My lord, spare his life!

The Prefect of Tianjiang felt uneasy as he asked the question.

Tianjiang County is nominally ruled by the prefect, but in reality, it is governed by powerful local clans. The former might fight to the bitter end because of their personal ideals, while the latter are preoccupied with interests and survival.

This question was less of a question the governor of Tianjiang wanted to ask, and more of a question asked on behalf of several powerful local clans in Tianjiang. They wanted to know what Zhang Yang was up to, and whether he showed any signs of retaliating against Tianjiang. Tianjiang had always regarded Tianyue as a rural area, and had even once obstructed Tianyue's trade with the outside world, resulting in years of accumulated tension between the two sides.

Would Zhang Yang, as the governor of Tianyue County, still hold a grudge?

If one holds a grudge, should one seek revenge against Tianjiang?

But you can't ask so bluntly. What if the other person doesn't actually hold a grudge and remembers it after being asked? What if they use it as an excuse to extort you? You need to be tactful when asking questions.

The Prefect of Tianjiang did not think Zhang Yang was simple-minded. Judging from the fact that this man could do so many things quietly without any word reaching Tianjiang, he must be a very cunning and shrewd old fox! So the question had to be asked tactfully and politely!

Zhang Yang: "What kind of question is that?"

Prefect of Tianjiang: "..."

He had considered various possible answers, but this was not one of them. It was equivalent to asking Zhang Yang "right or wrong," and her answer being "yes."

Zhang Yang: "Is this question important to you?"

"Yes, this is a very important issue for me and for the common people of Tianjiang. If you feel offended, it is fine if you do not wish to tell me." The Prefect of Tianjiang tried his best to control his facial expression.

He didn't care about the answer, but some people in Tianjiang would be sleepless and anxious. Zhang Yang racked her brains but couldn't understand how her answer concerned the common people of Tianjiang, but since the other party had spoken, it wouldn't hurt for her to reply.

The question for the Prefect of Tianjiang is: what are her ambitions?

Zhang Yang honestly replied, "My ambition lies in all directions."

The Prefect of Tianjiang County gasped inwardly. Did her use of "all directions" actually encompass Tianjiang County as well? He cautiously asked, "If I may be so bold, could you please elaborate, Lord Zhang?"

Zhang Yang remained silent for several breaths, staring at him with her large, round, dark eyes that showed little emotion. The sight sent chills down his spine, making his hair stand on end. Finally, as his head drooped lower and lower, Zhang Yang relented.

"I can't offer any specific strategy, but I remember one goal—anywhere I can stand on my own two feet, I want; and anyone I can see, I want too. I recently memorized an article; I'd heard snippets of it years ago but didn't know where it came from, and now I realize it's the same one. Its content resonates with my own thoughts: to protect the suffering people of the world." Zhang Yang's voice remained soft yet firm. "Clothes to cover the body, food to fill the stomach, a place to live, the ability to travel the world, and ambitions to reach far and wide."

After he finished speaking, the Prefect of Tianjiang felt relieved.

Zhang Yang's implication was very clear.

She wants Tianjiang County.

If Tianjiang is sensible, she's just using this as a way to pass through, and will come back to fight at a more suitable time later. If Tianjiang isn't sensible, she can still fight now. Tianjiang Prefect ignored all the other high-sounding words. He could say those kinds of platitudes with his eyes closed.

The Prefect of Tianjiang could only awkwardly offer a forced smile and flattery.

He forced himself to remain calm and went back covered in cold sweat.

As evening approached, he ordered that a large amount of food and wine be sent over to reward the troops: "Isn't it a pleasure to have friends coming from afar? Moreover, Tianjiang and Tianyue are close neighbors. Since Mr. Zhang has come from afar, we should do our best to be good hosts and not neglect our honored guest."

Upon hearing the words "rewarding the troops," Zhang Yang couldn't help but recall the previous blunder and suspected that the Tianjiang group wanted to repeat the same scheme. However, this time the rewarding of the troops was a legitimate one, with several influential figures from Tianjiang present to accompany him and being extremely attentive to Zhang Yang.

One compliment after another, another flattery after another.

Zhang Yang naturally didn't refuse the free food and drinks.

