Miss and farmhand

Shen Jingzong was still not quite understanding, "...Isn't it better to have no contact? We have nothing to hide..."

The clerk was so anxious he stamped his feet: "Wouldn't that mean we've failed in our duties, and if we can't control the situation at sea, we've simply given up completely? Wouldn't that be dereliction of duty!"

Shen Jingzong then realized that the man had been too negligent in his official duties. He shirked his responsibilities, used smooth talk and rhetoric to justify his dereliction of duty as inaction, and his subordinates flattered him, calling his opportunistic enrichment a check on the system, his aversion to the sea a strategic assessment, and his manipulation of the Zhou family a masterful political maneuvering. After hearing this so many times, he actually started to believe it himself, thinking that as long as the accounts were accurate, his actions were beyond reproach.

Only when disaster struck did his dereliction of duty come to light, and he was horrified to realize that the person inside was the governor. Even if there was no wrongdoing, if he didn't do well enough in front of him, it would be considered a mistake. How could he have thought he could fool his superior?

Yes, because of Huang Xingtong, he had preconceived notions and assumed this was their private matter, thinking Zhao Yuze was an accomplice Huang Xingtong had brought in. He was completely wrong.

Suddenly, he detached himself, observing and thinking from a distance. He suddenly realized that he had been scheming and complacent for too long, and when danger came, he was no longer able to cope. He couldn't even sense the approaching danger.

It doesn't refer to Zhao Yuze, but to the sea.

He was oblivious to the war in the north, and unmoved by the governor's arrival. He had lost all sense of national crisis, caring only for his own small plot of land. Driven by self-interest, he subconsciously believed that as long as his money didn't go to waste, he didn't care about the chaos outside. He only thought about making money; making money at sea was like gambling, with its dramatic ups and downs. It was addictive. Once the addiction took hold, he lost all sense of right and wrong, distinguishing only between those who hindered his profits and those who helped him. Those who hindered him, like Huang Xingtong and Zhao Yuze, were enemies, even his superiors. They didn't think about how to cooperate, only how to deceive and cheat—they were all enemies hindering his profits. Those who helped him, like Huang Xingyu and Ji Zheng, even if he knew they were thieves or robbers, were willing to betray anything to make him money. He could betray the people of Xiaoshidang, the Zhou family, and even the power of the seas and national interests.

Shen Jingzong couldn't help but shudder, scaring himself half to death. Could he really have come to this? He was just a minor county magistrate; how could treason be so serious? It wasn't even his place to betray the country.

But once he stepped back from his thoughts, he knew that such things were only a matter of wishful thinking and a split-second decision. Officials all felt they were just tiny specks of dust in a vast system; their own lapses in attention were insignificant, as everyone else remained vigilant. Everyone thought this way, everyone relaxed, and it didn't even require many people. For example, in this prefecture's eight counties, if four of the magistrates shared his idea, an enemy attacking from the sea could easily advance from the coast straight inland, the entire official road unobstructed, and then spread from this sea route to the entire prefecture, even extending up and down the entire southeastern coast.

Most people like him didn't even initially intend to betray anyone; they just wanted to make a little money, everyone wanted to make a little money, and the law wouldn't punish everyone. But they forgot two things. First, while the law doesn't punish everyone, they weren't the masses; they were officials, they were the law. The consequences of their violations were far greater than those of ordinary people or merchants. One wrong judgment on their part could kill not just a small village, but the entire city, county, or even prefecture. Second, even if they initially thought they could back down at the last minute, maintaining a facade of cooperation with the sea, they would still fight and kill when the time came. They overestimated themselves. The intelligence and privileges the sea wanted had already been gradually revealed to them in their daily lives. For example, the coastal defense no longer inspected Ji Zheng's ships; it's hard to say whether other privileges and information had been leaked. When the time came, they couldn't refuse even if they wanted to.

