At the end of the seventeenth year of Changxi, Feng Zhiwei, who had served as Jianghuai Provincial Administration Commissioner for just one year, once again stirred up a bloody wave in the Jianghuai region. The Dragon Slaying Gang, the largest criminal force that had dominated Jianghuai for years, finally met their first historic defeat under this gentle yet iron-blooded Provincial Administration Commissioner.

When news reached the court, normally the Provincial Administration Office’s public use of lethal weapons and brazen creation of a bloody incident before a dignified state office would have censors—who daily upheld benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness, gentleness, courtesy, frugality, yielding, kindness toward the people, and the belief that punishment harmed heavenly harmony—rushing to submit memorials of impeachment, clamoring fiercely. Yet this time, not a single person spoke up. The court was pressed with military affairs, and His Majesty had several times hinted at his longing for Wei Zhi. It appeared this Minister Wei might not even finish one term as Provincial Administration Commissioner before being called to the Inner Cabinet or possibly sent to command troops. Who would be foolish enough to rush forward and court bad luck?

After all, she hadn’t really done anything. She hadn’t truly launched a great massacre. Besieging the Provincial Administration Office was itself a capital offense—killing a few dozen was nothing to speak of. The Dragon Slaying Gang had mainly collapsed on their own. Still, when this matter was discussed in court, expressions remained somewhat unnatural—reportedly, before their blades had even been fully drawn, Wei Zhi had ordered a volley. If examined closely, this wasn’t self-defense but slaughter.

Feng Zhiwei herself had also submitted a memorial requesting punishment, written with earnest sincerity, stating that criminal forces harmed the region, and as a subject she naturally should act for the people. Mere empty reputation—let people judge as they would. This earned her consolation from the old Emperor, who further commanded that all subsequent affairs be handled entirely at Feng Zhiwei’s discretion.

This actually saved Feng Zhiwei trouble. Regarding the Dragon Slaying Gang, she indeed had matters to handle.

The day after the plaza killing night, snow fell, silently covering those bloodstains. Early in the morning, Feng Zhiwei rose, dressed in plain clothes with a light fur coat, and departed in a warm sedan chair.

She headed precisely toward the Dragon Slaying Gang’s main hall. En route, she passed by the Jianghuai prefectural office. Still far from it, she saw the entrance crowded with a large group of people, packed like a marketplace. Many children with small baskets excitedly wove through the crowd, shouting excitedly: “Divorce! Divorce! Jianghuai’s first major household divorce case! Melon seeds! Melon seeds! Fragrant freshly roasted melon seeds! Who wants melon seeds—”

Feng Zhiwei frowned. With New Year approaching, which family wanted a divorce? And to actually make such a commotion at the government office—was it the man’s or woman’s side? If proposed by the man, making it to the government office showed firm determination—why didn’t the woman agree early to avoid public exposure? If proposed by the woman—this woman must be quite fierce.

She had no mind for these civil matters, which didn’t require her personal attention. She leaned back against the sedan chair, contemplating what she would say later. After thinking for a while, she suddenly opened her eyes. Her foot tapped and the sedan stopped. She beckoned her chief guard and instructed: “Go back and see that divorce case just now—which family wants the divorce.”

The chief guard went on his errand. Feng Zhiwei sat in the sedan in silence. Sunlight filtered through the sedan curtains, nearly blinding from reflecting off the snow. She squinted, her gaze slightly dim.

After a while, the chief guard returned, saying: “It’s Jianghuai’s second largest household, the Li family, making a divorce.”

Feng Zhiwei fell silent for a moment, then asked: “Proposed by the man or the woman?”

“The woman.”

“The reason?”

The chief guard hesitated, then leaned close and said in a low voice: “Reporting to Minister—today at the mansion entrance, Young Madam Li publicly beat the drum demanding divorce. The Jianghuai office had received notice from the Li family beforehand and refused to grant it. Pushed to desperation, Young Madam Li publicly stated in court that her husband is impotent, making it impossible for a wife to bear!”

Feng Zhiwei’s eyebrows lifted. Qiu Yuluo was truly burning her bridges! Didn’t she know that speaking such words in open court would cause the Li family to lose all face and pursue her with deadly enmity from then on?

