Chapter 144 Xie Lingjiang: Senior Brother is so good to me
About half an hour ago...
Yan Liulang felt he had done a great service.
Especially when they saw the magistrate and Miss Xie walking out of the Donglin Temple gate side by side.
He and his young constables exchanged a knowing glance at the red mark on the two men's wrists.
Inside the pavilion outside the main gate, the constables all showed expressions of relief.
It wasn't for nothing that they endured so much wind and cold at the gate.
It was Little Swallow, the constable, who was very thoughtful and didn't take them inside.
The constables exchanged silent glances, as if a heavy weight had finally been lifted from their hearts.
Faced with the admiring gazes of his subordinates, Yan Liulang, holding his sword, couldn't help but puff out his chest, almost striking a pose of pride with his hands on his hips.
It's no wonder everyone was so surprised.
These days, in the Longcheng County government office, apart from the young county magistrate who was focused entirely on flood control and only wanted to confiscate property to raise money for disaster relief, everyone noticed that the new female clerk was acting strangely.
Previously, some observant clerks had compiled statistics showing that if the magistrate did not go out on weekdays, he would handle official documents at the county office.
The female advisor Xie, who came to look for him so frequently, would ask the county officials at least thirty times a day, "Where is the eldest brother?" or "Where is the eldest brother?"
As a result, certain rumors spread like wildfire, becoming a major topic of gossip and conversation among the public.
After all, the plot of a handsome man and a beautiful woman, a woman pursuing a man, and a man being oblivious to her feelings, is bound to generate a lot of buzz, attracting attention and inspiring hope and blessings.
Therefore, the question remains: when will the young county magistrate suddenly have a flash of inspiration and be able to sacrifice his own interests for the greater good, taking on the responsibility of helping his single junior colleague solve her marriage problem?
This became a tacit expectation shared by everyone in the Longcheng County government.
At this moment, outside the main gate of Donglin Temple.
Facing the approaching Prefect Ming and Miss Xie, who were also bound by the same red thread, Yan Liulang remained expressionless, but inwardly he sighed with emotion.
"Hey, luckily it was me who came today. If that blockhead Brother Shan were here, he might have obediently followed Master Ming inside and become a red lantern between Master Ming and Miss Xie..." he thought to himself.
However, after the two groups met, Yan Liulang noticed something strange.
The magistrate seemed to be in a hurry.
Seemingly more decisive than usual, he left a single sentence: "Let's go," and led the way down the mountain.
"Let's go down the mountain to fetch Lord Shen and Lord Wang."
Yan Liulang and the others were taken aback, and quickly followed.
Xie Lingjiang, who had changed back into a dashing men's outfit, paused, turned back to look in the direction of Donglin Temple, and said softly:
"Senior Brother."
"Hmm?" the Jade Cup Fairy replied without turning her head.
Xie Lingjiang's eyes were no longer as red as before. After experiencing the emotional ups and downs not long ago, she seemed to have become much more silent.
At this point, I can't help but remind you:
"You haven't retrieved the skirt knife yet."
The Jade Cup Fairy frowned inwardly, thinking to herself that women in love were such a hassle, taking even the smallest things to heart.
She touched her chin, a gentle smile spreading across her face:
"While you were changing, I notified the monks at the temple to fetch it, but for some reason, it hasn't arrived yet."
"Junior Sister, business is more important. Let's go down the mountain to pick up the two gentlemen. The monks in the temple will return the skirt knife to Luming Street later. Don't worry, Junior Sister, it won't get lost."
"Alright..."
Facing Xie Lingjiang's unwavering gaze, the Jade Cup Fairy forced a smile, but inwardly she was quite dissatisfied with the slow pace at which Liu Liu, Liu Qi, and the others were retrieving their knives.
The Jade Cup Fairy glanced at the sky without making a sound.
She could only impersonate Ouyang Lianghan for a limited time each time, as her spiritual cultivation couldn't sustain it for long, and delaying it might lead to unforeseen changes.
He immediately decided not to linger and left without hesitation.
With a businesslike tone, the Jade Cup Fairy gave a few instructions to Yan Liulang and the others, then turned and led them down the mountain.
