The playboy county magistrate

The morning light was warm in the inn's side room, casting dappled gold through the window.

The lingering intimacy that had suddenly blossomed between the two of them in the middle of the night had faded, leaving only the serene tranquility of the morning.

Fu Xiaoxiao lay quietly on her side with her eyes open, staring blankly at the bed curtains, without getting up.

Her long hair was spread out on the pillow, her eyes and brows were calm and serene.

Nearly ten days have passed since that urgent secret letter was sent, and Jiangnan and Jinling are separated by a thousand miles. Although the message is late, there should be a reply by now.

To this day, she has not received a single reply.

I don't know if the people in the capital are too busy to care about me, or if my reply was intercepted.

"Did you feel unwell last night, Aunt Fu? Would you like me to summon a doctor to take a look?"

Fu Xiaoxiao originally said that she was used to living alone, but Li Xuanzhi insisted that she should have everything that the other wives and concubines in the family had.

Even now, Fu Xiaoxiao still can't get used to having someone suddenly take care of her.

"It's alright, I'm just a little tired. I'll rest for a bit longer, you can go now."

The person who served him personally, with an air of experience, smiled, nodded, and withdrew.

……

Half past Chen Shi (7-9 AM), the sky was bright.

In a deserted area outside the inn, a dark figure landed silently.

"Lord Li, a secret letter from His Majesty."

Li Xuanzhi opened the app and read it quickly, his eyes flickering slightly.

Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger.

Although the emperor's current attitude towards him can be described as complete trust, he still understands the principle of discarding a bow after the birds are all gone.

The person who poses the greatest threat to imperial power now is not Li Xuanzhi, so he will be chosen by the emperor to deal with those court officials who have influence over imperial power and hinder the emperor.

But if one day these people are all subdued, I will definitely become a thorn in the emperor's side.

A courtier who holds power, has a strong foundation, and knows a lot about the emperor's private affairs would probably have a hard time even saving his own life.

However, these things are not urgent; the most important thing is the message from the emperor—

The surrounding prefectures and counties of Nanjing only initiated superficial defenses and checks and balances, without mobilizing troops to suppress or intervene. The north-south passage was only superficially blocked, and was ineffective.

Some of the surrounding prefectures, fearing the power struggles at court, dared not rashly take sides. Others chose to remain neutral after observing the situation, while still others had the emperor's people in the shadows, ready to provide assistance to Li Xuanzhi if necessary.

In short, no one dared to interfere in Jinling City.

"As expected, he dared not move." Li Xuanzhi spoke softly, his tone calm and even.

"Li Xuanjing has indeed become smarter and more cunning. However, his face, which shows both fear of driving me crazy and fear of missing the opportunity to divide power, is truly ugly."

Li Xuanzhi suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for the ancestors of the Chengen Earl's family.

With each generation of descendants being worse than the last, the smoke from the ancestral graves probably won't rise anymore.

"Tang Zheng, order Guiyunfang to immediately integrate all the financial resources of the canal transport, trading companies, and docks, and open up underground trade routes between the three neighboring prefectures. Secretly absorb wealth from various places to fill their private coffers."

"Then, we will take over all the power from the people coming from the capital, and publicly declare that we will strictly abide by the imperial decrees and regulate local order. We will act in the name of the imperial court and legitimately control the local defenses around Nanjing."

……

Light footsteps approached slowly.

Fu Xiaoxiao finally got up and walked out, and when she looked up she saw him standing in the courtyard.

"My lord, everything is ready." She approached slowly, her eyes crinkling with a gentle smile. "You promised to spend the whole day with me."

Li Xuanzhi turned to look at her, raised his hand and naturally took her wrist, smiling indulgently.

"Okay, let's set off now."

The painted boats on the riverbank swayed gently, and the cries of vendors echoed endlessly.

Li Xuanzhi held Fu Xiaoxiao's hand firmly in his palm, and while walking, he would turn to the side from time to time to observe her pace, showing gentleness and care.

"There's a stall selling steamed sugar-coated cheese up ahead. It's a specialty snack from Nanjing, sweet but not greasy."

He looked down at her, a faint smile playing in his eyes.

"You didn't sleep well last night, try something sweet to calm your mind."

As Fu Xiaoxiao was led forward by him, her tense guard, which had been in place for days, gradually relaxed under his gentle embrace.

She looked up at him, her eyes crinkling. "If you spoil me like this, you'll only make me more pampered."

"So what if you're a little delicate?" Li Xuanzhi casually agreed. "With me here, you can be much more at ease."

A casual word of comfort gently touched her heart, yet it caused Fu Xiao's heartstrings to tremble slightly.

These words are so true and so heartwarming. It's like genuinely protecting her under your wings, promising her peace and safety.

She looked down at their clasped hands, constantly reminding herself—

The tenderness in her eyes was an act, and the peace of mind was fake.

The two walked to a street food stall, where Li Xuanzhi stopped and personally went up to buy her some cheese.

Her fingertips held the pristine white porcelain cup, and the gesture of turning around to hand it over was so gentle.

Fu Xiaoxiao reached out to take it, her fingertips barely touching the cool edge of the porcelain cup, when an ordinary figure quietly passed by at the alley entrance.

The man was walking hurriedly, looking like a commoner who was rushing on his way because of an urgent matter at home.

In the blink of an eye, as they brushed past each other, a swift flick of the fingertips sent a tiny, folded cotton letter precisely into Fu Xiaoxiao's drooping sleeve.

The whole thing happened so fast it was like lightning, and no one noticed anything amiss. Li Xuanzhi, standing right next to her, still looked at her quietly with gentle eyes.

He seemed completely absorbed in the beautiful woman before him, oblivious to everything around him.

But his fingertips, which were covering the side of his sleeve, moved almost imperceptibly.

finally reached.

He's been waiting for so long!

Fu Xiaoxiao's fingertips stiffened for a moment, then quickly returned to normal. She steadily accepted the cheese, bowed her head and gave a slight thank you, remaining as docile as ever.

"Try it," Li Xuanzhi urged her softly. "It's delicious, you'll definitely like it."

Fu Xiaoxiao took a small bite as instructed, and the sweet taste lingered on her tongue.

What would be a pleasant sweetness for most people tasted bitter and astringent to her at that moment.

She forced a faint smile, "It's very sweet, thank you, sir."

The two continued to walk slowly along the riverbank, and she was still being led forward by him.

The only thing he held tightly in his sleeve was the tiny crumpled piece of paper, his fingertips turning white from the force.

She dared not reveal anything in public, nor show the slightest sign of anything unusual. She could only suppress her turbulent emotions and accompany him on a leisurely stroll and conversation.

For a full three hours, she accompanied him as they walked along the long street and through the willow-lined embankment.

Watch the painted boats glide on the water, and listen to the melodious opera singing.

Until we reached a secluded, deserted spot deep in the shade of willows, where there were few tourists and the wind was soft and still.

Li Xuanzhi stopped, released her wrist, and said gently:

"I'm going to the tea stall ahead to get some water. Wait here for a moment, and don't go too far."

"Mmm." Fu Xiaoxiao nodded obediently.

Li Xuanzhi gave her a deep look, his eyes still filled with tenderness. He turned and walked away slowly, his back view relaxed and composed, showing no sign of wanting to spy on her.

Once his figure was far away and completely out of sight, Fu Xiaoxiao's forced gentle smile vanished instantly.

Her back stiffened slightly, and she quickly turned and disappeared into the dense shade of the willows. With her back against the old willow trunk, her fingertips trembled as she unfolded the crumpled paper from her sleeve.

The handwriting on the thin cotton paper was hasty and sloppy.