Chapter 232 Becoming Him
As soon as Yan Liulang said this...
There was a moment of silence on the field. Some people chuckled, while others expressed concern. However, the crowd remained somewhat silent, with only a handful responding and stepping forward.
Yan Liulang took a deep breath.
Knowing that he lacked prestige, even if he took the lead, not many people would feel comfortable following him to the front lines.
Yan Liulang looked around at the crowded, dark lobby.
The anger in my chest suddenly dissipated, leaving only weariness and exhaustion.
When the Prefect was in power, he never felt anything even if the missions were exhausting.
Yan Liulang silently turned his head and looked at the empty gong's desk behind him.
A familiar, slender figure was missing.
Inside the hall, a minor official broke the deadlock by speaking up:
“Young Master Yan, even if you want to go upstream to support the Zheyi Canal, there are no official boats at Penglangdu.”
"Where are the official ships that the magistrate borrowed?" Yan Liulang asked without turning his head.
"Reporting to the constable, they were also taken by Magistrate Diao to the celebration of the Zheyi Canal. These official boats were originally to be returned to Jiangzhou, but now they have been transferred to be used as the first batch of boats to sail through the new canal, returning to Jiangzhou along the way..."
"Since there are no official ships available for the time being, why don't we arrange manpower to evacuate the people in the county town and get them to Dagushan first?"
Yan Liulang fell silent, his expression hesitant.
Behind him, the crowd gathered in the hall began to make noise again, the sound growing louder and louder.
From all directions, a variety of emotions and responses, whether indignant, anxious, or frustrated, assaulted Yan Liulang's senses.
Even when Yan Liulang returned to the main hall just now, he glanced around and found that the few minor officials he had previously reprimanded for "bewitching people" had disappeared and probably run away.
Yan Liulang gritted his teeth, preparing to turn around and try to suppress the crowd.
But then he suddenly heard the commotion of the crowd behind him subside.
The noise from the crowd quickly subsided.
Yan Liulang frowned in confusion. He had only turned halfway around when he heard a familiar voice ring out in the quiet hall:
"Make way, everyone."
The voice of the young county magistrate echoed through the hall.
The previously chaotic and contentious crowd of officials fell silent, each step back to make way for them.
"Your Excellency!"
Yan Liulang straightened up in a daze, and Ouyang Lianghan, dressed in official robes, walked into the hall through the middle path parted by the crowd.
Ouyang Lianghan walked past the dazed blue-clad constable without glancing to the side, then stepped to the desk, shook his sleeves, and sat down.
The young magistrate's calm gaze slowly swept over the people in the hall.
Especially those few who had previously led the commotion.
He remained silent, and the atmosphere in the county government hall became quiet.
For a moment, the expressions on everyone's faces were incredibly complex, ranging from surprise and delight to relief, shame, and downcast eyes.
Yan Liulang smirked slightly, scrutinizing the unexpected young magistrate from head to toe.
Ouyang Lianghan did not go to see him.
With a "thud".
A ceremonial desk was split in two and fell to the ground like a page being turned.
Ouyang Lianghan sheathed his Moonlight Sword and stood tall.
He held his sword in his youthful crown, gazed ahead, and began to speak.
And so it was.
Everyone in the audience clearly heard that incredibly familiar yet awe-inspiringly powerful statement.
"Those who advocate desertion shall be executed!"
...
The back hall.
Liu Ashan lowered his head and reached into his sleeve.
Silently, he put on the mask and walked into the lobby.
He didn't know where he found the courage to become himself and step out.
Liu Ashan could only vaguely see a figure waving goodbye and walking further and further away in the night.
"Sir, you can rest assured that I'll handle things well."
...
The sun was shining brightly this morning.
It lands on the old eaves of various buildings in Longcheng County.
But unlike the sun that rises every day and is eternal, only when you are in the muddy world do you realize how much effort it takes to survive.
The sudden arrival of a young county magistrate with a sword at his side brought order to the chaotic thoughts within the Longcheng County government office.
The crowd quickly gathered around the former and began to move.