The chief guard’s face also showed disapproval as he sighed: “Just now when this subordinate went over, the entire courtroom was in an uproar. Master Li has already fainted from anger. This woman… this woman… alas…”

“For her to dare do that, she must have something to rely on.” Feng Zhiwei said lightly, waving for him to withdraw.

The sedan moved forward again without turning back to watch the spectacle. Feng Zhiwei’s face was hidden in the shadows of the sunlight, expressionless.

Shortly they arrived at the Dragon Slaying Gang’s main hall. She had expected it would be cold and dejected, but unexpectedly it was quite lively. Before the entrance stood seventy or eighty people in various garb, all pointing at the entrance and cursing.

“Dragon Slaying bastards! Come out and die!”

“Last time you broke our boss’s arm—today we want your boss’s two legs!”

“Been cursing all morning without even a peep—are you turtles?”

“What Dragon Slaying? Aren’t you afraid of bursting your belly? More like loaches!”

“Haha, from today on, change the name to Loach Gang.”

“Good idea—tomorrow we’ll bring a plaque: Loach Gang!”

“Haha…”

Amid the presumptuous mocking laughter, Feng Zhiwei finally understood. This was like a dragon swimming in shallow waters being teased by shrimp. With Dragon Slaying fallen, those hoodlum gangs who had once suffered at their hands were taking this opportunity to seek revenge.

People always climbed high and trampled low—nothing unusual. Anyone who couldn’t withstand such ups and downs didn’t deserve to operate in this world. However, after listening for a while, Feng Zhiwei rather admired this Dragon Slaying boss. Others didn’t understand the circumstances and assumed Dragon Slaying must have been completely destroyed by the Provincial Administration Commissioner. They didn’t know Dragon Slaying had only been injured in prestige, while their actual losses weren’t great. These minor thugs cursing at their gate could be crushed with a wave of Dragon Slaying’s hand. The reason they endured the insults without responding was that their boss finally understood the Provincial Administration Commissioner’s power and dared not cause any incidents during this troubled time, fearing the Provincial Administration Office would seize the opportunity to deliver a crushing blow.

Viewed this way, he was a man who could bend and stretch.

A faint smile played at the corners of Feng Zhiwei’s lips. She was very satisfied—this personal visit wasn’t wasted.

After listening a while longer, as the hoodlums’ cursing grew increasingly intolerable while Dragon Slaying’s great gate remained tightly shut, she grew impatient. She lifted her foot and descended from the sedan.

Those hoodlums had long noticed this group. Because Feng Zhiwei and her companions all wore plain clothes, they paid no attention, assuming they were fellow practitioners come to kick someone while they were down. At this moment, seeing her descend—snow-white light fur over pale blue brocade robes, beneath the cape a face with handsome features and an air of noble dignity—they were all stunned.

Feng Zhiwei smiled and looked around on all sides, saying: “Oh. Everyone’s here, I see.”

These words left everyone stunned again. Their original suspicions dispelled, they truly thought she was a fellow practitioner. Immediately a man in yellow came over with a smile: “How should this brother be addressed…”

With a flick of her hand, Feng Zhiwei flung him three zhang away!

With a bang, the man hit the wall and let out an agonized cry. As he slid down, he spat a mouthful of blood. Amid the changed expressions of the entire crowd, Feng Zhiwei sneered: “You’re worthy of calling me brother?”

“Insolent brat! Daring to injure our Great Guardian!” Another man also in yellow garb with a red sash—with a clang, he drew his blade and came charging murderously. “Sons of the Iron Blood Gang, slaughter this arrogant brat for me!”

“Bah, what Iron Blood—pig’s blood!” Feng Zhiwei’s chief guard had already drawn his blade and leaped forward. As two blades clashed with a spray of sparks, Feng Zhiwei had already walked past with hands behind her back, saying as she walked: “Iron Blood Gang, Spirit Sword Alliance, Eighteen Sworn Brothers of the Great Banner, Long Blade Sect…” She named all the large and small gang names present in one breath before saying: “When a tiger falls to the plains, it’s bullied by dogs. With you lot who only pick over leftover bones, you’re not worthy of barking here. Jing Qi, half a quarter hour—I don’t want to see these people anymore.”

