Chapter 1562 Extra: Giving Justice a Buff (Part 2)
"This is the first time copper ingots have appeared in so many days... I wonder what kind of pattern this is." Compared to the glittering goldfish from a while ago, pure copper is naturally far less valuable in the secular world. However, given that goldfish are not widely circulated, copper ingots are clearly more valuable to Kangguo. Luan Xin ordered the caravan to stop for the night at the nearest post station on the official road to assess the situation.
The next day, Luan Xin was woken up by his wife.
The lady's expression held a hint of horror.
Luan Xin woke up and subconsciously threw off the covers.
After seeing it clearly, he silently put the blanket down.
Who would believe it? Copper blocks started growing in his bed.
He asked his wife to help prepare writing materials.
He began writing a personal letter to his lord, and had his guards deliver it, along with the hundred or so copper pieces that had appeared out of his bed, to the Phoenix Court. He was extremely curious about the pattern of these things' appearances—were they random occurrences, or were they related to other factors?
Shen Tang: "..."
Gongyi just went on vacation out of town yesterday, right?
How could I not feel pity for myself when I write to myself the very next day?
Shen Tang opened the letter and examined it carefully, not missing a single word. When she saw Luan Xin's question, she immediately abandoned her thought and asked the person in question. The woman was eating expressionlessly, having already devoured a hundred or so dishes on the table. The imperial chefs, sweating profusely, were also in high spirits—their master often climbed over the palace walls to eat outside, which frustrated them greatly.
Now that they finally have a chance to use their skills, they are eager to unleash all their abilities and conquer the taste buds of their lord and the others.
"What's so strange about that?"
This means there's a lot of unclaimed copper nearby.
"The little goldfish that appeared at the beginning, does that mean there was a lot of unclaimed gold nearby at the time?" The metal growing in Luan Xin's bed was not artificially controlled. The value of metals is assigned by human society, and there is no distinction between high and low, noble and cheap, or abundant metals.
The woman would never have had such a thought.
"Yes, that's what I mean."
Shen Tang lowered her gaze, looking happily at the ground beneath her feet: "According to this, the areas where copper nuggets appear have copper mines? Then, does the Phoenix Court beneath our feet have an undiscovered gold mine?"
The woman said, "You're only half right. The first part is correct, but the second part is wrong. The little man you just went on vacation, the gold he got didn't come from under his feet, it came from the sky. That's quite strange."
There was an extremely large "treasure trove" in the sky.
They are invisible to the naked eye; they exist in nothingness.
The strange space had many openings, and every now and then, like rain, tiny drops of gold would fall. All of this gold was unclaimed, so it was affected by her blessing, and a certain amount would randomly appear around Luan Xin.
"Is your face damaged?"
The fifth brother's facial features visibly twisted and became ferocious.
Shen Tang let out a heavy wheezing sound, his fists clenched tightly.
(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
What's so strange about that? The "heavenly treasury" she mentioned was just something that old scoundrel from the Heavenly Dao had exploited and squeezed out of her through Hanzhang. Over the years, Shen Tang herself couldn't even remember how much wealth she had lost. That treasury should have been hers!
How did it become ownerless?
Shen Tang took a deep breath, suppressing her murderous intent to kick Tiandao Laodeng to death: "I just suddenly thought of some very unpleasant things."
How could the woman not know that Shen Tang had murderous intent?
She said casually, "Actually, I don't like Him either."
On this point, she and Shen Tang could resonate deeply.
Shen Tang: "..."
That's natural; otherwise, how could they get along?
Over time, Shen Tang discovered that the girl, aside from being a bit quiet and reserved, was emotionally stable and not particularly cunning. At first glance, she seemed like the least noticeable and marginalized person in the class. This kind of hardworking and quiet girl was usually an angel in the eyes of parents, so why did Tian Dao turn against her? However, one thing was certain: the fault definitely lay with Tian Dao Lao Deng.
Shen Tang cursed Old Deng in his heart.
He immediately ordered someone to meet Luan Xin and his party.
It's almost certain that there's a copper mine nearby.
Luan Xin also learned the root cause from the Lord's reply.
"This means that if gold nuggets appear every day, it means there are no mineral veins nearby; if copper, iron, or other minerals appear..."
This means there is treasure nearby.
Luan Xin: "..."
I've really become a walking metal vein detector.
Two thoughts were tug at his mind.
Should they now venture deeper into the mountains and forests to find precious mineral veins for Kangguo, or should they continue visiting the hermits as planned to contribute to the successful ceremony? Seeing that the former was about to achieve an overwhelming victory, Luan Xin saw that his lord told him to let things take their course.
