The splendor of the Red Chamber, the power that reigns supreme.

Chapter 196 The Master is Back!!

Wu Yueniang stood alone on the steps of the passageway, watching as her two respectable and trusted confidants from the county government and the judicial office left one after the other.

This demand is no small sum.

The original amount was 1,300 taels, but an additional 300 taels of interest were added at the last minute, bringing the total to 1,600 taels of silver!
Yue Niang felt a heavy weight in her heart. To be honest, those two gentlemen were favored by Magistrate Li of Qinghe County and were on the cusp of Magistrate Xia of Shandong Province. The fact that they had given the eldest son of the Ximen family a heads-up was already a great favor.

Jinlian'er, Guijie'er, and Xiangling stood silently behind Yueniang, watching her slightly thin figure with bated breath.

Jinlian and Guijie, unusually, did not glare at each other. They merely exchanged a glance, their eyes revealing an undisguised unease.

With the master away on a long journey, even though the eldest mistress is a capable and shrewd woman who manages the household well, the mansion is still without its pillar of support. It feels empty and hollow when faced with such a momentous event.

Moon Lady sighed inwardly, thinking: It would be good if she could have a day or two off. Just as she was about to turn back to her room, she caught a glimpse of a figure gracefully emerging from the other end of the covered walkway, swaying like a willow in the wind.

It was none other than Meng Yulou.

She was wearing a light blue satin-lined cotton-padded jacket on top and indigo cotton trousers on the bottom.

These cotton trousers are cut in an extremely peculiar and unusual way. They are thick, but they make ordinary people look bulky and bloated when they wear them.

But when it came to Meng Yulou, the scene was quite different!
From her round and full waist, down to her two plump and round buttocks, and down to her legs, the tight cotton cloth binding them made them look not bulky, but rather taut and full, revealing their lines.

As she walked, her waist swayed gracefully, her waist was her waist, her hips were her hips, her legs were her legs, and her flesh was her flesh. She was truly like a crane and a mantis, yet her flesh exuded a rich aroma, which made the bleak winter feel like spring was secretly growing. She was so charming and alluring!

Even though Yue Niang was in a state of utter turmoil, when her gaze swept over those eye-catching legs, she couldn't help but pause for a moment, even though she was a woman herself.

When Meng Yulou got close enough to Yue Niang to be about five steps away, she suddenly knelt down on the blue brick floor with a thud.

The icy chill penetrated even through my cotton trousers.

She kept her head bowed, revealing a patch of fair skin on the back of her neck, which was bent over, trembling like a frightened sparrow: "Auntie, I deserve to die! It's all my fault for causing trouble, disturbing the peace of the whole household, and even alarming the gentlemen in the government!"

The Moon Goddess looked down at her coldly from her high position.

The root of this trouble truly originated with this woman. She snorted softly, her tone heavy and collected: "You caused this trouble? That's quite true. Everyone in the household has been worried sick about you, and even the master has had to rack his brains over this lawsuit of yours!"

She paused, noticing Meng Yulou's thin shoulders trembling slightly, but then changed the subject, revealing the confidence of the head of the Ximen family:

"However, now that you've entered the Ximen family, regardless of the reason, since the master has agreed to let you stay, you are now a member of the Ximen household. The Ximen family in Qinghe County is not some cowardly, easily manipulated dough!"

"If the sky falls, the master will hold it up. It's just a few envious and greedy scoundrels trying to extort money. The master has his own ways of dealing with it. It will only cost some money to send them away."

Moon Lady's gaze was fixed on Meng Yulou's low-hanging hair bun, and her voice suddenly deepened, each word like a small hammer, striking Meng Yulou's heart:
"What's most important to you right now is to remember your place in the family! Do the job the master assigned you perfectly, and if you dare to cause even the slightest trouble, you'll be in big trouble!"

“I know you used to be the mistress of the house, so it’s understandable that you feel uncomfortable. But as the saying goes: a phoenix that has lost its feathers is no better than a chicken, and a carp that has lost its scales can hardly transform into a dragon!”