“Yes!” Her chief guard responded loudly. The guards personally trained by Gu Nanyi drew their blades and advanced. These men had originally been selected for her by Gu Nanyi, one in a hundred talents. Following her traveling north and south, they had been through battle formations and seen blood, further instructed by the world’s foremost expert. How could these street hoodlums compare? In the blink of an eye, amid cries of pain, teeth and blood flew everywhere. Instantly, on that open ground before the Dragon Slaying Gang’s main hall, aside from Feng Zhiwei’s group, not a single person remained standing.

The ground writhed with those clutching faces or legs and wailing. Someone shouted “Scram!” and these people quickly limped and fled like panicked rats, not even daring to look back.

Feng Zhiwei also didn’t look back, her eyes not even glancing aside. She watched the Dragon Slaying Gang’s main hall gate, which now opened with a rumble as a man led two teams hurrying out.

His gaze swept the scene, then immediately bowed to Feng Zhiwei. “Much obliged for this brother’s assistance. May I ask your honored name?”

This man’s tone was neither humble nor arrogant, his expression grateful yet wary. After all, Feng Zhiwei looked nothing like a martial world person, more like a noble royal. Such people had an innate wariness of court officials.

Feng Zhiwei was satisfied. It seemed the Dragon Slaying boss still had some talent under him. She looked at the man with the gaze of a boss viewing a subordinate, then raised her hand with a smile: “You’re too kind. A trifling effort, not worth mentioning. I am an old friend of your gang leader. Today I’ve come especially to visit. Please inform your gang leader—a friend from Shanbei asks: Have you been well since we parted?”

At these last eight words, the man’s expression immediately tightened. He quickly bowed and hurried inside with his men. After a while, he emerged again, this time with more people. Standing before the entrance, he performed a long bow: “The gang leader invites you in!”

Feng Zhiwei nodded and entered calmly. Her guards followed to enter, but the man raised his arm to block them. Behind Feng Zhiwei, her guards’ eyebrows shot up—with a clang, blades half emerged from sheaths. Dragon Slaying Gang members on all sides immediately fixed burning gazes on them. The atmosphere between both sides instantly became tense.

Without turning her head, Feng Zhiwei raised her hand slightly and said lightly: “Since meeting an old friend, why need a cloud of attendants? Stand down.”

Her guards dared not disobey. With a resounding clang, they all sheathed their blades, yet they didn’t leave. Like nails, they planted themselves at the main entrance, standing ramrod straight facing the main gate, eyes unblinking.

Such bearing, seen in Dragon Slaying Gang members’ eyes, brought another wave of shock. Originally they’d thought this person was some princely nobleman’s young master, but which young master could train guards with such strict discipline? More importantly, these guards all possessed an aura of iron-blooded killing—clearly not ordinary officials’ useless guards, but those who had truly killed and seen storms. This person’s origins became increasingly mysterious.

Feng Zhiwei, however, acted as if nothing was amiss, smiling as she followed the guide calmly inward. The Dragon Slaying Gang’s main hall compound wasn’t as grim and dark as imagined. On the contrary, it was arranged with extreme elegance and proper form, looking more like a high official’s residence than a martial world stronghold. Feng Zhiwei noted this and nodded slightly. Raising her eyes, she had already reached the main hall. Standing on the steps was a man in sapphire-blue robes with a black cape, about thirty-some years old, neatly groomed, his expression calm with a few traces of pride. He didn’t look like a gang boss, but rather like a well-born son of a wealthy family accustomed to comfort.

As soon as Feng Zhiwei saw him, she enthusiastically extended her hand, greeting him from afar: “Brother, it’s been so long! Are you in good health? This younger brother has truly missed you, truly missed you!”

While chattering “truly missed you,” she naturally ascended the steps. With a pull, she grasped the Dragon Slaying boss’s hand and, playing host though she was guest, guided him toward the hall interior. The man’s expression turned cold. Beneath his sleeve, his fingers flicked, shooting out a burst of force. But at that moment, Feng Zhiwei’s middle finger pressed down, suppressing that force. Her face remained unchanged as she smiled: “Please, please.”

With just this one exchange beneath their sleeves, the Dragon Slaying boss’s expression changed again. With a glance, he stopped his subordinates. His face had already replaced itself with a smile: “Didn’t expect brother to visit suddenly—my apologies for the poor reception. Please, please.” As he waved his hand, the main hall’s half-closed great doors opened with a rumble.

The hall was filled with people sitting properly, all staring intently at the two on the steps, every face unfriendly.

