Chapter 191: The Tip Of The Iceberg

The Tatars, located to the north of the Central Plains, were driven back by the iron hooves of the Great Qian decades ago. Since then, they had retreated to the southern deserts and, for many years, had been subjugated by the Central Plains, no longer daring to invade the borders. Their territory was vast and desolate, with the people living a nomadic lifestyle, rarely settling in one place. Only the Elun River, which flowed through their land, provided fertile water and grass, allowing small communities to form over time.

The capital of the Tatars was built along a bend in the middle reaches of the Elun River.

As night fell, the yurt adorned with colorful silk tassels was lit up, resembling a giant lantern when viewed from afar.

In the distance, there were several small hills.

On one of the south-facing hills, the silhouette of a tall, majestic horse could be seen, and beside it stood a woman dressed in Tartar clothing.

A maid approached from a distance, and upon seeing the slender figure, she nearly burst into tears.

With great effort, she composed herself and walked forward with a smile, calling out cheerfully, “Your Highness, it’s already late, and the night wind is so strong. Please be careful not to catch a chill. Let’s return to the yurt!”

Shen Zhiyi remained still.

She gazed into the distance, toward the southeastern homeland that was shrouded in dust and deep purple darkness, and asked, “Still no news?”

The northern climate was harsh, dry, and filled with sandstorms.

Without the nurturing environment of the Central Plains, her once radiant cheeks had inevitably been marked by the elements. Though her beauty remained, her once slightly plump face had become gaunt, almost skeletal.

But more striking than her physical changes were her eyes.

The deep twilight seemed to have seeped into her pupils.

The lively spark that once shone in her eyes had been extinguished by hardship, yet it had been replaced by a hidden sharpness, like a dagger sheathed within her gaze!

The maid knew all too well what the princess had endured over the years.

When they first arrived at the Tatar court, there had been over twenty palace maids.

Yet, within a year, only four remained. Some had fled, unable to bear the harshness of the northern deserts; others had left, longing for their distant homeland; and some had succumbed to the cruel punishments inflicted by the Tatar nobility…

On the surface, she was a noble princess sent for a political marriage.

But beneath the splendid crown lay a cruel shackle!

She was less a princess or a Tatar consort, and more a prisoner with no control over her own fate.

The maid couldn’t bring herself to reveal the news from outside. Instead, she gently tugged at the princess’s sleeve and said, “The secret letter was sent not long ago. Even if it reaches the border, those people wouldn’t dare act without first reporting to the capital and receiving His Majesty’s orders. You are the princess of the Great Qian, of royal blood. His Majesty and the Empress Dowager will surely send troops to attack the Tatars and rescue you!”

Would they really save her?

Shen Zhiyi lowered her gaze from the distant horizon. In late autumn, the trees were withered, and the grass stretched endlessly. She looked down at the patch of grass that had been grazed by the horse, bent down, and picked up a rotting root from the dark soil. Suddenly, she laughed.

The peonies in the Forbidden City were meticulously cared for, shielded from wind and rain.

The wild grass of the northern deserts, however, had sunk its roots deep into the barren soil, shedding its vibrant colors and humbling itself to survive in the harsh, cold environment.

The north wind blew, chilling her fingers.

She gazed at the root and sighed deeply, “I once thought that if I became a blade of grass, I could wait for spring to come. But this autumn, this winter… they are both too long, too long…”

In the distance, a horn sounded from the yurt.

The mournful sound, carried by the desolate wind, resembled a long, sorrowful wail. As the last light of day faded on the hill, Shen Zhiyi’s figure finally merged with the boundless darkness, becoming one with it.

—

The night before her departure, Jiang Xuening had a nightmare.

She dreamed that she was standing on the high city walls of the capital, surrounded by people whose faces were blurred and voices indistinct, a cacophony of noise. She seemed to be trying to discern something amidst the chaos.

It was the sound of weeping, coming from the end of the long street.

A white procession, like a thin river, slowly approached. A grand and solemn coffin floated silently atop this river.

From the city walls, though she was far away, she could see it clearly.

