Yuan Yun had long anticipated that Zhu Shan would not stay with Ma Tiezhou forever, but she hadn't expected that Zhu Shan's new man would be Qi Bainian.

For Yuan Yun and Zhao Cheng, this was unexpected, but also a pleasant surprise.

Yuan Yun remained outwardly calm and said, "Qi Bainian is a good official praised by the people of Jiangcheng. I've heard that he's not greedy for money, lustful, or a gambler, and he doesn't drink at all. His reputation among the people is similar to yours back then. Old Ma, are you sure you're not mistaken about him?"

Ma Tiezhou shook his head and said, "It's not just me who noticed it; Zhu Shan herself admitted it to me. Ever since I resigned and lost my position as prefect, Zhu Shan's attitude towards me has changed. She told me bluntly that she is still young and needs to find a way out for herself. She said that when I die, she will go to find Qi Bainian."

Yuan Yun asked, "Knowing this, why did you still beg for death? Wasn't that giving her a chance?"

"Life is so tiring..."

"I won't let you die."

"Your Highness..."

Yuan Yun said firmly, "If I didn't know about this, that would be fine. But now that I do, you have a responsibility to stay with me. Qi Bainian is a well-regarded official. If Zhu Shan really has something going on with him, then he must be a hypocrite. Letting such a person continue to govern will only bring disaster to the region. So I'm not advising you not to die out of personal feelings, but because of the state's orders, you cannot die now!"

"Ma Tiezhou, do you understand?"

Ma Tiezhou trembled even more violently, especially his lips, which quivered like withered leaves in the wind. No matter what Yuan Yun said, he knew that Yuan Yun wanted to save him. But upon reflection, Yuan Yun did make sense. Zhu Shan was his wife, and it would be one thing if she had an affair with an ordinary person, but the fact that she had fallen for the top official of Jiangyang County meant that, as Zhu Shan's husband, choosing to die was the most cowardly thing he could do.

Seeing a resolute glint in Ma Tiezhou's cloudy eyes, Yuan Yun pressed her advantage, saying, "You can tolerate Zhu Shan and are unwilling to let her pay the price; that's your private matter, and I have no say in it. But as the former magistrate of Jiangcheng, you must not back down on Qi Bainian's matter!"

Ma Tiezhou nodded heavily and said, "I understand, but I have no one and no power right now, so what can I do?"

"Old Ma, don't underestimate yourself. If Qi Bainian is a god in the hearts of the people of Jiangcheng now, then you were a god in the past. It's not easy for a man to kill a god, but it's much easier for gods to fight each other. When it's time for you to step up, your influence in Jiangcheng will be unmatched."

"I will obey Your Highness's orders."

"Zhao Cheng has been keeping an eye on Qi Bainian, but he hasn't discovered any flaws in Qi Bainian's record, let alone his affair with Zhu Shan. Do you know where they meet?"

Ma Tiezhou thought for a moment and said, "Actually, Zhu Shan has become more obedient since the Miao Shang massacred the village. I often see her sulking by looking out the window, so I suspect that Qi Bainian has given her some instructions."

“That makes sense.” Yuan Yun nodded and said, “Qi Bainian is Miao Shang’s brother-in-law. If something happens to Miao Shang, Qi Bainian will inevitably become the focus. Meeting Zhu Shan at this time would easily expose him.”

Ma Tiezhou analyzed, "If Qi Bainian is truly a hypocrite, then he must have been extremely cautious to have hidden himself so well all these years."

“I just told you not to try to kill yourself, but when you get back, you’ll have to figure out how to fake your death.”

Ma Tiezhou asked doubtfully, "What are Your Highness's plans?"

Yuan Yun said, "If we can't get through to Qi Bainian, then we can only use Zhu Shan as a breakthrough point. I want you to fake your death to help Zhu Shan, so that she can't sit still and will go to Qi Bainian first. She might be able to make Qi Bainian reveal a flaw."

Ma Tiezhou nodded and said, "I know what to do."

A secluded courtyard for both refined and common tastes.

After learning about Ma Tiezhou's situation, Zhao Cheng looked at Yuan Yun with a piercing gaze.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Yuan Yun turned to the side and said, "The baby is important, we really can't do it too often."

"What are you thinking about!" Zhao Cheng laughed. "I think you are simply my lucky star. The problem that has been bothering me for so long was solved as soon as you came."

Yuan Yun said, "This is not my achievement. Ma Tiezhou took the initiative to contact me. If he hadn't come, even Yuan Fei wouldn't have been able to find out about Qi Bainian and Zhu Shan."

“My lady, you are mistaken. I have been in Jiangcheng for so many days, and Ma Tiezhou has not come to find me. But as soon as he heard that you had come to Jiangcheng, he came to find you immediately. This is your personal charm.”

"Alright, alright... stop trying to flatter me. No matter what you say, I won't agree. Consider this a reward for what happened that time, since we hadn't seen each other for so long."

"I understand, this is called handing in homework."

"What do you mean?" Yuan Yun asked, puzzled.

"I'll let you know later." Zhao Cheng hugged Yuan Yun and said, "I agree with your arrangement to fake Ma Tiezhou's death. It can indeed stimulate Zhu Shan, but I think it's not enough to just let her stimulate herself. We can give her some external stimulation to let her let loose."

Yuan Yun asked, "You've already come up with an idea in such a short time?"

Zhao Cheng shared his thoughts, which made Yuan Yun look like the old man on the subway.

"You're really mean!"

Zhao Cheng chuckled and called out, "Xia Qi!"

"I am here!"

Xia Qi walked to the door, knocked first, and asked, "Master, did you call me?"

"Come in." Zhao Cheng glanced at Yuan Yun, thinking that Xia Qi wouldn't be so well-behaved if Yuan Yun wasn't there.

Xia Qi pushed open the door and entered. Zhao Cheng smiled wickedly and said, "Xia Qi, you must be bored staying cooped up in the house all day. Want to go out and do something new?"

"Huh?" Xia Qi looked completely bewildered.

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