Xie Zheng looked at Fan Changyu. “You know that Constable Wang. Go find him at once and tell him to take the yamen runners and guard the city gates. Under no circumstances can the rioters be allowed into the city.”

Fan Changyu was puzzled. “If the rioters enter the city, shouldn’t they be looking for trouble with the magistrate and those yamen runners? Why should we help the magistrate stop them?”

A strange coldness settled over Xie Zheng’s face.

“They’ve already staked their lives on rebellion. Do you still think all they want is justice? What they want now is power, wealth, and status. Every household in this city is richer than those farmers, and every one of them is a target of their hatred. One step further, and they become an army of rebels capable of burning, killing, looting, and committing every imaginable crime. If you don’t want to see this county town pillaged empty, do as I say.”

Hearing this, Fan Changyu felt a heaviness settle in her chest at the complexity of human nature.

Pressing her lips together, she said, “Constable Wang has already been dismissed by the magistrate. His words won’t carry any weight in the yamen now.”

Xie Zheng frowned.

“Just deliver the message. Tell him the magistrate has effectively been stripped of authority. Have him take the yamen runners to fortify the city gates first. If they encounter the rioters, focus on calming them. Promise that the government will return all the grain that was collected and that none of them will be prosecuted.”

“But what if the government refuses to return the grain?”

“Stabilize the rioters first. I’ll think of a solution for everything else.”

His gaze remained calm and steady, inspiring trust without reason.

After some thought, Fan Changyu still had doubts.

“Didn’t you say they’ve already rebelled because they want wealth and glory? Will this really calm them down?”

Xie Zheng glanced at her.

“The reason the rioters are willing to fight to the death is because they see no way back. Promise them immunity and return their grain, and they can go back to the farming lives they once had. The ambitious ones will keep stirring up trouble and refuse to back down, but those who only wanted to farm and were forced into this situation will begin to hesitate.”

Fan Changyu finally understood.

He intended to make the rioters turn on themselves first.

For a brief moment, Yan Zheng seemed like a stranger to her.

It felt as though she had never truly understood him.

Sensing her gaze, Xie Zheng asked, “What is it?”

Fan Changyu shook her head.

“How are we getting out of here?”

Soldiers were still guarding the alley behind Yixiang Tower. If they left through the alley entrance, they would immediately be spotted. Even if they knocked the guards unconscious, the bodies would soon be discovered and their movements exposed.

To make matters worse, the other end of the alley was blocked by a high wall. The alley itself was extremely narrow, built only to drain rainwater between two residences. It could barely fit a single person. Damp and sunless year-round, its walls were coated in slippery moss.

A single misstep would send someone sliding.

After glancing at the sealed wall at the alley’s end, Xie Zheng said, “Climb onto my shoulders and get over it.”

Fan Changyu estimated their combined height and nodded.

“Alright. Once I’m over, I’ll find a ladder for you.”

As Xie Zheng crouched beside the wall, she braced one hand against the stone and stepped onto his broad shoulder.

The combined height of the two finally allowed her to reach the top.

Using both arms, she hauled herself up and flipped over the wall.

As she looked into the courtyard, she spotted a man seated by an open window, writing something at a desk.

Suddenly, he raised his eyes and looked directly toward her.

Without hesitation, Fan Changyu snatched up a roof tile from the wall and hurled it at an acupoint on his body.

The man’s face filled with shock.

Before he could utter a word, he collapsed face-first onto the desk.

Only after throwing the tile did Fan Changyu realize he looked vaguely familiar.

She just couldn’t remember where she had seen him.

Hearing the commotion inside, Xie Zheng called out, “Is someone on the other side?”

Fan Changyu nodded.

“Mm. I knocked him out already. There’s a bamboo ladder in the courtyard. Wait here while I bring it over.”

With that, she jumped down from the wall as lightly as a cat.

The ladder was neither too long nor too short—perfect for reaching the top of the courtyard wall.

After climbing back up, she passed the ladder over to the other side, allowing Xie Zheng to enter the courtyard as well.

Entering the room, he looked at the unconscious man and a strange expression flashed through his eyes.

“It’s the owner of the bookstore.”

