The study was brightly lit.

Governor Yang sat sideways in an official chair, looking at Qiu Feishan seated in the main position with some trepidation.

Qiu Feishan wore light blue brocade men’s clothing, her hair piled high atop her head and secured with a jade hairpin, revealing a jade-like heroic countenance as she lowered her long lashes to examine a note in her hand.

Her pale index finger tapped the table repeatedly. After a moment, she finally showed a faint smile.

When she smiled, her features became even more gentle.

But Governor Yang felt even more alarmed watching this. Could this young lady be so angry that she had gone mad and was smiling because of it?

“Miss, please don’t be angry. I think that Pang Zhixi is just an ignorant brute who’s addicted to robbery. Not content with robbing your goods, he’s now gone to rob a bandit stronghold.”

Qiu Feishan lightly raised her pale hand, and Governor Yang’s unspoken words stuck in his throat.

“He’s a brute? It seems Governor Yang’s understanding of him isn’t deep enough.”

Governor Yang became even more confused.

So many of Sitong Company’s goods being shipped out of the city had been robbed by the Pingnan Army, causing Sitong Company’s local business to come to a complete standstill. Yet this head manager Qiu Feishan could still maintain her composure—he hadn’t seen her become particularly angry over Pang Xiao’s shameless behavior, and she even seemed to speak with admiration.

A woman’s heart is deeper than the ocean. It seemed that someone who could manage Sitong Company for many years and fight in the business world—this elusive Sitong Company manager—truly had an unpredictable side typical of women.

Seeing Governor Yang’s completely puzzled expression, Qiu Feishan couldn’t help but shake her head with amusement.

“If he were like Prince Zhennan, then my southern journey would be utterly meaningless.” Qiu Feishan stood up and smilingly instructed the beautiful maid beside her, “Go send an invitation to the commanding general of the Pingnan Army camp. Say that the head manager of Sitong Company requests an audience.”

“Miss!” Governor Yang suddenly rose, saying anxiously, “Are you planning to reveal your identity to Pang Zhixi?”

“Do you think he can’t guess?” Qiu Feishan’s smile deepened, “If he couldn’t guess, he wouldn’t have directly pushed that three million taels of silver debt onto you.”

Hearing this, Governor Yang couldn’t help but be speechless. After a long while, he said, “Could he really be that clever? Has he already figured out our scheme?”

“Naturally.” Qiu Feishan said, “Looking at how he maintains clear rewards and punishments in the military camp, and seeing his methods today in rescuing innocent women and common people, one can tell he’s a person of great principles. If he wasn’t certain that Lu Zhang was from Sitong Company and deliberately created that three million tael debt note to make things difficult for him, if he hadn’t guessed that I, temporarily staying in your mansion, am Sitong Company’s head manager, he wouldn’t have taken this series of actions.”

What Pang Xiao had done wasn’t irresponsibly defaulting on debt, but rather passing the blame to the person who truly deserved to bear it.

Precisely because he had guessed the relationship between Governor Yang and Sitong Company, those three million taels between Governor Yang and Sitong Company was merely a matter of one sentence—there was no need to use any tax revenue to repay it. That’s why he could push the matter to Governor Yang without any pressure.

Otherwise, given his character, he should also be as responsible as he was today in rescuing so many people and women, even going to the trouble of considering their future paths, shouldn’t he?

In the silence, the maid had already arranged everything.

By evening, the Pingnan Army camp welcomed an unexpected yet expected distinguished guest.

At this time, Pang Xiao was in the commander’s tent receiving Mu Jinghu, who was carrying a bundle of clothing.

“Your wife made these. She said spring has arrived and the weather has changed—she was afraid you’d be too hot wearing your previous clothes.” Stuffing the bundle to Pang Xiao, Mu Jinghu turned to pour himself a large bowl of tea, drank deeply, wiped his mouth and said, “Is there anything else you need me to help you take back?”

Pang Xiao lovingly stroked the dark blue bundle, thinking he’d examine it carefully after Mu Jinghu left—perhaps Yining had even sent him a letter inside. Hearing the question, he just smiled, “I don’t have anything worth taking. Just a bunch of rough men, and there’s no market or anything like that. There’s nothing she could use. When you go back, just help me convey my regards to the mother and child.”

Mu Jinghu nodded understandingly, “Got it. I’ll tell her you miss her very much.”

Pang Xiao chuckled, “You blockhead, you’ve actually learned to say such things.” He bumped Mu Jinghu’s shoulder, “How about it—do you already have a woman you fancy now?”

Mu Jinghu’s fair face immediately turned red, “What are you saying? I’m not that kind of person. I’m leaving.”

He turned and walked outside.

Pang Xiao laughed heartily, “Don’t go! I was just teasing you. Besides, you’re not young anymore—you’re at the age for marriage. Why can’t I ask? Are we brothers or not?”

Mu Jinghu was thin-skinned and became even more embarrassed by Pang Xiao’s teasing. He ran outside with his head down, thinking to himself that he shouldn’t have volunteered to help deliver things. If it weren’t for the fact that it was getting dark, his lightness skills were excellent and he was fast, plus he hadn’t seen Pang Xiao in a long time and just wanted to meet and chat briefly, he wouldn’t have come!

Mu Jinghu running outside with his head down made Pang Xiao laugh heartily, and even Huzi was suppressing laughter, making “pff” sounds.

