Yan Tongshu stared at Gao Qi. "There’s a black-market dyeing workshop in Bitaixiang, West City. Do you know where those people went?"
Gao Qi blinked. "Lord Yan, are you here to investigate this?"
Yan Tongshu nodded.
If she said she was going to punish those scoundrels, then she would.
Gao Qi glanced around cautiously and lowered his voice. "Lord Yan, please don’t tell anyone I told you this."
"Go ahead," Yan Tongshu said.
Gao Qi continued, "Those people were afraid of the authorities. After hearing about the death next door, they closed their doors overnight and moved everything. On the third day, they relocated to No. 32, Rongping Road, East City."
Yan Tongshu stood up. "Good."
She rubbed her hands together eagerly. These counterfeiters had misled her and almost let the real culprit slip away. She would never let them off.
Gao Qi bowed repeatedly. "That’s all, sir. I’ll be going now."
Yan Tongshu grabbed him suddenly. "Where do you think you’re going?"
Gao Qi looked miserable. "Lord Yan, you promised not to hold me accountable for breaking and entering."
Yan Tongshu smiled faintly. "Not holding you accountable doesn’t mean I won’t keep a record. You’re coming back to the magistrate’s office with me to sign a statement and put your name on the record. You’d better reform your thieving ways, or next time, you’ll be punished for two crimes."
"You’re so unfair—"
Gao Qi started to protest, but Yan Tongshu shot him a sharp glare. Immediately, he changed his tone to flattery. "Heh, Lord Yan, you’re so fair and just—a true beacon of justice."
Yan Tongshu had Pearl and Jinbao escort Gao Qi to the Kaifeng magistrate’s office.
Gao Qi outwardly complied, but inwardly he cursed Yan Tongshu for being so unjust, all show and no mercy. He was sure she’d be dismissed and investigated sooner or later.
By the time Gao Qi signed the statement and left the magistrate’s office, Zhao Sheng was already waiting at the door to apologize.
Gao Qi wanted to spit at the magistrate’s gate to show his disdain, but there were guards posted, so he dared not. Instead, he snorted and muttered, "All show and no substance! They only know how to crack down on us common folk. If they have guts, they should go after those corrupt officials. Hmph!"
Zhao Sheng smiled ingratiatingly. "Brother, actually, Lord Yan is quite reasonable..."
Gao Qi kicked him hard. "I haven’t finished with you yet. How dare you betray me! Just wait—I’ll beat you senseless."
Zhao Sheng fled as fast as he could. Gao Qi gave chase. No matter what, today he was going to give him a good thrashing.
Meanwhile, Lady Qing’s ox cart turned into a donkey cart, and then on foot, the four of them trudged over mountains and rivers until they finally reached the next prefecture.
Lady Qing now carried two hundred taels of silver notes—a huge fortune. To avoid drawing attention from thieves and scoundrels, she kept the money hidden and continued to use the copper coins she had saved from selling sesame crisps in the capital.
Lady Qing helped Granny Chen along and, with the two children, approached a small noodle stall. She ordered one bowl of plain noodles and three bowls with toppings.
She ate the plain noodles while Granny Chen and the children ate the ones with meat.
When the noodles arrived, Granny Chen pushed the plain bowl toward Lady Qing. "I’ll just have the plain noodles. You’ve been taking care of the three of us all this way, barely daring to close your eyes at night. You’ve worked the hardest—you should eat more."
“Mother, I’m not hungry.” Lady Qing stubbornly insisted on switching back, but Granny Chen shook her head repeatedly. With no other choice, Lady Qing could only pick some of the toppings from her own bowl to share with Granny Chen. Seeing this, the two children also shared from their bowls with Lady Qing. Only then did the four of them begin to eat.
As they ate their noodles, Granny Chen glanced at the sky. “It looks like it’s going to get dark soon.”
