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“Big business,” Li Miao could easily imagine the person opposite him grinning from ear to ear.

“By the way,” Li Miao suddenly remembered he didn’t have a jade seal himself. Should he buy one? He continued, “Also, tell me, is it possible for you to get the real thing?”

The other side was speechless. Was he joking? The real one? “I’m afraid if you go to the Han Emperor, you might actually get one. Haha, handsome, do you have any specific requirements for the twenty jade seals you want?”

Li Miao smiled awkwardly, realizing how foolish he was to want the genuine article. But then he noticed his Nokia phone was surrounded by a glow—clearly a jade seal!

So that’s it—this really was a true jade seal, Li Miao thought in surprise.

“Requirements?” Li Miao pondered briefly. “How about carving a tiny, narrow groove on the side of the seal, and slipping in a piece of paper with classical Chinese writing?”

“Write ‘Are you a pig?’!”

Li Miao burst out laughing at his own idea, adding, “Make sure the groove is very fine—ideally, no one should be able to tell.”

“That’s a bit tricky. Instead, our shop can hollow out a cavity inside the seal, invisible from the outside, and it won’t feel any different either.”

“Perfect!” Li Miao said.

“Handsome guy, you’re really funny, even using classical Chinese! Now, please make the payment. We’ll deliver them to you soon.”

“Alright.” Li Miao wasted no time, pulling out a gold bar to pay for twenty counterfeit jade seals, chuckling coldly all the while.

“You all are so obsessed with jade seals? I’m going to have some fun with this.”

After purchasing the seals, Li Miao explored the phone’s functions. Sure enough, there was software to download the Records of the Three Kingdoms and even the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. When he saw the UC Browser app on the phone, his expression darkened instantly.

...

“Are you serious?” Liu Xie frowned.

If Li Miao were bargaining, Liu Xie might believe him, but Li Miao seemed to have no other demands, leaving Liu Xie puzzled.

No matter how he thought about it, Li Miao leading Li Yin, Yang Hong, Zhang Xun, Lu Mian, and others to Lujiang was all benefit and no harm. As long as Li Miao was contained within Wancheng, they had little loyal troops and posed no threat to Lujiang.

Unable to figure it out, Liu Xie was simply glad the mission was accomplished smoothly.

“Since the general’s son is so eager, we shall pack up early tomorrow and accompany them to Lujiang,” Liu Xie decided. He still had two plans in mind: he didn’t fully trust Li Miao’s cleverness in defeating Chen Lan and Lei Bu, so tomorrow he would prepare two contingencies—either leave with Jiang Ting or attack Jiang Ting again.

“Coming along? Interesting,” Taishi Ci thought, recalling Li Miao’s spear skills rivaling his own and his familiar moves. He was curious what Li Miao intended.

The atmosphere in Lujiang camp was tense, but Jiang Ting’s forces began preparations for departure under Li Miao’s orders. Jiang Ting needed someone to stay put, but now, with Sun Ce separated by Lujiang, Lujiang would not attack Jiang Ting; Cao Cao was too busy to bother, and Liu Biao was still lost in his own peaceful dreams.

Jiang Ting was content in its quiet. Lu Mian was still recovering from wounds and had only just awakened from unconsciousness; full recovery would take over a month. Li Miao planned to have Qin Huai and Lu Mian garrison Jiang Ting.

At that moment, Bao Long suddenly requested to see Li Miao.

“Your Majesty, I, Bao Long, have always admired a true man. Today, after your battle with that white-robed divine general, I wholeheartedly admire you. Bao Long wishes to join you…” Bao Long said earnestly.

“General Bao, you are so brave, it’s an honor!” Li Miao laughed heartily. Thanks to yesterday’s Nokia functions, he knew that Bao Long’s claim of killing Twin Tigers was true, though Bao Long was eventually slain by Zhao Yun, which was understandable.

Who was Zhao Yun? Bao Long’s skills made guarding Jiang Ting seem like child’s play.

This solved Li Miao’s dilemma of having no reliable men. Bao Long also had a good relationship with Lu Mian. In the end, Li Miao decided to have Bao Long and Lu Mian jointly defend Jiang Ting, with Lu Mian as the lead and Bao Long as deputy. After all, Lu Mian was still injured; Li Miao couldn’t drag a seriously wounded man thousands of miles.