"Besides, you are neither a phoenix nor a dragon, nor even from an official family. Now that you have entered the Ximen mansion and become a maid in this room, you must know your place and abide by the rules and etiquette! You cannot make the slightest mistake!"

Meng Yulou bowed even lower, her forehead almost touching the cold brick floor, her voice trembling: "This servant understands! This servant has engraved Master's teachings into her very bones! She would never dare to bring the slightest bad luck to the manor again!"

Seeing that she was as soft as mud and her words were sincere, the frost on Yue Niang's face melted a little.

She scrutinized Meng Yulou from head to toe several times, then suddenly changed the subject, speaking slowly with an unseen probe hidden in her tone: "Yulou... has the master... ever taken you in?"

Meng Yulou was kowtowing when she heard these words. Her body stiffened abruptly, as if struck by lightning. She raised her head abruptly, and then, with a "boom," her face turned red from the base of her neck to the tips of her ears. Her entire face was like burning coals, and even the whites of her eyes were flushed with a shy red.

She was so panicked that she wished she could disappear into a crack in the brickwork. Her head hung down, and her voice, so faint it could be blown away by the wind, trembled as she repeatedly denied, "No... I didn't!"

Moon Lady lowered her eyelids slightly and said calmly, "Normally, I, as the mistress of the house, shouldn't pry into these private matters of young women. But the important matter of the Ximen family's lineage is ultimately on my mind."

"Let me ask you, all those years you were in the Yang family... how come you never had a man or woman by your side? Was it his fault or your fault?"

Meng Yulou blushed so deeply that her neck turned a purplish-red, and her voice was barely audible: "No...it has nothing to do with me...it's...it's because he...he's been weak since childhood..."

Moon Lady gave an almost imperceptible "hmm," her expression remaining unchanged, and simply said, "That's good."

She nodded slightly, her tone as calm as if she were talking about everyday matters: "Hmm. In that case... you should just wait patiently. When the master returns... you'll see what happens."

Having said that, Yue Niang didn't look at her again. She pulled her expensive silver fur coat tighter around her, swayed her waist, and turned to go to the inner courtyard.

Meng Yulou was left alone, kneeling on the icy blue brick floor, her heart pounding like a drum, her face burning with a flush that wouldn't subside, an indescribable feeling churning inside her, she couldn't tell if it was shame, fear, or some other burning sensation stirring within her.

As dusk settled and the chill seeped into the bone, several mule carts crunched over the frozen frost on the bluestone streets of Qinghe County, making a rough, creaking sound as they disappeared into the deep darkness.

The high-ranking official rode a tall, chestnut horse, looking travel-worn, leading the way. Behind him followed a dozen or so servants, carrying heavy chests that creaked and groaned. There was also a small, covered carriage with its curtains drawn tightly, inside which sat the maid Jin Chuan'er.

After a hurried rush, we finally squeezed through the city gates just before they were bolted. The shops on both sides of the street had already lit up their lights one after another, the dim yellow glow spreading in the chilly night air, with shadowy figures moving about.

Ximen, the official, was not in a hurry to return to his residence. He turned his horse around and headed straight for his silk shop, which was located in the most bustling part of the main street in front of the county.

The shop was brightly lit, as bright as day. The shop assistants were shouting as they carried in the last door panel.

The shopkeeper, Xu Zhi, and the accountant, Fu Ming, were still huddled behind the counter, flipping through the ledgers by the light of a tiny oil lamp, counting the various silks, satins, and woolen fabrics piled up like small mountains on the shelves.

Hearing the crisp sound of horses' hooves and the clamor of voices outside the door, Xu Zhi suddenly looked up and saw that it was his master returning. He jumped up with a "whoosh" and rushed over, repeatedly greeting him:
"Oh my! My dear husband! You've finally returned! You must be exhausted from your journey! You must be very tired!"