Feng Zhiwei was momentarily stunned. The other side seemed to be holding an important meeting, disrupted by her uninvited arrival. Looking at how fully the main hall was seated, most likely they were discussing an important proposition regarding the gang’s future survival.

What perfect timing.

“Everyone’s quite assembled.” She laughed heartily, strolling over and looking around the hall before finding herself an empty seat. The entire hall watched her casual ease, unable to quite react. Only the Dragon Slaying boss watched with a dark expression for a while, his lips curling in a cold smile. With a wave of his hand, he ordered tea brought for Feng Zhiwei.

“May I ask your esteemed name?” He too had good patience, waiting until Feng Zhiwei had methodically drunk a sip of tea before speaking.

Feng Zhiwei lifted her eyelids. Above the tea cup’s curling steam, she smiled at him. After a long while, she said casually: “Wei Zhi.”

“!”

The entire hall fell silent. Everyone froze in place, unable to react. Countless mouths gaped open, the hot breath they exhaled instantly forming a large patch of white mist in the winter air.

“Clatter.”

Someone, too shocked, dropped and shattered the tea cup in their hand.

Wei Zhi!

Peerless statesman, first-rank marquis, who destroyed the Chang family, eliminated pirates, attacked Da Yue, shook Xi Liang—the most legendary minister in all of Tiansheng, famous throughout the land. More than that, the iron-blooded Provincial Administration Commissioner who just last night single-handedly overturned the winds and clouds, ruthlessly struck at the Dragon Slaying Gang, and in one night nearly crippled Jianghuai’s number one gang!

Such a person had appeared here so abruptly!

He actually dared come alone, directly entering enemy territory!

“Wei Zhi!” Those with violent tempers had already stood up regardless: “You blood-soaked dog official, return our brothers’ lives!”

“You’re Wei Zhi?” The mature and cautious, coming to their senses, sneered instead: “Young man, let me advise you—if you want to create a sensation, you still need to choose who to impersonate. Don’t lose your life for nothing!”

More people made no sound at all, each drawing their weapons and shifting their forms. In an instant, they surrounded the entire hall so tightly not even water could leak through.

“Very good, very methodical.” Feng Zhiwei sat unmoved, looking around approvingly. “Seems these past years you haven’t completely abandoned your old trade. Very much like your former… military bearing.”

She spoke the last four words extremely softly. Most people didn’t hear, but the Dragon Slaying boss who had been standing with hands behind his back at the front of the hall furrowed his brows.

“Who cares whether you’re real or fake—grandpa here gets angry just hearing the name Wei Zhi! Cleaving you to death serves you right!” Suddenly came a great roar. On level ground arose a howling wind. Within the wind, a figure wielding a gleaming golden vajra approached in an instant, without a word bringing it down toward Feng Zhiwei’s head.

“I’m speaking—why are you interrupting?” Feng Zhiwei raised her hand and threw her tea cup. The cup flew through the air in a jade-green arc, spun around, and circled above the whirling golden light. Like a ghost, it penetrated the light curtain, grazing the big man’s wrist pulse point. The big man only felt his wrist go numb. The flying vajra thunderously fell to the ground. Had an old man beside him not been quick-eyed and quick-handed to pull him aside, that heavy vajra would have crushed his foot. Even so, the man was stunned for a moment. The tea cup clanged down. Unable to dodge, he was splashed all over his foot with tea.

Feng Zhiwei patted her hands with some regret: “I hadn’t finished drinking yet.”

The entire hall returned to that earlier moment of silence—this move by Feng Zhiwei appeared simple, yet required both eyesight and wrist strength perfected to the finest degree. Moreover, this big man was no ordinary martial artist. That Eight Directions Wind and Rain Wei Tuo Pestle—in the entire hall, those who could subdue him numbered no more than three. Yet now under this seemingly somewhat delicate Provincial Administration Commissioner’s hand, he was dispatched with merely a casual lift of the hand.

Unable to restrain themselves, some wanted to rush forward. Feng Zhiwei’s eyebrows lifted as she cast a contemptuous look at the Dragon Slaying boss.

“Wait!”

The Dragon Slaying boss, who had been standing with hands behind his back watching the hall interior, finally spoke. Without looking around, he waved his hand: “All of you withdraw. I’ll talk with Minister Wei.”

“Big brother!”

