Inside the council chamber, not a single person blinked.
Every gaze was locked onto the Puppet Dao Xuan Tianzun.
The wooden figure sat motionless for a long moment—so long that several people began to wonder whether it had frozen mid-thought. Then, with a faint creak, it twitched, shook its limbs, and slowly stood upright.
Its wooden mouth-pieces clacked together.
"Prepare," it said calmly,
"for a siege."
The room went dead silent.
"A… siege?" someone repeated weakly.
Lao Nanfeng was the first to react, his expression tightening.
"A siege means imperial troops," he said. "Once we attack a prefectural city, there's no ambiguity left."
The Puppet Dao Xuan Tianzun nodded.
"Correct."
It continued evenly,
"Tie Niaofei has been seized by the Hedong Circuit's Salt Administration Bureau and is currently imprisoned in their dungeon. If we wish to retrieve him, we must take the Hedong Circuit."
Li Daoxuan then relayed, without embellishment, everything he had seen through co-sensing—the massacre, the dungeon, the Salt Inspector, the Jin merchants, and Tie Niaofei's condition.
When he finished, a collective breath was sucked from the room.
This was no longer speculation.
This was confirmation.
Everyone's expressions turned grim.
The Hedong Circuit controlled Xie Lake, the lifeline of salt to the Central Plains. That was precisely why the imperial court had issued salt certificates to the Eight Great Jin Merchants, tasking them with provisioning the border armies.
Salt.
Military supply.
Imperial lifeblood.
Touching this was no different from grabbing the court by the throat.
Lao Nanfeng spoke slowly, carefully choosing his words.
"Dao Xuan Tianzun," he said, "taking the Hedong Circuit is not difficult. The problem is what comes after."
He straightened.
"Once we attack an imperial city, there will be no room for reconciliation. This will be an open rebellion. I have no objection to rebelling—but I must know clearly whether that is the path we are choosing."
Cheng Xu nodded in agreement.
"If we rebel now," he added, "it's too early. Our manpower is still stretched thin, and bullet production cannot keep up with rifle consumption."
He tapped the table lightly.
"We will expand rapidly at first, yes. But once production fails to keep pace, our momentum will stall. The imperial court will stabilize, and we'll be locked into a prolonged stalemate."
Zao Ying frowned.
"And once that happens," he said, "bandits will exploit the chaos, and the Manchus will seize the opportunity to press the borders. The people will suffer the most."
Xing Honglang clenched his jaw.
"But Tie Niaofei is in their dungeon," he said flatly.
"There is no peaceful way to get him out."
The Puppet Dao Xuan Tianzun suddenly clapped its wooden mouth-pieces together.
Clack. Clack.
"Simple," it said cheerfully.
"Have one brother play the bandit. Attack the city, slaughter officials with enthusiasm."
The room blinked.
"Then," the Puppet Dao Xuan Tianzun continued,
"Honglang leads troops to suppress the scoundrels. Merits achieved. Promotions earned."
It paused, then added with emphasis:
"New territory.
Yes.
New territory."
A heartbeat passed.
Then—
Realization struck.
"Brilliant!" several voices exclaimed at once.
Xing Honglang, however, frowned again.
"The plan is sound," he said slowly. "But who plays the bandit?"
He glanced around the room.
"All our commanders have shown their faces during the Pingyang reinforcement. Even our soldiers have been seen. Assembling a convincing 'unknown bandit force' won't be easy."
The Puppet Dao Xuan Tianzun tilted its head, tapping its wooden fingers together as if counting.
"This brother…" it said thoughtfully,
"has just been released from prison."
At that very moment—
Chen Baihu was packing.
He gathered the meager belongings he had accumulated over years in the Labor Reform Valley—purchased painstakingly with labor points—and tied them into a single cloth bundle.
Around him, more than six hundred former Guyuan rebels were doing the same.
Before leaving, Chen Baihu clasped hands with Centurion Wu from Ningxia.
"Old Wu," he said with a grin, "after we're gone, you're the boss here."