Lady Qing wiped her mouth. “Mother, I’ve asked around. Travelers usually sleep at the west side of the city, at the settlement point. It’s crowded with people and patrolled by officials, which is much safer than spending the night out in the wild hills. We’ll head there soon.”
Granny Chen nodded and sighed. “If only Ah Si were here. With him around, you two could work together to get by, and you wouldn’t have to struggle so hard. I should never have let him go to the capital for the imperial exams. If he’d stayed in the countryside as a teacher, just copying texts, at least you’d have enough to eat.”
Hearing Granny Chen’s words, Lady Qing thought again of Chen Sizhen. Though she had been convinced by him, a lingering bitterness remained in her heart. “Some people look down on our countryside, but sooner or later, they’re bound to fly.”
Thankfully, she still had two hundred taels of silver notes.
Even if Chen Sizhen broke his promise and stopped sending money, that sum was enough for her to take care of Granny Chen and raise the two children.
After finishing their noodles, Lady Qing and Granny Chen each held a child’s hand as they made their way to the settlement point.
The so-called settlement was simply a designated area patrolled occasionally by city guards at night. There was nothing inside—no beds, no shelter. If it rained, they would be drenched with no protection.
Fortunately, the sky showed no sign of rain that day.
The four of them took down the cold, stiff cotton quilts from their backs and laid them out. Without even taking off their clothes, they sat down on them.
The autumn night was bitterly cold, and the four huddled together just to keep warm.
The sky was pitch black, the moon half-shrouded in clouds, making everything hard to see.
In the middle of the night, Lady Qing felt the urge to relieve herself. She quietly got up, lit the lantern gifted to her by the Meng family, and slipped into the woods.
Suddenly, a large hand reached out from behind and clamped over her mouth.
“Mmmph!”
She struggled fiercely, and the lantern fell into the grass.
The attacker dragged her backward. Lady Qing pulled out the wooden hairpin from her hair and jabbed it hard into the man’s arm.
He cried out in pain and released her.
From her pocket, Lady Qing took out a sharp shard of broken tile, which she had carefully ground to a fine point.
It was too dark, and with the lantern gone, she could see nothing. All she could do was desperately slash around with the tile.
“Who are you? I’m warning you, there are patrol officers nearby. You’d better leave now, or they’ll be here any second!”
The attacker seemed to be dressed in dark clothes suited for moving at night. Lady Qing couldn’t see him clearly, but she heard the unmistakable sound of a knife being drawn.
This was bad.
Her legs suddenly went weak.
If it were just a common thief, after scaring him a bit, he would have run off. But the presence of a knife meant this was a desperate man with nothing to lose.
Lady Qing knew she couldn't win, and without even caring if she could tell which way was which, she turned and ran.
The wild grass here was tall, scraping scratches across her face and hands.
But she felt nothing—her mind held only one thought: run, run fast.
Suddenly, Lady Qing felt something snag her, and she tumbled to the ground. The assailant drew closer. Bathed in moonlight, she could barely make out a tall man.
Though he wore night clothes, the fabric was expensive and impeccably clean.
In his hand was a large blade, its cold gleam cutting through the night as he swung it toward her.
Panicked, Lady Qing dropped to her knees, begging for mercy. “Hero, please spare me! I beg you, please let me go. I’m just an ordinary woman. I have a mother-in-law over fifty years old and two children depending on me. Without me, they won’t survive...”
She broke down, crying uncontrollably.
The blade stopped just above her head. A chilling voice spoke: “Mother-in-law?”
Lady Qing froze, her whole body stiffening.
The man asked, “She’s your mother-in-law, not your mother?”
Tears streaming, Lady Qing replied, “Yes, yes, she’s my mother-in-law. My husband is dead. It’s just me, my mother-in-law, and my two children, all relying on each other. She’s old now, and I’m all she has. Hero, I’m just a simple woman who knows nothing. Are you after money? I have money—I’ll give you everything I have.”
