Looking again, wasn’t that Meihua?

Meihua floated closer and closer, her eyes seeming to see him yet not see him. In a blink, she was beside him.

She could float all she wanted, but she was also reaching out with those snow-white claws stretched straight forward, about to grab him… Ah Si suddenly realized he was still urinating and was so frightened his whole body convulsed, forcibly holding back the urine.

He stared at Meihua, not understanding whether this was intentional or coincidental. Also, a woman wandering outside at midnight, seeing a man urinating and not avoiding it but approaching instead?

Meihua’s eyes swept past him stiffly, still in that state of seeming to see yet not see. She brushed past him and walked straight back.

Leaving Ah Si covered in cold sweat. At this moment, people from the front courtyard seemed to hear movement and came with lanterns. Afraid of being discovered, Ah Si had to fix his pants and go back.

After returning, he felt uncomfortable in his lower abdomen. This time he really went to relieve himself, but after straining for a long time, nothing came out. He could only take the medicine package and go back.

On the other side, when Meihua returned, she told Xinghua: “Ah San and Ah Si seem problematic. When I passed by, Ah Si didn’t have time to cover up. There’s a brick on the wall that’s slightly raised—presumably something is hidden inside for passing messages.”

Xinghua said: “Let’s just watch. As long as they don’t trip us up, we shouldn’t meddle unnecessarily. Completing what our master assigned is most important.”

Meihua agreed, and the two slept peacefully.

Over there, Ah Si ran to the latrine three times in the latter half of the night, always feeling that half the urine was still in his belly, but he could never get it out. By morning, his face was like golden paper.

When Xinghua encountered him, she was startled and greeted him, gently asking what was wrong and whether he needed to see a doctor.

Ah Si glanced at her sideways, looked past her at Meihua behind, and said ominously: “Nothing much, just went out to relieve myself at midnight and encountered a female ghost…”

Xinghua suddenly understood and said apologetically: “You must have encountered Meihua? Oh my, she has a sleepwalking problem. She’ll run out on her own after falling asleep, but actually can’t see anything and doesn’t remember when she wakes up. Did she frighten you? I’m so sorry.”

Ah San quickly chimed in, magnanimously saying it was fine, fine, and enthusiastically expressing concern about Meihua’s sleepwalking. The two huddled together, exclaiming about the strange and frightening aspects of sleepwalking.

Ah Si looked at the expressionless Meihua, a breath stuck in his chest. Meihua didn’t even glance at him and walked straight past.

As they brushed shoulders, Ah Si whispered: “I know you don’t have sleepwalking… You just wanted to look at me.”

He had thought that zombie-like woman wouldn’t answer, but as Meihua brushed past in that instant, she also said softly: “Right, so small.”

Ah Si: “…”

When Ah San and Xinghua finished their satisfying discussion of the one-two-three-four-five of sleepwalking and waved goodbye, he turned back to see Ah Si’s expression and couldn’t help being startled: “Ah Si, Ah Si, what’s wrong with you!”

Ah Si stood stiffly, clutching his belly, saying mournfully and angrily: “I! Want! To! Pee!”

…

That night Tie Ci received a secret report from the two maids, saying they had successfully infiltrated the foundling home. Though they hadn’t discovered any evidence yet, there were obviously many irregularities in this place. Two servants were especially strange, making contact with people at midnight under the pretense of relieving themselves, so Dan Shuang had given him a fright. Currently the other party’s identity was unclear, but both would pay attention. As long as they dared obstruct their affairs, kill without mercy.

That night Feiyu also received a secret report. In the secret message, Ah San worriedly said that the task assigned by their master was going smoothly, and discovering problems at the foundling home shouldn’t be difficult. However, a pair of maids had inexplicably arrived at the foundling home, and one of them had actually frightened Ah Si into illness. He suddenly couldn’t urinate properly. Ah Si was currently taking medicine and wouldn’t let him tell their master about this. He requested the master arrange some good medicine, fearing that Mu Si’s urination problem was minor, but if it caused psychological barriers affecting certain major matters, that would be bad. After all, he would still need to marry in the future. As for those two maidservants, he requested the master’s instructions on how to handle them…

That evening Tie Ci replied to the two maids: Act as convenient, don’t unnecessarily kill the innocent unless absolutely necessary.

