My lord, spare his life!

It is indeed a spectacular sight.

It's fortunate that Zhang Yang came up with this promotional method.

Actually, she initially just saw that Zhang Dami was bored and deliberately gave it something to do. Raising chickens and ducks in the prefectural government was the same whether it stayed there or went out to raise them, so why not make good use of the resources? Where would a normal person ever see a dignified mountain lord leading chickens and ducks through the streets selling eggs? With that kind of gimmick, why worry about a lack of onlookers? And besides, Zhang Dami already had its own following in Weiyin County; everyone was happy to come and admire the prefectural lord's mount's grandeur.

These chicken and duck eggs are also reasonably priced.

The price is only slightly higher than that of chicken and duck eggs raised by ordinary people.

These chicken and duck eggs are all hatchable, and the government will even buy them back. They'll raise a batch first to see how it goes; if the profits are good, they can raise more later, as a way to add another source of income to their households. With these considerations in mind, the onlookers' willingness to buy was much higher than Fan You and his group had anticipated, and the first batch of eggs was sold out in just half a day.

Seeing that the last one was sold out, Zhang Dami slowly opened her eyes.

This colossal beast, taller than even the strongest able-bodied soldiers, rose to its feet, its massive body exuding an overwhelming sense of oppression. The surrounding civilians, however, did not erupt in fear or commotion; instead, they parted to make way for it: "Mi-kun, are you going back already? Won't you stay a little longer?"

Zhang Dami let out a low, guttural response.

Chong greeted its common people with a nod.

Its long, thick, and flexible tail roused the stray chickens and ducks back to their tracks. It strolled leisurely forward, and the chickens and ducks waddled along in a long line, obediently following behind Zhang Dami. The onlookers, watching this scene, all smiled.

The person in charge was dumbfounded.

"How strange! How could such a scene occur?"

Judging by the size of this giant insect, it's not hard to guess that it's a Star Beast. And considering its remarkably human-like reactions, its strength is probably not weak either. With the exception of a very few Star Beasts, the strength of most Star Beasts is judged by how much "humanity" they possess.

The more intelligent you are, the stronger you become.

Zhang Dami is undoubtedly one of the best among the Star Beasts.

Most star beasts are unruly and unrestrained, and once they go berserk, they are unstoppable. Such a dangerous creature is in the bustling city center, yet instead of fleeing in terror, the common people call it "Mi-kun"? And their eyes even hold a hint of affection?

That look in his eyes is just like looking at his most promising son!

The manager was amused by his own thought.

"Shopkeeper, can I ask you something?"

The manager chose a stall to buy rolled salted beans, and the shopkeeper, considering the customer's patronage, cheerfully said, "Ask away."

"Was that the legendary star beast that just walked by?"

"I don't know."

Not everyone knows the concept of Star Beasts.

The shop owner is just an ordinary person.

"Then why call it Mimi-kun?"

The shopkeeper said, "Mi-Mi's esteemed name is Zhang Dami."

If we don't call her Mi-kun, what should we call her?

This title originated from a group of children who called the Prefect "Prefect." If they called Zhang Dami "Prefect," then Zhang Dami should be called "Mi-kun," and so they settled on "Mi-kun." This title spread and became accepted by both the prefectural government and the common people.

Mimi was very satisfied with this nickname.

It's always happy to greet anyone who calls it Mimi.

The steward then asked, "Who keeps it?"

Star beasts generally don't interact with humans on their own initiative, let alone venture into human villages and towns, unless they are forced to come out from deep in the mountains and forests where there is absolutely no food. This large, sleek star beast is clearly not short of food.

In this situation, someone must have subdued them.

The shopkeeper asked him warily, "Are you from out of town?"

The steward chuckled and said, "Yes, they've come to stay with an old friend of the family. They've never seen anything like this before, so they're a bit curious."

The shopkeeper nodded: "No wonder."

They are refugees who have fled from disaster.

The shopkeeper relaxed and said readily, "Mi Jun is raised by our Lord, so don't be afraid. Don't be fooled by Mi Jun's large and intimidating appearance; it's several times the size of an ordinary insect. It's intelligent, intelligent, and listens to the Lord the most. It won't hurt anyone."

I don't know if I've been injured before.

But Mi-jun definitely didn't have that after she reformed and went ashore.

How could a beast that has hurt people allow a child to use their body as a plaything, climbing up and down? Not to mention keeping a flock of chickens and ducks to roam around and promote the county government's policies.

Steward: "Lord Zhang? Is it Lord Zhang himself?"

"Besides her, which other prefect could it be?"

The manager leaned closer to the shopkeeper: "To be honest, our parents led us on this journey, and we've seen quite a few strange things. Could all of these be related to Lord Zhang? Those fields outside, that fertilizer?"

