The Westland was transforming from a sanctuary into a war camp. But instead of swords and shields, the weapons were ropes, saddles, and iron pots.
Li Wei stood on a wooden platform erected in the center of the training yard. Below him, two dozen men—formerly starving farmers—sat on their horses in a rough line. They wore the standard ranch uniform: denim trousers, canvas shirts, and the wide-brimmed leather hats. They looked rough, sun-hardened, and capable.
"Listen up!" Li Wei's voice cut through the morning air. "We have twenty days until we move out. The Emperor's Hunting Grounds are three hundred miles away. That means twenty miles a day. With a herd of cattle. Through mountains, forests, and rival territories."
He gestured to Old Zhang, who sat on a horse at the far end of the field, holding a long pole with a red flag.
"On the drive, discipline is life. If a cow wanders, you bring it back. If a bandit appears, you form a line. We are not a mob. We are a unit. We are the Westland Rangers."
Old Zhang dropped the flag. "Charge!"
The horses surged forward. The men didn't draw swords; they drew ropes. They swung the lassos over their heads, the loops whistling in the wind.
*Snap. Snap. Snap.*
One by one, the ropes settled over the wooden fence posts that served as targets.
"Again!" Li Wei shouted. "Faster! A steer doesn't wait for you to catch your breath!"
He watched them critically. They were improving. The desperation in their eyes had been replaced by a fierce pride. They were no longer peasants; they were horsemen.
***
**POV: Chef Gao**
While the men learned to fight with ropes, Gao was fighting a war of his own—in the kitchen.
"No! Not that pot!" Gao screamed, slapping a helper's hand away from a bubbling cauldron. "That is the rendering fat! It stays on the low fire!"
Gao was standing in front of the most bizarre contraption he had ever seen. Li Wei called it a "Chuckwagon."
It was a heavily modified grain cart. On the back, a large wooden box had been built, containing drawers, shelves, and a hidden compartment for a portable iron stove. The sides folded down to create a prep counter. Underneath, a water barrel was slung.
"The Boss is mad," Gao muttered to himself, wiping sweat from his brow. "He wants me to cook for fifty men... from a cart... while it moves... on a bumpy road... with beef."
He looked at the list Li Wei had given him.
*Menu for the Drive:*
1. *Biscuits (Hard tack style, but with butter).*
2. *Stew (Continuous pot, never empty).*
3. *Coffee (Strong enough to wake the dead).*
4. *Jerky (Always available).*
"Coffee," Gao grumbled. "That bitter mud he calls tea." He didn't understand why the Boss loved the dark, roasted bean water so much, but he had roasted twenty pounds of beans in preparation.
"Gao!" Li Wei called out, walking into the kitchen area. "How's the inventory?"
"Flour is loaded. Salt is loaded. The butter... I need more churns. The women are working overtime."
"Good," Li Wei said, inspecting the wagon. "This is the heart of the operation, Gao. If the men eat well, they ride well. I'm counting on you."
Gao puffed his chest out slightly. It was a heavy burden, but being trusted with the "Chuckwagon" made him feel like a general of the kitchen.
"It will be ready, Boss. Even if I have to strap myself to the roof."
***
**POV: Su Qing**
The return to the Su household had been less triumphant than she had hoped.
Su Qing knelt in the main hall, her head bowed. Her father, Magistrate Su, sat above her, looking older and more tired than she had ever seen him. To his left and right sat the Clan Elders, their faces twisted in smug disapproval.
"It is madness!" Elder Chen declared, slamming his tea cup. "Three hundred miles? Driving cattle through the Imperial Pass? It is undignified! The Magistrate's daughter accompanying a herd of beasts like a common shepherd?"
"The merchant families will laugh at us," another Elder added. "Su Qing, you are the head of the household accounts. You should be here, finding a suitable husband for your sister, not gallivanting with your... *husband*... on some fool's errand."
Su Qing kept her eyes on the floor, but her voice was steady. "Elders, General Zhao has staked a claim on the North Ridge. If we do not raise the funds to buy the land, the Westland falls to him. And if the Westland falls, the Su family loses its newest and most profitable ally. Do you want a military tyrant as a neighbor?"
Magistrate Su looked at his daughter. He saw the fire in her eyes—the same fire his wife had possessed. He sighed.
"The risk is great," Su Chang said softly. "But the General is a real threat. If Li Wei succeeds..."
"If?" Elder Chen scoffed. "He is a scholar! He knows nothing of war or travel!"
"He knows cattle," Su Qing countered, raising her head. "And I know logistics. I have mapped the route. I have calculated the costs. We will travel under the banner of the Su family. We will show the Empire that the Su family does not hide in its courtyard while opportunity passes by."
She stood up, smoothing her robes. "Father, I ask for your seal on the travel documents. And I ask for the use of the family's supply cache at the halfway point, Twin Dragon Creek."
Magistrate Su hesitated. The Elders grumbled. But the Magistrate saw the logic. The Su family needed a win. They needed money.
"Give her the seal," Su Chang said wearily. "And may the ancestors watch over you."
***
**POV: Li Wei**
The evening before the departure was quiet. The bustle of the day had died down, leaving only the sounds of the cattle settling for the night and the crackle of the fire.
Li Wei stood by the fence of the special pen. Inside stood "Atlas."
The serum had done its work.
The steer was magnificent. He stood a full head taller than any other animal in the herd. His shoulders were massive, his hindquarters thick with muscle. But it wasn't just bulk; it was the quality. His coat was like black velvet, and when he moved, the fat rippled under the skin—marbling that rivaled the finest Wagyu Li Wei had ever seen in his past life.
"There's my money," Li Wei whispered, feeding Atlas a handful of special grain.
Atlas chewed contentedly, his large, dark eyes calm. He didn't know he was the savior of the ranch. He just knew he was the king.
"He's a monster," a voice came from behind.
Li Wei turned. Old Zhang was leaning on his crutch, staring at the steer.
"Is he ready for the road?" Zhang asked.
"He has to be," Li Wei said. "He's the centerpiece. The Emperor will judge us by this animal."
Zhang nodded. He looked toward the North Ridge, where the fires of General Zhao's camp still burned.
"I spoke to some of the locals," Zhang said quietly. "Zhao is sending his own men to the hunt. Not to drive cattle, but to escort his prize horses. They'll be taking the same road."
Li Wei stiffened. "The same road?"
"It's the only road through the mountains," Zhang confirmed. "We'll be traveling alongside our enemy for three days."
Li Wei looked at his small herd, his ragtag group of rangers, and his chuckwagon.
"Then we better make sure we look like an army," Li Wei said. "We ride at dawn. Tell the men to polish their boots. And tell Gao to make a double batch of the jerky. It's going to be a long trip."
He patted Atlas one last time on the nose.
"Sleep well, big guy. You've got a destiny to fulfill."
**[System Alert: Preparation Phase Complete.]**
**[Party Assembled: Li Wei, Su Qing, Old Zhang, Li An, Gao, 25 Rangers.]**
**[Herd Count: 120 Head.]**
**[Inventory: Fully Stocked.]**
**[Quest: The Great Drive Begins.]**
**[Objective: Reach the Royal Hunting Grounds in 20 days.]**
**[Reward: Access to Imperial Market.]**
Li Wei looked up at the stars. Somewhere out there, three hundred miles away, the Emperor was waiting. And Li Wei was bringing him a taste of the West.