Chapter 198: Revisiting the Government Office

Emperor Zhao Ping left Fushou Palace. As soon as he returned to the Royal Study, he asked to see Xiao Lie.

Xiao Lie came and greeted him. Immediately, Emperor Zhao Ping asked him, “Do you have a new concubine at your manor?”

“Yes!” Xiao Lie said, his expression calm and honest.

“I’ve heard that this woman used to belong to Xiao Jing, is this true?” Emperor Zhao Ping asked, narrowing his eyes at the Crown Prince.

“Yes.”

“Ridiculous! You are Daliang Country’s Crown Prince. If you wanted a concubine, you should have chosen a lady with a pristine background from a noble family. Even if we dismiss the fact that you’ve chosen a woman who has already lost her purity, she used to belong to your older brother’s manor. If word of this gets out, you will be the butt of all the officials’ jokes!” Emperor Zhao Ping said in rage.

“Please don’t be mad, Imperial Father. There’s a reason I took her to be my concubine,” Xiao Lie said, calm and composed. “Do you know who she is, Imperial Father?” he asked.

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“Who is she?”

“The former chief minister’s, Lan Xiang’s, only daughter, Lan Zhihui.”

Emperor Zhao Ping was surprised. “Lan Xiang’s daughter?”

He had seen the girl before. When she was little, she had visited the palace with her family. Since the Emperor himself didn’t have many daughters, he really liked that kid. He had not seen her again since then.

“Yes. After Lan Xiang died,” Xiao Lie explained in a clear and unhurried manner, “Lan Zhihui was taken in by Ji Manor and spent ten years there. She is well-known for being a talented lady in Shengjing City. Eventually, she became Xie Shiyun’s adopted daughter. Then, Xiao Jing laid eyes on her and took her into his manor. Because of Xiao Jing’s treachery, she was sold as a servant together with the other women at his manor. I felt bad because she is still the daughter of a loyal minister, and yet she’s living such a sad life, so I have decided to keep her with me.

“Lan Xiang was an honest and upright minister who was never corrupt in his service. He contributed so much to Daliang in his lifetime. Unfortunately, treacherous officials set him up and even got him killed. Treating his daughter well is the least I can do in return for his loyalty to the imperial court and to comfort his spirit.”

Emperor Zhao Ping slowly nodded, realization dawning on him. “I understand. It was my fault that such an incident happened to Lan Xiang back then. Afterward, I even forgot about it and neglected his daughter! Lie’er, you did not do anything wrong this time.”

“I am thankful for your forgiveness, Imperial Father!”

“That being the case, we should give her a proper title as formal compensation from the royal family to the Lan family,” Emperor Zhao Ping said.

“Yes, I will get it done.”

…

As soon as Yu Long returned to Crown Prince Manor, she learned that Lan Zhihui had been formally given the title of Secondary Consort Lan and moved to Tingxi Elegant Manor. There was even an extra reward sent to her from the palace.

Sudden darkness shrouded Yu Long’s eyes. She almost passed out at the news.

Hong Xiu hurried to prop her up, and exclaimed, “Crown Princess Consort!”

“How could this happen?” Yu Long frowned.

Now that the Emperor and Imperial Concubine Rong both knew that this woman had served Xiao Jing before, shouldn’t they have kicked her out for fear of potential scandals? Why did they reward her instead?

“Crown Princess Consort, I have asked around and found out that the new concubine’s name is Lan Zhihui,” Hong Xiu reported immediately, telling Yu Long everything she knew about her. “She is the daughter of the former chief minister, Lan Xiang’s daughter. Lan Xiang died on the account of false accusations. This time, the treason of Prince Zhao led to the condemnation of his daughter’s fate. That’s why the Emperor gave her the title of Zhaoyi Concubine to the Crown Prince!”

Yu Long squeezed her eyes shut, concealing dark depths that were filled with hatred and regret. She hated herself for rushing to the palace to report about Lan Zhihui before doing proper research on that woman’s background.

Yu Long was not a Shengjing City local, how would she have known that a concubine of Xiao Jing’s would have had such a prestigious family background.

She had been too impatient this time, and this only helped Lan Zhihui instead of condemning her!

Ultimately, it was Su Jiu’s fault that she acted so rashly. If she had been more emotionally stable, things would not have become more favorable to her enemy!

“Go and investigate some more! Find out everything you can about Lan Zhihui!” Yu Long gave the order immediately.

“Yes. I will arrange it now!”

That night Yu Long ate quickly for supper, then sat down to read at her desk.

She read several pages before becoming too upset and distracted and had decided to go to bed when Hong Xiu came in, saying excitedly, “Crown Princess Consort, His Highness is here!”

