Chapter 117 Giving the County Magistrate a Little Shock from the Liu Family
Ouyang Rong initially had no suspicion that the Ancient Yue Sword Shop was hiding something.
Until recently, several things were connected by him:
The strange floodwaters of Yunmengze.
The Liu family made preemptive preparations for every flood, as if they had foreseen it.
Legend has it that the cauldron and the cauldron sword, imbued with mythical power, may have the ability to trigger floods.
There was a precedent for casting tripods and swords on the west bank of Butterfly Creek.
The Broken Wing Canal may harm the unknown core interests of the Liu family.
He showed remarkable patience and sincerity towards the Liu family during this period.
There are also doubts revealed in the matter of bringing Aqing back a few days ago.
A strange old craftsman's work.
The mysterious sword-washing ceremony at the Jia San Sword Furnace and the disappearance of the female grain worker.
Qi cultivators of the sorcerer's lineage...
The junior sister might be influenced by habitual thinking and established experience, but Ouyang Rong is an outsider who habitually breaks free from the constraints of what is in front of him and flies to a certain God's perspective to observe and think.
His intuition always gave him a vague sense that something was brewing around him.
Ouyang Rong had visited almost the entire Longcheng County, except for one place: the Ancient Yue Sword Shop.
This is also a blind spot that he and the Longcheng County government cannot reach for the time being.
Like a small map filled with the fog of war, he had explored it almost completely, but there was still a small area in the center that was always shrouded in gray fog.
How to prevent people from getting restless.
So on that day, after the Liu family sincerely returned A Qing's indenture, Ouyang Rong readily agreed to Liu Ziwen's previous request and personally wrote a letter to Jiangzhou City, inviting Lord Shen to Longcheng County to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony of Di Gong Gate.
Then he turned around and told Yan Liulang and Liu Ashan to hurry up with the preparations.
On the west bank of Butterfly Creek, there is a sword shop shrouded in mystery.
Ouyang Rong has decided to conduct the search.
Only after going in and finding out the truth could he leave with peace of mind.
Ouyang Rong, who was reclining in the chair, opened his eyes.
Looking at the empty hall, he muttered to himself:
"It seems like I've gained quite a few merit points these past few days... I should go check it out."
Starting from the morning before yesterday, Ouyang Rong heard a series of clear wooden fish sounds, and a sum of merit points was being credited to his account.
At first, he was quite wary, wondering if it was similar to what happened to Aqing. But later he found that this wave of merit points kept increasing, from morning till night.
Although the frequency is not intense, the amount of each ejaculation is not large, and the duration is somewhat short, its strength lies in its endurance.
A steady, long-term approach is the best way to go.
This wave is somewhat similar to the period of merit growth that Ouyang Rong experienced after building the suburban disaster relief camp.
Later, Ouyang Rong roughly determined the source.
In conjunction with the official gazette I received a few days ago, and the letter of gratitude from the Xingzi County magistrate who visited Di Gongzha, I was struck by these thoughts.
It must have been the more than 160,000 shi of grain that he had collected that arrived in succession in Jiangzhou City and various disaster-stricken counties, beginning to play the role of life-saving grain.
Ouyang Rong was finally at ease.
Then he focused his attention, fading out the noise of the continuous, crisp sound of the wooden fish in his ears. This was a method he had accidentally figured out before, which could reduce the noise in his mind and enter a "do not disturb" mode, so as not to interfere with Ouyang Rong's daily work and life, while still receiving timely feedback.
But actually, he's gotten quite used to the sound of the wooden fish drum; after all, he's the kind of man who can fall asleep peacefully while listening to the Great Compassion Mantra...
This long-awaited influx of merit points into the tower made Ouyang Rong feel refreshed.
It has only now slowed down the pace of its growth.
Taking advantage of the fact that his junior sister seemed to be lost in thought on the porch outside, he didn't come in to disturb her.
Ouyang Rong closed his eyes and once again entered the ancient pagoda above the sea of his mind.
It's the same as always.
The tower was completely silent.
The blessing bell was quiet and still, without any fever.
Above the small wooden fish, the cyan-gold lettering remained quietly on a line of numbers:
[Merit: 12,081]
It set a new record.
Previously, the highest merit value was only "11,631".
As a result, he later redeemed a blessing of 3,000 merit points at Yunshui Pavilion, which fell below his bottom line of 10,000 merit points.
It has finally rebounded, and even slightly exceeded expectations.
The more than 160,000 shi of grain donated were not in vain.
Ouyang Rong looked pleased, even finding the little wooden fish in front of him somewhat handsome.
I couldn't help but reach out and touch the quiet, well-behaved creature.
I must say, it feels round and warm to the touch, with a delicate and smooth texture, it's really quite nice.
He let out a long breath and his body relaxed a little.
This is what it means to have "grain" in hand and not panic.
With a minimum of 10,000 merit points, Ouyang Rong can go to the Pure Land Palace at any time.
The initiative is in his hands.
Moreover, there's so much left over; no matter how much is deducted, there will probably still be some left.
