Whether the Chang clan was waiting for Feng Zhiwei remained unknown, but the five great aristocratic families of Nanhai, led by the Yan family, had been waiting for quite some time.

The five great families had previously been squeezed to the outer edges of the crowd, blocked by hostile Nanhai commoners and officials from entering. But this turned out to be a blessing in disguise—they emerged completely unscathed from the fire bomb disaster.

Now a group of old and young came forward to kowtow. Before they could perform the ceremony, Feng Zhiwei said: “No need for formalities. Now isn’t the time for empty courtesies. Everyone, please arrange the people you brought—send the injured for medical treatment, help collect and bury the dead or notify their families. After these matters are completed, we can exchange pleasantries.”

Ning Yi had already walked away to instruct Nanhai officials to handle related affairs.

The five great families had a sudden realization—wasn’t this an excellent opportunity to win the hearts of Nanhai’s common people? They hurriedly issued instructions. Feng Zhiwei personally led Gu Nanyi to search around. For those severely injured with unstoppable bleeding, Gu Nanyi sealed their acupuncture points, then doctors arranged by the government or aristocratic families treated them.

The Yan family acted quickly, setting up tents at the four corners of the dock as temporary medical stations. They also arranged rest tents for Ning Yi and Feng Zhiwei, who refused to leave. Feng Zhiwei didn’t take a single step into the tent, occasionally lending a hand in the dock plaza.

Some common people who came to help silently watched this young, slender commissioner show no disgust as he helped move corpses covered in scorch marks and damage. He squatted beside bloody injured people, rolled up his sleeves to reveal a pair of white arms, and began treating wounds. He wiped sweat and ash from his bruised forehead with blood-stained hands, his fresh, clean face becoming streaked into a painted mask by smoke, blood, and sweat.

A young man whose arm had been blown off was bleeding unstoppably. Doctors exhausted all methods but couldn’t stem the gushing blood. The family’s wailing cries drew Lord Wei, who came forward with one finger press and the blood flow immediately slowed. Then he skillfully applied medicine and bandaged, saving a robust life in no time. The family wanted to kowtow in gratitude, but he had already rushed to another tent.

An elderly person with heart disease lay moaning on the ground, head injured and swollen high. When someone tried to lift him into a tent, Lord Wei rushed over to stop them, summoned a doctor to save the person, and repeatedly instructed them not to move him.

There were many injured and few doctors—people couldn’t keep up. Finally, Lord Wei personally treated the injured, half-kneeling in dust and mud, holding a fisherman’s swollen leg, gently removing those boots stained with fish scales, filth, and blood marks. He seemed not to smell the nauseating mixture of blood and sea creatures. Always calm, always compassionate.

Hostility dissipated, emotion grew. Some common people who had previously avoided him began gathering around, together moving the injured, cleaning wounds, passing cloth and medicine…

On the dock plaza, wailing curses and panicked confusion gradually faded, replaced by a tense but orderly rescue atmosphere. With one glance from Feng Zhiwei, someone automatically stepped forward to help. Government, commoners, and imperial commissioner’s guards—three forces that, after an unfriendly welcoming ceremony, actually achieved seamless cooperation for the first time because of a disaster.

Those pampered students from Qingming Academy, after observing for a while, also rolled up their sleeves to join. Yao Yangyu lay on a stretcher, taking it upon himself to loudly direct Feng Zhiwei’s guards to assist the doctors.

In the face of disaster, usually fragmented hearts more easily drew close through compassion. Feng Zhiwei washed her blood-covered hands in a basin, looking at the busy crowds everywhere, feeling faint emotion welling in her heart.

Moonlight faintly rose. After a full day of effective handling, the plaza had recovered its calm. Only faint moans from the tents drifted vaguely between sea and sky.

Feng Zhiwei still hadn’t rested, wandering around the plaza. In the daytime chaos, dozens died and hundreds were injured. Those actually killed or injured by explosions weren’t very many—quite a few had been trampled to death in the panicked rush. Feng Zhiwei worried that the chaotic crushing might have squeezed some people into hard-to-notice crevices.

The injured’s torn clothing trembled in the wind on the plaza like countless hands silently calling souls. A crescent moon reflected in pools of blood everywhere. The entire plaza looked planted with blood-colored duckweed. Feng Zhiwei walked slowly with eyes full of sorrow, occasionally picking up items—gold locket pieces, purses, embroidered pouches… those mementos filled with family and lovers’ affection now had no owners left to cherish them.

Gu Nanyi followed behind her. He didn’t know what Feng Zhiwei was thinking, only felt that the figure ahead looked somewhat lonely, shoulders thin and gaunt, as if even the moonlight falling on them felt heavy and hard to bear.

He suddenly stepped forward and draped what he’d been carrying in his arm over Feng Zhiwei’s shoulders.

Feng Zhiwei only felt her shoulders suddenly sink as something heavy pressed down. Nearly thinking it was an assassin, she turned her head and saw with mixed feelings that Young Master Gu had placed a piece of excess tent canvas he’d been holding onto her shoulders.

What was this about? Feng Zhiwei grabbed the tent corner, raising her eyebrows to ask with her eyes.

Young Master Gu stood there, neither speaking nor moving. Feng Zhiwei discovered with surprise that his eyes behind the gauze seemed to shift—didn’t he usually either look directly at people or lower his eyes to look at the one-chi-three-cun ground before him?

