Chapter 12

The assistant county magistrate, watching with a desire to be charming, wore full mourning attire, sorrowful yet subtly alluring

Wu Yueniang, Li Pinger, and others also wore smiles in their eyes

Unlike Wen Bin, the county magistrate, who had grown old and lost all worldly desires

He, in the prime of life, not only had worldly desires—but they were immense!

As far as he knew, Ximen Qing had only one daughter, no son, and his daughter Ximen Dajie was already married

That meant the famed Ximen Dagan of Yanggu County had no heir!

Of course, he didn’t intend to seize the inheritance—he merely wished to give the helpless Wu Yueniang

Li Pinger, and other pitiable women a new anchor in life…

The chubby county magistrate: I’m just such a kind, helpful man~

Standing on the other side, the assistant magistrate—who had spoken only one word during the entire trial—had none of the county magistrate’s or the magistrate’s thoughts

Because he knew that no matter what Wen County Magistrate and the county magistrate planned

They couldn’t bypass him, the second-in-command who bridged upper and lower ranks

His rightful share of benefits would not be diminished by even a single grain—and that was enough

…

Regardless of how the magistrates in the yamen switched effortlessly between fear and greed

Zhang Jie’s life was going exceptionally smoothly

Zhang Jie, who had never been this healthy since childhood, felt life was truly beautiful

His day passed quietly, reading books and teasing, teasing Pan Jinlian

At dinner, Zhang Jie deliberately nipped Pan Jinlian’s ear and whispered

“I’ll be waiting for you in the room.”

Hearing this, Pan Jinlian was both startled and delighted, feeling happiness had come so suddenly

…

Ding ding~

At night, Pan Jinlian knocked on Zhang Jie’s door

Zhang Jie, who had been waiting long, opened the door

“Young Master~”

Pan Jinlian’s voice was as faint as a mosquito’s hum, her fingers tightly clutching the hem of her robe

Zhang Jie, upon opening the door, felt his eyes brighten: Pan Jinlian, freshly bathed, wore only thin gauze

Her body still steamed gently, emitting a tempting bouquet of floral fragrance

What sent Zhang Jie’s blood boiling was the tantalizing glimpse of her curvaceous figure—full bosom, rounded hips, perfect contours

His pulse surged downward, yearning to become a silver wolf howling at the moon

“Jinlian.”

Zhang Jie took Pan Jinlian’s supple, boneless hand and drew her inside

“Young Master~”

Shy and blushing, Pan Jinlian let him hold her hand without resistance

“Jinlian, you’ve stayed by my side all these years—I vow never to betray you.”

Zhang Jie lit two bright red candles and made his solemn promise

“Young Master~”

Pan Jinlian’s eyes brimmed with emotion

“Jinlian, it’s getting late.

The ancients said: a spring night’s moment is worth a thousand gold—let us not waste this beautiful hour.”

Zhang Jie swept Pan Jinlian up in his arms

“Ah!”

Pan Jinlian was startled

She never expected the usually frail Young Master could lift her so easily

“Young Master, are you alright?”

Pan Jinlian asked anxiously, her voice filled with concern, fearing for his health

“Of course I’m fine.”

Zhang Jie swore firmly

How could a man say no at a moment like this?

Even if he couldn’t—he had to!

Moreover, having shared strength with the Yitian Zhang Jie, that beast

Though he still looked like a weakling, he was in truth as strong as a wild ox

Yitian Zhang Jie smiled faintly: Little brother, thank me!

On the bed, Zhang Jie grew impatient

“Young Master, wait.”

Suddenly, Pan Jinlian stopped him

Zhang Jie had to suppress the fire burning within him

“What is it?”

“This.”

Pan Jinlian shyly pulled out a white cloth and laid it beneath her

“So that’s it!”

Zhang Jie suddenly understood

Wasn't this the cloth that wealthy families used to verify a woman's chastity?

“Young Master, come.”

Pan Jinlian whispered after arranging the cloth

“Beneath the guise of peace, the world trembles with unrest

Every ambitious soul seeks to shatter peace’s chains and claim the mantle of global order.”

