The playboy county magistrate

A lingering fear permeated her entire being, more terrifying than facing a blade directly.

As a highly paid assassin, she entered the game with her own body, gambling on accurate prediction and a single, decisive strike.

But now she has finally realized that from beginning to end, all her predictions were a route drawn by the other party and a false impression laid out by them.

Fu Xiaoxiao's fingertips trembled slightly. She quickly suppressed her emotions and looked up at the deep night outside the window.

A message must be delivered tonight.

She wanted to overturn all her previous statements and warn the capital to immediately stop its internal strife, regroup, and not be deceived by Li Xuanzhi's lazy facade again.

She got up, closed the window latch, and locked it tightly. She then carefully checked the gaps in the door to make sure no one was watching.

The movements were light and skillful, a result of years of practiced caution.

Under the candlelight, she took out an extremely thin silk letter hidden in the inner lining of her makeup box.

As thin as a cicada's wing, it is translucent and leaves no trace, making it ideal for clandestine communication.

Then, taking a tiny amount of charcoal ink, I lightly wielded the brush, each character concise and refined. Not a single word was superfluous; every sentence struck at the heart of the matter.

[The previous report was incorrect; Li Xuanzhi was by no means slacking off or becoming complacent.]

The complete pacification of Nanjing and the restoration of order in the city were beyond the capabilities of the government.

This person uses the guise of romance to secretly amass power; he is extremely cunning and his ambition is terrifying.

Do not let your guard down any longer, lest you raise a tiger that will eventually harm you.

She finished writing and blew on the ink to dry it. She tightly folded the silk letter into a tiny square and hid it in the most secret place inside her clothes.

With skin touching and body heat enveloping them, they would be impossible to detect during a normal search.

She calmly considered her options and the right moment.

The guards and patrols at the post station had a brief gap during the nighttime shift change.

They could use the excuse of going outside for some fresh air to secretly send the letter out, which would then be transmitted back to the capital via a special line.

Once everything was planned, she blew out the candle, lay back on the bed, and closed her eyes to rest.

Its breath was long and drawn out, giving the impression of a peaceful sleep in the dead of night.

She noticed every gust of wind and every movement in the courtyard.

She was waiting, waiting for the quietest moment of the night, when the guards were at their weakest.

……

The moonlight was cool and clear on the outer corridor of the courtyard, and the shadows of the trees swayed gently.

"The lights in the side room were turned off. Miss Fu hid the letter close to her body, waiting to send a message at midnight. Her actions were meticulous throughout, demonstrating a strong ability to counter-surveillance. I dared not get too close, for fear of attracting Miss Fu's attention."

No one expected that the woman who was responsible for sweeping the courtyard and watering the flowers outside was actually the person in charge of keeping watch.

After all, Fu Xiaoxiao was Li Xuanzhi's bedmate. If just any male subordinate could stare into her boudoir, he would be dead without even knowing how he died.

Li Xuanzhi's gaze was indifferent as he looked at the tightly closed window of the room, having already anticipated this.

Li Xuanzhi knew in his heart that once she became suspicious, she would never sit idly by.

As an assassin who gets paid to do things, his mission is etched into his very bones.

Even if they are imprisoned, they will risk their lives to send out the message.

If she were to settle down, it would be rather boring.

Only by knowingly plunging into danger and still fighting to the death could Li Xuanzhi truly understand what a "little firecracker" was.

Conquering a woman like that is far more exciting than dealing with a mediocre woman who'll pounce on you at the slightest touch.

Li Xuanzhi spoke calmly and softly, giving the order:

"Don't stop her, let her pass through. Let her reach the message point smoothly and successfully send out the secret message."

Tang Zheng was slightly taken aback, then suddenly realized, "Are you deliberately sending a message back to the capital?"

"Hmm." Li Xuanzhi nodded, a deep, unfathomable calculation flashing in his eyes.

"Simply making false reports won't work. Only by mixing truth and falsehood can we completely disrupt their thinking and rhythm."

"Her warning letter, seemingly aimed at me, was actually meant to disrupt my plans in the capital."

"Take a snippet of the original letter, replace the contents of the secret letter with her handwriting, and retain her warning tone. Let the capital know that I do have a plan, but I have misjudged the true speed of expansion."