Getting an answer from Young Master Gu seemed unlikely. Feng Zhiwei sighed, guessing whether Young Master Gu was telling her to go set up a tent. Suddenly Young Master Gu spoke.

“Wearing it, not cold.”

Feng Zhiwei froze again, taking a long while to react—he was worried she was cold?

He was helping her put on “clothes”?

She stood dazed, gripping the heavy, non-breathable tent canvas, momentarily not knowing how to react. Her heart felt somewhat sour and astringent. In a trance, she remembered this seemed to be the first time Gu Nanyi clearly expressed an emotion like “concern.”

He always cared about her life and death, but in her feeling, this care was more like a forced task. He just executed it rigidly and inflexibly, like eating small walnuts or eight pieces of meat—doing it without reason.

In the beginning of their acquaintance, he kicked her out of bed, made her sleep at the bed’s foot, threw her inadequately washed clothes in the latrine. Even when protecting her, when grabbing her, he was often heavy-handed, not knowing how to restrain his strength.

When did chaos open and this ray of bright heavenly light penetrate?

What divine being wielded the blade of spiritual wisdom to split through the layers of darkness shrouding his chaotic life?

Moonlight was cool and desolate, the plaza silent. In faint smoke, voices were distant and vague. She and he faced each other silently in the autumn night wind.

After a long while, she pulled the tent canvas tight around herself as if it truly were a cloak, smiling: “Mm, very warm…”

Young Master Gu nodded with satisfaction. He also felt it was very warm—it looked very warm.

But Feng Zhiwei worried about how to walk dragging this tent cloak.

After dragging a few steps, Gu Nanyi’s ear suddenly twitched. Feng Zhiwei immediately noticed too.

Ahead was a pile of miscellaneous items—fishermen’s common basins, nets, and drying seaweed. A faint, weak sound came from beneath those items.

Feng Zhiwei rushed forward in two or three steps, brushed aside the debris, and drew in a sharp breath.

Under the basins and nets, a young woman lay dead, facing outward, body half-curled on its side, strangely arched. Below her abdomen sat a basin, and in it a child cried thinly.

Very clearly, when chaos erupted, this woman had been squeezed here by the crowd and crushed to death. Yet she had always protected the child beneath her. Afraid of crushing the child when she fell, she not only used her back to support the crushing weight but also placed the child in the basin.

That basin wasn’t small. If she’d used it to cover herself, she probably could have escaped with her life. But she must have been severely injured and lost her strength, able only to choose to preserve the child.

Feng Zhiwei looked at that basin, her eyes slightly moistening.

Mothers throughout the world—ordinarily so common as to be trivial, yet in times of hardship and danger, the strength of deep love transcended life and death.

She lifted the child. The child was indeed unharmed, only crying from hunger, yet without strength to wail loudly. Once picked up, tiny fingers immediately gripped her hand tightly.

Feng Zhiwei couldn’t help smiling, pressing her face against his tender, breakable cheek, wrapping him well in the tent canvas.

This wrapping revealed the child was dressed quite exquisitely with understated luxury. The gold locket at his neck had no characters but was inlaid with a huge black obsidian gemstone, its tip showing deep purple color with radiating brilliance.

Looking again at the dead woman—ordinary clothing, common family attire, not a single piece of jewelry. Feng Zhiwei felt a trace of doubt. Could she not be this child’s mother?

If not the mother, how could she do this?

This locket was too precious. After thinking, she removed it and put it away.

Holding the child in her arms, he immediately stopped crying, happily sucking his finger. Feng Zhiwei suddenly felt mischievous and stuffed the child into Young Master Gu’s arms.

“You hold him.”

Young Master Gu, suddenly stuffed with this “thing,” jumped up as if on fire. His first reaction was to throw it. Feng Zhiwei also watched him somewhat nervously, ready to catch. However, that throwing motion made it halfway when the child seemed to sense something and cried “Wah!” Young Master Gu startled greatly, his hands swooshed back, tightly holding the child, frozen in place and not moving.

“Right, can’t throw, can’t throw.” Feng Zhiwei breathed a sigh of relief, smiling as she educated him: “See, very cute, isn’t it?”

Young Master Gu remained silent for a long while, then negotiated: “Don’t want.”

“Want.” Feng Zhiwei insisted.

“Don’t want—”

“Want—”

“Don’t want, don’t want—”

Young Master Gu, who never willingly spoke much, had started using repeated words—clearly quite severely shocked. Feng Zhiwei showed a smile like a smiling tiger, grabbing his hand to make him touch the child’s porcelain-fine face: “You touch—this is a child… this is fragrance and warmth.”

Young Master Gu hadn’t recovered from one lightning strike when another bolt fell. His finger was pulled to the child’s face. At one touch he trembled, then as if electrocuted, quickly withdrew.

“Isn’t it very smooth and soft, very fragrant?” Feng Zhiwei smiled warmly, looking at him with ill intent. “You were once this soft, this fragrant, held in your mother’s arms. You should have heard your mother’s little songs, been touched on the face like this by your father.”

Gu Nanyi trembled again, momentarily seeming somewhat lost. In that instant, Feng Zhiwei’s words and the unfamiliar warmth and softness in his arms seemed to take him to another world so distant it felt like a past life. There were colors there, music, smiling faces—everything he couldn’t have in this life.

