Proactive, resolute—these words sound invigorating, yet in practice, they demand steady, day-to-day effort, step by step, often stumbling through the journey with only a few stones to guide the way. Ye Liuxi’s first move was to step out of the courtyard and deliberately explore this city of Yulin. Of course, it wasn’t just her alone—she had followed Chang Dong’s advice and brought along Li Jinao and two chickens. Chang Dong said, “Ultimately, this is the territory of the Yulin Guard and the scholars of the court. You need a scholar by your side, and Li Jinao is the most suitable choice.” When Zhao Guanshou had originally sought to detain Li Jinao under the pretense of a covert assignment, Chang Dong had successfully protected him—not entirely out of trust, but because their group were all outsiders from beyond the frontier, and Ye Liuxi had lost her memories of the interior. To carry out her work within the interior, she needed to build strong alliances with people around her. Li Jin'ao is someone worth relying on: a native of the Guan region, a genuine physician of traditional Chinese medicine, belonging to the less prominent branch of the distinguished Li family, yet still underappreciated. Though he may not be particularly polished—like someone with only half a bottle of wine—he has substantial experience. He both admires and feels jealous of the great medical families, wanting to align himself with them but lacking access. Chang Dong reminds Ye Liuxi: "Right now, we're receiving favorable treatment from Zhao Guanshou, and previously we advocated for Li Jin'ao—he's deeply grateful and sees us as allies and potential supporters. You should engage with him more often; even a seemingly minor remark from him could prove to be valuable information." As for why we brought the Mountain River and the Four Seas chickens... "Taking a walk is a convenient excuse to go out. These two chickens serve as key props—when needed, they can create disruptions. Especially the Four Seas chicken, which can take on the role of three." "... Ye Liuxi carefully observed the layout of Yulin City, gradually forming a clear mental map: the placement of administrative offices, residential quarters, and training grounds, which areas were well-connected and which were heavily guarded, how the Swift-Feather Guards rotated shifts, how often patrol teams passed by... Every detail, absorbed bit by bit. Li Jinao was unaware of her meticulous attention to these subtle observations, only thinking that he was fortunate to be taken out to see such sights, and deeply grateful throughout the journey. He constantly praised everything—the neatness of the office buildings, the attractive uniforms of the Yulin Guards, the smooth, comfortable roads, and the rare flowers and plants compared to other places. Nothing escaped his admiration. Ye Liuxi, on the other hand, always found opportunities to change the subject and steer the conversation. "Li Jinao, have you ever heard of my name before?" Li Jinao was honest. "No, I only recently met Lady Liuxi." This confirmed that "Ye Liuxi" was not particularly well-known. "Then, about Jiang Zhan—have you heard of him often?" "Jiang Zhan—well, I've heard of him for a long time. To be honest... Although the rebel faction absolutely should be eradicated, sometimes I still have a bit of respect for Jiang Zhan." Li Jin'ao lowered his voice. "I mean, I'm not entirely convinced he's flawless." Ye Liuxi raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" Li Jin'ao had just spoken when he realized he'd been a bit abrupt, his lips trembling slightly, hesitating. Ye Liuxi reassured him: "We are in opposition to Jiang Zhan, but that doesn't mean he's entirely lacking in merit. If he hadn't shown real ability, the Scorpion's Eye wouldn't have grown so strong." This struck a chord with Li Jin'ao: "Exactly. That's precisely what I think. We need to look at people more holistically. You know, Jiang Zhan—starting from nothing, without power or influence, rising step by step to his current position—what a solid track record." "Starting from nothing?" "Yes, haven't you heard the stories passed around? He was sold as a child to work in a gold mine near Black Stone City—those places are so remote that once you enter, you rarely come out. People have been digging gold there since childhood, some even until their hair