And in that moment of clarity, the city wall beneath her feet suddenly crumbled. She fell from the great height, and in her panic, she screamed, “No—”

She jolted awake, sitting up in bed, her forehead drenched in cold sweat. The eerie, surreal feeling from the dream lingered in her body. Jiang Xuening sat in the bed for a long time, slowly placing a hand over her chest, the lingering fear still not dissipating.

She got up and pushed open the window, looking outside.

The sky over Jiangnan was just beginning to lighten.

A lone lantern hung in the corridor.

Xie Bai Residence was located in Wuyi Alley, far from any commercial areas. At this hour, there were no hardworking commoners or early-rising merchants, so the surroundings were eerily quiet, as if the residence were an isolated island cut off from the world.

Today, she would set off for the border.

Jiang Xuening didn’t know what her dream foretold, nor did she want to speculate whether everyone had their own destined fate. She only knew that if she wanted to change things, there was no other choice but to move forward without hesitation.

Even if it meant making a deal with the devil!

By the end of the mao hour (5-7 AM), two maids carried her luggage, and Jiang Xuening left Xie Bai Residence.

A carriage was already waiting outside.

The sky was caught between night and dawn.

Standing beside the carriage was not Dao Qin or Jian Shu, but Lu Xian, dressed in a scholar’s robe.

This shrewd merchant from the capital possessed knowledge and insight far beyond his peers. Though his heart was filled with mercenary calculations, his outward appearance was elegant and dignified, enough to charm those who didn’t know better.

When Jiang Xuening saw him, her steps faltered.

Lu Xian had crossed paths with her at Xie Wei’s guesthouse the day before. Now, he clasped his hands in a polite gesture and smiled, “Miss Ning, you don’t seem too pleased to see me.”

Jiang Xuening didn’t have much of an issue with Lu Xian himself, but her conversation with Xie Wei the previous day had left her in a foul mood.

She had never liked being forced into doing things.

While she had indeed prepared all the accounts and was willing to sacrifice her entire fortune to save the princess, being coerced into it was not part of her plan.

Yet Xie Wei had used the princess as leverage.

So now, looking at Xie Wei’s top strategist, she couldn’t help but feel a bit resentful.

Her attitude was cool as she returned the gesture, “I’ve already instructed Fangyin to stay in Jiangnan and assist you with whatever you need. The matters are complex, and while the industries aren’t vast, we can provide hundreds of thousands in silver. Shouldn’t you be swamped with work right now? What brings you here in person? Is there an issue with the accounts that needs addressing?”

Lu Xian shook his head, “No, that’s not it.”

It was worth noting that his presence here was even kept secret from Xie Wei.

Jiang Xuening raised an eyebrow, “Oh?”

Lu Xian looked at her and said, “I came to ask a favor.”

A favor?

Jiang Xuening was puzzled.

But with her departure scheduled for today and her meeting with Xie Wei set for early morning outside Jinling city, she didn’t have much time to spare.

She asked, “Long story or short?”

Lu Xian hesitated, “It’s a bit of a long story.”

Jiang Xuening waved her hand, “I’m in a hurry, so let’s talk on the carriage as we go.”

Lu Xian: “…”

His gaze shifted to the carriage, and his face almost turned green. It was as if he wasn’t looking at a sturdy, spacious carriage but a death trap.

Jiang Xuening found it strange, “Aren’t you coming up?”

Lu Xian pressed down on his twitching eyelid, gritted his teeth, and thought to himself that it might not be so bad. Even if he were caught, he could just close his eyes and endure it. With that, he reluctantly boarded the carriage.

The two sat facing each other.

Jiang Xuening instructed the coachman to head for the city outskirts before turning back to Lu Xian, “What’s the favor you need?”

Lu Xian rested his fingers on his knees and gave Jiang Xuening a once-over.

After a long while, he finally said, “Miss Ning, over the years, you’ve traveled extensively for silk and salt trades. Have you ever heard of a place called ‘Yin County’?”

Indeed, as Lu Xian said, Jiang Xuening had been to many places.

The map of the Central Plains was practically etched in her mind.

It was a small place in Ningbo, Zhejiang.

After some thought, she replied, “I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never been there.”

