Chapter 10: Malevolence

“Eunuch faction?” Liang Qingshuang was somewhat surprised. Even though Liang Xiao’s father and brothers were not favored by the noble clans back then, they still shunned association with the eunuch faction.

“The princess’s informant placed within the palace eunuchs sent word...”

At that moment, the female captain of the soldiers recounted to Liang Qingshuang the matter of Liang Xiao purchasing an official post from Wang Teng, also mentioning the conflict over the estate.

“Pei County? Isn’t that right in the northern frontier...”

Liang Qingshuang pondered thoughtfully.

“We do not know the full story of Liang Xiao. Since he intends to buy the position of magistrate in Pei County, he must not be as incompetent as the emperor imagines.”

“But he has aligned himself with the eunuch faction...” The female captain’s face showed difficulty.

Liang Qingshuang shook her head slightly. “That is not important. What matters is whether he can benefit the country and its people. His cooperation with Wang Teng may also be a reluctant choice. Facing the Sima family, who have taken in the Sitú Luoyue faction, he needs to seek broader support. You, proceed with the plan as before.”

The female captain dared not disobey and immediately went to make the arrangements.

Liang Qingshuang returned to her dressing table and sighed deeply, overcome with sorrow.

“The noble families grow ever stronger, while the eunuchs remain rampant. Will he truly throw in his lot with Wang Teng?”

Was this land doomed to despair, to be trampled by foreign tribes without hope?

At night, Wang Teng’s emissaries arrived at the Liang residence.

There was a minor eunuch tasked with delivering messages for Wang Teng, ten guards assigned to escort Liang Xiao to his new post, and two additional scribes.

Liang Xiao immediately held a banquet to welcome them, slipping the minor eunuch twenty taels of silver and giving five taels each to the others.

During the feast, the minor eunuch handed Liang Xiao a rectangular wooden box.

“Young Master Liang, all the intelligence regarding Pei County is inside.”

After seeing the eunuch off and settling his guests, Liang Xiao opened the box and examined its contents with Zhuo Zifang.

Inside were a map of Pei County and a report on its current condition.

Since the barbarians took control of the Central Plains, many kingdoms have been established, plunging the region into years of strife.

The Wu dynasty had negotiated peace and repurchased parts of Yuzhou and Xuzhou north of the Yangtze River.

Pei County originally belonged to Yuzhou and was strategically unfavorable to Wu, but as the homeland of the dynasty’s founding emperor, it was a key target for reclamation, now essentially a border territory.

Because it lay just across a river from the capital, it was perpetually vulnerable to barbarian incursions, isolated and helpless. Even the noble clans, who eagerly sought official posts, had so far dared not take on the magistrate position there.

This was why Liang Xiao valued Pei County so highly.

The county was fraught with danger but full of opportunity.

Currently, he was weak and had no foundation at court. After the Sitú family, a nest of traitors, defected to the Sima clan, they would undoubtedly work hard to persecute him. The capital was no longer safe.

The reclaimed territories were reorganized as “Xuzhou.”

Now, the Wu dynasty’s lands were almost entirely south of the Yangtze, while Pei County lay north, making imperial support difficult, but also limiting interference in Liang Xiao’s rule there.

“The Central Plains have suffered war and devastation; many places are nearly deserted. Yet Pei County still boasts seventy thousand inhabitants, twice what I expected!” Zhuo Zifang smiled upon seeing the population figures.

Liang Xiao said, “Though the Central Plains are occupied by barbarians who have wrought slaughter, the large population base still yearns for the former glory of Wu. Many commoners cannot cross south over the river and naturally gather in Xuzhou under our control. As long as we manage affairs well, the hearts of the people will return, and the population of our territory will grow. We need not fear a lack of soldiers!”

Zhuo Zifang gave Liang Xiao a thumbs-up.

“Your insight no longer lags behind mine. I usually handle this kind of analysis myself; I sometimes wonder if I am even necessary.”

Liang Xiao said, “If you abandon me, tomorrow I shall hang myself at the city gate.”

Hearing this, Zhuo Zifang rolled his eyes. “Don’t let your lady Yanyan misunderstand!”

Yanyan, who was brewing tea nearby, covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.

Her young master had been betrayed by the Sitú family and was bound to feel disheartened.

Fortunately, Zhuo Zifang could keep him company with lighthearted banter.

Unlike herself, who served the young master solemnly and only hoped not to cause trouble.

In the imperial study, Emperor Wu glanced at the appointment document and cast a look at the prostrate Wang Teng.

“Minister Wang, you have done well. As for Liang Xiao, my personal disapproval does not mean he cannot buy an official post. If he truly can aid the realm and hold his ground against the noble clans, I can let him rise swiftly to the highest ranks. If he is but a mediocrity, then let him perish on his own.”

“Your Majesty’s wisdom is unmatched!”

Wang Teng smiled obsequiously, having expected the emperor’s response.

At the Northern Command General’s mansion, Sitú Luoyue’s family had also learned of Liang Xiao’s appointment from Sima Lingyun.

“He bought the magistrate position of Pei County as well?” Mrs. Sitú frowned deeply, worried. “Now that he holds office, it will be difficult to control him in the future...”

But Sima Lingyun exchanged a smile with the Sitú siblings.

Sitú Yinghao was confident as he gripped his mother’s hand. “Mother, rest assured! The north is rife with turmoil, and Pei County is at the frontline. Buying that post is like courting death; we need not intervene!”

Sitú Luoyue sneered. “He must be after the cheap magistrate title, unaware that the place is a den of dragons and tigers!”

“Now I understand!” Mrs. Sitú looked relieved, coughing a little, but her eyes filled with resentment. “That wretch is truly vicious. Luoyue tried to part amicably, but he disregarded the ties between our families and cast us out of the Liang estate, ignoring my grave illness! Luckily, we still have Lingyun.”

Sima Lingyun said, “The imperial physician also said your illness will soon heal completely, and you will no longer suffer!”

Mrs. Sitú was moved. “Lingyun spent only a thousand taels and cured me! It shows that Liang Xiao merely sought temporary relief for my condition to coerce Luoyue and never intended a full cure. Such malice...”

The siblings echoed her accusations, their hatred for Liang Xiao growing.

“Brother Lingyun, Liang Xiao’s cunning harmed our family. You must not let him off!”

Sima Lingyun paused, then smiled and nodded.

He had visited the physician Liang Xiao had consulted and learned the details.

After long treatment, Mrs. Sitú’s illness was in its final recovery phase. Lingyun spent just the last hundred taels, benefiting from the previous care, earning the future mother-in-law’s deep gratitude.

Had he taken on her case from the start, the cost would have been no less than Liang Xiao’s.

One thing surprised him: the Sitú family was so impoverished that their outward splendor was all funded by Liang Xiao.

He had assumed the estates and lands held by Sitú Yinghao and Luoyue belonged to their family, but they were actually Liang Xiao’s.

If not for the military rewards held by the Sitú father and sons, Luoyue might not even have had a dowry this time.

The next morning, in the main hall of the Liang estate, Liang Xiao put away the silver notes and ingots on the table, listening to the steward’s report.

“Per your orders, all the estate’s lands and shops have been sold, yielding six thousand two hundred taels of silver. Only the ancestral home and three hundred acres of farmland remain...”

The steward sighed involuntarily.

Once the glorious Marquis of Loyalty and Valor’s mansion—how splendid it had been!

Now, was the family on the brink of ruin?