Chapter 258 Father and Daughter Have a Heart-to-Heart Talk
After the collapse of the Digong Gate and the subsequent great flood.
Jiangzhou Longcheng County quickly recovered its pre-flood vitality.
As a young county magistrate once said to his colleagues: If you save the land but lose the people, you will lose both the land and the people; if you save the people but lose the land, you will save both the land and the people.
Moreover, Longcheng County now boasts the Zheyi Canal, which has "turned decay into magic".
Except for some small villages in the upper reaches of the Butterfly Creek that were hit by the flood immediately, the county seat of Longcheng and the surrounding towns downstream were mostly intact.
So the day after the great flood, the people of Longcheng who had taken refuge on Dagushan Mountain happily went down the mountain with their families.
The sun rises as usual, and all the people in the county—scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—go to work as usual.
Even if it is the peaceful and prosperous era that the Wei Zhou court is proclaiming, we should still work hard, eat our fill, and then dream about it, right?
Most people don't know that the hardships of floods in Longcheng County over the past decade or so have forged the creation of a "Dingjian" (a type of ancient Chinese sword).
This is a significant event that will be recorded in the history books of this dynasty, and it will become a "myth" that people all over the world will talk about once it is spread. It will make the name "Dragon City" famous again after the mad emperor of "Sui Mo".
Even if they knew, in the eyes of most Longcheng residents, this "Dingjian" was still not as legendary as the Zheyi Canal that a certain unconscious county magistrate led them to build.
In the first year of the Shengli reign of the Wei Zhou dynasty, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the Zheyi Canal was completed, permanently ending the floods that plagued Longcheng.
The annals of Longcheng County must contain this entry.
As for the many lingering repercussions of the birth of the Dingjian on this day, they have nothing to do with most of the people of Longcheng. Right now, they are more worried about the faint coma and injuries of a certain young county magistrate that are being rumored in the streets...
Penglangdu Wharf in Longcheng County was quickly repaired after the flood.
Today, under a clear blue sky, the pier has returned to its usual bustling state.
Bustling with activity, a constant flow of traffic.
A large ship from Jiangzhou City quietly docked, not particularly conspicuous in the bustling ferry crossing.
The large ship made a brief stop at Penglang Ferry, where a beautiful figure boarded the deck. Shortly after, it sailed away, heading towards Songlin Ferry.
To the people at the dock, this journey was not unusual.
Songlin Ferry is close to Dagushan Mountain, where Donglin Temple is a famous temple in Jiangnan. Many tourists from other places travel thousands of miles to Longcheng to worship Buddha.
After the Zheyi Canal was completed, it became much more convenient to disembark at Penglangdu and travel a distance to Songlindu at the end of the canal to climb the mountain and worship Buddha, without having to disembark at Penglangdu.
Xie Lingjiang was dressed in a plain white dress today, looking very simple and elegant.
The bright red dress was not as vibrant as it used to be.
In addition, she wore a white veiled hat, which is quite unusual for her.
The sheer gauze, reaching down to her fair, slender neck, concealed her once delicate and alluring face.
Xie Lingjiang silently boarded the ship that came from Jiangzhou.
There was a group of Confucian scholars on the boat, many of whom wore deer-shaped jade rings at their waists and had a refined and elegant appearance.
Even though the slender young woman boarding the boat at Penglangdu had her face veiled, she was immediately recognized by everyone, who quickly greeted her.
"Junior Sister is here? Your teacher is waiting for you at the bow of the boat."
"How have you been, Junior Sister?"
The crowd chattered enthusiastically, but Xie Lingjiang seemed lost in thought. She didn't stop to pass by, only nodding politely without even lifting her hat. She left a thank you and walked toward the bow of the boat.
Xie Xun was a renowned Confucian scholar of his time, with a distinguished and noble reputation, and he was often accompanied by his direct disciples.
Ouyang Lianghan was also among them, but he later passed the imperial examination and successfully completed his studies.
At this moment, among the students from the academy traveling on the ship, some were familiar with their teacher's only daughter, the youngest junior sister, a noblewoman from one of the five surnames, while others were not, and some wanted to get to know her.
