When Yin Shuangshuang found General Feng, the Great General was fretting over how to quickly end the war with the barbarians; he was so worried his hair was turning white, yet he still had no clue.

Seeing Yin Shuangshuang, General Feng rubbed his forehead. Irritated as he was, he had no choice but to brace himself to deal with Yin Shuangshuang. After all, they were both trusted aides of the Emperor, and he couldn’t afford to fall out with her. "I don’t know what brings Mr. Yin to this General today?"

Yin Shuangshuang knew General Feng was troubled at the moment and hadn’t planned on wasting words; she stated her purpose directly.

"This humble official knows the Great General is vexed over how to quickly end the war with the barbarians. As it happens, I have come up with a stratagem and hope it can relieve the Great General’s worries."

"Oh? Mr. Yin has a way? Quickly, let me hear it." General Feng immediately became interested; he had long heard of Yin Shuangshuang’s reputation for intelligence.

In their previous secret exchanges with the Emperor, His Majesty had often spoken to him of this strategist Yin Shuangshuang.

He’d said Yin Shuangshuang had helped him solve countless problems, and this had unconsciously instilled in General Feng a vague sense of confidence in her.

Since she was now saying she had a way to help him, General Feng couldn’t help but feel twice as expectant.

............

By the time Yin Shuangshuang returned to Qingyang Prefecture, the news of General Feng’s crushing defeat of the Hu People Army at the border had arrived as well.

While Yin Shuangshuang was locked in a battle of wits with the aristocratic families, the common people—utterly unaware of the undercurrents beneath the calm surface—were still enthusiastically discussing this news.

At the Come Again Inn, the storyteller on the high platform in the main hall gave the table a resounding slap, and the surroundings instantly quieted. Every gaze fell on the storyteller’s face.

With so many people staring at him, the storyteller showed not the slightest stage fright. His face was animated and spirited. "Now, this General Feng is truly formidable. He had soybeans boiled in medicinal broth, then scattered them across the grassland.

He then muzzled the horses on his own side and sent men to lure the barbarian army—already worn out—onto the grassland strewn with soybeans.

Those barbarian warhorses, run until they were hungry and exhausted, simply could not resist the aroma of the soybeans. They started gnawing on them on the spot and, sure enough, within moments they were all keeling over on the ground.

Once those barbarians lost their mounts, General Feng immediately led his men to clean them up thoroughly. Afterwards, all those warhorses became our General Feng’s spoils of war.

Those warhorses are all fine breeds. The barbarians have always guarded them closely, yet now we’ve managed to lay hands on so many. General Feng truly commands troops like a god, defeating the enemy in ways no one expects!"

As soon as the storyteller finished, a round of applause and cheers rose up below the stage. The tale of General Feng’s crushing victory over the barbarian army had been told who knows how many times already, and each time it drew countless cries of approval.

"This time General Feng routed the Hu People Army and dealt the barbarians a grievous blow, severely wounding their strength. With the external threat resolved, we can finally catch our breath."

In a private room, Wei Yingnan, Yang Yixuan, Wang Ruiqi, and Xu Zijing were sitting together with Yin Shuangshuang. The reason they had gathered was to discuss the recent flurry of activity from the aristocratic families.

Of course, once they’d more or less finished their serious business, they came to the Come Again Inn for a meal, and just so happened to hear the storyteller’s performance.

The one who’d spoken just now was Xu Zijing. He, along with Yang Yixuan, Wang Ruiqi, and Wei Yingnan, had all been tormented quite a bit by the aristocratic families lately.

Currently, the three most prosperous Upper Counties under Qingyang Prefecture’s jurisdiction are Qinglin County, Lin County, and Lishui County, which has developed a large lake and built a dock.

The County Magistrate of Lishui County is Wang Ruiqi. Wang Ruiqi has already accepted the order promoting him to Assistant Magistrate, and the next County Magistrate of Lishui County has also been decided; Wei Yingnan will take over the post.

After several years of training, Wei Yingnan had become completely steady. Sitting there, he looked very composed. At the moment, hearing Xu Zijing mention the aristocratic families, he frowned and looked toward Yin Shuangshuang.