Accountant Fu also hurriedly dropped his abacus beads and followed behind, bowing and scraping.

"Hmm, my feet have just touched the ground." The official nimbly dismounted, threw the reins into the arms of the approaching servant, and strode into the shop.

A unique, raw smell of new cloth, mixed with the warm, fuzzy fragrance, wafted straight into one's nostrils.

Xu Zhi stood on tiptoe, lowered his voice, and spoke with utmost flattery and self-aggrandizement:
"My lord, you can rest assured! All the finest silks and satins from Yang's Cloth Shop, not a single thread has been left behind. They've all been counted and stored, neatly stacked! Just look at the quality, feel how thick and sturdy they are! These treasures alone are enough to sustain our shop's bargain-hunting business, even if it's just a group of ten, until the willows sprout new buds next year!"

He rubbed his hands together, grinning so wide his eyes were almost closed, and spittle was practically spraying onto the official's robe.

The official's lips twitched, and he shook his head: "Listen carefully: starting immediately, take down that 'Group of Ten' sign at the entrance of our shop!"

Xu Zhi was taken aback, his little eyes darting around, and he immediately understood his master's thoughts as if he had just swallowed some lamp wick ash—and the wrinkles on his face deepened into a smile that was almost like a flower blooming:

“Brilliant! Sir, you are truly brilliant! In Qinghe County, we are the only ones in the silk trade! There's no need to resort to those shady tactics of grouping together ten people to haggle over prices; wouldn't that just lower our own standing?”

The official snorted, "Change it to 'Three people together, special offer shared.' As for the price..." He paused, "...it'll be the original price...nine qian and eight fen."

"Brilliant! Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Xu Zhi slapped his thigh, so excited he almost jumped up, his voice cracking. "My lord, your move is like Zhuge Liang reincarnated! Changing it to a three-person group seems like a great favor, but in reality, it steadily raises the price, making it incredibly lucrative!"

"The most brilliant thing is this 'three people in a row'! It not only entices those women and young ladies to come and chat with their friends, but also makes our shop seem bustling and lively! Sir, even if I studied your business acumen for eight lifetimes, I could never catch up to your waistline! I admire you! I am completely in awe!"

Jin Chuan followed closely behind the official, her almond-shaped eyes fixed on the shimmering silks in the shop, filled with envy.

She had no worries about food and clothing in the Duke's mansion, and she also had a few decent clothes, but most of them were old items that the masters had grown tired of wearing and had given to her, which she then painstakingly altered.

There are hardly any truly brand-new items that belong to me, from head to toe. Not to mention now that I've been kicked out, I'm left with only a small package containing nothing but a few worn-out undergarments.

The official seemed to sense something, glanced back at her, his gaze sweeping over her for a moment, then casually pointed his whip at the mountain of silk: "Here, go and pick out a few pieces of fabric that you like. Make two sets each for winter and spring. First, keep yourself well covered up; summer clothes... we can talk about that later."

Upon hearing this, Jin Chuan'er's heart skipped a beat, and a warm, bittersweet feeling welled up in her eyes. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she hurriedly tried to kneel down and kowtow, saying, "This servant...this servant thanks Master for his grace!"

"Enough!" The official was quick-witted and grabbed her thin elbow, lifting her up. His voice was lower: "You're not well yet, so let's skip these formalities. It'll only cause you pain."

After saying this, the official stopped looking at her and slowly took out a package from his bosom.

Untying the silk ribbon, he took out several scrolls of documents carefully wrapped in bright yellow silk and stamped with a striking red cinnabar seal. Under the blazing lamplight, the seal was blindingly red, exuding a chilling official authority.

"Xu Zhi," the official said, handing over the document.

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhi hurriedly took it with both hands. After only glancing at the pattern and writing on it, his eyes widened in shock, almost bulging out of their sockets!

