Local magistrates dared not let the problem erupt at this critical juncture, fearing that the environment they had painstakingly cultivated would once again descend into turmoil. But the ticking time bomb was bound to explode sooner or later.
County magistrates discovered the problems but dared not take responsibility, while secret agents lurked in various places to keep an eye on the displaced people's forces, and were occasionally refused assistance from local government offices.
Looking at these incompetent civil officials, Zhang Changle originally wanted to report to his master, but his master was, after all, a woman, and a woman who needed to be loved. Now that the marshal had returned, she couldn't help but feel emotional.
At the same time, Zhang Changle also noticed a problem that he wouldn't have discovered if His Highness hadn't occasionally put aside official duties. The problem was that His Highness was receiving more and more memorials, and everyone who needed to handle the work was sending them to His Highness. It seemed like His Highness was shirking responsibility and trying to find some peace and quiet.
"Since you all want to be hermits so much, then this commander will let you be hermits to your heart's content." Zhang Changle immediately sent spies to select eighteen civil officials of mediocre ability to be targeted, and then sent people to replace them.
The spies did indeed perform surgery. Then they discovered that most of those operated on had the surname Xie. A chill ran down their spines.
These members of the Xie clan have all pledged allegiance to His Highness. If we target them now, it might affect those who will later join His Highness.
The secret agents then reported the matter to Zhang Changle.
Zhang Changle laughed after reading it. It turned out that after all the investigation, it was still Xie's fault.
He had no choice but to leave the matter to Wu Qiu.
When Wu Qiu received the list from Zhang Changle, he immediately felt it was a hot potato. He thought he should leave it to the marshal to handle.
His Highness is, after all, his wife. If she doesn't cherish her, who will?
He gasped when he learned that His Highness had handled 399 matters, large and small, in a single month. He thought, "This is it." It was already strange that His Highness had managed to handle so many things, leaving so many tasks to his subordinates.
This was clearly a setup she had deliberately orchestrated.
Unfortunately, those below were oblivious to their own incompetence, scrambling to pile tasks onto His Highness in order to demonstrate their own inadequacy.
Wu Qiu said, "Absurd, absurd, the Xie family is truly absurd!"
They are still better suited to going out and fighting.
The people of Tianjing were temporarily carefree, only needing to worry about making a living each day, while the lower-level officials were running around tirelessly coordinating civil affairs across the country. County magistrates arrived at the court early to begin their three main duties: farmland, irrigation, and adjudicating cases.
The city guards and generals were responsible for managing the comings and goings of pedestrians. The agricultural officials were all busy in the fields.
People everywhere live in peace and contentment. Everyone has hope for the future.
early morning.
After returning from the hot springs, the two masters of Lanzhang Palace appeared quite affectionate. Wu Qiu, who had been waiting outside the palace for some time, kept a low profile as soon as the marshal returned.
The old woman surnamed Xie asked several times whether or not to inform the marshal.
Wu Qiu shook his head. He just needed to wait.
Xie Lanzhi and Si Xitong were having breakfast. After finishing their meal, they brewed a pot of orange tea.
Si Xitong took a sip of tea and finally said, "You really won't let Lord Wu in?"
"His contact with me must be about the Xie family." Xie Lanzhi has already brought the Xie family ashore, and now whether they can stand firm depends on themselves.
She can't take care of them forever.
Si Xitong said, "After all, they are your clansmen."
Xie Lanzhi sensed something else this time. Her little phoenix never interfered in Xie's affairs, so why was he doing so much today?
"Wait a minute, I'll go out and take a look first."
Si Xitong smiled faintly and remained silent. Her eyes were full of cunning.
When Wu Qiu saw the marshal leave, he went up to him and quickly told Xie Lanzhi about the list.
As expected, Xie Lanzhi's face darkened after hearing this, and she angrily rebuked Wu Qiu: "Since I am not in the capital, you are the only civil official who can represent me. Why can't you handle this matter?"
