In that instant, Feng Zhiwei didn’t turn her head back. Her other hand formed a blade-edge palm, striking mercilessly toward that person’s wrist pulse without any hesitation!

Snow-white fingers rippled with layered light and shadow in the darkness, so fast as to prevent reaction. Yet that person’s wrist slipped away like a swimming fish with one slide, accompanied by a low laugh.

Hearing that laugh, Feng Zhiwei’s heart trembled. For an instant, a complex expression flashed through her eyes as she faced away from that person, then she withdrew her hand.

When she finally turned around, her expression had already returned to normal. With a slightly reproachful smile she said, “Your Highness went to such great lengths to trick me down here. Was it worth it?”

The black-canopied boat leaked threads of skylight. In such fragmentary light and shadow, Ning Yi smiled. “Being alone with you is so difficult. Whatever it takes is worth it.”

“What’s so difficult about that?” Feng Zhiwei sat down across from him, gesturing outward to signal all was well, while smiling. “You just need to send word, and I would naturally come out personally to greet you. I’d invite you aboard the large boat to taste tea and enjoy the scenery. Why must you squeeze into this small boat, playing all these tricks?”

“I don’t want those empty ceremonial receptions of yours, with everyone’s eyes watching as you bow and I yield, performing all those surface courtesies.” Ning Yi said leisurely. “What I want is to be alone—alone.”

Feng Zhiwei peeked outside. “What about that boatman? Don’t tell me you actually took someone’s life just to trick me down here?”

“Isn’t that exactly it?” Ning Yi smiled. “I pushed him overboard.”

Feng Zhiwei glanced at him, smiled, and turned her head to look at the rain outside. She was somewhat afraid to turn back, worried that Ning Yi could see more in her eyes. Only today did she realize with alarm that Ning Yi’s understanding of her probably already exceeded what she thought. Today’s performance on the small boat to trick her down was completely targeted at her personality and her habits in handling situations. First using the carefree, singing boatman to attract her attention, then having the boatman innocently fall from the large boat’s disturbance, making her unable to stand by and watch. The mother and child on shore calling out was a masterstroke, forcing her inner unease to personally investigate. And the small boat had consistently presented itself as harmless and safe, allowing the suspicious her to finally leave the large boat.

It seemed very simple, almost like a joke, yet required bone-deep understanding of her cautious, step-by-step nature to accomplish.

And this raised an even more critical question—did he seem to know she was avoiding him? Did he know that if he formally saw her off, she wouldn’t be alone with him? Otherwise why expend so much effort just for a solitary meeting on a small boat?

Feng Zhiwei believed that since that night, she hadn’t shown anything amiss. Yet with someone like Ning Yi, who could completely figure him out?

She contemplated facing the rain curtain for just an instant, then reached out to catch some rainwater, drawing her hand back with a smile. “The rain’s getting heavier.”

Turning around, she saw Ning Yi produce a small table as if by magic. On the table were several exquisite porcelain dishes covered with silver filigree carved lids. A faint, enticing fragrance drifted out from between those silver threads.

“What’s this?” Feng Zhiwei raised her eyebrows. “Where did it come from?”

Ning Yi leaned against the cabin, smiling without speaking, only making a gesture of invitation toward her.

Feng Zhiwei lifted the lid with a smile and immediately let out an “Oh—” with a rising intonation, somewhat surprised.

In the snow-white dish, a square of pale green bamboo shoot aspic was crystalline as jade, surrounded by pickled pale purple ginger shoots. The colors were beautifully harmonious—practically ready to paint directly.

“Nanyang winter bamboo shoots.” Ning Yi took out two pairs of silver chopsticks, pointing at the dish with the chopstick tips, saying with some regret, “Too bad it’s not spring. Otherwise using swallow-arrival bamboo shoots from after Jianghuai’s first rain would be crisp, fresh and tender, even better tasting.”

“Nanyang winter bamboo shoots are already famous among shoots—a tael of silver per tael in winter.” Feng Zhiwei clicked her tongue in admiration. “Don’t be too demanding.”

