Liu Li said he was going to have tea, but actually he was going to investigate Chang Lili.

Chang Lili's male form was somewhat disguised, making her appearance different from her original one, so she wasn't worried about the governor recognizing her.

But being stared at like that still makes me feel uneasy.

In particular, Chang Lili really disliked Prefect Liu Li. He was portrayed as treacherous and lecherous in the story, yet he managed to serve as Prefect of Duanzhou for so many years, which suggests he was a man of considerable skill.

As it happened, Chang Lili had suffered a lot from these scheming and intrigues, and disliked Liu Li even more. As she sat in the prefect's mansion, her face grew colder and colder.

Liu Li stared at the young girl, and the more he looked at her, the more suspicious he became.

Despite her young age, she possessed an extraordinary demeanor. It was simply unrealistic for a girl raised in an ordinary family to sit in the prefect's mansion without being humble or arrogant.

You should know that this is the highest-ranking official in Duanzhou, and no matter how many wealthy merchants from outside try to find connections, they can't get a chance to meet Liu Li.

Not to say that we should be afraid of him, but this Miss Meng doesn't even have the most basic sense of awe or surprise.

Liu Li was incredibly shrewd. She had a complex relationship with many people. She was a young girl with highly skilled guards by her side. Her clothes, manners, and speech were all extraordinary.

He picked up his teacup, brushed the tea leaves aside, and said, "Miss, you say you're from the capital. I wonder what rank your father is, a high-ranking official in the capital?"

Chang Lili: "My father passed away a long time ago."

"I thought the girl didn't seem to come from an ordinary family; I assumed her family was some important official in the capital."

Chang Lili gave a fake smile and said, "I already said that my family is in business. If you really want to know if there is an official in my family, there is one. Grand Commandant Lu in the capital is a relative of mine."

The prefect was slightly surprised. The Grand Commandant was a fourth-rank military officer in the capital. Although he was of the same rank as him, his status was much higher. He couldn't help but be more respectful towards Chang Lili and asked, "What business is that young lady doing here alone?"

Chang Lili said, "I was just taking a look. What do I, a woman, know? If there's nothing else, sir, I'll take my leave now. This tea is excellent, thank you."

She stood up to leave, knowing that since she had brought up Deputy General Lu, Liu Li wouldn't dare stop her.

Liu Li eagerly saw her out, his overly enthusiastic manner making Chang Lili feel somewhat uncomfortable. The guards who came with her subtly pushed Liu Li away, which made Liu Li lose face.

He wanted to befriend this man surnamed Meng because he thought his family was well-off, but Meng took himself too seriously and didn't appreciate it at all.

Chang Lili didn't care what Liu Li was thinking. She took a step forward, then stopped and said, "By the way, Lord Liu, there is something I want to ask you. I heard that yesterday's poetry gathering was specially organized by you for Miss Baicha. I didn't realize that you had such refined tastes."

Liu Li's forehead twitched a few times, sensing that the smile in front of him was malicious.

"I'm just curious, where did you, a prefect with a salary of only three hundred taels, get one hundred thousand taels of gold? Is it really true that there are houses of gold in books? That makes you willing to spend so much money to exchange for a beautiful woman?"

Liu Li's face froze. He said, "This was just a donation from the merchants in the city. Where would I get that much money?"

Chang Lili gave him a meaningful look.

As soon as she stepped out of the prefect's residence, she spat out, "You corrupt official!"

I wonder how much money they embezzled.

Looking at his ornately decorated mansion, one can tell that he lives a more carefree life than some of the powerful and wealthy people in the capital.

There was a horse-drawn carriage at the street corner. Chang Lili lifted the curtain and sat down. Sure enough, Meng Yuxiu was inside. She immediately told Meng Yuxiu what had just happened.

Meng Yuxiu was not surprised and said, "Duanzhou is a prosperous commercial city, so it's not surprising that Liu Li has become a fat man. You shouldn't provoke him. That scoundrel is probably plotting something again."

Chang Lili said, "I'm not afraid. He's trying to scheme against me, and I'm just as interested in scheming against the money in his pocket."

Meng Yuxiu flicked the tip of her nose, smiling somewhat helplessly, then pinched the bridge of his own nose.

Chang Lili noticed the bloodshot eyes in his eyes and said, "Go get some sleep."

After sending the white tea back last night, Meng Yuxiu continued to investigate the clues of the barbarians in the city. He didn't sleep all night before coming to pick up Chang Lili.

Chang Lili reached out and covered his eyes, feeling a pang of heartache.

Meng Yuxiu put his arm around her, chuckled softly, and said, "When I'm on campaign, I often go three days and three nights without sleep. It's nothing."

"That's because we're not at war now. You can rest for a while, lean against me, and take a nap."

At Chang Lili's insistence, Meng Yuxiu slept for a short while on the road, nestled against her soft body.

When the carriage stopped at the tavern, Meng Yuxiu woke up, looking energetic and not at all like someone who hadn't rested; his stamina was terrifyingly strong.

He strode out of the car, reached out to Chang Lili, and pulled her down.

"What is our relationship now, housekeeper?" Chang Lili asked deliberately.

Meng Yuxiu said, "You're surnamed Meng now, what kind of relationship could we possibly have?"

Chang Lili snorted and pulled her hand back, saying, "I just had a sudden inspiration. Anyway, I'm not married yet, so you just be my housekeeper and don't let people misunderstand."

Meng Yuxiu chuckled indulgently.

The two went up to the second floor one after the other. In the room on the second floor, Meng Yuxiu briefly told Chang Lili about what he had investigated.

“Those men are soldiers. I saw their scimitars yesterday; they’re a special type used in the army. I’m worried something might have happened at the border, so I need to get there quickly on horseback.”

Chang Lili was surprised and said, "What?"

"The situation is urgent. If the barbarians dare to come here openly, it will be really dangerous. The Yun Kingdom is too busy taking care of its own people to fight any more wars."

Chang Lili never expected such an arrangement!

Without a second thought, she immediately replied, "Then I'll go with you!"

"You stay here, I'll go there quickly and be back in seven days at most. I'm worried about the border situation, and I'm afraid it might be dangerous for you to go."

Chang Lili fell silent; she hadn't expected the separation to come so soon.

She knew that Meng Yuxiu was right. At her current pace, she couldn't keep up with Meng Yuxiu's speed, and following him would only be a burden to him.

She held Meng Yuxiu's hand with great reluctance and said, "Were you planning to leave today, and were you waiting for me?"

Meng Yuxiu stroked her hair and said, "I'm leaving her with you. Wait for me to come back if anything happens."

Chang Lili said, "I have nothing to worry about here. But what do you plan to do?"

“Yun Kingdom signed a contract with their tribe. If war doesn’t break out, they can still do some business in Yun Kingdom. There are plenty of people who don’t want war. I’m going to make an example of them.”

Chang Lili felt that Meng Yuxiu was definitely oversimplifying the situation; the border was certainly not that simple or easy. However, there was nothing she could do to help Meng Yuxiu, so she could only agree in her heart that Meng Yuxiu was right and that he could resolve things so easily.

Chang Lili nestled close to him affectionately and said, "Be careful in everything you do. I'll be waiting for you to come back."