Chapter 267: Zhang Shi, the River Magistrate [Two-in-One]

Bai Su looked blankly at the laughing group.

She murmured, "Lord Shen... is there really such a close relative as an elder sister suffering in He Yin? Or is it..."

Shen Tang coughed lightly twice to clear his throat.

He shamelessly said, "Well, when necessary, it's good to have an 'older sister' like this. One should be flexible and adaptable."

Bai Su: "..."

She wasn't unaware, but she hadn't expected that Lord Shen would fabricate a story about a sister out of thin air so naturally and casually, with the sole purpose of framing her.

No, no, no—

How can what Lord Shen did be called "framing someone"?

This is clearly acting on behalf of Heaven!

If Lord Shen Lang's benevolent heart could truly eradicate those corrupt officials who are rich but unkind, and unjust in their administration, it would be a "lifesaver" for the tens of thousands of people in He Yin, bringing them a glimmer of hope after a period of hardship. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures—this is truly extraordinary!

Bai Su convinced herself in this way.

She said calmly, "What Lord Shen says is absolutely right. If this grudge is not avenged, how can a true man stand tall between heaven and earth in the future? I wonder where Lord Shen's 'elder sister' has ended up? And at the hands of whom she died? Perhaps I can offer you some advice."

Upon hearing this, Shen Tang felt a surge of delight.

Compared to those clever but often self-righteous people, Shen Tang prefers dealing with pragmatic and intelligent people, because communication is easier and there's no need to worry about tacit understanding. Bai Su's answer made her feel very comfortable, and she asked with a smile, "My elder sister must have died in a family that was prestigious but slightly weaker in terms of power, with a small but numerous family members, but committed many evils..."

Bai Su then asked, "What about the wicked master's family?"

Shen Tang: "This person is greedy, violent, lecherous, treats the common people like dirt, and is very wealthy... The more public resentment he incurs, the better. Lady Bai, do you have a suitable candidate on your side?"

Bai Su pondered for a moment.

Try your best to find a suitable candidate in your mind.

She knew it perfectly well.

Knowing full well that Shen Tang's chosen target would undoubtedly be the "chicken" Shen Langzhu would first target upon taking control of the River Prefecture, as a warning to the others. If those "monkeys" not only showed no fear but also jumped around causing trouble, they too could transform from "monkeys" into "chickens"...

We need to choose this "chicken" carefully.

They can't be too powerful, but their reputation has to be big and bad—and it has to be the kind of downfall that makes tens of thousands of people in Heyin clap their hands in joy!

To be honest, there are quite a few suitable candidates.

Looking at this young master, Bai Su had a flurry of thoughts flashing through her mind.

To be fair, He Yin and his gang of scoundrels have done things deserving of expulsion from the human race! Bai Su could also use this opportunity to push her enemies out and eliminate her nemesis through Shen Tang. She could have done that, but—

I cannot harm Lord Shen for my own selfish desires!

Revenge can be taken anytime, but if one harms Lord Shen for personal gain and ruins his plans, wouldn't one also be a villain who repays kindness with enmity? Bai Su's thoughts shifted, and she put aside her enemies for the time being, saying, "Zhang Shi, the River Magistrate, would be quite suitable."

"The Zhang family? The family that adopted their daughter?"

Bai Su nodded and said, "Yes! The head of the Zhang family, in order to seize the people's fertile land for his own sacrificial land, secretly hired many local thugs and ruffians. Their methods were despicable; at best, they beat and poisoned people, at worst, they set traps to sell them off, causing more than a dozen families to be ruined and killed... The head of the Zhang family's younger brother was even more wicked. This man had a fondness for young boys and girls. Two years ago, when a village in the jurisdiction of He Yin suddenly fell into an epidemic, the Zhang family's younger brother sent his servants to deceive the suffering people, saying that he had a good medicine to cure the disease, but the key ingredient was hard to come by, and that the cooperation of the people's young boys and girls was required to obtain it. Using this method, he brutally murdered more than twenty people..."

For more than a month, every night at midnight, one could hear the cries of young children crying for help from this man's house. The servants and maids trembled at the sound, but no one dared to intervene.

