Slay the Dragon!

"Thank you both benefactors for coming to our aid."

As he spoke, Su Lie dropped to his knees with a thud.

He knew very well that without the help of the two Heavenly Mirror Division officials before him today,

not only would he have been unable to buy his father's coffin,

he himself would also have had no hope of escaping the clutches of the Xia family's eldest young lady.

"Get up. A man's knees are worth gold; don't kneel at the drop of a hat."

Jun Wushang stepped forward and helped Su Lie up with his right hand.

"Please wait half a day for me, benefactors. Once I've buried my father, I'll leave with you."

After saying this, he bowed deeply, turned around, and ran toward Ping'an County's largest coffin shop.

"Let's go."

Wei Qing did not wait there for Su Lie to return. He mounted his horse with Jun Wushang and Zhang Xue, then rode off in grand style.

Seeing this, the surrounding commoners could not help discussing it among themselves.

"As expected of the Heavenly Mirror Division. Even the Xia family had to compromise."

"Didn't you hear that official mention the founding High Ancestor? Not just the Xia family—whoever came would be powerless against him."

"That's true. Not only does he bear justice on his shoulders, his heart is kind too. That boy Su Lie is blessed. Now not only will he have enough money for Old Su's coffin, he'll be able to travel to the capital for the spring examination next year and surely become an official instead of being forced to serve as a slave."

"Indeed. Then Old Su can finally rest in peace."

On the carriage returning to the capital, Xia Yiran's face was dark and her voice cold. "Wei Qing, Jun Wushang, I've noted this score."

"When the time comes, I'll repay it tenfold."

She had learned the names of her enemies from Wen Liang. As she clenched her right fist, her fingertips pierced her palm, and blood trickled along the lines of her hand.

Seeing this, Wen Liang could not help sighing inwardly.

Ever since Consort Xia had risen in the imperial harem, and with the birth of the Third Prince,

the entire Xia family had become unrecognizable even to him.

The older generation had fallen into a culture of extravagance!

The younger generation had become lawless!

If the previous generation's Xia family head had not once saved his life and entrusted the Xia family to his care before dying,

he would have left the Xia family long ago.

Half a day later.

The three of them arrived at the Imperial City.

"Freshly baked guokui... Ah, customers, how many would you like?"

"Two."

"Coming right up!"

"Osmanthus rice wine—iced!"

"Wontons... hot, piping-hot three-delicacy wontons! Five wen for a big bowl—tasty and cheap!"

"Sugar... haw...!"

Looking at the scene before her, Zhang Xue could not help sighing. "The Imperial City is so lively. It's even more prosperous than I imagined."

"Miss, would you like some rouge and face powder?"

When the rouge vendor by the roadside saw the two Garrison Commanders beside Zhang Xue, he was not afraid at all. Instead, he enthusiastically stepped forward to promote the rouge in his hands.

Zhang Xue looked at the fine huanghuali wood box being offered to her and gently opened it. A unique fragrance wafted out.

The moment she smelled it, her eyes lit up.

The rouge before her was not a traditional single scent. Instead, it perfectly blended the fragrances of roses, jasmine, and orchids.

It captured her heart at once. She tucked the rouge into her arms and asked, "Boss, how much?"

"Thank you for your favor. Ten taels of silver."

Before Zhang Xue could speak, Jun Wushang objected first. "Old Li, think again."

Old Li readily replied, "Nine taels."

"Think again!"

Old Li painfully closed his eyes and held up eight fingers. "Eight taels. That's the lowest price. If I go any lower, I won't sell it."

"Again..."

"Again my foot! You old rascal, stop pretending."

Wei Qing nearly wanted to beat the two men senseless. "Zhang Xue is Wushang's fiancée. How much?"

"Oh my heavens!" Li Wen cried out. He glared at Jun Wushang, then turned his eyes toward Zhang Xue. "So you're my sister-in-law."

"Sister-in-law, it's our first meeting. Consider this rouge a gift from your elder brother."

"It's all that tight-lipped fellow Wushang's fault. He kept such a good thing to himself—utterly outrageous. Since you've just arrived in the capital, I'll host a banquet at Tianxiang Tower today to welcome you, sister-in-law."

Li Wen was the son of the Great Zhou Minister of Personnel. Yet he was neither accomplished in literature nor martial arts; he was interested only in commerce.

In just a few short years, the businesses under his name had spread across restaurants, silk shops, bookstores, porcelain workshops, rouge shops, and more.

Among the rouge shops, the "Three Star Begonia" he had personally developed was especially beloved by the noblewomen and aristocratic young ladies of the Imperial City.

The three of them had met when they were ten, after getting into a fight.

Later, when Li Wen was confined by his father to stop him from doing business, Wei Qing and the other man had "stolen" him out.

With their help, he had begun by setting up a street stall and had gradually become the "business genius—Li Wen" renowned throughout the Imperial City.

Even now, he maintained the habit of going out to set up a stall regularly.

As luck would have it, he happened to encounter Wei Qing and the other two returning to the capital today.

He had thought they were "customers."

Who would have guessed they were his own people?

"Uh..."

Zhang Xue's face immediately grew hot as Li Wen called her "sister-in-law" again and again.

"It's fine. What's his is mine, and what's mine is still mine. It's all family property."

Jun Wushang patted his chest as he spoke.

"Oh, your shamelessness..." Li Wen began helplessly.

"Isn't that so?"

Jun Wushang directly cut off what he was about to say. His brows shot up, and he stared at him as he asked rhetorically.

"It is."

Li Wen pursed his lips and nodded.

For this lovable fool with a mind like a straight line, all he could do was stroke him along the grain.

"We'll reminisce tonight. Wushang and I will report back to the Heavenly Mirror Division first."

"Sure, you two go ahead. I'll pack up my stall over the next few days."

After bidding farewell to Li Wen, the three continued toward the Heavenly Mirror Division.

The main hall of Wei Manor.

Liu Ru said with a delighted smile, "Lin'er, you handled this assignment well. The Third Prince is very satisfied."

"It was all thanks to Mother's guidance. Otherwise, how could I possibly have caught the Third Prince's eye?"

"But..."

Wei Lin paused, then continued, "If the people from the Heavenly Mirror Division discover it, will there be trouble?"

"I'm very pleased that you thought of that..."

Suddenly, a servant rushed in, his head drenched in sweat.

Seeing this, Liu Ru flew into a rage. "How dare you! Who allowed you to enter without announcing yourself?"

"Have you forgotten the rules?"

The servant immediately shuddered in fright, his words trembling. "Madam... M-Madam, Wei Qing... Wei Qing has returned to the capital."

"What?"

Wei Lin shot to his feet, knocking over the teacup beside him. It crashed to the floor with a sharp "smack."

"What are you afraid of? So what if he's returned? We have already connected ourselves to the Third Prince. Could it be that we're still afraid of him?"

Liu Ru glared at Wei Lin in displeasure and spoke with calm composure.

"Yes, yes, yes... We still have His Highness the Third Prince."

Wei Lin nodded repeatedly like a machine.

"Go inform the master. Tell him his dear nephew has returned to the capital."

When Liu Ru said the word "dear," her voice suddenly rose by an octave.

"Yes, Madam."

The servant dashed out of Wei Manor and headed toward the Ministry of Personnel.

Inside a secret chamber.

The lamplight swayed.

It cast the two black-robed figures into silhouettes that stretched and shrank unpredictably.

A chessboard sat between them.

The black and white pieces on the board were locked in a fierce, evenly matched battle.

As the black-robed figure on the left placed a black stone with a sharp click,

"Slay the Dragon!"