TKTWC 07

Chapter 07

Willing to Sign a Military Pledge**

Liu He was naturally tempted as well. If this young master truly had such skill, she would be a rare talent!

Of course, he wouldn’t be convinced by just a few words from Liu Yi.

“You say you can, and that’s that?” He scoffed. “I say you’re just stalling for time. By the time the grain reaches Guangyang and you can’t deliver on your promise, your whole family will have long since fled.”

“I am willing to sign a military pledge,” said Liu Yi.

“Excellent!”

“Absolutely not!”

Both voices rang out at once. The “Excellent” came from Liu He, and the “Absolutely not” came from Governor Liu!

He shoved aside the long sword pressed against him—the blade grazed past his face, leaving a thin red mark—then grabbed Liu Yi and pulled her behind him.

“My child speaks in jest! Please, Master He, do not take it seriously!” He bent his body in despair toward Liu He. “There is no precedent for making a fifteen-year-old child sign a military pledge!”

A military pledge—failure meant execution!

But Liu Yi steadily supported her father and straightened him up.

“Father, rest assured. I know what I’m doing.” She looked at him, her gaze calm and resolute from beginning to end.

Father and daughter locked eyes. Governor Liu was momentarily lost in thought, as if beneath his daughter’s gaze was not just a fifteen-year-old girl, but a more mature, powerful soul that could support him, their family, and even all of Yuyang.

“Bring yellow paper, brush, and ink,” Liu He ordered his men.

He had heard many commoners singing Liu Yi’s praises along the way and had been somewhat skeptical. Seeing Governor Liu so nervous, however, made him believe it a little more.

Two soldiers moved the main seat’s low table before Liu Yi, placing yellow paper and writing implements on it.

Liu Yi lifted her robe and sat down. Governor Liu still tried to stop her, but his hand froze midair, and he watched dazedly as his daughter wrote stroke by stroke.

Even if he stopped her, what else could he do?

He had been willing to sacrifice himself to protect his family, but Liu He hadn’t given him that chance either.

*[I, Liu Yi, son of the Governor of Yuyang Commandery, am hereby ordered to transport grain to Guangyang. If the delivered grain falls short of forty thousand hu, I willingly accept military punishment.]*

After writing, Liu Yi cut her finger and pressed her handprint onto the paper.

The soldiers presented the completed pledge to Liu He. He stared at it and read it over several times, presumably checking for loopholes, before finally tucking it away with satisfaction.

“Since the pledge is signed, I hereby appoint you as the temporary grain transport officer for this mission.” Liu He clapped his hands. “Since you claim there’s no need to transport a hundred thousand hu, we won’t need so many escort troops either. Half will remain stationed here in Yuyang.”

“Wh—” Governor Liu was stunned.

Liu He acted as if he hadn’t heard: “During the grain transport period, Governor Liu and his family are not to leave Yuyang territory. If our newly appointed transport officer fails in her duty, the Liu family shall be arrested immediately, and a hundred thousand hu of grain shall be collected from within Yuyang Commandery and transported to Guangyang!”

“You’re holding us hostage to threaten her!” Governor Liu raged.

He had just been thinking that if all else failed, Liu Yi could find a chance to slip away during the transport. But Liu He had anticipated that move. Given Liu Yi’s character, she would never abandon her parents and flee on her own!

Liu Yi patted her father reassuringly, then walked toward Liu He: “Agreed. But I have two conditions as well. First: The stationed troops shall not restrict my family’s normal daily life, nor interfere with my father’s governance. Second: They shall not harass the people of Yuyang—no bullying women or children, and no plundering their property!”

“You dare make demands?!” Liu He sneered.

“If you can’t agree to even the most basic conditions, then I respectfully refuse this military order!” Liu Yi’s voice was sharp. “But don’t forget, Master He—although Yuyang has no standing army, there are many Wuhuan people who moved here in recent years. They grew up on the grasslands and are all skilled in horseback riding and archery. Even their women can fight. If you try to forcibly requisition grain, you may not have an easy time of it!”

After these words, no one in the hall dared speak for a long while.

In their impression, no one except the Provincial Inspector had ever dared to rebuke Master He like that. And many of them had experienced his temper firsthand—they were afraid that even breathing too loudly would make them the target of his anger.

Surprisingly, however, Liu He didn’t seem very angry.

He tucked away Liu Yi’s military pledge, walked closer, bent down, and leaned toward her ear.

“Fine. Then let this master see just how capable you really are.

“From today onward, the governor’s residence shall be placed under full lockdown. No one except those on official business shall be allowed to leave until the new transport officer has prepared the grain.”

With that, he gave Liu Yi’s shoulder a firm squeeze and led his men away.

—

Only after the group disappeared around the corner did Liu Yi finally let out a slow breath of relief.

In truth, she had taken a gamble by charging in. If Liu He had been even more ruthless, he could have seized a hundred thousand hu of grain from Yuyang first, then taken her parents hostage and forced her to reduce transport wastage—delivering eighty or ninety thousand hu to Guangyang…

Even if she still had ways to resist, it would inevitably spark large-scale conflict, and the resulting casualties would be beyond her control.

Getting this outcome was already the best possible scenario.

Neither of them spoke for a long while. Liu Yi had expected her father to say a lot—to worry, to feel guilty, to try to stop her—but he did none of that. He just hung his head, repeatedly smoothing the wrinkled fabric on her shoulder where Liu He had gripped it.

His expression made him look as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

“I thought… I could find someone to entrust your future to,” he said numbly.

Yet it turned out his daughter had become the family’s savior.

Liu Yi rested her chin on her father’s shoulder and patted his back: “Get some rest tonight. We’ll figure out the grain tomorrow.”

Governor Liu nodded heavily.

They walked back in silence, passing by her parents’ bedchamber. Liu Yi had intended to bid her father goodnight and go rest herself, but she thought better of it and went inside to find Madam Qian first.

She must have been too worried to sleep. Given her father’s state, he probably wouldn’t be able to explain things well, and her mother might take it even harder.

Madam Qian was indeed still awake. She rushed over to ask as soon as she saw them return.

Liu Yi gave a brief explanation. She expected her mother to be agitated, anxious, or try to stop her—but she wasn’t.

“You’ve never been away from home for so long.” Madam Qian held her hand. “You must be careful.”

“Mother, I—”

Madam Qian gave a bitter smile: “Actually, Mother knew this day would come eventually. You’ve been extraordinary since childhood—never someone destined to be confined to this tiny place called Yuyang.”

“There are some things Mother has never had the chance to say to you properly over the years.” She looked at Liu Yi. “Your father and I raised you as a boy—not because we wished you were one.”

“I know.” Liu Yi understood that well enough. “Being a boy makes many things easier, and some tutors refuse to teach girls properly.”

“But it’s more than that.” Madam Qian shook her head. “Mother hopes that a clever child like you won’t be trapped in the inner chambers because of your sex, wasting all your talents. Mother hopes you can fly away and do what you truly want to do.”

“Mother isn’t worried about you making mistakes or being exposed. Mother believes that even if you encounter trouble, you’ll surely find a way to turn misfortune into fortune! If all else fails, we’ll just start over in the next life—it’ll have been worth the adventure!”

“But what Mother wishes most…” She caressed Liu Yi’s cheek, “is that one day, you can cast off these male disguises, stand tall and proud before everyone, and be your true self.”

When Liu Yi had come in, she had prepared comforting words for her mother, but none of them were needed.

She looked at Madam Qian and saw, in her, another girl from years past who had tried to break through the conventions of the world but ultimately remained confined to the inner chambers.

“I will,” she promised.