On it, black characters on white paper were paired with an illustration, none other than an official's robe! Beside it, densely packed in tiny characters, were details of the dimensions, materials, and silk thread patterns, especially the menacing design on the insignia—

"Master...Master! Heavens...Heavens! This...this...this is a fifth-rank official! The dress code for a fifth-rank official!" Xu Zhi's voice suddenly rose, becoming sharp and distorted, filled with unbelievable ecstasy and deep-seated awe.

He let out a "whoosh" and suddenly raised his head. His shrewd face instantly turned a deep liver color, and his lips trembled like leaves in the wind. "Thump!" His knees slammed solidly onto the blue brick ground, making the cloth beside him shake as if it were being shaken.

He pounded his head on the ground with a resounding thud, the bricks seeming to groan: "Congratulations, sir! Congratulations, sir! Your promotion! A meteoric rise! What a great fortune! This humble servant kowtows to you, sir!!"

The accountant, Fu, who was fiddling with the abacus beads, was startled by Xu Zhi's earth-shattering kneeling and howl, and his hand trembled. When he saw the pattern and the vermilion seal, he gasped.

With a thud, he knelt down beside Xu Zhi, kowtowing repeatedly until his white beard was covered in dust: "Congratulations, sir! Congratulations, sir! Fifth rank! Fifth rank official! Bringing honor to your ancestors! Bringing glory to your family! This humble servant...this humble servant wishes you a thousand blessings and peace!"

Accountant Fu felt as if the old deer in his heart was about to burst out of his chest!

His master has risen to the top in one fell swoop, becoming a fifth-rank official in the imperial court! From now on, the power in Qinghe County will probably belong to the Ximen family! The stone slabs on the street will have to be changed color tomorrow!

The official accepted their kneeling obeisance with composure. He raised his hand to help them up, saying, "Get up. This is our own shop; there's no need for such formalities."

Xu Zhi and Accountant Fu then shakily got up, their faces still showing a dreamlike, ecstatic joy.

Xu Zhi held the document with great affection, then his gaze swept over the other two volumes of regulations and drawings. He asked curiously, "My lord, what are the regulations for the clothing of the seventh and ninth ranks...?" His mind raced, guessing that it might be a job arranged for one of his confidants.

The official tilted his head slightly, his gaze falling on Lai Bao and Dai An standing behind him, and said indifferently, "Look, the person wearing this is right here."

Xu Zhi and Accountant Fu followed the official's gaze and their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets! Lai Bao? Dai An? An official from the Ximen household, and a lowly servant who usually ran errands for him?
One is a seventh-rank official, and the other is a ninth-rank official?
Both of them are now officials?
This is hardly the story of "when one attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven"! It's as if Ximen Qing has punched a hole in the sky, causing even the chickens and dogs under his feet to be imbued with divine energy and soar straight into the clouds!

This earth-shattering shock, even more so than the news of the official's promotion, was like two blunt blows, striking Xu Zhi and Accountant Fu squarely on the top of their heads, making them see stars and hear a ringing in their ears!
The two reacted extremely quickly; having just stood up straight, they immediately knelt down again with a "thump," this time facing Lai Bao and Dai An, repeatedly calling out:

"Congratulations, Master Lai Bao! Congratulations, Master Lai Bao! You are on your rise to the seventh rank, your career is on the fast track!"

"Congratulations, Master Dai'an! Congratulations, Master Dai'an! A ninth-rank official, so young and promising, with a bright future ahead!"

Lai Bao and Dai An had already straightened their backs, their faces beaming with undisguised smugness, their smiles stretching to their ears.

Lai Bao, being more mature, suppressed his inner elation and waved his hand with feigned humility, but his voice carried an unprecedented loudness and confidence:

"Oh dear! Manager Xu, Accountant Fu, please rise, please rise! You flatter us! What master or master? Dai'an and I are, in the end, servants who run errands for our master! Our meager future is all thanks to our master's boundless kindness! Without our master's favor, what are we?"

