Chapter 46

Qi Yi welcomed Governor Yu Tongguang, Prefect Wang Shao, and several other honored guests of the Prefectural Supervisory Censor to the main hall together.

These are the highest-ranking officials openly present in Fengyang Prefecture.

Governor Yu Tongguang holds sole authority, able to appoint and dismiss county magistrates except those appointed by the imperial court; with a few left officials in the prefecture, other prefectural officials can be appointed or dismissed by the governor himself, making his power extremely great.

Prefect Wang Shao commands the garrison forces and public security of Fengyang Prefecture; Prefectural Secretary Yu You is a local official, moreover the patriarch of the prominent Yu clan of the prefectural seat, and also the second-highest official in the prefecture after the governor.

Prefectural Supervisory Censor Yao He is no minor figure either, wielding the authority to oversee senior local officials and report to the imperial court at any time; since entering the main hall, he has been smiling faintly.

Zhang Jian noticed that after these heavyweight officials of the prefecture entered the main hall, the dragon and tiger aura swirling above the Qi residence became extraordinarily astonishing.

Indeed, regional grandees possess their own aura, not something ordinary means can cope with.

"If one wishes to break this dragon and tiger aura and harm these regional grandees, one cannot use sorcery; one must rely solely on one's own spiritual power, employing martial means to roam and slaughter, or else find a way to break this layer of dragon and tiger aura before sorcery can be used..."

Zhang Jian secretly calculated in his heart.

Achieving either of these conditions is extremely difficult; the former is difficult because most prefectural governors are of military origin, and becoming a governor itself signifies extraordinary martial skill, with extraordinary martial generals and personal guards surrounding them.

As for the latter, unless the entire prefecture falls into great disorder, counties collapse and decay, and public opinion turns hostile, could the dragon and tiger aura be broken.

Meanwhile, in the main hall, Governor Yu Tongguang, after taking his post, proceeded to state another purpose of his visit: that of seeking a marriage alliance.

"Old General Qi, I have heard that our prefecture has learned that Old General Qi has several granddaughters who have reached marriageable age, especially the eldest daughter of the main branch, whose conduct is excellent and whose appearance is as beautiful as flowers and the moon.

Coincidentally, I also have a son who is about to come of age; taking advantage of Old General Qi's birthday celebration, we might as well have a double joy, for our prefecture has also long wished to become allied by marriage with the Qi family; I do not know if Old General Qi would be willing to grant this good deed?"

Yu Tongguang smiled faintly at this, taking a light sip of the clear tea in his hand, though his narrow eyes held a glint of sharpness.

"This..."

Upon hearing this, Qi Yi furrowed his brows.

He understood perfectly well the implication of the governor's words.

This is clearly an attempt to draw in the Qi residence and divide Fengyang Prefecture.

He could see the other clan heads, Gu Chengyan and Yu You, casting their gazes over, and immediately felt a headache coming on; just then, the head of the Yu clan, Yu You, laughed and said.

"Uncle, it is rare to encounter such liveliness; our prefectural secretary also joins in the fun; I have heard that the younger brother of the Qi family's second branch, Qi Ersi, has two unmarried daughters, Yunying, secluded in their chambers; today I also seek a marriage alliance for my unworthy son on behalf of that useless boy of mine; I do not know what Uncle thinks?"

As soon as Yu You spoke, the faces of several other prominent officials of the prefecture present subtly changed.

Qi Yuanwu and Qi Ersi, the two brothers, stood beside Qi Yi's attendants; at this moment, the two brothers exchanged a glance, both feeling a sense of oppression.

Especially Qi Ersi, who felt even more embarrassed; he had already discussed with the Qi Zhang clan about marrying into each other's families to strengthen ties, but now facing this situation, he found it hard to voice a refusal.

Otherwise, it would seem that the Qi family has abandoned its neutral stance and thrown its lot in with the governor's faction.

However, the Qi family's actual position is actually leaning toward the local aristocratic clans of the prefecture; the governor is too overbearing, and cooperating with him is like seeking skin from a tiger.

Moreover, they have heard that this governor is also extremely ambitious.

His reputation in the imperial court is not particularly good.

The Qi family would be even less willing to collude with him.

But tearing open the rift prematurely is also not the best choice.