Yu Long pushed herself to her feet instantly, a thrilled look on her face. She raised her hand to pat her hair and asked, “Is my hair messy at all?”

“No, it looks better this way,” Hong Xiu said with a smile.

Yu Long had already taken a bath and gotten ready for the night. She was wearing a loose robe with her hair down instead of pulled up in an intricate bun like she usually did. Yet this particular look of hers was also attractive.

Yu Long smiled and got up to welcome her husband.

Ever since they had got married, this was the first time Xiao Lie entered her room.

The door opened. His tall, slender figure appeared with an aura of nobility and elegance, which, mixed with the cold air from the autumn night, made him look cold and aloof.

“Greetings, Your Highness!” Yu Long lowered herself gracefully into a bow, a soft, tender look on her face.

Standing rigidly, Xiao Lie gave her a stony gaze. “What did you say about Zhihui today at the palace?”

Yu Long’s stomach sank. No wonder he suddenly visited. He was simply here to stick up for that woman.

She kept her expression blank the same as she smiled elegantly, saying, “Today, I went to the palace to say my greetings to Mother and Empress Dowager. Mother asked how I was doing, so I mentioned that Sister Lan was taking good care of me, helping me recover quickly. I didn’t say anything else.”

“Really?” Xiao Lie asked in a flat tone.

“If Your Highness doesn’t believe it, you can go and ask Mother. Imperial Father was also present. He must have heard it too, and that’s probably why he gave her the title of Secondary Consort Lan. I haven’t gone to congratulate Your Highness yet,” Yu Long said, maintaining her warm, gentle smile.

“I see. I should be thanking you then.” Xiao Lie’s voice softened.

“We are a married couple; there’s no need for such formalities?” Yu Long looked down, smiling gracefully.

“What were you doing? Did I interrupt anything?” Xiao Lie started walking into the inner room.

“Not at all!” Yu Long hurried to respond. She turned her body to make way for him. Gazing at the broad back of this tall, handsome man, she suddenly felt butterflies fluttering inside her stomach.

Even though her personality was as stubborn as a man’s, she still found herself eager for his attention and affection now that she was married to him.

Before Xiao Lie made it to the inner room, someone knocked at the door and called out, “Your Highness, Secondary Consort Lan’s maidservant is here for Your Highness. She says that Secondary Consort Lan did not feel well after dinner and would like Your Highness to go check on her.”

Yu Long’s face darkened. She turned her eyes to Xiao Lie at once.

Xiao Lie nodded and said, “I got it. I will be there soon.”

Yu Long stepped up immediately and said, “Your Highness, I have something to discuss with you.”

“Next time!” Xiao Lie said in a flat tone and walked out of the door, hurrying on his way out.

His departure was as unexpected as his coming. The only thing left to suggest that he had been there was the open door.

Standing still by the door, Yu Long felt the night wind from outside the door, swirling with the thin mist, condensing against her skin, filling her heart with something cold.

Hong Xiu walked up and closed the door. She lowered her voice and said, “His Highness has left. Crown Princess Consort, please rest.”

Yu Long clenched her fists tightly under her robe, face green with envy. She turned around abruptly and stomped back to the inner room.

The next day, at the routine morning audience, the Director of the Ministry of Revenue, Wen Yu, reported that the autumn tax in Wuling County, north of Yuhu Mountain, hadn’t been collected yet. They had tried to hasten the collection a few times, but the villagers there were pretty adamant, led by several men, in refusing to pay the tax. The local officials that were sent to collect the tax were even beaten up pretty badly.

“How savage!” Emperor Zhao Ping looked furious. Wuling County to the north of Yuhu Mountain was only about 200 miles from Shengjing City. How could something like that happen?

Lord Yun Nan, Xia Cang, said, “Based on the reported situation, the imperial court should send someone to convince them. If they don’t listen, then soldiers should be sent to force them into submission.”

Emperor Zhao Ping nodded and asked, “Royal Highness Xia, who do you think we should send to Wuling County to collect the autumn tax?”

Xia Cang paused, pondering for a brief moment, before he said, “It would be best to send someone from the Ministry of Revenue. How about the vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Master Qiao, Qiao An? This way, the Emperor’s order can be conveyed well.”

Qiao An glanced at Xia Cang over his shoulder, eyes turning dark.

Emperor Zhao Ping looked at Qiao An, and he asked, “What do you think, Master Qiao?”

Qiao An immediately responded, “I would be honored to. I promise that I will collect every last tael of Wuling County’s autumn tax!”

