The playboy county magistrate

The emperor removed his dragon robe and donned a black casual outfit. He was exhausted from dealing with tribute, trade regulations, and border defenses for days, and a faint weariness lingered in his eyes.

Qi Luo entered, gently curtsied, and spoke in a soft, gentle voice.

"I am ordered to serve Your Majesty at night and play the zither to ease your worries."

The emperor glanced at her, his gaze sweeping over her elegant and gentle appearance.

The bright and flamboyant dance figure of the daytime overlaps with the calm and gentle posture of the present moment, causing a slight sense of relief in the heart, and a faint nod.

"No need for formalities. I am feeling weary; please play whatever you like."

"Yes."

Qiluo rose in response, took a light step and sat down on the zither couch beside the table, her slender fingers gently touching the strings.

The melodious strains of the zither flowed out gently, the tune clear, soothing, warm, and lingering. There were no soaring or high-pitched notes, no intense or seductive tones. It was like an evening breeze caressing the courtyard, perfectly soothing the weariness and melancholy of someone working late into the night.

The melodious sound of the zither lingered on the beams.

Qiluo's fingertips touched the strings, her eyes fixed straight ahead. She appeared to be completely absorbed in playing the music, but in reality, she kept a close eye on the emperor's expression.

The song ended, but its lingering charm remained.

The emperor looked up at her, his voice calm. "The melody is gentle and soothing, which shows that you have a refined state of mind."

A casual compliment, devoid of any favor, was enough for Qiluo to seize the opportunity.

Qiluo lowered her head slightly, her eyes gentle, conveying just the right amount of fear and humility, and answered softly.

"Your Majesty flatters me. My music is but a rustic tune from the mountains and a foreign land, hardly worthy of the refined tastes of the Celestial Empire. Compared to the dignified and profound music of the Central Plains, it is truly crude and shallow."

By offering a song, he first humbled himself and showed weakness, then elevated the status of Dayong as the superior nation of the Celestial Empire. He handled the situation perfectly, knowing exactly how to please the Emperor.

The emperor's eyes softened slightly, and he said calmly, "Each has its own merits; there's no need to belittle oneself."

Upon hearing this, Qi Luo smiled faintly and gently stroked the strings of her zither with her fingertips, as if she were just chatting casually.

"Thank you for your leniency, Your Majesty. I have been in the palace for several days and have witnessed the grandeur of the Celestial Empire and the strict rules of the inner palace. My heart is filled with even greater awe. Compared to the other vassal states, only the three kingdoms of the Western Regions truly admire the Celestial Empire, strictly adhere to the rules of etiquette, and never dare to harbor the slightest unrealistic thoughts."

At this point, she paused slightly, feigning hesitation. As if she wanted to say something but hesitated, feeling uneasy, she deliberately paused for a moment, only to find that the emperor did not respond to her questions. She could only grit her teeth and continue softly.

"I have happened to witness the conduct of women from other countries, and I cannot help but feel uneasy. I dare not speak rashly, yet I worry that it may harm the stability of the Celestial Empire."

The emperor's gaze sharpened slightly as he looked at her. "Speak frankly, it's alright."

Having received this consent, Qiluo still dared not raise her eyes, keeping her head down and her brows lowered, her tone becoming increasingly meek and sincere. Seemingly speaking impartially, her words were in fact attempts to sow discord.

"I have observed a woman named Ulan from the northern desert. She is fiercely independent and rebellious, with a lingering resentment in her eyes. During the daytime banquet, knowing the strict rules, she still dared to use wine to express her feelings and test the limits. I have heard that after nightfall, she still often practices riding in the courtyard and discusses border affairs in private. Her pride is too great and her ambition is untamed; she is probably not a person who is content with her lot."

Every word she spoke was true, without a trace of fabrication. Yet she deliberately magnified his shortcomings to obscure the whole picture. She only mentioned his impetuousness, omitting his frankness, subtly planting a seed of wariness in the emperor's heart.

"Now look at the sisters in the Southern Frontier." Qi Luo's tone became even gentler, as if she were sincerely advising them.

"They appear gentle, modest, and unassuming. Yet they spend their days whispering behind closed doors and never make friends with others. Their excessive restraint and forbearance seem deliberate."