Ouyang Rong thought about it carefully and realized that he hadn't had any merit points deducted recently.
Occasionally, when riding in a carriage or on the bow of a boat, the bumpy ride made me worry, so I would glance at my junior sister a few times, wondering if she had lost any merit points despite her arduous journey.
I don't know if the junior sister didn't notice at all, or if it's because gentlemen can watch for free or something like that.
What? Can't I just not glance at it? Can't I just stay put?
Ouyang Rong is not a saint.
He had told people about it ever since he was in the Pure Land Palace.
Even with the memories of this life's upright and virtuous person integrated, the mindset of the previous life still prevails.
In order to go back, I tried my best to suppress myself and be a proper gentleman, so the only thing left on weekdays was this "Junior Sister, don't be afraid" routine.
But the truth is, the "righteous energy" in his body was about to overflow.
After all, what kind of serious person would someone be who would join some weird postgraduate entrance exam group and quietly save the photos posted by other members?
So let the child leave quickly, he can't hold back any longer... Ouyang Rong cleared his mind and turned to leave the Pagoda of Merit.
Before leaving, he seemed to remember something and couldn't help but look back at the Blessing Clock, which seemed to be in a state of sagehood.
"I almost forgot, the blessings I exchanged for with 3,000 merit points haven't arrived yet... It's been so many days, why is there still no sign of them?"
Ouyang Rong shook his head, muttered a few words, and turned to leave.
Behind him, a bronze bell remained completely still.
...
The bright moon is like frost, and the gentle breeze is like water.
As night falls, the evening breeze from the great river is exceptionally cool, blowing away the day's dampness and dryness.
Just as Ouyang Rong and Xie Lingjiang returned to Meiluyuan for dinner after a long day of travel.
At the other end of Longcheng County, another family was having dinner.
Inside the dining room of the Liu family mansion, the three brothers Liu Ziwen, Liu Zian, and Liu Zilin, along with Liu Ziwen's wife, Xu, sat around a small round table, engrossed in their meal.
The table was quiet, save for the clatter of bowls and chopsticks.
Liu Ziwen ate in silence.
Neither Liu Zian nor Liu Zilin spoke first.
The eldest sister-in-law, Xu, served rice and vegetables to her two younger brothers-in-law in a familiar manner.
Since the public trial outside the county government office, Liu Zilin has become much more withdrawn after recovering from his injuries.
It is estimated that he suffered all the beatings of his life under the command of a young county magistrate, and was later forced to kneel down and apologize to the young county magistrate and the noble lady of the Xie family at Yuanming Tower.
It's likely that the third young master of the Liu family was driven to the brink of depression and became withdrawn.
It's unclear whether his previous arrogant and unruly demeanor was extinguished by a bucket of cold water or silently hidden away.
Anyway, the Liu family's dinner table has been quite quiet lately.
We've lost one character who loved to be arrogant and talk nonsense.
Inside the hall, halfway through dinner, a maid suddenly rushed over and whispered a few words to Madam Xu. It turned out that her youngest son was crying and refusing to eat. Madam Xu gave some instructions to the three Liu brothers and then quickly left with the maid.
Liu Ziwen and Xu Shi had a lukewarm relationship, with the former focusing on the family business. However, the couple had a son named Chuanzhi.
"Brother, would you like to go take a look?"
Liu Zian silently withdrew his gaze from his elder sister-in-law's departing figure, and broke the silence at the dinner table by asking his elder brother a question.
Liu Ziwen kept his head down as he ate, without even lifting his eyelids, and reached out to pick up some food, saying, "It's a woman's matter."
At this moment, a lame butler rushed into the hall, his hands hanging at his sides, and respectfully stopped to wait.
After finishing the rice in his bowl, he took the white handkerchief handed to him by the maid to wipe his mouth and said indifferently:
"explain."
Liu Fu said solemnly:
"Master, regarding the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Di Gongzha, the county magistrate has replied. He said he has invited Inspector Shen, and Inspector Shen has replied that he has agreed and will attend as scheduled."
“Not bad.” Liu Ziwen nodded.
Liu Zian put down his bowl, and Liu Fu and the others, seeing the signal, quickly withdrew.
Only the three Liu brothers remained inside the house.
Liu Zian pondered:
"Brother, why did Ouyang Lianghan agree so readily and actually bring people here? Could there be a trap?"
Liu Ziwen glanced at him: "Even if it's a trap, you need a life to carry it out."
Liu Zian seemed to be deep in thought.
Liu Zilin, who was eating rice nearby, couldn't help but stop eating and ask:
"Big brother, second brother, didn't you say you were going to behead him? Why not just send that freeloader swordsman? What's the point of preparing that ribbon-cutting ceremony later?"
Liu Zian frowned:
"Who says beheadings have to be done with a 'sword'? Even the sharpest sword carries the risk of backlash. If there's a way to achieve the same effect with minimal effort, why bother getting your hands dirty with a 'sword'?"
Liu Zilin was taken aback. "Second Brother, are you saying we have two plans? If one doesn't work, we'll try another?"
