Chapter 47 The Mastermind

Chapter 47 The Puppetmaster

The hand covering his eyes was gentle, withdrawing after an indeterminate time.

A moment later, Chu Jiubian finally opened his eyes.

His eyelashes lowered slightly, his gaze sweeping over the man’s hand hanging at his side before returning.

"I’m going inside," he said without looking at Qin Xiao, then turned and walked toward the Taoist temple.

Even if the temple were given to him, the people would not believe in a "god" they had never heard of, one standing right before them.

Unless this god truly helped them directly, or unless someone around them kept telling them, "This god is truly powerful!"

Chu Jiubian's immediate task was to find an opportunity to make the more influential among the refugees believe he was a god and willingly spread his divine reputation.

Moreover, he had to make the refugees believe he could truly help them.

For example, by providing them with food, or curing their illnesses...

Inside the temple.

The old doctor had used acupuncture on the distraught Dan Niang, and she visibly grew calmer.

She was no longer agitated, but her eyes were hollow and lifeless.

She took the beaded flower from her hair and held it in her hands, stroking it over and over, ignoring everyone else as if her entire world had shrunk to that single flower.

This was what passed for Dan Niang’s "lucid" moments.

Though called lucid, it merely meant she was no longer causing a scene, yet her state was even more unsettling than when she was agitated.

"We appreciate your help, Doctor Zhao," one woman said, then turned to Dan Niang and sighed deeply. "What a terrible fate."

Several other women also showed expressions of sympathy and sorrow.

How could a good person, a good family, have ended up like this?

Doctor Zhao also sighed. After asking everyone to keep an eye on Dan Niang, he slowly made his way to his room.

Medical practitioners were scarce in these times, so the temple had assigned him as the sole doctor.

The refugees in the temple held him in high regard and had cleared out a room just for him.

He lived up to their expectations, spending the entire day treating the refugees.

Their bodies, already weakened by years of hard labor, were further strained by the cold weather, lack of food, and inadequate clothing, leaving many afflicted with various ailments.

Rheumatic pain, fevers from cold, digestive issues...

Alas, these times were truly unforgiving.

Doctor Zhao returned to his room, leaving the door unlocked, and walked to the table to pour himself a cup of water.

Suddenly, the door behind him opened and closed, as if someone came in.

Thinking it was a refugee seeking help, Doctor Zhao turned around, only to be blinded by a flash of white light. He hurriedly raised his hand to shield his eyes.

As the light gradually faded, the old doctor lowered his hand and squinted toward the door.

This time, he saw clearly: a man stood at the doorway.

The man wore dark robes, his hair short and black, yet silver locks like silk cascaded over his shoulders. He was drenched from head to toe.

He should have looked disheveled, but the old doctor noticed none of that. All he saw was the man’s transcendent, stunningly handsome face and his noble, aloof demeanor.

Doctor Zhao stared, momentarily stunned.

Then he saw the man extend his hand, palm facing upward.

In the next instant, a small vial of unknown material appeared out of thin air in his palm!

Chu Jiubian had spent five points to trade with the system, asking it to levitate the medicine bottle and slowly deliver it into Doctor Zhao’s hand.

The system controlled Doctor Zhao’s hand, making him receive the vial.

"Thud—"

The old doctor, who had never witnessed such a spectacle, fell to his knees, legs giving way, barely avoiding fainting on the spot.

==

Qin Xiao watched as Chu Jiubian entered the temple, weaving through the crowded masses.

For some reason, the crowd seemed unaware of Chu Jiubian, yet they parted to make way for him.

Qin Xiao gently rubbed his fingertips, which still seemed to carry the dampness from the young man’s eyelashes.

A god?

He slowly clenched his fist, feeling the presence of another person dissipate uncontrollably, vanishing without a trace.

Not long after, Chu Jiubian emerged from the temple and walked up to Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao did not ask what he had done, simply raising the umbrella to shield him once more.

He didn’t ask, and Chu Jiubian didn’t offer an explanation, only asking, "Where are we staying tonight?"

"The magistrate’s residence. I’ve already had a courtyard prepared," Qin Xiao replied.

