In ancient times, the powerful and wealthy seized power step by step.

In the third month of spring, Gu Zhao received a secret imperial decree and traveled south to Yangzhou.

A few days ago, the Ministry of Revenue released its spring accounting, and the salt tax was nearly one million taels less than in previous years, with the two rivers region suffering the largest deficit.

The illegal salt trade in Lianghuai became increasingly rampant. Even the death by a thousand cuts could not stop these desperate salt smugglers. After killing Hu Xiaofeng, another one, Lei Dawu, emerged. The official salt could not be sold, and the salt tax could not be collected. The big salt smuggler Lei Dawu has been at large for more than half a year, but he is still at large. The person who was causing trouble in the dark has still not been found.

The transport commissioner of Yangzhou, the salt commissioner of Yangzhou, and the governor-general of Liangjiang all submitted memorials to apologize, trembling with fear, for failing to complete any of the tasks assigned by the emperor.

But what's the use of just apologizing? They're a bunch of useless people.

The Emperor was furious and summoned Gu Zhao:

"Cousin, go to Yangzhou for me. I grant you the authority to mobilize troops and execute without prior approval. Make an example of one to deter others and eradicate the evil practices in Yangzhou."

Because it was a secret decree, Gu Zhao did not make a fuss. He only took his close followers and a dozen guards and quietly chartered a boat to depart from Tongzhou Port.

After the boat had been sailing for only a few hours, just before dinner time, the captain dragged a man in to report:

"Master, this kid is sneaking around in our cabin. Should we hand him over to the authorities?"

The person being pulled around remained calm, smiling as they looked at Gu Zhao:

"Cousin, why didn't you take me with you when you went out to play? Could you give me a ride?"

Upon seeing him, Gu Zhao frowned slightly:

"Xie Ze, do your family know you've come out?"

Upon hearing that they knew each other, the boat captain realized he had gotten himself into trouble and quickly let go of her hand.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry. Since he's the master's cousin, why didn't you say so sooner? Young master, are you hurt?"

Xie Ze's clothes were all torn and his hair was disheveled, but he was completely unconcerned about the boatman's rudeness and his own disheveled appearance, casually waving his hand:

"No problem, boatman, I'm starving! I've been hiding for ages and haven't even had lunch yet. When do we serve food on our boat?"

Gu Zhao nodded to the boat captain, signaling him to arrange dinner.

Xie Ze had been holed up in the cargo hold for several hours, his back aching, his legs cramping, and he was both hungry and exhausted. Seeing the bed in Gu Zhao's cabin, while Gu Zhao was speaking, he pounced on it, sprawling out on the bed and letting out a long sigh.

"Ah, that feels so good!"

Seeing that he was determined not to leave, Gu Zhao asked again:

"Xie Ze, come out here. Does Her Majesty the Empress know? Does the Marquis of Anyuan know?"

Xie Ze is the young marquis of Anyuan Marquis's mansion, the empress's younger brother from the same mother. He is eighteen years old this year and it is time for him to settle down, start a family, and get married.

However, this young marquis was unwilling to study literature or martial arts, and he even refused the official position offered by the emperor, complaining that the morning court was too early and would interfere with his sleep. The emperor would shake his head whenever he mentioned this brother-in-law.

Gu Zhao was four years older than Xie Ze and had been practicing at Huangjue Temple for the past few years, so they were not familiar with each other. At most, they had a nod-over acquaintance. However, Xie Ze was very outgoing and would call him "cousin" every time they met at the flower viewing banquet.

Hearing Gu Zhao's question, Xie Ze was overjoyed:

"Cousin, you're so clever, why ask the obvious? I'm hiding from the Empress, how could I let her know, or my family know? By the way, cousin, are you also running away from an arranged marriage? Since we're both in the same boat, why don't we travel together to find our sweethearts?"

If it were truly a trip for leisure, it wouldn't be a problem to bring Xie Ze along, but Gu Zhao was out on official business, and salt smugglers were all ruthless and vicious, so it wouldn't be safe for a frail young man like Xie Ze to accompany him.

