Lu City, situated in the heart of the Qin Dynasty, was a large city. It boasted a mountainous backdrop and two rivers flowing through it. Replete with resources and bustling with comrce, the city thrived.
Suddenly, the clatter of horse hooves echoed in the streets—four majestic chestnut Dragon Mares were racing with a carriage, indifferent to the pedestrians, causing furrowed brows but unutterable anger.
It’s the Governor’s Mansion carriage! They’re untouchable!
The only one who dared to race horses like that in Lu City was the Governor’s youngest daughter, Wang Roumin!
"Wasn’t she in the Imperial Capital for the royal selection? Why has she returned?"
"I suppose she wasn’t selected. Otherwise, an imperial reward should be following her!"
"Indeed! Considering her conduct, how could she possibly beco the Empress of the Qin Dynasty? Her failure to be selected is truly cause for celebration..."
Onlookers whispered, their tones filled with contempt.
"Hush!" Many others who heard these comnts looked terrified and imdiately admonished, "Are you all mad? Discussing the ’little demoness’ in public like this? Do you want to die if she hears you?"
"Really? Aren’t the laws of the Qin Dynasty quite strict now? Would she still dare to kill soone?" an out-of-town rchant asked incredulously.
Ever since Zhuge Liang beca Pri Minister, the Qin Dynasty had begun to place great importance on the compilation and revision of the Qin Law. A series of legal articles were formulated. For intentional homicide, the perpetrator was sentenced to death; for particularly heinous cases, even their relatives were implicated and executed.
It was precisely because of these comprehensive legal articles that the economy of the Qin Dynasty could flourish so rapidly.
"Why wouldn’t she dare? The ’little demoness’ is the Governor’s daughter. She can secretly sink people to the bottom of the lake, gouge out their eyes, and break their limbs. Without any evidence, who would dare to investigate? Even if soone did, she could just find a scapegoat. So, it’s best to just keep your mouth shut!"
Faced with the rchant’s question, a Lu City local sighed, shook his head, and walked away.
Interesting! The rchant stood with his hands clasped behind his back, watching the departing carriage with a cold sneer.
The carriage charged recklessly through the streets, finally arriving before a splendid and opulent mansion. Four servants imdiately rushed forward to halt the Dragon Mares.
"Where is my father?" Wang Roumin lifted the carriage curtain and stood up, her face gloomy as she asked irritably.
"Replying to the Young Mistress, the Master is in the rear garden listening to music!" a servant hurried forward, kneeling beside the carriage to serve as a human footstool.
Wang Roumin nodded, stepped on the servant’s back to descend from the carriage, and entered the mansion with her head held high, completely oblivious to the rchant who had been following her from afar.
A re fifth-rank Governor, yet his residence is more extravagant than even a high minister’s mansion. It seems his background isn’t clean! The rchant, standing in a distant corner, thought coldly.
"Who’s there?" Just as the rchant was about to leave, a powerful aura erupted from within the Governor’s Mansion. The rchant’s expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly employed a movent technique to flee into the distance.
A middle-aged man in a black robe, a scar streaking across his face, erged from the mansion gate gripping a large, ghost-headed saber.
"Sir, what happened?" the servants on guard duty quickly asked.
"I just sensed soone monitoring the mansion, but they vanished when I ca out. Did any of you notice anything?" the scar-faced man asked, puzzled.
"Sir, everything is normal. However, a rchant did glance in this direction for a mont!" a servant reported, cupping his fist in a salute.
A rchant? Could my senses have deceived ? No, my senses are never wrong. That rchant is suspicious! I must report this to the Governor! The scar-faced man’s brow furrowed deeply. Gripping his ghost-headed saber, he headed deeper into the mansion.
The rear garden presented a picturesque scene: a small bridge arched over flowing water, curiously shaped rockeries, and thousands of flowers in full bloom, creating an indescribably beautiful and captivating ambiance.
"Sing well, and this Governor shall reward you handsoly!"