Who would dare to stop them?

No one was killed.

So what if someone dies?

They were just a few people who toiled in the mud.

You sue the authorities, but they won't listen.

We tried to manage it, but it didn't work.

Why didn't it work? Because the younger brother of the Zhang family patriarch did indeed provide a remedy!

Why did they still die after taking the medicine? Because the people who took the medicine were commoners, of lowly blood, and their bodies were filthy; they were unworthy!

That medicine was effective. Didn't you see that a member of the Zhang family also developed similar symptoms? He took one dose of the medicine, developed a fever, and was lively and energetic the next day? So, the responsibility lies with the common people themselves, not with the younger brother of the Zhang family head.

The lawsuit is unfounded!

What's even more incredible is that the younger brother of the Zhang family patriarch turned around and sued the commoner, saying that he had slandered his reputation and that, according to the law, his tongue should be cut off!

To put it bluntly, it means cutting out someone's tongue.

The pitiful woman who sued the younger brother of the Zhang family head, went to seek medicine to save her sick husband, only to have her daughter violated in the process—the daughter was brought back with a high fever for two days, her genitals filled with foul-smelling pus and bleeding incessantly, and she died on the third day—in the end, her daughter predeceased her husband, and she herself suffered the cruel torture of having her tongue cut out. Of course, if the woman had money and grain, she could use it to offset the punishment.

Her husband had barely breathed his last when his brothers, along with clan elders, arrived and, citing the young age of her children and the fear that she might remarry and seize her nephews' property, forcibly seized several acres of fertile land. Where would the woman find the extra money and grain to offset the torture of having her tongue cut out?

Once this incident comes to light, how many other victims will dare to stand up and seek justice for themselves and their children?

Their tongues were perfectly fine, but it was no different from having their tongues cut off.

Bai Su could talk about these things for a long time.

Even Qi Shan and the others couldn't help but frown in disgust.

Shen Tang's expression grew colder as she listened.

Qi Shan and the others were all scholars with a keen sense of the surrounding energy, and they clearly felt that the chilling killing intent emanating from Shen Tang was affecting the energy of heaven and earth, causing the surrounding temperature to drop slightly. She asked, "Is this younger brother of the Zhang family patriarch still alive?"

Bai Su sighed, "This person is living a very good life."

When she went to scout out the Zhang family's place, she even worked for a few days at the residence of the Zhang family's patriarch's younger brother, disguising herself as a cleaning lady, and saw that person up close. He was fat with big ears, his face full of fat, and his eyebrows and eyes fierce, looking like a mountain pig that had come to life.

Shen Tang's expression remained unchanged, but her right hand, resting on her knee, clenched tightly: "Has this person committed any other evil deeds?"

Bai Su was slightly taken aback, hesitating for a moment.

Shen Tang asked, "Can't you say?"

Bai Su shook her head and replied, "It's not that I can't say, it's just that I'm afraid it would offend Lord Shen's ears..."

Shen Tang suppressed her anger.

He said frankly, "It's okay, I can handle it."

Shen Tang was quite worldly-wise; what storms hadn't she weathered? No matter how disgusting Bai Su's words were, she could remain composed. She just never imagined that some people's behavior could so relentlessly trample on moral boundaries.

“This person has a set of ‘Three Beauties’ treasured in his mansion, which he often shows off to others.” She carefully observed the expressions of Shen Tang and the others, and seeing that they had no reaction, she continued, “The first is the Beauty Pot, the second is the Beauty Bowl, and the third is the Beauty Paper…”

Shen Tang was mentally prepared to be disgusted, so upon hearing this, she didn't immediately see anything wrong with it...

Qi Shan, Gu Chi, and Chu Yao's expressions changed.

Kang Shi, whose previous environment was relatively simple and who hadn't been exposed to so many sordid things, asked, "What's the explanation for this?"

Qi Shan and the other two glanced at him sideways.

You ask so many questions!

Shen Tang asked suspiciously, "And then?"