"I privately speculate that this inaction is likely a strategy to wait for the right opportunity and observe the outcome. They intend to wait until all sides are exhausted before reaping the benefits."

As she finished speaking, Qiluo lowered her voice even further, a genuine sense of apprehension and confusion showing in her eyes. She seemed completely uninterested in prying into anything, speaking only from her own observations.

"What I find most perplexing are the two young ladies from Japan. Since entering the palace, they have shown not a single shred of personality or emotion. They can be ordered around by ordinary palace servants at will, and their humility and obedience are almost eerie."

"There is no one in this world who is completely without desires or wants, let alone a noblewoman without any feelings. This deliberate transparency is probably a sign of a deep-seated scheme, far exceeding the ambitions revealed in the northern deserts and southern borders."

His words progressed step by step, covering all aspects.

No smearing, no spreading rumors, and no fabricating evidence.

With just subtle observations and reasonable speculation, he could subtly and gently pierce people's hearts, branding the other three kingdoms as "ambitious and restless."

The most exquisite aspect lies in her consistently humble demeanor and sincere tone. Every sentence stemmed from her concern for the imperial court, showing no signs of private infighting or deliberate vying for favor. Instead, it sounded like genuine advice, fulfilling the duties expected of a woman in the imperial harem to be loyal to the emperor and love her country.

After saying this, Qiluo immediately bowed and begged for forgiveness.

"I have presumptuously spoken of other nations, which is an overreach of my authority and I deserve to die. However, my heart is set on the stability of the Celestial Empire, and I dare not conceal my observations and thoughts. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness."

The Hall of Mental Cultivation was silent for a moment.

The emperor's gaze was deep and unreadable, revealing neither joy nor anger.

He quietly watched Qi Luo bow her head and confess her guilt, seeing through the subtle calculations hidden in her eyes.

He has seen countless people; how could he not see through such a petty trick?

Qi Luo appears to be fair and outspoken, concerned about the big picture. In reality, however, her selfish motives are fully revealed, and she is deliberately sowing discord.

She wanted to use the emperor to suppress the other three forces, clear away the obstacles to the Western Regions' rise to power, and allow the Western Regions to exclusively enjoy the emperor's favor and reap the benefits.

However, it must be said that the people and events she spoke of were all in line with the truth.

The northern deserts are unruly, the southern frontier is cunning, and the eastern seas are patient and tolerant—this is an established fact.

She simply interpreted and amplified the hidden dangers, accurately exploiting the emperor's wariness of foreign powers.

The emperor was fully aware of the situation, but he did not expose it on the spot. He simply spoke, his tone seemingly gentle, but in reality, it concealed a scrutiny.

"You have the big picture in mind and speak the truth, what crime have you committed?"

"Thank you for your leniency, Your Majesty." Qi Luo felt a slight sense of relief, and a triumphant smile secretly appeared on her lips, thinking that her plan to sow discord had succeeded.

"Rise," the emperor said calmly, raising his hand. "Play one more tune, and then you may go back to rest."

Qi Luo's face stiffened, not understanding why the emperor hadn't kept her to serve him in bed.

Since the emperor had given such an order, she, being a considerate and sensible person, naturally wouldn't try to persuade him further and could only lower her head and agree faintly.

"Yes."

Qi Luo touched the strings again, the music becoming even more gentle and tender. She was now certain that her soft words of discord tonight had sown seeds of resentment in the heart of the Emperor of Dayong.

If those beauties were to vie for the emperor's favor again, the emperor would surely be on guard. However, if the Western Regions held absolute power in the harem, he could reap the benefits and maintain a firm grip on the power dynamics.

When the music ended, Qiluo bowed and took her leave, slowly exiting the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The palace doors were closed, separating the inside from the outside.

The emperor's gentle composure vanished instantly, replaced by a deep, cold glint in his eyes. He turned to the chief eunuch beside him and spoke in a low voice.

"Have you remembered everything she just said?"

"Your Majesty, this servant has already ordered the guards to crouch on the roof beams and have recorded everything," the chief eunuch replied, bowing.

The emperor tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, the sound low and deep, and then suddenly let out a cold laugh.