No wonder Li Fuyi looked like he was about to be in deep trouble. It seems he was afraid he'd be next.
"Go in." Xie Lanzhi nodded, indicating that she understood, and then she walked into the county government office, leaning on her cane.
At this moment, Si Xitong received an official document from the Northern Prefecture, acknowledging his status in Huayin South and renaming Huayin South as Jinghua Prefecture.
Si Xitong acknowledged the name and approved the local officials to change it to Jinghua Prefecture.
"Little Phoenix." Xie Lanzhi saw tea on the next table, so she went to pour a cup and brought it to her.
Upon seeing her arrive, Si Xitong immediately put down her vermilion brush, stepped down from the platform, and took the teacup. She even examined Si Xitong's injuries, asking, "How have you been feeling lately?"
"Perhaps it's because the injury is healing and it's a little itchy," Xie Lanzhi said, also worried about her.
When Si Xitong saw that Lu Qing and her daughter had arrived, she invited them to sit down and asked Xie Shangguang to bring over some local pastries.
The pastry platter was served, and Qianqian ate it with great relish.
Lu Qing kept a low profile, knowing that the marshal had been resting for twenty days. It was now the end of November.
Si Xitong sensed that the atmosphere was about to turn sour, so she subtly changed the subject: "Lanzhi, could you help me take a look at the official business I've been handling lately?"
Xie Lanzhi agreed.
She tacitly refrained from mentioning it, casually resting her crutch on her lap while her own legs remained firmly planted on the ground. She showed none of the self-awareness expected of a person using crutches.
Qianqian was about to speak when she saw this: "Sister seems to be better now."
Lu Qing covered her daughter's mouth: "Don't ever say that we can go to Niliupei."
After reviewing the official documents from the past month, Xie Lanzhi found that Xiao Fenghuang had handled every matter perfectly. She knew which officials should be executed and which shouldn't, which were so important that they needed to be made an example of, and which needed to be reminded. She distinguished everything clearly. She even knew that Li Fuyi had embezzled thirty catties of rice, and used her superior intelligence network to completely intimidate all the lower-level officials in Huayin South, no, in present-day Jinghua Prefecture.
As for the intelligence network in Jinghua Prefecture, the reason Little Phoenix was able to build it so quickly was entirely due to the spies of the Western Guard, who infiltrated every nook and cranny. Even though Li Fuyi and the others knew there were spies, they didn't know who they were, completely shattering their preconceived notions and leading them to believe they were highly trained Western Guard officials. In the end, all the intelligence came from an elderly woman who had lost her only child.
An old woman brought down all the corrupt officials in the capital.
The reason why Li Fuyi was not punished was because he only dared to tamper with petty gains, and it was not yet time to take him down.
Xie Lanzhi praised her without reservation: "Little Phoenix's abilities are already capable of handling political affairs independently, which is truly remarkable."
Si Xitong nodded, showing little emotion, much more composed than before. But the thought that her sudden composure was due to her own impending doom made her uneasy.
Xie Lanzhi put down the official documents.
She brought up the trip to Niliupei at the end of the month: "I want to leave as soon as possible."
After speaking, she cautiously glanced at Si Xitong, only to see that her expression flickered briefly before quickly returning to normal, without much fluctuation. It was as if she had anticipated that Si Xitong would say that.
Xie Lanzhi added, "Just in case, I will bring a flintlock pistol."
Si Xitong finally spoke: "Go."
Just two simple words, spoken without even a change in tone. This greatly surprised Xie Lanzhi, who, no matter how she scrutinized him, had already tacitly accepted Si Xitong's attitude.
Finally, Xie Lanzhi nodded: "Don't worry, I'll be back soon."
This time, even without her mother's reminder, Qianqian ate her pastries and noticed the dark aura surrounding her sister, which was like a cloud of mist enveloping the chains crossed around her neck, making it particularly conspicuous.
Lu Qing asked her daughter in a low voice, "How is the marshal this time?"
Qianqian said calmly, "Mother, it's the same as always."
