Watching helplessly as Tie Ci touched a finger to her waist, the rather distinctive belt around her waist, painted with desert camel caravan patterns, suddenly inflated and became a tightly sealed, plump ring that kept Tie Ci floating steadily on the water.

Tie Ci leisurely drifted in the water, her elbows propped on the swim ring, smiling sweetly at Xiao Wen: “Miss Xiao, I can save myself. Please kindly stay away from me.”

Xiao Wen froze in the water, then cried out in alarm again a moment later.

Tie Ci looked down and saw a dark shadow flash by below.

She suddenly lifted her foot, and with a tremendous splash, a large human figure was viciously kicked out of the water, spraying blood like a rainbow bridge in mid-air before falling like a stone into the water thirty feet away.

Xiao Wen was splashed with water all over her head and face, frozen several feet away and not daring to move. After a while, seeing no one nearby, she said tremblingly: “I… I won’t come closer, but Young Master Ye… could you perhaps fulfill my wish… I can help you…”

Tie Ci could vaguely guess at her predicament, and she herself had been thinking of developing an inside contact within the Xiao family. At worst, she could take her away after everything was accomplished. So she treaded water and moved a few steps closer, saying softly: “What can you help me with…”

Seeing her approach, Xiao Wen also moved toward her. Her clothing was thin and now clung wetly to her body, revealing her curves quite enticingly. In the distance on shore, shadowy figures watched from afar.

Just as Tie Ci was about to discuss details with her, she suddenly felt her feet tighten as her legs were embraced.

Startled, she instinctively kicked, but the person below had tremendous strength, yanking her down forcefully and poking with a hand—hiss—the swim ring deflated.

As Tie Ci entered the water, her elbow had already struck out viciously.

That person avoided it like a swimming fish, then reached up with an arm, coiling around her waist like a water snake.

This movement and agility made her pause.

That person turned around in the water, black hair flowing in sinuous strands, revealing a snow-white face among them.

It was indeed Feiyu.

Her beauty appeared even clearer and more brilliant in the emerald water—like a jade-carved lotus flower, a crystal water lily, with skin like ice and bones like jade, beyond the power of any brush to describe.

Seeing her, Tie Ci couldn’t help but smile helplessly.

Such jealousy indeed.

Feiyu made gestures to her underwater, pressing her finger to her lips, then slowly flicking it away.

Tie Ci was startled—this looked like a blown kiss gesture.

But how could Feiyu blow kisses?

Had she herself ever made such a gesture? She couldn’t remember for the moment.

Perhaps it meant something else, because Feiyu also pressed her chest.

Tie Ci’s gaze followed down from her chest, seeing those proud curves, and stared unconsciously.

Thinking: really well-developed.

After Feiyu made two gestures and saw no reaction, she suddenly smiled.

The next instant she spun Tie Ci around so that Tie Ci faced her, with Feiyu’s arm supporting her waist from behind.

Water flowed and surged, long hair intertwined, and her lips, carrying the coolness and softness of the water, covered Tie Ci’s lips.

Tie Ci’s eyes slowly widened, but the water stung them, so she quickly closed them again.

Feeling something soft and quick slip between her tongue, she opened her eyes in astonishment again, not expecting Feiyu to suddenly become so bold.

That tongue teased gently between her teeth, like a low-flying bird, crossing this sky, this earth, this water, this wind, its wingtips brushing peaches, plums, apricots, and pears—the spring light of March.

Tie Ci raised her hands and also embraced Feiyu’s waist. With a forceful movement, the two spun together in the water, their long sleeves flying out as they switched positions.

Never liking to be below, Tie Ci pressed Feiyu down heavily and gently bit her lip.

A trace of laughter flickered in Feiyu’s eyes.

Indistinguishable between water waves and lips, which was softer, the pool full of lotus flowers half-withered, dropping pink lotus petals to peek secretly.

Crystal-clear bubbles rose densely around them, long hair slowly intertwined, soft and lingering.

Like a pair of intimate lovers embedded in a crystal painting.

That breath was exchanged and shared, tender and prolonged, until they were breathless and surfaced with a splash.

Sunlight made the lake surface sparkle like scattered gold, and their silhouettes also seemed embroidered in gold.

Tie Ci took several deep breaths, smoothed the water from her hair, and turned to look at Feiyu.

Feiyu smiled with a frank expression: “Why are you looking at me like that? I did ask you—whether you couldn’t breathe well and needed me to give you a breath. You didn’t object.”

So those incomprehensible gestures were inquiries?

