Lingyu Spirit Jade

Xuanyi unrolled the map on the table in front of both Xuanjing and I.

Ye Jian had previously taught me the chant which I repeated. A small tingling surge of ling qi and the map took a life of its own, popping up the 3D features of the terrain. 

A wave of my hand over the drawn boundaries of Beihou near the border to Shuanglong and the view enlarged. I could see the terrains. Mount Bei and the ranges formed an almost natural fortress around half of Xuanlong. 

"Xuanyi, Xuanjing, both of you had been with my father. Tell me anything about Shuanglong Kingdom which you heard of."

All that was known about the Kingdom was that it is a quarter of our size with a population, almost half of Lingyu. Around 50 million versus our 110 million on census. 

Technologically, or rather magically, similar to ours. Same absolute monarchy like ours. Except with a very old king, twice the age of my father, and five princes. 

"On their border province, the population is around half a million. Military wise would be like Beihou. The key strength is in the capital to the northeast, near the ocean." Xuanjing pointed to the location on the map.

 "Between ours and the border province, is a key trading route to the west where the Hu are. That's the point of contention if they push them out and take our borders here." He drew the line with his finger. 

Xuanyi glanced at the map. "That is a narrow valley. Once we lose control of it, it is difficult to get back. I think Governor Zhao can answer some questions. Beihou could send in the troops to this area to guard the trade route because some items the traders bring are essential ore, energy crystals and beasts like breeds of horses or oxen."

"Don't forget knowledge. We use the knowledge from their books and talking to them to improve our own methods, like metallurgy, to cast stronger weapons," Xuanjing piped in.

"What do we trade other than a couple of stones?"

Xuanyi and Xuanjing looked at each other. Both looked like they were about to burst out laughing at my ignorance. Mind you, Ji Feng's po only gave me the information about some non specific stones. That damn kid was just all about cultivation when he was alive in this body. 

"A couple of stones, the prince said," Xuanjing bit his lips. 

Xuanyi cleared his throat with a polite cough and a trembling grin. "Our Kingdom is named after those couple of stones - Lingyu grade Jade, or spirit jade. They are interested in it. Everything that ling qi can power up has these stones."

He tapped and twisted off the end of the map's wooden scroll handle. The holographic images of the map faded back to a drawing. He showed me a small greenish stone embedded within the other end of the handle. 

"It's a conduit for us to use ling qi. Without it, this map is just a drawing. No moving images, no terrain," he explained, and then pointed at my star compass on the wooden shelf. "That has a stone embedded and even the carriage has four stones installed within the frame."

"Huh," I huffed.

"We are only one of the three kingdoms with abundant sources of it in Jinshi. There are thousands of mountains filled with it in our territory. Even Mount Bei." Xuanjing asked. 

Instead of a Silk Road, we have a Spirit Jade Road. However, like the version of the Silk Road on Earth, this trade route will be, if not already has been, filled with a bloody tragic history of warfare, genocides, dead merchants and fall of kingdoms. 

"Shuanglong Kingdom has none now. They emptied theirs centuries ago. The Great War came, and they emptied their mountains to sell it to all the warring parties. Lingyu didn't," Xuanjing said.

"Mo beasts." That much I can guess. 

Xuanyi nodded. "Too much ling qi use and the Mo beasts appear. No one knows why. They are a bane, but when war comes, they become a tactical advantage. Shuanglong knows why we deploy conventional weapons because the Mo beasts will appear and gravitate to the ling qi users."

"That's why no proposal on finding the source of the Mo beasts for destruction has ever been funded. The reason for not developing this region is the Mo beasts. Mount Bei is notorious for having the most."

"That Hu barbarian? If I were you, I might want them to be allies," Xuanyi said. 

"Why?"

"There are stories about them, how some can control some Mo beasts," Xuanjing said. "And besides, they also know the layout of the other Kingdom better than us. They raid them too. If you get them on your side, you might be able to secure yourself - the Hu value loyalty above all."

Unlike my brothers, I have no military power. But given that the Hu are many. Legend or not, better an ally than none. It is an opportunity which could only come once. 

A knock on my door. Both of them looked at me for instructions. 

"Just open it," I said and Xuanjing opened the door to see the pale face of Governor Zhao leaning on his walking stick, accompanied by his guards.

"I need to speak to the prince in private," he said. 

My hand signalled for him to come in. Both Xuanyi and Xuanjing assisted him over the door step and left as Governor Zhao wobbled on his unsteady feet. 

"Take a seat on the stool." I pulled one up for him. 

He looked at the map with curiosity. "Planning already?"

"Tell me, how many Hu are there on last estimate," I ignored his rhetorical question.

Governor Zhao pointed at one of the moving clouds and replied, "500,000 of their men if we want a maximum range."

"How many soldiers are stationed in Beihou?"

"Around 150,000 to 250,000 and just the thing I want to talk to you," he answered. "Beihou administrator wants the authority to start the draft just in case."

"How bad is it?"

"Shuanglong seems to amass forces over their side and forcibly driving the Hu out to us. The Hu people just want somewhere to go. That chieftain's son is from the primary tribe and they know about him entering our Kingdom."

"So the Shuanglong Kingdom is driving them over to our side so that we will fight them. And then when both are the weakest, they will step in and finish both us and the Hu off," I mused. 

"Now the Beihou administrator will cry to your brothers if he doesn't get his permission."

"Are you suggesting that I go there and stomp my authority around? And make more enemies?" I asked.

"Well, I am not suggesting anything. A prince has that power to shut him up. The gamble is yours to take. And you know well, as a prince, you will always have enemies, whether or not you like it."