Before she had been trained in Dragon City, Xie Lingjiang quite liked staying by her father's side.
When a proud and arrogant junior sister, who is showered with love and admiration, gets along well with her senior brothers, she is always surrounded by them.
But now, it all seems like a fleeting dream, and her heart suddenly feels uneasy and impatient.
At Xie Lingjiang's instruction, the Jiangzhou boat is now heading towards Songlin Ferry once again.
Reaching the bow of the ship that was cutting through the waves, Xie Lingjiang saw her father.
Xie Xun stood on the deck with his hands behind his back, looking around at both sides of Butterfly Creek. Beside him was a disciple with a square face and a serious expression, holding a paintbrush and drawing on a piece of open blue silk.
"Wanwan is here?"
"Um."
Xie Lingjiang's voice was also a little hoarse.
Xie Xun heard this and couldn't help but turn around to look at his daughter.
They noticed that she hadn't even taken off her veil.
Xie Lingjiang turned her head and glanced at the silk scroll in the hand of her square-faced senior brother.
The faint glimpse that could be seen seemed to depict a broken-winged canal.
"Zhongchang, you may leave now." Xie Xun turned his head, tapped his finger lightly, and instructed his eldest disciple in a serious tone: "After you finish painting this canal, send it to the Tongping Zhangshi Mansion in Luodu immediately. You go there yourself."
"Yes, teacher."
The square-faced young man bowed and accepted the order, then turned and nodded slightly to Xie Lingjiang before stepping back.
Xie Lingjiang glanced sideways at the silk scroll that had been taken away.
Tong Pingzhangshi, whose full title is Tong Fengge Luantai Pingzhangshi, is the right prime minister of the current dynasty.
"Seeing is believing."
The others retreated from the bow, leaving only the father and daughter. Xie Xun turned around with his hands behind his back and sighed:
"I had heard Lianghan casually mention the Zheyi Canal in his letters before, but today, having sailed here and witnessed it with my own eyes, I have come to know the wonder of this canal. It is not as lightly described as it was in his letters."
“Since Liang Han took office, only a few months have passed, and this county and this stream have already taken on such a new look.”
He stroked his beard, looked around, and sighed:
"Having lived in Jiangnan for a long time, I have witnessed many water conservancy projects. When they were reported to the local officials, they talked a lot, but when we went to the site, it was just old wine in new bottles, picking up the leftovers of the predecessors."
"The canal built by Liang Han is truly unheard of. It has miraculously solved the flood problem, addressing both the symptoms and the root cause, and has completely changed the terrible hydrology of Butterfly Creek. Before that, Longcheng was one of the three poor and dangerous places in Jiangnan Province... Liang Han's water management is truly ingenious."
When her eldest brother was recognized and praised by their father, Xie Lingjiang felt that she should be happy, but she was just feeling down.
She paused for a moment, glanced in the direction of Dagushan, and asked, "What did Father just send out?"
Xie Xun laughed and said, "Go and show this to the Master. The sluice gate he built is no longer usable. My proud disciple has stepped in and built one that works even better. This is what they call 'talented people emerge in every generation,' haha."
Xie Lingjiang said "Oh," her face blank.
Xie Xun laughed to himself for a while, then realized he was a little embarrassed. He stopped laughing, glanced at his daughter's expression a few more times, and frowned slightly as he asked:
"Is Lianghan seriously injured?"
Xie Lingjiang nodded, then shook her head: "It's stable now, and she's recuperating at Donglin Temple."
"That's good." Xie Xun nodded and let out a long breath: "Abbot Shandao of Donglin Temple is indeed highly skilled in medicine. Last time Lianghan was drowning, it was the master who took action..."
He paused, coughed, and asked casually, "Why don't you stay in Longcheng a little longer, stay by your senior brother's side, and take better care of him?"
Xie Lingjiang hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.
Xie Xun gave a brief but appropriate comment, noticing his daughter's troubled expression. He assumed she was unwilling to consider marriage and didn't press the matter further.
Xie Xun looked up again and suddenly asked, "It was inconvenient to write letters before. What happened that day? Tell me in detail what you know. Did the Wei family actually get the Ding Sword?"
