{"id":3722,"date":"2026-06-02T05:15:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T05:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pursuit-of-jade-47\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T05:15:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T05:15:33","slug":"pursuit-of-jade-47","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/id\/chapter\/pursuit-of-jade-47\/","title":{"rendered":"Pursuit of Jade 47"},"content":{"rendered":"

Xie Zheng looked at Fan Changyu. \u201cYou 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.\u201d

Fan Changyu was puzzled. \u201cIf the rioters enter the city, shouldn\u2019t they be looking for trouble with the magistrate and those yamen runners? Why should we help the magistrate stop them?\u201d

A strange coldness settled over Xie Zheng\u2019s face.

\u201cThey\u2019ve 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\u2019t want to see this county town pillaged empty, do as I say.\u201d

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

Pressing her lips together, she said, \u201cConstable Wang has already been dismissed by the magistrate. His words won\u2019t carry any weight in the yamen now.\u201d

Xie Zheng frowned.

\u201cJust 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.\u201d

\u201cBut what if the government refuses to return the grain?\u201d

\u201cStabilize the rioters first. I\u2019ll think of a solution for everything else.\u201d

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

After some thought, Fan Changyu still had doubts.

\u201cDidn\u2019t you say they\u2019ve already rebelled because they want wealth and glory? Will this really calm them down?\u201d

Xie Zheng glanced at her.

\u201cThe 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.\u201d

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, \u201cWhat is it?\u201d

Fan Changyu shook her head.

\u201cHow are we getting out of here?\u201d

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\u2019s end, Xie Zheng said, \u201cClimb onto my shoulders and get over it.\u201d

Fan Changyu estimated their combined height and nodded.

\u201cAlright. Once I\u2019m over, I\u2019ll find a ladder for you.\u201d

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\u2019s 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\u2019t remember where she had seen him.

Hearing the commotion inside, Xie Zheng called out, \u201cIs someone on the other side?\u201d

Fan Changyu nodded.

\u201cMm. I knocked him out already. There\u2019s a bamboo ladder in the courtyard. Wait here while I bring it over.\u201d

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

The ladder was neither too long nor too short\u2014perfect 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.

\u201cIt\u2019s the owner of the bookstore.\u201d

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\u2019s 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\u2019s 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, \u201cI… I knocked out your boss, and now you\u2019ve ruined his inkstone too. He won\u2019t hold it against you, will he?\u201d

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\u2019t expected that to be what she was worried about.

The coldness on his face eased slightly.

\u201cIt\u2019s fine. He may not even remember you, and he won\u2019t know I was here.\u201d

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\u2019t help saying,

\u201cManager 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\u2019er?\u201d

Xie Zheng\u2019s expression remained dark.

\u201cThat\u2019s entirely possible.\u201d

Fan Changyu immediately looked furious.

\u201cThose dog officials are truly vicious!\u201d

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

Xie Zheng did not respond.

Instead, he said, \u201cI temporarily left the child with the old man who drives your cart.\u201d

Fan Changyu had rented the old man\u2019s 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.

\u201cI\u2019ll take Bao\u2019er with me when I go to Constable Wang\u2019s house.\u201d

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, \u201cWhat is it?\u201d

The overcast sky made Xie Zheng\u2019s eyes seem darker than usual.

\u201cIf the rioters enter the city, protect yourself first.\u201d

After a pause, he added,

\u201cDon\u2019t trust anyone too easily.\u201d

Fan Changyu\u2019s heart skipped a beat.

Looking up at him, she asked, \u201cAre you leaving?\u201d

The sudden advice felt completely out of place.

Xie Zheng choked on his words.

His expression darkened.

\u201cThough I\u2019m not exactly someone worthy of trust either, for now, you can still trust me.\u201d

After he left, Fan Changyu stood there blankly for a moment before heading to pick up Yu Bao\u2019er and take him to Constable Wang\u2019s house.