Bai Su said, “The Beauty Pot is a vessel for urination, the Beauty Bowl is a vessel for clearing phlegm, and the Beauty Paper is a vessel for wiping away filth.”

Shen Tang: "???"

Shen Tang: "!!!"

A vessel for urination and defecation.

A tool for clearing phlegm, used for spitting out phlegm.

A tool for wiping filth, used for wiping excrement.

Bai Su was also shocked for a long time when she first heard about it.

Such extravagant and debauched "modes of enjoyment" were truly beyond her imagination, and she never imagined that such disgusting people existed in the world. When the younger brother of the Zhang family head had an itchy throat and wanted to spit, the "beauty pot" opened its mouth to catch it. When he wanted to urinate, the beauty pot undressed and, instead of using expensive, soft silk toilet paper, had the beauty paper mouth lick him clean with its tongue.

To show off, the younger brother of the Zhang family patriarch spent a lot of money to keep several sets of "beauty sets" as lavish gifts for social interactions.

This matter is widely known within the territory of Heyin.

Shen Tang's face was ashen, and he gritted his teeth: "I will personally chop this kind of worm into pieces and feed it to the pigs! No, I will cut off its legs first, remove the flesh and bones, feed the meat to the pigs, and burn the bones to ashes to mix with rice and stuff them into its mouth! Damn it—I can't kill this despicable bastard any way I want!" Bai Su shivered from the sudden drop in temperature.

Chu Yao said, "My lord, please calm your anger."

Upon hearing the address, Shen Tang managed to regain some composure.

She took a dozen deep breaths to suppress her restless inner turmoil, and said, "Alright! We'll choose the Zhang family! Judging by the time, it's almost the New Year, so killing them will be perfect for the ancestral sacrifice!"

Perhaps because of her high level of affection, Bai Su did not doubt Shen Tang's words. The only difference was when to do it—before or after the New Year? Confiding helped her release her pent-up emotions, and saying these words made her feel much better.

"Lord Shen, there is no need to get so worked up over such a petty person."

Shen Tang's expression was still very unpleasant.

Just then, news from Li Li arrived, barely easing the oppressive atmosphere—Zhao Feng and Gong Shuwu walked ahead, with Li Li striding behind, the corners of his mouth practically curling into a wide grin. Shen Tang forced herself to cheer up.

He asked, "Is there some good news?"

Gong Shuwu keenly sensed that the atmosphere here was somewhat heavy.

Shen Tang asked again, "Is it related to the power of the fox?"

Gong Shuwu smiled to ease the tension.

"Indeed, our lord is incredibly insightful."

Shen Tang forced a smile.

Didn't Gong Shuwu think his "compliment" was too stiff?

She felt embarrassed for the other person.

Shen Tang turned her gaze to Li Li, whose face was full of "wanting to say something but holding back," frowned, and after thinking for a while, she roughly guessed the truth—there was only one thing that could make Li Li smile and for Gong Shuwu to bring people over in person.

Because Zhao Feng, an outsider, was still present, there were some things that couldn't be said too much. So Shen Tang chose to take the initiative and asked Li Li with a faint smile, "Is that Qi-gathering method really effective?"

Li Li was puzzled.

A method for absorbing Qi?

What kind of Qi absorption method is this?

Just as he was about to speak, he caught a glimpse of Gong Shuwu cupping his hands and saying, "Li Li has cultivated diligently day and night, and with his exceptional talent, he has finally lived up to our lord's high expectations. Although it is still very weak, it is indeed 'martial energy.' Li Li, what are you still standing there for?"

Li Li was snapped out of her daze by Gong Shuwu's rebuke.

Although they didn't understand the meaning, they didn't falter in their actions.

He immediately clasped his hands in gratitude and expressed his loyalty to Yitiaolong.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Feng asked, "The method of absorbing qi?"

Shen Tang smiled and said, "It's a secret technique passed down from our ancestors. It's said to give older people with certain talents a second chance to absorb Qi into their bodies. I thought it was just a trick to fool children, but I didn't expect Li Li to actually succeed. I guess the reason why the predecessors failed was because their talents were not enough..."