The small, soft body held in his arms made him so uncomfortable, like walking outside without clothes. He should have hated it, should have thrown it away directly as always. Yet across from him, her voice drifted over so light and soft. He heard from her voice a feeling different from usual. He didn’t know what that feeling was, but instinctively knew—couldn’t refuse, couldn’t throw away.

In her voice were hope and wishes.

Hope that his world wasn’t just that one-chi-three-cun and eight pieces of meat, wasn’t just emptiness and rejection. Hope that he possessed more brilliant colors, richer emotions, a broader world, a fuller life.

Hope he understood all the things in the mortal world that people could cry, argue, rejoice, and cheer for.

Young Master Gu held him rigidly, not knowing whether he’d taken her words to heart. Only his arms holding the child began trembling. Feng Zhiwei watched with amusement, thinking Young Master Gu holding a child really looked so cute, so cute. But forcing the great expert like this was truly rather unkind. Better take it slowly.

She graciously took the child back. Young Master Gu let out the first long breath of his life, then swooshed away, jumping into a distant tent in one leap.

The unshakeable Young Master Gu had been forced by a heartless someone into embarrassed flight. That someone felt no shame at all, laughing in place for a while before carrying the child to find Yan Huaishi, telling him to immediately find a wet nurse. Then she entered Ning Yi’s tent.

Ning Yi also hadn’t slept. Under the oil lamp, he supported his chin in quiet contemplation. The dim yellow light circle fell on his brows and lashes. He looked slightly weary, long lashes casting faint arched shadows under his eyes, showing rare tranquility and gentleness.

Hearing sounds, he immediately raised his head: “Still outside looking for something so late at night…”

The child suddenly made a thin “Eh” sound.

Ning Yi’s words stuck halfway. Speechless.

Today Feng Zhiwei had startled two people. Her heavy mood lightened somewhat as she smiled: “Ah? What was Your Highness saying? Continue?”

“Where did this child come from?” Ning Yi pulled her over. Feng Zhiwei explained what happened but didn’t mention the locket.

Ning Yi reached out to stroke the child’s face. The child wasn’t shy with strangers, giggling and making sounds while gnawing his own fist. Ning Yi thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled: “Just now for an instant, I suddenly imagined ten years later.”

“Ah?”

“I’m reviewing official documents, you come in carrying a child to keep me company.” Ning Yi’s upturned eye corners held part jest, part seriousness as he smiled lightly. “Then I ignore you, and you overturn my desk.”

Feng Zhiwei couldn’t help smiling, thinking this person was obliquely teasing her again. She smiled: “Your Highness is truly skilled at imagination.”

But Ning Yi reached out to gently stroke her face, asking: “Is it impossible?”

His voice was low and deep, winding like a flowing spring in the autumn night’s quiet tent. Cool wind penetrated through tent crevices, lifting papers on the desk. He lightly pressed them down with his elbow.

Feng Zhiwei sat up straight.

“Ten years from now—who knows what it will be like?” She smiled lightly, but her eyes held no smile, rarely showing some melancholy and confusion. “Perhaps strangers passing by then, perhaps just nodding acquaintances, perhaps still like now—me bowing to you from below the steps, you distant on the steps above, perhaps… perhaps meeting as enemies.”

At these last four words, both trembled. Feng Zhiwei turned her face away. After a long silence, Ning Yi slowly said: “Reason?”

Feng Zhiwei smiled: “I’m just making an analogy.”

She stood up carrying the child: “I’ll go see if the wet nurse has arrived.”

Ning Yi quietly listened to her footsteps fade away. His face sunken in dim yellow light showed no expression. After a long while, he slowly moved the elbow that had been pressing the desk and picked up the letter he’d been covering.

Fire wax seal, express delivery marked urgent, separately engraved with his intelligence bureau’s exclusive secret mark—indicating this was an extremely urgent secret letter.

He stroked that letter for a long time. Without opening it, its contents were already engraved in his heart.

After a long while, he held up the letter and brought it to the candle flame.

The dark yellow flame licked the envelope. The letter curled up with ash-white edges. Ash fell in rustling sounds, piling on the desk.

The letter burned completely. The candle was also nearly spent, yet he didn’t add another, supporting his chin at the desk, letting darkness press heavily down.

After a long while, from somewhere came a long, drawn-out sigh.

Coming out from Ning Yi’s place, Feng Zhiwei discussed with Yan Huaishi sending children who lost parents or relatives in this accident to the Yan family’s charity hall for care.

“This is a good opportunity for your Yan family to win hearts.” Feng Zhiwei watched the child sweetly drinking milk, expression peaceful. “Nanhai officials and people resist establishing the Ship Affairs Office. Your aristocratic families’ opposing stance in this matter can’t be called wrong, but it’s also not the best approach. After demonstrating your economic control, you should begin conciliatory measures. Relying solely on strength will only make others band together in vigilance against you.”

Yan Huaishi strongly agreed but showed difficulty on his face. Feng Zhiwei asked: “What is it?”

“Two difficult matters.” Yan Huaishi said. “First, Nanhai’s common people are fierce and stubborn by nature. Years of hostility toward us aristocratic families won’t dissipate so easily. Our aristocratic families’ charity halls have never had any visitors. They’d rather queue at government offices for relief than come to us.”