turns white, living like slaves...” "Can't people just be arbitrarily taken and turned into slaves?" Li Jin'ao thought she lacked experience. "Of course, officially it's not allowed—but then again, the gold mines are jointly owned by the Yulin Guard and the great families of scholars and magicians. What could ordinary people do when something goes wrong there? Besides, if your own family members are taken, would you dare go to the gold mines to demand their return?" Ye Liuxi said: "Of course I would." Her family—aren't they from Changdong? They've taken Changdong and sent him off to dig gold. Just thinking about it makes her furious. She'd blow up the entire mine. Li Jin'ao was taken aback, and for a moment didn't know what to say next. He paused before continuing, "Then he managed to escape. Maybe precisely because of this tragic experience, he decided to rise up against the system." "Working in the gold mine—was that really a hard experience?" "Oh, he was treated like a slave, Miss Ye. That wasn't just going to work. Just as soon as you entered, you'd be pressed against a blazing hot iron, and it would sear your skin, leaving a scar. How could you not feel the pain?" ... Upon returning to her quarters, Ye Liuxi immediately went to find Chang Dong. Chang Dong listened calmly as she spoke. "You're questioning whether you and Jiang Zhan both once worked as laborers in the gold mine?" Ye Liuxi nodded. "Zhao Guanshou told me I was sold to work as a laborer, and indeed, there's a scar on my lower leg." Chang Dong gestured for her to continue. "Then what?" Ye Liuxi quickly pushed the notebook and pen toward him. "Then I'm here to listen to your analysis." Chang Dong was both exasperated and amused. He reached out, pinning her chin with his fingers. "You're just going to treat your head like a piece of decor now, aren't you?" Ye Liuxi glanced at him sideways. "Even if you're just a piece of decor, it should still be attractive, right? Otherwise, why would people be so intensely focused on you?" It was strange—Chang Dong actually enjoyed this unreserved, blushing, awkward charm of hers. He couldn't tell whether he liked her specifically, or whether he'd always liked this kind of warmth without even realizing it. He drew her close into his arms and sat down, then leaned down to gently kiss and brush his lips against her ear. "Could you just be a little more modest, please?" Ye Liuxi deliberately furrowed her brow. "What does modesty look like? Why don't you demonstrate it first, and I'll try to imitate you?" Chang Dong was almost fooled. Once he realized what she meant, he gave her a firm squeeze along her waist. Ye Liuxi laughed so hard she couldn't catch her breath. After a moment, she said, "Xiao He She held up her fingers and said, "I'm not as clever as you when it comes to thinking things through; I can't match Gao Shen in a fight; when it comes to making up speeches, it's Liu'er who excels; when it comes to running errands and handling tasks, it's Fei Tang who's the best. So now, please make sure he listens to me more than ever." "Thus, I can now neither worry nor fail to get things done—doesn't that sound perfect?" She had managed to transform her laziness into an air of strategic foresight. Chang Dong was puzzled: "Then everyone has their own strengths—what role do you play?" She replied, "Well, I just make you fall in love, make Liu'er like me, make Fei Tang admire me, and make Gao Shen... well, I haven't quite figured out exactly how to position myself with Gao Shen yet. But that's fine—after all, he's so straightforward and easy to manage." Chang Dong said, "You're just so thick-skinned!" It was truly beyond words. Ye Liuxi added, "What's wrong with being thick-skinned? You've She spoke, and her stomach ached. Ye Liuxi immediately fell silent. Chang Dong had been quiet for a while—when he thought, he often closed his eyes, even when he occasionally opened them, his gaze remained solemn. Yet, he unconsciously stroked her hand: from her wrist, across her palm, along the fingers, all the way to the fingertips. Sometimes he would grasp it, bringing it to his lips and gently kiss it for a long time. Ye Liuxi watched his hand movements: she knew it was instinctive, but even that instinct brought her joy—so let it become natural. After a long pause, Chang Dong finally spoke, “Have you read *Liaozhai