A look of reminiscence appeared on Lu Xian’s face as he smiled slightly, “To be honest, I visited this place during my youth. The people were simple, and the countryside was peaceful. However, many years ago, a new magistrate took office there. Over the years, there was an unwritten rule regarding tax collection. Commoners would wrap their tax money in white paper with their names written on it and drop it into a box; the gentry and wealthy households would use red paper for the same purpose.”

Jiang Xuening frowned slightly upon hearing this.

Although she didn’t know why Lu Xian was telling her this, the fact that commoners and the wealthy used different colored paper for taxes suggested some underhanded dealings by the authorities.

Sure enough, Lu Xian continued, “For taxes wrapped in red paper, the government would handle them according to the law. But for those in white paper, the government officials would demand extra money on top of the official tax, calling it ‘tea money’ for the officials’ hard work. Initially, it was an extra ten percent, but later it increased to twenty percent.”

Jiang Xuening remarked, “That magistrate had quite the nerve.”

Lu Xian chuckled, “Indeed, he was audacious. Over time, as the taxes grew heavier, the people became discontent. They started to protest and petition. Coincidentally, a literate and knowledgeable scholar passed through the area. Knowing that the government’s actions were against the law, he helped them draft a petition. A group of people, led by this scholar, marched from the countryside to the city and presented their case to the government, demanding the abolition of the red and white paper distinction and fair taxation.”

Jiang Xuening said, “The government has soldiers. It’s easy for the people to cause a stir, but achieving their goals isn’t so simple. This scholar, being educated and knowledgeable, meddling in such affairs, probably got himself into trouble.”

Lu Xian glanced at her, his smile fading slightly.

He simply said, “Indeed. It was just a bunch of villagers who had someone draft a petition. How could the magistrate take them seriously? As the saying goes, ‘Kill the chicken to scare the monkey.’ The magistrate, without hesitation, arrested the scholar, threw him in jail, and charged him with ‘inciting a mob.’ According to our laws, inciting a mob is a serious crime, punishable by immediate execution.”

Jiang Xuening’s frown deepened.

She was beginning to realize that Lu Xian’s story was less about the events and more about the person involved.

Her eyes rolled as she asked, “Are you talking about yourself?”

Lu Xian immediately shook his head, “I’m just a common man, always looking out for my own interests. I’d avoid such trouble at all costs. Why would I wade into such muddy waters?”

Jiang Xuening remained noncommittal, “What happened next?”

Lu Xian continued, “This scholar, who had stood up for the people, was suddenly sentenced to death. Who among the villagers wouldn’t be furious? Moreover, it was a year of disaster, with internal and external troubles. In their rage, a large crowd gathered, stormed the city, and not only rescued the scholar but also dragged the magistrate out of his office, beat him up, and paraded him outside the city temple, humiliating him and forcing him to write a proclamation abolishing the unfair taxes. Finally, they set the government office on fire.”

As the saying goes, “Trouble breeds in poor mountains and bad waters.”

The people were simple, but they were also fierce.

Jiang Xuening said, “That must have caused a huge uproar.”

Lu Xian sighed, “Indeed. Every single action was a capital offense, and burning the government office was tantamount to rebellion. The magistrate, having reached this point, was naturally useless. The provincial government quickly sent a new magistrate, Zhou Guangqing. Miss Ning, having been to Ningbo, you must know that this man is now a prefect and quite capable.”

Jiang Xuening was curious, “How did he resolve it?”

Lu Xian explained, “Upon taking office, Zhou Guangqing first summoned the villagers involved in the riot and asked them one by one if they intended to rebel.”

A chill ran through Jiang Xuening’s heart.

Lu Xian sneered, “The villagers acted in a fit of rage, but once they calmed down, they realized that burning down the government office was a crime of rebellion. How could they dare to admit it? They had only wanted fair taxation. In front of Zhou Guangqing, they repeatedly denied any involvement. Zhou Guangqing, after hearing their reasons, sternly rebuked them, ‘You burned down the government office, and you still claim it’s not rebellion?’ The villagers, being simple and uneducated, panicked and asked Zhou Guangqing what they should do.”

