Chapter 233 Hostages

Where are they?

Liu Zian asked softly.

But no one dared to speak.

"Where is Ouyang Lianghan?" Liu Zian asked repeatedly, enunciating each word clearly.

"Second Brother, it seems that Ouyang Lianghan secretly took leave and went back to his hometown in Nanlong. When our people went there, the place was already deserted. Only these people are left in Meilu Garden..."

Liu Zilin lowered his head with a look of guilt.

"Then why didn't you notice it a few days ago, and only come to tell me now? What were you doing before? What were you doing all this time! Eating for free, huh?"

"Second brother...I..."

Liu Zilin raised his head, then lowered it again, his lips moving slightly:

"It was my fault, Second Brother, I am willing to accept the punishment."

As he was about to kneel down, the lame steward Liu Fu stepped forward to support him.

He pleaded softly:

"Master, even the Third Young Master is like a skilled cook without rice. Previously, Xie Lingjiang and Yan Wuxu kept pressing the case of the Jade Cup Fairy and kept a close eye on us, making it difficult for us to plant spies."

Before and after the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Di Gongzha, Ouyang Lianghan also thoroughly cleaned up the county government office from top to bottom...

“Recently, you had to compromise and appease Ouyang Lianghan, so our people keeping an eye on you had to be extremely careful, only able to observe indirectly, for fear of being caught and exposed…”

Liu Zian seemed not to hear, and without even glancing at Liu Fu who was trying to smooth things over, he turned to stare at Liu Zilin and said:

"What promises did you make to me a few days ago?"

Speaking of this, Liu Zilin's face immediately filled with resentment as he faced the direction of the Deer Park:

“Brother, it’s inconvenient for our lookouts to be too close to Luming Street, so we found a high spot nearby to observe Ouyang Lianghan’s residence from a distance. These past few days, we’ve clearly seen lights on in Ouyang Lianghan’s courtyard every night, but who knows…”

Liu Zian didn't listen any longer. He suddenly turned around, pushed aside the servant in blue, stepped forward, grabbed the hair of Magistrate Diao's official hat, and pulled him out.

This second young master of the Liu family was completely different today from his usual gentle, kind and honest self in front of everyone.

It's like they've changed their appearance.

From the moment he led his servants and thugs to suddenly surround the ceremony and take control of the entire venue that morning, his sickly face was filled with indifference, his gaze sharp as a wolf's and a hawk's.

Like a sick, world-weary tiger.

Liu Zian stared at Magistrate Diao, who was groaning and begging for mercy, and asked:

"Old man, why did you only tell me this morning that Ouyang Lianghan is taking leave and won't be coming! Where were you all this time? You just nodded happily when I asked you, are you kidding me?"

County Magistrate Diao looked mournful:

"Master Liu, I... I didn't do it intentionally. It was Lord Ming who instructed me to do this before he took leave, saying..."

"What do you mean?"

"The magistrate laughed and said that I would tell him that he couldn't come that day. The magistrate said that this way you and the Liu family would work harder and share the burden of the county government. He also said something about preventing the Liu family head from slacking off, which I couldn't understand."

Liu Zi'an: ? ? ?

He was out of breath and took two steps back.

He stared wide-eyed at Liu Zilin and County Magistrate Diao, these two brilliant talents.

Liu Zian was startled. He drew his sword and slashed wildly to the left and right, scattering fragments and wood chips from the tea table, flagpole, and other items on the high platform all over the ground.

His sword was pointed directly towards the distant Nanlong direction:

"You brat, you brat! How dare you play tricks on me! You're your mother's maid! I'll fuck your aunt!"

The greatest distance in the world is when you've prepared to take revenge after ten years, but after patiently enduring and waiting for ten years, the other person just walks away like a big shot, returning home in wealth and honor. All the punches you prepared for ten years to deliver with all your might landed on cotton.

I ask you.

How frustrating!

This kid is such a jerk, he almost made Liu Zian explode with anger.

I had to take several deep breaths to barely suppress the heat in my lungs.

"When it rains, it pours! Ouyang Lianghan, of all times, you're not in Longcheng! Why, why is fate so kind to you..."

Liu Zian's chest heaved violently with each breath. He looked up at the sky, and as the sun gradually rose higher, nearing noon, a look of anxiety flashed across his face.

After a short while, Liu Zian gradually regained his composure.

He suddenly turned around, his face grim, and asked Liu Zilin:

"You took men to Meluyuan to arrest people this morning, and on the way you passed by Luming Street, did you deliver the message you asked the old gentleman to to Young Master Wei and his men?"

Seeing his second brother speak up, Liu Zilin breathed a sigh of relief and nodded quickly:

"Second brother, the message has been delivered."

"When I took my men there, we ran into Boss Li. He was leading his men, disguised as bandits, to imprison the Su family next door."

"Boss Li took me to the house opposite the Su residence. Young Master Wei had just finished burning incense and bathing and then received us."

"What kind of trick is it to impersonate robbers and imprison that family?"