The magistrate of Huaixian County had long been corrupt, and during the flood, his cruelty only intensified. He watched as the people struggled to survive yet refused to open the granaries. To curry favor with his superiors, he had nearly helped Zhou Boshan use the people as human sandbags to reinforce the embankments.

Fortunately, Qin Xiao had arrived in time to prevent a tragedy like what happened in Puxian.

Thus, the magistrate of Huaixian County was guilty of heinous crimes and had been among the officials executed outside the city gates earlier.

The principle that punishment should not extend to family members only holds if benefits haven’t been extended to them either. But the magistrate’s family, young and old, had lived comfortably for years off his corruption and the wealth he extorted from the people. Even the magistrate’s residence spanned nearly an entire street.

Great Ning had strict regulations on the size of officials’ residences, prohibiting excess.

But the rules only specified the number of courtyards and structures, so lower officials expanded their residences horizontally, always finding ways to live more comfortably.

Now that the magistrate had been executed, his family’s property had been confiscated, and the rest of his household imprisoned. Once the refugees were settled, these people would be sent into exile.

Chu Jiubian went with Qin Xiao to the magistrate’s residence.

For convenience, they did not stay in separate courtyards but occupied two different bedrooms within the same compound.

Servants had prepared hot water and meals. After washing up and changing into dry clothes, both went to the main hall to eat.

Only a single oil lamp burned on the table between them, its light dim after burning for so long.

Outside, the rain pattered steadily as the two of them finished their meal in silence.

After cleansing their mouths, they began to pace slowly around the main room.

The attendant cleared the dishes from the table and served tea to both of them.

Once again, only the two of them remained in the room.

Facing the door in the main room were two chairs with a table in between, marking the host's position.

On either side below, three chairs each were arranged for receiving guests.

Chu Jiubian walked to the seat at the head and sat down, picking up the teacup from the adjacent table and taking a small sip, detecting a faint sweetness.

"Did you put sugar in it?" He looked up and saw Qin Xiao walking over to sit in the other main seat.

"I heard it from Xiao Xiangzi," Qin Xiao said.

Chu Jiubian didn't particularly like the slight bitterness of tea and preferred to add some sugar.

Although it sounded like an unconventional idea, the taste was actually quite pleasant.

"Actually, adding some milk would be even better," he remarked.

Qin Xiao raised an eyebrow, noncommittal.

But his expression clearly showed he wasn't convinced.

"I'll make it for you another day," Chu Jiubian said.

Qin Xiao smiled faintly.

Chu Jiubian didn't notice; he placed the teacup back on the table and asked, "How are the dam repairs going?"

Qin Xiao's face showed no trace of the earlier smile as he replied seriously, "The damage to the Huai County dam is far more severe than in Pu County."

In Pu County, the breach could be sealed using the traditional "vertical closure method," but the damaged section of the Huai County dam happened to be in a rapid section of the river. Any materials thrown into the breach would be immediately swept away by the rushing water.

Chu Jiubian frowned, having thought of a possible solution. However, he hadn't yet visited the site and wasn't sure if it would work.

Outside the main room, there was a covered walkway similar to the one in the eastern courtyard of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Qin Xiao had assigned two soldiers from the City Defense Force to take turns standing guard.

At that moment, one of the soldiers knocked on the door of the main room and said, "Sir, Excellency Jian is here."

"Let him in."

The door opened, and Jian Hongzhuo entered, followed by a subordinate official from the Ministry of Revenue named Song Feng. They both bowed.

The reason Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao were still up so late at night was mainly to wait for this official, Song Feng.

Jian Hongzhuo's appearance, however, surprised Chu Jiubian, who had assumed the minister was overseeing the dam repairs.

His gaze drifted downward, and upon seeing the scroll of diagrams in Jian Hongzhuo's hand, he understood.

It seemed that Minister Jian had been busy drawing up plans to repair the dam. For him to come so late, he must have found a solution.

Given that Jian Hongzhuo held the position of Minister of Works, he undoubtedly had real expertise. Chu Jiubian was somewhat curious to hear his proposal.

"Take a seat," Qin Xiao said to the two men.

"Thank you, sir." After expressing their gratitude, Jian Hongzhuo took a seat in one of the seats below.

