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The day before his departure, Qin Qiong ordered his soldiers to conduct a final drill and inspection, while he himself went alone to a secluded backwater on the banks of the Zuojiang River at dusk. As expected, Li Shimin was already waiting there, his figure disappearing into the rising twilight mist.

The two stood side by side, watching the turbid river flow eastward, speechless for a long time. Only the gurgling of the river and the first chirping of night insects could be heard.

"Tomorrow, I, Qin, will need to return to Yongzhou to report back."

Qin Qiong spoke first: "Li Gong should have a plan for the three-year period. Maps, gifts, and knowledge are all assets. However, the vast ocean, the new and untamed land, and five thousand foreign slaves are no easy task. People's hearts, food, military equipment, discipline, epidemics, water and soil... there are countless things to consider."

Li Shimin nodded silently, his gaze fixed on the misty mountains on the opposite shore: "Brother Shubao, I understand. This journey... is indeed like wading into the sea, a perilous one with nine deaths. However... compared to waiting here like rotten wood for our end, or the unknown executioner's blade, this sliver of hope is already a stroke of luck. But... countless doubts linger in my heart: Your Majesty's true intentions, those five thousand slaves, the dangers of the sea voyage... can we truly establish ourselves in this desolate land?"

Qin Qiong turned to look at him. In the twilight, the profile of this once-ruling King of Qin was hard and cold, yet etched with the marks of worry.

"His Majesty's intentions are difficult to fathom, but his actions are discernible. Since His Majesty has promised resources and ships, he will not go back on his word. The problem with slaves lies primarily in their control and division. We can emulate the wisdom of Chen Ping and Ban Chao of the Han Dynasty, using barbarians to control barbarians, employing both kindness and force, and transforming them into a force for land reclamation and conquest, rather than a threat from behind. The intricacies involved are something that Lord Li was familiar with when he managed the heroes of Shandong and the Turkic vassals."

A glint flashed in Li Shimin's eyes, then disappeared. Qin Qiong's words were tantamount to acknowledging that he still had the ability and space to employ political maneuvering.

"As for the sea voyage and establishing a foothold..."

Qin Qiong took out a small copper tube sealed with sealing wax from his bosom and handed it to Li Shimin: "This is a letter from me. After arriving in Yongzhou, I will send it along with a military report and present it directly to Your Majesty. In addition to reporting on the situation here, I humbly request that Your Majesty increase the number of guides and officials dispatched three years later who are proficient in hydrology, nautical charts, city construction, and communication with the local people. Furthermore..."

"After Qin returns to his hometown, he will select twenty capable young men from among the Qin clan, his former retainers, and his old relatives. Some of them will be skilled in martial arts, others in crafts, some in agriculture, and others will have experience in commerce. When the fleet departs, these twenty men will join the Li family's ranks under the pretext of voluntarily accompanying the expedition and awaiting Lord Li's command."

Li Shimin shuddered, abruptly turning his head to look at Qin Qiong in disbelief. The copper pipe felt slightly heavy in his hand, but Qin Qiong's words carried even greater weight.

This is more than just a suggestion; it's real human support, and it comes from Qin Qiong's own family! Is it Qin Qiong's personal favor and investment? Or does it represent a tacit approval or even encouragement within the Chinese Empire? Or is Qin Qiong reserving an overseas branch for his family?
"Brother Shubao, this kindness..."

Li Shimin's voice was hoarse, and he was momentarily at a loss for words. These twenty men, in the unfamiliar and wild continent, were probably worth two hundred ordinary slaves! They were also the link between them and the imperial generals.

Qin Qiong raised his hand to stop him from continuing, his gaze frank: "It is not out of gratitude or loyalty, nor entirely out of old affection. His Majesty's ambition lies in the world, in overseas expansion, and this is not limited to the Li family. In Lingnan, Jiangnan, and Dengzhou and Laizhou, some prominent maritime merchants have already been granted 'exploration orders' to go to the South Seas and the islands of the East China Sea. The court tacitly allows civilian forces to explore the seas, in order to alleviate the pressure on the maritime frontier and spread the seeds of Chinese civilization. My actions are also in line with the general trend, to secure a long-distance branch for my family, and to contribute my meager efforts to His Majesty's long-term cause. These twenty people must all sign a life-or-death pledge, voluntarily going, and I will take care of their families. Their loyalty to His Majesty and the Chinese Dynasty remains unchanged, but in that Southern Yin Continent, they must respect the Li family as their leader and work together to survive."

He paused, his tone growing increasingly somber: "The world is indeed vast, Lord Li. His Majesty has made this clear to you—it is exile, but also... the breaking of shackles. Whether you can seize this opportunity, earn a place for the Li family, and restore some... its former glory, depends entirely on yourselves. These twenty people are my... farewell gift to my former master."

