At the dawn of the Northern Song Dynasty, in order to quell the warmasters scattered across the land, the court had little time to focus on internal reform. Thus, Emperor Taizu continued the Tang Dynasty’s administrative system—the Dao system.

However, since the mid-Tang period, the Dao system had long become an empty shell. What’s more, the Tang-era «Dao» were not actual administrative districts but merely names for regions under surveillance. Hence, their administrators were often called Inspectors, Investigative Envoys, or Observation Commissioners. These so-called Daos were too large in area, and once an inspector amassed real power, they could instantly become a local warmaster—capable of carving out their own domain or even shaking the foundations of the empire.

An Lushan would’ve given it a thumbs-up.

So when the Northern Song established rule over the Central Plains, it gradually replaced the Dao with a new unit—the Lu (Circuit). Each Lu covered a smaller area but came with a comprehensive administrative structure. Every Lu housed multiple offices: the Military Command, Judicial Bureau, Transport Bureau , and the Civil Administration . Their responsibilities overlapped in layers, creating a bloated bureaucracy—but it allowed for more detailed governance.

Now, with the Southern Song left holding only half the realm, it maintained sixteen Lu. The most prosperous among them were those surrounding the imperial seat of Lin’an: Huainan East and West Circuits, Zhejiang East and West, and Jiangnan East Circuit.

The Huainan Circuits bordered the Jin Empire. In theory, they were key frontiers that should’ve been heavily defended. In reality, due to the Southern Song court’s weakness and its submission to the Jin as a «Superior Celestial State,» these areas became defenseless buffer zones. Only small, local garrisons were left to maintain order and quell internal uprisings.

Among them, Huainan East Circuit stood out most—it sat in the heart of the Song’s richest lands. As a result, merchants traveling north and south preferred this route, turning the region into a commercial paradise.

«That’s exactly why Rong’er chose this place.»

Inside the boundaries of Huainan East, in Chu Prefecture, Baoying County, on the second floor of a roadside tavern, Huang Rong smiled as she explained. She had temporarily sent the Little Dragon Maiden back to Mount Zi, entrusted to Nuwa’s care.

«This area is full of traveling merchants from all over the empire. The markets are booming, and it sits right on the border between Song and Jin. Whether heading north or south, it’s a vital crossroad. If Brother Xing performs a miracle here, his legend can spread rapidly across the land through these traveling traders.»

The three of them were seated by a window. At that moment, Li Mochou’s eyes were wide open as she leaned against the wooden railing, curiously peering out at the bustling street below.

Since leaving the tomb and heading south, everything they saw had amazed her. Even while still in Jin territory, the sights and sounds already left her dazzled. Now in the Song realm—home to the most dazzling civilization of the ancient Zhongxia—the overwhelming prosperity had Li Mochou gawking like a countryside girl on her first trip to the capital.

When Huang Rong finished speaking, Li Mochou finally pulled her gaze away from the street and looked up at her, blinking reverently:
«Rong’er-jiejie, you’re amazing… how can you think of so many things?»

Though she hadn’t yet visited Mount Zi, she’d already come to realize how «magical» Xuan Yuan   and Huang Rong were. She didn’t fully understand what made them different—but deep in her heart, she’d already begun to treat Xuan Yuan   as a Celestial Being.

Xuan Yuan   watched Huang Rong with an amused smile, casually sipping the tavern’s house wine. Without much thought, he asked,
«Then why pick Baoying in particular? Even if it’s prosperous, it can’t compare to nearby Yangzhou or Lin’an, can it?»

«No deep reason,» Huang Rong replied, sticking her tongue out playfully. «Anywhere but Lin’an. That’s where the emperor resides—it’s too easy to attract trouble.»

«A place like Baoying is just right. It’s close enough to the frontier with Jin, prosperous enough for impact, and there aren’t any major local powers to worry about.»

Xuan Yuan   nodded. He found her reasoning logical and well-founded. Then he asked,
«So what’s the plan? Does Rong’er have one already?»

Huang Rong blinked rapidly, playful light flickering in her eyes.
«I’ve got the general outline, but I still need to work out the finer details. I want to scout the area a bit more first, get a feel for it before setting everything in motion.»

