Huangming

Chapter 448 Framing and Silencing, Clinging to the Feudal King

Dong Zhongxing stood by the wooden window on the second floor of the teahouse, watching Lu Jianxing's warhorse gradually disappear into the dusty street corner before slowly turning his gaze away.

He raised his hand and pushed open half of the window, and the wind from the border region, carrying sand and dust, rushed in, making the corners of his blue cloth robe rustle.

He picked up the cup of tea, which had long since gone cold, took a sip, and felt the bitter taste spread from the tip of his tongue to the bottom of his heart. He couldn't help but sigh softly.

That sigh concealed a deep sense of unease and distress that even Lu Jianxing might not fully comprehend, the deepest embarrassment of being the magistrate of Datong County.

People always say that it's difficult to be an official in the capital, that serving the emperor is like serving a tiger, but they don't know that the difficulties faced by some local officials are even greater than those of officials in the capital.

Ordinary county magistrates can still govern and manage affairs within their jurisdiction by virtue of the fact that "the emperor is far away." Even if they occasionally make mistakes, they can take a break and make amends.

But there is a type of county magistrate who is destined to face difficulties from the day he takes office.

That was the magistrate of the county seat attached to the city wall.

A county attached to a city is one that does not have its own county seat, but the county government is located in the same place as the prefectural city. Datong County, where the county seat is embedded in the prefectural city of Datong, is a typical example.

Others only know that the magistrate of the county seat is close to the prefectural city and has convenient access to government services, but they are unaware of the frustrations he faces:

The prefect was credited with the political achievements. Whenever there was even the slightest improvement within his jurisdiction, the prefect would be credited first for his "effective management" when the report was submitted to the imperial court.

However, if something goes wrong, such as tax arrears or riots by displaced people, the first person to be held accountable is always the county magistrate for "ineffective governance".

Want to get something real done?
You have to see the prefect's expression first. If the prefect nods, that's fine. But if he shakes his head, even the best ideas will have to stay inside.

The common saying circulating among officials was something Dong Zhongxing experienced firsthand when he first arrived in Datong:
"Three lifetimes of misfortune, a county magistrate living in the city; three lifetimes of evil deeds, a provincial capital living in the city; three lifetimes of heinous crimes, a capital city living in the city."

But he felt that being the magistrate of Datong County was even more difficult than being the magistrate of Daxing and Wanping Counties, which were subordinate to Guo Jingcheng.

Datong Prefecture governed four prefectures and seven counties. The scattered prefectures such as Weizhou and Shuozhou each had their own administrative centers, and counties such as Huairen and Guangling also had their own cities. Only Datong County was like a guest living under someone else's roof, squeezed into the prefectural city.

And in this prefectural city, the first person you can't afford to offend is the prince of the Prince of Dai's mansion.

Zhu Gui, the first Prince of Dai, was the thirteenth son of Emperor Taizu. Although he has long since passed away, the prestige of the Prince of Dai's mansion has never diminished in Datong.

Historical records clearly state that Zhu Gui was greedy, lustful, cruel, and bloodthirsty; even Emperor Yongle (Zhu Di) issued an edict rebuking him.

“I have heard that my brother has been indulging in killing and taking wealth, which has caused great suffering to the people of the country. There have been many complaints.”

With this family tradition passed down, although the current Prince of Dai dares not openly commit mass killings, he has done his fair share of encroaching on farmland and forcibly taking women from the people.

Where can the common people go to file a complaint when they have been wronged by the Prince of Dai's mansion?

It was naturally the county government office.

In the six months since Dong Zhongxing took office, half of the lawsuits he received were accusations that the guards of the Prince Dai's mansion had forcibly seized farmland, and 30% were accusations that the servants of the Prince Dai's mansion had extorted merchants.

Every time he held court, looking at the expectant eyes of the people, and thinking of the vermilion gate of the Prince of Dai's mansion and the guards standing solemnly at the gate, he felt as if he had thorns in his back.

On one side are imperial relatives and nobles, on the other are the suffering common people. Is it wrong to judge the Prince's Mansion?

Even if he, a seventh-rank county magistrate, had ten heads, it wouldn't be enough to chop them off.

Was the judgment against the people wrong?

My conscience wouldn't allow it.