He paused, then glanced meaningfully at Xu Zhi and Accountant Fu, whose faces were all smiles but whose eyes betrayed a complex mix of envy and apprehension. He slowly added, his voice low, yet it struck them like a hammer blow:
"Our humble future today may very well be the stepping stone to your future, you two managers! Serve our master wholeheartedly, and he will surely look after us!" Upon hearing this, Xu Zhi and Accountant Fu were both shaken, as if enlightened!

Yes, Lai Bao goes without saying, even Dai An was able to rise to prominence, so if I serve loyally, why should I worry about not having a future?

Their eyes instantly blazed with fervent enthusiasm, and they bowed and scraped repeatedly, saying, "Absolutely! Absolutely! We will do our utmost to uphold your wise words, Master! We will serve you with our lives and never dare to slacken in the slightest!!"

Dai An was smug, puffing out his slender waist as he had just obtained his official position, and wanted to imitate Lai Bao's tone to say a few polite words and show off.

Before he could finish speaking, the official swung a slap across the back of his head with a sharp "smack," making him flinch and instantly shatter his smugness.

"Shut up!" The official didn't even lift his eyelids, and impatiently scolded, "Alright, stop standing there, get up."

His gaze was like lightning, suddenly fixing on Xu Zhi's face: "Xu Zhi, listen carefully: the regulations and sizes of official robes, down to the smallest detail, are all in this document. You, immediately! Go and drag those old tailors in the shop out of their beds! Light candles all night long, and prepare the finest tribute satin, gold thread, and silver needles!"

"Tonight! Even if it means working yourself to the bone, I have to get these three sets of official robes out! The stitches must be tight, the patches must be neat, and there can be no mistakes whatsoever!"

"Tomorrow morning, at the crack of dawn," the official said, holding up a finger almost to Xu Zhi's nose, "I want to see these three sets of official robes and jade belts, neatly arranged and perfectly aligned before me! Do you hear me?!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhi realized that it concerned the dignity of his employer and the two newly appointed "masters" for the next day, and even more so, the safety of his own head. He dared not even breathe loudly.

He knelt down again with a "plop," pounding his chest like a drum: "Don't worry, sir! Our shop makes its living by serving official documents; we know the ropes. I'll be right here in the shop tonight, keeping a close eye on things! I guarantee that by tomorrow morning, it will be delivered to your desk properly and respectfully!"

"Hmm!" The official hummed in response, saying nothing more.

They left the silk shop with Lai Bao and Dai An by the wind, their robes billowing in the breeze.

Master Ximen, leading Lai Bao and Dai An, returned to the gate of the mansion in high spirits.

The clever servant boy had already dashed inside, his neck scraggly, his voice so shrill it could pierce the night: "Master is back home! Master is back home!"

That shout was like a ladle of cold water being poured into a pot of boiling oil, and the entire inner courtyard exploded with a "boom"!

The Moon Goddess was reclining on the warm kang, flipping through account books by the bright candlelight. Upon hearing this, her heart skipped a beat. She quickly closed the book in her hand, tidied her neatly combed sideburns, and her face instantly filled with joy. She hurriedly slipped on her soft-soled shoes and went out to greet her.

In the other room, Pan Jinlian was applying makeup in front of a mirror, while Li Guijie, Xiangling, and a few others were cracking melon seeds and chatting idly under the eaves.

Upon hearing the commotion, their faces lit up with joy as if by magic. The girls, their jade pendants jingling, surrounded Yue Niang and hurried towards the ceremonial gate.

Just as he reached the entrance to the front hall, he bumped into the powerful Ximen official, who strode in with an imposing air of coldness.

His face was radiant, and although he was travel-worn, he couldn't suppress the domineering air of looking down on everyone between his brows. He was more than ten times more energetic than usual!

Lai Bao and Dai An, who followed behind, puffed out their chests and bellies, their faces beaming with a smugness that they tried so hard to suppress, like freshly applied tung oil, so bright it was almost blinding.

Led by Yue Niang, a group of women dressed in colorful clothes knelt down and offered a deep bow, their voices so sweet they could melt honey: "Master, you must have had a long journey."