The next day, before Liu Xie arrived at Jiang Ting, he saw Li Miao and his group already ready to depart. Li Miao wasn’t going to war; he only brought his commanders, strategists, and five hundred Yulin troops.

“General, once we reach Lujiang, I’ll invite you to drink,” Liu Xie greeted, relieved to see Li Miao had kept his word by bringing five hundred soldiers, sparing him the anxiety.

But Li Miao ignored him and instead looked toward Taishi Ci. The two exchanged smiles, sensing goodwill in each other.

Li Miao then lifted the corner of his mouth and gazed southward—the direction of Lujiang.

...

Then Li Miao looked east, where the sun was rising, its golden orb surging over the horizon.

A resolute gleam shone in Li Miao’s eyes, one that drew Taishi Ci’s attention, though he didn’t know that Li Miao was silently declaring to himself:

“Lujiang, here I come!”

At Lujiang’s Wancheng seat of government, Liu Xun sat on the throne, a slight smirk playing on his lips—a cold sneer.

“Heh, so they’ve really come?”

“Yes, my lord. The general has already sent word that they’ll arrive soon,” an aide reported.

“Excellent, excellent,” Liu Xun applauded. Li Miao coming to Lujiang was like fish on his chopping board—he could manipulate him at will. And Li Miao’s arrival meant the jade seals had arrived, as well as Li Yin, Yang Hong, Zhang Xun, and others. It meant Sun Ce would send troops to attack Haihun Shangliao, and it meant...

Gold and silver, treasures, and beauties.

Liu Xun’s eyes gleamed with greed, as if envisioning a mountain of gold, his laughter echoing long and loud.

Meanwhile, Li Miao and Liu Xie’s group traveled uneventfully, though Liu Xie was left speechless by Li Miao and Huang Yi.

Especially Huang Yi—wow, she could curse a dead person alive or kill the living with her words. Her barrage of anonymous, cutting curses left Liu Xie unsure whether to be angry or amused; he could only endure and witness Huang Yi’s thunderous wrath firsthand.

Li Miao, meanwhile, was absorbed in his phone, playing with its apps. It was the first time in the Eastern Han he had such leisure. He paid no mind to Huang Yi’s curses, unaware whose mother she had insulted or whose meal she had stolen. But to Liu Xie, this was tacit approval.

Though frustrated, Liu Xie couldn’t help but slightly respect Li Miao’s thinking.

“Humph, such a reckless fellow—what can he accomplish even if he reaches Lujiang?” In Liu Xie’s eyes, Li Miao was just a playboy living for pleasure.

There was no reason to fear him, even though Li Miao’s ability to match Taishi Ci made Liu Xie twitch.

Several days later, upon arriving at Lujiang, before entering the city gates, they saw Liu Xun personally come out to greet them. Before Lujiang, the two men raised their cups and drank together, vowing not to part sober. The affection display began anew.

Li Miao had grown bored from all the politicking and idle talk. Except for the day he showed off with his phone, his main task was to avoid Taishi Ci.

Taishi Ci constantly challenged him to spar, but Li Miao kept declining, saying they’d have a good fight after reaching Lujiang.

Along the way, Li Miao realized that coming to Lujiang was only to seek temporary refuge and to gain resources and talent. He understood clearly that Lujiang was just a stopgap; he intended to take it but refused to tie his fate to this broken city.

Since freeing his mind from Jiang Ting, Li Miao discovered how vast the world truly was.

Lujiang was merely a temporary expedient.

His foundation was and always would be in Shouchun, in Jiang Ting.

Liu Xun took Li Miao’s hand and led him into his government hall in Wancheng, then hosted a welcoming feast for the Jiang Ting group. During the meal, Li Miao recalled that a later Li Miao also arrived in Lujiang, but that one was intercepted—he had come willingly.

Li Miao drank a cup of wine, sighing inwardly.

“Is this fate?” he mused.

How similar history's course truly was.

A doctor in Eastern Wu?

Li Miao sneered silently. This life was not that of his future self.

I am the Emperor, the Emperor is the King!

Watching Liu Xun at the table, a trace of drunkenness and coldness surfaced in Li Miao’s heart. Perhaps it was because his martial arts had greatly improved—Li Miao hadn’t realized yet that he had grown strategic and calculating.

