My lord, spare his life!

Zhang Yang suppressed the urge to attack directly.

But his eyes kept glancing at the red-named NPC.

She said calmly, "No rush, speak slowly. As your mother, I will never allow my children to be humiliated."

It's unclear what Zhang Yang said that offended the young man, but for a moment his features stiffened and contorted, his jaw tightening and his back teeth grinding. When he met Zhang Yang's concerned gaze, he snapped out of his daze and quickly lowered his head. Perhaps out of fear, or perhaps due to other emotions, two blushes rose on the young man's cheeks. At first glance, it seemed like shyness, or perhaps gratitude, making him appear delicate and fragile.

The young man maintained his posture of looking up at Zhang Yang.

He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing.

Gazing into Zhang Yang's eyes, the young man burst into tears before he could speak, his eyes red and swollen. Two streams of tears flowed from his eyes, sliding down his cheeks and soaking his clothes. Even an uninformed person would feel pity for him and have a thought.

This child must have suffered a tremendous injustice!

He said nothing, only wept silently.

This inexplicably reminded Zhang Yang of the broken faucet in the survivor base—clean water was scarce in the post-apocalyptic wasteland, every drop precious. Many low-level survivors tacitly protected this secret, coming here daily to steal water, impacting the interests of certain groups. Players would even be tasked with protecting the faucet, driving away thugs sent by unscrupulous merchants who monopolized the water supply—this young man was so prone to tears; it was a real shame he wasn't a faucet. Zhang Yang looked down at him, a pang of regret in his eyes.

In the young man's eyes, Zhang Yang was attracted by his appearance.

Overjoyed, she also felt a surge of hatred—the person whom everyone feared and regarded as a thorn in their side was actually such a scoundrel! Bah! Seeing that the time was right, the young man closed his eyes and fainted, falling directly into her arms.

only--

The expected warm embrace did not come.

The young man felt something strangely touching his face, followed by the sensation of hard, thick fur against his cheek. The next instant, his eyes closed, he felt every hair on his body stand on end, for he felt a hot, heavy breath on his neck, the breath emanating a distinctly beastly aura. Undoubtedly, it was Zhang Yang's Star Beast!

The thing that just covered his face—

"Big Meow, be gentle."

Watching Zhang Dami extend its front paws and catch the young man's face with its paw pads, Zhang Yang whispered a reminder to be gentle and not to tear the man's head to pieces with one paw. Zhang Dami dared not disobey, resignedly lowered its head, and its huge head passed under the young man's armpits, steadily carrying him on its back. To prevent the young man's feet from dangling on the ground, Zhang Dami even carefully bounced him up a little.

Adjust the young man's unconscious position.

Zhang Yang settled the unconscious young man in the temporary prefectural government.

Why is it a temporary prefectural government?

After all, the other party is here to assassinate me. If I let him stay too far away, when will he be able to get close enough to launch the assassination?

In no time, news that the Prefect had brought back a young man dressed in mourning clothes spread throughout the temporary prefectural government. The officials would exchange knowing glances whenever they met, silently sharing this latest gossip.

If Zhang Yang had settled the man elsewhere, his subordinates wouldn't have reacted so strongly. But Zhang Yang brought him back to the temporary prefectural government office. What kind of place is the temporary prefectural government office? It's not only the central hub for handling the affairs of the prefecture, but also the residence of the prefect and his family. Prefect Zhang brought back a strange man of marriageable age, and I heard that this man has a pitiful appearance. Tsk tsk.

It will inevitably veer towards a sex scandal.

Fan You was worried about Yuan Xie's stubbornness when he heard that his lord had brought back a man, and his face darkened slightly.

Good heavens—

Is this still available?

Since her lord hasn't yet come to his senses, Yuan Xie is still somewhat reserved. But once she does, Fan You doesn't even dare to imagine whether a person named Yuan Xie might suddenly grow out of Zhang Yang's bed one day. She's become increasingly flirtatious and frivolous; where has that noble and upright spirit of her youth gone?

Fan You gritted his teeth and walked with lightning speed.

He suddenly calmed down as soon as he reached the door.

He thought to himself, "I acted impulsively; concern makes me lose my composure."

He had figured out some of Zhang Yang's personality over the past few months of spending time with her. How could someone as emotionally stoic as a rock easily understand things? And why would she understand because of a man in mourning clothes? It seemed the person she brought back had a questionable identity.

Fan You straightened his sleeves and stepped into the hall.

The young man in mourning clothes hadn't been unconscious for long. The physician Zhang Yang had summoned had just taken his pulse when he groaned and slowly regained consciousness. His eyes were glazed as he looked around, and only when he saw Zhang Yang did he realize who she was, bowing respectfully. Zhang Yang waved his hand: "Continue..."

"Continue?"

Zhang Yang tilted her head: "Or do you want to keep crying?"

If she continues to cry, she will leave first.

