The blood of Liu and his son had not yet dried when Bai Shuangshuang’s decrees came down.
She didn’t give Lingxi County a moment to catch its breath.
The direct line of the Bai clan had fallen, and the collateral branches had installed Bai Yongchang as the family patriarch.
But Bai Shuangshuang knew in her heart that with her father’s temperament, he couldn’t truly be the family patriarch.
The several collateral branches all harbored their own designs, maintaining a surface harmony while inwardly at odds.
It would be a miracle if they could unite as one.
She didn’t need to make a move against them; they would tear themselves apart.
As for the other great clans, Bai Shuangshuang’s method was even more straightforward—forced division of the family.
Every branch, whether direct or collateral, had to split the family assets fairly.
The county government office wouldn’t supervise; they’d let them divide it themselves.
Couldn’t split it evenly? Even better—a fight would be more entertaining.
Every person was made of flesh and blood; who wouldn’t want a bigger share?
Brothers turned against each other, uncles and nephews became enemies.
A great clan would shatter into pieces in no time.
Once shattered, each household would live on its own, and no one would have the power to challenge the county government office again.
The county government’s decrees could reach every household, and the Prince’s Mansion’s authority could take root in every inch of soil.
As for those officials who had colluded, there was now a legitimate reason to take them down.
It just so happened to clear out the Imperial Court’s spies, and then replace them all with the Prince’s Mansion’s own people.
Zhao Qingyue looked at the several pages of densely written regulations, then raised her head to glance at Bai Shuangshuang.
“Did you really only read a few miscellaneous books?”
Bai Shuangshuang ignored her.
‘Since I’m pretending to be an expert, I’ll see it through~’
Once things were mostly settled, Zhao Qingyue started dragging Bai Shuangshuang all over Lingxi County.
“Since we’re here, we might as well see the place where Lord Bai grew up, right?”
Zhao Qingyue said with righteous confidence.
Bai Shuangshuang was pulled along for half a street.
She pointed at the locust tree at the alley entrance, saying she had climbed it as a child, and pointed at the sugar shop on the street corner, saying she had stolen candy from there as a kid.
Zhao Qingyue listened with great interest, occasionally interjecting.
“Weren’t you dumb when you were little?”
Bai Shuangshuang rolled her eyes.
“Can’t a dumb person climb trees?”
Zhao Qingyue thought about it and then asked if she had ever wet the bed when she was dumb.
Bai Shuangshuang refused to answer.
After a few days of wandering, Zhao Qingyue’s familiarity with Lingxi County almost caught up to Bai Shuangshuang’s.
On the night before their departure, Qiu Yue came to see Bai Shuangshuang.
The white-clad girl stood at the door, twisting the corner of her clothes with her fingers, her face slightly red.
“Miss Bai, um… you don’t need to return that jade for now. Let it be for a while.”
Bai Shuangshuang raised an eyebrow.
“I, I think following you is quite interesting,”
Qiu Yue’s voice grew softer.
“It’s more exciting than cultivating in the sect… And I feel like I haven’t helped with anything, so I’m embarrassed to take it back. Let me work for you a little longer.”
The corner of Bai Shuangshuang’s mouth curled up.
‘Just as she wanted.’
After all, even if Qiu Yue actually asked for it, she couldn’t produce it right now anyway.
Xi Chun was the last one to come say goodbye.
Bai Shuangshuang looked at her, moved her lips, but before she could speak, Xi Chun spoke first.
“Second Miss, I won’t be going to the Prince’s Mansion.”
Bai Shuangshuang was taken aback.
Xi Chun kept her head down, her voice soft.
“Second Miss is different now. If I follow, I won’t be of any help, I’ll only hold you back. I’ve never left Lingxi County in my whole life. If I go to the Prince’s Mansion… I’m afraid I won’t get used to it.”
Bai Shuangshuang was silent for a moment, then nodded.
Xi Chun was right.
The Prince’s Mansion was no peaceful place, and she herself wouldn’t stay in the Southern Region for long.
Letting Xi Chun stay in Lingxi County and live a stable life was better than dragging her along on a journey of hardship.
“Then take care of yourself at home.”
Bai Shuangshuang said.
Xi Chun lifted her head, her eyes red, but she didn’t cry.
“You too, Second Miss!”
Bai Shuangshuang reached out and patted her shoulder, then handed her a talisman.
“From now on, no one at home will bully you. If something comes up, go find Father and Mother. If that doesn’t work, go find Magistrate Shen. If you still can’t handle it, let me know.”
