Chapter 11

After meeting with Rong Tan, Wu Ciyun went straight to the study, telling no lies about it.

Ningzhou was in utter chaos, and coupled with her recent serious illness, the accumulated official duties had piled up like a mountain. Early this morning, an official under Prince Rui sent word that he wished to meet with her alongside Su Wu’e, the military commander of Prince Rui’s army.

It had snowed last night, but today was a rare clear day. The pristine white snow had settled overnight, weighing down the branches slightly.

Wu Mingzhu had tricked Wu Liangyu under a tree. Being slightly taller, she reached up and shook a branch, causing the snow to cascade down, covering Wu Liangyu’s face completely. Furious, he tried to chase after her.

“This is nonsense—never serious for a moment all day long,” Wu Ciyun said from a distance, wrapped in a thick cloak, watching the two playfully bickering. She couldn’t help but laugh and scold them lightly.

A maid nearby hurriedly said, “Mistress, I will take young master and young missus back immediately.”

“Let them play. There’s no need to restrain them,” Wu Ciyun replied gently. “I’ve asked the kitchen to prepare ginger and jujube broth. After they finish playing, make sure Mingzhu and Liangyu drink it to ward off the cold. Then send a bowl to Rong Tan and say it’s from me.”

There were already two sickly members in the household; if two more fell ill, it would be a case of one illness following another without respite.

“Sir, Lord Qiao and General Su have arrived.”

“Bring them in first.”

Wu Ciyun’s previously softened expression hardened instantly. After a brief pause, she instructed the attendant, “If Mingzhu and Liangyu come by later, do not stop them.”

The attendant was puzzled but promptly obeyed.

The study was warmed by a ground dragon stove, already quite cozy, but since Wu Ciyun was weak and sensitive to cold, several additional heaters had been added.

The official stepped inside from the icy outdoors, the warm air melting the fine snow on his cloak. He handed it to a maid and smiled, “Outside is freezing, but here it feels like spring.”

Wu Ciyun welcomed the two to their seats. The official graciously declined to take the place of honor, instead sitting humbly at the lower seat. Su Wu’e, a military man unbothered by cold, found the warmth almost stifling and chose the seat nearest the window.

Noticing Su Wu’e’s discomfort, Wu Ciyun told the maid, “It’s stuffy in here—go open the window.”

The maid silently opened half the window, letting in the slightly cool air mixed with the faint scent of plum blossoms. Wu Ciyun felt an urge to cough but held it back.

“May I ask if your health has fully recovered, sir? They say recovering from illness is like drawing silk—slow and steady. Please take good care of yourself,” the official said, feigning concern as he noticed Wu Ciyun’s pale complexion before presenting several official documents.

“Since Wu Ciyun has been ill, Ningzhou has been leaderless. The prince ordered me to assist her. If there are any shortcomings, I hope she will forgive me.”

Though politely phrased, the official was clearly asserting that he followed Prince Rui’s orders, leaving no room for Wu Ciyun’s objection.

Wu Ciyun scanned the documents swiftly. They mainly detailed appointments of Ningzhou officials and city defense arrangements—matters she should have decided but were now handled by others.

She remained composed and calmly said, “Lord Qiao has handled things appropriately. I find no major faults, only a few oversights to address.”

The official raised an eyebrow and smiled, urging, “May I know what these oversights are, sir? Please be candid.”

Wu Ciyun chuckled lightly and called out to a guard outside.

“Ling Tian, go issue orders.”

“Governor Wang has embezzled 8.75 million taels of silver since the twelfth year of Yuancheng, half of which was disaster relief for Ningzhou. His crimes are overwhelming; by law, he should be executed.”

“Count Xiao Siqi of Cheng’an colluded with Prince Pingnan, abusing his power to sell official ranks and harm colleagues, amassing nearly 20 million taels. Execution.”

“Chief Clerk Li Chengxi was cruel to the people. Along with his elder brother Li Chengjian, they repeatedly violated women and forced the innocent into prostitution. Both are to be executed.”

“Legal officer Zhang Shouzhen, cousin to Wang Zhong, beat and killed an innocent citizen in the street in the thirteenth year of Yuancheng, seized a hundred acres of fertile land, and embezzled 1.48 million taels. Execution.”

...

Wu Ciyun spoke as she marked the documents in red ink, utterly indifferent to the official’s increasingly darkening face. She then handed the heavily annotated documents to the guards.

The system watching was astonished. A perfectly ordinary list of promotions and appointments had been transformed by Wu Ciyun into a literal death note.

“Madam Wu, what are you doing?” the official slammed the table, furious. “The appointments in Ningzhou reflect the prince’s will...”