In the end, they could only appease the people with kind words and then secretly send someone to the Prince's Mansion to "mediate" and compensate the Prince's Mansion with some silver before they could barely settle the matter.

But after doing this "muddying the waters" so many times, the people's eyes gradually changed, and the Prince's Mansion even thought he was "useless." Even the servants in the mansion dared to give the yamen runners he sent a hard time.

This is only the first challenge.

Across the street from the Prince of Dai's Mansion is the General's Mansion of Datong.

That's someone you can't afford to mess with.

Datong Town is a key town on the border, and the commander-in-chief is a second-rank official with hundreds of thousands of border troops under his command. It would not be an exaggeration to call him the "commander of a major military region".

The deputy generals and brigade generals under the general were all military officers of the third or fourth rank. They were used to running rampant in the prefectural city. The border soldiers were even more notorious for their arrogance. It was common for them to smash shops and rob things when they were drunk.

On one occasion, several border soldiers harassed a local woman in the street. When the people tried to stop them, they drew their knives and injured the woman.

Dong Zhongxing sent men to arrest the man, but the adjutant from the General's Office led his men directly to the county government office, saying, "The border soldiers are working hard to prepare for war, so there's no need to investigate such a trivial matter," and they took the man away.

He later learned that, according to the "Collected Statutes of the Ming Dynasty," military and civilian cases in border towns had to be "jointly tried" by the garrison, and local officials did not even have the power to make independent judgments.

To put it bluntly, whenever border troops are involved, he, as the county magistrate, has very little say.

What frustrated him even more was that Datong Town was on the front line of border defense, and he, the county magistrate, gradually became a "logistics officer".

The border troops needed supplies, and he had to gather them on time; being even a day late would be considered "missing a military opportunity."

When the border troops needed civilians to build fortifications, he had to go door-to-door to conscript them. Any resistance was considered "obstructing military affairs."

However, 60% of the farmland around Datong was military settlements under the jurisdiction of the garrison. As the county magistrate, he couldn't even touch it. He could only deduct from the remaining 40% of civilian farmland. The people were already suffering from drought, and this was even worse. He watched the people go hungry, but he couldn't do anything about it.

What's more complicated is the monitoring system here.

In addition to the local prefects, there was also the governor and the censor-in-chief of Datong.

A third-rank official is in charge of both military and civil affairs. From the general to the county magistrate, anyone he dislikes can be impeached.

Since taking office, Dong Zhongxing has submitted a thick stack of petitions to the governor's office. He had to carefully consider every word in each one, for fear that he might say something wrong and be impeached.

But that's not the most terrifying thing. The most terrifying thing is the eunuch supervisors and their spies.

Since the Chenghua era, Datong has had a permanent eunuch in charge of military affairs. During the Zhengde era, Gu Dayong was stationed there and reported directly to the emperor in secret.

These eunuchs had no ability to govern the country, but they were the best at finding fault and reporting on others. Dong Zhongxing even had to worry about whether there were spies listening in when he spoke privately with the yamen runners.

Among all these superiors, there was one whom they could not afford to offend: the prefect of Datong.

The prefect was his direct superior. In name, his appointment, dismissal and evaluation were all under the prefect's control. Even if there were princes, generals, governors and eunuchs in front of him, the prefect had plenty of ways to make trouble for him.

For example, deliberately delaying his official documents, or rating him as "incompetent" during performance evaluations.

He spent most of his energy dealing with his superiors every day, not to mention dealing with the real issues of displaced people and comforting the people.

Also.

Datong is a border town.

Once the Mongols invaded, the border troops, unable to defeat them, could flee south. The imperial court, fearing it would incite a mutiny, would often not investigate further.

But if he, as the county magistrate, lost the city, it would be a serious crime of "losing territory," and he would have no choice but to hang himself to atone for his sins.

A few years ago, when Mongol tribes raided Datong Youwei, the county magistrate at the time failed to defend the county and eventually hanged himself in the government office, and his family was also implicated.

Now, unrest has broken out in Youyu and Zuoyun counties, with displaced people occupying the area and robbing merchants. Who knows if Datong County will be next?

He only had about a hundred yamen runners and no decent weapons. If the refugees really attacked, what could he do?
Dong Zhongxing took another sip of her cold tea, his gaze falling on the gray sky outside the window.

