incite defection

Liu Cheng paused, his businesslike smile freezing on his face, as if he hadn't expected Xiao Diting to suddenly ask him to stay.

He glanced back at the inn, which was in complete disarray—overturned tables and chairs, scattered cups and plates, and wet footprints on the ground. It was hardly a place to entertain guests.

But Xiao Diting's gaze fell on him, neither warm nor cold, much like that of her boss.

Before the messenger arrived, Liu Cheng received a warning from an "old acquaintance" that he should always listen to the messenger's opinion.

"This..." Liu Cheng rubbed his hands, trying to find an excuse, "Miss Xiao, I've been very busy with official duties. I only rushed here after receiving the report, and now I have to go back and process the case files. I'm afraid..."

“The files can be accessed anytime.” Xiao Diting interrupted him, turned and walked to a relatively intact table, raising his hand to dust it off. “Prefect Liu has just arrived in Huaizhou and has already encountered such a disturbance by displaced people. Shouldn’t you investigate the cause properly? Or does the Prefect think that this ‘trivial matter’ is not worth your trouble?”

She deliberately emphasized the word "trivial matter" very softly, but it felt like a needle pricking Liu Cheng's heart.

He was a seasoned official and naturally understood the warning in those words—the refugees besieging the inn was, in a small sense, a public security issue, but in a bigger sense, it was a sign of his poor governance as the prefect. If this reached the higher-ups, he would certainly be reprimanded.

Even more serious, the people who come are the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Offending the Embroidered Uniform Guard is to show no respect for the current emperor. If impeached by someone with ulterior motives, one could lose their head and have their entire family executed!

Liu Cheng smiled again, but his tone became more subdued: "Miss Xiao is right, it was my oversight. In that case, I will trouble you for a moment."

Upon seeing this, the captain of the guards quickly ordered someone to clear a clean area and brought over two cups of hot tea.

Xiao Diting picked up his teacup, his fingertips brushing against the warm rim, but his gaze fell on Liu Cheng. He slowly said, "Prefect Liu, you must have had a long and arduous journey from Jiangzhou to Huaizhou. I heard that Jiangzhou had a good harvest last year and the people lived peacefully. But Huaizhou has been quite unsettled these past two years."

Liu Cheng paused, holding his teacup, and smiled, "Not at all. Although Huaizhou has experienced occasional setbacks, it has remained relatively stable thanks to the Yang family's generations of management. As a newcomer, I will have to rely heavily on the support of the local gentry and people to quickly familiarize myself with the affairs."

His words seemed humble, but in reality, he brought up the Yang family, implying that he had a close relationship with them and trying to give Xiao Diting a heads-up.

Xiao Diting, however, seemed oblivious to the underlying meaning and continued, "The Yang family? They are indeed a prominent family in Huaizhou. However, Prefect Liu has only recently taken office and probably doesn't know that the Embroidered Uniform Guard also visited Huaizhou around this time last year."

As soon as she finished speaking, Liu Cheng's fingers, which were holding the teacup, tightened suddenly, his knuckles turning white. A flash of panic crossed his eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

He chuckled twice, as if recalling something: "Oh? Is that so? I've heard a little about it, but I suppose I was still in Jiangzhou last year, so I was a bit out of touch. I wonder what the esteemed officers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard found out back then?"

"We've roughly figured out where the grain went." Xiao Diting put down his teacup and spoke vaguely, "Last year, Huaizhou suffered from a flood, and the disaster relief grain allocated by the imperial court was delayed. The people went hungry, and some even starved to death on the streets. The Imperial Guards sent at that time came to investigate where the grain went."

This was a piece of information she revealed to Xiao Diting when she was discussing the draft of the Huaizhou grain ration with Shangguan Lin: the Jinyiwei centurion was actually killed by Pei Wenjin because of his betrayal.

Liu Cheng's smile faltered. He avoided Xiao Diting's gaze and looked out the window: "Such a thing happened? Alas, I am truly heartbroken. But... did you find out the results later?"

"The investigation stalled halfway through," Xiao Diting said calmly, yet with a chilling undertone. "The Imperial Guard in charge of the investigation reportedly fell off a cliff 'accidentally' outside Huaizhou City, leaving no trace of his body. Without a key figure, the case was naturally shelved. Prefect Liu, isn't that a coincidence?"

"An accident?" Liu Cheng picked up his teacup and took a big gulp, as if trying to suppress something. "Natural disasters and man-made calamities, things are unpredictable, it's truly a pity."

"What a pity?" Xiao Diting sneered. "I think it's not a pity, but suspicious. That Jinyiwei centurion is experienced and skilled in martial arts. How could he fall off a cliff for no reason? And it just so happens that he was investigating a crucial clue."

She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice but making each word clear: "Prefect Liu had connections with the Yang family when he was in Jiangzhou. Now that he has been transferred to Huaizhou, he knows nothing about last year's grain case. Isn't that a bit too much of a coincidence?"

Liu Cheng's face darkened completely. He put down his teacup, his tone hardening: "What do you mean by that, Miss Xiao? I am a prefect appointed by the imperial court, and I act with integrity and a clear conscience! Last year's case had nothing to do with me, so please don't make unfounded assumptions!"

“Whether I’m making unfounded speculations or not, Prefect Liu knows perfectly well,” Xiao Diting said without backing down. “The centurion who fell off the cliff sent back a secret letter before he died, saying that the grain case in Huaizhou involved a wide range of people and that there was a powerful figure backing him. Now it seems that this ‘powerful figure’ is probably hiding in Huaizhou City.”

Her gaze swept across the window, as if it could penetrate the layers of courtyard walls and reach the Yang residence not far away.

Liu Cheng's heart skipped a beat. He knew what Xiao Diting was implying, but he dared not respond.

