Chapter 525 A Little Obstacle
Wei Shaoqi's words brought a brief silence to the hall.
"good."
Lin Cheng smiled and nodded.
Wang Lengran also breathed a sigh of relief.
Lin Cheng asked calmly:
"Land transport?"
Wei Shaoqi nodded slightly:
"It was transported by land. Actually, before Brother Lin came, Ouyang Lianghan had already started secretly transporting it when he was building the Xunyang Grottoes. Land transport is a bit slow, and we also had to ensure secrecy, so it had been traveling for a long time."
"The subsequent dispute between Brother Lin and Ouyang Lianghan over the construction rights did not affect the transportation of the Buddha head."
"Currently, only a very few people know about this matter. This was arranged by my father. I only learned about it before leaving the capital, which shows how cautious my father is."
Wei Shaoqi narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice to say:
"Right now, only the three of us know about Xunyang City. Before we arrive, we must not let anyone else know, especially not the Xunyang Prince's Mansion. Also, we must guard against other counter-defense forces..."
As he spoke, he kept glancing at Lin Cheng and Wang Lengran.
The implication was simple: only the three of them knew the truth at the moment, and once it was leaked, it would be easy to trace the source.
Lin Cheng and Wang Lengran exchanged a glance and both solemnly agreed.
"clear."
"Third Young Master, please rest assured."
Just as the three were preparing to delve deeper into their secret discussion, a trusted official rushed up from the corridor outside the door, clasped his hands in greeting at the threshold, and reported:
"Lord Wang, Lord Lin, there are still a few families on Qingyang Heng Street who haven't moved out yet, which is affecting the construction team's progress. The construction team is asking you for instructions on what to do."
Wei Shaoqi frowned.
"Why haven't you finished dealing with the demolition issue yet?"
Seeing the Third Young Master's displeasure, Wang Lengran felt he had lost face and questioned his trusted clerk with a displeased expression:
"How did you handle this? Didn't they ask you to assist Chairman Pei and Manager Shen in negotiating with Qingyang Hengjie? Could it be that they can't come up with the money?"
"No, I heard from Chairman Pei that this family's situation is a bit complicated..."
"Complex? How is it complex? Isn't that what they're raised for?" Wang Lengran's face immediately turned cold.
"Let's go take a look." Lin Cheng suddenly stood up, his expression calm, and walked towards the door.
Wei Shaoqi and Wang Lengran exchanged a glance and followed.
...
"Damn it, what kind of old hag is she? She won't listen to anything I say. Her sons are useless good-for-nothings, they can't make decisions. Damn it, what bad luck! If she keeps whining, I'll put her in a sack and throw her into the river tonight!"
"Vice President Shen, calm down. After all, this is a big deal, so we need to be patient. Right now, not only people in the whole city, but also people in Luoyang are watching us closely. Don't be impatient."
"Damn it, including this Wang family, how many households are left to clear out the area for the statues that Young Master Lin circled on the map?"
Outside Qingyang Heng Street, inside a luxurious carriage, Shen Bingqiang, his face flushed with anger, asked a question. Pei Shisan Niang, sitting opposite him with her eyes closed, was resting and spoke softly:
"Thirteen companies."
"Qingyang Hengjie is located behind Chengtian Temple. The area circled by Young Master Lin has been completely vacated by Chengtian Temple, which is quite honest. However, Qingyang Hengjie is the most troublesome place, with many residents of all kinds. We have to persuade each and every one of them."
"The fact that there are still thirteen holdout households left is already a very good result."
"Among these thirteen families, some asked for exorbitant prices, some hesitated and wavered, some followed suit with their offers, and then there was the Wang family, who claimed it was their ancestral home and their elders didn't want to leave. There was another family that was even more bizarre, saying that the house had good feng shui and couldn't be demolished... which forced me to find several feng shui masters to help me put in a good word..."
"Damn, this is such a hassle! Only Chairman Pei has the patience to talk to these commoners."
"There's nothing I can do. I'm just destined to be a workaholic. They're all from the same hometown and came along out of courtesy, so I have to help them make money..."
Pei Shisan Niang rubbed her brows, her tone full of helplessness.
"That's true."
Shen Bingqiang crossed his arms, hummed softly, nodded, and then asked:
"What do we do now? The Wang family's situation doesn't seem like it can be resolved in a short time..."
Just as Pei Shisan Niang was about to speak, a servant ran in to report.
The two people in the car were slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and quickly got out of the car.
This time, not only Pei Shisan Niang, but even the domineering Shen Bingqiang became serious and followed behind Pei Shisan Niang, getting off the carriage with great respect.
The two headed to the street corner and bumped into Lin Cheng, Wei Shaoqi, and Wang Lengran. They quickly stepped forward to greet them.
"Young Master Wei, Young Master Lin, Lord Wang... What brings you here? Especially Young Master Lin and Lord Wang, you are both very busy. Oh dear, I have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me."
Wei Shaoqi waved his hand impatiently, interrupting her:
"Just tell me what's going on here. I don't have time to stay any longer."