“Bamboo shoots are good things.” Ning Yi said lightly. “Thousand wrappings, myriad layers, layer upon layer of outer shells. If you don’t painstakingly peel away each layer, who can know the infinite flavors within?”

Feng Zhiwei’s heart shook, always feeling his words held hidden meaning. She looked up with a smile. “People are greedy for culinary pleasures, always pondering and fiddling with delicacies. Look—when shoots are picked, they’re as thick as an arm, but after peeling what’s usable is only fingertip-sized. When you think about it, it’s truly pitiful.”

Ning Yi smiled, divided a piece with his chopsticks and placed it before her. “Just eat. If you pity even bamboo shoots, will you eat chicken, duck, fish, or meat? You might as well starve to death.”

Watching him drag his chopsticks horizontally across that dish as beautiful as artwork and destroy its original appearance, Feng Zhiwei repeatedly cried out what a waste. Ning Yi glanced at her and simply lifted all the lids, immediately attracting Feng Zhiwei’s attention—a pale red fish-shaped plate held several fine-textured silver-white steamed fish, garnished with pale yellow ginger threads and emerald green scallions. The broth was transparent as a mirror. Ning Yi said, “This is called ‘Between the Flowing Waters, Unable to Speak with Pulse-Pulse Feelings.'”

On a sky-blue glazed plate, a golden-roasted crispy pork knuckle formed a perfectly round circle on a lotus leaf base, its aroma assailing the nose. Surrounding it on all sides were pure white egg whites like clouds. Ning Yi pointed again. “‘Not Like Clouds That Easily Scatter, But Like the Moon That Frequently Rounds.'”

In a purple clay soup bowl, the pale milky broth contained countless thumb-sized meatballs, pure white and round, dotted with slightly green purple seaweed and pale red shrimp. Those brightly colored ingredients floated gracefully in the soup water with elegant postures. Ning Yi took a fine porcelain lotus-leaf small bowl and ladled soup for Feng Zhiwei. “This is called ‘Rolling Up the Curtain to Gaze at the Moon with Long Sighs, Beauty Like Flowers Beyond Cloud Barriers.'”

“This isn’t eating dishes—I’d say we’re eating poetry.” Feng Zhiwei listened to those dish names, lowering her eyelashes without asking more questions, but changing the subject. “Which master chef? Such exquisite skill?”

Ning Yi smiled without answering. Feng Zhiwei looked around, saying in shock, “Could it be you made it?”

“Where would I have such skill?” Ning Yi seemed lost in thought, then took out an exquisite wine pot. “Guyue Mountain wine, a famous Jianghuai brew. Try it.”

Feng Zhiwei didn’t refuse, but smiled. “If you get drunk today, I won’t carry you to the large boat. You can just drift along with the water in this skiff.”

“That would be nice too.” Ning Yi held his wine cup to his lips, looking at her with eyes rippling and shimmering like the wine’s color. “If we could truly drift along with the water without any attachments, that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing either.”

Feng Zhiwei rolled up the boat cabin curtain. Wind immediately swept in with fine rain. On the winter day’s river surface with light rain, all around was a hazy gray. Distant continuous mountains painted indigo shadows across the pale sky. In the slanting wind and fine rain, the black-canopied boat drifted leisurely. The green bamboo hat and rain cape billowed at the bow like a painting frozen in time.

In a trance, it seemed they’d drunk much wine. Ning Yi had long been drunk, propping his head with his hand, still drinking cup after cup. Feng Zhiwei didn’t dissuade him, drinking even more than him. What went down her throat along with that rich, sweet wine seemed to be the wind on tonight’s river surface, the lingering rain, and countless unspeakable matters of the heart that she thought only she knew. Behind each of them in the boat cabin piled a small heap of those exquisite small wine pots. Toward the end, it no longer seemed like drinking together on a small boat with rain, but more like competing at drinking.