At this moment, almost no one asked Ouyang Lianghan why he had suddenly returned from his hometown of Nanlong.
Because he was Magistrate Ouyang, there was no need for a reason or explanation.
The seemingly impossible feats accomplished by this young magistrate in recent days have convinced everyone in the county government, and no one dares to question him easily.
The main hall of the county government office.
Wearing the Mirage Beast Mask, Liu Ashan temporarily took over the role of Magistrate. In less than half an hour, he quickly organized everyone, assigned tasks to each person, and issued a handwritten edict from the Magistrate.
Yan Liulang led the constables to gather the people of Longcheng County and the surrounding area, following the previous refuge camp plan, and took them to Dagushan for refuge.
Liu Ashan personally led the remaining people to the upper reaches of Butterfly Creek to rescue the sluice gate.
However, there has been no response from Zheyi Canal yet, and the official boat has not yet returned to Penglangdu Wharf.
So Liu Ashan made the assignments.
The officials who had previously returned from upstream to issue warnings were instructed to quickly return to the villages and towns upstream by small boat, publish the magistrate's letter, and summon the elders and villagers to Dagushan to avoid the possible flood.
Alternatively, they could seek shelter in nearby mountains and wait for a rescue by government ships.
Liu Ashan stayed in Longcheng for the time being, leading people to prepare the necessary disaster relief and dam rescue supplies, which were gathered at Penglangdu Wharf. This was a lesson learned from the previous incident where Ouyang Rong rushed to the upstream dam by boat overnight, only to find that the dam rescue supplies were insufficient, and they had to use local materials.
At the same time, Liu Ashan once again sent people to the Zheyi Canal ceremony site with great urgency to sail the official boat back to Penglangdu.
Orders were issued one after another from the county government hall, and everyone dispersed in tacit agreement, each performing their duties and taking their places.
The entire county government office was like a machine, with each component being stably replenished and slowly starting to operate.
This is like a small gear that, with minimal effort, has influenced the larger gear of Longcheng County.
The entire Longcheng County town was mobilized and bustling with activity.
Just then, Yan Liulang, who had honestly accepted the order and was preparing to leave with his men, returned alone to the county government hall.
Liu Ashan, who was handling official documents, turned to look at him, then stepped aside from the crowd and led Yan Liulang to a secluded spot in the back hall.
"Are you... Magistrate Ming, or..." Yan Liulang gripped his sword, hesitating to speak.
Liu Ashan raised his hand to his chin, and then took off his mask right in front of him, his expression calm.
"Brother Ashan!"
Yan Liulang's eyes widened, and his hand, which had been silently gripping the hilt of his sword, loosened its grip.
He was both shocked and relieved.
The doubts were immediately resolved.
"The sword and mask were given to me by the master for other purposes, but now they are only needed in this emergency," Liu Ashan said briefly, nodding to Yan Liulang. "With the master gone, we must step forward."
Yan Liulang frowned. "Were all of Ashan's arrangements made in advance by the Prefect?"
Liu Ashan didn't answer, but simply put his mask back on and walked out of the hall without looking back. Before he left, a muffled sound came from behind him:
“Brother Yan, we have always followed the master silently. Although the master did not say anything, he has actually taught us everything.”
Yan Liulang remained silent.
"I see."
Take a break.
At the main gate of the county government office, a constable in blue robes led a group of constables away in a hurry, heading to organize the evacuation of the county's residents.
Liu Ashan remained in the county town, leading the remaining officials to travel around, gathering various disaster relief supplies and assembling them at Penglangdu Wharf.
More than an hour later.
The once crowded Penglangdu Wharf has been largely cleared out, freeing up many docking spaces for boats, and the shore is piled with various supplies that have been transported here.
As for the once bustling streets and markets around them, they became deserted and desolate after Yan Liulang and his men carried the magistrate's letter to widely announce their retreat and refuge.
Liu Ashan inspected supplies at the dock, occasionally lending a hand.
He also gathered his former subordinates from the militia and they prepared to set off together.