Gu Zhao was already thinking about arranging for a few people to take Xie Ze back at the next ferry crossing, and then asked, following his words:

Where is your beloved?

Xie Ze laughed even harder:

"I also want to know where she is. I haven't run into her yet, which is why I have to go out and look for her. Alas, how I pity myself so deeply, my heart pounding with unwavering devotion! My beloved, whom I yearn for day and night, where are you? I've been searching for you for eighteen years, and it's been such a painful search!"

Gu Zhao now fully understood that Xie Ze's talk of having a sweetheart was all nonsense; he simply wanted to go out and have fun.

Gu Zhao arranged accommodations for Xie Ze with his personal attendant. A few days later, when they arrived at the ferry, Gu Zhao found another boat and arranged for guards to escort Xie Ze back.

As a result, Xie Ze left a letter before disembarking and then ran away.

Xie Ze wrote in the letter:

"Cousin, I know you want to send me back to the capital, but I ran away from an arranged marriage, so naturally I can't go back. You insist on sending me away, so I had no choice but to run away halfway. You see, if I'm with you, you can at least keep an eye on me. But if I run away, where will you find me? What if I get lost? How will you explain that to my elder sister? I'll let it go this time, but if we meet again next time, you can't send me away again, okay?"

The Gu family upheld upright family values, the palace had strict rules, and the temple had strict regulations. Gu Zhao had always followed the path of self-discipline and self-control since her early education. She had never seen a troublemaker like Xie Ze before, and it was truly an eye-opener for her.

What's wrong with the Xie family's family tradition? The Empress is dignified, virtuous, and a model of virtue for the world, so how come her younger brother is so unruly?

Given the distant yet close relationship between the Gu and Xie families, this cousin, who is a relative by marriage, cannot be hit, scolded, or even disciplined. The Xie family must handle him themselves.

So Gu Zhao simply wrote a letter to the Marquis of Anyuan's residence, explaining that he had encountered Xie Ze on his way south and asking the Xie family to arrange for someone to pick him up.

A few days later, at the next ferry crossing, Xie Ze was indeed waiting there, and boarded the boat with a beaming smile.

"Cousin, you're not going to kick me out, are you?"

Gu Zhao did not shy away from the truth and told him the truth:

"I wrote a letter to your father and asked him to send someone to pick you up. Traveling is not like being in the capital. The journey is long and arduous, with many remote and impoverished places along the way. Bandits and thieves often roam the area. When the Xie family sends someone, you must follow me."

Xie Ze didn't want to leave in the first place. He came here to enjoy the scenery and be like an immortal, not to suffer. It would be so boring to be alone, and he would have to take care of all the troublesome things like food, clothing, and shelter. Of course, it would be easier to follow Gu Zhao.

As for the family sending people to arrest him, why worry unnecessarily and ruin the fun of the trip? He can just run away when they arrive.

Gu Zhao and Xie Ze's group left the capital in March. It was still cold in the mornings and evenings, so they still needed to wear padded jackets. By the time they arrived in Yangzhou, it was early summer in April, and the weather was getting warmer, so they had changed into lighter clothes.

Traveling by boat through the waterways of Yangzhou late at night, with gusts of warm wind blowing, is quite comfortable.

Xie Ze lay half-reclined on the bow of the boat, his head resting on his arms, legs crossed, humming a tune as he admired the starry sky over Yangzhou and the night view along the riverbank. Although it was the dead of night and all was quiet, the signs and lanterns fluttering in the breeze on both banks showed just how bustling and lively it must have been during the day.

Gu Zhao was listening to his attendant's report on the accommodation arrangements in the cabin when he suddenly heard Xie Ze call out urgently:

"There's an assassin!"

With this urgent call, the sound of rushing water arose, indicating that someone was wading onto the ship from the water. Gu Zhao drew his sword and stepped out of the cabin. The clash of swords and spears filled the air as guards and masked men in black who had sneaked aboard were locked in fierce combat throughout the ship.

At the bow of the ship, a man in black was pinning Xie Ze down. Xie Ze desperately tried to stop the man in black from thrusting a knife at him, but the tip of the knife had already pierced Xie Ze's abdomen.