After returning to the yamen, the first thing Meng Xizhao did was pour himself a cup of hot tea.
Qingfu hurried over and lifted the teapot for him.
Prefect Wan sat down beside Meng Xizhao, looking troubled. “Prefect Meng, about what that Sun Houquan said—do you think it’s true?”
He had been present in the courtroom and had faced Guan Yousan directly. Somehow, that last reaction of Guan Yousan’s hadn’t seemed fake.
Meng Xizhao took a sip of tea, then lifted his gaze toward Prefect Wan. “Why wouldn’t it be true? He’s just a street thug. Without someone guiding him from behind, how would he know how to recruit soldiers, stir up the townsfolk, and even set his sights on Longxing Prefecture?”
Prefect Wan hesitated. “That…”
It sounded somewhat reasonable—but still felt forced.
Meng Xizhao continued, “Or do you think Sun Houquan was lying—and that Guan Yousan really managed to secretly grow to this scale, right under the noses of everyone in Jiangzhou?”
Prefect Wan froze. He looked at Meng Xizhao, sensing there was more beneath his words, but couldn’t quite grasp it.
Seeing this, Meng Xizhao sighed lightly and spelled it out more clearly. “If no one was backing him, then this was Guan Yousan’s doing alone. A lowly thug turns into the leader of a rebellion, and the entire Jiangzhou remains unaware. If this reaches His Majesty, who do you think he’ll blame?”
Prefect Wan: “…………”
Cold sweat instantly broke out across his back.
He had been sent to Jiangzhou as punishment for a past mistake. While being demoted had almost become a badge of honor among scholars, once was enough—no one wanted it to happen twice.
And this time, the offense was far more serious. If the Emperor blamed him, it wouldn’t just be another demotion—he could be exiled as a criminal.
On top of that, his elder brother had already fallen out of favor for taking a courtesan as a concubine at an advanced age. Their family was already on thin ice. If he drew imperial attention again because of this…
Prefect Wan’s back stiffened. Swallowing, he spoke with forced righteousness, “I was muddleheaded just now. Sun Houquan has already been punished—how could he still dare to lie? It must be Guan Yousan, refusing to confess even after being exposed. Thankfully, Prefect Meng is wise and has seen through him.”
He even added with indignation, “In the end, it’s all the fault of those shameless people of Nanzhao! To think they would resort to such despicable methods against our Great Qi!”
Only then did Meng Xizhao smile faintly. “No need to be overly angered, Prefect Wan. Fortunately, Nanzhao’s scheme has been foiled, and the gathered rebels have already been taken care of by the general sent by General Ding. Speaking of which, you should thank General Ding—without his help, how could we have stabilized things so quickly?”
Prefect Wan: “……”
To be honest, he didn’t think involving Ding Chun in this matter was a good thing at all.
If it had been him, he would never have sought help from a powerful general like Ding Chun. Civil officials and military officers walked different paths—they were wary of each other by nature.
He would have gone to the regional commander instead—a man who oversaw military affairs but didn’t personally lead troops, essentially a civil official among military ranks.
Even though Prefect Wan preferred composing poetry, he understood one thing: power was safest in one’s own hands. Ding Chun commanded a hundred thousand troops—if you asked him, the threat of inviting Ding Chun was greater than Guan Yousan’s rebellion.
Fortunately, Ding Chun hadn’t come in person, only sending a subordinate to suppress the rebels. Even so, Prefect Wan remained uneasy. The thought of battle-hardened soldiers stationed outside the city kept him from relaxing.
He didn’t voice any of this to Meng Xizhao, but just from his hesitant expression, Meng Xizhao could guess most of it.
He almost rolled his eyes.
Someone had helped save you, and instead of gratitude, all you could think about was guarding against them. No wonder you’d been demoted—such narrow vision could hardly be salvaged by even the highest immortals.
At that thought, Meng Xizhao lowered his gaze slightly.
Zhan Buxiu might not understand officialdom as well as Meng Xizhao—but Meng Xizhao didn’t understand the court as well as Zhan Buxiu.
Zhan Buxiu had declined Meng Xizhao’s invitation, never entering the city or stopping to rest. After killing many and capturing many more, he led his troops back to Jizhou overnight.
Before, Meng Xizhao hadn’t understood why he was in such a hurry. Now, seeing Prefect Wan’s reaction, he finally grasped the underlying complexities.
The struggle between civil and military officials—no matter where you go, it can’t be avoided.
Pressing his lips together, Meng Xizhao decided not to mention Zhan Buxiu again. If he did, Prefect Wan would only spiral into even more speculation.
Next, the two men completed the handover.
