Wei Yu still remembered that he hadn’t paid the balance for the grain he’d purchased.

The moment he saw Shopkeeper Ding, he knew the man had come to collect the debt.

However, he didn’t have the money on him, so Wei Yu told Ding Facai to go find Xiao Anzi and get the money.

Once Ding Facai left, there was no one visible nearby — everyone was hidden in the shadows, though Shopkeeper Ding couldn’t tell.

That didn’t matter. Seeing no one around, Shopkeeper Ding quickly pulled out a letter from Madam Hu, hidden in his robes.

“Young Master, this is a letter Madam County Magistrate asked me to deliver to you yesterday.”

Huh?

Wei Yu blinked in surprise. “The County Magistrate’s wife?”

“Yes, exactly. I don’t know what it’s about — the messenger just told me to give it to the one in charge of Oxhead Mountain.”

So it’s from the County Magistrate’s wife, not the Magistrate himself?

Wei Yu was curious. He reached out and took the letter.

The envelope was a bit thick, plain white, with no writing on it.

Wei Yu didn’t care that Shopkeeper Ding was still present — he opened the envelope directly and took out the contents.

There were five or six sheets of letter paper. As he unfolded them, the first thing he noticed was the beautiful handwriting.

The calligraphy was elegant and bold — nothing like the delicate, gentle style one would expect from a woman.

It was hard not to suspect the County Magistrate had written it himself.

But that notion was quickly dispelled once Wei Yu finished reading.

Because the writer was, without a doubt, a woman — and not just any woman, but the wife of the County Magistrate!

After all, who else would know so many of the County Magistrate’s secrets, and speak so openly of her disdain — even hatred — for him? She expressed her willingness to ally with Oxhead Mountain, act as a spy, and hoped they would storm the city and kill her husband!

What kind of god-tier ally was this County Magistrate’s wife?!

The letter was packed with information, and by the time he finished reading, Wei Yu was a bit dazed.

He blinked, suddenly looked up at Shopkeeper Ding, and asked, “Do you know what kind of person your County Magistrate’s wife is?”

Huh?

Shopkeeper Ding was taken aback and gave a nervous laugh. “Well… about the Madam…”

“Think carefully before you answer.”

Shopkeeper Ding: …

Wei Yu smiled at him. “Shopkeeper Ding doesn’t seem like a fool. You know what to say and what not to say depending on the occasion — no need to make things hard for yourself.”

As soon as he said that, Shopkeeper Ding watched in shock as several people dropped down from the surrounding trees.

All of them stared directly at him.

Shopkeeper Ding: Not gonna lie, you are very much making this hard for me right now.

This was a death stare if he’d ever seen one!

Shopkeeper Ding took a deep breath and forced an official smile onto his face. “Actually, everyone in town knows that the current Madam County Magistrate is from Yuanyang County. She married the Magistrate as his second wife seven years ago. She rarely leaves the residence and almost never attends social events. But I’ve heard she loves to read!”

From Yuanyang County, second wife, reclusive, loves reading…

Wei Yu pondered this and then asked about the County Magistrate’s age.

Shopkeeper Ding: “The Magistrate has already reached the age of knowing fate.”

Ah, so a crusty old man in his fifties.

Wei Yu glanced back at the letter in his hands.

In Great Wei, most women married at seventeen or eighteen. A woman who married as a second wife seven years ago couldn’t be more than in her twenties now.

So, someone in their twenties paired with someone in their fifties?

Tch.

In ancient times, marriage for women was like reincarnation — unless desperate, who would willingly marry a man old enough to be her father as a second wife?

No wonder the Magistrate’s wife was so eager to write a backstabbing letter.

Though he thought this, Wei Yu couldn’t help but sigh as he flicked the letter in his hand.

Anyone who could write such beautiful calligraphy was clearly a talented woman — what a pity she was trapped in a back courtyard.

Wei Yu asked Shopkeeper Ding a few more questions about the County Magistrate and his wife.

Unfortunately, Shopkeeper Ding didn’t know much. The information he could provide was limited.

After all, officials and commoners were of different worlds. Ordinary folk wouldn’t dare gossip about even low-level clerks, let alone the County Magistrate. What little they did know was either hearsay or widely known rumor.

When Ding Facai returned with the money and the debt was paid, Wei Yu gave Shopkeeper Ding a reminder:

“When you get back, if anyone asks about Oxhead Mountain, you’d better think carefully before answering.”

Shopkeeper Ding was already numb.

Answer what?!

He didn’t want to talk to anyone about what had happened today!

–

After the grain deliverers left, Wei Yu took the letter to find the Eighth Prince.

The Eighth Prince was indoors, working on rules for their bandit army. After reading the letter Wei Yu handed him, he was stunned.

“This was sent by the County Magistrate’s wife of Ziyang County?”

Wei Yu: “Yep. Shocking, right? Who would’ve thought we’d get such a righteous family-traitor?”

The Eighth Prince repeatedly examined the letter. “What’s her motive? Just because she hates the County Magistrate? What’s the reason for her hatred? She’s just a woman — doesn’t she worry we might kill her too when we attack the city?”

He was completely baffled.

Wei Yu glanced at him.

In these times, people believed husband and wife were one; a woman had to obey her husband without question. Age difference didn’t matter — once married, the woman was expected to submit.

To turn traitor against her husband, to “righteously destroy one’s kin” — even if people understood it, even if they benefited from it, they wouldn’t show sympathy. After the dust settled, she would only be scorned and condemned.

But Wei Yu—

Sorry, he was a normal man, raised with modern compulsory education deeply ingrained in him.

“My dear Eighth Brother, is that all you noticed? Didn’t you see how beautiful her handwriting is?”

Wei Yu leaned over, pulled the letter from the prince’s hands, held it up high, and nodded in appreciation.

“She’s a talented woman. I’m sure of it.”

And anyone with talent would be treated equally and properly employed by him!

Handwriting reveals character — the Eighth Prince didn’t deny that. “That may be, but she is the County Magistrate’s wife. Aren’t you worried it’s a trap?”

The Eighth Prince knew full well how important the letter was. If it was real, they could use the wife to obtain the County Magistrate’s orders and gain control over all of Ziyang County.

They could even forge documents in the Magistrate’s name to contact Guo Xiu and get more intelligence!

Wei Yu smiled. “What’s to be afraid of? If we want to know whether it’s a trap, just send someone to meet her and find out!”

Wei Yu was a man of action.

That very night, he sent Yi Shisan to the Magistrate’s residence to scope things out.

Then the following night, after confirming the situation, Yi Shisan brought Wei Yu’s reply letter and stealthily snuck into the study, placing it quietly on the Madam’s desk.

So, the morning after that, Madam Hu found a letter tucked beneath the inkstone on her desk.

She was astonished.

Even before opening it, she could already guess who it was from.

After opening the envelope and finding blank sheets inside, Madam Hu suddenly laughed.

This unknown-time-of-delivery letter was both a display of skill and a silent affirmation.

The alliance — was sealed.