Behind her, Xie Lingjiang turned her gaze away from the direction of Donglin Temple, glanced at the red string on the wrist of her "senior brother" under his sleeve, and then looked down at the red string on her own hand.
The noble lady from the Xie family pursed her lips, raised her head, and strode forward to catch up with the main group.
At present, Xie Lingjiang's mind cannot sense the skirt knife.
Therefore, the approximate location of the skirt blade is unknown.
Because not long ago, when I gave the senior brother a skirt knife in a dark alley.
Xie Lingjiang locked onto her senior brother's unique aura, and then activated a certain mental technique that accompanied the weapon-nurturing method, silently severing most of the influence of the skirt blade on her mind.
The wisp of thought nurtured within the skirt blade firmly remembered only the unique aura of the eldest brother.
Only when her aura is detected—that is, only when the skirt knife is in the hands of the senior brother himself—can she establish a mental bridge with him and transmit mysterious feedback remotely.
Apart from the eldest brother, anyone who obtains the skirt knife will be unable to connect the skirt knife with Xie Lingjiang's mind.
Her heart remained as calm as a still lake, undisturbed, and she couldn't sense anything.
This is because Xie Lingjiang has a rather strong psychological obsession with cleanliness, except for one certain person.
Although the skirt knife had already been given to her senior brother, and she believed that he would wear it properly.
However, he may inevitably come into contact with other close people around him in the future, such as that strange silver-haired foreign maid.
We can't let her develop a feeling for him and mistakenly think that her senior brother is thinking of her, can we?
Xie Lingjiang couldn't bear the shame...
The Jade Cup Fairy, disguised as Ouyang Rong, led Xie Lingjiang, Yan Liulang, and others down the mountain.
At the foot of Dagushan Mountain, after boarding the carriage again, the group hurried to Shili Pavilion on the outskirts of the city.
The agreed time to pick up the customer is approaching.
As we all know, waterways are faster than land routes, saving both time and effort.
The reason why officials from Jiangzhou, such as Lord Shen and Lord Wang, did not come to Longcheng directly by waterway.
This is because these two officials did not simply travel by boat from Jiangzhou directly to Longcheng.
Attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony in Longcheng County was just the grand finale of their trip.
The journey included two more stops, where they paused to inspect other disaster-stricken counties along the way, before finally arriving in Longcheng County by horse-drawn carriage.
In addition, the itineraries of these high-ranking officials are kept secret.
For safety reasons, the official document sent to Longcheng County Government only informed Ouyang Rong and his group of the arrival time and the location for their meeting.
Otherwise, the most convenient route would be followed.
Ouyang Rong would probably have changed the pickup location to Songlin Ferry.
That is, the new ferry crossing that will soon serve as the starting point of the Zheyi Canal.
Firstly, it's because Songlindu is very close to Dagushan, making it convenient to pass by.
Secondly, after meeting the Jiangzhou officials at Songlin Ferry, Ouyang Rong and his party could directly board a boat and sail straight to Digong Sluice Gate in Yue Nu Gorge, which would be convenient and quick.
Instead of going to Shiliting on the outskirts of the city to pick up people, and then going back to Penglangdu in the city to catch a boat, as is the case now.
However, it seems that this "unnecessary step" has not caused a long delay.
Due to various reasons, the Zheyi Canal is not yet fully operational.
Even if the group takes a boat at Songlin Ferry, they will still have to follow the same old, winding riverbed of Butterfly Creek.
It bypassed the entire Longcheng County once.
It doesn't save much time.
Unless the new canal is fully opened.
The Zheyi Canal starts from the Yedu Wharf in Shaojia Village in the south and ends at Songlindu in the north.
The river channel is straight throughout.
There's no need to go through the trouble of bypassing Longcheng County.
This is what you call truly saving time and effort.
Unfortunately, the first phase of the Zheyi Canal was abruptly halted by the young county magistrate after its completion, and there has been no progress since...
The Jade Cup Fairy didn't think too much about it; disguised as Ouyang Lianghan, she kept her head down and hurried on her way.
Throughout the entire process, he tried to speak as little as possible to Xie Lingjiang, Yan Liulang, and others to avoid giving himself away.
