This Japanese murder case concluded with such a joke-like ending. The common people vented their anger, while the Eastern Qi old ministers expended great effort only to busy themselves for nothing, instead letting Governor Xia, this greenhorn, earn a fine reputation for being both scholarly and martial, loving the people like his own children. It truly was a case of losing both the wife and the soldiers.

With this, Governor Xia Qing had been in position for less than half a year, yet had already made his mark, establishing his authority throughout Southern Chu, his virtuous reputation spreading across the realm. He had kicked the Eastern Sea tributary states, punched the northern barbarians, just settled the Eastern Qi’s full court of elder ministers, and now set his sights on the southeastern coastal aristocratic families.

What does warfare depend on? Money, of course. With Chu Li currently fighting at the front, what he needed was a continuous supply of backup funds and military provisions. Thus, Governor Xia, this extraordinarily talented rear logistics commander with strategies within strategies, turned his eyes and began plotting mischief again.

Days with things to do were truly blissful. Qing Xia rushed about from dawn to dusk, even having little time to sleep, yet this made her days fulfilling. Recently, organizing the navy, supervising shipyard construction, establishing customs, reorganizing tax collection, restructuring coastal administration, drafting regulations, coordinating legal frameworks with various countries, dispatching ambassadors and military officers—all this left her no time to think of anything else. Though exhausting, her heart gradually became lively again. Just like when she had worked with comrades and colleagues at Military Intelligence toward a common goal, watching all matters gradually improve brought an incomparable sense of achievement and joy.

Joy—how long had this word been absent from her life? Since Qin Zhiyan’s mysterious disappearance when she left alone, had she ever had a single day, a single moment of happiness?

Qing Xia put down the tax assessment, investigation, and collection documents she had just drafted, leaned her head back against the soft chair, wearily rubbing her temples, suddenly feeling this was good too.

A person must have goals, have a direction to move forward, to have value in continuing to live. She had never known throughout her life what she was living for, but now, at the very least, she could do something real and substantial for the coastal fishermen, for the southeastern people. She could protect them from being bullied, could drive away the Japanese pirates, could make the people prosperous and strong.

Yesterday when Mu Chang County was hit by a typhoon, she personally led the officers and soldiers of Hai City’s main camp to the disaster area to rescue people and arrange post-disaster reconstruction. In that moment, seeing the grateful tears in the southeastern people’s eyes, she suddenly seemed to find the direction of her life. She silently told herself not to think about other things—do what she could, as much as she could. Even if it was just accumulating merit, perhaps in the next life, she would have a peaceful existence.

Currently, lifting the sea trade ban, driving away the Xiongnu, eliminating Japanese pirates, building the navy—all were proceeding methodically. She believed that given time, success would naturally follow. She was just an ordinary woman, without heaven-reaching talent, without strategies to stabilize the nation. Those stories of ordinary people single-handedly controlling the universe, with divine intelligence and the world’s myriad things at their fingertips, were all fabrications. Before the great tide of history, human strength was ultimately insignificant. The world had too many extraordinary people and events—what was needed was the right timing, favorable conditions, human harmony, plus support from all directions and various aspects like background and reputation to achieve great undertakings. All she could do was exert her greatest effort to help that proud, hardworking man add a brick, a handful of soil, a tile to his vast territory.

He had always been very hardworking, more so than anyone else. She had always known this.

Taking up Korea’s document of submission, Qing Xia picked up her brush, and bold, powerful characters immediately burst through the paper as she wrote: “Connected branches of the same qi, mutual assistance and protection, allied as friends, never to violate each other.”

After writing, she stood up, opened the door, and handed it to a guard at the entrance, instructing him to deliver it to the Korean ambassador at the foreign guest house. Just as she was about to tell him what to say, she suddenly heard a willful voice calling out: “Ah! You lied to me! You said the Governor wasn’t here!”

Upon hearing this, Qing Xia immediately felt overwhelmed, knowing that the precious young lady of the Dongfang family had come to visit again, rain or shine.

Whatever the case, Dongfang Li was after all a first-rank official in Hai City, second only to herself. Now that he intentionally no longer opposed her and made things convenient for her regarding the government office and shipyard matters, he was obviously deliberately aligning himself with her. Although Qing Xia wasn’t afraid of him and had long had methods to punish him if he didn’t cooperate, this certainly reduced many troubles. Therefore, she couldn’t very well show displeasure toward his young lady.

She walked forward with a light smile, saying: “Miss Dongfang, don’t blame them. I was in the mansion concentrating on drafting trade law documents and instructed that no outsiders be allowed to disturb me.”

Although Qing Xia was considered petite compared to Chu Li, Qin Zhiyan and others, she was much taller and more slender compared to this girl who was not yet fifteen. Dongfang Yu’er raised her head, lifting a pair of misty, water-like eyes that looked at Qing Xia with obvious adoration. Her originally willful expression immediately vanished, and her voice was like willows swaying in mosquito-like whispers as she softly said: “Governor Xia can even draft legal documents—how remarkable!”

Qing Xia immediately broke out in goosebumps. Seeing Le Song’s mischievous grinning face behind Dongfang Yu’er made her even more irritated as she said helplessly: “I wonder what brings Miss Dongfang here today?”

