My lord, spare his life!

Xiao Sui's business still depends on Lu Yuan, so she naturally can't stand by and watch the latter get imprisoned and suffer a terrible disaster because of this.

"...It's indeed difficult to explain. After all, it was your father's earnest intention. It would be a pity if this accident caused a rift between father and daughter and damaged their relationship. Does the general have a solution?" Xiao Sui spoke earnestly, making Lü Yuan's lips twitch from time to time.

Lu Yuan reassured Xiao Sui, hoping to shut her up and prevent her from unknowingly making repeated mistakes. What "heartfelt concern"? What "father-daughter affection"? This was truly a curse that could give one nightmares all night.

"It's alright, there's precedent for this."

"precedent?"

"The beauties bestowed by my adoptive father were mostly poor girls he collected from the countryside by his subordinates. The older ones were sent directly, while the younger ones were raised for a few years and trained before being sent over. These poor girls, in order to learn how to please men with their beauty, paid attention to their appearance every day, often going hungry and sleep-deprived. Over time, their physical foundation and vitality were severely damaged, making them weaker than ordinary people. The one who died suddenly yesterday had a heart ailment. He looked healthy on ordinary days, but once he contracted an illness, it would easily worsen his condition..."

This was an unforeseen and unavoidable accident.

Even if her godfather scolded her, he wouldn't do anything to her.

Xiao Sui raised her sword fan to cover the unnatural expression on her face.

"That's wonderful, that's wonderful."

The news of the young man in plain clothes dying suddenly quickly reached the ears of the Prefect of Chesi County. The man who had been kind and gentle to Lu Yuan yesterday was now hiding in a corner unnoticed by others, his eyes filled with malice, his expression grim, on the verge of exploding in rage. However, he quickly exhaled a breath of stale air and turned a blind eye to the outrageous cause of death reported by Lu Yuan.

"So be it, he died suddenly. I saw him as someone destined for a short life and little fortune, unfit to serve my son." The prefect bent down to help Lü Yuan up, not only without blaming him but also offering gentle words of comfort, and generously giving him another one, "Here's what you'll do, take that 'different from others' from yesterday with you too. Don't grieve for an insignificant old friend."

Lu Yuan feigned delight.

"Thank you, godfather."

The prefect was seething with anger.

If he doesn't accept the absurd excuse given by Lu Yuan, Lu Yuan will most likely continue his "investigation," attributing the so-called cause of death to the power struggles within the inner quarters, and eliminating all the beauties and spies he has planted in the open. In that case, he will be the one who suffers more losses than gains.

In the process of coming and going, Lu Yuan brought back another beauty.

Judging by appearances alone, she is indeed a beauty—as long as she doesn't go to Xiao Sui and invite humiliation, she's barely pleasing to the eye—Lü Yuan, like a child who has received a new toy, smiled at Xiao Sui and said, "Xiu Ying, don't be fooled by this kid's not-so-robust build and his apparent lack of kidney energy; in reality, his physique is quite extraordinary... I'm curious whether his assessment of carrying a heavy load is true or not..."

Xiao Sui's hand holding the sword fan paused.

"what?"

No, isn't this a bit presumptuous of me to bring this up?

"Should we make him take his clothes off to verify if it's real?" Every word Lu Yuan said was a blow to Xiao Sui. She prided herself on being a playboy in her youth, but she realized that was child's play when she met Lu Yuan. "If Xiu Ying is also interested, why not share some pleasure with me?"

This is similar to children getting a new toy; some will keep it to themselves, while others will share it with their friends. This is how it is with Lvyuan.

Xiao Sui: "..."

She suddenly became very curious about what Lu Yuan's "Stars Descending to Earth" was.

Anyone you randomly pick is more of a lustful devil than junior Fan You.

"No."

Xiao Sui declined the invitation.

She's here on a business trip, not for a life of pleasure.

Lu Yuan sighed with some regret, seemingly disappointed that his invitation had failed. The main focus of their conversation was the beautiful woman who had been brought back, but he was not involved in the entire conversation; he simply bowed his head obediently.

The news reached the ears of the Prefect of Chesi County that very day.

The prefect of Chesi frowned in disgust.

"Did my adopted daughter really invite the envoy from the Eastern Frontier?"

Upon receiving a positive answer, the prefect was both angry and furious, but his anger quickly turned to joy, and his laughter grew louder: "Fine, let her be."

A good adopted daughter is one who has weaknesses.

The slight resentment in my heart vanished without a trace.

"My lord, aren't you worried that Lü Bafeng might harbor ill intentions?" Seeing the prefect laughing heartily, the advisor couldn't help but pour cold water on his enthusiasm. "I think this woman is quite cunning and keeps her sharp edge hidden. She will surely become a major threat in the future. My lord must not be careless."

Do you think she still remembers the revenge for the massacre of her entire family?

"I certainly remember."

The prefect said, "But so what if she remembers? She's called me 'godfather' so many times over the years, and I've given her several opportunities to assassinate me, but she hasn't done it. Do you think she'll still act? If she were to keep a low profile, maintain her integrity, and befriend heroes from all directions, I might be wary. But has she? Let alone Chesi County, even in the mountain counties, everyone knows her reputation for debauchery and lust!"

