good season

Before today, Xiao Zhen had many guesses about the identity of this group of people, but after what happened at the city gate, combined with Yang Shengqiu's experience in his previous life, Xiao Zhen was certain that this group, like Cao Xianzi, came to Tongzhou for Yang Shengqiu!
There is no kinship in the royal family, let alone among the descendants of Emperor Ai.

They were born into the imperial family, but from the time they could remember, they lived a life of darkness and misery. Their noble status was not an advantage, but rather their Achilles' heel.

To survive, they gave up their identity, their reputation, their dignity, and everything except their lives.

Although they had fallen into obscurity, the struggle for power and profit was ingrained in their very bones. They were willing to kill each other for control of the sect.

When the imperial court implicates criminals, it usually spares the women and children unless the entire family is executed or nine generations are exterminated. However, when brothers kill each other, no one is spared.

Yang Shengqiu's mother, an orphan, fled for many years but still could not escape the clutches of the villain.

Yang Shengqiu, though not of the same surname, is the only bloodline of the eldest branch left in the world.

Unfortunately, Xiao Zhen died too young in his previous life and did not know what happened to Yang Shengqiu afterward. His knowledge of Yang Shengqiu ended with Yang Shengqiu's death in the line of duty, while the disappearance of Yang Shengqiu's son was another matter.

Even the suspicion that Yang Shengqiu faked his death and fled in his previous life was just a guess by Xiao Zhen and Zhao Shiqing.

Even if we can now confirm that Fairy Cao and the group from last night were all after Yang Shengqiu, we still cannot know whether these people are friends or foes to Yang Shengqiu.

Xiao Zhen said, "According to news from the capital, the Fourth Prince and his entourage should leave the capital tomorrow. If nothing unexpected happens, it will take at least seven or eight days on the road, which means they will arrive in Tongzhou in ten days."

Xiao Zhen and Zhao Shiqing's group only took four days because they traveled at breakneck speed, changing horses at each stop. Even Zhao Shiqing, who was pampered and raised in luxury, Xiuxiu, who did not know martial arts, and Shen Guanyue, the youngest, did not complain or fall behind.

They could do it, but the Fourth Prince and his entourage could not.

When a prince travels, he is accompanied not only by a retinue but also by officials.

Those civil officials who did not know martial arts did not ride horses, but were carried in sedan chairs. They traveled with frequent stops along the way. Xiao Zhen's estimate of seven or eight days was based on their daily travel of six or seven hours. If these officials were physically exhausted, it would be common for them to travel for ten days or half a month.

The city was hot, but the mountain was very cool. Around midnight, Da Zhuang, dressed in black, returned from the foot of the mountain with a batch of weapons, including Zhao Shiqing's syringe.

This syringe belongs to the Xiao family. Zhao Shiqing got it from Xiao Su, but it hasn't been used yet.

She had actually wanted to try it for a long time, but unfortunately, this weapon was disposable and would be useless after one use. After thinking it over, Zhao Shiqing decided to keep it by her side for courage.

At the fourth watch of the night, the people on the mountain fell asleep, and Xiao Zhen and Zhao Shiqing changed into their night clothes, took their weapons, and quietly went down the mountain.

The prefect of Tongzhou was named Qian, a student of Feng Ke. Moreover, the maternal aunt of Prefect Qian's wife was the mother-in-law of the deceased Master Feng.

Madam Qian and Madam Feng are cousins.

When Master Feng passed away, Madam Qian made a special trip to the capital to offer her condolences.

This is Prefect Qian's second term in Tongzhou, and he will be out of office in two years. When his term ends, he will definitely be transferred to another post. Over the years, he has neither made any merits nor demerits in Tongzhou. In addition, given his relationship with the Feng family, even if he cannot go to the capital, he is certain to be promoted one rank.

Therefore, Prefect Qian is just coasting along. As long as Tongzhou remains peaceful and undisturbed for the next two years, he will finally get his chance.

One of the reasons why Prefect Qian was eager to be transferred was because of his wife.

On the way to the yamen, Xiao Zhen told Zhao Shiqing about the family affairs of Prefect Qian.

Prefect Qian came from a poor family. His mother and wife supported his father and him by selling tofu.

Later, his wife became pregnant, but the pregnancy was not going well. She was still making tofu when she was eight months pregnant, and she started bleeding from overwork. His mother thought that all women go through this, so she did not ask a midwife to help.

The baby was born prematurely, and it's said that some babies survive but others don't. This baby only lived for half an hour after birth before passing away. His wife also couldn't hold on and died from postpartum hemorrhage.

After his first wife died, the Qian family gained a reputation among the neighbors for mistreating his daughter-in-law. Coupled with the fact that he had no money to marry a second wife, the young Prefect Qian was still a bachelor at nearly thirty years old.

Fortunately, hard work pays off. At the age of twenty-nine, Prefect Qian passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi, thus changing his family's fortunes.

