A sudden cold autumn rain swept across. From the capital line to the edge of Qingping, heavy rain poured for several days. Prince of Qin fell ill and found it hard to get up again, his illness growing colder and more severe with the autumn. The swift horses dispatched from the capital had to pass through the Qingping Liaoyuan Provincial Administration Commission before reaching Wuhan Mountain. The Crown Prince's urgent summons traveled at high speed, but slowed down upon reaching Qingping territory.

Xie Jingsheng, with a simple phrase about acting according to rules, delayed the capital's summons by seven or eight days. The notices from the post stations were meticulously crafted, as if fearing any inappropriate wording, effectively turning the swift horses into slow donkeys.

The raven-green crane cloak stood upright by the railing outside the building. An unopened fan tapped repeatedly against his fingertips, accompanying the resonant pipa melody from within the building.

"If you don't want them to pass, why not just find an excuse to stop them cleanly? This kind of hesitation, are you afraid the Crown Prince won't know?" Standing beside him was a woman dressed in a cross-collared short blouse and a snow-blue brocade skirt, with a clear forehead and hair neatly tied in a high bun. Her appearance was clearly simple and elegant, and although dressed as a married woman, her brows held the gentle charm of a maiden, and her words revealed a decisive and serene character.

"Even if they were truly stopped, the Crown Prince would understand perfectly well." Xie Jingsheng tossed his folding fan, twirled it, and caught it steadily. He chuckled, "He hates me quite a bit now, I'm afraid even if someone falls, he'd blame it on Qingping's bad roads. This cold, damp autumn rain is boring and dull, can't I find some amusement? Sister Yan, don't worry about it."

"Prince of Qin's self-inflicted wound strategy this time is quite potent." Xiao Yan stood with her hands in her sleeves, "I don't even have time to hide, who'd rush forward recklessly like you, afraid the Crown Prince won't know you're leading the charge?"

"I actually like him hating me." Xie Jingsheng opened his folding fan and, pinching his voice, said, "Crown Prince, Crown Prince, your humble servant is waiting."

Xiao Yan immediately stepped back a few paces, "Good heavens, My Lord, wake up. In this cold autumn rain, why are you carrying a fan?" After saying that, she laughed again, "That's right, the Crown Prince only hates you, it's best if he doesn't remember who initially intended for that case to be thoroughly investigated."

"Wasn't it me?" Xie Jingsheng stroked his chin and said, "These past few days I've been busy causing trouble for others, I forgot to groom myself. This feels quite prickly."

Seeing that he didn't want to bring it up, Xiao Yan dropped the subject, only laughing at him: "You're just a foxtail grass of Qingping, grooming yourself will still make you prickly."

"Foxtail grass." Xie Jingsheng murmured with a smile, "That's the truth, I am just a foxtail grass in Qingping." After that, he laughed again, "Or perhaps a local despot sounds more imposing."

A local despot's ability is only fully displayed on their home turf. Unfortunately, Xie Jingsheng hadn't finished causing trouble yet when heaven decided to spill water, breaching the dam of Prince of Tang's Jiangtang. One could say this was Prince of Qin's bad luck; his self-inflicted wound strategy was clever, but not as timely as heaven's downpour. When the Jiangtang flood erupted, it first flowed into the Chang River between Wuhan Mountain and Qingping. The water along the banks rose drastically; it was water from Jiangtang, yet it flooded Qingping's land. Fortunately, Xie Jingsheng and Xiao Yan had already evacuated people several miles inland along the Chang River a few days before the autumn rain, and had harvested all the crops in the fields. Although there was flooding, there were no casualties.

This was not the first time this had happened; two years ago, the Jiangtang flood from heavy rain also affected Qingping's fertile land. Xie Jingsheng annually submitted memorials requesting people from the capital to reinforce and repair Jiangtang's dam. However, because no major disaster had occurred, Prince of Tang himself remained silent, and the capital consistently delayed the repairs each year with the excuse of lacking funds.

