A heavy fog hung in the air, and dusk settled in.

Night clouds gather, obscuring the starlight.

Moreover, because there was no one around, the huge backyard was completely dark, a far cry from the brightly lit scene when Jing Zhe came to attend the Mid-Autumn Poetry Gathering last time.

Standing in the backyard, looking up, the light was on in Wang Yingqiu's room on the second floor. Then a familiar, slender figure appeared at the window and opened it.

A soft halo of light streamed in through the window.

The room was brightly lit, but it was pitch black below. Standing below, Jing Zhe could clearly see Wang Yingqiu's eyes searching in the darkness, her brows slightly furrowed.

"Owner, I'm here!"

Jing Zhe took two steps forward, stood in the halo of light, and waved to the building.

Upon hearing the sound and confirming Jing Zhe's location, Wang Yingqiu's brows relaxed. She hesitated for a moment by the window, then turned to grab a lantern, before leaping down directly from the window, landing precisely in front of Jing Zhe.

"She's a true fairy!"

Jing Zhe smiled and asked, "When will I be able to fly?"

"This isn't flying at all."

Wang Yingqiu laughed as well, "This is just the first level of lightness skill, 'Swift as the Wind,' except that I jumped from upstairs, so from the outside it looked like I was flying, but it's far from real flying. You're also 'Swift as the Wind' now, and if you jumped down, it would have the same effect. I'm quite envious of those who can fly; I wonder when I'll be able to try flying myself."

"hey-hey."

Jing Zhe chuckled mischievously: "Does the Garden Master want to try the feeling of flying? I'm not very skilled, but I can make the Garden Master feel like he's flying anytime!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yingqiu's cheeks flushed instantly, making her appear stunningly beautiful under the orange light.

"I'm talking to you nicely, why can't you be serious?"

Wang Yingqiu gently tapped Jing Zhe's forehead with her finger and gave a reproachful sound.

"Huh? Why are you always so unserious?"

Jing Zhe said earnestly, "With my extraordinary talent and unique physique, I have already reached the realm of being able to fly in just a few days. How far away will I be able to be as light as a swallow and as swift as the wind? At that time, I can fly however I want and even take the Garden Master with me to fly around in the sky. Isn't this just letting the Garden Master experience the feeling of flying?"

"..."

Seeing Wang Yingqiu's somewhat dazed and adorable expression, Jing Zhe burst into laughter.

"Oh dear, it seems the owner's understanding of flying is not the same as the flying I'm talking about! Come on, owner, tell me, how do you want to fly?"

Then he patted his chest and said, "I can't guarantee anything else, but letting the owner fly around freely is definitely within my capabilities!"

"You're so mean!"

Wang Yingqiu knew she wasn't mistaken; he was deliberately provoking her. So she spat again and asked, "I thought you weren't coming! I didn't quite believe Bailu when she told me you came to the backyard!"

Jing Zhe came up and put his arm around Wang Yingqiu's slender waist: "You can skip meals and sleep, but you can't miss the owner of the garden!"

Honey-Mouthed Zhe is back online, switching into his flirtatious mode.

Although she knew he was just trying to make her happy, Wang Yingqiu still felt a sweet warmth in her heart, but she still retorted with a sarcastic remark.

"You're just trying to fool people with nice words. If that were true, why didn't you come yesterday? I waited for ages last night, wanting to hear what official position you were granted!"

The voice was somewhat resentful. Jing Zhe was taken aback after hearing it, and smiled bitterly to himself.

Damn it, there are too many women, so you can't say anything too definitive!

So he sincerely explained, "It was almost noon when the court session ended yesterday, and I went straight to the Prime Minister's residence. I wanted to come over in the afternoon, but I found that my second and fifth sisters had sent people to follow me. Since you don't want to reveal your identity to them now, how could I dare to come over?"

"They even sent people to follow you?"

"Oh, they sent a little maid. Luckily, I discovered it in time, otherwise we might have been exposed!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yingqiu's eyes narrowed into crescent moons.

"It seems your two older sisters cherish you very much!"

"..."

Jing Zhe deliberately didn't answer, but instead said, "Fifth Sister had to go back to Liangzhou this morning, so she didn't dare to come out last night. She was busy at the newspaper office all day today, and came over as soon as she finished!"

"Newspaper?"

As expected, Jing Zhe's words quickly diverted Wang Yingqiu's attention, and she began to press him about the official appointment.

After Jing Zhe finished speaking, she exclaimed, "The president of the Da'an Newspaper, although only a fifth-rank official, wields immense power! In the future, he might even become a powerful tool for the Emperor to bypass the government and the court and directly investigate others!"

"My homeowner is truly wise!"

Jing Zhe smiled and affectionately patted Wang Yingqiu's head. Although Wang Yingqiu was a little older than Jing Zhe, and the gesture looked like it was meant for a little girl, Wang Yingqiu seemed to enjoy it.

"Actually, the reason His Majesty supports me so unconditionally, giving me interview rights and the Emperor's Sword, is because he values ​​this! Although His Majesty is the ruler of a country, his power is not very stable, whether in the court or in the provinces. So even if he knows that some people under him have done wrong, he cannot take action for fear of causing a ripple effect. This is when he has to rely on me!"

"But...won't that put you in danger?"

Wang Yingqiu had figured out Jing Zhe's train of thought, and thus became somewhat worried.

He was prepared to be Emperor An's sword, to be used to stab whoever Emperor An disliked. Those who disliked Emperor An must be people of considerable status and position. In this way, even if he had Emperor An's protection, others would hate him instead!

It's too dangerous to be an official for long; you'll make countless enemies.

Jing Zhe patted Wang Yingqiu's hand and smiled, "I'm not a fool, I definitely won't mess with just anyone. You have to pick on the weak, and give them a slap followed by a sweet treat. That way, the back and forth will gradually have an effect."

Wang Yingqiu nodded, then suddenly asked, "The reason you want to build this newspaper is to... avenge your parents?"

I originally wanted to say "your parents," since she hadn't closed the door, but then I gritted my teeth and dropped "you." They were his now, so why bother with so much?

Only then did Jing Zhe put away his joking expression.

“Although my parents weren’t killed by them in the end, I could tell that they didn’t have a good time in their last few years. They often missed Jingzhou and their lost sisters. They couldn’t see them one last time before they died, and they lived with that regret for the rest of their lives. This debt must be settled!”

Seeing Jing Zhe's serious expression, Wang Yingqiu took his arm and pressed herself against him.

He whispered, "Whatever you do, I'll support you, but you have to promise me you'll be careful. Don't forget, you're not just yourself now, you have your sister... and me..."

Jing Zhe nodded and pulled her into his arms.

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