Deep into the night, the rainy night without moon—only the boat’s shadow was cut and shattered by the horizontal waves, rippling gracefully. Feng Zhiwei desperately shook the last wine pot, eyes fixed straight ahead as she murmured, “Eh, how… is there… none left?”

Across from her, Ning Yi lay collapsed on the table, his elbows nearly propped into the food dishes. The food hadn’t really been touched, but wine had been poured down by the bellyful. Drinking on an empty stomach like this—even Feng Zhiwei with her good alcohol tolerance was nearly collapsing, let alone Ning Yi who had no tolerance and relied on sobering pills to get through drinking occasions.

Drinking privately with Feng Zhiwei, he naturally wouldn’t take sobering pills. He’d long been drunk to complete confusion, yet forced himself to continue accompanying Feng Zhiwei in pouring wine. Hearing Feng Zhiwei’s words, he barely half-raised his head. “…You… are drunk…”

Feng Zhiwei stared fixedly at him and began laughing, pointing at him with her finger. “You’re… the one… who’s drunk… still saying… I…”

Ning Yi propped his forehead with his hand, looking at her. Feng Zhiwei smiled often throughout the years but had never laughed heartily. Her smile was always restrained and quiet—lips barely curved in a gentle yet perfunctory arc. Anyone could see the gentleness, but only he understood the perfunctoriness. Watching such a smile always made pain rise from deep in his heart, fine and dense, like someone’s fingertips impolitely pulling, pulling at all the helplessness throughout this life.

At this moment, her smile was finally unrestrained and unbridled for the first time. Her eyebrows flew upward, the corners of her eyes slightly raised, her eyes slightly narrowed with flowing light. Her lips parted slightly—between the moist red, white teeth gleamed, dazzling to the eye. Such a smile swayed in his blurred, dizzy vision like the smoke, water, and rain colors connecting on this river surface, spinning and inverting, rushing into his chest.

He lost himself in such spinning. In a trance he wanted to reach out his hand, but his arm went soft. Just as he was about to crash into the soup bowl, Feng Zhiwei still retained a measure of clear consciousness. She reached out to prop up his arm, but then also went soft herself. Just as they were about to collapse onto the table together, she kicked the dining table away, kicking it out of the black-canopied boat.

With a splash, the table entered the water, but no one came out to investigate. The black-canopied boat fell into turbulence—first rather violent, then gradually calming, yet never completely still, continuing to sway gently like that, trembling lightly together with the drifting rain curtain in the midnight drizzle.

All around was very quiet. The small boat stopped in the shadow of the large boat, rising and falling calmly. The lamplight on the boat had extinguished at some unknown time. In that hazy darkness, low voices gradually arose.

Feng Zhiwei’s voice, slightly breathless and tender, asked softly in certain intervals, “…That child… what happened…”

Once the question was asked, all around seemed to quiet even more. Even the small boat stopped moving. It seemed like a very long time later before Ning Yi’s voice drifted leisurely in the darkness.

“…Nothing wrong… sent away…”

In the haze, someone made a sound of acknowledgment. The rain sounds were stirred up again. The black-canopied boat’s gentle rocking had gradually subsided, replaced by a dark, silent stillness. Yet suddenly in that darkness, a dark light flashed.

The restrained dark gleam belonging to a sharp weapon, carrying inconspicuous coldness, like this night’s rain sneaking in with the wind, flashing lightly.

Like black lightning, piercing through that one space within the black-canopied boat filled with strange atmosphere, wanting to cleave apart certain tenderness just barely maintained.

Yet ultimately frozen mid-air, the lightning extinguished.

A very, very long time later.

The small boat moved again. From the bow emerged Feng Zhiwei with somewhat unsteady steps. At the bow she tightened her lapels, stood in silent contemplation for a moment, then silently rose up and leaped onto the large boat.

The large boat was also completely quiet. Just as she was about to quietly return to the cabin, a white-clothed figure slowly walked over from below.