I don't know what kind of twisted sense of humor the game designers have. She can't even skip the storyline. NPCs have no rights! The young man keenly sensed Zhang Yang's impatience, cursing inwardly to vent his anger, but quickly wiped away his tears, seemingly afraid of upsetting Zhang Yang.

When Zhang Yang saw Fan You approaching, he reached out to greet him.

"Uncle Yan, come and listen to this."

Fan You: "..."

He breathed a sigh of relief, but also found it somewhat amusing.

I find it funny that I just lost control of my emotions.

How can one understand someone as stubborn as a rock using common sense?

Has she finally figured it out?

It seems like even an iron tree might bloom.

A jumble of thoughts raced through Fan You's mind, but his vigilance remained undiminished, still keenly detecting unfamiliar gazes. He glanced over discreetly and saw that the gaze belonged to the young man in mourning clothes. A hint of hostility flickered in the other's eyes. Fan You lowered his head, a disdainful sneer on his face.

Zhang Yang said, "You can now tell your grievances."

The young man quietly withdrew his attention from Fan You.

He took out the prepared draft that he had memorized perfectly.

A sense of unease began to rise in my heart.

The intelligence report didn't mention that Fan You was also good-looking.

Although he prided himself on being no less beautiful than anyone else, and even on par with Fan You (the two were of different styles), Fan You's presence would still somewhat affect the effectiveness of his plans. While multitasking and pondering, he had already finished reciting his prepared lines.

The young man is a local resident of Tianyue County.

The family has some savings and upholds the tradition of combining farming with scholarship.

Unexpectedly, someone took advantage of the chaotic seasons to rob his family. His elderly parents died in the ensuing argument, and his other siblings were also accidentally injured. All their wealth was looted, and even their fertile land ended up in the other family's pockets. He had to collect his parents' bodies and take care of his surviving siblings, barely surviving on the charity of his classmates.

He heard that the new prefect was fair and just and unafraid of powerful figures, so he made up his mind to seek justice for his family.

Not only that--

He brought back a confidential intelligence report.

He obtained this information by chance.

"intelligence?"

The young man cupped his hands and said, "This concerns the Prefect."

He took out a secret letter from his robes. According to the young man, this letter belonged to his master, a powerful local clan who was also the mastermind behind the coup plot against Zhang Yang. The young man had originally intended to ask his master to intervene on his behalf, but it turned out that his master was in cahoots with his enemy. With relations broken down, the young man seized the opportunity to take the secret letter with him, intending to present it to Zhang Yang.

Fan You stopped Zhang Yang from taking it himself.

"My lord, let the swimmer come."

He took the secret letter from the young man, opened it, and kept a close eye on the young man's expression. The latter remained calm, so it seemed that the letter contained nothing. A large part of the content was cursing Zhang Yang, saying how rude, rude, arrogant, and petty she was, and a few sentences called her worse than a pig or a dog, for associating with such a lowly person without regard for her status... Fan You read through it all in one glance.

The following content is about discussing cooperation among the various parties.

Fan You took a special look at the date on the secret letter.

A thought flashed through my mind, and I realized what these people were up to.

This is to take advantage of the time difference.

The secret letter was flawless; the handwriting, content, and planned actions were all genuine intelligence. The only discrepancy was the date; according to the letter's timeline, these people were still in the planning and preparation stage. If Zhang Yang believed this and sent men to deal with them, he would be playing right into the enemy's hands. The young man in mourning was merely a smokescreen, meant to mislead.

If the young man in Xiaofu is capable, he can use his good looks to bewitch Zhang Yang. If he can't, he can at least use this absolutely genuine secret letter to gain Zhang Yang's trust. As long as the contents of the letter are verified one by one, even the most suspicious Zhang Yang will lower his guard.

but--

That was a clever plan; don't try it again next time.

Fan You didn't know how Zhang Yang discerned others' likes and dislikes towards her, but he was certain that the method was easy to master. No matter how well the young man in mourning concealed his feelings, Zhang Yang wouldn't fall for it, especially since his methods of concealment were rather limited. Fan You chuckled inwardly and handed the secret letter to Zhang Yang. Because the latter's literary skills were quite limited, the various insults, allusions, and obscure characters casually included in the letter made it very difficult for Zhang Yang to read, his eyebrows furrowing closer and closer, almost forming a knot.

"What kind of nonsense is this?!"

Zhang Yang turned the secret letter upside down on the table.

The young man in mourning clothes mistakenly thought she was angered by the contents of the secret letter, and felt a slight sense of satisfaction, saying, "Your Excellency, please calm down, Your Excellency, please calm down."

Zhang Yang crumpled the secret letter into a ball.

"I can't calm down!"

Once she takes control of the entire estate, she will definitely enact laws prohibiting these people from writing letters using such obscure and difficult characters. The observed samples suggest that the more complex the language and the more difficult the self-study, the more it essentially creates invisible barriers.