He paused, then suddenly realized:
"So, Di Gongzha's ribbon-cutting ceremony is also a one-hit kill? It can also make Ouyang Lianghan's dog head roll off! And save a 'sword'?"
Liu Ziwen and Liu Zian did not reply upon hearing this, seemingly too lazy to say anything more, and ignored Liu Zilin, whose face was becoming excited.
Liu Zian's expression turned worried, and he hesitated as he said:
"Brother, that's an inspector sent by the imperial court to provide disaster relief and investigate cases. Wouldn't it be... risky for us to do that?"
"What does this have to do with our Liu family?"
Liu Ziwen suddenly turned his head and asked with a look of 'curiosity':
"Wasn't the Di Gong Gate built under the supervision of the county government? Our Liu family only contributed money and manpower. Everything was done at the behest of Magistrate Ouyang and the Longcheng County Government. What does it have to do with us?"
"Besides, there are precedents of the Di Gong Gate collapsing."
The young master of the Liu family said calmly:
"Moreover, all the people in the county say that there is a Dragon King in the water. It is because the Dragon King was dissatisfied with the county magistrate for demolishing the temple and not worshipping it for a long time that he smashed the Di Gong Gate in anger. As a result, a county magistrate or other officials died by accident. It is quite reasonable, isn't it? ... This is a natural disaster. Natural disasters are unpredictable."
"No matter what, it has nothing to do with our Liu family, and no one should try to smear us."
Liu Zian frowned slightly:
“Brother, it’s not that I’m afraid to take action, it’s just that I’m worried about the consequences… What if someone in higher-ups insists on calling it a ‘man-made disaster’ and wants to investigate it thoroughly? That could be troublesome, after all, he’s an official appointed by the imperial court…”
Liu Ziwen spoke first: "Then let's be more discreet. The Di Gong Gate has collapsed so many times, and no one has ever suspected anything... Besides."
He paused, his expression meaningful, and said to the sickly-looking young man in brocade robes opposite him:
"Second brother, we are not without capable people above us. Why do you think I invited the Inspector General here? Was it just a whim? The death of Ouyang Lianghan is enough for us. Why would we provoke an Inspector General for no reason?"
Liu Zian sighed, "I thought that my elder brother was worried that this inspector in Jiangzhou would interfere in Longcheng and affect our important affairs."
"Perhaps that's possible, but it's not the main reason."
Liu Ziwen also sighed:
"Second brother, some things are not something our family can decide. Since we are under the protection of the Wei family, we must do our best to assist with the orders from above."
Liu Zian said calmly, "For example, the matter of that family?"
Liu Ziwen did not answer, but reached into his pocket and took out a letter that had been opened once, and handed it to Liu Zian.
Liu Zian and Liu Zilin, who was standing to the side, both lowered their eyes to read the letter.
After reading through the document and understanding the instructions from "above," Liu Zian took a slight breath:
"Is this new Prefect of Jiangzhou, Lord Wang, the powerful patron that Boss Li invited for us?"
Liu Ziwen nodded and smiled:
"I have already invited Lord Wang. He will come with Shen Xisheng on the day of the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Di Gongzha. At that time..."
"Ouyang Lianghan and the Longcheng County government's shoddy water conservancy project led to the deaths of both Inspector Shen and Ouyang Lianghan themselves. Governor Wang of Jiangzhou will step forward, perform his duties, and thoroughly investigate the accident."
"Our Liu family are law-abiding citizens of Longcheng. We will cooperate fully and expose, in accordance with the law, the perverse acts of former Longcheng County Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan, which have aroused the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people since he took office in Longcheng, as well as the cronies and henchmen he planted in the county government. All of this will be thoroughly wiped out by Lord Wang, restoring a bright and clear world to the thousands of people of Longcheng County."
"Second brother, third brother, what do you think of this grand spectacle?"
Liu Zilin's face flushed with excitement, while Liu Zian seemed lost in thought, his expression finally relaxing a bit.
Liu Ziwen said solemnly to his second brother, who was always thoughtful and prone to overthinking:
"Don't worry, even if the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up. The Wei family won't let anything happen to us. Besides, Lord Wang will handle all of this. After we cooperate with Lord Wang's investigation, we'll just stay put and continue forging the sword. The date is approaching, so don't worry about anything else."
Liu Zian nodded slightly, then, as if remembering something, pointed to the letter and asked with a puzzled expression:
"By the way, elder brother, what is the gift list that the Wei family asked Lord Wang to cooperate with us to find from Shen Xisheng? Is it very important to the Wei family that they would set up such a trap?"
Liu Ziwen didn't look at him. He lowered his head, picked up his teacup, took a sip of hot tea, and said calmly:
"It concerns that family, so let's not ask too many questions. Just focus on making the swords. These matters are for Lord Wang to handle."
"Yes, brother."
Liu Ziwen suddenly looked up and put down his teacup:
"By the way, how's the thing I asked you to tell the Jade Cup Fairy to prepare coming along? We can't have a 'grand and splendid' ribbon-cutting ceremony without it."
...
(End of this chapter)
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