Song Feng, however, remained standing. He bowed respectfully and said, "Reporting to your excellencies, all items in the county magistrate's residence have been inventoried. We have seized six thousand taels of silver, and treasures and paintings worth approximately twenty thousand taels."

He stepped forward, handed a small ledger he had been carrying to Qin Xiao, and then stepped back.

Qin Xiao took it, flipped through a few pages, and then passed it to Chu Jiubian.

Chu Jiubian also skimmed through it briefly.

He didn't examine it in detail, trusting that Song Feng wouldn't dare falsify the records.

Earlier, when Chao Shun had fallen severely ill at the post station, it was this official, Song Feng, who had stayed behind to care for him.

Not only had Song Feng witnessed the rough handling when the hidden guards took Chao Shun away, but he had also seen the miracle of Chu Jiubian borrowing sunlight in the middle of the night. As a result, he had kept any ulterior motives to himself.

Chu Jiubian turned to the last page and saw the staggering amount.

For a minor county magistrate, even in a wealthy county, the amount of embezzled silver was astonishing.

And this was only what they had uncovered now. Over the past few decades, the magistrate's family had spent extravagantly on food, clothing, and other luxuries, the costs of which were immense.

For comparison, former Vice Minister of Personnel Zhao Qianhe had embezzled several hundred thousand taels in total. However, he was a high-ranking second-rank official in the capital, serving in a ministry as lucrative as the Ministry of Personnel.

Yet, the magistrate of Huai County was merely a local minor official, not even a prefect or a county-level official, and he had already embezzled so much.

This revealed the extent of corruption within the Great Ning officialdom.

The seized silver would undoubtedly be used for flood relief, but a specific plan was needed for how to allocate it.

Qin Xiao ordered Song Feng to convert the valuables and paintings to cash so that the funds could be used elsewhere when needed.

Song Feng accepted the order and withdrew from the room.

Chu Jiubian placed the ledger on the table and turned to Jian Hongzhuo. "Excellency Jian, have you thought of a way to manage the flooding?"

"Indeed, I have come up with a method," Jian Hongzhuo said, standing up and approaching the table. He unrolled the diagram he was holding for Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian to see.

"I thought we could bring in some large ships, line them up against the current, and connect them with ropes, filling them with broken stones," Jian Hongzhuo explained, pointing to the diagram. "As shown here, we would then have skilled swimmers simultaneously puncture the ships..."

Qin Xiao listened attentively, but Chu Jiubian understood what Jian Hongzhuo was proposing from the very beginning.

This was the "vessel-sinking method" for blocking flows. For a breach in a dam where the current was too swift for conventional methods, only such heavy objects could effectively block the flow. Afterward, workers could continuously reinforce the structure with fascine bundles—bundles of reeds, earth, and stones—to completely seal the breach.

Once the high-water season passed, the dam could be properly repaired.

Chu Jiubian couldn't help but take a closer look at Jian Hongzhuo.

Minister Jian usually remained unassuming, but he truly had real capability. This method was also the one Chu Jiubian had earlier thought might be feasible.

However, sinking ships to block the flow would be immensely costly.

Just from looking at the diagram, it was clear that the breach in Huai County was quite large, requiring at least fifteen to twenty ships to seal it.

Hexi Prefecture bordered the Ning River, and some towns relied on fishing, but those were small boats.

The government might be able to gather large ships at short notice, but the labor and materials required to build each ship were immense. Destroying so many vessels to block a breach carried substantial risks.

If Jian Hongzhuo's plan failed, the losses could be total.

And these scuttled official ships would later require imperial funds to build new ones, which was an immense burden for the current Da Ning Dynasty.

So much so that no one could afford to take the risk.

Even Chu Jiubian was somewhat unsure whether to consent.

However, after listening to Jian Hongzhuo's explanation, Qin Xiao only asked one question: "What are the chances it will work?"

After a moment of silence, Jian Hongzhuo cautiously replied, "Seventy percent."

"Proceed." Qin Xiao immediately approved and even handed over his personal and official seals directly to him.

Jian Hongzhuo wasted no time; he took the order and immediately, with his subordinates, oversaw the coordination of the operation.