That evening Feiyu replied to the two guards: Idiots, asking me about such trivial matters—being overly tender-hearted, aren’t you? Forgotten where you came from?

She also ordered her subordinates to quickly send Ten Complete Deer Antler Great Tonic Pills to save Ah Si’s happiness for the latter half of his life.

…

Those in hiding hid, those working worked. Tie Ci and Feiyu had no idea that enemies had gathered, and in their view, when the sky wants to rain and people need to urinate, things will always be resolved.

After several days, cartloads of stones were indeed delivered and piled high below the embankment. Tie Ci personally went to look and was quite satisfied.

Whatever tricks the Xiao family was playing, people’s livelihood was always most important.

These past few days, Tie Ci had quietly visited many fishing households. Most had broken boats and shabby sheds, drifting on the water, with insufficient clothing, the whole family having only one set of decent clothes.

Each household paid fishery tax of one and a half shi. Some fled, some resisted taxes. Those who resisted taxes mostly disappeared thereafter, and those who fled mostly couldn’t escape Dongming County and were forced back.

Though Gu Xiaoxiao didn’t like getting close to people, he loved work. Tie Ci always felt he and Third Senior Sister could become kindred spirits—both their daily hobby was shutting themselves in rooms to calculate, calculate, calculate. Gu Xiaoxiao’s diligence earned praise throughout the River Administration Office. Especially regarding the many river workers’ food and drink, tool usage, allocation and procurement, and reasonable personnel arrangements—he could produce the most economical yet most useful regulations. He increasingly gained the trust of everyone at the River Administration Office and would soon be transferred to work in the accounting office.

When that outside merchant delivered stone materials, Tie Ci specifically instructed Gu Xiaoxiao to arrange for people to make a grand procession with flowers and red decorations, attracting the whole city’s people to watch the excitement with endless praise. This certainly gave the donating wealthy merchant full face, while putting the Xiao family in quite a bind. After all, their years of good reputation had somewhat trapped them—how could local water management and embankment construction be funded by outsiders? So they stepped forward, calling on local wealthy households to donate money and materials, personally leading by sending people to quarry stone. Local wealthy households always followed the Xiao family’s lead and were very enthusiastic. The county office again petitioned the court for embankment repair, and the court also indicated they would allocate silver later and arrange for Ministry of Revenue officials to rush to Dongming for on-site inspection.

The rain had stopped for several days before, then continued endlessly. Water levels hadn’t dropped and remained at high levels. These days Tie Ci had also been struggling in water and mud with the common people, clearing silt and building bridge foundations. Seeing her work so hard, Li Zhi and Tong Rushi, who originally only helped occasionally, felt embarrassed and also went into the river to work. As a result, Li Zhi couldn’t stand steady in the mud and injured his foot as soon as he entered the water, so he was helped to shore to rest. Tong Rushi, however, stumbled at first and was steadied by Tie Ci, but afterward worked quite steadily.

Seeing his nimble movements, Tie Ci couldn’t help asking: “You seem to have farmed before?”

Tong Rushi didn’t look at her and answered after a long moment: “Grew up in a mountain village.”

Tie Ci made an “oh” sound and said: “Looking at your overall bearing, you don’t seem like a child born in the countryside.”

The corner of Tong Rushi’s lips curved up: “How could everyone have your lordship’s good fortune?”

This was said sarcastically with some resentment, not quite like Tong Rushi’s usual style. Tie Ci turned to look at him. Tong Rushi hung his head, and she could only see the tightly pressed muscles at the corners of his mouth.

Finding no common ground, the two separated to work on their own. Suddenly Tie Ci seemed to slip, her whole body falling toward Tong Rushi. Tong Rushi instinctively caught her, and looking down, he saw Tie Ci’s eyes tightly closed, breathing weakly, as if she had fainted.

Tong Rushi was stunned and looked around somewhat bewildered. Everyone around was busy working intensely, and no one noticed this corner, which was somewhat hidden behind a pile of silt.

Tong Rushi tentatively shook Tie Ci and called her name softly. Tie Ci didn’t move, her face very pale, looking lifeless.

