Chapter 352 Is this second princess pretending?

"Absurd!" Prefect Tang looked at Assistant Prefect Lin with a pained expression. "I have always relied on you so much. Don't you understand that official duties know no day or night, and the people's livelihood is no small matter that can be delayed? If today, because of your momentary 'consideration,' the hidden danger is allowed to drag on until tomorrow and cause a disaster, can you bear the responsibility for the safety of the people of this city, or can I bear the responsibility!"

Even if you're being considerate of me, you should at least take your men to Shuimiao Village yourself, instead of making them report to the authorities tomorrow. Those bandits might already be heading towards Shuimiao Village. Tell me, what should we do now?

Lin Tongzhi hurriedly replied, "It was my oversight. I was too concerned for you, sir, and almost made a grave mistake. His Highness the Crown Prince has already severely damaged Black Wind Stronghold. I will immediately lead my men to Water Temple Village and try to wipe out Black Wind Stronghold in one fell swoop!"

Just as Prefect Tang's expression softened a little, Sheng Sheng spoke up innocently again: "Huh? Wait a minute, tell me to slow down, Sheng Sheng doesn't quite understand. Are you saying that you're doing this all for Lord Tang's own good, which is why you've overlooked such an important matter? According to you, then it's Lord Tang's fault, since you're doing it for his own good."

Moreover, given how seriously the government has taken this matter, how could you, as a sub-prefect, possibly make such a decision... well, it sounds like something a bad official would make. Could it be that Lord Tang isn't a good official?

With each question she uttered, Sheng Sheng would hop forward half a step, finally stopping right in front of Prefect Tang, looking up at him.

With an innocent and questioning look in his eyes, it seemed as if he was simply asking a question.

However, Prefect Tang sensed an invisible pressure within it.

Prefect Tang was startled and disgusted that he had such thoughts about a little girl. He then said, "Second Princess, I dare not say that I am a good official, but I have always kept in mind what an official should and should not do!"

Prefect Tang was furious at Lin Tongzhi for not reporting the news, but the most important thing right now was to calm the two gentlemen down and then quickly send the soldiers to Shuimiao Village.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, I believe the most important thing right now is to take men to Shuimiao Village. Those bandits from Black Wind Stronghold are reckless and impulsive, and they hold grudges. They will definitely go to Shuimiao Village again. If we don't send troops there quickly, I fear the villagers of Shuimiao Village will…!"

Xie Yun glanced at him and gave Sheng Sheng a look.

Sheng Sheng immediately snorted: "Hmph, at least you have some brains."

Prefect Tang looked at her nervously: "Then, shall I take men and head to Shuimiao Village now?"

"Go ahead." Xie Yun-yang then gracefully and calmly began to drink the flower tea presented by the prefect's wife. "There are priorities in everything. Lin Tongzhi is Lord Tang's man. I will pursue the matter after Lord Tang returns."

Lin Tongzhi was so frightened that his legs almost went weak; he was both shocked and terrified.

On the surface, however, he could only suppress his feelings and follow Prefect Tang in a hurry, filled with trepidation.

Before leaving, Lin Tongzhi glanced at Sheng Sheng inquisitively. He always felt that this second princess was not as simple and innocent as she appeared on the surface.

Her childlike, joking remarks were clearly a deliberate attempt to shift the focus of the situation onto him.

If the prefect's attention hadn't been mostly drawn to Shuimiao Village and Heifeng Village, and if he hadn't been afraid that the suddenly appearing Crown Prince would fly into a rage and hadn't had time to think things through, the prefect would probably have immediately investigated him thoroughly.

He will definitely be caught red-handed at that time.

This second princess... could she be pretending?

Unexpectedly, just as Lin Tongzhi was about to take a closer look at her, he was caught red-handed by the person involved.

She looked at him suspiciously and tilted her head.

Lin Tongzhi immediately lowered his head humbly and hurriedly followed Tang Zhizhou.

Lin Tongzhi quietly clenched his fist at his side, secretly reminding himself: No, I have to quickly think of an excuse, how to explain this to the prefect.

And there's Black Wind Stronghold...

Everything has been fine for the past two years, so why did a few people from the palace suddenly appear today, and why did they happen to run into the Black Wind Stronghold?

If that damned leader of Black Wind Stronghold is captured, he will definitely reveal those things while being severely tortured in prison.

Lin Tongzhi gritted his teeth inwardly, determined not to let anyone know about his relationship with Black Wind Stronghold...!

...

After Prefect Tang and his men left in a hurry, the Prefect's wife, who was too frightened to speak after the scene, closed her eyes and, as if she had nothing to lose, knelt down in front of the person who was thanking her repeatedly.

Sheng Sheng jumped away in surprise; she couldn't accept such a grand gesture.

"Your Highness, Second Princess, please don't blame my husband. Although he hasn't achieved great merit, he has always upheld his duties as an official. Today, he only returned home early from the government office because of our son's fifth birthday. He..."

"Mrs. Tang, you don't need to be so nervous."

Xie Yunyang rubbed his temples, a hint of annoyance and weariness in his eyes.

After rubbing his temples to relieve the pain, Xie Yunyang spoke calmly to the stunned Prefect's wife, "I know that the Black Wind Stronghold has been a headache for the government for a long time. Today's events were indeed caused by Magistrate Lin's failure to heed the villagers' words. I am not an unreasonable person, and I will naturally not implicate the innocent."

Xie Yun-yang personally assured everyone that no innocent people would be implicated, and that Tang Jiming was not to blame for what happened today. The prefect's wife naturally relaxed, and her earlier panic and unease disappeared.

After all, if His Highness the Crown Prince were to hold them accountable, the entire Tang family would be doomed!

"So, what does His Highness mean?"

"That Magistrate Lin, he's been following Lord Tang for a long time, hasn't he?"

"Yes, Lord Lin has been following my master ever since he became the prefect of Heshan County ten years ago," the prefect's wife said hesitantly. "Prefect Lin is usually very reliable, but I don't know what happened to him today. He overlooked such an important matter and almost ruined everything."

"Oh." Xie Yunyang seemed to understand something. Instead of continuing to talk about Lin Tongzhi, she turned the conversation back to Black Wind Village.

"But isn't Black Wind Stronghold a band of mountain bandits that suddenly appeared in the last two years?"

"yes."

Speaking of this, the prefect's wife couldn't help but say a few more words, "Actually, over the years, there have always been bandit dens of all sizes in the suburbs of the provincial capital. Because of the special terrain in the suburbs, those mountains are just too suitable for bandits to occupy the mountains and become kings."

However, while those bandit strongholds in the past were troublesome, they could always be dealt with eventually. When Black Wind Stronghold first appeared, everyone thought it would be dealt with quickly like the previous ones. Perhaps because they failed to suppress Black Wind Stronghold in the early stages and missed the best opportunity, the government's several attempts to suppress it failed, allowing Black Wind Stronghold to grow stronger and stronger.