Pei Shisan Niang and Shen Bingqiang quickly began to introduce themselves, and Lin Cheng listened while turning his head to look at Qingyang Heng Street.
Lin Cheng suggested that the new site for the Donglin Buddha be near Xingzi Lake at Chengtian Temple.
There are large areas of vacant guesthouses belonging to Chengtian Temple, but Xingzifang is already densely populated, so it inevitably occupies a portion of the residential area.
This Qingyang Heng Street is a typical example, with about a hundred households living there...
Time is of the essence; they must all be relocated within ten days, and their homes must be demolished and rebuilt.
However, before that, Lin Cheng and Wang Lengran entrusted the task of persuading these landlords to Pei Shisan Niang, Shen Bingqiang, and others, and sent several officials to represent the government and cooperate with them in this charade.
Compared to Lin Cheng, an outsider, and Wang Lengran, who held a high position but was indifferent to people's livelihood, they understood Xingzifang better and knew how to deal with these landlords and ordinary people.
As for why these Yangzhou merchants obeyed so readily, it was because Lin Cheng and Wang Lengran held the power they desired, granting them free rein in their land acquisitions in other parts of Xingzifang.
At this moment, Pei Shisan Niang and Shen Bingqiang led Wei Shaoqi, Lin Cheng, and the others into the alley while respectfully introducing them:
"This family's surname is Wang. Old Master Wang passed away early, leaving behind only his widow, Madam Wang, and three sons and one daughter. All three sons are married, and the daughter is also married."
"The Wang family is actually quite well-off. Besides this old house on Qingyang Heng Street, their eldest and second sons each own properties in other places in Xingzifang. They are already married and don't usually come back."
"The third son is the youngest and is still studying. He is a scholar from the state academy and lives with the Wang family."
"According to the eldest son of the Wang family, Wang's legs have become weak and her eyesight has deteriorated in the past two years. Moreover, she seems to be acting strangely, often muttering to herself in the middle of the night, and it is unclear who she is talking to."
"So her two sons let her live in the old house on Qingyang Heng Street, where her third son, who was studying, and her husband's youngest daughter, who lived nearby, took care of her."
"Old Mrs. Wang usually stays at home, eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist prayers, since it's close to Donglin Temple..."
Wei Shaoqi, who was walking ahead, waved impatiently:
"Alright, enough with the nonsense. I have no interest in how this family lives. Let's get straight to the point."
Pei Shisan Niang nodded, her words concise and to the point:
"The other three sons have already agreed to demolish this house, but the old lady, Madam Wang, disagrees and refuses to move. We can't force her to..."
"You didn't pay enough?"
"No, of course the money is in place. This is a matter of great importance to His Majesty, as well as the expectations of the three officials. Of course, I wouldn't dare to haggle like other places in Xingzifang."
Pei Shisan Niang looked troubled: "The eldest and second sons of the Wang family have no complaints about the money and are helping to persuade the old lady, but she is stubborn and refuses to leave, and is talking nonsense. No matter how I try to persuade her, it's no use, and I can't even get a word in edgewise..."
After a short while, the group stopped in front of a rather old mansion.
Lin Cheng glanced at its location and nodded slightly. This house was indeed in a crucial location, blocking the path to the statue, and had to be demolished; there was no way to get around it.
Wang Lengran snorted coldly, his tone revealing his dissatisfaction:
“The construction at Chengtian Temple has already begun, and all the staff have been recruited. It will soon be extended to Qingyang Heng Street. We can’t stop here for your little bit of obstruction any longer. We can’t delay any longer. You’d better handle it yourselves. Make sure it’s done within ten days.”
Yes, yes, yes.
Pei Shisan Niang nodded immediately, then frowned and thought for a moment before asking softly:
“Young Master Wei, Lord Wang, Young Master Lin, since you’re all here, why don’t you condescend to go in and see what’s going on, and perhaps you can try to persuade the old lady? Perhaps seeing the compassionate and benevolent faces of the three gentlemen will move her heart…”
Wang Lengran and the others remained motionless.
A light drizzle was falling from the sky, the rain curtain tilting slightly in the autumn wind; each autumn rain brings a chill.
Tall guards held umbrellas for the three of them.
Wei Shaoqi stood coldly under the umbrella, hands behind his back, quietly awaiting the outcome.
He ignored Pei Shisan Niang's suggestion without even raising his eyelids.
Wang Lengran turned to the side and glanced at Pei Shisan Niang, who was bowing respectfully and whose body was half-soaked by the autumn rain.
Out of the corner of her eye, Pei Shisan Niang also saw that Governor Wang then looked away and glanced at the muddy old wooden threshold of the Wang residence.
He was expressionless, as if he were saying to her:
What are you all for? Do you think you're worthy of having your shoes carried in by me and my sons for such petty and despicable behavior?
Lin Cheng remained silent, but turned to survey the location of the Wang residence. He glanced occasionally in the direction of Chengtian Temple, which was under construction, seemingly pondering something.