That man resolutely waved his hand. The hall full of people had no choice but to withdraw. Feng Zhiwei smiled, watching from her seated position, unmoving.

When the last person had also left and the other party closed the door, he turned back, his gaze burning as it fixed on her. He said in a deep voice: “Minister Wei, you showed mercy last night. Others may not know, but I understand clearly. Today you’ve personally come to the door—do you want me to reciprocate?”

Feng Zhiwei smiled and nodded. “You’re truly a clever person… General Hang.”

At these last three words, the man’s entire body shook as he abruptly raised his head. For an instant, light flashed in his eyes with murderous intent.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Feng Zhiwei acted as if nothing was amiss, leaning back. “If I truly wanted to act against you because of your identity, last night your Dragon Slaying Gang would have been completely annihilated. Hang Ming, General Hang—don’t be impatient. You might as well calm down and think: I, Wei Zhi, all this time—have I shown you favor or enmity?”

Hang Ming’s expression tightened. Feng Zhiwei had already risen leisurely, smiling: “Originally, pressed by the Changning Principality, you raised the banner of rebellion in Shanbei. You were jointly besieged by Changning and local officials. Under the Second Prince’s instigation, Changning allied with Shannan Inspector Xu Minglin and others to fabricate the Shannan Green Forest Gathering Case, forcing you to find no refuge in Shannan or Shanbei. You ultimately drifted to Jianghuai, reduced to a bunch of street thugs collecting protection fees…” The more she spoke, the uglier Hang Ming’s expression became. Feng Zhiwei smiled and stopped, changing topics: “However, in the end, who revealed the truth of the Gathering Case? Who helped you get revenge?”

Hang Ming glanced at her. After a long while, he said: “You were merely striking at political enemies, not wholeheartedly helping me.”

“That’s not how it works.” Feng Zhiwei said earnestly. “A true man acts with clear gratitude and enmity. Regardless of my motives, the fact that your Hang family’s military unit owes me is the truth, right?”

Hang Ming looked at her with exasperation, half-amused. In this world, only those who bestowed kindness without expecting return were proper. Where had one seen someone eagerly tallying up their own small favors to force acknowledgment? This “statesman” had not a trace of scholarly integrity—utterly shameless.

But with the conversation at this point, to renege would merely be quibbling. He snorted: “Whatever intentions you have, speak plainly. This exiled force of mine—aren’t we just clay for Minister to mold as you please under your hand?”

“General Hang speaks with such grievance. If it were an ordinary person, they might truly believe last night’s battle had already buried your heroic aspirations.” Feng Zhiwei smiled lightly. With her smile, Hang Ming was stunned. In that moment of distraction, Feng Zhiwei suddenly leaped up!

She flew three zhang, climbed onto the hall’s crossbeam, and with one hand tore at a black lacquered plaque above!

She moved suddenly. Hang Ming couldn’t stop her in time. Seeing her gesture, his expression changed. With a ripping sound, Feng Zhiwei tore off the black cloth covering the plaque.

A layer of black cloth drifted down leisurely. Two brilliantly golden characters blazed before the eyes.

“Dragon Slaying!”

“How terribly stifled you are!” Feng Zhiwei descended, pointing at that plaque, and said loudly: “Bearing the blood feud of your entire clan, moreover suffering oppression, carrying remnant troops fleeing throughout the world, having no choice but to take refuge in the martial world’s underworld. Clearly your aspiration is to slay the dragon, yet you don’t even dare speak it openly and honorably, having to conceal it like this, forever hidden beneath a layer of black curtain!”

“You!” Hang Ming abruptly rose, throwing down his cup!

“Hmph!” Feng Zhiwei gave him a confrontational and utterly contemptuous exclamation.

Hang Ming raised his head, gazing at that plaque. His face turned blue and white, his entire body trembling. Feng Zhiwei still wouldn’t let up, rushing up again, raising her foot as if to stomp: “Since you don’t even dare face it, what use is it? Take it down to make a coffin board!”

“You get down!” A figure rushed up. Feng Zhiwei struck back with her hand. In mid-air, palm wind howled. Bang bang bang bang—two figures combined then separated, each flipping to land at opposite corners of the hall, facing each other.

Hang Ming’s chest heaved with anger, his face iron-blue. Feng Zhiwei casually rolled up her sleeves, a cold smile hanging at her lips.