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

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

\u201cBring me my constable uniform.\u201d

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

\u201cYour husband… to possess such insight and such keen judgment… he\u2019s no ordinary man.\u201d

Fan Changyu replied, \u201cHis family used to run an escort agency. He\u2019s probably just seen more of the world than most people.\u201d

Constable Wang nodded.

\u201cNo wonder.\u201d

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\u2019s 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\u2019s thought, Fan Changyu turned to Madam Wang.

\u201cYou mentioned before that you have maps of both the yamen and the magistrate\u2019s residence?\u201d

Madam Wang hesitated but nodded.

\u201cI do. Why?\u201d

Fan Changyu said, \u201cFrom what my husband implied, the magistrate has probably been stripped of power because of the grain requisition issue. Why don\u2019t we rescue him?\u201d

She paused.

\u201cAt the very least, we need to restore Uncle Wang\u2019s position. It\u2019ll make things much easier for him.\u201d

Whoever was secretly controlling matters now didn\u2019t 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.

\u201cIt\u2019s too dangerous. I\u2019m going with you.\u201d

After thinking briefly, Fan Changyu replied,

\u201cThere\u2019s a less dangerous method. But I\u2019ll still need your help, Auntie.\u201d

Madam Wang\u2019s eyes lit up.

\u2014

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\u2019 heads.

Both men collapsed instantly.

Fan Changyu had changed into a boy\u2019s outfit at Constable Wang\u2019s 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,

\u201cAn accomplice has broken into Yixiang Tower to destroy evidence!\u201d

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,

\u201cThe thief is escaping! The thief is escaping!\u201d

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

A group of men dressed as constables\u2014but clearly not real constables\u2014split 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,

\u201cIt must be Yixiang Tower\u2019s accomplices escaping with that brat! Call for reinforcements immediately!\u201d

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,

\u201cAuntie, please keep them occupied for another half-hour. After that, forget about them and escape yourself.\u201d

Lifting her bamboo hat slightly, Madam Wang asked,

\u201cWill half an hour be enough for your side?\u201d

Fan Changyu replied,

\u201cMy husband has probably gone to the yamen. I\u2019ll head to the magistrate\u2019s residence. The soldiers have emptied themselves out trying to capture Manager Yu\u2019s son. No matter what, we should be able to find the magistrate now.\u201d

Naturally, Yu Bao\u2019er 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,

\u201cBe careful.\u201d

\u201cYou too, Auntie.\u201d

The carriage slowed.

Fan Changyu jumped off in a deserted area and wound through several alleys toward the magistrate\u2019s residence.

\u2014

When Fan Changyu arrived at the magistrate\u2019s 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.

\u201cYan\u2019er is about to travel to the capital for the examinations and misses Miss greatly. He had me buy all these little gifts for her…\u201d

The steward at the gate replied,

\u201cScholar Song is very thoughtful.\u201d

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\u2019s smile was becoming painfully stiff.

After several days of being turned away and spending so much money on gifts, she still hadn\u2019t gained the magistrate family\u2019s favor.

Refusing to give up, she said,

\u201cMadam once complimented my shoe patterns. I came today to have tea with her and bring her the designs.\u201d

The steward replied,

\u201cMadam has caught a chill and has yet to recover. If there is anything you wish to give her, simply leave it with me.\u201d

Mother Song had always felt the magistrate\u2019s family was somewhat beneath her.

Once Song Yan passed the imperial examinations, a magistrate\u2019s daughter might not even be worthy of him.

She had only maintained close relations because they still needed the magistrate\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s family was still the most prestigious match available.

That was why she had rushed to visit the magistrate\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s wife.

Then she tried the magistrate\u2019s daughter.

Yet despite all her efforts, she still couldn\u2019t 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.

\u201cWhat do they think they are? She\u2019s only a magistrate\u2019s daughter. Does my Yan\u2019er have to beg to marry her? They shamelessly accept the gifts but can\u2019t even invite me in for a cup of tea!\u201d

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\u2019s 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.

