The humid heat of Jiangning seeped through the skin and into the pores.
Not a single breath of wind stirred at the pier. Only the scorching sun hung high, as if mocking the official vessel that had dared to venture here.
The Xu family's boat was wedged tightly between two Grand Canal Gang cargo ships, both encrusted with fish scales and black mud, leaving them trapped in a deadlock.
On the deck, Xu Youde’s brand-new Seventh-Rank official robes were already soaked through, clinging to his back and revealing two embarrassing sweat stains.
He pointed a trembling finger at the person on the opposite boat.
"Which office are you from? By what right do you obstruct this official? This is the boat of the Jiangning County Magistrate, personally appointed by the Emperor!"
Squatting on the bow of that mud-caked, scale-ridden boat was a wiry man.
The man was shirtless, a "Crossing River Dragon" tattooed across his back. He rolled several iron walnuts in his hand, the metal clinking rhythmically.
This was a low-level manager of the Grand Canal Gang in this territory, known as Pockmarked Wang.
Pockmarked Wang didn’t even bother to stand. He simply let his dull, triangular eyes rake over Xu Youde from head to toe, lingering briefly on the red sandalwood cover in the man's hands before revealing a row of yellow teeth.
"Lord Magistrate, this lowly one wouldn't dare obstruct you. It’s just that the Jiangning docks have their rules. Every incoming ship, no matter the cargo, must undergo a 'security check.' If you happen to be carrying contraband, or... bringing a plague into the city, we wouldn't be able to bear the responsibility."
A burst of laughter erupted from the laborers hauling cargo nearby.
This was a warning shot.
Before even entering the city, the local snakes were already baring their fangs.
Xu Youde’s face turned a purplish-red with rage. He wanted to shout something defiant, but looking at the shirtless, fierce-eyed thugs of the Grand Canal Gang surrounding them, the curses died in his throat.
The waters of Jiangning were far murkier than those of Yuzhou.
A pale, slender hand pulled back the cabin curtain.
Xu Qinghuan stepped out.
She wore no cumbersome jewelry, opting instead for a breathable, smoke-blue tunic with narrow sleeves. In her hand, she lightly toyed with a plain folding fan.
She didn't look at Pockmarked Wang. Instead, she walked to the railing and looked down at the turbid river water.
"This water is truly filthy."
Xu Qinghuan covered her nose in disgust before turning her gaze toward the man still fiddling with his walnuts.
"What is your name?"
Pockmarked Wang froze for a moment. He pocketed the walnuts and stood up, his tone dripping with a slick, dismissive politeness.
"This lowly one is Pockmarked Wang, nothing more than a dog of the Grand Canal Gang. I am not worthy of the County Lady’s inquiry."
"Oh, so you know you're a dog."
Xu Qinghuan’s tone was flat, devoid of any insulting heat, as if she were merely stating a fact.
Pockmarked Wang’s expression shifted instantly, the walnuts in his pocket creaking under his grip.
"You're auditing the cargo? How long will it take?" Xu Qinghuan asked.
Pockmarked Wang sneered and held up five fingers. "With so many crates on this boat, it’ll take at least three days. If it rains much over the next few days, I’m afraid it’ll be five."
Five days.
To leave a newly appointed County Magistrate stranded at the docks for five days—if that dignity was lost, Xu Youde wouldn't be able to command so much as a night watchman in Jiangning.
"Five days."
Xu Qinghuan nodded, then turned to the butler beside her. "If this boat stays docked, delaying our schedule and business, how much silver will we lose?"
The butler was a sharp man. He understood instantly and bowed. "To answer the Eldest Miss: by the capital’s standards, between the cargo and the lost labor, we’re losing at least five hundred taels a day."
"Then five days is two thousand five hundred taels."
Xu Qinghuan looked at Pockmarked Wang, tapping the fan against her palm. "Is the monthly wage your master pays you enough to cover that?"
Pockmarked Wang’s face darkened completely. "Is the Eldest Miss trying to extort me? In these Jiangning docks, no one has ever dared to settle a debt with the Grand Canal Gang. Perhaps you should ask around—"
"The Grand Canal Gang?"
Xu Qinghuan scoffed and suddenly took a step forward.
Her beautiful eyes locked onto Pockmarked Wang’s. Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling authority—an aura bolstered by her system—that sent a shiver down one's spine.
"This is Jiangning. This is the Great Qian’s Jiangning, not your gang’s backyard."
"My father is a Magistrate appointed by Imperial Decree. I am the Anguo County Lady, personally titled by the Emperor’s brush."
"By blocking us here, on a small scale, you are obstructing official business. On a larger scale..."
She pointed to the banner flying above, embroidered with the words 'Taking Office by Imperial Decree.'
"Are you telling the people of Jiangning that the word of the Grand Canal Gang carries more weight than the Emperor’s decree? Are you planning a rebellion, or do you want the master behind you to play a game of 'Exterminate the Nine Generations'?"
The veins in Pockmarked Wang’s temples throbbed.
The accusation of "rebellion" was too heavy a hat to wear.
Even the leader of the Grand Canal Gang wouldn't dare accept such a charge in broad daylight.
The laborers who had been laughing earlier fell silent, each of them lowering their heads, not daring to make a sound.
"Move," Xu Qinghuan uttered.
Pockmarked Wang gritted his teeth, staring at the seemingly fragile young woman for a long time. Finally, he stepped aside and waved his hand.
The two cargo ships blocking the way slowly moved apart.
Xu Youde breathed a sigh of relief and was about to put on his official airs when he saw Xu Qinghuan had already turned back into the cabin, leaving only a sentence drifting in the wind.
"Remember that face. In a few days, I’ll have them kneeling to return today's 'road toll'."
The boat docked.
The prosperity of Jiangning City rushed to meet them, yet this prosperity felt eerily cold.
There were no gongs or drums, no local gentry to welcome them.
Even the legendary Jiangning County Yamen was as desolate as a mass grave.
One of the vermilion main gates had fallen, half-buried in the dirt and overgrown with moss.
The plaque reading "Justice Reaches High" hung crookedly, serving as the primary hub for a thick network of spiderwebs.
In the center of the main hall, there was no judge's bench and no bailiffs. There were only two black donkeys leisurely grazing on the grass growing through the floor.
Xu Youde stood at the entrance of the hall. The red sandalwood toilet cover he was clutching hit the ground with a loud clatter.
"This... this is the Jiangning County Yamen?"
He pointed at the two donkeys, his lips trembling. "Am I here to be an official, or am I here to tend to donkeys?"
This was the second show of force from the local clans.
If the office is gone, let’s see how you handle your duties.
"Father, stop looking."
Xu Qinghuan kicked away a piece of broken tile and looked at the sky. "Let’s find a place to stay first."
The group marched toward the best inn in the city—The Jinling Spring.
They didn't even make it past the threshold.
"No vacancy."
