Chenliu Prefectural Office,
Front Hall,
As Zhang Miao poured the tenth cup of tea for him, Ye Feng finally appeared before them.
"Governor~!"
Zhang Miao, standing up instinctively, bowed respectfully with Wei Zi, his face showing no hint of displeasure.
Wei Zi, behind Zhang Miao, however, looked rather unwilling.
Ye Feng, catching this out of the corner of his eye, paid it little mind.
After all,
if he had waited this long, he would have slapped someone by now.
"Sit down, both of you!"
Waving them to sit with a smile, Ye Feng took the head seat without hesitation.
"Prefect Zhang, you've come to see this governor so early in the morning. Is there anything important?"
"Uh..."
Ye Feng's question caught Zhang Miao off guard, and he didn't know what to say.
Did he have anything important?
Not really!
Then why did he rush over so early and wait until now?
To pay his respects!
With such a high-ranking governor in your household, wouldn't you come to say hello in the morning?
Even if the governor had no orders for you, you had to show your attitude!
But,
when Ye Feng asked like this, Zhang Miao didn't know how to answer.
This was why wise people tended to overthink things.
Ye Feng had asked casually, but two questions popped into Zhang Miao and the others' minds.
Did Ye Feng not understand?
Or was he testing them with hidden meaning?
Glancing at Ye Feng's expression, Zhang Miao couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.
If he said Ye Feng didn't understand,
it seemed plausible!
After all, this guy was a governor who had risen through the ranks halfway, so it was understandable that he wouldn't grasp these nuances.
But what if?
What if Ye Feng was just testing them, actually trying to convey something?
Thinking this,
Zhang Miao glanced at Wei Zi behind him, as if looking for him to step in.
Seeing this,
Wei Zi inwardly cursed, but his mind raced.
Indeed!
As Wei Zi's thoughts spun faster and faster, he actually found something.
"Well, that..."
Swallowing with difficulty, Wei Zi said with a touch of trepidation:
"Governor, I heard that Lord Cai Yong, Cai... has gone to Youzhou?"
"Hmm?"
Ye Feng was startled and looked at Wei Zi with some confusion.
Why are you asking this?
What does it have to do with you?
Wait?
No!
This fellow's name was Wei Zi, wasn't it? Could he be related to the Wei family of Hedong?
Thinking this,
Ye Feng picked up his teacup and took a sip, his tone utterly indifferent:
"No."
"Uh?"
Wei Zi was taken aback and suddenly didn't know how to continue.
After all,
the reason he dared to ask so confidently was that he had received definite news.
Let alone the fact that someone had personally seen Cai Yong heading towards Youzhou.
Just those cavalrymen around him, weren't they the work of you, Lord Ye Feng?
However,
since Ye Feng had already denied it, Wei Zi obviously couldn't press further.
The atmosphere in the hall became a bit awkward.
Fortunately,
Zhang Miao, seeing the situation turn south, quickly found a topic to ease the tension.
"Governor, may I ask where you are headed? Do you need me to send word in advance?"
"Destination?"
Ye Feng didn't keep them waiting any longer. Hearing this, he smiled and shook his head:
"No need to send word, it might lead to misunderstandings!"
"Misunderstandings?"
Zhang Miao was stunned and immediately realized. This guy was heading to Jizhou?
But the direction was wrong!
Huh?
Wait!
Thinking of Ye Feng's purpose for coming to Chenliu this time, Zhang Miao's expression turned grim.
Good heavens!
This guy actually took a detour to "shake the autumn wind" (seek profit)?
Damn it!
Old Cao, you scoundrel, Old Zhang remembers you this time!
"???"
Ye Feng looked at Zhang Miao's changing expression, utterly bewildered.
What's wrong with this guy?
Was there something wrong with what I just said?
It's truly to avoid misunderstandings!
If you sent someone to Qingzhou to say I was coming, wouldn't they think you were my man?
That wouldn't be good for you!
Although my strength is formidable, I don't have any immediate plans for Yanzhou.
We need to leave a buffer zone!
If we really took Yanzhou and faced the imperial court and the Yellow Turbans directly...
It seems not a big deal?
Thinking of the decision he made that morning, Ye Feng glanced thoughtfully at Zhang Miao.
"Prefect Zhang, are you prepared to relocate?"
"Ah?"
Startled awake, Zhang Miao blinked and looked at Ye Feng uncertainly.
"Go... Governor, what... what do you mean by that?"
"Literally!"
Ye Feng shrugged carelessly, gesturing with his chin towards Luoyang.
"Once the war in Sili ends, it won't be peaceful here for you!"
"Not peaceful?"
"Exactly!"
Meeting Zhang Miao's slightly bewildered gaze, Ye Feng explained with a light smile:
"The Yellow Turbans will emerge victorious, and they will definitely purge families like yours!"
"Hiss~!"
As Ye Feng finished speaking, Zhang Miao couldn't help but gasp.
The Yellow Turbans will win?
Impossible!
Let alone the fact that the imperial reinforcement army was numerous, they also had the walls of Luoyang.
Even if those imperial reinforcements failed, there were still... still...
He unconsciously glanced at Ye Feng, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Damn it!