Why was the Zhao family residence conveniently located right beside Yixiang Tower?

The suspicion in his heart prompted him to glance once more at the unfinished letter on the desk.

The brushstroke made when Zhao Xun had collapsed had smeared ink across much of the page, but enough remained visible to reveal its general contents.

Xie Zheng’s eyes instantly turned cold.

As he left, whether intentionally or not, his sleeve knocked over the inkstone.

Dark ink splashed across the desk, staining the unfinished letter beyond recognition.

Even Zhao Xun’s sleeve and half his face were covered in ink.

After learning that the unconscious man was the bookstore owner, Fan Changyu was already feeling guilty.

Seeing Xie Zheng overturn the inkstone nearly gave her a heart attack.

Stammering, she asked, “I… I knocked out your boss, and now you’ve ruined his inkstone too. He won’t hold it against you, will he?”

She remembered that Xie Zheng had been writing essays for the bookstore.

There was still that forty taels, not to mention the advance payment.

Xie Zheng paused in surprise.

He hadn’t expected that to be what she was worried about.

The coldness on his face eased slightly.

“It’s fine. He may not even remember you, and he won’t know I was here.”

Thinking about it, Fan Changyu agreed.

She herself had almost failed to recognize him.

As a wealthy merchant, Zhao Xun met countless people every day.

There was no reason he would remember her.

Immediately, she let out a sigh of relief.

The Zhao residence was a modest two-courtyard estate, yet there were hardly any servants in sight.

Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng easily slipped out through a side gate.

Thinking about everything they had gone through simply because soldiers were guarding both the front entrance and rear alley of Yixiang Tower, Fan Changyu couldn’t help saying,

“Manager Yu and all the workers have already been thrown into prison by that dog official. Why are they still watching Yixiang Tower? Are they really doing all this just to find Yu Bao’er?”

Xie Zheng’s expression remained dark.

“That’s entirely possible.”

Fan Changyu immediately looked furious.

“Those dog officials are truly vicious!”

Were they really willing to use a child as an example to scare others?

Xie Zheng did not respond.

Instead, he said, “I temporarily left the child with the old man who drives your cart.”

Fan Changyu had rented the old man’s ox cart for a month while delivering goods.

He was someone she trusted.

Still, an elderly cart driver suddenly looking after a wealthy young master would attract attention.

“I’ll take Bao’er with me when I go to Constable Wang’s house.”

Xie Zheng nodded.

As they prepared to part ways, he looked at her as though wanting to say something.

In the end, he said nothing.

Noticing his hesitation, Fan Changyu asked, “What is it?”

The overcast sky made Xie Zheng’s eyes seem darker than usual.

“If the rioters enter the city, protect yourself first.”

After a pause, he added,

“Don’t trust anyone too easily.”

Fan Changyu’s heart skipped a beat.

Looking up at him, she asked, “Are you leaving?”

The sudden advice felt completely out of place.

Xie Zheng choked on his words.

His expression darkened.

“Though I’m not exactly someone worthy of trust either, for now, you can still trust me.”

After he left, Fan Changyu stood there blankly for a moment before heading to pick up Yu Bao’er and take him to Constable Wang’s house.

When Constable Wang heard about the rioters, he was equally shocked.

After pacing around the room several times, he turned to his wife.

“Bring me my constable uniform.”

While Madam Wang went inside to fetch it, Constable Wang looked at Fan Changyu.

“Your husband… to possess such insight and such keen judgment… he’s no ordinary man.”

Fan Changyu replied, “His family used to run an escort agency. He’s probably just seen more of the world than most people.”

Constable Wang nodded.

“No wonder.”

After changing into his uniform, he immediately left to find the men who had once served under him.

Madam Wang accompanied him to the door, worry written all over her face.

Fan Changyu had no idea what Xie Zheng’s next plan was.

Sending a dismissed constable out to handle something like this carried enormous risks.

Yet if the rioters entered the city and began looting, the desperation that had driven them this far would only grow into unchecked ambition and greed.

Like a beast that had tasted blood, they would never stop.

The beast had to be killed before it tasted blood.

After a moment’s thought, Fan Changyu turned to Madam Wang.

