To be honest, Wei Yuan did not feel like meeting another official at all. He was afraid he would lose control and get violent, and these Dao Foundation cultivators were so fragile that they could not possibly handle more than a few blows. If he was careless, he could easily kill someone by accident.

However, Lee Zhi declared that matters regarding provisions and pay were life and death and thus should be handled properly. Besides that, Wei Yuan was aware that he and his immortal sect fellows would leave the place eventually. However, Fang Hetong and the villagers would still remain in Quyang. There was no way the officials would overlook the three hundred militia soldiers, much less Fang Hetong. For example, they could easily make up a random excuse and beat them half-dead every once in a while. No, they had to wrap this up as soon and as cleanly as possible.

Wei Yuan thought that it made sense, so he agreed to attend the banquet. Fang Hetong felt just as reluctant as him, if not more so, but he too agreed for the sake of the villagers.

Prior to the banquet, Lee Zhi and Wei Yuan chatted a little about their experiences and amusing anecdotes from their years of cultivation.

Back in the day, Lee Zhi could not accept that he had lost to Wei Yuan. Later, he used his connections to obtain a record of his competitor’s scores and test answers. It was only then he realized just how badly Wei Yuan had been suppressed during the first two tests, not to mention that he was two years younger than him. Despite this, the boy still outperformed him and even crushed him during the martial test. After that, Lee Zhi accepted his defeat wholeheartedly.

After that, Lee Zhi diligently studied the Dao of King of Humans in the Four Sages Academies and forged his Dao Foundation five years later. It was a Four Symbols Tripod Cauldron. The tripod cauldron was the sacrificial tripod cauldron the ancient King of Humans had used to offer sacrifices to the heavens. It possessed the power to secure a country’s fortune. In other words, it was an immortal foundation.

Lee Zhi was already quite impressive when he was just eight years old. Ten years later, his maturity and elegance no longer looked artificial. He possessed a gentle and contemplative nature, and making conversation with him felt as refreshing as a spring breeze. His demeanor and insight were truly captivating as well.

It was nighttime, but the back courtyard of the Quyang county yamen was brightly lit. A massive dining table was set at the center of the hall. Lee Zhi was sitting at the head of the table and flanked by County Magistrate Sun and Wei Yuan. Fang Hetong was sitting next to Wei Yuan. Ren Youwei the county assistant, the chief of records, Wang Delu the commandant, and more had joined the dinner as well.

Fang Hetong was glaring at the tableful of delicacies in front of him, ashen with anger. Such was his fury that he could not even keep his emotions off his face. He stood out like a sore thumb among the guests.

Wei Yuan maintained a polite smile and mostly kept his silence. He only spoke a little when someone asked him about something.

Lee Zhi was the only one who took to socializing like a fish to water. Everyone who spoke with him felt quite comfortable.

Lee Zhi had only brought two riders with him. He had left the rest in Flying Sand Village to aid in the defense. In fact, these riders were soldiers of Southern Qi and Duke Hui’en’s bodyguards. Far more elite than their Western Jin counterparts. they were more than capable of guarding Flying Sand Village. The Liao barbarians could dispatch three whole squads, and still they would not be able to claim a single soul. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

The village’s safety was assured, and they were here to resolve the matter regarding the militia’s status. Thus, Wei Yuan felt no urgency. He carefully observed everyone’s words and actions and devoted himself to learning the ways of the officials.

Just moments later, the wine had made a few rounds around the table. County Magistrate Sun was serving his guests a high quality wine that could promote even a Dao Foundation cultivator’s cultivation, so it was quite potent to say the least. Just three cups was enough to make an ordinary Dao Foundation cultivator feel a little tipsy, and everyone except Lee Zhi and Wei Yuan were beginning to fumble their words and act a little less reserved compared to the beginning.

Another toast later, Fang Hetong finally lost control and slammed his cup heavily against the table, catching everyone off guard. Despite being showered by everyone’s gazes, the scholar did not say a single word. His chest heaved, and hot air was shooting out of his nostrils.

Lee Zhi took the opportunity to speak smilingly, “Brother Fang is a man who worries for his country and people so much that he abandoned his brush, picked up arms, and fought against the Liao barbarians. He is a role model to all scholars. As a disciple of the Four Sages Academies, I am a scholar myself. Naturally, I harbor deep respect for my fellow scholar.

“The matter regarding the three hundred militia is but a minor trifle, County Magistrate Sun. You can make it go away with the mere wave of a hand, so why don’t you?”

Sun Chao’en put down his wine cup and said seriously, “You may not know this, General Lee, but it really isn’t just a minor trifle.”

Before Lee Zhi departed for the battlefield, he had used his father’s background to net himself the position of a vice general at Southern Qi. The nine states of Great Tang more or less shared the same administrative system, which was why Sun Chao’en referred to him as General Lee.

