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

Jia Dayong had a bizarre dream.

In the dream, his late wife was smiling at him tenderly, that smile was as bright as it was many years ago; Xiao Cui, the village beauty from the next village, shyly handed him a handkerchief embroidered with mandarin ducks; Chang Douya, the charming maid from the Zhang residence, was standing on tiptoe to wipe the sweat from his forehead; there was even the peerless and beautiful girl Ningxiang, and the noble and graceful young lady Huangfu Ling... These women, whom he usually didn't even dare to look up at, were now entangled with him in his dreams.

He was both intoxicated and terrified in his dream. He desperately tried to break free, but it felt like he was stuck in a quagmire. Even his breathing became cautious, afraid that the slightest movement would shatter this illusory bubble, and afraid that the slightest breath would desecrate those distant figures. Finally, he was awakened by an indescribable feeling of suffocation and suddenly opened his eyes.

"Master...Master..." He murmured unconsciously, and consciousness gradually returned.

What caught his eye was the familiar bedside carvings, and a faint scent of herbs lingered around his nose - this was indeed his own room.

He struggled to turn his stiff neck, his vision slowly coming into focus. He saw Zhang Jingwei sitting at a table not far away, his face gloomy enough to drip water. His slender fingers tapped the table unconsciously, making a dull "thump thump" sound, each one striking Jia Dayong's heart.

Jia Dayong's throat was dry and he spoke in a hoarse voice: "Master..."

Zhang Jingwei stopped hammering and glanced at him coldly, "Awake? You called me hundreds of times in your dreams last night. Is there something you have to tell me in your dreams?"

Jia Dayong's heart trembled, guilt and fear intertwined. He struggled to get up and apologize: "Master, I... I'm sorry..."

"Bah!" Zhang Jingwei spat, his tone piercing with coldness. "Why don't you take a piss and look at yourself? How dare you say 'I'm sorry' to me?"

"Master... I didn't..." Jia Dayong was so anxious that tears were about to come out, and his whole body was trembling with excitement and weakness.

"Of course I know you didn't!" Zhang Jingwei suddenly raised his voice, his eyes sharp as a knife, "Otherwise, do you think you would still be alive lying here to see me?"

Jia Dayong was frightened by the momentum and stammered, unable to utter a complete sentence: "I... I..."

Zhang Jingwei took a deep breath, suppressing his surging emotions. His tone softened slightly, yet it carried a heavy note of fatigue. "You chose to castrate yourself to preserve my wife's innocence. Such determination... I, Zhang Jingwei, thank you in advance." He paused, his eyes sweeping over Jia Dayong's lower body, which was covered by a thin blanket. "You're in good shape indeed. You lost so much blood, and Sun Yaolang said you might not make it. I didn't expect you to wake up so soon."

"I...I am now..." Jia Dayong subconsciously wanted to touch it, but he didn't dare. A huge feeling of emptiness and despair gripped him.

Zhang Jingwei's voice was low and clear, shattering his last shred of hope: "Strictly speaking, you are now a eunuch. I asked Sun Yaolang, and that thing... there is no possibility of reattaching it."

Jia Dayong was struck by lightning, a flood of grief instantly overwhelmed him. He dared not cry out loud, but could only bite his lips tightly. Tears flowed out, turning to the void, as if he was crying out to his distant father, "My son... is so unfilial..."

Zhang Jingwei looked at him and sighed with a complicated expression: "Gao Jiong is right. You are a foolishly loyal person, a die-hard loyalist."

"Master...I..." Jia Dayong burst into tears.

"Alright!" Zhang Jingwei interrupted him, his tone returning to his usual sharpness. "Stop nagging me. Do you really want me to kowtow to you?"

"No...no..." Jia Dayong shook his head hurriedly.

Zhang Jingwei stood up, walked to the bedside, and stared at him with a sharp gaze. "Now let's get down to business. Someone lit 'Spring Fragrance' in my room, and anyone who smells it will lose control of their emotions. Moreover, someone locked the door from the outside after you went in. Think carefully, who was the last person you came into contact with before you went in?"

Jia Dayong tried hard to recall the fragments before he fell into unconsciousness, and a name came out of his mouth: "Wei..."

A cold light flashed in Zhang Jingwei's eyes, and he said in a firm tone: "Ningxiang! It really is her!"

He stood up and instructed Jia Dayong, "You should take good care of your injuries and wait until you can walk. Someone will come to change your dressings regularly. It will be painful, so bear with it. Using incense ash to stop the bleeding before you passed out was a quick-witted move, but it can easily cause ulcers, making it more difficult for the wound to heal and may leave a root of disease in the future." He patted Jia Dayong on the shoulder and said solemnly, "Don't worry, I, Zhang Jingwei, will remember your loyalty and will never treat you unfairly. I have important matters to attend to here. There is a bell next to your bed. Ring it if you need anything and someone will come to take care of you."

Jia Dayong could no longer speak and could only let his tears flow silently, soaking the pillow.

……

Zhang Jingwei strode out of the room and gently closed the door behind him.

In the courtyard, torches burned brightly, dispelling the darkness. Wang Ergou, Qian Ming, Ding Xu, and other trusted aides were already standing in wait, all eyes focused on him, and the air was filled with a tense atmosphere of impending storm.

Zhang Jingwei's face was as gloomy as water. He swept his eyes over everyone and issued orders in a cold and clear voice:

"Wang Ergou!"

"Here!" Wang Ergou stepped forward and clasped his fists to receive the order.

"Immediately take all the police officers and surround the matchmaker's building where Ningxiang lives! No one is allowed to leave! Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy!"

"Yes!" Wang Ergou turned around without hesitation, counted everyone, and left quickly.

"Qian Ming!"

"Young Master!" Qian Ming bowed in response.

"Lead all the yamen runners and immediately control all four city gates! Conduct a strict inspection. Without my warrant, not even a fly can escape!"

"Yes, sir!" Qian Ming took the order and led the yamen runners to rush towards the city gate.

"Ding Xu!"

"I'm here!" Ding Xu's figure emerged from the shadows.

"Mobilize all the secret guards and secretly surround the county government office! No one is allowed to enter or leave the county government office until I return! Anyone who disobeys my order will be executed first and reported later!"

"Yes!" Ding Xu bowed, his figure flashed, and he merged into the darkness again.

Torches crackled, illuminating Zhang Jingwei's resolute and stern profile. A storm, following his icy commands, quietly stirred in the night of Gaoyang City.

……

To make up for the omission: Jia Dayong did not take advantage of the situation. After Huangfu Ling fainted, he castrated himself with a dagger. The pain kept him awake, and he used the last bit of consciousness to apply incense ash on the wound to stop the bleeding until he completely fainted.