“You mentioned before that you have maps of both the yamen and the magistrate’s residence?”

Madam Wang hesitated but nodded.

“I do. Why?”

Fan Changyu said, “From what my husband implied, the magistrate has probably been stripped of power because of the grain requisition issue. Why don’t we rescue him?”

She paused.

“At the very least, we need to restore Uncle Wang’s position. It’ll make things much easier for him.”

Whoever was secretly controlling matters now didn’t matter.

To ordinary citizens and yamen runners, the magistrate was still the highest authority in Qingping County.

Madam Wang had no idea whether this girl was naturally fearless or simply reckless.

Her own heart was still pounding with fear, yet Fan Changyu was already contemplating something even bolder.

Thinking of her husband, who was currently trying to stop the rioters, she steadied herself.

“It’s too dangerous. I’m going with you.”

After thinking briefly, Fan Changyu replied,

“There’s a less dangerous method. But I’ll still need your help, Auntie.”

Madam Wang’s eyes lit up.

—

Yixiang Tower.

A carriage rolled into the alley behind the restaurant and stopped not far from the entrance.

Yet no one stepped out.

The guards stationed at the back door quietly observed the carriage.

Two of them exchanged glances and were about to investigate when a dark figure suddenly burst from the other side of the alley.

Swinging a club, the figure smashed it into the backs of the remaining two guards’ heads.

Both men collapsed instantly.

Fan Changyu had changed into a boy’s outfit at Constable Wang’s house.

She had blackened her face with soot, making her original features impossible to recognize.

Kicking aside the official seal pasted over the back door, she rushed into Yixiang Tower.

The two guards who had gone to investigate the carriage shouted immediately,

“An accomplice has broken into Yixiang Tower to destroy evidence!”

They rushed inside after her.

Fan Changyu was already waiting behind the door.

As soon as the first guard entered, she hurled her club and knocked him unconscious.

The second drew his blade and slashed at her.

Dodging sideways, she kicked him straight into a swill vat in the courtyard.

The vat was deep enough that the unfortunate guard folded into it headfirst and floundered helplessly for quite some time.

A moment later, Fan Changyu emerged from the building.

Something wrapped in a cloak was cradled in her arms.

Moving quickly, she left the courtyard.

The guard trapped in the swill vat screamed hysterically,

“The thief is escaping! The thief is escaping!”

The commotion had already alerted the guards stationed at the front entrance.

A group of men dressed as constables—but clearly not real constables—split into two groups and charged down both ends of the alley.

All they saw was a small young man carrying what looked like a child as he hurried into the waiting carriage.

Before they could catch up, the carriage sped away.

Snow drifted through the air.

The driver wore coarse clothing and a bamboo hat that obscured the face.

Yet the way the whip was handled clearly revealed a trained fighter.

Several soldiers moved to intercept.

The driver suddenly produced a second whip over three meters long.

Every strike split flesh.

With a sweep to either side, the advancing soldiers were sent crashing to the ground, writhing in pain.

The officer leading them shouted,

“It must be Yixiang Tower’s accomplices escaping with that brat! Call for reinforcements immediately!”

A signal arrow shot into the gray sky.

The county yamen quickly dispatched additional troops.

The people in the carriage were Fan Changyu and Madam Wang.

Madam Wang knew every street and alley in the county.

After a few turns, she had completely shaken off the pursuing soldiers.

Before jumping from the carriage, Fan Changyu said,

“Auntie, please keep them occupied for another half-hour. After that, forget about them and escape yourself.”

Lifting her bamboo hat slightly, Madam Wang asked,

“Will half an hour be enough for your side?”

Fan Changyu replied,

“My husband has probably gone to the yamen. I’ll head to the magistrate’s residence. The soldiers have emptied themselves out trying to capture Manager Yu’s son. No matter what, we should be able to find the magistrate now.”

Naturally, Yu Bao’er was not in the carriage.

The bundle Fan Changyu had carried out of Yixiang Tower was nothing more than a blanket wrapped in a cloak.

Madam Wang only said,

“Be careful.”

“You too, Auntie.”

The carriage slowed.

