Chapter 172 Appointed Prefect, Intimidating the Prefect...
The solemn main hall of the government office was quiet and dignified, save for the chirping of a few birds.
Zhang Ting stood with her hands behind her back, her posture as upright as a pine tree. The gentle spring breeze lifted her indigo official robe, leaving slight folds.
"Congratulations on your appointment as Prefect!"
The officials on both sides of the hall, rising and falling in accusations, gazed intently ahead—at that tall and powerful figure. Months ago, they had bid farewell to Lord Zhang with heavy hearts, reluctant to part yet knowing they could not keep her. Little did they expect that Heaven would have eyes, hear their heartfelt wishes, and send Lord Zhang back to their side.
Singing praises of Lord Zhang's appointment as prefect is surely a way of celebrating their dream coming true.
This is the light that guides them forward.
Zhang Ting gazed at the high-hanging plaque, its characters bold and powerful, the lettering gilded, shimmering brilliantly in the morning light.
Bathed in the reverent gazes of the officials, she slowly walked in and finally sat down in the main seat, which symbolized her status as the prefect.
Although the prefect was a fifth-rank official, in the local area, he was the de facto third-in-command of the entire prefecture, in charge of criminal law, finances, and the education of the people. He was also the third most powerful person in the entire Zhangzhou Prefecture.
The officials bowed to her with heartfelt respect and congratulated her on her promotion once again.
Zhang Ting finally broke into a smile, "My colleagues, there's no need for such formalities. I look forward to your guidance in the future."
Another lobby separated by a wall.
Prefect He grabbed Zheng Tongzhi, his voice low and furious, "Look at the commotion next door! Do you think we're dead?"
Zheng Tongzhi was surprised, "I see that there is nothing wrong with Lord Zhang's ceremonial entourage, but there are just too many people coming to offer their congratulations."
There were far more than just a lot of people! The entire hall was overflowing! Prefect He even felt as if every official in the entire prefectural city had come to offer their congratulations!
Such a massive momentum, such an astonishing reputation and support, completely overshadowed her Zhangzhou Prefecture.
Prefect He was furious; the blood flowing through her heart tasted bitter. She was filled with regret, so much regret!
Prefect Zheng was puzzled. "Didn't you admire Zhang Ting so much not long ago, and even took the initiative to praise her and request a promotion for her?" How come you're acting like this now that you've been promoted to the Zhangzhou Prefecture...?
Prefect He leaned weakly against her, his eyes numb and lifeless. "I just wanted to take this opportunity to do the Fifth Princess a favor, but who would have thought! Who would have thought that Zhang Ting not only had no relation to the Fifth Princess, but also..." At this point, she couldn't help but cover her face and cry.
His relationship with the Fifth Princess is tense and filled with deep-seated hatred!
Not only did he humiliate the Fifth Prince, but that Zhang fellow also cut off her livelihood. Cutting off someone's source of income is like killing their parents; what a deep-seated hatred that must be!
And yet, he had actually recommended Zhang Ting to the Emperor, which completely severed ties with the Fifth Prince and might have even incurred her hatred, leading her to plan to eliminate him and Zhang Ting together as soon as possible.
Zheng Tongzhi's network of connections wasn't as extensive as hers, and he was astonished, then enraged, "This scoundrel actually impersonated a close advisor of the Fifth Prince and deceived us! Lord He, why don't you take the initiative and teach her a lesson? Let this scoundrel know who is the one who has the final say in Zhangzhou Prefecture!"
Prefect He also wanted to do the same. But... she also realized that Zhang Ting was an enemy of the Fifth Prince, yet he was still promoted to prefect despite all the targeting and blockades he faced. Did this mean that the power behind her was even stronger than that of the Fifth Prince?
He Zhifu's biggest characteristic is that she bullies the weak and fears the strong. She will not choose to confront Zhang Ting head-on before she knows the other party's true strength.
But being scolded and tricked in recent days has left her feeling resentful. If we can't handle the big shots, can't we at least give them a taste of their own medicine?
Zhang Ting has an outstanding political record and excellent interpersonal relationships, but can she really avoid her superiors making things difficult for her? Prefect He admits that he is not as capable as her, but he has been in office for more than 20 years longer and knows the intricacies of officialdom. Can't he handle a young woman who is just starting out?
Prefect He, with his head held high and chest puffed out, led his men and charged forward.
With a fake smile on her face, she said, "Oh dear, Lord Zhang has been promoted, yet you didn't even invite your superior, me?"
The officials bowed to her and stepped aside.
Prefect He chuckled smugly. "See? As long as she's the prefect, all the officials below her have to follow her lead. What good is it for you, Zhang Ting, no matter how powerful you are?"
Zhang Ting rose to greet her, "I was supposed to visit Lord He later, but I didn't expect you to come now." Her smile was as warm as a spring breeze, and she offered him the seat of honor, "Please sit down quickly."
Prefect He was taken aback by her actions. He had come to cause trouble, but Zhang Ting hadn't realized it.
Zheng Tongzhi coughed lightly beside her, reminding her, and then turned his attention to Zhang Ting, saying, "Lord Zhang, you were promoted because of Lord He's recommendation. Shouldn't you have gone to thank your superior first? It's really a bit ungrateful."
Zhang Ting lowered his eyelids slightly, then suddenly smiled and asked the clerk to serve tea. "It was my oversight. I thought that Your Excellency was intentionally distancing yourself from me, so I didn't dare to rush to Your Excellency's side."
"Lord Zheng, please take a seat. I have ordered my servants to prepare tea, a special pre-Qingming tea from Fengxian. It has a wonderful aroma, a rich and subtle fragrance, and an unforgettable aftertaste. I will personally apologize to you both later."