Wu Qiu said with some shame, "It's not that I'm afraid, but rather..."
"He's so hesitant." Xie Lanzhi sighed, then realized she couldn't blame Wu Qiu; it was all because she had left in a hurry and hadn't explained things clearly, which was why he hesitated.
Now she personally drew a line for Wu Qiu: "Of the 399 matters, you and Jing Chen will each take on 50%, and for the remaining 50%, you can delegate 30% to some vacant government departments and mobilize them."
"To avoid the proliferation of redundant staff."
"Since I had nothing else to do, I cooked some!"
Wu Qiu: "Retired? Does that mean you've been stripped of your official position?"
Xie Lanzhi nodded: "I, the general, will not support the Xie family's 'salted fish,' just as Your Highness will not support the Si family's 'salted fish.'"
She made it very clear that Wu Qiu, with her backing, knew how to coordinate things.
Soon, some strange phenomena appeared in Tianjing. The Xie and Si families, a group of royals and noblemen, were actually looking for work on the streets, as if they were afraid that if they were late, they would delay their future.
Some people are so depraved that they even desecrate an old lady's chamber pot.
As members of the royal family, the Si clan frequently sought out shrewish women in the streets and alleys to try and mediate their family disputes. Local thugs were even better; they were simply arrested and used as part of their performance record.
This frightened many thugs so much that they immediately gave up their criminal activities.
The government offices were constantly on guard against the Xie family patriarchs trying to seize control of their offices, fearing they intended to turn the government into a powerless institution and undermine its authority.
Xie was efficient, but also very reckless, often offending people, and then people would turn to others for help the next time they needed something.
The people of Tianjing were dumbfounded when they saw these usually aloof and arrogant old men.
The Xie family, in particular, were already used to the Xie family's erratic and unpredictable behavior. But why was the Si family, as a member of the royal family, getting involved as well?
This is simply an extraordinary event.
The people of Tianjing thought that perhaps there was no other place in the world like the new Tianjing, where the royal family and the powerful clans were used as laborers.
The reason was simply that the marshal felt that the Xie and Si families had too many idle people who ate more than they cooked, so the marshal felt unbalanced.
Ever since everyone in Xintianjing learned that Xie Lanzhi liked honest men, a positive social trend has swept through the city. In any selection process, honest and reliable people are given priority.
However, it only lasted for a short time.
There weren't many things to do in the new Tianjing; the Xie and Si families were both vying to do them, and they were all done last night.
Outside of Tianjing, stability is the primary concern in most areas.
When Si Xitong heard that Lan Zhi's words had caused chaos among her subordinates, she simply smiled.
Xie Lanzhi began corresponding with Xie Xia, reporting the situation in Weidu. Strangely, Hu Xiong did not immediately send anyone to find Anshan, so there was no news for the time being.
Meanwhile, the Northern Region sent people to negotiate and invite Yelü Qiqi back. Even when the traditionalists in the Northern Region put forward Wu Yuejun as their agent, they still demanded that Yelü Qiqi return to the Northern Region.
It definitely has something to do with Beiluo.
The Northern Regions are, after all, one family, despite their differing political views.
She received a report from Zhang Ju today that Yelü Qiqi refused to return to the country and was almost kidnapped, but fortunately Xie Ying rescued her.
Xie Lanzhi wondered what was wrong. Could that little girl Qiqi really play such a big role in the marriage between the two countries?
Yelü Qiqi was not very favored in the Northern Region. The reason she was the most well-known little princess was because she had a good older brother.
Beiluo has so many children, but they don't care about Qiqi.
"Little Phoenix, why don't you try to test Qiqi? It would be best to put an end to Beiluo's thoughts."
Si Xitong said, "It's very simple. As long as Li Li agrees, we'll let her get engaged."
Engagement? Xie Lanzhi's eyes lit up: "Is it Qi Nian or Shang Guang?"