Fan Changyu jumped off in a deserted area and wound through several alleys toward the magistrate’s residence.

—

When Fan Changyu arrived at the magistrate’s residence, she unexpectedly saw Mother Song there as well.

Hidden in the shadows, she watched as Mother Song stood at the entrance carrying numerous gifts, accompanied by a very young maidservant.

Her face was covered in a flattering smile.

“Yan’er is about to travel to the capital for the examinations and misses Miss greatly. He had me buy all these little gifts for her…”

The steward at the gate replied,

“Scholar Song is very thoughtful.”

He ordered a servant to take all the jewelry and ornaments Mother Song had reluctantly purchased.

Yet he made no effort to invite her inside.

Mother Song’s smile was becoming painfully stiff.

After several days of being turned away and spending so much money on gifts, she still hadn’t gained the magistrate family’s favor.

Refusing to give up, she said,

“Madam once complimented my shoe patterns. I came today to have tea with her and bring her the designs.”

The steward replied,

“Madam has caught a chill and has yet to recover. If there is anything you wish to give her, simply leave it with me.”

Mother Song had always felt the magistrate’s family was somewhat beneath her.

Once Song Yan passed the imperial examinations, a magistrate’s daughter might not even be worthy of him.

She had only maintained close relations because they still needed the magistrate’s support in Qingping County.

Previously, Madam Magistrate had been eager to finalize a marriage between the two families.

Mother Song had secretly delighted in dangling the prospect of becoming the mother of a future jinshi before them while carefully avoiding any actual engagement.

Whenever Madam Magistrate pressed too hard, Mother Song would cry and bring up Song Yan’s recent broken engagement.

She would claim her son had sacrificed his reputation for filial piety by breaking off his engagement with the Fan family.

Now the Fan family was spreading rumors everywhere, making the Song family look guilty.

If Song Yan became engaged again so quickly, she argued, the Fan family’s daughter might spread even worse rumors and damage his future career.

Since the two families would eventually become relatives anyway, why rush?

Madam Magistrate had been fooled by these arguments.

They had often enjoyed tea and opera performances together.

But after the scandal involving Song Yan and the Fan family during the New Year lantern festival, Mother Song had felt utterly humiliated.

Afraid Madam Magistrate would look down on her son, she suddenly became worried.

What if Song Yan failed to become a jinshi?

What if he never made it to the capital?

In all of Qingping County, marrying into the magistrate’s family was still the most prestigious match available.

That was why she had rushed to visit the magistrate’s residence with gifts on the second day of the New Year.

Only to be turned away.

The humiliation had nearly made her vomit blood.

Afraid of affecting Song Yan’s studies, she had concealed everything from him.

Yet she remained determined to repair the relationship and had spent the past several days sending gifts.

First she tried the magistrate’s wife.

Then she tried the magistrate’s daughter.

Yet despite all her efforts, she still couldn’t even get through the front gate.

By now, Mother Song felt as though her dignity had been thrown to the ground and trampled.

Once she rounded the corner and was out of sight, she finally spat viciously onto the road.

“What do they think they are? She’s only a magistrate’s daughter. Does my Yan’er have to beg to marry her? They shamelessly accept the gifts but can’t even invite me in for a cup of tea!”

Pretending to browse a roadside stall, Fan Changyu heard every word.

Watching Mother Song leave, she could only think that evil eventually met its reward.

Hopefully the magistrate’s family had finally seen through the mother and son for what they truly were.

Circling to the rear wall of the residence, she climbed a tree and vaulted over.

Constable Wang had served several magistrates over more than a decade.

He knew the layout of the residence well.

Combined with the map Madam Wang had given her, Fan Changyu quickly oriented herself.

This should be the kitchen area.

Keeping close to the walls, she quietly moved forward.

After slipping past a decorative gate, she happened to see the steward entering.

Quickly, she hid around a corner.

The steward was pleading with a guard.

“Military sir, these gifts are from our future son-in-law for the young lady. Please show some leniency and let me deliver them.”

The steward of the magistrate’s residence was begging a mere guard?

Something was clearly wrong.

Fan Changyu listened closely.

The guard sneered.

