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

The next day: County Magistrate's Residence

The sky was already bright, casting a bright spot of light through the study window lattice on the ground. Zhang Jingwei was curled up on the narrow couch in the study, his legs spread out, a blanket haphazardly thrown over him. He was fast asleep, a trace of saliva hanging from the corner of his mouth.

"Young Master! Young Master! Wake up!" Zhang Liu pushed open the door and walked quickly to the couch. His voice was urgent, and he gently shook Zhang Jingwei's shoulders.

Zhang Jingwei waved his hands in a daze, without opening his eyes, and muttered: "Oh my... Sixth Uncle, stop it... you scared me... I have a day off today, I said I won't get up early... no morning exercises... no breakfast... please, let me sleep a little longer..." As he said that, he was about to turn over and shrink inward.

Zhang Liu refused to give in and increased his force, saying, "My little ancestor! It's already 9:00 PM! The sun is blazing down! Wake up! The governor is here! He's waiting for you at the government office up ahead!"

"The teacher is here?!" Zhang Jingwei felt as if he had been pricked by a needle. He suddenly sat up from the couch, and most of his sleepiness disappeared instantly. His hair was a mess like a chicken coop, and his eyes were still confused. "Why did he come here so suddenly? He didn't even say hello in advance..."

Zhang Liu frantically searched for his shoes while urging him, "Look at Master Liu's expression. It looks like something serious has happened! Hurry up and go!"

Zhang Jingwei's heart skipped a beat, and without caring about anything else, he wiped his face with cold water, put on his casual clothes, and without even having time to tie his hair properly, he hurried to the government office in front.

……

In the government office, Prefect Liu Yanzhi wasn't seated in the main seat. Instead, he stood before the long desk where Zhang Jingwei usually worked, his face solemnly flipping through several piles of official documents. Hearing footsteps, he raised his head and cast a sharp glance at the disheveled, disheveled disciple standing at the door.

Zhang Jingwei quickly gathered his thoughts, stepped forward quickly, and bowed respectfully: "Teacher... why did you come in person? I am on leave today, so I cannot come to greet you. Please forgive me. If you were to come, you should have asked me to prepare in advance..."

Liu Yanzhi waved his hand, interrupting his polite remarks. His gaze returned to the documents, his tone unremarkable. "That's all right. I've reviewed the cases you've handled recently. They're all about investigating and punishing people who impersonated provincial governors and inspectors to get food and drink for free. There are over a dozen cases in total, and we caught them red-handed. The handling was quite efficient. You've done a good job."

Zhang Jingwei felt a little relieved, forcing a smile on his face, and said in a somewhat pretentious tone, "It's all thanks to your strategic planning and cooperation with me! If you hadn't secretly ordered the various prefectures and counties to intentionally or unintentionally drive these scoundrels to Gaoyang, I wouldn't have been able to wipe them out! It's just right, and I can also replenish the county treasury..."

Liu Yanzhi didn't seem interested in his boasting. He closed a file and suddenly raised his head. His eyes flashed like lightning, shooting straight at Zhang Jingwei. His tone became unusually serious. "Jingwei, tell me the truth. Have you encountered anyone...special in Gaoyang these past two days?"

Zhang Jingwei was taken aback by the teacher's sudden seriousness and replied subconsciously, "Special people? No... no. They were just some scoundrels who were trying to get free food and drinks. Two of them were so bold that they even pretended to be officials and showed off their power at the government office. They were caught by the students on the spot and are still in jail!"

Liu Yanzhi stared into his eyes, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice to ask word by word, "Then... is there someone who calls himself Zhao Mingcheng?"

"Zhao Mingcheng?" Zhang Jingwei repeated the name, his mind buzzing! The image of the masked, imposing old man in Zuixianlou yesterday, whom he had ridiculed and mocked as an "old liar," suddenly became clear! What had he said? "I'm from Kyoto. My surname is Zhao, my given name is Luo, and my courtesy name is Mingcheng."

Zhang Jingwei's face suddenly turned pale, his lips trembled, and he could hardly speak clearly: "The... the current Prime Minister... Lord Zhao? Why... why would he come to me? And... yesterday at Zuixianlou... well... it seems that there was an old man who claimed to be Prime Minister Zhao... but... but I thought he was some blind liar... and... and I even scolded him..."

Liu Yanzhi looked at his disciple's instantly distraught expression and sighed heavily, his face full of helplessness and worry, "As expected." He patted Zhang Jingwei's shoulder and said in a heavy tone, "Jingwei, Jingwei... I hope you really didn't do anything too extreme, didn't say anything too outrageous..."

