Chapter 136

The dusk was deep, the night wind rolled the window.

The candle on the desk, blown to a gentle sway, made the stack of documents taller than shoulder height loom like a mountain.

Du Shanü, in casual attire, forced herself to finish the last document at hand, feeling her whole body sore and weak, her eyes strained and blurry, barely able to lift her hand.

Headache.

Not an ordinary headache.

After the flood receded four or five days, standing water in the surrounding county seat gradually drained, leaving behind a mess far worse than usual.

Although she knew some clever tricks, she was indeed inexperienced with official documents, so she could only start learning the basics from Chen Weifang.

Chen Weifang presided over the temporary magistrate's office, arranging the reconstruction of Dun Cheng and post-disaster relief.

Du Shanü went through his red-annotated documents one by one, first learning the format, then trimming the redundant, extracting the essentials, sending them back to Cang Cheng so Ouyang Yan could synthesize and adapt them to local conditions.

Ouyang Yan had some knack for making money, but in disaster relief and emergency response he was far less seasoned than Chen Weifang.

Afang handled affairs, every item settled solidly.

He first summoned the Works Office chief, ordering him to bring people to tally the city gate ruins, calculate the needed quantities of blue bricks, timber beams, etc., and within three days produce reconstruction plans and schedules, promptly repairing the gate to prevent post-disaster bandits from exploiting the weakness.

At the same time he ordered personnel to inspect the damaged drainage ditches in the county seat, prioritizing clearing the main thoroughfare ditches to prevent further rain from causing waterlogging.

Afterwards he summoned the registrar and the granary chief, instructing them to tally post-disaster casualties and housing damage, verify household registers, properly settle the homeless, while strictly checking granary shortages, coordinating gentry donations of grain, ensuring the porridge sheds' supply remained uninterrupted to pacify the populace.

Finally he ordered the constables to strengthen patrols inside and outside the city, strictly forbidding price gouging, and to apprehend any troublemakers immediately for punishment.

Since the Imperial Court was already raising taxes, after the flood they showed no action for several days, let alone allocating disaster relief funds...

They wanted to relieve the disaster, but with the treasury empty, it became an inevitable outcome.

Earlier Chen Weifang had consulted Chinu about this, and they had decided to intercept grain ships to make up the shortfall.

But according to Du Shanü's consideration, their forces were still weak; intercepting other factions' grain ships would be tantamount to adding enemy troops.

After discussion, they decided to summon the county's local gentry and wealthy merchants, explain the pros and cons to persuade them to donate, while inventorying the county government's idle public property and abandoned fields, selling them off at assessed value, and also ordering an investigation into past tax-evading merchants to collect back taxes, raising the funds needed for the gate reconstruction and relief efforts...

Sometimes, talk of 'military daring moves' is mostly false.

As the saying goes, those skilled in war have no conspicuous merit; those skilled in chess have no brilliant move in the overall board.

It's not that things must be done exceptionally cleverly; rather, as long as each step is steady and solid, each step strengthens the foundation.

In the future, there will certainly be things to use.

It's just that now it will be a bit tiring...

Du Shanü was wholly heavy with fatigue, her mind dazed, she lay on the desk for a while before realizing Afang still hadn't returned.

Earlier Afang pointed to a discrepancy in a book, saying he needed to go to the treasury to review old land registers for verification.

As a result, he's been gone for half an hour and still hasn't come back!

Afang this is...

Slacking off?

Then today it's about time to rest, right?

Chinu usually appears and disappears mysteriously, but tonight, with it dark, he should be waiting for her at home.

Now it's not early either; go back home, hold the slave, take a bath, sleep...

Whether to say it or not, people really cannot afford even a hint of laxity.

Once that thought arises, even though there are many tedious chores, she can't go on.

Not knowing whether Afang will return, she's prepared to slip away anyway.

If Afang catches her tomorrow, she'll directly strike first: 'I waited for you ages yesterday and you never came, yet you're asking me? Where did you go!'

What is this called?

This is called seizing the home-field advantage!

She certainly isn't indulging in beauty!

Du Shanü's thoughts were lively; she rose to leave, but before she could take a few steps, she heard the study door creak softly, and a dignified, upright figure stepped inside.

Damn it! (angry face)

Had I known, I would have left earlier!

Du Shanü's face pained, she slowly sat back down, preparing to resign herself:

"Afang's back...... Did you find the registers?"

Really...

Really great!

Once I finish this piece of business, I can start on the next!

Du Shanü lamented for a while before noticing that Chen Weifang, after taking a few steps inside, showed no reaction at all.

He went in steady, came back hurried, not even closing the door.

Hanging clouds veil the moon, night wind blows through the hall.

Beneath the corridor, the phoenix-tail plants are dim, yet they cannot conceal the wide sleeves of this refined scholar.

Du Shanü paused, gradually composed her furrowed face, rose and asked:

"What's happened outside?"

One should have expected it; Chen Weifang is usually steady, rarely troubled by anything.

He's been away long without returning; how could he not know it himself?

Now he's returned, his face still so bad; it can only be...

"...... Nothing."

Unexpected.

Chen Weifang remained silent for a moment, then uttered just two words.

Perhaps Du Shanü's face was so full of disbelief it was obvious, and Chen Weifang spoke again:

"Nothing, you just need to sit here, don't get even a speck of wind and rain... better than anything."

That remark truly is a bit eye‑catching.

Du Shanü already had doubts unresolved; hearing this made her even more doubtful:

"Afang, even if you say that, there's no way for us two?"

Ruler and subject are ruler and subject, Chinu is Chinu.

She had said before, she does not sleep with subjects.

It's just because Chinu's looks and temperament suit her preferences in every way.....

Du Shanü spoke half‑teasing, half‑serious, but Chen Weifang paid no heed to her probing.

That scholar, usually looking like the ancient moon, with a temperament like a calm lake, tonight seemed unusually restless; he stepped forward a few paces and pushed aside the large half of the scroll before Du Shanü.

The scroll fell over the desk, clattering.

Du Shanü's expression finally changed:

"Stop, stop, hear me out——"

"If there's anything, just say it straight; if something happens, we'll figure it out together—losing your temper is the stupidest thing."

Having earlier seized Dun Cheng bravely, several people were already like grasshoppers tied to the same rope.

The crime of beheading has already been committed; what else now cannot be spoken outright?

Du Shanü consistently dislikes those parts in storybooks where they hide and beat around the bush, piling on useless talk until the point of death, never getting to the point.

With her present, she would not let such a thing happen.

Chen Weifang, though notorious abroad, also bears the name of a poisonous strategist.

Yet he is willing to follow her when she has nothing, and she truly respects him in her heart.

Why seize the scroll over a mere disagreement?

Night curtain, residual lamp, shining on Du Shanü's brows and eyes—dark yet not murky.

Chen Weifang gazed at the handsome young man before him who lately liked to dress as a man, for a long time, then spoke in a muffled voice:

"When do you plan to marry Chinu?"

Du Shanü never expected that after waiting left and right, she would only wait for this sentence.

She was somewhat puzzled, but still did not want to conceal:

"We can't get married......"

"I previously took in Yu Baobao, that is, the former dynasty's Young Emperor you speak of; now the household registration already bears a husband's name."

?? Phoenix tail dim and secluded: here the phoenix tail refers to bamboo shadow.

? My hands hurt, the next chapter might be a bit late~