After he left, only Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao remained in the room.

Chu Jiubian glanced over at Qin Xiao.

For something as risky and costly as "scuttling ships to stem the floodwaters," Qin Xiao had agreed without much hesitation.

Moreover, he had even entrusted his personal and official seals directly to Jian Hongzhuo. Previously, only Qin Zhaoyang had been authorized to hold these two seals.

This time, Qin Zhaoyang had not come along and stayed in the imperial city to look after Baili Hong, so Qin Xiao had been keeping both seals himself.

But given the current situation...

How could Qin Xiao place such implicit trust in Jian Hongzhuo?

Was he not afraid that the other might take the opportunity to skim from the disaster relief silver?

Qin Xiao turned his head and met Chu Jiubian's pensive look, his expression softening slightly as he asked, "Wondering why I trust him?"

"Is he your man?" Chu Jiubian guessed.

Qin Xiao nodded. "Everyone knows Jian Hongzhuo is the scion of a distinguished family, the last surviving heir of a house of loyal martyrs."

He stood up and walked to the window, looking out through the open window at the tall, receding figure in the distance. "But no one knows he was placed in my grandfather’s care as a ward. He himself was also a sworn brother to my father."

Previously, when Qin Xiao joined forces with Qin Feng in the palace coup to place Baili Hong on the throne, he had also received clandestine backing from the Minister of Works.

Jian Hongzhuo was originally a free spirit. If not for the sudden deaths of Qin Jingzhao and his wife, he would have left office to roam the world with his beloved.

But the whims of fate are unforeseeable. His closest brother perished due to treachery, leaving behind the elderly Grand Marshal Qin and the young Qin siblings, Qin Feng and Qin Xiao.

Naturally, he could not remain on the sidelines. So he remained in the court, firmly clinging to his position as Minister of Works, waiting for the right moment to protect the Qin family and even find a way to get to the bottom of their deaths.

But he hadn't anticipated the Qin siblings would prove so formidable. After their mentor Grand Marshal Qin passed away, they went all out and seized the supreme throne for the Qin family.

Although he had helped somewhat, the siblings' decisiveness and their control over the political situation and people's hearts left him in awe.

This gave Jian Hongzhuo even more confidence. He thought that once Baili Hong's position was secure and the cause of Qin Jingzhao and his wife's deaths was uncovered, he would resign.

To this end, he maintained his usual "laid-back" demeanor, not letting anyone discover his relationship with Qin Xiao.

This way, he could eventually withdraw completely from the political chessboard.

However, the flood disaster had clearly overwhelmed Qin Xiao, and with so many people in the two counties suffering, Jian Hongzhuo could no longer stand aside. That was why he unexpectedly stepped forward.

But after this disaster relief effort, this Minister, who had been almost marginalized in his idleness, would no longer be able to remain detached.

Once you step into the vortex of power, you can only move forward; no one can withdraw unscathed.

Chu Jiubian walked to Qin Xiao's side and looked out the window with him.

Among the so-called loyal officials in the court, from the former Minister of Personnel Zhao Qianhe, who had been exiled, to the current Jian Hongzhuo, none were truly "pure."

What about Su Sheng?

Could that First-rank official in charge of the Ministry of Revenue have remained standing in the court for so many years solely because of his exceptional ability?

Did he dare to let the Su family share profits with the Four Great Families without any fallback plan?

If he did, his only fallback seemed to be the seven vassal princes.

Chu Jiubian turned to look at the man beside him. His eyes were deep and somber, shrouded in a profound loneliness that Chu Jiubian could deeply relate to.

The regent, standing above all but one, carried too many burdens, too heavy a load.

He could rely on no one and had no way out. He could only walk alone in the power struggle surrounded by wolves.

Just like in this flood disaster, if Jian Hongzhuo had not emerged as a hidden piece to help him build the dam, whom could he have trusted? How could he have resolved this crisis?

Chu Jiubian lowered his gaze slightly.

He and Qin Xiao were truly alike in some ways.

The two remained silent for a long time, their shoulders so close that the slightest movement would bring them into contact.

Yet neither crossed that line, maintaining a restrained distance.

The lamplight in the room grew dimmer.

