Luoyang was safe—for now.
Standing atop the city walls, Li Daoxuan watched the rebel forces retreat into the distance. Yet instead of relief, a heavier unease settled in his chest. The direction of their withdrawal was wrong.
They were not retreating east toward Kaifeng Prefecture.
They were veering slightly southeast.
That single deviation told him everything.
Li Daoxuan turned, went down from the wall, and immediately had a map brought before him. He spread it across the table and traced the rebels' route with his finger.
"Kaifeng… Luoyang… southeast…"
His finger stopped.
"The main rebel force is southeast of Luoyang," he said slowly. "Which means they came southwest from Kaifeng. If they continue like this…"
Fan Shangzheng, Governor of Henan, followed his gesture and inhaled sharply.
"The intersection of Henan, Hubei, Shaanxi, and Sichuan."
Li Daoxuan nodded.
"Once they reach that border, we lose initiative entirely. Imperial troops are bound by provincial jurisdiction. Each side will wait for the other to act. Officials will argue over authority, logistics, responsibility. By the time they finish arguing, the rebels will already be entrenched."
Fan Shangzheng let out a long sigh. "This is precisely how disasters spread."
Li Daoxuan said, "Anticipation alone is meaningless. We need early obstruction."
He turned to Bai Yuan.
"Write a letter," Li Daoxuan ordered. "Send it to Sichuan—Wan Shou Zhai. The homeland of the White Pole Soldiers. Tell them to prepare immediately. Even if they cannot destroy the rebels, they must block entry into Sichuan."
Bai Yuan cupped his hands. "I will see to it at once."
Next, Li Daoxuan turned back to Fan Shangzheng.
"Governor Fan, I lack standing in officialdom. I must rely on your channels. Write to Regional Commander Zhang Yingchang. Urge him to pursue relentlessly. He must not allow the rebels to reach the four-province border."
Fan Shangzheng nodded at once. "I will draft the letter today."
In his heart, however, he knew Zhang Yingchang would never catch them.
Li Daoxuan continued, "Also write to the Yunyang Grand Coordinator. Have him lead troops out of Xiangyang and establish defenses along the border zone. If one direction fails, another might hold."
"I understand," Fan Shangzheng replied solemnly.
Henan, Hubei, Sichuan—arrangements could be made.
That left Shaanxi.
Li Daoxuan frowned slightly.
He had no personal connection with the Shaanxi Governor, Wang Shunxing. However, Wu Shen and Shi Kefa were both men of integrity and reputation. If they spoke, their words would carry weight.
He was just about to mention this when laughter rang out behind him.
"Ha! Hahaha!"
Zhu Changxun, Prince of Fu, came striding over, his face flushed with excitement. The terror he had displayed on the walls earlier had vanished entirely, replaced by swelling confidence.
He clasped his hands toward Bai Yuan.
"Master Bai! When we partnered in business before, I already knew you were capable. But today—today I have truly seen it. Your Gao Family Village militia… astonishing! Astonishing!"
He laughed again.
"This prince spent five taels of silver per man. Five taels! What a bargain. Each of them is worth at least ten—no, twenty taels!"
Bai Yuan snapped open his folding fan, revealing the character Gentleman.
"Your Highness," he said mildly, "you may as well speak plainly."
Zhu Changxun leaned closer, lowering his voice.
"Rebels are everywhere. They've plagued the realm for years. There's no guarantee they won't return. I am permitted only five hundred personal guards, and the local garrison troops are worse than useless."
He straightened.
"I wish to ask you—will you train more militia in Luoyang? My safety… depends entirely on you."
Bai Yuan shook his head with a wry smile.
"This single unit has already drained my family's coffers dry. Training more? I truly cannot afford it."
Zhu Changxun waved his hand dismissively.
"Money? Is that all? This prince will provide it. If my silver is destined to be looted by rebels anyway, it's better spent protecting my life."
Bai Yuan's expression turned cautious.
"Your Highness, if word reaches the Emperor that you are privately raising troops, I fear—"
Zhu Changxun stiffened, then quickly said, "Let me be clear. I provide money only. Nothing more. This militia is not mine. Not in name, not in command. It belongs entirely to you. I will not touch it."
Bai Yuan smiled inwardly.
"Since Your Highness insists, it would indeed be discourteous to refuse."
Zhu Changxun laughed heartily.
With this, he thought, this prince has nothing left to fear.
Meanwhile—
Dao Xuan Tianzun, accompanied by Wu Shen and Shi Kefa, entered the Shaanxi Governor's yamen.
Governor Wang Shunxing was a man of restrained temperament.
Since taking office in Shaanxi, he had neither pursued military glory nor sought political distinction. Instead, he focused on steady governance: restoring agriculture, reopening markets, repairing roads and canals, rebuilding bridges and temples, and personally composing inscriptions for public works.
On one such stele, he had written:
Cao Cao was a traitor to the Han; Sun Quan even more so. Guan Yu was loyal not merely to Liu Bei, but to the Han itself.
At this moment, he sat at his desk, drafting a memorial regarding tax collection.
His brush moved slowly.
"After the desolation of war in Shaanxi, tax collection has become arduous across all prefectures, though conditions are somewhat less severe in Pingyang, Qingyang, and Yan'an.
Among these, Yan'an is particularly dire.
The Grand Coordinator has already petitioned for a delay in collection, hoping that the autumn harvest might compensate for earlier losses. Yet this year's summer was parched, the fields cracked, and there are no signs of abundance.
Yan'an spans a thousand li of barren land; its condition is worse even than Pingyang and Qingyang."
He paused, then added:
"The people have no grain. The storehouses are empty. All possible means of collection have been exhausted."
After a long silence, he wrote the final lines.
"Shaanxi cannot collect taxes. There are none. Absolutely none.
If lives are required, then take them.
But there is nothing to collect.
Your Majesty may decide."
Only then did he set down the brush.
At that moment, footsteps sounded.
Wu Shen entered first, followed by Shi Kefa and Dao Xuan Tianzun.
Wang Shunxing looked up. "Gentlemen, what brings you here?"
Shi Kefa spoke bluntly. "Your Excellency, the rebels have crossed from Kaifeng, bypassed Luoyang, and are moving southwest. They are likely heading for the intersection of Henan, Hubei, Shaanxi, and Sichuan."
Wang Shunxing's face changed. "That is disastrous."
Shi Kefa said urgently, "Shaanxi must prepare in advance. We should order Regional Commander He Renlong to return from Shanxi and establish defenses at the border."
He Renlong—known as "Madman He"—had been appointed Regional Commander of Shaanxi but had remained stationed in Shanxi, pursuing the rebels and preventing their return.
Wang Shunxing nodded decisively.
"Very well. I will issue a hand-order immediately."
He lifted his brush.
Before he could write more than ten characters, a messenger rushed in and knelt.
"Your Excellency! A dispatch from the Ministry of Personnel."
Wang Shunxing's hand paused midair.
He accepted the document, unrolled it, and read.
"Governor of Shaanxi, Wang Shunxing, during his tenure, failed to collect adequate taxes and demonstrated poor administrative performance.
For speaking nonsense and deceiving His Majesty, he is hereby immediately dismissed from office."
The brush slipped from his fingers.
The ink spread slowly across the paper.
Wang Shunxing said nothing.