Inside a pavilion, Governor Wang Shouxin reclined on a rocking chair. Two maidservants massaged his shoulders while another fed him fruit. He was clearly enjoying a very comfortable life.
Everyone in Lu City knew that the Governor was an avid fan of operas. If he wasn’t at the yan (governnt office), he was certain to be in his mansion, indulging in theatrical performances.
"Father, I’m back!" Wang Roumin hurried into the rear garden and sat on a stone stool, looking sowhat dejected.
"My dear daughter, were you selected?" Wang Shouxin, too anxious to continue watching the opera, sat up and asked, nervously wringing his hands.
No wonder he was so anxious. If Wang Roumin were selected as the Empress, the Wang family would soar to prominence. He would beco the Imperial Father-in-Law and could go to the Imperial Capital to watch even more spectacular operas. Furthermore, he himself could beco a protagonist in the grand drama of court!
"I don’t know. We only saw His Majesty once, and then we were told to return and await notification," Wang Roumin replied, picking up a piece of fruit from the table, her expression vexed.
So that’s how it is! It seems there’s no hope! Upon hearing this, Wang Shouxin sank back into his rocking chair, his face etched with disappointnt. Even his gaze as he watched the opera beca vacant.
An actor in a long robe paced the stage. The atmosphere in the rear garden grew heavy, and apart from the sound of the singing, not another whisper could be heard.
Suddenly, several streaks of rainbow light traversed the sky, coming to hover above Lu City. They were all figures dressed in eunuch robes, each holding aloft an imperial edict.
"Lu City’s Governor and his household, receive the imperial edict!" a eunuch announced, his voice booming across the entire city.
Eunuchs from the palace? Why have they co? Wang Shouxin, previously despondent, shot to his feet. As if realizing sothing, he hastily led his relatives and household mbers to the front gate of the mansion to kneel in obeisance.
"By decree of the Retired Emperor: Wang Shouxin, Governor of Lu City, for his loyalty to the sovereign and dedication to the state, is hereby appointed Provincial Governor of Luzhou, to assu office imdiately! His daughter, being of upright character and noble destiny, is to proceed to the Imperial Capital at once..."
The leading eunuch descended from the Void, unfurled the imperial edict, and read aloud.
ROAR! A golden dragon flew out from the imperial edict and coiled in the sky above. It lingered for a long while before slowly dissipating.
To prevent the forgery of imperial edicts, any command issued by a sovereign would manifest a wisp of a golden dragon, condensed from Fortune. Although Qin Ying was not the reigning monarch, as the Retired Emperor, he was still qualified to issue such edicts.
"This subject accepts the decree!" Wang Shouxin kowtowed, a trace of excitent visible on his face.
Although the imperial edict ostensibly appointed him Provincial Governor, its deeper implication concerned Wang Roumin. The Wang clan was likely to produce a phoenix!
"Congratulations, Lord Wang!" After reading the imperial edict, the eunuch quickly bowed respectfully. He dared not show the slightest disrespect to the future imperial relatives by marriage of the Qin Dynasty.
"You are too kind!" Wang Shouxin, being an old fox, chatted amiably with the eunuch, discreetly slipping him a spatial storage ring in the process.
The eunuch felt the spatial storage ring, and his smile grew even brighter. Having received the benefit, he quickly took his leave.
"Father... Father, does this an I... I’ve been chosen?" Wang Roumin asked, her voice trembling with excitent, stuttering slightly.
"Exactly! You are about to beco a phoenix!" Wang Shouxin exclaid, his face flushed red with elation, nearly dancing with joy.
"Lord Governor, your subordinate discovered a suspicious rchant earlier. Just as I was about to act, he vanished!" The scar-faced man, who had been standing by the gate, quickly approached Wang Shouxin and reported in a low voice.
"What?" Wang Shouxin exclaid in surprise, then demanded angrily, "Why didn’t you report this sooner?"
"Your subordinate went to the rear garden to find you, but before I could report, the imperial edict arrived..." the scar-faced man explained, aggrieved. He then asked worriedly, "Lord Governor, is this matter serious?"
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