After saying that, Shen Tang sighed, half-jokingly and half-seriously.

Zhao Feng was overwhelmed by the sudden influx of information and almost couldn't process it. He stared at Li Li in utter astonishment for a long while before finally saying, "Li Li really didn't possess any martial energy before???"

So Gong Shuwu wasn't lying to him after all?

Shen Tang asked, "General Zhao, you don't know?"

Zhao Feng replied, "I truly do not know."

While resting in place, Lili had gotten itchy and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with about ten of his subordinates, beating them black and blue, making them cry out in pain.

He doesn't look like an ordinary person at all.

As for not sensing the martial energy emanating from him?

When a martial artist's skill reaches a certain level, they can perfectly conceal their martial energy. Unless they make a move, it's impossible to tell if they are a martial artist with martial courage. Seeing that Li Li's talent and aptitude were so high, Zhao Feng thought he was a born general like Gong Xi Chou.

Therefore, they did not have any doubts.

Who knows—

Was Lili originally an ordinary person?

At his age, he only managed to cultivate his first wisp of martial energy?

Only Zhao Feng and Gu Chi knew the shock Zhao Feng felt, but this also made him completely give up the idea of ​​poaching Zhao Feng's talent. No matter how talented Li Li was, he had missed the golden period of cultivation. His bones and meridians had begun to stiffen, unlike when he was young when they were flexible and had room for development. This meant that his future achievements would not be very high, at least not as monstrous as Gong Xi Chou!

In comparison, he was more interested in the "Qi Absorption Method"—there were many talented individuals in the world who missed the opportunity to enter the Dao through martial arts due to poverty. Even if their potential was limited, as long as they successfully cultivated martial courage, they would far surpass ordinary people.

As long as Lord Shen releases this news—

I wonder how many people would be willing to follow.

Zhao Fengxin became wary.

If that's the case, it won't be long before Shen Langzhu grows to the point of threatening his own lord and becomes a major threat!

However, his expression remained unchanged, revealing nothing amiss.

Zhao Feng exclaimed, "I was truly ignorant to discover such a secret technique in this world. With my innate talent as a fox spirit, coupled with diligent practice and guidance from Brother Banbu, I believe I will achieve some success within two years!"

After speaking, he probed further: "However, there is one thing I don't understand. Lord Shen's troops are few in number, which is not conducive to his taking over as governor of He. Why not use this method as an incentive to recruit soldiers for his own use?"

Shen Tang gestured towards the direction of the fox spirit and teased with a smile, "It's not that I don't want to. It's taken so many years to successfully train one fox spirit. If he hadn't begged me, I wouldn't have agreed to let him waste his time on that secret technique."

Zhao Feng then remembered what Shen Tang had said earlier.

This secret technique has a very high barrier to entry.

It's not very useful for ordinary people.

Thinking of this, Zhao Feng breathed a sigh of relief.

[False alarm!]

After chatting for a bit, Zhao Feng went off to attend to other matters.

Shen Tang tiptoed and patted Li Li's shoulder, teasing the still somewhat bewildered Li Li: "After you go back, don't neglect the cultivation of the 'Qi Gathering Method'. If you don't understand anything in the cultivation, you can ask Banbu or Commander Yang for guidance. Remember to be sincere. You started too late, and if you want to catch up, you will need to put in more effort, understand?"

Tanuki clasped his hands in a fist salute: "I will remember your teachings, my lord."

(σ)σ:*☆

The update on the 14th will be during the day, everyone go to sleep early.

Shiitake mushrooms should go to bed early too.

I slept soundly until after 2 p.m. yesterday after I went to bed. I rarely sleep that long.

PS: My previous Mate 30 Pro broke, but I was used to Huawei's HarmonyOS, and I didn't feel comfortable looking at other brands in the phone store during the day. In the end, I gritted my teeth and bought a Mate 40 Pro. The memory was upgraded from 128 to 256, and I finally don't have to be notified of insufficient memory every day anymore. I'm so happy.

P.S.: Sigh, when will Huawei release a new 5G model? The two-year-old model is still 6799... It's really expensive...

(End of this chapter)