The three people's indifferent observation made the atmosphere somewhat awkward and silent.
Pei Shisan Niang forced a smile, preparing to speak and ease the tension.
Just then, a minor official rushed over from nearby to report:
"Your Excellency, Lord Lin, the Prince of Xunyang has arrived, along with his heir... The Prefect is on his way."
Everyone was stunned for a moment.
"What are these two gentlemen doing here?" Wang Lengran frowned, puzzled.
The minor official bowed and explained in a low voice:
"It seems they've come to inspect the statue-making matter. The Prince and the Prefect were originally strolling around Chengtian Temple, but they heard that the demolition of Qingyang Heng Street is not going smoothly, so they came to check on the situation and show concern for the people on behalf of His Majesty."
Upon hearing this, Wei Shaoqi, Lin Cheng, and the other two exchanged glances.
Wei Shaoqi chuckled lightly:
"This Jiangnan Pacification Commissioner is certainly fulfilling his duties responsibly."
Upon hearing this, apart from Wang Lengran who nodded and sneered, Pei Shisan Niang, Shen Bingqiang, and the others all fell silent, not daring to interrupt this dispute.
Wang Lengran's smile vanished, and he frowned as he looked at Lin Cheng: "What is the meaning of this?"
Lin Cheng withdrew his gaze from the Wang residence and said softly:
"Let's take this opportunity to express our stance, so that the Emperor in the capital knows that we are also cooperating with the Emperor in building the statue, and that we are sharing the Emperor's burdens, rather than ignoring the situation of the Xingzifang Buddha."
"I thought they were as tough as Ouyang Lianghan."
Wang Lengran muttered something under his breath, then turned and said:
"Understood. Let's go, come with me to pick them up."
"Your Excellency, please be careful of the slippery road..." The junior official hurriedly ran ahead to lead the way.
Lin Cheng and the others watched Wang Lengran's figure, with his hands behind his back, leave temporarily.
Standing in front of the Wang residence, Lin Cheng suddenly turned his head and asked:
"Who specifically owns the land title to this house?"
Shen Bingqiang spoke up before Pei Shisan Niang, who was slightly taken aback:
"After the old man of the Wang family died, the property rights of the house belonged to his three sons. So we initially talked to these three sons and they all agreed. Unfortunately, the old lady just wouldn't agree, and now the three sons are all hesitant."
"Fortunately, there were some smart people among them, and we also gave them a lot. The eldest and second sons of the Wang family asked us to wait a while and try to persuade them again."
"The two sons of the Wang family also whispered that if all else fails, they should take the old lady to stay with them for a while, and then they can take the opportunity to demolish the house, make it a fait accompli, and then they can coax the old lady away."
Upon hearing this, Lin Cheng remained noncommittal, only glancing at Pei Shisan Niang and Shen Bingqiang.
He calmly patted Pei and Chen on the shoulders.
Pei Shisan Niang and Shen Bingqiang had assumed that this young master Lin, who had cleverly replaced Ouyang Changshi, would speak up and say a few words, leaving them with the decision of how to handle the situation.
Unexpectedly, Lin Cheng withdrew his hand, turned around, and stepped into the muddy threshold of the Wang residence without hesitation. His usually spotless white clothes were immediately stained a little.
Pei Shisan Niang and Shen Bingqiang exchanged glances, and before they could even wonder what was going on, they belatedly heard faint footsteps and voices coming from the street behind them.
It was Wang Lengran who arrived with Xunyang Prince Li Xian and his son, Li Dalang, who was also the Prefect of Jiangzhou.
Wei Shaoqi, who had been observing from the sidelines, suddenly smiled and stepped forward, patting Pei Shisan Niang and Shen Bingqiang on the shoulders with a smile. He didn't say much, as if everything was understood without words.
Wei Shaoqi turned and left, avoiding Li Xian and his son. Outside the Wang residence, only Pei Shisan Niang and Shen Bingqiang remained, each lost in their own thoughts.
Inside the Wang residence.
Lin Cheng, who rushed in to appease the Wang family father and son before they could, was respectfully welcomed by several male members of the Wang family into an old Buddhist shrine bedroom that served as both a sleeping and worship space.
He greeted gently to an elderly woman with white hair on the bed in the bedroom:
"Good morning, Madam. I am Lin Cheng, the Right Deputy Commissioner of the Jiangnan Construction Project, here on behalf of His Majesty to commission the statue. I have heard..."
The elderly woman with white hair, who had been sitting there blankly, looked puzzled for a moment, then suddenly her face lit up with joy:
"What? Wang Lang, is that you, Wang Lang? You've finally come back to see this old woman. I haven't waited here for nothing, I've been chanting Buddhist prayers for you. Wang Lang, please sit down, please sit down. You still look so young, while I've been waiting for you until my hair turns white. Please don't look down on me..."
The Wang family members behind him looked helpless.
Lin Cheng suppressed the twitching at the corner of his mouth, his smile remaining unchanged.
(End of this chapter)
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