The warships put on sail, riding the wind and cutting the waves, running downstream.

Two ships ahead, one in the middle, and two more behind.

Ning Chen was on the middle ship.

He had the roomiest cabin on the second deck.

He went back to his cabin and opened the bundle Yudie had given him.

Inside were five padded coats and five outer robes in different colors, along with undershirts, drawers and cloth socks.

He had left in such a hurry that he had given none of it a thought… He had Yudie to thank for it.

Ning Chen picked up the scent bag and smelled it. A faint scent of orchid.

He was going to war, and a scent bag was hardly suitable, but he took one out all the same and hung it at his waist.

He pushed the door open and went out.

Feng Qizheng and Chen Chong were standing on either side of the doorway.

“What are you two standing there like fools for?”

Feng Qizheng said with a perfectly straight face, “General Ning. We’re your personal bodyguards. We’re responsible for keeping you safe.”

“That’s right. Even when you sleep at night, we sleep on either side of you.”

Chen Chong added it.

Something clenched in Ning Chen.

“Get out of it!”

Ning Chen swore at him, laughing.

“Come on. Let’s take a turn on deck!”

The three of them came down from the second deck and out onto the main deck.

Ning Chen watched the five warships moving slowly along, and there was some excitement in him after all.

At this rate, five days would bring them to Lingzhou.

Chen Chong rubbed his arms. “This devil of a weather, it’s damned cold. When we come home in triumph I’m going to the courtesans’ quarter for a few days and warm myself on some girl’s—”

Chen Chong had not finished when Feng Qizheng suddenly bolted to the side of the ship and began to vomit.

“The girls at the courtesans’ quarter aren’t that sickening, surely?”

Ning Chen gave him a look with an edge in it. “He’s seasick.”

“Old Feng’s built like an ox. How can he get seasick?”

“Seasickness is mostly in the head, the same as a fear of heights… It has nothing to do with how strong a man is.”

Feng Qizheng brought up the whole of his breakfast, and his face went the color of wax as he sat down against the rail.

Ning Chen teased him. “Old Feng. If the girls at the courtesans’ quarter could see you like this, wouldn’t they think they could take your money again?”

The girls at the courtesans’ quarter both loved and hated Feng Qizheng. Loved him because the animal was so fierce, hated him because they could not get out of bed the next day, which cost them their earnings.

Feng Qizheng had no strength left to trade words with Ning Chen.

Ning Chen had the soldiers help him back to his cabin, and sent the army surgeon to look at him.

Two days went by in a blur.

At first Ning Chen had been excited. Now he could not raise any excitement at all.

He was bored enough to jump off the ship and swim a couple of laps, if only the water had not been so cold.

Life on board was dull and empty.

He made himself a fishhook out of a sewing needle and stuck at it for a whole day. Never mind a fish, he did not land so much as a shrimp.

He got through to the fifth day at last.

Ning Chen was in his cabin studying a map of Lingzhou.

Qi Yuanzhong came in.

“General Ning. We’ll be at Lingzhou soon!”

Ning Chen felt a lift of excitement. At last.

Two hours later the warships came alongside.

Before anyone had gone ashore, there was a great clashing of gongs and drums on the bank and firecrackers going off in volleys.

“What’s all this?”

Qi Yuanzhong said, “It’ll be the officials of Lingzhou. They’ve heard you were coming and made a point of turning out to meet you.”

Ning Chen’s brows drew together. “Their information is quick enough, isn’t it?”

Qi Yuanzhong said quietly, “There’s no hiding it. These men keep their eyes fixed on the capital, and at the least stir of wind in the grass the word reaches them.”

“You’re the hottest name in the capital just now. Naturally you’re on their list of things to watch.”

Ning Chen smiled coldly. “If these men can get word, can the hill bandits get word too?”

Qi Yuanzhong smiled ruefully and nodded.

If the local officials kept their eyes on the capital, the hill bandits would certainly be keeping theirs on the officials.

Ning Chen made a cold sound in his nose. He had come to put down bandits, and all this noise and banners… was this a welcome for him, or a notice to the bandits?