While nonchalantly rolling her sleeves, she secretly rubbed her fingers inside them… Ow, this bastard’s hand strength was truly formidable…

Sunlight churned through the floating dust, illuminating Hang Ming’s face with uncertain expressions. After a long while, his breathing calmed slightly. Somewhat hoarsely, he said: “What exactly do you mean? Aren’t you a court official?”

Feng Zhiwei lowered her eyelashes and said lightly: “Brother Hang, what I mean—it’s not convenient to tell you now, but I harbor absolutely no ill will toward your forces. Today I’ve come to tell you: if you want those two words on that plaque to come true, if you want your Hang family’s grievances from back then cleared and great revenge obtained, you must cooperate with me.”

“And if I don’t?” Hang Ming gave a cold laugh.

“Then you continue moving somewhere else to be exiled, forever keeping your Dragon Slaying plaque wrapped in black cloth as decoration.” Feng Zhiwei smiled indifferently. “I won’t use official power to force you again. In fact, I no longer need to force you. After yesterday’s battle, your Dragon Slaying Gang’s prestige has fallen dramatically. You operate in the criminal underworld—influence is important, but face is bigger than heaven. From today on, you can no longer firmly hold Jianghuai’s criminal leadership. As long as Jianghuai’s original gang members unite against you, you absolutely cannot maintain your position. The Dragon Slaying Gang’s original members will also scatter and leave you—even if you want to die peacefully, there’s no longer room here to place even your thin wooden coffin!”

Hang Ming’s expression changed repeatedly. In the end, he ground his teeth and said grimly: “All this is your doing!”

“You’re wrong.” Feng Zhiwei said coldly. “Have you inquired about my style of conduct? If I didn’t value talent, if I didn’t want to preserve the Hang family troops’ strength, last night I would have killed far more than thirty-odd people!”

Hang Ming fell silent. He of course knew Feng Zhiwei spoke the truth. Even if he was unwilling to cooperate with Feng Zhiwei, even if he indulged in pride and started over wandering the world, he had to consider whether in all the vast world there was a second Jianghuai for his brothers to hide. If Feng Zhiwei could discover his origins, others might not be unable to discover them.

“I won’t force you now. I’m only pointing you toward one path.” Feng Zhiwei stood with hands behind her back at the window, saying lightly: “Follow my instructions and leave Jianghuai. Go to the place I designate for you. Once there, I’ll supply you with grain, horses, carts, weapons—I’ll support your development and growth. In the future, whether you want to use that to dominate one region and continue as your criminal overlord, or wait for the right moment to accomplish something—I won’t interfere. I only require you keep secret everything I give you.”

Hang Ming remained silently unresponsive. These conditions sounded overly generous, like a trap. But precisely because of this, he believed it somewhat. With Wei Zhi’s capabilities and status, truly eliminating them was merely a matter of lifting a hand. No need to spend money and materials going to such great trouble. He thought for a moment, as if understanding something, and raised his head: “Could it be… before long… there will be warfare?”

Feng Zhiwei merely smiled, faintly and lightly.

She turned around, gazing at Hang Ming, patted his shoulder, pointed toward the southern direction, and smiled meaningfully.

“Brother Hang, when the flying dragon is in the heavens, covering borders and lands—among the world’s heroes, who should shoot it down?”

At the end of the seventeenth year of Changxi, the Dragon Slaying Gang was crushed by the Provincial Administration Office. The dragon head boss who had led his subordinates to conquer Dragon Slaying’s territory two years earlier claimed he was ashamed to continue leading his peers. Taking his original cohort, he once again departed for distant lands. Dragon Slaying became the Prosperous Dragon Gang again, never recovering from then on. Similarly failing to recover was the entire Jianghuai criminal underworld. Under the Provincial Administration Commissioner’s iron-fisted governance, all gangs submitted obediently, more docile than law-abiding citizens.

On New Year’s Eve of the seventeenth year of Changxi, because these thugs no longer dared to collect various protection fees by bleeding people dry, merchants large and small all had a prosperous year. Many merchants spontaneously organized and set off firecrackers at the Provincial Administration Office entrance for a full day and night. For dozens of zhang around, everywhere lay bright red firecracker fragments.

