Early morning arrived quietly in Mengjin County.
The town stirred awake beneath a pale sky, ushering in what seemed to promise another day of peace and calm.
Outside the county walls, villagers streamed out in steady lines. Some shouldered hoes, others carried shovels, baskets, or wooden poles. Their destination was the same—the vast floodplain left behind by the Yellow River.
The river's rampage had deposited thick, hardened layers of mud across the land.
These crusts had to be dug away completely.
Only by removing them could the original soil be exposed, allowing crops to be planted once more and life to return to its familiar rhythm.
This was no easy labor.
The excavated mud and sand couldn't simply be dumped wherever one pleased. It had to be transported back toward the riverbank, carted away bit by bit.
Digging required people.
Transporting required people.
The scale of the operation was enormous, and it was clear that this work would continue for a very, very long time.
The mud itself, baked rock-hard by the sun, resisted every swing of the hoe. After only a short while, villagers were left panting, sweat soaking their clothes. They would straighten their aching backs, drink some water, rest briefly—then grit their teeth and continue.
Just as the outskirts of the county bustled with this determined activity—
A large army appeared from the east.
At the head of the troops rode Fan Shangzheng, Governor of Henan.
His face was dark, his brows tightly furrowed. He urged his men forward relentlessly, marching at a pace that seemed intent on breaking legs.
Fan Shangzheng had originally been stationed in Xiuwu County. But when news reached him that the rebels had assembled a massive fleet of boats, intending to cross the Yellow River and attack Mengjin County, he had been utterly terrified.
Without hesitation, he led his army out and rushed toward Mengjin.
Midway through the march, another report struck him like a thunderbolt—
Commander Qin Renhong had been defeated and killed.
The Yellow River, once thought an unbreakable natural barrier, had fallen.
In that instant, Fan Shangzheng felt completely numb.
There was nothing left to do but continue running toward Mengjin, as if sheer speed might somehow undo fate.
After charging another few dozen li, a group from the Prince of Fu's household suddenly rushed out to intercept him.
They complained bitterly, claiming they had been bullied by a man named Bai Yuan.
They prattled endlessly about how Bai Yuan had forcibly occupied Xiaolangdi, refused to pay rent to the Prince of Fu, and demanded that the Governor intervene immediately.
It was a pile of utter nonsense.
Fan Shangzheng's temples throbbed.
At that moment, he felt like a firefighter sprinting from one blaze to the next, utterly overwhelmed. How could he possibly spare attention for such trivial squabbles?
Yet he couldn't simply dismiss the Prince of Fu's household outright.
Suppressing his irritation, he replied perfunctorily,
"Very well. I've noted the matter concerning Bai Yuan. This official will provide the Prince of Fu's household with an explanation."
With that, he waved them away and continued his frantic march toward Mengjin County.
In his heart, he was already resigned.
He was certain that by the time he arrived, Mengjin would be nothing more than a smoking ruin.
But when Fan Shangzheng reached the city walls—
He froze.
Mengjin County stood intact.
The walls were unbroken.
The houses were unburned.
The streets showed no sign of slaughter.
The common folk were even out in the open, carrying tools and diligently digging away the mud crusts left by the Yellow River.
The scene was one of calm order.
"What… is going on here?"
Fan Shangzheng burst into the county town, seized the county magistrate by the sleeve, and demanded sharply,
"What exactly happened? Where are the rebels? This official clearly received word that they were coming!"
The magistrate could only repeat a name that had already been spoken countless times:
"The one who saved Mengjin County… was a local gentry, Mr. Bai Yuan."
"What?" Fan Shangzheng stiffened. "Bai Yuan?"
The very same name he had just heard from the Prince of Fu's people now surfaced again, instantly piquing his interest.
The magistrate continued, recounting the events with growing animation.
"Mr. Bai deployed a large militia force along the riverbank. Arrows fell like rain, blocking the rebels from landing. He then used boats seized from the Xiaolangdi pirates to engage them in a fierce water battle, finally driving them back toward Shanxi."
