She remarried a cold-faced, powerful man, and the scumbag regretted it and cried his heart out.

The rain poured down, and three partridge cries came from deep within the haystack. The old beggar groped and stuffed the copper coin into the chipped earthenware bowl.

"This rain is more pungent than the chili water in the imperial prison." The old beggar grinned, spitting towards Zhuque Street, letting the rising night rain soak his tattered clothes.

The secret agents of the Commandery were everywhere in the capital, hidden in high walls and deep courtyards, and also in the muddy streets and alleys.

The rain poured down relentlessly all night.

Tong Qingyun had just inserted the branding iron back into the charcoal brazier, and before the heat had dissipated, the Chief Astrologer of the Imperial Observatory burst through the door, wrapped in a soaking wet raincoat.

Jiang Jin'an was wiping the ring-pommel sword with chamois leather.

A flash of cold light, and the blade was already pressed against the Adam's apple of the Chief Astrologer. "The Purple Palace Star has invaded the Dipper?"

As he unfolded the geomantic map in his arms with a clatter, the moss under his fingernails rubbed against the three small cinnabar characters for "Dragon Vein Stone." "The newly built dike was mixed with rotten wood; yesterday's torrential rain washed away the mud..."

The envoy, trembling, tossed something to Jiang Jin'an's feet and said, "If the downpour continues, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Tong Qingyun clamped the half of the waist token with his iron tongs and held it up in front of him: "Oh, the waist tokens that the Prince Jing's mansion reports as lost every month, they certainly know how to pick a good place to go."

The scabbard suddenly slammed heavily against the blue bricks, startling the envoy so much that he swallowed the rest of his words.

Jiang Jin'an waved his python robe, splashing water droplets everywhere. The words "prepare the horses" had barely left his lips when a thunderclap boomed outside the eaves.

Lin Yu had already slammed two mud-covered craftsmen onto the blue bricks. Tong Qingyun flicked his sword sheath, and the Ministry of Revenue's approval documents in the craftsmen's arms fell to the ground.

Jiang Jin'an glanced at the documents scattered on the ground and simply said, "Block the news and thoroughly investigate the craftsmen!"

……

Shen Jingshu's fingertips traced the seal script on the base of the locust flower candy, and the four characters "Mountains and Rivers Change Hands" appeared faintly in the candlelight.

Jinse held the gift list and muttered to herself, "The Wen Minister's mansion is sending candy, and it's even engraved with characters from the previous dynasty. Are they getting senile?"

“The one who’s confused isn’t the one giving the gift.” Shen Jingshu suddenly threw the candy box into the ice chest, the amber-colored sugar shattering on the ice shards. “Go ask Lin Yu to investigate who has recently sent carpenters to the Wen family.”

A dark figure flashed through the rain outside the window. Wuchen, carrying a sword, fell from the beam, mud still dripping from his hair. "Master said tonight we're going to lift the stones from the moat."

Shen Jingshu was startled.

When they arrived at the Imperial Observatory, they saw Jiang Jin'an using the tip of a knife to pick at a piece of rotten wood.

The torrential rain washed the dragon vein stone of the imperial mausoleum white. Tong Qingyun squatted in the mud, rummaging through it, and found another half of the waist token. He mocked, "Even though Prince Jing is confined to his residence, he can still stir up trouble."

A soft laugh suddenly came from behind. Shen Jingshu was taking off her oilcloth and walking over, her skirt sweeping across the geomantic maps scattered on the ground. "Why don't you ask Prince Gu if his storeroom is missing a few pieces of rotten wood?"

Jiang Jin'an sheathed his ring-pommel sword with a backhand motion. "Madam, you've come at the perfect time. It's time to go to Zuixianlou for a drink."

Today, Cheng Wenhao sent Liu San to meet Gu Changfeng on the top floor of Zuixianlou.

An eight-treasure feast was laid out by the window. Cheng Wenhao, holding a Western Region wine jug, exclaimed in amazement, "Young Master Gu's robe is so densely embroidered with gold thread that even if wine is spilled on it, it won't seep in."

He pretended to stumble and knocked over the table. The Eight Treasure Duck slid off the edge of the table along with the overturned wine cup. Cheng Wenhao quickly reached out to help him up, but in doing so, he accidentally loosened the belt around Cheng Wenhao's waist.

The sheepskin letter drifted down, and Cheng Wenhao precisely dipped the tip of his shoe into the grape juice, feigning surprise: "Oh my, this letter..."

Before he could finish speaking, Prince Jing's private seal was revealed by water.