“Throw them in the side room with the rest. If even the slightest information leaks out, none of you will keep your heads.”

The steward immediately shrank back in fear.

Fan Changyu became even more convinced that the people controlling the residence were no ordinary group.

She slowed her breathing further.

Only then did she notice something else.

The snow throughout the estate had not been cleared.

Either the servants had stopped working because the magistrate’s family was under house arrest, or someone had specifically ordered the snow left untouched.

After all, anyone walking through fresh snow would inevitably make noise.

While she was pondering this, footsteps suddenly sounded behind her.

Turning around, she found herself staring directly into the eyes of a young maid carrying a tray.

The maid opened her mouth to scream.

Fan Changyu struck first.

One chop to the neck rendered the girl unconscious.

Catching the tray with one hand and supporting the maid with the other, Fan Changyu quickly looked around.

Then she kicked open the door of a nearby room and dragged the girl inside.

A short while later, Fan Changyu emerged openly wearing the maid’s clothes and carrying the tray.

As she passed the guards beneath the eaves, they merely glanced at her.

Head lowered, she continued in the direction the steward had gone.

Having studied the map beforehand and possessing an excellent sense of direction, she quickly found the steward’s quarters.

When she pushed open the door, the steward was sitting alone in misery.

The sight of her nearly scared him to death.

He fell from his chair onto the floor.

Grimacing in pain while trying to maintain his dignity, he barked,

“Which household servant are you? Such nerve!”

Fan Changyu figured the magistrate could not possibly have been the one who dismissed Constable Wang.

The magistrate was likely hoping Wang would save him.

So she said directly,

“I’m one of Constable Wang’s people.”

The steward froze.

Then tears almost welled up in his eyes.

“Constable Wang truly is experienced. He saw immediately that something was wrong at the yamen these past few days…”

Seeing he was about to launch into a lengthy lament, Fan Changyu interrupted.

“What happened here?”

The steward answered tearfully,

“Some days ago, Jizhou Prefecture ordered grain requisitioning. A contingent of soldiers carrying Jizhou credentials arrived to supervise. When my lord heard they intended to collect one shi of grain per person, he pleaded for mercy, saying it would drive the people to ruin. But the officials from above insisted he obey.”

“Left with no choice, my lord ordered the requisition. Yet those soldiers beat farmers to death in the countryside. Fearing his position would be lost if the matter reached Lord He in Jizhou, my lord planned to go there and confess his guilt personally. Instead, those soldiers imprisoned him.”

“They claimed to be acting under Wei Xuan, the Northwestern Military Governor, and said everything must follow their orders. They declared Lord He had already been stripped of office by the governor and accused my lord of obstructing grain collection. Since then, my lord has been confined within his own residence. Even Madam and the young lady are forbidden to leave or receive visitors.”

Fan Changyu’s frown deepened.

She had heard of Wei Xuan before.

The grain requisition massacre in Taizhou had happened under his watch.

Her confidence wavered.

Even if Constable Wang managed to calm the rioters, what if Wei Xuan later arrived with troops and slaughtered them anyway?

After some thought, she said,

“How about we kidnap the official Wei Xuan sent and make the magistrate return the grain?”

If the leader was captured, he couldn’t order any massacres.

The steward nearly lost his soul.

“Kidnap… him?”

His lips trembled violently.

“There are over a dozen soldiers here, all highly skilled. The entire yamen is under their control. How could we possibly kidnap him?”

“If we can’t beat them, can’t we use sleeping drugs or something?”

The steward stared at her.

Was this really someone sent by Constable Wang?

Kidnapping a military officer from Jizhou was a crime worthy of extermination.

If those people sought revenge later, every head in this residence combined wouldn’t be enough.

Frantically waving his hands, he said,

“Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How would my lord explain that to them afterward?”

Fan Changyu knew the plan was extreme.

But the magistrate had governed Qingping County for three years without committing great evil or doing much good.

At this point, he was useful.

And useful people should be used.

She said,

“A villager from Ma Family Village has already been beaten to death. The soldiers have driven the surrounding farmers into rebellion. Thousands of rioters are marching toward Qingping County. Do you think your magistrate won’t become the scapegoat when they arrive? Do you think you, the steward of the magistrate’s residence, won’t become a target too?”