The moment the news reached Xie Jingsheng, the man who had been leisurely reading a play script in a chair a moment ago instantly threw it down and erupted in a furious rage.

"I knew this would happen!" He pointed at the message and sneered, "Did Prince of Tang eat too much? Couldn't he have choked to death if he'd just spoken up to the Imperial Secretariat earlier this year? If he has guts, he should pay for the repairs himself. If he doesn't, he should honestly listen to me and have someone from the capital properly stabilize it! Every year my fields are flooded, every year! If he continues to act like this, I'll castrate him first!"

"Xie Jingsheng!" Xiao Yan rebuked, "Has your head been idle for too long, are you impatient?! What kind of outrageous nonsense are you spouting!"

Xie Jingsheng usually alternated quickly between joking and scolding, but once his stubborn temper flared up, it wasn't easily subdued. Earlier in the year, he had put immense effort into this matter. Qingping only had this one Chang River; if the canals were well-maintained, the fertile fields would be irrigated smoothly, and the people would live peacefully. But ever since Jiangtang's dam collapsed once, it became unstable every year during the rainy season. This Jiangtang dam was like a shaky knife hanging over Qingping. Jiangtang's water network was dense, and the dam, constantly leaking and collapsing in places, remained unrepaired. What if it completely gave way one day? Not only would Jiangtang suffer, but Qingping would be the first to bear the brunt!

Xie Jingsheng suppressed his anger, "Send a memorial to the capital, immediately! Just say this damn dam has collapsed again! If the capital doesn't come out to repair it, I'll beat Prince of Tang until he agrees to fix it! Wasn't His Majesty displeased with his son a few days ago? Just take this old bastard back and don't cause me more trouble!" With that, he went out to call for horses and, with his men, braved the rain towards the Chang River.

If the rain stopped, it would be fine. But if it continued incessantly, the Chang River might not be able to withstand Jiangtang's network of waterways, big and small. By then, with floods surging, even evacuating people would be impossible!

While Xie Jingsheng went to the Chang River, suppressing his anger, the memorial quickly reached the capital. In court, His Majesty inquired about the matter again, and Bai Jiu's people naturally clarified the dangers involved. However, Jiangtang's dam had not experienced a major disaster in the more than ten years since its repair, and Qingping always managed to evacuate in time, with the water receding after a month. The court felt there was no urgency.

The Scribe of the Imperial Secretariat first said, "Lord Xie submits memorials every year; if it weren't an urgent matter, why would he do so? Furthermore, Qingping and Jiangtang are interconnected by water and land, and widespread flooding is by no means a trivial matter. In my humble opinion, the court should certainly repair Jiangtang's dam as a precaution."

The Councilor immediately said, "If it were truly an urgent matter, Lord Xie, as a local Provincial Administration Commissioner, has authority over financial matters. Why would he need to petition the capital every year?"

The Scribe was momentarily stunned, then the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Entertainments sneered, "Your Lordship's words are mistaken. I have never heard of a precedent where a Provincial Administration Commissioner pays to repair a dam in a vassal prince's fiefdom. Lord Xie governs Qingping, not Jiangtang!"

The Councilor did not back down, continuing, "If it's not under his jurisdiction, why interfere? If His Royal Highness Prince of Tang genuinely finds it inappropriate, he will naturally report it to the court; there's no need for others to speak up."

Although the Scribe's position was low, he was genuinely concerned about the flooding, so he said, "The ancients' saying, 'Prevent trouble before it happens,' reminds us there is no excuse for inaction. Having no immediate problems does not mean stability; 'being prepared for danger in times of peace' is truly what a noble person does. Jiangtang and Qingping are both vital areas of the country, granaries of the court. If they were truly to suffer a flood, it would affect thousands of common people. Your Majesty, please consider this matter carefully!"

