Feng Zhiwei’s gaze slowly lifted.

From top to bottom.

First sweeping across Ning Yi’s hand, then falling to Yan Huaiying’s clothing, then to their waists.

She examined them so carefully and unhurriedly without showing any anger, as if she hadn’t heard that utterly insulting and provocative remark.

Ning Yi waited a while without any reaction, raising an eyebrow and about to speak, when he suddenly heard Feng Zhiwei say slowly, “Serving Your Highness is this subordinate’s honor.”

Ning Yi had waited for quite some time, and hearing this sentence, his eyelashes lowered slightly. Without a word, he embraced Yan Huaiying and left the window.

Yan Huaiying was both bashful and proud, unable to resist turning her face from Ning Yi’s embrace to show Feng Zhiwei a provocative smile.

Feng Zhiwei looked at her fixedly, her eyes pitying, which made Yan Huaiying freeze for a moment.

As Yan Huaiying turned her face, Ning Yi noticed. Blind people sometimes have even more acute senses, and he vaguely sensed this woman’s suddenly soaring emotions. His brow furrowed imperceptibly.

As soon as he turned around, he snapped the window shut with a clap. The moment the window closed, he pushed Yan Huaiying from his embrace.

Caught off guard, Yan Huaiying’s body tilted backward and she fell onto the bed. Thinking His Highness was impatient to enjoy her favors, she let out a soft moan and submissively prostrated herself on the couch.

She lay on the couch, her heart pounding like drums. After all, she was still a maiden from a distinguished family who didn’t know how to use her beauty to serve others. She only knew to curl up on the couch, fingers tightly gripping the brocade bedding, the silky satin sticky with the sweat from her palm. In the thundering of her heartbeat, she held her breath waiting, ears perked to listen, but that person remained sunken in darkness, never approaching.

Faintly she could only hear his breathing, somewhat hurried at first, then gradually turning longer and more leisurely.

A “bang” – a tremendous sound startled Yan Huaiying into sitting up hastily. Looking back, she saw the door had been pushed open. Feng Zhiwei carried in an enormous basin of water, staggering as she crossed the threshold. The basin was truly astonishing – her arms could barely encircle it, and it was filled to the brim with water that splashed about, even splashing onto Ning Yi’s boots as he stood not far from the door.

“The water is here,” Feng Zhiwei said breathlessly. “This subordinate thought Your Highness must be very tired, and the concubine must also be very tired, so I fetched extra water. Never mind washing hands – there should be enough for a bath.”

Holding the basin large enough to swim in, she stood in the doorway with a somewhat innocent smile, her smile bright and clear in the moonlight.

Everything in the room looked so suggestive – the bedding disheveled, candles unlit, the man and woman’s clothing half-undone, the air rippling with the rich, romantic fragrance of peonies.

Feng Zhiwei’s gaze once again swept across Yan Huaiying’s torn clothing.

Ning Yi, oh Ning Yi.

You do love playing games to test people.

If you had really touched this woman, you should know that for her to please you, she’s wearing a low-cut thin shirt – a new fashionable style from overseas. I don’t know if it looks good or not, but it’s very easy to tear – you just open the collar and it comes right off. Why would you need to use such great force to tear it from the shoulder?

Also, you’re holding her upper body so tightly, so why are your legs slightly withdrawn a step back? That hand you placed on her shoulder – why does it look more like it’s blocking rather than caressing?

You simply detest being approached by others.

Feng Zhiwei touched her faintly aching stomach, thinking to herself that she alone had blocked the seafood feast’s vomiting and diarrhea, yet still had to be tormented by those two men one after another – one naive, one strange, neither giving her peace. Poor her with her delicate, sickly constitution – how could she endure their devastatingly beautiful faces?

She sighed, somewhat bored as she met Yan Huaiying’s gaze, finding that thin dress of hers quite bizarre, and couldn’t help but smile.

Yan Huaiying stared at her smile, mouth agape, unable to imagine this person actually smiling at such a moment. She had imagined ten thousand times how to humiliate Wei Zhi after gaining His Highness’s favor. Now seemed close to the time when she could humiliate this person – what could vent her anger better than making him wait on her? However, when Wei Zhi actually carried in the basin, she couldn’t find any trace of the gloom and resentment she expected in Wei Zhi’s eyes. Those clear, penetrating eyes, that gaze transparent and bright as water jade, shot toward her calmly and broadly, and she unconsciously began straightening her torn clothing, suddenly feeling she had fallen into the dust.

Ning Yi remained silent throughout, listening carefully to Feng Zhiwei’s breathing. She seemed to be standing there the whole time, examining them with interest. Her breathing was calm, neither sad nor happy, neither annoyed nor angry, as if there were never any waves. He stood in the darkness listening, using a calm posture to listen to his own thoughts slowly sinking in the silent deep water.

Suddenly there was another sound – metal hitting the ground. The large basin fell at his feet, water splashing out again. Unable to dodge in time, his other boot also got wet. Then he heard Feng Zhiwei laugh and say, “This subordinate is not skilled at serving people, truly clumsy. Perhaps it would be better if the concubine did it instead.”

The word “concubine” was emphasized slightly, bitten between her teeth.

Ning Yi suddenly smiled slowly.

And here I thought you were truly formidable enough to remain unmoved as a mountain.

This little fox with deeply hidden cunning – finally she can’t quite control herself after all.

