"And Miss Su, the knowledge and ability you demonstrated when you were building roads in the city were outstanding, whether it was the control of the project's progress or the allocation of manpower and resources."
At this point, Lin Yong's eyes were full of admiration, and he took a small step forward, getting closer to Su An.
"Therefore, I have come here to earnestly request Miss Su to visit the road construction site in the countryside and oversee the project. With you there, I believe the road construction project will be much more efficient and will proceed smoothly."
Su An fiddled with the abacus, lost in thought for a moment.
The store doesn't need many staff right now, so they don't really need her.
Seeing Lin Yong's eager expression, and considering that the road construction was related to the well-being of all the people in the county, she figured she might as well agree and find something to do since she was just waiting anyway.
"No problem, just consider it a good way to stretch your muscles."
Lin Yong almost couldn't stop laughing. "Miss Su is so righteous."
After agreeing, Su An began to take action.
Although he was supposed to be in charge, Lin Yong had already arranged everything, big and small. Su An only needed to patrol every day and observe whether there were any mistakes. This job was easy and simple.
Su An breathed in the fresh air in the countryside for a few days and felt refreshed and energetic, which was a win-win situation.
But this peaceful period didn't last long.
This morning, Lu Ming carried several piles of materials into the yard, looking both anxious and angry.
"Something's happened to the girl! We just started work this morning and everyone discovered that the cement had all turned into a watery consistency and couldn't be mixed at all. I immediately realized there was something wrong with the new batch of materials that arrived, so I brought them over. You should take a look too!"
Upon hearing this, Su An nearly dropped her breakfast bowl, immediately putting down her chopsticks and rushing out.
With just one glance, she sensed something was terribly wrong.
"These...these are all newly arrived materials?!"
Su An's face instantly darkened as he angrily said, "The lime particles are uneven, and the sand and clay have so many impurities. They're all substandard materials. It would be a miracle if they could even make cement!"
"Was it transported by people from the county government?"
Lu Ming angrily said, "Yes! They're all government officials; they didn't go through any other channels!"
"So, it means someone in the government is up to no good!" Su An gritted his teeth in anger and exchanged a glance with Lu Ming.
"Let's go to the county government!"
The two acted immediately, charging headed straight for the county government office with great momentum.
Unexpectedly, halfway there, they were stopped by Master Lu and a group of yamen runners.
Master Lu was dressed in a grayish-blue long gown. He was thin, with a long, narrow face and an air of arrogance about him.
His lips drooped slightly, as if always carrying a hint of disdain, and his sparse beard swayed gently on his chin, adding to his scholarly air of pedantry and arrogance.
"Miss Su, Lord Lu, why aren't you in the countryside to oversee things so early in the morning? Why are you heading in the opposite direction? Where are you going?" Master Lu asked, feigning concern.
Su An frowned immediately upon seeing him.
She had dealt with Master Lu several times in the past few days, and she disliked him from the bottom of her heart, as he was always very sarcastic and unpleasant.
"It's perfect timing that Master Lu is here. Lord Lu discovered that the cement used for road repairs is clearly not right, so we need to go to the county government office to find out exactly how you procured the materials."
Upon hearing this, Master Lu merely shook his folding fan and said with a forced smile, "Miss Su, road repair is a complicated and tedious matter, and some minor mistakes are inevitable. You are a woman, why bother with all this trouble?"
"Why don't we leave it to our yamen to handle? You should go back to your residence and rest in peace."
Su An was instantly enraged.
Look at this fake death attempt!
She stepped forward and said, "You make it sound so easy, sir. If the cement is fake and the road can't be repaired, the people of the whole county will suffer! Since I promised Magistrate Lin that I would oversee the road repairs, I absolutely cannot sit idly by!"
Master Lu was secretly annoyed, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by a sinister look.
He closed his folding fan and raised his voice: "Miss Su, don't be so stubborn! The affairs of the government have their own rules, how can a woman like you interfere?"
"If you obediently go back now, I can pretend that today's events never happened and even put in a good word for you with Magistrate Lin. But if you remain stubborn... then don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Upon hearing the threat in his voice, Su An and Lu Ming exchanged a glance.
"Girl, this matter is probably orchestrated by Master Lu!"
"Why waste words with him? Let's go find the magistrate."
Su An nodded in agreement. This was perhaps a case of being able to guard against a thief within one's own family, even if one was on guard day and night.
The two simply ignored Master Lu and quickly walked past him to the county government office.
Seeing this, Master Lu completely tore off the last layer of pretense on his face, his face turning bright red, like an enraged rooster.
He suddenly waved his hand and shouted to the constables, "Arrest them all!"
"They're just two hired helpers, yet they're so arrogant and think they're something special!"
Upon receiving the order, the constables immediately swarmed forward, rushing towards Su An and Lu Ming like wolves pouncing on their prey.
The two were shocked. Su An tried to resist, but a constable grabbed her arm. She struggled and kicked the constables around her, but she was no match for their strength.
Seeing this, Lu Ming roared and rushed to help, but was also stopped by several constables with sticks.
"You dare to commit violence in broad daylight? Are you crazy?" Su An stared at Master Lu in disbelief.
Master Lu looked self-righteous and arrogantly raised his chin: "Hmph, in this Fuyou County, I'm the one who calls the shots in the yamen. If you insist on refusing to listen to reason, who can you blame?"
"Tie them all up and take them to the road construction site via the back path!"
Su An and Lu Ming, one a complete novice and the other old but lacking in fighting skills, were forcibly escorted by the yamen runners to a remote, deserted corner in the countryside where roads were being repaired.
There were piles of cement and tools there, surrounded by overgrown weeds, a desolate scene that was unsettling.
"Guards, pour these two troublesome things into the cement. They're courting death, this is what happens to them." Master Lu spoke slowly, but Su An and his companion were stunned on the spot.
Murder to silence them?!
He's just a lowly advisor, he's got some nerve!
"You dare! Do you know who I am—" Lu Ming roared with a grim face, but before he could finish speaking, a constable next to him stuffed his mouth shut.
"Even if you're the King of Heaven, in this place only Master Lu has the final say!" the constable sneered. "Blame yourselves for being so tactless as to interfere with Master Lu's business. Now you can just die!"
Meanwhile, the constables on the other side had already moved a huge wooden mold over and started pouring the materials in, adding water and stirring.
Dust rose and filled the air, the pungent smell making it difficult to breathe.
Su An was frantic with worry and struggled to shout to those around her, "An Wu, An Wu! Are you there?!"
However, only the rustling of the wind through the wild grass answered her all around; An Wu did not appear!
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