To the north of Nanmin Commandery lies Yue Commandery, where the Grant and Baker families hold great power. They are both long-established clans native to the southeast, deeply rooted in the lakes and marshes of Wu and Yue. The smaller local families attach themselves to them. The two families were rivals for generations, until the pirate invasion of Yue Commandery at Pujie forced them to form an alliance. The remnant of the old dynasty, Edward Grant, occupied Pujie Chain Island and, in the thirty-sixth year of the new dynasty, invaded Yue Commandery, capturing the major city of Wenling. Through hard work, their influence extended directly into Jinhua Prefecture, becoming the third rising power in the land of Wu and Yue. North of Yue Commandery, across the river, is Donghai Commandery. In Donghai, the Wanling Brooks family, Yongyang Mason family, and Tairu Bennett family have formed an alliance to resist external threats. North of Donghai is Qingzhou Commandery, where the Evans family is an old and sophisticated clan. Even before the new dynasty was established, the Evans clan had already raised troops in support, so their roots grew even deeper after the new dynasty’s founding. West of Donghai is the former Yongning Commandery, where the Yixing Bolton family dominates Jiangjin. To the west and south of Yongning lies the former Jingchu Commandery. When the new dynasty was founded, it was divided for governance. South of the great river is Jing Commandery, where meritorious generals were enfeoffed. The original intention was to let these new nobles of the dynasty check the power of the old clans in Nanping Commandery. However, the contradictions between the newly enfeoffed nobles and the old powerful clans were sharp and irreconcilable, and the annexation and strife between them were even fiercer than elsewhere. West of Nanping Commandery, following the great river up through the Three Gorges, is Chengyu Commandery. The Rongcheng Lawson family runs the tea and horse trade, while the Yuzhou Walker family operates salt kilns; both are major powers in Chengyu, along with the indigenous Bennett, Parker, and Dixon tribes.

　　The above are the six commanderies of the great clans, controlling both sides of the great river. In name, they submit to the court, but in reality, they ignore its orders and govern their own lands.

　　West of Yongning Commandery, northwest of Jing Commandery, and across the river from Jing Commandery, is Jinyang Commandery. North of Qingzhou Commandery is Youji Commandery, which faces the sea to the east, with the Long River running through it. West of Youji, and north of Yongning, is Fen Commandery. The Jinshui and Long Rivers flow through and meet at Jining. West of Fen Commandery, and north of Jinyang, is Qinzhou Commandery, where the new dynasty established its capital at Xijing. Xijing, Jining, Jiangjin, and Rongcheng are collectively known as the Four Capitals. West of Qinzhou Commandery, and north through the plank roads of Chengyu Commandery, is Suchen Commandery.

　　These are the five commanderies of the new dynasty. The founding of the new dynasty is closely tied to the great clans of these five commanderies. Some are old acquaintances, some are related by marriage, all are newly risen clans that rose with the new dynasty. Among them, the Youji Wangyi Foster family, Jinyang Huailai Howard family, Fen Commandery Jining Harris family, and Suchen Yinzhou Reed family are the most prominent, collectively known as the Four Great Clans of the new dynasty.

　　There are also Baiji, Bohai, Hulan, Mobei, and Xichui, collectively called the Heavenly Domain, or the Five Remote Regions, inhabited by the Qiang and Hu peoples.

　　Caleb Carter listened to Henry Walker’s words, which, though reproaching his father, were tinged with admiration. He recalled his father’s words and deeds, and a longing arose in his heart. He thought: I wonder who the other five talents refer to. He remembered the famous scholars and recluses he had met while traveling the world with his father. Since childhood, whenever his father spoke of his mother, his face was full of deep affection, and he would tirelessly say how gentle and kind she was, but never mentioned her family, and he had never met his maternal grandfather. Could it be that, like his father, she was alone since childhood? The man before him seemed to know much about his father—perhaps he knew. But then he thought: when he just spoke of my father, there was resentment in his tone. If I ask him, and he speaks disrespectfully, I would have no way to deal with it. Better not to ask. Besides, he may not know, so he let the thought go and turned to other matters.

　　Henry Walker saw that he was deep in thought and knew he would not be easily persuaded. With a slight narrowing of his eyes, he sighed inwardly, thinking: Five years ago, I went to ask Brian Carter to help me seize Qingzhou, but was refused. Though we did not speak much, the resentment in my heart has not faded. My words just now, though spoken to this child, were more like an argument with Brian Carter through him.

　　Hearing the singing from the painted boat, Henry Walker was moved. He thought of how, to avenge his family, he willingly served William Evans, training over three thousand ghost riders in Qingzhou, raiding Yixing day and night to relieve the southwest crisis. Yet the ghost riders were a fierce and ruthless force, and wherever they struck, they killed and plundered like bandits. In the lands of the two prefectures and eight counties, nine out of ten households were lost. That day, when Brian Carter saw me, he said at once: your infamy is already known. Yet only in this way could I calm the fire of vengeance in my heart. William Evans claimed to have mastered the arts of the Qinghe charge and the Biluo spear, and together with John Bolton and Samuel Carter conspired to bring me to my current plight.

　　Thinking of this, Henry Walker, though still bent on revenge, for the first time felt a trace of regret for his past actions.

Chapter Seven: Transmission

　　In the following two months, Philip Morgan led the remaining twenty-four of the original forty-nine Long Spear Riders, disguising themselves as Henry Walker, and repeatedly appeared in Jing and Yue Commanderies. John Bolton continually sent the clan’s experts to hunt them down in various places.

　　Caleb Carter and Henry Walker continued to appear daily at the Dongli Teahouse, sitting by the back window. After breakfast, they would brew a pot of fine Yunwu tea and casually pick a topic to discuss.

　　Since childhood, Caleb Carter had traveled the world with his father, making him far more mature than his peers. When discussing with Henry Walker, if there was something he did not understand, he would rely on his excellent memory and use what Brian Carter had told him to argue with Henry Walker. Though he knew of Henry Walker’s fearsome reputation, over the past few months, Henry Walker had shown him the utmost care, treating his damaged meridians every morning and noon with innate energy. Their relationship had become very harmonious, and his initial fear had completely vanished. If they disagreed and he could not argue further, he would simply fall silent, but his face would show clear disdain, his gaze wandering elsewhere, pretending to listen.

　　Henry Walker would smile and not mind, knowing that he was using this child to argue with Brian Carter, and that in any disagreement, the child would naturally trust his father more. Henry Walker paid no attention to the look of extreme disdain, and simply continued to express his own views.