Sun Houquan was, after all, a man of Jiangzhou. Since he had escorted the prisoner back, it was now up to Prefect Wan to deal with him. Meng Xizhao only added a brief remark—this man had confessed the truth and exposed the wolfish ambitions of the Nanzhao people, which counted as a merit. Let his merits and faults cancel each other out; there was no need to make things difficult for his family, nor to continue torturing him. A sentence of execution by beheading would suffice.
It was a minor matter, and Prefect Wan naturally agreed. Besides, now that the handover was complete, Meng Xizhao was supposed to leave, so Wan’s expression looked especially pleased.
However, Meng Xizhao said he intended to stay a few more days.
“The scenery of Jiangzhou is quite pleasant. I wish to linger for a few more days. At the same time, I can draft the memorial I need to submit—sending it from here to Yingtian Prefecture will be cheaper than sending it from Longxing Prefecture.”
Prefect Wan: “…………”
The two places were only a little over a hundred li apart. On horseback, it would take less than half a day!
But what could he say? Meng Xizhao was a favorite in front of the Tianshou Emperor, and Guan Yousan had been preparing a rebellion right on Jiangzhou’s soil. At this point, both his official position and his life were practically in Meng Xizhao’s hands. He did not dare offend him.
He even used the excuse of hosting a banquet to send over two beautiful women.
Meng Xizhao: “…………”
His reputation for lust had already spread throughout Great Qi. Even though Prefect Wan had not returned to Yingtian Prefecture for years, he still knew Meng Xizhao’s preference for beautiful women.
After a moment of silence, Meng Xizhao looked at Prefect Wan with displeasure. “Women of this caliber are fit to accompany drinking?”
Prefect Wan was taken aback. “These two are the most renowned courtesans in Jiangzhou.”
Meng Xizhao glanced at the women again, his face full of disdain. “They are not even as pretty as my maid.”
Prefect Wan: “……”
He wanted to curse, but could not bring himself to do so. He could only wave his hand and dismiss the two women.
At that moment, Meng Xizhao seemed to shed the skin of an official and revert to his former self—the useless, wine-soaked dandy.
Smiling, he leaned toward Prefect Wan. “I knew Prefect Wan would be a man of the same inclinations. After all, like elder brother, like younger brother.”
Prefect Wan: “…………”
Nonsense! I have not taken a concubine in years!
But he dared not refute him and could only give an awkward smile. “Prefect Meng jokes.”
Meng Xizhao acted as if he did not notice his discomfort and leaned even closer. “But lately, I have changed my taste. Women from the pleasure houses—at first glance they seem enchanting, but after enough contact, you realize their tricks are all the same. The things they say to me, they have probably said to a hundred others. What is the point? No point at all.”
Prefect Wan listened and had a vague sense that there was something else behind his words. “So… you have changed your preference?”
Meng Xizhao sighed. “Exactly. One who understands me—Prefect Wan indeed.”
Prefect Wan: “…………”
That was a compliment he did not want at all.
Suppressing his unease, he asked, “Then what kind of women does Prefect Meng favor now?”
He thought to himself that there were no shortage of brothels in Jiangzhou. Whatever Meng Xizhao wanted, he could find—at worst, he would just conceal their identities.
Meng Xizhao gave him a strange smile, lifted his wine cup, and stared at him until his scalp prickled before finally giving his answer:
“Lately, it is official family daughters who best suit my taste.”
Prefect Wan nodded absentmindedly, lowering his head to think about where to find such a person—then suddenly froze and snapped his head back up.
What did you say suits your taste?!
…
Prefect Wan was stunned. Meng Xizhao, you shameless opportunist—taking advantage of the situation, are you? You are actually setting your sights on my daughter?!
It was not entirely his fault for misunderstanding. Meng Xizhao’s words were easily misconstrued, and Prefect Wan happened to have a fourteen-year-old unmarried daughter at home. Naturally, he assumed Meng Xizhao was referring to her.
Meng Xizhao watched in bewilderment as Prefect Wan’s complexion shifted from light brown to flushed red, practically turning the color of Lord Guan. After holding it in for a long moment, Wan finally forced out a single sentence:
“Over my dead body!!!”
Even if his daughter never married in her lifetime, she would never marry someone like Meng Xizhao!
Meng Xizhao: “…………”
Once he realized what had happened, he could not help but laugh. “What are you thinking? I was not talking about your daughter.”
Prefect Wan was still doubtful. “Really?”
This time, Meng Xizhao truly could not hold back and rolled his eyes. “Of course it is true. I still intend to enjoy myself for a few more years—I have no plans of settling down.”
Prefect Wan: “……”
Silently sitting back down, he asked, “Then when you say official family daughters, you mean…?”
Meng Xizhao set down his wine cup. “I have heard before that in Jiangzhou, there are many exiled officials. Their families followed them here and settled down.”
