The carriage creaked and groaned as it passed through a forest full of fallen leaves, startling a few gray sparrows which flew away in a flurry.
"Brother Shi, we seem to be going the wrong way. This isn't the direction to Huang County." The old man driving the carriage had his face red from the cold wind. Seeing that the route was wrong, he quickly pulled the carriage to a stop.
"Is something wrong?" A steady voice came from inside the carriage.
"Our superiors instructed us to deliver all these things to the magistrate of the desolate county. We've traveled a long way and endured countless hardships, all to complete this mission, haven't we?" a burly man beside him retorted.
“I have a very strange feeling. Just keep heading towards Shijia Village. I will take full responsibility for all the consequences.” Shi Quan reached out and lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, his tone firm.
No one dared to question it, so they turned around and headed towards Quanzhou County.
"Brother Shi, what's so strange about this that makes it worth disobeying orders?" The burly man still couldn't understand.
It is said that the magistrate of that desolate county also came from Shijia Village, and was even the adult's own son. What problems could there be?
"Have you noticed that the closer we get to the desolate county, the fewer refugees there are around?" Shi Quan pondered.
The magistrate of that desolate county was, after all, his cousin, so he naturally wouldn't suspect him. However, some things were very strange, and these grains and weapons were related to their secret plans, so he had to be cautious.
The man next to him scratched his head, looking bewildered: "Ah, have there been fewer refugees here?"
Throughout the journey, he was most energetic during mealtimes and didn't really pay attention to his surroundings.
"Is it possible that the magistrate of the desolate county is capable of subduing all these refugees?" he asked nervously.
Shi Quan: "..."
With my cousin's personality, could he really be the kind of person who gets things done? A bunch of useless bastards, at least he came along!
"No matter what, the safest course of action is to get these supplies to Shijia Village first," he said coldly.
Soon the group arrived at Shijia Village, and Shi Quan was the first to jump down.
"Third Uncle, what has happened recently? Tell me about it..." He immediately went to the village head of Shijia Village.
"Xiao Quan, why are you back? Why aren't you staying in the capital to help your second uncle?" Shi Lizheng's heart skipped a beat when he saw his serious face.
"My second uncle was worried that something might have happened here, so he sent me to investigate. You should have told me everything that had happened during this time, and I would have analyzed it."
Shi Quan found it very strange from the beginning. How could his cousin, who had always been cowardly and only knew how to eat, drink and have fun, suddenly change his nature and take the initiative to ask for weapons and food?
This cousin is my second uncle's son. My second uncle didn't suspect anything and was very pleased.
But he felt things weren't that simple.
"What is the name of the magistrate of Huang County now?" he suddenly asked.
“What else can I call him? It’s the identity you arranged for him, Xu Rurong!” Shi Lizheng said decisively.
Such appointments of officials generally require recusal, and all officials are prohibited from serving in their hometowns.
In order to fulfill their plan, they needed to take control of Huangxian, a vital transportation route, so they forged an identity and obtained the position of magistrate of Huangxian.
Shi Quan tapped the wooden table with both hands, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "How is our God of Literature doing lately? Have you been making regular offerings?"
“This…” There was some hesitation there.
"Quanzi, it's not that we don't want to make offerings. We even found quite a few smart boys for it a few days ago, but it keeps hiding in the basement of the ancestral hall and refuses to eat no matter what!"
"Is it the legendary mountain goddess from the desolate county?" Shi Quan frowned.
The God of Literature must have heard the news about the desolate county to be so cowardly.
"Have any demon hunters been spotted recently?"
The village head scratched his head: "There does seem to be news of demon hunters in the desolate county, but I'm not sure if it's true."
After all, it's a county away. He's busy dealing with all sorts of things every day, so how could he care about the rumors in the desolate county?
"No wonder," Shi Quan said thoughtfully.
It seems that the God of Literature has been terrified. No wonder he's been hiding in the basement and refusing to come out. He's really a coward.
"Third Uncle, have someone bring another batch of children over. I want to watch Him eat them myself!"
"By the way, contact the magistrate of Huang County and ask him to come to the ancestral hall in Shijia Village to catch up with me."
No matter what that cousin is up to, we'll know once we meet him.
…
A desolate county.
Xu Rurong, who was practicing talismans, suddenly heard a noise outside. Not long after, Luo Yong walked in.
"Your Excellency, the grain and weapons have been delivered."
Xu Rurong's eyes lit up instantly: "What a sucker! Luckily, I didn't fall out with that guy!"
“However, those people who came transported all the grain and weapons to Shijia Village and asked you, the county magistrate, to personally lead people to retrieve them. They must already be suspicious; they are testing us,” Luo Yong replied.
"That man wanted to see you in person, but I refused, citing the magistrate's illness."
"Oh dear, I knew this matter was extremely dangerous. That person, who can sit in such a high position, certainly wouldn't be easily fooled!" County Magistrate Chen was so anxious that he paced back and forth.
"What's there to be afraid of?" Xu Rurong said calmly.
"Once this batch of food and weapons has been delivered, we can't let them get away no matter what. Even if we have to steal it, we have to take it back!"
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