"Yes, sir!" the assembled men answered in unison. With a gentle wave of his hand, Strategist Ji addressed them, "Chen An, Li Yin—stay behind; you all disperse and attend to your own tasks."
After the others had gone their separate ways, two soldiers from among those remaining approached. Li Yan observed them: one appeared to be about thirty years old with a square face and a ruddy complexion, while the other, only about twenty with a round face and large, fair eyes, both standing around seven chi tall in standard military uniform. Pointing first at the older man, Strategist Ji said, "This is Chen An." Then he pointed at the younger soldier, "This is Li Yin. They normally handle all the miscellaneous tasks in the granary, so they are well informed about military affairs. Should I not be at the manor, you may instruct these two to handle what needs to be done. And if you're out in the city, have them accompany you—not only will their assistance ease your work, but they will also ensure your safety. After all, this is a border city; enemy forces often infiltrate to gather intelligence. Once they learn that you're my disciple, they're bound to take a keen interest in you."
Hearing these words, Li Yan's heart tightened—and then warmed. He bowed deeply and replied, "Thank you, Master." (Earlier, when he'd called him "Teacher," the term still felt a bit unfamiliar to his tongue; now it came from the heart.)
Chen An and Li Yin responded respectfully with, "At your service, sir. Please rest assured."
"Very well," the strategist continued. "Now, you both go prepare his living supplies. In a little while, send them over." They answered promptly, "Yes, sir."
After everyone had dispersed, only the two soldiers remained. Watching them exchange a few meaningful glances as they stared after Li Yan's departing back, Li Yan himself—who'd originally thought he would reside within one of the two rows of bluestone houses—noticed that his master made no such pause. Instead, Strategist Ji walked straight ahead; when he reached the end of the row and turned right, a valley came into view. Carved into one side of the stone wall at the valley mouth were a few boldly painted red characters: "軍師府" (Strategist's Mansion).
Li Yan mused to himself, "It's just a valley—how does it come to be called 'Strategist's Mansion'?" But his feet would not slow, and he followed his master inside.
Inside, the valley was modest in size—about fifty to sixty zhang in area—and was hemmed in on three sides by towering mountains with near-vertical slopes overgrown with clusters of trees and shrubs. There was only one opening at the valley mouth. On the right side of the entrance, a row of simple bluestone dwellings, perhaps three or four in number, stood. It was already dark, and while the details inside were hazy at first, soon the windows of the houses glowed with light, and the overall landscape began to reveal itself.
At that moment, Li Yan heard hurried footsteps behind him. Turning, he saw, emerging once again from the tent at the valley entrance, two figures—indeed, the same Chen An and Li Yin he'd met earlier—returning swiftly with what appeared to be the living supplies his master had ordered. Their prompt arrival spoke of efficiency and familiarity with these tasks.
After they quickly made their way to the stone houses, lights began to flicker on in the dwellings, and soon more details emerged of the valley's modest setup.
Then Strategist Ji turned to Li Yan and asked, with a warm smile, "Among those waiting, is there anyone who sent you here?"
Quickly, Li Yan replied, "Master, a respected elder from my family sent his disciple—me—to apply for enlistment."
"Ah, then please go and greet him; afterward, come back with me," the strategist instructed.
"Understood—thank you, Master," Li Yan said, his heart buoyed by the news. After bowing deeply, he strode toward the group.
At the gate of the training ground, a few guards on duty recognized immediately that this young man had been accepted as a disciple by Strategist Ji. They knew well how hard it was for the strategist to select his disciples; among the many candidates, only a handful ever made the cut. One junior squad leader stepped forward, saluted Strategist Ji with hands clasped, and said, "Congratulations, Strategist! At long last, our master's wish is fulfilled." With a graceful nod and a gentle smile, the strategist acknowledged him, then resumed his steady stance.
After the warm congratulations, the junior officer retreated to his post. In his mind, he resolved to seize some opportunity later—to get closer to this newly chosen disciple. In his eyes, having a teacher as illustrious as Strategist Ji could very well become a lifelong advantage, a powerful connection within the military. Yet he also knew that others likely harbored similar aspirations.
Not long after, Li Yan reached the designated waiting area. Realizing he should not keep his master waiting, he approached a man from his own family who had seen him off and explained, in a low voice, the situation. At first, the man—whom Li Guoxin knew well—remained composed, but gradually, his mouth began to part in astonishment. After Li Yan finished speaking, the man stood dumbfounded. Li Yan, noticing the vacant "oh, oh" response, felt a pang of shame. He bowed once more to him, and then, without delay, retrieved his package from the carriage as he hurried back to meet his master at the training-ground entrance.
When Li Yan rejoined Strategist Ji, without waiting for further instructions, he bowed deeply and said, "Master, I have already reported everything to Uncle."
The strategist chuckled warmly. "Very well then; come with me back to the manor." After a brief pause, he added, "I normally dislike having many attendants along, so it will just be the two of us today."
Li Yan found this rather curious. He recalled what the village elders had described about the grand processions of high officials—a scene of overwhelming splendor and authority—but he had never seen an official escorted in such a manner. Still, he did not press the matter further; after all, he had never witnessed such pomp. Adjusting the strap of his package, he hurried on to catch up with his teacher.