"I received intelligence from various sources in Jiangzhou. Right now, Longcheng is a mixed bag, and many forces have been belatedly drawn here. What exactly happened that day?"
Xie Lingjiang glanced at her father's serious expression, hesitated for a moment, and then recounted everything she had seen and heard.
As he listened, Xie Xun stopped stroking his beard, his brows furrowed.
Upon hearing that Qiu Shenji had suddenly descended and that Xie Lingjiang had drawn a circle on the ground and imprisoned her in the Thunder Pool, Xie Xun took a deep breath.
But even more shocking news was yet to come.
"Wanwan, are you saying Lianghan has become the sword wielder? The cauldron sword has recognized him as its master?!"
Xie Xun couldn't help but interrupt his daughter's slow recollection, his eyes widening:
"Wasn't Liang Han taken hostage by Liu Zilin while trying to save someone? How come when you see him again, he's already the Swordholder? How did he manage to steal the Ding Sword from Lady Yunmeng and Qiu Shenji? And wait, he even used the Ding Sword to kill Qiu Shenji?"
Xie Lingjiang stopped speaking and quietly looked at her father, whose face was filled with shock, through the white veil. It wasn't that her father was easily startled, but even the best self-control couldn't withstand such a truth.
A moment later, Xie Xun suddenly calmed down, exchanged a thoughtful glance with Xie Lingjiang, and seemed to be deep in thought:
"The sword is truly wondrous. Perhaps he is a man of great ambition, or perhaps he is guided by fate, or perhaps he has the help of a benefactor..."
He sighed and looked up at the sky:
"Lianghan, Lianghan, I know you are extraordinary. Your strategic discussions in Wanwan's study and your practical abilities in disaster relief and flood control already demonstrate your leadership qualities. However, I did not expect that I had misjudged you. You are a person of great ambition, and you have just obtained the Transcendent Golden Elixir to supplement your Qi cultivation talent... This talent and opportunity are becoming more and more like your teacher's..."
“The senior brother is the senior brother, not just anyone,” Xie Lingjiang suddenly said.
Xie Xun nodded without much thought, then suddenly realized:
"Wait, what about the Wei family? They've been plotting for years, using the guise of sending birthday gifts to seize the Ding Sword right under our noses... Qiu Shenji is dead, so what about Wei Shaoxuan, the son of the King of Wei, and his lackeys? Where did they go? Is the Ding Sword that Liang Han obtained related to them?"
Xie Lingjiang lowered her head and said in a low voice:
"I don't know. Sister Guo'er might know something. She came to save me with Senior Brother. Senior Brother may have saved her first. But afterwards, Sister Guo'er kept her mouth shut and didn't reveal a single word. We may have to wait until Senior Brother wakes up to ask her."
She remained saddened when she spoke of that day.
Finding her father silent for a moment, Xie Lingjiang looked up, frowned and said, "I really don't know, I'm not trying to cover for my senior brother... but there are some strange things. It seems that my senior brother can transform into Wei Shaoxuan's appearance... Of course, we should prepare for such an important matter in advance. Hiding it on our own will only make things worse."
"It's good that Wanwan knows." Xie Xun's expression was unusually serious.
"It's just a bit strange. From the fifteenth day until my arrival in Longcheng, my informants have reported that the Wei family has been quiet, without any major upheavals. Could it be that Wei Shaoxuan and the others are still alright?"
After a moment's hesitation, Xie Xun shook his head, realizing the gravity of the matter.
“No, we need to prepare in advance. Let’s just assume that Wei Shaoxuan and the others were all dealt with by Liang Han… Liang Han is currently unconscious. I will stay in Longcheng for a few more days to clean up the mess. If there are any traces, we should erase them as soon as possible, especially those clues on Dagushan Mountain. We need to clean them up… Fortunately, this mountain used to be the Lotus Sect’s mountain gate, which shields us from observing qi.”
Xie Lingjiang lowered her head and said, "I've already dealt with the matter at the Sutra Copying Hall once."
"Well done." Xie Xun then asked, "Now Liang Han is the wielder of the new Ding Sword, and besides you and me, who else knows about the killing of Qiu Shenji?"
