The Magistrate's study, usually a sanctuary of quiet ink-scratching and tea-sipping, was currently a war room.
Magistrate Zhao Rong paced the floor, his official hat in his hands. He looked older than he had a month ago. The political pressure from his brother, Zhao De, and the looming threat of the Provincial Governor's office had worn him down.
"A road, Wei-er! A strategic road!" Zhao Rong exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "You cannot fight a road. If the Ministry of Works says the road goes through your living room, you move your furniture. Or in your case, your cows."
Li Wei sat calmly on a visitor's chair, sipping tea. He was still wearing his dusty ranch clothes and the wolf-pelt hat, which he had refused to remove out of respect for the "Western custom" (and because it made him look like a bandit chieftain, which he found useful).
"Father," Li Wei said, his voice steady. "The road is a lie. Uncle De wants the land. The brick kiln contract he signed with the 'developer' needs clay. My Westland has the best clay deposits in the valley, right under the topsoil. If they dig it up, the ranch dies. The pasture turns into a pit."
Zhao Rong stopped pacing. "I know! But the paperwork is signed by the Provincial Governor. If you oppose it, you oppose the Province. That is treason."
"Then we don't oppose the road," Li Wei said, placing his cup down with a sharp *clack*. "We reroute it."
"Reroute? On whose authority?"
"Mine," Li Wei said. "And Captain Wang's."
He stood up. "Father, I need you to get me an audience with the Governor. Today. Not as a petition, but as a... demonstration."
"The Governor is busy. He is meeting with the Ministry officials right now."
"Then we interrupt," Li Wei said, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "We bring the mountain to Muhammad."
***
**The Provincial Governor's Yamen (Office)**
The main hall was cool and imposing. Governor Liu sat behind a high desk, reviewing the blueprints for the new northern supply route. Beside him stood a nervous-looking engineer and, to Li Wei's lack of surprise, Uncle Zhao De.
"This path is the most direct," Uncle De was saying, pointing to a map. "Straight through the Westland. It saves ten days of travel for the supply caravans. It is vital for the border defense."
Governor Liu nodded slowly. He was a practical man, more interested in results than family squabbles. "The terrain is flat. It seems reasonable."
Just then, the heavy doors of the hall burst open.
The guards scrambled, hands on their swords, but they froze when they saw the figure striding in.
Li Wei walked with a rolling gait, his spurs (he had finally figured out how to make them jingle with small iron rings) clicking rhythmically on the stone floor. *Click-clack. Click-clack.*
Behind him walked Chen Hu, carrying a large, heavy wooden chest on his shoulder as if it weighed nothing. And behind Chen Hu was Zhao Qingyu, dressed in formal robes, carrying a scroll case.
"Stop him!" Uncle De shouted. "This is a private meeting!"
"Private?" Li Wei laughed, his voice echoing in the high-ceilinged hall. He didn't stop until he was ten feet from the Governor's desk. He swept his hat off his head and bowed—a low, theatrical, almost mocking bow. "Governor Liu. I apologize for the intrusion. But I could not let you sign a death warrant for the northern army."
Governor Liu's eyes narrowed. "Li Wei. The 'Beef Barbarian'. You dare interrupt a council of state?"
"I dare because I have a better map," Li Wei said. He gestured to Qingyu. She stepped forward and unrolled a large map on the floor in front of the Governor's desk.
It was a detailed topographical map of the Westland and the surrounding hills, drawn by Li Wei from memory and system data.
Uncle De scoffed. "What is this? A child's drawing?"
"Look closely, Your Excellency," Li Wei said, pointing to the red line Uncle De had proposed. "Your road goes through the valley. But look at the soil composition. That valley is alluvial silt—mud. In the spring rains, that road will be a swamp. Wagons will sink to their axles. Your ten-day saving will become a month of being stuck in the mud."
The Governor frowned. He looked at his engineer. "Is this true?"
The engineer sweated. "Well... we planned to lay gravel..."
"A lot of gravel," Li Wei interrupted. "Expensive gravel. Now look at my route." He pointed to a blue line running along the ridge. "Solid rock foundation. Gravel is unnecessary. It's higher, so it drains naturally. And..." He tapped the map. "It connects to the old logging trail, saving you fifteen miles of new construction."
Governor Liu leaned forward. He was a military man; he understood logistics. "Why was this not proposed before?"