He recalled that before he took office, the Minister of Personnel told him, "His Majesty values ​​your talent, which is why he sent you to Datong for training."

But he really couldn't understand whether His Majesty was giving him an important position or "exiling" him.

From the Zhengtong era to the present, Datong County has had a total of 76 county magistrates. Among them, 32 were dismissed for "delaying military affairs" and 19 were impeached by censors and dismissed from office. The average term of office was only two years and one month.

He didn't know if he could make it through the deadline.

"When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it first tests their will, strains their muscles and bones, and starves their body..."

He muttered Mencius's words to himself, trying to encourage himself.

The wind was still blowing, and the sand was still swirling, but his eyes gradually lost some of their confusion and gained more determination.

Whether His Majesty is giving him an important position or testing him, now that he has come to Datong, he cannot be a deserter.

Even if the burden is incredibly heavy, he has to carry it on.

Not for anything else, but for those people who are still waiting for justice!

the other side.

The main hall of the Datong General Garrison had a more somber and imposing atmosphere than ordinary government offices.

Although Wang Wei was sitting in the main seat, his gaze was not on the official documents, but rather on the view outside the window.

After General Yang Zhaoji led his troops to Shandong to quell the rebellion, all the power of the General's Office fell into the hands of him, the deputy general. However, the heavy burden on his shoulders made him unable to sleep at night.

"Tap tap tap~"

The sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall, interrupting Wang Wei's thoughts.

He looked up and saw his trusted servant, Wang Zhong, stumbling in.

"Why are you panicking?"

Wang Wei's voice was deep. He disliked his subordinates being flustered, especially in the General's Mansion, where every bit of panic could give away information.

Wang Zhong knelt down with a thud.

"General! Something terrible has happened! News has come from the grasslands."

Wang Guoliang… Wang Guoliang has been captured by the Ming army, and his head has reportedly been sent to the capital overnight to report the victory!

With a loud bang, Wang Wei slammed the paperweight in his hand onto the table. He stood up abruptly, the hem of his general's uniform brushing against the chair leg, a flash of shock and anger crossing his eyes.

Wang Guoliang is dead?
Although he had long anticipated that his son-in-law would not escape the Ming army's pursuit, he still felt a pang of anxiety when the news actually arrived.

It wasn't that she felt sorry for Wang Guoliang, but rather that she was afraid that this deadbeat would implicate her.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the panic in his heart, and strode over to Wang Zhong, his voice as cold as ice:

"Is the news true? Who sent it?"

"It was...it was our scouts who saw Ma Shilong carrying Wang Guoliang's head from Dushibao towards Xuanfu. Someone from Xuanfu has already sent a messenger to Datong."

Wang Zhong dared not raise his head, and his voice grew softer and softer as he spoke.

"Rumors are already circulating in the city, and many generals are discussing it..."

"What are you talking about?"

"The discussion is about the relationship between the General and Wang Guoliang."

"Okay, stop talking!"

Wang Wei interrupted him, his tone even more somber.

What he feared most was that someone would bring up his relationship with Wang Guoliang.

Wang Guoliang was his son-in-law. When Wang Guoliang raised an army in Xuanfu, although he did not openly support him, he secretly sent him messages. If this was discovered, he would be considered a traitor and his entire family would be executed!
He suddenly remembered Willow Creek Manor outside the city, his heart tightened, and he quickly asked:

Has anyone noticed anything unusual at Willow Creek Manor outside the city?

Hidden in that manor is Heilian'er, the wife of Wang Guoliang.

She is also his goddaughter and has two grandsons.

If the Embroidered Uniform Guard or the garrison eunuchs find out, his crime of harboring the family members of a traitor will be confirmed, and then even a god couldn't save him.

Wang Zhong paused for a moment, then quickly replied:

"There shouldn't be anyone who has noticed."

The manor was only guarded by an old servant; aside from those delivering food and medicine, even the local people rarely approached it.

"should?"

Wang Wei's voice suddenly rose, and he kicked Wang Zhong in the shoulder, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"What this town needs is 'definitely'! Not 'should'!"
That Black Lotus and her son are a menace; a single misstep could blow us all to smithereens!

