Chapter 5: He Really Could Rebel!

“Your Highness, you don’t understand!”

Uncle Yang paced anxiously around the courtyard, the words tumbling out.

“Ninggu Commandery is a place of exile for convicts. It’s the most barren region in all of Great Qing.”

“The winters are terribly long. In the northern part especially, winter takes up more than half the year.”

“And that’s before you consider the barbarian tribes all around it, Goryeo to the south, and the poor routes connecting it to the Central Plains.”

He stopped and stared toward the imperial palace.

“His Majesty isn’t sending you to take up your fief. He’s exiling you!”

As Li Che’s steward, Uncle Yang felt no affection for the Qing Emperor, much less loyalty.

He had been an impoverished scholar of the previous dynasty, taken in and supported by Consort Yang. His allegiance had always belonged to her. After her death, that loyalty had passed to Li Che.

In other words, had Li Che died at court today, Uncle Yang could have rallied a band of men to rebel against the emperor on the spot.

“Uncle Yang, this is already better than I could have hoped,” Li Che reassured him. “At least I have a chance to survive there. Whatever happens, it’s better than staying in the capital.”

He did not try to explain that the Northeast was nowhere near as barren as they imagined.

Quite the opposite. It might be the richest land in all of Great Qing.

In his previous world, development of that region had begun in the late Qing dynasty.

Before then, no dynasty founded on an agrarian civilization had tried to develop that treasure trove, leaving it in the hands of nomadic peoples.

The cold was the main problem. Strategic considerations and poor transport links came second.

Even he would need time to work on those problems before he could unlock the land’s tremendous potential.

“Your Highness…” The old steward’s eyes reddened as he looked at Li Che.

His prince was still so considerate, just as he had been as a child.

Whatever bullying he endured outside, he always came home with the same gentle manner. He never took his anger out on the servants.

A look of determination flashed in Uncle Yang’s eyes.

“Your Highness, I’ll gather my old friends in the capital. We’ll go to Ninggu Commandery with you.”

He turned to leave.

Li Che hurriedly caught his arm. “Absolutely not!”

According to his memories, these so-called old friends of Uncle Yang’s were no ordinary men.

They had been sworn agents, trained by the former imperial house to die in its service. After the dynasty fell, most had changed their names and returned to normal lives, but a small number had remained hidden in the capital, waiting for an opportunity.

Even Li Che did not know who they were. Only Uncle Yang could contact them.

Looking at it that way, the emperor’s suspicions of the original owner had not been entirely unfounded.

He really did have the means to rebel!

“Uncle Yang, listen to me.” Li Che held him back and spoke earnestly. “I’ve only just received my title. How many eyes at court do you think are watching me? If you suddenly bring a group of men here now, won’t that hand them exactly what they need?”

“Once they have proof of the charges, what happens to me will be the least of it. Those men will be dragged down with me.”

Uncle Yang was no rash fool. Anxiety had merely clouded his judgment for a moment.

At Li Che’s explanation, he stopped, his face full of worry.

“Then what are we to do? If you’re going to take up a fief in such a dangerous place, you must have men at your side.”

“His Majesty has already authorized me to form a personal guard of fifteen hundred, selected from the capital’s military camps.”

The steward’s expression grew more troubled still.

“The three great camps of the capital garrison, the imperial palace guards, and the city defense troops are all the emperor’s own men. How could Your Highness trust guards like that?”

“You needn’t worry about that. I already know where to find my guards.” Li Che changed the subject. “There’s something else I need you to do. Something very important.”

“Name it, Your Highness. This old servant will see it done, even if it costs me my life.”

“Nothing so serious.” Li Che beckoned to a young maid in the distance. “Qiuwen, fetch brush and ink from my study.”

The girl nodded obediently and ran toward the study at the far end of the courtyard.

“I’ll write you a list in a moment. Take some people and buy the things on it. The more, the better.”

Only then did a question occur to him.

“How much money do we have left?”

“Five hundred taels of silver,” Uncle Yang replied.

“How much?” Li Che’s eyes widened.

Five hundred taels? An imperial prince had only five hundred taels of silver?

Yes, it was an enormous sum to an ordinary person, or even an ordinary official.

But for a prince, it might not even cover everyday expenses.

“Only five hundred. And that’s what Your Highness has managed to save by cutting back on food and other expenses.”

Li Che rubbed his temples, a headache coming on.

“Never mind. I’ll write down a few essentials. Buy those first. The rest can wait until the stipend His Majesty granted me arrives.”

He had hoped to leave the capital as soon as possible. Now it looked as though he would have to stay a while longer.

Qiuwen came running back with brush and ink in her arms.

Li Che looked at her, momentarily at a loss for words.

“I asked for brush and ink, so you really brought only a brush and ink?”

“Huh?” The girl looked at him blankly.

“What am I supposed to write on without paper?!”

“Oh!” Understanding dawned. Her cheeks reddened, and she pattered off again.

Before long, she finally returned with the paper too.

Li Che spread it out, while Uncle Yang stood beside him and ground the ink.

Fortunately, the original owner’s muscle memory remained. Although Li Che had never used a calligraphy brush before, he soon got the hang of it.

After a little thought, he covered the page with a lengthy list.

Uncle Yang took it and could not help reading aloud.

“Baidiezi… Isn’t that a flower? What do you want it for?”

“Keeping warm.”

“Baidiezi can keep you warm?” Uncle Yang asked in surprise.

“Of course.” Li Che smiled.

Baidiezi was simply cotton.

Cotton had reached the Central Plains long ago, but at first it had not been widely used. The nobility had cultivated it as an ornamental flower.

In Li Che’s original world, it was not until the Hongwu Emperor of the Ming dynasty encouraged cotton cultivation that it had gradually developed into a material for keeping out the cold.

In this world, its true use had yet to be discovered.

Uncle Yang’s eyes sped down the list, and an awkward expression appeared on his face.

Only a small portion of the items would be easy to find. Most were rarities, and some had names he had never even heard before.

Li Che saw his difficulty.

“It’s all right. Find the easy ones first. Once I have some time, we’ll look for the rest together.”

Uncle Yang nodded and carefully put the list away.

“And what will Your Highness be doing?”

Li Che grinned.

“Going to the Penal Army to recruit my personal guards.”