The Minister: Cold by Day, Hot by Night

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhan glanced at Chen Jiu.

Chen Jiu lowered his head and quickly exited.

Lu Zhan paused, then looked at Zhi Wan. "You’re very concerned about me, cousin?"

Zhi Wan faltered. ’Isn’t it obvious?’

She didn’t understand why her cousin would even ask.

But she still nodded, her small face filled with sincerity. "Of course I’m concerned about you, cousin."

The corner of Lu Zhan’s lips quirked up. "Mm, I understand."

Zhi Wan’s red lips parted. She wanted to ask if he understood that staying up late was bad for his health, or if he understood that she was concerned about him.

Instead, she said, "Well, you should eat your breakfast, cousin. Zhenzhu and I are heading to the execution grounds."

"Mm, have Chen Jiu go with you. There will be a large crowd of commoners watching the execution today. Don’t get jostled," Lu Zhan instructed.

"I know," Zhi Wan obediently agreed.

After leaving the Government Office, Zhi Wan and the others went straight to the execution grounds.

By now, the area around the execution grounds was already packed with commoners who had come to watch.

The scene was in an uproar, with most people denouncing Liang Qixian.

Some were even crying and shouting.

"The heavens have eyes! That dog official, Liang Qixian, is finally getting punished!"

"These corrupt officials have finally been rooted out!"

"It’s all thanks to the Lord Imperial Envoy! He investigates thoroughly and is just and impartial. He doesn’t shelter corrupt officials, so he was able to bring those dogs to justice and restore clear skies to our Yangzhou."

"The Lord Imperial Envoy is truly a good official!"

Many were also singing Lu Zhan’s praises.

Hearing this, Zhi Wan couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride.

’My cousin really is a good official!’

"Liang Qixian will be brought over in a moment. Wanwan, should we buy some rotten eggs and spoiled vegetables?" Ouyang Zhenzhu suddenly asked.

Zhi Wan paused. "Rotten eggs and spoiled vegetables?"

Ouyang Zhenzhu pointed nearby, looking eager to try.

Not far away, many of the commoners were carrying baskets filled with stinking, spoiled vegetables and rotten eggs.

Seeing this, Zhi Wan understood. "Then let’s go buy some from them."

She couldn’t kill her enemy with her own hands, but throwing some rotten eggs and spoiled vegetables at Liang Qixian was better than doing nothing at all.

A short while later, the two returned, each carrying a basket.

The thick stench made Chen Jiu, who was following them, twitch his lips.

’The Miss and Miss Ouyang really don’t have the airs of high-born ladies at all.’

He offered to carry the baskets for them, but they refused.

"The Lord Imperial Envoy arrives!"

Before long, the cry of the Government Officials rang out.

The crowd of onlookers spontaneously cleared a path.

Riding a large, crimson horse at the very front was none other than Lu Zhan.

He wore his official robes, his handsome face stern and imposing.

Following behind him was a group of guards led by Jiang Shi, then several officials from Yangzhou City. After them came the executioners holding large blades, and at the very rear was the prisoner cart, escorted by a group of Government Officials.

As the prisoner cart passed, the crowd grew agitated. The commoners cursed Liang Qixian, that dog official, and hurled all the rotten eggs and spoiled vegetables they had prepared at him.

"Wanwan, hurry, throw them at him!"

Ouyang Zhenzhu shouted excitedly, taking the lead and tossing a rotten egg at Liang Qixian.

Zhi Wan followed suit, throwing rotten eggs and spoiled vegetables.

Surprisingly, her aim was good. At least three out of five of her projectiles hit Liang Qixian.

When Liang Qixian was dragged out of the prisoner cart by the Government Officials and brought to the execution platform, he was reeking, disheveled, and had lost all of his former authority.

Zhi Wan quickly put down her basket and, under Chen Jiu’s protection, squeezed her way to the front row.

The commoners also surged forward, shouting loudly, "Kill the dog official! Kill the dog official!"