His gaze at her was calm and knowing. That up-and-down glance seemed to see through everything. When Feng Zhiwei’s eyes met his, she somewhat awkwardly turned her gaze away.

After a long while, she turned around, hands resting on the bow, looking at that quietly drifting black-canopied boat through the misty drizzle. Her robes slapped against the gunwale with a monotonous yet prolonged sound. Her eyebrows were damp, her gaze also tinged with a rain-colored wetness, like the rain weaving horizontally and vertically across tonight’s river surface, painting heaven and earth desolate and bleak.

The black-canopied boat was so close it seemed within reach, yet her gaze was very distant—so distant it looked through the tranquil rain curtain to see the future’s crossed spears and mounted horses, rivers and mountains dancing with blood. In the fluttering fire-red, sharp weapons clashed with a resounding clang, scattering brilliant splashing golden light in all directions.

After a long while, she closed her eyes and made a gesture to set sail.

The large boat quietly traversed the river surface, pulling its clumsy shadow away from that quiet black-canopied boat, from that drifting shadow where water light rippled, sending the large boat farther and farther away until it became a dark speck on the horizon.

The wind on all sides howled and billowed. Feng Zhiwei never turned back. Behind her, Zong Chen asked quietly, “Did you catch cold? Shall I brew some… medicinal soup for you?”

After a silence, Feng Zhiwei slowly answered, “Yes, I’d appreciate it.”

—

In the early part of the seventeenth year of Changxi, mere months after Feng Zhiwei took up her post as Jianghuai Circuit Commissioner, the Changning Domain united with Xi Liang and extended long-prepared claws toward Tiansheng. In the third month of Changxi’s seventeenth year, Changning held a military ceremony in Puzhou, with their forces striking directly down through seven provinces and thirteen counties of Longbei and Minnan. Simultaneously, Xi Liang massed troops at the border, also making gestures of wanting to attack Minnan. Emperor Tiansheng urgently deployed southern armies to respond, and appointed the Seventh Prince as military supervisor to personally proceed to Minnan and Longbei for battlefield oversight. Minnan, which had just experienced war and calamity a few years prior, once again fell into blood and fire.

Actually, Changning had been preparing rebellion for many years. After forming an alliance with Xi Liang in Changxi’s fifteenth year, according to plan they should have acted at the beginning of the sixteenth year. But Xi Liang’s side experienced delays due to regime change. This was actually also Feng Zhiwei’s intention—an agreement she’d reached with Lu Rui before leaving Xi Liang that was never committed to paper. After all, Emperor Tiansheng had originally required her to pay attention to Changning’s movements when on her mission to Xi Liang. She hadn’t reported the crucially important Changning-Xi Liang alliance to the court. If Changning immediately took action after her return, she would inevitably face accountability. Lu Rui and Lu Zhiyan were also clever individuals. From Feng Zhiwei’s action of knowing but not reporting, they guessed she had other thoughts and were happy to fish in troubled waters. On one hand they steadily lulled Tiansheng, with Changning even submitting memorials requesting the Little Prince enter the capital for audience with Emperor Tiansheng. On the other hand they quietly expanded military preparations. When the time was ripe, they would strike decisively.

Once war broke out, it was naturally a time for military generals to shine. Hua Qiong, serving in Minnan, naturally stood out. This female general was no less brave than men, often removing her armor on the battlefield to charge forward first. The female soldiers under her command, inspired by their commander’s fervent blood, killed even more fiercely than male soldiers. Minnan’s region already had fierce folk customs, yet women’s status was extremely low. Women who joined the military mostly had tragic backgrounds of suffering and trampling. On the battlefield, each one fought desperately as if life meant nothing, invincible with one against ten. The Fire Phoenix Army rapidly became famous throughout the realm. Hua Qiong quickly accumulated military merits and was promoted to third-rank General Who Manifests Might.