Seeing that she was still thinking about Shang Guang, Si Xitong said helplessly, "The matriarch doesn't like Qi Qi, so it might not work out with Shang Guang."
"Then let's go with Si Qinian." Xie Lanzhi thought it was unlikely, as Qi Qi wasn't interested in Si Qinian at all. Besides, Si Qinian was currently raising pigs in Bingzhou.
Shang Guang is also raising pigs.
Si Xitong shook her head again. She was momentarily at a loss regarding the best candidate.
Xie Lanzhi thought she should wait a while before searching.
She deliberately sent a message to Xie Guang to see if he could find a suitable match. She'd heard that Qi Qi had been frequently visiting Xie Guang's house lately, and he'd almost adopted her as his goddaughter. Clearly, he liked Qi Qi very much.
Xie Guang was overjoyed to receive Xie Lanzhi's letter, but he found it had nothing to do with him; it was simply asking him to help introduce a groom.
He glanced at the girl beside him who was obediently reading storybooks to him, and felt a pang of sadness. Such a well-behaved girl was finally going to marry into the inner quarters and spend her days being a wife and mother.
Looking at Xie Ying knitting beside him, he saw that his daughter, once a dignified young general, had fallen to the status of an ordinary girl, spending her days practicing swordsmanship.
His heartache intensified.
Finally, Xie Guang asked, "Qiqi, is there anyone you like?"
Upon hearing this, both Yelü Qiqi and Xie Ying were taken aback.
Mrs. Wang even kicked her husband under the table, reminding him not to meddle in other people's business.
Xie Guang insisted, "The situation in the northern region is currently unstable. Your father Khan is determined to arrange a marriage between you and the Prince of Anshan in order to stabilize relations with the Xiongnu."
“Your elder brother doesn’t agree and has cut off contact with Luochuan. Now he’s come to beg Your Highness and Marshal, hoping to find you a good family in Tianjing so you can marry into them.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a ball of yarn fell onto the uneven ground, covered in dust, and became dirty in no time.
Xie Ying stared at Xie Guang with wide eyes, as if something was about to be taken away, suddenly acting like a wolf cub with only a sense of territory.
Xie Guang frowned, puzzled by his daughter's gaze.
Madam Wang looked at her daughter, then at Qiqi's dazed gaze, and sighed inwardly.
As a mother, how could she not understand her dog Ying's thoughts? And the little princess was only after her dog Ying from the beginning.
Unfortunately, their family was no longer glorious. Her husband was no longer a great general, but just a gatekeeper. Given their backgrounds and future prospects, Gouying and the little princess were destined to be together but not to stay together.
Suddenly, Xie Ying got up, grabbed a carrying pole from behind the door, and rushed out.
Yelü Qiqi realized what was happening and quickly got up. Through the half-open door, she could see Xie Ying holding a carrying pole and waving it at the big tree in the courtyard.
"Uncle, Aunt," Yelü Qiqi asked, "What happened to Aying?"
Xie Guang was completely bewildered, wondering what had happened to his daughter.
Madam Wang smiled wryly and comforted her, "It's alright. She likes to play with swords and knives when she's unhappy. She'll feel better after venting her frustration."
"What could have possibly upset her like this?" Xie Guang immediately scolded his daughter for not knowing how to control her temper, but then he realized he had dragged her down, and his mood soured. He grabbed a carrying pole and went to the courtyard to spar with his daughter.
Xie Ying went berserk, picking on Xie Guang. Xie Guang was frightened by her chaotic yet aggressive moves.
This child isn't just throwing a tantrum, she's practically going crazy. The last time she went crazy was because of Cuicui eloping with someone, so why is she going crazy now?
Could it be...? At this moment, even Xie Guang finally realized something.
His face immediately hardened as he turned to Xie Ying and roared, "No, absolutely not! You and her are impossible!!"