"My younger sister left home. She's very tight-lipped and probably hasn't told anyone else in the Li family, let alone outsiders. But even if she did tell Uncle Li and the others, it wouldn't matter. Uncle Li's family trusts and relies on my eldest brother a lot now, and they wouldn't harm him."
"That's good... This matter is extraordinary. Continue to keep it a secret and do not tell anyone else."
"Of course my daughter knows."
Xie Xun, who had been pondering with his head down, frowned after a moment: "Why are you looking at your father like that?"
Xie Lingjiang lowered her eyes: "Father, what are your plans? Should we speak with those in Luoyang...?"
"What kind of tone is that? Don't try to test your father with your words." Xie Xun was both amused and exasperated. "You've certainly learned to be clever from your senior brother."
Regarding his prized disciple, Xie Xun sighed deeply, his expression extremely serious:
"Don't worry, as long as the Wei family doesn't react and doesn't cause a huge uproar in the court, I won't mention this to Luoyang. Unless it's absolutely impossible to cover it up and it's difficult to protect Lianghan, then I'll have to ask the Master for help..."
He nodded and said, "As for the specifics, I will discuss it with Lianghan when he wakes up. There are some things that should have been told to him long ago."
"Father, are you also worried about the Master?" Xie Lingjiang asked softly.
"The Master is upright and ambitious, but the pro-emperor faction in the court is not united. There are loyal ministers with firm beliefs, villains who are after wealth and power, unreliable and dragging down the Li clan, and people who are simply hostile to the Wei clan. Not to mention, if Liang Han's prediction is correct and the Emperor's heart is indeed as he said, then the two princes may have to be distinguished later... Alas."
Xie Xun pondered for a moment and said:
“Liang Han is only a ninth-rank official now. It is not a good thing to expose the identity of the sword wielder too early, especially the new Ding sword, which will make him famous. If the Wei family goes all out to deal with him, even Master might not be able to protect him... We cannot publicize it unless absolutely necessary.”
"Father is indeed very thoughtful."
Xie Lingjiang couldn't help but say.
Xie Xun nodded slowly: "Let's go, let's go to Donglin Temple to visit Lianghan first. I've obtained some medicine, I don't know if it will be useful... After Lianghan wakes up, we'll ask him about his wishes, and also about the Li Xian family, we need to ask him about his choice..."
Xie Lingjiang seemed lost in thought, saying, "Father was always such a kind and gentle man. He always considered others' feelings and respected their wishes when making any decisions that involved them."
Though it was a compliment, her tone was low and dejected. Her face was hidden by a veil, making it impossible to see her expression. She murmured, "I did ask my daughter's wishes at the time..."
Xie Xun finally sensed something was wrong and asked curiously, "Wanwan is in a bad mood today? What do you mean by saying that?"
"No...it's nothing."
"By the way, Wanwan hasn't said yet how Lianghan's injuries are, or which famous doctor they consulted to stabilize them."
Xie Lingjiang avoided eye contact: "It's just that... someone who is considered a relative of the senior brother is helping to take care of him."
"Are you referring to Madam Zhen, or someone from another hometown?" Xie Xun asked.
Before Xie Lingjiang could even finish organizing her thoughts, the boat had already arrived at Songlin Ferry.
The group immediately disembarked and soon walked up the mountain to enter the temple, eventually arriving at the familiar Sanhui Temple.
"Wanwan, why are you walking so slowly? Aren't you supposed to be here the whole time? Aren't you going to lead the way for your father?"
Outside the courtyard, Xie Xun turned around and asked curiously. Xie Lingjiang bit her lip, lowered her head, and silently stepped forward, pushing open the door.
Xie Xun stepped inside, and as soon as he entered the house, he suddenly felt the cold temperature inside, as if he had stepped from the hottest days of summer into the dead of winter on New Year's Eve. He turned his head and his face froze.
In the inner room, by his beloved disciple's bedside, stood a slender, unfamiliar young woman, applying a hot, misty towel to his face and busily taking care of Ouyang Lianghan.
Not far from the sickbed, by the window, stood a woman with fiery blonde hair and a white fox fur coat, glancing sideways at the slender girl's movements with a displeased expression...
(End of this chapter)
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