Flickering, it cast their shadows on the wall, sometimes creating gaps between them, sometimes merging them together.

Like two solitary souls.

The pattering rain showed no sign of stopping.

In the rain, a servant hurried over and knocked on the door, breaking the silence in the room.

The two turned to look.

Qin Xiao responded, and the servant pushed the door open, entered with his head bowed, and respectfully handed them a letter wrapped in oilcloth.

Then he quietly left, closing the door behind him.

Qin Xiao took out the letter and walked back to the oil lamp with Chu Jiubian.

Chu Jiubian moved closer to him, their shoulders and arms touching.

Through the thin clothing, Chu Jiubian could feel the firm lines of the man's muscles.

His gaze strayed for a moment before returning to the letter.

The letter was sent from the prefectural city, signed by the Director of the Ministry of War, Kou Zimo. He had been left by Qin Xiao at the Prefect's office to investigate the truth behind Prefect Lv Yuan's "suicide out of guilt."

Now, he had found it.

The investigation started with Zhou Boshan.

He is widely known as the Xiao family's son-in-law and was also the rising star recently promoted by the Xiao clan through the dyke repair project.

During this flood, out of fear of taking responsibility, he ordered the killing of commoners to use their bodies to fill the breaches in the river embankment.

If such actions were discovered, he would surely deserve death, and it would even implicate the Xiao family, sullying their name.

If anyone else were investigating, the Xiao family might still have room to maneuver, but the investigator happens to be Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao has been looking for ways to target the Great Families, and with such a serious transgression exposed, not only would the Xiao family’s reputation suffer, but even Vice Minister of Works Xiao Wendao in the capital might be implicated.

Therefore, these atrocities must not be linked to Zhou Boshan or the Xiao family.

So what will the Xiao family do?

Just then, Kou Zimo discovered correspondence between Lv Yuan and Prince Huguang Baili Yue hidden in a secret compartment of the Prefect’s study.

Lv Yuan was also widely known as an ally of the Xiao faction, but these letters suggest he may have betrayed the Xiao clan and secretly aligned himself with Prince Huguang.

Kou Zimo’s first thought was whether the Xiao family had discovered this and used the opportunity to do away with Lv Yuan.

First, they could pin Zhou Boshan’s crimes on him; second, they could rid themselves of a traitor.

As for the third benefit—

With the Prefect position now vacant, the Xiao family could promote Zhou Boshan, who currently serves as Prefecture Deputy, ensuring that Hexi Prefecture remains under their control.

Killing three birds with one stone.

This seemed to be the truth.

However, Kou Zimo is a cautious man, and with officials from the Ministry of Justice present, they did not rush to conclusions but continued investigating, leaving no stone unturned.

Upon further investigation, they indeed uncovered new doubts—

The handwriting in these letters looked very fresh!

Moreover, although the writer tried hard to imitate Lv Yuan’s handwriting, there were still slight discrepancies in the details.

Thus, these letters corresponding with Prince Huguang were clearly counterfeit.

And the forger’s handwriting matched that of the "suicide note."

Was it the work of the Xiao family?

Did the Xiao family kill Lv Yuan and then forge secret letters to make it seem as though he had been privately corresponding with Prince Huguang, leading everyone to believe Lv Yuan was not actually a Xiao loyalist?

In this way, they could pin Zhou Boshan’s crimes on Lv Yuan without implicating the Xiao clan, instead dragging Prince Huguang into the scandal.

The Xiao family has so many disciples and relatives; logically, they shouldn’t abandon Lv Yuan, who was already a Prefect, for Zhou Boshan, who had yet to rise to prominence.

But Lv Yuan was an outsider, not blood-related, and could align with other factions.

Zhou Boshan, however, is the Xiao family’s son-in-law, and any scandal involving him would inevitably tarnish the Xiao name.

To protect their reputation, it’s not impossible for the Xiao family to sacrifice Lv Yuan.

Kou Zimo briefly outlined his reasoning, concluding that:

The Xiao family forged the letters to frame Lv Yuan as Prince Huguang’s ally and fabricated a suicide note to make Lv Yuan take the blame for all the crimes.

