The county magistrate sat in the inner hall of the county government office, holding the jade given by Su Huaiyue tightly in his hand, staring at it with his eyes, as if it was the most precious treasure in the world.
He would hold the jade up to the sun, letting the soft light pass through the jade and refract brilliant light; then he would hold it in his hands and rub it repeatedly, feeling the warm texture of the jade.
He looked as if he wanted to melt the jade into his body. He was completely immersed in the appreciation of the jade and ignored everything around him.
At this time, He Er walked into the inner hall cautiously. Seeing the county magistrate's appearance, he couldn't help but feel frightened.
He knelt on the ground with a thud and said in a trembling voice, "Sir, I come to see you."
However, the county magistrate acted as if he didn't hear anything, and didn't even raise his eyelids, continuing to admire the jade in his hand.
He Er knelt on the ground, not daring to breathe. Fine beads of sweat gradually appeared on his forehead. The sweat slid down his cheeks and dripped onto the ground, but he didn't dare raise his hand to wipe it off.
After a long while, the county magistrate finally spoke slowly, his eyes still not leaving the jade in his hand, and asked casually: "He Er, what have you thought about what I told you last time?"
He Er's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly offered his sword with both hands, saying tremblingly, "Sir, look. This sword is what the Lu family gave me last time they came to see me. They said that if I could help them cause trouble for the Meiyan Pavilion, and cause trouble for the Wei family, and then swallow the Meiyan Pavilion, they would give me at least 500 taels of silver every month! Sir, just think about it, 500 taels of silver is enough for an ordinary person to live for half a lifetime!"
When the county magistrate heard this, his eyes lit up instantly, and his already greedy eyes now flashed with naked desire.
He finally put down the jade in his hand, stood up slowly and walked towards He Er.
When he reached He Er, he stopped, bent down and picked up the sword.
This sword feels heavy in the hand. The hilt is made of fine black iron and is engraved with exquisite patterns. You can feel the craftsman's exquisite craftsmanship wherever you touch it.
The county magistrate gently drew out the sword, and saw the sword flashing with cold light. Under the light from the room, it seemed as if a layer of icy frost and snow was flowing.
The texture of the sword is delicate and unique, unlike ordinary steel, and it emits a mysterious luster.
He gently slid his fingers along the sword and could feel the cold touch and the sharpness of the blade.
With a gentle wave, the sword drew an arc in the air, causing a slight wind and a buzzing sound. The sound was crisp and long, showing the extraordinary quality of the sword.
"The texture of this sword is indeed different from that of ordinary swords. It's very different." The county magistrate said with satisfaction while playing with the sword.
Then, he turned his gaze, stared at He Er and asked, "Are you still cooperating with the Lu family?"
He Er was startled, his eyes flickering. He quickly lowered his head and stammered, "Sir, I...I no longer cooperate with them."
The county magistrate snorted coldly, his eyes revealing a hint of dissatisfaction: "Tell the truth!"
He Er was so frightened that his whole body trembled. After hesitating for a moment, he stammered, "Sir, actually... actually, we are still cooperating. It's just that the Lu family asked me to wait and not to act rashly."
The county magistrate narrowed his eyes slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Go and tell the Lu family to continue their confrontation with the Meiyan Pavilion. I can help them in the middle. But after the success, they must give me at least one thousand taels of silver!"
He Er secretly despised the magistrate in his heart. This magistrate was even more greedy than himself, but his face was full of flattering smiles. He quickly said, "Yes, sir, I will do it!"
After leaving the county government office, He Er immediately rushed to the Lu family.
Seeing him, the second-in-command of the Lu family waved his hand impatiently and said, "Why are you here again? Didn't you hear Madam tell you not to act rashly? If she finds out again, we'll all be kicked out!"
He Er hurriedly said with a smile, "Second Commander, please don't worry. I'm here on an important matter. The county magistrate asked me to bring you a message. He said he can help us deal with the Meiyan Pavilion, but after the task is completed, we have to give him one thousand taels of silver."
When the second-in-command heard what He Er said, he was stunned for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up, and there was a greedy light in his eyes, as if he had seen countless gold, silver and treasures waving to him.
An ecstatic look appeared on his face, his mouth wide open, revealing a row of uneven teeth. "Really? That's great!" He said, rubbing his hands together, unable to control his excitement.
But soon, a trace of doubt appeared on his face again. His brows slightly furrowed, and his eyes revealed a bit of confusion. "Why is this county magistrate suddenly so kind? Why is he helping us? Is there some conspiracy?"
He Er saw this and quickly explained with a smile, "Second Commander, don't you understand? This county magistrate is a money-grubber. He heard about our relationship with Meiyan Pavilion and knew there was profit to be made, so he wanted to get involved. He thought that if we could bring down Meiyan Pavilion, we would definitely treat him well, and he could make a fortune from it."
The second-in-command listened to He Er's explanation and nodded slightly, but he still felt a little uneasy. "That being said, this matter is too smooth. I always feel that something is not right."
He Er quickly patted his chest and assured, "Second Commander, don't worry. This county magistrate is a money-grubber. As long as we promise to give him enough silver, he will definitely do his best to help us. Just think about it, if we can really get Meiyan Pavilion, the Lu family will become rich. What does this little silver mean to us?"
The second-in-command was so moved by He Er's words that an anxious look appeared on his face again. "You're right! Such a good opportunity cannot be missed. I must go and tell my wife immediately. Maybe if she's happy, she'll even give me a great credit!"
After saying that, he ran towards the room where Lu Jin was like a pug that had received an order.
Along the way, he walked hurriedly, humming a tuneless little tune, and he felt so proud in his heart.
When he arrived at the door, he didn't even bother to knock, but pushed it open and walked in.
Lu Jin was sitting at the table, looking at the account book. He was startled by his rash behavior. He looked up, his eyes full of displeasure. "Why are you so rude? You're so flustered. What a mess!"
The second-in-command didn't care about Lu Jin's dissatisfaction at all. He stepped forward with a smile on his face and said, "Madam, this is great news! It's great news!"
Lu Jin frowned, put down the account book in his hand, and asked coldly: "What good news? You look so useless."
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