He smiled with a hint of smugness, so that smile unexpectedly carried a few more points of brightness, a glimmer of light flashing in his eyes. In the silence, his thoughts that had sunk to the bottom of the abyss slowly floated back up.

He made a sound of “mm” and sat down, suddenly turning his face slightly and saying coldly, “Didn’t you hear?”

He wasn’t looking in Yan Huaiying’s direction. Yan Huaiying didn’t react for a moment. Feng Zhiwei smiled as she gestured toward her, pointing at the basin of water.

Yan Huaiying froze there, only then remembering Wei Zhi’s earlier words “perhaps it would be better if the concubine did it instead.”

His Highness was actually ordering her to serve like this?

Yan Huaiying sat there, stiffening for a while before slowly moving off the bed. She pulled and pulled at that torn low-cut Western nightgown, barely covering her shoulders, and shuffled over step by step.

She had never served anyone before and couldn’t react to what she should do now. Feng Zhiwei glanced at her, seeing her arrogant manner completely gone, replaced by a somewhat bewildered expression, and sighed in her heart.

Why? For personal desire or some nonexistent grudge, to sacrifice one’s entire future?

These children raised in wealthy families from childhood were still too narrow-minded, magnifying trivial matters infinitely, constantly frightening themselves, until driven by imaginary dangers into a corner, trapping themselves in a cycle of self-torment.

She really didn’t want to make things difficult for her – not out of sympathy or pity, but feeling that being sacrificed by one’s family, falling from a young lady of status to a bedwarmer, was already miserable enough, and she was destined to get no reward. If she tormented her further, this girl might hang herself in Ning Yi’s room and they’d all have to move.

“In any case, this subordinate’s hands are already wet. Let this subordinate do it. I just got some mud on them earlier, so I can conveniently borrow some of Your Highness’s water to wash.” She smiled, smoothing things over, and crouched before Ning Yi to help him remove his wet boots.

Who knew Ning Yi would kick out with his toe, striking Yan Huaiying’s knee, and say indifferently, “Lord Wei got his hands dirty, didn’t you hear? Why aren’t you serving Lord Wei and washing his hands?”

Yan Huaiying froze there, unable to move.

That kick to her knee wasn’t heavy, but in an instant it shattered her heart, kicking her entire being into an abyss. Just from that one sentence, she suddenly understood – she had been wrong.

She had miscalculated. Those legends about being able to show off imperial relatives’ power and prestige before high-ranking court officials were just nonsense from storybooks. The protagonists there weren’t imperial princes weathered by storms like Ning Yi, nor deeply cunning officials like Wei Zhi.

Before such people, no absurdities could possibly occur, no one could arbitrarily step out of position.

And she – she was the one who had truly humiliated herself with this absurd and one-sided wishful thinking, and could never recover.

She had abandoned herself – if before she could have prostrated herself at Wei Zhi’s feet, from now on she wasn’t even qualified to approach within three feet of Wei Zhi.

Her lips trembling, she wanted to resist, to explode, to rage, to wail, to willfully do what she should do as the young lady of the Yan family as she had for the past dozen years. However, she didn’t dare do anything. Ning Yi wasn’t Wei Zhi. She dared throw young lady tantrums before the gentle Wei Zhi because deep down she sensed Wei Zhi wouldn’t truly hold it against her, even if it was from disdain – at least there would be no consequences. But before Ning Yi, she didn’t dare. This man elegant as moonlight yet devastatingly beautiful as midnight datura flower had his own stern coldness and sharpness beneath his calm demeanor. Just that indifferent sweeping glance, and she felt all words frozen, then permanently frozen in her bloodstream.

She believed that angering Wei Zhi might only bring misfortune, but angering Ning Yi meant death.

Though she didn’t dare act out, she ultimately couldn’t immediately lower herself. She stiffened there, trembling slightly, fingers digging tightly into her palms, neither advancing nor retreating.

Feng Zhiwei seemed not to see her, nor to hear Ning Yi’s instruction to Yan Huaiying. She herself scooped water and washed her hands, saying indifferently, “I dare not accept Miss Yan’s service. Better forget it.”

This reminded Ning Yi of the other party’s identity. Sure enough, she saw Ning Yi’s eyebrow move slightly. Feng Zhiwei became clearer in her heart – he didn’t even know the other party’s identity, so how could there be any intimacy? Given Ning Yi’s caution, no matter how dissolute, he couldn’t possibly seek pleasure with a woman of unknown origins.

“In that case.” Ning Yi learned Yan Huaiying’s identity, but only revealed a trace of cold smile at the corner of his lips, saying indifferently, “This woman who doesn’t understand propriety – this prince has no patience to keep her by my side and slowly teach her. Lord Wei, I shall bestow this concubine upon you.”

Feng Zhiwei froze for a moment.

Yan Huaiying’s head shot up abruptly, her pupils seeming to dilate instantly, her eyes full of incredulous terror.

“Your… Your Highness, what did you… say…”

But Ning Yi didn’t even have the interest to say another sentence to her. He only turned his face toward Feng Zhiwei with a nasal sound, “Mm?”

Feng Zhiwei sighed, saying lazily, “This subordinate thanks you for the gift.”

“That’s good then.” Ning Yi seemed in a good mood, waving his hand. “Since she’s your concubine, what is she doing staying in this prince’s room? Get out already?”

“I won’t leave!” By this point, Yan Huaiying couldn’t care about being afraid anymore. Things had reached the worst possible situation. No matter how much she feared Ning Yi, she had to struggle for her own fate.

