Liu Ji was mentally prepared to set off alone, feeling sorrowful and pathetic.

Never did he expect that at the last moment before departure, his wife actually arranged for Ah Wang to accompany him.

Liu Ji was so flattered that he felt picking out fish bones for the past two days was not in vain.

One must not be stingy when traveling far; Qin Yao not only gave Liu Ji half of the previous burial expenses, fifteen taels, as promised, but also handed Ah Wang a fifty tael silver note just in case.

Additionally, with the dried food and meat strips Ah Wang prepared last night, the two of them had no problem eating on the way to Yingtian Prefecture.

"Master, it’s time to go!" Ah Wang shouted from outside the door.

Only then did Liu Ji reluctantly tear his gaze away from Qin Yao, who was enjoying a big bowl of rice, and waved to the four kids, "Daddy’s leaving now, try not to upset your mother, alright?"

Da Lang was practicing, wielding a heavy wooden stick with strength, indicating he understood.

Second Lang hastily ate breakfast before going back to his room to read. At this moment, he reluctantly raised half an eye from the window to see him off.

Sanlang and Si Niang were in the yard mixing food for the chickens with rice bran and vegetable scraps. Unlike Daddy, Mommy let them do as they pleased as long as their clothes were clean, and they were having a great time.

By the time they remembered to see off their father, Liu Ji had already been pulled onto the carriage by an impatient Ah Wang.

The wheels whirled forward, and Qin Yao rose to the yard’s bank, watching until the carriage disappeared into the mountains. Suddenly, she turned toward the riverbank, where two rough laborers crashed into her sharp black gaze.

The two were startled for a moment but quickly returned to normal, politely nodding to her, no different from the other workers in the village.

Yet when they turned to leave, they realized her sharp gaze had not left them.

A faint but undeniable murderous intent lingered around them, a chill creeping up from their feet, causing both to shiver.

Have we been discovered?

The two exchanged a glance, and one of them feigned nonchalance, turning to look at the hillside, where the woman was still observing them.

However, upon seeing him look back, she revealed a bright smile and waved her hand generously, showing a friendly posture of welcoming them to the Liu Family Village for development and construction.

This was Qin Yao’s usual tactic; she would greet the outsiders this way while patrolling the village these days, which won hearts and gained favor. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The two had been watching her for several days, knowing her methods well.

Relieved for the moment, they figured she merely noticed their snooping gaze but did not suspect their identities and was only displeased with being watched with such curiosity.

The two exchanged a subtle glance again, knowing they had to report the departure of one of their targets wisely.

Originally, each was watching one person. Now that the man had left, whether one should stay, or both leave, or if both should remain behind, all awaited instructions from above.

Thus, they were busy transmitting messages and didn’t realize Qin Yao had left the village alone.

Qin Yao, wearing a navy floral dress of Mrs. Li’s and with her hair wrapped in a matching cloth, carried a load of unhulled rice to the water mill at the village entrance.

Once the rice was set down, she didn’t come out for two hours.

The family’s Old Huang had left with Ah Wang, so Qin Yao borrowed a horse from the stationery factory and joined Liu Bai’s delivery team to leave the village.

Upon reaching the main road, she left the team and directly entered Kaiyang County’s town.

In just a few days, news of the Imperial Censor’s arrival had spread throughout the city.

Qin Yao was unconcerned whether Wang Jin himself disseminated the information to intimidate or if his opponents deliberately leaked it; all she wanted was to see Wang Jin personally.

Rumor had it he was still in town.

Qin Yao tethered her horse and headed straight for the Song Mansion.

In any case, she and Song Zhang were now partners, so seeing Wang Jin through him was easier, saving her search time.

It was Mrs. Song who received Qin Yao; Song Zhang was not home nor at the county government.

When asked where he went, Mrs. Song shook her head, "He didn’t tell me."

Seeing genuine worry in Mrs. Song’s eyes, Qin Yao calculated the time back at the mill, took a deep breath, and asked again, "When will the master return?"

Mrs. Song said uncertainly, "Maybe he’ll be back before dinner. If you have urgent business, Miss Qin, why not stay overnight?"

Qin Yao waved her hand, "No need, as long as he returns today, it’s fine. Since he’s not in, I’ll write a letter. Would you please help me pass it to him?"

Mrs. Song nodded, immediately having her trusted maid fetch paper and brush.

Qin Yao quickly scribbled a few lines on two sheets of paper.

One was for Song Zhang, asking him to convey her message to Wang Jin.

The other contained the message for Wang Jin: Trouble surrounds us; please remember the promise you made that day.

Qin Yao didn’t write anything else.

A person capable of resolving issues doesn’t need more words to get things done.

For someone unwilling to resolve issues, threats written in abundance are useless.

With Song Zhang’s friendship in mind, Qin Yao gave Wang Jin another chance.

Handing the sealed envelope to Mrs. Song with a gentle smile, Qin Yao turned and left.

Mrs. Song wanted to see her off but couldn’t catch up.

Looking down at the thin letter in her hand, Mrs. Song’s worry deepened. Since the arrival of the Imperial Censor, not only had her husband been leaving early and returning late every day, but even the city’s atmosphere had become peculiar.

Miss Qin never came to the mansion without reason; today she did, and with so many events coinciding, Mrs. Song suddenly felt a looming sense of impending storm.

Qin Yao returned to Liu Family Village just before the millstone stopped, carrying back home the shelled white rice.

That evening, after the stationery factory workers and the outsiders left, she immediately rang the copper gong to convene the villagers for a meeting at the ancestral hall.

Many of the workers whose homes were distant stayed in Liu Family Village, but as they were outsiders, they couldn’t approach the ancestral hall, forcing the two scouts to observe from afar.

Qin Yao was never one to passively wait for rescue. She always took the initiative to save herself first.

As the village head, she naturally had to leverage her position.

In the meeting at the ancestral hall, Qin Yao fabricated a story about receiving reports of theft from a villager, suspecting it was the work of the recently arrived outsiders.

She didn’t mention who reported it or which household’s workers, letting the villagers fill in the blanks themselves.

"I know you all hope this incident doesn’t recur, so starting tomorrow, I want everyone to verify the identities of the workers you hire. If any irregularities are found, report to me immediately and escort them to the government!"

Qin Yao sternly arranged, "Five abandoned plots in the village were sold. Liu Yang, you’ll be responsible for verifying the workers’ identities there."

Being called out, Liu Yang paused momentarily before stepping forward to respond at his clan leader father’s prompting.