As an ambitious man, Zhang Jie thought so—and acted accordingly

“I’m a little wild ox, a happy little wild ox~”

Soon, feeling the time was right, Zhang Jie hummed a tune

I admit your figure is truly the pinnacle

But even the finest pinnacle needs Diao’s top

You always say a man’s knees hold gold—then why are you always kneeling behind?

For the continuation of humanity, this humiliation is trivial!

A man’s knees hold gold—he kneels to heaven, to earth, to Feng~

“I’m a little wild ox, a happy little wild ox~”

[Ten thousand words omitted here]

The next day, Pan Jinlian, even more alluring, ate with Zhang Jie

“Young Master, eat this.”

Pan Jinlian pushed a dish toward Zhang Jie

“Jinlian, didn’t I tell you to call me Husband or Ajie?”

Zhang Jie smiled, correcting her address

Having taken her body, he naturally assumed the corresponding responsibility

Zhang Jie was no scoundrel like Duan Yuchun from The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, who seduced then abandoned

Zhang Jie despised Duan Zhengchun, the man who dallied everywhere yet never cared for anyone

What was that saying again?

The lecher leaves affection everywhere; the base man leaves gold everywhere

Clearly, Duan the Prince was just such a base man

Zhang Jie admitted he couldn’t achieve one woman for life

But his goal was to be a free-spirited rogue—lecherous but not base

“No, I still prefer calling you Young Master, hehe~”

Pan Jinlian’s face glowed with happiness

“Fine, do as you please.”

What could Zhang Jie do when Pan Jinlian spoke like that?

Of course—he let her!

“Here, Young Master, eat this.”

Pan Jinlian picked up the dish she’d just pushed toward Zhang Jie and held it to his lips

Zhang Jie opened his mouth, chewed a few times, and found the flavor surprisingly good

Previously, due to his frail health, Zhang Jie couldn’t eat many spices

He still needs dietary supplementation, so his meals often have a strange medicinal smell.

Zhang Jie: Over these past ten-odd years, do you know how I’ve survived?

Now I’m going to enjoy myself fully—Jesus himself can’t stop me, I say!

…

“What is this dish?”

Zhang Jie asked after swallowing a bite.

“This is called Qianqian Meat.”

Pan Jinlian replied with a playful smile.

“Qianqian Meat?”

Zhang Jie poked at the meat, round with a hollow center like a copper coin, and suddenly seemed to realize something.

“Jinlian, this Qianqian Meat isn’t from a donkey, is it?”

Thinking of the chain of events triggered by a plate of Qianqian Meat involving Luo Manman and Xifeng,

Zhang Jie’s expression turned deeply peculiar.

“Mm. It’s from a donkey.”

Pan Jinlian nodded shyly.

“You didn’t… first bring out a male donkey, then a female donkey,

let them come into contact, and harvest the ingredient when the male goes into heat, did you?”

Zhang Jie spoke this method of obtaining the ingredient—capable of making any man’s groin go cold—with a strange expression.

“Master, you’re amazing! You even know this!”

Pan Jinlian gazed at Zhang Jie with adoration.

In her eyes, Zhang Jie might as well be omnipotent.

“Jinlian, why did you arrange this dish?”

Zhang Jie asked, puzzled.

“I just wanted to nourish you!”

Pan Jinlian answered honestly, believing Zhang Jie’s constitution was weak and needed tonifying.

Zhang Jie grinned slyly:

“Do you really think I still need tonifying?”

“N-no, you don’t~”

Thinking of Zhang Jie’s performance last night, and how she had begged for mercy,

eventually having to raise the white flag herself, her cheeks flushed.

She never imagined the frail Zhang Jie could be so fierce.

Zhang Jie smiled faintly, uttering the same sigh as Liu Bang:

“My brother is invincible under heaven!”

According to unofficial histories, Liu Bei constantly proclaimed his brother invincible under heaven.

Sun Shangxiang, hearing this, was deeply moved, and even agreed to marry far away from Dongwu to Shu.

But once she arrived, she learned Liu Bei meant his second brother, Guan Yu, was invincible under heaven.

Sun Shangxiang was heartbroken, and never bore Liu Bei a child in her entire life…