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

The rain that had lasted for two days finally stopped, and the thick leaden clouds were torn apart. The golden red afterglow of the setting sun poured down, giving the wet Gaoyang County a warm and slightly illusory sheen.

Gaoyang Tower, a three-story red building with carved beams and painted rafters, stood at the highest point in the city, standing tall and majestic under the clear sky after the rain. Bronze bells hanging from the eaves swayed gently in the breeze, emitting a distant and clear sound. The stone steps in front of the building were still wet, reflecting the sunlight.

Shen Kaiyang, dressed in a brand new brocade Taoist robe, stood at the gate of Gaoyang Tower with a beaming face. He saw Zhang Jingwei and his entourage approaching in a carriage escorted by yamen runners from afar. His smile grew even brighter, even revealing a sense of "relief." He hurried down the steps, bowing with a low gesture, and spoke in a loud and warm voice:

"Master Zhang! Master Huang! I beg your pardon for not welcoming you!" He glanced at Zhang Jingwei's calm face, then at Huang Liang, who looked proud beside him, and felt a surge of satisfaction. It seemed the young magistrate had finally grasped the situation and chosen to compromise. This relaxed his recent tension, and his attitude naturally became even more enthusiastic. "You two lords have honored me with your presence in my humble Gaoyang Tower. It truly brings honor and blessings to our humble abode!"

Huang Liang immediately stepped forward, a perfectly flattering smile plastered on his face, and he continued in a resonant voice, "Manager Shen, you're so polite! My Shangguan has been granted a title by the Emperor, a blessing for all of us in Gaoyang County! The court values ​​Gaoyang so highly, and Shangguan feels a great responsibility. I would like to rely heavily on respected local elders like Mr. Shi, and it would be wise to visit them frequently and seek their advice. I'll inevitably have to bother Manager Shen and Mr. Shi in the future!"

Zhang Jingwei then nodded slightly, a forced, slightly reserved, modest smile on his face. His tone was calm, yet it carried undeniable authority. "What Huang Dianshi said is absolutely true. However, these official titles are merely a favor from the court. How can officials take them too seriously? We, as governors, are ultimately responsible for the well-being of the people. Mr. Shi has lived in our hometown for a long time and is knowledgeable and experienced. It is only right that I seek his advice and listen to his teachings."

A gleam of light flashed in Shen Kaiyang's eyes, and the smile on his face deepened. He bowed quickly and said, "Master Zhang, you are too kind, too kind! My master also admires you very much. He often says that you are the pillar of the country and the fortune of Gaoyang! It is a blessing for my Shi family to be close to you!" He said it very beautifully, but only he himself knew how much sincerity he had in it.

Zhang Jingwei looked up at the water droplets dripping from the eaves of Gaoyang Tower, and felt the slightly cool humidity in the evening. He changed the subject at the right time and said to Shen Kaiyang in a somewhat intimate tone: "Shopkeeper Shen, it's still very humid outside. Mr. Shi must be waiting inside the building. Why don't we... go in and talk?" He moved his wrist seemingly casually.

"Of course! Of course! Your Excellency, please come in! Everyone, please come in!" Shen Kaiyang quickly turned sideways and made a respectful gesture of invitation.

Just as they were about to ascend the stairs, Zhang Jingwei seemed to remember something. He turned to Liang Dahai, who had been silently following behind the group, dressed in ordinary yamen runner's uniform and looking inconspicuous, and said, "Dahai, go and park the carriage securely. Be careful not to disturb the pedestrians."

"Yes, sir!" Liang Dahai replied in a muffled voice, his voice rough and his movements clumsy. He turned and walked towards the carriage, his steps steady and powerful. Shen Kaiyang thought he was just a crude servant and didn't even glance at him. Little did he know, this "stop the carriage" order was the first signal for Zhang Jingwei to begin his operation—Liang Dahai would use this opportunity to search for the secret entrance to the underground world outside Gaoyang Tower!