His good fortune officially began after he married Madam Qian. Madam Qian's grandfather, father, uncle, maternal grandfather, and maternal uncle were all officials, so Madam Qian's marriage to Prefect Qian was a marriage of descent.

Madam Qian was a famous bride with a grand wedding procession. After the wedding, she gave birth to two children within three years. Her family even introduced Prefect Qian to Feng Ke. With this teacher-student relationship, no one dared to make things difficult for Prefect Qian, whether he was in the capital or in a remote area.

But all of this was just on the surface. Xiao Zhen sent people to investigate, and they quickly uncovered some things.

Although the eldest son of Prefect Qian was born at full term, he was actually born in the sixth month after his marriage. Because of this, Madam Qian hid in the estate for more than half a year. As a result, his wife's family arranged a post for Prefect Qian in the countryside, allowing him to take his wife and children with him.

No one in the new place knew them, let alone knew when they got married. So, ten years passed in the blink of an eye, and no one ever doubted the background of Young Master Qian.

Although Madam Qian was suspected of cheating on him, Prefect Qian dared not act rashly due to the power of his wife's family, and he doted on his eldest son.

However, Madam Qian did not settle down because of this. She looked down on Prefect Qian. She could be a good wife and mother, but it depended on who she was doing it for. At least Prefect Qian was not worthy of it.

Everyone expresses malice in different ways, and Madam Qian's way was to cuckold Prefect Qian.

Over the years, Madam Qian's lovers have never stopped. Especially after arriving in Tongzhou, Madam Qian has even gone so far as to pick up men on the street.

Madam Qian had a house in the city where she had secret rendezvous with different men, including not only Qian Zhizhou's superiors and subordinates, but also men she found on the street who didn't even have names.

A few months ago, Madam Qian was beaten by the wife and a group of her sisters for having an affair with another man. Madam Qian was beaten and dragged out of the courtyard with her hair disheveled, attracting a lot of onlookers.

Someone recognized her, and from then on, rumors circulated in the city that Madam Qian had cuckolded Prefect Qian.

"I know that beautiful woman who lives in Xiaoshan Alley. My cousin slept with her, and I heard she's incredibly skilled in martial arts."

Such rumors grew more and more numerous, eventually reaching the ears of Prefect Qian. He was so ashamed that he argued with his wife, but to little avail. In fact, his wife scratched his face until it blushed, and he feigned illness for several days, refusing to go to the yamen.

Now, Prefect Qian's biggest wish is to leave Tongzhou as soon as possible and go to a new place where no one knows about these rotten things.

He would then find an excuse to send Madam Qian to the capital, making her lose all face there, and hopefully never to return in this life or the next.

Yes, the eldest son should go with her. As the eldest son, it is his duty to serve his mother.

Only by sending this adulterous woman and this bastard away can Prefect Qian's good days begin.

Before going to sleep, Prefect Qian was still thinking about this question.

Tonight, Madam Qian is staying in Xiaoshan Lane again. Not only tonight, but even on ordinary days, Madam Qian sleeps alone, and since giving birth to her second son, Prefect Qian has not even touched Madam Qian's hand.

In Mrs. Qian's words, he was not worthy.

Prefect Qian gritted his teeth, dreaming of killing his wife and children.

It felt so good, so incredibly good. Stabbing that bastard in the chest with a knife, even though he knew it was a dream, Qian Zhizhou still felt relieved.

"Great! He seems to be stabbing us faster now. This bastard is getting easier to kill." Prefect Qian laughed in his dream, a long, hearty laugh.

But the next moment, he couldn't make a sound. In his anxiety, Prefect Qian regained full consciousness.

Before he knew it, two people were sitting by his bed.

"I heard him say he killed that slut. Was he dreaming about killing his wife?"

“I also heard him say that he wanted to kill that bastard too. It’s not just killing his wife, he’s killing his son.”

Prefect Qian was wide awake and his face was ashen.

"Who are you, daring to trespass into my residence?"

Zhao Shiqing was very interested in this Prefect Qian and said with a smile, "Does your in-laws know that you want to kill your wife and children? And the Feng family, does the Feng family know?"

"What do you want to do?" Prefect Qian asked in a low voice.

Zhao Shiqing understood; this corrupt official wanted to bribe her.

"It's nothing, we just want you to order the relocation of the people."

Prefect Qian was taken aback: "Relocate the people? Do you know what you're talking about?"

Zhao Shiqing: "Of course I know what I'm saying. But you, Prefect, do you know what the Fourth Prince is doing in Tongzhou?"

Prefect Qian's heart stirred. He knew, of course, why the Fourth Prince had come, and he also knew that the Fourth Prince had come with officials from the Ministry of Works.

Tongzhou is located by the river, and the river embankment is reinforced every year, as it was this year. When he learned that the Fourth Prince's trip out of the capital was also for the river works, he took people to check on it overnight and found no problems.

