The summons did not arrive with urgency.
That alone made it dangerous.
It came on a clean strip of paper, stamped with a familiar county seal, delivered by a runner who did not linger and did not explain. No threats. No deadlines. Just a simple instruction:
Lin Yan of Willow Village is requested to present himself at the county yamen within three days, regarding matters of infrastructure and trade.
Lin Yan read it twice.
Then a third time.
Gu Han watched quietly. Shen Mu stood by the door, arms folded.
"They're not accusing," Gu Han said.
"No," Lin Yan replied. "They're defining."
That was worse.
The village reacted before Lin Yan said a word.
News traveled faster than carts now.
"The county called him."
"That means officials."
"That means trouble—or protection."
Some were excited. Some afraid. A few resentful.
Hu Sheng said nothing—but his second cousin suddenly found reasons to visit the south market twice in one day.
Lin Yan noticed.
He always did.
Before leaving, Lin Yan walked the road again.
Not to inspect it.
To remember it.
Where the stone dipped slightly.
Where drainage ran strongest.
Where sheep tended to graze too close.
This road was no longer just packed earth and timber.
It was proof.
And proof demanded a name.
The county yamen sat on higher ground, its walls thick with age and authority. Lin Yan arrived early, dressed plainly but cleanly. He brought no gifts. He carried no bundles.
Only a ledger.
The clerk from before met him at the gate.
"You're punctual," the clerk said.
"I try to be," Lin Yan replied.
The clerk led him through courtyards that smelled faintly of ink and dust. Officials passed without looking twice—yet every movement felt observed.
They stopped in a side hall.
The county magistrate sat behind a broad desk, expression neutral, hands folded.
Xu Wen stood to the side.
So did Hu Sheng.
Lin Yan felt the shift immediately.
This was not a conversation.
This was a balance.
"Lin Yan," the magistrate said. "You've built a road."
"Yes, sir."
"You collect fees."
"Yes, sir."
"You've increased trade flow through a rural area."
"Yes, sir."
The magistrate nodded slowly. "And you did so without formal registration."
Lin Yan met his gaze. "I acted with village approval and reported earnings transparently."
"Transparency is not legality," the magistrate said mildly.
Xu Wen smiled faintly.
Hu Sheng avoided Lin Yan's eyes.
The magistrate continued. "However… you also prevented disputes, maintained order, and improved infrastructure without burdening the county."
He leaned back.
"That complicates matters."
Lin Yan remained silent.
"Under county law," the magistrate said, "any road facilitating trade may be classified as a commercial route."
Xu Wen's smile widened slightly.
"Which requires oversight," the magistrate continued, "registration, and taxation."
Hu Sheng straightened.
Xu Wen inclined his head.
"And yet," the magistrate said, "if every such path were claimed immediately, initiative would die."
He tapped the desk.
"So I offer three options."
The room tightened.
"First," the magistrate said, "you dissolve your operation. The road becomes public. Fees end. The county assumes maintenance—eventually."
Xu Wen's smile sharpened.
Lin Yan said nothing.
"Second," the magistrate continued, "you register as a local infrastructure steward. Fees remain, but a portion goes to the county. Oversight applies."
Xu Wen frowned slightly.
Hu Sheng's eyes flickered.
"Third," the magistrate said, voice calm, "you partner with an existing merchant entity. They assume legal responsibility. You receive compensation."
Xu Wen looked directly at Lin Yan.
Silence stretched.
The magistrate waited.
Lin Yan finally spoke.
"May I ask a question?"
The magistrate nodded.
"If I register," Lin Yan asked, "does the county protect the road?"
Xu Wen's eyes narrowed.
The magistrate considered. "Within reason."
"And if damage occurs from misuse?" Lin Yan pressed.
"Responsibility is shared," the magistrate replied. "Documented misuse may be penalized."
Lin Yan nodded slowly.
He turned to Xu Wen.
"And if I partner with a merchant," Lin Yan asked, "who answers when land is ruined?"
Xu Wen smiled. "We compensate."
"How?" Lin Yan asked.
Xu Wen's smile thinned. "With silver."
Lin Yan turned back to the magistrate.
"I choose the second option," he said.
Xu Wen's expression froze.
Hu Sheng inhaled sharply.
The magistrate raised an eyebrow. "You understand what that entails?"
"Yes," Lin Yan said. "Scrutiny."
"And obligation."
"Yes."
"And limits."
"Yes."
The magistrate studied him for a long moment.
"Why?" he asked.
Lin Yan answered simply.
"Because the road feeds my people," he said. "And anything that feeds must be protected."
The magistrate nodded once.
"Very well."
Paperwork followed.
Not simple.
Not quick.
Lin Yan signed his name until his wrist ached.
He registered not as a merchant—
But as Lin Yan, Steward of the Willow Route.
It was not a title of power.
It was a title of burden.
Xu Wen left early.
Hu Sheng stayed behind, pale and silent.
As they exited, Hu Sheng finally spoke.
"You've put yourself under their eye forever," Hu Sheng said.
Lin Yan replied calmly. "I was already there."
Back in the village, the reaction was explosive.
Some cheered.
Some cursed.
Some worried aloud that the county would squeeze them dry.
Lin Yan called a meeting that same night.
He did not soften his words.
"The road is registered," he said. "Fees will be recorded. A portion goes to the county."
Murmurs erupted.
"And in return," Lin Yan continued, voice steady, "the county protects the road. Merchants who damage land will be fined. Villagers will receive reduced rates."
That last part stilled the noise.
Old Zhou nodded slowly.
The old hunter spat and said, "Fair."
Lin Yan continued. "I will also publish records monthly. Anyone may inspect them."
That changed everything.
Transparency was power.
Later that night, alone, Lin Yan opened the system panel.
[Major Milestone Achieved: Formal Infrastructure Recognition]
[Title Acquired: Route Steward (Local)]
[Unlocked: Regional Trade Interface (Passive)]
[Warning: Visibility Increased Significantly]
Lin Yan closed it.
He felt the weight already.
Days passed.
Traffic increased.
So did tension.
Merchants tested limits.
Villagers tested patience.
Officials tested compliance.
And somewhere beyond the hills, Xu Wen planned.
Lin Yan knew this.
He also knew something else.
By choosing a name, he had made himself real.
Not just a man with cattle.
Not just a family head.
But a point on the county's map.
And once you are on the map—
You cannot disappear.
That evening, Lin Yan sat outside his house: larger now, sturdier, built with care. His parents rested inside. His brothers argued softly over tomorrow's work.
Grey Willow grazed nearby.
The road lay quiet.
Lin Yan looked at it and understood a final truth of this stage of his life:
Building is easy.
Holding is hard.
And the moment you choose to hold—
You choose conflict.
He exhaled, steady.
Let it come.