This would clear Zhou Boshan of suspicion and preserve the Xiao family’s reputation.

The reason the handwriting in the letters appeared so fresh was that everything had happened too suddenly.

The Xiao family never expected Zhou Boshan to be so reckless and vile as to commit such atrocious deeds, forcing them to hastily devise this plan to protect him.

Qin Xiao burned the letter.

The last flicker of light from the oil lamp grew dimmer, and the room darkened further.

Chu Jiubian could barely make out the furnishings in the room, with only Qin Xiao beside him standing out in the faint glow.

The man turned to him, his voice low: "Do you think it was the Xiao family?"

Chu Jiubian pondered for a moment and said, "If it was the Xiao family, why would they involve Prince Huguang in the forged letters?"

The Great Families and nobles control the court and maintain a delicate balance with the regional vassal princes. The Xiao family is not yet powerful enough to act recklessly—how would they dare implicate a vassal prince?

And of all princes, why Prince Huguang, the most powerful and formidable?

If the Xiao family offended him, they would be trapped between a rock and a hard place. Would they be so foolish?

"If I were Xiao Yao, upon learning what Zhou Boshan had done, I would abandon him immediately," Chu Jiubian said.

A son-in-law from a branch family of the Xiao clan, he only had the chance to earn credit by following Prince Jiannan because he happened to be in Hexi Prefecture.

Given his reckless and malicious character, keeping him would only bring trouble—it would be better to eliminate him outright.

As for Lv Yuan, the Prefect, he was more dependable and easier to control; there was no need to forge letters and pin crimes on him.

As for the Xiao family’s reputation and any punishment Qin Xiao might leverage against them, they would have to grit their teeth and accept it.

There would be plenty of time to plan their next move later.

Qin Xiao looked at the young man, the firelight flickering across half his face, casting shifting shadows.

He said, "So there is a third party behind this."

This third party intended to frame the Xiao family for Lv Yuan’s death and, using the letters, drive a wedge between the Xiao family and Prince Huguang.

One is the most powerful among the Great Families, the other the strongest among the vassal princes—if these two clash, it would be like the snipe and the clam grappled, with the third party becoming the fisherman who profits.

Chu Jiubian frowned and said, "Could it be one of the other three Great Families? Or perhaps another vassal prince?"

He was more inclined toward the latter.

The capital's political situation remains uncertain, and everyone, including Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, and the Four Great Families, wished to avoid entangling with the vassal princes at this time.

So this matter was likely the work of one of the vassal princes.

Prince Huguang wouldn’t be foolish enough to put himself in the spotlight, so it must be one of the other six princes.

Qin Xiao fell silent for a moment and suddenly said, "I requested grain supplies from Henan yesterday."

Henan.

The fiefdom of Prince Anhuai Baili Ming.

Chu Jiubian's eyes flickered. "What are the terms?"

Hexi Prefecture had no grain, and the nearby two counties had sold their grain to the south. The quickest grain access points were either Northern Zhili or Henan.

Transporting grain from Northern Zhili would take at least three days, even with Chu Jiubian’s urgency. Moreover, with no trustworthy officials at court, Qin Xiao couldn't guarantee that the grain wouldn't be embezzled by corrupt officials.

It was better to request grain from Henan, which bordered Hexi Prefecture. There was no worry about embezzlement; he only needed to secure the exact quantity of grain required. Besides, Huaiyang Prefecture, in Henan, was just a day's journey away from Hexi Prefecture and housed a large granary, making grain transport achievable within a day.

However, Prince Anhuai wouldn’t send grain for nothing—he would certainly expect something in return.

"He wants Hexi Prefecture," Qin Xiao said.

Chu Jiubian's heart skipped a beat.

In an instant, everything seemed to fall into place.

If Prince Anhuai was the third party, he had calculated everything from the very beginning.

When he learned that Prince Jiannan had come to repair the embankment, he devised a plan.

He did everything possible to transport or destroy the grain in Hexi Prefecture and its surrounding counties, then also deliberately destroyed the embankment.

The destruction of the embankment would first implicate Prince Jiannan and the Xiao family.

As an ally of the Xiao family, Prefect Lv Yuan's suicide would solidify the accusation against the Xiao family for "embezzling project funds."