“Good. You can start out tomorrow and find out what’s going on in Wuling County. If it’s because of natural disasters that have affected the harvest, then the imperial court may reduce the tax accordingly. But if their motivations turn out to be malicious, then anyone who goes against the imperial court will be severely punished with no mercy!”

“Yes! I will get it done!” Qiao An bent over and bowed down.

…

In the afternoon, when Yu Long went outside, she saw a young man standing there, asking a servant to announce his visit.

Yu Long slowly walked over, eyes alight. “His Highness hasn’t come home yet. Who are you?”

A guard nearby told the young man, “This is Crown Princess Consort.”

The young man immediately bowed and said, “Greetings, Crown Princess Consort! My name is Ji Ze, an official.”

“No need for formalities. What do you want to see His Highness for?”

The young man, seemingly well-educated, was good-looking and elegant. Even then, a trace of gloom was hidden in his eyes. “I work as an official at Hanlin Academy. Recently, I’ve been working on some history books, and I have points on which I would like to ask His Highness to enlighten me.”

Yu Long understood immediately. This young man was coming to Xiao Lie to offer himself as someone on his side.

She paused for a second, and then spoke as if she just remembered something, “Aren’t you the most recent Zhuang Yuan?”

Ji Ze said humbly, “Please don’t even mention it. It’s not a big deal.”

Yu Long’s smile grew warmer. “Minister Ji has accomplished so much at such a young age! You are indeed one of the most important talents of our country. His Highness needs help from people like you.”

“Crown Princess Consort, surely I don’t deserve your compliment!”

“His Highness is not home today. I won’t ask you to wait. In the future, feel free to stop by the manor anytime!” Yu Long said with a soft smile.

“Yes. Sorry to interrupt! I will be on my way.” Ji Ze bowed and left.

Yu Long gazed thoughtfully at the retreating back of the young man and asked, “Is this Ji Ze from Ji Manor in Shengjing City?”

The guard replied, “Yes. He is the younger half-brother of the Eldest Young Master of Ji Manor.”

Yu Long slowly nodded. She had heard that Ji Ze’s mother was the younger sister of Zhu Hecheng, who had been involved in Xiao Jing’s treason. After the Zhu Family’s properties were searched and confiscated, she had passed away.

Yu Long turned her gaze away and slowly got into her carriage.

Since Qiao An was headed to Wuling County to collect the autumn tax, Su Jiu sent two bodyguards under the guise of Ji Manor guards to go with him in case of danger.

Wuling County was only about a couple of day’s walk away. If something popped up, she should have time to get over there.

The next morning, Qiao An headed towards Wuling County.

That night at Qing Brothel, Su Jiu treated several shopkeepers of the businesses she worked with.

“Master Jiu, I have an exquisite batch of satin with Suzhou-style embroidery. The craftsmanship might not be as extraordinary as Robes Square’s, but the quality is excellent! Prices are open for negotiation too. Whatever your commercial house wants, we can discuss it!”

“Master Jiu, I have a boat full of tea for you. I won’t sell even one liang of it to others!”

“Master Jiu…”

Everyone continued proposing toasts and giving their compliments. Su Jiu put on a sweet smile and said, “Shopkeeper Chen’s satin is good indeed! The thing is, Shopkeeper Wang from Jin’s textiles shop in Dong Cheng district came to me yesterday to show his satin as well. How about each of you give me a price? Don’t say it openly, write it down and give it to me. I will buy from whoever is offering a better price!”

Shopkeeper Chen smiled bitterly. “Yes. I will give Master Jiu a price as soon as possible.”

Neither of the two shops would be able to anticipate the other’s offer, which made them less confident that their own price was the better offer, lower than their competitor’s, thus more worried about losing this business deal to the other.

In this way, they had no choice but to offer the price with the lowest profit they could.

Shopkeeper Chen let out an inward sigh, amazed at how smart Su Jiu was. Yet there was nothing he could do about it.

Three rounds of drinks later, the brothel-keeper brought in several girls. The men present were already half-drunk. Now they saw the girls, their eyes lit up with red glints and big smiles on their faces, like blooming chrysanthemums.

The brothel-keeper noticed that Su Jiu had some alcohol too. She walked up to Su Jiu, lowered her voice, and said, “Master Jiu, if you feel discomfort in your chest, please go upstairs to take a break. Although Yin Xi is no longer with us, Yin Xue has learned some massage techniques from him. I can send him to make you feel better if you like.”

Su Jiu had been taking medicine prescribed by Old Gu and had not suffered from chest pains for a while. But since she had not touched alcohol for in that period of time, the mere half-pot of drink she took today somehow made her hazy. So, she nodded and said, “Sure. Just get him to wait upstairs for me.”