How could I forget this guy?
The only way the Yellow Turbans could possibly win was if this guy was behind the scenes.
And if those Yellow Turbans really won...
"Thump~!"
Before Zhang Miao could make a decision, Wei Zi next to him knelt down first.
"Go... Governor, there's something, something the subordinate forgot to report!"
"Hmm?"
Ye Feng and Zhang Miao were both stunned, not quite understanding what Wei Zi meant.
However,
Ye Feng wasn't one to silence people. He gestured to Wei Zi and nodded with a smile:
"Lord Wei, is it? Feel free to speak your mind!"
"Yes, yes..."
Wei Zi, his face slightly pale, stood up and said with determination:
"This subordinate has the audacity to ask the Governor to deliver a message to Lord Cai Yong: The Wei family will voluntarily revoke the engagement with the Cai family!"
"Oh?"
Ye Feng raised an eyebrow and looked at Wei Zi in surprise. He didn't deny having seen Cai Yong, but rather looked at Wei Zi with amusement.
"Does the Wei family have an engagement with the Cai family? Why don't I know about it?"
"Uh..."
Wei Zi's voice faltered, his face turning even paler, but he still said with a forced smile:
"Governor, you are right, this subordinate misremembered. There is no engagement!"
"Mmm~!"
Ye Feng nodded with satisfaction, the smile on his lips widening.
"Since there was no engagement to begin with, there's nothing to revoke."
"As for what happened before?"
"It was all a misunderstanding!"
"As long as the Wei family makes a public statement, this matter will be considered settled."
"No problem, no problem..."
As Ye Feng spoke, Wei Zi nodded repeatedly.
Face?
What need was there for face at this time?
Even the Great Han dynasty was about to disappear, why bother about face?
Besides,
he only realized now why Ye Feng had said he hadn't met Cai Yong.
He had initially thought Ye Feng might have some reservations, fearing it would tarnish Cai Yong's reputation.
After all,
he was a rebel, wasn't he?
Would Cai Yong still have a reputation if he was associated with a rebel?
At the time, he had secretly praised him, thinking this guy was a good boss.
But then he thought,
that's not right!
Besides being a good boss, this guy had an even more notorious reputation.
A lecherous devil!
He was almost certain that Ye Feng had his eye on Cai Yong's daughter.
Otherwise,
why was Cai Yong the only one among so many great scholars in Luoyang who was coaxed away?
It was all because she had a good daughter!
Of course!
Although he had realized this earlier, he hadn't said it out loud.
The Wei family also cared about their reputation!
He could accept Cai Yong being taken away, and he could accept Cai Yan's engagement being broken.
But the Wei family ultimately cared about their reputation!
These things could be discussed in private, and a mutually acceptable excuse could be found to gloss over it.
But he hadn't expected that,
Ye Feng's subsequent words became more and more explosive, almost giving him a heart attack.
Yellow Turbans will win?
Han dynasty gone?
Then, what was the point of them caring about face!
After all,
their Hedong Wei family's base was in Sili, and even if it was further away, it wouldn't exceed the Yellow Turbans' control.
Therefore,
the more he thought about it, the more sweat beaded on Wei Zi's brow. He quickly stepped forward to pledge his allegiance.
For no other reason,
if he could secure a position under Ye Feng, perhaps their Wei family could still be saved.
And Ye Feng?
While he didn't fully understand Wei Zi's thoughts, he wasn't one to refuse a freebie.
As for why he insisted it was a misunderstanding?
It was all for Cai Yan's reputation, of course!
In this era, if a woman was jilted,
regardless of the reason,
she would bear immense pressure and even a bad reputation.
How could he tolerate that?
Therefore,
seeing Wei Zi come to him and offer himself up for "extortion," Ye Feng naturally wouldn't go easy on him.
Meanwhile, Zhang Miao, only now, after things had settled, began to react.
What a Wei family!
Cutting ahead, were they?
You're not playing fair!
Although he was inwardly complaining about Wei Zi cutting ahead, Zhang Miao didn't fall behind.
Thump!
Under the astonished gazes of Ye Feng and Wei Zi, Zhang Miao knelt before Ye Feng with a thump.
"Go, Lord, this subordinate Zhang Miao, implores Lord to show us a way out!"
"Heh heh..."
Hearing Zhang Miao's address, Ye Feng's lips curved slightly, but he still waved his hand:
"Prefect Zhang is too polite. I, Ye, am not one to force others!"
"How about this!"
"Given how diligently you hosted me yesterday, I, your governor, will give you a promise!"
"After the Yellow Turbans and the imperial reinforcement army have decided the victor, if Prefect Zhang is still interested, you can choose any prefecture within my territory to be its governor!"
"This, this..."
Hearing the promise Ye Feng made, Wei Zi's eyes turned red.
Damn it!
Another miscalculation!
After all,
even though he had personally promised to clarify the misunderstanding, Ye Feng still hadn't relented.
And Zhang Miao?
With just a kneel and a pledge of loyalty, he got to be a governor of a prefecture?
This disparity...
If only, if only he had pledged allegiance to Ye Feng directly like Zhang Miao!