With a “thump” she fell to her knees on the water-covered floor, kneeling at Ning Yi’s knees, grasping them as tears instantly streamed down her face. “Your Highness… Your Highness, I’ll learn… I’ll learn proper etiquette well. Please don’t drive me away… I’m your person. Just now you… you just now…”

She sobbed, saying half a sentence then trailing off vaguely, hoping that with this ambiguous hint, Wei Zhi would be disgusted that she was already spoiled goods and actively decline.

This statement would have been better left unsaid. Once said, Ning Yi immediately raised his long eyebrows, seeming to smile as he turned his face and said, “Just now what?”

How could Yan Huaiying speak it aloud? She could only hold his knees and cry mournfully, tears and mucus inadvertently staining Ning Yi’s robe. Feng Zhiwei saw this wasn’t good and before Ning Yi noticed, grabbed her and moved her aside.

Her intention was to prevent Ning Yi from getting unhappy and really kicking her to death. It wasn’t that she wanted to preserve this young lady’s life, but temporarily she didn’t want to fall out with the Yan family.

But Yan Huaiying thought Wei Zhi was deliberately not giving her a chance. Her full grief and indignation immediately found an outlet. Turning around, she glared fiercely at Feng Zhiwei, letting out a low angry grunt from her throat, then suddenly charged head-first.

“If you won’t let me live, I’ll die by your hand!”

Feng Zhiwei slapped her cleanly and crisply, sending her right out the door.

“Remember! Now I am your husband and your heaven! If you make trouble for me, even dying in this courtyard, no one will stand up for you!”

She used skillful force. Though Yan Huaiying was slapped out the door, she wasn’t bruised or swollen, but the palm wind striking her face forced her eyes to roll back as she fainted.

Immediately someone came to drag her away.

“Take good care of Concubine Yan and let her rest quietly in her room,” Feng Zhiwei said leisurely as she strolled to the doorway, addressing the servants the Yan family had sent to attend her. “Concubine Yan lost control from excessive joy. Don’t you all go crazy with her, or if anything happens to your concubine, it will all be on your heads.”

The Yan family servants had already heard the commotion in this room. Just moments ago they were rejoicing that the young lady had gained favor, but now they felt like cold water had been poured over them. Silent as cicadas in winter, they repeatedly acknowledged the order.

As the crowd retreated, Feng Zhiwei felt somewhat tired. She sighed and was about to leave when someone reached out and pulled her into an embrace.

Her back pressed against Ning Yi’s chest, feeling the warmth of his skin. She suddenly thought of how that face had just been nestled gracefully and softly against this chest. Feng Zhiwei’s misty eyes flashed slightly. Without revealing anything, she shifted away, smiling. “It’s very late. I still have to get up early tomorrow to discuss matters with the Nanhai government offices. You should sleep.”

“Every time you’re unhappy, your form of address for me becomes formal,” Ning Yi didn’t release her, his voice somewhat muffled. “It sounds quite uncomfortable.”

Feng Zhiwei immediately said, “Yes, yes. Won’t you go to sleep?”

“Need to be even fiercer,” Ning Yi said, arm around her shoulder, chin resting by her temple, gently blowing the short hair scattered by her ear. “Tone should be colder, more distant.”

Feng Zhiwei twitched the corner of her mouth. “Won’t you go to sleep!”

“Too stiff,” Ning Yi played with her hair, winding it round and round his fingers. “Sounds very fake.”

What is this about? Does His Highness have masochistic tendencies?

Feng Zhiwei was both exasperated and amused. Unable to bear it any longer, she blurted out, “Sleep!”

The moment the words left her mouth she felt she’d misspoken. Before her face could even turn red, Ning Yi had already started laughing.

“You see, what does Gu Nanyi saying ‘sleep’ to you matter? I can make you say ‘sleep’ to me.” He took Feng Zhiwei’s hand and turned toward the bed. “This prince is courteous to worthy scholars and receptive to advice. You said sleep, so we’ll sleep.”

Feng Zhiwei: “…”

Seeing Ning Yi really dragging her toward the bed, Feng Zhiwei pushed him gently. “Stop fooling around.”

Ning Yi sat down on the bed’s edge, holding her hand, tilting his head up to look at her. Though he was blind, his eyes often looked somewhat confused, but when looking at her the direction was never wrong – his gaze clear and focused, making one see the reflection in his pupils.

“Zhiwei, look,” he said calmly. “In situations like this, you don’t get angry, I don’t feel guilty. Neither of us easily falls into the mistakes ordinary people commonly make. Yet don’t you think this is also a kind of sorrow? Always prudent, always calm, always judging before acting. We can’t even cry hysterically, make a scene, or completely let go even once.”

Feng Zhiwei was silent for a long moment, then smiled. “You’re joking again. If there really were a scene, would you be happy?”

“No, that’s not what I mean.” Ning Yi sighed, slowly pressing her palm against his face and rubbing it. “Zhiwei, I suddenly very much wish you were a simple woman, like thousands upon thousands of ordinary women in the world, who would rage when humiliated, become激愤 when betrayed, make scenes when disappointed, and when hurt, cry.”

Feng Zhiwei quieted again. Her fingers were on Ning Yi’s face. The skin beneath her fingertips was warm and smooth, yet his heart was so uneven, dangerous as mountains and rivers.

Inside the room was dark without light, yet her eyes had a strange brightness. She quietly looked at Ning Yi, her gaze churning for an instant.

