The capital city, Ning Mansion.
The wind rustled the leaves, and the study was deathly silent.
Although Ning Hechu and Zhong Ruliang had few contacts, they at least exchanged messages. However, this time, the letter he sent had not received a response for a long time, and even the goods he had sent a few days ago had not been heard from. His eyelids twitched, and he felt uneasy.
"Still no news from Mingzhou?"
Ning Hechu narrowed his eyes, his voice slightly cold.
His subordinate, drenched in sweat, replied, "Sir, not yet. But we've already sent someone over!"
Fearing being held accountable, the subordinate responded quickly.
Ning Hechu lowered his gaze slightly, remaining silent. After a long while, he smiled inexplicably: "Wen Hemian just left, and then problems arose in Mingzhou. Do you think it's a coincidence?"
The second half of the sentence was spoken with a slightly heavier tone, sounding somewhat ruthless, and his cold gaze fell on people as sharp as a knife.
Thinking about how all the groups he had sent had been wiped out, Ning Hechu was starting to get restless.
"The Wen family..." he muttered to himself, his tone ambiguous, then changed his tone, "No need to send anyone. Withdraw them all. For now, avoid contact with Mingzhou."
Ning Hechu sometimes felt that Wen Hemian was like a ghost, always able to precisely block his next path. He thought he had been discreet enough, but he didn't expect to be exposed.
Once this matter comes to light, it means that she has enough evidence. Moreover, the incident happened suddenly, and Ning Hechu knew that Zhong Ruliang was definitely not prepared to deal with it.
Hesitation will inevitably lead to harm.
No matter how reluctant Ning Hechu was, he had to sever this arm.
"But sir..."
Thinking about the things that were transported there, my subordinates still felt resentful. Those were not things that could be found normally!
"Enough! Get your own business sorted out," Ning Hechu snapped. "Where's the person we went to arrest at that temple? We haven't heard a word about him after all this time!"
The subordinate looked aggrieved, but having come to this point, he had no choice but to say, "It was intercepted."
"I told you her identity was questionable! Continue the investigation! I refuse to believe there isn't a single flaw!"
Ning Hechu initially thought that Wen Hemian was indeed the sickly person in the rumors, but apart from being a little weak, she hadn't had any serious illnesses in recent years and looked extremely healthy. The assassins he sent had never returned, which had long made him suspicious.
Despite the fact that the Prince of Huailing has had such a strained relationship with the royal family, he has been peacefully guarding the border all these years. How can we be sure that Wen Hemian is not just a pawn they have put forward?
military power!
If he had military power, he would have rebelled long ago. How could that little puppet have grown up sitting on the throne?
Now, the young emperor is gradually gaining support in the court, and the vassal kings are still making trouble in their fiefdoms. Ning Hechu has already reached a point where he has no choice but to step forward or retreat.
Ning Hechu took a few heavy breaths before he could calm his thoughts, and raised his hand to wave: "Get out of here."
Sooner or later, they will find an opportunity to take his place.
-
Maintaining a balanced fiscal situation in Minnesota is a delicate task.
However, over time, hidden dangers inevitably arise.
There are significant problems with both subsidies for the people and local tax revenue, especially with the materials used to reinforce the dikes. The entire effort was made to cut corners, and it's only fortunate that the dikes haven't breached in recent years.
After all these repairs and patching, Zhong Ruliang had spent almost all the money he had embezzled and the silver they had seized. Officials of all ranks were implicated and punished, creating a rather spectacular scene.
Apart from the mastermind, the others were interrogated and executed on a later date. Zhou Ting personally supervised their execution and sent people to post their crimes in the bustling city so that the people could see them clearly.
On the day of the execution, many people gathered to watch the spectacle, and the entire area was packed with people. As soon as the time came, the executioner raised his blade and the head fell to the ground.
Wen Heming and Xie Lang found a high place to stand and watch.
This place has been booked in advance, so no one will come to disturb them.
Both men had excellent eyesight and could see the bloody scene from a great distance. The onlookers were not afraid at all; some even cheered and jeering. With one less corrupt official embezzling money, their lives would be better.
Although she couldn't smell the blood, Wen Hemian's stomach was still churning. She gripped the railing tightly.
Suddenly, a pair of hands covered her eyes, and the boy's warmth approached from behind. Xie Lang's voice was lower and a little hoarse: "If you're not used to it, then why did you come to see it?"
Wen Hemian is not soft-hearted when it comes to important matters, but over the years, Xie Lang has personally killed people, while she has never had a life on her hands, at most handing it over to her subordinates to handle.
Xie Lang couldn't understand why Wen Hemian insisted on coming to see him today.
His tutor stood there cleanly; he could handle the bloody and dirty work.
Wen Hemian, unusually, did not immediately push him away. She blinked, then firmly pulled down his hand, her voice gentle: "You have to get used to it."
"If I really end up fighting Ning Hechu one day, I can't just sit in the back and watch, can I?"
Actually, things would be fine once that phase passed. Wen Hemian's lips curled up slightly, her beauty as radiant as a peach blossom, her eyes sparkling with light; she was absolutely gorgeous.
Xie Lang lowered his eyes, stared blankly for a moment, and was about to say what was wrong with it, but Wen Hemian spoke up before he could.
"Your Majesty, please don't say things like you can protect me. I am a member of the Wen family. Even my father and mother would not want to see me cower like a coward. Having chosen this path, I should bear the responsibilities and consequences that come with it."
Although everything we're saying now is hypothetical, Wen Hemian knows that day will come sooner or later, and a bloody conflict between Xie Lang and Ning Hechu is simply unavoidable.
Moreover, since she has taken over the identity of the original owner, she should not lose the integrity that belongs to the Wen family.
However, Wen Hemian was certain that she would uphold her bottom line and not become a bloodthirsty killer. Killing those who deserved to be killed was another matter entirely.
"Grand Tutor..."
Xie Lang shook his head with a wry smile. He stood half a step behind Wen Hemian, calmly lowering his hand, but his gaze remained fixed on her back.
This is the person who disguised herself as a man and overcame all obstacles to bring him to his current position. Xie Lang is undoubtedly grateful, but when this gratitude is mixed with another complex emotion, he can't help but feel a little disgusted with himself.
To covet one's own teacher is not only utterly rebellious, but he has also personally become the very kind of despicable person he himself spoke of.
Immoral feelings seem to be inherently taboo, and he couldn't even imagine how Wen Heming would look at him when she learned the truth.
Disappointment, or shock?
But he asked himself, was he willing to let go?
That's definitely impossible.
All I can do is... watch myself sink deeper and deeper into this mess.
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