That evening, just after the third bell, the entire southern court gathered in the inner pavilion. No dancers. No fire displays. Just candles, hot wine, and a single table with my maps spread across it.
Shi Yaozu stood at my left.
The Empress at my right.
Everyone else watched from the shadows.
Even Sun Longzi had shown up—silent as a blade, as he stood unmoving in the doorway, his eyes catching everything. He didn't speak. He didn't sit. He just stood in the doorway and listened.
"I'm not here to charm anyone," I began, my tone even. "This is not a banquet. This is not a celebration. This is simply a warning."
The silence that followed was absolute.
I didn't look at Yaozu.
Didn't need to.
His presence was enough.
I reached for the second scroll—the one with the merchant lists—and unrolled it down the length of the table. The names shimmered in ink.
I let them read.