Wang Zhong winced in pain, but dared not cry out. He quickly scrambled to his feet and knelt down again, his voice filled with fear:

"Your subordinate... Your subordinate will arrange it right away, to move them to another place, such as... such as the military camp at Polu Fort, where General Liu's men are all located, so it's safe there!"

Wang Wei shook his head.

A moment later, he suddenly spoke, his voice eerily calm:
"There's no need to move them. Go now to guard the eunuch's manor and tell Zhang Wei that Heilian'er and her child are hiding in Willow Creek Manor."

"what?"

Wang Zhong suddenly raised his head, his eyes wide open, his face full of disbelief.

"General! Have you gone mad? If we tell Eunuch Zhang, wouldn't we be walking into a trap? Harboring a family member who plots rebellion is a capital offense!"

Wang Wei sneered, picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip of the already cold tea, and spoke with a calculating tone:
"Walking into a trap?"
What do you know?

Wang Guoliang is dead. Hei Lian'er and her daughter have long lost their value to us and have become a hot potato.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard is omnipresent; Willow Creek Manor can hide for a while, but not forever. Sooner or later, they will find it. He paused, his eyes growing colder.
"Instead of waiting for them to find out and accuse us of 'harboring a traitor,' we might as well tell them the truth."

He said, "I had already discovered the whereabouts of Hei Lian'er and her daughter, but I was afraid of alerting them, so I secretly monitored them. Now that Wang Guoliang has been executed, I have come to report to you, Your Excellency, and ask you to make your decision."

In this way, not only are we innocent, but we've also become loyal subjects who "sacrifice family for the greater good," completely absolving ourselves of any guilt.

Wang Zhong was stunned and it took him a while to react. He secretly admired Wang Wei's ruthlessness.

He even used his goddaughter and grandson as bargaining chips; with such cunning, it's no wonder he was able to gain a foothold in Datong.

But he still hesitated, and mumbled:

"But...but Hei Lian'er knows quite a lot!"

She knew that we had sent a message to Wang Guoliang, and that we had withheld military rations to support refugees...

If she speaks carelessly in front of Eunuch Zhang, we'll still be exposed!

Wang Wei paused, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes, and his voice was kept extremely low.

"So, she has to die."

"what do you mean……"

Wang Zhong broke out in a cold sweat instantly; he finally understood Wang Wei's entire plan.

First, proactively report Hei Lian'er's whereabouts, then, on the way for Zhang Wei to send people to "capture" her, create an "accident" to make Hei Lian'er and her daughter "commit suicide out of fear of punishment." In this way, there will be no witnesses, and all the secrets can be kept to themselves.

"You know what to do."

Wang Wei put down his teacup, his gaze falling on Wang Zhong, his tone threatening.

"Make it clean, don't leave any trace."

If anything goes wrong, you and your entire family will be executed along with them.

Wang Zhong trembled and immediately kowtowed:

"Your subordinate... Your subordinate understands!"
"I'll take care of it right away, and I guarantee it will be done flawlessly!"

He dared not delay any longer, got up and staggered out of the hall.

soon.

Wang Wei was the only one left in the lobby.

He walked to the window, gazing at the setting sun gradually sinking below the horizon, a cold smile playing on his lips.

If Wang Guoliang dies, Hei Lian'er will die too. As long as she can keep her power and life, what does it matter if she sacrifices a few "relatives"?
He had coveted the position of General of Datong for so many years, and he absolutely could not afford to lose it over such a trivial matter.

Wang Zhong's footsteps gradually faded at the end of the long corridor of the General's Mansion, and the hall became quiet again.

Wang Wei returned to the main seat, but the unease in his heart did not diminish in the slightest.

Dealing with Hei Lian'er was merely defusing a small bomb; the real shockwave was still brewing in the direction of Xuanfu.

News of Xiong Tingbi's reorganization of Xuanfu has spread to Datong like snowflakes in the past few days:
They killed 1,200 rebel soldiers, confiscated 2 million taels of silver from the families of the rebels, and even promoted Ma Shilong to the rank of general...

Their swift and decisive methods even woke him up in the middle of the night.

Xuanfu is now stable, who will be next?

In the important border town of Datong, the chaos is no less than in Xuanfu, and Xiong Tingbi's eyes will be on it sooner or later.

“Xiong Tingbi…”

Wang Wei murmured the name, his teeth clenched tightly.