Of the people from Tianjiang, she only knew one classmate of Xiao Sui. Last time she visited Tianjiang County, they had treated her quite well. Remembering this, Zhang Yang's attitude towards him was much gentler compared to the others. Xiao Sui, unaware of the situation, was flattered and overwhelmed.

She also asked, "Has the half of your street been repaired yet?"

Xiao Sui was startled, wondering how Zhang Yang knew about such a trivial matter. Judging from Zhang Yang's tone, he seemed quite familiar with him. He probed, "I already ordered the craftsmen to repair it, but I'm truly ashamed that such a small matter has troubled you, Zhang Yang."

"After all, it was me and Wang Gongsun who fought this battle, so I should at least ask you something. What are you ashamed of?" Zhang Yang didn't quite understand why the other party was being so cautious, when he was clearly the one who had lost money.

"Ah? But wasn't that Xiu Ying's retainer fighting with Wang Gongsun and accidentally destroyed—" Xiao Sui's classmate paused here, a flash of inspiration striking him, and he immediately realized that the boy he had mistaken for a retainer was Zhang Yang in front of him. "Zhang Jun is that empress?"

It's the same person!

On second thought, given Xiao Sui's peculiar human skin, it wasn't surprising that Zhang Yang could use it to disguise his identity. He could only blame himself for being blind to Zhang Yang's true nature, failing to see through the other's facade and genuinely believing him to be a retainer of the Xiao family traveling with Xiao Sui.

Tianjiang tried to curry favor, and the atmosphere at the dinner was fairly lively.

They didn't disperse until the moon was high in the sky.

The group from Tianjiang returned home with heavy hearts.

The heads of various factions discussed the matter, while the Prefect of Tianjiang sat quietly in the main seat, listening as they came up with a plan. These people knew they couldn't fight Zhang Yang head-on; they didn't dare confront him directly. To put it bluntly, even Dongxian could control them.

What can they do to Zhang Yang?

However, it's not easy to get them to willingly submit.

Tianjiang's regional prejudice against Tianyue isn't new; the conflict between the two places has accumulated over decades. Many people in Tianjiang look down on the poor, uneducated country folk of Tianyue. To expect them to submit to a rural prefect and become subservient is asking too much.

They can't beat them in a fight, and they won't submit.

That's the most awkward thing about this group of people.

Besides these two reasons, they had another concern—

"...We've heard that once this Zhang Jun goes crazy with poverty, she turns on her own people. Whoever has the most money will be the first to suffer. We don't want to go against her, but we can't stop her from killing us when she's short of cash." When Zhang Yang dealt with the local powerful clans of Tianyue, they also heard the news and even laughed at the time—how much could Zhang Yang squeeze out of these people?

They're so desperate for money they'll eat anything.

I never imagined that a knife would be held to my own neck.

"Without a guarantee, we cannot feel at ease."

Xiao Sui sighed, "But we have no connection with her. None of her subordinates are from Tianjiang, so no one will speak up for us, and we haven't offered her any help or capital to start her business. For the time being, we don't even have a marriage alliance..."

Having a middleman who's even remotely connected to you would be helpful.

"Is it possible to persuade Lady Xiao?"

"Yes, aren't you and her classmates?"

It's barely a connection, but it's still a valuable one.

Xiao Sui shook her head: "This level of friendship isn't even enough to warrant someone speaking up, let alone getting Zhang Boyuan to make a promise."

Upon hearing this, everyone was as if they had lost their parents.

For a long time, no one spoke.

The Prefect of Tianjiang then said, "I think you all don't need to worry too much. As long as Zhang Boyuan doesn't find any fault with us, she naturally won't be able to make trouble for us. Even a barren place like Tianyue can rise up and become prosperous, which shows that her governance is quite effective."

The crowd grew increasingly troubled: "Knowing is easy, doing is hard."

Everyone understands the logic, but the key issue is that the power to set the rules is in their hands. What's compliant and what's not—it's all up to Zhang Boyuan's word. If they follow their rules, they'll only be restricted everywhere. And if they want to be punished, they only need to say a few words.

Prefect of Tianjiang: "Do any of you gentlemen have a better solution?"