And once war broke out, a group of scattered Fire Phoenix veterans previously in Xi Liang secretly crossed the border back to their country requesting to serve the nation. The Minnan generals reported this matter to the court. Emperor Tiansheng was very gratified, never expecting these Tiansheng soldiers who’d been displaced abroad for years would still have loyal hearts shining with sincerity at the critical moment. He immediately approved these Fire Phoenix old troops regardless of numbers, all to be incorporated under Hua Qiong’s Fire Phoenix command. He also exceptionally appointed Qi Shaojun, descendant of Fire Phoenix old troops who had repeatedly achieved military exploits upon entering the battlefield, as Deputy General. The old emperor was only concerned with being happy and forgot to ask how many old troops there actually were. Under Hua Qiong’s command, people continuously enlisted. The male and female camps combined already exceeded fifty thousand and were still continuously growing. More importantly, Fire Phoenix Army members were almost all exceptionally fierce, especially the later-joining male soldiers—practically born elite soldiers, proficient in battle formations, skilled at mounted archery, with both individual soldier combat power and group cooperation ability first-class under heaven. They didn’t at all resemble scattered old soldiers displaced in foreign countries for years who’d lost their skills for a long time, but rather elite troops under constant training who daily slept on their weapons and frequently broke camp for battle. This kind of fierce combat power was very attention-drawing. Fortunately, Hua Qiong didn’t love competing for glory. The Fire Phoenix Army was mainly composed of women after all and easily subject to male generals’ ostracism. She wasn’t angered either. Like Feng Zhiwei back then, she fought guerrilla warfare on local battlefields, picking up unimportant yet meritorious work like harassing enemy rear lines and luring enemies into ambushes. She was content and at ease, which stifled her subordinates—those fierce men and women—making them howl. Whenever this happened, General Hua would mysteriously wave her finger and say, “No rush, no rush. You’ll have your chance to display valor.” Then with hands behind her back she’d laugh heartily and watch clouds roll and relax across the distant horizon.

While southern warfare raged like raging flames, Feng Zhiwei still leisurely served as her Jianghuai Circuit Commissioner. The first major task upon taking office was dredging the Capital-Huai Canal. Because warfare was flourishing, large amounts of treasury silver were used for military expenses. Prosperous Jianghuai also bore the major portion of military grain collection tasks. The massive Capital-Huai Canal project suddenly had somewhat tight silver. At this time, she couldn’t reach out to the state for money. Whether this year’s Merit Office reported her as “Outstanding” or “Excellent” depended entirely on whether she could handle this assignment well.

Ning Yi also frequently came down to Jianghuai, but as an imperial prince, according to regulations, it wasn’t proper to directly interfere in each prefecture’s circuit affairs. He’d also been very busy and hadn’t stayed at the Jianghuai prefecture, instead staying nearby at Baizhou beside the canal, about a hundred li from Feng Zhiwei. Occasionally coming to see her, he’d also come and go hurriedly. He seemed to have some matters weighing on his mind but consistently avoided discussing them. Feng Zhiwei didn’t ask either. However, boot-licking guard Ning Cheng once intentionally or unintentionally muttered, “The Seventh Prince just added a son. Old ministers in court are worrying for our lord again, saying there’s no reason why even now he hasn’t taken primary or secondary consorts. A few days ago Master Xin even spoke to His Highness, saying if he doesn’t marry and have children, how can the throne have his share? One sentence ‘Prince Chu is weak-bodied, fears ending his lineage’ could eliminate his crown prince prospects… Sigh… the emperor isn’t anxious but the eunuch is…” Speaking thus, Eunuch Ning leisurely walked off with hands behind his back, leaving only Feng Zhiwei standing in the front gate shadows assuming a seeing-off posture, stunned for a long time.