The two faced each other silently in the dark room. His warm breath brushed against her palm, faint as spring willows, soft as spring breeze. Yet after that brief warmth came a slight damp coolness. That bit of coolness lingered in the late autumn night, seeming to penetrate into her bones.

After a long while, Feng Zhiwei gently withdrew her fingers.

“Someday I will be such a simple woman,” she said, her voice gentle, but her smile somewhat cool. “But simple women are only suited to simple men and simple lives. When that time comes, I hope to have a small house, a few acres of good land, and also a suitable simple person who will stand up for me when I’m humiliated, who will wield a knife when I’m betrayed, who will sit with me by the hearth slowly coaxing me when I’m disappointed, who will impatiently scold me when I’m hurt and crying, then hold me and let me cry.”

Ning Yi fell silent. His fingers rested on the bed’s edge, fingertips pale.

“Today’s matter was very absurd,” he said after a long while. “But in a person’s life, there are always moments when you must act foolishly for some notion you know is impossible.”

“But that’s not really acting foolishly either.” He slowly lay down, closing his eyes. “I’ve finally confirmed…”

What he’d confirmed, he didn’t continue. Feng Zhiwei didn’t ask either. She helped him remove his boots and outer garments. Ning Yi seemed very tired, closing his eyes and waving his hand for her to leave.

Feng Zhiwei’s footsteps disappeared outside the door. Ning Cheng entered silently.

“For three days, don’t appear before me,” Ning Yi said without looking at him, eyes closed.

“Ah? Don’t do that.” Ning Cheng was shocked. “How can you manage without my protection?”

“Without you stirring up trouble, I’ll have peace,” Ning Yi ignored him.

Ning Cheng rolled his eyes. After a long while he said, “That woman is too difficult to deal with. I was applying strong medicine to match her condition.”

“You can’t even diagnose her condition – what medicine are you applying?” Ning Yi said lazily. “Stop being so clever.”

“If you ask me, cripple her martial arts, send people to ambush and kill Gu Nanyi, drive away Helian Zheng, never mind anything else – just carry her into the mansion in a sedan chair and be done with it, right?” Ning Cheng felt his master was truly unwise in this matter, truly unwise.

“Then you can wait to collect a corpse three days after she enters the mansion – either hers or mine.”

Ning Cheng was unconvinced. “I’m not just sitting around eating for nothing.”

“Don’t underestimate Feng Zhiwei.” Ning Yi said indifferently. “All her gentleness and forbearance are superficial. That’s only because she doesn’t like being aggressive and making enemies for nothing. Once pushed to her bottom line, the ruthlessness and decisiveness in her bones – ten of you couldn’t compare.”

Ning Cheng wanted to say something more, but Ning Yi had already said, “Go. Remember, three days.”

Ning Cheng left resentfully. Ning Yi suddenly said again, “Send a letter to the capital using the secret guard channels. Say no action is needed – wait until I return to the capital.”

Ning Cheng turned to look at him. Ning Yi remained sunken in darkness, motionless. Ning Cheng silently returned to his own room, spread out paper and first wrote what Ning Yi had instructed, then after thinking, wrote seriously in the latter half of the letter: “The prince’s heart is disturbed. Your younger brother is deeply worried. Sir’s great talent will surely enable you to decide for yourself.”

Having written it, he slowly folded the letter. In the candlelight, a strange and resolute expression.

A night of commotion. In the adjacent room, Yan Huaiying kept crying and making scenes as if mad, demanding to see Prince Chu, demanding to see Feng Zhiwei. Feng Zhiwei completely ignored her, ordering people to gag her, tie her up and throw her on the bed. She changed to a different quiet room and slept through the latter half of the night, though not very peacefully. She seemed to be dreaming continuously. In the dream, Ning Yi stood far away in the Golden Throne Hall, saying to her, “Zhiwei, Zhiwei, among life’s countless difficulties, we both cannot be ourselves.”

When she woke, she stared at the bed canopy for a long time, thinking Ning Yi was truly detestable – only in dreams would he speak the truth to her.

After washing and rising, Young Master Gu was already at her door eating walnuts. Last night she had tricked Gu Nanyi, saying she was going to beat up Ning Yi. Young Master Gu had been satisfied and let her leave. Seeing her early this morning, he said, “Liar.”

Feng Zhiwei felt guilty. “I did hit him, just not on the face. You can’t see it.”

This statement made her feel even more guilty, as it seemed to actually be true.

After breakfast, Feng Zhiwei prepared to go to the Provincial Administration Commissioner’s office to formally discuss establishing the Maritime Trade Bureau. Yan Huaishi and several prominent figures from the aristocratic families hurried over to pay their respects. Yan Huaishi already knew about the Yan family sending a concubine last night. His expression was very unpleasant. Those from the Yan family kept glancing toward Ning Yi’s room, their eyes hopeful.

“Brother Yan,” Feng Zhiwei chatted idly for a bit, then said casually, “Thanks to His Highness’s favor, last night he bestowed a beauty upon this humble one as a concubine.”

Yan Huaishi froze, then his eyes showed wild joy as he smiled. “Is that so? Then congratulations, Lord Wei.”

The Yan family members looked at each other in dismay. After a long while, they probed cautiously, “Congratulations, my lord. Is it a capital beauty who serves His Highness?”

“You gentlemen are truly forgetful,” Feng Zhiwei smiled naturally. “When we came, where would we have women with us? Wasn’t it the one the Yan family sent last night?”