Everyone: "..."

The Prefect of Tianjiang County added, "Or is it a case of using one tiger to devour another? Looking at all the warlords, very few can restrain Zhang Boyuan."

Which group do they intend to use to carry out their murder?

Qin Huang?

Or is it Zhao Chai?

In any case, there's no way to expect the Dou royal family to quell the rebellion.

The group looked embarrassed: "We didn't mean that."

Using a tiger to devour a wolf? Leaving aside whether they could even control a tiger, even if they could, Dongxian could easily swallow them up. The Tianjiang Prefect's proposal not only lacked feasibility, but also risked bringing shame upon himself and even costing his entire family their lives.

After much deliberation, they chose a compromise.

Don't offend Zhang Yang. Send her gifts as needed, consider it money to avoid trouble, but don't actually express your willingness to submit. This way, you can save face for them. Just let her see but not get, maintain an ambiguous, distant relationship.

They do whatever the man and woman pull at each other.

"...The weather is unpredictable, and fortune can change in an instant. What if, what if Zhang Boyuan's power doesn't last long either?" Tianjiang County currently lacks the military strength to resist Zhang Yang's invasion, but they can endure!

The proposal was unanimously agreed upon.

Ambiguity, a tug-of-war!

No stance, no initiative, no refusal, no responsibility.

If Zhang Yang suffers a setback, they will quickly cut ties; if Zhang Yang rises to prominence, they will then solidify their ambiguous relationship.

Prefect of Tianjiang: "..."

He didn't say anything on the surface, but he rolled his eyes inwardly.

Aren't they afraid of completely offending people by doing this?

The following day, Tianjiang County dispatched 500 soldiers to escort Zhang Yang's troops, with the county governor personally seeing them off. Even after the initial pleasantries ended, Zhang Yang received no implicit promise of allegiance from the other side. She couldn't criticize them, as their attitude was indeed courteous.

After saying all the nice things, soften your stance.

They delivered grain from two granaries in one go.

Zhang Yang's army had been marching for many days, and their provisions had not only not decreased, but had actually increased. Each household had also pooled together 50,000 taels of silver and sent it to Zhang Yang, ostensibly as a token of appreciation for the soldiers' arduous march. Such eloquent words left everyone stunned.

After the army had gone far away, Lu Yuan, who had been holding back for so long, finally couldn't bear it any longer.

"These old foxes, do they really think we're beggars? That they can be satisfied with just a little money and some food?" They didn't show their stance through actions, such as sending a Tianjiang County seal, nor did they verbally take sides.

"Exactly! I don't know whether to call them cowardly or incredibly audacious. With my foster mother's elite troops outside the city, they dare to fool them like this! Aren't they afraid of getting their heads twisted off?"

Zhe Meng and his companion were filled with righteous indignation.

Zhang Yang didn't care about this.

"Why are you so angry? They still dare to harbor any illusions only because I am not strong enough, not powerful enough. If Tianjiang were all my territory, do you think they wouldn't panic, wouldn't they be afraid? They would wish they had eight hands from the womb, and would get up overnight to write eulogies for me, praising my virtues, extolling my achievements, and recording my accomplishments."

Zhang Yang isn't terrifying enough, which is why they have the audacity to waver.

"So you just let them be?"

Lu Yuan turned his head to look behind him.

"Why don't you, Mother, allocate three thousand men for me to annihilate them?" Zhe Meng, not wanting Lü Yuan to always be the first, volunteered the order. Taking over Tianjiang County, which was weak internally, would be a piece of cake.

Zhang Yang: "No need, their hearts will eventually turn back to me."

As long as Tianjiang County behaves itself, doesn't cause trouble for Zhang Yang, doesn't attempt a coup, doesn't play any tricks like inviting wolves into the house or using one tiger to devour another, and peacefully governs the area to protect the people from war, she can turn a blind eye.

Xiao Sui said, "But we can't be too lenient either."

If we indulge them too much, they'll become increasingly arrogant and overbearing. We still need to give them a warning and a few threats every now and then, subtly getting the Tianjiang County government officials used to Tianyue's pace. This will ensure a smoother handover and reduce a lot of trouble later on.