Prefect Wan looked at him. “Yes. Outside the city, there is a quarry. Many of those families live nearby. The townsfolk even call it ‘Sinners’ Village.’”
The moment Meng Xizhao heard this, his eyes lit up. He no longer even needed to act. “Then… are there any particularly beautiful ones among them?”
Prefect Wan: “…………”
I cannot take this anymore.
Are you even human?
The officials may indeed be guilty, but their families are often innocent—mostly women and children, already living in hardship. And now this scoundrel has set his sights on them.
Prefect Wan was not entirely without conscience, but not much of it either. After a long silence, he finally said, “I do not go there often. But I have heard that Madam Su is of peerless beauty, and the young Miss Su is also said to be an exceptional beauty.”
Meng Xizhao blinked. “The Su family?”
Prefect Wan nodded. “The wife and daughter of Su Wanjun.”
Meng Xizhao blinked again. “Su Wanjun?”
Prefect Wan replied, “…the former Prefect of Zhending Prefecture who, in the seventh year of Tianshou, was convicted of embezzling disaster relief grain and had his household confiscated—Su Wanjun.”
As soon as he said that, Meng Xizhao remembered.
This man had not been mentioned in the book, but during the months Meng Xizhao worked as a compiler, he had not spent every day mechanically copying texts. When he had free time, he would flip through old case files, reading about the major and minor events that had taken place in Yingtian Prefecture over the years.
The exile of a prefect already counted as a major case.
According to the records, when Su Wanjun served as prefect, he had thrown the entire Zhending Prefecture into chaos, leaving the people in misery. When flooding struck Zhending, the court allocated two million taels of disaster relief funds. Yet by the time the money reached the victims, only fifty thousand taels remained. The matter escalated all the way to the court, and the Tianshou Emperor sent investigators to uncover the truth.
They discovered that it was Su Wanjun himself—his appetite enormous—who had embezzled one million nine hundred fifty thousand taels on his own.
The Tianshou Emperor flew into a rage and immediately ordered his arrest. But when they searched his household, they found only five hundred thousand taels. As for the remaining one million plus, no one knew where it had gone—likely squandered already.
Enraged, the emperor decreed that Su Wanjun be executed by dismemberment with five horses. However, he was one step too late. Knowing he could not escape death, Su Wanjun had already taken his own life in prison.
The case file described his death in detail—he had used his belt to hang himself from a beam in his cell.
The record was thorough and appeared entirely objective, devoid of personal sentiment. But anything written by a person inevitably carries bias.
Zhending Prefecture had once been under the control of Commissioner Qiu Suming for nearly eight years. During that time, the entire Hebei region had essentially been his domain. The seventh year of Tianshou—the very year of Su Wanjun’s downfall—was Qiu Suming’s second-to-last year in Hebei.
In other words, just one year after the Zhending prefect’s case erupted, Qiu Suming obediently returned to Yingtian Prefecture, no longer serving as a powerful regional authority.
When Meng Xizhao read the file back then, he had felt that something was off. But he had not investigated further. After all, the prefect was already dead—and had been dead for nearly ten years. There were plenty of living matters waiting in line; he had no time to concern himself with the dead.
He had not expected to hear that name again today.
Meng Xizhao found it rather interesting. Perhaps he could visit that so-called Sinners’ Village and take a look at this allegedly stunning Madam Su.
However, after hearing him out, Prefect Wan shook his head. “You will not be able to see her.”
Meng Xizhao paused. “Why?”
Prefect Wan sighed. “Last year, when Longxing Prefecture fell, the Nanzhao forces advanced to the outskirts of Jiangzhou. General Ding led the troops in a stubborn defense. Although he prevented them from entering the city, the people outside the walls still suffered. Sinners’ Village is located by the quarry outside the city, usually guarded by only a few overseers. When the Nanzhao troops arrived, they took away anyone young and pleasing to the eye—men or women alike.”
He paused before continuing, “The men… after a year or two, they might still return. But the women… most likely will never come back.”
Meng Xizhao: “…………”
＊
Since things had not worked out, Meng Xizhao felt somewhat frustrated. Still, he remained at the Jiangzhou yamen and did not mention returning.
As for the memorial he had sent out, it was delivered at full speed and reached the Tianshou Emperor in just one day.
After reading its contents, the emperor was quickly overcome with fury.
…
“Zhen Anluo—this must be his vicious scheme!”
Zhen Anluo—the Emperor of Nanzhao, and the greatest enemy of the Tianshou Emperor in this lifetime.
Everything on the imperial desk was swept to the floor. Qin Feimang did not dare to pick anything up, only urging, “Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Fortunately, Prefect Meng discovered Nanzhao’s plot in advance, and that man Guan Yousan has already confessed and accepted punishment. Truly, Heaven protects Great Qi—Heaven protects Your Majesty.”