Trembling, Lady Qing pulled out all the copper coins she had, but she didn’t touch the two hundred taels of silver tucked away.
She didn’t know if the man would still kill her after taking her money. She thought that if she died here, her mother-in-law and children would find her body the next day. They would give her a proper burial and wash her body.
That way, even in death, her mother-in-law and children would find the two hundred taels sewn inside her clothes and be secure for the rest of their lives.
But the man didn’t take her coins. Instead, he stubbornly asked, “Your husband is dead, and you’ve been caring for your mother-in-law all this time?”
Lady Qing nodded. “She’s been good to me. I treat her like my own mother.”
The man suddenly let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh. “There really are fools like you in this world. If it were my wife… sigh… never mind.”
Lady Qing was stunned, too afraid to reply.
The man sheathed his blade. “Your husband sent me to kill you, yet you still care for his own mother. Pitiful and pathetic.”
What?
Lady Qing was completely bewildered.
This man was sent by her husband?
It was Chen Sizhen.
Why?
She had already agreed to return to Jiangzhou. Why would he want to kill her?
The man asked, “You don’t understand. You’re already leaving, so why would he still want you dead?”
Lady Qing nodded.
His voice dripped with scorn. “Because you know too much. As long as you live another day, he’ll always fear his secrets will be exposed. Better to eliminate the threat once and for all. Even though I spared you today out of respect for your filial yet foolish heart, he’ll send more killers after you in the future. You’ll never have peace. If you want to survive, there’s only one way.”
Lady Qing had never been educated, was straightforward, and a bit naive. Whenever someone talked to her at length, she would easily be led astray.
Just like back then, when Chen Sizhen’s few words of “heartfelt analysis” had convinced her, it was the same now.
The bandit sneered coldly, “Go to the Kaifeng Prefecture, beat the drum to cry out your grievances, and expose everything. When the time comes, if anything happens to you, the first person everyone will suspect is him. Only then will he dare not lay a finger on you.”
Lady Qing stammered, “B-but…”
The bandit snorted, sheathing his knife, “Do you know how many people your husband has ordered me to kill?”
Lady Qing’s eyes widened.
The bandit cursed, “You foolish woman, not a single one will be spared. You’re just the first target.”
With that, the man vanished into the night.
Lady Qing hadn’t fully grasped the meaning of his words. Instinctively, she prioritized her own safety, scrambling up and crawling, trembling all over, toward the faintly glowing lantern.
That was her only way back to the safe spot.
Finally, clutching the lantern, Lady Qing returned, shivering.
She curled up under the quilt. The two children, already accustomed to this, instinctively came over to hug her.
She bit her finger, afraid to make a sound, worried about frightening her mother-in-law and the children.
What should she do? What should she do?
Lady Qing was overwhelmed with panic.
What did it mean?
That damned Chen Sizhen wanted to kill her, her mother-in-law, and the children?
How could he be so ruthless?
These were his own mother and his own flesh and blood!
That bastard!
The more Lady Qing thought about it, the angrier she grew. She was already planning to return to Jiangzhou, yet that scoundrel still wanted to kill her, kill his own mother, kill the children!
Lady Qing hadn’t fully understood the bandit’s words, but her temper flared. She immediately decided to return to the capital!
She was determined to make Chen Sizhen pay dearly!
...
That night, Yan Tongshu returned from the Kaifeng Prefecture and saw Lady Yan and Yan Liangrong sitting together, talking.
Both wore cold, stern expressions, their eyes filled with resentment.
Seeing Yan Tongshu come back, Lady Yan had the servants bring out the prepared late-night meal, urging him to eat first.
Yan Tongshu didn’t touch the food. Instead, he asked, “What’s wrong? Mother, where have you and sister been mistreated?”
