"Qinxue, that wicked girl, really thinks wolves are sheep!" Xiao Man rubbed her temples. "Mo Han and I are indeed friends, but as for obeying me, what do you take me for? Do I seem like his mother to make him obey?"
"That's true, so what are we going to do then?"
"Rob money!" Xiao Man snapped, her voice laced with malice. "These corrupt officials and scoundrel merchants who extort the people's livelihood—I'll squeeze every last cent they've hoarded over the years!"
"Aren't you afraid they'll fight back desperately?" Zhan Tianque asked with a smile. "Pang Tong has fifty thousand troops at his disposal!"
"Are you afraid?" Xiao Man asked softly.
"Just say the word, and I'll bring my men to rob them immediately!"
Xiao Man smiled, pleased. "Our next money-grabbing plan is tonight. The government is raising funds, but the merchants refuse to cooperate. Then, they'll be robbed. What do you think these merchants will do?"
"I knew you were scheming something. Whose place are we starting with?" Zhan Tianque's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"We'll start with the Merchant Guild's president, Qian Yourong's residence! Remember to leave a few clues so that these shrewd merchants know who robbed them."
"Yes, my lord!" Zhan Tianque happily went to prepare. Who would refuse more money? While they didn't rob honest citizens, the officials and merchants of Jiang Zhou were certainly not among them!
Qinxue watched Dugu Luo devour the food as if the wind had swept it away. She shifted her hand and continued to rest her chin on it. "A Luo, is it good?"
"It's delicious." Dugu Luo nodded vigorously. Qinxue was such a good person, always treating her to delicious food.
"If it's delicious, can you do me a favor?"
"Yes." Aman said that favors should be reciprocated. This favor could be done.
"Help me deliver a letter to Magistrate Wen." Qinxue's smile was radiant as she coaxed, "Can you?"
"No problem!" Dugu Luo nodded while stuffing food into her mouth. Delivering a letter was a small matter!
Qinxue's eyes gleamed. My lord, I'm truly sorry, but your subordinate needs to use Magistrate Wen a little. My lord shouldn't mind, right?
"If I go out, I need to tell Aman first." Dugu Luo seemed to have thought of something. "After I finish eating and get Aman's permission, I'll go!"
"No!" Qinxue immediately stopped her. If her lord found out, her plan would fall apart. "This is my private matter, and I don't want to disturb my lord. You are skilled in martial arts, so sneak out to deliver a letter for me and come back quickly. No one will find out, okay?"
Dugu Luo thought carefully. "Okay!"
Wen Mohan was investigating news from Zhang County, but he scoured the archives and found no records of Zhang County, not even population registration.
While he was troubled, the light in his room suddenly dimmed. Wen Mohan looked up and found a person standing in his room. Seeing this person, Wen Mohan's heart filled with joy.
"You are... Miss A Luo." Wen Mohan put down the archives he was holding, smiled friendly at Dugu Luo, and then pushed a plate of pastries on his desk forward. "Please sit."
Dugu Luo smiled and took a letter from her bosom, handing it to Wen Mohan. Then, she packed up all the pastries from Wen Mohan's plate and left without saying a word.
Wen Mohan quickly tore open the letter, read it, and a gentle smile curved his lips. "It's good that you are fine. It's just a few salt fields, they're all yours."
"You do spoil her!" Cen Yu appeared silently in the room. "All your supplies have been delivered."
"Brother Cen, thank you for your hard work." Wen Mohan stood up. "If it weren't for you this time, the post-disaster reconstruction wouldn't have progressed so quickly."
Cen Yu sat down beside him. "No one wanted to manage Jiang Zhou, yet you're taking on this mess!"
"Jiang Zhou is a good place." Wen Mohan said with a smile. "If I were to be assigned elsewhere in the future, I would like to come to Jiang Zhou."
Cen Yu frowned. "You intend to give up your promising future for Xiao Man."
"Brother Cen, you know my character, don't you?" Wen Mohan said gently. "I have my own plans."
"Xiao Man really put on a good show, deceiving everyone. Everyone thought she was seriously injured and recuperating at Gan Ye Temple. Yet, now she has appeared in..."
"Brother Cen, don't speak recklessly without evidence. Man'er is indeed seriously injured and unconscious." Wen Mohan interrupted Cen Yu. No matter what, he would never leave any handle that could be detrimental to Xiao Man.
Cen Yu was both angry and annoyed. "You're even deceiving me, your brother, for her now!"
Wen Mohan remained silent. When it came to Xiao Man, he dared not be careless. If rumors spread that Xiao Man was not seriously injured, she would inevitably be accused of deceiving the emperor. Moreover, Xiao Man had finally escaped the power struggles of the imperial capital. How could he let her fall back into them?
"Forget it, forget it!" Cen Yu saw his silence and understood that as long as it concerned Xiao Man, Wen Mohan became extremely cautious.
"How is the disaster relief going?"
"By the way, there's something I wanted to ask you. The Cen family also has businesses in Jiang Zhou. I wanted to ask if there is a county in Jiang Zhou named Zhang County?"
"Yes, it's a very remote place. Plus, it can't grow rice, so it's known as a poverty-stricken county." Cen Yu thought carefully. "I went there once. It was too poor, with no need for investment, so I gave up. Is there a problem?"
"It is said that a mineral deposit was discovered in Zhang Prefecture, and the Prefectural yamen mobilized many people to mine it, but not a single one returned. In the archives of Jiang Zhou, there are no records related to Zhang County, as if Zhang County had vanished into thin air."
"You suspect something is wrong with Zhang County?"
"Yes!" Wen Mohan nodded in agreement. "I always feel that the Jiang Zhou Prefectural yamen is hiding something."
"Did you send someone to investigate?"
"I asked someone familiar with the road to go to Zhang County to investigate, but that person hasn't returned yet." Wen Mohan lit the letter and threw it into the brazier, making Cen Yu click his tongue.
"Do you know that her appearance here means she has big plans?" Cen Yu couldn't help but say. Now, he realized he didn't understand Xiao Man at all. The secrets surrounding Xiao Man were so numerous that it was impossible to distinguish truth from falsehood. The forces behind her were unfathomable, even making him feel a little afraid.
"If her plans involve me, I would be even happier."
"You are truly deeply infatuated!" Cen Yu gritted his teeth. "Her coming to Jiang Zhou is probably for the salt fields here."
Wen Mohan poured tea for Cen Yu, not answering his question. "My journey to Jiang Zhou has been very peaceful. Someone paved the way for me, clearing all obstacles."
Cen Yu picked up his tea and took a sip. "She still has some conscience."
"She is always so kind."
Kind? Cen Yu remained silent. You blind fool, that woman has nothing to do with kindness! She is dark-hearted, the kind of dark that is almost purple!