Zhiyi*?” “I haven’t read it, though I’m familiar with it.” Chang Dong said, “*Liaozhai Zhiyi* may be a collection of tales involving spirits and ghosts, but it doesn’t fabricate stories just because of them. In other words, the spirits and ghosts serve as background elements, opening a convenient door, but their actions and behaviors still follow the logic and rules of human life.” Ye Liuxi nodded. “Yes, that’s exactly right.” "Then let's set aside all the abstract talk and analyze this rationally: In the interior realm, the Imperial Guard and the scholars of divination have long held supreme power, simultaneously controlling culture, resources, wealth, the military, and even the art of taming spirits—governing steadily for over a millennium. Ordinary commoners, starting from nothing with no background, how could they possibly challenge such a powerful establishment? And how could they grow their influence so rapidly?" Don't even mention destiny or celestial protection—those are mere ideals. In a direct confrontation, real, tangible capital is required. "From a practical standpoint, Flow Xi, what does Jiang Zhan need to achieve rapid rise despite his current weakness?" After a moment's thought, Leaf Flow Xi replied: "People, and money?" Chang Dong nodded: "There's a phrase—'recruit soldiers and hire horses.' With money, people naturally follow. So let's focus solely on money—how can Jiang Zhan acquire it?" The social structure within the region is clearly stratified, with people content as long as they are moderately prosperous—true wealth accumulation is rare unless they inherit unexpected fortune. Ye Liuxi thought: "A gold mine?" Jiang Zhan's wealth must be closely tied to his experiences in the gold mining sector—perhaps he quietly accumulated gold, or perhaps he discovered an undiscovered ore vein and kept it secret, securing it for himself. In either case, he had secured his first fortune. Chang Dong continued: "However, merely having people and money is not enough to give Jiang Zhan the upper hand in this struggle. The established authorities possess far greater resources in both human capital and financial strength. Therefore, Jiang Zhan needs a decisive advantage to achieve swift victory." Ye Liuxi vaguely sensed it: "Supplies?" "Exactly. Rarity drives value. Since your birth, the shadow puppet theater troupe has been discontinued. Over twenty years—enough to transform many things: the rise, catch-up, and decline of numerous nations, all within a decade or two." "Think about it—over these twenty years, the Yulin Guard and the Fangshi have remained stagnant, while Jiang Zhan has consistently been the first to access developments beyond the frontier. As long as he has the means, he can acquire almost anything: medicines, vehicles, daily necessities, and countless other goods. Once these items are brought in, they become in high demand, generating returns on his investments. Moreover, the Yulin Guard and the Fangshi themselves may well be the largest buyers, since they simply have to use these supplies—even knowing that they're effectively funding their rivals. Otherwise, where would have come the vehicles from Zhao Guanshou? Could they have built them themselves?" He turned to Ye Liuxi. "This is the most logical explanation for Jiang Zhan's rise—just like Li Wangdong, he must first secure control over the supply routes. The question then arises: we all know that, over the past twenty years, supplies and you have essentially been synonymous. If you've served the Yulin Guard, Jiang Zhan simply couldn't have risen. Therefore, Zhao Guanshou must have been lying about this." "Let us now return to our initial assumption—the one you've doubted: that both you and Jiang Zhan were once sold into the gold mine as laborers. From this premise, let us deduce a coherent logical thread." "You and Jiang Zhan were both sold into the gold mine at an early age, meeting there in your formative years. Together, you escaped, supported one another, and jointly founded the Scorpion Eye." "When you speak through intermediaries, I personally observe that Jiang Zhan's presence doesn't overshadow yours—you have the freedom to move in and out of the pass. This seems to be a rare gift. Therefore, your status should be superior to his." "It's even possible that the very name 'Scorpion Eye' stems from your habit of drawing