Lady Yan shook her head helplessly. Yan Liangrong could no longer contain her anger: “It’s that Zhou family again. These past few days, mother and I have gone several times to ask for Liangyu’s marriage contract back, but the Zhou family keeps making excuses. Today, when mother and I went again, Lady Zhou was ‘suddenly ill.’ Her timing is just too convenient. Every time it’s about arranging or canceling a marriage, she falls ill. Does she think we’re fools?”
Yan Liangyu couldn’t cancel the engagement, so there was no way to look for a better match.
As time dragged on and she grew older, there was nowhere else to turn but the Zhou family. This dragging on only hurt the girl.
This was truly a difficult situation.
Yan Tongshu also couldn’t think of a good solution for the moment.
Yan Liangrong grew increasingly resentful as she spoke, unable to swallow her anger: “I think the Zhou family is nothing but a bunch of scoundrels. Today, when Mother and I went to their house to demand what’s rightfully ours, they made us sit on a cold bench for over an hour, openly saying Lady Zhou was ill and couldn’t receive guests. Yet all the while, they kept hinting that the official position of scribe and military officer had been given to someone else, implying that the Yan family doesn’t care about the marriage of the two children and is acting dishonorably. I believe they’re just holding a grudge because we didn’t lend a hand with the scribe and military officer position, deliberately making things difficult for us.”
For those awaiting the imperial examination results, the quickest way to secure a post was to apply for a position in the provinces.
Zhou Zhengxun’s ranking was low, and staying in the capital was nearly impossible.
After careful thought, Yan Tongshu said, “Right now, there’s only one way to break off the engagement.”
Lady Yan asked anxiously, “What way?”
“Fight scoundrels with scoundrel tactics—make a big scene, personally visit their home, and announce it far and wide. But…” Yan Tongshu glanced toward Yan Liangyu’s chamber, “if we do that, the two families will be completely torn apart. The situation will be ugly… Liangyu and Zhou Zhengxun will probably become outright enemies.”
Their younger sister Liangyu was adorable from childhood, with a pure and carefree nature and no ill intentions. She was also skilled at making pastries, especially the ones Yan Tongshu liked, which she made regularly. Although she was a bit love-struck, she was the darling they all cherished and protected.
In the past, Yan Tongshu had to check in daily at the Xianlin Hall, while Liangyu spent more time serving Lady Yan than he did.
Moreover, there was the bond with Chen Meirong in the middle.
After Yan Tongshu finished speaking, the three of them fell silent.
None of them wanted to hurt Yan Liangyu.
Besides, although it was the Yan family initiating the breakup, doing it so publicly and loudly would not only damage the Zhou family’s reputation but also Liangyu’s.
If word got out that the Yans were so ruthless and uncompromising, any future suitor’s family for Liangyu would inevitably hesitate, thinking the Yan family difficult to deal with, making it even harder to arrange a marriage.
They were stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Yan Liangrong looked at Yan Tongshu. Now, Tongshu was a genuine third-rank official, the acting magistrate of Kaifeng Prefecture—a trusted and essential aide.
But… he had only been in office for just over a month, and his foundation wasn’t yet stable.
This was precisely why the Zhou family dared to treat them so coldly.
If Tongshu could accomplish something great and make a name for himself in the capital’s officialdom, the Yan family’s status would soar, solidifying his position as a third-rank official.
Even if the Zhou family remained unappreciative, even if the Yan family publicly and decisively broke off the engagement, there would be plenty of suitable families eager to marry Liangyu.
Yan Liangrong sighed deeply. “Let’s wait a little longer. Perhaps there will be a turning point soon. Perhaps Liangyu can persuade Zhou Zhengxun to voluntarily return the betrothal gift.”
Lady Yan rubbed her temples tiredly. “That’s all we can do. But we can’t drag this out past the New Year. If it really comes to it, we’ll have to do as Tongshu suggests.”
Yan Tongshu nodded in agreement.
With the matter more or less settled, Yan Liangrong took her leave. Yan Tongshu was about to get some late-night food, so they walked together.