Tie Ci smiled and wouldn’t spoil the mood by arguing about this. Since they had already kissed, she should take responsibility.

She gazed into Feiyu’s eyes and said: “Actually, I also…”

Suddenly someone shouted from not far away: “Young Master Ye, Miss Feiyu, we’ve come to rescue you!”

Tie Ci’s words were cut short, and she had to stop speaking with annoyance. Watching the rescue boat arrive fashionably late, she smiled: “How timely of you all.”

The Xiao family servants smiled awkwardly.

Fourth Master’s carefully arranged scheme had failed. When Feiyu was changing clothes, Xiao Jing was deceived to the door but reacted in time, refusing to enter and leaving with a flick of his sleeves. When people went in to look again, they found Feiyu had also disappeared.

Apparently this beauty was extremely jealous and had somehow also entered the lake, ruining the good opportunity between Miss Wen and Young Master Ye.

With things having reached this point, Fourth Master Xiao saw he couldn’t insert anyone and cut his losses, sending people to fetch them.

Once on shore, the Wei siblings had already come ashore and changed clothes while waiting. Seeing her safe and sound, they breathed a sigh of relief. They hurriedly arranged for people to help Tie Ci change clothes and warm up by a fire, but didn’t even glance at Feiyu beside them.

Feiyu smiled and said: “Are there clothes for me to change into?”

Wei Xing looked at her with surprise, thinking: you’re just a maid or concubine-type person, how dare you be so presumptuous—truly arrogant from being spoiled.

Born of noble status, she unconsciously regarded Feiyu as a servant around the Crown Princess. Though she wouldn’t be overbearing, she hadn’t thought to show respect either, simply treating her as non-existent.

She ignored Feiyu, and Feiyu just smiled, her smile meaningful.

After changing clothes and returning to the front hall, Fourth Master Xiao was waiting. He apologized again, casually made some excuse, and everyone just laughed it off. Tie Ci brought up the River Administration Office matter again, and it was immediately decided that people would escort them there tomorrow.

The two returned together. Sitting in the carriage, Tie Ci looked at Feiyu, who seemed lost in thought, and the impulsive thoughts she’d had in the water earlier dispersed.

She had a vague feeling in her heart that her identity was an obstacle. But if she didn’t reveal her identity, even if she revealed her gender, she would be a scoundrel woman stepping on two boats.

She still needed to choose the most appropriate timing.

She pondered silently while Feiyu was also thinking whether she should cast a wider net, sending out the Flying Ear Division, temporarily abandoning the intelligence network in Liaodong to focus on searching for the Crown Princess’s whereabouts.

Ye Shiba didn’t seem like someone who could swallow her pride and share a husband with others.

Each harboring their own thoughts, they returned to their rooms. Tie Ci lit the lamp and burned oil, writing Wei Xing’s training manual, preparing to deliver it to Wei Xing tomorrow.

While thinking: how were the two maids doing with their infiltration at the foundling home?

…

The foundling home operated on rotating night shifts. The servants all lived in the reverse-facing rooms at the back, without separate courtyards. The men’s quarters and women’s rooms were separated only by a thin wall that was mottled and showed signs of long neglect.

The rooms all had rows of communal beds, emanating the murky odor of cheap hair oil mixed with human bodies. When Xinghua and Meihua entered, both unconsciously frowned.

But immediately they regained their composure. If the Crown Princess could live in the Wu dormitory, what did they have to fear from a little hair oil?

An older woman assigned them beds near the door. Someone nearby was snickering, muttering: “Lucky for those over there…”

The two unpacked their bedding and knelt on the beds to look at the wall, which actually had many holes casually plugged with wooden sticks.

Meihua’s expression turned cold, and Xinghua pressed down on her hand.

The wooden stick suddenly moved, being pulled out, creating a hole in the wall with a pair of eyes appearing on the other side.

…

Next door, Ah San and Ah Si were assigned beds closest to the chamber pot. Having stayed in all sorts of filthy places in their daily lives, they lay down casually, but saw a man suddenly turn over and crawl up, creeping to the wall to sneakily watch something.

Ah Si sat on the bed looking that way. Ah San turned over, grabbed his hand, and whispered: “Brother, don’t cause trouble, don’t attract attention. We still need to go out later to pick up the medicine package…”

Ah Si also lay down, but heard the person pressed against the wall making giggling sounds, then saying impatiently: “The two new ones today, why aren’t they undressing yet?”

Someone nearby said: “Those two have ordinary faces, but really good figures. I like that Xinghua—those breasts are really big. Pockmarked Huang, have you looked enough? It’s my turn.”