He operated in Datong for over ten years, and there were far too many shady dealings involved:
He embezzled military rations to line his own pockets, tolerated his son-in-law Liu Zhenbang's financial assistance to refugees, and even secretly plotted to bring down a former brigade commander in order to seize military power...

If Xiong Tingbi were to find out about these things, he would not only lose his position as deputy commander-in-chief, but he would also lose his head.

He needed to find a powerful backer, someone Xiong Tingbi wouldn't dare to easily challenge.

Wang Wei's gaze swept over the three characters "Daiwangfu" in the center of the Datong Prefecture map, and his eyes gradually brightened.

In Datong City, the strongest backer was none other than that Prince Zhu.

Prince Zhu Naijun of Dai.

Although the princes and nobles of the imperial family no longer have full military power, the title of "imperial relative" is still their strongest shield.

No matter how arrogant Xiong Tingbi was, he wouldn't dare to openly oppose a prince, especially since this prince was a descendant of the founding emperor, and even His Majesty had to show him respect.

Having made up his mind, Wang Wei got up and went to the inner room, opening the hidden compartment of the camphor wood cabinet.

Inside was a neatly stacked pile of paper contracts, wrapped in dark red brocade.

There are deeds to the most prosperous shops in the south of the city, deeds to 20,000 mu of irrigated fields outside the city, and contracts for two coal mines in the west of the city.

These were all the assets he had amassed over the years, but now he was going to use them as a stepping stone to enter the Prince of Dai's mansion.

He stroked the bright red seal on the contract, feeling a pang of reluctance, yet also understanding clearly:

Without life, all this wealth will simply be in someone else's pocket.

Half an hour later.

Wang Wei's carriage stopped in front of the Prince of Dai's mansion.

The vermilion gate of the Prince's Mansion was tall and imposing, and the three gilded characters "Dai Wang Fu" (Prince's Mansion of the Dai) on the lintel dazzled the eyes in the sunlight.

Two white marble lions stood guard at the gate, baring their teeth. The guards wore armor embroidered with the character "代" (Dai), exuding more arrogance than the soldiers of the government office.

As soon as the carriage came to a stop, someone went inside to announce its arrival.

Over the years, Wang Wei had sent many gifts to the Prince of Dai's residence, and the people there had long recognized his carriage.

It didn't take long.

A steward dressed in a light blue brocade robe strode out, a smile plastered on his face:
"General Wang, His Highness is waiting for you at the Minghe Courtyard in the back. Please come in."

Wang Wei followed the steward inside; the luxury of the Prince Dai's Mansion far surpassed that of the General's Mansion.

After passing through three courtyards, Wang Wei noticed that the palace lanterns hanging under the eaves had shades embroidered with gold thread, and even the maids leading the way were dressed in fine silk and satin, with pearl hairpins in their hair.

He clicked his tongue in amazement.

The daily expenses of this Prince's Mansion are probably equivalent to a month's tax revenue of Datong County.

To say he's greedy?
How could he possibly be more greedy than these princes?

Upon arriving at Minghe Courtyard, Wang Wei could hear the clear chirping of birds from afar.

On the stone table in the courtyard, there was a golden birdcage, inside which lived a snow-white thrush, hopping and singing.

An elderly man with white hair sat on a stone bench, holding a silver bird feeder in his hand, scattering food into the cage.

His skin was loose and his face was full of wrinkles, but the mutton fat jade thumb ring on his hand and the jade belt hook at his waist exuded nobility.

It was Zhu Naijun, the eighth generation of the emperor.

Three young women surrounded the old man; one fanned him, one peeled grapes for him, and the other wiped the juice from the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief.

Wang Wei watched this unfold, inwardly grumbling to himself:
At seventy years old, he's still indulging in pleasure; he's really indecent for his age.

But he put on a respectful smile, quickly stepped forward, and bowed respectfully.

"Wang Wei, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Datong, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

Zhu Naijun then slowly turned around, squinting as he sized him up.

"It's General Wang. Get up and sit down."

He pointed to the stone bench next to him, his tone somewhat perfunctory and casual.

Over the years, many officials have sought his help, and Wang Wei was just one of them.

“I dare not call myself ‘General Commander’; I am merely acting as Assistant Commander for the time being, and I dare not overstep my bounds.”