Cheng Wenhao picked up the secret letter and said with a smile, "Young Master Gu, you must keep this safe."

Gu Changfeng flicked away the wine droplets that had splashed onto his eyelashes. Looking at the mess on the ground, he was not angry at all. Instead, he clapped his hands and laughed, his eyes filled with even more amusement. "Young Master Cheng, you have quite the skills. You have truly broadened my horizons."

Cheng Wenhao laughed along, "Your Highness flatters me. These are just petty tricks that can't be brought to the table. How can they compare to Your Highness's?"

Ten servants in gray robes carried a vermilion lacquered wooden box in single file and then all left. The moment the lid of the box was opened, Cheng Wenhao squinted as he was blinded by the cold glint of the official silver.

"Young Master Cheng and Liu San are quite close, is eight thousand taels of silver enough?" Gu Changfeng kicked over the top layer of silver ingots, revealing a map of the northern border underneath. "Since you're selling information, why not just name your price?"

On the bottom of the silver ingot, the sealing wax from the Ministry of Revenue was stamped even more neatly than on a marriage certificate.

Cheng Wenhao stared at the hidden compartment at the bottom of the silver box, then slapped his thigh and laughed: "Young Master Gu's deal is truly ingenious! Using government silver to buy the map of the Northern Frontier, so that when the truth comes out one day, our Cheng family will be the bandits who stole government silver?"

He flicked the silver ingots with his fingertips, making a clinking sound. "How about this, you add two more boxes, and I'll carve a plaque for you that says 'Serve the Country with Utmost Loyalty,' how about that?"

He ripped out the map of the northern border and threw it on the ground. Just as he was about to speak again, the door to the private room was suddenly slammed shut with a deafening bang. Lin Yu's hoarse voice pierced through the door: "Boss! Bring me a jar of the strongest liquor!"

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Cheng Wenhao slipped the secret letter into his sleeve.

Gu Changfeng remained calm, closed the box, and opened the door.

A strong smell of alcohol hit them as the door opened. Jiang Jin'an's python robe was still stained with mud from the imperial tomb. Shen Jingshu followed in, toying with a magnolia hairpin. The magnolia flower carved on the hairpin was facing Gu Changfeng's brow. "I couldn't find you in the manor. My aunt said you had an appointment at Zuixianlou. Shall I not disturb you?"

"Perfect timing." Gu Changfeng stepped aside, placing his foot on the map of the northern border. "Cousin, would you like to try some wine from the Western Regions? I heard the Imperial Prison is short of hangover cures lately..."

Cheng Wenhao squeezed between the two men, carrying a wine jug, and said with a grin, "Fine wine should be paired with fine food, and this Eight Treasure Duck cannot be wasted!"

A shiny, juicy duck leg was thrust in front of Jiang Jin'an, but he gently pushed it aside with his scabbard.

Shen Jingshu pointed to the silver box next to her, "The Gu family's storeroom is short of rotten wood, so why is even the sealing wax from the Ministry of Revenue crooked?"

Lin Yu leaned against the doorframe, holding a wine jar, and said lazily, "This wine is very strong; it might burn through three account books. Would Young Master Gu like to give it a try?"

He slipped half of the Prince Jing's waist token from his sleeve, flicked it casually, and it landed precisely on the wax seal of the silver box.

Gu Changfeng's eyes darted around, and he took out a map of the northern border garrison from his pocket. The sealing wax stamp clearly bore the seal of the Ministry of War.

Cheng Wenhao's pupils contracted sharply, and the secret letter in his sleeve suddenly felt hot to the touch.

"Cousin, do you think these are enough to exchange for the secret letter hidden in Young Master Cheng's sleeve?" Gu Changfeng tapped his fingertips on the silver box, his gaze seemingly sweeping over Shen Jingshu, then looking at Jiang Jin'an with a hint of amusement: "Or, exchanging it for Anning from the Pingyang Marquis's residence would also be a good option."

The moment the words left his mouth, the air was thick with tension.

Jiang Jin'an sat down on his own. Gu Changfeng assumed that he had some concerns. He clapped his hands, and the gray-clad servant entered the room again. Just as he was about to carry the things away, Lin Yu suddenly smashed the wine jar in his hand onto the silver box.

"Oops, my hand slipped!" Lin Yu wiped the wine stains off his face. "This wine is really strong; it's making my eyes blurry."

In the broken wine jar, the other half of the waist tag was soaking in the wine, standing out conspicuously.

Jiang Jin'an spoke slowly and deliberately: "Cousin, do you think the snow in the North is colder, or the torture instruments in the Imperial Prison are more piercing?"