Centurion Wu laughed.
"Don't worry. I'll keep the new batch in line. You, on the other hand—make sure you thrive out there."
He lowered his voice conspiratorially.
"I'll need your protection when I get released."
Chen Baihu burst out laughing.
"How could I not thrive?" he said confidently.
"My boss, Lao Nanfeng, is doing great out there. I heard he's invested in some kind of performing arts agency. One concert, and his girls rake in silver like rain."
Centurion Wu sighed wistfully.
"I'd really like to see that."
"Then hurry up and earn merit for sentence reduction," Chen Baihu laughed.
"Hahahaha!"
Just then—
The cotton-thread Dao Xuan Tianzun pendant on Chen Baihu's chest suddenly stretched its mouth open.
"Chen Baihu."
Both men nearly jumped out of their skins.
They immediately bowed deeply.
"Greetings, Dao Xuan Tianzun!"
The cotton-thread Dao Xuan Tianzun spoke calmly.
"You plan to go to Puzhou City and rejoin Lao Nanfeng after your release, correct?"
Chen Baihu replied respectfully,
"Reporting to Dao Xuan Tianzun, that was my intention."
"Not yet," the Dao Xuan Tianzun chuckled.
"First—go fight him."
"What?!" Chen Baihu froze.
His eyes widened.
"Has… has Brother Nanfeng betrayed us?"
"Could he have been deceived by women into turning against Gao Family Village?"
Li Daoxuan, listening in, silently pinched the bridge of his nose.
Is that really your first thought?
Just how unreliable do you think Lao Nanfeng is?
"Enough nonsense," the Dao Xuan Tianzun said.
"You will impersonate a band of wandering bandits and attack the Hedong Circuit."
It continued calmly,
"Lao Nanfeng will then lead troops to suppress you."
Understanding dawned instantly.
Chen Baihu's eyes lit up.
"I see!" he said excitedly.
"I've been in the Labor Reform Valley since joining Gao Family Village. No one knows my affiliation. Once released, I can act as a bandit chief."
He grinned broadly.
"We attack the city. Brother Nanfeng drives us off. The city falls naturally into our hands."
Li Daoxuan couldn't help but admire them.
These people, he thought.
When it comes to dirty tricks, every one of them is frighteningly sharp.
"As long as you understand," the Dao Xuan Tianzun said.
"Proceed as you see fit."
Chen Baihu wasted no time.
He gathered all six hundred men.
First—off came the neat cotton clothes.
On went tattered, mismatched garments worthy of wandering bandits. They donned the battered border-army armor they once wore as Guyuan rebels.
Weapons were distributed—simple, brutal melee arms.
No acting was required.
They looked exactly like a ferocious border band.
Chen Baihu laughed.
"Brothers! The moment we're released, we've been given a glorious mission."
He raised his arm.
"To attack the Hedong Circuit!"
The six hundred men roared with laughter.
"Arduous?" someone shouted.
"The Hedong Circuit's garrison is weak, and the city's defenses are soft!"
"We'll take it down with our eyes closed!"
"Hahaha!"
Chen Baihu waved his hand.
"Then let's go!"
"Let's make our name the moment we step out!"
The logic was simple.
Leaving penniless would be hard.
But seizing merit immediately?
That was the fast track to glory.
After leaving the Labor Reform Valley, they boarded a Gao Family Village train to the Linyi Yellow River Bridge.
They crossed it.
Passed Sunji Town.
And the moment they exited Gao Family Village's direct sphere of control—
Their expressions changed.
Postures shifted.
Voices roughened.
Six hundred men became bandits.
Chen Baihu carried a palm-sized Puppet Dao Xuan Tianzun clay doll hidden in his pocket. Li Daoxuan could contact him at any time—no messengers needed.
Without delay, Chen Baihu led the men into the dangerous mountains of Shanxi.
They slipped through prefectures and counties like shadows.
Silent.
Patient.
Hungry.
And steadily—
They closed in on the Hedong Circuit.