You are truly going to be the death of me!

Early in the morning, Su Wu did not go to the military parade ground. Instead, he sparred with Luan Tingyu in the front courtyard of the official residence, where the space was wide enough for them to fully display their skills. They planned to ride horses and practice mounted combat at the parade ground later in the evening.

Suddenly, Cheng Wanli walked out from the main hall of the front office. With a gloomy look on his face, he stood there heavily, his hands tucked inside his narrowed sleeves, his back straight.

Su Wu quickly withdrew his long spear and stepped forward. "Greetings, Magistrate..."

"Hmph!" Cheng Wanli expelled a cold breath through his nose.

Su Wu was instantly puzzled. Where had he offended the man? Could it be that Cheng Wanli was angry because Su Wu had used his daughter as bait for a strategic plan last night?

If that was the reason for his anger, it would make sense. Su Wu could only blame himself for being too single-mindedly devoted to his public duty, failing to consider the father's feelings.

"I wonder if Your Honor..." Su Wu prepared to probe.

Before he could finish, Cheng Wanli directly turned around. "Follow me to the inner chambers!"

Su Wu naturally followed behind him. They returned to the same rear study. Once inside, Su Wu noticed that Cheng Wanli did not sit down immediately. Instead, he walked over to the windows, checking every single one of them repeatedly.

How could Su Wu fail to notice that all the windows were tightly shut?

Was this... some kind of earth-shattering secret?

Then, Cheng Wanli finally sat down and gestured with his hand. "Sit down as well..."

Su Wu felt a wave of relief. Since he was invited to sit, it probably wasn't a catastrophe. He took his seat with proper courtesy and etiquette.

Cheng Wanli finally spoke, asking, "About... what we discussed yesterday, how do you plan to handle it?"

Ah, so it was about this matter. Well...

Su Wu immediately answered with a serious expression. "My subordinates and I have planned it this way: Your Honor just saw me practicing with the spear and staff earlier. That master's surname is Luan, an extraordinary expert whose prowess with the long spear is nearly unmatched in the world. He will act as the coachman for Your Honor's young lady. As for myself, I will ride alongside as a guard accompanying the young lady on her trip to Ciyun Temple outside the city to offer incense and pray for blessings. Nothing could look more normal than that."

In the Great Song Dynasty, Buddhism was extremely prosperous, and Daoism was equally flourishing. Matters of Buddha and the Dao were worshipped in every household. From ministers to the emperor, and from Su Shi to Zhao Ji, everyone was deeply pious.

Therefore, for young ladies from high-ranking and wealthy families to visit temples was a routine part of daily life and indeed a social necessity.

Cheng Wanli nodded. "Hmm, considering that Dong Ping hates you to the bone, it is fine for you to show your face. Continue..."

"Your Honor's words are wise. Dong Ping certainly does not fear a humble official like me. If he happens to see me, it will only fuel his rage. Under my command, there are over a hundred brave and fierce men. Some will disguise themselves as accompanying servants, carrying the sacrificial offerings by their sides, while others will pose as traveling merchants, following far behind at a distance. The moment those bandits show their faces, we will capture them on the spot."

Having finished, Su Wu looked up at Cheng Wanli.

Cheng Wanli asked, "Those brave men you mentioned, are they truly fierce?"

Su Wu nodded. "Among them, thirty were left behind by Inspector Suo to assist us, and dozens of others participated in the battle to capture Liu Tang. Every single one of them is fierce and valiant!"

Persuading a superior really was a grueling chore.

"I have already witnessed Inspector Suo's men; they are fiercely formidable. Since you are leading the men who captured Liu Tang, they surely cannot be mediocre..." Cheng Wanli seemed to be analyzing the situation and convincing himself at the same time.

"Your Honor, the plan is already watertight." Su Wu pressed on earnestly. It seemed the Magistrate was already considering the feasibility of the plan, though he remained exceptionally cautious.

Yet, Cheng Wanli asked, "Are those bandits from Liangshan really going to come?"

Su Wu nodded. "There is an eighty to ninety percent chance they will come. Given Dong Ping's personality of holding grudges and seeking immediate revenge, how could he possibly stay away?"

"What if, by any chance, they don't come?" Cheng Wanli asked again, seemingly wanting to back out.

"Wouldn't that be even better? We will simply treat it as the young lady going to pay her respects to the Buddha," Su Wu replied.

"Sigh..." Cheng Wanli let out a heavy sigh, stood up, paced back and forth a couple of times, and muttered inexplicably, "Only villains and women are difficult to deal with!"

What kind of remark was that?

Su Wu wore a puzzled look. Who was he cursing?

Su Wu glanced around him.

Cheng Wanli added, "I am not talking about you."

Su Wu nodded. He knew it couldn't be him. Could he possibly be cursing...

This young lady was certainly quite a character...

"Have you gathered all your men?" Cheng Wanli asked again, showing extreme caution and care.

"I am just waiting for Your Honor's approval. Once Your Honor gives the word, we can send word today and they will arrive tomorrow," Su Wu answered.