“That’s easy.” Feng Zhiwei said. “Send this child to your charity hall along with homeless orphans from this incident. After tonight’s events, the common people will certainly have dissatisfaction with Nanhai’s government. You must skillfully use opportunities. How to proceed next is up to you. In any case, first resolve the hostile atmosphere. If the government obstructs, I’ll handle it for you.”

Yan Huaishi looked at her with gratitude. After a long while: “I don’t know how to thank you…”

Feng Zhiwei waved her hand, smiling: “You’re wrong. Actually, initially you helped me. Without you, I couldn’t have entered Qingming Academy, and there wouldn’t have been the subsequent series of encounters. In the imperial capital, all food, clothing, and expenses for Brother Gu and me, including the residence and servants, were all arranged by you. After entering officialdom, all social exchanges—without your substantial financial support, I couldn’t have managed so smoothly. We’re friends, so no need to enumerate such things between us. What’s the second difficulty?”

Yan Huaishi sighed: “The second difficulty is I fear disappointing your regard.”

Feng Zhiwei looked surprised. Yan Huaishi said: “It’s a long story. You’ll know… My Yan family elders want to see you. Are you willing to meet them?”

“Alright.” After watching him for a long moment, Feng Zhiwei smiled and nodded.

Watching Yan Huaishi hurry out, Feng Zhiwei frowned and took a sip of tea, thinking what unspeakable difficulty did this kid have? Huaishi was so shrewd and capable, rendering such great service to the Yan family—who could make things difficult for him?

The tent curtain lifted as a stream of people entered—men, women, old and young. Yan Huaishi respectfully held open the tent door at the front. After everyone entered, he followed last.

Everyone passed by him, accepting his respect as natural, including several men and women who looked similar in age and generation.

Feng Zhiwei’s eyebrows raised, a trace of a smile flashing in her eyes.

The Yan family elders had all seen Feng Zhiwei during the day. Those following behind had only come tonight, brought by elders to pay respects to the imperial commissioner. Seeing the commissioner was so young—only fifteen or sixteen years old—they all looked somewhat surprised.

Feng Zhiwei felt a slightly scrutinizing gaze look over. She raised her eyebrows and looked back. The woman at the very end of the group didn’t retract her gaze but lifted her face to smile at her.

Really… didn’t understand rules.

Feng Zhiwei looked coldly at her smile, motionless. That woman froze, her smile stiffening on her face. Her cheeks twitched, showing some stern anger.

“Nanhai’s Yan clan pays respects to the Imperial Commissioner. May the Commissioner enjoy golden peace!” The leading elder tremblingly performed the ceremony. The others also knelt. The last few young people exchanged glances and knelt reluctantly.

Feng Zhiwei stepped forward to help up the elders: “You are all senior elders. You absolutely must not perform such grand ceremony.”

While she helped the old men up, they continued declining. Behind them, those few young people had already brushed off dust and stood up themselves.

Yan Huaishi kept his head lowered, moving lightly and carefully to help Feng Zhiwei assist the elders up: “Grand Uncle, please sit comfortably. The Imperial Commissioner deeply respects elders…”

The Yan family all froze. Yan Huaishi slowly turned around: “I’ll serve everyone tea. It’s simple here, no servants…”

“Serving tea isn’t for you to do.” Feng Zhiwei sat high in the seat of honor, smiling yet not smiling. “Meeting with the Yan family without you, the meritorious contributor—how would that work? Come sit.”

At her words, the Yan family froze again. Leading Grand Uncle Yan held back again and again but finally couldn’t help tentatively saying: “The Commissioner’s favor toward Huaishi is the Yan family’s blessing. But this talk of meritorious contributor—where does it come from?”

Feng Zhiwei was stunned by the question.

Yan Huaishi wasn’t the Yan family’s meritorious contributor?

Wasn’t it Yan Huaishi befriending her that enabled your Yan family to become imperial merchants?

Wasn’t it Yan Huaishi’s dedicated efforts for her, her reciprocating, that enabled your Yan family to assist the imperial commissioner and oversee the Ship Affairs Office establishment, gaining a title that would allow smooth passage in the future?

But she couldn’t properly say these words herself. She could only look at Yan Huaishi thoughtfully. But Yan Huaishi only smiled bitterly. Feng Zhiwei knew something was wrong. Huaishi was very shrewd in commerce and social matters, thriving in the capital like a fish in water. But since returning to Nanhai, though initially high-spirited, he’d later become somewhat anxious, losing all his usual liveliness. Now he looked like he didn’t dare breathe loudly. What was going on?

Grand Uncle Yan was already saying: “The Yan family enjoys the Commissioner’s great favor and generous gifts. Without the Commissioner, how could the Yan family have today? My grandson Huaiyuan especially received the Commissioner’s support, becoming the chief administrator of imperial merchant affairs in the capital. This gratitude we haven’t yet thanked you for in person…”

Feng Zhiwei felt increasingly wrong as she listened. Who was Huaiyuan?

She remembered when His Majesty approved the imperial merchant status, Yan family people came to handle related matters. She was busy and hadn’t asked who was finally reported to the Ministry of Revenue as the Yan family’s representative in the capital. Naturally, it should be Yan Huaishi. Could it not be the case? Then why didn’t Yan Huaishi say anything?

Her questioning gaze drifted toward Yan Huaishi. Yan Huaishi avoided her eyes.

“Imperial merchant affairs were all negotiated and decided between Brother Huaishi and this official. If you want to thank someone, thank him.” Feng Zhiwei raised her chin meaningfully.