Lu Qing listened silently, then cautiously glanced at Si Xitong. Even though Si Xitong had heard it, her expression remained unchanged. Lu Qing wondered to herself: Why is His Highness so calm?
Even Xie Lanzhi couldn't help but feel puzzled. But she dared not ask, fearing that asking too much would cause the atmosphere between them to become tense again.
She didn't want to argue with her beloved wife before heading to Niliupei to break through the life-and-death tribulation.
This time, instead of using her cane, she pulled Si Xitong into her arms. Lu Qing promptly covered her daughter's gossipy little eyes with her hand. Then, the mother and daughter secretly slipped out of the county government office.
Si Xitong gently patted her back, just as she used to comfort her when she was anxious.
She comforts herself in the same way now.
Xie Lanzhi couldn't help but smile: "Little Phoenix, we've been married for over a year now."
"Why bring this up all of a sudden?" Si Xitong rested her chin on her shoulder, pressing her face close to her body. She said softly, "Are you trying to praise me, thinking I'm becoming more and more caring?"
You guessed right.
At the same time, the forces in northern Huayin officially changed their name for southern Huayin to Jinghua Prefecture.
The Xiongnu issued numerous official documents declaring Sixitong's sovereignty over Jinghua Prefecture. This shocked and terrified many small countries, which were caught in the power struggle between larger nations, facing imminent division. The very identity of the people of Huayin Kingdom may now be in question.
Many people chose to relocate to Jinghua Prefecture, while many others stayed in Huayin North, believing that this was their native hometown, so why should they leave?
However, life was not easy staying in Huayin North, and they were still bullied by the Huns.
The loss of over 100,000 people in Huayin North led to a decrease in the number of Hu and Xiongnu merchants working in coal mines and as well as their usual labor force, causing them to protest in the Northern Prefecture.
Anshan looked at the account book in his hand and saw that the profit had decreased by 30,000 taels in just one month.
He slammed his hand down on the ledger, furious. "Why should Artur gamble with my interests! We're short-handed right now, and if we're not careful, these Huayin people will run off to the capital."
"If you run away and never come back, who will work for me and make money then!"
"How could I possibly have the money to send back to my motherland?!"
Anshan complained that Artu had already sent a letter urging Xie Lanzhi to arrive at Nilubei as soon as possible, as he had already gone ahead.
The Xiongnu envoy made a suggestion: "Prince, perhaps you could... raise the wages a little to retain them."
In the past, the people of Huayin worked for them without pay, only needing a meal. Now that there are fewer people in Huayin, unlike when there were many people and labor was cheap, measures must be taken to make up for it.
Anshan slammed his hand on the table again: "It's all Xie Ying's fault!"
"Otherwise, why would I have paid these unruly commoners their wages?"
The Hu Xiongnu envoy said, "The only way to avoid greater losses is to compromise now. We should also report the current situation of the Huayin Kingdom to the King. I believe the King will understand."
Anshan sent an envoy to inform the motherland. Later, it was reported that Ayumantu had set off for Lu with a hundred men, and that the ruler of Lu had made contact with the king. The king exchanged five thousand shi of grain for the ruler of Lu's agreement to lend Nilupi.
The State of Lu was only the size of a county town, with a population of just 200,000. Five thousand shi was a lot for the ruler of Lu.
Unexpectedly, the next day, the newly arrived army delivered 5,000 shi of grain and a contract for repairing a national highway. The highway would be built from Lu to the new Tianjing, free of charge, and Lu would receive an annual subsidy of 3,000 taels of silver for road expenses.
Upon receiving the contract from Si Xitong, the King of Lu fainted on the spot from excitement. Three thousand taels of silver—Lu's annual fiscal revenue was only ten thousand taels; three thousand taels was enough to allow Lu to reduce its tax revenue by one season. The King of Lu was an incorruptible ruler and would likely use this money to exempt his people from one season's taxes. Moreover, with the national highway repaired, Lu could use the money to purchase supplies and conduct trade in the new capital.
Their oranges from Lu are the sweetest. Business will definitely be booming.
An Yi is currently washing chamber pots in the mansion of a Hu Xiong master. Because she washes them so well, and because she rescued the Hu Xiong master from the latrine, she has been promoted to the position of steward of the mansion.
