61: The situation in Jiangsu and Zhejiang should have changed long ago.

The winds of the capital might not reach Jiangsu and Zhejiang, but the same events were simultaneously unfolding there.

"People are panicking, truly panicking!"

In the Su Residence, Su Wensheng, the head of the Su Family, looked at the letter in his hand, then irritably crumpled the paper and tossed it aside. He had once been a minor seventh-rank official, and while not destitute, his family's circumstances were only average.

If not for his ancestors' friendship with the Mo Family, who had always provided assistance, the Su Family would never have connected with the Zhang Family, let alone Su Wensheng holding the position of Prefect today. He could say that he relied entirely on the Zhang Family's patronage, but... if not for the initial connection between the Mo Family and the Zhang Family, and because his family was also considered an official household, earning Zhang Jiawen's appreciation and promotion, he would not have reached this point today.

But now, Su Wensheng felt as if a sharp sword hung over his head, ready to strike at any moment. Shen Xian had taken office as governor-general of liangjiang, and immediately upon his appointment, he had dismissed several officials and even executed three.

The people of the Duke Shen Family, the Ministry of War Vice Minister, the rising Minister Shen, showed no mercy in their actions. Corruption in Jiangsu and Zhejiang had never truly been eradicated over the years, and this trend had even intensified, especially since Grand Chancellor Zhou entered the cabinet.

However, Shen Xian's actions this time were like a hot knife through butter. Not to mention that The Emperor personally bestowed upon him an imperial edict plaque, and he even specifically transferred troops from the Shen Family. His objective was extremely clear: to purge the corrupt atmosphere of the entire officialdom in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

"Father, are you alright?"

The door was slowly pushed open, and a young woman of graceful figure and delicate, beautiful features entered, carrying a bowl of ginseng soup. Every gesture and smile carried the charm of a Jiangnan woman.

Su Yan, the only daughter of the Su Family, with an older brother above her. Looking at his beautiful daughter, Su Wensheng felt an even greater headache.

"Yan'er, you, alas..." Su Wensheng looked at her with a complicated expression. "Have you heard anything recently?"

"Father, what are you talking about?" Su Yan placed the ginseng soup on the desk, looking at her father in confusion. "By the way, Father, why do you suddenly want me to go to the capital to seek refuge with my brother? He's only a minor official in the Ministry of Rites now, and I..."

"Say no more. I've arranged for carriages. You and your mother should just take the money and go to the capital." Su Wensheng waved his hand, interrupting her. "If there were any other way, Father wouldn't want you to go to the capital... How is this different from a lamb entering a tiger's den? If your brother and his wife weren't stuck in the capital and couldn't be transferred to an outer province, I would have had him leave the capital long ago!"

"Father, what exactly happened?" Su Yan was even more bewildered. "Didn't we agree before that we should rely on you to be transferred to the capital? Why do you now want brother to leave the capital too?"

"You girl, all day long you only know how to compose poetry and enjoy nature. Do you know what the biggest news in the capital is right now?" Su Wensheng said, pounding his chest and stamping his feet. "That Mo Yingqi, I don't know what luck he stumbled upon, joining the Pacification Bureau actually made him a Consort!"

"Who, Father, who did you say?"

Su Yan suddenly turned around, grabbing her father's arm, her pupils trembling incessantly: "You said Mo Yingqi... Consort? The one rumored to marry the two Legitimate Princesses is actually him?"

"What else? You girl, I just heard the news myself. That Provincial Governor Zhang didn't reveal a single word to me!" Su Wensheng couldn't help but sigh heavenward. "The incident back then was truly ugly. Now that Mo Yingqi has become a Consort, and The Emperor dotes on those two Legitimate Princesses immensely, and Minister Shen is now the governor-general of liangjiang, not only is my official position as Prefect not guaranteed, but my head... I'm afraid it will fall under Minister Shen's imperial edict plaque!"

The blood drained from Su Yan's beautiful face in an instant. Mo Yingqi, hearing that name under these circumstances, brought her no joy, but rather more fright.