But some matters couldn’t be worried about. If Ning Yi didn’t speak, Feng Zhiwei could only pretend not to know. She busied herself searching everywhere for money, personally sitting in command at the Commissioner’s yamen while subordinate advisors issued documents to each prefecture, county and district. Jianghuai was prosperous with major households clustered together. If these merchant households let silver slip through their finger cracks, added together it would be a considerable figure. However, those who could usually make fortunes were mostly even better at guarding wealth. Under the “voluntary donations” heading, prefects, magistrates and county magistrates frequently invited guests for tea and drinks. Those people all talked about serving the country and opening purses generously, but in the end collected merely several hundred thousand taels—a drop in the bucket. When the figures were reported up, Feng Zhiwei smiled.

When she smiled, others didn’t think much, but several advisors who’d heard of her reputation earlier all shrank their necks—reportedly when Lord Wei smiled, someone was going to be unlucky.

“Last time I had you take my calling card to invite them to discuss donations. Was it done?” Feng Zhiwei leisurely drank tea.

The advisors looked at each other, all showing embarrassed expressions. Feng Zhiwei set down her tea bowl with a “Hmm?” Immediately an advisor hurriedly said, “…We invited them… but, the Li family was first to send someone saying Old Master Li’s old cold leg condition flared up and he couldn’t move, thanking you for the honor. After that, the wealthiest Liu family said Old Master Liu went to the capital to celebrate Minister Liu of the Personnel Ministry’s birthday, also thanking you for the honor… After that, every family sent responses… this… that…”

“The response reasons were all over the map.” Qian Yan, newly appointed as her advisor, suddenly laughed coldly. “Some said they fell ill, some said they went beyond the Great Wall for purchases. There’s an even more peculiar one—saying he was busy marrying a concubine! And that Li family—if you’re declining, just decline. They actually sent a formal reply with three thousand taels of silver notes inside—are they giving alms to beggars!”

“Oh? Is that so?” Feng Zhiwei showed no anger, listening with narrowed eyes, a trace of shallow smile at her lips. She instructed, “Bring me the list of wealthy households worth counting throughout Jianghuai Circuit.” Someone immediately presented it. After reading, she smiled. “As expected—no power in court, no fortune at home. Those ranked at the top all seem to have connections with several big shots in court.”

“Jianghuai is vast with abundant people and products, developed water and land transportation, connecting northern frontiers above and southern territories below—the best place for making money.” Qian Yan said. “Many important court officials have estates in Jianghuai. Many branch relatives are in Jianghuai. Jianghuai land is almost entirely divided among major families. The network of relationships here is the most tight and complex. Historically, being a commissioner in Jianghuai—it’s profitable but also troublesome. Just handling these various relationships is enough to keep commissioners busy for their entire term.”

“Ranked second, the first to decline—this Li family.” Feng Zhiwei suddenly saw a familiar name and paused. “What relation are they to Grand Secretary Li of Dezhao Hall?”

“They’re Li family people. The Li family is originally a Jianghuai prominent clan, living here for generations. The ‘Li’s’ silk shops visible everywhere throughout Jianghuai are theirs. Currently a collateral nephew manages affairs, but that Li family eldest legitimate grandson reportedly returned to Jianghuai after traveling for several years due to having no heart for official service. According to Grand Secretary Li’s intention, most likely the next generation’s Li family manager will be him.”

Feng Zhiwei set down the list in hand, revealing an ambiguous smile—this Li family eldest legitimate grandson, very familiar indeed.

Back then at Orchid Fragrance Courtyard, a servant boy rescued a beauty in the back garden. With one strike she made his family jewels fly, even extorted three thousand taels of silver and forced him to leave the capital for traveling studies. Never expected that going round and round, they’d actually encounter each other again one day.

No wonder he had no heart for official service. Any man encountering such an incident would have his lifetime ambitions and grand aspirations vanish like smoke.

Feng Zhiwei suddenly also remembered that it seemed Qiu Mansion’s Second Miss, Uncle’s younger daughter Qiu Yuluo, had married this very Young Master Li? Calculating the time, Qiu Yuluo should have long since married over, right?