“What does it have to do with him?” Before Grand Uncle Yan could speak, the woman sitting at the very back suddenly said coldly: “Clearly my elder brother handled the imperial merchant affairs!”

“Huaiying!” A middle-aged man sharply reprimanded in a low voice: “Mind your manners!”

That woman looked indignant, proudly turning her head away.

Feng Zhiwei slowly set down her teacup.

She showed no anger, no expression. But just that faint silence made the seven or eight people feel the tent’s air grow tense and cold. Originally sitting quite comfortably spacious, suddenly it felt crowded. They all shifted uneasily.

Feng Zhiwei kept silent. Each person gradually showed embarrassment, looking at her helplessly.

After a long while, Feng Zhiwei said faintly: “The tea has gone cold.”

What did this mean? The Yan family, oppressed and uneasy from Feng Zhiwei’s silence, heard this unrelated statement and looked at each other in confusion. But Yan Huaishi had already risen from the shadows by the tent entrance: “There aren’t enough people serving here. I’ll make tea.”

“Wait.” Feng Zhiwei smiled: “You’re a grown man—why are you rushing to make tea and pour water? Your Yan family is a great Nanhai clan with strict rules. In this hall full of men discussing matters, who should serve—the Grand Uncle naturally understands. No need for you to worry.”

Grand Uncle Yan froze, his face paling. He immediately said: “Yes, this old one was remiss. Huaiying, go prepare tea and water for the Imperial Commissioner and all the uncles and brothers!”

“I won’t go!” That woman raised her head proudly, her powdered face turning deathly white, even her fingers trembling. “I’m the Yan family’s eldest young miss. I don’t serve people!”

“Huaiying, don’t be willful!” The middle-aged man from before reprimanded again. Looking at his features, he should be Yan Huaiying’s father, currently showing anxious regret on his face.

Grand Uncle Yan also frowned, thinking he’d heard the Imperial Commissioner was young and brought a few proud younger generation members to pay respects, thinking perhaps young people could talk better, also with the intention of building rapport. He never expected Huaiying, usually fine, would lose all composure when encountering Huaishi’s matters. How to resolve this now?

The Imperial Commissioner seemed young but absolutely wasn’t comparable to their own children. In broad daylight at the dock on the large ship, he’d also heard about that scene—able to force Zhou the Hegemon onto the ship to tend fire, how could he be ordinary? Nanhai had received imperial commissioners before—some had been directly driven away by Zhou the Hegemon!

Thickening his old face, he hurried to smooth things over. But Feng Zhiwei didn’t even glance at them, again lifting her teacup, slowly blowing at the floating foam on the tea’s surface. One blow, one cold laugh.

This laugh made everyone unable to sit still. Moreover, when a superior raised their teacup, it meant dismissing guests. They had no choice but to rise and take their leave.

That woman rose first with indignation, kicking the stool aside. Feng Zhiwei tapped the teacup lid, watching faintly, a trace of contempt passing through her eyes.

Yan Huaishi followed to see them out. Feng Zhiwei suddenly said: “Huaishi, you stay.”

From the tent curtain’s shadows, she saw Grand Uncle Yan turn sideways, glaring warningly at Yan Huaishi before leaving.

“What’s going on?” Feng Zhiwei set down the teacup, getting straight to the point.

Yan Huaishi remained silent. Feng Zhiwei thought about those people’s expressions and tones just now. The more she thought, the angrier she got, saying coldly: “Don’t think the Ship Affairs Office can only be overseen by your Yan family. His Majesty granted me the authority to decide matters as they arise. Among Nanhai’s five great families—Yan, Chen, Huang, Li, Shangguan—any family will do!”

“Don’t!” Yan Huaishi said urgently. “They’re only targeting me. They absolutely wouldn’t dare show disrespect to you.”

“Target you for what? Why did you yield? Exactly what matter makes them hostile toward you?” Feng Zhiwei’s gaze was like needles—three questions in rapid succession.

When she first met Yan Huaishi outside Qingming Academy, she’d always thought this Yan family member exhausted every means seeking connections in the capital hoping to make a name for himself and increase his chances of inheriting as family head. Now it seemed things weren’t so good—never mind family head, even rendering such enormous merit could be stolen by others.

Yan Huaishi wasn’t a fool. For him to willingly yield, there had to be a reason.

Yan Huaishi still shook his head, seeming to have unspeakable difficulties. Feng Zhiwei looked at him, silent for a long while, then said: “Tomorrow have the Yan family arrange a residence for us. His Highness and I will both move there.”

Yan Huaishi trembled and raised his head. He knew Feng Zhiwei’s nature was very cautious. Before clearly investigating the Yan family and resolving contradictions between aristocratic families, government, and common people, she wouldn’t casually show favor toward any side and provoke conflict. Now opening her mouth like this meant she was determined to help him.

“Brother Wei… My lord… I…” Yan Huaishi’s lips moved, trembling, unable to speak.

“I told you not to call me ‘my lord.’ We met when both were nobodies. Even now our residences in the imperial capital are adjacent. As long as you don’t betray me, we’re forever brothers.” Feng Zhiwei smiled. “Also, I prefer the shrewd, formidable you who wanted to buy my clothes when we first met at Qingming Academy, not this stranger who retreats at every step.”

