Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

Seeing the time was ripe, Zhang Jingwei immediately got to the point. "Now that Master Shi has left, the atmosphere is quite peaceful. I'd like to take this opportunity to inform you two elders of an important matter."

He used the terms "junior" and "elder" with a humble attitude, but Zhou Lun and Chen Longchang didn't dare to act arrogantly. Zhou Lun immediately put down his wine glass, leaned forward slightly, and wore a look of just the right amount of respect. "Master Zhang, why are you so polite? You are the governor of this county. If you have any instructions, just speak frankly. As long as I can do it, I will do my best."

Zhang Jingwei glanced at the two men, his voice steady and clear, yet carrying an undeniable weight: "This isn't an order, but a notification. The Huangfu Army is preparing to officially move into Gaoyang City. At that time, all of the Huangfu family's Yunzhou trade routes, warehouses, escort services, and other matters will be gradually transferred here. Gaoyang will become the new base of the Huangfu Army."

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhou Lun and Chen Longchang's eyes flashed with brilliance at the same time!

Chen Longchang reacted quickly. He laughed heartily, his voice filled with genuine joy. "Why do you say 'support', Lord Zhang?! The fact that Longchang has grown to its current size in Yunzhou is largely due to the close cooperation with Huangfu Junxing! Junxing's capabilities in material dispatch, warehouse management, and long-distance transportation are obvious to all! Huangfu Junxing's choice of Gaoyang is a blessing for Gaoyang, and even more so for Longchang! Rest assured, Lord, Longchang will do its utmost to support Junxing's establishment in Gaoyang! Our future cooperation will surely be mutually beneficial and lead to common development!"

Zhou Lun immediately followed suit, his tone more earnest: "Sir Zhang! I fully support the military camp's stationing in Gaoyang! Not to mention the military camp's strong strength, just because you saved my son from danger and prevented my Zhou family from extinction, you are my family's great benefactor! I will remember this kindness in my heart! The affairs of the military camp are the affairs of my Zhou family! As long as you have a mission, my Zhou family will spare no effort and give our all to help!" He tied family gratitude and business cooperation closely together, and his attitude was more clear-cut and resolute.

These two people's statements instantly warmed the atmosphere at the head table. Shen Kaiyang listened from the side, his expression fluctuating. The Shi family had deep roots in Gaoyang, and with the sudden arrival of Huangfu Junxing, the powerful force, the Shi family would bear the brunt of the impact! But as the shopkeeper, he couldn't lose his composure at this moment. He forced a smile and bowed to Zhang Jingwei, his tone slightly stiff, "Master Zhang, this is a major event for Gaoyang's business community! My master... will surely be delighted to see it succeed and is willing to lend his full support to this grand occasion..."

Zhang Jingwei's lips curled up in an icy arc, his gaze like lightning, piercing Shen Kaiyang directly. "Forget about your Shi family." Then he leaned back slightly, leaning back in his chair, his posture condescending, and said slowly: "Manager Shen, go back and tell your master. I have a feeling that your Gaoyang Shi family...I'm afraid it's going to be a disaster."

Shen Kaiyang suppressed the turmoil in his heart and said in a tense voice, "Master Zhang, what do you mean by this? Could you give me some advice?"

Zhang Jingwei raised his glass and didn't answer directly. Instead, he dropped a more significant message: "Guidance? No need. I'm just waiting for news." He paused, his eyes sweeping across the crowd before finally settling on Shen Kaiyang's face. Every word he spoke was crystal clear: "I have submitted a memorial to the court."

Zhang Jingwei's voice suddenly turned cold, carrying a harsh tone like a verdict: "If this memorial is heard by the emperor and approved... what your Shi family did in Gaoyang, those things you thought you had covered up perfectly... Humph, then you will all be killed! Not to mention that Prime Minister Shi is far away in the capital and cannot reach you, even if he stood in front of me, he couldn't save you!"

Shen Kaiyang still smiled gently and said, "County Magistrate Zhang is so arrogant!"

Zhang Jingwei observed his outwardly timid appearance, a mocking smile bordering on pity appearing on his face. He set down his wine glass, leaned forward slightly, stared into Shen Kaiyang's eyes, and spoke slowly, in a voice only the people at the head table could hear: "Arrogant? No, it's you, the Shi family... too arrogant!" He paused briefly, then reminded them: "Have you forgotten that in this glorious Celestial Empire, in this temple, there are more than just Prime Minister Shi, who wear purple robes and hold high positions as First Rank Officials!"