The future Li Miao was eventually captured by Sun Ce, but this Li Miao now understood the tide of events. In less than half a year, Lujiang would become Sun Ce’s prize—or his own.

“Come, come, everyone drink!” Liu Xun called out, raising his cup to Li Miao, “General’s son, no need for formalities—I’ll just call you nephew.”

The table fell silent. Liu Xun was blunt; wasn’t “nephew” better than “general”?

As Li Miao expected, he did not hold back. His expression darkened immediately, fingers gripping his cup tightly.

Liu Xun laughed, confident that Li Miao could never achieve greatness—unable to endure such a minor slight, how could he be a threat? Liu Xun believed the rumors that Li Miao was just a frivolous playboy.

Seeing all eyes on them, Liu Xun hurriedly said,

“General, I spoke out of turn—please forgive me. I owe my success to your father, and I’m truly grateful. Hearing that you were under attack at Jiang Ting, I felt uneasy, so I brought you here to stay for a while in Lujiang.”

Only then did the intense, deadly glances retreat. Liu Xun apologized and invited everyone to continue.

Yet Li Miao showed him no respect.

Knowing he was different from the others present, and that Liu Xun’s invitation mostly came from his subordinates, Li Miao acted unrestrained but not so much as to endanger his life.

Within six months, Liu Xun probably wouldn’t kill him outright—at worst, imprison him.

Li Miao smiled wryly, refusing to raise his cup or speak. His anger lingered, face dark.

Liu Xun, unaware this was Li Miao’s deliberate act, thought, “It’s just a term of endearment—uncle or big brother.” Li Miao didn’t care; no one cared about your status or dignity, only the heights you ultimately stand at, to be mocked or admired. Had Li Miao known before coming here, even the old grandmother selling groceries on the street could have called him that.

Remember, Liu Bang, the founder of the Han Dynasty, was a master of thick-skinned cunning. Even Li Miao would struggle to match his thick-skinned resilience.

“Heh, thanks, General Liu. But I’d like to ask—when will you return the gold you borrowed from me?”

Li Miao’s tone was icy. The thought of it annoyed him—Liu Xun was outright a fraud.

Watching Liu Xun’s face turn pale and flushed alternately, Li Miao slammed the table and took a shallow sip from his cup.

Liu Xun’s pride was shattered; he couldn’t eat.

But these were experienced men; such a scene at a welcoming feast couldn’t be allowed to escalate.

Indeed, Liu Xun was craftier than Li Miao. After a moment of fluctuating complexion, he recovered and smiled at Li Miao.

“General Li, rest assured. I will send someone to deliver your gold to your mansion within two days.” Liu Xun assigned Li Miao a residence—not a grand mansion, but close to Zhang Xun’s, and spacious enough.

Granting Li Miao a residence was both a recognition of his strength and a way to keep him under surveillance. Otherwise, trying to extort money from Liu Xun would be nearly impossible.

“Very well, I’ll await the four thousand gold at my mansion,” Li Miao said, raising his cup and drinking it all.

“Four thousand gold?” Liu Xun twitched. “Are you trying to extort me? I only took two thousand gold from you!”

“Why? Does the governor have difficulties?” Li Miao smiled faintly. “Then when you have enough, I’ll give you the jade seals.”

How ungrateful.

Liu Xun cursed inwardly, casting Li Miao a disdainful glance. This fellow was really skilled, standing firm on this matter.

“Don’t you know you’re just a grasshopper in my hand?”

But now was not the time to lose his temper. Liu Xun gritted his teeth, “No, no. I, Liu Xun, keep my word. Within two days it will be done.”

Li Miao smiled lightly.

The two drank together. Although the atmosphere was warm and friendly, everyone understood the unspoken psychological games between Li Miao and Liu Xun and kept quiet. The feast was full of laughter but fraught with tension.

Unknown to all, two men placed in the most remote corner by Liu Xun viewed Li Miao differently.

One was Liu Ye.

The other was Taishi Ci.

Taishi Ci sensed a true manly spirit in Li Miao and grew more interested, while Liu Ye seemed to see through Li Miao’s nature and judged him as wildly ambitious and dangerous if approached too closely.

“Hmph, this brat is too much!”