Every time he sent her a beautiful woman, did she refuse?

After taking them home, weren't they all a novelty to her for a while?

Although she was later neglected, it is human nature to be fickle and easily bored. I can only blame myself for being too generous with the gifts I gave her.

Staff member: "She was still inexperienced before."

Even if given the opportunity, one shouldn't act rashly.

The prefect was quite confident: "Now that she's fully grown, she's reluctant to leave. Guess why I've been secretly and openly arranging for her to be led astray all these years? These soldiers are the type who won't act until they see a profit! Now that she's attached to me, she has meat to feed these money-grubbing thieves. But if she leaves me, she'll be the first to suffer the consequences!"

The staff wanted to persuade him again.

The prefect frowned, displeased, but didn't directly offend the other party. He had lived so long, naturally he had his own way of dealing with people—he was always willing to spend money on appearances.

"In that case, I will test her one more time."

"How does the lord intend to test him?"

"Find an excuse to invite my good daughter to a family banquet. After a few rounds of drinks, when everyone is half-drunk, if she can still be respectful and filial to her 'godfather' who is not in armor and does not harbor any ill intentions, then there will truly be no problem." Prefect Chesi smiled. "How about that?"

He had never let his guard down around Lü Yuan, mainly due to the constant reminders and nagging from his advisors, but inwardly he held her in some contempt. He didn't believe she still harbored resentment over the massacre of her family; how old was she then? At an age when her family was wiped out, when her mind was still unsettled and she was prone to rebelling against her family. Yet, the Prefect of Chesi had given her as much indulgence as possible and endless wealth and luxury.

What is a mere act of revenge for the massacre of an entire family compared to indulging in unrestrained pleasure?

You should know that the most common creatures in this world are ghosts, not people!

Upon hearing this, the aide sighed, "Excellent."

"And that's how you fell for their trap?"

"That's impossible." Zhang Yang crossed his arms behind his head. "Xiu Ying told me before she left that dealing with these people wouldn't be difficult."

Xiao Sui went to explore new markets in the mountain counties, and for the time being, she couldn't pay attention to the Painted Skin Ghosts who were eagerly waiting for her in Tianjiang County. These Painted Skin Ghosts didn't obediently stay where they were and wait for Xiao Sui, but secretly sent people to follow her, all the way to Tianyue County.

The human skin that Xiao Sui took out was too precious!

While they believed Xiao Sui's explanation, they also harbored a sliver of hope—what if? What if the human skin came from somewhere else?

If it is the former, then one can only be controlled by Xiao Sui.

But if it's the latter, whoever grabs it first gets to keep it.

Unexpectedly, before they even saw the real human skin dealers, they were exposed to Zhang Yang. With no other option, as Zhang Yang descended the mountain, she saw many strange yellow names with parenthetical annotations floating in the shadows of the jungle from afar. How could she not go closer to take a look?

The troops immediately went on alert.

There was no other reason than that Zhang Yang's display of force was truly intimidating.

They had long heard of a vicious band of Dongfan bandits lurking near the Dongfan Mountains. Could this be the band of bandits they were about to encounter?

Zhang Yang: "Who are you? I am the Prefect of Tianyue Commandery!"

The two members of the Huang family looked at each other in bewilderment.

No one believed the identity Zhang Yang reported.

Just kidding, what prefect doesn't run around in the wilderness?

Only after seeing the prefect's seal and hearing that Zhang Yang had led troops to suppress the bandits of the eastern vassal states did they begin to believe him. When Zhang Yang inquired about their identities again, the leader answered on their behalf. Given the strained relationship between Tianjiang and Tianyue prefectures, he simply stated that he was a traveling merchant from out of town who had come because his fellow villagers had told him there were business opportunities near Tianyue. Unfortunately, they had encountered bandits on their way.

All their possessions were looted.

Most of the guards were also killed or wounded; only they escaped with their lives.

As he spoke, the leader showed a sorrowful expression.

Despite his slightly exaggerated acting, it was just right for the emotionally oblivious Zhang Yang. If the system log hadn't recorded it truthfully, Zhang Yang would have been completely fooled. Because a genuine itinerant merchant who had been robbed of his entire fortune wouldn't describe his experience as "[the fake itinerant merchant calmly and loudly on the map]," but rather as something like "heartbroken."

This means the other party lied.

In addition, the opponent's Huang Ming is also a weakness.

If the other party's identity is genuine, and they, as the aggrieved parties, have encountered a high-ranking official who can stand up for them, they should be eagerly hoping Zhang Yang can help them uphold justice and recover their losses. Their names should turn green instead of yellow.

Zhang Yang deliberately didn't expose them, secretly guessing their origins.

While I was pondering this, the other party proactively revealed information.

"I heard from my fellow villagers that a kind of human skin is produced near Tianyue. This human skin can cure the calamity of the Painted Skin Ghost. I discussed it with others and we figured that if we could buy a batch of this human skin and transport it back, we could make a fortune." When the leader was chatting with Zhang Yang about what he had seen and heard outside, he turned the topic to the Painted Skin Ghost and mentioned the Painted Skin Ghost's dependence on human skin, subtly observing Zhang Yang's reaction.