The entire continent of the four directions is in the hands of the Kang Kingdom.
Even the most precious mineral veins can be unearthed with diligent searching; their discovery is only a matter of time. Luan Xin's annual leave was hard-earned, so he should rest well and deal with official business later. Seeing this, Luan Xin adjusted his mindset and let the convoy continue on its way.
Luan Xin made a detailed plan before going out.
While taking his wife sightseeing, he also taught and tested his students and visited hermits in the vicinity. More than two months passed in the blink of an eye.
His two students are working in two different directions.
Luan Xin foresaw Miao Ne.
Miao Ne received the news and had people waiting on the official road seven days in advance. On this day, which was a day off, she came herself. Luck is so mysterious; she had just sat down and hadn't even burned an incense stick when she received a message: "Reporting to my lord, there is a caravan ahead displaying the family crest of Lord Luan."
"Really? The teacher is coming."
Miao Ne was overjoyed, brushed aside Cui Xiong's obstruction, and mounted his horse.
Before long, Miao Ne spotted the caravan, and Cui Xiong, wiping his sweat, spurred his horse to follow. Luan Xin heard the commotion and lifted the carriage curtain. His gaze first lingered on Miao Ne's face before noticing the student's noticeably unusual waistline and Cui Xiong beside her.
His eyes suddenly turned cold: "What's going on?"
Surely this waistline isn't just a result of Miao Ne's overeating and gaining weight?
I didn't receive an invitation to Miao Ne's wedding either.
Furthermore, if she were truly pregnant, would she still be riding a horse in such a bumpy and uncomfortable way?
Miao Ne immediately realized he had misunderstood, and quickly stepped forward to press down on his arm: "Teacher, don't be anxious, I will explain to you slowly."
Cui Xiong stood with his hands hanging at his sides, not daring to utter a sound.
Luan Xin: "Not his?"
Cui Xiong: "..."
Miao Ne chuckled: "Could a student be a sentimental and promiscuous person?"
The child in her womb was indeed Cui Xiong's, and she and Cui Xiong hadn't held a grand banquet or formally invited their colleagues to their wedding. However, they had been legally married by the local government, and some of their local friends had come to join in the festivities. Upon hearing this, Luan Xin's expression softened.
Why was there no letter explaining this?
Luan Xin glanced at Cui Xiong with dissatisfaction. He hadn't heard anything from the Cui residence when he left the capital. Miao Ne could have chosen not to write to him, but how could Cui Xiong, as the son of a prominent family, be so lacking in manners? Thinking about it, he became even more displeased.
Miao Ne said, "There's no time."
She had given this matter of marriage compatibility and pregnancy a lot of thought.
Her expression suddenly darkened: "The physician said that my mother's time is coming soon, and I am her only daughter. Although I have taken good care of her all these years, I know that she actually wanted to see me with her blood relatives before she passed away... so that she could rest in peace."
Luan Xin was taken aback.
He really hadn't thought about that.
"Even medical professionals can't find the root cause of the illness?"
"The physician we consulted said she was in good health, but due to her advanced age and the hardships she had endured in her early years, her health had been damaged, which shortened her lifespan. Her impending death was not due to illness, but rather an inescapable fate..."
When one's lifespan is over, even the most skilled physicians cannot snatch a life away from the King of Hell.
Miao Ne was always filial. In order to let her mother pass away in peace, she had Cui Xiong taken to the government office for a marriage match. She also held a simple banquet in her place of work for some friends with whom she had a good relationship, going through the motions. She would hold a more formal ceremony when she returned to the capital to report on her work.
Luan Xin: "Even so, you shouldn't wrong yourself."
Cui Xiong almost cried when he heard this.
Miao Ne smiled and said, "It's not a grievance."
She is keenly aware of what she needs at each stage.
Upon hearing this, Luan Xin had no choice but to accept the situation.
only--
"Go sit in the carriage, don't ride the horse." Luan Xin felt a wave of dizziness as he recalled the scene of Miao Ne galloping towards him.
Even literary figures shouldn't be so crude.
Luan Xinchong said to Cui Xiong, "She doesn't understand, and neither do you?"
Cui Xiong: "Master Luan is right."
Luan Xin: "..."
Forget it, why bother getting angry with Cui Xiong?
As long as the two children get together and it's not a momentary impulse or something immoral, what is there to be dissatisfied about? There's no need for me to be that wicked father-in-law who tries to break up a couple. Inside the carriage, Miao Ne stared blankly at Yan Shu's now mature face.