When she fell, Tong Rushi had caught her shoulder and neck area. Now one hand was supporting Tie Ci’s nape. Her neck was slender and seemed very delicate in his palm, as if his fingers could close and snap this beautiful yet fragile neck.

Tong Rushi’s fingers trembled spasmodically, then slowly closed.

Tie Ci beneath his hand lay with eyes closed, lifeless.

Suddenly an old man’s hoarse voice sounded overhead: “Young master, catch!”

Something was thrown over. Tong Rushi hurriedly caught it—the thing was still steaming hot with reed leaves wrapped around it falling into the muddy water.

The old man’s voice rang out among the crowd: “You said last time that my wife’s scallion pancakes were delicious. Today I had her send some over. Quick, eat while they’re hot!”

Someone nearby laughed: “What kind of personage is Young Master Ye that he’d eat your mountain folk coarse food!”

The old man said: “Bah, what kind of personage? He may be a precious young master, but he’s also soaking in rain and water with us—that makes him one of us!”

Everyone laughed and said no more.

Tong Rushi looked down at Tie Ci, such an exquisite person, now with mud and water still clinging to her temples.

That hand that had been trembling slightly slowly relaxed.

Suddenly a young boy’s crying sounded again, mixed with beating and scolding. Everyone sighed sympathetically, all saying the child was pitiful—his parents had been killed by bandits early on, he’d wandered outside for a long time, chased by dogs and people, and after returning, his relatives were gone too. Growing up with irregular meals, only twelve or thirteen years old, but for a bite to eat had to do this hard labor. He couldn’t even carry stone slabs—what could he do?

Listening, Tong Rushi’s grip on the pancake slowly cooled again, hard and rough against his palm.

Light and shadow flashed before his eyes—blood-red fire bloomed rotting in his vision, the cold light of swords flashed bright white, bronze armor scales stained with fine blood and flesh scraping and ringing, full ground of silk brocade shattered into sky-filling fire butterflies, some crying miserably, some weeping loudly, some fleeing in panic, breathing sounds violent as bellows.

That breathing sound grew louder like a nightmare. After a while he realized it was himself panting.

A flash of pain and coldness crossed his eyes.

The five fingers supporting Tie Ci began trembling again, closing inward.

Tightening then loosening, loosening then tightening.

Suddenly someone said: “Hey, I’ve been waiting so long my neck is sore.”

Tie Ci opened her eyes, smiling sweetly.

Tong Rushi’s hand trembled and he leaned back. He had been supporting Tie Ci with one hand and knee, and now releasing his hand, Tie Ci was about to fall into the muddy water.

Tie Ci propped herself up with one hand, nimbly rolled over and got up, while her other hand pulled back the nearly escaping Tong Rushi with a thud, sitting him down in the muddy water. She smiled: “Why run? Let’s talk.”

Unable to resist, Tong Rushi sat down on the ground, looking at her with a cold, pale face.

But Tie Ci was looking at the pancake. After that struggle, it had fallen into the silt. She made sympathetic clicking sounds.

Tong Rushi turned his face away, not looking at her, saying stiffly: “If you want to kill, then kill.”

Tie Ci chuckled: “Could I kill you?”

Tong Rushi remained silent.

Tie Ci propped her elbow on her knee, leaning close to Tong Rushi, curiously examining his features. Tong Rushi uncomfortably turned his head away.

Tie Ci asked: “I want to ask you—clearly wanting to kill me, why such inner conflict?”

Tong Rushi’s face remained expressionless.

“Or is it that ordering others to deal with me causes no psychological barriers, but doing it yourself is a bit difficult?”

Tong Rushi’s face was like wearing a mud mask—blank and blurred.

He had long seen the Crown Princess’s capabilities. Since today he had fallen alone into her hands, everything depended on fate.

In the distance, Li Zhi, who was resting on shore, suddenly stood up.

Tong Rushi gave him a distant look, and Li Zhi stopped moving.

Tie Ci had seen this exchange clearly and smiled: “As expected.”

She sighed: “I was wondering how with your dog temper, in that big vat Wu dormitory, you could peacefully enjoy your own space and receive quite a bit of care.”

“It’s because Li Zhi became dormitory leader and protected you. Li Zhi is your man, right? I always see him by your side like a guard.”

“Hmm… guess when I started suspecting you?”