Rooster immediately said obsequiously, “Master, you’re really amazing. The person who came is indeed Lord Hong.”

One Dot glanced at him disdainfully and replied with a straight face, “We’ve completed the task.”

Song Jingchen nodded and gave a few instructions. The two of them left again overnight.

The study became silent once more. Song Jingchen’s gaze was cold as he wrote a few words on the paper.

Hong Jianzhang, Cao Dezhi.

He wrote the last word.

Killing intent flashed in his eyes. He exerted strength in his hand, and a thick line passed through the six words. It cut through the two names like a sharp blade.

It was rare that there was no snow tonight. Song Jingchen drove the wheelchair back to his room and saw that Shen Yijia had woken up.

Her black hair was loose, and she was sitting on the bed in her pajamas, rubbing her eyes.

“Why are you awake?”

“Where did you go?”

The two of them spoke in unison, but at the same time, they watched as the other party kept quiet, waiting for the other party to speak first.

Shen Yijia blinked. She understood. Ladies first.

She complained a little, “I woke up from the cold.”

She usually had a large heater beside her to provide heat. Since she suddenly lost it today, of course she’d be woken up by the cold.

After saying that, Shen Yijia looked at Song Jingchen’s lips. She had reason to suspect that her beautiful husband had stolen food again. After all, he had brought her along to do this before.

Could it be that she ate too much last time, so he didn’t bring her along with her now that there was delicious food?

Shen Yijia’s glance reminded Song Jingchen of the night she fed him water. He immediately felt his mouth go dry.

He coughed dryly and avoided Shen Yijia’s gaze. He walked to the table, poured a cup of tea, and drank it in one gulp. After drinking three cups in a row, his frustration subsided a little.

Shen Yijia wanted to remind him that the tea was cold, but he was too fast and did not give her a chance to speak.

Seeing how thirsty he was, Shen Yijia looked at Song Jingchen strangely. She suspected that her beautiful husband had eaten salt instead of food.

Song Jingchen’s forehead throbbed at her indescribable expression. Even if he couldn’t guess, he knew that this person couldn’t be thinking anything good. He explained, “I couldn’t sleep just now, so I went to the study to practice writing.”

“Oh…” Shen Yijia deliberately dragged out the word. She clearly did not believe it.

Song Jingchen held his forehead and gave up on explaining. He took off his clothes and went to bed, blowing out the oil lamp.

Shen Yijia was speechless.

“If you want to steal food, just do it, I won’t laugh at you.” she thought.

However, when she thought about how Song Jingchen had secretly eaten without her, she was still a little angry. She took off her socks and draped her legs on Song Jingchen.

This wasn’t enough. Her cold feet even crawled under Song Jingchen’s clothes.

The latter shivered from the cold, and Shen Yijia chuckled.

She stuck her hand into his collar, and her entire body sank into a strange angle.

At first, Shen Yijia just wanted to shock him with the cold. However, something was wrong with her hand. She touched Song Jingchen’s chest, patted it, and grabbed it.

“Oh my, he has such a fine physique.” she thought.

Shen Yijia’s eyes lit up.

Song Jingchen felt a ball of fire surge from his body to a certain spot. He couldn’t take it anymore and grabbed Shen Yijia’s hand. He asked in a hoarse voice, “What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to calm you down. Yes, that’s what I was doing.” Shen Yijia said sheepishly. As she spoke, she pulled her hand out and helped him smooth his collar.

She patted his chest and pretended to smooth out his clothes.

It was not that she was afraid, but a voice in her heart told her that if she continued to cause trouble, she would be in danger.

She didn’t dare to crawl into Song Jingchen’s arms anymore. She rolled away from Song Jingchen and started to sleep with her back facing him.

Song Jingchen looked at the woman who retracted her head into her shell in a second and gritted his teeth in anger.

She ran away after flirting with him, but she caused him to…

This woman was the descendant of a vixen and a tortoise, right? Her head must’ve been smacked by her shell when she was born, so she was silly and clueless.

He had fallen into the hands of such a woman. Of course he’d be frustrated.

Song Jingchen took a deep breath and tried his best to suppress the heat in his heart.

When the relief team entered Anyang County, hope was ignited in the hearts of the victims.

They were saved.

As expected, a porridge tent was built at the city gate on the same day. The next day, bailiffs began to provide porridge there.

As soon as this news spread, refugees rushed to the city gate from all directions. Soon, a long line formed.

At the entrance of the county office, more than a dozen officials of all ranks from Anyang County stood at the door to welcome Lord Hong, who had come from the capital.

Hong Jianzhang glanced at Cao Dezhi, who was in the lead, with a dark gaze. He exchanged a few pleasantries with everyone and excused himself.

Fan Mingyuan stood in the crowd and wanted to approach the imperial envoy a few times to discuss the disaster relief measures, but he could not find an opportunity. He could only watch as County Magistrate Cao welcomed him in.

He clenched his fists, feeling powerless.

It was not until the next day that he heaved a sigh of relief when they heard that the relief troops had begun to provide porridge.

In the backyard of the county office, Hong Jianzhang sat upright in the study. Cao Dezhi stood at the side in panic.

“Is everyone ready?” Hong Jianzhang picked up his teacup and took a sip.

Cao Dezhi gritted his teeth in hatred, but he forced a smile and said respectfully, “Everything is ready. We’re just waiting for the Minister’s food to arrive before arranging for the goods to be sent out.”

To them, those people were indeed like food. They were all goods, nothing more.

“Oh? Is that so?” Hong Jianzhang glanced at him. “Then you have to check carefully. If you ruin Master’s plans, you won’t be able to compensate him even if you have a hundred heads.”

“Yes, yes. Leave it to me. There won’t be any problems.” Cao Dezhi nodded and bowed.

Hong Jianzhang sneered. “That’d better be the case.”

With that, he stood up to leave.

“Sir, do you want to rest here or…” Cao Dezhi trailed off.

“No need. I have my own accommodations.”

He changed his clothes and went out the back door of the county office. His real residence was only safe if everyone thought that he would stay in the county office.

In the end, he was still wary that Song Jingchen would assassinate him.

After Hong Jianzhang left, Cao Dezhi swept the teacup onto the ground.

Immediately, a servant walked in trembling. Ever since the young master died, countless servants had been beaten to death in the residence.

Cao Dezhi gave a few instructions, and the servant quickly agreed before leaving.

At night, a few disheveled men sneaked out of a private residence.

After they came out, they ran all the way to an alley. They looked around and were relieved to make sure that no one was following them.

This was a wealthy district in Anyang County. Every family had guards, and the disaster victims usually did not dare to approach.

“Is Lord Hong really going to let us go just like that?” one of them asked in a trembling voice. He sounded incredulous.

“Don’t worry! If he didn’t release us, we wouldn’t be here,” another person comforted.

“Damn it! That old thief Cao captured us and threw us into the dungeon. If it weren’t for Lord Hong, we wouldn’t be alive. One day, I’ll definitely take that old thief Cao’s head.” Another man cursed angrily.