Zhang Jingwei felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His legs felt weak and his voice was filled with tears: "Teacher... could it be... could it be that it really is..."

Liu Yanzhi nodded helplessly, confirming his worst suspicions. "My fellow disciples in the capital sent me a letter. It's indeed the Prime Minister himself who has come here in disguise! Hurry! Don't just stand there! Change into your official uniform and get dressed! Follow me to meet the Prime Minister immediately! Whether it's a blessing or a curse, we must face it!"

Zhang Jingwei felt dizzy and wanted to find a hole to crawl into. With a sad face, he muttered, "No... this... what is going on..." What did he say yesterday?! He almost wanted to slap himself twice.

……

Outside Zuixian Tower: Waiting and Overlooking

The sun gradually rose higher, becoming somewhat dazzling. The long street outside Zuixianlou had been completely cleared, and all outsiders had been driven away. It seemed unusually empty and quiet, a stark contrast to the usual bustle.

Wearing tight-fitting arrow sleeves and a sharp gaze, Wang Ergou personally led a team of elite county magistrates on patrol, ensuring that no blind spots were left. Further out, the officers and soldiers of the Gaoyang County garrison, clad in sharp armor and armed with weapons, stood guard every three steps and every five steps. The atmosphere was solemn and awe-inspiring, as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

Liu Yanzhi stood solemnly at the front of the procession, his gaze fixed on the closed gate of Zuixianlou. Zhang Jingwei followed half a pace behind him, wearing the official uniform of a seventh-rank county magistrate and a black veil on his head. But at this moment, the weight of this robe, a symbol of power, felt almost suffocating. He kept wiping beads of sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. Even though the weather was not hot, his back was already drenched with cold sweat. The other county officials who followed held their breath, standing further back with lowered brows, not daring to even breathe.

Inside Zuixian Tower

In an elegant room on the third floor facing the street, Zhao Mingcheng sat by the window, a cup of tea and an open book at his side. He leaned slightly, opened the window a crack, and glanced indifferently downward, taking in the scene below, where the whole place was in a state of utter silence and preparedness.

A meaningful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he said to the young man beside him: "Yanzhi's actions are a bit faster than I expected. I thought that after he got the news and reorganized his troops to rush over, it would take at least until the evening. If he comes at night, it will be a good opportunity for this capable disciple to see the "splendid scene" of Zuixianlou under his rule at night." There was a hint of ridicule and imperceptible coldness in his tone.

The young man stood respectfully aside and said, "Senior Yanzhi has always been known for his decisiveness and efficiency. Upon hearing the news that Mr. is here, he must have rushed here without stopping."

Zhao Mingcheng's gaze fell on the figure downstairs who was constantly wiping his sweat, and his smile deepened. "Look at Zhang Jingwei, he can barely stand and keeps wiping his sweat. If I had known this would happen, where would his sharp tongue yesterday have gone?"

The young man asked cautiously, "Sir, shouldn't we... go down? If we let the governor and so many officials wait down there, I'm afraid..."

Zhao Mingcheng slowly picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said calmly, "Why rush? It's not even noon yet, and I'm not hungry yet. Besides, the snacks at Zuixianlou are good, and the scenery is unique. Let them... wait a little longer. It's okay to wait and see."

The young man hesitated for a moment. "Should I go downstairs and let the students know so they don't get too worried?"

"No need." Zhao Mingcheng waved his hand, his expression indifferent, yet with an unquestionable majesty. "At this moment, what is being tested is his character. If Zhang Jingwei loses control and rashly rushes up to disturb my peace... then he is disrespecting his superiors and is impulsive. I can use this as an opportunity to punish him."

He paused, his gaze once again directed downstairs. His tone was steady yet filled with immense pressure. "If they can remain patient and wait quietly until I am willing to go down... then that will prove they still understand some of the rules and are patient. Then, I will naturally convey the Holy Will to them."

The young man suddenly understood and was convinced: "I understand. Your move is to see whether this latitude and longitude is a piece of unpolished jade that can be carved or a piece of impetuous and useless material."

Zhao Mingcheng nodded slightly, saying no more, and returned his gaze to the scroll in his hands, as if the anxious waiting downstairs had nothing to do with him. After a while, as if suddenly remembering something, he casually ordered, "This tea is cold. Go make me a new pot."

"Okay, sir, please wait a moment, I'll be there right away." The young man responded quickly and tiptoed out of the private room.

Silence returned to the elegant room, leaving only the occasional rustle of pages and the faint, strictly suppressed sound of waiting breathing outside the window. Time downstairs seemed to have frozen, and every minute and every second seemed particularly long.