The steward’s lips trembled again.

After a long pause, he said,

“There’s no sleeping drug in the residence. Besides, those people are extremely cautious. Every dish is tasted by servants first.”

That left Fan Changyu out of ideas.

The steward scratched his head awkwardly.

“However… we do have croton seeds. The kitchen is currently making tremella and lotus seed soup.”

—

A short while later, Fan Changyu and a servant carrying a wooden bucket entered the front courtyard.

On Fan Changyu’s tray sat a white porcelain bowl.

Inside was a snow pear whose top had been cut off and hollowed out.

The flesh had been removed and replaced with tremella and lotus seed soup before being covered again and slowly simmered.

Even through the bowl, the fragrance of tremella mixed with the sweet scent of pear.

Fan Changyu could only marvel at how wealthy families found endless ways to make food more elaborate.

The servant’s bucket contained ordinary tremella and lotus seed soup.

Of course, all of it had been laced with croton seeds.

The steward smiled obsequiously at the guard under the eaves.

“The weather is cold. Madam asked the kitchen to prepare some soup for the military gentlemen.”

The guard had a scar near one eye.

He snorted arrogantly but clearly appreciated the gesture.

The steward had the servant drink a bowl first to prove it was safe.

Only then did the guard say,

“Fine. Leave it here.”

Pointing to Fan Changyu’s tray, the steward added,

“This one was prepared especially for the honored lord inside.”

The guard glanced at Fan Changyu.

With her head lowered, she genuinely looked like a meek and delicate maid.

His smile became even colder.

“I’ll deliver it myself.”

The steward hurriedly said,

“The honored lord has traveled far. Qingping County has little to offer. Let the girl deliver it.”

The reason was simple.

The croton seeds would cause diarrhea but wouldn’t disable an entire courtyard of soldiers quickly.

Fan Changyu needed close access to the leader.

If she could subdue him directly, everything afterward would be easier.

The guard sneered.

After a moment’s thought, he said,

“I’ll ask the lord.”

Entering the room, he bowed to a young man who sat alone at a chessboard.

“Your Highness, the people in this residence insist on sending a beautiful maid to serve you soup.”

The man who had murdered Jizhou soldiers, impersonated grain-requisition officials, and seized control of Qingping County was none other than Sui Yuanqing, son of Prince Changxin, the rebel king of Chongzhou.

Prince Changxin had two sons.

His eldest had always been frail and sickly.

As a result, the position of heir had fallen to the younger son.

In earlier years, Prince Changxin had concealed his ambitions, and Sui Yuanqing was known only as a wastrel.

Only after the rebellion began had he revealed his true abilities on the battlefield.

His ruthlessness had even earned him the nickname “Little Marquis Wu’an.”

Hearing the report, Sui Yuanqing sneered.

Tossing a chess piece back into the box, he said,

“Wei Xuan is infamous for brutality and lust. There’s no reason his subordinates would be paragons of virtue. Fine. Let her come in. A mere county magistrate can hardly play any tricks.”

The guard was about to leave when Sui Yuanqing asked,

“Any word from the scouts? Has Wei Xuan arrived?”

“Not yet.”

Sui Yuanqing frowned.

Given Wei Xuan’s explosive temper, he should have stormed over with troops the moment he learned Qingping County failed to deliver grain.

Could something have happened in Jizhou?

The rioters were nearly at the city.

If Wei Xuan failed to appear, all his preparations would be wasted.

Tapping the table with a long finger, he said,

“Move the grain and money seized from Qingping County’s merchants and residents. Station one thousand troops on the hillside outside the city. If that fool Wei Xuan doesn’t come, we’ll slaughter the rioters ourselves.”

The guard was confused.

“Those rioters intend to join Chongzhou. Why kill them?”

Sui Yuanqing sneered.

“There’s no need to kill them all. We only need to make the world lose faith in the court. If we don’t kill them, how many will actually join our army after venting their anger? Only when they are driven into a dead end will they truly choose rebellion.”