Yan Shu said, "We really were sisters in a past life."
The two did indeed have many similarities in appearance. She was younger and malnourished before, but now that she's grown up, the resemblance is very obvious: "Senior Sister Miao looks more haggard than the last time we met. Is it because she's gained weight? I've heard that pregnant women's appearances are easily affected, and they don't look as radiant as before."
An outsider might think Yan Shu was showing concern, but Miao Ne, who knew her well from her past life, found Yan Shu's words incredibly sarcastic and unsettling. She closed her eyes, suppressing this misconception.
"No, it's because of official business."
"Official business?"
"Yes, there's too much to do and too little money."
Every penny must be carefully saved and used sparingly.
This is also part of the performance evaluation.
Do the most work with the least amount of money.
Miao Ne personally supervised the work. When there was a shortage of water, he led people to dig wells; when there was a shortage of food, he led people to reclaim wasteland. Every year, he regularly led people to clean up the silt in the river, widen the river channel, and reinforce the dikes. He did not allow any loopholes to be exploited. The result of doing this was that it was too exhausting.
The effects of pregnancy on a scholar of letters are negligible.
"Before leaving the capital, the teacher had already discussed things with the Ministry of Revenue..." As the convoy moved forward, Yan Shu also saw the scene under Miao Ne's rule. Outside the city, as far as the eye could see, were neat and fertile fields, while within the capital city itself, it was spacious and clean. Very few commoners with gaunt, sunken cheeks could be seen, and even patched clothes were rarely seen. She leaned against the carriage window, watching quietly, and seeing children finish playing in the street, she asked, almost as if possessed, "Was it like this before...?"
Miao Ne scoffed, "Are you dreaming?"
This place is the result of her years of hard work. How can Longwu County, which was ravaged by warlords during the chaotic times, compare to it?
Yan Shu: "..."
Miao Ne doesn't really like to talk about the past.
However, with Yan Shu present, there were some things that could be said.
“How could you, a child born after unification, imagine such a desolate and lifeless hell? Everything you take for granted now was an unimaginable daydream back then.” Miao Ne’s voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself. “When people with the surname Miao go out, regardless of age or gender, they will only receive countless pairs of eyes filled with poison and accusation… as if they are haunted by a vengeful ghost.”
Miao Ne delayed having children until her mother was nearing death, perhaps because she felt her surname was unworthy of continuing the bloodline. Every drop of blood flowing through her veins carried sin.
Evil must be eradicated completely, but she herself is evil.
After speaking, he looked directly at Yan Shu, who was looking at her.
"And you, at that time, were also unforgivable."
Yan Shu: "I disagree."
Miao Ne raised an eyebrow: "You disagree?"
Yan Shu scoffed: "Before Your Majesty appeared out of nowhere, all the wars in the world were caused by those who were blinded by greed. And what does it have to do with me, a weak woman in my previous life, who controls these powers? The ones who are unforgivable are the other Miao men, not me, a woman who was raised to maintain the relationship through marriage. What crime could I have committed? At most, I ate rice stained with blood."
“According to the laws of Kangxi, I will not be held accountable.”
"The phrase 'unforgivable' is still too harsh."
"Of course, that refers to when Miao Shu was still an ordinary person. After she became a scholar, that's a different story."
Miao Ne said coldly, "You still don't engage in any internal strife."
Yan Shu: "This is an excellent quality."
I learned this quality from Senior Sister Xiang.
Miao Ne: "..."
Luan Xin and his group stayed in Miao Ne for more than a month.
In his spare time, he would often take his wife out for sightseeing or to visit reclusive scholars, while leaving Yan Shu to be taught by his senior sister, Miao Ne. Miao Ne did not stand on ceremony and made the most of her time, exploiting her fellow disciple like a free ox or horse.
"The way of the scholar, which is to nourish things silently, is very effective."
One of the most frequently used methods of the scholar by Luan Xin over the years is the Way of the Scholar. He has summarized a lot of experience in its use and improvement, and he has also passed on these experiences to Yan Shu, so that Yan Shu can avoid taking detours for twenty or thirty years.
Miao Ne looked at Yan Shu, who was exhausted, and felt satisfied.
Hehe, how could I not be satisfied?
She has now saved herself the financial expense of buying cloud products.
Yan Shu rolled her eyes dramatically.