The Yan family members showed expressions of utter shock. The other family heads didn’t know the inside story and thought the Yan family had sent a woman who gained the Imperial Commissioner’s favor. They all showed jealous expressions while congratulating. Old Master Yan stiffly thanked them, his fingers trembling as he clasped his hands.

Some noticed something was wrong and exchanged glances to investigate. With these people’s intelligence networks, before long, the matter of the Yan family spending heavily to send their eldest daughter as a concubine only to have Prince Chu bestow her upon his subordinate would spread throughout Fengzhou.

This move was truly vicious, striking the Yan family up and down senseless. They forgot even what they should say. Feng Zhiwei watched coldly without saying more to them. She rose and entered her sedan chair, bringing the second-generation heirs from Qingming Academy to the Nanhai Provincial Administration Commissioner’s office.

Gu Nanyi and Ning Cheng also accompanied her. Ning Cheng was very reluctant – Ning Yi wasn’t the Nanhai Circuit Imperial Commissioner and couldn’t directly participate in Maritime Bureau business, so he was sent out. The excuse was to serve as Feng Zhiwei’s guard, but actually it represented Prince Chu, showing support for Feng Zhiwei. Ning Cheng felt that as Prince Chu’s beloved general, having to serve as bodyguard for a third-rank official – and one he found disagreeable – was a tremendous insult.

Feng Zhiwei also didn’t want an oddball by her side. After learning last night’s incident was Ning Cheng’s doing, she didn’t want to look at him even once. However, neither could override Ning Yi. His Highness said if they didn’t bring Ning Cheng, what use was this waste? Roll back to the capital.

Feng Zhiwei couldn’t cause Ning Yi’s top martial artist to roll back to the capital, so she had to let him ride beside her sedan, chatting with the mounted Gu Nanyi.

She hadn’t paid attention at first, resting with eyes closed, but listening more carefully, she realized something was wrong – Ning Cheng seemed to be probing Gu Nanyi’s identity and origins.

“Brother Gu’s martial arts are unfathomably deep,” Ning Cheng persisted tirelessly in chattering. “Perhaps you could give me some pointers sometime…”

Young Master Gu crushed eight walnuts at once as a warning of his current impatience and anger.

“Mr. Ning,” Feng Zhiwei suddenly swept aside the sedan curtain. “Brother Gu doesn’t like talking with people. Don’t bother him. If there’s anything else you want to know, why not come into the sedan? This subordinate will tell you everything at once.”

Ning Cheng, his intentions exposed, wasn’t embarrassed at all. “Ah, no need. I just feel like Brother Gu and I hit it off at first sight. I hope we can become sworn brothers.”

Feng Zhiwei looked at him with a half-smile, then dropped the curtain and withdrew, thinking if you have the ability to become sworn brothers with Gu Nanyi, I can make Ning Yi cross-dress and dance.

The sedan stopped before the Nanhai Provincial Administration Commissioner’s office. The entrance was empty with no one there. Upon inquiry, they said Commissioner Zhou had been working day and night and had fallen ill in bed, currently refusing visitors.

Asked if the Left or Right Administration Vice Commissioners were present? Answer: Out on official business, pursuing the perpetrators of the dock explosion case.

Asked if the Left or Right Counselors were present? Answer: Out on official business.

Asked if the various Circuit Intendants were present? Answer: Out on official business.

They went to the Fengzhou Prefect’s office. Answer: Today is an official rest day, not receiving visitors. The Prefect has rushed to handle a mass death incident in Renji Village.

Feng Zhiwei listened to the Vice Prefect’s apologetic explanations, merely smiling. Helian Zheng and the Qingming Academy second-generation heirs didn’t have Feng Zhiwei’s patience. After being repeatedly rebuffed, they started yelling.

“What nonsense!”

“Deliberately giving us the cold shoulder!”

“Let’s go find Zhou Xizhong!”

Feng Zhiwei sat in the prefect’s front hall, not leaving, letting the Vice Prefect sit on pins and needles while accompanying her. On one side she listened to the second-generation heirs howling, on the other she smiled while drinking tea.

When she’d had enough tea, she finally said, “Though your office is closed today, there should still be people present, right? This official has some business and needs to borrow some people from your office. That shouldn’t be difficult, right?”

“As you command.”

A large group of bailiffs were summoned, standing bewildered waiting for her instructions. Feng Zhiwei leisurely drank tea and said indifferently, “Since there’s no official business today, why not have everyone go out for a stroll? We know you’re familiar with the local venues and customs, so we’re asking you here to be guides. Wherever the young masters want to go, you take them. The young masters will reward you handsomely afterward.”

The bailiffs were all stunned. The students all got excited. Yao Yangyu rushed over, leaning close to Feng Zhiwei’s ear. “Anywhere?”

Feng Zhiwei glanced at him. “Anywhere.”

“Really anywhere?” Yao Yangyu’s eyes lit up.

“Really anywhere.”

Yao Yangyu was so excited he kept giggling. Feng Zhiwei said casually, “Don’t be stingy – take the bailiff brothers to play together. If you happen to meet any local government acquaintances or such… Ah, you know, besides our assigned duties, the Imperial Commissioner also has responsibility for supervising local public security, civil administration, economy, military, and government affairs. You are accompanying officials – this Imperial Commissioner grants you equal authority… Hehe.”

“Hehe!” Worthy of being a second-generation raised in the capital’s political circles, the Grand Secretary’s son, Yao Yangyu instantly understood Feng Zhiwei’s meaning. Beaming, he clapped his hands and gathered the students together. “Brothers, today we’re going whoring on imperial orders!”

