Chapter 16: No, Are You Out of Your Mind?

The wails coming from the backyard rose and fell, mournful and lingering, enough to make one’s scalp tingle.

Zhao Yi stood in the center of the courtyard, listening to the “symphony of the household” he had composed himself, a look of profound satisfaction on his face.

Done.

Job finished.

He kicked the heavy horse-chopping saber his father had abandoned on the ground into a corner, straightened his robes, and turned to walk toward the deeper reaches of the rear courtyard.

This was the courtyard of the patriarch, Zhao Xiao.

It was so serene here that it felt entirely out of place with the bloodshed happening elsewhere. The old patriarch sat by a stone table, playing a game of chess against himself. He did not look up when he heard the footsteps.

“I heard your father’s screams.”

“You rascal, you really are a piece of work.”

Zhao Yi chuckled. Without bothering to refute, he sat down opposite the old man and poured himself a cup of tea.

“Grandfather, I had no choice.”

“With my father’s temper, had my mother not been there, I would have been the one carried out of here tonight.”

Zhao Xiao picked up a black piece and placed it on the board with a sharp *clack*, cutting off a large path for the white pieces.

“Speak. You never visit unless you need something. What do you want this time?”

“Grandfather knows me best.”

Zhao Yi dropped his playful expression and grew serious.

“I need men.”

“Li Jin and Li Yin are loyal, but they lack the wit for big tasks. I need some absolutely reliable, tight-lipped, nimble, and fierce death warriors who can hold their own in a fight.”

Zhao Xiao lifted his eyelids, his cloudy eyes gleaming with shrewdness.

“What do you need so many men for?”

“Isn’t the Ministry of Works handling the cement project?”

“Grandfather, I’m tinkering with some new things lately.” Zhao Yi leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice. “If these things work out, they will be even more useful than cement. But until they succeed, no one must know. I need absolute secrecy.”

Zhao Xiao stared into his eyes for a long time. The boy had truly been reborn.

“Very well.”

The old man did not press further. He reached into his robes, pulled out a small wooden token, and tossed it to Zhao Yi.

“This was the token for my personal guard battalion back when I commanded the troops. Those men have all retired to the Zhao family village on the outskirts of the capital. Take this token to them; they recognize the token, not the person. They have all crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. You can count on their loyalty and their skills.”

Zhao Yi took the token, which still held the warmth of the old man’s body. It felt smooth to the touch, with the archaic character for “Xiao” carved into it. He knew the weight of this object.

“Thank you, Grandfather!”

“Get out.”

Zhao Xiao waved his hand, turning his attention back to the chessboard. “Don’t disturb my game.”

Zhao Yi bowed, carefully stowed the token, and exited the courtyard. Back in his own room, listening to the fading whimpers from the neighboring yard, he felt a sense of ease. He stripped off his outer robe, flopped onto the bed, and sprawled out.

Sleep!

...

The next day, before dawn.

In Zhao Zhao’s bedroom.

*Boom!*

With a thunderous crash, the bedroom door was kicked open from the outside.

Zhao Zhao, sporting two dark circles under his eyes, bolted upright from the bed, his entire body aching. He had been given a “physical persuasion” session by his wife with a rolling pin the previous night, and he had barely fallen asleep; his brain was still in a fog.

“Which blind fool is—!”

He looked up, cursing, only to see his precious son, Zhao Yi, standing in the doorway, dressed in a crisp new official uniform, full of vigor.

Zhao Yi stood with his hands on his hips, pointing at Zhao Zhao on the bed, and roared with great lung capacity.

“Father! You’re still sleeping? Get your ass up and head to court!”

“His Majesty is waiting! If you dare to be late and delay the affairs of the state, see how I deal with you!”

Zhao Zhao was completely stunned.

Who am I?

Where am I?

What time is it?

What kind of nonsense is this brat spewing?

He looked at his high-spirited, rebellious son, thought back to his own miserable fate from the night before, and felt a tightness in his chest so severe he nearly coughed up blood.

...

The Golden Throne Hall.

The atmosphere was bizarre.

Zhao Zhao would occasionally cast a fierce, side-eyed glare at Zhao Yi, the resentment in his gaze almost turning into something tangible.

Zhao Yi, meanwhile, looked straight ahead, eyes fixed on his nose, nose fixed on his heart, like a monk in meditation. In truth, he was nearly asleep. He was deathly tired. After the chaos of last night and an early rise today, even a man made of iron couldn’t take it.

On the dragon throne, the Empress Wu Mingkong swept her phoenix eyes over the officials below, her voice cold and straight to the point.

“My subjects, the Ministry of Revenue reported yesterday that the national treasury is empty and grain stores across the provinces are in dire straits.”

“Although we won the battle in the North, the Great Zhou has suffered a great blow to its vitality.”

“Now that we are besieged from within and without, does anyone have a sound strategy to ease my worries and resolve the state’s difficulties?”

As soon as she spoke, the hall erupted in murmurs.

An old official stepped forward. “Reporting to Your Majesty, I believe we should promote frugality and cut down on palace expenses…”

The Empress remained expressionless.

Another official stepped out. “Your Majesty, I believe we could increase agricultural taxes to fill the treasury…”

“Drag him out.”

The Empress’s tone carried a hint of impatience. One after another, the suggestions were ruthlessly rejected. The atmosphere in the hall became stifling.

Just then, the Empress’s gaze fell on a figure at the end of the line of military officials, head bowed, standing perfectly still.

Zhao Yi.

He kept his head down, shoulders slightly hunched, looking as if he were deep in thought, burdened by the affairs of the nation.

A playful curve formed on the Empress’s lips. This brat had just blackmailed the Ministry of Works yesterday, and today he was putting on an act of being concerned for the country and the people.

“Zhao Yi.”

Her cold voice echoed through the hall. “You are bowing your head—are you pondering a strategy to defeat the enemy?”

Zhao Yi had been drifting off to sleep when he heard his name, and he jumped in shock. He was wide awake in an instant. He snapped his head up, eyes still dazed.

*Damn it!*

*This woman is calling me out again!*

His brain raced, and his mouth spoke before he could stop it.

“Re—reporting to Your Majesty!”

“I... I do have a strategy!”

He decided to gamble, shouting out the first thought that flashed through his mind.

“Confiscate their assets!”

“Your Majesty! The treasury is empty, but taxing the people will only shake the foundation of the state!”

“The fastest way is to raid their homes!”

“Look around this court—who isn’t fat and oily with wealth? Just pick a few corrupt officials who are eyesores, confiscate their family fortunes, and it won't just fill the national treasury—it’ll fill your private coffers, too!”

“This is the fastest way to get money! The most effective!”

His words hit the hall like a deep-sea bomb dropped into a calm lake.

The entire Golden Throne Hall fell instantly silent. One could hear a pin drop. Every official, civil or military, looked as if they had been hit by a freezing spell. They stared at Zhao Yi with wide eyes and gaping mouths, as if they had seen a ghost.

Even his father, Zhao Zhao, stared at him in horror, subconsciously shuffling two steps away to distance himself.

*Is... is this human talk?*

*You’re going on a killing spree, aren't you!*

The look in the eyes of the gathered officials changed completely. Those gazes seemed to be saying: *Are you an idiot?*

*You damn brat, you really are something else!*

*Are you sick in the head, you dog!*