“Be yourself.” She stood up and walked outside. “Everything has a bottom line. No matter what unspeakable difficulty, no matter what unfair treatment you suffer, when you reach the bottom line, there’s no need to endure further. If you endure, I won’t allow you to endure.”

“The Chang clan’s upheaval is imminent. If Nanhai can’t be rapidly integrated, it will inevitably be controlled by Chang clan forces. The Ship Affairs Office is just a pretext. I must use this matter’s success to subdue all of Nanhai. Nanhai must be mine.” Feng Zhiwei’s slender figure was gilded in moonlight outside the tent, her tone gentle yet resounding. “Therefore, the Yan family must be yours.”

That night they made do in tents. The next day, Yan Huaishi arranged for them to stay at the Yan family’s villa, “Qiyuan.” Ning Yi had no objection to Feng Zhiwei’s decision. Nanhai’s government had strong objections, but objections were useless.Feng Zhiwei had already sent people to clearly investigate the contradictions between Nanhai’s aristocratic families and common people. Earlier, Nanhai had been impoverished land. After lifting the maritime ban, some visionaries with good judgment and quick action made fortunes early. Development inevitably involved encroachment; expansion inevitably involved plunder. In the process of competing for rich sea areas and various resources, innocent commoners were unavoidably implicated. The previous Provincial Administration Commissioner in Nanhai had deep connections with the aristocratic families and did many things that harmed the people. The worst was when the Shangguan family seized a prime coastal location to build the largest ship entry port, driving people originally living there to a shallow beach. One night a massive tide suddenly arose, completely destroying and sweeping away the people’s hastily built shacks. An entire village was nearly annihilated. Add that throughout Nanhai, most common people were employed by aristocratic families—masters and servants had long-standing grievances. It could be said resentments were deeply entangled.

Since Zhou Xizhong governed Nanhai, this one didn’t follow his predecessor. He firmly believed great aristocratic families were the nation’s harm. Once government and interests connected too deeply, there would inevitably be future troubles. His policy toward the five great families was heavy taxation and heavy management—severe to the point of harshness—limiting aristocratic family development while supporting common people’s interests. Thus, he won Nanhai common people’s devotion.

Knowing this, Feng Zhiwei felt half relieved. Official-merchant collusion forming an iron bloc would be a truly hard bone to crack. At least Zhou Xizhong had integrity. After this dock incident, with further analysis of benefits and harms plus negotiation, promoting the Ship Affairs Office might not be impossible. She just didn’t know how many of Nanhai’s official circles were Chang family’s hidden ally forces. Like those five great families—the Chang clan must have intervened, but she didn’t know which family.

Minnan was impoverished, Nanhai prosperous. For the Chang family to rebel, Nanhai was essential territory. Handling maritime bandits through the Ship Affairs Office was no longer Feng Zhiwei’s most important matter. What she needed to do was take Nanhai into her hands.

Nanhai’s government was still handling the dock explosion incident. Feng Zhiwei wasn’t rushing to talk. The Ship Affairs Office’s site selection and construction, specific regulations, and selection of key personnel all required attention. But before doing these things, she must determine the general administrator’s attribution. Her preference was still the Yan family—but it had to be the Yan family’s Yan Huaishi.

Currently, even this small matter was difficult. She could only personally educate those Yan family members who had been stationed in Nanhai for so long that they had almost forgotten Central Plains social customs.

On Qiyuan’s first night, the Yan family turned out en masse, holding a grand welcome banquet. Qiyuan was newly decorated, festooned with lanterns, even the white stone paths washed spotlessly clean. The Yan family’s current head, Grand Uncle Yan’s second son Yan Wenhong, personally stood at the garden gate welcoming guests. On the spacious pavilion facing the sea with the wind, ten tables of seafood banquets were spread—all top-grade precious seafood. Five great family heads came to accompany, looking at Grand Uncle Yan with envious eyes.

The feast began at the Hour of the Monkey. Guests already filled the hall—men and women. Nanhai’s customs were relatively open. The five great families were merchants without Central Plains’ many rules. Many direct young misses from the five families also attended the banquet.

An announcement—hundreds fell silent. A side curtain lifted. Ning Yi in moon-white dark-patterned nine-clawed flying dragon brocade robes, wearing a white jade crown, emerged accompanied by Feng Zhiwei.

Under the hall’s full lamplight walked a pair of extremely outstanding men—one elegant and noble with peerless features, one refined and graceful, at ease and composed. Standing there, they were like a pair of magnificent jade trees, making everyone’s hearts and spirits sway. At the young misses’ table, everyone’s eyes sparkled.

Ning Yi’s status was noble, and his eyes were currently inconvenient. He only made a simple appearance, accepted everyone’s respectful prostrations, sat briefly at the main table, raised his cup to those below—everyone hurriedly followed suit—then set down his wine cup and returned to his room.

Feng Zhiwei rose to respectfully see him off. Ning Yi turned slightly, appearing to instruct her about something, but his tone held faint amusement: “I smell a whole table of fishiness… you’d better be careful.”

Feng Zhiwei looked with a bitter face at that whole table of apparently completely uncooked red and green seafood. Supposedly all freshly caught from the sea, to maintain freshness, even shells hadn’t been removed—looked truly horrifying. She said in a low voice: “Why do I feel you seem to be gloating?”

