Madam Zhou's Death

Qi Yi escorted Governor Yu Tongguang, Commandant Wang Shao, the Commandery Supervising Censor, and several other distinguished guests toward the main hall.

These were the highest-ranking figures in Fengyang Commandery, at least openly.

Governor Yu Tongguang held sole command over great authority. Other than county magistrates and several commandery assistant officials appointed by the imperial court, he could appoint and dismiss all other officials within the commandery at his own discretion. His power was immense.

Commandant Wang Shao controlled Fengyang Commandery's garrison and public security, while Assistant Governor Yu You was a local official and the clan head of the Yu family, one of the commandery city's great families. He was also the commandery's highest-ranking official beneath the governor.

Commandery Inspector Yao He was no simple figure either. He held the power to supervise high local officials and could report to the imperial court at any time. Ever since entering the main hall, he had worn a smiling expression.

Zhang Jian noticed that after these heavyweight commandery officials entered the main hall, the dragon-tiger aura circling above the Qi family became astonishingly formidable.

Provincial magnates truly possessed their own bearing; they could not be dealt with by ordinary means.

If I want to break through this dragon-tiger aura and harm these provincial magnates, I cannot use sorcery. I can only wield my own spiritual power and slaughter freely by a martial artist's methods—or find a way to break this layer of dragon-tiger aura before using spells...

Zhang Jian weighed the matter in secret.

Both conditions were exceedingly difficult to fulfill. The former was difficult because most governors came from military backgrounds. To become the governor of a commandery, one had to possess extraordinary martial skill to begin with, and they also had formidable deputy generals and personal guards at their side.

As for the latter, only if order within the commandery descended into chaos, the counties rotted away, and public sentiment turned against them might the dragon-tiger aura be broken.

At that moment, within the hall, Governor Yu Tongguang revealed another purpose for his visit after discussing the garrison matters: he had come to propose a marriage.

"Old General Qi, I have heard that several of your granddaughters have reached marriageable age but remain unwed. In particular, the second young lady born to the eldest branch's first madam is said to possess fine character and beauty like a flower and the moon.

"As it happens, I too have a son who will soon come of age. Since it is Old General Qi's birthday, why not make it double happiness? I have long admired the traditions of your household and wish to become in-laws with the Qi family. Would Old General Qi be willing to make this match?"

Yu Tongguang smiled as he spoke and gently sipped his fine tea. Yet a faint sharp glint lingered in his narrow eyes.

"This..."

Qi Yi frowned upon hearing this.

How could he fail to understand the governor's unspoken meaning?

This was plainly an attempt to win over the Qi estate and divide Fengyang Commandery.

He saw Gu Chengyan and Yu You, the other family heads, both turn their gazes toward him, and a headache immediately came over him. Just then, Yu You, the Yu family head, laughed.

"Uncle, it is rare to encounter such lively festivities. This assistant governor shall join in as well. I heard that Brother Yuansi of the Qi estate's second branch also has two daughters, fair as clouds and unmarried, waiting in their chambers. Today, I shall also seek a marriage on behalf of my disappointing younger son. What does Uncle think?"

The moment Yu You spoke, the expressions of several other high commandery officials present became subtly strange.

Qi Yuanwu and Qi Yuansi stood below Qi Yi. The two brothers exchanged a look, both feeling a wave of pressure.

Qi Yuansi in particular felt deeply troubled. He had long discussed with Madam Zhang Qi the prospect of strengthening their bond through marriage, becoming in-laws. But faced with this situation, he could hardly refuse outright.

Would that not mean the Qi family had abandoned neutrality and thrown in with the governor's faction?

Yet the Qi family's current position actually leaned toward the great local clans. The governor was domineering; cooperating with him was more like seeking a tiger's skin.

Moreover, they had heard that this governor was a man of immense ambition.

His reputation at court was far from good.

The Qi family was even less willing to wallow in the mire with him.

Yet tearing their faces apart in advance was not the best choice either.

Meanwhile, in a place no one could have anticipated, an eerie current of energy was emerging in the rear courtyard.