The villagers, ignorant of the law, had acted recklessly in their anger. But when faced with the threat of execution, who wouldn’t fear for their lives?

Jiang Xuening had already anticipated this outcome.

She said, “By coaxing and intimidating them, he managed to resolve the situation effortlessly.”

Lu Xian chuckled coldly, “Not just that! Zhou Guangqing, having been an official for many years, knew well that to govern the people, taxes must be collected from them. If he were to punish so many people, it might incite a rebellion. So, he gave them a way out. He told them that since the incident had escalated so much, the court would surely send an imperial envoy to investigate. If they were afraid, they should clear their names by submitting a petition to the county office, declaring that they had not participated in the riot. He also promised to immediately equalize the taxes and urged them to pay this year’s taxes promptly to prove they had no rebellious intentions. This way, when the imperial envoy arrived, they would only go after the ringleader and not the common folk.”

At this point, he paused.

Jiang Xuening was impressed, “Divide and conquer, weaken and strike. It’s a pity for the meddler, though. He’s bound to suffer.”

Lu Xian listened to the sound of the carriage wheels rolling over the ground and the gradually bustling noise from the streets outside. He smiled faintly, “Within seven days, hundreds of petitions clearing their names were submitted to Zhou Guangqing’s desk. They declared they had not participated in the riot, obeyed orders, followed the law, paid their taxes as usual, and severed ties with the ‘ringleader.’ The man had already been rescued and was nowhere to be found. The government posted a notice offering a reward of three hundred taels for his capture, forbidding anyone to harbor him, and urging the villagers to report his whereabouts.”

Jiang Xuening fell silent.

Suddenly, she felt a pang of sorrow, “The common folk are just trying to make a living. Who wouldn’t retreat in the face of life and death? It’s only human nature. But this man did help them. Surely, they wouldn’t report him to the authorities?”

Lu Xian laughed heartily, “As you said, Miss Ning, it’s human nature. With wealth tempting them and the fear that the matter wouldn’t be resolved until the man was caught, who knows if the blame would fall back on the villagers? Within three days, someone reported him to the authorities.”

Jiang Xuening was speechless.

Lu Xian continued leisurely, “However, the man wasn’t captured by the government’s soldiers. He turned himself in.”

Jiang Xuening was stunned.

This was completely unexpected, “How could that be?”

Lu Xian said, “I thought the same back then. How could it be?”

It was a sunny afternoon.

The county town was bustling as usual.

Lu Xian was in an inn, pondering over a poem, when he suddenly heard constables running through the streets, shouting that the ringleader of the rebellion had turned himself in and was heading to the county office.

For a moment, the streets emptied.

The villagers, hearing the news, all rushed to see.

The rebuilt county office was packed, with onlookers crowding the entrance.

Zhou Guangqing sat high on the judge’s seat.

Lu Xian squeezed through the crowd and looked toward the defendant’s stand.

He had always been one to avoid trouble, thinking this man had foolishly gotten himself into a mess. Now, he had turned himself in. What kind of fool was he?

But when he saw the man clearly, he was shocked.

The man stood in the defendant’s stand, wearing a pristine white robe, tall and upright, exuding an air of calm and dignity.

There was no trace of a rioter or bandit about him.

He was composed and serene, standing in the dangerous courtroom, under the gaze of many, without a hint of anxiety or unease.

In contrast, the villagers around him avoided his gaze, their faces filled with guilt.

That day, Zhou Guangqing personally presided over the trial.

Lu Xian thought that Zhou Guangqing, like himself, would remember that day vividly, “The man confessed to everything he had done. Zhou Guangqing, though he had devised the plan to divide and conquer, hadn’t expected the man to turn himself in. At the time, he probably felt that a true man should act as such and couldn’t help but praise him, saying he was taking responsibility for his actions. The man looked at the villagers for a long time, and none could meet his gaze, all lowering their heads. Yet, he remained calm, showing no anger or joy. Then, he said something.”

Jiang Xuening, now fully engrossed, instinctively asked, “What did he say?”

The wind lifted the carriage curtain, and the bustling pedestrians outside passed by.

Lu Xian’s gaze fell on the window, recalling the event as if it were a dream, “He said, ‘The world is at peace, so I must be relieved!’”