“Yes!” the brothel-keeper said and left.

The party didn’t end until almost 11 pm. Su Jiu had the girls take the shopkeepers to different rooms. Then, she also went upstairs.

Perhaps because she was out of practice, she felt dizzy even though she had only drunk half of what she usually did.

She went up to the third floor and pushed the door open. The candlelight inside was dimmer than it was in the hallway.

Su Jiu lay down on the couch, nursing her head. Then, it occurred to her that the brothel-keeper had arranged someone for her. She glanced around, but she didn’t see anyone else in the room.

Her star-bright eyes were half-closed. “Who’s the little beauty that’s supposed to serve me? Show yourself. Quick!” she demanded in a casual tone.

The bed canopy seemed to be lifted. A tall, slender figure walked up to her from behind, sinking long fingers into her head and starting to massage with the right amount of strength.

Su Jiu closed her eyes to savor the sensation. She lowered her voice and said, “You are good. From now on, I will have you to serve me exclusively. From now on, I’m your little master. I will treat you well.”

“Sure!” The deep, hoarse voice came from behind. Over the boisterous laughing and chattering sounds of the girls outside the room, his voice was not easy to distinguish.

Su Jiu moaned with comfort. She raised her arm to touch the man’s hand and start caressing it in a flirtatious way. “Good. Tonight, you will stay with me.”

The hand massaging her head paused. Eventually, it kept going, using slightly more strength than before.

“Little master, how would you like to be served?” the man behind her purred, lowering his voice.

Eyes still closed, Su Jiu continued caressing his hand. Her voice was tinged with the fumes of alcohol. “You know how! As long as you make me feel comfortable, your little master will pay you well!”

“Good!” He seemed to be talking through gritted teeth. The man suddenly bent over and pressed his lips heavily over Su Jiu’s.

“Um…” Su Jiu let out a soft moan, eyes still shut. She caught his lip between her teeth lightly and started tasting him as she kissed back.

The taste of alcohol seemed to get heavier. Apparently, she was indulging in the taste of herself.

Suddenly, the man stopped kissing her and raised his body slightly. He gazed down at her with his cold eyes.

Su Jiu, not satisfied yet, pressed her lips on his. Then she slowly opened her eyes. A hint of surprise flashed across her face. “Ji Yuxian!”

The man’s face darkened significantly. He said through gritted teeth, “Su Jiu, what degree of my wrath do you think you are capable of withstanding?”

Su Jiu quickly sat up with a sincere look of regret. “I didn’t know it was you. Otherwise, how could I ask Eldest Young Master Ji to serve me?”

Ji Yuxian was speechless.

“Su Jiu!” he hissed through his teeth; phoenix-like eyes filled with blazing anger. He picked her up, threw her on the bed, and started undressing her.

“Please don’t be mad, Eldest Young Master Ji!” Su Jiu begged, trying to dodge his moves, her expression lifted in a sneer. She didn’t sound frank this time.

Ji Yuxian’s fury got the better of him. He ripped off all of Su Jiu’s clothes, leaned over her, pressing his lips against her tender, smooth skin.

“Ji Yuxian…” Su Jiu pushed him hard.

Ji Yuxian got up and took off his own clothes. Then, he climbed back on top of her again and parted her legs.

Su Jiu’s eyes bulged, and she kicked him away. She rolled into the inner side of the bed and wrapped herself with the blanket. “Stop it, Ji Yuxian! I knew it’s you!” she said.

Ji Yuxian’s breath was long and deep. He narrowed his eyes, staring at her, his expression dangerous.

Su Jiu immediately explained, “I really knew it was you! As soon as I entered the room, I knew you were here.”

Ji Yuxian’s greenish-white face faltered a little, he still had a wary look on his face. He took a deep breath and asked, “How did you know it was me?”

Su Jiu stood up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Her delicate eyebrows drew attention to her sparkling eyes, as beautiful as a painting. She said in a soft and charming voice, “How can I be unable to tell when my own husband is in the room?”

His smell, even the way he breathed, had been imprinted in the deepest corners of her heart.

The second Ji Yuxian heard Su Jiu say the word “husband”, his anger evaporated. Something warm replaced the anxiety in his heart. He tilted her chin and said, “If you pull something ridiculous like this again, I will eat you alive!”

His gaze lowered, eyes growing deep and dark, his breaths heavy with a groan rising in the throat.

Su Jiu looked down and found herself almost naked. The blanket she had used to wrap around her body fell to her waist. She was leaning forward, almost displaying her naked body for him to see him

She was just about to back away when Ji Yuxian grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into his arms. His intense kiss fell on her round, delicate shoulder. “You played with me. How should I punish you?”