Hearing this, the emperor’s mood improved slightly, but soon his anger flared again. “No, this Zhen Anluo is utterly despicable! Go draft an edict—summon Meng Xizhao back. I must question him personally before I can be at ease.”
Qin Feimang hesitated. Officials posted outside the capital were rarely recalled after only a few months—there was no such precedent.
But here, the Tianshou Emperor was the precedent.
Thus, Qin Feimang said nothing further, acknowledged the order, and went to have the imperial edict drafted.
At the same time, he sent word to Meng Jiuyu, informing him that his precious son would soon be summoned back by His Majesty.
When Meng Jiuyu heard the news, his feelings were extremely complicated.
He longed for his son to return soon—but at the same time, he hoped it would not be too soon.
Because if he returned too early, it meant trouble. And anything involving his son was rarely anything good…
Meng Jiuyu was filled with unease.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Palace, Cui Ye’s state of mind was no better.
On the day they parted, he had failed to control his emotions. Given Erlang’s intelligence, he had likely already noticed something amiss.
But with eight hundred li between them, even if Cui Ye wanted to make amends, it would be difficult. Besides, he did not truly wish to make amends.
Perhaps it was better that he had been discovered. After all, nothing can be established without first being broken.
He reasoned this out calmly. Yet when he heard his subordinate report that, upon receiving the memorial from Longxing Prefecture, the Tianshou Emperor had immediately issued an edict summoning Meng Xizhao back to Yingtian Prefecture, for the first time ever, Zhang Shuogong saw a trace of tension on Cui Ye’s face.
Cui Ye, who would normally remain silent whenever his thoughts were in turmoil, now unexpectedly asked him for advice:
“Do you think… he is returning to see me?”
Zhang Shuogong: “…………”
He looked at Cui Ye with a strange expression, as though many thoughts were written across his face. But after a moment of silence, he still shook his head. “This subordinate does not know.”
Cui Ye pressed his lips together slightly and said nothing more.
He turned and walked out. Just then, Yu Fulan happened to return from outside. Seeing Cui Ye, he immediately bowed in greeting—but Cui Ye did not even spare him a glance. Burdened with speculation, he went off to practice calligraphy and calm his mind.
Yu Fulan watched the crown prince’s retreating figure in confusion, then walked over to Zhang Shuogong and asked curiously, “What is going on with His Highness?”
Ordinarily, Zhang Shuogong would not answer such a question.
His loyalty to Cui Ye was absolute—he did not even trust Yu Fulan, nor did he wish to share anything about Cui Ye’s words or actions.
But today, the suspicion in Zhang Shuogong’s heart had already reached its peak. Still, he could not be certain—after all, he had been away for nearly half a year, and who knew what might have happened during that time that he was unaware of.
Yu Fulan, however, had remained by His Highness’s side the entire time.
So Zhang Shuogong glanced at him and answered, “Someone just came to report that His Majesty has summoned Meng Xizhao back from Longxing Prefecture. His Highness asked me whether Meng Xizhao’s return might be to see him.”
They both understood without saying it outright: although it was the Tianshou Emperor who issued the summons, the one who had planted the idea in the emperor’s mind must have been Meng Xizhao himself.
Hearing this, Yu Fulan burst out laughing. “Of course not!”
“He went to such lengths to come back just to see His Highness? Meng Xizhao is not that kind of person. His actions may seem erratic, but everything he does is carefully considered. Making such a grand move must mean he has a more important purpose—how could it be just to see His Highness?”
After saying this, Yu Fulan even laughed a couple more times.
Behind him, Cui Ye—who had returned because he suddenly remembered something he needed to instruct—happened to walk back in.
A sudden prickling sensation ran down Yu Fulan’s back. He turned around and saw Cui Ye had returned; the smile on his face stiffened instantly.
Cui Ye looked at him in silence.
Realizing he had spoken out of turn, Yu Fulan carefully began, “Your Highness, I did not mean—”
Cui Ye cut him off. “Commander Yu, tomorrow you will leave Yingtian Prefecture and go search for renowned physicians across the land for me.”
Yu Fulan hesitated. “…But many people have already been sent.”
Cui Ye gave him a faint smile. “But I do not trust them.”
Yu Fulan froze for a moment, then his expression immediately turned moved. He agreed at once, even saying he did not need to wait until tomorrow—he could depart that very night.
Only then did Cui Ye feel slightly better. He turned and left again.
After a long silence, Yu Fulan turned to Zhang Shuogong and asked, “Do you think His Highness is angry and trying to send me away?”
Zhang Shuogong glanced at him and smiled as well—only his smile carried a distinct edge of sarcasm. “Of course not!”
Yu Fulan: “…………”