The Xia Yu Kingdom was a feudal state resembling the Republican era, formed after the imperial authority of the previous dynasty collapsed.
It was divided into thirteen prefectures, with counties under each prefecture.
Azure Prefecture, where Lu Xuan currently resided, lay in the southeast. It was a vital junction of land and water routes, rich in produce, and thus a prize contested by military powers. Its internal forces were tangled together like roots and vines.
The entire prefecture contained twenty counties, currently controlled separately by more than a dozen warlords of varying size.
Just three days after Lu Xuan returned from General Mountain, a group of finely dressed uninvited guests arrived outside Dingnan County's gates.
At their head was a middle-aged scholar wearing gold-rimmed glasses and an impeccably pressed Zhongshan Suit.
Holding a gilt invitation card, he called loudly to the soldiers atop the walls, "Zhou Zhili, Secretary-General under Commander Hu of Sanshui County, has come specially to pay respects to Commander Lu and present my commander's handwritten letter!"
The news quickly reached Lu Xuan's villa.
"Commander, that old fox Hu Weibang moved quickly indeed." Adjutant Mo presented the invitation card, his expression exceedingly cautious. "A weasel paying respects to a chicken—he surely has no good intentions."
Lu Xuan accepted the card and lightly brushed the gilt lettering with his fingertips. An exceedingly faint chill of Killing Intent, attempting to seep into his body, was instantly dispersed.
"Killing Intent infused into the ink to befuddle the mind? A petty trick."
Lu Xuan then opened the card and read Hu Weibang's smooth, humble wording.
Its general meaning was:
Having heard that Commander Lu had recently obtained a precious treasure from an Ancient Tomb, I am deeply impressed.
Yet a man is guilty simply for possessing jade; wolves all around are watching