Su Jiu’s body melted as she leaned into him. She bit her lower lip and kept quiet.

“Plus, you’ve had alcohol, which was what I told you to avoid. How are we going to combine the punishment for your offenses?” Ji Yuxian lightly smacked her perky bottom.

Su Jiu pouted her lips, feeling wronged. “I had some business to take care of today!”

“Did the business involve ordering a man to serve you?” he snorted, nibbling on her collarbone.

Su Jiu turned her head in his arms, resisting. She knew she was about to give in, so she quickly pushed him away and asked, “Why did you come here?”

The autumn night was already pretty cold. For fear that she might catch a cold, Ji Yuxian stopped messing with her. She grabbed the blanket and wrapped her tightly in it, pulling her in his arms, suppressing his own desire. “Qiao An left?” he asked.

Su Jiu nodded. “Yes. He left yesterday. What’s wrong?”

“Something doesn’t add up. I think that someone did it deliberately this time,” Ji Yuxian said.

Su Jiu frowned. “Are they after the imperial court or Qiao An?”

Ji Yuxian looked down and kissed Su Jiu’s eyelids. “Well, they found a way to make Qiao An accept the mission. Who could their target possibly be?”

They said it was Lord Yun Nan who recommended Qiao An to go to Wuling County this time…

The hazy drunken stupor in Su Jiu’s eyes disappeared, giving way to something ice cold. “I’m afraid they’re just throwing smoke to where there’s no fire!”

“My people in Wuling County will protect Qiao An. He will be fine. But I don’t think Qiao An is their only target,” Ji Yuxian said calmly.

Su Jiu nodded her acknowledgment. “I know what to do.”

“Okay. So much for this business. Now we need to continue with our other business.”

“What…what is that?”

Ji Yuxian put Su Jiu on the bed and threw the blanket to cover their intertwined bodies. He held her chin and pressed his lips down on hers.

“Darling, you are so soft!” Ji Yuxian said in a sensual voice, raising an eyebrow at her. He used one hand to support her waist and the other to hold her behind the neck. Her whole body was against his. Then, Ji Yuxian kissed her, harder and more profound.

Su Jiu, lightly kissing the corner of his lips, asked, “Where did you send Yin Xue?”

Ji Yuxian raised his eyebrows. “What’s outside the window?”

Su Jiu glanced at the window. “Huanhua River!”

She gasped, “You threw him outside the window?”

Ji Yuxian nodded innocently. “I didn’t know the river was outside.”

Su Jiu knitted her brows tightly. She got up and planned to get someone to look for him.

Monster! Even if he didn’t know there was a river outside, how could he expect such a delicate person to survive being thrown out of a third-floor window?

Ji Yuxian pulled her back. He wasn’t happy. “Why are you so anxious?”

“Of course, I’m anxious! I spent money on them and worked hard to make sure they’re trained. I’ve already lost two last time!” Su Jiu shouted, a remorseful look on her face. She ordered the servant outside the door to go look for Yin Xue.

“This is a lesson for you. Next time, we’ll see if you dare to act up again,” Ji Yuxian snorted.

“You men all go out for pleasure, why can’t I do it?” Su Jiu protested.

“That’s other men. This husband has been saving himself for his lady and his lady only, so my lady should do the same and only have fun with me!” Ji Yuxian started blowing into her ear, hands attempting to grope her body again.

Su Jiu, feeling tickled, began rolling back and forth on the bed.

Later, a manservant came to the door and announced that Yin Xue was back. Besides having caught a little cold, he was going to be fine.

Su Jiu was relieved. She sent people to call a doctor to prescribe some medicine for Yin Xue.

“You are happy now?” Ji Yuxian laughed and raised a hand to put out the dim, flickering candle. Then, he rolled into the inner side of the bed with Su Jiu in his arms.

…

Qiao An spent three days in Wuling County and successfully collected the autumn tax.

One day before Qiao An returned to Shengjing City, Su Jiu went to the palace to meet Emperor Zhao Ping.

The following day, Qiao An came back to Shengjing City and returned to the palace to report the events of his trip.

After he had arrived at Wuling County, he found that most of the people who had stirred up trouble were from a small town nearby, claiming that since they grew the crops themselves, they shouldn’t have to give them to the imperial court.

Qiao An did not have to resort to force. Neither did he try to reason with them. He simply ordered the local officers to alter the river channel, which the local people relied on for irrigation. Now the river was directed somewhere else.

The villagers became worried.