As she left, Yan Shu wanted nothing more than to clap and celebrate, finally free from her exploitative and ruthless senior sister. However, she dared not show her joy too obviously, as her teacher had been in a bad mood these past few days.
He would often express his deep regret and criticize the current generation for their laxity.
In times of chaos, everyone was constantly on the edge of life and death, fearing they would lose their lives if they didn't work hard. Now that the world is at peace, these hermits have become complacent. He has encountered many scholars, but probably few have truly mastered the ways of the scholar. Several months have passed, and he has yet to reap any harvest.
Luan Xin: "..."
If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have scolded my colleagues.
Compared to these hermits, my colleagues are quite diligent.
"Sigh, I can only hope to make some gains over there."
Unlike Miao Ne's orthodox style, Xiang Zhao was more like a wicked cultivator who took an unorthodox approach, focusing solely on the outcome. Her superiors and subordinates harbored considerable resentment, but dared not voice it. There was no way around it; her backing was too powerful. This backing wasn't her teacher, the Minister of Personnel, but rather the seemingly unrelated but highly skilled doctor of a urology clinic in the city, Gongyang Yongye.
"Why is it Lord Jun who has come to pick us up?"
A two- or three-year-old child sat on Gongyang Yongye's shoulders, and a graceful boy of about ten years old followed beside him. Luan Xin's lips twitched when he saw this; he hadn't expected that the old man would actually have a second child.
He's truly a warrior.
Gongyang Yongye said, "Your students are busy."
Luan Xin looked at the child who was grabbing Gongyang Yongye's hair and stuffing it into his mouth, and reached out to hug him: "Is this the Marquis's second daughter?"
Gongyang Yongye: "Hmm."
He now has both a daughter and a son.
The second daughter was hard-won; heaven knows how much free labor he did for the man surnamed Shen before he finally earned the right to have her.
Luan Xin: "...I heard from the young master of Jimo before..."
Gongyang Yongye plans to have a third child.
They called it a response to the policy call of Kangguo.
Gongyang Yongye didn't even raise an eyebrow.
"So what? I just like having children, so what?" The more children his family has, the more achievements the local officials can make.
Anyway, he has a long life ahead of him and plenty of energy.
Luan Xin: "..."
You can't become a rank 20 Marquis without a bit of madness in your head.
Yan Shu knew that Xiang Zhao had a daughter, but she had never seen the child or met Gongyang Yongye, so she was unaware of the details and naturally misunderstood the situation. When she learned that Gongyang Yongye was actually a urologist and was currently preparing for the examinations at the Medical Temple, she was even more astonished. This "brother-in-law" didn't seem like a refined doctor at all; he looked more like a ruthless martial artist.
Studying male reproductive health issues...
Even fewer.
Gongyang Yongye's clinic was located on the street next to the government office, and patients had to register and wait in line to see him. He had a bad temper and only saw a few patients a day, and sometimes he would leave early, which resulted in a waiting list of more than three months, indirectly boosting the business of nearby guesthouses and inns. After the government office closed, the clinic would inevitably close.
No matter how busy you are, you can't neglect spending time with your children.
Yan Shu also met Xiang Zhao, who was on duty.
Xiang Zhao asked in surprise, "What brother-in-law?"
Yan Shu: "...Huh?"
Xiang Zhao then understood what Yan Shu had misunderstood. He briefly explained his cooperative relationship with Gongyang Yongye, and then told his stunned junior sister how the child came to be, leaving Yan Shu completely dumbfounded. On the other side, Luan Xin and Gongyang Yongye were also having a pleasant conversation. Gongyang Yongye was satisfied with obtaining Luan Xin's favor, while Luan Xin was also satisfied with the century-old network of connections that Gongyang Yongye had cultivated.
With Gongyang Yongye's help in accurate screening, he saved himself a lot of trouble.
Gongyang Yongye: "I've never paid attention to the completion ceremony before. I didn't expect that you scholars also have it so tough."
He thought that the will of a martial artist was the most difficult to achieve.
I never imagined that even the final ceremony would require such a strenuous effort.
Luan Xin: "It's not easy for anyone."
As he spoke, he had someone pull out a piece of iron.
Gongyang Yongye asked, "What are you doing?"
Luan Xin said, "This is my way of returning the favor."
There's iron ore here, and the content isn't low. The royal court will definitely send people to mine it. For Gongyang Yongye, a 20th-rank Marquis, getting involved in such a large project would be a piece of cake.
In this way, wouldn't the merit be gained?
A third child is on the horizon, Lord Gongyang.
|ω`)
That's all.
(End of this chapter)
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