……

Meanwhile, in the rear courtyard, in a place no one could have estimated, a strange qi mechanism was beginning to emerge.

The senior lady Zhou had been affected by the Demon-Suppressing Technique earlier; her body had not yet recovered; after the birthday celebrations ended, she was helped by her maidservants back to the upper floor to rest.

Her visage is lovely, her skin fair, her eyes bright and spirited, but the domineering, overbearing aura about her ruins this beauty.

At this moment, although her body is weak, her spirits are high, for today the Marquis of Dingyuan's Zhou clan also sent a brother over to congratulate Qi Yi on his birthday.

The brother and sister had not seen each other for a long time; Zhou Shi naturally was very delighted; along the way, her attitude toward the maidservants and old women improved considerably.

"If I say my brother has not come to the Qi residence for over ten years, and back then he only came once to see me off in marriage, not seeing each other for over ten years has only made him more heroic; his official rank has also grown ever greater, after all, he is the young lord of the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion, his bearing far beyond what a local place can compare to!"

Upon hearing her words, the surrounding maidservants and old women lowered their heads; a tall, sturdy old woman beside them fawned obsequiously.

"The young lord is naturally the highest of persons, moreover a dragon among men, naturally not comparable to ordinary folk!"

Zhou Shi nodded upon hearing this: "Yes, even the old grandfather does not think, why could the Qi family send Yuanwu to the Imperial Guard, otherwise it is not because they have taken advantage of my natal family's connections; otherwise, how could they have a place among the palace guards?"

Her expression showed no concealment of the pride in her brows.

As she stepped into the ladies' quarters, Zhou Shi did not notice that the lighting in the rooms of the ladies' quarters had suddenly grown dim, a layer of heavy yin qi suddenly appearing on the walls.

The butter lamps that had been lit year-round suddenly dimmed layer by layer; in an instant, the doors of the ladies' quarters slammed shut; shortly after, accompanied by a sharp, short scream, the maidservants and old women guarding outside suddenly changed color, rushing in en masse; soon after, echoes of shouting rose from the rear courtyard.

In the main hall, Qi Yi racked his brains, only able to first think of a way to fob off the governor and also this prefectural secretary, only hearing him laugh.

"Governor Yu, Prefectural Secretary Yu, you probably forget that our court, every few years, conscripts a batch of noble maidens from each prefecture and county to enter the imperial inner court, to be instructed by the empress..."

He had not finished speaking when he saw a hurried figure rush in through the door; moments later, he heard a whisper in his ear.

"What?"

Upon hearing the bad news, Qi Yi's face turned deathly pale; his gaze swept over the people present; this gaze caused the faces of several prefectural grandees to change, immediately realizing that the Qi family might have met with an accident.

Beside the governor stood another figure wearing a Daoist robe, who at this moment furrowed his brows, glanced toward the rear quarters of the Qi residence.

Moreover, nearby stood a figure of towering build, his entire body suffused with intense killing qi, who silently positioned himself to guard near Governor Yu Tongguang; Yu Tongguang paid no heed, waving his hand to let this personal bodyguard step aside.

At this moment, Zhang Jian also felt something faintly; he glanced toward the direction of the rear quarters.

His extraordinarily sensitive spiritual sense faintly sensed something, but in this place the dragon and tiger aura was heavy as a mountain, blocking his spiritual sense; yet he also felt a trace of cold, yin-like spiritual mechanism flash by.

At this moment, Qi Yi had already fallen into a rage, shouting loudly.

"Immediately seal off the Qi residence, let no one escape; if anyone dares to break in, kill them without question!"

"Ersi, you immediately go mobilize the garrison troops of the prefecture, encircle the Qi residence completely; whoever dares to move rashly, whoever is the murderer, you must avenge your elder sister-in-law!"

Qi Yi gritted his teeth.

His face was so dark it seemed to drip water.

Today is his sixtieth birthday, yet someone dared to strike at Zhou Shi during the birthday feast; such conduct is too outrageous.

Moreover, what enrages Qi Yi even more is that, with Zhou Shi's mishap, the balance in Fengyang Prefecture will inevitably collapse, and the ensuing chain reaction is almost unimaginable to him.

But this move of his instantly caused the faces of many prefectural officials in the main hall to change.

I almost thought Qi Yi had seen right through the face!