“Pfft!” Feng Zhiwei, Ning Cheng, and Helian Zheng all simultaneously spat out their tea…

“Really now…” Everyone had cheerfully headed out. Feng Zhiwei murmured, “Don’t say it so bluntly.”

“Really now…” Ning Cheng murmured with staring eyes, “No wonder she couldn’t be stimulated last night.”

“Really now…” Helian Zheng’s bottom seemed to have pins in it, twisting left and right. “Why so openly? Making people have to act like saints in front of her when they want to go but don’t dare…”

“Really now,” Feng Zhiwei leaned over, curiously asking the miserable-looking, unmoving Helian Zheng. “Why not go? Could it be you…”

Helian Zheng, having suffered much stimulation, said loudly, “My young aunt said I must preserve my purity!”

Feng Zhiwei looked at him. “Your young aunt said this one you can go to.”

Helian Shizi sprang up and quickly chased after the main group. He ran so eagerly he didn’t hear Feng Zhiwei’s unfinished sentence.

“…going means you’re out…”

On the Imperial Commissioner’s first day arriving in Nanhai, Nanhai officials were forced onto boats, sticking their bottoms up to stoke fires.

On the Imperial Commissioner’s third day in Nanhai, the entire Nanhai officialdom was overturned by a hurricane-like “prostitution raid,” completely exposed.

That day wasn’t actually an office rest day, but Commissioner Zhou had issued an order that given everyone’s recent busy schedule, they were allowed to rest with shifts – meaning nominally still a work day but actually permitted to rest.

Zhou Xizhong’s management of officials wasn’t strict on both work and private matters, but rather rigorous about public affairs while lenient about private ones.

His work style was tough, with high demands on subordinates. Sometimes fearing too much pressure would drive people mad, he generally turned a blind eye to some private relaxation activities.

Thus on this rest day, though the officials claimed to be “on official business,” they’d actually all gone out to party.

Then they had joyful encounters with the capital’s second-generation heirs at various venues of drunken revelry.

The places the bailiffs took the Imperial Commissioner’s accompanying officials to play were naturally Fengzhou’s highest-class establishments, also frequented by officials from the Provincial Administration Commissioner and Prefect offices. The second-generation heirs, ordered to go whoring, redoubled their efforts to charm the bailiffs. These men had never experienced such luxurious places before and were floating on air, forgetting themselves. Seeing familiar high officials, they wanted to show off and whisper to the second-generation heirs, “Look there, that’s Left Administration Vice Commissioner Wang from the Provincial Administration office. Last time when my son got married, he sent me a calligraphy piece…”

“See that one? Hehe, Circuit Intendant Qi from the Provincial Administration office – Madam Jiaohong’s patron!”

The second-generation heirs held wine cups and embraced beauties while listening, revealing sharp-toothed smiles. “You’re sure?”

“Can’t be wrong!”

The second-generation heirs howled, waved their hands, and the Imperial Commissioner’s guards burst through the doors, flipping over the reveling officials, binding their hands behind them, covering their faces with black cloth, leisurely leading them by a rope.

One high-ranking official bellowed, “Outrageous! Who are you people! Release me immediately! I’m the Left Administration Vice Commissioner!”

Someone asked in his ear, “You’re certain you’re the Left Administration Vice Commissioner?”

“Yes!”

“You’re certain you want us to remove the black cloth?”

“Quickly!”

With a swoosh, the face covering was removed. Light flooded in. The Left Administration Vice Commissioner discovered to his horror he was right in the middle of the main street surrounded by common people three layers deep, all with mouths hanging open in idiotic expressions staring at him.

The Left Administration Vice Commissioner roared and ducked his head, shouting, “I’m not! Cover it back up quickly!”

Such scenes occurred in every major street and alley of Fengzhou with high-class brothels and clubs. The Fengzhou common people were blessed – free of charge they watched a political bedroom drama with full cast participation worth savoring.

Yao Yangyu and Helian Zheng, those two students, possessed tremendous spirit for digging up people’s secrets and exposing their weaknesses. Hearing that a Grain Circuit Intendant had unique tastes and enjoyed “wild flavors” outside Fengzhou city, they especially rode fast horses there. After joyful encounters with countless village women, they finally victoriously rendezvoused with the Grain Circuit Intendant.

Helian Zheng and Yao Yangyu proudly escorted the Grain Circuit Intendant through the streets, with strings of red rural peppers hanging from his ears.

In half a day’s work, they overturned forty-eight officials of various ranks gathered and reveling at various clubs and brothels, including two officials of third rank grade A, one of fourth rank grade A, eighteen fifth-rank officials, six seventh-rank officials, two ninth-rank officials, and various clerks and minor officials not ranked. Regardless of official rank, all had hands bound behind them, faces covered, led by a single rope to the Prefect’s office.

This instantly caused a sensation in Fengzhou. Common people chased them for three streets, watching the usually high and mighty officials led like grasshoppers on a string parading through the streets. Though Feng Zhiwei had instructed beforehand to cover faces, not report names, and not explain what this was about, good news doesn’t spread but bad news travels a thousand miles. In the blink of an eye, all of Fengzhou knew that today the Nanhai government officials had collectively sought pleasure and been caught red-handed by the Imperial Commissioner.

Feng Zhiwei, accompanied by the ashen-faced Prefect’s office Vice Prefect, smilingly led that string of grasshoppers straight to the Provincial Administration Commissioner’s office.