Looking at his well-organized subordinates, Liu Ashan breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Actually, when he first took over the role of the master, the taciturn man was a little nervous, afraid of revealing his flaws, but after a while he found that he was just worrying too much.
On the contrary, he was taciturn and spoke very little, his words were concise and to the point.
Now, when he's directing the group, he appears even more decisive, efficient, and efficient.
Of course, this was also due to Ouyang Rong's established absolute authority, which allowed him to command so effectively, but there was also an element of talent involved...
Another half hour passed.
With everything nearly ready, while waiting for the official boats from the Zheyi Canal to return, Liu Ashan and his men took a short rest and wiped their sweat.
Liu Ashan adjusted his mask and turned to look at the empty street, now littered with debris, after the people had left.
He turned his head again and glanced into the distance towards the Liu family's house on the west bank of Butterfly Creek.
For some reason, the calm and unremarkable little lonely mountain opposite him gave Liu Ashan a strange feeling.
It seemed as if something was happening silently under the sunlight.
Unfortunately, Liu Ashan couldn't read auras, so he could only suppress his vague bad premonition and instead touched his chest.
After a busy morning, he discovered that the two sesame seed cakes wrapped in oil paper that he had hidden in his pocket had gone cold.
But Liu Ashan, who had not yet received the official ships and fleet, soon received two pieces of news.
Good news.
Bad news.
The news came all at once from the Longcheng County government office.
Good news came from a letter personally delivered to the dock by a yamen runner.
"Your Excellency, this was left behind by Master Xie when he suddenly came to the county office."
"Miss Xie...Master Xie?"
Liu Ashan turned around and asked the yamen runner who was handing over the letter, "Where is she?"
"Master Xie seemed to have just been passing by, leaving a letter before hurrying off. He appeared to be heading into Luming Street."
Liu Ashan turned around, pulled out the letter, and saw the familiar handwriting. He was stunned for a moment, then his face lit up with joy.
"Master is back!"
He quickly turned his back to his subordinates, tried to suppress his expression, waved his hand at himself, and dismissed the yamen runners.
To speak in a low voice, so that no one can hear:
"Master is at Dagushan, and is now on his way back to the county town..."
"However, considering the time it would take Miss Xie to deliver the message, Master should be here soon. Perfect timing, I have already prepared the supplies for Master to save the lock, and the official ships will also be called back soon. We will wait for Master to return to take charge of the overall situation."
After a moment's thought, Liu Ashan frowned slightly again:
"Wait, Miss Xie, why are you in such a hurry to leave...?"
Just then, Liu Ashan turned around and saw that the yamen runner who had just delivered the letter had not left, and hesitated to speak.
"If there's anything else, speak quickly," he said earnestly.
The bailiff bowed his head and said:
"There is some news that might be considered bad news... Your Excellency, someone from the county office just passed by and found the gate of Meilu Garden wide open. Upon entering, they discovered that it had been ransacked and ransacked, and there was no one in sight."
The constable quickly glanced at his superior's face, but he couldn't see the stiff, wooden expression on Liu Ashan's face beneath the mask. He hurriedly explained:
"It must be some thieves and bandits who infiltrated the city and stole from the Deer Park while the people of Longcheng were evacuating. They are truly blind; do they not know that the Prefect is as incorruptible as water..."
"Wait a minute." Liu Ashan grabbed the constable's wrist and interrupted, "You...you said you didn't see anyone? What about the people who used to live in the Deer Garden?"
"Hiss." The constable's wrist ached, but he dared not pull his hand away. Hearing this, he was also taken aback:
"I remember that Lord Ming took all his relatives and maids back to his hometown. There shouldn't be any important people left in Meilu Garden."
"Your Excellency, are you referring to the elderly and young servants who stayed behind at the residence? The county officials went in to investigate but couldn't find them. They must have escaped, or perhaps they were murdered..."
Noticing that the magistrate's gaze had suddenly become sharp and intimidating, the constable quickly swallowed his words:
"Your Excellency, please do not worry, the county government has already sent people to investigate..."
Liu Ashan ignored him and murmured, "Mother, sister..."
