When Lin Zhiji woke up, he found himself back in a familiar room.
Soft bedding covered him, and a faint, bitter medicinal scent lingered in the air. But the moment he moved, pain spread through his entire body as if he had been run over.
Seeing him awake, Song Lü looked overjoyed. “Young Master Lin, you’re finally awake! How do you feel? I’ll go immediately to call the master and the physician…”
Before Lin Zhiji could even say a single word, Song Lü had already rushed out.
His brief moment of clarity didn’t last long; he quickly fell back into sleep.
When he woke again, it was night.
A hoarse voice asked, “Awake?”
A light was struck, cutting through the darkness, and the room brightened.
Xie Yi sat by the bed, gently helping him up and holding him while feeding him water.
The sweet water soothed his dry throat, clearing his mind slightly.
“…What time is it now?”
Xie Yi wiped the corner of his mouth with a cloth. “It should be around Zi hour.”
“Zi hour?” Lin Zhiji paused. “How long have I been asleep?”
“Three days.”
Lin Zhiji: !!!
He had thought it was only one day at most—no wonder he felt so weak.
“Are you hungry?” Xie Yi asked.
Lin Zhiji wasn’t really hungry, but reason told him he should eat, so he nodded.
Xie Yi laid him back down and went out to instruct someone.
Only then did Lin Zhiji realize something and slowly lifted his hand from the blanket.
It was solid—no longer transparent.
He immediately checked his points.
Although they were still pitifully few, they were no longer in the dangerous red negative.
So his body turning transparent really was related to points.
He felt a lingering fear and silently resolved never to act recklessly again.
Xie Yi returned and saw him staring at his hand.
His heart tightened sharply.
But he quickly concealed it and asked, “Do you want to do missions?”
“That one,” Lin Zhiji said softly, “the talent performance one. Make the villain laugh for one minute.”
Xie Yi accepted without complaint.
He lifted Lin Zhiji, still wrapped in blankets, into his arms so his head rested against his chest.
The familiar warmth made Lin Zhiji relax.
Half-awake, he suddenly asked, “Did Song Lü tell you I woke up, so you stayed here the whole time?”
Xie Yi paused. “Song Lü misreported military information. He is currently kneeling outside.”
Lin Zhiji: …
If this were before, he would have pleaded for him.
But now he realized this was Xie Yi’s way of changing the subject.
So he asked again, slowly, “So you’ve been staying with me this whole time?”
Xie Yi narrowed his eyes slightly, then smiled. “Yes. Moved enough for Young Master Lin to offer himself in gratitude?”
Lin Zhiji: “…Where is Luo Zhitang?”
Xie Yi’s expression cooled. “He neglected his duty. According to rules…”
Lin Zhiji immediately struggled. “I sneaked out myself! It has nothing to do with him—don’t cut off his hand!”
Xie Yi’s grip didn’t loosen at all, but his tone stayed flat: “No hand was cut. He received ten board strikes.”
Lin Zhiji finally relaxed, then dramatically started pretending to be in pain.
Xie Yi saw through it completely, but his gaze softened anyway.
“Next mission.”
Lin Zhiji picked randomly: “Just this one—make the villain perform a talent show and laugh for one minute.”
He assumed Xie Yi would be perfunctory as always.
Instead, Xie Yi produced three glass beads from nowhere, and while holding Lin Zhiji, began manipulating them between his fingers.
They spun at terrifying speed, yet never once fell.
Lin Zhiji watched in awe.
Xie Yi’s eyes lingered on his face, lips faintly curving.
At that moment, there was a knock at the door.
Song Lü entered with porridge.
Xie Yi paused the mission, took the bowl, and fed Lin Zhiji himself.
Lin Zhiji felt awkward and tried to sit up, but Xie Yi said coolly, “What? Afraid I won’t serve you properly?”
The word “serve” made Lin Zhiji instantly recall that night. His face flushed red.
Too embarrassed to argue, he obediently opened his mouth.
To distract himself, he asked about what happened after he passed out.
Only then did he learn that the place he fell into was the real secret chamber.
Xie Yi’s deduction had been correct all along—the real chamber was hidden in an inconspicuous place, while the visible ones were all decoys.
If Lin Zhiji hadn’t accidentally fallen in, it would have been very difficult to discover.
Lin Zhiji didn’t know whether to call himself lucky or unlucky.
“What about the Kou family? What secret are they hiding?”
Xie Yi explained the origins: a descendant line tied to the collapse of the previous dynasty, a displaced princess lineage, and a long-planned attempt to restore the old regime through hidden alliances and covert power accumulation.
Lin Zhiji finally understood.
No wonder they had risen so quickly in Qingzhou, while keeping Xu as a public front and hiding themselves in the shadows.
No wonder they bribed officials for years.
If Xie Yi hadn’t come, things might have ended very differently.
Lin Zhiji, exhausted, murmured, “So… everything is resolved now?”