Before, they relied heavily on the weather for potential harvests. Often, natural disasters like drought and floods made their farming efforts futile. Sometimes, they even ended up without enough food for themselves.

Then, the imperial court had channels dug and reservoirs built. Now, when it rained, the overflowing water in the fields could flow into the reservoirs, saved for irrigation when there wasn’t enough rain or if drought occurred. Because of this, in recent years, the villagers enjoyed plentiful harvests and every family had enough food.

If the channel was changed, they would certainly go back to having futile harvests, dependent on nature and helpless to the weather when there was a flood or a drought.

The villagers ignored the protesters’ threats and went to Qiao An, begging him to stop.

Then, Qiao An told the local villagers that the tax they paid was used to maintain channels and reservoirs. If nobody paid the tax, the imperial court had no choice but to redirect the river channel to places where people were willing to pay their tax.

It was not a difficult concept to comprehend. The villagers were neither stubborn nor stupid, so they quickly paid the autumn tax.

The people who had stirred up protests among the villagers were locked up in the local prison and punished with a spanking. They behaved themselves after that.

After hearing Qiao An’s report, Emperor Zhao Ping was delighted. He praised Qiao An for his accomplishment.

Now that the autumn tax had been collected, and everything in Wuling County had been taken care of, the dust should have settled. But one day later, the imperial censor suddenly received a letter of petition from local people.

It was not a thank-you note to Qiao An. They were making accusations of him.

They accused him of beating up the villagers and acting like a mountain bandit. They claimed that Qiao An acted with arrogance, like he owned the place, and forced the villagers to pay tax through violence, which led to many people getting severely injured.

The events mentioned in the petition letter was obviously contrary to everything Qiao An had reported. Emperor Zhao Ping ordered that this case be investigated carefully.

An anonymous memorandum aiming to impeach Qiao An was also submitted to Emperor Zhao Ping, claiming that Qiao An used to be a mountain bandit at Yuhu Mountain. He had tampered with the documents of his background and lied to the Emperor to obtain his role. This time around, he had gone to Wuling County with several other bandit members and bullied the local civilians into submission.

This notice shocked the whole imperial court.

Qiao An was a third-rank official. Although he was still very young, he had become one of the principal officials of the imperial court. If he had been a mountain bandit before, it would be an outrage to the nobles.

Although all the officials were discussing how the Emperor would punish Qiao An now that the anonymous memorandum was submitted, it didn’t seem to affect Emperor Zhao Ping or Qiao An in any way.

Every day, Qiao An still participated in the routine mourning audience, leaving the court afterward to discuss issues with others, as if nothing had happened.

One day, after the routine morning audience, Lord Yun Nan went to the Royal Study to play chess and converse with Emperor Zhao Ping. He asked casually, “How does the Emperor plan to handle the case of Qiao An? A petition letter has been submitted, so the imperial court has to give the people an answer! If an official of the imperial court is indeed a former mountain bandit, it will be no good for our reputation.”

Emperor Zhao Ping didn’t seem impressed or alarmed. “I’ve already known that Qiao An was a former mountain bandit. It’s not a big deal.”

Lord Yun Nan was a bit surprised. “Really? Where did the Emperor learn about this?”

“It doesn’t matter where I heard of this. Years ago, Qiao An became a bandit at Yuhu Mountain because he had no choice. Although he joined the mountain bandits, he always tried to persuade others to do good. Eventually, he helped the Crown Prince in the mission of quelling the mountain bandits, despite his previous attachments to them. I have asked Lie’er to verify this, and it was all true. So, his good service to the imperial court has made amends for his faults. I can’t punish him for that,” Emperor Zhao Ping said and laughed.

“I understand.” Lord Yun Nan smiled bitterly.

When Lord Yun Nan returned to his manor, he saw Yu Long waiting for him.

“Someone has already told the Emperor about Qiao An beforehand,” Lord Yun Nan said in a low voice.

Yu Long said with a smile, “Don’t feel bad, Father. We’ve already accomplished our goal!”

Puzzled, Lord Yun Nan turned his gaze to Yu Long.

“What we wanted was not for the Emperor to punish Qiao An. We simply wanted the Emperor to become aware that Qiao An was from the Dragon Conqueror Gang,” Yu Long said meaningfully.

Lord Yun Nan’s eyes lit up with understanding and nodded, a smile on his face.

Two days after the uproar about Qiao An, something happened at the Su residence.

In the early morning, before Su Jiu left, attendants rushed into the courtyard to make an arrest.

Su Jiu’s servants had no idea what was happening. They simply ran around and started shouting. The yard was a mess.