“That’s because your heart is too small.” Ning Yi smiled at her ear, hot breath brushing her ear with rustling ticklishness. She turned her head slightly and heard him say: “Well… if you don’t eat your fill, come to my room tonight…”

Feng Zhiwei smiled, nodding repeatedly: “Yes, yes, definitely come, definitely come.”

As if I’d come!

People below looked up enviously, thinking how close they were, how Lord Wei truly won His Highness’s favor…

Once Ning Yi left, Feng Zhiwei called out: “Brother Yan, sit here.”

Besides her and Gu Nanyi at this table were the five great family heads—the most noble people present. Now with this summons, the entire hall stirred.

Yan Huaishi rose from a distant Yan family junior members’ table, expression unchanged, carrying his cup over. He walked calmly through countless meaningful, peculiarly significant gazes and sat beside Feng Zhiwei.

Since talking with Feng Zhiwei, the melancholy that had appeared between his brows since returning to Nanhai gradually dissipated. He’d recovered into that Yan Huaishi with lively eyes.

Countless gazes followed his footsteps, wanting to speak but stopping.

Those gazes were numerous and powerful. Apparently those who knew about and rejected Yan Huaishi weren’t just the Yan family? The five great families’ gazes weren’t friendly either.

Gu Nanyi sat at her side, staring at various eight-per-plate shelled seafood, thinking these things looked somewhat similar to walnuts, wondering if they could be eaten the same way. However, after he crushed a shell in one squeeze, splattering Grand Uncle Yan beside him with blood all over his face, he decisively stood up and drifted toward the back courtyard.

Better go eat walnuts…

Two men without loyalty both fled the seafood feast. Unable to escape, Feng Zhiwei could only steel herself. Facing those soft, bloody things Grand Uncle Yan eagerly served her that looked very much like certain parts that had splattered after that day’s explosion, she gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and numbly swallowed raw.

Truly degraded—eating raw meat and drinking blood…

After forcing down a few to show respect, Feng Zhiwei firmly refused, only drinking wine cup by cup. People continuously took turns toasting her. Lord Wei, with an enormous capacity for alcohol, drank cup after cup until empty.

After one round of toasts, the other family heads among the five great families exchanged glances, cleared their throats lightly, and were about to tentatively ask about serious matters when Feng Zhiwei suddenly said: “After drinking so much from everyone, I should return the toasts. But my capacity is insufficient. Please let Brother Yan toast on my behalf.”

Yan Huaishi stood to comply. Everyone froze. Grand Uncle Yan’s expression was complex—both pleased at the Imperial Commissioner’s clear stance toward the Yan family at this moment, yet hesitant that the object of this stance wasn’t his preferred person. The old man stood dazed, eyes flickering. After a long while, he tentatively said: “My lord, Huaishi’s capacity I fear won’t do. My Yan clan’s second branch eldest grandson Huaiyuan has always had great capacity. Why not have him toast on your behalf?”

Feng Zhiwei raised her eyelids, looking at him with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. One glance, and the old man trembled all over.

“Who is Yan Huaiyuan?”

Feng Zhiwei’s one sentence shocked the entire table into trembling. Not far away, a tall young man with his back to them who’d been listening intently stiffened, putting down his chopsticks. His tablemates and Yan Huaiying all changed expressions—especially Yan Huaiying, looking indignant.

“This one’s wine isn’t for just anyone to toast on my behalf.” The sword having left its sheath, Feng Zhiwei wouldn’t withdraw it halfway. She lifted her cup, rose from her seat, and leisurely stepped down. “To speak disrespectfully—if we truly discuss qualifications to toast on my behalf, I fear everyone present is insufficient, much less a third-generation member of the Yan family.”

Grand Uncle Yan stood up, smiling awkwardly. Feng Zhiwei ignored him, descending the steps herself, holding a pot and walking among the tables, casually pouring wine at each table while smiling: “Brother Huaishi is different. He and this official met when both were nobodies. Without his full support, this official couldn’t have today’s circumstances—truly a friendship from humble origins. The Ship Affairs Office only came to be established today because he submitted a memorial to His Majesty. In all these matters, his merit is enormous. Never mind toasting on this official’s behalf—even if this official toasted him today, it would be appropriate.”

Yan Huaishi hurriedly declined modestly. Feng Zhiwei took his hand, the two gazing at each other with smiles—a completely sincere friends’ posture. Those who received toasts hurried to flatter and praise. Feng Zhiwei smiled with increasing satisfaction. The family heads at the upper seats’ gazes flickered. The Yan family members throughout the courtyard looked at each other in dismay.

“Sharing wealth is easy; sharing hardship is hard.” Feng Zhiwei returned with the pot, pouring for Grand Uncle Yan, saying gently: “In being one, one must have conscience. Friends from poverty must not be forgotten—otherwise one is worse than pigs and dogs. Grand Uncle, don’t you agree?”

Grand Uncle Yan smiled awkwardly, numbly draining the cup in one gulp, stammering: “Yes… yes…”

“Reciprocating kindness, knowing gratitude and repaying it, rewarding merit, clear rewards and punishments.” Feng Zhiwei poured for him again, smiling warmly. “For the Yan family to have today’s prestige, these sixteen characters must also be clan principles—Grand Uncle, don’t you agree?”

Grand Uncle Yan raised his hand and drained the wine. The wine was drunk too hastily—he choked, coughing repeatedly. Feng Zhiwei didn’t move, holding the pot with a smile watching him, smiling: “Grand Uncle mustn’t get too excited and forget to answer this official.”