Not long after the two departed, the waiting crowd burst into animated talk. Those who had recognized Strategist Ji earlier now gossiped excitedly at the news that Li Yan, the new disciple, had emerged alongside him. Their conversation was laced with surprise: many could hardly believe that someone who had just applied could so quickly attach himself to the strategist's side—and even be granted the title of Vice Ensign of the Anti-Insult Unit by Marshal Hong. Such rapid advancement was unheard of among the average soldier. Overwhelmed by this astonishing news, one of the onlookers, Li Guoxin, hurriedly dismounted his carriage and scrambled away, his mind whirling with questions. Later that night, he resolved to return home by first informing his family of this incredible turn of events—surely the whole village would soon be abuzz that the young Li had risen so swiftly.
Meanwhile, whispers spread among the onlookers. Once convinced that the news was true, many secretly began wondering if they might also secure an advantageous connection—if their relatives might someday benefit from such an association.
Eventually, Li Yan and Strategist Ji reached the northern city gate. Strategist Ji walked silently along, his pace as if he belonged to the scene. Li Yan, though used to walking on foot from a young age on mountain hunts, now found himself exerting nearly all his energy—almost seventy to eighty percent just to keep pace. Watching his teacher's seeming ease filled him with even greater longing for the promising life that awaited him.
At the city gate, a small contingent of about seven or eight soldiers, led by a junior squad leader, were busy inspecting those entering and leaving. Li Yan observed that these were not his previous companions from Liu Chengyong's unit—apparently, the guard had been rotated. On noticing Strategist Ji's approach, the squad leader promptly stepped forward and saluted with hands folded. Receiving a nod and a gentle smile from the strategist, the squad leader led his group away, while Li Yan quietly trailed behind.
After Strategist Ji and Li Yan had passed through the gate, the junior leader murmured to himself, "Strange—this youth, though unfamiliar in appearance, is not one of those permanent attendants of Master Ji's household. Who might he be to follow so closely at all times?"
Once outside the city, Li Yan wondered in confusion. The wide avenue stretching north was flanked by endless, undulating hills whose depths defied easy estimation. Could it be that his teacher's manor was located in a town dozens of li away? That would make the daily journey extremely arduous on foot—an inconvenience he simply could not fathom for someone of his new status. Though a walk of several dozen li might not be impossible, the prospect of such a monotonous round-trip was discouraging.
On the road, Strategist Ji said nothing—lost in his own thoughts—leaving Li Yan to follow in quiet contemplation while his mind wandered freely.
After about two li beyond the city, Strategist Ji suddenly veered left toward the western mountains. Looking carefully, Li Yan saw that at this junction there was a mountain path winding deeply into the western range. Though such side roads were common around the city, he barely batted an eyelash—until now, when the unexpected detour intrigued him.
The western mountains differed strikingly from the eastern ones. Whereas the eastern hills extended a few hundred li before giving way to the broad plains of the Central Region—where one could ride horses at full gallop—the western expanse was shrouded in mystery. Locals said that venturing west might require a journey of four or five hundred li, beyond which untold dangers lurked: nameless beasts and venomous creatures that made for a near-certain death for every ten who dared enter, even for the best martial artists of the jianghu. Li Yan recalled that Marshal Hong had once led an elite unit about four hundred li into these wildernesses, suffering heavy casualties and receiving a ghastly scar from a beast's tail—a grim reminder that hesitation could prove fatal.
Strategist Ji led Li Yan along the winding mountain trail, ascending among towering trees and verdant undergrowth. By now, it was nearly dusk. Although autumn days in this region were long, the dense canopy of leaves gradually dimmed the light. After climbing several stone steps, they emerged onto a vast clearing—approximately one hundred to one hundred and ten zhang in area—nestled amid the ancient trees and surrounded on all sides. The clearing, likely man-made, featured a paved surface of smooth bluestone slabs; along one edge stood two rows of tall, bluestone dwellings (about four or five houses per row), neatly arranged. The spacious area was also dotted with sandbags and shallow pits for training, all aligned with remarkable precision.
Upon arriving at the clearing, Li Yan noticed eight soldiers—standing in two rows with spears—vigilantly guarding the entrance to the stone steps. When they saw Strategist Ji, they saluted formally before resuming their positions at either side, glancing briefly at Li Yan without further inquiry.
Strategist Ji nodded to them and then strode directly into the center of the clearing. After a few measured steps, he paused and addressed one of the guards, "Oh, you—go and call everyone out. I have an announcement."
One guard responded briskly, "Yes, sir!" and hurried to the central area, loudly proclaiming, "The Master has returned—everyone, come out!" Within moments, a dozen or so people spilled out from the bluestone dwellings on either side.
Since ascending onto the platform, Li Yan had remained close to his teacher. Approaching the dispersed assembly, he noticed that aside from the eight guarding soldiers, there was another group of about twelve men in standard uniform—and, most surprisingly, three middle-aged women among them.
Some of these assembled, particularly those in the middle who were either soldiers or these women, watched Li Yan with curious, even somewhat puzzled expressions. The others stood silently.
Strategist Ji then announced, "This is my new disciple, Li Yan. He will be residing here from now on." He gestured toward Li Yan and continued, "This valley is also my residence. The twenty soldiers you see were dispatched by the Marshal for security, and the remaining women are responsible for preparing our meals and washing our garments."
Li Yan looked at them and felt a twinge of surprise—some people's expressions were oddly enigmatic, leaving him puzzled.