Doted By The Regent King
Chapter 218: To Manage or Not to Manage?

Chapter 218: Chapter 218: To Manage or Not to Manage?

Another incident where a woman was violated and killed by the Flower-Picking Thief occurred, and Huayang County was truly in a state of panic, with everyone in the streets and alleys talking about this shocking news.

The Government Office posted an increased reward notice, drawing a crowd that pointed and discussed in spirited conversation.

"Sir, it’s about the recent affairs of the Flower-Picking Thief," Yuan Ye reported in front of the carriage.

Hoo Die also returned, jumping onto the carriage shaft and said, "Five hundred taels of silver, huh, Wen Si is really going all out."

They had heard about this case a while ago, and they weren’t sure if it was because of this that their master wanted to come to Huayang County. They had agreed to detour to Yunnan but ended up turning back here.

Ah Jiu was skimming through the latest imperial report without lifting his head and said, "This is the first major case since Wen Si took office. If solved, naturally it adds a merit to his achievements, and if it goes unsolved, it still counts. He won’t let himself be at the mercy of people’s gossip."

"That Wen Si, his whiskers haven’t even grown in fully, it’s still hard to say whether he’s truly up to the task," Hoo Die sneered.

"This whiskerless lad was declared by Master Jiu Yuan to have the talent of a great strategist and general at the age of fifteen," Ah Jiu glanced indifferently at Hoo Die.

Hoo Die touched his nose and disdainfully said, "It could just be the Wen Family making a show of things."

"Whether it’s a show or not, becoming a successful imperial examination candidate at sixteen is a rightful claim to fame," Ah Jiu’s gaze shifted to a spot in the carriage. "This Wen Si, I wonder if he will be able to turn Nanyue’s fortunes around."

"Sir, aren’t you overestimating him? Just passing the imperial examination doesn’t make him anything special, especially being just in the second tier," said Hoo Die, unconcerned.

"The finest tree in the forest is the first to be blown down by the storm. I’ve read his essays, and while they are orthodox, my understanding of him goes beyond what’s written there—he is far more strategic than those essays suggest," Ah Jiu frowned.

Hoo Die paused and said, "Sir, are you suspecting him of deliberately concealing his talents? No way, why wouldn’t the Wen Family show off such a genius? What good does hiding it do?"

This was also something Ah Jiu found strange.

"Sir, this Flower-Picking Thief is truly abhorrent, so insanely brutal," Yuan Ye said, bringing the topic back to the Flower-Picking Thief as they had stopped discussing Wen Si.

Ah Jiu said, "There are no shortages of psychologically distorted individuals in the world. Take the Provincial Governor, for instance, who appears benevolent, but who would know that he harbors a liking for serviced children?"

Yuan Ye glanced at the imperial report, quickly pulled up information about the Provincial Governor, and immediately turned as grim as if he’d swallowed a fly, saying coldly, "They say Nanyue is corrupt, but who knew it was rotten to this extent."

Ah Jiu faintly smiled, tossed aside the imperial report, and leaned back, propping his elbow on a small table beside him to rest with his eyes closed.

Seeing this, Yuan Ye said nothing further, but instead took out a golden, multicolored Incense Burner from a compartment in the carriage and lit a stick of Buddhist incense.

The faint scent of incense filled the air, and Ah Jiu, with his eyes closed, seemed to be asleep.

Hoo Die lifted the curtain to look inside, then glanced at Yuan Ye, inquiring with his eyes, ’Do we not care about this?’

Yuan Ye shook his head.

Who were they to guess their master’s decisions?

"Keep an eye out and see if you can catch this thief," Ah Jiu’s hand rested on his knee as he spoke in a low voice.

Hoo Die asked, "Sir, should I go and accept that reward?"

Ah Jiu slightly opened his eyes and the corner of his mouth curled into a cold smirk, "Have you finished all your work? That Chapter, you still haven’t found it, idle hands, aren’t they?"

Hoo Die shrank back, immediately letting the curtain fall, took out a handful of pine nuts and threw them in his mouth, cracking them noisily.

Yuan Ye changed the subject and asked, "Sir, when do we turn back?"

"There’s no rush, rent a residence to settle in, no hurry at all," Ah Jiu lightly tapped his knee.

Yuan Ye acknowledged the instruction.