"Alright, alright, I get it," Chen Yi paused and said, "But think about it—are you prettier, or is the Taichua Goddess Yin Weiyin prettier?"

Lu Ying paused upon hearing this, recalled for a moment, and said, "I suppose Immortal Yin's beauty is indeed superior by a margin."

"Well, there's your answer."

"But aren't you the son-in-law of the Prince's Mansion?" Lu Ying hesitated and said, "Who's to say you aren't suffering from their disdain and oppression, and now you're thinking of finding another beauty?"

Chen Yi said helplessly, "So do you think you count as a beauty worth pursuing?"

"I think I do."

Lu Ying pondered for a moment and replied.

At this moment, Qing Yuan, seemingly concerned that Lu Ying had been away too long, came out from the inn.

Facing Qing Yuan, Chen Yi pointed at Lu Ying and said:

"Look, look! This is the first time I've seen such a self-absorbed woman."

Lu Ying was so annoyed her teeth itched.

She turned to Qing Yuan and said:

"Qing Yuan, why did you come out? Go back quickly."

Qing Yuan pointed at Chen Yi and said:

"Isn't this the guy who kidnapped you…"

Fearing her junior sister might misunderstand, Lu Ying could only grit her teeth and reluctantly admit softly:

"He's the protector assigned to accompany me on this trip; he's my master's nephew. Qing Yuan, go back quickly."

Qing Yuan nodded slightly and turned to leave.

Lu Ying was about to turn back, but she saw Chen Yi staring intently at Qing Yuan's departing figure.

Recalling how he'd mentioned not having eaten meat in half a year, she instantly grew cautious and said, "You… what are you looking at?"

Chen Yi smiled faintly and said, "I'm looking at Qing Yuan. She doesn't seem very warmhearted, but she's unexpectedly delightful."

"You… you like her?"

Chen Yi raised his voice slightly, whether intentionally or not, and said, "Love at first sight. Of course I like her."

Seeing this, Lu Ying quickly stepped forward to block his line of sight, cursing, "Keep your desires to yourself!"

"I only have desires for her," Chen Yi said, his skin thicker than city walls.

His words carried on the breeze, catching up to Qing Yuan, whose steps faltered for a brief moment. It was just for a moment, a very brief one, before she crossed the threshold and returned to the inn.

She never looked back.

When she returned to her room, Zhou Yitang's lips curved slightly, and she shook her head in secret,

"Two foolish disciples."

Especially you, Chen Yi.

.........

The administrative system of Great Yu was roughly divided into four levels: prefectures, provinces, counties, and villages. Several counties formed a province, and the primary county in the region served as the provincial capital. The county governments within those provinces operated under the directives of the provincial capitals.

But Shantong City was somewhat of an exception.

Situated at the edge of Xixiang Prefecture and merely a thousand miles from the Western Jin border, the Jinxiu Mountain Road connected Shantong to Hanzhong, and from there into Western Shu. Once an essential trade route for Shu brocade to reach Great Yu, Shantong had served as the provincial capital of Xixiang Prefecture during the previous unified dynasty. However, after dynastic changes, with the Hanzhong Basin falling into Western Jin's hands and Shu brocade unable to be transported out through Jinxiu Mountain Road anymore, Shantong City lost its status as a provincial capital.

Even so, Shantong's grandeur as a former provincial capital remained. Its buildings were still opulent, from intricately carved railings to painted beams. The roads were broad, the city walls towering, and even Shantong's county government retained a certain degree of autonomy.

This autonomy lay in the unique arrangement that the County Magistrate and County Constable in Shantong City were the same individual.

Typically, the magistrate and constable were two separate positions. The magistrate governed the county, handling taxation, lawsuits, ceremonies, education, and public welfare, while the constable managed county security, including patrolling, anti-smuggling efforts, criminal arrests, and city defense. Broadly speaking, the magistrate handled civil affairs, while the constable oversaw military matters.

Now, with both roles unified in one individual, it was clear that not only was this person highly capable, they also had firm control over Shantong City.

This person was named Jiang Shangli, thirty-three years old, in his prime, and a jinshi who had risen to prominence during the early reign of Emperor Huanglong. At this moment, he was seated in the county government, holding a bowl of tea brewed just moments ago.

"Have you tallied the number of people who entered the city today?" Jiang Shangli asked.

"Yes, Magistrate. A total of eighty-seven," replied Qin Tu, a low-ranking officer stationed at the lookout tower. He leaned forward obsequiously as he spoke, raising his eyebrows high.

Jiang Shangli continued, "Anyone noteworthy?"

The clerk Qin Tu responded, "Reporting to Magistrate Sir, there's someone carrying a sword and a blade who's been coming and going in and out of the city these past few days. Later, he even put on a Daoist robe—looks like a cow-nosed Taoist."

"A member of Taihua Mountain?" Jiang Shangli furrowed his brows and asked.

"Doesn't seem like it. The style of the robe isn't the same," Qin Tu recalled, then tentatively asked, "Should I keep an eye on him? If this person has other plans, it would be troublesome to allow things to escalate."

Jiang Shangli pondered for a moment.

The term for a Great Yu County Magistrate was three years, and this was Jiang Shangli's last year in Shantong City. The final year was often the most critical.

Yet this year, Shantong City had a palpable sense of unease, as if a storm were brewing.

Recently, whispers of a secret realm emerging had spread.

Because of this, some important figures had arrived in Shantong City.

These individuals held no official positions, but when they revealed their medallions, Jiang Shangli could only think of kneeling in subservience.

Xique Pavilion!

According to his observations, these people from Xique Pavilion seemed to be safeguarding a certain woman with the surname "Donggong."

Xique Pavilion appeared to be using the woman as bait to root out a Western Jin swordsman, Jianghu alias Lonely Smoke Sword. Allegedly, this swordsman was being secretly protected by a group of Western Jin spies, who had hidden him while he recovered from his injuries.

In this final, pivotal year as County Magistrate, Jiang Shangli naturally had to align closely with the intentions of those above him.

Jiang Shangli muttered to himself, "Keep an eye on him. The city must remain stable for now. If chaos breaks out, my family—thirty-seven people in total—will lose their lives, and all the brothers will die here too."

"Understood."

.........…

In any case, Chen Yi and Lu Ying eventually embarked on their journey.

Early the next morning, the two left the city, reaching close to Shantong City by midday.

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