Just as everyone was looking on in confusion, wondering why the magistrate seemed to be acting strangely, the sound of rapid hoofbeats suddenly came from the end of the street.
"Your Excellency! Something terrible has happened!"
A fast horse galloped up, and the official riding it braked suddenly, fell off his horse, and hurriedly got up in front of Liu Ashan, quickly taking out an envelope from his pocket and handing it over.
“A stranger brought a message from the celebration at Zheyi Canal, saying it is to be given to you, Your Excellency…”
All the onlookers saw was the "young county magistrate" in front of them taking the unfamiliar envelope with a blank expression, bending down to open it, and carefully reading through it.
The expected change in expression did not occur.
His face was unusually calm.
He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
Liu Ashan looked up, surveyed the entire audience, and calmly addressed them:
"From now on, I'll leave the rest to you all."
Everyone was taken aback.
One of his subordinates asked cautiously, "My lord, what about those official ships?"
"Here we are." Liu Ashan nodded.
He turned his head indifferently and looked at the brown horse snorting ahead.
...
Zheyi Canal, Songlin Ferry.
Along with the bustling activity of transporting supplies and preparing for flood control in Penglangdu, Longcheng County,
It's also different from the bustling crowds of people from all over the county slowly gathering at Dagushan.
Today, Songlin Ferry, which should be bustling with a grand celebration, is eerily silent.
Songlin Ferry is the starting point of the Zheyi Canal. The high platform for today's celebration was built on an open river beach not far from the ferry crossing.
The platform was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, making it luxurious and festive. It was very well decorated and clearly showed that a lot of thought had been put into it.
Right now, looking around, the platform is teeming with people, a vast gathering of crowds.
Strangely, the entire celebration was silent, with no one making a sound except for the occasional crying of children and sobbing of women, which were quickly abruptly stopped.
Upon closer inspection, it became clear that both on and below the platform, a group of unfamiliar people with unfriendly expressions had appeared alongside the crowd.
Under the sunlight, on the high platform, Magistrate Diao, a group of county officials, a dozen or so gentry from Longcheng Township, and some wealthy merchants and scholars from surrounding counties were all confined in the center of the platform.
They were imprisoned and guarded by a group of men dressed as blue servants and carrying swords.
Actually, saying "imprisoned" isn't quite accurate, since there was a cup of tea and a plate of pastries in front of the officials, including Magistrate Diao, on the stage.
If you remove the cold-faced servants of the Liu family from this scene, wouldn't it be a picture of a warm welcome?
Unfortunately, none of the guests who were warmly invited by Liu Zian had drunk a drop of tea from their porcelain cups.
As for the crowd below the stage, the hundreds of people from Longcheng who had come to watch the celebration were also surrounded and controlled by a group of burly men in black.
The servants in blue and the burly men in black were both disciplined and seemed to be under unified command.
At this moment, besides these people, there were several familiar figures standing on the edge of the platform, moving freely and occasionally looking around the entire arena.
It was Liu Zian and Liu Zilin.
The two were dressed in tight-fitting clothes and fully armed today.
Strangely, despite having control of the entire arena, Liu Zian, the focus of attention, had a gloomy face and bulging veins on his hand gripping the sword hilt.
On the high platform, the air was so still you could hear a pin drop.
Liu Zian's eyes were like a wolf's, his unfriendly gaze slowly sweeping over the crowd on the stage.
County Magistrate Diao and his entourage fell silent, shrinking back and burying their faces in fear.
Standing next to Liu Zian, Liu Zilin was also punished by standing in place, head bowed deeply, as if he had made a mistake.
Liu Zian's gaze finally settled on what was behind Liu Zilin:
Liu Fu, accompanied by several servants in blue robes, surrounded the servants and gatekeepers who had originally stayed behind at the Deer Garden.
Aqing and Liu's mother were also among them, but Liu Zi'an's gaze simply swept past them.
Seeing the elderly, weak, sick, and disabled people they had brought back.
Liu Zian's face looked as if he had swallowed a fly; it was extremely unpleasant.
He turned his head without saying a word and stared at the silent Liu Zilin...
(End of this chapter)
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