The officials outside the hall whispered among themselves, realizing that their two superiors were deliberately making things difficult for Zhang Ting, and they all felt indignant on Zhang Ting's behalf.
Zheng Tongzhi choked, as if punching cotton. Not only did he fail to offend Zhang Ting, but he also made himself look like a tyrannical official who was harsh on his subordinates. Looking at the disgusted looks of the many subordinates outside, he was furious, but the anger was stuck in his chest, and he could not get it out.
Unable to argue with Zhang Ting, she nudged Prefect He with her elbow, urging her, as the chief official, to step in and deflate the other party's arrogance, letting them know who's the boss and who's the boss in Zhangzhou Prefecture!
Prefect He coughed lightly, "You have been disrespectful to your superior, but I will not hold it against you because you are new here." He then changed his expression and coldly questioned, "But gathering so many officials is suspected of forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices. You are in charge of criminal matters, and you don't even understand this?"
Zhang Ting did not immediately respond to her invitation. After the clerk brought the tea, she personally handed it to Prefect He, saying, "Prefect He, please have some tea."
Prefect He thought Zhang Ting was backing down and asking him for a way out, and he was smug. He thought to himself, "She's just a newborn calf, how can she possibly beat this old ox?"
Heh, you want to beat her? Go cultivate for another five hundred years.
She took the teacup, drank it, and was about to say, "Good tea."
But then a voice came from above, “This humble official is in charge of criminal matters and naturally would not knowingly break the law. Furthermore, if the superior is confused about the relevant laws, this humble official also has the duty to inform and correct him.”
Prefect He glared angrily and shouted, "Zhang Ting, how dare you!"
Zhang Ting said, “You esteemed officials have come to congratulate me on my promotion. The gates are wide open, and anyone who wants to see me can see everything. How can this be considered forming cliques for personal gain? Even if you were to quote all the laws of our dynasty, you wouldn’t find a single one that would punish this.” He paused and added, “If this is considered forming cliques for personal gain, then wouldn’t it be the same for ordinary families to hold weddings, funerals, and full-moon celebrations? Would anyone in the world dare to live a normal life?”
Seemingly realizing she had said too much, she raised her hand to cover her mouth, feigning embarrassment, "Lord He, I was not criticizing you for being ignorant, but rather correcting your mistakes. You are the head of the prefecture, a role model for countless officials, and I am simply trying to protect you."
The whispers outside the hall grew louder; without listening closely, one could tell they were mocking the two of them.
Sitting next to her, Zheng Tongzhi could sense that Prefect He was about to explode with anger. She lowered her body and moved to the side, afraid of being caught in the crossfire.
Zhang Ting was losing her temper. He was only a fifth-rank official, while Lord He was two ranks higher than her. How dare he embarrass her like that? It was utterly outrageous!
Zheng Tongzhi had no recollection that it was the two of them who wanted to give Zhang Ting a hard time and deliberately came to cause trouble.
Prefect He raised a trembling finger, pointing it at Zhang Ting, her anger burning so fierce she could barely speak. She had never been so humiliated, especially not in front of all the officials in the entire prefecture!
"You treacherous Zhang Ting, you have no respect for your own people! Don't forget who recommended you, allowing you to rise to such a high position and enjoy such a prestigious career! Now you're criticizing me? Ha, I was blind before, I trusted that mudfish!" Prefect He spat as he glared at Zhang Ting, wishing he could tear her to pieces.
Zhang Ting dodged the spittle she sprayed, and slowly pressed Prefect He down again as he was about to stand up. The force was neither too light nor too heavy, but it carried an undeniable authority.
In this tense situation, everyone present was on edge, but she smiled slightly, as if she were not facing an aggressive insult from a superior, but rather discussing poetry and philosophy with a friend.
She said, "I am only thinking of you. Lord He, please don't be so irritable. I have heard that people with a bad temper are prone to heart attacks and death."
This bastard actually cursed her to death?! Prefect He nearly fainted from anger. "You scoundrel, you are truly lawless! How dare you curse me! I will definitely petition His Majesty to strip you of your official position later!"
Zhang Ting shook her head helplessly. "Good medicine tastes bitter but is good for the disease, and honest advice is hard to hear but beneficial for conduct. It's fine if you don't listen to my advice." She leaned close to the other person's ear and said with a wicked grin, "And yet you're still so stupid."
"you!"
Zheng Tongzhi, who was standing nearby, also heard this. She was so shocked that her eyes almost popped out of their sockets, as if she had just met Zhang Ting for the first time. She...she...dared to openly insult her superior!
Zhang Ting sensed a burning gaze beside her, but didn't even bother to lift her eyelids.
She slowly pressed down on Prefect He's finger, and said politely, "You see, I can easily press you down. Why do you have to be so confrontational with me?"
"I only want you to relinquish your power, not to take your life." She ran her fingertips along Prefect He's neck. "Your neck is strong, Prefect He. In my opinion, the executioner would have to make two cuts to completely sever it."
Zhang Ting smiled, "Perhaps you'd like to give it a try?"
Prefect He felt a chill creep up her spine, a dense, persistent tingling sensation, as if countless ants were gnawing at her skin. She shuddered violently, staring at Zhang Ting in fear, involuntarily shrinking back, stammering, "Who...who are you...who are you...?"
She couldn't help but chuckle softly, as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world.
"Lord He has been severely reprimanded by his superiors, while I have risen three ranks in glory. Haven't you ever wondered why?"
Prefect He racked his brains, but his mind was a complete mess, unable to expand his thoughts.
Suddenly, a devilish voice rang out, "Guess boldly, guess big."
Prefect He's pupils contracted sharply, his face turned deathly pale, his whole body trembled, and even his soul could not suppress the agonizing screams of fear.
It was His Majesty!
She's His Majesty's spy!
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