The scholar they had deliberately allowed to escape would carry a message to Jizhou:

The imperial army had requisitioned grain mercilessly, leaving the people no way to survive. When they sought justice in Jizhou, they were massacred.

No matter how Wei Xuan’s faction tried to explain, people would believe the scholar.

Wei Xuan’s reputation was already infamous.

And behind the scholar’s blood-soaked accusations stood the lives of tens of thousands from Qingping County.

Truth mixed with tragedy was always the easiest thing to believe.

“Your Highness is wise.”

Ignoring the flattery, Sui Yuanqing asked,

“Have they found the brat?”

The guard tensed.

“About half an hour ago, someone stormed Yixiang Tower and injured our men. It appeared they escaped with a child. Troops have already been dispatched in pursuit. We should have news soon.”

“Don’t harm the child,” Sui Yuanqing said.

“After all, he carries my elder brother’s blood.”

The guard asked,

“And the woman in prison?”

Sui Yuanqing’s gaze turned icy.

“She’s my brother’s concubine. Let my brother decide her fate after we return. For now, let her suffer in prison for a few days. Just make sure no one dishonors her.”

The guard acknowledged the order.

After he left, someone entered carrying a tray.

The moment Sui Yuanqing heard those light but unusually steady footsteps, a cold smile tugged at his lips.

Looking up at the maid, he was still surprised despite his expectations.

The magistrate would naturally send an attractive woman if he wanted to curry favor.

Yet finding such a beauty in this remote county was unexpected.

Most striking were her eyes.

They weren’t dazzling like stars or lively like a deer’s.

Instead, they seemed honest.

Painfully honest.

The kind of honest that made one worry she would be bullied if taken home as a servant.

Fan Changyu had spent so much time under Xie Zheng’s scrutinizing gaze that being examined by another man barely intimidated her.

Steadily carrying the tray forward, she placed the soup on the table.

As she reached for the tray, Sui Yuanqing smiled faintly.

“You’re quite bold.”

Fan Changyu immediately assumed he had discovered the croton seeds.

Cold sweat dampened her palms.

This man was the same type as Yan Zheng.

Not as handsome, perhaps, but just as intelligent and difficult to fool.

The old saying went: strike first.

Without hesitation, she swung the tray toward his head.

His eyes turned cold instantly as he reached out to block it.

But the tray was only a feint.

Fan Changyu kicked him squarely in the stomach.

Shock flashed across his face.

Doubling over in pain, he was struck in the back of the neck by her other hand.

An ordinary person would have collapsed instantly.

Instead, Sui Yuanqing still had enough strength to overturn the table and hinder her pursuit.

Clutching his neck, he staggered toward the door at astonishing speed.

Fan Changyu hadn’t expected his neck to be so hard.

The guards outside had already heard the crash.

“General?”

Since she had anticipated failing to subdue him at close range, she immediately pulled out a prepared cord hidden inside her sleeve.

Winter clothing concealed it perfectly.

As the guards burst through the door, they witnessed an incredible sight.

Fan Changyu had looped the cord around Sui Yuanqing’s neck and yanked backward.

The cord tightened instantly.

Sui Yuanqing gripped it with one hand, struggling against her.

His face was red with either rage or lack of air.

His strength was extraordinary.

By all rights, one pull should have sent the foolish woman flying.

Instead, she merely staggered once before planting her feet firmly.

The force she exerted was like that of a wild ox.

Unable to overcome both her arms, Sui Yuanqing was dragged backward like a dead dog.

Moments later, she had him pinned and was pressing a sharp knife against his throat.

Half his face was twisted from suffocation.

The other half radiated murderous fury.

“You’d better pray you never fall into my hands,” he growled viciously.

“Otherwise I’ll skin you alive and hang your corpse from the city walls.”

Since she was technically acting in the magistrate’s name, Fan Changyu wasn’t afraid in the slightest.

Using her boning knife, she stabbed a shallow hole into his thigh.

“Then we’ll see whether you skin people faster or I stab faster.”

Though the wound was shallow, blood still flowed.

Yet Sui Yuanqing didn’t even grunt.

The guards outside, however, were terrified.

Partly for his safety.

Partly because their prince had been captured by a woman.