Li Shimin gripped the copper tube tightly, his fingertips turning white from the force. The throbbing in his chest, a mixture of fear and ambition, surged once more.

Qin Qiong's words opened a long-closed door in his heart, leading to a vast battlefield. This was no longer a pure, desperate exile, but an extremely dangerous yet purposeful expedition, a game of strategy on a completely new chessboard. Although the unfathomable Emperor Hua sat at the chessboard, the one who would make the moves would be Li Shimin!

Li Shimin took a step back and bowed deeply to Qin Qiong. This bow was not only an expression of gratitude for the timely help, but also a declaration of his resolve.

Qin Qiong did not avoid the gesture, accepting the bow, then reached out to help him up, squeezing his arm firmly. Their eyes met again, many unspoken words swirling within them.

The next morning, as dawn broke, the rain had temporarily stopped.

Qin Qiong and his hundred cavalrymen had already lined up, their armor gleaming, and a chilling aura had returned. The Li clan members gathered in the open space, silently seeing them off; the atmosphere was more complex than the anxious welcome they had received seven days earlier.

Li Shimin led his clansmen, standing at the forefront. Li Yuan was still in bed, and Li Jiancheng stood beside Li Shimin, his face still somber, but his posture seemed a little straighter.

Qin Qiong sat upright on his horse, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before finally settling on Li Shimin. He clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, "Lord Li, gentlemen, I must take my leave now due to military duties. I hope you will make good use of the Emperor's grace, work diligently and strive for self-improvement, and live up to the precious time ahead. The three-year period will soon be over; I hope you will take good care of yourselves."

Li Shimin returned the salute with clasped hands: "Respectfully seeing off the General Who Guards the South. We are deeply grateful for your great kindness, which will be remembered by the entire Li family."

The clansmen behind him also bowed.

Qin Qiong said no more, pulled on the reins, and turned his horse around. The hundred riders, like a black iron torrent, slowly started moving, disappearing into the morning mist and forests along the way they had come. The sound of hooves gradually faded into the distance, eventually disappearing completely, leaving only muddy hoofprints on the clearing.

The settlement returned to its former "peace," but beneath this calm, a completely different undercurrent was surging. The way people looked at the new tools and books in their hands was different now. Li Shimin turned to look at his people and saw in their eyes bewilderment, expectation, fear, and also a faint, ignited flame.

Holding up the scroll of silk map, his voice clearly reached everyone's ears: "His Majesty's grace has granted us a way to live and a future. However, the road ahead is fraught with peril, unlike any other. From this day forward, all members of the Li clan, regardless of age or gender, must do their utmost to study literature and martial arts, strengthen their bodies, hone their skills, and accumulate provisions. Specific regulations will be announced later." Li Shimin made no mention of Nan Yinzhou, no mention of the five thousand slaves, and no mention of the twenty people Qin Qiong had promised. Some information needed to be released gradually, and some pressure needed to be borne gradually. But the sixteen characters—"study literature and martial arts," "strengthen their bodies," "hone their skills," and "accumulate provisions"—had already set the tone for the entire family's life for the next three years.

...............

In the twenty-fourth year of the establishment of the dynasty, in Siguo Lane, Yongzhou.

Three years have passed in the humid and sweltering climate of Lingnan, where the seasons are not very distinct. This settlement on the banks of the Zuojiang River has quietly changed its appearance.

The former chaos has been replaced by a tense, orderly busyness. Most of the low houses have been reinforced and expanded to a limited extent, and thatched roofs have been replaced with more durable tiles.

Neater vegetable plots were created around the houses, and some vegetables and fruits introduced from outside and adapted to Lingnan were even planted. A relatively flat slope was cleared out as a training ground for the clansmen to practice martial arts and simple formations every morning. The clanging sound of blacksmithing came from the newly built, sheltered workshop, as the clansmen learned to maintain and make farm tools, and even some simple spearheads and arrowheads, under the guidance of craftsmen.

The Li clan members, regardless of age, no longer displayed the complete numbness on their faces, but instead showed a more melancholic focus and a lingering anxiety.

The younger generation was noticeably more robust, their eyes revealing not only vigilance but also a sharp edge driven by rigorous training and a clear goal. The women were busy spinning, tanning leather, curing food, and packaging medicine, making meticulous and extensive preparations for a long and unknown journey. The children were also organized, learning simple writing, identifying herbs, and undergoing basic physical training. The entire settlement resembled a wound-up machine, its old parts emitting a dull but continuous hum.