Zhou Xizhong had already received the news. With an iron-blue face, he came out to receive them. Seeing that string of grasshoppers, his face twitched. He immediately ordered them brought into the mansion and dispersed the watching crowd.

Feng Zhiwei didn’t obstruct this. One shouldn’t push people too far. Letting you see clearly was enough.

Zhou Xizhong dispersed the crowd and brought them into the main hall, immediately ordering them untied. This time Feng Zhiwei spoke up.

“Commissioner Zhou,” she said leisurely while drinking tea. “What do you mean by this?”

“Good question.” Zhou Xizhong immediately turned around, looking at her grimly. “What does Lord Wei mean by this?”

He looked at the young, almost frail Feng Zhiwei, his heart a mixture of complex feelings.

Today he had only intended to make Feng Zhiwei wait a bit, to make this young person understand advance and retreat, benefits and harm, before sitting down to discuss the Maritime Bureau matter and grasp the initiative.

There was also a private motive – having dominated Nanhai for many years, he’d never suffered such a loss. From one petition had emerged great disaster that still wasn’t resolved, instead making the Imperial Commissioner the good guy. If he didn’t show this upstart some color, his subordinates might look down on him afterward.

However, though he’d calculated everything, he only saw the Imperial Commissioner was patient, subtle in temperament, and skilled at underhanded tactics. He hadn’t expected this youngster actually had iron blood in his heart. When erupting, it was like thunder – he actually dared to so audaciously overturn the entire Nanhai officialdom, leading so many high officials parading through the streets on one rope!

If he didn’t demand an explanation today, from now on he’d retreat step by step, never regaining his authority.

Since Feng Zhiwei dared to lead grasshoppers, how could she care about one big grasshopper?

“It means exactly this,” Feng Zhiwei said solemnly. “Today is not a legally mandated rest day of the Tiansheng court. Yet officials at all levels were not at their posts, gathering at wine houses, frequenting pleasure quarters, ruining official reputation, failing the court’s trust and responsibilities. This subordinate happens to be Nanhai Circuit Imperial Commissioner with responsibility to supervise local government administration. If I encountered this and didn’t address it, wouldn’t that harm His Majesty’s discerning judgment in appointing people and his trust in重任之托?”

She spoke high-mindedly, the very first sentence bringing out the Tiansheng Emperor. Zhou Xizhong knew she would use this reason and had prepared his rebuttal, but because of that last sentence, it stuck in his throat. After a long while, he said sternly, “Court officials were also appointed by His Majesty. Lord Wei’s method of showing no mercy doesn’t consider His Majesty’s discernment in appointing people either, nor does it keep the court’s dignity in mind?”

“My lord’s words are mistaken,” Feng Zhiwei smiled. “Only second-rank and above provincial officials are personally appointed by His Majesty. If today Commissioner Zhou had also happened to meet this subordinate at those places, this subordinate truly wouldn’t dare tie up my lord, as that would harm His Majesty’s discernment in appointing people. Fortunately, my lord’s official reputation is outstanding – such things naturally wouldn’t happen. As for those Administration Vice Commissioners and Counselors…” She smiled. “They were all local officials recommended by my lord in your memorials.”

Zhou Xizhong was rendered speechless. Feng Zhiwei had already put away her smile. The teacup in her hand met the table with a crisp sound of porcelain clashing that made that group of grasshoppers shiver in unison.

“Commissioner Zhou has finished asking. Now it’s this subordinate’s turn to ask,” she said clearly. “This subordinate was appointed Imperial Commissioner to Nanhai, coming to handle the Maritime Trade Bureau matter. This is court national policy that cannot fail. This subordinate doesn’t understand why my lord keeps obstructing and creating difficulties? The dock reception that incited ten thousand people to petition, deliberately dispersing officials on discussion days – is my lord determined to oppose court policy? Oppose national policy? Oppose His Majesty?”

She had been gentle and moderate throughout, but now her expression was stern and her tone aggressive. Zhou Xizhong’s heart shook, knowing this was Wei Zhi’s true colors, but his face yielded not one step as he said coldly, “The nation takes people as its foundation. Court policy should also follow the people’s will! The Nanhai aristocratic families act tyrannically in reverse. If the Maritime Bureau is controlled by the aristocratic families, it will further increase their arrogance. The Nanhai common people won’t accept it!”

“Tyrannical behavior stems from government oppression. If not for Nanhai government offices inciting common people to oppose and attack various aristocratic family businesses everywhere, causing conflicts to grow, why would aristocratic families counter-attack by controlling economic power? “

“Nanhai common people have always opposed the aristocratic families! Half of Nanhai’s commerce is held by the Yan family, half the fishermen belong to the Huang family, one-third of the land is occupied by the Shangguan family. Nearly seventy percent of common people have suffered aristocratic family oppression! Without government protection, who knows how many fishermen would be driven by aristocratic families to die at sea!”

“Without aristocratic families dominating the seas and developing commerce, where would your Nanhai prosperity and people’s sustenance come from? If aristocratic families and government truly destroy each other, who suffers? Still the common people! Commissioner Zhou seems sincere about serving the people but actually has extremely narrow vision!”

“Lord Wei has been confused by the Yan family’s beautiful gardens and concubines! This office never said we wouldn’t allow aristocratic families to engage in commerce and expand their businesses, but absolutely disagrees with aristocratic families entering government service! Already wealthy enough to rival nations and difficult to control – once they also grasp power, in future days Nanhai’s prospects are worrying!”