\u201cMilitary sir, these gifts are from our future son-in-law for the young lady. Please show some leniency and let me deliver them.\u201d

The steward of the magistrate\u2019s residence was begging a mere guard?

Something was clearly wrong.

Fan Changyu listened closely.

The guard sneered.

\u201cThrow them in the side room with the rest. If even the slightest information leaks out, none of you will keep your heads.\u201d

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\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s 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,

\u201cWhich household servant are you? Such nerve!\u201d

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,

\u201cI\u2019m one of Constable Wang\u2019s people.\u201d

The steward froze.

Then tears almost welled up in his eyes.

\u201cConstable Wang truly is experienced. He saw immediately that something was wrong at the yamen these past few days…\u201d

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

\u201cWhat happened here?\u201d

The steward answered tearfully,

\u201cSome 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.\u201d

\u201cLeft 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.\u201d

\u201cThey 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.\u201d

Fan Changyu\u2019s 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,

\u201cHow about we kidnap the official Wei Xuan sent and make the magistrate return the grain?\u201d

If the leader was captured, he couldn\u2019t order any massacres.

The steward nearly lost his soul.

\u201cKidnap… him?\u201d

His lips trembled violently.

\u201cThere are over a dozen soldiers here, all highly skilled. The entire yamen is under their control. How could we possibly kidnap him?\u201d

\u201cIf we can\u2019t beat them, can\u2019t we use sleeping drugs or something?\u201d

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\u2019t be enough.

Frantically waving his hands, he said,

\u201cImpossible! Absolutely impossible! How would my lord explain that to them afterward?\u201d

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,

\u201cA 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\u2019t become the scapegoat when they arrive? Do you think you, the steward of the magistrate\u2019s residence, won\u2019t become a target too?\u201d

The steward\u2019s lips trembled again.

After a long pause, he said,

\u201cThere\u2019s no sleeping drug in the residence. Besides, those people are extremely cautious. Every dish is tasted by servants first.\u201d

That left Fan Changyu out of ideas.

The steward scratched his head awkwardly.

\u201cHowever… we do have croton seeds. The kitchen is currently making tremella and lotus seed soup.\u201d

\u2014

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

On Fan Changyu\u2019s 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\u2019s 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.

\u201cThe weather is cold. Madam asked the kitchen to prepare some soup for the military gentlemen.\u201d

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,

\u201cFine. Leave it here.\u201d

Pointing to Fan Changyu\u2019s tray, the steward added,

\u201cThis one was prepared especially for the honored lord inside.\u201d

The guard glanced at Fan Changyu.

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

His smile became even colder.

\u201cI\u2019ll deliver it myself.\u201d

The steward hurriedly said,

\u201cThe honored lord has traveled far. Qingping County has little to offer. Let the girl deliver it.\u201d

The reason was simple.

The croton seeds would cause diarrhea but wouldn\u2019t 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\u2019s thought, he said,

\u201cI\u2019ll ask the lord.\u201d

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

\u201cYour Highness, the people in this residence insist on sending a beautiful maid to serve you soup.\u201d

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 \u201cLittle Marquis Wu\u2019an.\u201d

Hearing the report, Sui Yuanqing sneered.

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

\u201cWei Xuan is infamous for brutality and lust. There\u2019s no reason his subordinates would be paragons of virtue. Fine. Let her come in. A mere county magistrate can hardly play any tricks.\u201d

The guard was about to leave when Sui Yuanqing asked,

\u201cAny word from the scouts? Has Wei Xuan arrived?\u201d

\u201cNot yet.\u201d

Sui Yuanqing frowned.

Given Wei Xuan\u2019s 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,

\u201cMove the grain and money seized from Qingping County\u2019s merchants and residents. Station one thousand troops on the hillside outside the city. If that fool Wei Xuan doesn\u2019t come, we\u2019ll slaughter the rioters ourselves.\u201d

The guard was confused.

\u201cThose rioters intend to join Chongzhou. Why kill them?\u201d

Sui Yuanqing sneered.

