Chapter 168 [No One Dares to Provoke]
Jiang Lili felt that the old man Hu Junshou was quite capable and smart, otherwise he would not have been able to create such an advanced weapon as the fire pole.
When Hu Junshou heard Jiang Lili's words, he paused holding his chopsticks. Then, he said with a playful smile, "Well, it's just that the job went wrong. I failed in my duty."
"I'm lazy to begin with, so I didn't bother asking for favors from anyone. I just came here to find a sinecure."
County Magistrate Hu put away the can of chili powder, wiped his mouth, and said, "Thank you all for your hospitality today. I'll be leaving first!"
"Oh, by the way, I still have to see how that villain is doing now."
The injured Liao Chengren had been carried into the woodshed.
County Magistrate Hu was still a little afraid that someone had died, after all, it was his firewood pole that went off.
After asking Jiang Lili for some herbs to treat Liao Cheng's wound, County Magistrate Hu walked out of the woodshed, a guilty look on his face. "How about this? I'll immediately ask the yamen runners to come to the village, put a sack on him, and take him away."
Just as he was about to leave, Xin Cheng stopped him and said, "Wait, Master Hu, are you willing to teach me how to make this fire stick?"
Hu Jun Shou glanced at him and said: "Second Master Xin, you are a disciple of Lu Ban. I know you."
Who among the officials of Dasheng didn't know about the Marquis of Zhaoping's mansion? Seeing such a loyal and righteous man stranded on a deserted island with him, the long-numbed heart of County Magistrate Hu felt particularly uncomfortable at this moment.
"If you want to learn, come to my government office when you have time!"
After saying this, Lord Hu touched his belly and quickly slipped away, fearing that Jiang Lili would say a few more words to him.
The Xin family father and son have been at the border all year round and know little about personnel transfers in the capital and the south.
Marquis Zhaoping looked at Lord Hu's hurriedly departing figure and asked in a puzzled tone, "Who is this county magistrate?"
Jiang Lili recounted everything she had heard: "I only heard from the yamen runners that this Lord Hu originally worked at the Iron Smelting Bureau in Shu, in charge of smelting and casting."
After hearing Jiang Lili's words, Lady Yang, the wife of Marquis Zhaoping, pondered for a moment: "Shu, Iron Smelting Division, surnamed Hu..."
"I remember once, while attending a banquet with the Duke's wife in the capital, I heard that there was a supervisor in Shu named Hu Chen who was in charge of the copper and iron smelting industries. He had outstanding achievements and was a diligent and conscientious official. He worked tirelessly and was extremely rigorous and responsible."
At first, Yang did not connect the decadent and unkempt Hu County Magistrate with the famous Lord Hu Chen.
"This Lord Hu Chen improved conditions for the poor laborers in the quarry and smelting department. He also predicted a mine collapse and, despite pressure from the imperial court, halted the project, averting a large-scale mining disaster. He saved hundreds of lives and was honored with a plaque by the local people."
Wen Xiaomei was curious when she saw Lord Hu using a fire stick to face the old man with a unique painting style.
I wonder what effect the fire pole made by this old man would have if it fell into the hands of her capable older sister!
Listening to Yang talk about Lord Hu's past, Wen Hanzhi admired him even more: "How could such a great official be exiled to Haizhou?"
When Jiang Lili heard what Yang said and thought about how she looked like a lost person when she first met Lord Hu, she couldn't believe that these two Lord Hu were the same person.
Is this old man really that powerful? If I were to board her ship now, I'd make a killing. A can of chili powder in exchange for an ancient expert in geological surveying.
Yang listened to Wen Xiaomei's doubts and recalled the scene at that time: "The Duke's wife mentioned this person to me because this Lord Hu Chen was selected for promotion and is likely to come to the capital. And this Lord Hu's son is of marriageable age."
She also found this matter very strange: "Now I don't know how he was banished here again, and I don't see his wife and children."
"I guess they couldn't stand the conditions in Haizhou, so they divorced and their son refused to come with them."
Chen guessed.
Everyone sighed, but Xin Cheng's mind was completely focused on the firewood. He cleared the dishes and said to Chen and Xin Yan, "Wife, son, I'm going to find Master Hu to learn from me now. You guys continue eating. When you're full, go back with your brother and sister-in-law!"
After saying that, he left like a whirlwind, and couldn't wait to chase Lord Hu.
Chen was left cursing, "This guy is really obsessed with researching mechanical creation. Knowing that Lord Hu has no wife or children by his side, he rushed to accompany him, right?"
Chen's words made everyone laugh, easing the rather sad atmosphere.
She said so, but she still understood and respected Xin Cheng's interests and hobbies. "Sister Yin, thank you for your hospitality today. I'll come down and bring you some food tomorrow. I'm going back today to prepare some clothes for my careless husband. With his personality, I'm afraid he'll stay at the county magistrate's house and won't leave."
Yin Zhen smiled and said, "Don't be polite with me, just go!"
Marquis Zhaoping and his wife went back first with Xin Yan's mother and son and Wen Xiaomei, while Jiang Lili and Xin Che stayed to accompany Liao Dabao and his son. They only breathed a sigh of relief when the yamen runners sent by Lord Hu carried Liao Cheng away from the woodshed.
Jiang Lili arranged a lot of self-defense items for Liao Dabao and his mother, such as pepper spray, electric batons, small chainsaws... and asked Xiongying Liefeng to keep an eye on the village temple.
Although she and Master Liao were in a group chat, she was still worried: "I'll leave you a copy of these signal fireworks and horns. If anything happens in the future, remember to send a signal as soon as possible."
Yin Zhen was deeply moved to see Jiang Lili's sincerity.
However, just as Jiang Lili and Xin Che were about to go back, they saw something climbing up from the top of the wall.
"What the hell? Why is the village so lively today?!"
Jiang Lili looked closely and found that it was the macaque Laoliu.
When she was about to go down the mountain today, she had already sent the monkeys away and told them not to follow her, but she didn't expect that the sixth one would follow her again.
Yin Zhen became nervous when she saw the monkey. She quickly took out the electric baton that Jiang Lili taught her to use for self-defense and held Liao Dabao in her arms.
Jiang Lili patted her shoulder and made her relax: "Sister Yin, don't be nervous. This monkey won't dare to attack anyone now."
Jiang Lili lectured Lao Liu: "Hurry up and apologize to her mother, or you'll be in big trouble!"
The macaque Laoliu also realized Yin Zhen's hostility towards it. After it climbed down from the wall, it stood obediently with its feet turned inward, and opened its big mouth to force out a flattering smile.
Jiang Lili threw a peach to it, and it immediately clasped its fists in thanks. However, it did not eat it right away. Instead, it walked to Yin Zhen with the peach in its hands and presented it with both hands, as if to express its apology.
Yin Zhen exclaimed, "Oh my God! No wonder they say monkeys understand human nature!"
She waved her hand: "Eat it, eat it."
Yin Zhen couldn't help but wonder, how come this monkey suddenly became so obedient?
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