According to what Zhang and Gan discovered, the twenty-one storage bags with recorded entries and exits from the Jingxi Army Supply Battalion are extremely suspicious. But confirming their final destination is troublesome.

Although Zhang and Gan have spent half their lives in the military and have plenty of connections, at the end of the day they’re only junior fifth grade Deputy Thousand Households, and moreover local garrison deputies. They have no way to access the higher ranks of the military, and what they’ve managed to uncover already is pretty much their limit.

"How about the border army side? Any chance we can dig something up there?"

"I can’t make any promises. We’ll just have to try."

"Alright, then I’ll have to trouble you two brothers again."

"No problem. It’s just a pity that the two of us don’t have the skills to dig any further." Zhang Qian also knew they’d only gotten halfway; they’d found the suspicious points, but were a tiny bit short of confirming things. It felt like they’ve only done half the job.

So Zhang and Gan felt a bit apologetic.

"The news from the border army side is going to be up to you two, brothers. As for the Jingxi Army, I’ll try to find another way."

After a few more words, Zhang and Gan rose to leave, saying they’d see if Tang Qingyuan wanted to go drink at the flower house.

Shen Hao was still in the study, putting away the copper rods that Zhang Qian and Gan Lin had found into a storage bag, then had Xiaoma call in Wang Jian and Zhang Liao from outside.

It was rare today that Wang Jian wasn’t drunk; though his face was flushed from wine, his eyes were still clear.

No need to mention Zhang Liao—as early as in Li City, Shen Hao had known he could hold his liquor well. Tonight’s drinks weren’t enough to topple him.

"Who else is outside?" Shen Hao had Wang Jian go fetch a bit more hot water, asking casually as he spoke.

"Households Commander Zhang and Households Commander Gan pulled Lord Tang away; a few Black Banner Battalion Xiaoqi went with them. The others also said their farewells and left. Vice Officer Wang is drunk, so two brothers from the Thousand Households Station took him home."

"So just you two left?"

"Yes, sir."

Shen Hao took a sip of tea, pointed to the chairs beside him for the two to sit, then said, "Zhang Liao, it’s been a while since we’ve met. Earlier, Chen Tianwen said you haven’t got much drive lately—that you’re just letting the days slide by?"

Zhang Liao hadn’t expected the first remark to be about him, quickly set down his teacup, stood and bowed. "Subordinate is anxious. Just without your leadership, it never feels right working."

He waved his hand—Zhang Liao isn’t much of a talker, gets nervous and stutters when excited. And his words just now were a bit discontented toward Chen Tianwen—if spoken outside, it could cause trouble.

"No need for roundabout talk with me, nor any empty words. Wang Jian brought you here, and I didn’t send you away because I want to hear what you’ve got to say to me. So don’t hem and haw—real men should be direct."

Zhang Liao opened his mouth a few times, but finally managed only one sentence: "I—I want to work with you, sir, not stay in Li City anymore."

Though he’s far less articulate than Wang Jian, Zhang Liao isn’t stupid. He wants to climb upwards like Wang Jian, knows there’s no hope if he relies on himself alone and needs a patron—and Shen Hao is the only patron available. Naturally he wants to stick close to him.

Put plainly, Zhang Liao came today to pledge allegiance.

This made Shen Hao recall how, back then, he had used Wang Jian’s connections to attach himself to Zhang Qian and Gan Lin, then through them had pledged allegiance to Jiang Cheng.

"Work with me? Want to get promoted like Wang Jian, right?"

Zhang Liao nodded blankly, not denying it.

"Haha, interesting. How about this: You come to Fengri City, just like Wang Jian, and take a Patrol Officer berth; Wang Jian will explain your tasks. But let me be blunt: when you come here, you must keep your mouth shut. If you leak any secrets, dying alone isn’t enough; your whole family wiped out wouldn’t be too much. Understand?"

Wang Jian had already mentioned some of this to Zhang Liao, noted that secrecy in Fengri City is much stricter than in Li City’s Black Banner Battalion; Zhang Liao was prepared. So he quickly knelt on one knee and loudly assured Shen Hao he’d never disappoint him.

"Alright, stand up. Back then in Li City, you got selected as Yi Flag Officer thanks to Wang Jian’s recommendation; now it’s him who brought you to me. You two have some fate between you. Hope you’ll cooperate smoothly and not let any ugly business arise."

As soon as Shen Hao finished, Wang Jian also knelt on one knee, assuring Shen Hao he’d never do anything foolish to harm internal unity, asking Shen Hao to set his mind at ease and so on.

...

The next day, Shen Hao as usual went to the Public Office, had the gatekeeper call Wang Yiming to him.

"Sir."

"You’re familiar with people in the Imperial City—go there yourself to the Teleportation Array. I need to examine all records of those using Ministry of War waist tokens to pass through the Array from November 25th to the end of December."

"Sir, this can be checked through official channels. The Teleportation Array is co-managed by the Local Government Office and the Garrison—they wouldn’t dare refuse help. Besides..."

Shen Hao waved his hand, cutting Wang Yiming off, and said, "If I could do this openly, I wouldn’t have to waste effort. Investigate in secret, and make sure the news doesn’t leak."

Wang Yiming’s heart gave a jolt, didn’t dare ask further, cupped his hands: "Sir, rest assured. I’ll get you a firm answer within three days."

"Good, go, and remember—don’t make a fuss."

Wang Yiming hurried off. Shen Hao still didn’t feel confident. The suspicions about the storage bags are significant but can’t be definitively judged yet, and the chance of confirming it from outside sources is too slim. The only option is to keep searching in other directions based on the clues already confirmed by Zhang Qian and Gan Lin.

Normally, whenever official agencies need the Teleportation Array for business, they use special channels—quicker, no need to wait for scheduled transmissions. And the special channel, since it consumes extra spirit stones, requires qualification registration for records.

If those storage bags taken from Jingxi Army ended up at the Imperial City Magic Artifact Department, they’d definitely leave personnel records on the Imperial City Teleportation Array at reasonable times. If there are no records, or the timings don’t match the bags’ entry and exit logs, that would support Shen Hao’s suspicions.

But they didn’t even use three days—just two. At the start of the new year, Jing Old Calendar Year 29, January 3rd, Wang Yiming returned from Imperial City with the news.

"Sir, these are all the Ministry of War outbound and return registrations at the Imperial City Teleportation Array between last November 25th and end of December. I had someone copy these in secret—no chance the news will leak."

Shen Hao took it and opened it immediately, reading line by line, and soon a smile floated onto his face.

According to the information brought by Zhang Qian and Gan Lin, the twenty-one storage bags from Jingxi Army Supply Battalion were registered out of the storehouse last November 29 at noon, and Ma San learned the transaction wouldn’t include transport on November 25. So if the two are connected, regardless of speed, those from the Ministry of War sent to collect storage bags must depart from the Imperial City between those two dates.

And based on the route and travel time, they must return to the Imperial City after December 3rd or 4th.

Only if both these timing nodes are satisfied would the data be meaningful.

As it happened, in Wang Yiming’s copied records, there happened to be exactly two people whose entry and exit times fit the requirements.