scorpions on your eyelids..." Yefu Xi suddenly recalled something: "Do you remember the dream I've always had? I forgot to tell you—back then, a scorpion climbed up the wall of the water tank." When the village of Yanzhong was razed, she was the only one left unaccounted for—because she had been hidden inside the water tank. Yet at that moment, Yanzong picked up the water pitcher and walked steadily toward the water tank, as if to drink—by common sense, she surely couldn’t avoid it. Now it made sense: Yanzong feared scorpions, and there happened to be a scorpion crawling on the water tank at that very time. Perhaps precisely because of that scorpion, she felt grateful and developed a fondness for drawing scorpions at the corners of her eyes, even naming her later-founded organization "Scorpion's Gaze." Ye Liuxi suddenly found herself laughing. In a flash, she went from a covert agent of the Yulin Guard and Yanzong’s lifelong rival to now the leader of Scorpion’s Gaze. Life truly unfolds like a play—unexpected and sudden. With her forehead pressed against Changdong’s chest, she nearly sighed, “But still, many things remain unexplained.” Though she was now the leader, few people within Guan were familiar with Ye Liuxi’s name—on the contrary, Jiang Zhan was known to everyone. Jiang Zhan had been her childhood companion; why then did he also suspect her of being a Yulin Guard spy and ultimately turn against her? Jiang Zhan wanted to kill her, yet Qingzhi was so eager to imitate her—wasn’t that contradictory? Chang Dong leaned down and kissed the top of her hair: “Take it slow. This situation seems like an onion—layer upon layer. Right now, we may not see the full truth, but we’ve made progress—at least, we now know Zhao Guanshou’s statements were fabricated.” This reminded Ye Liuxi: “Zhao Guanshou said he wanted to collaborate with me, and asked me to take over the Scorpion’s Eye. I wonder what game he’s playing now.” Chang Dong paused thoughtfully: “I actually think that’s quite credible.” He explained: “Right now, Zhao Guanshou has two adversaries. One is Jiang Zhan—he’s stubborn, assertive, powerful, and actively eyeing Black Stone City. The other is you. Though you currently have no ambitions and aren’t aiming to challenge anyone, you remain a constant concern because of the prophecy about Nandou breaking through Yumén. That prophecy keeps him ever-vigilant. If he were in your position, faced with these two threats, he’d have to choose one "Yexiaoxi thought and thought again: 'Can neither of us be retained?' Changdong said: 'Ideally, neither should stay. But Zhao Guanshou must retain one of them.' Yexiaoxi suddenly realized: 'It has to be me—only me—and I must stay. Because he can't kill me. Moreover, in the long run, he still hopes that even after my death, I will remain as a shadow figure, a ghostly presence.' Changdong nodded: 'Since he can't kill you and fears you might cause unrest outside, he can only bring you in—yet gathering the leaders of the rebellious factions is no easy task.' Yexiaoxi's thoughts now flowed more clearly: 'First, have her lose her position and be replaced by someone else.' Changdong added: 'The one who replaces her must stand in direct opposition to her, even wishing for her death. She must commit a crime unforgivable, leaving her no chance to recover.' Yexiaoxi then followed the known path: 'While she is losing her memory, fabricate a false identity as a member of the Yulin Guard, presenting her as a relative from her own family, and actively welcome her in.' “Chang Dong hummed in agreement: “Then he deliberately sent her messages through Xie Yan. If Xie Yan gives her a strong push, she’ll come to believe that only the Yulin Guard can be relied upon.” Ye Liuxi sighed bitterly: “And now, finally, he’s coming out as the good guy, pretending to be on her side, claiming he wants to help her fight Xie Yan…” … So, she’s currently isolated within the realm, with no allies. Jiang Zhan and Zhao Guanshou—perhaps both are her adversaries, one wanting her dead, the other working tirelessly to undermine her. This level of planning couldn’t have been developed overnight. She had unexpectedly stepped out of the realm a year ago, but perhaps these schemes began even earlier. Is this all the truth? Or, as Chang Dong suggested, is it merely another layer of the onion being peeled away?