Previously, the steward had moved his entire family to Jinghua Prefecture because he could no longer endure the oppression of the Huns. Therefore, Anyi had the opportunity to take up the post.
Anyi never imagined that he, a dignified ruler, would be reduced to a mere steward.
She finally had the opportunity to send two letters to the Jinghua Prefecture. One to Si Xitong, and one to Azi.
Azi almost fainted with joy when she received Anyi's letter.
When Si Xitong opened An Yi's letter, she became quite serious, because An Yi had recounted to her the hardships and sorrows she and the common people had endured over the past two months.
He only reported good news to his wife, Anyi, and never reported bad news.
Si Xitong quietly put the letter away. She planned to send someone to fetch Anyi after her ordeal.
Unexpectedly, Anyi wrote again, saying: I will not go back for the time being, as I still have responsibilities to bear.
After reading the letter, Azi agreed as if possessed.
Si Xitong asked her, puzzled, "How could you not know how capable An Yi is?"
Azi, however, was no longer the tearful woman she used to be. Though her eyes were red, she had absolute confidence in Anyi: "The fact that she is well-prepared in Huayin and Beicang means that she is capable of handling things on her own. Besides, so many people follow her and believe in her. A group of people who are unrelated to me are supporting her. As her wife, I must believe in her and cannot stop her."
Si Xitong fell silent. Her fingers crumpled the envelope, envying Azi's unconditional trust in An Yi.
Because she realized that she was not as calm as she appeared, even though she had given the impression that she was sending Lanzhi to Nilupo, her heart could not lie.
Azi vaguely sensed that her sister and brother-in-law also had something on their minds. She didn't understand politics, but she could still say a few words about their relationship.
“Sister, let me ask you what if,” Azi said. “What would you think if your brother-in-law went against his own heart to please you?”
Si Xitong's eyes flickered, and she looked up and said, "Azi."
Azi: "I don't understand that much, but sister, please don't force yourself. It's okay for wives and wives to have different opinions, but one should never force the other to go against their own principles just because they love you."
Who would have thought that her younger sister, who was even younger than her, would see things more clearly than she did?
Is she really blinded by her own involvement?
In the backyard room, Xie Lanzhi had already removed her bandages. After examining her several times, the doctor exclaimed in surprise, "It's only been a little over a month, Marshal, you've recovered so quickly!"
Xie Lanzhi smiled and said, "My constitution is better than most people's. I've been troubling the doctor lately."
"How could I dare?" the doctor said, flattered. "But Marshal, you must take care of your right hand. Your wrist is quite badly injured."
Thank you.
Xie Lanzhi asked Xie Shangguang to tip the doctor and then send the doctor home.
In the blink of an eye, her little phoenix returned. She even brought over a pot of soup.
"I'm all better now."
Si Xitong nodded: "I heard it at the door."
She placed the soup on the table, ladled it into a bowl for Xie Lanzhi, and as Xie Lanzhi drank it, she sat quietly beside her, saying nothing, just watching her.
After Xie Lanzhi finished drinking, she noticed that the woman was staring at her absentmindedly.
She seemed to have something on her mind.
She put down her bowl: "Little Phoenix."
Si Xitong interrupted her first: "Don't talk, just stay like this for a while."
Xie Lanzhi fell silent, letting her look at her quietly. She was confused and conflicted for a while, feeling extremely unhappy. Then, as if she had come to a realization, she became somewhat aloof, as if she had instantly suppressed the emotions that she would have exposed to Xie Lanzhi.
This may not necessarily be a bad thing. A ruler who does not show his emotions can strategize and control the overall situation.
Once she has mastered the following two points, she will be ready to go without needing anyone to tell her what to do.
The two remained silent for half an hour. Finally, Si Xitong stood up, his back to her, making it impossible to discern his emotions. His voice was also slightly cold: "I will no longer stop you from doing what you want to do."
"No destruction, no construction."
"To gain new life, one must first abolish the cycle of death."
Xie Lanzhi paused for a moment, then sat down in her chair without getting up to hug her as usual.