Chapter 173 Taking charge of Zhangzhou, a heart that cherishes talent...
"So, you really are the old emperor's confidant?" Zong Suyi tightened his grip on his cup and asked.
Zhang Ting, with her long, straight legs propped up on the table, was flipping through a notebook when she answered seriously, "Of course not, I was just lying to her."
"If my wife really had such a powerful backer, why would she have been demoted to such a remote place?"
“However,” she said, closing the book abruptly and pursing her lips, “Prefect He is a thoughtful and cautious man with few connections in the capital. He is also very timid and meticulous, which makes him a good candidate for us.”
Perfect...it forces her to relinquish power.
Zong Suyi walked over, the fabric of his clothes rustling softly. He held out a teacup to her, saying, "This is freshly brewed Longjing tea. Remember the taste, so you won't be embarrassed when you meet your colleagues next time."
Zhang Ting took the warm cup and gulped it down in one go. The Great Yong Dynasty had really gone too far; the scholar-official class still needed everyone to understand tea, otherwise they would be ostracized. If she ever held power, she would definitely eradicate this bad habit.
He placed a finger on her forehead and interrogated her, "Have you tasted it?"
Zhang Ting smacked her lips and honestly replied, "No." Tea is tea, bitter is bitter; why bother dividing it into different grades?
He pressed her forehead back and scolded her softly, "Idiot." Then, he leaned down and sat in her lap, closed his eyes and kissed her lips, savoring the aroma of the tea.
Zhang Ting's eyes narrowed, genuinely startled. She then gripped his slender waist tightly, conveying the flavor of Longjing tea to him even more deeply.
After a while, the two separated, panting slightly, but their eyes remained glued to each other, a sticky and lingering feeling spreading throughout the room.
Zong Suyi whispered, "It's mellow and smooth, like silk on the palate, with a faint, almost imperceptible orchid fragrance. Remember that?"
She swallowed hard. "Your words are understood, young master."
A gentle smile graced his face as he gazed intently at her, a smile playing on his lips, the beauty mark beneath his eye captivatingly beautiful.
As he looked at her, his expression suddenly darkened. He leaned into her arms, feeling lost and dejected, and regarded her as his only support for the rest of his life. His dark hair clung to his face, concealing his broken and sorrowful expression.
He cupped her face in his hands and asked palely, "You really have no connection with the old emperor, right?" If he had any involvement with the old emperor, he really didn't know how to face her.
Zhang Ting brushed the hair away from his face, seeing his vulnerable expression, as if the starlight in his eyes would be extinguished if she answered "no".
"Young master, you think too highly of me. If I were to gain the favor of the Emperor, I would marry a nobleman and have a beautiful wife in my arms. Why would I be left to wander in this barren land?"
Normally, Zong Suyi would have been so angry that she would have pinched her, but now she had no time to care about anything else and hugged her neck tightly, "It's good that it's not..."
He pressed himself closer to her, a few tears silently sliding down his cheeks. "Let's not have anything to do with her anymore, okay?"
Zhang Ting knew what he meant by "entanglement".
She stroked his smooth, black hair and softly replied, "Okay."
Life isn't just about making the right decisions; it's also about making decisions you like.
...
That day, after dismissing Prefect He and his entourage, Zhang Ting quickly gathered his subordinates and became the de facto 'number one' in Zhangzhou Prefecture.
What followed was her sweeping reforms.
The local officials are redundant and their duties are unclear; they should all be dismissed and reassigned to the newly established Ministry of Economic Development. New crops are growing slowly and yielding low harvests? Then recruit skilled farmers to guide the local people in cultivation. Handicrafts are underdeveloped? Merchants should unite, discarding the outdated system and establishing a completely new one…
A series of grand decrees were issued and implemented with lightning speed. From officials to ordinary people, no one objected. As a result, Zhang Ting's prestige in Zhangzhou Prefecture reached an unprecedented level.
This led to a situation where the prefect's decrees were less effective than a single word from the magistrate.
Prefect He wept bitterly, yet dared not utter a sound, his voice barely audible, "Look at her! How arrogant she has become! All the officials and common people in Zhangzhou Prefecture only know Zhang Ting, not He Yingyu! I am the prefect! I am the prefect!"
Zheng Tongzhi nervously glanced around and reminded her, "I know, I know, but please speak more quietly. Be careful, walls have ears."
Prefect He wore a mournful face, filled with resentment, but he could only lower his voice even further, speaking in a pitiful, breathy tone: "She's a demon that crawled out of the ground, always looking for trouble with me!"
"Lord He, please don't show your dissatisfaction in front of that person. I've figured it out myself. That person is a demon! The way he tortured people that day shows he's done a lot of dirty work for His Majesty! If he doesn't like us, he might, he might drag us into the imperial prison..." Zheng Tongzhi couldn't describe it in detail, so he could only sadly slash his neck with his hand.
What kind of people are willing to do dirty work for the emperor? They are more ruthless than those who lick blood off a knife's edge and are sinister and terrifying. They use water and paper to cover the face, light the sky lantern... the methods of torture are endless. Throughout history, how many virtuous and upright people have fallen at the hands of such people, let alone them?
"My dear sir, please don't do anything rash and provoke her." It's a small matter if I die, but it's a big deal if I drag her down with me.