Peach hurried to the rear court to report the situation. Su Jiu came out with Eldest Mistress to see what was going on. Then, she saw that their leader was Cheng Qian, the head constable she had met a couple of times before.

Cheng Qian did not expect to see Su Jiu there. He walked up to greet her.

“What’s going on?” Su Jiu asked.

Cheng Qian said, “Since Master Su Jiu is here, I will tell you everything. Su Di and Su Yan from your manor have accepted bribes and claimed to be His Highness’s people at Mingyuzhai. They had obtained a lot of money this way. Someone sued them, and now Magistrate Lin has ordered me to take all the Su family members to the government office.

Su Wenqian hurried over and said nervously, “Why would Di’er and his brother dare to do something like that? Has someone set them up?”

Cheng Qian said, “The person who sued submitted solid evidence to prove that Su Di really accepted the money.”

Su Wenqian’s face went pale.

Su Jiu remained calm. She even smiled and said, “Well, let’s all go then. Whether Su Di and his partner accepted bribes or not, they haven’t used any of that in this family. We don’t know anything about it.”

Su Di and Su Yan had already been dragged to the government office. The moment they saw the strong and solemn officers, they got scared and huddled together, shivering.

Su Wenqian was furious at the sight of them. He walked up and kicked Su Di. “You, useless losers! I thought you guys finally know better, but you only became worse! Look at what you’ve done this time! It’s a disaster!”

“Father, please save us!” Su Di and Su Yan begged, kneeling down.

“Your father probably can’t even save himself; how can he save you now?” Cheng Qian shouted in a cold voice. “Take them all.”

Someone tried to bind Su Jiu and Eldest Mistress with a chain but ended up getting kicked several feet away. “Stay away from my mother!” she shouted.

Swoosh! Several constables took out their swords and held them against Su Jiu’s neck.

Cheng Qian knew Su Jiu was close to both the Crown Prince and the Eldest Young Master of Ji Manor, so he quickly commanded, “Withdraw your swords! Su Jiu and Eldest Mistress don’t need to be chained.”

“Yes!” The constables withdrew their swords and stood aside.

“Oh, that’s right!” Su Jiu said brightly, “Su Di and Su Yan’s biological mother is also in this manor. Do you want to take her too?”

“Of course! Anyone related to Su Di needs to be taken.” Chen Qian gave an order to his men.

Madame Lin, who had been hiding in the kitchen, was soon taken. She was still trying to fight her fate. “I’m not a member of the Su family anymore; I was expelled!”

“Are you the mother of Su Di and Su Yan?” Cheng Qian asked.

Madame Lin was still shaking her head. “But I was expelled!”

“You still could have given birth to them even if you were expelled. Take her!” Cheng Qian ordered.

Two constables quickly walked up and chained Madame Lin.

Madame Lin started howling, “Traitors! You traitors have dragged me down! You haven’t taken care of me even for a day, and now I have to suffer because of the two of you!”

“No more words. Hurry up! You can cry when you face Magistrate Lin!” A constable pushed Madame Lin, and she staggered forward.

Su Jiu held Eldest Mistress’s hand and said, “I’m sorry, Mother. Let’s just get this over with.”

Eldest Mistress shook her head and said, “There’s no need to worry. We know we are innocent. I believe the truth will be revealed.”

Su Jiu smiled and said, “Yes. Don’t worry, Mother.”

The Su family was taken to the capital city government office. They were all waiting outside the courthouse for Magistrate Lin to call upon them.

They waited for a zodiac hour, but Magistrate Lin still didn’t show up. Su Jiu asked the constable beside them, “Can you please bring a stool over? My mother is not feeling well.”

The constable, new and conceited about having a government job, was used to yelling at suspects. Now that he found himself faced with a “suspect” who dared to ask for a stool, his eyes widened, and he shouted, “Go down on your knees in the corner by the wall! Behave yourself! Or you will get spanked!”

Su Jiu kicked him in the chest and said, “Acting up in front of your little master? How many lives do you think you have?”

The constable staggered back, falling on his butt to the ground. The constables around them burst out laughing.

Swoosh! He took out his sword in a fury and jumped to his feet. “How dare you attack a government officer? Do you want to die?”

Su Di, Su Yan, and Madame Lin all stayed as far away from Su Jiu as they could, fearing that the crazy Eldest Young Lady would get them involved.

Su Wenqian, on the other hand, walked up and said, “Officer, my daughter is ignorant, please forgive her!”

The constable cast a sinister glance at Su Jiu and said, “Look at you, wearing a man’s robe! It’s not too hard to tell what you really are. You are actually a woman!”