The crowd was in a frenzy, and the scene was utter chaos.

The wretched Liang Qixian, terrified by the crowd’s display, curled into a ball.

"Silence!" a Government Official bellowed, not until the sun had reached its zenith.

Lu Zhan was presiding over the execution today. After publicly reading out Liang Qixian’s crimes, he declared, "The time has come. Carry out the sentence." Then, he took a Token from a container that was carved with the word "Execute" and tossed it to the ground.

The executioner tilted his head back, drank a bowl of strong liquor, sprayed it onto his great blade, and then raised the weapon high.

Liang Qixian let out a bloodcurdling scream as his head fell to the ground.

Seeing his gruesome state, with his head severed from his body, the commoners all clapped and cheered.

It was Zhi Wan’s first time watching a beheading. She felt no fear, only the thrill of having her great grievance avenged.

"Wanwan, let’s go back." No matter how excited Ouyang Zhenzhu had seemed just moments ago, actually witnessing a man’s head fall to the ground left her feeling a bit unwell, and she urged them to leave.

"Okay." Zhi Wan had no desire to linger either and led her away through the crowd.

Just then, Zhi Wan suddenly spotted a familiar figure.

Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she murmured, "Father..."

Coming to her senses, she quickly chased after the figure in the direction it was headed.

"Wanwan, where are you going?" Ouyang Zhenzhu cried out, her face paling in alarm.

Zhi Wan paid her no mind, and was quickly swallowed by the crowd and lost from sight.

"Chen Jiu, what do we do?" Ouyang Zhenzhu spun around in a panic.

"You head back to the villa first. I’ll go find the Miss." Chen Jiu tossed out the sentence and hurried off in the direction Zhi Wan had just run.

When he found Zhi Wan, she was just standing on the street, looking completely lost.

Chen Jiu let out a huge sigh of relief and went up to her. "Miss, why did you suddenly run off by yourself just now? Did something happen?"

Zhi Wan came back to her senses and gave a wry smile. "I think I saw someone I know."

"Someone you know?" Chen Jiu was surprised.

’Besides Nanny Chen’s family, the Miss shouldn’t have any other old acquaintances in Yangzhou, right?’

"Yes." Zhi Wan nodded but clearly didn’t want to say more. "Let’s go back."

「The Lu Family Villa.」

Just as Zhi Wan stepped out of the carriage, she saw her cousin and Ouyang Zhenzhu waiting outside the villa gate.

"Wanwan, you scared me to death just now! Why did you suddenly run off like that?" Ouyang Zhenzhu came forward, her face etched with worry.

Zhi Wan said apologetically, "I’m fine. Sorry to make you worry."

Ouyang Zhenzhu sighed in relief. "It’s good that you’re okay." Then, a thought occurred to her. She gave Zhi Wan a wink and teased, "But Mr. Lu was very worried when he heard. If you hadn’t come back soon, he was about to go look for you himself."

Hearing this, Zhi Wan immediately looked at Lu Zhan and said apologetically, "I’m sorry for making you worry, cousin."

Lu Zhan calmly sized her up and asked coolly, "What happened?"

Meeting his sharp eyes, Zhi Wan paused before answering truthfully, "I think I saw my father..."

Lu Zhan froze, looking at her in astonishment.

Ouyang Zhenzhu was also stunned. "Wanwan, have you been too tired lately? Maybe your eyes were playing tricks on you. We just went to offer incense for your parents. Have you forgotten?"

Zhi Wan knew how unbelievable it sounded. She didn’t believe it herself.

But that figure... it had looked so much like her father.

Yet when she had chased after it, the figure was long gone.

She had chased it for two streets but couldn’t find the figure again.

"I might have really... seen it wrong," she said, frowning.

Her parents had passed away five years ago. The figure she saw just now must have been a stranger who simply looked a bit like her father.

"Don’t overthink it. Let’s go inside first," Lu Zhan said.

"Mm," Zhi Wan agreed and followed him into the villa.