Prefect He wiped away his tears. "I know, but are we just going to sit here and wait to die because of her? That's too humiliating and frustrating! Why don't we... write to the Fifth Princess for help? Find a way out?"
Zheng Tongzhi quickly stopped her, "Don't worry, or you'll be too clever for your own good! She is His Majesty's person. Don't offend His Majesty as well. Otherwise, you and I won't be able to keep our official positions, or even our heads!"
So what if I'm a little pathetic? So what if I feel a little stifled? At least I'm still alive.
Prefect He was convinced by her, his round, chubby face a mixture of crying and laughing. "Everyone outside says that Zhang is a saint reincarnated, a bodhisattva reborn. We've all been deceived! She's clearly a wicked devil who eats people without spitting out the bones!"
Turning to look at Zheng Tongzhi, they found that he was also looking over. The two stared at each other for a long time, their pain indescribable. They then embraced each other in sorrow, lamenting, "We've been so badly deceived!" They thought they had found a savior, relinquished some power, and were preparing to reap the benefits, but little did they know that it was the first step of walking into the tiger's den!
That guy surnamed Zhang is terrifying!
...
Kyoto, Gaofu.
Shady trees and drifting white clouds.
Chen Liu plopped down on a wooden chair and let out a long sigh. "This journey of hiding and dodging has been really tiring."
Gao Qiu personally poured her a cup of tea, saying, "This is Yangxian tea bestowed by His Majesty. Please try it."
Chen Liu was most annoyed by all this tea stuff. What's with all this talk of tea fragrance and elegance? It's just a few herbs steeped in hot water! Damn it, they all taste the same, why bother tasting them!
However, as the esteemed fifth princess and the future crown prince, how could she not be proficient in the tea ceremony, which was so sought after by scholars and officials?
She took a sip of tea and exclaimed, "As expected of Prime Minister Gao's work, the tea is indeed fragrant and has an unforgettable aftertaste."
Gao Qiu nodded in agreement, "I'm glad you like it." He tapped the chair, "Next time I need to discuss matters with you, I can come to you myself."
Chen Liu quickly stopped her, "Don't do that. There are spies of the Empress Dowager in my residence. You'll give them something to hold against you." Prime Minister Gao is not young and has difficulty walking. If he can't escape in time, he will only implicate himself.
Gao Qiu readily agreed and sat down below her.
Speaking of a heavy topic, "Our plan still failed." Zhang Ting, that young girl with yellow hair, had some luck. Even though the two of them teamed up and attacked from both sides, they still couldn't take her down.
Chen Liu put down his teacup. Instead of flying into a rage, he stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Why do you think the Empress Dowager is doing this? She demoted someone before, and now she's promoting them again so soon. What's her intention?"
"She was furious before, wanting to tear all those who looked down on her to pieces, but now she's made the culprit jump three ranks. Is this to warn us?"
Gao Qiu also thought this was the reason, but she paused for a moment, "According to what they say inside, only Chief Steward Xu and His Majesty were present that day. If possible, you might as well ask her for some information."
Chen Liu secretly rolled her eyes. If I could get close to Xu Qiu, would I be asking you?
"Chief Steward Xu is a loyal subject of the Empress Dowager. He only listens to her orders and strictly follows her commands. Sometimes he doesn't even give me face. He is a rock that can't be bitten."
Then Gao Qiu said, "Since that's the case, then I'll humbly offer my opinion."
“Your Majesty, I believe that Zhang Ting was able to receive this honor because of the influence of the upright officials.” Her voice was firm and resolute. “Nowadays, there are many corrupt officials, and many of them hold important positions, while the upright officials are few and far between and lack sufficient resources. They are like a rickety tile, and Your Majesty is afraid that it will fall on someone, so you have taken action to repair it.”
Chen Liu got angry when she heard the name Qingliu. "A bunch of scoundrels with eyes that look down on the sky. It's a wonder that the Empress Dowager loves them so much." If she were to ascend the throne one day, she would definitely wipe them all out.
Gao Qiu suppressed his smile and silently took a step back.
Chen Liu turned her head and asked, "So, what should we do with Zhang Ting now?" Should we try to win him over? After all, his luck, talent, and reputation are unparalleled in the world. If we can forgive and forget, it will be a good way to build up our strength for the future. Should we continue to fight against him? He is really stubborn and inflexible, like a stubborn rock, and he keeps infringing on her interests. He is very hateful!
The fifth princess was born into a noble family and grew up in luxury. She was ruthless towards servants and those in the inner palace. Gao Qiu concluded that she was domineering, competitive, and intolerant of any wrongdoing.
Gao Qiu concluded that she would spare no effort to set up numerous deadly obstacles, in which Zhang Ting would be eliminated.
Haha, Zhang Ting, can you dodge the first day of the month and the fifteenth?
“Your Highness already has a plan in mind, why ask this humble subject?” she said earnestly, clearly confident.
Chen Liu leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and sighed heavily.
Then let's try to win over Zhang Ting again.
That bastard humiliated her back then, and now she's in this awkward situation. How can she act in a way that doesn't damage her dignity but also shows him how much she admires her talent?
Should he offer 100,000 taels of silver? Or promise a higher official position? Or the most beautiful woman in the capital?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