“This…”
Xi Chun was stunned for a long time.
She noticed that Bai Shuangshuang had said “Father and Mother” instead of “Master and Madam.”
Tears welled up, threatening to spill.
“Hey? No crying allowed.”
Bai Shuangshuang wagged her index finger.
“There’s a saying—’Women may be weak, but mothers are strong.'”
snort
Xi Chun couldn’t help but laugh through her tears, finally letting out a helpless, reproachful tone.
“Second Miss…”
On the day of departure, dawn was just breaking.
Bai Yongchang and Lin Shi stood at the very front of the crowd.
Lin Shi’s eyes were red like a rabbit’s.
Bai Yongchang was the same as ever, his lips moving several times before he finally squeezed out a single sentence.
“Take care on the road.”
Bai Shuangshuang nodded, then swung onto her horse.
The common people lined the road to see her off, from the county government office all the way to the city gates.
Some people stuffed eggs into her saddlebags, others pressed dry rations into the armored soldiers’ hands.
A few elderly women tugged at Bai Shuangshuang’s sleeve.
“Special Envoy Bai, be sure to come back and visit often.”
Bai Shuangshuang was pulled so hard she nearly fell off her horse.
Zhao Qingyue laughed so hard she couldn’t straighten up.
Once outside the city gate, Bai Shuangshuang looked back.
The outline of Lingxi County gradually blurred in the morning mist.
The flags on the city wall flapped noisily in the wind.
Last time, she had fled in panic.
This time, she was being sent off by the entire city.
She watched for two seconds, then turned her head and lightly squeezed the horse’s belly.
“Let’s go~”
The hooves clattered rhythmically.
The black-armored elite soldiers filed out, following the official road toward the Royal City.
Jingnan Prince Manor
Zhao Qingchuan and Hengyang Xiansheng sat in the Council Hall, looking over the reports coming in via talisman.
The smile on their faces had never been so bright.
Several days had passed since Bai Shuangshuang’s pilot project succeeded.
Many counties across the Southern Region had reported good news in quick succession.
That single stroke had chopped the great clans of the entire Southern Region to pieces.
The income from spirit rice and spirit mines across the Southern Region had increased by several tenths.
More importantly, all the various spy networks of the Imperial Court were about to be swept clean, replaced by Jingnan Prince Manor’s own people.
At this point, who Bai Shuangshuang was, what experiences she had—none of that mattered anymore.
She was one of Jingnan Prince Manor’s people.
That was enough.
“The Commandery Princess picked up a maidservant who’s better than what the Prince painstakingly selected over several years.”
Hengyang Xiansheng rarely teased Zhao Qingchuan like this.
In the entire manor, he was the only one who dared speak to Zhao Qingchuan that way.
Zhao Qingchuan was in high spirits.
“Come on, let’s go see our Imperial Envoy.”
He led Hengyang Xiansheng and a group of armored soldiers to the inn where the Imperial Court’s envoy was staying.
“Zhang Daren, the counties of the Southern Region are still in the midst of intensive investigations. Here are the accounts of corruption that have been verified so far. Please take a look.”
Zhao Qingchuan handed over a small booklet.
The envoy’s face alternated between pale and green.
He had traveled thousands of miles to get here.
Had he come to get an explanation from Zhao Qingchuan?
He had been ordered to find fault.
Now Zhao Qingchuan had neatly deflected the blame for the accounts, strengthened tax revenue and local control, and uprooted the Imperial Court’s spies.
What’s more, he couldn’t find any fault with these moves.
At most, he could pin a trivial, insignificant offense on Zhao Qingchuan.
So what was the point of his trip? And he was even a replacement—the chief official had been assassinated.
“Oh, right, Zhang Daren.”
Zhao Qingchuan’s expression was mild, his tone warm.
“At this point, you don’t still think that the assassin was one of the manor’s people, do you?”
The envoy’s voice trembled as he spoke.
“You, you… what do you mean?”
“Zhang Daren is a clever man. Saying it outright would spoil the fun.”
Zhao Qingchuan smiled and turned to leave.
“Give my regards to His Majesty when you return.”
“Long live His Majesty, ten thousand years.”
The feudal lord walked away, leaving behind a trail of chanting voices.
The envoy stood frozen, his ears still filled with Zhao Qingchuan’s words.
If the assassin wasn’t one of the manor’s people, then who else could have sent him?
His pupils contracted, cold sweat streaming down his back.
“Prince, wait! Prince!”
He called out as he chased after him, but that feudal lord didn’t bother to wait.
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