She was somewhat distracted. Since Qiu Shangqi died on the battlefield, Lady Qiu suddenly suffered a stroke and lost speech at the end of Changxi’s thirteenth year. Afterward she’d been bedridden the whole time. The vast, bell-and-cauldron Qiu Mansion’s decline had been but an overnight matter. Regarding the Qiu Mansion, Feng Zhiwei had no heart to look after them but also no desire to pursue them relentlessly. Those Qiu Mansion people had long been beneath her notice. Only now did she vaguely remember Qiu Yuluo had married over the second year after Lady Qiu fell ill. At that time she was still fighting on the grasslands. Helian Zheng had sent congratulatory gifts in the capacity of Shunyi Grand Consort, afterward casually mentioning it. With her multitude of affairs, she’d forgotten. Now hadn’t she encountered them?

While her thoughts surged here with uncertain expressions, Qian Yan stared at her very strangely—why did Lord Wei have such a strange expression, alternating between lecherous and melancholy?

Feng Zhiwei came back to herself, slapping down the calling card. “They won’t take out money? Spread word for me. Say I’ve already submitted to court requesting abolishment of the gentry grain exemption system, changing to unified grain contribution, spreading Ding into Mu, collecting tribute taxes according to land holdings. Request first implementation in Jianghuai, then unified promotion throughout the realm.”

“Unified grain contribution?” Qian Yan jumped in alarm. Not because he was surprised by the system itself—this was originally Da Cheng’s former tax system, but after Tiansheng founded the nation it was abolished and changed to poll tax. Now Lord Wei suddenly wanted to dig up what His Majesty had rejected back then—wasn’t this looking to be scolded?

“Back then Da Cheng’s tax system was clearly excellent policy and beautiful governance. It was just later ruined by a bunch of old men.” Feng Zhiwei glanced at him with a half-smile. “If it’s a good thing, don’t fear obstacles and interference. Receiving the ruler’s salary means serving the ruler loyally. For a minister, serving country and people even at the cost of one’s life is proper. Don’t worry about it—just spread this rumor first.”

Qian Yan looked at her expression and understood somewhat, carefully probing, “Then… should the memorial be written or not?”

“Wait until I’ve deliberated properly.” Feng Zhiwei waved her hand.

Qian Yan immediately understood Lord Wei’s intention—the so-called submitting to court for unified gentry grain contribution, canceling gentry privileges, were all false pretenses. Lord Wei wanted to squeeze the Jianghuai iron roosters!

Tiansheng had strict hierarchy. Gentry enjoyed many privileges. Once someone said they’d be canceled, it would necessarily stir up their enormous interests. Even just a rumor would make these iron roosters restless and alarmed, especially since the one releasing this rumor wasn’t an ordinary commissioner but the court anomaly, constant-victory minister Wei Zhi. What he wanted to do, he’d never failed to accomplish.

Jianghuai instantly became lively. Major households exchanged frequently with ceaseless carriages and horses gathering information. The Commissioner’s yamen naturally received the most attention. Unfortunately, after releasing that message, Feng Zhiwei closed her doors to guests and also strictly forbade yamen officials at all levels from private contact with local major households. Her methods were sufficient with many hidden agents. One advisor secretly accepted one thousand taels of silver from a major household promising to gather information for him. The next day she dispatched him to a small county below to serve as prison warden. Henceforth no one else dared contact major households. Those people held silver with nowhere to turn like headless flies but couldn’t find any way in. Some people still had old habits—writing to their connections in the Imperial Capital requesting they gather information and provide obstruction. But the replies were uniformly: Lord Wei has exclusive memorial authority. Whether he submits to His Majesty proposing system reform, whether His Majesty adopts it—ordinary high officials cannot interfere. At the end came a very solemn reminder—observe quietly and don’t violate. Absolutely don’t oppose that new commissioner, otherwise be careful of dying miserably.

On Jianghuai’s side, hearts grew increasingly restless. Only now did they feel this commissioner truly couldn’t be compared with the past. Previously, major households banded together with capital force support. It had always been commissioners currying favor with them. How could there be today’s unease and anxiety? One seemingly real, seemingly illusory message had overturned all of Jianghuai!