Liu Zian first frowned slightly, shook his head, then casually asked:

"What did Young Master Wei say?"

"After hearing the message, Young Master Wei seemed to be in a good mood. He said he understood the rules of the swordsmith and would definitely follow the old master's instructions. He would arrive at the Jia-character sword furnace room at noon to retrieve the sword box and would not disturb the master until then."

"Young Master Wei also asked me to tell the old gentleman not to rush and to properly clean his sword."

Liu Zian nodded and asked softly, "Then, what about the Mo family sword box that Young Master Wei took out?"

Liu Zilin turned his head and waved to the back of him.

Upon seeing this, Liu Fu, who was guarding the hostages, bowed and stepped forward. He walked to the secluded spot where Liu Zi'an and Liu Zilin were having their private conversation and respectfully cupped his hands in greeting.

"Reporting to the patriarch, I have personally delivered the sword box back to the Jia-class sword furnace and handed it to the old gentleman. After receiving the item, the old gentleman has stayed at home and has not come out since."

Liu Zian nodded slowly, looking slightly relieved.

Fortunately, nothing went wrong in this matter.

Liu Zian thought to himself, then turned to look at his third brother and the lame steward, his expression still slightly displeased.

He gave a cold "humph".

Liu Zilin mustered his courage slightly, and said with a hint of doubt in his expression:

"Second brother, even though Ouyang Lianghan is despicable and deserves to be killed, and we wish we could devour his flesh alive, we have important things to do right now, so there's no need to rush things."

He paused, frowned slightly, and voiced the question that had been weighing on his mind:

"The matter at hand is urgent. Why waste precious time searching for him everywhere in such a grand manner..."

Liu Zian nodded, his expression calm, his voice slightly cold:

"So my third brother also thinks that my flattery and painstaking efforts in organizing this new canal celebration were a huge waste of time and utterly foolish?"

Liu Zilin was taken aback, then immediately shook his head:

"How could that be? I, your third brother, never thought of that. On the contrary, I think that your second brother's move was a stroke of genius. It not only stabilized the situation but also wiped away the shame and restored the prestige of our Liu family!"

Liu Fu nodded, looking at Liu Zi'an with a respectful expression, and said:

"The situation in Longcheng is quite chaotic today, but the patriarch has made preparations early and taken control of most of the officials and chief officials in this county government. For the time being, there is no organized force that can stop us. This is called capturing the king first."

"It's just that our subordinates are dull-witted and incompetent. They let Ouyang Lianghan escape and failed to execute your plan properly. We are the ones who dragged you down."

Unlike the sycophantic Liu Fu.

Liu Zilin's face was quite excited at this moment. He pointed at the officials and gentry, including the trembling Magistrate Diao, on the stage, and at the fearful people of Longcheng below, and grinned as he said:

"Let's see who dares to look down on the Liu family of Longcheng in the future. These corrupt officials and scoundrels, relying on Ouyang Lianghan's backing these days, really think they're grandfathers? And treat the Liu family like grandsons?"

Liu Zilin, beaming with satisfaction, pointed sharply at the silent crowd below:

"Now we know who the undisputed lord of Dragon City is!?"

The entire audience fell silent, heads bowed, daring not to speak out in their anger.

Liu Zian listened silently to the conversation between the two people in front of him, nodded slightly, and said calmly:

“Alright, Third Brother is right.” He suddenly changed the subject: “Then let’s go now and detain all these corrupt officials and troublemakers. Aren’t there a fleet of official ships over there? We can take as many as we can. Let’s go back to the sword shop on the west bank!”

Liu Zian, his face grim, waved his hand dismissively.

Liu Zilin and Liu Fuqi were stunned and exchanged a glance.

"Second Brother."

Liu Zilin looked at Liu Zian, who was turning to leave, and asked in confusion:

"Isn't this to establish authority? Why bring these burdens back? As hostages? But Ouyang Lianghan isn't even in Longcheng County."

Liu Zian stopped, patted Liu Zilin on the shoulder, and nodded, saying:

"Didn't you want to avenge your brother? These people stood by and watched your brother get stabbed in the street, kicking him when he was down. They were all accomplices!"

He sighed and looked up at the sky, then said with a serious expression, "Then send them to the Dragon-Slaying Platform."

Liu Zilin listened, completely stunned.

Upon hearing the words "Dragon-Slaying Platform," he shuddered slightly, as if recalling the preparations his second brother had made long ago at the Dragon-Slaying Platform.

That was originally intended to entertain Ouyang Lianghan.

At that moment, Liu Zilin glanced at Liu Zian's upturned lips, where a hint of bloodthirsty and ruthless killing intent lurked.

"Second brother, this..." Liu Zilin shivered again.

"What, have you forgotten your elder brother's revenge?"

"No...no, how could I forget?"

Liu Zilin hesitated, his brows furrowed, and whispered:

"But second brother, Longcheng County is where our Liu family rose to prominence. Even if we receive help from the Wei family and rise to the two capitals, there will inevitably be clansmen still living here. Wouldn't it be inappropriate to cut off so many heads to offer as sacrifices?"