Finally, the group arrived at Shili Pavilion on the outskirts of the city. After waiting for less than a quarter of an hour, they saw a caravan of carriages slowly approaching on the official road in the distance.
The meeting between the two groups was nothing special.
It's just the usual polite greetings between officials of different ranks.
Inspector Shen Xisheng was still dressed in his crimson official robes, with a simple and austere appearance.
The newly appointed governor of Jiangzhou, Wang Lengran, was about the same age as Shen Xisheng, around forty or fifty years old, and wore a scarlet official robe of similar rank.
He also had a handsome beard, but he liked to glance at people with his eyes, and his expression was rather aloof. He seemed to speak very little.
Perhaps because there were outsiders present, the group didn't chat much and simply boarded the carriage and left.
A young county magistrate smiled politely and said, "Lord Shen, Lord Wang, please get in the carriage!"
"Please go first, Lord Wang." Shen Xisheng turned his head.
Wang Lengran nodded and entered the carriage first.
Shen Xisheng followed, and before getting into the car, he took a few more glances at the renowned magistrate of Longcheng County, but did not say anything immediately.
However, an unexpected twist occurred: the young magistrate did not ride in the same carriage as Xie Lingjiang and Yan Liulang.
Instead, they boarded the carriages of Lord Shen and Lord Wang.
Behind them, Xie Lingjiang and Yan Liulang couldn't help but exchange a glance.
The former remained silent.
The latter, which Yan Liulang noticed, was that after receiving the guests, a certain young county magistrate seemed to treat them rather coldly.
It seemed like things had entered a business-like phase, and thinking about it that way, Yan Liulang didn't find it too strange.
After all, past experiences have proven that while the various decisions made by the Ming government may seem absurd before implementation, their final results are evident to all.
However, what happened soon afterward left Yan Liulang puzzled once again.
The group arrived at Penglangdu Wharf.
A boat that had been prepared in advance was moored in a conspicuous position on the shore.
Yan Liulang, who was used to taking a boat from here to Penglangdu, directed the operation from the shore.
He was about to turn around and follow the two Jiangzhou officials and the prefect, leading his brothers onto the ship.
As a result, they were immediately stopped by two clerks who came down from the boat.
"Officer Yan, please wait a moment," the clerk said politely.
"What are you doing? What's the matter?" Yan Liulang asked curiously.
"The magistrate has instructed you and the constables to remain in the county, perform your duties, and guard the county government. You do not need to go to Di Gong Gate today," the clerk instructed.
Yan Liulang was taken aback for a moment, then smacked his lips and asked, "Did the Prefect say this?"
The clerk nodded.
Yan Liulang was about to speak, but his upward gaze immediately met the frowning eyes of a young county magistrate at the bow of the ship.
The latter was at the bow of the ship chatting casually with the two superiors, his eyes occasionally glancing sideways to keep an eye on the direction of Yan Liulang and the others below.
"Okay... alright."
Accustomed to obeying the prefect, Yan Liulang had no choice but to nod obediently and said helplessly to the clerk:
“The magistrate’s arrangements are certainly correct…then let Miss Xie go with him.”
The blue-clad constable was actually quite puzzled. Hadn't the magistrate planned a big operation at Di Gongzha today? Why didn't he bring any men with him? Wasn't Brother Ashan there enough?
The clerk who gave the orders shook his head slightly upon hearing the muttered words that followed, but said nothing.
Under Yan Liulang's puzzled gaze, the clerk turned and walked straight to Xie Lingjiang, who was also preparing to board the ship not far away.
The latter was also taken aback and stopped in his tracks.
"Miss Xie, please wait a moment."
The clerk also relayed an order from the young magistrate, instructing the female advisor to stay and guard the county town.
Seeing that Xie Lingjiang and Yan Liulang were both stunned for a moment and had no objections, the two clerks hurried back to report.
A short while later.
At Penglang Ferry, a large ship slowly set sail towards the Yue Nu Gorge.
On the shore, only Xie Lingjiang and Yan Liulang remained, their brows furrowed.
The two turned to look at each other.
A moment of silence fell over the air.
Yan Liulang walked away with a bitter smile.