The official's gaze swept across the brocade and tender embrace before him like a searchlight, a surge of exhilaration welling up within him: "Hard work? Hahaha! Moon Maiden, this trip was worth it! Absolutely worth it!"

With his aunt present, Dai'an finally couldn't help but interject, "Auntie, from this day forward, our Ximen family has truly undergone a transformation, rising to the top in one fell swoop! The imperial court's grace is boundless, bestowing upon my father—"

He paused deliberately before declaring, word by word, with resounding emphasis: "Deputy Commander of the Shandong Provincial Judicial Office! A genuine—Fifth-Rank! Official!"

"A fifth-rank official?!"

This news was like a bolt from the blue, striking the powder and fumes like sparks, and causing an uproar!

Moon Maiden felt a buzzing sound in her head, as if someone had struck her on the top of her head with a golden mace. Immediately, a surge of scalding joy rushed from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, and the little deer in her heart thumped painfully against her ribs!
The dignified and composed expression on her face could no longer be maintained, and she burst into laughter like ice breaking in spring.

She clasped her hands together, forgetting even to turn the prayer beads, and blurted out, "Amitabha! Buddha has shown his power! Bodhisattva protects you! My lord! This...this...this is a great joy!" She was so excited that she was incoherent, and her eyes even became a little moist, which she hurriedly wiped away with a handkerchief.

Wu Yueniang could still maintain the dignity of a mistress, chanting Buddhist prayers and offering praises. But how could Pan Jinlian, Li Guijie, and Xiangling, who had crawled out of the mud, possibly suppress their innate elation and desire to curry favor?
The overwhelming wealth and sudden rise in status brought a dizzying sensation, like strong liquor poured over their heads, instantly shattering their pitiful reserve!

"My father! My living Buddha—!" Pan Jinlian was the first to waile at the top of her lungs. Her voice was sharp and seductive, with a captivating sob that seemed to pierce right to the bone.

She brought a fragrant breeze and rushed straight to the master's feet. With a "thud," she knelt heavily on the cold blue brick floor. Her two white, jade-like arms, like vines, tightly wrapped around one of the master's legs, rubbing against it.

Tears mingled with rouge and face powder, falling like broken red and white beads, "plop plop," instantly staining the luxurious brocade with a small wet patch.

She raised her meticulously painted face, now streaked with tears, and sobbed, her words sweet and seductive: "Father! My fifth-rank master! My soul is about to fly away with joy! I knew that following a true dragon like Father, I would one day ascend to the highest palace!"

"Father is a star descended from heaven, and I...I am just a lump of mud under Father's feet. Father can trample, crush, and knead me however he wants, and I will be happy no matter what..."

As she sobbed, she clung even tighter to the man's legs, as if they were a ladder to heaven: "Let's see if those gossipy old hags will still dare to look at me sideways and curse me as a jinx who brings bad luck to her husbands!"

Thinking of the humiliation she had suffered in the past, Jinlian burst into tears, crying even more loudly and aggrievedly as if she had been wronged by a great injustice.

Li Guijie also knelt down with a "thud," hugging the master's other leg, crying sincerely, her face covered in snot and tears:
"Master! My lord! Ever since I fell into that fiery pit, I've only ever thought about one thing—shedding this lowly skin of a courtesan! But as I grew older, my heart died, and I just saw myself as a toad in that muddy pond, ridden by a thousand men and straddled by ten thousand, born to sell smiles and flesh!"

“How could I ever... how could I ever dare to dream of such a thing... I wouldn’t even dare to dream that one day I could enter this high-ranking household and become... become the bedmate of a dignified fifth-rank official!” She cried, trembling all over, as if she wanted to cry out all the humiliation of the first half of her life.

Xiangling was the most slow-witted and her reaction was a beat slower.

