Zhang Wu’s mind went blank with a loud buzz, the world spinning around him. The recent scandal in the county flashed through his thoughts. Could it be that the matter of the Xie family selling their daughter for advancement had alarmed the imperial court?
Was the Emperor here to confiscate Xie Wenyuan’s household?
“Thud—”
Zhang Wu’s legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed on the spot.
The saber in his hand clattered loudly to the ground.
“Your Majesty!”
Terrified out of his wits, he scrambled forward on his hands and knees toward the most luxurious carriage, knocking his forehead repeatedly against the stone pavement with heavy thuds.
“This lowly one, Zhang Wu, gate commander of Leping County, did not know of Your Majesty’s arrival! My crime deserves death!”
“Welcome, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand years!”
The surrounding townspeople, who had just seen Zhang Wu arrive in a fierce manner, were now utterly bewildered. Why had he suddenly dropped to his knees, crawling and kowtowing while muttering incoherently? Had some high-ranking official arrived again?
Inside the carriage. Zhao Chengze had been resting with his eyes closed, his thoughts filled entirely with her image.
The commotion outside made him frown.
“Thirteen,” he asked impatiently, “what is all that noise out there?”
Even Thirteen’s usually expressionless face showed a crack. “My Lord… he seems to have mistaken you for His Majesty.”
Zhao Chengze paused.
“What Majesty? Didn’t I already abdicate?”
Then he immediately understood, and irritation flared.
With a swift motion, Zhao Chengze lifted the carriage curtain. He wanted to see which blind fool dared to trouble him with that blasted throne again.
The moment he looked out, he saw a gate officer in light armor kneeling beside his carriage, trembling uncontrollably.
“You,” Zhao Chengze called irritably, “lift your head.”
Zhang Wu raised his head shakily.
With just one glance—
The shock was ten thousand times greater than when he had seen the imperial seal.
This was not the Emperor!
This face… this face was not the gentle and refined visage of the current Emperor.
This face belonged to the one enshrined in the military’s Hall of War Gods, the man who had beaten back the northern tribes so thoroughly that they dared not invade for twenty years—
the abdicated Prince Wu.
Zhang Wu’s eyes rolled back, and he nearly fainted on the spot. His whole body began trembling violently, his teeth chattering.
“P…Prince Wu…”
Everyone in the Great Zhou knew that offending the current Emperor might only cost you your position, but offending Prince Wu would cost you your life.
Seeing him like this only made Zhao Chengze more annoyed.
“What’s going on?” he demanded.
“The… the permit…” Zhang Wu stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.
Zhao Chengze glanced at the fallen travel permit nearby. Thirteen understood immediately, picked it up, and handed it over.
Zhao Chengze took a look at it, utterly puzzled.
“No problem here…” he muttered to himself.
“I borrowed my brother’s seal to stamp it.”
“He’s the Emperor, so his seal should work, right?”
Thirteen: “…”
Zhang Wu: “…”
What kind of merchant caravan uses the imperial seal on its travel permit?!
Leping County, south gate.
After the uproar caused by the imperial-seal permit, which had nearly frightened Zhang Wu out of his wits, the gates were finally opened.
“…We will not reveal a single word!”
Zhang Wu and his dozen soldiers remained kneeling on the ground, kowtowing toward the carriage as it slowly entered the city.
Zhao Chengze could not even be bothered to lift the curtain again. He merely gave an impatient grunt, thinking that it might have been faster to just force his way in from the start.
Fortunately, the earlier commotion had not drawn too much attention. When Zhang Wu had rushed over with his men, the nearby townspeople had already scattered in fear, unaware of what had truly happened.
They simply assumed it was some conflict between officials and a wealthy caravan. Seeing that the caravan entered unharmed, they treated it as a passing spectacle and gradually dispersed.
The luxurious caravan made its way straight to the most renowned establishment in Leping County, Lingyue Restaurant.
Thirteen stepped inside.
“Shopkeeper,” his voice was as cold as ice, “we’ll take all the best rooms upstairs.”
The shopkeeper, sensing his imposing presence, quickly forced a smile. “Honored guests, the top floor consists of Heavenly rooms. The price per night is not cheap…”
“Enough!”
Thirteen did not bother with further explanation. In the Capital, reserving an entire top floor of such a place would cost no less than ten thousand taels of silver. Assuming the shopkeeper feared they could not afford it, he pulled out a banknote and slapped it onto the counter.
“For the next half month, my master requires peace and quiet. Take this for now. If it is not enough, come to me. Turn away all other guests. If any cannot be refused, call me.”
The shopkeeper’s smile froze.
He lowered his gaze and saw the amount printed on the note. His hand trembled, nearly knocking his abacus to the floor.
“T Ten thousand taels?!”
By the time he looked up again, Thirteen had already left.
Outside, Thirteen stood respectfully beside the carriage. “Master Zhou, the arrangements have been made. Five Heavenly rooms on the top floor have been reserved in full.”
Zhao Chengze gave a faint acknowledgement. He had never cared much about accommodations and casually asked, “Is the money sufficient? Though Leping County is small, we should not be looked down upon.”
Thirteen lowered his head. “It should suffice. I have left ten thousand taels at the counter.”
Zhao Chengze nodded slightly. Having spent years commanding armies, he understood military expenditures well but had no grasp of market prices.
“Very well. Tell the shopkeeper to ask for more if needed.”
“Yes,” Thirteen replied respectfully. “I have already instructed him.”
This caused an uproar in Leping County.
Wealthy merchant caravans were not unheard of, as the county served as a modest trading hub.
But one this wealthy? Never.
To reserve the entire top floor of Lingyue Restaurant, rooms typically prepared for prefects and high officials, costing over ten taels per night?
This mysterious Zhou caravan instantly became the talk of the entire county.
The news soon swept into the county office and into Xie Wenyuan’s oppressive study.
“A caravan surnamed Zhou? Reserved the entire top floor of Lingyue Restaurant?”
Xie Wenyuan set down the book he had not turned a page of for half an hour, his eyes lighting up.
These past few days have been unbearable. He desperately needed to act, to salvage the situation.
He needed an achievement.
Something that would prove to others that he, Xie Wenyuan, was still capable, still a diligent magistrate of Leping County.
And this wealthy caravan was like an opportunity delivered straight into his hands.
“Prepare my sedan!” Xie Wenyuan stood abruptly, a long-lost excitement creeping into his voice.
A caravan entering the city meant only two things, lodging or trade.
Either way, as the county magistrate, he had to make contact.
If he could persuade them to invest, open shops, and pay taxes in Leping County—then he would have merit in attracting commerce, not only offsetting the scandal of selling his daughter but even creating leverage for a future transfer.
In the past, as the head of the county, Xie Wenyuan would never have lowered himself to personally visit a mere merchant.
He would have waited with dignity for the merchant to bring generous gifts and pay him a formal visit.
But now—
“No!” he paced anxiously. “Censor Wang must already bear a grudge against me… I cannot afford to wait!”
To ensure success, to seize this lifeline, Xie Wenyuan was willing to cast aside all pride.
“Someone! Prepare the finest tea from the county stores. I will personally visit Lingyue Restaurant and call on Master Zhou.”
However, just as Xie Wenyuan’s sedan chair exited the back gate of the county office—an even more explosive piece of news ignited the entire Leping County.