He was of course aware of the news about the flood in Tongzhou from the capital, and he also knew why the Fourth Prince had volunteered to come to Tongzhou. In the end, the flood was just an excuse for the princes to curry favor with the emperor.

For example, this time, regardless of whether there was a flood in Tongzhou, the Fourth Prince came, but the Third Prince did not. This one thing alone shows that the Fourth Prince was superior to the Third Prince.

That's the Third Prince, the Emperor's most beloved son. How could he possibly give up this opportunity?

In this matter, the Third Prince did not fight for it at all. The so-called flood was just a rumor, and most likely it was just a hoax to confuse the public. No matter which prince came, it would be a thankless and futile effort. Therefore, the Third Prince handed over this opportunity to the Fourth Prince. The Fourth Prince traveled a long way to Tongzhou, while the Third Prince stayed in the capital to enjoy his parents' company.

Upon learning that the Fourth Prince was coming to Tongzhou, Prefect Qian consulted Feng Ke. Feng Ke instructed him to take good care of the Fourth Prince and not to panic if there was a flood. The Fourth Prince had brought officials from the Ministry of Works, and flood control was their responsibility. He was merely a local official and should simply follow orders.

Because of all this, Prefect Qian didn't take the flood seriously at all. The most important thing he was facing now was not the flood, but welcoming the Fourth Prince.

Now, upon hearing Zhao Shiqing's suggestion to relocate the people, Prefect Qian found it utterly ridiculous.

But he dared not laugh, for both men held knives, the tips of which were pointed at him, ready to strike him at any moment and send him to his death.

"Which people do you want to relocate? And where are they going to be relocated to?"

Xiao Zhen said in a deep voice, "Gaoping."

Prefect Qian was taken aback; he hadn't expected these two people to want to relocate the people to Gaoping.

"Do you know where Gaoping is? It's 500 li. It takes 500 li from Tongzhou to Gaoping. Do you want these people to walk 500 li in the scorching heat, with their families, young and old?"

Xiao Zhen did not answer the question, but continued, "In addition, you also need to issue official letters to Yuzhou, Xianxian, and Baixian. These three places will also be affected by floods like Tongzhou. The most urgent task is to have the local officials in these four places arrange for the evacuation of the people."

Prefect Qian was amused: "You tell them to evacuate, and they'll obediently leave? What will happen to their fields and houses if they leave? Besides, what right do I have to tell them to evacuate?"

Xiao Zhen said, "The flood-stricken areas are not only Tongzhou, but also the three places mentioned above. No matter what you write in the letter, the purpose is the same: to relocate people!"

Prefect Qian wanted to say that was impossible, but he swallowed the words back down.

Having been a seasoned veteran of officialdom for many years, Prefect Qian knew he had to agree to their demands, or he would be disgraced and unable to continue living his life.

"Alright, tomorrow I will send people to these three places to ask the local government to relocate the people."

Xiao Zhen and Zhao Shiqing had no intention of letting him off the hook; he had to write a letter now.

Prefect Qian reluctantly wrote four letters: three to Yuzhou, Xianxian, and Baixian, and one to the prefect of Gaoping. He instructed the prefect of Gaoping to inform him of the plan to relocate the people of Tongzhou to Gaoping. Of course, whether Gaoping was willing to accept them was beyond his control.

Prefect He of Gaoping has a foul and stubborn temper. With his political achievements and seniority, he should have been promoted long ago, but he has stayed in Gaoping for twenty years. He will most likely be forced to retire soon.

After Prefect Qian finished writing the letter and affixed his personal seal, Xiao Zhen kept his eyes on him. After he finished writing the letter, Xiao Zhen took it, looked at it, and then asked him to write a relocation notice.

Following Xiao Zhen's instructions, Prefect Qian completed all the required writing.

Xiao Zhen then pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket as if by magic.

Prefect Qian was puzzled. When he took the paper and looked at it, he almost choked Xiao Zhen.

The paper contained a poem about a woman who was surrounded by many men.

Zhao Shiqing's voice was cold: "Prefect Qian, do you think this poem is well written?"

Prefect Qian wanted to say, "Great! This poem is really well written."

This poem is actually about the story of a beautiful woman who is lonely and unable to bear it, but it made Magistrate Qian feel terrified.

"Alright, this poem is really well written. Now, can you let me go?"

He was referring to me, not to this official.

After Prefect Qian finished reading the letter, Xiao Zhen took Prefect Qian's personal seal and stamped it on.

This poem was written by Prefect Qian.

"What are you trying to do? What exactly are you trying to do?"

Xiao Zhen ignored him and tucked the manuscript of poems stamped with Prefect Qian's private seal into her bosom.

The two men got what they wanted, left the terrified Prefect Qian in the courtyard, and quickly left the back office.

Once on the street, Zhao Shiqing said, "With these things, we won't have to worry about him not obeying orders."

Xiao Zhen shook his head: "These methods can only control him for a while. Once the Fourth Prince arrives, the situation will be different." (End of Chapter)