High in the sky, the bright moon slipped out from behind the clouds, casting a silvery glow over the courtyard, blending softly with the faint candlelight beneath the corridor.
Yan Tongshu and Yan Liangrong strolled along the covered corridor. Seemingly casual, Yan Tongshu asked, “Sister, how much pocket money do you usually give your husband each month?”
Yan Liangrong turned her head, casting a curious glance at Yan Tongshu. “Why do you ask?”
“Just making conversation,” Yan Tongshu linked her arm through her sister’s. “Mother gives me a monthly allowance, but I always feel it’s not quite enough.”
A third-rank official’s annual salary was about twelve hundred guan, roughly twelve hundred taels of silver.
That was cold hard cash. In addition, there were grain stipends, clothing gifts, and official fields, which altogether amounted to about three thousand taels of silver per year.
It seemed like a lot, but a prominent family like theirs had many dependents to support and considerable expenses.
When their father was alive, his annual income was three thousand taels of silver. Lady Yan managed the household meticulously, and by year’s end, there was usually a surplus of five to six hundred taels. But after their father’s death, the official salary ceased.
Yan Tongshu worked at the Xianlin Academy. Although she held a third-rank position, she received little to no grain stipend, clothing gifts, or official fields—only a yearly salary of a thousand taels.
However, the Yan family still had some income from their shops, which had kept them fairly comfortable in recent years.
That was why Lady Yan had initially offered Yan Liangyu three thousand guan in spending money as a dowry.
Zheng Chun was a sixth-rank Fengzhilang, recently promoted to Chaofenglang, but had yet to officially assume the new post.
A Fengzhilang’s monthly salary was only twenty taels.
Zheng Chun came from a humble background, with no land or shops. The Zheng family’s daily expenses largely depended on the dowry and the income from the shops that came with Yan Liangrong.
Hearing Yan Tongshu complain about not having enough to spend, Yan Liangrong gave her a small reproachful glance and teased lightly, “You’re such a glutton. Think about it—you don’t need to buy anything for yourself. The silver mother gives you each month is just for meals, and you still say it’s not enough?”
Yan Tongshu laughed and leaned closer. “What about brother-in-law? How much do you give him? Is it enough for his expenses?”
Yan Liangrong held up five fingers and smiled gently. “Brother-in-law’s monthly allowance is much less than yours. He only gets this much every month.”
Yan Tongshu grinned. “Five taels?”
Yan Liangrong nodded.
Yan Tongshu instinctively fluttered her eyelashes.
Something was off.
Though Zheng Chun’s official rank was low, his duties were mostly trivial and time-consuming tasks. Because of the heavy workload, Fengzhilang rarely had opportunities for socializing or entertaining guests.
Zheng Chun was simple and good-natured, and he didn’t enjoy socializing either.
Besides, Zheng Chun claimed that all his money went to buying snacks for Zheng Ke.
Yan Liangrong was strict with both Zheng Chun and Zheng Ke. Even if the father and son sneaked out to eat snacks fifteen times a month, they couldn’t possibly spend five taels.
Five taels was definitely enough for Zheng Chun; he shouldn’t be short of money.
So where was Zheng Chun’s money going?
At first, Yan Tongshu had sympathized with Zheng Chun for being so tightly controlled that he didn’t even have a few coins to buy three small snacks, hoping to hint to Yan Liangrong to give him more.
But after asking, her sympathy faded, replaced by suspicion.
Yan Tongshu grew wary. Yan Liangrong’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Yan Tongshu suspiciously. “You’re acting strange today. Could it be that you…”
Yan Tongshu’s body stiffened slightly.
Yan Liangrong smiled sweetly. “You found out that your brother-in-law has been sneaking out with Ke to play?”
Yan Tongshu was taken aback. “Sister, you knew?”
