My lord, spare his life!

"This humble subject, Yuan Xie, requests an audience with Your Excellency."

The burly man respectfully presented Yuan Xie's name plaque.

The temporary prefectural government was relatively lenient, and many commoners were free to move around in the vicinity without being driven away by the prefectural guards. Every few days, talented people from the common people would come to visit, either to offer advice or to present treasures. Those with some ability might even be kept as subordinate officials.

Scholars like Yuan Xie, though few in number, are not entirely absent.

Upon seeing his name, the guards dared not be negligent.

He returned the bow, saying, "Please wait a moment, sir."

The guards went in and soon came running out.

He assumed Yuan Xie was merely a poor scholar seeking an official position, never expecting that the man had already made his name known to the chief clerk and his men. As soon as the visitor's name was presented, the chief clerk, upon hearing it, immediately ordered him to come out and lead the man inside. The guard, his forehead beaded with sweat, led the way while simultaneously reflecting on whether his earlier manner of receiving the man had been inappropriate.

Yuan Xie did not pay attention to his thoughts.

They simply observed the temporary prefectural government without making a sound.

On the other side, the burly man spoke with feeling.

"This place is so simple that it doesn't look like a prefectural government."

Unlike the solemn grandeur of a typical prefectural government, this place was as ordinary as the residence of a moderately wealthy family. Moss climbed the gray tiles on the eaves, and vegetable plots were marked out in the open space under the eaves. Occasionally, one could see half-grown chickens and ducks chasing each other. The officials who came and went were already numb to this. Every time they stepped on the ground, they had to be extra careful not to step in their droppings, and even more careful not to kill the prefect's precious pets.

He asked curiously, "Why does the prefectural government still keep these animals?"

The guard said, "These are all raised by the Prefect."

To be more precise, it was raised by Zhang Dami.

Most of the chicks and ducklings were sent to Puyang Kui's camp, but Zhang Yang felt that it would be a waste to leave so much space in the temporary prefectural government. So he rummaged through his game backpack and took out dozens of chicken and duck eggs, intending to raise them to add to the dishes.

then--

The officials on duty at the prefectural government office could see a large, colorful insect wandering around aimlessly every day, followed by a string of chicks and ducklings mimicking its gait. Zhang Dami was quite patient, and every now and then he would turn around to check the number with his eyes.

If chicks or ducklings get stuck on stairs, rocks, or in vegetable gardens, it will carefully rescue them. If the chicks or ducklings are too naughty and run too far away, Zhang Dami will swing its flexible and soft long tail, turning it into a fence to hook them back.

When the weather is nice, Zhang Dami will take a nap in the yard.

The fluffy chickens and ducks would burrow into it for warmth.

What Yuan Xie and his companion witnessed was a strange yet heartwarming scene. As he carefully examined the giant insect, Zhang Dami also noticed the unfamiliar gaze. The mountain lord casually opened its eyes, its beautiful round pupils carrying a chillingly menacing aura.

Yuan Xiechong nodded slightly in the direction of his gaze.

The mountain lord withdrew its gaze, hooked its tail, and gently pushed the duckling that was about to fall back onto its back, then lay back down to sleep.

Yuan Xie walked through a covered walkway.

Just as the sunlight was setting, his figure moved between the light and shadow.

Before long, the three arrived at the main hall of the prefectural government.

The guards bowed and withdrew. Yuan Xie casually glanced at Fan You, but didn't see the person he wanted to see. However, the other person's presence lingered in the place, and he could clearly feel that the "person in his ear" was much more docile.

Before Fan You could invite him, he took a seat on his own.

Is the Prefect here today?

The burly man put down the model he had been holding.

Fan You: "We've already sent someone to notify her to come back."

Zhang Yang was not someone who could sit still; asking her to remain in one place was like asking her to die. Sometimes, Fan You even wondered if she was the reincarnation of some monkey or had lice on her body—in short, she couldn't stay quiet for a second.

Yuan Xie then abandoned his idea of ​​getting up to take his leave.

Fan You then had tea brought over.

My gaze fell on the spinning wheel model.

"Is this the result of your busy work these past few days?"

Yuan Xie took a sip of tea but didn't speak.

Fan You was left feeling awkward.

He sighed, "It's rare to see you dressed like this."

As a child, Yuan Xie was exceptionally handsome, praised by his master as the most beautiful child in the surrounding area. His clothes were always as bright and vibrant as possible, mainly in blue, pink, and red. In his youth, his personality became slightly more reserved, but his clothing style remained lively and bright.

Since the stars descended in fury—

Everything has changed.

Upon first seeing Yuan Xie dressed in light blue, Fan You thought he was seeing things. Yuan Xie looked slightly different today than he had a few days ago; his complexion was better, he had gained a little weight, and his gloomy, ghostly aura had dissipated considerably. Hmm, much more pleasing to the eye.

Fan You didn't expect this guy to say anything.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Xie retorted, "Isn't it good-looking?"