To put it another way, this is a monopoly of knowledge!

Um--

This behavior should be condemned!

Fan You picked up the conversation: "Would Your Excellency like to send someone to verify this?"

Zhang Yang paused, coughed lightly, and accepted the challenge Fan You was offering: "Of course we must! I want to see how many guts they have! Shu Yan, draft an order to have Young Master Jun Du and his companion lead troops to handle this matter. Also, send a message to Magistrate Xu, instructing County Commandant Du to strengthen the security of the prefecture without fail!"

Fan You worried: "There are many laborers in the city, and the people are a mixed bunch... If this news gets out, I'm afraid it will easily cause unrest among the people."

"Then close the city gates, allowing people to leave but not enter?"

Fan You was satisfied with the ladder that Zhang Yang handed him.

"That would be even more inappropriate."

The young man in mourning clothes listened quietly with his head bowed as the two discussed their case.

When Zhang Yang remembered that there was still someone there, he offered to send him away. The young man in mourning seized the opportunity to volunteer, wanting to serve Zhang Yang faithfully. Fan You also chimed in, "Your Excellency doesn't have many capable men at your disposal; it would be better to keep him."

Zhang Yang hesitated for a few seconds, but finally nodded in agreement.

Arrange for young men in mourning to serve as subordinate officials in the prefectural government.

She reassured the young man, "Settle down here and be at ease. If the information you brought is true, I will definitely avenge you. If you need anything, don't hide it, just ask."

Upon hearing this, the young man in mourning clothes burst into tears again.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, he said, "Thank you very much, Your Excellency."

Zhang Yang ostensibly dispatched troops, and Puyang Kui and Guan Zong set off with their troops that very day. In reality, they secretly sneaked back into the city that night, disguising themselves as ordinary people. The soldiers they trained were all new recruits who had never seen blood; just over a month ago, they were farmers working with farm tools. Where was the murderous aura about them? Dressed as laborers, they blended in seamlessly.

The construction boom in and around Weiyin County led to a massive influx of people, so even adding hundreds or thousands of laborers wouldn't attract attention. This actually made it easier for them to keep a close eye on the thieves who had infiltrated the city. While Weiyin County appeared calm on the surface, undercurrents were already stirring beneath the surface.

The young man in mourning clothes cries a lot, but he's a really good worker.

Perhaps to maintain the image of a pitiful, weak, and submissive person, he would silently and diligently complete all the trivial tasks assigned to him without uttering a single complaint. Over time, many of his subordinates developed a liking for him and sympathized with his family's plight.

Every time he received words of comfort, the young man in mourning would look bitter.

After much anticipation, Zhang Yang finally summoned them again.

This time, Zhang Yang's expression was somewhat gloomy.

The young man in mourning clothes calculated the time and knew she must have already verified the authenticity. Sure enough, Zhang Yang said, "The people I sent out have brought back news. These bastards really did harbor rebellious intentions. Just because I haven't shown my teeth doesn't mean I'm a cat!"

The young man in mourning clothes said, "Fortunately, it's not too late. With your abilities, Lord Prefect, you will surely turn misfortune into good fortune and thwart their conspiracy!"

"I don't know what to do after you treat me like this."

Zhang Yang followed Fan You's advice and treated the young man in mourning with kindness and pleasantries. However, there was one thing he singled out.

Don't tell him anything about being "at ease with someone"!

Zhang Yang, with his limited vocabulary: 【Then what should I say?】

Fan You: [My lord, you shall decide for yourself.]

Zhang Yang sighed.

This is really putting her in a difficult position.

Left with no other choice, Zhang Yang had to find supplementary teaching materials to study diligently.

Hey, I have to say, this teaching aid is actually quite useful.

Zhang Yang mimicked the men in the textbooks, her gaze perfectly conveying the essence of the characters. She naturally possessed captivating, alluring eyes, and by consciously controlling her gaze, they transformed from their usual cold and aloof demeanor into a flirtatious and passionate one. Being stared at by her was like sinking into a warm, comforting spring, one's heart seemingly uncontrollably drawn in and devoured.

The young man in mourning clothes abruptly looked away, breaking out in a cold sweat.

Zhang Yang leaned closer and asked, "What's wrong?"

The young man in mourning felt a burning sensation at the tips of his ears.

He lowered his head and stammered, "It's nothing, it's just that the Prefect is so kind to me and has personally promised to avenge me... I feel unworthy of such kindness and don't know how I can possibly repay even a fraction of his kindness..."

Zhang Yang said calmly, "No need for repayment."

The young man in mourning clothes looked up and his eyes met hers again.

For a moment, he seemed to be bewitched and lost in thought again.

Zhang Yang: "Your presence is the greatest reward for me."

But in his heart he was thinking—

The content of the supplementary materials is a bit greasy.

??|??w?`)

Working through the night!

I've been having some good luck with unexpected money lately, hehe, it's giving me a boost of motivation.