When everyone’s anxiety reached its peak and emotions accumulated to the pinnacle of urgently needing to understand the real situation, half a month later, the Commissioner’s yamen issued invitations to feast Jianghuai major households led by the Liu and Li families at Water Moon Manor in the Jianghuai prefecture suburbs.

This time old cold legs weren’t acting up, those celebrating birthdays returned, those marrying concubines stopped marrying. Upon receiving cards they immediately moved rapidly, heading straight to Water Moon Manor.

On the ninth day of the fifth month, early morning, at the gate of Water Moon Manor—an official villa fifteen li from Jianghuai’s main prefecture—carriages and horses formed a dragon, stopped for several li long. All gentry were received by various level officials from Jianghuai Prefecture and the Commissioner’s yamen, waiting early in the front hall drinking tea.

Among these carriages and palanquins, one was quite conspicuous—a jade-canopied green felt gold-topped carriage. Wherever it passed, fragrance scattered on all sides. At a glance, one knew it was a carriage for a major household’s female family member. Ordinarily, this wouldn’t be rare, but in this situation, it seemed incongruous. Passing carriages and horses couldn’t help lifting curtains to glance.

Some recognized the Li family’s mark on the carriage. Gradually people pointed and whispered. Everyone heard that the Li family eldest branch legitimate grandson’s wife was originally a young miss from the Five Military Commands Governor’s Office. Later when the Qiu Mansion fell into decline, she married into Jianghuai. This Miss Qiu was truly worthy of being a military general’s descendant—her style was quite bold and fierce. Not long after arriving, she gained Grand Secretary Li’s support, sidelined the collateral uncle who’d originally managed affairs, and took over more than half the silk shop business. Reportedly her husband wasn’t accomplished, having no interest in business, spending entire days cockfighting and dog-racing. This new Li family young mistress didn’t mind, letting her husband play everywhere while she internally managed household affairs and externally seized financial power. She actually showed intentions of wanting to seize all of Jianghuai’s second-ranked Li family into her hands. This was originally rumor, but now in this situation, the Li family was truly having her participate. Everyone became even more suspicious—could the rumors be true?

The banquet was set for noon. By mid-morning, all guests had arrived. Just as they waited anxiously, suddenly announcement sounds leisurely rang out.

“Prince Chu arrives—”

“First Rank Marquis, Jianghuai Commissioner Lord Wei arrives—”

Two announcements came. Everyone stirred. They hadn’t heard that Prince Chu, who was supervising construction at Baizhou, would also attend. They hurriedly rushed out to pay respects. At the manor gates, a dark mass of people knelt. Then two eight-person-carried large palanquins, surrounded and protected by crowds, came winding forward one after another.

In the rear palanquin, Feng Zhiwei was currently frowning slightly. She also didn’t know Ning Yi would come today. She’d encountered Ning Yi halfway out of the yamen. When Ning Yi heard about this Hongmen Banquet, he immediately said this matter also involved fundraising for him and he naturally couldn’t stay uninvolved. He’d accompanied her all the way.

Since he came, it was fine. With this prominently powerful prince sitting in command, presumably asking for money would have doubled effectiveness.

Just as Ning Yi’s palanquin at the front was stopping, suddenly from that jade-canopied carriage stopped in the carriage and horse queue to the side, the curtain lifted. That Li family young mistress who’d stayed in the carriage without emerging, Qiu Mansion’s Third Miss Qiu Yuluo, walked out with straight back.

She wore light makeup, refined features, gorgeous yet not seductive clothing—clearly carefully dressed up.

Feng Zhiwei stared at her, narrowing her eyes.

Naturally, Qiu Yuluo didn’t know the person in the rear palanquin was her. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she calmly and composedly walked to before Ning Yi’s palanquin, gracefully bowing in salute, slightly shy yet poised and generous. ‘This commoner woman Qiu Yuluo pays respects to Your Highness and thanks Your Highness for that day on the river… your helping hand and grace.”