"Besides, our Liu family's ancestral graves are also here..."

"How about we leave a few survivors, pick out a few troublemakers, and publicly torture and kill them as a sacrifice? The rest will be as docile as lambs. Isn't that what our elder brother taught us before...?"

"If we kill them all, who will we enslave and exploit?"

Liu Zian listened quietly to his third brother's words, glancing sideways at Liu Zilin, whose face showed hesitation.

The sickly current head of the Liu family suddenly said, "Third brother, you really do listen to your elder brother."

Liu Zilin chuckled awkwardly, "Second brother, I listen to both you and eldest brother, but now I only listen to you. However, I feel that what eldest brother said makes some sense..."

Liu Zian's observing gaze vanished instantly, and he sighed.

"Third brother, you're being too soft-hearted. How about I teach you a lesson too?"

"Kill one person, and they will kill you. Kill ten, and they will hate you. Kill a hundred, and they will fear you. But kill a thousand, kill ten thousand, and they will sing your praises."

"On this road, the more people you kill, the safer you will be. Do you understand?"

Liu Zilin remained silent, his expression complex, seemingly caught in some kind of struggle.

Liu Zian looked tired and pressed his large hand firmly on Liu Zilin's shoulder, who stared at him blankly.

Liu Zian said with a sincere expression:

“Third brother, I am no different. I am always thinking about the Liu family. These days, I have devoted myself to fulfilling my elder brother’s long-cherished wish.”

No, he didn't want to at all.

Liu Zian calmly withdrew his hand, slipped it into his sleeve, and touched a cold, hard bronze mask inside.

The mask was brand new.

This was made for him by the Jade Cup Fairy before the ribbon-cutting ceremony. It already contains the phantom of a female craftswoman. As long as this thing exists, there is nowhere he cannot go, no matter how vast the world is.

That's exactly what the Jade Cup Fairy did back then. She traveled south from the northern coast, dodging many pursuers, and even dared to lie in wait right under the noses of the Wu and Yue female cultivators next door...

After listening to Liu Zian's words, Liu Zilin hesitated and struggled for a moment, but quickly made a decision:

"Okay, second brother, I'll listen to you..."

Liu Zian, with his sleeves tucked in and eyes lowered, suddenly interrupted:

"Wait, you just said that you went to Luming Street and saw Boss Li's men disguised as robbers, who took control of the Su family?"

Liu Zilin nodded: "That's right, it must have been the order of that young master Wei. I wonder what he's planning. This young master Wei, as expected of someone from the capital, has many tricks up his sleeve and knows how to play with his prey better than we do."

Liu Zian ignored Liu Zilin and turned to walk to the edge of the stage, gazing towards Luming Street, muttering almost inaudibly:

"Sacrificing these ants to judge quality by quantity is too troublesome. If it's about the family's identity and bloodline, picking out a male member would provide enough spiritual feedback..."

"Indeed, Liu Zian, why are you so fixated on Ouyang Lianghan as a sacrifice? Although the Jade Cup Fairy successfully ascended her rank using him, his spirituality is certainly sufficient... That's right, don't let anger cloud your judgment."

Liu Zian looked up again, just as he opened his mouth to make further arrangements.

"Master, Master! The Longcheng County government has sent more people, but they've been captured by the old servant's men."

Liu Fu, who had quietly left without anyone knowing, returned suddenly with a strange message.

Liu Zian waved his hand impatiently: "Two waves have come already, aren't you annoyed? Drag them out and kill them. If they dare to bother me again, when we get back, I'll capture all those remaining soldiers on the way."

"Master, this time is a bit different. They're not just fools asking for a boat. This old servant also got some good news from them: Ouyang Lianghan has returned to Longcheng and is in the county now!"

Liu Zian paused for a moment, then his eyes widened in delight.

"Good, good, good!" he exclaimed three times. He paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. After a moment of excitement, he calmly turned his head, squinted, and ordered, "Someone, deliver a letter for me."

"Yes, sir!"

Liu Fu immediately turned around and stepped back to carry out the order.

Liu Zilin, standing to the side, grinned maliciously: "You, Ouyang Lianghan, dare to come back? What a small world!"

"Hmph." Liu Zian turned his head, his gaze coldly sweeping over the corrupt officials and unruly commoners in the arena, and the numerous official boats moored on the riverbank not far away. He nodded.

“Ouyang Lianghan, you probably still don’t know the reason for today’s flood, or that the whole of Longcheng County is now embroiled in a scheme involving the Dingjian sword, right? It’s fine, just play dumb. I like watching smart people die inexplicably from behind the scenes.”

Liu Zian murmured, while Liu Zilin beside him glanced at his second brother.

About an hour later.

Zheyi Canal, Songlin Ferry.

Inside and outside the ceremony platform, all was silent.

Amidst this oppressive silence, a young county magistrate quietly arrived.

Countless different gazes were cast upon him from the entire audience.

Ouyang Lianghan has arrived.

(End of this chapter)