The Councilor gave a cold glance, clearly not having taken in a single word. He only said that this matter was debated every year, and His Majesty also found it tiresome, merely wishing to allocate some silver as a gesture. Unexpectedly, before His Majesty could speak, He Anchang suddenly stepped forward from the ranks below.

"Your subject seconds the motion." He raised his head coolly, his gaze stern, "The prevention of widespread flooding cannot be delayed. Jiangtang's dam has not been heavily renovated or repaired for years; even if it were made of iron, it would wear out. Since the Chang River has already risen and the heavy rain has not stopped, this matter is pressing. However, the repairs cannot be done casually, and the allocation of funds must not be carelessly followed as usual. In previous years, only Lord Xie submitted memorials to report this, and we have never witnessed it firsthand. This year, your subject requests to personally visit the Chang River along Jiangtang to prepare a financial report. What is Your Majesty's will?"

His Majesty hesitated, "So you will personally go to Chang River?"

"It is necessary." He Anchang lowered his gaze.

"In that case." His Majesty nodded, "Then I will entrust He Anchang with the investigation. If it is urgent, begin defensive repairs immediately."

When the court dispersed, He Anchang was descending the steps and, seeing Bai Jiu pass by, he said, "Prince of Pingding."

Bai Jiu stopped, turned back with a smile, "Rare."

He Anchang was expressionless, only saying, "Since the matter of Jiangtang's dam is so urgent, has Lord Xie not sent a letter to request Prince of Pingding's help?"

Bai Jiu turned sideways, slowly twirling a jade pendant in his palm, "He never asks for help. Although he doesn't show his face in the capital, he can still manage Qingping quite well. As the saying goes, 'when water comes, use earth to block it.' If he were waiting for the capital to allocate money for dam repairs, Qingping would have long been submerged and gone." After saying that, he continued walking down, softly stating, "In his devotion to the people, I am not his equal. Lord He, safe travels."

He Anchang was stunned.

As soon as he got into the carriage, he saw Xin Yi offering him a hand warmer. Bai Jiu simply clasped Xin Yi's hand together with the warmer, smiling, "Why are you here to pick me up again?"

"Heavy rain." Xin Yi also smiled, and added, "How is the dam repair matter?"

"It's settled." Bai Jiu drank the ginger soup from his hand, his brow slightly furrowed, "This time it cannot be delayed. What dam can collapse every year? Xie Jingsheng has already been pushed to his limit this time. If the dam isn't repaired, Prince of Tang might not have peaceful days anymore."

"I heard about this matter when I was in Shanyin." Xin Yi said, "If it weren't for Lord Xie diligently promoting Qingping's water conservancy and canals, the Chang River might not have even lasted the first year. However, Prince of Tang knows the pros and cons of this matter best, so why does he remain silent every year?"

A smile spread on Bai Jiu's lips, but his narrow eyes were cold, "In recent years, His Majesty has killed any vassal prince who dared to stand out. Prince of Tang wishes he could feign death and retreat to his fiefdom for a lifetime without seeing his imperial father, so how would he dare ask for money?"

Xin Yi recalled, "This Imperial Uncle... he wasn't like this before."

"Of course not. As the saying goes, 'playing the pig to eat the tiger.' The more he shrinks back, the greater his ambitions. Don't you see, of the six vassal princes in line, only he remains in his fiefdom today."

Bai Jiu ruffled Xin Yi's hair. "If you return to Beiyang," he said, then smiled, "remember not to mind him."

Xin Yi nodded solemnly. Bai Jiu was amused by him and laughed again without further comment.

Less than four days later, He Anchang had already arrived at the Chang River.

The rain was still falling. Xie Jingsheng dared not leave. These days, he lived in a simple wooden hut hastily erected by the Chang River canal, sleeping on a long bench when there was no bed. Fortunately, he was thick-skinned and could endure falls at night. Often, before his eyes could close, there was another shout from outside. He dared not be careless, keeping a close watch on the rising waters of the Chang River.