She comes from a prominent family and knows these people's flaws best.

Zhang Yang: "I'm at ease leaving these things to you."

"To hear such words from my lord, I would gladly die right now." Xiao Sui raised her fan to half-cover her face, her eyes sparkling with a captivating charm. As she spoke, she deliberately lowered her voice, making it soft and sticky, like a feather gently tickling the heart.

Her allure is innate, making one feel weak and tingling.

Fan You almost fell off his horse.

Annoyed and embarrassed: "Xiao Xiuying, can't you speak properly?"

"Is Xiuying's throat bothering her?"

Zhang Yang didn't understand, but he thought Xiao Sui's voice was superb.

Seeing this, Xiao Sui waved her fan, lightly tapped her heel against the horse's belly, and walked away while controlling the reins with one hand, making a clicking sound.

Zhang Yang's [Rejuvenation] buff expired the night before she arrived at Tianyue. When her body returned to normal, she was taking a nap wrapped in a blanket when she woke up feeling the pressure from the tight blanket. Fortunately, her clothes were large enough not to tear.

She bent down to adjust the cuffs and hem of her trousers.

He pulled the blanket over his head and went back to sleep.

News of Zhang Yang's triumphant return reached Tianyue County ahead of schedule. To avoid disrupting the lives of ordinary people in the county, Zhang Yang chose to quietly enter the city before dawn, leaving his army to await orders. Several months after his departure, Weiyin City underwent tremendous changes.

Houses rose up one after another.

Arranged neatly around the prefectural government.

If viewed from above, the distribution closely resembles the Bagua (Eight Trigrams).

While this layout is advantageous for street fighting and small-scale sieges, it is disadvantageous for large-scale garrisoning and even more so for prolonged stalemates. Furthermore, once the enemy breaches the city gates, the central prefectural government building will lose its defensive structure, allowing the enemy to advance unimpeded.

The cost of building city gates and walls will also increase.

Fan You and others favored a square layout.

However, Zhang Yang rejected all their arguments.

Her reasoning was simple and straightforward: this octagonal layout is more beneficial to people's livelihoods, making travel more convenient for ordinary citizens, with wide and well-connected roads. They can also easily find out locations when they go out.

Zhe Meng and the others were visiting Weiyin for the first time.

They knew that Zhang Yang had made her fortune here and that she had devoted a lot of effort to it, but Tianyue County was not well-known outside. People who knew about this place thought of it as a poor rural area, not to mention that Tianyue had been restricted from trading with the outside world in recent years.

It's easy to imagine how poor this place must be.

It is said that the seasons were disrupted a few months ago.

It's winter again, what do ordinary people use to get through the winter?

Everyone had expected to see a barren, deserted, and dilapidated city, but to their surprise, when the city gates opened, candlelight could be seen in many places. In the areas illuminated by candlelight, well-dressed merchants were hawking their wares, and there were also quite a few ordinary people on the streets.

Zhang Yang and his men had taken off their military uniforms early on and entered the city in civilian clothes.

She said, "There are more people in the city now."

Others may not see it, but she sees it more clearly.

The density of green names in the field of vision is higher than before; the names above their heads pass through the model of residential buildings, looking like a vast expanse of green.

You only see a few yellow names occasionally.

So far, not a single person has been identified as a red-named individual.

Zhang Yang stretched and said, "Let's go back to the prefectural government."

She thought she was being very discreet and careful on her way back, but she forgot that Zhang Dami beside her was enormous and impossible to hide. Zhang Yang had only taken two steps forward when Zhang Dami heard calls of "Mi-jun" echoing around her. A group of ordinary people, hearing the commotion, disregarded the freezing weather and rushed forward, surrounding Zhang Dami.

"Mi-kun! Mi-kun is finally back!"

"Heavenly Bodhisattva, Mi-jun has worked hard on the front lines."

"When will you continue selling ducklings, Mi-jun? My ducks have reached market weight, and I'm thinking of getting another batch. I've saved up all the down to make a blanket for you, Mi-jun, which is still at home. Whenever and where you set up your stall, I'll bring you the blanket."

"Miss, has the Lord returned?"

? ?|??w?`)

Zhang Dami, Tianyue's adorable pet.