Chapter 311

311 One who betrays Lóng Wei [Bonus chapter]

Lóng Wei stepped out of the carriage. He found the officials lined up before him with their heads down. The seniormost officials had their heads low in front of him. The people who once laughed upon him, now, they would work for him.

He was proud of this achievement, but more than that, he was proud of his wife. She gave him the reason to become the Governor.

Lóng Wei stepped up and walked past those officials. Eunuch Gao Bing had accompanied him to the office upon the King’s order. The administrative department was much bigger than Lóng Wei had ever thought of.

He ascended the stairs and went inside the grand office chamber, where he would work from today onwards. He could have worked from the palace too. However, Li Hua told him to work from the office and he could not refuse her suggestion.

It was time for him to punish everyone who had done wrong to her. Even her maternal uncles worked in the same office, but their ranks were much lower than his.

Lóng Wei stepped into the room and found a desk at the centre with a tall chair around it. It wasn’t an uncomfortable chair, but had a cushioned surface. He saw a tiny stack of scrolls on the left side of the desk while the brush set was on the right side.

On the shelves, there were books stacked mostly related to governance and the laws of the Kingdom. He didn’t recognize the officials who were present in the room, as he had mostly seen the few court ministers all these years.

“I am Zhai Liang, Your Highness. Starting today, I will assist His Highness in his work.”

Lóng Wei settled into the chair and picked up the brush. He smiled and put the brush back in its place. “What about the others? Who are you all?” Lóng Wei asked them to introduce him. One by one, they all gave their introduction to Lóng Wei, who remembered their names.

.....

He had a good memory from a young age, so it was not difficult for him to remember the names of the officials who would mostly work in the Governor’s office. There were other departments too, but they were handled by the other court ministers. One perk for the Governor was that he had authority even over those court ministers.

“Zhai Liang, I want to know what the pending works of the previous Governor are?” Lóng Wei looked at the scrolls with some confusion.

“Your Highness, there are a few matters on which decisions are pending,” Zhai Liang answered.

Lóng Wei looked at the officials in front of him and asked them to go to their respective offices to work. “Don’t slack off at work because if I catch any of you, then it will be your last day here.” Lóng Wei’s words were more than a threat to them. The room emptied soon.

“Gao Bing, you should return to the palace,” Lóng Wei told him.

Eunuch Gao Bing bowed and was ready to leave when Lóng Wei asked him about Xin Jue.

“The preparations for her wedding are going on. Kang Huijuan will come in the evening to take her,” Gao Bing answered.

“Was she happy?” Lóng Wei inquired.

“Yes, Your Highness. She looked excited,” Gao Bing replied.

“You are not lying to me, right?” Lóng Wei arched his brows and tilted his head slightly.

“Your Highness, why would I lie to you?”

Lóng Wei hummed and asked him to leave. Gao Bing bowed and left for the palace.

Lóng Wei looked at Zhai Liang and asked him if he knew how to fight or kill. Zhai Liang was startled to hear him.

“I know how to use the sword, but I never felt the need to pick it up, Your Highness,” Zhai Liang carefully answered.

“Then, with me you have to,” Lóng Wei stated. “I believe in violence too,” he added and reclined in the chair. Zhai Liang gulped the lump that had formed in his throat. He had only heard about the violent nature of Lóng Wei, but now he had to experience it. Anyone would be happy to become assistant to the Governor, but Zhai Liang wasn’t, despite the fact that he would get a high salary.

“You can step back if you fear death.” A sudden warning came from Lóng Wei.

“Pardon me, Your Highness?” Zhai Liang was slightly puzzled.

“With me, you have to face death from close. So, if you aren’t ready to experience that, then you may step back,” Lóng Wei clarified.

“May I know why His Highness said this? We don’t have to go to the battles,” Zhai Liang affirmed and chuckled.

“This place is a battleground,” Lóng Wei pronounced.

Zhai Liang gaped at him and again gulped in fear. Zhai Liang was in his late twenties, and only he knew how hard it was for him to reach this level. He still had to pay a lot of debts thanks to his father’s drinking habit, so he could not step back from this position either.

“I do not fear death, Your Highness,” Zhai Liang stated. “I will work for His Highness,” he affirmed.

“Have you ever raised your voice in protest of something wrong going on around you?” Lóng Wei was curious to know.

Zhai Liang shook his head.

“From now on, you have to. When I work, I follow my rules, and you have to do the same. Follow my orders and don’t try to betray me because,” Lóng Wei paused, his smile faded and a menacing expression appeared on his grimace; “one who betrays Lóng Wei dies in the worst situation,” he finished.

“I will never betray His Highness,” Zhai Liang stated.

“Great. Bring the Chief Royal Inspector to me. I have some questions from him,” Lóng Wei ordered Zhai Liang. He bowed and walked out of the room.

“Whoever you are and wherever you have hidden in the palace, I will bring you out,” Lóng Wei muttered and clenched his fists.