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

In the past two weeks since the court meeting, many officials have been pouring into Gaoyang, all of them high-ranking officials, with great fanfare. Some came to discuss business, some to win him over, and some to put on a big show. Zhang Jingwei, without exception, served by their side.

Early in the morning, he slumped in a chair, rubbing his swollen temples in a very ungraceful manner, his official hat casually placed aside, and a faint blue tint under his eyes.

He stared at another newly arrived visiting card on the table. The impressive official title on the envelope stung his eyes, and he couldn't help but sigh weakly, "This life is unbearable... Qian Ming, how many days has this been going on? Why is it never-ending? Today a doctor from the Ministry of Revenue arrives, tomorrow a deputy minister from the Ministry of War, and the day after tomorrow a censor! Did a gold mine suddenly strike in our poor little village, or did Fang Yue accidentally disturb some divine feng shui dragon vein by repairing the reservoir? How did we attract so many giant Buddhas?"

Qian Ming was busy replacing Zhang Jingwei's cup with a freshly brewed strong tea, his face showing a hint of joy as he consoled him, "Young Master, you have to think positively. This is all incredibly good news! It means that your reputation and that of our Gaoyang has truly reached the ears of the bigwigs in the capital! You haven't noticed, but because of this wave of activity, those shareholders in the military bank who were originally clamoring to withdraw their investment and break up have become as quiet as quails these past few days, not daring to say a word! Not only have they stopped making noises, but when they meet, they're so polite, and even try to find out which bigwig you're closer to!"

Zhang Jingwei took a gulp from his teacup, grimacing from the burn. He said with a gloomy face, "Good news? Just from smiling and greeting guests every day, spouting a bunch of insincere nonsense, my brain is almost drained! This is more tiring than trying a case for three consecutive days! Just the entertainment expenses for the past two weeks, the banquets, carriages, accommodations, and the 'Gaoyang specialties' that were casually given away... Sigh, our county government's already tight account book is about to run out! As a county magistrate, I'm almost like a waiter who only serves people!"

Qian Ming chuckled, moved closer, and whispered, "My young master, please don't be so ungrateful. Think about it, how many wealthy merchants in this world have offered mountains of gold and silver, trying their best to curry favor with these masters from the capital, but they can't even get into the gatehouse! Now they have taken the initiative to offer themselves to us. This is the dignity of our Gaoyang and the face of the young master! Although it costs a little now, this relationship has been established, and there is no telling how many benefits there will be in the future. Just bear with it and treat it as an investment."

Zhang Jingwei put down his teacup and sighed long and resentfully. His voice was filled with involuntary fatigue and a touch of Versailles-style annoyance. "Alas! These 'respect' and 'face' are so damn expensive..."

He could clearly feel that he was like a toy that was suddenly pushed to the forefront of the storm, being manipulated by the invisible hands of various forces.

---

County magistrate's residence, backyard.

The afternoon sun filtered through the sparse bamboo leaves, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone slabs. Shanhu, helping to organize a small rattan box, timidly looked up at Ningxiang, who was standing by the window.

"Miss... are we really leaving today?" There was a hint of uncertainty and reluctance in Coral's voice.

Ningxiang didn't turn around, her gaze still fixed on the exquisite courtyard outside the window. Her tone was cold, with a hint of self-mockery: "What else? Why are you still sticking around here? Eating and drinking for free, watching the affectionate couple, and taking the opportunity to see the servants' expressions?"

Shanhu quietly defended herself, "But... Madam clearly told you to recover first before..."

"I'm not sick!" Ningxiang interrupted her abruptly, her voice suddenly rising with suppressed irritability and regret, "I'm fine! At the beginning... I shouldn't have believed that man's lies and ran to Gaoyang! I brought shame upon myself!" Her slender fingers tightly grasped the window frame.

Shanhu lowered her head and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito: "But... it was you who insisted on coming here..."

"You dare to talk back?!" Ningxiang suddenly turned around, staring at Shanhu with murderous eyes.

Shanhu shuddered with fear and waved her hands quickly: "I... I didn't... Shanhu didn't dare..."

However, the anger on Ningxiang's face quickly dissipated, replaced by an elusive deepness. She hooked her finger, motioning Shanhu to come closer.

Coral approached hesitantly.

Ningxiang took out a small brocade-wrapped sachet from her sleeve and handed it to her, saying in a low voice, "Go, find a chance and secretly replace this with the incense burner in Huangfu Ling's room."

Shanhu took the sachet, feeling it sink in her hand, carrying a strange, cold fragrance. She was startled, her hands shaking a little: "Ah? Miss! This... this can't be done! We can't hurt anyone!"

Ningxiang rolled her eyes at her, but her tone was unexpectedly calm. "What are you thinking, silly girl? This is an excellent calming incense, made with precious ingredients! Consider it a little compensation for bothering her for so many days." She paused, her tone meaningful. "After all, I'm afraid we won't have the chance to see each other again in the future."

Upon hearing this, Shanhu breathed a sigh of relief, but she was still confused: "Then...then why do you have to do it secretly? Wouldn't it be better to give it to her openly?"