Shen Jingzong was momentarily dazed, as if in a dream, in another world. He had initially heard of fighting at sea, assuming it was over money. A few days later, news came that the enemy had landed, and he clung to the hope that it might be a warning from a previous dispute over spoils. But when they finally invaded, he realized their intentions were hostile. It was too late to scramble for troops, and the city's defenses were too weak. They had lost their best defensive pass and were dragged into a bitter battle. Their terrain advantage had somehow been exposed too early, leading to even greater losses for their already inflated troop numbers. With the city on the verge of falling—several cities already breached before them, some dying defending their country, others taken prisoner—Shen Jingzong, fearing for his life, packed his valuables and fled. He didn't know if he had escaped, or if he hadn't been caught and killed, but perhaps even after the war ended, he would have been wanted nationwide and sentenced to death.

The fear and helplessness felt so real, as if it had all actually happened.

He woke up as if from a nightmare, covered in a cold sweat.

Zhao Yuze came out of the warehouse, and his men carried away a pile of account books without informing anyone, and left on their own.

"What's wrong with Lord Shen?"

Shen Jingzong trembled, then suddenly knelt down in front of Zhao Yuze, and the clerk behind him collapsed.

Without him saying a word, Zhao Yuze knew that he had resigned himself to his fate.

I thought he was a truly wicked and wicked man, but I overestimated him; he's so timid. He should have just been a civil official who knew how to shirk responsibility and take petty advantages. I wonder what he went through to feed him such a huge appetite.

Zhao Yuze felt no sympathy for him; he had seen far too many officials like him. They weren't genuinely repentant or admitting their mistakes; they simply knew their dirty deeds had been exposed and they would never be able to recover their former status.

He stroked his beard, not letting Shen Jingzong get up, and sighed, "You don't need to be so afraid. You should have known this day would come."

Shen Jingzong was stunned for a moment, then gave a bitter laugh: "It was all a dream, it was like I was blinded... To be honest, if you hadn't come, I'm afraid I would never have woken up from this dream. If I had continued in this daze, I would have been stuck on a dead end."

Zhao Yuze, however, seemed thoughtful as he listened to his laughter, and finally said, "Don't get carried away. It's not that easy to die. Finish your work first. As a convict, you should work even harder."

People who are most desperate might work the hardest. Why not take advantage of them?

Unexpectedly, there was still a chance to make amends, and Shen Jingzong's icy body suddenly became hot.

Zhao Yuze ordered him to collect ships from the merchants, as well as those who had wavered like him, to compile a list of their crimes. He was still doing the work of informing.

Shen Jingzong thought that knowing he had contact with Ji Zheng would make him act as a go-between, just like he had said before.

Zhao Yuze waved his hand: "You don't need to worry about that, I have other ways."

Unexpectedly, "other path" refers to Huang Xingtong. Actually, it refers to Huang Chu.

Zhao Yuze left with the official letter. Shen Jingzong came out and found Huang Xingyu still there.

He's the most out-of-place person ever, always awkward, always appearing in places and at times he shouldn't be, and the last person I want to see right now.

Huang Xingyu knew nothing. In fact, it was Shen Jingzong himself who summoned him here today, promising him that he could take revenge on his brother. He was just slow-witted and blind to the changes that followed.

He asked Shen Jingzong, "Sir, do you still want me...?"

He knew something was wrong. The so-called witnesses had all left, and those people were even asking him if he wanted to come with them. The adults were talking about important matters, and they weren't included. He forced a dignified air and waved his hand, indicating that he wasn't one of them and that he was the only one who would stay.

He vaguely sensed it, but didn't understand it, and lacked any sense of human nature. So he stubbornly waited there to show his importance and uniqueness.

Shen Jingzong didn't explain anything to him, only saying, "Go back. Don't come here again unless it's absolutely necessary."

He seemed to be being polite, nodded after speaking, and left.

Huang Xingyu went home by himself. When he arrived at the door, the doorman greeted him with a smile and said, "Master, you must be tired from running errands."

Only then did Shen Jingzong's words seem to take effect, like a delayed, empty slap across his face, leaving his head buzzing with a humiliation even more profound than his immediate realization.