The guard from earlier, Mu Shi, was one of Sui Yuanqing’s personal attendants.

He immediately shouted,

“Don’t harm our general!”

Fan Changyu replied,

“Do as I say, and I won’t.”

Mu Shi and the others looked to Sui Yuanqing.

Grinding his teeth, he finally forced out,

“Do as she says.”

Then, in a voice only she could hear, he added,

“I’ll remember you.”

How had he ever mistaken this woman for honest?

Fan Changyu thought indignantly that he should blame the magistrate instead.

After all, she was acting on the magistrate’s behalf.

Pressing the knife deeper, she called out,

“Release our magistrate immediately!”

Mu Shi shot the steward a look that seemed capable of tearing him apart.

The steward nearly fainted on the spot.

Not long afterward, the imprisoned magistrate finally emerged.

One look at the situation nearly made him collapse.

He would rather have remained confined for a year than face this.

Sui Yuanqing smiled faintly.

“My men have released the magistrate. Can you release me now?”

He even adopted the demeanor of a refined nobleman.

“Don’t worry. Even if I intend to capture you later, I’ll wait until you’ve escaped. I won’t act right now.”

At that moment, a soldier rushed through the gate.

“Report! The rioters have gathered outside the city gates! The prisoners in the county jail have all been released. They’ve seized the requisitioned grain and are transporting it to the gates to return it to the people!”

Sui Yuanqing’s face twisted with fury.

Smiling at Fan Changyu, he said,

“The planner behind your operation was quite thorough.”

Fan Changyu ignored him.

The events at the yamen were almost certainly Yan Zheng’s work.

The problem now was that the man in her hands was a hot potato.

If she killed him, she would have murdered a high-ranking noble.

She and Changning would likely spend the rest of their lives hiding in bandit camps.

But if she released him, her future would hardly be peaceful.

Looking at the magistrate, she said,

“Magistrate, the people of Qingping County have rebelled because of the grain requisition. You must give them an explanation if you wish to calm their anger.”

Her eyes drifted meaningfully toward Sui Yuanqing.

The magistrate had gone pale at the news that the rioters were at the city gates.

If they entered the city, several corrupt officials would surely die.

As magistrate, he would be the first sacrifice.

Even after death, higher authorities would likely blame everything on him.

After all, his record was mediocre, and dead men made excellent scapegoats.

Following her gaze, the magistrate instantly understood.

Though cowardly toward his superiors, he was still a seasoned official.

After considering the idea, he nearly beamed.

Exactly.

He couldn’t punish these people himself.

The rioters demanded answers.

Why not hand these men over and let them explain themselves?

Patting his enormous belly, the magistrate’s face jiggled as he smiled.

“The grain requisition was carried out under the orders of these honored generals. Since matters have reached this point, perhaps the generals should go to the city gates and explain themselves to the people.”

Whatever happened afterward would be the rioters’ responsibility.

Sui Yuanqing merely laughed.

“Very well. Let’s go explain ourselves.”

Catching his expression, Mu Shi immediately understood.

The anger on his face diminished.

One thousand troops were already hidden on the hillside outside the city.

At a single signal arrow, they could descend and massacre all of Qingping County.

—

Outside Qingping County, a large force bearing the banner of Jizhou wound its way down the official road.

At its head rode the veteran general He Jingyuan.

Dressed in heavy armor, much of his scholarly elegance had vanished, replaced by imposing authority.

Yet age could not be hidden.

His hair and beard were white, and several sleepless days had left him looking exhausted.

Riding half a horse-length behind him, Zheng Wenchang said,

“Perhaps that scholar exaggerated. How would a mere county magistrate dare exploit grain requisitioning to oppress the people? I could have inspected the situation on your behalf. Why make the journey personally?”

He Jingyuan shook his head.

His aged eyes remained sharp and commanding.

“Qingping County possesses salt lakes. For something like this to happen during grain collection, there is likely more beneath the surface.”

No sooner had he spoken than a scout came galloping toward them.

“Report! A Chongzhou army has been discovered hiding in the forests around the hillside ten li ahead!”

Even Zheng Wenchang broke into a cold sweat upon hearing the report.