Today, the heavy rain beat painfully. Xie Jingsheng and the canal-reinforcing craftsmen were together, raising wooden frames in the muddy floodwaters. He had only slept two hours in three days. Now his eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion, and his prickly stubble was even more rampant. Any trace of a refined young master was gone; he was simply clad in coarse cloth and mud, with layers upon layers of grime.

He Anchang got out of the carriage and actually couldn't distinguish which one was Xie Jingsheng at a glance. It wasn't until someone called out "Lord Xie" to the mud-covered figure standing waist-deep in the water, raising a plank, that he realized it was Xie Jingsheng.

The one calling Xie Jingsheng was an old woman in a cloth jacket, carrying a bamboo basket across the canal, distributing food and telling Xie Jingsheng to come up and eat something. But Xie Jingsheng didn't answer. He Anchang saw the wooden plank on his shoulder slip into the water, and the man suddenly fell backward.

He Anchang's heart suddenly pounded; he felt as if someone had kicked him from behind. Just as the woman's startled cry escaped her lips, the handsome, impeccably dressed young master who had just alighted from the carriage suddenly pushed people aside, rushed to the canal like a flash, and without a second thought, leaped down. He fumbled in the water, shouting, "Xie Jingsheng!"

The rain was too heavy, beating on his hair and face; He Anchang couldn't even hear his own voice. As he fumbled and searched in the water, he shouted loudly, "Xie Jingsheng!" His chest tightened, and his hands trembled nervously. He Anchang couldn't find anyone in the water, fearing Xie Jingsheng had been swept out of the canal, and grew increasingly anxious.

Unexpectedly, his waist tightened as the man suddenly emerged from behind him, hugging and dragging him to the side, cursing, "Has your brain filled with water?! What are you doing in the water!"

How could He Anchang, a mere scholar, struggle free from him? He was practically lifted by the waist. Ignoring everything else, he turned and tugged at Xie Jingsheng's mud-caked collar, angrily scolding, "What were you doing!"

Xie Jingsheng paused, his tone immediately faltering, "Washing my face."

He Anchang's heart was still pounding. He pushed the madman away coldly, breathing heavily, then stood up, fixing him with a frosty gaze. As the man was about to get up, He Anchang let out a cold snort, suddenly flicked his sleeve, turned, and walked away.

Only then did Xie Jingsheng register what happened. He started laughing, then simply braced himself on the ground and burst into loud laughter, tilting his head back to let the rain drench him completely. He shouted loudly to He Anchang, who was dripping with mud and water, "He Anchang!"

He Anchang wasn't paying attention and stumbled over a jumbled pile of wooden planks. Hearing Xie Jingsheng's laughter, he felt like a madman himself.

"He Anchang!" Xie Jingsheng saw the situation, scrambled to his feet and chased after him, "Don't run!"

"Scram!"

"Aren't I here now?" Xie Jingsheng grabbed his sleeve, and, taking the opportunity, wiped his own face. He said, "Where are you going? The rain's too heavy for the carriage to move. You'll catch a cold sooner or later getting drenched."

He Anchang had never seen such a shameless person. He couldn't pull his sleeve back. Young Master He, who had always valued a gentleman's dignity, raised his foot and kicked him. Xie Jingsheng took the kick without getting angry. He casually wrapped his arms around He Anchang's long leg and said, "Well, well, He Ruxu*, assaulting a local high official, are we?"

*T/N: He Anchang's courtesy name

"Scram!" He Anchang couldn't break free and, unable to stand steady, had to hop on one foot. Xie Jingsheng immediately seized the opportunity, supporting He Anchang's waist, and considerately said, "Scram, scram, scram, let's go into a house first? I'll show you how to scram."

He smiled, his teeth white against his mud-darkened face.

He Anchang was originally grinding his teeth in anger, but seeing Xie Jingsheng's appearance, he suddenly found himself unable to curse.

The heavy rain poured down. He vaguely felt that he was in trouble.