CHAPTER 113: CHAPTER 113: THE XILIANG ENVOY IS COMING

Since Long Yue rounded up the hooligans of Gaoyang County last time and sent them to Canye Village for hard labor, the security in Gaoyang County has become very good, almost to the point where people don’t lock their doors at night.

Then the county government’s team was also set up, with a stable set of government officials and clerks in the government office, everything was on the right track.

When the people’s lives are stable and prosperous, they feel grateful, and Li Qingmu’s reputation in Gaoyang County has skyrocketed.

In addition, his decisive case-solving and fair handling of matters earned him the title of "Li Qingtian."

Long Yue was speechless about this.

"Those people were out for your blood before, and now they idolize you. Human hearts are really hard to fathom!"

"Hmm... isn’t that why they say human hearts are unpredictable?"

At the back of the county government, there’s a small courtyard with various flowers and plants, a few fruit trees, and a gazebo in the middle. Li Qingmu sat in the gazebo, holding his young wife, the soft warmth making him very satisfied.

He gazed into the distance and chuckled softly: "Human hearts are difficult to measure, but they can be guided by strategy. They say the one who wins the people’s hearts wins the world. To put it plainly, it’s those who can manipulate people’s minds who can conquer the world!"

Long Yue snuggled in Li Qingmu’s arms, smelling the unique grassy scent on him, feeling this was the greatest enjoyment in life.

She lazily turned over in his arms, drawing circles on his chest with her little hand, and laughed lightly: "What, you want to play mind control? Tsk, this is the art of emperors..."

Li Qingmu gave a deep look at the mischievous little woman in his arms, held her little hand with his big hand: "I’m not interested in the art of emperors! It’s just that what we’re doing now is paving the way for the future comeback!"

Long Yue giggled: "Okay! Actually, with your ability, you could turn danger into safety even without paving the way..."

"Young Master, Young Madam, Young Master Xiang has arrived!"

While the two were in their sweet moment, Xiang Yin came with a bitter face.

"Brother Xiang, please!"

It’s April now, the weather is neither cold nor hot, with a gentle breeze, the flowers are fragrant, tea and snacks on the stone table in the gazebo, chatting leisurely, this life is so satisfying!

Xiang Yin wasn’t in the mood, he sat down and gulped down a cup of fragrant tea, then said gloomily, "My parents are arranging a marriage for me!"

"Pfft!"

Long Yue was also drinking tea, and sprayed it out, "Marriage is a good thing, Brother Xiang, you’re not young anymore, it’s time to have someone to warm your bed!"

"But I don’t like the girls they’ve found for me!" Xiang Yin said sorrowfully. "That girl is from an official family, and she’s willing to marry me just because she’s ugly..."

Uh, Long Yue didn’t know how to comfort him, after all, if it were her, she wouldn’t want to marry someone ugly either...

"This is your family matter, you handle it, but is there anything else you came to see me about?"

It’s a family affair, and Li Qingmu definitely wouldn’t interfere, after all, even a clear official finds it hard to settle domestic affairs, and Xiang Yin wouldn’t come just for this, so there must be something else.

When mentioning other matters, Xiang Yin perked up and said, "I heard that a Xiliang envoy is coming through our place! Oh, Xiliang has many beauties..."

Li Qingmu, "..."

He looked disdainfully at the other, "So you want to find a Xiliang girl?"

"I don’t..." Xiang Yin quickly retreated, "They aren’t of our kind, their motives must be different, such girls can only be concubines, not the main wife!"

"Then why are you telling me this?"

"Uh..."

Xiang Yin was dumbfounded, oh right, Li Qingmu already has a wife, why was he talking about this to him?

"Oh yes, I remembered, the Xiliang envoy will pass through here, and our officials will definitely have to receive them. I heard the Xiliang men are domineering... A Mu, you should be careful!"

Li Qingmu looked down, staring at the floating tea leaves in his cup: "No problem, receive them according to protocol, and don’t engage with them more than necessary."

Speaking much leads to errors, so engage less with them.

"I’m just afraid they’ll cause trouble."

"What did you say? Xiliang envoy?"

Long Yue, who had been somewhat absent-minded, snapped back to attention when she heard Xiang Yin mention Xiliang.

"Yes, what’s up?"

Long Yue lowered her eyes and shook her head: "Nothing, just asking."

That’s what she said, but inside, she was shocked. She remembered that in her past life, Xiliang and Dazhou erupted into a country-shaking war, the root cause being a Xiliang envoy dying on Dazhou soil.

At the time, both sides argued over this in the court for half a year, Xiliang demanding Dazhou compensate with five hundred thousand taels of silver, plus numerous cattle, sheep, cloth, and silk. Dazhou thought the demand was exorbitant and didn’t agree. Later, it was said that Xiliang had set a trap to extort money from Dazhou...

Neither side would back down, and then one time outside Xuanwu Gate, a Xiliang envoy and a Dazhou military general quarreled, and that Xiliang person was beheaded by the Dazhou general, thus the war broke out...

The outbreak was at the end of the year and into the early spring of the following year. Li Qingmu went to Xinan at that time.

After the trip to Xinan, he rose to power, successfully entered the Capital City with a decisive battle, and at that time, she and he completely parted ways.

"Sigh..."

Long Yue sighed softly.

"What’s wrong, my dear?"

Li Qingmu thought his young wife was a bit too melancholic today, was there something wrong?

"The Xiliang is located in the remote Northwest Desert, with fierce customs, you should be extra careful when dealing with them."

"Mm, okay, don’t worry, darling. They’re just passing through Gaoyang County, a little reception will do, besides, they wouldn’t want to linger in such a small place."

"Mm."

...

Heifeng Village is a bandit nest in Luanshi Ridge to the east of Gaoyang County.

The leader Ma Biao, with a shiny bald head, a one-inch-wide bronze hoop on his left ear, exposing his chest and back. He sat with legs apart at the head seat, playing with a bloody ring on his right thumb, freshly chopped from a merchant’s hand.

His gaze was as sharp as a hawk, scanning the black-clad men below, sneering: "Hey, you say you’re from the Capital City? Why should I believe you?"

The black-clad man chuckled softly: "Believe it or not, it doesn’t matter, but Chief Ma should recognize this."

With that, he tossed over a burlap sack, landing with a thud on the ground, the sack mouth bursting open, revealing a sackful of gold and silver.

"Oh——"

Surrounded by many Heifeng Village bandits, their eyes gleamed green at the sight of the gold and silver in the sack.

The black-clad man was satisfied with their expressions and asked with a smile: "How about it? Does this show my master’s sincerity?"

Ma Biao squinted, propped his chin with his big hand, pointed to the sack of gold and silver: "Who is your master? I don’t know them, leave this behind, and you can scram... huh?"

Ma Biao intended to seize the goods and drive the opponent away, but just as he finished speaking, a cold flash appeared, and a Longsword was at his neck.

"Does the chief think I’m easy to bully?"

The black-clad man pressed the sword closer to his neck, giving the other enough chill, coldly sneering.