The playboy county magistrate

Upon realizing this, Fu Xiaoxiao felt a sudden chill run down her spine. Even the warm afternoon breeze felt icy cold.

She quickly suppressed all her emotions, concealed all doubts and sharpness in her eyes, and maintained her gentle and quiet demeanor as she slowly returned to the inn.

Since you have doubts, you shouldn't rashly expose them.

She wants to explore, try, and verify again.

If you are truly overthinking things, then you can wait patiently for the right opportunity.

If Li Xuanzhi truly harbors a shocking scheme, then this tender pillow talk is a high-stakes gamble with an uncertain future.

……

In the courtyard of the post station, a gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, casting dappled shadows.

Li Xuanzhi sat alone by the stone table, flipping through a book in his hand, his posture leisurely and languid. He still had that same leisurely and indifferent look about worldly affairs.

Just before Tang Zheng left, he had already whispered a report—

The conversation between the tea shop owner and Fu Xiaoxiao was recorded and reported back, and Li Xuanzhi has already heard that Fu Xiaoxiao is now suspicious.

Li Xuanzhi was not surprised at all by this, and did not intend to keep it a secret for long.

No matter what, Fu Xiaoxiao is still an assassin. She still possesses the necessary qualities and insight.

Even the slightest unusual occurrence in the marketplace was enough to make her wary again.

Moreover, people are inherently suspicious, and once a seed of doubt is planted, it will take root and sprout on its own.

As the footsteps drew closer, Fu Xiaoxiao entered the courtyard carrying tea, a faint smile appearing on her face from afar.

"My lord, I have brought back some new tea."

She approached slowly, her voice sweet and gentle, still with that same affectionate and docile tone.

"This year's pre-rain Longjing tea is the freshest, so I immediately cooked it for you. Enjoying it with the gentle breeze and green trees in the courtyard is the most pleasant thing."

Li Xuanzhi closed the book, looked up at her, and nodded gently. His eyes were filled with tender smiles, a natural expression of doting affection.

The two looked at each other, their eyes meeting briefly.

On the surface, it appears warm and affectionate, but underneath, turbulent currents surge.

Fu Xiaoxiao sat down to prepare tea, her fingertips deftly twirling the tea needle with elegant and skillful movements. She appeared focused on brewing the tea, but inwardly she was already preparing for a new round of probing.

The tea is just beginning to boil, and wisps of white steam rise from it.

She seemed to be chatting casually, her tone gentle and relaxed.

"Just now I overheard people chatting at a riverside teahouse. They all said that the atmosphere in Nanjing is becoming increasingly peaceful and prosperous. The streets and alleys are safe and peaceful, and merchants and travelers can travel freely. It's much better than before. Your Excellency's governance is effective and has truly benefited the people of this region."

She was waiting, waiting for his answer.

If he were truly neglecting his duties, he would surely take the opportunity to gloss over the situation and casually attribute the credit to his subordinates.

If he has a hidden agenda, he will reveal some of it in subtle ways of speaking.

Upon hearing this, Li Xuanzhi's smile remained unchanged, and his tone was languid and nonchalant.

"It's just going with the flow. The source of the trouble has been eliminated, and the local officials are doing their jobs, so the city is naturally peaceful. My stay here is just to steal half a day of leisure. I have never bothered to manage the affairs of the people, so it can't be considered a merit in governance."

If an ordinary person heard this, they would be completely convinced and believe that he really had no interest in politics and was just living a leisurely life.

But when Fu Xiaoxiao heard this, her doubts only deepened.

The city of Jinling, so large, has been plagued by problems for decades. How could it be that once the culprit is removed, it will naturally become peaceful?

Without a unified plan or covert suppression, it would be impossible for things to be so orderly.

Her fingertips paused slightly, a drop of tea falling onto the rim of the cup. The slight lapse in composure vanished in an instant, and she spoke softly again, probing further.

"But I've heard that the remaining gangs and local forces in the city were deeply entrenched and extremely difficult to eradicate. Why has the chaos in the city completely disappeared, and even the underworld disputes have been completely quelled, without your intervention, sir?"

This question, seemingly innocent and curious, spoken in a gentle tone, was actually forcing him to make a self-justifying statement.

Li Xuanzhi's eyes remained gentle, his tone was soft and he sighed, with a hint of helplessness and weariness, and his reply was impeccable.

"Trivial matters are handled by officials. Those petty squabbles and entanglements with underground forces in the city are too tedious and exhausting for me to bother with. I suppose the local officials dared not slack off and took the opportunity to clean things up."

Li Xuanzhi distanced himself completely, still appearing detached and indifferent to worldly affairs.

But Fu Xiaoxiao's heart sank little by little.

How could ordinary officials, without ruthless methods and without informants and underground forces to check and balance things, possibly eliminate the power that the major families in Jinling City had developed over decades?

Now she was absolutely certain that the person before her was not a lazy, unambitious courtier indulging in pleasure.

He concealed himself deeply and planned far ahead. He used laziness as a shell and gentleness as a shield.

In places unseen by everyone, they have probably already quietly taken control of the entire city of Jinling.

Even she, this sharp dagger sent from the capital, has probably already become a pawn in his game of deceiving the world.

Upon realizing this, Fu Xiaoxiao felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.

She has spent years walking the line between life and death, and has never been so wary of anyone as she is now.

He appears gentle and refined, doting and indulgent. In reality, he is as shrewd and calculating as the sea, unfathomable.

She suppressed the turmoil in her heart, maintaining a gentle smile on her face. She bowed and offered him tea, her voice soft and melodious:

"I see. I was just being narrow-minded and overthinking things."

"Sir, you should simply enjoy your leisurely stroll and the beauty of nature. These mundane affairs should not disturb your peace."

He outwardly flatters and compliments, but a murderous intent slowly rises in his heart.

The gentle fingers that offered the tea tightened almost imperceptibly. A slender blade, concealed in the sleeve, emanated a chilling aura. A life could be taken at close range.

But she dared not move.

The more knowledge one has, the less likely one is to act rashly.

She is now deeply entangled in the game, and there must be many hidden sentries around her.

Once you make a mistake, there will be no going back.

Li Xuanzhi, on the other hand, took in every subtle change in her expression and the movement of her fingertips.

He took the teacup, his fingertips seemingly unintentionally brushing against her fingertips, the gesture intimate and tender, his tone still full of doting affection.

"It's okay to overthink. With you by my side, even casual chats are a pleasure in life."

Fu Xiaoxiao knew that from this moment on, she was no longer the hunter probing the game.

She is bait trapped in a gentle cage, caught in a dilemma.

Fu Xiaoxiao didn't know how she got back to her room. She only knew that when she pulled herself out of her thoughts, it was already so dark outside that she couldn't see her own hand in front of her face.

She sat upright in the side room and lit the oil lamp on the table. The night wind was still outside the window, and the candlelight inside flickered, casting her beautiful face in half-light and half-shadow.

The tenderness shown during those days together was genuine, as was the close pampering. Even the impeccable pretense was real.

"Were all the secret reports I sent back false? Did I misjudge his character and misjudge his ambition? Did I cause the nobles in the capital to completely relax their guard, engage in infighting and power struggles, and completely abandon their checks and balances on Nanjing?"

Fu Xiaoxiao murmured softly, covering her face with her hands and shaking her head frantically.

"If we let the situation develop unchecked, and he consolidates his power in Jinling City, I fear no one in the court will be able to control him. At that time, all the nobles and officials will meet their demise. And I, the assassin who provided the intelligence, and the organization behind me, will likely face utter ruin."