"Make a fortune?"

"Many children of powerful and wealthy families in my hometown have suffered from the 'painted skin ghost' for years. These families are rich and would definitely be willing to buy one."

Zhang Yang asked in disbelief, "Is that so?"

How come she, as the prefect, had never heard of it?

Zhang Yang then asked the people on the left and right sides with great seriousness.

The conclusion reached was that they had never heard of such a thing. If such a human skin really existed, how could there be no news at all?

Zhang Yang said, "Perhaps it's a misconception."

The leader looked somewhat disappointed, but he did not give up.

He then tried to find out the whereabouts of Xiao Sui and her group, whom they had lost track of.

Xiao Sui's guards were not to be underestimated, so they naturally dared not follow too closely, and as a result, they lost track of her near the Dongfan Mountains.

They lingered in the vicinity for a long time until they bumped into Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang claimed ignorance when questioned: "I didn't notice. I've been busy clearing out bandits in the eastern territories these past few days and haven't paid attention to anyone else."

The leader was disappointed once again.

Zhang Yang used an excuse to lure them to Weiyin County.

Back at the temporary prefectural government, he found Du Guan and asked him to arrange for a few people to spread the news: "...If you're going to put on an act, you might as well do it properly. I've arranged for Xiu Ying to go on a business trip to the mountain prefectures, so you need to clean up the mess here for her, lest she get what she wants."

We can't let the top salesperson's orders fall through her hands.

After hearing the whole story, Du Guan had an idea in mind. She asked where the group would be staying and then got up to make arrangements.

Zhang Yang stretched, took a shower, and went to bed.

Her residence was in the backyard of the temporary county government. As soon as she opened the door, she was met with Zhang Dami rushing towards her with a fawning expression. Seeing its thick tiger fur, Zhang Yang pushed its head away without thinking.

Zhang Dami: "???"

Zhang Yang: "It's hot, stay away from me."

If you want to get close to her, first shave all the tiger's fur off.

She looked at Zhang Dami, who was dressed in a tiger-skin coat.

He muttered, "Just looking at it makes me hot."

Zhang Dami cautiously followed Zhang Yang, then quickly ran ahead of her again, its tail wagging wildly. Zhang Yang walked straight past it, but Zhang Dami relentlessly pursued. This time, it carried a bamboo basket in its mouth, crammed full of chickens and ducks.

To be precise, they are newly hatched chicks and ducklings.

A flock of chickens and ducks, each a size bigger, followed behind them.

The tiger's beautiful tail wagged wildly.

Zhang Shanjun's face was full of human emotions.

Just as Zhang Yang was about to speak, Zhang Dami sensed a dangerous yet somewhat familiar aura. Her fawning demeanor vanished, her shoulders slumped, and a wary, threatening expression appeared on her face. The next instant, a loud cry echoed from the sky, and Zhang Dagu descended from above.

Upon hearing the noise, Zhang Yang instinctively raised his arm.

Zhang Dagu landed steadily.

Zhang Yang gently stroked its smooth feathers: "Hungry?"

I grabbed a handful of birdseed and fed it to its beak: "Eat up."

With a snap—

Something fell on the ground.

The chicks and ducklings in the bamboo basket fell and were dizzy.

Zhang Dami widened her already round tiger eyes, letting out muffled sobs of varying pitch, as if she wanted to jump up and lie on top of Zhang Yang to say something to her, the frequency of which became increasingly rapid.

Zhang Yang asked doubtfully, "Can't you speak like a human being?"

Zhang Dami became increasingly agitated, pacing back and forth heavily.

Zhang Dagu remained silent, only gently rubbing its beak against Zhang Yang's cheek, earning praise and a handful of birdseed.

Zhang Yang's brows furrowed more and more as he looked at the document.

"Zhang Dami, you dare to stomp on another one and see what happens!"

It's unclear what those words touched on Zhang Dami, but it suddenly leaped up and barked and howled like a dog for a long time, scaring a flock of chicks and ducklings into a frenzy. Zhang Dami stared intently at Zhang Yang, its tiger eyes glistening with tears, then turned and ran away.

Zhang Yang: "???"

She was stunned (?_?)ヾ

No, what's going on?

It's only been a short time since we last met, has Zhang Dami gone mad?

Just then, a few system logs slowly popped up.

Zhang Dami's favorability towards you has decreased by 60.

Congratulations on earning the title "Unfaithful and Heartless"

Congratulations on receiving the title "Discordant Children, Unethical Elders"!

Is the elderly person immoral, leading to discord among their children?

Who is the old man?

Who are the children?

Zhang Yang: "What a bizarre title!"

??|??w?`)

My U and H keys on my keyboard have been malfunctioning all day, it's giving me a headache, and I'm typing all wrong. Around midnight, I realized it was probably a problem with the switches…

Well, luckily all of the Shiitake keyboards use the Wind Chime switch, which makes them easy to disassemble and replace.