Her delicate face was already glistening with tears. She hurriedly knelt down as well, but both legs in front of her were occupied. She pitifully could only grab the hem of the official's robe, her knuckles turning white from gripping it so tightly. She opened her mouth several times in excitement, but couldn't utter a single word. She could only whimper like a kitten, "Waaah... umm..." and tears fell like beads from a broken string.

This silly look amused the official.

He stretched out two fingers and pinched Xiangling's soft, tofu-like cheeks: "Little rascal, are you crazy with joy? Did the cat steal your tongue?"

When Xiangling was pinched by him, it was as if she had been acupunctured. She cried even harder with a "waaaaa" and sobbed, "I...I don't know what to say...My heart is so blocked...It feels like there's a ball of hot cotton stuffed inside...I can't even breathe properly...I only know...I only know that I'm so happy I could die..." After saying that, she buried her face in the corner of his robe and wiped her tears.

Master Ximen lowered his eyelids, looking down at his feet. Three beautiful young women were kneeling at his feet like vines clinging to a tree, hugging his legs and tugging at his robes. They were crying so hard that their hairpins were disheveled, their makeup was faded, and their pretty faces were streaked with tears, like begonias after a rain.

A satisfied smile curled at the corner of his lips. He slowly reached out and gently rubbed Pan Jinlian's elaborately styled hair, his fingers sinking into her smooth, dark locks.
Then he moved to Li Guijie's head and affectionately pinched the side of her temple where a gold hairpin was inserted;

Finally, the pat landed on Xiangling's head, like gently patting a docile puppy.

The official's gaze slowly slid over the three soft, fragrant bodies at his feet, their bodies drenched in sweat and tears, before finally settling on something a little further away.

Meng Yulou had already knelt on the cold blue brick floor with the others.

The bright candlelight spilled down, making her slender figure appear even thinner and more frail, as if a gust of wind could blow her away.

Her face was clearly flushed with excitement and disbelief—the prestige of a fifth-rank official! For her, a widowed cloth merchant, this was more than just a dream come true; it was a palace in the heavens she dared not even dream of!

Her lips moved slightly as she silently murmured something, and her almond-shaped eyes were filled with tears, brimming with moisture.

Compared to the ecstatic joy of Pan Jinlian and the other two, who wished they could melt their bones into the legs of the official, and their unreserved, almost sacrificial, dependence, Meng Yulou appeared more reserved, like a pure orchid transplanted into a pile of gold and jade.

Moon Lady was so overjoyed by the immense wealth that she felt dizzy. Suddenly remembering that unpleasant incident, her heart tightened, and she quickly suppressed her smile. She leaned closer to the official, whispered a few words, and gently pulled him into the brightly lit hall.

A moment later, the official strode out of the hall. His earlier smugness had vanished completely; his face was covered with frost, and a chilling smirk played on his lips.

"Dai'an!" His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a knife chilled to the bone, carrying an undeniable pressure. "Prepare the horses! Go to Shi Wengong's place and gather him and all those newly recruited brats under his command! Make sure they grab whatever clubs and weapons they can handle!"

He paused, a flash of malice in his eyes, "I want to see which blind 'true god' in this Qinghe County dares to disrespect me and flaunt his power over the women of my Ximen Mansion!"

Immediately afterward, his gaze shot like lightning to Lai Bao, who stood with his hands at his sides, and his voice deepened: "Lai Bao! You go too! Drag those sycophants, Ying Bojue and Xie Xida, out of their respective women's warm beds! Tell them that I—have given them a chance to 'get revenge'! Tell them to get over here right now!"

Before long, Shi Wengong, dressed in a short, tight-fitting outfit, led about twenty strong young men, arriving at the gate of the mansion like a whirlwind. Although these men were newly recruited, each of them had fierce eyes and held batons and fire sticks of varying lengths, exuding a wild and unruly spirit like newborn calves unafraid of tigers.

Shi Wengong had already learned from Dai'an that his master had transformed into a fifth-rank deputy commander and was also assigned to the judicial office!
Along with Lai Bao and Dai An, they also became officials! This news was like boiling oil poured on his heart, and the burning desire in his eyes almost burst forth!