Xie Lingjiang suddenly turned her head and looked east.
Yan Liulang looked on with curiosity, following her furrowed brows as he gazed at her.
That area is in the direction of Dagushan on the outskirts of the city.
...
After an incense stick has burned.
On Butterfly Creek.
At the bow of a large ship, a young county magistrate stood with his hands behind his back, enjoying the breeze, occasionally raising his hand to rest his chin.
The Jade Cup Fairy squinted slightly, feeling exceptionally relaxed all over.
Although she was wearing a rather heavy mirage mask, it always gave her the subconscious feeling that the mask was about to fall off.
Let her get used to supporting herself with her hand from time to time.
However, the fact that she had just managed to shake off the two potential threats who were most likely to expose her made the Jade Cup Fairy quite happy.
That infatuated Xie woman and the constable surnamed Yan really do listen to Ouyang Lianghan; they were dismissed so easily, without even needing to use the words she had prepared.
Unfortunately, the real Ouyang Lianghan is already dead, and Liu Liu and Liu Qi have probably already disposed of his body. The swordsman named A-Jie who committed the murder has probably already left with his sword.
The Jade Cup Fairy, temporarily assuming the identity of Ouyang Lianghan, didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.
However, after being nervous and cautious all the way, she finally managed to deal with Xie Lingjiang and others who were most familiar with Ouyang Lianghan, which immediately reduced the risk of her taking action at the ribbon-cutting ceremony by more than half.
Now, those around the Jade Cup Fairy are only Shen, Wang, and others who are unfamiliar with the original people, so they are no longer afraid of saying too much and easily giving themselves away.
"What is Lianghan thinking about?" Just then, a voice came from behind her.
The Jade Cup Fairy turned around and saw Shen Xisheng, who for some reason seemed to have a vague sense of familiarity with her.
"I was thinking about the wedding ceremony later, Lord Shen. I have already made all the arrangements for you. Please stay tuned."
"Oh? Then I'm even more eager to see Lianghan's arrangements and preparations." Shen Xisheng seemed to have thought of something, his tone full of meaning.
The Jade Cup Fairy smiled and nodded, then glanced at Lord Shen, who was practically dead in her eyes, before making an excuse to leave.
The Jade Cup Fairy turned away from the bow of the boat, intending to return to the cabin for a short rest. However, she had only gone halfway when she heard a loud thud from the stern of the boat.
Her expression changed instantly: "Thank you... Junior Sister, why... did you come along?"
Ahead, a figure in red gracefully leaped onto the stern of the boat; it was Xie Lingjiang, her expression calm.
Behind the large ship beneath our feet, a smaller boat is moored and docked.
Xie Lingjiang said directly, "Senior Brother, I still think I should go with you."
The Jade Cup Fairy's eyelids twitched inwardly, but her face remained serious, revealing a hint of displeasure at being disobeyed.
"No, didn't I just send someone to tell you? How can you act on your own? Junior Sister, are you disobeying your senior brother?"
Xie Lingjiang stared at the person in front of her and said seriously, "Of course I will obey, but that day in the carriage, Senior Brother promised me that Dragon City was not peaceful these days and the Liu family might resort to desperate measures. Senior Brother would have Junior Sister stay by his side. Senior Brother, have you... forgotten?"
Is that so? Is it true? The Jade Cup Fairy frowned secretly, remaining silent for a moment.
"Why didn't you let me come, Senior Brother?" Xie Lingjiang suddenly asked.
The Jade Cup Fairy forced a smile and said, "I was worried about my junior sister. I did something wrong and hurt you not long ago. I saw that you looked haggard and didn't talk much on the way back, so I thought I'd let you stay in the county to rest for a while."
Xie Lingjiang didn't reply immediately. Her gaze fell on the incredibly familiar face of her senior brother before her. After a moment, she suddenly smiled:
"Senior Brother is so good to me... I've never been this good to you before, but we're already tied together by the red string, and Junior Sister has to stay with Senior Brother. I... I'm so worried about Senior Brother's safety... It's settled then!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Xie Lingjiang stepped forward and followed closely behind her.
"..." The Jade Cup Fairy's smile froze.
(End of this chapter)
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