Outside was extremely lively, but inside the Provincial Administration Office there wasn’t much New Year atmosphere. Feng Zhiwei thought of those close friends scattered across mountains and seas, and her mood wasn’t good. She reluctantly gathered Zong Chen and all the guards for a New Year’s Eve dinner, instructing Zong Chen not to forget to send people to deliver novel items gathered from Jianghuai’s markets to Xi Liang, and also arranging two portions—don’t leave out Young Master Gu either. Only then did she return to her rear courtyard.

New Year’s Eve night was her routine poison-expelling night. After struggling until after midnight, Zong Chen emerged wearily: “Rest well. In another year, we’ll have this poison completely expelled.”

Feng Zhiwei smiled, watching Zong Chen leave. She slowly sat up in bed. Outside the compound, firecrackers clamored noisily, making the surrounding desolation all the more apparent. No lamps were lit in the room. All objects lay silent in the snow light filtering through the window, half gray-dark, half deathly pale.

Feng Zhiwei hugged her quilt, only feeling her heart empty and hollow, unable to be filled by that distant clamor.

Yet flute music suddenly arose.

Vaguely that year’s ethereal, clear flute music, only with an added layer of desolate sorrow. Faintly and deeply, it came from the horizon, piercing this lively yet bleak snowy night.

Feng Zhiwei sat dazedly on the bed. Though the window was right within reach—she could open it with a raised hand—she kept her hands tucked in the quilt, as if unable to bear the cold, never moving.

The flute music didn’t cease because of this. Still tirelessly, endlessly, it continued playing, like that year in the Ministry of Justice’s underground prison—all night without rest.

The snow light gradually dimmed. Crossing the latticed window, it illuminated the person sitting motionless on the bed. The scattered black hair atop her head gleamed with cold light. Seen from afar, it was as if her dark tresses had turned to snow.

By the latter half of the night, a gust of wind arose outside. With a bang, it blew open the improperly fastened window. As the window opened wide, with one glance she saw him.

On a brown cypress branch in the courtyard ahead, that person sat holding a flute. Moon-white garments hung down like flying snow. In the distance, a half-waning amber-colored moon hung leisurely in the firmament where dark blue floating clouds swam. Against the backdrop of dim remnant leaves and withered branches, the deep red cape behind him rolled upward, golden mandala flowers blooming luxuriantly.

So vivid, so… cold.

A jade flute with hanging purple tassels was held in his hand. The flute’s sob startled and pierced the moon above the Qin tower.

As the window opened, he turned to look. One seated, one reclining, gazing at each other across the window.

In her eyes lay this New Year’s Eve snowy night’s melting moon. In the moonlight, this person’s tune broke the heart.

In his eyes lay this quiet chamber’s lone window, the person embracing her quilt. Face to face, yet two separate hearts.

Gazes flowing, snow falling silently.

After who knows how long, Feng Zhiwei finally forced a smile and said softly: “It’s cold… come inside and warm up…”

With a turn of the jade flute in Ning Yi’s hand, his gaze swept over lightly. Her words immediately cut off, somewhat awkwardly looking around—as if she’d forgotten to light the brazier.

“Your place is no warmer than mine.” Ning Yi’s answer still carried that double meaning.

Feng Zhiwei fell silent. Ning Yi raised his head to look at the moon. This was the first time the two had met since that Shuiyue Manor banquet. Speaking of it, each had their own busy affairs, but whether they were busy with matters or with their hearts—only they themselves knew clearly.

After a long while, Ning Yi said softly: “I came to notify you—after the new year, you may leave office early. Grand Secretary Yao is retiring. His Majesty may directly select you for the Inner Cabinet.”

Feng Zhiwei smiled, as expected.

Ning Yi continued: “Also… Zhiwei… after this New Year’s Eve passes… I must take a consort.”

Feng Zhiwei raised her eyelashes, looking deeply at him. After a long while, she smiled lightly: “Is that so… Congratulations.”

Ning Yi kept his gaze tightly fixed on her. Tonight, neither’s gaze avoided the other. Each looked into the other’s eyes, as if this were the last time they would gaze at each other, wanting greedily to capture the memory’s sight.

Finally, he closed his eyes. His fingers slowly stroked across the jade flute. After a long while, he said resolutely: “Zhiwei, let me ask you one last time.”

Feng Zhiwei slowly embraced her shoulders, as if unable to bear this night’s cold. She smiled with difficulty: “It’s late in the night. Whatever it is, let’s speak of it tomorrow…”

“…Will you be my principal consort?”