“My own husband—how could I not understand his nature?” Yan Liangrong shook her head with a light laugh. “I may be strict in managing things usually, but when they sneak off for a little leisure, I just let it be. Life is too short to be overly serious.”
Yan Tongshu replied, “Sister, you’re right. It’s I who have been foolish.”
Yan Liangrong smiled warmly. “Enough talk. Let’s go back and have some late-night snacks. I’ve noticed you’ve lost quite a bit of weight since taking office at the Kaifeng Prefecture. Seeing that worries me.”
Yan Tongshu pouted playfully, “Then you must come visit me more often and bring me delicious food.”
“Of course I will,” Yan Liangrong answered with a smile, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze.
…
The next afternoon, Yan Tongshu met the newly appointed assistant registrar.
His name was Lu Zhi, thirty-two years old. After failing the imperial exams multiple times, he suddenly had an epiphany and blossomed late—jumping from repeated failure to ranking sixth in the jinshi examination. Without any influential connections or money to grease the wheels, he had remained stuck in the candidate stage.
Yan Tongshu gave him a few pointers, and Lu Zhi went off to familiarize himself with the work.
No sooner had she seen him off than Li Fulin appeared. Yan Tongshu clutched her large, heavy official seal and buried herself in a never-ending cycle of reviewing documents and stamping them—review, stamp, review, stamp…
Endless repetition.
Eventually, Yan Tongshu was on the verge of losing her mind. “Lord Li, why don’t I just hand you the seal? You can handle the stamping yourself.”
Li Fulin refused without hesitation. “That won’t do. These approvals are your responsibility as the Prefect. If anything goes wrong, only you will be held accountable. It’s not proper for a subordinate to overstep.”
Yan Tongshu looked toward the door with a deep sense of despair.
Maybe she should just climb the city wall and jump.
Perhaps, if she were reborn, she’d find herself back in the Xianlin Pavilion!
Suddenly, the sound of the drum signaling a case being brought in echoed outside. Yan Tongshu’s eyes lit up instantly—finally, a case!
Right now, she felt that hearing cases was far better than sitting here “reviewing documents, stamping, reviewing documents, stamping.”
Those documents—on water conservancy, livelihoods, taxes—gave her a splitting headache.
And after reading all that, she still had to attend endless meetings, coordinating with various departments under the Kaifeng Prefecture, as well as with other ministries at the same level—the Ministry of Personnel, Ministry of War, the Imperial Guards.
God only knows, all she wanted was to be a lazy fish, why did life have to be so hard on her?
All these meetings were far worse than hearing cases.
Yan Tongshu suddenly stood up with a bounce. “I’m going to hear cases.”
Li Fulin quickly grabbed her arm. “Lord Yan, as the acting Prefect, you are the highest administrative authority in Kaifeng. Only major cases require your personal attention; the rest should be handled by your subordinates.”
Yan Tongshu’s expression froze. “Who is on duty for case hearing today?”
Li Fulin replied, “Deputy Judge Zhang Tongpan and assistant registrar Xie Kequ and Deng Mengyi. Other ordinary disputes are handled by other clerks. Lord Yan, you still have to coordinate with the Divine Guards regarding next year’s inspection cooperation. It’s not wise to waste your energy on minor cases.”
Yan Tongshu slumped back into her chair, resigned. “Maybe I should just restart my life.”
Accepting her fate, Yan Tongshu returned to her endless cycle of reviewing documents and stamping…
Meanwhile, in the courtroom, after hearing Lady Qing’s tearful testimony, Zhang Jiu wore a stern expression. Holding the case files recorded by the clerk, he approached Yan Tongshu.
Zhang Jiu saluted with a solemn expression. "Lord Yan."
Yan Tongshu, weary to the point of despair, continued stamping the documents. "What is it? Do you have official papers that need my seal today as well?"
Zhang Jiu stepped forward two paces and handed over the dossier. "Lord Yan, this matter is of great importance and requires your personal presence to oversee the decision."