With the embankment destroyed and Hexi Prefecture lacking grain, the court would have no choice but to source grain from Henan.

This would allow Prince Anhuai to plausibly request Hexi Prefecture in exchange.

Hexi Prefecture was strategically located—connecting the northern and southern regions of Zhili, as well as linking Henan and Shandong. It was also a prosperous prefecture with significant geographical importance.

Faced with a grain shortage, the court would either have to hand over Hexi Prefecture to him or attempt to transport grain from Northern Zhili.

However, if grain were to be shipped from Northern Zhili, the process would inevitably be slow. Prince Anhuai could then stir the disaster victims to rebellion.

By then, the Xiao family's reputation would be ruined, the people would riot, the court would lose public support, and rumors might spread blaming the emperor's illegitimate ascension or Qin Xiao's influence as a relative of the emperor, calling it heaven’s punishment.

These were Qin Xiao's greatest fears, so he would likely agree to Prince Anhuai's proposal.

It was a well-laid plan. If executed successfully, Prince Anhuai might indeed have taken control of Hexi Prefecture.

But he had failed to account for one person: Zhou Boshan.

This man, foolish and malicious, attempted to use civilians to fill the breached embankment.

Such a major disaster would prompt Qin Xiao to investigate thoroughly, potentially uncovering more details and even implicating Prince Anhuai.

Thus, Prince Anhuai had to adjust his plan.

This led to the forged letters linking Lv Yuan and Prince Huguang—shifting the blame for Lv Yuan's death to the Xiao family and implicating the vassal prince, further complicating the situation in Hexi Prefecture.

In this way, he could better conceal his own involvement.

However, Zhou Boshan's killing of too many civilians drastically reduced the number of disaster victims.

Additionally, Chu Jiubian, who was responsible for escorting the silver and grain, rushed against time and, by coincidence, managed to make Hexi Prefecture's remaining grain last until the relief grain from Northern Zhili arrived.

Prince Anhuai might have worried that he couldn't trade grain for control of Hexi Prefecture.

But now it seems he has achieved his goal—supplies ran short, and Qin Xiao ultimately ended up asking him for grain.

Chu Jiubian said, "Since he wants Hexi Prefecture, then we’re definitely not giving it to him."

Qin Xiao looked into Chu Jiubian’s eyes and remained silent.

If Prince Anhuai could sneak grain to the southern border, he could certainly deliver it here as well.

"As long as they believe in me, I can save them," Chu Jiubian said.

Faith Points were slowly inching up, likely thanks to Doctor Zhao’s efforts.

But he needed more.

He still had to trade for more medicine and grain, and buy high-yield sweet potato starts for the people of Hexi Prefecture to plant, so they could bounce back faster.

After returning to the capital, he had a lot more to handle—all of which required Faith Points.

"Do you want more Taoist temples?" Qin Xiao asked.

Chu Jiubian realized that he and Qin Xiao indeed were on the same wavelength in many ways. They often didn’t need to spell things out, as if they could get each other without words.

"No need for temples," Chu Jiubian said. "A run-down shack will suffice."

The form didn’t matter—as long as the people believed in "Chu Jiubian," he could gain Faith Points.

They stood facing each other, their eyes locked.

The dying oil lamp finally went out, plunging the hall into complete darkness.

There were two people in the room. They could have called for someone to light another lamp, replaced it before it went out, or even used the fire strikers they carried with them.

Yet neither made a move. From the beginning, they had wordlessly awaited the arrival of this darkness.

Darkness deprived them of sight, heightening their senses, urging them to do and say things they normally wouldn’t dare.

Chu Jiubian could only barely make out the outline of the person opposite him and could sense the other’s gaze fixed on him.

He seemed to be anticipating something, yet also fearing it.

After a long moment, Qin Xiao’s voice finally broke the silence.

"Will it hurt?" he asked.

Chu Jiubian knew he was referring to the day of the assassination, when he fired a gun and ripped off a fingernail.

"No."

A long time passed before Qin Xiao moved.

He turned and walked toward the door, simultaneously lighting a fire striker.

"Rest now. I’ll get things sorted." Without looking back, he opened the door and strode out.