"What do you know?" Ningxiang glanced at her in annoyance, her voice lowered even more. "This incense has miraculous effects. It needs to be inhaled inadvertently, so that it can subtly nourish the mind during sleep. The effect is the best. If you know about it in advance and have concerns in your heart, it will lose its effectiveness."

Shanhu nodded, not quite understanding. Her young lady always had some strange ideas, but she always believed Ningxiang's words. She carefully put the sachet into her arms and nodded solemnly, "Don't worry, young lady, I'll do it right away!"

Although Shanhu wasn't a bright mind, she was agile and loyal to Ningxiang. Under the pretext of returning laundry, she cleverly avoided all eyes in the courtyard and quietly slipped into Huangfu Ling's room. She quickly poured the powder from the sachet into the gilded duck-shaped incense burner beside the bed, replacing the original incense.

Ningxiang watched from afar as Shanhu successfully completed her instructions and returned to her side, a cold smile curling her lips. She had calculated the time accurately; Huangfu Ling had an unbreakable habit of taking a nap, so he should be returning to his room by now.

Sure enough, not long after, Huangfu Ling, looking somewhat weary, returned to her bedroom, accompanied by her maid, Douya. Douya helped her take off her outer garment, laid her down, and carefully tucked in the quilt. She then checked the incense burner (finding nothing unusual), only to find that the fragrance seemed particularly soothing and pleasant today. She couldn't help but sniff it a few more times, but without giving it much thought, she quietly retreated, closing the door behind her.

Ningxiang watched all this coldly from the shadows, like a lurking hunter. Seeing the opportunity ripe, she quickly adjusted her facial expression, instantly adopting a panicked, pale expression. She suddenly burst out of her hiding place, stumbling as if terribly frightened, and ran straight towards Jia Dayong, who was standing guard near the courtyard gate, lost in thought.

"Jia...Guard Jia! Something's wrong! Something's wrong!" She ran to Jia Dayong, covering her chest with one hand, panting, her face pale, and even a few tears in her eyes.

Jia Dayong was startled by her sudden appearance. As a guard, he immediately became alert and asked hurriedly, holding the knife on his waist: "Miss Wei?! What's wrong with you? Are there any thieves chasing us?!" He immediately looked vigilantly in the direction where Ningxiang came from.

"No...it's not a thief..." Ningxiang shook her head vigorously, her breathing unstable and her voice filled with tears, "It's...it's Madam! Madam..."

When Jia Dayong heard that it was about the Young Madam, his nerves instantly tensed up: "What's wrong with the Young Madam?! What happened?!"

Ningxiang seemed to have exhausted all her strength, and she cried out in terror, "I wanted to go say goodbye to the Madam today... but... but just now, when I passed by her window, I saw... I saw the Madam. She looked like she had hysterics, holding... holding a white silk scarf, and was about to hang herself in the room... in the room! No matter how I knocked on the door and called out, she seemed to be deaf! No matter how I tried to stop her, I couldn't! Guard Jia, go save her quickly!!!"

"What?!" Jia Dayong's mind buzzed as blood rushed to his chest. He didn't even have time to consider the absurdity of this news. His instinct to protect his master overwhelmed everything else! Without a second thought, he turned around like an arrow from a bow and rushed towards Huangfu Ling's bedroom at top speed!

Ningxiang watched Jia Dayong's burly figure disappear behind the moon-shaped gate. The panicked expression on her face instantly vanished, replaced by a cold, twisted sense of satisfaction and elation. She murmured to herself, her voice filled with resentment, "Zhang Jingwei... you too, should experience the feeling of being 'betrayed' and having your loved one 'defiled'!"

After saying that, she quickly took out a copper lock that had been prepared long ago from her arms and quickly followed.

---

Jia Dayong entered the room, but there was no one in the front hall.

He called out twice, but no one answered, so he bravely went into the bedroom, only to see a scene that left him dumbfounded -!

——Huangfu Ling was naked, twisting on the plush carpet under the bed——

Jia Dayong covered his eyes and apologized repeatedly: "I deserve to die! I deserve to die!" He crawled towards the door.

Huangfu Ling's eyes were blurry and her face flushed. She slowly stood up and walked towards the blurry figure with a fluttering pace, breathing heavily. "Brother Qi~"

Jia Dayong pushed the door twice and found it was locked. He cursed in his heart: Damn it, why is it locked——!

He hurriedly ran out of the window, but it was too late. Huangfu Ling had already hugged him tightly.

Huangfu Ling looked at him tenderly at this time, "Brother Qi..."

Jia Dayong wanted to cry but had no tears. He could only keep dodging "Young Madam! Wake up, I am Dayong!"

Huangfu Ling hugged him tighter, her mouth already close to his ear, "I'm so hot...Brother Qi, help me~"

Jia Dayong felt so overwhelmed by the whispers that he forgot to resist. He just let his mistress hold him. And with a physiological reaction, he hugged Huangfu Ling as if he was drunk.

But suddenly, Zhang Jingwei's face flashed through his mind, and that trace of rationality made him use all his strength to push the naked Huangfu Ling away!

Huangfu Ling lost his balance and fell headfirst against the door of the pavilion, fainting.

Jia Dayong was sweating profusely and trembling all over, as if he was controlled by the devil. He slowly walked towards the unconscious Huangfu Ling.

"what--!"

A scream rang out, alarming everyone in the residence!