Another said: “I think Meihua has a nice ass—perky and firm. When she walks, it’s so alluring…”

Ah Si suddenly sat up.

In a few steps he reached that bed and grabbed the peeping fellow.

Then he lowered his head to see what was going on with that hole.

But at that moment, he heard a cold laugh from the other side, followed by a flash of white light as a cold, hard fist suddenly shot through the hole and—bang—struck his left eye.

Ah Si: “…”

Meihua’s icy voice came from the other side.

“Lecher! Look again and I’ll gouge out your eyes!”

Ah Si: “!!!”

He wanted to speak, but the other side moved extremely quickly, plugging the hole with the wooden stick again.

Ah San rushed over, shocked: “Brother, brother, what happened to you! Who hit you?”

Ah Si slowly turned around, sporting a huge black eye, then suddenly turned and—bang—punched the peeping Pockmarked Huang in the left eye socket: “Lecher! Look again and I’ll gouge out your eyes!”

…

That night Ah Si was too angry to sleep and went to the wall at midnight to pick up the disguised medicine package.

The next morning, he ran into Xinghua and Meihua face-to-face. Xinghua looked at his face with surprise. After Meihua was stunned for a moment, she crashed the water basin in her hands to the ground with a clang, splashing water on Ah Si’s feet.

Ah Si wanted to cough up blood again.

…

Rain began to fall patter-patter again. Tie Ci took a carriage to the River Administration Office.

Feiyu didn’t follow because Fourth Master Xiao sent word that the River Administration Office recently had students coming for practical training, and personnel quotas were full—they could only take one more person.

He also said the old matriarch had heard a stunning beauty had come, and the elderly lady liked pretty children, wanting to meet Miss Feiyu. She had sent people early in the morning to invite her.

Both Tie Ci and Feiyu understood that although the Xiao family was escorting her to the River Administration Office, they would certainly keep one person as a hostage. So Feiyu smiled sweetly and boarded the Xiao family’s carriage.

Tie Ci wasn’t worried about her—the Xiao family couldn’t handle this female demon.

Arriving at the River Administration Office and being led into the courtyard, she saw Gu Xiaoxiao sitting in the official hall with account books piled mountain-high on her desk, her abacus creating afterimages as she worked, so busy she didn’t even look up.

The River Administration Office was a small government bureau, usually with at most two officials called Director and Deputy Director, with one supporting clerk below them responsible for various office affairs. They managed fishery taxation, water area surveying for the hundreds of miles of water territory along the Jing River’s upper and lower reaches. This dynasty also managed river embankment construction and maintenance.

Originally water territories were unmanaged. Before the founding emperor of Great Qian established the country, he competed with others for supremacy. His opponent was from a fishing family background, occupying fertile water and rice regions, greatly profiting from fishing to fund military expenses. For a long time, this kept the founding emperor of Great Qian unable to raise his head. Therefore, after Great Qian was established, they sent specialists to survey water territories and set fishing taxes to supplement local finances. At most, they established several hundred River Administration Offices. As water territories silted up with sand, rivers changed course, and other reasons, many originally highly profitable lakes gradually yielded little. Not only could they not supplement finances, they couldn’t even cover the costs of establishing River Administration Offices, so many were abolished.

Tie Ci remembered seeing the national fishery tax records when at court. The Sanbai River Administration Office’s fishery tax was never very high, with low quotas, but it didn’t reach the standard for abolition either—it belonged to that half-dead, barely maintained category. But along her journey by the river, she had seen that Sanbai River had swift currents and abundant fish. The yield should far exceed the numbers in the fishery tax records.

Gu Xiaoxiao had come to the River Administration Office early precisely because she saw the problems here. If the Xiao family controlled local finances, the county office should also be able to see clues, but the county office’s defenses would certainly be tight. If she went to the county office, the Xiao family would definitely interfere. But small fishery taxes wouldn’t cause big waves, so the Xiao family could let it go.

Tie Ci’s idea was to use this as a breakthrough point. Additionally, Sanbai River reported disasters every year, and the embankment repair silver allocated by the Ministry of Revenue was no small sum. If truly built solidly, how could there be leaks everywhere?

The person who came to receive her was the office clerk, obviously very busy. He said the county office had ordered them to first dredge Sanbai River, using the excavated silt to repair embankments to save some expenses. They were currently mobilizing boats and people. He casually called over two people and said: “You explain things to this Young Master Ye. You’re all classmates, so conversation will be more convenient.”

When both sides faced each other, they were both stunned.