Liu Bang Rising (2): Treason if You Fail, Glory if You Succeed
The next day, the construction site at Jeonunchang buzzed with energy from the first light of dawn.
“Careful down there—people working below!”
“That pillar’s not level!”
The workers’ deep-throated shouts rolled across the yard as they hauled timber. The crisp rhythm of interlocking beams and hammering nails filled the air. With the ground thawed after winter and the weather finally turning warm, the pace of construction had surged.
Jeonunchang was now beginning to look like a proper building, slowly revealing its imposing scale as the largest logistics warehouse in all of Peixian.
“It’s far grander than I imagined, and the progress is much faster than I expected,” Shen Yiqi said in a slightly dazed voice as he stood beside me.
“We have sufficient labor, that’s all,” I replied, turning to him with a gentle smile. “Guaranteed return home before sunset. Free lunch provided. Same-day payment in both cash and douhua. We honor these three conditions without fail. They’re unprecedented benefits, the likes of which are rarely seen anywhere across the Qin Empire.”
“I see… You’ve created an environment where the workers can focus solely on their tasks without any distractions.” Shen Yiqi nodded, his face filled with admiration.
“Sister-in-law! We’re here!”
At that moment, Xiahou Ying’s voice—always energetic to the point of being boisterous—rang out. I turned and gave him a light bow, and his bright tone continued without pause.
“The douhua sold out completely again today!”
“Already?”
“Yes. All one hundred twenty portions we supplied to the vendors vanished in the blink of an eye. Total revenue came to three hundred sixty coins.”
Xiahou Ying reported this with a broad grin across his face. I quickly ran the numbers in my head.
Price resistance seems to have vanished entirely. We can lock in this price going forward.
The cost of each douhua—factoring in soybeans, firewood, and labor—came to just under one coin. In other words, our final margin exceeded seventy percent. A small smile tugged at my lips.
“You’ve worked hard, Lord Xiahou.”
“Haha, not at all. It’s all thanks to your truly exceptional douhua, sister-in-law.”
Xiahou Ying scratched his head awkwardly, his gaze shifting toward Shen Yiqi beside me. “By the way, who is this gentleman…?”
Ah, right. I hadn’t introduced them yet.
I promptly presented Shen Yiqi. “This is Lord Shen Yiqi, who from today will manage the finances of our Abundance Society and assist with accounting at Jeonunchang.”
“Aha, so you’re the rumored Lord Yiqi! I’ve heard a great deal about you.”
His name somehow sounds like it belongs to someone skilled at handling sand.
I cleared my throat with a soft hum and turned to Shen Yiqi. “Manager Shen, this is Lord Xiahou Ying, who oversees all logistics and transportation for the Ye Family Mercantile. You two will be working closely together often in the future.”
“It is an honor to meet you. I am Shen Yiqi.”
“Xiahou Ying! Looking forward to working with you.”
The two men faced each other and exchanged light bows. Xiahou Ying, true to his affable nature, quickly took the lead in conversation. I left them to size each other up for a while before speaking again after some time had passed.
“Lord Xiahou, would you mind supervising the Jeonunchang construction for a short while? I need to step away.”
“Ah, of course. Where are you headed?”
“I’m going to meet Lord Xiao briefly.”
“Chief Administrator Xiao?”
“Yes. I’d like to give Manager Shen a detailed explanation of the Abundance Society with Lord Xiao present.”
“Aha. Like an initiation, then.”
Xiahou Ying nodded as if he understood without further explanation. “Very well, go ahead. I’ll keep watch over the site.” He thumped his chest heartily.
I gave him a light bow, then turned to Shen Yiqi. “Manager Shen, are you ready as well?”
“Yes. I came prepared.”
Shen Yiqi nodded without the slightest hesitation. I led him straight to the market district and the tavern where Xiao He and I had arranged to meet. Since it was past lunchtime, the place was nearly empty except for a few patrons in the center.
As we entered, Xiao He—sitting in a secluded corner with a bowl of turbid wine before him, quietly reading a bamboo slip—spotted us and waved.
“My lady, over here.”
“You arrived early.”
I bowed politely and approached. Shen Yiqi also bowed respectfully to Xiao He.
“Lord Xiao. It has been a long time.”
“Indeed it has, Yiqi.”
Xiao He smiled warmly and patted Shen Yiqi on the shoulder.
They really are close, just as I thought.