Three words left Fan You speechless.

He subconsciously turned his head to look towards the latticed window, making sure the sun wasn't rising in the west. Fan You looked away and commented fairly, "For you, it's a bit lenient."

For Yuan Xie's height, his current weight is too light, and his physique is too thin. However, this is normal. The Starfall Technique tends to make people thin, especially since Yuan Xie is at the seventh level.

Yuan Xie: "It should get much better after a few more months of rest."

Fan You: "???"

He raised his hand and rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

Yuan Xie asked with a smile, "What's wrong?"

Fan You: "Are you really Yuan Youzheng himself?"

Why did he find Yuan Xie strange?

Yuan Xie smiled without saying a word: "Who has the ability to impersonate me?"

Fan You: "..."

Yuan Xie poured himself more tea: "Guan Siyin has already left, gone back to seize the trade routes. Have you thought about what will happen in the future?"

Fan You: "In the future?"

Yuan Xie looked disgusted: "You call yourself the Prefect's strategist, yet you're all show and no substance? Tianyue County is no good place; it's too close to those warlords of Dou Kingdom. It could be affected and destroyed by them at any time. As for that trade route in the Eastern Fan Mountains, is all you know how to do with it? No matter how well you manage it, in the end, who knows which villain will benefit from it?"

Fan You said, "Tian Yue is the best choice."

Even the position of prefect was "forcibly seized".

If Zhang Yang didn't have such wealth and strength, Fan You initially planned to spend several years cultivating his reputation and waiting for the right opportunity. Now, starting as the lord of a prefecture is already an excellent start, so why is Yuan Xie looking down on him?

Staying in Tianyue County means facing threats from several warlords, but without external pressure, it's not easy to unite people's hearts.

Yuan Xie said, "The counties in the mountains are even better."

These words were like a thunderclap in Fan You's ears.

His lips twitched; he hadn't expected Yuan Xie to be so radical.

Before he could refute, Yuan Xie continued, "It is extremely difficult to conquer the counties of Shanzhong from the outside, but what if we attack from the inside? They have considerable internal conflicts, which can be exploited. If we can gradually erode them, Shanzhong will be protected by two mountain ranges and have vast, fertile land. Wouldn't that be better than the small Tianyue?"

Fan You: "..."

He did indeed have designs on the counties in the mountains.

But all I was thinking about was cooperating with them and then winning them over.

Yuan Xie tried to devour them right away.

To be honest, Fan You was very tempted.

He could even guess Yuan Xie's plan: to secretly send elite raiding troops to attack the trade route that the Eastern Bandits had controlled for over twenty years. Once they captured a prefecture, they could use it as a base to expand outwards. They wouldn't need to worry about logistics either, as the trade route would allow them to easily obtain supplies from Tianyue Prefecture.

Even though that's what I thought, I still had to say something to argue with myself.

"It's not that easy!"

Yuan Xie retorted bluntly, "If you can't, I can."

Fan You: "..."

Zhang Yang had heard their conversation from afar, but she arrived too late and completely missed the beginning: "What do you mean, 'can't I do it'?"

Yuan Xie stood up and bowed with his hands clasped.

He lowered his eyes obediently: "This humble subject, Yuan Xie, greets Your Majesty."

Fan You also stood up and bowed.

Zhang Yang asked, "Why did you call me here?"

Yuan Xie didn't mention the raid on the counties of Shanzhong, but gestured for the burly man to present the model to Zhang Yang. The spinning wheel wasn't large, but its design was quite complex. Zhang Yang didn't quite understand it.

Just as he was about to ask for guidance, Yuan Xie spoke softly.

"May I come forward and explain this to Your Excellency?"

Zhang Yang glanced at the distance between the two.

She sat at the head of the table, in the center, with Fan You at the lower left, and Yuan Xie next to him. Although everyone's seats were spaced some distance apart, she and Yuan Xie weren't too far apart. However, she remembered that Yuan Xie was hard of hearing and communicated by lip reading. If Yuan Xie was nearsighted, they would indeed need to be closer to communicate. So, she nodded.

"The young one is approaching."

Yuan Xie stood up and swaggered past Fan You.

Fan You: "..."

Why did he feel something was increasingly strange?

Yuan Youzheng could not possibly be an assassin.

Fan You racked his brains but couldn't figure out what was strange. When he looked up, he saw Yuan Xie sitting down again, only an arm's length below Zhang Yang. This was an extremely intimate and trusting arrangement between ruler and subject. Yuan Xie didn't find anything wrong, and neither did Zhang Yang.

Fan You: "..."

Yuan Xie lowered his head slightly, pointing to the details of the spinning wheel and explaining them carefully. His voice was soft, his pronunciation clear, and his explanations concise yet easy for Zhang Yang to understand. He also frequently praised Zhang Yang's ingenuity. If it weren't for her ingenuity, he wouldn't have thought of such a solution.