The reason why he was not in a hurry to find trouble with the Shi family these days was because Liu Yanzhi had read Zhang Jingwei's memorial and advised him to keep his troops in place. Once the "Memorandum on the Ban on Stone" was implemented, the Gaoyang Shi family would suffer the consequences.

……

The banquet was drawing to a close, and the atmosphere at the head table had grown subtle and subdued after Zhang Jingwei's earth-shattering words. Zhou Lun and Chen Longchang sipped their tea, preoccupied. Shen Kaiyang's face was even more gloomy, forcing a smile to deal with the occasional pleasantries. Servants began to discreetly remove the leftovers and replace them with refreshing fruit plates and fragrant tea.

As the pre-event clamor grew, a frail figure, hesitant and reserved, slowly entered the carved gate of Gaoyang Tower. He wore a washed-out blue cloth gown, a half-worn cloth pouch slung over his shoulder. His hair was neatly combed, but he looked dusty and exhausted, his face etched with weariness and a lingering sadness. Standing at the entrance to the bustling hall, he seemed out of place, gazing blankly at the magnificent scene.

Huang Liang was sharp-eyed and recognized the newcomer first. He exclaimed in surprise, "Fang Yue?"

Zhang Jingwei turned around at the sound, his gaze passing through the crowd, landing on the somewhat cowering figure at the door. He raised his eyebrows imperceptibly, then raised his voice with a subtle hint of familiarity and teasing, "Fang Yue! What are you dawdling about for? Come here!"

Fang Yue's body trembled slightly when he heard the call, and he quickly walked through the chatting guests and trotted to the main table. He bowed deeply to Zhang Jingwei, his tone respectful yet unfamiliar and tentative: "Master... Oh no, sir! I am Fang Yue, honored to meet you, sir, and all the masters."

Zhang Jingwei looked him up and down, his eyes filled with scrutiny and a hint of dissatisfaction. "The yamen called you in a few times a few days ago, but you always said you couldn't get away because of the funeral at home. So, today, when you heard Gaoyang Tower was hosting a banquet with free food, you just happened to come here?"

A trace of embarrassment crossed Fang Yue's face. He lowered his head even lower, and spoke bitterly, "Your Excellency, please understand... I'm ashamed to say this. When my uncle was alive... many of the family members didn't like him. Therefore, the funeral was... rather sloppily organized, and the staff was few. With so few people, the chores became even more overwhelming. I really can't handle it all..."

Zhang Jingwei snorted coldly and mercilessly exposed his words, "Stop your bullshit! Do you think I don't know? You built a shabby straw shed next to the mass grave outside the city, and left your uncle lying on a straw mat to dry! I felt sorry for you, so I sent Qian Ming to take people to collect the body and bury it. But now, you've chased them back."

Upon hearing this, Fang Yue's body stiffened, and his eyes instantly reddened. He raised his head and stared directly at Zhang Jingwei, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions—gratitude, stubbornness, and an almost stubborn pride. "Sir! Fang Yue's debt to you is already as great as a mountain and an ocean! I cannot allow you to trouble yourself and spend money on him any more! Fang Yue is incompetent..."

Zhang Jingwei looked at the stubborn glint in his eyes and remained silent for a moment. He knew Fang Yue's personality: stubborn, loyal, and also attached great importance to what he considered "respectability"—self-respect and self-reliance. He finally waved his hand helplessly, his tone softening a little: "Forget it, you stubborn ass! Forget it, sit down and eat."

Fang Yue didn't move. Instead, he tightened the bag on his shoulder and pulled out a dry, hard pancake with a slightly blackened edge. He said sincerely, "Thank you for your consideration! No need for food, I brought my own. But... I heard that Gaoyang Tower is the best building in Gaoyang, with exquisite construction. I... I'm so bold as to ask for your permission to observe various places in this building. I'll just... just walk around downstairs. I won't disturb you."

Zhang Jingwei looked at him with a mixture of anger and amusement. He waved his hand with a look of disdain: "Look at you, you poor, worldly-wise fellow! Go away! Only watch from the lobby downstairs, don't go into the private rooms upstairs! And don't touch anything, you're annoying! Do you hear me?"