Madam Zhou of the eldest branch had been affected by the Nightmare Suppression Art some time ago and had yet to recover. After the birthday felicitations ended, she was helped back to the rear courtyard by her maidservants to rest.

She had lovely features, fair skin, and bright, watery eyes. Yet the forceful, arbitrary air about her ruined that beauty.

Though her body was weak, she was in excellent spirits today, for the Zhou family of the Dingyuan Marquis's estate had sent one of her brothers to celebrate Qi Yi's birthday.

The siblings had not met for a long time, and Madam Zhou was naturally delighted. Along the way, she treated the maidservants and older female attendants around her much more kindly.

"My brother has not come to the Qi family for more than ten years. Back then, he only came once, when he escorted me for my wedding. After all these years apart, he has become ever more valiant and imposing, and his office has risen ever higher. He is, after all, the young marquis of a marquis's estate. His bearing is far beyond anything these local people can compare to!"

Upon hearing her words, the several maidservants and older attendants around her all lowered their heads. A tall, powerfully built older attendant at her side fawned over her.

"The young marquis has always been a figure of the highest order, a dragon and phoenix among men. Naturally, no ordinary person can compare with him!"

Madam Zhou nodded. "Exactly. The old master and the others should think about why the Qi family was able to send Yuanwu into the Imperial Guard. Was it not because they benefited from my natal family's influence? Otherwise, how would they have been qualified to hold a place among the palace guards?"

The pride between her brows was utterly undisguised.

As she stepped into the women's quarters, Madam Zhou failed to notice that the light in the surrounding rooms suddenly dimmed. A dense layer of yin qi abruptly surfaced along the walls.

The tallow candles that burned year-round around them suddenly flickered between light and darkness. In an instant, the doors to the women's quarters slammed shut. A moment later, a brief scream rang out. The maidservants and older attendants guarding outside changed expression and rushed in. Before long, cries rose one after another from the rear courtyard.

In the main hall, Qi Yi racked his brains and could only try to put off the governor and Assistant Governor Yu for the moment. He smiled and said, "Governor Yu, Assistant Governor Yu, I fear you have both forgotten that every few years, the imperial court drafts a group of noble young ladies from every commandery and county to enter the imperial capital's inner palace, where they are instructed by the Empress. This year happens to be the appointed season..."

Before he could finish, a hurried figure entered through the doorway and swiftly whispered something into his ear.

"What?"

Upon hearing the dreadful news, Qi Yi's face instantly turned livid. His piercing gaze swept across everyone in the hall, making the expressions of several commandery officials change. They immediately realized that something might have happened to the Qi family.

At the governor's side, a Daoist in robes frowned and glanced toward the Qi family's inner residence.

Nearby, a burly figure wreathed in dense Sha Qi silently moved to shield Yu Tongguang. Yu Tongguang, however, seemed wholly unconcerned. He waved a hand, ordering his personal guard to step aside.

Zhang Jian faintly sensed something as well and looked toward the inner residence.

His exceptionally sharp divine sense detected something vague, but the dragon-tiger aura here was as heavy as a mountain, blocking his perception. Even so, he caught a trace of icy spiritual energy that seemed to flash past in an instant.

Qi Yi had already flown into a rage and shouted, "Seal off the Qi family residence at once! Not a single person is to be allowed out. Whoever attempts to force their way through shall be executed without mercy!"

"Yuansi, immediately summon the commandery garrison and surround the Qi family completely! Whoever dares make a move is the culprit. You must avenge your sister-in-law!"

Qi Yi gritted his teeth.

His face was so dark it seemed ready to drip water.

Today was his sixtieth birthday, yet someone had dared to make a move against Madam Zhou during his birthday banquet. Such conduct was outrageously brazen.

What enraged Qi Yi even more was that with something happening to Madam Zhou, the balance within Fengyang Commandery would inevitably collapse. He could scarcely imagine the chain reaction it would trigger.

But these actions of his immediately made the many commandery officials in the hall change color.

They nearly believed that Qi Yi had directly torn all pretense apart!