On the day the entire Shen family was executed, I was squatting on the field ridge rubbing mud.
After being exiled to Guantian for three years, I made a comeback by improving saline-alkali land and growing cotton.
The transfer envoy Pei Yan held the account book where I paid taxes and sneered: "Is this bit of cotton enough to cover the blood debt of the nine tribes that your Shen family owes the court?"
I handed over another secret ledger: "What about the 300,000 shi of military rations that your Excellency embezzled?"
Later, he helped me become the head of the household department and personally put on the title of minister for me.
"I'll give you whatever you want." His fingertips brushed my earlobe.
I smiled and pushed away the phoenix crown he handed me: "Master Pei, I earn the heaviest crown in the world myself."