Yan Huaishi rushed forward a step, gently patting Grand Uncle Yan’s back, smiling: “You’re just choking on qi. Fortunately, smoothing it out helps.”

At this moment, hundreds in the entire hall were silent as crows and sparrows. Even fools knew this young, slender, somewhat weak-looking Imperial Commissioner was actually a smiling tiger with decisiveness and unhurried ruthlessness. In front of all Nanhai’s aristocratic families in this setting, he’d challenged them, easily forcing the decades-dominating-commerce Grand Uncle Yan to this state.

Everyone held their breath, not daring to speak. Hundreds of people momentarily didn’t even make breathing sounds. Only Grand Uncle Yan’s coughing echoed hollowly. Everyone knew this was the Imperial Commissioner publicly taking a stance. If the Yan family brushed off his face in such a setting, who would ultimately get this Affairs Office general administrator position would be very hard to say.

Yan family members’ expressions were very ugly—the general administrator position couldn’t be lost, yet allowing the deeply taboo Yan Huaishi to rise was absolutely impossible.

Yan Huaiying’s gaze turned cold. She was about to stand when pressed down by Yan Huaiyuan beside her. He glanced sideways at Feng Zhiwei above, leisurely toasting her way around, saying coldly: “Little sister, don’t be impatient. No need to rush at this moment.”

Then he gave his father, Yan family head Yan Wenhong, a look.

Yan Wenhong found an excuse to leave his seat and sat beside him. Yan Huaiyuan said in a low voice: “Father, the Imperial Commissioner comes aggressively, determined to support that bastard. You see…”

“No need to rush for a time.” Yan Wenhong was a cautious person. “We can slowly get along with the Imperial Commissioner. Perhaps there’s still a chance…”

“No.” Yan Huaiyuan said through gritted teeth. “Father, didn’t you see the Commissioner’s humiliation of me? Didn’t you see the Commissioner forcing Grandfather to this state? He’s trampling our Yan family’s legitimate line and hundred-year inheritance under his feet! In today’s setting, disregarding everything, he took a stance and is forcing Grandfather to take a stance. Once we yield, that bastard will definitely bully us in the future!”

“Then you say…”

Yan Huaiyuan’s lips pressed into a line. Using chopsticks dipped in wine, he wrote the character “Ning” on the table.

“That matter you mentioned some days ago…” he said, “now it seems it must be done!”

“How can it be so urgent!” Yan Wenhong’s eyes widened. “Besides, how can it be done in the current situation… Moreover, that was just talk. No matter what, she’s still my Yan family’s eldest young miss!”

“Then wait to be slaughtered!” Yan Huaiyuan leaned back against his chair, laughing coldly. “Think about what everyone’s days will be like once that bastard becomes family head! Think about those past twenty-some years—how the Yan family treated him!”

Yan Wenhong’s expression changed.

I’ll go!” Yan Huaiying, who’d been silent beside them, suddenly said resolutely. “Father needn’t hesitate. Elder brother is right—delaying only invites rebellion. If we don’t make up our minds now, once Grandfather is forced by the Commissioner to take a stance, it will be too late!

“You…” Yan Wenhong looked at her with complex eyes.

“Last time you discussed this matter, I heard. I’m willing!” Yan Huaiying bit her lip, remembering that day’s first meeting at the dock—that Wei Zhi’s humiliation of her. The dignified Yan family eldest young miss had actually been forced by him to serve tea and water! She’d been pampered for so many years, considering herself princess-level noble in Nanhai. When had she ever suffered such humiliation? Every time she remembered that Wei Zhi’s calm yet contemptuous expression, those brows’ faint yet imposing bearing, she wanted to kick him over and make him kneel before her apologizing.

She came from jade halls and golden horses, born into great wealth. Why should a boy from humble origins dare look at her that way, treat her that way?

Never having suffered humiliation, born to have everything her way—once experiencing it once, she had absolutely no ability to accept or tolerate it. Her heart burned with angry flames. Even the self-respect and self-love an aristocratic family young miss should have had been burned to ashes by hatred.

Moreover, today’s glimpse in the courtyard—that person’s bearing was indeed intoxicating…

Not really a sacrifice—this sacrifice could secure her father’s and brother’s safety and stability, guarantee that the Yan family’s head position remains permanently in the second branch, and ensure that the Wei kid never dares look down on her again. Worth it!

Rather than become the head wife of some merchant family, better to be that dragon son, phoenix grandson’s concubine!” she said through gritted teeth, hatefully. “With my merchant girl status, I needn’t dream of becoming Prince Chu’s principal consort, but being a concubine is more than enough. That bastard, relying on his third-rank official position—what is that? Can it compare to imperial relatives?

“Little sister…” Yan Huaiyuan gripped her hand, tears silently falling. “Elder brother has wronged you.”

“Nights are long and dreams many… today… let’s do it this way…” Yan Huaiying also shed tears, fiercely wiping them away, biting her lip. Her face showed a flush of red. “Anyway… it’s just that anyway…”

She was too shy to continue, the flush on her face growing deeper and deeper, yet a sinister look rose in her eyes.

Prince Chu was romantic—definitely wouldn’t refuse me. Wei Zhi, just wait for the day I turn things around and trample you underfoot!