Eldest Mistress furrowed her brows and stepped up in front of Su Jiu. She said to the constable, “Don’t say anything disrespectful!”

“I will be more than disrespectful! I want her to kneel to me and beg!” the constable shouted and laughed.

Madame Lin and Su Di, among others, tried to remain invisible on the side. They almost forgot about what was happening to them, and simply focused on Su Jiu making a scene.

Su Wenqian took out a silver ingot and tried to give it to the constable. “Please don’t get mad, officer, it’s not worth it to lower yourself to the level of a little girl.”

The constable snatched the silver ingot and kicked Su Wenqian in the leg, yelling, “Piss off!”

Su Jiu waved at the constable and said, “You, come over here.”

“What? You want to kneel to me?” The constable walked up to her with his sword in hand.

Suddenly, Su Jiu grinned and kicked his crotch. While he bent over and began screaming, Su Jiu lifted her leg and stepped on his back, pressing him down into the ground. Then, she placed more force on her foot, pressing down hard, and the constable instantly cried like a pig getting slaughtered.

“Ah! Someone! Help me!

“Please, hero, let me go!”

The constable almost couldn’t bear the pain on his back anymore and started crying and begging.

Madame Lin shouted in shock, “Yuejiu, let him go! Nothing good will come to us if you offend people from the government office!”

“F*ck off!” Su Jiu yelled, staring at her. Something savage flashed across her face.

Madame Lin backed up in fear.

Su Wenqian was also staring at his daughter in shock. He had heard about how unrestrained and reckless Su Jiu was in Shengjing City. But since Su Jiu acted normally at the Su residence, it was the first time Su Wenqian saw this wild side of her.

It suddenly occurred to him that this daughter of his used to be a mountain bandit. A chill went down his spine.

Some other constable heard the noise and came over. He held his sword against Su Jiu’s neck and said, “Let him go, or we won’t be so nice to you!”

“Let him go? Sure!” Su Jiu grinned mischievously and kicked the constable out from under her foot.

Bam! He flew and crashed into the wall, passing out soon after his eyes rolled and turned white.

“How dare you! Crazy bast*rd! You hurt an officer in the government office!” a constable yelled in a cold voice.

At that moment, someone followed Cheng Qian from outside the government office. Cheng Qian spoke to him in a respectful voice, “The court trial hasn’t started yet. Eldest Young Master, please take a rest first. Or I can let Magistrate Lin know and lead you to the rear yard to have a cup of tea.”

“No need. I will just wait here,” a pleasant voice replied. Then, he walked into the courtyard.

The man was wearing a dark-purple satin robe with silver-string-embroidered patterns near the end of the sleeves. His hair was jet-black, his face handsome and enchanting. He stood tall, slender, and strong. As he walked, his hair danced slightly in the air, drawing attention to his elegant, noble aura.

His eyes lit up the second he saw Su Jiu.

In the yard of the courthouse, several constables had surrounded Su Jiu with their weapons drawn. As soon as they saw Eldest Young Master Ji, they backed away.

Cheng Qian hurriedly gave the order, “Go get chairs!”

“Yes!”

Several constables brought two big wooden chairs. Ji Yuxian walked up and said with a smile, “Mother-in-law, my lady, please sit down!”

All the constables were shocked and cast a sympathetic glance at their colleague who had passed out at the corner of the wall. The woman who attacked him turned out to be the Young Mistress of Ji Manor!

“Thank you so much, Yuxian,” the Eldest Mistress said with a smile.

Su Jiu’s savage look faded away. She said with a smile, “What brings you here?”

Ji Yuxian took her hand and said, “I have some chinaware at Mingyuzhai that has gone missing. I heard that this case has something to do with Mingyuzhai, so I came here to listen and see if I can find my missing chinaware.

Su Di and Su Yan lowered their heads and trembled.

Then, the gate of the government office opened again. A man with a goatee and a long gray robe approached them. He looked very flustered. The man looked up at Ji Yuxian and hurried to say his greetings, “Greetings, Eldest Young Master!”

“Shopkeeper Xiao!” Ji Yuxian said with a smile.

“I was wrongfully accused in this case! I don’t have anything to do with what Su Di and Su Yan did!” Xiao Changhai tried to defend himself.

“I believe that Magistrate Lin will look into the case, and justice will be served!”

“Yes, yes!”

An attendant ran into the courthouse and shouted loudly, “The magistrate has arrived. The court trial is starting!”

Wei-Wu!

It was loud and clear, coming from the courthouse.

“Bring in the suspects, Su Di, and all other related personnel!” Magistrate Lin shouted.

Ji Yuxian held Su Jiu’s hand, and they strode towards the courthouse.