The governor's office is in session, and idle people scatter.

  Ling Frost forgot about punishing Yang Cang at the moment, looked puzzled and glanced into the basket, furrowed his brow: "Again fabricating, I've tried all the famous snacks in Luoyang City, but never heard of any Portuguese egg tart."

  "It doesn't matter if you've heard of it or not, as long as it tastes good."

  Her face showed some movement, but she put on a disdainful look: "I never eat those street foods, although they smell good, they may not taste good when eaten, and they are also not clean."

  Although she said so, her charming eyes would occasionally glance at the bamboo basket.

  Yang Dang urged: "Sister Shuang, just try one and you'll know, although it may not be to your taste, but if it's delicious, wouldn't Sister Shuang miss out on it?"

  Ling Shuang hesitated for a moment, pretending to be reluctant, and said: "Well, I'll just barely try one then."

  As she spoke, she took a pastry from Yang's hand and brought it to her mouth, nibbling at it lightly, chewing slowly, then she stopped moving, her face becoming exceptionally enchanting.

  Yang Dang's face wore a smile as he gazed at her with full confidence.

  Ling Frost looked at Yang Cang with some embarrassment, quickly but elegantly finishing the egg tart in her hand and then reaching for another one.

  "Is it delicious?" Yang Cang asked.

  "The taste is just so-so."

  "But I remember that Sister Frost never eats a second piece of food."

  "How can you taste the flavor with something so small?" Ling Xue pretended to be nonchalant, seeing Yang Cang's face with an expression of "I knew you'd say that", finally couldn't hold it in and scolded: "Why didn't I see you bring it for me to try before? Are you hiding it from me yourself?"

  "Unjust! I also just found out today that there's such a delicious thing, and I didn't even dare to hide it from you, Frost sister. How could I possibly keep it for myself?"

  Ling Feng asked: "Where did you buy it? I'll send someone to buy it next time."

  "Hehe, this thing can't be bought with money. If Sister Frost wants to eat it in the future, just tell me and I'll get it for you right away."

  Ling Frost didn't say another word, savoring the second piece carefully, then wiping her hand: "Your trick has succeeded, I've eaten too, Li Mama, see the guest off."

  Watching Ling Xue's sudden change of face, Yang Cang was stunned as if petrified.

  Ling Frost didn't bother with him anymore and turned into the study room.

  After Yang Zong left, she came out of the bedroom and looked at his leaving figure, muttering to herself: "Not seeing each other for a few days, he actually learned how to scheme against people."

  Then, he lowered his head and looked at the remaining egg tart crumbs on his hand, hesitated for a moment, sneaked a peek around the room, saw no one around, and quickly put his fingers into his mouth to lick them.

  ……

  A wine shop on Luoyang Street.

  Several servants dressed in various livery sat around a table by the window, drinking and boasting about their masters' great achievements, with cups and plates scattered all over the table.

  One of them said, "Speaking of our master, he is a red person next to the emperor. We are fortunate to serve such a master, it's really a blessing from our previous life. As the saying goes, 'under the big tree, it's cool', following our master, we can live longer."

  "What did he say?" The others were all busybodies and seeing that there was more to his words than met the eye, they hastily asked him to elaborate.

  Then, with the wine's influence, that person said in a drunken tone: "This matter, apart from the Emperor and our family's elder, not many people in Luoyang know about it. A few days ago, our family's elder was ordered by the Emperor to go to Yanzhen for inspection, and after returning, he immediately let our family's Chen general manager sell all the fields and shops in the mansion, exchanging them for over a dozen large boxes of silver coins with hundred flowers on them. Our family's elder has been an official in Luoyang since the time of Emperor Wen, and Luoyang is where his ancestors have lived and worked for generations. This sudden selling off of our family property, others may not understand, but I know that this matter must be fishy."

  He took a sip of wine, with a hint of pride on his face: "Later, I secretly crouched under the window of my master's house and heard him and his wife say that half a month ago, the rebels from Wagang Village besieged Huayang, beheading General Zhang Xunru of our dynasty at the city gate, hanging his corpse on the city wall for three days. The eastern gate of Luoyang is now wide open, and the next target of these bandits from Wagang Village is to attack Luoyang. Even the Emperor has already prepared to flee south to Jiangdu, but this is being kept secret from the people. When the time comes and the bandits enter Luoyang, who knows how many people will die?"

  Everyone was shocked and lost their color when they heard the words. One of them seemed to have realized something and said, "No wonder our general has been summoned by the emperor for several days in a row to discuss matters in the palace, it's probably about this matter!"

  Everyone turned around and looked at one of the servants who was drunk, asking: "Little Li, you are from the Yue Wang Fu, have you heard about this?"

  Xiao Li complained, "What's so great about the Crown Prince's mansion? It's just a place where the deceased prince's illegitimate son lives. From a young age, he was always a little pervert, and at such a young age, every day he either sneaks around to peek at women bathing or goes to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion to flirt with prostitutes."

  "Just over a decade ago, I had just framed the people of Pei's mansion and didn't mention it. A few days ago, I was in the Hundred Flowers Building, fighting for favor and beating up the second young master of Jin's household management. It didn't matter that I provoked others, but did he know what kind of person Jin's household manager is? Anyway, I won't be able to stay in this Yue Wang Fu anymore, the earlier I leave, the better. All those servants in Yue Wang Fu are thinking of finding another home. Brother Chen, can you help me get into your mansion, even if it's just as a lowly servant who empties the chamber pots? It's still better than waiting for death in Yue Wang Fu..."

  The slave who was called "Brother Chen" by him looked embarrassed: "This thing I said doesn't count, if there's a chance I'll help you ask around, but it's not necessarily possible."

  "Thanks so much little brother... Ah——"

  Just as Little Li was speaking, two men in casual clothes suddenly stood up from the next table and walked over to him. They grabbed him like a chicken and pulled him out of his chair.

  Everyone else was startled and stood up, staring angrily at the two big men.

  "Get out of the way, you idle people!" A man glared at them with wide eyes, and instantly made these people shudder all over, unable to utter a single word, and sat back down again.

  Two men carried Little Li out of the wine house, wailing and howling like a ghost, bound him up and threw him into a horse carriage, galloping away...

  ……

  Seal the government offices.

  The gate opened and Tian Guanshi walked out of the gate, walked to the side of the guard at the door, and handed a yellow envelope to the guard.

  "Take this letter to Lord Pei of the Salt Gang's manor and give it to Young Master Pei."

  "Yes!" The guard took over the letter and galloped away on horseback...

  ;