“The prince is unfamiliar with Ningzhou’s affairs, which is why he chose corrupt officials. Now that I am assisting the prince in restoring order, there’s no need for Lord Qiao to be upset,” Wu Ciyun retorted.

She sipped her tea calmly. “A Ming, bring the ledgers and case files for Lord Qiao to review.”

A Ming placed the prepared stacks before the official, who glanced through a few pages before closing the books with a sullen face.

These were discovered in the homes of Ningzhou officials—undeniably genuine.

Prince Rui was aware of the corruption but sought to win hearts by handling these matters lightly. Wu Ciyun, however, insisted on taking a hard line, as if she were a righteous magistrate.

“If you insist on this course, I cannot oppose you,” the official said reluctantly, “but given the gravity, it would be best to consult the prince before proceeding...”

“There are corrupt officials poisoning the land. Why spare them?” Su Wu’e finally spoke, breaking his silence, and barked at the guards, “Hurry and issue the orders!”

The guards nodded and swiftly left with the heavily marked documents.

“General Su, you...” the official trembled with anger yet was powerless.

Though called Prince Rui’s army, its internal factions were complex. In reality, the prince’s personal forces amounted to only forty percent. Though Su Wu’e was commander, he was not a vassal of Prince Rui. Now that he sided with Wu Ciyun, the official’s invoking the prince’s name was futile.

“Enough talk. Madame Wu, please explain everything to the prince yourself. I take my leave,” the official said coldly, throwing down a warning before turning on his heel and riding off to deliver the news.

The study was left with only Wu Ciyun and Su Wu’e. The general glanced at Wu Ciyun’s impassive face, about to speak, when laughter and chatter came from outside the window.

“Big brother, look what we brought you!”

Su Wu’e instinctively turned and saw two children pressed against the window. He was struck dumb, staring at their faces as if struck by lightning.

Wu Mingzhu and Wu Liangyu had thought, with the official’s departure, that Wu Ciyun was free. Since the attendant did not stop them, they quietly came to surprise him, unaware there was a guest present.

Approaching forty, Su Wu’e’s stern, rigid demeanor and the harshness from years of military life radiated a chilling aura, frightening the children. They shrank back, wanting to flee.

“Mingzhu, Liangyu, come inside,” Wu Ciyun called out.

The two children, who usually loved being near her, didn’t hesitate and ran into the study.

“Big brother, here’s the ginger and jujube broth,” Wu Liangyu said proudly, placing the warm bowl on the table.

Wu Mingzhu leaned in close to Wu Ciyun and whispered, “Big brother, hold out your hand. I have something good for you.”

Wu Ciyun smiled quietly and casually extended her left hand. Wu Mingzhu immediately produced a string of vibrant jade prayer beads and wrapped them around her wrist.

Curious, Wu Ciyun asked, “Where did you get these?”

The girl grinned, “Housekeeper Rong gave them. They look good on you.”

“Madam Wu, these two children...” Su Wu’e, still recovering from shock, looked at their faces, which so closely resembled his sister’s, and his voice trembled.

Wu Ciyun calmly said, “This is Mingzhu and Liangyu, names given by the teacher’s wife. They are seven years old.”

“Good, good...” Su Wu’e, overwhelmed, wept openly. “Heaven has eyes…”

When the Wu family was destroyed, even infants were not spared. He had long believed the children perished as well, never imagining they still lived.

Unaware of the situation and puzzled by the stern man’s sudden tears, the children clung to Wu Ciyun in fear.

She smiled kindly and reassured them, “Don’t be afraid. You haven’t met him before—this is your uncle, a relative.”

Taking the bowl of ginger and jujube broth, she said softly, “I won’t drink this. You bring it to your uncle.”

Mingzhu nodded. The children each carried something—one with snacks, the other with the broth—and in their childish voices said, “Uncle, don’t cry. Have some broth.”

Su Wu’e took the bowl and smelled the familiar aroma. Whether from herbs or tears mixed in, the taste was bitter, nothing like the broth his sister once made.

Still, he drank it down in large gulps, pulling the two children into his arms. Thinking of his sister resting beneath the earth, grief and sorrow filled his heart.

The children didn’t know how to comfort him. One wiped his tears with a sleeve, while the other hastily shoved snacks into his mouth.

Wu Ciyun watched them with a gentle smile, resting her chin on her hand.

The system, rarely seeing such open emotion from Wu Ciyun, muttered quietly, “I thought you were some cold-blooded, emotionless creature...”

Wu Ciyun ignored it.

Though allied with Prince Rui, they mistrusted each other. The prince was unwilling to cede power, and she refused to obey blindly. Today’s conflict would surely spark future struggles.

But that was fine.

Because from this day forward, the Su family, wielding military power, would fully support her.