“Mm.” Xie Yi tucked him back under the blanket. “Rest assured.”
Lin Zhiji fell asleep.
Only after confirming he was fully asleep did Xie Yi stand and leave.
Outside, his expression returned to its usual coldness.
Luo Zhitang waited outside. “Master.”
Xie Yi said calmly, “Talk outside.”
Then added, “Don’t let anyone disturb him.”
—
Outside the quiet courtyard, Qingzhou was anything but peaceful.
Soldiers filled the streets, arresting members of the Xu and Kou families.
At first the citizens were terrified, but soon realized the troops were disciplined and only targeted those two families.
Over time, they even began assisting in capturing fugitives.
Within three days, all remaining members had been taken.
Luo Zhitang handed over blood-stained confessions.
Xie Yi glanced at them. “Send them to the capital with a report.”
“Understood,” Luo Zhitang said, then asked, “And the Xu and Kou families… how should we deal with them?”
Xie Yi said coldly, “Kill them all.”
Luo Zhitang froze. “Not send them to the capital for trial?”
Xie Yi replied evenly, “No need. All of them—execute without exception.”
The words were spoken lightly, but carried a chilling finality.
Luo Zhitang hesitated. “And the officials of Qingzhou? If we kill them too, the court will not let this go…”
Xie Yi did not usually explain his decisions.
But then he remembered something.
Those things he had once believed unnecessary suddenly revealed a kind of power he had never expected.
So, for once, he spoke:
“The imperial court will soon be too occupied with its own troubles to care. — Do you still remember what I told you when I sent you to Qingzhou?”
Luo Zhitang replied, “I remember. My lord told me to store more grain…”
His eyes suddenly widened.
“Could it be… there’s going to be a disaster?”
Xie Yi said, “There was a severe drought last year. This year, before summer has even begun, the weather is already unbearably hot. If nothing unexpected happens, a locust plague will arrive soon.”
Luo Zhitang shuddered in alarm.
Xie Yi continued, “Corruption festers throughout the court. Officials are rotten to the core, and resentment among the common people has long been boiling over. It’s like fire stored beneath kindling—a single disaster will be enough to ignite everything.”
Luo Zhitang finally understood completely.
“The Xu and Kou families have wreaked havoc in Qingzhou, and officials throughout the province are accomplices. That is why, my lord, you intend to execute them publicly before the people—to calm public anger. Then, by providing disaster relief afterward, Qingzhou will be completely brought under your control.”
As for the imperial court, by then rebellions would likely be erupting everywhere. They would be overwhelmed and in no position to bother with them.
As long as they found a passable excuse, the court would simply turn a blind eye.
“I was too shallow in my thinking,” Luo Zhitang said shamefully. “To show off my little tricks before you, my lord—it was laughable.”
Seeing this, Xie Yi casually completed one of his daily tasks.
“There is no need to belittle yourself. You have your strengths as well.”
Luo Zhitang: !!!
Had the sun risen in the west today?!
Putting aside the fact that his lord had actually taken the time to explain things to him—he had even praised him!
But he quickly realized something.
The sun had not risen in the west. Such a change in his lord could only be because of Lin Zhiji.
Seeing Xie Yi about to leave, Luo Zhitang hurried forward.
“My lord, how is Young Master Lin doing now?”
Xie Yi stopped, his cold gaze sweeping over Luo Zhitang.
Luo Zhitang quickly explained, “It was my negligence that allowed Young Master Lin to risk himself alone. I truly feel terrible about it.”
Xie Yi did not believe him.
Luo Zhitang appeared approachable and easygoing, but in truth he was cold-natured and suspicious.
Only because Xie Yi had saved him years ago did he possess any loyalty at all. To him, everyone else fell into only two categories: useful and useless.
Would he feel guilty? Feel bad?
And ever since meeting Lin Zhiji, Luo Zhitang had been unusually attentive toward him. This time, after Lin Zhiji had been injured, he had even volunteered to be punished. It was completely unlike his usual temperament.
At the thought, Xie Yi’s voice turned colder, a chilling killing intent flashing briefly through his eyes.
Luo Zhitang stiffened.
“My lord misunderstands,” he hurriedly said. “I absolutely have no improper thoughts toward Young Master Lin. It’s just…” He hesitated, as if struggling to explain. “The moment I met Young Master Lin, I felt an indescribable closeness to him. Like family… and yet also like an old friend…”
Had Xie Yi not seen the genuine confusion on Luo Zhitang’s face, he would have thought the man had gone insane.
Truthfully, Luo Zhitang thought he might be losing his mind too.
Over the years, if he had not schemed against a thousand people, he had at least manipulated eight hundred.
His heart was as hard as stone. He had never been burdened by emotions and always acted decisively.
He had known Song Lü and the others for years, yet never felt this way toward them. But after meeting Lin Zhiji for the first time, he had instinctively felt close to him—had even found himself taking the initiative to approach him.
After hearing him out, Xie Yi fell into thoughtful silence.