"Because the previous route serves other interests," Li Wei said, his voice hard. He looked straight at Uncle De. "Interests involving clay mining rights sold to a brick kiln association owned by a certain... family member."
Uncle De turned purple. "Slander! Lies!"
"Quiet," Governor Liu snapped. He looked at Li Wei. "Your route is higher. Steeper. Can wagons make the climb?"
"Yes," Li Wei said. "Because I will provide the wagons. And the horses."
He turned to Chen Hu. "Open the chest."
Chen Hu dropped the chest onto the floor with a heavy *thud*. He opened the lid. Inside, nestled in straw, were not gold bars, but the "Iron Ration" strips—hundreds of them, packed tight.
Li Wei picked one up. "Governor, you are building this road to supply the army. I am already supplying them. This is the 'Westland Iron Ration'. Captain Wang of the Northern Logistics just signed a contract for five hundred catties a month. If you build the road through my ranch, you destroy the pasture that feeds the cattle that make this ration."
He tossed the piece of jerky onto the Governor's desk.
"Destroy the ranch, and your soldiers starve on the march. Save the ranch, use my road route, and I will donate fifty wagons of supplies to the construction effort. Free of charge."
Governor Liu picked up the jerky. He remembered the taste from the banquet. He remembered the Captain's report.
He looked at the map, then at the jerky, then at Uncle De.
"Zhao De," the Governor said, his voice cold.
"Y-yes, Your Excellency?"
"Does this... clay deposit... exist on the proposed route?"
Uncle De stammered. "It is... incidental! The road is for the good of the—"
"The road is for the army," Liu cut him off. "Not for your brick factory." He turned to Li Wei. "Li Wei. You propose the ridge route?"
"I do. It is defensible, dry, and fast. I call it the 'High Road'."
"And you will supply the workers?"
"I'll feed them beef jerky and soup. They will work twice as fast."
Governor Liu sat back. He tapped his fingers on the desk. The decision was easy. A road that worked vs. a road that made a corrupt official rich.
"The route is approved," Liu announced. "The ridge route. Construction begins next month. Li Wei, you are appointed as the Civilian Logistics Consultant for the project."
He glared at Uncle De. "And Zhao De... I suggest you reconsider your investments in clay. You are dismissed."
Uncle De stood frozen. His plan had not just failed; it had been eviscerated. He looked at Li Wei with pure, unadulterated hatred, but he had no power here. He bowed stiffly and stormed out.
***
**Outside the Yamen**
"Consultant?" Qingyu asked as they walked out into the sunlight. She was breathless, still processing the victory. "You are a government consultant now?"
"It's a title," Li Wei said, putting his hat back on. "It means they can't kick me off the land. It means the Westland is permanent."
He looked at the blue sky. The air felt sweeter.
"Brother!" Sheng came running up the street. "Brother! The calf! Apex!"
Li Wei's heart dropped. "What happened? Is he sick?"
"No! He's... he's standing on the big rock! And he's eating grass! And he chased a dog!"
Li Wei laughed. "He's a troublemaker. Just like his father."
He turned to Qingyu. "Wife. We won. Tonight, we celebrate."
"Celebrate?" Qingyu asked. "How?"
Li Wei grinned. "We're having a BBQ. A real one. I'm going to teach you how to line dance."
"Line... dance?" She looked horrified. "I am a lady of the Zhao house!"
"Out here," Li Wei said, grabbing his horse's reins, "you're a rancher. Come on. The sun is going down, and the beef needs to rest."
He mounted his horse, looking back at the city one last time. He had entered as a joke, a useless son-in-law. He was leaving as the savior of the army's supply line, a government consultant, and the owner of the most strategic piece of land in the county.
The Westland Ranch was no longer a dream. It was a fortress.
**[System Notification]**
**[Quest Complete: Secure Permanent Land Deed.]**
**[Reputation: Governor Liu (Trusted), Uncle De (Nemesis).]**
**[Title Acquired: Civilian Logistics Consultant.]**
**[Ranch Status: Secure.]**
**[New Quest Unlocked: The High Road Construction.]**
**[Objective: Oversee the building of the ridge road and establish a trade route to the North.]**
Li Wei spurred his horse. The wind rushed past his face. The road ahead was long, but for the first time, it was a road he had built himself.
"Yah!" he shouted, galloping toward the sunset.
**[End of Volume 1: The Westland Dream.]**