"Sister Shuangshuang, these aristocratic families keep jumping around endlessly—it’s really nauseating. Yet we can’t get rid of them in one stroke. Just the spies they’ve sent into Lishui County lately have already run me ragged."

Wang Ruiqi followed with a wry smile. "Perhaps Lishui County’s dock is too eye-catching. During this period, Ying Nan and I have been forcing ourselves to stay on high alert and keep constant watch; that’s the only reason nothing’s happened so far.

But I’m about to leave Lishui County and take up my new post. When it’s just Ying Nan left there alone, I can’t help feeling worried." As he spoke, Wang Ruiqi also cast a gentle look at Wei Yingnan.

Yin Shuangshuang, Yang Yixuan, and Xu Zijing all looked at the two in unison. "Ying Nan"—calling him that so affectionately, there was definitely something there. Could it be that Wang Ruiqi had fallen for Wei Yingnan?

However, Wei Yingnan’s mind was clearly very straight; he hadn’t thought of any of that at all. Instead, he clapped Wang Ruiqi heartily on the shoulder. "That’s one thing you don’t need to worry about.

After all, I’ve followed by Sister Shuangshuang’s side learning for years, and I’ve been tempered for several more besides. I don’t dare boast of anything grand, but I’m confident I can at least keep a hold on one Lishui County."

Once again, Wang Ruiqi was rendered speechless by Wei Yingnan’s blockheaded inability to take a hint. That wasn’t what he meant at all. He was so deft when it came to official matters—how could he be so wooden when it came to feelings?

Yin Shuangshuang shook her head in amusement. Wei Yingnan’s heart was set entirely on his official career right now; getting her to "wake up" to romance would be hard. But everyone has their own fate in love, and she wasn’t a matchmaker. As for these two, their feelings could just be left to develop naturally, like water flowing where it will.

She glanced at Yang Yixuan, who had been in low spirits the whole time. A while ago, a spy from an aristocratic family had slipped into his jurisdiction and nearly set several sugar refineries in Lin County ablaze in one go. No wonder Yang Yixuan’s mood was poor.

Yin Shuangshuang picked up her teacup, using tea in place of wine, and raised it to Yang Yixuan in a comforting toast. "You don’t need to be this dejected. The aristocratic families have had their roots entrenched for so many years; the tree is huge and the roots run deep, and their methods are impossible to guard against. This isn’t your fault.

Just remember to be more cautious in the future and never underestimate the shamelessness and viciousness of the aristocratic families. You lead troops into battle; you don’t need me to lecture you on the principle of remaining modest in victory and undaunted in defeat. Pull yourself together." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Yang Yixuan nodded and raised a hand to wipe his face. "It’s not that I’ve fallen apart. I’m just a bit shaken. You don’t know—there are a lot of people living inside those sugar refineries.

If a fire really had been set off, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Every time I think of that, I feel a chill in my heart. Right now I even feel like having people seal off the whole county, just so the aristocratic families can’t keep jumping out to make trouble."

"We’ll endure it. I refuse to believe the aristocratic families can keep jumping around like this forever. They’re like grasshoppers after autumn—let them strut for a few more days first." Wei Yingnan bit out the words with a cold snort.

"It won’t be much longer. The Emperor’s momentum is already unstoppable, and the talents our teacher has cultivated are now emerging in an endless stream. This time General Feng’s decisive rout of the Hu People Army has further tipped the scales in the Emperor’s favor.

Not to mention that the common people have turned their hearts to him and highly praise the Emperor’s sagacity. Given all this, the end of the road for the aristocratic families is not far off." Xu Zijing said, analyzing the situation as he cradled his teacup.

Yin Shuangshuang once again lifted the teacup in her hand. "So, none of you should be sitting here with such long faces today. True, the aristocratic families’ counterattacks are indeed irritating, but they won’t be able to irritate us for much longer. We ought to be happy.

After so many years of waiting and scheming, we’ve finally reached the last stage. This is a battle to the finish without raising a blade. All of you must tread carefully—don’t let yourselves fall at the final hurdle."