With only a handful of military physicians in the army, Prince Nolan needed the Valley Master’s junior brother to help Old Gray gain strategic awareness of Jason Lan and Liancastle. Naturally, he had to bring the junior brother back with him. As a result, the army would lose one of its few doctors capable of handling major cases, so...
With Simon Sun’s consent, he temporarily remained at the front as interim head army physician. Logan Ling volunteered to stay behind and protect him, while Colin Si promised to personally escort Simon back once a suitable permanent physician was found.
The Valley Master’s junior brother had a temperament much like the Valley Master himself. When he learned that Serena Feng and Simon Sun were the two young doctors the Valley Master bragged about endlessly, he was deeply frustrated: “Why am I always a step behind him? I joined the sect later, and even when it comes to spotting talent, I’m always late?”
How could he boast to others now? Annoyed, the Valley Master’s junior brother refused to speak to Serena for several days, blaming her for not warning him in advance and making him lose face in front of the Valley Master.
Serena couldn’t understand the junior brother’s childish behavior—just as she couldn’t understand Dorian Owen’s thinking. (Doudou, in Chinese.) When Dorian learned Serena was leaving, he clung to her leg and bawled, refusing to let her go and demanding that both Serena and Simon stay at the front.
She couldn’t pull him off, couldn’t kick him away, couldn’t talk him down. Every step Serena took, she had to drag Dorian Owen—the giant tail—along, so much so that she couldn’t even leave the house and was stuck in a ridiculous staring contest with him. (In Chinese, 'giant tail' is a playful idiom for a clingy follower.)
When Dorian started acting up, Serena was completely helpless. With Serena present, he wasn’t even afraid of Prince Nolan—he talked back to the regent several times, got punished repeatedly, but still shamelessly clung to Serena’s thigh, rolling on the ground and throwing a tantrum, just refusing to let her leave.
Serena was nearly driven to tears; in the end, it was Colin Si who stepped in and finally managed to calm Dorian down.
“I’ll leave Dorian to you, then.” Aside from Zuo An (Left Shore), there was finally a second person who could handle Dorian when he went off the rails—Serena was nearly moved to tears.
With Colin Si around, Dorian finally settled down. On top of that, since Dorian had saved General Warren Yu’s life, Warren now truly appreciated him. Knowing he’d likely never lead armies again, Warren started teaching Dorian real combat and battlefield skills in his spare time, keeping him so busy training that he barely had time to act up.
On this rare sunny day, Prince Nolan and Serena set out early under the escort of elite troops. Dorian Owen was deliberately confined by Colin Si’s men and not allowed to come see Serena off, lest he throw himself at her again and embarrass everyone before the whole army.
With so many people watching, Dorian Owen could afford to make a scene, but the rest of them couldn’t risk losing face.
On this trip, Prince Nolan not only took Old Gray with him but also a small portion of the spoils. From the loot seized in Night City, Nolan left thirty percent for Warren Yu and Colin Si to distribute as they saw fit.
Everyone in the army knew the unwritten rule: after every battle, the bulk of the spoils went to the state treasury, while a smaller share was quietly kept by officers and soldiers.
During the Night City assault, however, with Nolan present, no one dared touch the loot. After years without war, this had been their first chance to earn silver, but faced with the regent’s eye, they only watched the treasure pile up and silently regretted the lost opportunity.
Fortunately, Nolan wasn’t a man utterly opposed to private gain. He understood that men who shed blood for the state were entitled to 'seeking wealth in danger,' and he was willing to spend a portion of the spoils to win hearts.
Yet he also knew that rewards too easily won would not be cherished. So he let the officers drool for days and only on the eve of departure did he decree that thirty percent of the loot be left to Warren Yu and Colin Si to distribute, sixty percent be sealed in chests and sent back to the capital, and the remaining ten percent be used to pay for war drums and engineer tools.
Those war drums and tools did not fall from the sky. They were delivered by caravans registered under Serena’s name and fronted by Mira Tang, who dealt directly with the army, exchanging them for a tenth of Night City’s war spoils.
“On this trip, the one most shortchanged is me—I’m just here to sit in on the prince’s lessons.” Vincent Su complained bitterly. As a businessman, watching a fortune parade past without being able to touch it was torture.
“The best fields, houses, and shops in Night City already belong largely to you; what more could you want?” Serena retorted, unable to understand how Vincent could be so hungry for profit that he wanted a piece of every money-making venture.
When the topic turned to Night City properties, Vincent perked up but still pretended modesty, saying that this venture has yielded only around a hundred-fold profit and thus 'doesn’t really count as much.'
Serena’s hands itched to hit him: “A hundred-fold profit and you’re still not satisfied? What do you want?” With returns like that, no wonder people risk war—war is the best way to make money.
Vincent confessed that he actually wanted to buy up all of Night City, but Nolan never gave him the chance. His tone was full of regret.
Serena clenched her fists to keep from punching him. “Be content—with half of Night City in your hands, I should start calling you ‘Su Half-City.’” She noted that even if she became incredibly rich, she could never buy the Shandong Circuit itself—some things simply cannot be sold.
Vincent was startled. “Su Half-City? You can’t just throw that name around.”
Luckily, Nolan was riding ahead today—if he’d heard, Vincent would be in trouble.
“Why are you so nervous? Nolan already knows exactly how many assets you own,” Serena replied coolly. Vincent relaxed, deciding that when they got a chance, he would sort out his Night City properties and voluntarily assign a portion to Nolan.
Serena smiled and said nothing. Vincent was smart enough to know what he could and couldn’t do. For a subordinate, excessive power brings not favor but the ruler’s jealousy. Earlier she had already warned Mira Tang not to buy Night City assets too aggressively; since Nolan is 'eating meat,' she should be content to drink soup.
She used to think she was being too cautious, but remembering the two covert spies Nolan had planted in Shandong among the Phoenixfield Clan, Serena knew this careful approach was correct. No matter what private feelings lay between her and Nolan, public matters must be handled publicly. Since she had chosen Nolan as the lord her Phoenixfield Clan would serve, she must not let their strength become something he fears.
Too much power isn’t always a good thing—just look at Warren Yu.
Clearly, Night City wasn’t a good topic; both fell silent. Vincent was about to change the subject when the carriage stopped and the Valley Master’s junior brother called out anxiously: “Serena, hurry, get out of the carriage!”
“Coming,” Serena replied, lifting the curtain and jumping out with her medicine case.
Whenever the Valley Master’s junior brother came to her, it was always about Old Gray—never anything else.
“That old man’s pulse just sped up—he’s about to die!” The junior brother, impatient with Serena’s pace, grabbed her arm and dragged her along, but Serena hated having people touch her hands.
“What did you feed him this time? If you kill him, watch out—Nolan will have your head.” Serena was nearly out of patience with this eccentric junior brother.
They really were two of a kind—just like the Valley Master, his junior brother loved using live subjects for drug trials. Earlier, Nolan had ordered him to force-feed Old Gray all sorts of torturous medicines to make him talk.
Old Gray finally spoke, surviving every poison and trial. Just when he thought his suffering was over, the junior brother decided he was the perfect test subject and kept sneaking him new medicines under the guise of treatment.
“I know I was wrong—promise it won’t happen again! Hurry, this time it’s really serious; the old man’s dying!” The junior brother was so anxious he nearly jumped up and down, far more serious than usual.
Serena’s expression changed too. This time, it was clearly much more severe than before. Heart pounding, she shook off the junior brother and ran ahead.
Old Gray must not die!