Cyan Mountain Manor, Mountain View Hall.

Sitting inside Mountain View Hall, one can gaze out at the picturesque mountains and rivers, enjoy a gentle breeze, brew a pot of tea, and lean back comfortably on a lounge chair to nap away an afternoon.

Yang Lin strolled around and said he was very fond of the environment here. He even ordered someone to make a pot of the fine tea he had specially brought from the Imperial City, then invited several key Fengri City officials who’d followed him inside to sit together, sipping tea and chatting idly.

"I’ve long heard that Fengri City is a land of outstanding people and spirits; today I see it’s true."

Yang Lin appeared relaxed as he sat in his chair, but his gaze continually swept over everyone’s face, with a hint of scrutiny.

Wu Changhe sat to Yang Lin’s left, while Xie Youlin was on the right. The others were seated in order. Directly across from Yang Lin was a wide opening, through which one could see the mountain stream outside.

"Your Highness Prince Shou, the scenery in Fengri City is indeed remarkable, and the resources in the surrounding area are plentiful. Just in terms of grain, we produce sixty percent of the output in the Jingxi Region. Plus, there are several large, high-quality iron mines—thirty percent of Jingxi’s pig iron comes from Fengri City. If Your Highness is interested on this visit, it would be my honor as your humble servant to show you around." Xie Youlin smiled, cradling his teacup, issuing an invitation.

"I’ve heard of that—Fengri City is called the ’Jingxi Granary,’ isn’t it? Not only is the yield high, but there are some choice varieties too. As I recall, my Imperial Father’s favorite Chao Shui Rice is grown here.

But is Fengri City’s pig iron yield really that high too? I hadn’t heard that before. Since I’m here, I’ll take a look."

"Hehe, rest assured, Your Highness. I will see to every detail."

No matter where Yang Lin wanted to go, this was still Fengri City’s territory—Xie Youlin had plenty of ways to showcase the brightest facets of his governance. Achievements written in official reports could never compare to what one witnessed personally.

On this side, Xie Youlin was basically falling over backward with flattery, obviously and eagerly cozying up to Yang Lin—it was as obvious as daylight. Anyone present only had to think for a moment to see through it.

Xie Youlin came from an academy background: as a youth, he rose all the way from the government academy to the Imperial City, and thanks to his outstanding theoretical grasp of local affairs, he was fast-tracked into the Imperial Forest Academy to serve as an instructor.

And what is the Imperial Forest Academy? It is the place where royal family members study and train—not only are princes educated there, but all sorts of imperial relatives, so long as they’re qualified, will send their eldest sons there for several years. This is the highest-level educational institution in the Jingjiu Dynasty, and even more so, a nursery for the most valuable of future social connections.

Your classmates there are either future princes or crown princes—if not, at least prominent figures among the imperial relatives. Even if one gained little from study, after several years there one would be well-acquainted with plenty of future bosses; maybe, leaning on those connections, someday one could become a boss too.

As for the head of the Imperial Forest Academy, it is led personally by the reigning Emperor, while daily management is handled by the vice president—who at present happens to be the Fifth Prince Yang Lin’s maternal uncle, National Scholar and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Jia Wenhe.

So naturally, Yang Lin held all the connections linked to the Imperial Forest Academy. As for Xie Youlin, from his days as a humble instructor to a senior local official, every bit of his relationship network and resources for promotion came from the academy line—in fact, from this very Imperial Forest Academy line. So he was, of course, attached to Yang Lin.

Everyone seated inside Mountain View Hall understood this perfectly well.

What surprised everyone, however, was this: Even the Fifth Prince had come personally—had the upper-level situation become this intense?

After all, the highest rank in Fengri City was Senior Fifth Grade; outside the Imperial City, that’s not low, but it’s still quite a distance from the Temple Hall, and they knew little of its inner workings.

Ordinarily, the rarely-traveling Fifth Prince would not come to Fengri City in person. There was so much beneath the surface in such a move.

Everyone sipped their tea, chatted amiably, and flattered Yang Lin sitting at the center, each quietly calculating how to handle Yang Lin’s possible efforts to win them over. Should they pick a side now? Anyone with a choice wouldn’t dare decide lightly—if they backed the wrong horse, Yang Lin could just honestly accept his loss and go back to being a prince, but those below him would face real disaster—at best lose their posts, at worst lose their heads.

Although Wu Changhe wasn’t as obsequious as Xie Youlin and lacked the same thick skin, he was nonetheless very enthusiastic toward Yang Lin. The two even seemed to act "familiar" with each other.

"Your Highness and Lord Wu seem to have met before?" Xie Youlin asked with curiosity.

"Hehe, Lord Wu was once my Imperial Guard. After his Cultivation broke through to the Primordial Pill Realm, I recommended him to the Dynasty to serve in the Xuanqing Guard, for the sake of enabling him to serve the Dynasty further." To all appearances, Yang Lin was merely responding to Xie Youlin’s question, but with just two sentences, he’d left everyone else in the room reeling.

What did that mean—was the Households Officer in charge of the Xuanqing Guard Thousand Households Station in Fengri City formerly Prince Shou’s Imperial Guard? And it was Prince Shou who’d recommended him for the Xuanqing Guard post?!

Doesn’t this mean Wu Changhe and Xie Youlin had long been Yang Lin’s men, already in his pocket?

The atmosphere abruptly became tense; the smiles of several merchant presidents who’d come along froze on their faces—they’d have turned and fled if they could. The Households Officer of the garrison stared out at the scenery as if he hadn’t heard a word Yang Lin had said.

No one had expected Yang Lin to be so forthright. He’d only just arrived in Fengri City—less than an hour, and he’d already slapped down two trump cards.

The local government’s Chief Officer, and Households Officer of the Xuanqing Guard Thousand Households Station—these were Fengri City’s two biggest bosses; and now both belonged to Prince Shou.

Was this a threat?

The presidents of a few merchant associations were so nervous it was as if they were sitting on needles. As for the most anxious of all, naturally it was the garrison’s Households Officer. He came from the military and rarely interacted with either the Local Government Office or the Xuanqing Guard, each being different systems. Yet now Yang Lin’s glances kept landing on him, his meaning clear as day.

But the garrison’s Households Officer really couldn’t respond, only pretend not to notice. He was a military man—back an imperial prince? And so brazenly? Did he want to lose his head?

Fortunately, Yang Lin didn’t push things too far; with a turn of phrase, the topic changed, and the atmosphere gradually loosened up once more.

By midday, a banquet had been set out in the manor’s main hall—eight tables in all. Every prominent figure in Fengri City was present, all to welcome Prince Shou.

During the meal, Shen Hao noticed that aside from Wu Changhe and Xie Youlin, everyone else at the main table had unnatural expressions, as if weighed down by concerns.

"Something doesn’t seem right," Gan Lin nudged Shen Hao with his elbow and said quietly.

"Mm. I’ll leave after I finish eating. What about you two?"

The three exchanged a smile—after all, their positions weren’t so high or so low; no matter what Prince Shou had in mind for Fengri City, it wouldn’t land on them.