Zhang Jingwei looked at Fang Yue, who was holding an exquisite wooden box beside him. His tone was relaxed, with a hint of presenting a treasure: "Fang Yue, take the jar of Hunyuan flower tea that I specially prepared. This is the first batch picked this spring, and it is very precious. I can't wait to taste the fragrant tea and discuss Taoism with Mr. Shi." As he spoke, his eyes swept meaningfully over the wooden box in Fang Yue's arms.

Fang Yue immediately understood, and a smile that suited his position as a "clerk" flashed across his face, a somewhat reserved yet honored one. "Don't worry, sir. The tea is ready."

Shen Kaiyang's eyes fell on the red sandalwood tea box, which was obviously worth a lot of money. The smile on his face became more sincere. He praised repeatedly, "Oh, Master Zhang is really thoughtful! Such a generous gift, my master will be very touched when he knows about it! Please come in quickly, the fragrant tea has been prepared, just waiting to enhance the color of your superb flower tea!"

……

Upon entering Gaoyang Tower, a warm breeze mingled with expensive incense, wine, food, cosmetics, and the faint scent of musty wood washed over us. The building was brightly lit, its carved beams and painted buildings adorning the building with the utmost luxury. However, the access to the upper floors was not by ordinary stairs, but a narrow, spiraling wooden staircase that wound along the inner wall of the vast atrium. The staircase was steep, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. The dark wooden handrails, intricately carved with cloud patterns, appeared deep and oppressive under the light.

Huang Liang followed Zhang Jingwei and, having just climbed a few steps, deliberately stopped. He looked up at the top of the spiral staircase, which seemed to lead to the sky and appeared mysterious and deep in the light. He gasped exaggeratedly, his face filled with the amazement of a "country bumpkin entering the city" and a hint of "fear of heights" that was just right. "Wow! Master Zhang, Manager Shen! This building... is it this high? It makes me dizzy!"

Shen Kaiyang was walking in front, leading the way. Upon hearing this, he turned around, his face showing a subtle sense of superiority and satisfaction with Huang Liang's "unworldly" reaction. He twirled a string of prayer beads in his hand, his tone relaxed with a hint of boasting: "Mr. Huang, Dianshi, you don't know that this spiral staircase looks high, but it's actually from after it was demolished. Back then, when Gaoyang Tower was first built, in order to show its grandeur, this spiral staircase led directly to the top floor, which was more than twice as high as it is now! That's what you call truly ascending to heaven in one step, overlooking the entire city!" His words hinted at the Shi family's former glory and their absolute control over Gaoyang Tower.

"Magnificent! Really magnificent!" Huang Liang gave a heartfelt admiration at the right time, clapping his thigh, "No wonder people say Gaoyang Tower is the best tower in Yunzhou. Seeing it today, I can see that it lives up to its reputation!" As he spoke, he carefully held the handrail and continued to climb up with slightly "clumsy" steps, vividly portraying the image of a small official who "is visiting your place for the first time, excited and nervous."

Zhang Jingwei was walking in front of Huang Liang. He glanced at him sideways when he heard the words, his tone was a bit teasing and full of "hate iron but not steel": "Huang Dianshi, you are a native of Gaoyang after all, and you work in the government office, but you have never been to the Gaoyang Tower? It's really..." He shook his head, and did not say the second half of the sentence "I have wasted all these years", but the meaning was self-evident.

Huang Liang immediately put on an expression of "shame" and a bit of "gratitude", and bowed repeatedly to Zhang Jingwei's back: "Your Excellency is right! I am ashamed! I used to be of low status and short of money. The threshold of Gaoyang Tower was high, so it was not a place where I could enter and exit at will. Today, thanks to your Excellency's great blessing, I have the honor to come in and broaden my horizons and see the world! I am very grateful!" His flattery was natural and fluent, which not only praised Zhang Jingwei, but also explained the rationality of his "lack of vision", which was quite helpful to Shen Kaiyang.