The two engaged in rapid-fire questioning, thunder and lightning without pause. That group of grasshoppers trembled and shook, also beginning to admire that Wei Zhi – such a gentle, mild person actually had presence not inferior to the Nanhai Overlord Zhou.

But Zhou Xizhong and Feng Zhiwei had already stopped.

Both were intelligent people. Having spoken to this point, the difficulties between them were clear. After a long while, Feng Zhiwei said, “Commissioner Zhou, let’s speak privately for a moment.”

Zhou Xizhong led her silently into his study.

Both calmed down. Zhou Xizhong even poured Feng Zhiwei tea.

“This subordinate has a memorial of impeachment involving forty-eight Nanhai officials of all ranks,” Feng Zhiwei said calmly while drinking tea. “Whether this memorial is delivered to the courier station tonight and sent to the Imperial Capital, or torn up here and now, is for my lord to decide.”

“You’re threatening me,” Zhou Xizhong said, his expression unmoved.

“Yes,” Feng Zhiwei answered easily.

He laughed coldly. After a long while, Zhou Xizhong said, “What do you want?”

Feng Zhiwei’s heart eased, though her face showed nothing. She said indifferently, “The Maritime Trade Bureau will be established in Fengzhou with a branch in Shangye County. Yan Huaishi will serve as Bureau Chief. Deputy positions will each be filled by one person selected from the aristocratic families. The Bureau’s authority is independent, not subject to Nanhai government interference, directly responsible to the Ministry of Revenue.”

“Do you know why I oppose establishing the Bureau?” Zhou Xizhong didn’t immediately answer. After a long while he said, “It’s because you want to give the Bureau to the Yan family. Among Nanhai aristocratic families, apart from the Yan family’s dominance, the others are basically balanced in power. These years, to balance them and make them check each other, I’ve expended great effort. To prevent aristocratic families from infiltrating the government and corrupting official governance, I don’t dare close my eyes even while sleeping. Now you actually want to support the Yan family to a superior position. Have you considered that with the Yan family’s wealth rivaling nations, once they enter government, what great waves will be stirred in Nanhai officialdom? Do you know the Yan family is wildly ambitious, with some quite restless individuals, some even claiming to be descendants of the imperial family, divinely mandated by heaven? Though said in jest, we cannot take it lightly. For such a family to enter government with no local government authority to check them – if something happens in the future, how will I answer to His Majesty?”

“Moreover, the five great aristocratic families form complex vertical and horizontal alliances. Some must be colluding with the Chang clan. We still don’t know who. Yet you want to elevate them – how can that succeed?”

Zhou Xizhong’s eyes were dark. “His Majesty sent me a secret memorial. I know you’re organizing the Maritime Trade Bureau to borrow aristocratic family power to eliminate Nanhai pirates. But aristocratic families are like sharp blades – one wrong move and you’ll cut yourself. You – have you weighed this clearly?”

“The key problem is that my lord doesn’t trust the aristocratic families. But if the aristocratic families had a suitable, reliable chief administrator who could guarantee my lord’s worries won’t occur – what then?” Feng Zhiwei asked indifferently.

“You mean Yan Huaishi?” Zhou Xizhong laughed coldly. “You’re certain he’s definitely reliable? Moreover, you should know that supporting Yan Huaishi is even more difficult than supporting anyone else. Not only will other aristocratic families refuse, the Yan family will also refuse. This truly pleases no one. Be careful that in the end, you can’t even protect yourself.”

“That’s my affair,” Feng Zhiwei said impassively. “I only want my lord’s promise.”

“Very well,” Zhou Xizhong said coldly. “As long as you can control the Yan family, mediate with the other aristocratic families, and prevent both aristocratic families and Nanhai from being controlled by the Chang clan, I’ll help you establish this Maritime Trade Bureau. What harm is there?”

“Good.” Feng Zhiwei rose and bowed slightly. “Just as this subordinate’s impeachment memorial will be held and not sent, my lord should also wait and see.”

“You’re young and promising, but I hope you won’t walk yourself to death,” Zhou Xizhong watched her, his eyes seeming to hold deep meaning. “This office needs to maintain Nanhai stability. Some matters – handle them well yourself.”

Feng Zhiwei’s eyes flashed slightly. She smiled and left. Passing that string of grasshoppers, they all shrank back.

The negotiation was fairly smoothly half-resolved. The students were all excited, shouting loudly that following Imperial Commissioner Wei was wonderful – even third-rank officials could be beaten, much happier than in the Imperial Capital. They sang loudly all the way, so noisily that Young Master Gu rewarded each with a walnut, giving all the second-generation heirs matching lumps.

Only Helian Zheng was rather dejected because his young aunt said he smelled of powder and perfume – stinking, stay far away.

Helian Shizi felt very wronged. Really, you said I could go.

Really, grassland women all speak like clanging iron swords – why must he like a two-faced female swindler full of lies…

Feng Zhiwei’s sedan left the city heading toward Qiyuan estate. Between Qiyuan and Fengzhou city, they needed to pass a small mountain and several mountain villages.

They hadn’t gone far when suddenly a fast horse came galloping, hastily speaking a few words with the guards before being brought before Feng Zhiwei.

“What is it?” Feng Zhiwei indicated they should stop the sedan. She recognized this as a steward from Qiyuan.

The steward hurriedly whispered a few words in her ear.

Feng Zhiwei stood up abruptly.