Zhong Shenxiu looked at the faint blush on the tips of her ears, and the amusement in his eyes deepened.
He deliberately drew out his words and said lazily, "Then I'll have to trouble Deputy Tower Master Leng. With your help, I can indeed save myself quite a bit of worry."
"Smooth talker."
Leng Yaozhu shot him a glare, but she could not suppress the smile at the corners of her lips. "Seriously, you don't need to indulge those families too much. Pick a few obedient, sensible ones first—like the Xu Clan—give them enough benefits, and set them up as examples. The rest, the ones still watching and sitting on the fence, will naturally come over. As for those secretly cozying up to the Federation, there's no need to deal with them yet. Keep a record. Once we have a firm foothold, there'll be plenty of time to settle the score."
"Give them a stick, then a carrot. That approach is best suited for dealing with those families."
Zhong Shenxiu nodded and committed her words to memory.
That was indeed the truth.
Being blindly tough would not work, but neither would endless indulgence. Balancing favor and authority was the only path to lasting rule.
The car drove into a seaside villa district and eventually stopped in front of the gates of a private courtyard.
This was Zhong Shenxiu's temporary residence in Eastsea City. The surroundings were quiet, and security was tight.
Leng Yaozhu pulled the handbrake, unfastened her seatbelt, and was about to turn around to say, "We're here," when her gaze met Zhong Shenxiu's golden eyes.
At some point, he had leaned closer. His elbow rested on the back of the passenger seat as he looked at her from close range, a faint smile in his eyes.
They were