Seeing that his explanation had worked, Lou Xiu secretly rejoiced. Things had gone so smoothly that he had never even needed the follow-up arguments he had prepared, which came as a small surprise.
Since he could achieve his goal without wasting any more words, he naturally cupped his hands and accepted the order. "As you command."
"Go." After dismissing him, Li Xianghong summoned the maid waiting outside the pavilion and lifted her chin toward Lou Xiu's departing back. "Give him what he wants. See what he intends to do."
No further explanation was needed. The maid understood at once and left.
With no one else around, Bai Qiru asked, "You want to use this to test him?"
Li Xianghong said, "What else can I do? There's no evidence. Surely I can't arrest and interrogate him just because some random letter claims there's a problem with one of my subordinates? Would he admit anything? If I really did that, wouldn't I be far too easy to deal with? A few more letters would be enough to bring my Dazhi City crashing down."
As she spoke, she looked again in the direction Lou Xiu had left. "Let's hope it really was a coincidence that he happened to mention A-Xun's remains too."
She took out the letter again, unfolded it, and reread its contents, murmuring to herself, "What exactly is the sender after? Who would benefit from Lou Xiu's downfall..."
Outside a row of storerooms carved into the mountainside, guards from the City Lord's Manor stood watch in person.
Lou Xiu arrived with a group from the Tax Inspectorate. The City Lord's personal maid was already waiting there.
Noticing the slight surprise in the maid's appraising gaze, Lou Xiu immediately pointed to Mei You and the others and explained, "Most of our people