"I know about fields, but I don't know about fertilizer."

The shop owner ran a small business in the city. Unable to manage his allotted farmland, he hired a neighbor to help tend it, promising to share some with them during the harvest. As soon as the shop owner spread the word, villagers immediately offered to help. With this seasonal disruption nearing its end, and a tough battle against spring famine looming ahead, who wouldn't be happy to have more farmland and more income?

Therefore, the shop owner really didn't know what agricultural fertilizer was.

The manager then asked a few other questions.

For example, the shopkeeper's accent didn't seem to be local. Where was his ancestral home? When did he come to Weiyin County? I also asked why the common people on the street seemed to be dressed so well. Was Weiyin County really that wealthy? Wasn't the Yuanyuan currency just introduced? Why did everyone like to use it?

The shop owner doesn't know much and can only answer a little bit.

To see the whole leopard from a single spot—that's enough.

The steward relayed all the information he had gathered to the woman, exclaiming in astonishment, "...Master, this Lord Zhang is truly remarkable! He turned a desperate situation into a miraculous one, managing to turn a mess into a success. In just a few months, he has brought about earth-shattering changes to Weiyin County."

Such decisive measures are truly rare.

At least, the person in charge hadn't heard of anyone daring to host a treacherous banquet for the local gentry. According to normal procedure, officials sent from other places who wanted to gain a foothold in the local area had to pay homage to these local tyrants who controlled most of the local resources.

Only when the two sides establish friendly relations can this official position be considered secure.

Skipping this step would be extremely difficult; these old foxes have plenty of ways to make it impossible for someone to hold a position!

A more peaceful approach involves instigating officials and subordinates in the prefecture to slack off, preventing the prefect's orders from reaching the prefecture level, and even if they do reach the level, no one will implement them, and even if they manage to operate, they will create various obstacles. A more brutal approach is to send someone to kill the prefect.

If the prefect is capable, they can find a way.

This is a case of flattery that could actually kill you!

They elevate people to a high position, then transfer them to other places or promote them—it's called a promotion, but it's actually a demotion in disguise.

They have plenty of ways to reform officials.

Officials were aware of the unspoken rules of officialdom, and both sides tacitly agreed to continue the charade. But no one expected that this Lady Zhang would be so different; she directly dismantled the stage. And dismantling the stage wasn't enough; she also took down the old fox.

In a physical sense, dismantling means tearing the corpse to pieces.

Shuffle the board and hold all the black and white pieces in your hand.

Such courage is rare in this world.

A hint of surprise flashed across the woman's eyes.

Before she arrived, she had learned a little information from Xie Shu, but not much. It wasn't that Xie Shu intentionally concealed anything; it was simply the extent of her knowledge. Tianyue County wasn't a particularly important territory. It was protected by the Dongfan Mountains, a natural barrier that diminished its importance as a border county and its strategic priority. Therefore, it naturally wouldn't receive much attention.

Qin Huang wasn't paying attention, and Fan You was deliberately trying to prevent information leaks, so Xie Shu had very little information at his disposal.

However, one thing is certain—

With Fan Shuyan around, Tianyue County is destined to have a unique value.

But now, women need to correct this mistake.

The key lies not in Fan Shuyan, but in Zhang Boyuan.

The woman clapped her hands and laughed: "She is indeed a remarkable person."

The steward asked, "Master, since it's still early, should we send your letter to the Chief Minister first?"

If we delay any longer, I'll have to visit you in person tomorrow.

The woman closed her eyes briefly: "No rush, tomorrow."

They were exhausted from their journey and looked dusty. It would be extremely impolite for them to visit without washing up and tidying themselves up first.

Upon receiving the instructions, the steward went to arrange accommodations.

Tianyue made sweeping changes to business policies and relaxed business conditions, attracting many merchants from other places to Weiyin County.

Most of them would stay in Weiyin County for a few days to sell their goods, thus increasing the demand for short-stay accommodations in the city's guesthouses.

To ensure a positive business experience for out-of-town merchants and to protect the personal safety of local residents, there are certain requirements for short-stay homestay businesses. These requirements include obtaining a license from the county government, clean and hygienic living conditions, spacious housing for business owners, qualified service personnel, and no criminal record among immediate family members.

The stringent criteria screened out many people.

However, it did have some effect.

Merchants no longer need to worry about being double-crossed; their lives and goods are protected. Shop owners also no longer need to worry about merchants of unknown origin moving into their homes and harming them. Currently, it's a win-win situation for both sides.

The guesthouse that the manager found was one of them.

The shopkeeper was a woman in her thirties.