“The world is at peace, so I must be cooked!”

In the annals of history, Han Xin, at the end of his rope, once said, “When the cunning hare is dead, the hunting dog is in rest; when the high-flying birds are gone, the good bow is put away; when the enemy state is destroyed, the strategist is killed.”

Such is the way of the world—people come for profit and go for profit.

The loyalty of the people can change in an instant.

Jiang Xuening, upon reflection, remained silent.

Lu Xian then asked, “What do you think of this man, Miss Ning?”

Jiang Xuening looked at him for a long moment and said, “Mr. Lu, you came here with a purpose, and you are a man of great ambition and talent. There are few in the world whom you would look up to. I had no idea that Master Xie had such a past.”

She had indeed figured it out.

Lu Xian couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

Jiang Xuening, however, remained cold, “But what does this have to do with me?”

Lu Xian stared at her, recalling the unusual behavior Xie Wei had displayed over the past two years. After a long while, he said, “I passed the imperial examination years ago, achieving the rank of *jinshi*, yet I willingly serve under Xie Ju’an. Do you know why?”

Jiang Xuening replied, “Isn’t it because he might not always win, but he never loses?”

Lu Xian was first stunned, then burst into laughter, “That’s not wrong.”

Jiang Xuening scoffed.

But Lu Xian continued, “But it’s not just that.”

Jiang Xuening asked, “Is it because you respect his character?”

Lu Xian fell silent for a moment before slowly saying, “You might not believe it, but the reason I serve him isn’t just because I admire his strength. It’s more like encountering someone drowning and wanting to pull them out.”

Someone drowning? Pulling them out?

Xie Wei, with his ruthless methods, needed no one’s pity.

Jiang Xuening thought Lu Xian had lost his mind.

Lu Xian said, “I came here today because I feel that the world is like a furnace, and the mortal realm is like purgatory. Xie Ju’an, struggling within it, is just a pitiful soul. This journey to the border is fraught with uncertainties. If something unexpected happens, even with Dao Qin and Jian Shu by his side, I fear it might not be enough. That’s why I’m earnestly asking you, Miss Ning, with your compassionate heart, to pull him out.”

What should have been a simple request carried an unexpected weight.

Jiang Xuening didn’t fully grasp the deeper meaning, “What kind of unexpected thing could happen?”

Lu Xian hoped that the signs he had noticed over the past two years were just his own paranoia, but he couldn’t explain it clearly to Jiang Xuening. He simply said, “I hope I’m just overthinking it.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the coachman outside called out, “We’ve reached the city gates!”

Lu Xian was startled, nearly jumping up and hitting his head on the carriage roof. He stomped his foot in regret, “Oh no, oh no!”

Jiang Xuening was utterly confused, “What’s wrong?”

Without another word, Lu Xian lifted the carriage curtain and tried to climb out.

But the carriage had already stopped.

The gates of Jinling City were right in front of them.

Xie Wei’s carriage stood quietly at the base of the city wall.

Dressed in a pale blue Daoist robe, he stood beside the carriage, watching Lu Xian climb out of Jiang Xuening’s carriage. His pupils contracted slightly, and he glanced at Jiang Xuening inside the carriage. His previously expressionless face broke into a faint smile as he said to Lu Xian in a calm tone, “You seem to have a lot of free time?”

Lu Xian’s hair stood on end!

He climbed out of the carriage, almost reflexively, and immediately said, “Miss Ning invited me into her carriage!”

Jiang Xuening: “…”

Wait, although I did invite you into the carriage, what’s the big deal?

Before she could react and say, “That’s right,” she turned her head and met Xie Wei’s gaze.

Somehow, a shiver ran down her spine.

At that moment, her instinct for danger made her instinctively deny and shift the blame, “No, it was Mr. Lu who said he had something to discuss with me!”

Lu Xian: ?????

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing!

He immediately turned to glare at Jiang Xuening—

How could you just shift the blame like that? This could lead to a life-or-death situation, you know!

But Xie Wei’s gaze had already drifted back to him, “Lu Xian?”

Lu Xian: “…”

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