The Yang family has deep roots and great power in Huaizhou. Even he, the prefect, has to give them some leeway, let alone an old case involving a death.

“Miss Xiao,” Liu Cheng took a deep breath, trying to change the subject, “past cases can be found in the files, and I am new here and it is not appropriate for me to comment. But I will definitely investigate the current disturbance by the refugees and give you an explanation.”

"Confess?" Xiao Diting raised an eyebrow. "How do you investigate? Arrest a few ringleaders and give them a beating, or push the blame onto 'troublemakers causing chaos'? Prefect Liu, do you think I'm a fool?"

She slammed her hand on the table, splashing a few drops of water from her teacup onto the surface: "Why were these refugees incited? It's all because they're hungry! It's been a whole year, and it's still a cold case. Huai Prefecture hasn't done anything about it!"

Xiao Diting glared angrily, increasing the pressure step by step: "If the disaster relief grain can be delivered to them on time, if the government can truly care about the people, would they risk being arrested to cause trouble?"

Liu Cheng was stunned by her sudden aura; he opened his mouth but couldn't utter a word.

He knew that Xiao Di had heard the truth. The grain case in Huaizhou was already full of suspicious points, and now the Yang family was making trouble behind the scenes. He was caught in the middle and had no choice but to accept it.

"I will continue to investigate last year's grain case." Xiao Diting's voice softened slightly, but it carried an undeniable determination. "No matter who is behind it, anyone who dares to touch the court's disaster relief grain or harm my Embroidered Uniform Guard will not be let off. Prefect Liu is a smart man; he should know which side to stand on."

Liu Cheng fell silent.

Looking into Xiao Diting's clear yet sharp eyes, he knew in his heart that this woman was not to be trifled with.

She was a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, backed by the imperial court, while he, though supported by the Yang family, might not be protected as an "outsider" if the matter were to escalate to the capital.

“Miss Xiao,” he finally spoke, his tone tinged with helplessness, “I am but a prefect, my voice carries little weight…”

"Even though you are of low status, you must still keep to your duty." Xiao Diting interrupted him. "You are the local official of Huaizhou, not a servant of the Yang family. The people have placed you in this position because they hope you can stand up for them, not for you to collude with certain people and prey on the locals!"

She stood up, walked up to Liu Cheng, and looked down at him: "I know you have connections with the Yang family, and I also know you've just arrived in Huaizhou, and it won't be easy for you to gain a foothold..."

“But some bottom lines cannot be crossed, and some things cannot be done.” Xiao Diting’s expression softened as he stood up and walked behind Liu Cheng. “How much do you know about last year’s grain case? I don’t want to force you to tell me now, but remember, the truth will eventually come out.”

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Liu Cheng's forehead. He lowered his head, not daring to look Xiao Diting in the eye.

“I can take today’s events as a warning,” Xiao Diting continued. “We both know who is behind the instigation of the displaced people to riot. I hope Prefect Liu can ‘thoroughly investigate’ the matter and give an explanation to those people who have been manipulated, as well as to me.”

She paused, her tone becoming more serious: "Furthermore, the security in Huaizhou needs to be addressed. Inns are places where merchants stay, and if thugs commit violence in broad daylight, and vagrants can freely rush in and vandalize, it will only make people think that Huaizhou is a lawless place. If Prefect Liu can't even handle such a small matter, I'm afraid he won't be able to hold onto his position as prefect."

This is practically a blatant threat.

Liu Cheng abruptly looked up, meeting Xiao Diting's icy gaze, and the last shred of hope in his heart vanished. He knew that if he didn't make a statement today, this matter would definitely not end well.

“Miss Xiao is right, I am ashamed.” Liu Cheng stood up and cupped his hands to Xiao Diting. “Today’s events were due to my dereliction of duty. Please rest assured, Miss Xiao, when I return, I will severely punish those who instigated the disturbance and strengthen patrols in the city to ensure that such things never happen again. As for… as for last year’s grain case, I will keep an eye on it, and if I find any clues, I will inform you immediately.”

Xiao Diting looked at him for a full incense stick's time before slowly nodding: "Alright, I'll trust Prefect Liu this once. But let me make this clear: if I discover anyone is making underhanded moves behind my back again, or if the same thing happens again, it won't be as simple as a 'talk'."

Her words were spoken slowly and deliberately, combining kindness and severity, which sent a chill down Liu Cheng's spine.

He quickly replied, "Yes, I understand. I will certainly not disappoint you, young lady."

"Then Prefect Liu, please leave. Remember to clean up this mess." Xiao Diting turned away, no longer looking at him.

Liu Cheng felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly left the inn with the officials.

He walked away with a slightly unsteady gait, as if something was chasing him from behind.

Watching his disheveled figure, the captain of the personal guard stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness, will Liu Cheng obey?"

“Whether he listens or not is not up to him.” Xiao Diting looked out the window, his eyes deep. “He is a person who seeks profit and avoids harm. He knows what he should and shouldn’t do. What we need to do now is to give him enough ‘pressure’ so that he dares not side with the Yang family.”

She paused, then said, "Send people to keep a close eye on Liu Cheng and the Yang family, and see what they will do next."

"yes!"

The inn gradually quieted down. Sunlight streamed through the windows, falling on the mess on the floor, but it couldn't dispel the gloom in the air.

Xiao Diting knew that his previous demeanor could only temporarily intimidate Liu Cheng; there was still room for negotiation before he could be recruited.

She walked to the window, gazing in the direction of the Yang residence in the distance, her eyes lowered, and murmured the name that held great weight in her heart.

Pei Wenjin.

"Look what kind of good deeds you've done in Huaizhou!"

"I bully others because of my power... Everyone is afraid of you."