"Father, you, you're not joking, are you?" Su Yan still couldn't believe it. "Before, you said that after he joined the Pacification Bureau, his future would probably be limited. How could he suddenly..."

Memories she had tried hard to forget were suddenly reawakened in her mind. No matter how much she disbelieved, she now had to accept one thing: could those two sisters, who had once been like a nightmare to her, be... the current two Legitimate Princesses?

"Yan'er, are you alright?" Su Wensheng saw the sudden fear in his daughter's eyes, and her body was trembling uncontrollably. "You, alas... don't worry, Father's troubles won't implicate you. Besides, your brother has been applying for an external posting. After you and Mother Mi enter the capital, remember not to move around freely."

"We can't rely on the Zhang Family. Provincial Governor Zhang has his father-in-law, Grand Chancellor Zhou. You, girl... why did you have to say those things? You were the first to demand a change in that marriage arrangement, and then you had to use Mo Yingqi to humiliate the Eldest Young Master of the Zhang Family?"

"It's also my fault, but that Mo Yingqi was truly outrageous. He came from a scholarly background and held the Mo Family's wealth, but after coming to Jiangsu and Zhejiang, he caused such a ruckus and hated our family to the bone..."

At this point, Su Wensheng couldn't continue. What more could he say, what was there to say? Mo Yingqi wasn't truly heartbroken by someone stealing his beloved; from childhood, he had never even considered Su Yan.

To him, his precious daughter was completely like a rabbit during the New Year—she could be there for the New Year, or not, and it would still be the New Year. He disliked the Su Family, but it was only because he disliked and resented their petty actions.

The Su Family's current standing was truly thanks to the Mo Family. Without the Mo Family's support and assistance, he probably wouldn't have even been able to sit comfortably as a seventh-rank official back then.

But later, in order to curry favor with the Zhang Family, the Su Family actually turned against the Mo Family. Su Wensheng was by no means unaware of what happened to Mo Yingqi's mother, yet he did not offer help, but instead sided with Zhang Jiawen.

Now that Mo Yingqi is like a dragon soaring to the heavens, the Su Family... might not even be worthy of the dirt beneath his feet!

"Father, even if he, he really became a Consort, he might not necessarily retaliate against our family..." Su Yan forced a smile. "Besides, it was truly the Zhang Family who wronged him back then. That Young Master Zhang was frail and sickly, showing signs of premature aging... Daughter, daughter was also looking out for her own future, wasn't she?"

"Then you shouldn't have... never mind, blaming you now won't help." Su Wensheng sighed. "Minister Shen is making drastic changes in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Those officials who were arrested and punished, as soon as they are dismissed, someone immediately fills their vacancies. The Emperor and Grand Chancellor have long since shown their cards. My position as Prefect is probably at its end..."

"Father, until the very end, it's not truly hopeless." Su Yan thought for a moment. "Isn't brother now also a Disciple of the Grand Chancellor? Even if The Emperor wants to sideline the Grand Chancellor, he wouldn't completely wipe out his Disciples and old subordinates, would he?"

Su Yan seemed confident, but only she knew how guilty she felt at that moment. Young Master Zhang of the Zhang Family was weak, and she simply didn't want to marry him. If she truly had a choice, why wouldn't she choose Mo Yingqi, who was healthy, handsome, and immensely wealthy?

But why didn't she choose him? Was it truly because she didn't want to? Su Yan had unspeakable difficulties. Going to the Northern Frontier back then was to continue that engagement. Su Yan might not have cared much about Mo Yingqi, but she genuinely despised Young Master Zhang.

But there was nothing she could do. Those two sisters were like evil spirits crawled out of hell. Every time Su Yan thought of them, she felt a shudder of fear!

"Never mind, this Jiangsu and Zhejiang, I knew from the day The Emperor ascended the throne that it should have changed..."

Su Wensheng looked at his daughter again. At this moment, he knew clearly that his official career and his life were probably at their end. He had been involved in the Zhang Family's deeds over the years. He had also accepted tributes from below.

"Daughter, prepare yourself. Run for your life..."