The palace exams were finally over. But before the dust could even settle, a summons arrived from the Emperor himself: a royal banquet. The guests of honor were the new stars of the Empire—Di Shitian, Jiang Youwei, Xiao Ke, and the rest of the freshly minted Glory Elites.
The seating arrangement told the whole story. At the head table, alongside Emperor Jiang Ning, sat the best of the best: Di Shitian, Jiang Youwei, and the top three scholars—Xiao Ke, Ling Feng, and Ye Yun. The other seven Elites were at a separate table, a clear but respectable distance away.
Xiao Ke had pictured a feast of legendary proportions, but the reality was surprisingly subdued. The dishes, while masterfully prepared, were mostly simple fare. It was a far cry from the extravagant spreads Ye Yun was accustomed to. Only a single soup and two other plates hinted at true imperial luxury, though the wine was undeniably top-shelf.
But this meal wasn't about the food. It was a message. Every glance from the Emperor, every shared cup of wine, was an unspoken contract. You are mine now, it seemed to say. Serve the Imperial Family, prove your loyalty, and you will be rewarded. The honor of being there was the true feast.
An hour later, it was over. As the others were dismissed, a eunuch named Li approached Xiao Ke. He alone was to report to the imperial study to receive the Emperor's personal instruction.
Walking under the envious stares of his peers, Xiao Ke followed Eunuch Li through a winding series of corridors until they reached a quiet, heavily guarded courtyard. Inside was a magnificent study, the air thick with the scent of old books and power.
After a few minutes, the door opened. The Emperor entered, having traded his formal robes for casual clothes, though his armed guards were a stark reminder of his station.
"Your Majesty," Xiao Ke said, bowing immediately.
Jiang Ning stopped him, a wide grin on his face. "Centurion Xiao, it's been too long. Wait, that's not right, is it? It's Myriad Commander now."
Xiao Ke shifted uncomfortably. "Your Majesty, I didn't know who you were back then. Please forgive any disrespect I showed…"
"Nonsense," Jiang Ning said with a wave of his hand. "An honest warrior is exactly what I want in my ranks. Besides, I told you we'd make a great story one day, didn't I? A ruler and his loyal commander. You haven't let me down."
He settled into the large chair behind the desk. "I called you here to catch up, but also to discuss a few things."
"I'm listening, Your Majesty," Xiao Ke said, his voice firm.
"So, what did you think of the banquet?"
The question caught Xiao Ke off guard. He chose his words carefully. "It was tasteful. Understated, yet worthy of the crown. It reflects your own practical and responsible nature."
The Emperor laughed out loud. "See? Now that you know who I am, you've learned how to talk like a courtier. You're getting cunning, Xiao Ke." His smile faded slightly. "But let's drop the formalities. You're one of mine now, so I can speak freely. The truth is, the Imperial Family is broke."
He leaned forward, his voice dropping. "The Empire's expenses are crippling. Every department needs funding, but the Cabinet controls the purse strings. They collect the taxes and then decide where they think the money should go, leaving me with scraps. You think I didn't want to throw you a lavish feast? I couldn't afford it. The nobles in this city throw better parties than their Emperor."
He wasn't exaggerating. The dinner Ye Yun had treated him and Ling Feng to a while back had easily outclassed the imperial banquet. It wasn't that the Ye Clan was richer than the Crown, but their resources weren't stretched across an entire empire.
Xiao Ke felt a pang of sympathy, but also confusion. I'm just a soldier, he thought. The few gold coins I have are borrowed. What does he expect me to do about it?
As if reading his mind, Jiang Ning continued, "I'm telling you this because you need to understand: when you go to build your new army, the Cabinet is going to turn you down flat. They won't give you a single coin."
"I understand, sir." And he did. Why would the Cabinet fund an army loyal only to the Emperor? It would be like handing a sword to their rival.
"Exactly," the Emperor said. "So I can't give you money. You, Ling Feng, and Ye Yun will have to find the funding yourselves. However," he added, a glint in his eye, "I can give you equipment. I will personally authorize a transfer from the Imperial Guard's armory. Full gear for ten thousand men. Is there anything else you need?"
Xiao Ke's mind raced. "Your Majesty, Ling Feng and Ye Yun are brilliant, but they lack military command experience. And I was just a centurion. To build this army right, I need a core of experienced officers and NCOs. I'd like your permission to recruit them from other military units, but I'm afraid their commanders will refuse."
"Done," the Emperor said without hesitation. "Anyone with the rank of Chiliarch or below is yours for the taking. I'll send out the word. No one will stand in your way."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Xiao Ke said, a wave of relief washing over him.
After a few more words of encouragement, Xiao Ke was dismissed. A palace car drove him back to the Glory School.
As he departed, Eunuch Li turned to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, even if he builds this army, how will he pay the soldiers? The Cabinet will never approve their salaries."
