenty percent profit is enough for your daily expenses. I want to see Five Spirits sold in all major cities in Jingxi within this month."

"Rest assured, my lord. With a wine as good as Five Spirits, it’ll definitely be well received. I guarantee that by the end of the month, we’ll have shops open in all the main cities of Fengri’s territory."

Feilong knew "Zhang Family Five Spirits" was Shen Hao’s favor to him. Twenty percent profit was huge—a single shop brought in four hundred taels of silver a day. At a conservative estimate, opening six more shops meant two thousand four hundred taels of silver a day—a fortune. But this wasn’t just about raking in money; there were other implications, too. Shen Hao hadn’t said it outright, but Feilong knew well enough.

"Choosing Pingshun City as a breach point is smart, but be careful. Don’t get entangled with the local Xuanqing Guard—keep everything strictly in the dark. Once you’ve broken the black market there, I want you to collect intel on all the major trades going on in the black market, especially bulk deals involving elixirs."

"Understood."

"Good. I know what you’re capable of. I’ll wait for your good news—and quickly."

"Then I’ll take my leave."

"Go."

After Feilong left, Shen Hao stepped out of the little tavern as well. No one in the bustling crowd had any idea that the man who’d just been sitting in the corner was actually a Hundred Households of the Xuanqing Guard.

Once home, Shen Hao opened the copper rod, read it, and put it away. His expression turned cold and gloomy.

That night, Shen Hao sent an urgent order to Chen Tianwen’s residence in Li City. The next morning, twenty black-bannered Warriors in disguise quietly left Li City. After meeting up with Feilong in Hao City, they all moved on to Pingshun City together.