There was no going back at this point, so Sun Chao’en threw all caution to the wind and launched himself into a lengthy complaint, “I swear, this stubborn mule… the moment he came to Quyang and heard some rumors about embezzlement via vacant posts, even before he obtained any real proof at all, he had sent a letter straight to the commandery administrator, a Lü clan member. Having just taken office a year ago, the man is determined to change the surname of Bianning Commandery from Hsu to Lü.

“Commandery Administrator Lü had been searching for Staff General Liao’s weakness to no avail. At the time, the war was just about to begin, and Staff General Liao had already done all the necessary work to move himself to the backlines. Then, a certain someone handed him a knife at a critical moment. There was no reason for Commandery Administrator Lü to turn it away, so he made a big deal of the letter and denied the staff general’s transfer order, pinning him on the frontlines. Do you see now why Staff General Liao hates a certain someone to the bones?”

Lee Zhi didn’t say a word. He just kept listening.

Sun Chao’en shot Fang Hetong a furious, exasperated look before continuing, “Speaking of, this stubborn mule asked me to provide him with the evidence after he had failed to obtain proof of Staff General Liao’s misdeeds. There’s just one small problem with this request—I don’t have any! As a result, he wrote another letter to the commandery administrator and called me an accomplice! Unlike Staff General Liao, I do not have a background. Thus, the commandery administrator gave me a thorough dressing-down and nearly dismissed me from my post!

“Luckily for me, he ultimately did not think that I’m a part of the Hsu faction, and I’m still somewhat useful to him. So, he ordered me to guard Quyang to the death to atone for my crimes. Should the county fall, then my head is forfeit.”

Reeking of alcohol and beet red with anger at this point, Sun Chao’en pointed a finger at Fang Hetong’s nose and started yelling, “Fang Hetong! We were sect fellows for two decades, were we not? Who was the one who took care of you when you first joined the academy? Who was the one who watched over you for seven days and nights when you fell terribly ill at the age of ten?

“When I first entered the civil service, I changed my name from Sun Qingliu[1] to Sun Chao’en[2]. It is such a minor matter, yet you have the gall to denounce me through your essays! Then, after I finally managed to climb the ranks, you nearly destroyed my whole career with a single letter! Twenty years of friendship, and this is how you repay me?!”

Both Wei Yuan and Lee Zhi were taken aback. They didn’t know that Sun Chao’en and Fang Hetong were sect fellows, both belonging to White Maple Academy.

Fang Hetong raised his head and replied without hesitation, “Minor favor should yield before matters of principle! You claimed that you have no evidence—hah! Are you seriously telling me that the payment of non-existent civil servants does not go through the county yamen, nor do you not get a cut out of this embezzlement? Who do you think you’re fooling? I may have refrained from taking action, but that doesn’t mean I’m stupid! Had you given me the evidence back then, I wouldn’t have disregarded our past ties and written that second letter to the commandery administrator!”

Sun Chao’en exploded, “Only half the positions are ghost positions, and you call that embezzlement via vacant posts?! Literally every other region is missing at least seventy or eighty percent of their civil servants! Why don’t you accuse them instead?!”

“I didn’t know, so I couldn’t take action.”

Noticing that the argument was getting a little out of hand, Lee Zhi interjected with a raised cup, “I did not know that County Magistrate Sun and Brother Fang are acquainted! It is quite normal for scholars to have differences in ideologies, is it not? Even the ancient wisdom of the sages have different interpretations. We cannot compare to those sages, so some differences of opinion are only natural. But no matter what, we are all united in our resistance against the Liao barbarians, are we not? Come, let us drink!”

It was one thing if the toast came from Sun Chao’en, but Fang Hetong could not turn down a toast from Lee Zhi. Despite being the son of a duke of Southern Qi, the young man had come all the way to the frontline of Western Jin to fight the Liao barbarians. This decision alone deserved a show of respect.

After the drink, Lee Zhi asked, “Why isn’t Staff General Liao here?”

Although Liao Jingwu wasn’t involved with Quyang’s governance, this was his defense zone. Since County Magistrate Sun was hosting Lee Zhi, it made sense for him to attend the banquet. Otherwise, it was considered a breach of propriety.

Sun Chao’en replied emotionlessly, “Staff General Liao is a man of noble status, so he normally does not grace banquets hosted by lowly officials like us. After all, his first wife bears the surname Hsu; the surname of the distinguished Hsu Clan.”

“I see.” Lee Zhi nodded and turned to look at Wei Yuan. “It looks like someone’s looking down on us, Brother Wei!”

What could Wei Yuan say? He was basically kicked out of the man’s camp earlier this noon.

1. Clear stream, meaning noble and upright in character. ☜

2. Meaning favor of the imperial court. ☜