Unlike these people, he only knew that the fifth-rank official's hat was prestigious and made him look powerful!

Shi Wengong felt a chill mixed with burning desire rush straight to the top of his head!

He was a seasoned veteran who had mingled in the military and around government offices, and he knew all too well the weight of the words "Chief Censor"!
This is simply... holding the entire Tokyo East Road's Book of Life and Death in the palm of one's hand!

The King of Hell's decree, which governs the entire realm, hangs on the tip of the pen!

He wasn't like Xu Zhi or Accountant Fu, who only knew how to use an abacus. He knew that he, Shi Wengong, and the peerless Wu Erlang were the real weapons in the master's hands!

As long as one follows this master wholeheartedly, how could one's future be limited to a mere seventh or ninth rank? A higher position would likely be within easy reach!
Thinking of this, Shi Wengong felt a surge of pride.

He strode forward, stopping five steps in front of the high-ranking official's troops. He suddenly clasped his hands in a fist salute, knelt down on one knee, and performed the grand salute of an army general paying respects to his commander. His voice boomed like a bell, as if metal and stone were cracking: "This humble general, Shi Wengong, pays respects to Your Excellency! I am willing to lead the way for Your Excellency!"

The high-ranking official, mounted on his horse, looked down at the soldier's mannerisms. Far from finding it jarring, he found it extremely pleasing, and the sense of exhilaration in controlling life and death intensified.

The cold smile on his lips softened slightly: "Get up! I'm asking you, how's the training of these underlings going?"

Shi Wengong stood up abruptly, his back ramrod straight, and reported, "Reporting to you, sir! Time is still short, and horses are scarce, so horsemanship still needs honing. However, our footwork formations and the coordination of sticks and clubs are already showing initial signs of effectiveness and are barely usable! They are more than enough to deal with some ignorant scoundrels, and will certainly not bring shame to you, sir!"

"Good!" A cold glint flashed in the official's eyes, and he yanked the reins sharply! The steed let out a violent neigh, its forelegs off the ground, and reared up! The official remained as steady as a mountain on horseback, his voice like a thunderclap, booming through the deep night:
"Light the torches! Come with me! Let's go meet that reckless 'dragon crossing the river' who dares to mess with us!"

But at that moment, Earl Ying and his entourage arrived.

Ying Bojue led the way, followed closely by Xie Xida, Chang Shijie, Zhu Shinian, Sun Guazui, Bai Laichuang, and several others, all limping and swaying as if they were a group of hungry ghosts who had just escaped from the underworld and returned to the mortal realm.

Who are these people?
He was a well-known "gangster" in Qinghe County, who made a living in wealthy and powerful circles and under the patronage of high-ranking officials.

They were already highly skilled at figuring out their superiors' intentions, flattering them, cracking jokes, and distorting the truth.

The high official only needed to send a vague message to Lai Bao, and these old hands, with noses sharper than dogs, would understand immediately after asking Lai Bao a few questions. They would know exactly what role to play in this "play" and what kind of character to assume.

Lord Ying's head was wrapped in blood, as if it had been picked up from some stove. It was wrapped up like a crooked winter melon, and there was a fresh "bloodstain" on his forehead. Upon closer inspection, it looked like duck blood that had not been washed off the night before.

Xie Xida had one arm slinged across his chest with a dirty cloth strap, leaning on a cane, his chest covered in vomited blood.

He was usually limping badly, but his right foot was wrapped up like a big rice dumpling, with layers of white cloth and "fresh" bloodstains that were glaringly red.

As soon as the group entered the courtyard, they all knelt down on the ground and shouted, "Uncle, we're here!"

As the official looked at the crowd prostrate on the ground, he suddenly thought that if these people were to take off their tattered clothes and put on a python robe and jade belt, and stand in the Golden Palace and the Imperial Court... and then face those 'noble' officials.
What a "lively" scene that must have been!!
(End of this chapter)