Over these three years, Li Shimin showed deeper signs of aging; his temples were almost entirely white, and the wrinkles on his forehead were etched like knife marks. Yet, a cold, clear-headed decisiveness rekindled in his eyes. Based on Qin Qiong's advice and the map of the world, and considering the clan's actual situation, he formulated a detailed three-year plan. Resources were strictly controlled and allocated; skills training was conducted in age and gender groups; discipline was elevated to an unprecedented level. Any words or actions that might jeopardize the entire clan's "plan" would be met with the most severe reprimands and even punishment. He even secretly organized several small-scale "drills" simulating scenarios such as slave revolts, native attacks, and sudden illnesses. Pressure and hope coexisted, like a double-edged sword hanging over the heads of every clansman, also straining the already fragile relationships within the clan. But regardless, a collective will to survive was painstakingly forged.

In the late autumn of the twenty-third year of his reign, Li Yuan passed away quietly on a stormy night, suffering from a persistent high fever and delirium. Before his death, he tightly grasped Li Shimin's hand, his cloudy eyes filled with longing for his distant homeland. Ultimately, he left no clear last words. His passing seemed to mark the end of an old era, also stripping away the last vestiges of reliance on past glory for some of his clansmen, forcing everyone to confront the cruel and real future.

Now, the deadline has arrived.

On this day, there were no grand ceremonies, no fluttering banners. A troop of about five hundred elite soldiers from the Southern Army of the Hua Empire, led by a young, expressionless captain, arrived at Siguo Lane on time. They brought orders: the entire Li clan must immediately pack their belongings and march north with the army to Luoyang, the capital. They had three days.

The final flurry of activity carried a poignant sense of panic. Tools, books (especially those repeatedly copied and supplemented notes), medicines, a small selection of seeds, homemade weapons, and even some long-lasting rations that could be carried were packed into boxes. Houses, cultivated land, and unripe crops that could not be taken had to be abandoned. Many people touched the stoves they had built and the trees they had planted one last time, silently shedding tears.

On the morning of the fourth day, before dawn, a thin mist shrouded the banks of the Zuojiang River. The entire Li clan, men, women, and children, totaling over four hundred people, along with twenty Qin clan members secretly sent by Qin Qiong as promised, formed a somewhat disorderly procession and, under the watchful eyes of the Southern Army soldiers, silently departed from the land that had imprisoned them for twenty-four years, leaving behind countless tears and memories of their final three years of struggle.

Looking back, the reflection in the morning mist gradually blurred and eventually disappeared into the shadow of the karst mountains, like a long nightmare that has finally ended, but does not know whether the road ahead is an abyss or the other shore.

The team headed north along the widened and renovated Lingnan branch of the "Qin Straight Road".

The Southern Army was highly disciplined and rarely spoke except for necessary instructions. The Li clan members walked with their heads down, their hearts filled with fear of their unknown fate and complex emotions towards Luoyang, that place of both glory and destruction.

However, the scenery along the way gradually challenged their long-held perceptions.

The road was much wider and smoother than they remembered. The road surface was paved with gray-white "three-in-one soil" (a mixture of "cement" and sand promoted by the Ministry of Works of the Hua Dynasty), as hard as stone, and could accommodate four horse-drawn carriages side by side.

Along the road, there were well-organized post stations every ten miles, providing not only lodging and food but also garrisoned soldiers to manage postal services and maintain order. A constant stream of caravans laden with ivory, spices, pearls, and tropical timber from the south, and silk, porcelain, ironware, and books from the north, flowed endlessly. The size and prosperity of the villages and towns along the way far exceeded their expectations. New brick houses appeared in clusters, markets were overflowing with goods, and while the people's clothing wasn't luxurious, most were neat and tidy, with rosy complexions, and few looked malnourished.

"Is this...is this still the official road from back then?"

An elderly member of the Li clan exclaimed in a low voice.

"Look at those caravan flags, there are not only those of wealthy merchants from the Central Plains, but also those of Persians, Arabs, and even slave traders from Kunlun..."

Li Chengqian whispered to Li Shimin, explaining that he was responsible for limited communication with the military commander to gather more information: "It is said that the trade route from Guangzhou and Jiaozhou to Luoyang is now one of the busiest financial routes in the world. The court has established the Maritime Trade Office to collect taxes and encourage maritime trade."

Li Shimin nodded silently, but his heart was filled with turbulent emotions. This orderly prosperity, this vibrant flow, this infrastructure and commercial landscape far surpassing the Sui Dynasty's heyday, all demonstrated the astonishing national strength and efficient governance of the Chinese Empire.

Vatti, this mysterious rival and "benefactor," truly possesses extraordinary methods of governance. (End of Chapter)