«Brother Xing, just leave it all to me!»

«You’re sharp and clever, Rong’er. With you masterminding things, I might as well just sit back and enjoy the results.»

Xuan Yuan   sighed inwardly. Back then, Huang Rong had helped Guo Jing defend Xiangyang against the Mongol onslaught for decades under impossible odds. Even with the Wumu’s Legacy as support, her strategic genius couldn’t be overlooked.

Now this clever young woman had devoted herself entirely to helping him. He was starting to feel like he could win the world without even trying.

As that thought lingered, Xuan Yuan   looked at her with tender affection. Huang Rong, catching his gaze, flushed shyly yet happily. The atmosphere between them subtly sweetened.

Li Mochou, watching from the side, suddenly felt a faint sting in her chest. She couldn’t help but speak up:

«Brother Shen… can I help too?»

«Of course.» Before Xuan Yuan   could answer, Huang Rong reached out and gently took Li Mochou’s small hand. «There are many things that Brother Xing can’t handle personally. That’s where you come in, Mochou-meimei.»

Huang Rong had long thought it through.

«Brother Xing can’t keep showing miracles in public. We’ll need Mochou-meimei to be our visible face while Brother Xing only steps out at the key moment.»

«Mm-hmm! I got it!» Li Mochou nodded earnestly. Realizing she wasn’t just dead weight but had a role to play, she brightened up instantly, returning to her cheerful self.

As they chatted, Xuan Yuan  ’s gaze drifted out the window—then suddenly paused.

On the street below, a man in white robes strolled by. His cloak swayed gently as he walked, and his demeanor was relaxed and refined.

He looked to be about thirty-five or thirty-six. His eyebrows angled sharply, his features elegant yet brimming with spirit. The man was clearly from a noble family, his clothing meticulously tailored and richly adorned.

What really drew attention, though, was the group of women following behind him—all dressed as men, with cautious expressions. Each of them carried the air of trained guards, though they concealed it well.

Xuan Yuan  ’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He could sense powerful internal force emanating from the man. After observing for a moment, a thought flashed across his mind—and he murmured softly:
«…Ouyang Ke?»

That eye-catching appearance, paired with his confident entrance and notable skill level—he was certainly no ordinary figure. The thought clicked in Xuan Yuan  ’s mind.

Huang Rong, always paying attention to him, heard the low whisper and followed his gaze.
«Brother Xing, you know him? Ouyang Ke… Ouyang—does that mean he’s connected to Ouyang Feng of the West?»

«Nominally his nephew,» Xuan Yuan   replied, a subtle smile playing on his lips as he lifted his cup.

«Nominally?» Huang Rong caught the tone immediately.

«In truth,» Xuan Yuan   said flatly, «he’s the son born from Ouyang Feng’s early affair with his sister-in-law.»

His thoughts spun rapidly. What was Ouyang Ke doing here?

He remembered clearly: after Yang Tiexin and Bao Xiruo took their own lives, their son Yang Kang—driven by greed and ambition—acknowledged Wanyan Honglie of Jin as his adoptive father, calling him ‘Father Prince.’ Later, Yang Kang was dispatched south as a Jin envoy, scheming to obtain the Wumu’s Legacy.

Ouyang Ke, being a trusted guest of Wanyan Honglie, naturally followed him in secret to aid the operation.

«So we’ve already reached that point, have we?»

Huang Rong and Li Mochou, though both fond of Xuan Yuan  , were still young and unmarried. Hearing about Ouyang Feng’s incestuous affair made both of them flush with embarrassment.

«Tch! Disgusting!»

After Xuan Yuan   explained Ouyang Ke’s presence and purpose, Huang Rong’s eyes gleamed. The mischievous streak she inherited from her father—the «Eastern Heretic»—surfaced once more.

«Brother Xing…» she said sweetly, «Rong’er wants to borrow Ouyang Ke’s head for a moment.»

«Would Brother Xing make flowers bloom across the city when the time comes? Let him die in spectacular fashion!»

«Rong’er guarantees—your celestial  name will shake the world!»