As they were talking, the group had already climbed to the middle of the spiral staircase. Zhang Jingwei stopped, seemingly out of breath, and turned back to Fang Yue, who had been following behind Huang Liang, silently holding the rosewood tea box, and instructed: "Fang Yue, when we get to the private room upstairs, put down the tea leaves and go back downstairs to wait. This...is not a place you can stay for long." His tone carried the casualness of a master treating a "servant" and a subtle hint of "disdain," as if Fang Yue's presence would be a hindrance.

"Yes, sir." Fang Yue immediately bowed and agreed, his voice calm.

However, Shen Kaiyang's gaze fell sharply on Fang Yue. This taciturn "clerk" was one of the few people around Zhang Jingwei who was proficient in construction! If he stayed downstairs, what if he got impatient and started looking around, or if his professional eyes noticed some "irrationality" in Gaoyang Tower's structure... that would be trouble! He had to be kept under his watch!

Shen Kaiyang's face instantly lit up with an extremely enthusiastic smile. He quickly turned around and bowed to Fang Yue, saying, "Alas, Master Zhang, you are wrong! Mr. Fang may be your attendant, but to me, Shen, he is also an honored guest! Mr. Fang is a student at such a young age, full of knowledge and extraordinary conversation. How can I treat him as an ordinary servant? Today, we have fine tea, elegant music, and refined conversation upstairs. It is a place where scholars and literati gather! Mr. Fang, why don't you stay and enjoy tea and discuss philosophy with us? Let me, Shen, show my hospitality and treat you well!"

Zhang Jingwei sneered inwardly, but remained expressionless. He even frowned slightly, revealing a hint of impatience. "I appreciate Manager Shen's kindness. However, Fang Yue is just a clerk, with a dull personality and poor communication skills. If he stays here, he will be constrained and would only make things awkward for me, Mr. Shi, and Manager Shen. It's better to let him go and wait."

Fang Yue understood immediately and stepped forward, bowing deeply to Shen Kaiyang. His tone was humble but firm. "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Manager Shen. However, I am not very knowledgeable and my position is low, so how can I dare to sit at the same table with you gentlemen and Mr. Shi? Besides, you have given me an order, and I dare not disobey you. It is my great honor to be able to wait for you downstairs. I hope Manager Shen will understand and forgive my impoliteness."

Shen Kaiyang looked at Fang Yue's calm, yet remarkably clear face, then at Zhang Jingwei's unquestionable expression. He knew that forcing him to stay would only seem awkward and arouse suspicion. A subtle sinister flicker crossed his eyes, but his smile remained bright, only stiffening for a moment before fading into a slightly regretful sigh. "Alas... since it's Lord Zhang's order, and Mr. Fang is so humble, then... I won't force you to stay. Mr. Fang, please make yourself at home. There are servants downstairs serving tea. I apologize for the poor hospitality." He nodded slightly, letting the matter slip, but his vigilance towards Fang Yue remained at its highest point.

Fang Yue bowed again and handed Huang Liang the small packet of delicate scented tea in the tea box. Then, holding the tea box, he turned and walked down the spiral staircase, steadily and step by step. His back quickly disappeared into the shadow of the spiral staircase.

Shen Kaiyang retracted his gaze and put on a warm smile again on his face: "Master Zhang, Master Huang, please come in! My master has been waiting for you in the elegant pavilion for a long time!"

Zhang Jingwei and Huang Liang exchanged a glance, their understanding tacit. With this first move, Fang Yue had successfully escaped Shen Kaiyang's surveillance and could begin his investigation. The real confrontation was about to unfold in the elegant pavilion on the top floor of Gaoyang Tower. Zhang Jingwei straightened his clothes, a respectful smile plastered on his face, and he ascended, each step treading upon a carefully woven web.