I took the seat directly across from Xiao He. After a brief pause, Shen Yiqi chose a spot slightly closer to Xiao He’s side. Once I saw that he had settled and caught his breath, I went straight to the point.
“I will now explain the Abundance Society in greater detail.”
“Please do.”
Shen Yiqi’s expression grew solemn. I glanced at Xiao He, then continued.
“As I mentioned before, on the surface the Abundance Society is a peasant community that assists farmers with the four major life events and shares labor among its members. A beautiful gathering of mutual aid.”
“……On the surface, you say.”
Shen Yiqi swallowed hard, hanging on my every word. I paused deliberately, then lowered my voice.
“Manager Shen, how do you view the world as it stands today?”
“The world today…?”
“Yes. Qin’s politics, the lives of the common people, the state of the realm—everything, taken as a whole.”
Shen Yiqi fell silent for a moment. His eyes seemed to be carefully weighing what he should say and what he should conceal. At last he spoke, as though he had reached a decision.
“I will speak honestly.”
“Please do.”
“I believe the current Qin dynasty… will not last long.”
“Will not last long?”
“Yes. Emperor Shi Huang’s era was certainly stable. Harsh, yet orderly. He ruled the people by law, unified measurements, standardized writing, and maintained the roads. Love it or hate it, those were genuine accomplishments.”
Shen Yiqi’s voice remained calm.
“But after the Second Emperor took the throne, everything changed. The construction of Epang Palace, the Lishan Mausoleum, the Great Wall… The endless corvée labor has left the people utterly exhausted. Men cannot tend the fields, women cannot work their looms. In the markets, sighs now outnumber goods.”
“Go on.”
“As a merchant I have traveled far and wide. Everywhere I went, I saw the people’s faces turning the color of ash. Anger and despair have piled up in their hearts. It is only a matter of time before that pressure erupts.”
“In other words, Manager Shen, you foresee a great upheaval sweeping the realm in the near future.”
“Yes.”
Shen Yiqi nodded, then added cautiously, “Of course, I cannot yet say exactly what form it will take or where it will begin.”
He quietly studied my expression, checking whether he had overstepped. I simply smiled.
“You are an honest man, Manager Shen.”
“Honest?”
“Indeed. Most people, when asked about the current age, answer only with ‘a time of great peace’ or ‘no problems whatsoever.’ They hide their true thoughts out of fear and offer safe replies. Yet you spoke the truth—even in front of Lord Xiao, a sitting official.”
“That is… because it seemed the lady wished to hear the truth…”
“Exactly. You read the situation correctly.”
I straightened my posture. “Therefore, I too will speak plainly.”
“……Please do.”
Shen Yiqi swallowed dryly, visibly tense. Without hesitation I went straight to the heart of the matter.
“The true purpose of our Abundance Society is to guide the people of Peixian onto the right path when ‘that day’ arrives.”
“That day…”
A brief silence fell. Shen Yiqi’s eyes widened slightly. Xiao He, who already knew everything, cast a sharp glance around the room before quietly returning his gaze to us.
At length Shen Yiqi’s voice emerged, low and heavy. “……Do you mean rebellion?”
“Yes.”
I nodded calmly. “Soon the world will fall into chaos. The oppressive authority of Qin will crumble, and uprisings by the suppressed will flare up like wildfire across the land. At that time, we will be the first to raise our banner here in Peixian.”
“We…?”
“The local elites of Peixian, centered around my husband. And now, Manager Shen, you too are part of that ‘we.’”
I nodded firmly as I met his eyes. For an instant, bewilderment flashed across Shen Yiqi’s face.
“But… my lady. Rebellion is high treason. If discovered, the entire clan will be exterminated.”
“I am aware.”
I smiled brightly. “Still, I would prefer the more elegant term ‘revolution’ whenever possible.”
“Revolution…?”
“Yes. It means to shed the old skin and renew the mandate of heaven. Rotten hide must be cut away before new flesh can grow.”
“……I see.”
Shen Yiqi squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then continued in a slightly trembling voice. “You invite me onto a path that could lead to the destruction of my entire clan—without even asking my opinion.”
“Correct.”
I did not look away from his eyes. “That was the nature of our contract.”
I offered no further explanation. Some things strike deepest when delivered plainly, without embellishment.
“……Good heavens.”
For a while Shen Yiqi glanced around uneasily. As his answer was delayed, even Xiao He looked at me with slightly tense eyes.
It’s fine. Don’t be afraid.