Dongfang Yu’er smiled: “I learned to make a new pastry today and brought it for you to try.”

Qing Xia was helpless, saying to the girl she couldn’t seem to get rid of: “I still have matters to attend to. Miss, you should go back first.”

“No! I snuck out behind grandfather’s back, didn’t even take a sedan chair, and walked all the way here—my feet are so soft. Just let me rest here a while.”

The girl’s voice was tender and sweet. If it were a man, he surely couldn’t resist, but unfortunately she was flirting with the completely wrong person. Just as Qing Xia was about to refuse, she suddenly noticed the guards like Le Song had strange expressions, all looking uniformly toward the lower back area behind Dongfang Yu’er with awkward, peculiar faces. Some young soldiers were even secretly snickering.

Qing Xia shifted slightly to the side, glancing with her eyes, and saw a large, obvious bloodstain on the lower part of the little girl’s tender yellow skirt. She only glanced once and immediately understood what was happening. Glaring fiercely at Le Song and the others, she grabbed Dongfang Yu’er’s arm and said: “Come with me,” pulling the flattered Miss Dongfang into the room.

Once inside, Miss Dongfang immediately became somewhat flustered, her face blushing red as she looked shyly at Qing Xia, saying: “Governor Xia, you’re still holding Yu’er’s hand.”

Qing Xia was startled, as if burned by fire, and quickly let go, saying to Miss Dongfang: “Miss Dongfang, your skirt is dirty. I’ll get you a set of Jin Yu’s clothes to change into, then have someone escort you home.”

“Dirty?” Miss Dongfang lifted her skirt, asking puzzled: “Where is it dirty?”

Qing Xia sighed helplessly. This child was probably experiencing menarche. She had heard that Dongfang Li’s son and daughter-in-law had died early at the hands of bandits, so this child likely had no mother and no one to teach her. She pulled her behind the screen, turned to take a set of clothes from her own wardrobe and handed them to her, saying: “Just change into these,” then walked out.

After quite a while, Miss Dongfang emerged with a completely red face, looking exactly like a red-braised hero. Standing before Qing Xia, she stared at her toes and wouldn’t lift her head for a long time.

The sun hung blazingly overhead. Qing Xia stood before the group of guards, gently saying to the shy young girl: “Miss Dongfang, I’ll have someone escort you back. You’ve been out alone for so long—Lord Dongfang will be worried.”

Le Song suppressed his laughter, eagerly volunteering: “I’ll escort Miss Dongfang back to the mansion.”

Qing Xia glared at him: “Song Yang will go.”

Just then, the girl who had been staring at her toes, face red with embarrassment and too shy to lift her head, suddenly stood on tiptoe, stretched out both arms to embrace Qing Xia’s neck, and planted a kiss on Qing Xia’s face, immediately stunning this commanding, southeastern-authority-wielding Grand Governor speechless.

“Governor Xia, I like you. I’ll have grandfather come to propose marriage.” After saying this, the blushing Dongfang Yu’er completely ignored this group of Southern Chu officials frozen in place, lifted her skirt, turned and ran out of the Governor’s mansion.

Le Song was the first to react, unable to restrain himself any longer, pointing at Qing Xia who hadn’t recovered her senses for a long time and laughing heartily, laughing until tears flowed and he couldn’t straighten his back. Even the usually steady Song Yang couldn’t help but smile. Everyone knew what Qing Xia’s identity was—Miss Dongfang’s secret affection was truly a complete loss.

For the first time in her life, Qing Xia had been forcibly kissed by a woman. Her handsome face immediately flushed red with embarrassment as she angrily shouted: “Shut up! No more laughing!”

Everyone didn’t restrain themselves at all, instead laughing even louder. Qing Xia was furious and about to speak when suddenly a hearty male voice with laughter came from the entrance, saying in a light tone: “Everyone shut up. Didn’t you hear Governor Xia say no laughing?”

Everyone turned their heads toward the sound and saw at the entrance a tall, sword-browed, star-eyed young man in an ink-green long robe, holding a folding fan. His hair was black as ink, his eyes like stars—a perfect example of elegant bearing, with graceful temperament full of the carefree, romantic air of a debonair young master.

Qing Xia’s eyes immediately widened as she and Le Song, Song Yang and others called out in unison: “Chu Li (Your Majesty), how did you come back?”

Chu Li wore an ink-green brocade robe, lightly waving his folding fan. He had less of the oppressive imperial bearing but more refreshing, romantic charm. He half-closed his right fist, placed it near his mouth and chuckled softly, walking forward and saying: “The northwestern campaign isn’t urgent. Yan Hui is withdrawing like a turtle and won’t come out. I left first—the main army will gradually withdraw later.”

Qing Xia raised an eyebrow: “Ending the campaign so hastily might be detrimental to military morale. Instead of returning to the capital to maintain control, you come to Hai City—aren’t you afraid something will happen?”

Le Song and others immediately opened the study door. Chu Li’s expression became slightly embarrassed as he coughed lightly and said: “It’s fine. The army’s withdrawal will take over half a month. By then I can return to the capital together with the troops.”