One Thread Connection.
The only matchmaking office in Lotus Town.
Precisely because of that, Matchmaker He was famous throughout the surrounding villages for a hundred miles.
Even wealthy local merchants had to treat Matchmaker He with courtesy.
Early that morning, He Hua had been summoned to Matchmaker He's shop to discuss the details of her marriage.
Despite He Hua's countless objections, Matchmaker He's silver tongue always found a clever excuse to brush them aside.
He Hua could do nothing about it.
A middle-aged couple sat nearby.
They were the parents of the soldier who had joined the local garrison.
They sipped their tea with unruffled expressions, as though they already knew the outcome.
"Matchmaker He!"
A Red Thread Boy walked in and whispered something into Matchmaker He's ear, his expression grave.
Matchmaker He's expression visibly froze, and the smile vanished from her face.
Grief took its place.
She waved a hand. "You should go home. This marriage cannot go ahead!"
The couple immediately panicked. Hastily setting down their teacups, they asked, "Why, Matchmaker He?"
Even He Hua looked at Matchmaker He in astonishment.
She had gone to such lengths to persuade He Hua to agree. Why had she suddenly changed her mind?
Matchmaker He pointed toward the entrance and waved her hand. "See for yourselves."
Soon, a corpse with its head covered by a white cloth was carried inside.
Boom...
In that instant, the couple fell apart.
They burst into anguished sobs. "My son..."
He Hua was stunned too. No wonder Matchmaker He had canceled the engagement—the prospective groom was dead.
Then even more shocking news reached her—County Magistrate Qian, the county magistrate, was dead!
A fierce battle had erupted at the government office last night, and even the local garrison had suffered casualties among more than half its men.
"..."
He Hua stood dumbfounded, disbelief written all over her face.
Then she rushed back to the porridge shop as fast as she could.
There, she found her younger sister, He Nian, who had been watching the shop, telling her delightedly, "Sister, I saw Big Brother! He bought a bowl of porridge!"
He Hua trembled at those words and ran out of the house again.
But among the people coming and going, where was that familiar figure?
Qian Zhao was dead. Qian Kuidou was dead. Even County Magistrate Qian, who had ruled this place like his own little kingdom, was dead.
The town's "three scourges" had been eliminated. Peace would reign from now on.
More people filled the streets now. The sun rose after the rain, shops opened along both sides of the street, and the vendors' familiar cries rang out again.
He Hua stood in the middle of the street, holding her sister, her face a tangle of emotions.
She had missed her last chance to see her benefactor...
Perhaps he would never come back.
Would they ever meet again...?
He Hua bit her lip, and before she realized it, tears began to fall.
Just as she had bowed deeply to them when they saved her that day at the Drunken Immortal Tower.
She bowed once more toward the street ahead.
In her heart, she said, Thank you...
"Mmm, delicious..."
Ning Que put the last mouthful of porridge into his mouth, then leisurely mounted his horse and departed with Yin Jiuyou and the others.
Since they had only just taken this place, it would become one of the bases Flowing Sand was establishing across the country.
Qiao Musheng stayed behind with some men to guard it.
But plenty of people were already accompanying them.
Qi Shanhe, Mu Yuwei, and the others.
At first, it had only been for that bowl of thin porridge.
Afterward, having taken the first step, they might as well see it through.
In the end, it had been for the word "peace."
When they left Lotus Town, Huang Tong was released.
Even Huang Tong himself was surprised. He had thought he would be kept as a prisoner, perhaps with his very life in danger.
"Why let him go?"
Qi Shanhe could not help asking.
"Because he's different from those people."
Ning Que spoke quietly.
Yin Jiuyou, too, remained somber and silent.
They knew who "those people" meant.
"First, taking him along would be a nuisance. Second, the seed has been planted. Now we'll see whether it flowers and bears fruit..."
Ning Que's words carried a deeper meaning.
He had told Huang Tong that the dynasty's false prosperity often went hand in hand with all sorts of absurdities.
Treacherous ministers held sway, centralized power bred corruption, or the common people endured bitter hardship.
Huang Tong simply had not known any of that before.
Now, by cutting off Qian Taizhong's head, Ning Que had lifted a corner of the veil.
Perhaps it had shaken Huang Tong to his core.
Once he understood the dynasty's true condition, would he still remain loyal to it?
He might only be a lowly local garrison commander now, but one day, he would return to Li Province's capital.
When that day came, he would be a ticking bomb Ning Que had planted!
Lotus Town was merely a small town between Li Province and Qingzhou.
Even the murder of its county magistrate could scarcely stir up any waves.
But a county magistrate had died, after all, and someone had to fill the position.
News of Lotus Town's vacant magistrate's post reached Wang Yong, the Minister of Personnel.
Although the matter was not his to handle, his brow still rose.
"A perfectly healthy county magistrate just died?"
A county magistrate might be a minor official, but he was still an officer appointed by the court.
"Was it them?"
Someone beside him asked.
Wang Yong's expression darkened. "Almost certainly..."
"What has Flowing Sand been doing lately?"
He asked another question.
"It's strange. Flowing Sand members all over the country are heading in the same direction..."
"What?"
At those words, Wang Yong's eyelid immediately twitched.
He had a nagging feeling that something major was about to happen.
"Keep tracking them!"
Wang Yong hurriedly added, "And relying on local military officers alone won't work anymore. Mobilize our forces and post bounties. Get some local factions to hunt them down too!"
"Under no circumstances can they be allowed to leave Qingzhou City!"
Wang Yong roared.
He understood the principle too. Sometimes, gaps in intelligence made it impossible to catch anyone using government troops alone.
Even sending in the Embroidered Uniform Guard would take a long time.
The best approach was to mobilize forces among the populace.
Money could make even ghosts turn the millstone—martial establishments, hired blades, escort agencies... all could lend their strength.
Flowing Sand might be the dynasty's foremost underground organization, but if the other factions joined forces, they would certainly be no weaker than Flowing Sand was now!
Ning Que had no idea when he would be able to rendezvous with Flowing Sand's main force.
According to Yin Jiuyou, they simply needed to keep heading west. Once they left Qingzhou City, they would be nearly there.
While Ning Que and his companions traveled west.
Mu Xuehuang remained trapped in torment.
Several days had passed, yet she still had not recovered from the shock.
On the contrary, the pressure in her heart grew heavier with each passing day.
Since it was not yet time for the next simulation, she had no way of knowing where the rebels who would bring her realm to ruin had come from.
Their leader was so young, too, making it all the harder for her to eat or sleep in peace.
Her complexion had grown increasingly poor over the past few days, and she seemed listless even during morning court.
She frequently let her mind wander as well.
This left the assembled civil and military officials astonished.
What was wrong with Her Majesty?
She had always incisively pointed out everyone's failings before, yet these past few days, she had been distracted.
One day might be explained by a poor night's sleep, but what about day after day?
At last, a minister could not resist stepping forward. "Your Majesty, affairs of state and the peace of the realm are certainly important, but Your Majesty's imperial health is more important still!"
"Indeed, Your Majesty, you must take care of your health!"
A group of ministers voiced their advice in unison.
Mu Xuehuang: "..."
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