\u201cThere\u2019s no need to kill them all. We only need to make the world lose faith in the court. If we don\u2019t 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.\u201d

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\u2019s faction tried to explain, people would believe the scholar.

Wei Xuan\u2019s reputation was already infamous.

And behind the scholar\u2019s blood-soaked accusations stood the lives of tens of thousands from Qingping County.

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

\u201cYour Highness is wise.\u201d

Ignoring the flattery, Sui Yuanqing asked,

\u201cHave they found the brat?\u201d

The guard tensed.

\u201cAbout 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.\u201d

\u201cDon\u2019t harm the child,\u201d Sui Yuanqing said.

\u201cAfter all, he carries my elder brother\u2019s blood.\u201d

The guard asked,

\u201cAnd the woman in prison?\u201d

Sui Yuanqing\u2019s gaze turned icy.

\u201cShe\u2019s my brother\u2019s 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.\u201d

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\u2019t dazzling like stars or lively like a deer\u2019s.

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\u2019s 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.

\u201cYou\u2019re quite bold.\u201d

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\u2019t expected his neck to be so hard.

The guards outside had already heard the crash.

\u201cGeneral?\u201d

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\u2019s 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.

\u201cYou\u2019d better pray you never fall into my hands,\u201d he growled viciously.

\u201cOtherwise I\u2019ll skin you alive and hang your corpse from the city walls.\u201d

Since she was technically acting in the magistrate\u2019s name, Fan Changyu wasn\u2019t afraid in the slightest.

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

\u201cThen we\u2019ll see whether you skin people faster or I stab faster.\u201d

Though the wound was shallow, blood still flowed.

Yet Sui Yuanqing didn\u2019t 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\u2019s personal attendants.

He immediately shouted,

\u201cDon\u2019t harm our general!\u201d

Fan Changyu replied,

\u201cDo as I say, and I won\u2019t.\u201d

Mu Shi and the others looked to Sui Yuanqing.

Grinding his teeth, he finally forced out,

\u201cDo as she says.\u201d

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

\u201cI\u2019ll remember you.\u201d

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\u2019s behalf.

Pressing the knife deeper, she called out,

\u201cRelease our magistrate immediately!\u201d

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.

\u201cMy men have released the magistrate. Can you release me now?\u201d

He even adopted the demeanor of a refined nobleman.

\u201cDon\u2019t worry. Even if I intend to capture you later, I\u2019ll wait until you\u2019ve escaped. I won\u2019t act right now.\u201d

At that moment, a soldier rushed through the gate.

\u201cReport! The rioters have gathered outside the city gates! The prisoners in the county jail have all been released. They\u2019ve seized the requisitioned grain and are transporting it to the gates to return it to the people!\u201d

Sui Yuanqing\u2019s face twisted with fury.

Smiling at Fan Changyu, he said,

\u201cThe planner behind your operation was quite thorough.\u201d

Fan Changyu ignored him.

The events at the yamen were almost certainly Yan Zheng\u2019s 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,

\u201cMagistrate, 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.\u201d

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\u2019t 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\u2019s face jiggled as he smiled.

\u201cThe 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.\u201d

Whatever happened afterward would be the rioters\u2019 responsibility.

Sui Yuanqing merely laughed.

\u201cVery well. Let\u2019s go explain ourselves.\u201d

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.

\u2014

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,

\u201cPerhaps 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?\u201d

He Jingyuan shook his head.

His aged eyes remained sharp and commanding.

\u201cQingping County possesses salt lakes. For something like this to happen during grain collection, there is likely more beneath the surface.\u201d

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

\u201cReport! A Chongzhou army has been discovered hiding in the forests around the hillside ten li ahead!\u201d

Even Zheng Wenchang broke into a cold sweat upon hearing the report.<\/p>","protected":false},"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"novel":[],"class_list":["post-3722","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3722","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3722"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3722\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3723,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3722\/revisions\/3723"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"novel","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/id\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novel?post=3722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}