At this moment, a soldier came in to report, “Your Highness, someone outside requests an audience, claiming to be the head manager of Sitong Company.”

Pang Xiao’s smile faded, and he raised his eyebrows with a light chuckle, “Finally here. Please let them in.”

Mu Jinghu also stopped and, after hesitating a moment, turned back to Pang Xiao’s side.

Pang Xiao said mischievously, “You’re not leaving?”

Mu Jinghu said with a wooden expression, “I’m also curious about what kind of person this Sitong Company head manager is. Besides, if they brought assassins, I can help you out. I’m not leaving—I’ll watch and then go.”

Pang Xiao kindly suppressed his laughter, afraid of making Mu Jinghu so angry he’d never come again—that would be no fun.

“Good, I indeed need your assistance.” Pang Xiao returned to the tent with Mu Jinghu and handed the bundle Mu Jinghu had brought to Huzi to put away.

Soon, footsteps could be heard outside the tent, followed by a soldier’s report, “Your Highness, the Sitong Company head manager has arrived.”

“Please let them in.”

The warm curtain lifted, and a soldier in Pingnan Army uniform entered first, gesturing for those behind him to enter.

Following was a tall woman dressed in moon-white brocade robes and a silver cloak, disguised as a man. Two people accompanied her: one was a young, pretty maid, and the other was someone Pang Xiao had met once—Manager Liu, who had come to demand debt repayment.

Qiu Feishan walked into the tent. Though dressed as a man, she didn’t put on masculine airs, but her bearing was graceful and dignified, extremely elegant.

There is a kind of beauty that transcends gender, and Qiu Feishan was this type of person. She would make people ignore her clothing—though knowing she was a woman, one wouldn’t gaze at her based on gender, but would only feel this person was an elegant, jade-like refined individual.

Pang Xiao raised his sword-like eyebrows and smiled warmly, “Manager Qiu, please sit.”

Qiu Feishan smiled charmingly and bowed, “Thank you, Your Highness.” She found a seat, with the maid and Manager Liu standing behind her.

Only then did Huzi and Mu Jinghu show surprised expressions.

Because from the moment these people entered, their attention had been focused on Manager Liu, both thinking he was the Sitong Company head manager. Huzi had even been internally cursing Manager Liu for being shameless, having pretended to be a minor manager when coming to demand debt from the Prince last time.

Who would have imagined that the head manager of the century-old Sitong Company would actually be a beautiful, young woman!

The two men’s surprise was completely undisguised. Huzi couldn’t help but mentally compare this Manager Qiu with the Princess Consort.

Hmm, this person being neither fully male nor female didn’t match up to the Princess Consort.

Though both had strong presence and were outstanding among women, he believed the Prince wouldn’t be attracted to this type of woman.

Mu Jinghu didn’t think as much as Huzi. He glanced at Qiu Feishan once and then looked away. Though curious, seeing what kind of person she was once was enough. He didn’t keep staring just because she was a beauty.

Qiu Feishan observed the reactions of both men beside Pang Xiao, finding Pang Xiao even more interesting. He himself was interesting, and the people around him were also quite interesting.

A soldier brought tea and withdrew.

Pang Xiao leaned against his chair and sighed lightly, “Ah, if Manager Qiu hadn’t visited, I would have been planning to rest by now. These past few days of bandit suppression have really been mentally and physically exhausting—I’m so tired my bones ache all over. Tsk tsk.”

Qiu Feishan’s expression didn’t change, but the maid and Manager Liu behind her both turned red with anger.

He had the nerve to talk about being tired from bandit suppression with aching bones? He was clearly tired from robbing Sitong Company! And he was supposed to be a prince—they had never seen such a shameless person!

Qiu Feishan nodded and sighed, “The peace of this region depends entirely on Your Highness and the Pingnan Army for protection. We merchants are truly very grateful. If the Pingnan Army hadn’t fought hard to eliminate mountain bandits, wouldn’t the surrounding common people have suffered? This bandit problem harms people—we at Sitong Company deeply feel this.”

Her words were an unceremonious condemnation of someone’s bandit behavior.

The two people behind Qiu Feishan looked pleased.

Now it was Huzi and Mu Jinghu whose faces looked unpleasant.

Who would have thought that what appeared to be a delicate young lady would actually be so shameless as to dare call their Pingnan Army bandits?

Why didn’t she think about who was really being unreasonable, shamelessly stuffing the Pingnan Army with a three million tael debt note? The Pingnan Army’s total military pay might not even amount to ten thousand taels, yet she had the nerve to write three million—absolutely shameless!

Huzi was filled with righteous indignation, and Mu Jinghu also frowned.

But the smile on Pang Xiao’s face remained unchanged as he nodded, “Yes, it’s rare that Manager Qiu understands. We people eat military rations, so naturally we must think of the common people’s safety. We can’t eat imperial grain for nothing. I see there are quite a few bandits around the capital. The Pingnan Army will need to continue working hard at bandit suppression. Whenever we eliminate all the bandits, that’s when we’ll be finished.”

The maid behind Qiu Feishan nearly fainted with anger. Manager Liu’s face also turned iron-blue.

Was Pang Xiao telling them that he would continue robbing Sitong Company until he drove Sitong Company out of business? Killing doesn’t require more than a nod of the head—was he trying to destroy Sitong Company entirely?