"They panic, but their panic doesn't reach the real issues. They try to defend themselves, but they can't defend against anything, and they defend against the wrong things."

……

It was the dead of night, the dew was heavy and the night was deep.

The inn was completely silent, and the footsteps of the night patrol faded into the distance, marking the change of shifts.

Fu Xiaoxiao on the bed suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze no longer filled with any gentle sleepiness, but only with a clear and cold sharpness.

She moved with extreme lightness, landing silently. She put on her robe, rose, gathered her clothes to cover the secret letter close to her body, and slowly pushed open the door.

She feigned a relaxed and languid demeanor, gently rubbing her shoulders as she strolled slowly into the courtyard to admire the flowers and gaze at the moon.

His posture was relaxed and casual, just like someone who had woken up in the middle of the night and couldn't fall back asleep, idly gazing at the night sky.

"Now!"

Using the shadows of the trees to conceal herself, she slipped away from the main courtyard. She walked briskly along the base of the wall, silently exiting through the side gate of the official post station and disappearing into the night.

The streets and alleys were quiet, with sparse lights.

She knew the way well, avoiding the patrolling soldiers, and precisely arrived at an inconspicuous waterfront teahouse along the river.

The teahouse had already closed and was deserted.

She raised her hand and knocked on the window, three light taps and two heavy ones.

A crack opened in the window, and a pitch-black hand emerged.

Without hesitation, Fu Xiaoxiao took out a private letter and carefully placed it in the other person's palm. She whispered instructions, her tone solemn.

"This is an urgent message to the capital. It concerns the overall situation in Nanjing and the safety of the imperial court. It cannot be delayed for even a moment."

The figure inside the window nodded silently, put away the letter, and withdrew their hand. The window crack closed instantly, without a trace.

The handover was completed in just a few breaths.

Fu Xiaoxiao's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down a little, but her back was already soaked with cold sweat.

She turned back, her steps still calm and gentle. There was no trace of the tension and anxiety she had felt while risking her life to deliver the message late at night.

Little did she know that the secret letter was intercepted and its contents altered as soon as it entered someone's hands, before being sent out again through the original channels.

……

A moment later, Fu Xiaoxiao quietly returned to her room at the inn.

As soon as I pushed open the door, the room was filled with a faint, warm fragrance, and the candles were not lit. Yet, a handsome figure stood quietly by the window, seemingly awake in the middle of the night, idly gazing at the moonlight.

It was Li Xuanzhi.

Fu Xiaoxin's heart suddenly tightened, and her back stiffened slightly.

In an instant, a thousand thoughts surged, and vigilance was instantly heightened, with fingertips instinctively gripping the hidden blade in the sleeve.

Discovered?

Was he waiting on purpose, or did he just happen to walk by because he couldn't sleep?

Countless thoughts flashed through her mind, but her expression remained unchanged. In an instant, all tension vanished, replaced by a gentle shyness and tenderness. She spoke softly, with a languid air as if she had just woken up.

"Why haven't you rested yet, sir? It's late and the dew is heavy; why are you standing by the window in the wind?"

She closed the door behind her and slowly approached. Her posture was gentle and graceful, and her eyes were filled with concern, showing that she was completely devoted to the person beside her.

Li Xuanzhi slowly turned around, the moonlight falling on his brows and eyes, gentle and warm, without a trace of sharpness or scrutiny. His tone was languid and tender, carrying a hint of casual amusement:

"When I woke up and didn't see you, I assumed you were gazing at the moonlight, so I waited here for your return."

Fu Xiaoxiao's tension eased a little, but she still didn't dare to relax completely.

She looked up at him, her eyes full of tenderness, and explained softly.

"I woke up in the middle of the night and felt a bit stuffy in the room, so I went out for a walk. I looked at the night sky, not wanting to disturb the adults' rest."

Li Xuanzhi chuckled softly upon hearing this, reaching out to gently take her slightly cool hand into his palm, his fingertips caressing it tenderly. Warmth enveloped her, his tone still full of doting affection.

"It's chilly at night, you'll catch a cold. Next time you want to see the moon, just call me to come with you, there's no need to walk alone at night."