Wang Wei sat down carefully, placing his hands on his knees, keeping a very low profile.

The more humble you are in front of this prince, the easier it is to succeed.

Zhu Naijun fed the thrush another spoonful of food before slowly speaking:
"You've come to see me today, surely you have something to discuss?"

He knew perfectly well that Wang Wei never came to the temple without a reason, and this time was no exception.

Wang Wei sighed, a worried look on his face, and his voice lowered slightly:
"Your Majesty, I have come here today because I truly have a difficult matter to ask for your help."

As he spoke, he took out the paper contract wrapped in dark red brocade from his pocket and handed it over with both hands.

"I have been operating in Datong for many years and have accumulated a meager fortune, but now..."

My son-in-law, Wang Guoliang, has committed the heinous crime of treason. I fear being implicated, and I am truly uneasy about this.

"I humbly beg Your Majesty to consider the years of service I have received and to put in a good word for me before His Majesty, so that my life may be spared."

Zhu Naijun's gaze fell on the brocade wrapping, and his expression immediately changed.

He put down the bird feeder, took the package, opened it, and saw that the land deeds, house deeds, and shop contracts inside were neatly stacked, each with the official red seal on it, making them obviously genuine.

He picked up a land deed for a shop in the south of the city, stroking the words on it, and his smile became even more genuine.

He had long coveted those shops; the annual rent alone was over a thousand taels of silver. Adding in other properties, this stack of deeds was probably worth more than three hundred thousand taels of silver!
"Don't worry, young friend Wang!"

Zhu Naijun placed the contract on the stone table, patted his chest, and said:

"Although I am a prince with no official position, Your Majesty should still give me some face out of respect for the founding emperor."

"I will write a memorial to the throne tomorrow to plead your case and ensure your safety!"

His tone was ten times warmer than before, and he even used the term "little friend" to address him.

A tribute of 300,000 taels of silver would be enough to make him take it to heart.

Wang Wei was secretly pleased, but his face still showed worry. He then said:
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
However, there is still one matter that requires Your Majesty's assistance.

Currently, there are displaced people occupying Youyu and Zuoyun counties, robbing merchants and travelers. The soldiers under my command are busy guarding the border walls and simply cannot spare any manpower to quell the rebellion.

If the refugees cause a big disturbance, I'm afraid it will implicate me again...

"I humbly request Your Majesty to lend me a thousand guards from your palace to help me quell the refugees, so that I may have an explanation before His Majesty."

He put it cleverly.

By borrowing troops to quell the rebellion, they not only solved their own problem of insufficient manpower, but also brought the Prince of Dai onto their side.

If the Prince of Dai sends troops and Xiong Tingbi investigates the matter of the refugees in the future, the Prince of Dai will also have to bear the responsibility, and naturally he will protect him even more.

Zhu Naijun agreed without hesitation.

The guards of the Prince's mansion were essentially idle people on the payroll. A thousand men weren't many, and they could at least do Wang Wei a favor, which would only increase Wang Wei's future tributes.

He waved his hand and said to the steward beside him, "Go and convey my order to transfer a thousand guards to General Wang and let him command them to quell the rebellion."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Wang Wei quickly stood up and bowed, a huge weight lifted from his heart.

After leaving the Prince of Dai's residence, Wang Wei got into a carriage and lifted the curtain to look at the street outside.

Sunlight streamed through the carriage window, casting a smug look on his face.

With the powerful Prince Dai as a patron and the Prince's mansion's thousand guards, even if Xiong Tingbi came to Datong, what could he do to him?
Could it be that Xiong Tingbi would dare to attack a prince?

The carriage slowly drove back to the general's residence. Wang Wei leaned back in the seat, his eyes flickering uncertainly.

Having dragged the Prince of Dai onto the pirate ship, Xiong Tingbi would likely be at a loss when facing the Prince of Dai.

I think I can weather this crisis and secure my position as the deputy commander of Datong.

even……

He replaced Yang Zhaoji and became the true General of Datong.

He didn't notice that as the carriage passed the restaurant, Lu Jianxing was watching his carriage from behind a window on the second floor, his brows furrowed.

Wang Wei's frequent visits to the Prince of Dai's residence are definitely not a good thing; the chaotic situation in Datong is likely to become even more complicated.

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(End of this chapter)