Hearing this, Fan Shangzheng finally released a long, heavy sigh.
"Amazing," he said. "This gentry named Bai Yuan truly understands strategy. He has helped this official enormously."
He immediately asked,
"Is he here? I would like to meet him."
The magistrate shook his head.
"Mr. Bai is not present. However, his close friend—the great hero Xiao Qiushui—and his wife are both in the city. They led the militia on land and prevented the rebels from landing. Mr. Bai himself commanded the water battle."
Fan Shangzheng's interest deepened.
"Oh? Where is this heroic couple now?"
They were at a small roadside stall.
The couple sat comfortably, enjoying Mengjin Bufan, a peculiar local snack made from mung beans—something unavailable anywhere else.
Li Daoxuan's mechanical mouth crunched relentlessly.
One bite after another.
Completely unstoppable.
Gao Yiye laughed softly.
"Oh? Heavenly Lord, you have something on your lip."
She quickly took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the corner of his mouth.
To fully enjoy the snack, Li Daoxuan had maximized his co-sensing, engaging all five senses at once.
The soft brush of Gao Yiye's fingers was transmitted clearly to his real body outside the box.
Hmm?
That… felt rather nice.
He was just about to savor the sensation a little longer—
When a yamen runner hurried over, panting.
"Great Hero Xiao Qiushui!" he called. "We finally found you! The Governor has arrived and wishes to see you."
Li Daoxuan clicked his tongue.
"Oh, what a spoilsport."
The yamen runner jumped in fright and immediately lowered his voice.
"Great Hero Xiao, you shouldn't say such things out loud. We can whisper them in private, but if someone overhears you on the street and reports it to the Governor, he'll surely be displeased."
Li Daoxuan smiled and patted the runner lightly on the shoulder.
"Thank you," he said. "You're quite thoughtful. I like that about you."
The runner grinned shyly.
Li Daoxuan stopped teasing, took Gao Yiye's hand, and together they headed toward the county magistrate's office.
Before long, they stood face to face with Fan Shangzheng.
The Governor was in his fifties, yet his appearance made him seem closer to seventy. The strain of recent months had carved deep lines into his face.
Upon seeing Li Daoxuan and Gao Yiye, his expression softened.
"My two heroes," he said warmly, "this official has heard that Mengjin County was defended by your militia. We are deeply indebted to you both."
Gao Yiye replied modestly,
"You're too kind, Governor. You greatly exaggerate our efforts."
Fan Shangzheng was just about to speak further—to offer encouragement and inquire about Xiaolangdi—
When—
A mounted messenger galloped up to the county office.
He tumbled from his saddle, scrambled inside, and shouted,
"Governor! Terrible news—terrible news!"
Fan Shangzheng's heart leapt.
"What is it?!"
The messenger gasped for breath.
"The rebels—the Chuǎng Wang has broken through Xiuwu County, killed Magistrate Liu Fengxiang, burned and plundered Wushe and Hui County, and is now besieging Huaiqing Prefecture!"
He continued desperately,
"The West Camp Eight Great Kings have ravaged Wenshui County! Magistrate Xu Zhaoyuan was killed by the rebels—only seven days after taking office!"
"What?!"
Fan Shangzheng sprang to his feet.
The sudden movement drained his strength, and he collapsed back into his chair. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself upright again.
"Move!" he shouted. "We must relieve the siege of Huaiqing Prefecture immediately!"
The soldiers who had accompanied him mobilized at once.
They had barely arrived in Mengjin, their legs still trembling from the forced march—yet now they had to turn around and rush out again.
Truly, wretched luck.
Fan Shangzheng ran several steps toward the exit, then suddenly turned back.
He grasped Li Daoxuan's forearm firmly, shaking it twice.
"Hero Xiao Qiushui," he said hurriedly, "this official wished to speak with you more, but there is no time… Mengjin County—I entrust it to you."
Li Daoxuan answered calmly,
"Rest assured."
Fan Shangzheng nodded once, then turned and ran.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished from sight.