He took out a map and handed it to Qi Yuanzhong, and told him:

“Brother Qi, we’ll split up. I’ll take a hundred men ashore first and keep them occupied… After that you and Yuan Long take the rest and go straight for Yang’an County along the route I’ve marked.”

“When you get there, take some of the men and secure the county office first… The rest camp outside the town. Don’t disturb the common people.”

“At the same time, send men to close the roads to Changshou Village quietly.”

Qi Yuanzhong started. “It seems you had this arranged some time ago.”

Ning Chen said, smiling, “Ready is better than sorry.”

“You suspect there’s something wrong with the magistrate of Yang’an County?”

Ning Chen shook his head. “Only mending the roof before it rains. There’s no saying he isn’t keeping the bandits fat to fatten himself.”

Qi Yuanzhong nodded.

Ning Chen took Chen Chong and a hundred men ashore.

A short, stout middle-aged man in official robes came up at the head of a party, his face all smiles.

“This lowly official is Zhang Yuancang, Prefect of Lingzhou, presenting himself to General Ning. Welcome, General Ning, and it is an honor to have you.”

Ning Chen looked him over and said, smiling, “You know me?”

Zhang Yuancang’s face was all smiles. “Ning the Silver Coat is a prodigy, and his name is known throughout the empire. This lowly official heard of him long ago.”

“That piece of General Ning’s — Drunk, I trim the lamp to look at my sword; in dreams I am back among the camps, the horns calling down the line… and several other works for the ages besides. This lowly official reads them every day.”

Ning Chen began to laugh. “I never thought a few poor efforts of mine would reach Lingzhou so quickly.”

“General Ning comes by imperial command to put down these bandits, to rid our Lingzhou of the trouble closest to its heart and leave the common people in peace… This lowly official is more grateful than he can say. I have laid on a poor sort of wine, and I hope General Ning will not think it beneath him.”

Ning Chen laughed aloud. “Excellent… These last few days on the ship, apart from the fish, nothing was fresh. I’m nearly sick of eating.”

Zhang Yuancang’s face was all smiles.

“General Ning, please!”

Ning Chen nodded and swung into the saddle.

The party rode at a walk into the town.

“My lord. We’re here!”

Ning Chen looked at the imposing vermilion-red building in front of him, and his eyes went to the signboard. “One Laugh House. What does it mean?”

“Troubles by the score, and one laugh settles them all… General Ning, the One Laugh House is one of the two or three finest wine houses in Lingzhou. Lingzhou produces a fish called the white spirit fish, delicate and fine in the flesh, and only the One Laugh House cooks it properly.”

Ning Chen swung down from the saddle and said, smiling, “Good. It seems we’re in for a treat today… Lord Zhang, don’t let these soldiers of mine go hungry.”

“Set your mind at rest, General Ning. This lowly official arranged it long ago!”

Talking as they went, the whole party walked into the One Laugh House.

The One Laugh House had been taken for the day.

“General Ning, upstairs, please!”

They came up to the second floor. It was luxuriously fitted out, and besides the great round table in the center there was an ornate stage.

“General Ning, be seated!”

Ning Chen sat down in the head place, square and at his ease.

Zhang Yuancang’s face was all fawning. “General Ning. Shall we begin, then?”

Ning Chen said, smiling, “I’m on your ground. I’ll do as you say.”

“Then this lowly official will overstep!”

Zhang Yuancang turned and gave a few instructions to the trusted man at his side, and the man hurried away.

Before long the sweet sound of strings and pipes came up.

Singing girls came onto the stage, one after another — supple in the body, beautiful in the face, wearing very little cloth, the flesh showing and hiding as they moved.

Anyone could see these girls were well trained. There was an enticement in every frown and every smile of theirs.

Ning Chen pointed at the stage and said, laughing loudly, “So this is the white spirit fish, the local specialty Lord Zhang was telling me about? Fresh and tender indeed. I like it!”

Zhang Yuancang’s face was all fawning. “General Ning has only to say which one he wants, and I’ll have her sent to your room tonight.”

(End of Chapter 140)