But I already knew. Shen Yiqi was not the sort of man who would refuse such an offer.
How much time passed? At last he spoke again.
“Very well. I accept… your proposal.”
As expected, he was true to form—the ambitious man who would one day become Empress Lü’s right hand and reach for absolute power.
“A wise decision.”
I nodded with a bright smile, as though I had anticipated nothing less. Then, without pause, I moved on.
“I will now explain the organizational structure of the Abundance Society.”
“……Please do.”
Shen Yiqi’s face had regained its composure. Xiao He let out a short sigh of relief. I raised three fingers.
“The Abundance Society is a cellular organization consisting of three distinct tiers.”
“A cellular organization…”
“First tier: Surface positions. This is where the majority of peasants who have joined the Society belong. They are unaware of its true purpose. They simply participate in mutual aid, share douhua, and feel goodwill toward us. They are the soil that will become our foundation.”
“I see.”
“Second tier: Intermediate positions. This layer consists of the squad leaders responsible for each district. In normal times they are the local intellectuals who handle weddings, funerals, and other rites. They receive direct orders from me and the third tier and lead the first tier in the field.”
In modern terms, they were the non-commissioned officers—practical hands and feet that executed commands and controlled those below them.
“Finally, the third tier: Core positions. The so-called leadership. This includes those with direct ties to my husband, such as Lord Xiao and Lord Xiahou. When ‘that day’ comes, they will be the ones to take real action and shape events.”
“And I am to belong to that core tier.”
“Yes. We are now comrades aboard the same ship.”
“……I knew it wasn’t going to be simple accounting work.”
“Hehe. You had already sensed something, hadn’t you, Manager?”
I laughed lightly and continued. “I will now explain the specialized duties within the core tier.”
I placed a hand over my chest. “First, I—Lü Zhi—am the architect of this core organization and its acting commander. While my husband is away, all decision-making authority rests with me.”
“Understood.”
“Lord Xiao He here is responsible for administration and legal affairs. He will gather internal intelligence on the county, handle legal procedures, and, when that day arrives, neutralize the county magistrate and seize control of administrative power.”
I spoke rapidly. “Lord Cao Shen, the jailer, is in charge of security. When the time comes, he will either keep the county guards neutral or bring them over to our side.”
Shen Yiqi nodded quietly, committing my words to memory.
“Next, Lord Fan Kuai handles military force. When that day comes, he will escort my husband and serve as the vanguard to break down gates and storm the county office if necessary. Lord Zhou Bo is organizing the local militia as a reserve force; when the moment arrives, he will guide public opinion for the Abundance Society.”
“Then Lord Xiahou Ying will manage logistics, communications, and information relay through the Jeonunchang we saw earlier.”
“Exactly.”
His mind really was sharp. I nodded as I met his eyes.
“And from now on, Manager Shen, you will be responsible for finance and personnel. You will manage the Society’s funds and verify individuals.”
“Verify?”
“Yes. When that day comes, knowing who will become an ally and who an enemy will be critically important. As a merchant, I ask that you meet various influential figures both inside and outside the Society and discern their inclinations.”
“……Understood.”
Shen Yiqi nodded with solemn resolve. “My role is to be the eyes and ears of the organization.”
“Precisely.”
Xiao He smiled warmly and added, “Yiqi, make full use of that merchant’s intuition and insight of yours. If anyone can separate jade from stone, it is you.”
He personally lifted the wine jar and poured a cup for Shen Yiqi. The latter stared at it silently for a moment, as though he understood that once he drank, he could never return to being a simple cloth-shop owner.
Of course you would hesitate.
I watched him quietly, then spoke in a calm, measured tone.
“Manager Shen.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“A revolution is brief, but its glory will be remembered forever.”
“……Pardon?”
“And that glory will be shared by everyone living in this county. Future generations will always record in history the names of the courageous souls who led that revolution. Your name will be among them.”
I smiled as I spoke. It was a single phrase that scratched the honor these men of the era valued more than life itself—an offer to leave one’s name in history, something a mere merchant could never obtain.
“……Glory.”
At last, the light of ambition returned to Shen Yiqi’s previously cautious eyes. He gripped the cup tightly, then emptied it in one decisive gulp.
“Yes, I understand, my lady! Shen Yiqi will stake everything he possesses on this endeavor.”
His voice rang with firm resolve.
Recruitment complete.
I smiled brightly, took the wine jar, and filled his empty cup once more.