"Don't you have a junior military officer by your side? He must come as well!" Cheng Wanli instructed.

He was likely referring to Wu Song. Cheng Wanli must have had a favorable impression of Wu Song, perhaps recalling the match between Wu Song and Dong Ping outside the Magistrate's office that day.

"Naturally, Your Honor. His name is Wu Song, and I was just thinking of recommending him for the post of military参军 of Yanggu County." Su Wu chose this moment very well.

"Hmm, once this matter is successfully concluded, I will grant your request." Cheng Wanli's attitude was truly rather sour.

By now, Su Wu realized that the Magistrate wasn't actually angry with him; nine times out of ten, he was annoyed with that difficult-to-manage woman. Perhaps it wasn't even pure annoyance, but rather deep worry for his beloved daughter's safety.

Su Wu couldn't help feeling a genuine sense of curiosity about this difficult-to-manage young lady.

During the Northern Song Dynasty, society was vastly different from the later Ming and Qing dynasties, and even markedly different from the Southern Song in terms of social customs.

At this time, Neo-Confucianism was just emerging and had not yet flourished.

Social customs still retained much of the openness left over from the prosperous Tang Dynasty. Strict segregation between men and women had not yet fully taken root. The Northern Song was the final lingering echo of open-minded social customs throughout the successive feudal dynasties...

It was only by the Southern Song Dynasty that everything began to change, growing increasingly conservative, rigid, and severe.

Therefore, it was only in this era that a woman like Li Qingzhao could emerge, and only this era could tolerate a woman like Li Qingzhao—a woman who smoked, drank, and curled her hair...

Well, strictly speaking, a woman who gambled, drank, and scolded people.

At this very moment, Li Qingzhao was still alive and well, likely residing in Qingzhou. Throughout her life, she was passionately fond of gambling and often fell into heavy drunken sleeps. When she cursed, she spared no one, from senior scholars like Yan Shu and Wang Anshi down to Su Shi. Countless talented predecessors of hers were subjected to her scathing tongue. Remarriage and divorce were simply par for the course for her.

Therefore, seeing the Magistrate's expression, Su Wu couldn't help but guess what kind of person this difficult daughter of the Magistrate's family might be.

Sensing Cheng Wanli's hesitation and inner conflict, and with everything that needed to be said already discussed, Su Wu promptly stood up to take his leave, claiming he needed to make preparations, lest Cheng Wanli change his mind and call the whole thing off.

Cheng Wanli muttered unhappily and told Su Wu to go ahead.

He then got up from his seat, walked out of the study, and instinctively glanced toward the corner of the eaves. Seeing no one there, he felt a slight wave of relief.

Just as he took a few steps forward...

"Father..."

"Sigh..." Cheng Wanli felt a sharp pain in his forehead and turned around.

"Has Father settled the matter?" The young lady walked over in a few steps—not skipping or jumping, but with a light and brisk pace.

"Did you not just go and eavesdrop?" Cheng Wanli asked.

"Of course not! Since Father forbade it, your daughter naturally ought to be well-behaved and sensible. How could I disobey my father's wishes? Wouldn't that be unfilial?" The young lady was indeed skilled at acting.

"Hmph, passable enough." Cheng Wanli was quite satisfied, but his brows furrowed again. "My good daughter, I see immense danger in this..."

Calling her his good daughter was a frequent term of endearment. If it were a boy, he might be called a good son; in wealthy families, sons were even called "little officials."

"What danger could there be?" the good daughter naturally inquired.

"The bandits are vicious. When the time comes, if they fight desperately, it will be a bloody battle where life and death hang by a thread. I'm afraid they won't be able to look after you..." Cheng Wanli said, shaking his head repeatedly.

"Who? Who won't be able to look after me?"

"That Su Wu, of course. When the time comes, he will be solely focused on fighting the enemy and winning glory by capturing the bandits. How could he possibly spare the energy to protect you?" Cheng Wanli continued.

"If I am captured by the bandits, what glory will there be for him to win?" The reason this good daughter stood out from ordinary people lay precisely in her sharp wit.

"Sigh... When the time comes, those bandits will just seize you! It will break my heart and blind my eyes with tears..." Cheng Wanli complained further.

Where do you suppose the young lady learned her acting skills?

"Then what if the bandits climb over the wall and break into the courtyard in the dead of night? What shall we do then?" The young lady knew that her father was good in every respect, except that he lacked a bit of courage.

"Sigh... It's impossible to reason with you!" Unable to win the argument, Cheng Wanli flicked his sleeves in exasperation.

The young daughter quickly took a few steps after him. "Father, it will be fine... Just rest easy. That Su Wu previously risked his life for you, and he will do so again this time."

"You, you were born a woman! How much better would it have been if you were a man? Hmph!"

"Oh, yes, men are certainly easier to raise. I wouldn't have to rack my brains trying to snare a husband from beneath the imperial name plaques outside the Eastern Flower Gate; I could just let people come and catch me instead..."

"You are truly going to be the death of me!"