Jiang Ning simply smiled. "Let him build his force. When they're ready to fight, I'll have a plan."
Back at the school, Ling Feng and Ye Yun were waiting, practically buzzing with anticipation.
"What did he say?" they asked in unison.
Xiao Ke didn't mince words. "The good news is, we get the gear. Ten thousand sets of it. The bad news? We don't get a single coin for troops or training. We're on our own."
To his surprise, they both broke into wide grins.
Ye Yun scoffed playfully. "Is that all? Just money? Please. Consider it handled."
Ling Feng shook his head, a small, amazed smile on his face. Leave it to the heiress of the Ye Clan, he thought, to call an army's entire budget a minor expense.
Xiao Ke's heart soared. "Then we have work to do." They spent the next hour hashing out details, starting with the most important one: the name of their new army. They all agreed on the perfect fit.
The Wheel of Steel.
True to her word, Ye Yun made things happen. A quick call to her aunt, and a hundred thousand gold coins materialized in her account. Ling Feng, not wanting to be sidelined by her immense wealth, emptied his own personal savings—a respectable sum he'd squirreled away over the years—and handed it over. With Ye Yun managing the treasury, their war chest was already formidable.
The Crown provided them with a headquarters: a sprawling mansion on the outskirts of Kirin City. It was seized property, once belonging to a disgraced prince, and now it would serve as the birthplace of their new army.
While Ling Feng and Ye Yun began the massive task of recruitment, Xiao Ke embarked on a more personal mission. Clutching a decree signed by the Emperor himself, he boarded an airship, its destination: the Southern Province.
His first stop was Vermilion Bird City, a bustling metropolis that served as the region's trade hub. The streets thronged with people, a chaotic energy filling the air. But Xiao Ke had no time for sightseeing. He headed straight for the headquarters of the Nine Gates Infantry Division. He was still in his Glory School uniform, as the armor for the Wheel of Steel hadn't been forged yet. Few in the south recognized the prestigious academy's colors.
As he approached the entrance, a guard stepped in his way. "Who the hell are you?" the decurion snarled. "This is a restricted area. Get lost before I decide to break your legs for you."
Before the man could finish his threat, Xiao Ke flicked his wrist. A flash of gold shot through the air, smacking the decurion square in the face. The guard staggered back, spitting out two broken teeth as he instinctively caught the object.
"You bastard!" he roared, "You dare attack a soldier of the Nine Gates—"
"Attack you? I don't need to," Xiao Ke said, his voice dangerously low. "Now pick that up and take a good, long look before you say something you'll really regret."
The decurion looked down at the golden object in his hand. His bravado vanished, replaced by a pasty, white fear. Engraved on the medallion were the words: By His Majesty's Order, All Gates Open. An imperial pass.
"You... you have some nerve," Xiao Ke snorted.
The soldier, who moments ago had been ready to kill him, was now bowing and scraping. "My lord! I am a blind fool! I deserve to die for offending you! Please, come in, have some tea. I'll get my commander at once!"
"I don't have time for tea," Xiao Ke cut him off. "I need an armed off-road vehicle. I'm heading to the Black Shark headquarters, two hundred kilometers from here. Can you arrange that?"
"Yes, my lord! Right away!"
The decurion, now desperate to please, didn't just get him one vehicle; he provided a convoy of three armed trucks and a ten-man escort. He wasn't taking any chances with the Emperor's envoy getting hit on the road. The Southern Province wasn't the manicured heart of the Empire; it was wilder and far more dangerous.
Three hours later, the convoy rolled up to the Black Shark base.
The main gate was sealed shut. Machine gun emplacements on the walls swiveled to track their approach.
Xiao Ke vaulted from the truck, his voice ringing out with authority. "My name is Xiao Ke, Myriad Commander of the Wheel of Steel! I'm here on official business. Open the gates!"
A voice called back from the wall, dripping with scorn. "'Wheel of Steel?' Never heard of you. And we don't answer to you. Lord Bai is sick today and not seeing visitors. So why don't you turn around and go back where you came from?"
Xiao Ke wasn't stupid. This wasn't about a sick commander; this was politics. Bai Longyin was part of the Cabinet's old guard. He knew exactly why Xiao Ke was here—for Qin Bing and the Killer Whale Battalion—and he was stonewalling, deliberately defying an order from the Emperor's chosen man.
"You may not answer to me," Xiao Ke shouted back, his voice booming across the yard, "but you answer to the Empire! Or have you forgotten who you serve?"
He raised the gold medallion, letting it catch the light so everyone on the wall could see it.
"This is a direct order from His Majesty the Emperor! Open this gate now, or be branded as traitors!"
The soldiers on the wall flinched. Their eyes darted to their centurion, whose face had gone pale. He hesitated for a heartbeat, then barked, "Get the damn gate open! You want to be executed for treason?!"
Even the old guard knew there were lines you just didn't cross.