"Yes! Thank you, sir!" Fang Yue's eyes lit up as if he had been pardoned. He quickly bowed and then carefully avoided the crowd. Like an explorer entering a treasure trove for the first time, he began to carefully observe every corner of the hall, the columns, and the beams. Sometimes he stopped to gaze at the tall caisson ceiling, sometimes he squatted to measure the size of the column base with his fingers, and sometimes he looked up at the intricate bracket arch structure. His expression was focused, completely immersed in his own world, completely out of tune with the surrounding hustle and bustle.

Shen Kaiyang watched Fang Yue wandering around the hall "sneakily", his brows furrowed and his face became even gloomier.

Time ticked by, and the banquet had finally concluded. Guests began to depart one after another. At this moment, Fang Yue, who had been absorbed in his obsessive observation of the building's structure, suddenly changed expression! As if he had discovered something utterly terrifying, he spun around with a solemn and urgent expression. He practically ran back to the main table, completely disregarding etiquette and interrupting the farewell greetings between Zhang Jingwei and Old Master Chen.

"That's not right, sir!" Fang Yue's voice trembled slightly, his eyes sharp and serious, "This... this is not right!"

Zhang Jingwei was interrupted while talking to someone and felt a little unhappy. He frowned and looked at him, "Fang Yue! What's wrong with you? Did you take the wrong medicine?"

Fang Yue shook his head eagerly, pointing at the hall's dome and the surrounding pillars, and spoke rapidly: "No! Sir, this Gaoyang Tower... I saw it being built brick by brick when I was studying at the county school!" "I remember it clearly. There were clearly more than sixty foundation piers! Distributed at different supporting points! But I just carefully observed the distribution of the column bases and the stress marks... and... and the joints of those main beams... this number..."

When Shen Kaiyang heard these words, his expression changed slightly, revealing a murderous aura that ordinary people could not detect.

"Are you sick?!" Zhang Jingwei slammed the table, his voice suddenly rising. "The Shi family kindly invited us over for dinner, and you, with nothing better to do than to find fault with their house?! Who the hell do you think you are? How can you be so bossy?"

Fang Yue was startled by Zhang Jingwei's rage, but his fear and sense of duty overwhelmed his intimidation. He pointed out the dimly lit street outside the window and pleaded desperately, "Sir! I'm not lying! This... this is a matter of life and death! If anything goes wrong, with such a tall building and so many houses and shops nearby... if... if anything goes wrong, the consequences will be disastrous! Sir! Please..."

"Enough!" Zhang Jingwei interrupted him harshly, his eyes cold and unquestionable, "Qian Ming!"

Qian Ming at the next table stepped forward immediately: "Master!"

Zhang Jingwei pointed at Fang Yue and said in a firm tone, "Kick him out!"

Qian Ming was stunned for a moment. His movements seemed rough but actually he cleverly held Fang Yue's arm. His tone was quite gentle: "Mr. Fang, I'm sorry, please go in."

Fang Yue was half-pushed and half-carried out by Qian Ming. He struggled to turn around and wanted to say something to Zhang Jingwei: "Master Qian... please listen to me! This building... it's very likely that it is a dangerous building! I have to explain it clearly to the adults..."

Qian Ming put a little more strength in his hand, and took him away from the main table area faster. At the same time, he lowered his voice and whispered quickly and clearly in his ear: "Master Fang! Wake up! You may have misunderstood what the young master meant! What is this Gaoyang Tower? It's the property of the Shi family! What is the Shi family? A man-eating tiger! You are destroying their plan in front of Shen Kaiyang, do you think your life is too long?! If you have anything to say, go back and think about it carefully. When there is no one around, you can discuss it with the young master in private! Now, go first!"

When Fang Yue heard Qian Ming's words, it was like being poured with a bucket of cold water. He instantly understood the purpose of Zhang Jingwei's "scolding" - it was about protection! His anxiety and worry suddenly turned into a deep sense of powerlessness and helplessness. Looking at the Gaoyang Tower, which seemed even more empty and magnificent after the guests dispersed, he sighed heavily: "You... Hey!"

He stopped struggling and allowed Qian Ming to lead him out of Gaoyang Tower. Standing in the gentle breeze, gazing at the towering building before him, Fang Yue took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He slowly paced around the outer wall, his eyes sharp as an eagle, diligently observing every detail, trying to imprint the structure of Gaoyang Tower, the brick joints, the angles of the eaves...everything deeply into his mind.