Even without the convenience of water, simply using foot-operated multi-spindle spinning machines could increase spinning efficiency several times, even ten times. If this method could be implemented in every household, skilled spinners could earn a living through this craft. Increased production would not only satisfy the agricultural needs but also allow surplus cloth to be sold elsewhere, generating substantial profits.

What if we add water flow as the power source?

As long as there is no drought, this spinning wheel can operate all day long, saving manpower and further increasing efficiency and output. When Yuan Xie first learned that Zhang Yang wanted to make this kind of spinning wheel, he imagined how much change it would bring.

Zhang Yang listened and nodded.

When Yuan Xie respectfully asked her if she had any further guidance, Zhang Yang was momentarily stunned: "A model is still just a model. Some problems can only be seen in the finished product. Besides, the structure of your spinning wheel is quite complex. If it breaks, how will you repair it? Replace parts or the whole thing? It can't break down every now and then; it has to run stably."

We don't aim for high efficiency, but rather stable operation.

If it breaks, the repairs should be as simple as possible.

and also--

"How much water flow would it take to propel this spinning wheel?" she asked, turning to Fan You, whose face was not looking well. "Uncle Yan, are there any rivers or streams with significant drops in elevation within Tianyue territory?"

Fan You said, "I don't know."

The next moment, Yuan Xie smiled and said, "I know."

If the finished spinning wheel could be put into use, the prefectural government would definitely build a large-scale textile workshop instead of investing in small workshops run by individual households. When Yuan Xie was designing and improving the spinning wheel, he also took the opportunity to investigate the rivers within the territory of Tianyue.

He knew exactly where the water conservancy spinning wheel was suitable.

Fan You: "..."

For some reason, he felt uneasy.

Especially when he saw Yuan Xie's subtly provocative smile.

I really don't know what this guy is so proud of.

Zhang Yang's eyes lit up: "You know?"

"Your Excellency cherishes the common people, and I, your humble servant, also cherish Your Excellency." He raised his eyes, but did not dare to look directly into Zhang Yang's eyes. Instead, he lowered his gaze slightly, revealing a submissive posture. "I am willing to share Your Excellency's burdens and solve your problems."

Fan You: "???"

Something is wrong!

Something's definitely not right!

He rubbed his eyelids hard, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the same surprised and astonished look on the face of the fat, burly man. Fan You knew he wasn't seeing things. Heavens above, when had he ever seen Yuan Xie so docile?

Did the sun rise in the west today?

Zhang Yang saw system logs popping up one after another.

Yuan Xie's favorability towards you increases by one.

Yuan Xie's favorability towards you increases by one.

Yuan Xie's favorability towards you increases by one.

Zhang Yang: "..."

Although I don't understand it very well, one thing is certain.

Yuan Xie was generous and kind, and possessed keen insight, unlike Fan You and the others who constantly displayed their yellow names to her. The sight of Yuan Xie's green name above his head made her feel comfortable, even softening her stiff and rigid smile, and filling her eyes with more affection.

Without thinking, following her usual routine, she casually took Yuan Xie's hand, gently stroked the back of his hand, and under Fan You's gaze, which looked as if she had eaten shit, she said in a serious tone, "No one has ever treated me like Youzheng... For me, having Youzheng is like a fish having water."

Fan You: "..."

Yuan Xie was slightly taken aback, but then revealed a sincere smile.

"Xie's wish was not only for Emperor Zhaolie and Lord Ge."

Zhang Yang didn't quite understand.

Fan You sneered: "Does Youzheng really want to be the Duke of Zhou?"

Haha, that's certainly a good reputation.

Yuan Xie smiled and said, "I am willing to serve as the Incense Master."

"Tsk, isn't Youzheng already like Jiang Shang waiting for a wise ruler to come to his door on the banks of the Wei River?" Fan You said this, but secretly shook his head. Others might not know, but he knew that Yuan Xie didn't care much about the common people, or more accurately, he didn't care about anyone except himself. The few people who received special treatment from him were now mostly dead.

Yuan Xie's decision to enter officialdom couldn't have been for the sake of the people, a noble cause; it was simply to avoid the wrath of the celestial beings. However, such blunt truths were unpleasant to hear.

To embellish it slightly, say it came to be a wise ruler...

Yuan Xie was satisfied with the situation, and Zhang Yang was also pleased to hear it.

Zhang Yang: "A wise ruler? You mean me?"

Yuan Xie replied, "Naturally, it is my lord."

Zhang Yang nodded and then changed his own title.

[Title]: A Wise Ruler Once in a Millennium

[A Once-in-a-Millennium Wise Ruler: Although this title doesn't provide any attribute bonuses, wearing it will make you look like a charismatic boss, allowing you to boss your employees around with ease.]

??(￣ェ￣;)

It's a family member's birthday, and we ate late. My stomach is still full... Sitting in front of the computer, I feel a bit choked up... Tomorrow is another family member's birthday, and we'll have another big meal, hehe.