She arranged for everyone to settle in, briefly told them where the markets were in Weiyin County, their approximate operating hours, which places were under construction and should not be visited, and even mentioned a special reserved item.

The woman's curiosity was piqued: "What is it?"

The shopkeeper replied, "Of course it's the Prefect."

Zhang Yang's patrolling on his Zhang Dami motorcycle has become a regular occurrence.

Foreign merchants are often curious about this lord, and the guesthouse owners will provide them with a few clues. If they have time, they can go there and wait, and if they are lucky, they might be able to see the lord riding a tiger.

The woman was taken aback and then laughed.

"Alright, I've long admired you, Lord Prefect."

Expectations are running high.

Having slept soundly all night, the woman quickly washed up and went out to keep watch over Zhang Yang. The county town wasn't very large, and a stroll around wouldn't take too long. Zhang Yang riding a tiger always attracted crowds and drew considerable attention. However, the steward disapproved of such a high-profile display.

"Have you not heard that those who are careless and unprepared are easily killed at the hands of a commoner?"

This prefect has already made quite a few enemies; he should be even more careful about his whereabouts. How could he so carelessly reveal his location to the whole world? Even the innkeeper knows his whereabouts; surely someone with ulterior motives wouldn't? What if he gets targeted by an assassin one day…

Tsk, the consequences are unimaginable.

We must not repeat the mistakes of Little Tyrant!

The woman laughed and said, "That's different."

The manager asked, puzzled, "What's the difference?"

The woman said, "Although Sun Tao is brave and heroic, his fierceness is unparalleled, but he is still only a mortal. How many can he possibly fight against? He would surely be overwhelmed if he were assassinated without warning. This Lord Zhang is different..."

She can fight.

The star beast Zhang Dami's fear and obedience to her were too obvious.

Neither of them belong to the same world of martial arts; how can they be compared? Sun Taoni could deal with ordinary tigers, but he couldn't handle Zhang Dami, who had transformed into a star beast, and yet Zhang Dami was so afraid of Zhang Boyuan. The experience gained in judging Sun Taoni is not applicable to Zhang Boyuan. It's not like you can just apply formulas randomly based on similar situations.

The manager gave an awkward smile.

"Yes, that makes a lot of sense."

The manager was about to respond when he suddenly came to his senses.

Vigilantly, he drew his sword and shielded the woman behind him, his eyes wide with horror as he looked at the source of the sound—the roof above them, where people were standing.

This person—

Isn't this the same Lord Zhang I just caught a glimpse of from afar?

The person in charge was blushing; being caught red-handed by the parents while secretly chatting about crickets was embarrassing for anyone.

The woman looked calmly at Zhang Yang, who was also squatting on the roof looking down at her, but his eyes revealed a subtle disdain.

"Lord Zhang, I've long admired your name." The woman had a gut feeling that Zhang Yang wasn't attracted by the gossip, but came for her.

Zhang Yang jumped off the roof.

"You're so slow."

The woman understood immediately: "Does the Prefect know me?"

Zhang Yang said, "You are a classmate of Shu Yan and Yuan Yi."

The woman touched her face, and the question in her heart was answered: "Did the Prefect recognize me because of my face?"

Zhang Yang nodded: "Mm."

He added, "A very mediocre character creation."

She has created a vast number of characters, and her skills and aesthetic sense have been affirmed by many observers. They even wondered why Zhang Yang didn't sign up for the annual character creation competition. If she had submitted her work, she would have easily placed in the top three, if not first.

This shows just how strong she is.

Despite having hands capable of creating beautiful faces, Zhang Yang could only manage to make ordinary-looking faces with the face-sculpting tool. But this was the face Zhang Yang remembered.

Upon seeing this face come into view, Zhang Yang was certain that it was Shu Yan's classmate, that Painted Skin Ghost!

Women dislike it when someone belittles their image, but since the person who said this was Zhang Yang, women are willing to be more patient with him.

"This is indeed a masterpiece by Lord Zhang." With just a few words and the information she had received from Guan Si, the woman was even more certain that the human skin she was wearing and the two human skins in Guan Si's hands were not taken from human bodies. "I have come to seek your guidance."

She didn't know how long this human skin would last.

But she was certain that she was willing to pay the price she could afford!

Zhang Yang hummed in agreement.

"It's mine, but it's not a masterpiece."

As expected, they came to ask me to change their character's appearance.

This bait was indeed attractive to the Painted Skin Ghost.

"In that case, you brought that painting with you?"

The woman paused, startled: "A painting?"

She thought of the painting that Du Guan had sent her from her student days.

"Of course I brought it with me."

"So, how determined are you to get your face back?"

??|??w?`)

As for the minimum living allowance, sigh, I don't even know how many days I can receive it.