Chapter 40: Restless Thoughts

After seeing Prince Heng off from Yancheng, Zhao Bin returned to the prince’s residence with his men. A vague sense of unease lingered in his mind—a feeling he could not quite pinpoint. If it had been triggered by the Prince, he would have felt it while the Prince was still in Yancheng; yet, it had only emerged the moment the Prince departed.

Three days after the Prince’s departure, Zhao Bin sat upright in his chair while Cao Li and the others were buried in their respective tasks at their desks. Ling’er walked over with a cup of hot tea, but just as she reached Zhao Bin, she stumbled inexplicably and pitched forward. Zhao Bin, reacting with agility, reached out to steady her, but the tea spilled all over him, and the cup shattered on the floor with a crisp snap.

Ling’er gasped, "Ah! Your Highness, are you burned? It is all my fault, I am so clumsy."

The men working nearby hurried over to ask if he was alright.

"I’m fine," Zhao Bin replied. "My clothes are thick; the tea didn’t touch my skin."

"It’s all because I’m so useless..." Ling’er began, but Zhao Bin cut her off.

"It’s quite alright. Just bring me a fresh set of clothes." Zhao Bin patted her shoulder.

Ling’er acknowledged him and hurried off toward the back courtyard.

"Slow down," Zhao Bin called out, watching her hurried pace with concern.

He crouched down to look at the shattered shards. Wang Wu knelt beside him. "What are you looking at, Your Highness?"

"Old Wu, the floor is perfectly level. How did Ling’er trip?"

"Perhaps she twisted her ankle."

"Does she look like someone with a twisted ankle to you?"

Wang Wu looked in the direction Ling’er had run. "Doesn't look like it. She’s moving like a startled hare."

"Since when do you know idioms?" Zhao Bin asked, glancing at him in surprise.

"You’re joking, Your Highness. Who knows that sort of thing?"

"Forget it. Clean it up."

Wang Wu agreed and carefully began picking up the shards.

"Go get a broom."

"Yes, Your Highness." Wang Wu dropped the shards he had just collected back onto the floor and turned to find a broom.

Zhao Bin: "..."

Once the debris was cleared, everyone returned to their seats.

Zhao Bin asked, "Official He, how is the timber situation coming along?"

He Miao paused for a moment before replying, "Reporting to Your Highness, I have conscripted two thousand laborers to fell timber. All selected are hardwoods, and a portion has already been transported into the city."

"Can we send more men?"

"How many more does Your Highness require?"

"Double."

"I shall arrange it immediately." In truth, there were few able-bodied men left in Yancheng. Five thousand were mining coal at West Mountain, five thousand were extracting iron ore in the north, over a thousand had been taken by Xu Ling to the coast for salt production, and four or five thousand of the local Yancheng garrison were either locals or had been sent to guard the Xijing Pass. Most of those remaining were the elderly, the weak, women, and children.

After He Miao left, Cao Li noticed Zhao Bin sitting in a daze and asked, "Does Your Highness have something on your mind?"

Zhao Bin looked up at Cao Li. "Nothing much, I just feel restless. I’ve had a bad feeling since yesterday."

"Your Highness is likely just overtired. Our refined salt is very popular in the capital; this time, Prince Heng brought thirty thousand strings of cash to purchase it. That is equivalent to three years of Yancheng’s total revenue," Cao Li said.

As he spoke, Ling’er returned with the clothes, her face flushing crimson at Cao Li’s words. Zhao Bin, failing to notice her reaction, murmured, "The more we earn, the more the three great clans will resent us. Do you think they will just sit by and watch us make this much money?"

Cao Li asked, "What does Your Highness mean?"

"They will certainly interfere."

Cao Li thought for a moment. "Your Highness need not worry. The capital is within the sphere of imperial power. Even if the three families are dissatisfied, they wouldn't dare run wild there."

"They wouldn't dare run wild in the capital? What if it isn't in the capital?" Zhao Bin asked with a grim expression.

Cao Li understood the implication. If they wouldn't strike in the capital, they would strike along the route. A chill ran down his spine.

"Call Xiao Chu and Lu Biao here," Zhao Bin ordered Wang Wu.

"Yes, Your Highness." Wang Wu stepped out and shouted for them. Soon, the two arrived in the hall.

"Your Highness?"

"Xiao Chu, take fifty men from the estate and ride hard to catch up with Prince Heng. You must escort him safely across the Yellow River; I fear he may meet with misfortune. Lu Biao, take fifty men from the transport team to meet the grain shipment. Although the agreed time with Tian Qi is two days away, it is better to be safe and set out now to meet them," Zhao Bin commanded.

Xiao Chu hesitated. "Your Highness, if I take the men, you will have few left to guard you. I am concerned..."

Zhao Bin interrupted, "Do not worry; the city will be fine for the time being."

Lu Biao suggested, "Your Highness, perhaps I should take the transport team, and you should keep the commander here to protect you."

"The transport team members are not skilled in horseback riding; it will delay the mission. It is settled—leave at once."

Seeing that Zhao Bin’s mind was made up, they offered no further protest and departed. Shortly after, over fifty riders galloped out of the city.

Two hundred miles south of Yancheng lay the county of Mozhou. The city walls had long since collapsed, and the interior was a ruin. It had clearly become a ghost town; the inhabitants were long gone, perhaps buried as bones beneath the soil. Many such empty cities existed within the Hebei Circuit. Even though the Jie people had been driven out over a decade ago, the drastic population decline could not be reversed in such a short time.

Wang Dayong, having traveled north, led five hundred slaves into the city. Though broken, it offered shelter from the wind, which was better than camping in the wild. The ropes and shackles on the slaves had long been removed. Along the way, Wang Dayong had told them only one thing: those who wanted to leave were free to go, but those who stayed would have food to eat.

To survive, no one left. To live, everyone chose to stay.

Just as Wang Dayong’s group was cooking their meal, a caravan entered through the north gate—it was Prince Heng’s party. Seeing the smoke rising from the other side of the town, the Prince looked surprised. "Go see what that is," he commanded his personal guards.

A guard spurred his horse forward, trotting slowly toward the smoke.